A little while ago, I started writing down things - little everyday things - that make me smile, feel good, that make me happy in some way. It may sound a bit silly, but there are things that I want to remember, just little events, moments in time that I want to preserve and maybe look back on them when I'm feeling less happy. This was all triggered by the memory of something that happened about a year ago, and that I had completely forgotten until some wierd train of thought brought the memory back to the surface. My husband and I were walking in a park near where we live, and we went down to the side of the lake. This is in a rather poor suburb of Toulouse, and the lake does tend to end up littered with cans of beer and plastic bags, but it's still a refreshing change from the residential blocks of concrete that surround us. Anyway, we were walking along, and we spotted something moving on the surface of the water. We went nearer, and saw that it was a fish, a large carp, caught in a transparent plastic bag, and it was slowly dying because the bag was stuck to its sides with the pressure of the water, and its gills weren't getting any oxygen, plus the effect of the hot sun on the bag that was heating the poor fish. We spent the next ten minutes trying to find a way to draw this fish close enough to remove the bag. I finally managed to get hold of it and free it from the bag, and watched it splash and swim away. It was an amazing feeling, totally surreal, and to cap it all the bag was a Tesco bag (there are no Tesco's in France) and I have no idea how it got there ! Anyway, here's the aim of the topic, to find little things (not "the birth of my child" or "the day I met/married/whatevered the love of my life", little everyday things) that make or made you feel good... They don't have to be long stories like this last one, it can be just little details. So here's a starter : - The first time you hear the sound of flip-flops after a winter of proper shoes.
Seeing my brother happy. Once, when I was just five or six, and my brother was about two years old, me and my parents went on a vacation trip, while my brother stayed with my moms parents. When we got back to my grandparents' house, my little brother came running on those little chubby legs, happiness all over him, arms outstretched. He was shouting "Tona! Tona! Tona!". He couldn't pronounce my name (Jonas) properly back then. I was amazed that he had missed me most, and not my parents, while we were gone. The memory of that sight, my little brother shouting my name, put a tear of happiness to my eyes. He still calls me Tona from time to time. I like that.
[quote:5eac530678="Ba"]The suffering of the little children who come near Ba.[/quote:5eac530678] Don't worry Ba, we know you don't mean it and that under that burning god-like effigy you're just a frightened kitten yearning for some love and maybe a cuddle with a fluffy baby lamb. Promise we won't tell
*Cuts open Katcal's stomach, inserts a device, and then sews her back up to deal with the loud, obtrusive ticking noise*
I love the smell of rain, but only when it is just starting to rain. And watching little children play with something that none of us would consider a toy. :cooler: And for some weird reason I love crying in a sad movie. :roll:
Getting emails from my boyfriend, even if they're only a couple lines long. Drinking mango-pineapple smoothies with my friends at Juice Stop. Listening to Queen full blast on the stereo as I'm driving down the highway. Cutting pictures out of magazines and sticking them on the wall of my bedroom. Going to the movies and eating buttered popcorn and M&Ms. Reading comic books at the cafe in Barnes & Noble.
I actually have a box of little things that remind me of some happy memories. theres about twelve things in their but I'll only tell you about some. probably the first thing i put in there was what i call the concer-nut. I was walking upto school with a friend a couple of years ago and we were having such a laugh. I found two concers (Which was quite lucky being that pretty much all the concers had allready been found) and for some reason I couldn't procounce concer, whenever i tried it always came out concer-nut. So I gave my friend one and i took the other. Every year at my school we have an open eavning for parents to come look at the school and show their children around. I opted to help out at the open eavning for my DT. I was in systems wile a friend was in textiles. dureing the night we had to show the people what we would typically do in a lesson. everynow and then i would go to see my friend, dureing the night she sewed (Sp?) me a little peice of green fabric saying "danie poo" which was the nickname she gave me. I still think daney would be a better way to spell it though
My sister smiling at me A compliment Catching a guy staring at me (and I'm not going to be vulgar and say what exactly said guys are normally staring at :roll: ) My friends Travelling alone People saying I look older than I am (I'm still young enough for that to be a compliment) Being good and KEEPING my journal, instead of just buying a nice one and ignoring it Chocolate Iceskating Swimming Being able to kick my male friends' asses at iceskating and swimming Basketball This message board Questionable content Travelling in general Earning money
[quote:38fdaa7ba6="Angua_rox"]Being able to [b:38fdaa7ba6]kick my male friends' asses at iceskating[/b:38fdaa7ba6] and swimming[/quote:38fdaa7ba6] Kids, please do not try this at home. Ice skating blades are sharp and pointy, and they hurt mightily when brought into sharp contact with the softer nether-regions of a human body. And kicking donkeys is just sick.
[quote:46d41e357f="Angua_rox"]Catching a guy staring at me (and I'm not going to be vulgar and say what exactly said guys are normally staring at.[/quote:46d41e357f] Guys stare at my shoes all the time, too. The presence of one of my nieces sleeping in my arms.
Going to the prom in drag. Tricking your impossibly shy best friend into a double date. A position that's too uncomfortable to keep and too difficult to move out of. Hazing your cousin's fiance. Converting your professor to anime. The green of spring, that you don't get at any other time of year. Stomping barefoot through mud puddles. Listening to a soundtrack and mouthing along. Hitting your goal amount for savings. Teaching your dog to "Sic mailman!" Beating your little sister in Trivial Pursuit. Being outdoors alone. Being outdoors with company. Coming home to find that your dad forgot to take the laptop with him, and you have it all day.
[quote:c53bdf0411="Katcal"][quote:c53bdf0411="Angua_rox"]Being able to [b:c53bdf0411]kick my male friends' asses at iceskating[/b:c53bdf0411] and swimming[/quote:c53bdf0411] Kids, please do not try this at home. Ice skating blades are sharp and pointy, and they hurt mightily when brought into sharp contact with the softer nether-regions of a human body. [b:c53bdf0411]And kicking donkeys is just sick[/b:c53bdf0411].[/quote:c53bdf0411] Unless it is The Most Holy St. Bobby, who was a righteous ass, and therefore made for kicking!
Boating/swimming Seeing how many bottle rockets and firecrackers you can tie together and shoot off. Playing card games while camping on a rainy day Hanging out with my cousins who I don't see as much as I used to when I was little. When my pets do something weird and cute Reading
seeing animals you have cared for have babbies seeing friends that you haven't seen for a while Just having a laugh with friends
going into a book store and buying 4 new, pristine books and simply admiring the covers. Going for a swim after being stuck outside in the hot and swetty sun and the whole pool being quiet and empty. No little kids, no staff watching, nothing.
The smell of the inside of a book store (must be the glue..hee hee) A kick ass thunder storm. (A rarity here) My friends and family's laughter (especially if I some how caused it) The hubby doing something sweet out of the blue A good, long nap on a Sunday afternoon 30 minutes of peace that I can actually get some good reading done. (also a rarity)
[quote:2e899b43fc="somethingclever"]The smell of the inside of a book store (must be the glue..hee hee) A kick ass thunder storm. (A rarity here)[/quote:2e899b43fc] I agree with those. A friend and I used to smell the books and predict whether they would be good books or not. It was raining here a few minutes ago and we are under a thunder storm watch but it is currently sunny, I like watching the lightning.
[quote:38144f2f16="Faerie"][quote:38144f2f16="somethingclever"]The smell of the inside of a book store (must be the glue..hee hee) A kick ass thunder storm. (A rarity here)[/quote:38144f2f16] I agree with those. A friend and I used to smell the books and predict whether they would be good books or not. It was raining here a few minutes ago and we are under a thunder storm watch but it is currently sunny, I like watching the lightning.[/quote:38144f2f16] Did the smell test work? :wink: We just had a great storm last night. The hubby, Midnight and I all stood at the door and watched some of the most active and awesome lightning ever. Sometimes I wish I lived someplace where that sort of thing happens more often, but meh, this is home.
I believe it did, Terry Pratchett books smell good of course. Some books don't smell so good, possibly because they are old and no one opens them up to read them.
[quote:175fac14b3="somethingclever"] We just had a great storm last night. The hubby, Midnight and I all stood at the door and watched some of the most active and awesome lightning ever. Sometimes I wish I lived someplace where that sort of thing happens more often, but meh, this is home. [/quote:175fac14b3] Oh...Like Singapore! Damn storms wake you up at 4am regularly. Not nice. Strangely I agree though. I do like storms, they're very mystcal.
[quote:cbb9f9ebcc="somethingclever"][quote:cbb9f9ebcc="Faerie"][quote:cbb9f9ebcc="somethingclever"]The smell of the inside of a book store (must be the glue..hee hee) A kick ass thunder storm. (A rarity here)[/quote:cbb9f9ebcc] I agree with those. A friend and I used to smell the books and predict whether they would be good books or not. It was raining here a few minutes ago and we are under a thunder storm watch but it is currently sunny, I like watching the lightning.[/quote:cbb9f9ebcc] Did the smell test work? :wink: We just had a great storm last night. The hubby, Midnight and I all stood at the door and watched some of the most active and awesome lightning ever. Sometimes I wish I lived someplace where that sort of thing happens more often, but meh, this is home. [/quote:cbb9f9ebcc] Yes, thunderstorms can be beutiful. The smell of the air after them is worth them, in any case. We recently had one that really roared, after a terribly humid, hot day; I sat on the window with my daughter on my lap, and we both quite relaxedly watched the lightning struck a crane on a builduing site near our house then and again. It was right above our flat roof, and just far away to not be scaring.
