Happiness

happy scrabble

It’s not for nothing that I have HAPPINESS as a blog category and my most read posts are about happiness.  I read about happiness, look for happiness, and subscribe to the belief that our attitude determines our happiness.  So I am taking part of 2013 Happiness Happens Month with the Secret Society of Happy People for the second or third year in a row.  I also joined a group called Happsters – like hipsters, but happier – and have business cards to hand out when someone does something to make me happy.  Both have members only facebook pages where people talk about – what else? – happiness!  I get quotes sent to my inbox daily from Gretchen Rubin at the Happiness Project and I collect quotes about happiness.

Tomorrow – August 8 – is the 24 hour HappyThon, encouraged by the Society of Happy People.  I’m working overnights, but I’m going to do my best to tweet happy quotes, think happy thoughts, and do things that make me happy.

Secret Society of Happy People

Secret Society of Happy People

So what about you?  What makes you happy?  Where do you get your happiness inspiration?  Do you have favorite websites or happiness quotes?

12/21/12: What’s Making Me Happy This Week

A Christmas tradition in New York City is WPIX...

A Christmas tradition in New York City is WPIX’s yearly yule log program (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

12/21 is the date of the Winter Solstice this year.  I love to find a reason to celebrate daily, so I will find some way to honor the shortest day of the year – a short walk in the early dark? lighting a candle when I get home? searching for sunshiney foods in the cafeteria (think citrus)?  Who knows.  One year I had a party for the start of each of the four seasons.  During my Winter Solstice party we had a bonfire on my deck and I’m sure we had good food and drink.  🙂

The lists for my 44th year are still a work in progress; part 1 of 4 is nearing deadline.  Here’s the list from Fall:

11 Things to Do or Look Forward to in the Fall (October November December)

  1. Celebrate my birthday in NYC – check! October 1
  2. Go to 4 Daughters Winery – October 13
  3. Go to Door County to celebrate birthdays and trivia wins! October 19-21
  4. Go to Bruce Springsteen concert – November 12!
  5. Choir gigs and holiday concerts – November 30-December 2
  6. Read … something classic or new?: just try to read! I read a few books!  
  7. Write … poetry or themed blogs? Blogs!  22 in these three months – so far!  
  8. Plan … a dinner party or ??: I planned a Christmas Open House!  
  9. Shop early for Christmas gifts: Fail!  Waiting for packages to arrive! I’m thinking tomorrow will be a big delivery day here!
  10. Play accordion weekly and give piano lessons as regularly as possible: FAIL!  Never home!
  11. and something else that I’ll think of eventually!: Thinking a “Pay it Forward” or volunteer thing… – We did a Random Acts of Kindness Night for Cosmo Girls and it was so fun!  And I’ve done a few things at work to help make someone’s Christmas “merry and bright.”  

Not too bad.  I look forward to writing about my list for WINTER (Jan Feb March).  Much to look forward to in those months!

Happy Christmas, painted by Johansen Viggo

Happy Christmas, painted by Johansen Viggo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For now, what’s making me happy this week:

  • Jimmy Fallon – Tuesday was a great example of a perfect show – Tom Cruise and Water Wars, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Judd Apatow, Christmas sweater giveaway… Always good stuff!
  • Making it to Gracie’s play last week, going for ice cream after, and then a Christmas open house at Dana’s office
  • Having a 3 day weekend without work!  Cleaning for my Open House, playing games and eating good no-fuss food with good friends and family, Christmas program at church and then the Lessons & Carols, shopping… a great weekend!
  • Learning that we will get a raise this year at Mayo, even though they are making drastic changes in how they will operate.  They really value their employees and aren’t afraid to say so!
  • A “snow day” today on my day off – hunkering down to wrap presents, bake cookies and make some soup concoction (not very tasty).  And then ringing the bells with Dana and family (per Rees’s request) in the blizzard-like wind!
  • I’m actually sort of looking forward to working this weekend.  I know that no one wants to be in the hospital, especially at Christmas time, so I will attempt to be a blessing to everyone that I meet this weekend and work hard to help them get home to be with family.
  • And then I’m looking forward to having 3 days off to be with family in Rushford.  Movies, games and togetherness!  Love the holidays!

What’s making you happy this week??

I hope that the darkest day of the year (daylight-wise) fills you up with brightness and light, in anticipation of longer days, soon-arriving Christmas Day and a New Year!  

Happy Newyear

What’s Making Me Happy This Week 11/27/12

I’ve been trying to do one of these posts every other week, so here’s the third “in a row”!
Maybe I’ll get some format, but for now it remains random…

Things that were great about Thanksgiving week –

  • Getting a haircut!  Always feels great!

    Cheers

    Cheers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  • Choir – getting ready for some upcoming gigs!
  • FOUR days in a row without work!
  • Playing “Headbandz” with the kids – so many laughs!
  • Flying kites on Thanksgiving morning – amazing weather!
  • Watching the “Cheers” Thanksgiving episode – hilarious!
  • NOT shopping on Black Friday because I was working – still loving my great colleagues!
  • Working four short shifts (i.e. 8 hours v. 12 hours!) in these two weeks!
  • Getting my tree up effortlessly!

 

 

Things that I look forward to this week –

Cover of "Life of Pi"

  • Seeing “Life of Pi” on Thursday with a couple of book-lovin’ fools like me (although neither has read the book)!
  • Thursday off – and probably car shopping!
  • A short day of work on Friday and then a weekend off!
  • The Christmas Radio Show gigs in Winona and our annual concert with the Winona Brass Band on Sunday!
  • Organizing my Christmas list and starting to make purchases!
  • It will be December! Yay!  Because, why not?

 

 

 

Things that I will never tire of:

  • The movie “Once” – I just re-watched it tonight for the first time since I’ve seen the Broadway show twice, and it’s still just soooooooo good.  Such a nice story with great music and the lovely Glen.  Ah.

    Glen Hansard

    Glen Hansard (Photo credit: Irish Philadelphia Photo Essays)

11/11 What’s Making me Happy This Week

The things that make me different are the thin...

The things that make me different are the things that make me – me. (Photo credit: deeplifequotes)

  • Symmetry in dates – 11/11 and 11/11/12!
  • A weekend off!
  • Sunshiny weather on my day off Thursday – and being out and about during the daylight!  Durn daylight savings time!
  • Wearing capris in November – one more warm burst for a bit!
  • Poetry reading with the girls – from Shel Silverstein to to e.e. cummings to Japanese Haikus.
  • Poetry written by the girls!  Funny haikus!
    Haikus

  • A surprise party, even if it wasn’t a surprise in the end! It was still a good party!
  • Being with family
  • Watching the boys at the Metrodome tonight – fun to see them win!
  • A good book that makes me want to carry it around and read at every spare moment!
  • Having fun things to look forward to this week – Springsteen and book club!!
E. E. Cummings

E. E. Cummings (Photo credit: o admirador secreto)

What’s Making Me Happy This Week…

A few things from last week:

  • The feeling of a weekend from the “olden days.”  Not sure what I mean by that, except that since I’ve started a crazy work schedule, real weekends are rare and haven’t included much baking or cleaning or just relaxing in front of the TV.  Last Thursday and Friday I had a “weekend” just like that!
  • Relaxing and hanging out with friends and family Thursday night while the Vikings game was playing in the background – good food and wine included!
  • The movie “Argo” was quite a flick! Very suspenseful with good humor and the hottie 1970s Ben Affleck.
  • A big MAYO FB win over John Marshall! I worked til just after game time and hustled to the field – the wrong field! – so by the time I arrived at the game it was 22-0 in the 2nd quarter!  Yay Mayo for the decisive win!  Excited to be able to go to the game in Owatonna on Friday!
  • The delicious Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake I made on Friday is going to continue to make me happy throughout this coming week!  I doubled the recipe and have shared it with family and friends, but there’s still some left for breakfasts this week and the flavor hasn’t changed day by day!  Yummy!
  • The Lighthouse Blend coffee I bought at Door County is truly delicious!

Looking forward to:

  • Choir tonight! Yay!  Singing is Good…
  • Working overnights this week… not sure I “look forward” to it, but it means I will be able to make the Section Championship Football Game Friday night!  Working overnights also means that I have an attitude of extreme self-care.  I ordered Seattle Sutton meals so I don’t have to think about what to eat, I will sleep as much as I can and watch a lot of TV and read in bed when I’m not sleeping.  Some of you may think that doesn’t sound atypical for me!

Marissa inspired me to start this week’s list by sending me a link that is making her happy lately:  Emergency Compliment gives you a quick boost if you need it!  

Which reminded me of something cool we found shopping in Door County: Song lyrics on canvas!  Lyricology is a new brand from Demdaco and for sale in stores that sell cute things.  Jennifer bought one and it was hard to choose!  I kind of want a bunch!

Candy corn and peanuts mixture also making me very very happy this week!  Yummy!

So that’s a list of things that make me happy – from last week, for the week ahead, and in general!

What is making you happy?