Small Pleasures

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-- Henry David Thoreau

I decided to take some time out of studying to make a stream-of-consciousness list of small things that make me happy...I think it's important to dwell on the little aspects of daily life that can make or break your mood.

Here I go.

- Solid water pressure in the shower. Honestly, I think this is one of the most under appreciated things in life. Weak showers are just unacceptable.

- The satisfaction you feel after doing laundry. Don't know if it's because I'm proud of the fact I haven't fucked it up, or it amuses me that everyone tells me I have to separate my whites and darks and I don't and I truly enjoy small rebellions like that. (Nothing traumatizing has ever happened to my clothes -- they are either very durable or I've just been lucky)

- When you make eye contact with a complete stranger and can smile and acknowledge each other's existence. This happened to me today walking across the street, some random person and I recognized the presence of another human being and smiled at each other. It makes me super sad when I think that people just walk around absorbed in their own worlds, with either their iPod or cell phone permanently attached to their heads. There's this quote from the movie "Waking Life" that I like:

I know we haven't met, but I don't want to be an ant. You know? I mean, it's like we go through life with our antennas bouncing off one another, continuously on ant autopilot, with nothing really human required of us. Stop. Go. Walk here. Drive there. All action basically for survival. All communication simply to keep this ant colony buzzing along in an efficient, polite manner. "Here's your change." "Paper or plastic?' "Credit or debit?" "You want ketchup with that?" I don't want a straw. I want real human moments. I want to see you. I want you to see me. I don't want to give that up. I don't want to be ant, you know?

- The way steam curls up from a hot cup of tea. I know it sounds bizarre, but I really like watching it, it relaxes me.

- Writing with Sharpie markers. It's really satisfying.

- Appreciating the time of day right after the sun sets, but before it becomes night (best time ever)

- Waking up before your alarm goes off so you can just chill in bed without worrying about oversleeping

- Having someone tell me they've already read a book that I recommend to them...it makes me feel like I know the person well enough to judge what they'd like!

- When unexpected friends call you and say that they were just thinking about you and want to know what you're doing...because normally when people call out-of-the-blue there is a specific reason or request behind the call.

- Getting a letter from my pen pal(s)

- Making to-do lists, and then crossing out everything on it before throwing it away

- Not losing my keys in the morning (this is a very, very rare occurrence, and thus it makes me happy when I can actually find them the first time around)

- When I know more about what's happened in the world than my mom and can fill her in on the news (another rare occurrence to be savored)

- Aesthetically pleasing things in general

- Hearing other people use words that I enjoy tremendously, such as "glisten," "nefarious," "tomfoolery," "nonsense," "deliberate," "mischievous," "retrospectively," "shenanigan," "exceptional," and "certainly." Just say those words out loud, they are incredibly enjoyable.


I think I made my point. Studytime awaits!