happy as a clam

I want to be happy and live a happy life. I want to have fun. Nothing too novel there, right? Don’t we all? And while I think that some of it comes by way of our personalities (in general I’m a pretty happy person, and I know people that are just generally kind of cranky), it’s also something to continually work on.

Being happy isn’t always the easiest choice. Some days it’s difficult. Some days it’s really difficult.  But it’s my goal –  living a happy life – so I’m gonna just keep at it.

When I spend time around people who do nothing but complain, sigh, or are just all around glum chums - it sucks away my energy and leaves me with little more than an exhausted shell.  Because moods are contagious, you know?  So if you blast out your foul mood, it gets blasted all over me. And then I gotta spend my time fighting to get out from underneath it.  This gets tiring and old (and is not how I want to spend my time).   We all have bad days – and I’m not saying that you should pretend that you don’t.  I’m just suggesting that we don’t need to focus on every bad thing that happens.  Bad things happen.  Some days are shitty.  But good things happen too, right? As Ani DiFranco sings: Nobody likes their job. Nobody got enough sleep . . .  And as we say in our house:  Suck it up, Buttercup.

Anyway.  I was rambling on about how moods – like yawns - are contagious.  Good moods are too.  So let’s start a global epidemic of happiness! Who’s in?

Smile more.  Hug your friends.  Dance around your house and sing to your dog.  Eat tacos and laugh at the way you hold your head at just the right taco-eating angle.  Or not.  These are some things that make me happy.  You should do whatever it is that makes you happy.

I’m working on my list of happy things.  I’ve had one going since sometime in the 90’s (one I started with my friend Kate while we were at work.  Hi Kate!).  I haven’t added much to it the last few years – but I added a few things this last week.  It’s funny to go back and read some of the things that used to make me happy. (like Star Wars.  Really, 20 year old me?  Star Wars?)

I also have a list of things I don’t like.  Things like paper cuts and animal poachers and the word ‘slacks’.  But because I want to focus on what brings me joy, I intentionally keep this get-my-goat list much shorter than my happy list.

Tonight I’ve been doing some editing and working on layout and design -  because I’m getting ready to publish this Happy List as a book!  Did that sink in, person who might be reading this blog?  I’m publishing a book!  It will be a very small run.  Very, very small.  Like, only 1 copy, actually.  Because it’s my list and I don’t know why it would be of interest to anybody other than me.  But still!  I’m going to be a published author with my very own hardcover book with my name right there on the cover.  (and if I decide to pay a little more – I can even have my own ISBN!  Isn’t that awesome?  Having an ISBN?  I might go add that to my list right now.) 

I just did.  The last bullet point right now on my list is this:  ‘Publishing a book of your happy list – volume 1’.  Yea for me!

I’ve also committed to myself to try something new every day for this month.  It sounds like fun.  Will I make it the entire month?  Who knows?  And really, who cares?  I’ve already had more fun and it’s only the 4^th day of the month.

On the 1^st - I made a new dish for dinner.  I had made a pot of split pea soup (on my happy list – I love this soup!) and was trying to think of what dish I could make to go with it.  So I made a roasted carrot and beet salad.  It might have been better if I had looked up some other people’s recipes – but it turned out fine and it was all mine.  Fun!

On the 2^nd - I scouted out a new dog park and took Aoife out for some house-cramped-dog fun!  It’s been too cold to go for our walks.  The last few days she just runs out in to the backyard to take care of business and then she barks to come right back in.  Not good for an energetic girl like Aoife!  We like the park off of Franklin Ave a lot, but I thought a new park would be a good experience.  And not only is this one closer to our house, but it’s right across the street from beautiful Lakewood Cemetery.  The park is not nearly as pretty as the Franklin one – but it will be nice to have another one to choose from.  I love watching her run around all pell-mell! Fun!

On the 3^rd – I created a new gmail account and set up the bones of this blog. Scary.  A little intimidating.  But Fun!

On the 4^th – today – I’m writing my first ever blog entry.  I am now a blogger!  Fun!

What makes you happy?  What can you do to add more fun in your life?  Tell me – I’d love to hear it!

- bert