Sunday, February 12, 2006

The happy list

The topic lately has been happiness. So let's continue to run that into the ground.

I remembered a fun little exercise I used to do with some co-workers on a non-regular basis: We'd create happy lists.

The happy list was an enumerated list of things we had reason to be happy about at that particular time. One person would start by writing their list, and then email it to the other two who participated. We'd all review each list together when finished to decipher the not-so-obvious entries to one another.

Hokie? Oh yes. Contrived? Maybe. But it sure helped to redirect our thoughts from those of being malconteded corporate gears to realizing there sure was a lot to be happy about in our lives. It was also a good way to cultivate good friendships, too. I wouldn't doubt if ignudo still had some or all of those archived somewhere. He's like that.

But for old time's sake (and the need to be positive for a change), here goes...the explanations are added for blog readers who otherwise won't get the opportunity to interrogate me later abour specific entries:

1. My family - the kids and the queen all are great wonders in my life.
2. My friends - Both of them. lol. No, really, my friends as diverse and geographically spread out as they are, all add something to who I am. And that's a good thing.
3. Eleven Stories - Bruce Robison's new album comes out first week of April. Sneak preview on his record label's website. Go to Artists and select Bruce Robison.
4. Tax refund - thank God, we don't have to pay again AND we should be able to buy some sorely needed items and a fun one or two
5. iPod - last year's Father's Day gift about to come to fruition (Thanks IRS! - ref. no. 4)
6. "Far Exceeds Expectations" - my annual performance review was rated highest level possible
7. Next Blog>> I frequently hit the Next Blog button to find out what's happening with other random individuals around the world. Often it's a bust. Sometimes, it's a lucky find. Reference this 'found' blog that turned into one I check frequently
8. Karma - "My Name is Earl" is a fantastic show that combines the spirit of my favorite movie of all time with the grand notion of karma.
9. Nostromo n52 GamePad - the coolest second-choice I could have ever gotten for a Christmas present. I had wanted a keyboard-based product, but my best friend got one and I didn't want to be the bandwagon boy. So I found a review that mentioned the n52, and decided to try it. I love it.
10. Sight words - my son is learning to read and brings home from school a set of 8 words to read each night. He was doing well with each set to I asked the teacher to start sending two sets a night, and so far, we're keeping up. Hooray! My son may not end up illiterate. Half my work will be done by the time he's 8.

I now return you to you regularly scheduled Internet surfing.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Blame Jessica for this one. She had a link to this on her blog. It amused me. I'm really excited it determined my life story would be similar to a Coen Brothers movie. I can die now.


The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic



Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few.

But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky.



Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Is happiness all it's cracked up to be?

The subject of happiness continues to vex me lately. As previously reported, I've got two friends amidst major life changes, one moving to LA for a new life and new job and the other potentially headed to Bermuda for same.

I've had some truly happy moments lately and they're nothing like I'd thought they would be. The most striking was so ordinary. There was an evening when my son started taking karate lessons. He's had trouble at school staying focused: think Chatty Cathy as a 6-year-old kindergarten boy and that would be my son. So when he went to his first official lesson of karate and was focused intently on what the instructor was saying, followed directions and didn't let the kids around him distract his attention, I was blown away. We went home and even had an unusually nice family dinner. The conversation was pleasant, if uneventful, and I remember a distinct moment when my toddler daughter did something funny and everyone laughed. It was like a scene from a friggin' Norman Rockwell.

Driving has always been a release for me - a chance to listen to music and escape, to a limited extent, that which bogs me down in the swamp of life. With a father who drove cross country for a living, there's a certain amount of wanderlust in me. Oddly, though, it's almost always something I've experienced by myself as an adult. When the family is along, it's point A to point B. Anything more is considered lost. And the music, well, let's just say it's not as good.

During a recent 2.5-hour drive for work, I had some opportunity to think. So the topic of happiness floated back to the top of my mind, like a turd that just won't flush. I continued think about my own idea that progress is good, but happiness is best.

Perhaps that's the obvious here ... of course happiness is better than some predecided, or even suddenly identified, milestone. It's the trip stupid, some would say with indignance, or at least a heavy dose of "duh" in their tone.

Beyond that, I have no further revelations. Just some thoughts I've had and this is a place where I can document some of them. Perhaps some day they will give me more clarity. Some day they may be useful. Some day, just knowing I documented some things could actually make me happy. Imagine that.