The universe threw me a bone

I've been pretty cranky this week. Inflicted by a woman's indelicate condition, everything bad that happened was amplified. Things that bugged me include my purse strap breaking. Paying $19 to mail my April Color-iffic Swap-o-rama package to Europe and knowing the package I sent parcel post for March still hasn't reached its destination. Being woefully understaffed at work. There have been late nights of reading wedding magazines that make me feel overwhelmed by the choices, the planning and the costs. We've been working for almost a year on our new office studio space upstairs. Last week the contractor started the custom bookshelves, media cabinets and banister. It's taking so much longer than I anticipated which means it's costing way more, too. Spending big chunks of money REALLY makes me cranky. Although, when this room is done I am going to be ecstatic and it will be worth every penny, every drop of sweat and the countless evenings and weekends Sweets and I spent up there working on it. The last thing that buggged me was that I thought I had a reservation all set up for a bed and breakfast in the Catskills next weekend to celebrate Sweets birthday. The innkeeper ended up dissing me and gave the room to someone who wanted to book it longer. Even though I had called her first. That totally set me off. I called Sweets and said this week is totally sucking. I think it's about time the universe sent me a happy suprise. Last night it arrived. I got the news I won a first place picture editing award from the National Press Photographers Association's Best of Photojournalism 2006. Last year, was a tremendous year for me. I knew I did great work editing coverage of the tsunami, the hurricanes, the Pope, Iraq and more. The award I won was for Newspaper Natural Disaster, Special Section. The section was for tsunami coverage.It includes photographs by our staff photographer ( Pulitzer Prize winner) Matt Rainey and wire services. You can see the section in pdf form here. Or view the complete list of winners. I am totally humbled by the amazing company I am keeping with some of the best photo editors in the country. When the universe gives you a gift, she makes sure it's a damned good one. Thanks, U. P.S.: Another thing to be happy about is this is the 100th post for The Metaphorical Magpie. P.S.S.: My friend and fellow editor, Elly-O is baking me congratulatory choclate chip cookies today. Winning tastes good!