August Happiness Challenge -- Day 2

Today's Happy Cone goes to my trusty Kenmore Energy Star air conditioner.

This was one of those days when I don't want to go outside. Hot and humid. It was such sweet relief to come in and know that within a few minutes I'll be comfortable.

The AC is one of those modern miracles -- like electricity and running water -- that I take for granted until I'm without it. I shouldn't be that jaded, and the Happy Cone shall remind me to be and stay delighted.

What's that you say? What's the August Happiness Challenge?

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

If you want to play along, just come back here (meaning to this blog, not this individual post) each day in August, looking for the happy chocolate cone. Every day I will try to have a post with the headline: August Happiness Challenge: Day [X]. Leave a comment and then post your own daily happiness, with August Happiness Challenge in the title to make it easy to find.

The kid is all right

I spent a little over two hours blabbing with my oldest friend, the one who is struggling so in Southern California. At the end of our call I felt better, and I hope she felt less isolated.

She is in a mighty battle with her bipolar disorder. Her body is trying to adjust to the cocktail of meds her shrink has her taking and she's considering a partial hospitalization program at UCLA. It sounds radical, and I know it took me a while to get my mind around it. Even though it will take her 6-8 weeks to complete, I think it's a very good thing for her. She's had a hard time making friends out there. Her cousin Sharon (the one she moved 2000 miles to be near) has been useless. Her psychologist and psychiatrist don't talk -- at least not enough to suit me. By going into the UCLA program she will have a support system. Counselors and other patients. Maybe a new doctor. I think it's all good.

Of course, we didn't spend the whole two hours talking about that. I had to give her a blow-by-blow recount of Macca at Lolla. One thing that came to me while recounting it: this new generation of fans don't call him "Paul," "Sir Paul" or even "McCartney." He's "PaulMcCartney."

And she told me how she and Sharon believe Sharon's house is haunted. I sent my mind away to the happy place during most of that (the Cub game was on the TV screen, after all) but I know she enthusiastically believes in that sort of thing and I'm glad she's engaged in something that makes her happy.

So I think she's going to be all right. I know this takes courage, this battle she's waging. I know her pain is real. And I'll continue to pray for her, support her and love her.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: Shout out the answer

Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows? I have been known to, yes.

Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times? Oh, yes. I still can't get over the fact that Don Draper and the rest of the Mad Men gang are out of my life forever!

 

What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed? Illinois is notoriously flat, so I had to go to Arkansas to climb a mountain. This is the Hot Springs Mountain Tower in the Ouachita Mountains and it provides breathtaking views of green trees and blue skies.

Do you have a piggy bank? Yes. I just emptied it recently and scored $7.51 in pennies! Coinstar gave me a Red Robin gift certificate, so there's lunch.

What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car? I don't know. I don't drive and don't pay much attention when I'm being driven somewhere.

Could you ever hand milk a cow? If it came between me and dehydration. But for my sake and the cow's, I hope it never comes to that.

Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry? D) None of the above

Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise) I threw one that was an actual surprise. In high school, one of the girls in our group had a November 1 birthday. So I told her it was a Halloween party. She came dressed as a clown and was shocked to see the rest of us in street clothes.

Have you ever warn clothing with the labels/tags still attached? Not intentionally

Have you ever slipped on a banana skin? No

Are you scared of the dark? No

Do you have a lawyer? Yes

If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do? Chill out for a while (preferably at Wrigley Field). Then do volunteer work.

How long did you last phone call last? A little over four minutes.

Have you ever helped someone across the road? No.

Have you ever been wolf whistled in public? Yes. But not in a long, long time!

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 1

This year's happy icon

What's that you say? What's the August Happiness Challenge?

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Today is one of those days when the Challenge is helpful because I'm so annoyed by stuff just now. The condo association (see post below). My oldest friend, who emails me about her overwhelming problems but when I call her, she not only doesn't pick up, her voicemail is full (and she only has a cell, no landline). CVS, who it turns out didn't take $2 off for Joey's cat treats, even though they kept my coupon. Grumble, grumble.

Yet, many little things made me happy, and the Challenge helps me focus on them. The filthy towel that survived Lollapalooza came out of the wash looking very nearly good as new. (Or at least clean).  I had a delicious coffee shop breakfast. I took a long, rejuvenating nap. The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo hit a beautiful home run.

But this year's first Happy Cone goes to the first day of Summer Under the Stars on TCM. What a wallow this is for classic film fans, like me! Today Gene Tierney was featured, and I caught parts of her more familiar movies (Laura and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) and one that's legendary but I'd never seen (The Razor's Edge) and here's the happy, happy part -- I DVR'd a movie I'd never heard of but looks like a soapy, Technicolor gem. Discovering movies I've never even heard of makes me happy, happy.



If you want to play along, just come back here (meaning to this blog, not this individual post) each day in August, looking for the happy chocolate cone. Every day I will try to have a post with the headline: August Happiness Challenge: Day [X]. Leave a comment and then post your own daily happiness, with August Happiness Challenge in the title to make it easy to find. 

Too much drama and intrigue

In today's mail I received notification of a "very important" condo association meeting for this Thursday. No agenda is included, but all owners are "strongly encouraged" to attend. Yet it's starting "promptly at 6:00 PM."

At previous meetings, many of us (including and especially me) have told the board that it's very hard to get to the meetings before 7:00 because we work downtown.

So I'm wondering if something isn't up. If the board isn't trying to slip something past us. No matter what's going on at work (and it's going to be busy this week), I'm going to be at that meeting.

I just wish the 24 condo owners in this building could get along without all the drama and intrigue.