Finding a bit of joy in your life
 

Report a bit of joy you've found in your life lately. Anything that made a moment of your day brighter.

When I was getting dressed in my closet this morning Grace came up behind me, put her arms around me and gave me a little squeeze, kissed me lightly on the neck and said, "I love you."

I looked at some amazing pictures my girlfriend sent me.

Sissy called from Florida to say she's fine, and she's having a wonderful time, and she hasn't been drinking.

What brought a little joy into your life today?

Gilda

My daughter Jessica never fails to brighten my day. Today, before I left for Philadelphia on a work trip, she came up and gave me a HUGE hug and kiss and said, "I'll miss you, Daddy!"

I miss her, too...but I can get by until Thursday knowing how much I'm loved back home.

Waking up and realizing I've broken my previous record of how many consecutive days I've stayed alive.

And walking out of my last class for the day.

The fact that I get to spend 6 nights in a row with ktspktsp, beginning tomorrow, brings a great deal of joy into my life. :icare:

Otherwise, I got news that my mother went to Reno for her birthday with a new friend to celebrate, and my dad is buying into a small company that will reduce the number of hours he breaks his back as a manual laborer. I am glad that they are each taking these small steps to take care of themselves (separately), instead of taking steps to somehow shorten their own lives. The latter usually brings me a great deal of stress, so this news lightens me considerably. :)

I'll second the "beautiful baby daughter" post. Nothing in the world is as wonderful as a genuin bear hug from your daughter when you get home from a job you don't particularly care for. I hope it takes her a good 30 yeas to get to adolescence.

My 9 yr old daughter helped me cook dinner today. Then she helped with her 3 yr old brother while their father was working downstairs and I was not feeling well. I love her!

My son started walking unassisted this week, so he's multiplied his cuteness factor by at least 7.

I received a pair of rare bootleg DVD's of my favourite childhood TV show in the mail today: Read All About It

My supervisor used today's office time to work on a grad course project of his, so I was able to take it easy. Furthermore, most of the sales staff is away this week at conferences, so the office atmosphere is quieter and more relaxed.

For lunch I had a hot, corned beef sandwich on fresh rye with mustard, and it was extra tasty!

The weather today was beautiful and bodes well for a warm and sunny spring.

The cancellation of the Rochester meetup in July is saddening, but the momentum for the Toronto meetup in May is building. I'm thankful I'll get to take part.

Our good friend and former boarder, who lives way up in Whitehorse, dropped in for a suprise visit and we had a lovely brunch with her.

Sweetpea's 'Why Journal?' thread has touched a nerve within the TFP, and brought out one of the broadest discussions here to date.

Everything's coming up Fres! :D

My snake shot was working like a charm on Sunday against a couple of my friends. :D

Most of you probably won't know what that means. :)

Hey, some of us love foosball!!!

Hallow'een socks from my friend, Janet. We were long distance fools for 10/31 spooky phone calls to each other. Love to you, Jan.

I decided to be joyful. :) (it doesn't always work, so it's still exciting when it happens)

Dave took the day off work today to finish packing up our bedroom and deep cleaning the bathroom so that I didnt have to do it after I got home from work and I could just go over to the new house and unpack some stuff

Last night I got a call from a concerned friend. The fact that she cared made me happy... even if the reason she was calling wasn't a joy to discuss.

It can happen. It's taken me 37 years, and I'm just now leaving juvenilea.

Hopefully that bon mott brought a little :) into a life.

My wife took her state licensing exam.

Friends, seeing, being, knowing, just having them..

I got to spend a long weekend traveling with my best friend, I haven't gotten to spend much time with her lately. And she's a *terrific* traveling companion. I got to pour my heart out about some stuff going on in my life, and she was happy...*happy* to listen and give me advice, without being in the least bit judgemental.

On the aforementioned trip, we drove up the Pacific Coast Highway in her convertable with the top down. I'd never done that before. The spicy scent of the trees and the fresh scent of the ocean (except during low tide, lol!) was an *incredible* scensory experience.

I thought I knew joy.

Then I had a child.

Now I know joy.

/drools

I *love* driving the PCH... damn, in a convertible? That would most certainly bring joy into my life. I need to get back out there soon... :crazy:

I was reading this thread - and thinking - I got nuttin' - life is pretty much the suckage right now... then I realized I didn't have my head phones on.... Corrected that - and turned up the volume... George Thorogood... Pure Joy...

Lately I've been realizing how much my loved ones love me, and that's made me pretty happy and contented. I'm not sure if everyone is suddenly aware I'm awesome, or if they just decided to share now, but I like it. :)

Also just want to point out that this was an excellent idea of a thread... I thought about creating this thread today at work. Alas, I was beaten to the punch. :)

I'm going to walk a bit with Quadro and enjoy the early spring weather.

Granny Elph is completely under the spell of a one-year-old. :D

Went to a bed and breakfast with my wife for our anniversary. It was great to leave the world behind for 24 hours and just be a couple in love.

There was a beautiful fog outside the whole day. The world looked so soft and friendly, and walking through the almost-rain was a very sensual experience.

I got very positive feedback on my poetry essay yesterday, and I get ridiculosly pleased with myself whenever I reread it - which I've done thrice so far.

I ordered a bunch of DVDs that (partially) arrived today, and I also bought a big shiny dictionary. (The Oxford one! I feel like a REAL English student now!)

The income tax papers arrived today and I'll be getting money back. Which can be seen as bad since the government has "borrowed" money from me and won't be paying me interest, but ah, whatever. Most people see tax returns as a nice surprise, so I'll do that too.

nothing. what's the point of everything? we are infinitessimal specks in an infinite universe, we will all die, the sun will blow up and swallow the earth, and we will never be able to travel faster than light. we are all doomed.

So embrace life while you can.

I'm listening to "The Mercy of the Fallen" right now. The song itself is quite good, but the purity of Willaims' voice in the first verse is something to behold, the way she projects the joy of discovering new things. I'm amazed by it every time I hear it.

Gilda

My husband called me out of the blue today. Just to say "Hi". I have been smiling ever since.

My neighbors have two young children, and the youngest is between two and three years old. He has the brightest blue eyes you will ever see, he is just adorable. He likes to play basketball when I shoot around with the neighborhood kids. However, today I was throwing around the baseball with my next-door neighbor and he came walking up.

Him: "Are you guys playing baaasebaaall?"
Me: "Yeah, what are you doing, are you playing basketball?"
Him: "mmmmm hmmm"
Me: "Do you want us to come down and play basketball with you"
Him: "Yeeeaaah"

The way he talks and his mannerisms are so precious.

I just finished my work out. That always feels good. I like being able to do the things I do.

I have the day off. Most of it has been spent cleaning my apartment. I have an apartment, a space to call my own. I also spent some time on the phone with my landlord today, which means it looks like despite recent financial troubles I'm going to be able to keep my apartment.

I'm out for a walk in a few moments. Then I'll be back home to cook dinner and after that it's off to class. Class isn't entirely fun, but I've got a date with a nice young woman after class. I'm very much looking forward to that.

Sometimes it's hard to find the good. I know that just as well as anyone. But I've come through it all so far; I've had some pretty rough times in my day and one of the things I've learned is that everything is always in passing. There's always a way through.

When I get my six-pack I will find joy.

But I also find joy drinking fattening drinks and eating junk food.

Uh oh.

Today for dinner, I'm going to crack open the BBQ and grill some burgers for the first time this year. I bought the patties and buns earlier in the week and have been counting down the days. They're going to taste sooo good. :)

Being able to buy the .net and .org domain names a month after I bought the .com name. No one else snatched the buggers up. :)

P.S. Did I mention I'm a geek.

It took an effort, as I'm having a bad day.

I had an hour with Grace today. She got up about two (worked a double shift last night, and has an extra half-shift tonight) and I fixed her some brunch, and we ate it together out on the back deck.

It was a good hour.

Gilda

After a very trying week with massive impending changes to our program at work, we were approached to have a meeting with HR. I am the youngest clinical person on my team. They actually stopped, listened and respected what I had to say and it facilitated even more discussion and problem-solving.

My highly intelligent geek then told me at home as I recounted some of the above meeting with my statements verbatim, "wow, that's a really insightful way to approach _______ problem."

My coworker lauded the finer points of my chili in front of everyone.

It was sunny and 80 for most of today.

When I got home, my headache that I've had for the past few years flared up horribly and I laid down for a moment. My SO walked in and laid down on top of me. This is my favorite thing that he does, I love when he relaxes his whole weight. Night before last when it was bad, he stayed in the other room to give me quiet and darkness, then came in and held me on his chest until I had to roll over. Then he gently slid up behind me and spooned with his hand resting across my temple and forehead until we both fell asleep. My favorite and so rare since he prefers being the Spoonee not the Spooner. The memory of that unsolicted sweetness has brought me joy ever since.

Plus, we got a $50 bonus for high census, barbeque (woo.) for no deficiencies on the federal and state surveys, and we get to wear jeans on Friday.

Today was a rough day. This thread made me think of something besides that.

Today was sunny and I finally cleaned up the two front gardens. I even bought this short white fence to go around both of them. I like the front of my house now.

I came home tonight to find my wife and two kids waiting at the door. They had my slippers, some very nice cheese and crackers and a glass of wine ready for me.

I was told to relax while they finished diner.

Then we sat down at the dining room table and had a great meal. When dinner was over I was told to go and watch Lost. They would take care of the dishes and bring me some dessert.

Pretty cool family.

That is fucking awesome. :) I'm jealous. I mean... I find joy in your post. :P

I saw mandy last night after what seemed like an eternity (even though it was only 3 days). It was her Dad's 48th birthday and they had a bunch of family over at their house.

And even though we're going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment, when I walked in the door I was greeted with her beatiful smile and a hug that just melted all my frustrations away. The kinda hug where you can just feel the love.

I love mandy.

Been there, done that, got the ring. :icare:

And I am going to kidnap Charlatan's family, provied they remain in such good spirits while in captivity.

I start my new job today, and my old employer very much wants me to do freelance work at $300 a pop! :cool: