Oh happy day! (And a recommendation to boot!)

One of my very first thoughts every morning, even before I even get out of bed, is this: What do I have to look forward to today?

There's always something--and I think I could make a pretty compelling argument that having something to look forward to is a significant component of happiness. (I mean, think of the alternative: Nothing to look forward to?) So whether I'm due to finish up a deadline, meet a friend for lunch, or carve out an hour to read uninterrupted(!), I take a few seconds every morning to acknowledge these activities before I start my day.

So this morning, I'm lying in bed (laying? I can never remember; must look that up) when Christian wakes me with breakfast. This is his new thing. He's been bringing me breakfast in bed every morning since Mother's Day: One bowl of Cinnamon Life on a plate with a napkin, and a cup of juice. After he leaves me with breakfast, and after I think about how lucky I am (Seriously. Can I just keep my kids young forever?!), I think: Okay, what else do I have to look forward to today?"

And that's when I remembered: The first meeting of my new small-group writing workshop! Tonight I'm sitting down with a new group of students for a four-week workshop. I cannot tell you how excited I am to get to know these writers and read what they've written.

We'll start the evening with a few writing exercises -- likely a few that I've gleaned from Abigail Thomas' book, Thinking About Memoir. Thomas is one of my favorite writers, and if you're looking for a good read, I highly recommend her book, A Three Dog Life.

Stephen King called A Three Dog Life, "The best memoir I have ever read." For other reviews, visit Thomas' Web site here.

Under the "Getting Started" link on Thomas' site, Thomas recounts how she got started in writing -- and offers a few writing exercises, too. Worth checking out.