A List of Things That Make Me Happy
1. walks, in the noisy silence that could only be found in the solitude of forests, but walks in general (I’m such a dog)
2. not relying on my parents for tuition, groceries, my rent, and other bills and purchases (somewhat progressing slowly but steadily on the road to becoming an individual)
3. getting or sending mail
4. brightly-coloured socks and funny-looking hats
5. singing out loud for no reason at all
6. singing out loud and making other people sing along!
7. slice-of-life comic strips
8. assorted bits of paper, preferably recycled and old
9. books, some more than others, but I wouldn’t say no to any children’s books
10. hugs, bearhugs, manhugs. sincere ones, not the ones that people give as a social greeting.
11. random destination-less journeys, especially on empty buses
12. back alleys (and the respective junk one can find in them)
13. colourful umbrellas
14. my purple raincoat
15. mangosteens, berries, and pineapples with a dash of salt
16. bonsai trees
17. cherry chocolate ice cream
18. collages (artwork in general)
19. holding hands
20. goldfishes with big mouths and big eyes
21. fishbowls
22. brown sugar
23. chocolate-with-whipped-cream crepes (bonus if there are strawberries)
24. headbands
25. using paperbags instead of plastic bags for groceries
26. Disney songs
27. dancing like I’m having an epileptic attack, dancing like nobody’s looking, dancing like a hippie
28. my brother developing his own tastes in movies and music
29. reading other people’s list of things that make them happy
30. getting A pluses (although the joy just lasts for less than 10 minutes—and I still hold that it’s the learning that matters, not the grade)
31. making my own accessories, jewelry, or outfits
32. getting ideas about anything and everything
33. Pinot Blanc
34. honeyed bahalina (palm wine)
35. tasting new food for the first time, and theorizing why certain foods just taste good and go well together
36. toilets and bathrooms/ baths and showers
37. the clean smell of washed skin and washed hair
38. hot water, tissue paper, and heater-warmed towels
39. brushing my teeth
40. stickers
41. asterisms (that’s what we usually mistake as “constellations”)
42. trains and railroads
43. the idea of Saskatchewan/ prairies being so flat and empty (like the ocean or the sky)
44. a day wherein I don’t have to do anything
45. sleeping for more than 7 hours
46. thick blankets
47. chocolate (best: Alpine White, or Fruit and Nut)
48. stepping on leaves that crackle
49. the colour yellow
50. finding a simple, understandable, short but perfect-for-the-occasion poem
51. finding a song that fits exactly just what I feel
52. waking up and realizing that birds actually are chirping (I thought that was just a cliche)
53. knowing how to cook Pad Thai really well
54. long and slow breakfasts complete with milk and/or orange juice
55. playing with children
56. those sidewalk musicians who provide the soundtrack to the city
57. meaningful graffiti
58. icebreaker getting-to-know-you games
59. the quirks of the people I know (too damn endearing and special, you are)
60. other people’s birthdays
61. preparing something special for people on their birthdays/Christmas/holidays/ whenever I just feel like it
62. really fruity (twee) music
63. specialty shops
64. the random random talks I have with strangers of all ages and walks of life
65. the weird phenomena in which these strangers keep in touch and consequently become my friends
66. the randomness that is my life
67. the narrative that is my life (because maybe it’s not so very random)
68. childhood photos
69. having a mind in the gutter (yep, just because I noticed I’m on number 69 :P)
70. dead/ obscure arts and professions and activities, like candlestick-making and abacus-computing and sealing wax on letters
71. fortune cookie fortunes
72. walking around and exploring (read: getting lost) in the city
73. having life goals
74. the warmth of the laundry after they come out of the dryer, or after they are ironed
75. coming-of-age stories (bildungsromans)
76. mecha anime: Gundam Wing, Escaflowne, Evangelion, FLCL
77. the first 5 episodes of Kareshi no Kanojo (Kare Kano)
78. talks with old friends that last for hours
79. MARZIPAN, preferably chocolate-covered
80. morbidity and reminders of death
81. theories on human behaviour
82. movies about movie-making
83. books about books (self-reflexive)
84. feathers, flight, and wings
85. untouched soft snow
86. gardens, and weeds (specifics: dandelions)
87. I-saw-you ads
88. people who are passionate about something. anything.
89. the triumph of the underdog or the transformation of the frog or ugly duckling
90. snails. caterpillars. bugs. insects. arachnids. invertebrates. dead AND alive.
91. simple, healthy comfort food
92. spending Friday nights in a library
93. striped shirts and blazers
94. seeing people wear pigtails
95. seeing that other people are happy
96. late night conversations
97. my part-time jobs
98. forgiving people/ being forgiven
99. the idealism of the past, the hope for the future
100. having so many things to be happy about
