Last Thoughts: “Happy” (the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge)

Hypoallergenic cats

Reading in bed

Sunset at my local beach

Bright colors and shiny things

My home in Maine

Pictures that make me laugh

The Disney MAGIC

Travel and history

Journaling in cafes

All Photos © 2012 Karina Chapman

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” – Dalai Lama

As always, the Friday Edition combines a quote with a favorite photo. I tailor these to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme, which this week is “Happy”.

I like the challenge this week! I got to show the things that make ME happy, and I was able to use more than one photograph.

Obviously, family would be first. But that’s a “gimme”…of course I would say my family. But beyond my family…what things make me truly happy?

Travel. Writing. Quiet relaxing days on the Disney MAGIC. Bright colors and shiny things. Cats I can pet without sneezing my head off.

Being home in Maine.

This is a great challenge for today, because this has been a tough week. We have done NECAP (New England Common Assessments…P-something) testing all week, and everyone was fried this afternoon. The kids were tired of testing and the daily changes in schedule, the teachers were tired of testing and trying to run classes but keep track of which sessions we missed so we could catch them up. And even though science class was, as always, awesome and fun today, the academic block we didn’t have due to testing this morning was my only prep period–and I had a Civil Rights Team meeting during half of my only break during the day.

I know, I know, I know…whine, whine, whine.

I’m delighted to have a job in a place where I laugh, every single day. I’m delighted to have a job I love to go to, and that I can willingly get up for at 5:30 every morning. I’m thrilled to work with my partners–Sharon, Deb, and Jess–and that I get to see and work with some of my favorite people every single day (which would be just about everyone else at the school, including Terese and Traci and Cath and Ingrid and Cindy and Angie and Amy and Dan and Mike and Emily and Gene and Annie and Sheila and Marilyn and oh, there just isn’t room to write them all!).

And I’m delighted I still have this blog. I’m glad I have a place where I can write, at least a little, every week. It’s wonderful to have a place to share my photography, while also enjoying the words and photos of my blogger friends.

All in all, even despite all the challenges and time constraints and upheavals, it’s been a pretty darned good day.

And I am happy!

Aloha!