So yesterday I just. Couldn’t. Do. It.

But today, despite the chronic cough and lack of sleep, I am going to do the Friday version of Things I Love Thursday. Because it’s never too late to be Thursday, or something.

A couple short but very important things I love:

* Mi madre—it was her birthday this week! My mom is the cutest toughest specialest most-unfazable mother in the universe and I’m crazy about her :).

* Squeeworthy happy news in a good friend’s life. YAY!

And then a big one:

* Inspiration, thoughts, advice, and quotes from others. I hope I am never too proud to admit the positive influence other people can have on my state of mind, and on the way I see life. They make life the kaleidoscope it is, refracting light from seven million different angles . . . one of them is bound to dazzle your eyes even on the worst of days. Below are a few examples of articles and snippets and passing phrases that caught my eye recently.

“Like a rainbow on Mars!” —slogan painted on the coolest toy store in town

“It is time to put feathers in your hair and dance like a monkey on Demerol.” —my sweet MC

“the sweet pea that has run wild” —Boris Pasternak

“I call architecture frozen music.” —Goethe

Advice from Wide Lawns’ Aunt Janey:

Always do exactly what you want to do and don’t worry about what anybody else says. You be brave in life and don’t let people stop you from doing things just because they want to bully you and boss you and try to make a fool out of you to make themselves feel big. You want to drive a tractor, you go on ahead and drive a tractor, and make sure you live your life with a little flair in the process and you tell everyone else to kiss your ass Pinky. And let me tell you something, there’s a shade of pink to suit everyone. You just have to find yours and when you do, ain’t nobody, not some fiancé, not some boss at work, some trampy girl that stole your man, and not nobody else on this planet is gonna be able to get in your way.

And last, but not least: 39 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist