View Full Version : Things you get excited about that other people just take for granted.
We just got a new refrigerator. I am so excited. It is exactly what I wanted. I had a side-by-side that I ABSOLUTELY hated. And, to think we had that thing for 22 years! Anyhow, I am thrilled by a refrigerator. haha
Vegetables! Fruits! I love the produce section in the grocery store. The colors and shapes are so beautiful!! The rich purple red and cream of a variegated eggplant almost brings me to tears. And I could sing songs about mangoes. Strange, I know!
A house that I feel I can ask anyone to step into, anytime, without being embarrassed. We bought our house which was built in 1974 in 1985. It was "outdated" then--the previous owners were Asian and very frugal and were totally fine with avocado shag and metallic brown and silver wallpaper.
Turns out, we were, too. We kept our really horrible vinyl flooring, our 70s kitchen, and our old-fashioned bathroom (just saw American Hustle and there was a bathroom in it that had our fixtures).. for thirty more years.
My husband keeps bragging about our kitchen now, and I keep telling him to shut up--it's just on par to what many people have. Nothing fancy--no high-end finishes. Just.. clean and functional. We're thrilled.
Gardenarian
1-1-14, 3:23pm
I'm still excited about the refrigerator we got two years ago! Counter depth - what a difference in a narrow galley kitchen!
I can't wait to get new flooring in our kitchen and bathroom and downstairs entry.
I also get pretty excited when any plants I propagate do really well. My babies!
My own washer and dryer. After a lot of years of laundromats and apartment laundry facilities it's so great to do laundry whenever I want and not have to do a full load.
Also a small fenced backyard. Pretty much everything that comes with our condo, that we didn't get when renting.
Also, at this time of year I'll be thrilled when it's -20C or warmer outside. This -30/-40 has gone on for far too long.
Not something that other people take for granted, but something that others don't seem to care about - sidewalks. I'm so excited to live in an area where I can safely walk without walking on the road. So many parts of this city don't have sidewalks. I don't get it. Where do little kids ride their tricycles anymore? Where do people stroll about? Of course, the answer is that they don't. Nobody goes outside anymore. It's shocking to see kids outside.
And hills. I get super excited about any type of hill. It's kind of embarrassing. But Winnipeg is the flattest city ever. The only hills we have are artificial. I miss hills. I go on vacation just to be able to walk outside in the winter or to see hills.
Comfy, good looking shoes!
I mostly get excited about things in the natural world. Sometimes just looking at the sky takes my breath away and I wonder why people take the absolute wonder of our planet for granted. They don't even notice it.
I too marvel at produce - oh and plants for the landscape or garden.
Most of the things I thought of first were not man made items. Like Pinkytoe, they are just seemingly ordinary things in the natural world that routinely astound me. Of course there is also my new car that has air conditioning. I've never had a car with air conditioning ever.
I've never had a car with air conditioning ever.
That's funny. One could barely survive without it here.
Water. Our well went out and we had to have a new well drilled ($6000). We were without water for several days then had to wait for the health department, which was closed for 2 weeks over the holidays, to approve the new well before we could use the well water for cooking and drinking. Now oftentimes when I turn on the faucet and water comes out I think of how thankful I am for water.
ApatheticNoMore
1-2-14, 11:56am
Most of the things I thought of first were not man made items. Like Pinkytoe, they are just seemingly ordinary things in the natural world that routinely astound me. Of course there is also my new car that has air conditioning. I've never had a car with air conditioning ever.
Yea, the natural world can just cause a deep inhale of wonder, and not just the natural parks or something (although of course they are great wonders), but just plants. I was driving the other day just under an overpass I've passed where the plants grow all over the overpass and that and the sunshine and a deep breath of such bliss (and I find this time of year with SAD and the holidays and so on stressful and just it wasn't for a moment). But man made stuff I guess I mostly take for granted, it doesn't impress.
That's funny. One could barely survive without it here.
yea I know, ok I've driven cars without air conditioning, even with hour long commutes, what that is like of course: sure you open windows and so on in the car and breath sweet freeway exhaust, you're still burning up. You arrive home, you turn on the A/C and collapse in the bed (or on the floor whatever - hopefully somewhere near the A/C), you often fall asleep then with the A/C a running, just because your body is so exhausted from having been burning up for over an hour - it's physical exhaustion from just having been so hot - you sleep just to recover. So A/C in a car I don't consider particularly optional and though I don't much think about it now, I do know how helpful it is. Cars get hotter than even hot apartments and far hotter than outside of course.
Hubs and I were out for a walk recently and the sight of two eagles and two snowy egrets brought me to tears. No real explanation. Just joy, I guess. We both really enjoy watching backyard birds.
I get excited by the mere fact that my body works - and works pretty good for the most part. I see a lot of disabled people (Vets) and those with serious injuries and illness when I volunteer at the VA hospital and am just oh so grateful and happy that I can do such a simple thing as walk. That and hot showers and a warm bed. Again, volunteering with homeless Vets, I am so excited every night when I can take a hot shower and get into a warm, safe bed when I know others can't. Such luxuries I have!
Sad Eyed Lady
1-2-14, 7:50pm
Coming home from the library with a stack of good books!
Blackdog Lin
1-2-14, 8:49pm
A hot hot hot bath, on the evening of a cold cold day, one in which I was actually out and about performing physical labor. And then into laundered jammies/sweats. In between, a simple but oh-so-warming-and-hearty meal of ham and lentil soup w/crackers. And DH and my dog around me. And I'm snugged into my house w/central heat.
I am both excited and grateful for all these little one-day things, today.....
The natural world does it for me, too. Nearly every day I can see high peaks of the Rockies and it gives me goosebumps every time. But even lovely little wildflowers in the yard sometimes get me.
Simply Divine
1-3-14, 12:09am
Today, I paid all my bills, went shopping, and put money into my savings account. When I added up everything, I still had money left over. :cool:
We recently got our first batches of plants in the garden center where I work, and I just felt giddy looking at them. I also picked up a gardening magazine we sell and just started reading it. It was fun.
Now, if only I could keep reading this horticulture textbook from the library. It has lots of interesting information, but the writing style is so very dry.
Shade. We lived for 20+ years on a south facing slope where pinon trees would take 200 years to get to 10' tall. Now we have a huge oak tree in the back yard that perfectly shades our deck and the back of the house. Its lovely.
I can get rapturous over just the right blankets, bed linens, pillows...Also, as others have mentioned, the perfection of nature and good libraries (both plentiful around here), and clean, well-organized thrift stores.
I love the first day the sun comes out in the spring and you can feel the warmth of it on your face. That's usually the first day I'm planting lettuce too.....my garden just makes me happy.
I noted--not for the first time--how flying up the long hill from town in the Oldmobile is much better than holding up a whole line of traffic as I chugged along in my VW. And the heater works!
The Storyteller
1-3-14, 4:56pm
My grandson's laugh.
My daughter's smile.
A nicely sharpened pencil
When you hit print on computer and it actually prints with no troubleshooting/cursing needed
A nicely sharpened pencil
I agree! A wooden #2, with eraser, and the next thing I would say that I love that other people take for granted is plain white paper. I just get so excited looking at the possibilities of what one can do with a sharp pencil (with eraser!) and blank paper. Wow.
early morning
1-4-14, 5:49pm
Ice. I love to see ice. Ice storms are things of terrible beauty - powerful, majestic - (dangerous, destructive, I know......) but after, with the sun on ice - indescribable. I love icicles too - one of my strongest early memories is of being carried carefully down a path at Old Man's Cave (in Ohio) to see the ice buildup from the bottom pool frozen into one big pillar reaching the top ledge. And I love snow - especially if I only have to LOOK at it. Not so fond of MOVING it, or even moving IN it, lol. I also take an old coke bottle of water to work and leave it in my car to drink on the way home. If it's really cold, I crack the cap very carefully and watch closely, because if the temp is just right, it will make instant ice - I can watch the long ice crystals form right in front of my face. Magical! :)
IshbelRobertson
1-4-14, 5:55pm
I was in Aberdeen recently and saw the Northern Lights. That's not always possible in the north of my country, but is a great bonus!
Gardenarian
1-5-14, 2:57pm
Ishbel - it's been a long time since I've seen the Northern Lights - how magical.
I'm sure I'm not the only person who strolls outside every night to look at the moon. So many times a day I think, what an incredible planet we live on!
I'm still so grateful and awed by high speed internet and how it has facilitated so many great changes in my life, especially through connecting with all of you on these boards! And our dishwasher...I never had a usable one until 2006 (one came with the house I bought in 2004, but I didn't know how to use it until DH moved in with me in 2006 and showed me, LOL!). That's still amazing to me...stack up dirty dishes, put in soap, press buttons, walk away, clean dishes. Incredible!
1. My Jeep- it has seat warmers and I can take my top off. ;)
2. Fresh vegetables and fruits most of the year.
3. The beach- it is my zen place and I can be there in 2 hours.
I agree! A wooden #2, with eraser, and the next thing I would say that I love that other people take for granted is plain white paper. I just get so excited looking at the possibilities of what one can do with a sharp pencil (with eraser!) and blank paper. Wow.
How about a #2 pencil with an eraser which really works?!?!? Now THAT's exciting!! Seems like anymore, you can take a brand new pencil, make a mistake, and the "eraser" only manages to make a black smear.
How about a #2 pencil with an eraser which really works?!?!? Now THAT's exciting!! Seems like anymore, you can take a brand new pencil, make a mistake, and the "eraser" only manages to make a black smear.
Same experience here, KayLR. Would love to get a recommendation on a decent pencil with an eraser that doesn't crumble or smear.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.