Simple Pleasures
 

What simple obscure thing gives you pleasure? You dont necessarily have to know why you enjoy it. For example you know when you open a new cake of soap and it is all dry and it has a certain texture? Well I get alot of pleasure feeling the soap the very first time that cake gets wet. I dont know why. I just do. Now your turn...

The smell of a hotel - that weird, far too many cleaning chemicals used smell just puts me at peace. I'm sure it's from all the road trips with my family but that smell does the trick for me.

I love to buy a new notebook/drawing pad filled with nice paper. It's not the buying it that I like though. I just like having a blank notebook that I can do anything with. Even just drawing on the first page ruins it.

The first scoop out of a new jar of peanut butter. No idea why

riding a bike after getting a haircut
collapsing on my bed after a long day
getting an email from my SO
taking a picture that turns out really well
finishing something i started, no matter how mundane.

but then again, I know exactly why i like these things

the screams/yells of the kids at the elementary school across the street from my place, and the schoolyard bell. I'm working nights temporarily, and sleep during the day, and you'd think I'd hate those sounds cause they keep you awake, but they seem to put a smile on my face.

Watching snow fall, or the sky light up from lightning!

Oh, and power outages! I have a horrible guilty pleasure of really enjoying power outages.

afternoon naps, thunderstorms, 'new house' smell (usually a mix of paint fumes/carpet glue hehe).

Loading a fresh roll of film

Old coffee cans that have had homemade chocolate chip cookies stored in them...that smell brings back some of my favorite childhood memories for me

Going outside after a rain and seeing how the colors on everything, trees and plants etc, are so much more defined

The sound of my childrens laughter, the smell of rain, the sound of the ocean, a light breeze on a nice autumn day, , ringing a chord (those that have sang barbershop know what i'm talking about here), doing my job well.

A good nap, naked, on soft, freshly washed sheets, on a cool fall weekend afternoon, all my chores done, with the windows open so I can hear the windchimes.

Ruffling up my freshly cut hair and watching the little bitty ends of cut hairs leftover after the cut fall out.

Peeling hard boiled eggs. So satisfying. Especially if you can get the shell off in one or two big chunks. I also like slicing the eggs in half and popping the yolk out. I hate eating hard-boiled eggs but I love making things with them. I also love toasting marshmallows but hate to eat them.

Brushing my dog when she's blowing her coat and watching it come out in huge fluffy clumps. It's amazing. You could make another dog out of the hair she sheds, and she's STILL unbelievably fluffy.

Chomping on ice that's been sitting around and melting for a little bit so it's still crunchy but not too hard.

Nothing obscure here, I just like waking up, making espresso, and chugging down 6 cups of the stuff as soon as it's done. A minute or two later, I get a huge burst of energy that lasts for the next hour or so. It's usually enough to get me past that groggy waking up period.

Gatorade.


I have no idea why I like this stuff. I have yet to find a flavor that I like but for some reason it's been the only thing non-alcohol based that I've drank in months.

I love: Stting on my bed-alone-after work. The first taste of a cold coke. The sleepy feeling after a big meal. Eating marshmallow cream from the jar with a spoon.

Breaking the impeccably flat and smooth surface of a brand new kiwi shoe polish open and smelling the parloresque scent of the polish.

walking in the warm rain with my hair down....

A hot shower with the lights off, watching the sun set across the mountains every night, the smell of rain and new cars, watching little kids play.

Going for a motorcycle ride. No matter how bad a day is going, I always feel better after a ride.

Driving on a nice cool day on some twisty backroads, no traffic in sight, engine at the redline, in a four wheel drift that would cause (formula one champion) Michael Shumacker to pee in his pants if he were riding with me.

"If you are under control, you are not going fast enough."

Parnelli Jones

I do that everytime it rains. It rained today. In caifornia. In august. Something is wrong here..

That and the smell of wet pavement. They are probably related.

Opening a new can of coffee.

Firing up an engine or other mechanical device I have been into and having it run right on the first try.

When her eye contact lingers a little longer than would be expected....

my G35 coupe + rush's red barchetta + any empty twisty country backroad = bliss

Sunday afternoon on the back porch. Freshly cut lawn, steaks on the grill, sitting on the lawn chair with a fresh beer in one hand, a fresh cigarette in the other, and watching the sun go down while the steaks sizzle happily away.

Great thread Lunchbox, everybody no matter how sour, or dour enjoys lifes little pleasures. Mine are too many to list, and seem to be growing as I get older...perhaps a sign of appreciating things more now than I used to.

New jars of peanut butter are great, as are new cans of coffee. Love to have a big cup of coffee in my hand when "Click and Clack" fire up "Car Talk" on Saturday morning.

Here's one I haven't experienced in a loooooong time... The feel of a record after opening the plastic. I used to love that!

Having the remote/tv/bed to myself.

the feeling of slamming the ball so hard that you'd break the racquet when playing tennis, the shoulder injuries are sure worth it :D

I like the feeling of rubbing my fingers on my freshly cut hair on the nape of my neck, when it's all bristly feeling.
I also like the smell of old paperback books that have been packed away.

fremen reminded me..

The smell of the archive section of any courthouse....family history center...national archives etc the smell of old books always gives me energy to conquer the illusive genealogy clue I need and when I feel like that, a lot of the time I find it :)

Back when I used to do civil war re enacting the smell of the cannon fire always put a smile on my face too

When somone knows exactly how you feel, not having to say a word, but knowing that they know.

.....
the first, crisp whiff of the aroma of whole bean coffee in the morning, after it's been stored in the fridge/freezer...
driving my truck as if it were a sportscar, even if it's only running on 3 cylinders right now...(damn thing... *grumble*)
long walks in the suburbs, after midnight. It feels like I have a town to myself...
to quote fhqwhgads: when her eye contact lingers a little longer than would be expected...
foamed milk...
the feeling of good chocolate melting on my tongue...

The smell of Night Blooming Jasmine
That first cup of coffee in the morning
getting into a freshly made bed
Getting kisses from my kids

Snoozing in my hammock on a warm summer afternooon
Home made lime, amaretto or cinnamon ice cream
Walking in the waves at the beach

A good afternoon nap
Relaxing at a coffee shop (with friends or alone)
Driving with the windows down, music up, on a nice sunny day
Seeing a Fedex/UPS truck pull up to my house

The smell of new books at Barnes & Noble...

I love to run my hands over book covers too... feel their texture....

the feel of clay on a potter's wheel. hair blowing in my hony's convertible as we drive down the rode. walking in a snowfall at night. the smell of gasoline from a boat engine (weird). the call of the blue heron that lives in my backyard early in the morning and late in the evening. our cat "frank trout" as he dashes across the road when i come home. my dog wee wee, all 250 lbs. of him, as he licks my feet.

Brewing a pot of coffee.

Watching a thunderstorm.

Walking in the woods.

Taking a deep breath.

That smell that REALLY old houses have. Something about it comforts me.

Having my hair washed...
Big bear hugs from my niece that usually get a running start...
A new book...
making someone else laugh...
Making someone else smile..

Heh heh, i wrote this a while back in one of my late night therapeutic sessions:

Simple pleasures of life (put a smile on your face :)

Late night cruises in my six, with only me, the road, and my car.
Looking at the moon
Moonlit walks along the beach
Hoping for something greater, and seeing it about to come true
Jogging 3 miles, then working out really hard.
Break dancing with my boy arthur
Breakthrus
Smooth Jazz
Tupac
And all the music inbetween
Mint Chocolate chip ice cream
The smell of grass after a long days work in the yard
Getting 10k plus scores in solitare
Dreaming of a bright future
Hearing the thick *thwock* of the tae bag as my fists impact on it
Doing Pushups and situps
Busting a freeze for three seconds and then flipping out of it and in to a six step
Listening to YEAH while i break dance
Anticipating big events...like prom and homecoming
Biking 10 miles
hearing my tires squeal as i round a corner @ 30
Turning my system way up so that the bass shakes my teeth as well as the teeth of the next car over :)
Feeling the nice chilly weather on an october day.
Helping my mom cook
Helping my dad around the house
Impressing others with my feats of skill
Nailing that A on a scales test after tireless and countless hours of studying
Finding out that i am charismatic enough to charm others
Making new friends
A damn good workout
Realizing that i still have a future
Installing parts on my car and then feeling the difference.
Washing and waxing my car
Long long discussions with friends as we try to tackle the questions of life.
Eating a nice, hot meal, especially steamed egg after being really hungry.
A nice nice haircut, that makes you feel like tom cruise.
And much more...