Simple Pleasures

By this I mean, small things that make you happy, calm your nerves, or otherwise produce a pleasant impression.  I had mentioned one of these in my much older Happiness vs. S**t That Sucks:  observing a thunderstorm from the security of shelter, but most of the other posts were more substantial items;  winning a case, getting a new car, etc. 

The problem is that we can’t always count on big ticket items, and while intense and impressive they come along at long intervals.   They’re great, and we enjoy them, but how do we extract happiness and pleasure while we’re waiting for the next big thing?   How can we extract happiness and pleasure from every day life?

It’s like that “Success Baby” meme of the triumphant baby.   “Favorite song on the radio ends just as I pull into my parking space”, was one of my favorites.   Generally with me it’s the opposite:  after blathering with commercials, traffic, weather, etc. they finally get around to playing the song I want to hear just as I’m pulling into the place I want to park.   I guess that’s a “simple pain.”

Other examples of simple pleasures?

1.         Sunshine – particularly after a rainstorm.

2.         The vending machine has the item you want:  and it GIVES it to you.

3.         A cold beer at the end of day of work – or after a workout.

4.         Enjoying a classic album – and it doesn’t have to be on vinyl.

5.         DVD extras which justify the extra time watching them – like really juicy scenes they had to delete to keep a PG rating, or including actors who are only in that scene, or alternate endings (the alternate ending of “Natural Born Killers” is actually better than the original one).

6.         As Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) advised in “Modern Family”, try to experience at least one sunrise a day.  (I prefer sunsets, which give more purple tones.  Sunrises are too yellow-orange.)

You get the idea.  And leverage it:  use the simple stuff to improve your attitude, take out your happiness on random, innocent strangers, annoying co-workers, or even your spouse, children, or pets.  Yes, I know I’m hopelessly upbeat – most of the time (rarely on Monday, though).   Anyhow.

“I tell you to enjoy life, I wish I could but it’s too late.”  (“Paranoid”)