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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2009 14:57:03 GMT
So, what makes you happy? I mean, really happy, as in a feeling of inner contentment, a feeling of well being. That feeling when you think you could even hug your worst enemy?
Anything in particular or just different things in general?
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Post by traveler63 on Nov 21, 2009 0:02:19 GMT
What really makes me happy is being by myself every so often and just doing what I want without someone giving my points of view, instruction on anything or having to explain why I did something a certain way. I guess you would say it is solitude.
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Post by fumobici on Nov 21, 2009 0:23:26 GMT
The usual man stuff.  We are an uncomplicated lot. |
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Post by lagatta on Nov 21, 2009 3:54:40 GMT
My beloved tomcat Renzo returning after going missing for five weeks from Halloween to 6 December 2008. And not dying a day or two later (he was starved).
Man stuff, fumobici, what is that? sport, belching, beer? (I won't say fucking, as that is common to both sexes and all sexual orientations). Sorry for thinking in stereotypes, as otherwise I simply don't understand.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2009 4:41:02 GMT
 Did I just see the F. word? What makes me happy? Warm, sunny days, just lazing around and spending time with my family Seeing my kids giggling at something silly. Good friends that are there for you, when you most need them. Going for long walks with my dog. I'll think of more later on....
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Post by imec on Nov 21, 2009 4:45:04 GMT
Man stuff, fumobici, what is that? sport, belching, beer? (I won't say fucking, as that is common to both sexes and all sexual orientations). Sorry for thinking in stereotypes, as otherwise I simply don't understand. lagatta, I will laugh at this all weekend ;D. Thank you. |
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Post by lagatta on Nov 21, 2009 13:41:16 GMT
imec, yer welcome. Deyana, I avoid "coarse language" on forums as they can easily become cesspools, without the normal controls of direct human interaction. But "making love" or even "having sex" would not have been the proper word to express the precise meaning I wanted to convey.
Happiness right now is a sunny, clement day in late November - so I can go for a good ride on my BICYCLE! (Some years there is a thick cover of snow that has already turned into nasty urban slush by now). There is a beautiful golden light outside my office window - there is a tall Norway maple in front, but it is mostly bare now.
I was thinking a little more seriously too, about solitude. Periods of solitude are heavenly, but too much solitude can be hell. We are "great apes" after all.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2009 13:54:19 GMT
I get what you're saying about solitude, lagatta.
I like to be alone at times, but most of the time I prefer being around other people. I went from living with my parents, to getting married and then having kids. So I have never lived alone. I do wonder how people who do live by themselves cope with it.
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Post by fumobici on Nov 22, 2009 6:05:59 GMT
Man stuff, fumobici, what is that? sport, belching, beer? (I won't say fucking, as that is common to both sexes and all sexual orientations). Sorry for thinking in stereotypes, as otherwise I simply don't understand. It was more my cryptically succinct take on men's relative general lack of self-analytical or contemplative thought. The question "What is the nature of happiness?" isn't one a man would be likely to pose nor to ruminate much over. Obviously I am stereotyping and there will of course be many exceptions but I think there's a significant measure of truth in it. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2009 11:09:12 GMT
Typical male response...   |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2009 11:55:00 GMT
I reckon most men would think that way, fumobici, but there are some odd ones that have a deeper way of thinking.
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Post by rikita on Nov 28, 2009 0:41:11 GMT
being in motion sometimes makes me really happy. there are flights (even though i don't even like flying), train journeys, bus journeys, that are really happy memories. like sitting on the floor in a bus in peru, that i had just stopped as it was passing by (which is why i didn't get a seat) and seeing through the windows the evening sky, and the tops of the hills passing by, and the loud music playing in the front of the bus... wish i was back there...
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Post by auntieannie on Dec 4, 2009 17:56:34 GMT
"Happiness is taking things as they are" or so the people at Yogi tea seem to believe.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2009 18:02:44 GMT
That is my definition of capitulation.  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2009 18:08:47 GMT
"Happiness is taking things as they are" or so the people at Yogi tea seem to believe. hmmm....I'm not very good at that.. |
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Post by fumobici on Dec 5, 2009 1:04:36 GMT
I am. It isn't an attitude that endears you to most people, as it will often be taken to be aloof or unenthusiastic, just lazy or in any number of other negative ways. Capitulation or surrender are other characterizations with negative connotations to describe one of the prerequisite states to happiness/contentedness.
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Post by auntieannie on Dec 5, 2009 15:03:05 GMT
to me, deep contentment comes from allowing myself to enjoy little glimmers of happiness to touch my heart, such as a beautiful sky in the morning or blooming flowers, the flight of birds, etc..
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2009 18:00:43 GMT
I am forgetting what happiness means and just making do with adequacy.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2009 18:11:45 GMT
to me, deep contentment comes from allowing myself to enjoy little glimmers of happiness to touch my heart, such as a beautiful sky in the morning or blooming flowers, the flight of birds, etc.. yep, I'm touched by those every day. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2009 18:12:21 GMT
I am forgetting what happiness means and just making do with adequacy. same, same. |
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Post by spindrift on Jan 9, 2010 18:06:45 GMT
Happiness for me (at the moment) is being without an abcessed tooth.
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Post by bazfaz on Jan 9, 2010 18:25:16 GMT
Happiness for Mrs Faz and me today was discovering where the leak in the swimming pool is.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2010 18:33:58 GMT
Did she have to dive in to find it?
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paristraveler
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Post by paristraveler on Jan 9, 2010 20:54:05 GMT
True happiness for me for many years was being involved in the sport of hot air ballooning. I started out by taking a balloon ride, fell completely in love with it and soon became a crew member. Next thing ya know, I'm the crew chief, in charge of everything except actually flying the balloon. A couple years later, I'm a student pilot and pass the written commercial FAA exam. I used to give the locals (wherever we landed) tether rides after each flight until the propane ran dry and the sun went down. I can say I truly experienced happiness during this period of my life. It manifested itself by a feeling of bursting joy in the middle of my chest. Alas, those days are long gone.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2010 23:04:49 GMT
That sounds like so much fun parisT. Just wondering why you stopped doing it?
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paristraveler
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Post by paristraveler on Jan 11, 2010 0:53:46 GMT
That sounds like so much fun parisT. Just wondering why you stopped doing it? The romance between the balloon pilot and me broke up after nine incredible years and I decided to move from St. Louis, Missouri back to WV to be with my family again. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2010 1:25:50 GMT
Oh I see. That's too bad.
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paristraveler
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Post by paristraveler on Jan 11, 2010 2:07:00 GMT
I did hook up with a pilot and crew here after I moved back, but his (male) crew chief felt threatened by the fact that I had so much more experience than he did and he constantly belittled me. I didn't need that BS, so I gave it up. It just wasn't the same anymore. I did, however, get to experience true happiness again, a few years later, when I got to teach dental hygiene students at the college level. That feeling of bursting joy came back! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2010 18:37:08 GMT
I don't blame you for not taking any BS from that guy ParisT. Some men just can't handle it when a woman can do something better than they can. I find it's usually just the insecure ones who act in that way. Good for you on your teaching job. |
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 11, 2010 20:51:54 GMT
Recently, happiness was having dinner with our friends at our favorite restaurant.
I also recently derived considerable gratificacion from seeing two Pátzcuaro photo albums of mine linked on a TravelWiki.
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We are an uncomplicated lot.
Did I just see the F. word?