I love thunder storms... The smell, the electricity in the air... Hmm... And in the summer here it usually means temporary releas from the hot heavy weather that builds up before they start... The smell of new books is also a pleasure, and the cracking of the (book's) spine when they're opend for the first time... I like the smell of old books too, as long as they're not too mouldy... Messing around with a brand new cell phone is fun too, that's my one for today
Having finished a lot of work. Suddenly realizing that your daughter is singing herself to sleep with the song you sung for her since she was six weeks old, instead of crying for you. Suddenly realizing that you didn't have a caughing fit today, for the first time in three weeks. Remembering that you still had a chocolate bar waiting for you in the fridge, and you had simply forgotten about it for two days. That more people actually come for your football barbeque than you had expected. 70 people taking your side in a conflict, unisono, instead of thinking you reacted hysterical. Actually that is... WOW.
Working with a good crew opening the door to the apartment and being offered a beer before I close the door convincing other people to read a book I love having customers come in and specifically ask for me finding a great new CD making people feel safe just by being there free food Fantasy baseball whiskey (What? I had to)
[quote:d58e52da3a="Katcal"]Fantasy baseball ? [/quote:d58e52da3a] It's my new obsession. I don't know if they do fantasy soccer but they have football and basketball too I know. Basically at the beginning of the season you and whoever is in your league drafts all the players making your own team then throughout the season you earn points for every hit, run, etc etc the players on your team earn. It's like internet crack. I'm addicted to watching ESPN constantly now just in case I learn someone got injured or there's a new young kid out there no one drafted who's tearing it up....kind of sad really. But there's a $400 prize to the winner so I can be sad.
[quote:8493586645="Nester"][quote:8493586645="Katcal"]Fantasy baseball ? [/quote:8493586645] It's my new obsession. I don't know if they do fantasy soccer but they have football and basketball too I know. Basically at the beginning of the season you and whoever is in your league drafts all the players making your own team then throughout the season you earn points for every hit, run, etc etc the players on your team earn. It's like internet crack. I'm addicted to watching ESPN constantly now just in case I learn someone got injured or there's a new young kid out there no one drafted who's tearing it up....kind of sad really. But there's a $400 prize to the winner so I can be sad. [/quote:8493586645] I'm doing a Fantasy World Cup, Fantasy Baseball sounds like it's run the same way. The top prize on the (free) competition I'm in is £10'000 - I'm nowhere close to winning it though.
we just got a group together from work and pooled cash. It makes the work day go by so much faster when you can shout at eachother over the customer's head "Why didn't you take that trade?!" and "Damn the Yankees!" etc etc.. I'm in third right now but w're all within 50 points of eachother. I just want to win my boss's money
Fantasy baseball? Sounds cool! My friends saying hi. My friends calling me. My friends buying me unexpected presents. My friends full stop really.
[quote:5da64545d3="Nester"]... "Damn the Yankees!"... [/quote:5da64545d3] Sounds like something that Clay would say on Civil War reenactors day.
Visiting my aunt in Oregon. Going wading in the Willamette river while listening to a couple guys just down the bank playing guitar. Finding three Star Wars books for two bucks each. Finding a copy of Watchmen by Alan Moore for 14 bucks instead of 20. Iced Chai and a muffin at the 5th street market in Eugene. All of these things happened within the last day or two. Oregon is good for the soul.
Getting paid. And then blowing your money on stuff that will make you happy, just plain frivolous stuff.
Jaffa Cakes. I have not had one since 1998. I want one. When I get to England I'm going to find that guy from pimp-my-snack and have him make me one of those gargantuan ones.
Turning up the AC and cuddling up in bed under the duvet and pretending its a cold winters night. Long summer days, being able to wander outside till 10pm if you want to. Crunching leaves in autumn daffodils in spring. 4 Seasons (not wet and dry season thank you)
[quote:5b96a68950="Bradthewonderllama"][quote:5b96a68950="Nester"]... "Damn the Yankees!"... [/quote:5b96a68950] Sounds like something that Clay would say on Civil War reenactors day.[/quote:5b96a68950] Or just any day.
Air conditioning which we only have in the computer room, and my basement which is always cooler than the rest of the house. It's almost 11am and its already 85°F outside.
Playing Rally on the playstation, when i hear a funny noise and suddenly realising its my dog having a lovely dream and growling and barking and running in his sleep.
Getting to the bottom of the ice cream cone and eating the solid chocolate tip. Which is, of course, the only reason for eating ice cream cones.
Preparing for a fun weekend with 20 grown adults running around on hobby-horses followed by others clop clopping coconuts together and generally catapulting cows all over the place That's great every time (especially being the one to make them do it and keeping the best part for myself ) Creating really great quest-booklets for them to fill in with all the crap we're going to make them do is also a good one.
