Okay, back it at again here on the blog. I have got a lot of actually work done the last few days, so maybe I have a little bit of time to do some blogging. It’s been warm here in New York, but not oppressively hot like it was, so I have the back door open to get some fresh air in here while I write. Let’s get back to Tuesday’s question, which was:

What do you do to stay positive in life?

Everyone seems to have their own little tricks, but the consensus was to try to focus on the good things you have in life to keep you going. This sounds easier to do than it really is. We all get down brought about by the different circumstances we face in life. There is probably something that comes up just about every day that can bring you down a few notches. Noe of the hardest things for me to do while I was in the hospital and even just after I got out was to try to stay positive. Even being surrounded by Michelle and Sean and my family to keep me going, once I was conscious and aware of what was going on, it was hard to stay positive. Every minor setback I had during rehabilitation would be a tough one. You take so much for granted in life with the things you do, like bending over to tie your sneakers, using a spoon, reading a book, just about everything you do is done without giving much thought to it. When I had to re-learn how to do all of these things and more, it could get very frustrating. I needed motivation to keep me positive to do these things. While one motivation was to be able to get out of the hospital and go home, once I was out I had to find other things to keep me positive that I could get back to doing some things that I used to do. I am not a religious guy by any means, but there were times that I turned to faith to give me the strength to keep going, to push through the pain, because the result would be worth it. It was far from easy, and still is tough at times. Now I do try to stay focused on the good things I have in life. Having been blessed with another chance to live life I try to use what is good in my life to get through the tough parts. It’s not always easy; sometimes it’s downright painful and difficult. My thought is that I am pretty damn lucky to have what I have and be where I am. There are people who were and are much worse off than I am and they can survive, go on, succeed and stay positive, so there is no reason why I can’t do the same thing. Will there be moments of distress and depression and feeling like the world is against you? I am sure there will be, but I can’t let that beat me, not anymore. Take what life is offering you and try to make the best of it. No situation is perfect and no life is perfect. It’s turning those rough spots into something else, something positive, that keeps you moving ahead. It is a choice we make each day. You can let the bad times get the better of you and slowly get buried under a mountain of self-pity or you can make an effort to turn it around, try another tack, and keep moving.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to answer and a special thanks to Danica McKellar (Winnie from “The Wonder Years”) for taking the time to answer me on Twitter. Now let’s move on to the next question. This is a good one not only for the summertime, but any time you may feel the need to get away:

What is your dream vacation?

No restrictions on this one. You can go anyplace, do anything, take anyone you want; money is no object. You can go for as long as you wish, eat, drink, climb a mountain, scuba dive, whatever it is that you have always wanted to do. Not just somewhere you want to visit, but the type of getaway you always dream about having. Think about it and let me know. You can answer on here, or on Facebook or on Twitter. I’ll also ask a few people on Twitter and see what they respond. I’ll post my answer tomorrow.

Okay, I still have my cooking blog to work on today (www.onedadskitchen.com, shameless plug) and I really am going to post more of “Below the Surface” today, so check back later for that. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and don’t forget to do something creative today!