tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388954278243461412024-03-18T23:51:49.340-06:00If Happiness Were a Bear...Noticing happiness and letting it bite.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-77571182924549934522008-05-09T12:18:00.005-06:002008-05-09T12:39:58.070-06:0030 Before 30<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>From <a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/">The Happiness Project</a> I came across <a href="http://www.notesfromthetrenches.com/2006/05/05/revised-addition-forty-things-to-do-before-i-turn-forty/">this list</a> of 40 things a woman wanted to do before she turned 40. I was inspired to do my own list: “30 Before 30.” My 27<sup>th</sup> birthday is in about two weeks so that gives me three years to tackle my list:</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Finish my PhD. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Climb <a href="http://www.longspeak.com/"><st1:place>Longs Peak</st1:place></a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Finish knitting the red and orange scarf that is now in its fourth year of knitting.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Do a yoga teacher training course. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Travel to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Brazil</st1:place></st1:country-region> to see friends there. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">6)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Travel to any of the following with SV: <st1:city><st1:place>Paris</st1:place></st1:City>, <st1:city><st1:place>Seattle</st1:place></st1:City> or <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iceland</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">7)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Go on a trip with my parents – maybe <st1:state><st1:place>Alaska</st1:place></st1:State>?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">8)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Paint a picture a year (at least). </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">9)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Stay out of debt. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">10)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Start a retirement fund.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">11)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Publish 3 first-authored papers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">12)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Take ballet.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">13)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Go to a slow food event in <st1:city><st1:place>Edmonton</st1:place></st1:City> with DM.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">14)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Sea kayaking around <st1:place>Vancouver Island</st1:place> and seeing RY.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">15)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Scrapbook more.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">16)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Visit Aunt L. a few times.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">17)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Have a dedicated yoga practice for one year. (hopefully, more!)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">18)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Have a dedicated meditation practice for 6 months. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">19)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Run the <a href="http://www.bolderboulder.com/site3.aspx">Bolder Boulder</a> one time</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">20)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Go to <a href="http://ojocalientesprings.com/">Ojo Caliente</a> with friends. Yay!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">21)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Finish baby blanket for KVL.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">22)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Knit something for RY.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">23)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Knit hat and cowl for myself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">24)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Have love endeavor(s)! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">25)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Paint and organize a space in the lab for my office. Something very cool. Very chic. Very organized; very me. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">26)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Get to know my parents more. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">27)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Play my violin more. Or at all. Have AM tune it first…</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">28)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Find the 10 best breakfast places in <st1:city><st1:place>Edmonton</st1:place></st1:City>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">29)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Write an article for the NYTimes. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">30)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Learn to make excellent chicken enchiladas – locate that recipe I used <st1:city><st1:place>in New Haven</st1:place></st1:City>…</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><br />I realize some of these are pretty ambitious (mainly #29 and #3). The rest however, are realistic. Additionally, each of these touch on themes, people and the minutiae of my life that make me happy!<span style=""><br /></span></p>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-20131339688045246302008-05-05T08:25:00.002-06:002008-05-05T08:29:12.591-06:00Mellow like a cello<p class="MsoNormal">As there is a constant undercurrent of happiness lately, I am finding it difficult to focus on happiness and write anything substantive. With regard to happiness that is. Hopefully my writing elsewhere remains substantive! </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Simple pleasures fill the space. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Laughing with friends on the phone, around the kitchen table or while walking when a thought makes me smile is a key ingredient of happiness, a byproduct of happiness, or both. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Savoring a cup of coffee (just the one as opposed to several!) in the filtered light of a coffee shop is a rediscovered pleasure. I am working on reducing my caffeine intake as much as possible. Just two weeks ago I would have anywhere from 4 to 7 caffeinated hot drinks a day (coffee or tea). Now, I am down to two hot beverages a day. I must say that last week was not easy. A few afternoons I had terrible headaches. One day in particular I was rather cranky and moody (I was also in the world’s largest mall that day; that could have been a contributing factor). The real joy comes with fully enjoying my one cup of coffee sitting quietly thinking of the possibilities of the new day rather than gulping my one cup down as I sort myself out to face the day. The intention accompanying the consumption makes the difference.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Finally, an envelope with two CDs was in the post this weekend (Thanks SMV!). One was Nina Simone with the track “Sinnerman” (oh so good!) and the other was <a href="http://www.alicesmith.com/">Alice Smith</a>. <span style=""> </span>I cannot recommend Alice Smith highly enough. <span style=""> </span>If you like beats and melodies that are organic and fluid, and lyrics that invoke smiles of recognition, this CD (titled “For Dreamers, Lovers & Me) is a must-have.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Oh, no more blogging on Thursdays for me, however sweet of a nod to Steinbeck I think it is…This will be more catch-as-catch-can but hopefully once a week.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-77580046996815981812008-04-24T10:45:00.002-06:002008-04-24T11:05:54.458-06:00Joyful Challenges<p class="MsoNormal">Today there is a joyful challenge facing me in the form of a final exam. But let’s not dwell on that. It is snowing here in fair <st1:city><st1:place>Edmonton</st1:place></st1:city>. Again. At least the temperature is tolerable - there is something to be said for April! Let’s not dwell on that either.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">At meditation last night the person speaking on the topic of meditation at one point said something to effect of: “wordswordswords…and that is happiness,” at which point I tuned back in. “Damn,” I thought, “there was the answer to what happiness is and I missed it because I zoned out!” The same thing happens in course lectures too, when the professor indicates that he or she has just summarized the entire essence of a concept. At which point I always wish they would reiterate what they have just said because those sign posts of “this is important and I have just distilled a concept with great clarity” really help anchor me. <span style=""> </span>While I agree that all of a lecture is important, there is no way to process the entire stream of input so I do well with verbal signposts. I find this same phenomenon in life. As in, something happens, and clearly after it occurs, some realization or clarity happens although it isn’t always clear what the referent is because I have not been paying attention to everything preceding the onset of clarity. They say meditating is useful for increasing this awareness and focus. I hope so. Then, when I have a flash of “this is happiness” it will be possible to know what the “this” refers to and I won’t feel bummed when I miss the “answer” at meditation. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>I just spent a fantastic weekend in <st1:state><st1:place>Victoria</st1:place></st1:state> with friends and wanted to write on the happiness of friendship but will need more time to do so….now however, I need to turn my attention to my most immediate joyful challenge… </p>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-12973561037486384512008-04-17T08:48:00.003-06:002008-04-17T09:44:06.395-06:00FOUND!<p class="MsoNormal">In the past 9 years I have lived at 12 addresses (not including the more transitory ones of a month or less) in 6 cities in 3 countries on 2 continents. Needless to say, in all this moving, <span style=""> </span>things are lost. But! This past week some things were found! </p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">I lost my camera skiing in February. It was found and returned to me this past weekend! </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">There are a number of CDs that I seem to have lost along the way….I found two of them under the seat of my car on Monday! </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Digital pictures – my old computer crashed (or something) – and I thought all of my pictures were gone. Many are – but some were recovered!</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">At times, all I see is how disjointed, delineated and fragmented my life is. It’s like looking at a Seurat painting up close and only seeing the individual dots of color and being confused at how a green dot, a red dot, another green dot etc., fit together. And then, stepping back and seeing a woman’s face emerge in a whole scene of leisure.<span style=""> </span>Finding my pictures and some of my music allowed me to see the whole painting of my life. What I see is not so disjointed; the constellation of colored dots actually forms a coherent image of one woman journeying! <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Also, I have found myself re-reading my roommate’s book, <u>The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking</u> by Christopher Hansard. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here is a bit on happiness:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><blockquote>Happiness exists of itself. In the same way that the sun releases warmth for our planet, happiness creates warmth for our lives. Everything is happy. The thought energy of happiness is already formed, we just need to accept it…Happiness is not to be found in the accumulation of material goods or particular events. True happiness comes from the sacred place within us and as we spend time in this place and increase our capacity for skilful thought energy, so we increase our capacity for happiness.</blockquote> <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I myself am not versed enough to elaborate too much on skilful thinking but early in the book the author’s teacher tells him this:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><blockquote>“You are what you think.<span style=""> </span>Thought directs all things. People pride themselves on how they think, but really it is thought that moves through people. Our thoughts create our lives, they make us sick, happy or successful. Our thoughts can pollute our planet through the actions we take. Thoughts on their own will gather like clouds in the sky, good thoughts coming together with other good thoughts and unskillful thoughts attracting other unskillful thoughts.”</blockquote><o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some things to think about.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">May the day be sweet! <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-19207548674964713132008-04-10T08:35:00.000-06:002008-04-10T09:34:53.116-06:00Pure Part of the AbyssI’m back. I was in transition. (But when am I not?)<br /><br />I may take time to reflect on the last year (it’s been almost that long since I blogged on happiness!) but today I simply want to share some happy things. My aim is to commit to blogging about happiness on Thursdays. And it is Thursday!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Happy Things</span><br />• Spring! It’s here! I can tell because the grass is variegated with new growth and the air smells alive.<br /><br />• Feist. My roommate just lent me her new CD. So good. Feist is Canadian. <br /><br />• People murmuring during meditation. I went to a meditation session last night. I didn’t understand all of it but at one point after visualizing rays of white, red and blue light and some chanting people started murmuring, with beads, and sounds of OM and AH and another sound…it evoked in me a mixture of awe and surprise. Like the first time I heard the trees creaking against each other on Vancouver Island.<br /><br />• New ideas. There is the danger of becoming too narrow and developing tunnel vision in graduate school (or in life, I suppose). I am making a conscious effort to stretch myself and develop breadth in my thinking. Broad thinking makes me happy even if, at times, I find it intimidating and overwhelming. <br /><br />• Laughter. The sound of it – especially from people I love. The feel of it – especially at the corners of my eyes. <br /><br />• The sunset over the Saskatchewan River. To me this captures the infinite possibilities of my life. Five years ago, a year ago, six months ago, even, I never imagined I would watch ice flow down a river while the sun sank low in the sky over the first city I ever visited (who knew that at 6 weeks old I would be on the same campus where I would later pursue a PhD? Thousands of miles from where I was born and reared!). <br /><br />• <span style="font-style:italic;">Il Postino</span> and Pablo Neruda. Here is an excerpt from Neruda’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Poetry</span> that makes me happy:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style:italic;">I did not know what to say, my mouth<br />had no way<br />with names,<br />my eyes were blind,<br />and something started in my soul,<br />fever or forgotten wings,<br />and I made my own way,<br />deciphering<br />that fire,<br />and I wrote the first faint line,<br />faint, without substance, pure<br />nonsense,<br />pure wisdom<br />of someone who knows nothing,<br />and suddenly I saw<br />the heavens<br />unfastened<br />and open,<br />planets,<br />palpitating plantations,<br />shadow perforated,<br />riddled<br />with arrows, fire and flowers,<br />the winding night, the universe.<br /><br />And I, infinitesimal being,<br />drunk with the great starry<br />void,<br />likeness, image of<br />mystery,<br />felt myself a pure part<br />of the abyss,<br />I wheeled with the stars,<br />my heart broke loose on the wind. </span></blockquote><br /><br />So, there are some happy things for this Thursday - may it be sweet!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-66422748654275251982007-06-06T05:19:00.000-06:002007-06-06T05:21:35.148-06:00Label CloudI have just added label clouds to my blogs. This makes me very happy. I had always liked the look of them and <a href="http://phy3blog.googlepages.com/Beta-Blogger-Label-Cloud.html">this code </a>was easy to implement.<br /><br />Clouds, real and vitual, are happiness!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-58785214473262051862007-06-05T01:55:00.000-06:002007-06-05T02:08:12.120-06:00Philosophy of HappinessI am very excited to be traveling on from Turkey but I must admit, it would have been nice have been able to attend this year’s <a href="http://www.philosophyinassos.org/assos.htm">Philosophy in Assos </a>conference. The conference sounds like a real joy in terms of location and atmosphere and this year’s program is all about happiness! The program is full of interesting topics and heavy hitters – Christopher Shields was at CU when I was but I didn’t have the opportunity to take any courses with him – registration ends June 30th and while it is aimed at philosophy professors and students, it looks like anyone with an interest can apply to participate.<br /><br />Something I have been very interested in lately is how definitions of happiness have changed, if at all, through the ages, and the last time I read a classical text on the subject was in one of my philosophy courses in college. It would be interesting to look at these issues again after I have been thinking about happiness and what it is / means etc., because of my own intrinsic desire to examine this subject and not because it is in a syllabus. It looks like this subject is talked about in the proceedings.<br /> Yes, the conference does look like a good one indeed! If anyone reading this blog, I think there are only two or three people who do, but in case someone who does read this, does go, please let me know how it goes!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-61377056453812080742007-05-24T02:43:00.000-06:002007-05-24T02:45:23.969-06:00Spring in AnkaraJust three days ago we had some friends visiting us from Canada. We took them to the castle at the top of Ulus and then to dinner in Kizilay and then to a little smoky bar to hear folk music. It was a warm spring night and for the first time Ankara actually seemed nice to me. My jaded perspective was jarred into seeing something different through the eyes of our guests. Not that Ankara has ever seemed so horrible to me but it is the biggest city I have ever lived in (population near 4 million) and is undergoing a kind of urban renewal so the abandoned sixties style soviet looking buildings that first greeted me here are being transformed with new facades and updates and the city is starting to look almost sleek and stylish in parts. And in other parts, I have seen a donkey pulling a cart, open fires on the sidewalk and all sorts of rubbish on the side of the road. But in the spring, when the trees are green, flowers are in bloom and the nights are warm, things look much more attractive and I can see the charm of the capital of Turkey.<br /><br />Ankara is a livable city but not one people around the world want to visit. Which is a bit sad. I think it’s nicer than Istanbul, actually. Of course, its not Istanbul but I personally think Ankara is a bit classier and more manageable. It doesn’t have the Bosphorus or skyline of Istanbul but it’s got some nice broad boulevards for walking, a funky old district (Ulus), a stylish embassy area and adjacent shopping and a fun, comfortable, relaxed dinner/drinking district. So a few nights ago, even though being here in Turkey has been overall very stressful for me, I was enjoying Ankara and thinking that overall I am happy to have had this experience. I don’t want to challenge myself in this way ever again, especially with the reality of the bomb two days ago in Ulus, but I have gained perspective, confidence, compassion and understanding by being here.<br /><br />Happiness is tricky and paradoxical, as it seems that hard work; challenges, discomfort and patience are necessary conditions for happiness. That happiness only emerges from these sources – surely, that is not the case, but it seems to me that happiness does require pushing the envelope in terms of what we expect from others and ourselves. And also, being willing to forgive and accept to a huge degree when these expectations fall short or are not met at all. I suppose it’s that idea of reaching for the moon so that even if you miss you will still be among the stars. Although, more accurately, given what we now know, is the idea that you should reach for the stars so that even if you miss you may be near the moon or Mars.<br /><br />I just wonder, how come no one ever said: happiness isn’t easy? I think we all hope that it will be and is, and that when we have happiness, life will be easy. But happiness is more like a job than a beautifully wrapped gift under the tree; happiness needs to be nurtured, noticed and something that is consciously sought: like money. We try to accumulate money, we always think about money and we are always after money. Well, I think happiness needs the same constant attention – it’s just that it’s a different kind of currency. And my feeling is it’s a good idea to attempt to spend your happiness notes in places your might not at first think worthy of them, and to look for them in places you least expect!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-34344123871579765322007-05-21T00:54:00.000-06:002007-05-21T01:57:44.595-06:00Reality Check<a href="http://plasticfree.blogspot.com/2007/05/brain-food-plastic-ocean.html">Envirowoman blogged about an article describing the huge amounts of plastic debris </a>in the Pacific that is twice the size of Texas that is well worth the read, sad though it may be.<br />While the topic is not a happy one, being aware of the state of the world makes it much easier to make choices that ultimately make us happier as we choose things based on their positive affect on ourselves, others, and the environment. I don’t really like reading depressing news, and often I skip right over all those headlines about troops dying in Iraq and clashes in Lebanon not because I don’t care or I want to be uninformed but because reading about Elizabeth Taylor’s Van Gogh – though that too is controversial – is much more neutral and easier to deal with. Also, I like to read things related to animals – someone’s Berenese Mountain dog had a litter of 13 pups or the stories about the little polar bear in the zoo in Germany – these are heartwarming and always have cute pictures.<br /><br />Pictures of men running with guns and bloodied bodies are not nice. Nor are pictures of turtles choked by plastic ties cinching their middles. But even though these things do not make me happy I shouldn’t only read about celebrity gossip, developments in science and other things that do not cause me emotional distress or cognitive dissonance because then I lose sight of how fortunate I am. I am not suggesting that we only read bad or troubling news in order to give us a foundation of comparison so that we know how great our own lives our, but this is one reason to do it. And if I said otherwise, I would be lying. But also, knowing what is going on allows us to again, make choices that we can feel good about. Feeling as though I am in control or part of something that is a force of good or change is a component of happiness. Granted, I haven’t been doing much in the way of keeping up on US politics since I moved away three years ago but I have become more aware of systems elsewhere and have been attempting to keep an eye on things (if only politicians were fuzzy animals with innocent eyes, I would pay so much more attention to them!) in an attempt to make better, more informed choices the next time I vote absentee. <br /><br />Balancing what to read in the news is a hard thing for me though. I am not an unintelligent person but it’s hard for me to follow a lot of what is going on around the world. Which is to say, I am not particularly well informed about past events around the world. I took a number of history courses in high school – world history until the mid-1800s and US history until the mid 1900’s but I managed not to take any history courses at university given my majors and quite frankly I lack a lot of the knowledge base to keep up on things. But that is a lame excuse for not trying and I am trying to be more aware of things. But sadly, the plight of those two folks building their dream home (their third home!) on an island in Florida published on The New York Times online gets more of my attention. As do blogs on design, crafting, personal finance and happiness. But I do try to give myself a reality check because my own happiness ultimately, is in some small way tied to everyone else’s and in a huge way, contingent upon the well being of the planet.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-48081072043398675042007-05-16T06:10:00.000-06:002007-05-16T06:15:41.542-06:00Reply to RobinRobin’s comment:<br /><br /><em>“I think this level of discipline is challenging for many people though (including me). How can we not make ourselves miserable by beating ourselves up if we don't reach a goal? It's a tough dilemma!”<br /></em><br />is a great one.<br /><br />I think discipline HAS to be a very personal matter. It has to be self-initiated and self-defined. My idea of discipline with regard to exercising probably seems lacking to a tri-athlete but for me, it requires a huge amount of discipline. Now, how to avoid misery? I think the first and most important thing is to focus on what you have done to reach the goal each day. Always focusing on what has happened or is happening each day alone is important for not beating yourself up about what you have done in the past or might not do in the future. <br /><br />So for me, I am still trying to build in a regular yoga practice. I have only practiced twice for about 15 minutes just before bed over the last four days. My goal is to do yoga everyday but instead of focusing on not having done as much as I wanted to do, I focus on what I can do today. And, this is why I do practice for a few minutes before bed. Because it is the time of day when I say, “oh I wish I had practiced!” So when I say that to myself, I decide, “why not practice?” Just spend 10 or fifteen minutes gently stretching and over time that will make a difference and become a habit even though it does not feel like enough. Clearly, this does not work for all goals but I have a checklist in my head and ask myself throughout the day what I can tick off and if I haven't checked one off I try to figure out if I can fit it in somehow.<br /><br />This brings me to the important point, I think to avoid beating yourself about discipline, there are two measurements, if you will, to consider. 1) The act of undertaking action towards a goal which is binary – either you have or have not done it. And 2) The extent or amount of action towards a goal which can vary in all sorts of ways or be measured in all sorts of ways: minutes, number of pages written, number of laps around the track, number of thank you notes written etc. For me, I have decided that addressing Number 1, is key, at first. Before I can be someone who has great, endurance building runs 6 times a week, I have to be someone who at least attempts moderate exercise six times a week. Right now, that is my focus. I am aiming to just attempt an action towards my goal each day – it doesn’t matter if I do 20 minutes or 40, just by following through each day on that goal, I am making the action I want built into my life a habit and building up discipline.<br /><br />Later I will focus on the extent or amount of action towards a goal. I can’t be biting off more than I can chew! The same goes for yoga. Even 5 minutes a day counts as a gold star in my mental chart. Later, after I have built up the daily discipline, I will work on increasing the duration of things like yoga and running. I think this is one way to avoid beating yourself up about goals and reaching or not reaching them. Really, I think what I mean to say is to focus on each day relative to the goal and do what you can in that day. Focusing on what could have been done yesterday is pointless and you can’t jump forward in time so really, it’s about what can get done towards the goal today.<br /><br />Obviously this does not work in the same way for all goals and doesn’t even address other factors like the weather, other people, your own health etc., but I think separating the urge to equate doing something with doing an explicit amount is helpful. Just doing something at first is enough. Later working to accomplish specific amounts after something becomes a habit is the way I am approaching my own journey towards more discipline in my life. <br /><br /><a href="http://plasticfree.blogspot.com/">Envirowomen </a>is an interesting case of discipline as she attempts to live plastic free. Here is a great case of someone living with a huge amount of discipline but not letting her MAJOR SINS as she calls them, of plastic consumption, stop her from living plastic-free. Plus, I really like her blog and what she is doing and I like reading about plastic free resources she has found so I wanted to give her a shoutout.<br /><br />Also, <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/">this person </a>has a whole series of posts on self-discipline that are interesting.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-76249690066717329652007-05-15T02:45:00.000-06:002007-05-15T03:12:55.608-06:00DisciplineSteinbeck inspired me to try writing my own fiction. It’s a bit lofty I know, but what the heck? Right now is a good time for me to try it and I found <a href="http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/pages/depts/resources/resour_writers/100daysbook/day001.html">this website </a>that made it seem remotely possible. Plus, it is a way for me to write about an issue in my life that causes me much distress. So it’s more like therapy and thinking about the story and working on it makes me happy! So one goal related to discipline is to spend some time every work day on my story.<br /><br />Also, I just decided to start running/walking six days a week. This too seems like a huge impossible task but so far I have made it four mornings in a row with a run/walk between 20 and 30 minutes each morning. The goal of this is to build up some strength and endurance in my body. I am a tall woman and fairly thin but with big hips and bum. I don’t mind my body so much and generally am quite happy with it. What I am NOT happy about is the fact that I have lived in a country without a car for almost a year, I walk everywhere and yet, I still feel tired after walking 20 minutes. This seems wrong, wrong, wrong, to me. I am going to turn 26 this month so it seems like now is a good time to try to build up some physical strength and endurance. If it smoothes out some of the bulgy edges that is fine but mostly I just don’t want to feel like I have the lung capacity of someone twice my age - which is how I feel lately.<br /><br />Hence, the idea is to run/walk six days a week. This actually is not very much. And I did not set out with that idea on Day 1. On Day 1 I just wanted to see if I could do about 30 minutes of walking / running. And I could. I emphasize the walk/run idea because I do not run for 30 minutes because quite frankly, I am just too out of shape for that. But I did some reading on websites, which suggest that the best way to build up strength and endurance is to start slowly by interspersing intervals of slow jogging with fast walking, so that is what I am doing.<br /><br />I do know though that one of the keys to performance and improvement and production in ANY area or skill is consistency. I think back on how I used to practice the violin an hour and a half a week thinking that made up for not practicing for five days but realize now that if only I had practiced even just 15 minutes a day instead of lumping it all in one day a week, I might be doing something else with my life. Although I have no natural rhythm so that is unlikely! But I also thought about this idea of short consistent practice in terms of other habits. Like brushing your teeth. Most of us brush our teeth twice a day for a few minutes and that keeps them fairly clean and healthy. But think! If we thought that brushing once a week for 30 minutes were the equivalent of all those mini sessions the state of our teeth would be very different! Of course, it’s better than no brushing at all but the effects are not even comparable. So thinking that taking care of my physical self is like taking care of my teeth prompted be to make it a goal to run/walk six mornings a week.<br /><br />I have to admit that I have yet to want to do this run/walk each morning. No, I’d much rather sit at home and have my breakfast while surfing the web. But I do truly feel better even once I am just out the door and walking outside - it is very warm here now so I do this in the morning between 7am and 9am before it gets too hot. And when I have finished my run/walk, I do feel good. Not great. That would be an overstatement but I feel ready to start my day. So really, this is hugely about discipline for me. About just getting on with it even though I don’t really want to.<br /><br />Also, when I took some of the tests on <a href="http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/">Martin Seligman’s site</a>, the number of questions related to goal setting and discipline struck me. I don’t know much about his research apart from what I have read in my undergraduate pysch textbooks (I do a very different kind of psychology) but it makes sense to me that happiness has a lot to do with discipline. This is related to feeling in control of things, being productive and achieving goals which one sets. Happiness seems very related to setting challenges for oneself and then tackling those challenges consistently in smallish increments everyday. This of course, results in achieving goals and conquering challenges while not letting them overwhelm you. Let’s see if I am singing the same tune in two weeks time!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-83422688683096036642007-05-10T02:47:00.000-06:002007-05-10T02:56:10.531-06:00The End<p>The story has several threads but one of the threads is that Doc needs a microscope to do his research on octopi. His friends on Cannery Row save up to buy him one in hopes that it will make him happier:<br /><br /><em>“And here they came down the chicken walk, balancing among them the tripod and long black tube. They crossed the track and the lot and they set the tripod down beside the car.<br /><br />Mack cleared his throat. “Friends,” he said, “on behalf of I and the boys it gives me great pleasure to present Doc with this here.”<br /><br />Doc looked at the gift – a telescope strong enough to bring the moon to his lap. His mouth fell open. Then he smothered the laughter that rose in him. </em></p><p><em><br /> “Like it?” said Mack.<br />“It’s beautiful.”<br />“Biggest one in the whole goddam catalogue,” said Mack.Doc’s voice was choked. “Thanks,” he said. He paused, “After all, I guess it doesn’t matter whether you look down or up – as long as you look.”</em></p><br />A perfect ending to a tale of discontent as Doc's friends help him out of his rut. Friends are good. Friends are happiness incarnate.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-45397684170009333272007-05-09T07:26:00.000-06:002007-05-09T07:30:14.626-06:00Now it really is Sweet ThursdayI am not taking excerpts from the book that tell the complete story but they are chronologically correct and I think I just enjoy the descriptions and way with words and that is why I am sharing these. The last installment will be tomorrow.<br /><br />“<em>Looking backward in time, you can usually find the day it started, the day of Sarajevo, the day of Munich, the moment of Stalingrad or Valley Forge. You fix the day and hour by some incident that happened to yourself. You remember exactly what you were doing when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.<br /><br />There is no doubt that forces were in motion on that Thursday on Cannery Row. Some of the causes and directions have been in process for generations. There are always some people who claim they felt it coming. Those who remember it say it felt like earthquake weather.<br /><br />It was a Thursday, and it was one of those days in Monterey when the air is washed and polished like a lens, so that you can see houses in Santa Cruz twenty miles across the bay and you can see the redwood trees on a mountain above Watsonville. The stone point of Fremont’s Peak, clear the other side of Salinas, stands up nobly against the east. The sunshine had a goldy look and red geraniums burned the air around them. The delphiniums were like little openings in the sky.<br /><br />There aren’t many days like that anyplace. People treasure them. Little kids are likely to give off tin-whistle screams for no reason, and business men find it necessary to take a drive to look at a piece of property. Old people sit looking off into the distance and remember inaccurately that the days of their youth were all like that. Horses roll in the green pastures on such a day and hens make a terrible sunny racket.<br /><br />Thursday was that kind of magic day.”<br /></em><br />I wonder if everyday is like this for someone, somewhere? I would imagine so. To a sweet Thursday!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-87168062347512965532007-05-08T01:36:00.000-06:002007-05-08T01:40:08.011-06:00More on DocI love this book because of it captures moods with humor and accuracy. All too often I have been in this same situation as Doc:<br /><br /><em>“For days the flame burned in Doc, his phoenix thought. True, he didn’t have a proper microscope, but he had eyes, and he had, thank God, an analytic mind that could slough off sensations, emotions and pains. As he stared at the octopi his thesis took form.<br />…<br />Doc bought a package of yellow pads and two dozen pencils. He laid them out on his desk, the pencils sharpened to needle points and lined up like yellow soldiers. At the top of the page he printed: OBSERVATIONS AND SPECULATIONS. His pencil point broke. He took up another and drew lace around the O and B, made a block letter S and put fish-hooks on each end. His ankle itched. He rolled down his sock and scratched, and that made his ear itch. “Someone’s thinking about me,” he said and looked at the yellow pad. He wondered weather he had fed the cotton rats. It is easy to forget when you’re thinking.”<br /></em><br />Feeling ambitious yet utterly stuck. I think a good deal of happiness comes from these ambitions or challenges we set for ourselves but it is so hard translating them into reality!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-30711967024059287832007-05-07T05:43:00.000-06:002007-05-07T03:34:48.771-06:00Sweet ThursdayI have just read Steinbeck's <em>Sweet Thursday</em> and I have wanted to share a few excerpts for the past two Thursdays. I can't upload the image I drew though and it is frustrating me so even though I like my posts to have an image at the top, this time, words alone will have to suffice.<br /><br />There is too much to post at once so I will just have to post the joy I discovered in this book over a series of days. I forgot how much I enjoy Steinbeck. I am remembering how happy reading makes me…<br /><br />From Steinbeck's <em>Sweet Thursday</em>:<br /><br /><em>“Where does discontent start? You are warm enough, but you shiver. You are fed, yet hunger gnaws you. You have been loved, but your yearning wanders in new fields. And to prod all these there's time, the bastard Time. The end of life is now not so terribly far away - you can see it the way you see the finish line when you come into the stretch - and you mind says "Have I worked enough? Have I eaten enough? Have I loved enough?" All of these, of course, are the foundation for man's greatest curse, and perhaps his greatest glory. "What has my life meant so far, and what can it mean in the time left to me?" And now we're coming to the wicked, poisoned dart: "What have I contributed in the Great Ledger? What am I worth?" And this isn't vanity or ambition. Men seem to be born with a debt they can never pay, no matter how hard they try. It piles up ahead of them. Man owes something to man. If he ignores the debt it poisons him, and if he tries to make payments the debt only increases, and the quality of his gift is the measure of the man. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Doc's greatest talent had been his sense of paying as he went. The finish line meant nothing to him except that he had wanted to crowd more living into the stretch. Each ended with its night; each thought with its conclusion; and every morning a new freedom arose over the eastern mountains and lighted the world. There had never been any reason to suppose it would be otherwise. People made pilgrimages to the laboratory to bask in Doc's designed and lovely purposelessness. For what can a man accomplish that has not been done a million times before? What can he say that he will not find in Lao-Tse or the Bhagavad-Gita or the Prophet Isaiah? It is better to sit in appreciative contemplation of a world in which beauty is eternally supported on a foundation of ugliness; cut out the support, and beauty will sink from sight. It was a good thing Doc had, and many people wished they had too. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>But now the worm of discontent was gnawing at him.”<br /><br /></em>…Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-71550141388956871312007-04-18T06:32:00.000-06:002007-04-18T06:46:44.800-06:00Wonky record player<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3f8u52cxv0dcKWUI52U0Fs08fikK_jWsKGLQEcYidhWKXs1yqyoWakGUoW0qfgNwRbjFss-dDFspHomC9qN22bTvneFJ-erdJeArF7RKamR3iXoGgTLNcXRSHHonP_Es95J8pl8Jm64/s1600-h/happyrecord.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054746684992261650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3f8u52cxv0dcKWUI52U0Fs08fikK_jWsKGLQEcYidhWKXs1yqyoWakGUoW0qfgNwRbjFss-dDFspHomC9qN22bTvneFJ-erdJeArF7RKamR3iXoGgTLNcXRSHHonP_Es95J8pl8Jm64/s320/happyrecord.jpg" border="0" /></a> My record player looks a bit wonky but that is how I've been feeling lately. It can be hard to maintain and cultivate happiness. It takes a lot of work, actually. And I am certainly not happy all of the time. Yesterday was a particularly sad day for me. I think it is important to allow that sadness or gloominess but not to dwell on it. I dwelled a bit yesterday but am trying to keep on keepin' on today.<br /><br />Music makes me exceedingly happy. Here in Turkey we have a lot of music downloaded on the computer but not everything. I miss having my cd books to flip through - I like the tangibility of picking out a cd and putting it in the player. A record has an even more wonderful, tangibility to it. <br /><br />I don't listen to the radio here (well, not true actually, we listen to the BBC but more of the talk shows than the music programs) so I am totally out of the music loop lately. But my officemate plays songs from one of those sites like Pandora and an artist comes up from time to time that I really, really dig: <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/dennen">Brett Dennen</a>. He does lovely stuff and I think his cd will be one of my first frivolous purchases come the fall when we are back in Canada. Discovering new music is a great feeling – as is rediscovering favorite tunes you haven’t heard in awhile.<br /><br />Music is vitally important for happiness, for me. I sometimes think I am not listening to enough of it lately...Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-34330754856613769032007-04-16T02:05:00.000-06:002007-12-06T16:38:49.870-07:00Expectations of Happiness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1AtdihsFluyTx_9B1Zd2gfm-3Mui00IiAc833OMS02mnPnKTu8PBS0FZJOzzLyn8SRvVh129OcKg8dVM1zT9IiJHCpSqv3q_XiLf9E-eNFSIodMyzdvFpEAMIneIlSb_hrMNrXuJ5KI/s1600-h/happyayasophia.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053934326287961586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1AtdihsFluyTx_9B1Zd2gfm-3Mui00IiAc833OMS02mnPnKTu8PBS0FZJOzzLyn8SRvVh129OcKg8dVM1zT9IiJHCpSqv3q_XiLf9E-eNFSIodMyzdvFpEAMIneIlSb_hrMNrXuJ5KI/s320/happyayasophia.jpg" border="0" /></a>I have been absent for a few days because we finally took a trip to Istanbul. Above is my rendition of the Happy Bear visiting Aya Sofia. I don't actually think there is a cross on top of it but I am trying to distinguish it from the Blue Mosque in my mind. But this is a post not about Istanbul but about the expectations of Istanbul - or anything, really.<br /><br />Traveling always brings me great happiness but never when I expect it. I always think that seeing something iconic will bring me happiness – and it does in a way, but not in the way I expect. When I was twelve or just turned thirteen, my parents and I did a three-week, whirlwind tour of Europe. I had ideas about the world then but not that many and mostly when I thought of Europe, I pictured the Eiffel tower. How many times had I seen images of the Eiffel tower by the age of thirteen, I wonder? Who knows but I remember that upon seeing it, I was awestruck but that as we climbed up the stairs, I was disappointed that it was painted brown, not black as I had imagined. Go figure. There I was eating Nutella filled crepes in the shadow of the Eiffel tower and I was perseverating on it being painted brown. <br /><br />I enjoyed Paris on that trip but things that stay in my mind from that trip that are still vivid and magical for me are those moments of discovery whereupon I saw something I knew nothing about and my expectations could not ruin the moment. Experiencing Venice on that trip was full of magic for me. I suppose I had heard about it but at that age and in my particular circumstances, I didn’t have many conceptions of it. Streets that were rivers, beautiful bridges, and houses emerging from the sea. Not to mention my delight at the shiny purple shells my Mom and I collected at the Lido (a Colorado girl like me had no idea those were just ordinary mussel shells). Other magical moments on that first trip included a train ride in Switzerland and emerging from the depths of the underground in Budapest to see a man guarding a McDonald’s with a semiautomatic rifle of some sort.<br /><br />That trip taught me quite a bit about expectations but still, expectations color so many experiences even though I ought to know better than to let them interfere. I think it is interesting to consider how our expectations influence our perception of happiness. It is easy to paint pictures in our heads of what will make us happy – the color of the light being just so, the scene a memorable one and so on. But in reality, those scenes never come to pass and it is always some other scene, one you could have never imagined where you sit back and say, “This is really nice.” <br /><br />In Istanbul, it was awe inspiring to see the inside of Aya Sofia, but I was happiest in Istanbul when eating fresh fish from the Kumkapi fish market and watching the fishing boats come and go on the Marmara. But I had never even heard of that fish market – Istanbul is filled with so many wonderful places and yet, the ones that we enjoyed most were those that were unexpected for us. <br /><br />An important point about happiness, I think, is that if you expect to find it somewhere, it is impossible to find it there because even if it were there to notice, it would be obscured by your expectations. I think noticing happiness requires letting go of expectations in any area or facet of life. Happiness is always there, waiting to be found or discovered but when you come at it with a template or design of your own – you might cover up the best bits!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-22603312820953012352007-04-07T12:25:00.000-06:002007-04-07T12:40:23.139-06:00Happy Movies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4W4VTtL_v2k2Qpjzeb85UIHkRnHZN7oWd84mX__m6DndP4g_k4xwL3pKYvaKQLs915ssLHkxjdHybf7RqAbn3dDIKDBTIdxvIvDmNIrCLg0xaqIU_N-pSg3eFA3cI2BKVFpMpwi4HsM/s1600-h/happymovie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050756246601718706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4W4VTtL_v2k2Qpjzeb85UIHkRnHZN7oWd84mX__m6DndP4g_k4xwL3pKYvaKQLs915ssLHkxjdHybf7RqAbn3dDIKDBTIdxvIvDmNIrCLg0xaqIU_N-pSg3eFA3cI2BKVFpMpwi4HsM/s320/happymovie.jpg" border="0" /></a> We watched a really good film last night that just made me happy. Not giggly happy, or elated but just plain happy with a small, lasting smile: <em>Stranger Than Fiction</em>. I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn’t a comedy or happy in the way that <em>Mary Poppins</em> or <em>Auntie Mame</em> is happy but it made me smile at the end. It got me to thinking and I have made a list of my Top Ten Happy Movies in no particular order:<br /><br /> 1) <em>Auntie Mame</em><br /> 2) <em>Mary Poppins</em><br /> 3) <em>Stranger Than Fiction<br /></em> 4) <em>To Catch a Thief<br /></em> 5) <em>The Big Chill<br /></em> 6) <em>Center Stage<br /></em> 7) <em>The Little Princess (1939 version)</em><br /> 8) <em>The Lord of the Rings Trilogy</em><br /> 9) <em>Pride and Prejudice (1995 mini)<br /></em>10) <em>E.T.</em><br /><br />What movies make you happy?<br /><br /><div> </div>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-1270570810289627702007-04-03T06:01:00.000-06:002007-04-03T06:29:42.389-06:00The Bear in the Mirror<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R8vjfB5HJuSB_Psmif1dvZTGdDcpB5v8Gm-uPvMtp-46jIrCu2O8MwwyHbLiexxFjf-7DPrYotnyd0nwLGH8186dgTO6sSKoJFqySDGWeeYakjwBAM-oK-_XaReBRRD9xdOYbae0hxY/s1600-h/bearinmirror.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049170803451446930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R8vjfB5HJuSB_Psmif1dvZTGdDcpB5v8Gm-uPvMtp-46jIrCu2O8MwwyHbLiexxFjf-7DPrYotnyd0nwLGH8186dgTO6sSKoJFqySDGWeeYakjwBAM-oK-_XaReBRRD9xdOYbae0hxY/s320/bearinmirror.jpg" border="0" /></a>I did not have a chance to write much about my thoughts on the decline of joy article so I wanted to say just a few things here. I thought the ideas presented were interesting - especially as a psychologist I have not been trained to spend a lot of time looking at the historical influences on the world but more at the immediate environment of a person (individual) and so I appreciate a fresh perspective. Fresh is good. It makes me happy.<br /><br />Having said that, I have been struck, living here in the land of antiquity, at the rich cultural tradition of adornment and fashion. I say this because of the beautiful artifacts that I have seen from Greek and Roman times – people were clearly concerned with themselves given the jewelry, perfume and make-up pots that have been uncovered not to mention the statues! And yet, they did not seem to have an epidemic of unhappiness. And looking at the ethnic jewelry from nomadic people in the area underscores how people have taken the time to adorn themselves - even when they have few other possessions. I don’t think the intensification of subjectivity on the part of oneself accounts for the rise of unhappiness as much as the imposition of the subjectivity of others does.<br /><br />By that I mean that I don’t think we tend to reflect that much more on ourselves than at any other point in history. But I think that we know so much more about everyone else. This means that we are able to compare ourselves with everyone else. With the ever increasing amount of information available, it becomes easier and easier to gain a sense of where one stands or not, within the world. No longer do I just look at the people immediately around me to place myself in the fashion world (which let me tell you, in Turkey, I am practically a slob!) – I can look at what is happening around the globe. I know that people can be billionaires because I have heard of Bill Gates. Otherwise, it might never even occur to me that someone could have so much financial wealth. I don’t think what we face is the result of too much inward reflection but the result of too much outward reflection.<br /><br />And, as Sandra pointed out, the degradation of familial and social ties does not help the situation at all.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-73345055995126313352007-04-01T23:15:00.000-06:002007-04-02T10:28:02.097-06:00The Historical Rise of Unhappiness<span style="color:#cccccc;"></span><span style="color:#000000;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuAtYh5NiyJmRA2pY-RHz1GRclHyc_kIypc0n_FeK8-fbwDTLPsyOFbroTxZqJcidKuHW6X1JXEOJcvxYYWXS7ohi3zTYq5s-dAJVQ25VXXwWd_rnHrssqmQzU03MI7JEVMXPh9Hxl64/s1600-h/bearreflect.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048702896829318786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuAtYh5NiyJmRA2pY-RHz1GRclHyc_kIypc0n_FeK8-fbwDTLPsyOFbroTxZqJcidKuHW6X1JXEOJcvxYYWXS7ohi3zTYq5s-dAJVQ25VXXwWd_rnHrssqmQzU03MI7JEVMXPh9Hxl64/s320/bearreflect.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#666666;"></span> <span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Barbara Ehrinreich has published a book: <em>Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy </em>from which snippets of an excerpted article in The Guardian are taken from.</span><em> </em>Ehrinreich argues that beginning in the 17th century, there was an epidemic of depression across England. She points out:</span></span></span></span></span></span> <blockquote>The disease grew increasingly prevalent over the course of the 20th century,<br />when relatively sound statistics first became available, and this increase<br />cannot be accounted for by a greater willingness on the part of physicians and<br />patients to report it. Rates of schizophrenia, panic disorders and phobias did<br />not rise at the same time, for example, as they would be expected to if only<br />changes in the reporting of mental illness were at work. According to the World<br />Health Organisation, depression is now the fifth leading cause of death and<br />disability in the world, while ischemic heart disease trails in sixth place. </blockquote><p><span style="color:#000000;">She talks about the plethora of books, videos, information, and research trying to identify the causes for depression as she cites evidence for a decline in ritual celebrations: </span></p><blockquote>But to my knowledge, no one has suggested that the epidemic may have begun in a<br />particular historical time, and started as a result of cultural circumstances that arose at that time and have persisted or intensified since. The failure to consider historical roots may stem, in part, from the emphasis on the celebrity victims of the past, which tends to discourage a statistical, or epidemiological, perspective. But if there was, in fact, a beginning to the epidemic of depression, sometime in the 16th or 17th century, it confronts us with this question: could this apparent decline in the ability to experience pleasure be in any way connected with the decline in opportunities for pleasure, such as carnival and other traditional festivities? <p>And very likely the phenomena of this early "epidemic of depression" and the<br />suppression of communal rituals and festivities are entangled in various ways.<br />It could be, for example, that, as a result of their illness, depressed individuals lost their taste for communal festivities and even came to view them with revulsion. But there are other possibilities. First, that both the rise of depression and the decline of festivities are symptomatic of some deeper, underlying psychological change, which began about 400 years ago and persists, in some form, in our own time. The second, more intriguing possibility is that the disappearance of traditional festivities was itself a factor contributing to depression.</p></blockquote><p><span style="color:#000000;">I think this idea in the decline of festivites in a truly intriguing one. I think of how much I love Christmas and Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July precisely because of the festivities and the gathering of people and this argument makes sense to me. Another argument has to do with an intensification of subjectivity or self awareness during the 16th and 17th centuries which I am much more skeptical of but it is still something to consider. </span></p><blockquote><p>Historians infer this psychological shift from a number of concrete changes<br />occurring in the early modern period, first and most strikingly among the urban<br />bourgeoisie, or upper middle class. Mirrors in which to examine oneself become<br />popular among those who can afford them, along with self-portraits (Rembrandt<br />painted more than 50 of them) and autobiographies in which to revise and<br />elaborate the image that one has projected to others. In bourgeois homes, public<br />spaces that guests may enter are differentiated, for the first time, from the<br />private spaces - bedrooms, for example - in which one may retire to let down<br />one's guard and truly "be oneself". </p><p>So highly is the "inner self" honoured within our own culture that its<br />acquisition seems to be an unquestionable mark of progress - a requirement, as<br />Trilling called it, for "the emergence of modern European and American man". It<br />was, no doubt, this sense of individuality and personal autonomy, "of an<br />untrammelled freedom to ask questions and explore", as the historian Yi-Fu Tuan<br />put it, that allowed men such as Martin Luther and Galileo to risk their lives<br />by defying Catholic doctrine. Which is preferable: a courageous, or even merely<br />grasping and competitive, individualism, versus a medieval (or, in the case of<br />non-European cultures, "primitive") personality so deeply mired in community and<br />ritual that it can barely distinguish a "self"? From the perspective of our own<br />time, the choice, so stated, is obvious. We have known nothing else.</p></blockquote><p><span style="color:#000000;">I think there is truth in this given that our society lends itself to the inventions of ipods etc. But there is no such thing as a free ride:</span></p><blockquote>But there was a price to be paid for the buoyant individualism we associate with<br />the more upbeat aspects of the early modern period, the Renaissance and<br />Enlightenment. As Tuan writes, "the obverse" of the new sense of personal<br />autonomy is "isolation, loneliness, a sense of disengagement, a loss of natural<br />vitality and of innocent pleasure in the givenness of the world, and a feeling<br />of burden because reality has no meaning other than what a person chooses to<br />impart to it". Now if there is one circumstance indisputably involved in the<br />etiology of depression, it is precisely this sense of isolation. As the<br />19th-century French sociologist Emile Durkheim saw it, "Originally society is<br />everything, the individual nothing ... But gradually things change. As societies<br />become greater in volume and density, individual differences multiply, and the<br />moment approaches when the only remaining bond among the members of a single<br />human group will be that they are all [human]." <span style="color:#666666;"></span><a href="http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2047969,00.html">http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2047969,00.html</a></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></span>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-24897026539718643112007-03-30T06:16:00.000-06:002007-03-30T07:11:32.944-06:00Tea at Work Makes Me Happy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFpao8ESK20nR8Hmkq_565czqqmE048ojKZyI7w2rj-bUVjQykzYV9lsTKxT5Z005bVR5KxnRm_rWU8kVzy0nsh1FOHcvgGW6nDTiuFSvsR1ysKjDuoxD0VbGQV8lNureNyNaigX3tLg/s1600-h/happytea.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047690839325623922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFpao8ESK20nR8Hmkq_565czqqmE048ojKZyI7w2rj-bUVjQykzYV9lsTKxT5Z005bVR5KxnRm_rWU8kVzy0nsh1FOHcvgGW6nDTiuFSvsR1ysKjDuoxD0VbGQV8lNureNyNaigX3tLg/s320/happytea.jpg" border="0" /></a>Where I work currently, you may ask for tea to be brought to you and of course, since it is Turkey, it is served Turkish-style in a clear, curvy glass on a little saucer. It's pretty basic black tea but tea is always nice and today is a holiday where people eat simit (a softer-than-a-bagel sesame seed-covered savory bread). Now, tea is one of only a few beverages I drink (others being water, juices, coffee, wine and beer) and it being so available really makes my day much better. To put it plainly, tea makes me happy. If I had to work somewhere where it wasn't easy to make tea, I would be pretty miserable. If only finding a place where I can drink tea were the only requirement for job satisfaction!<br /><br />From MSN I found this article, <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=484&SiteId=cbmsnhp4484&sc_extcmp=JS_484_home1>1=9160&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=49463aca34a347059022cc07c061d72a-228557819-WW-2">Finding Happiness at Work</a>. The article lists the 16 basic desires that motivate us as people according to <a href="http://nisonger.osu.edu/reiss.htm">Dr. Steven Reiss </a>at the Ohio State University and explains how to be happy at work, we must identify our basic desires from this list and find a job AND workplace that are congruent with these desires. Sounds good to me. My Dad always says "Do what you love and the money will follow." After all, isn't it only natural to find work that is congruent with your values, ideals and desires? Why would someone become a teacher if they don't like kids, don't enjoy having fun and can let go of expectations and control in the name of spontaneous learning that works? Because they get summers off!<br /><br />That is why people are so enigmatic. Because people do things for reasons that invariably make no sense to anyone but them (i.e. having summers off makes the other 10 months of work as a teacher seem like a reasonable career choice for a person that doesn't really like kids or trying to devise ways to inspire curiosity). And in the work place I can't think of very many people who are in jobs that match their desires - they are in jobs for the salary, the prestige, because it is there, the health care benefits, the location (my temporary situation), the summers off etc., everything but because it matches their desires. I mean, how many people are there out there whose desires are social-contact, eating, romance and independence who would make brilliant independent caterers specializing in weddings and anniversaries who are working as administrators behind desks somewhere? A lot, I bet.<br /><br />But then there are practical considerations - a person can't just run off to chef school, take out a small business loan and some courses in small business development and think that everything will work out...or can they? I like to think they can but the basic necessities for food, shelter, healthcare, etc., make it hard for most people to do as my Dad suggests and the money will follow. Or at least it makes them scared. But you know, people actually don’t need all that much. We want a lot of things. Oh how we want! But we don't <em>actually</em> need a lot of things. And if you do something you love, and it makes you happy, that will invariably translate into wealth, however you define it. Look at Oprah.Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-13008253902625508352007-03-29T03:49:00.000-06:002007-03-29T03:54:56.617-06:00Noticing the Forsythia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-_NZCgLOcK93w7lpuGhGzd-F9_hdYut8RlLWUpd8GTkPmCjVsOf9cCdhoM71kPh-1gm8tG4Dfo6Qs10m7uAd2DO_C9LNVxgu8JQYL51H3V_tnnmQKkJS8xOGwKAD2LPvk9XVLHkkLYM/s1600-h/happyflower.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047281395798328930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-_NZCgLOcK93w7lpuGhGzd-F9_hdYut8RlLWUpd8GTkPmCjVsOf9cCdhoM71kPh-1gm8tG4Dfo6Qs10m7uAd2DO_C9LNVxgu8JQYL51H3V_tnnmQKkJS8xOGwKAD2LPvk9XVLHkkLYM/s320/happyflower.jpg" border="0" /></a>The forsythias are in bloom on campus. Their bright yellow flowers are so cheerful that I can’t help but smile. They remind me of the one at the end of the drive at my parent’s house which is always the first thing in bloom and brings much needed color to arid, high climates like Denver and Ankara. I also see tinges of green on the trees and am just waiting for the leaves to come out fully. But, I know I will miss <em>the day</em> it happens- I always do because it is inevitably the case that I look up and one day the trees are all in bloom and I don’t know when it happened! <br /><div></div>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-32376505979853764382007-03-28T07:45:00.000-06:002007-12-06T16:27:37.067-07:00Public Policy for Happiness = Fresh Fruit!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1JQUBTrfv6Xt0X6iSCEAGZ6UBo3Gr_0jkjlkOO-z630v3zE5HDUDwSkB4ZE_HkOET6ILhY9BJiEat0gIud2-Zj02TatENYA0-euyuDbM2oN75TMtrw1qyFmr0Div_j2RbcFMKSkGyGg/s1600-h/happyfruit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047020983341237842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1JQUBTrfv6Xt0X6iSCEAGZ6UBo3Gr_0jkjlkOO-z630v3zE5HDUDwSkB4ZE_HkOET6ILhY9BJiEat0gIud2-Zj02TatENYA0-euyuDbM2oN75TMtrw1qyFmr0Div_j2RbcFMKSkGyGg/s320/happyfruit.jpg" border="0" /></a> This has been a year chock full of new ideas for me. Two years ago I do not think I could have listed everything I bought to wear from memory counting on my hands. I also had a hard time affording really nice fruit and vegetables – enough to eat them at every meal and as snacks. A red pepper was a once a week treat. Strawberries, good tomatoes, kiwi, eggplant, blueberries etc. were on special every once and while but not often and rarely out of season. And a huge bunch of herbs for fifty cents? Unheard of! Now, there were also a million wonderful things in my life before moving to Turkey – a critical press, public libraries everywhere, doctors who wore rubber gloves, etc. but I have certainly become aware of room for improvement in areas that were not obvious to me until I left.<br /><br />My experience has led me to notice what is lacking and appreciate fully what is right in N. America, and specifically the US. And somehow, much of this is centered on evaluating what seems to make others and myself happy, oddly enough. So while there is so much that the US gets right, I have realized that the US gets in badly wrong in some fundamental ways and that in my mind these shortcomings have a lot to do with the perceptions of happiness that are foisted upon us in the US. I say “foisted” because I think there is zero encouragement to discover ones own happiness as the government, the media, policy makers, etc., seem to all be in cahoots to convince us of what will make us happy. Namely, fuel-efficient cars, organic food, super-smart children, a big house with an extended mudroom, healthcare at premium prices, lots of clothes, tax breaks, high definition television, espresso machines that use funny pellets, more education, and just generally, stuff. I say “foisted” too, because if someone doesn’t want all of this, they are eccentric, a hippie dippy type, a loose canon, maybe a curmudgeon, call it whatever you like, but they aren’t quite right.<br /><br />Anyway, I have come to realize that I don’t want a lovely, big house with an extended mudroom in the front; I would rather have fresh fruit and vegetables at an affordable price all of the time for myself and everyone else. And in lieu of high definition television, give me public libraries! I have started to realize public libraries might be worth celebrating as much as the freedom of speech on July 4th. I do want something akin to super-smart children, I must admit, but I want them to be interested in knowledge for knowledge’s sake – not because it will give them a higher income or result in their achieving more. I just want them to be curious. It has been a valuable exercise to live abroad and gain a perspective that while at times challenging and frustrating, has caused me to re-evaluate my own ideas about happiness.<br /><br />With the recent discovery of Will Wilkinson's <a href="http://happinesspolicy.com/">Happiness and Public Policy</a> blog, I am starting to think that there is hope after all. I never knew that people study public policy <em>and</em> happiness. I am very, very glad that they do. I am hoping that public policies concerning the high cost of fresh fruit and vegetables in the US are very high on the list of quality of life measures!Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-738895427824346141.post-53892123973569900812007-03-26T02:09:00.000-06:002007-03-27T04:20:26.938-06:00Bearing Happiness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA2m6vdU87VpoNNkCuFDfSXEYwcflibteg7yLtsHiyBre069l8jeaxk_i7_HTPM_Rbc9HHIRN8_-TX15Jq1tcWAz2Ac_ax4ja3nk_etl1FJUoKGCFXkNtIAG9ZjKBQuWPlm7zfhULKH0/s1600-h/happybear.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046547137075320242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA2m6vdU87VpoNNkCuFDfSXEYwcflibteg7yLtsHiyBre069l8jeaxk_i7_HTPM_Rbc9HHIRN8_-TX15Jq1tcWAz2Ac_ax4ja3nk_etl1FJUoKGCFXkNtIAG9ZjKBQuWPlm7zfhULKH0/s320/happybear.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My Dad always says, upon encountering a lost or misplaced thing in life: "Opps! If it had been a bear it would have bit me!" Such is the case with happiness, I think. It is so easy to lose it or misplace it and go about our lives not noticing that it has been there all along waiting patiently to be found if only we look for it. Like keys under a coat on the sofa or the remote control sitting on the coffee table or the missing BBQ sauce behind the ketchup, happiness is never far away -sometimes it just requires a bit of quiet sitting or a fresh perspective to notice what has been there all along or find what has been missing. So the idea of this blog is to "bear happiness" by meditating on happiness, cultivating happiness, noticing happiness and rethinking happiness.</div>Carleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10013581824268027342noreply@blogger.com0