I’ve been a bit stressed out and angry lately, and things being what they are my morning yesterday started off as a grumbly one. By noon the whole day was teetering on the edge of full-blown conniption, which I was already prepared to blame on exhaustion, low blood sugar, and writer’s block. When I was packing up for work my daughter convinced me to spend a few minutes playing with her before I left. I’m glad I did because just that little bit of fun time really put me in a good mood.
As I pedaled to work, I began trying to brainstorm for a post that was past due for publishing. Try as I might, I could not focus on one subject. My mind kept skipping around these random thoughts of things that just made me feel just slightly better when they happened. By the time I got to work I had a fairly good list going.
So I present to you, in no particular order:
Doug’s list of happiness in small degrees
- Waking up in panic because I overslept, and finding out there’s still ten minutes of sleep left before the alarm goes off.
- Having to pedal harder and faster than normal to make it to work on time, because my daughter needed to be pushed on the swing.
- Taking a long nap, with a small dog.
- Finding common ground on a subject, with a friend I haven’t talk to in years.
- That unbearably hot, yet impossibly delicious first cup coffee from a freshly brewed pot.
- Overly large breakfasts, served piled high from short order counter.
- Finding out I don’t have to work, on payday.
- Foul weather, when it interferes with doing yard work.
- Riding my Bike in a light drizzle, and making it home before the downpour starts.
- My wife’s soft heart for animals, and her critical, hard-nosed approach for putting up with the human race.
- The way my daughter sings, the same verse of a song over and over and over…
- The look on my cats gets, when he spots a lizard he wants to chase.
- That day in the middle of winter, when it shows just a glimpse of spring.
- The fact that I can go back to being a drunk anytime I want, but haven’t after 519 days and still counting.
- Having trouble finding time to write, because my family needs me.
Looking at the list I am amazed to see how common place so many of these things are and wonder why I’m ever in a bad mood. Needless to say by the time I got to work I was feeling great. I’ll have to remember these things and take an inventory next time I decide that I’m having a rotten day.
It leads me to wonder, what are the small everyday things does everyone else have keeping them from loosing their crap on a regular basis? What’s on your list?
Corned Beef Hashtag 
I liked your list best, it had a that quality of juxtaposing something seemingly bad with something so much better. I’ve been thinking all day, trying to come up with a similar list, but times up, so here’s mine:
planting flowers before it rains.
butter and garlic in a stainless steel pan
watching the sky change in the morning
driving a car
I know there’s so much more. Thanks for sharing yours and asking me to share mine.
It’s a good list, thanks for sharing it. There is always more but they tend to be such small things that they often escape notice.
That true, I like that, I’ll remember that, maybe I’ll see them, if not, it feels nice to be looking out for them.
Good thoughts, thank you.
I love your list. I love the simplicity of everything in it. I make a list very similar to yours once, but it was a list of things I should be grateful for. Maybe I will write it up on my blog again one day 🙂 It does put things in perspective. It reminds me how lucky I am. Which is ironical considering the sickness & misfortune I see on a daily basis! Thank you for reminding people that the everyday things which we all take for granted, are the things that can make us happy if we learn to appreciate it. Keep the writing up – really enjoy your site!
I’d be interested in seeing your list if you republish it. Thanks for taking the time to read mine.
Seeing how happy my 5 year old son is when he finds letters I have written him in his self made mailbox in the morning makes me really happy. It makes me even happier he actually believe they are from a pirate stranded on a deserted island.
That is absolutely great. What an wonderful thing to have on your list.
This inspires me to make such a list to include with my bio. Thanks!
And nice written piece.
Thank you, I am always glad when something I write gives other people ideas and inspiration for their own projects. Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog.