Make Your Day Brighter (and Liz's rainy day shirt)

Back in the early 90's, I worked at JVC in Fairfield with a girl named Liz. We were both different than the rest of the employees. We were into drinking at dive bars in Alphabet City, smoking cigarettes, and listening to Pearl Jam. We were not corporate America. We just worked for corporate America to pay our party bills. We were grunge when grunge was the way to live.

I remember noticing that every time it rained, Liz wore this bright, vertical striped shirt. Other days, she wore black, or dark plaid with jeans or a black skirt. Finally, I asked, "So, what's with the shirt?" She looked at me with a smirk and said, "It's my rainy day shirt. I wear it whenever it rains to make my day a little brighter." While our friendship didn't last long, her rainy day shirt idea did. And in the 20 years since I met Liz, I've never thought about buying one. But with all this rain, flooding, and sadness, I decided that I needed to go find myself a good one.

My acupuncturist mentioned that incorporating some yellow into my home and wardrobe (and to get flowers that are naturally yellow) would help lift my spirits. I listened to what she said. As I type this, I am wearing a yellow tank top, and every time I look at it, well, I do feel happy.

With regard to flowers, I was unable to find yellow flowers, but did get a lovely bouquet today at Simplify Marketplace. It's Fresh Flower Thursday there every week. Just in time for the weekend. I love supporting local, independently owned stores, and Simplify is one of them. Check out my flowers.

I never buy flowers in the summer. They are blooming all around me, and the trees are covered in leaves. The environment is alive and flowers are not needed. Once the weather changes, though, I start needing flowers. It's times like now that seeing a small bouquet of flowers really brightens my day.

If you have the means to get around, please go treat yourself to a rainy day shirt. Mine was $5 at Mandee. Total bargain and yellow enough to make me happy. And please go buy yourself some flowers. I've read in many magazines and books, including a book on how to have happiness in your life, that flowers truly add a vibrancy to a home, and offer a sense of hope. So go for it. You deserve it.