# Happiness is... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 18, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761 "2008-05-18T17:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/1 "2008-05-18T17:03:49Z")
Waking early, and then drifting in and out of different well-remembered and very good/weird dreams for what seems like the next three hours, eventually starting to wonder if you’re getting close to time to get up, waking up, looking at your watch, and finding that it’s _still early_, much earlier than you thought… time for lots more lovely dreams!! This is VERY rare for me, but when it happens, there aint much better. ---
**Author:** ![unspun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b9bd4f/32.png) [@unspun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unspun)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/2 "2008-05-19T15:38:45Z")
ha, I love doing that. when it happens I mean. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/3 "2008-05-19T16:56:57Z")
Getting out of bed late on a Sunday, scoffing a full English breakfast, showering, shaving a strolling to the watering hole to chew the fat with pals. Ambling back home, getting stuck into Sunday lunch. Falling asleep on the settee with Eccles the cat on my lap. That’s happiness ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/4 "2008-05-19T17:22:02Z")
When the alarm gets you up and as you go to turn it off you remember that it’s Saturday. Roll over and sleep. Although it’s a nice feeling if I do get up on time on Saturday and get my workout done before the time I would normally even get up. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/5 "2008-05-19T17:33:04Z")
I’ve lost the ability to sleep in. I’m awake at 5 or 5:30 every morning, whether it’s a weekday or not. I tend to greet each new day with enthusiasm, and I just can’t get back to sleep when that happens. When the world has beat me down with its pessimism, around, say, 2pm, then it’s nap time. ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/6 "2008-05-19T17:50:57Z")
My [daughter](http://www.flickr.com/photos/7302259@N02/2506254244/) smiling at me when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/7 "2008-05-19T18:43:25Z")
Remembering that I bought all that easter chocolate at 75% off and hid it in a drawer in my bedroom after bemoaning a lack of chocolate in the household. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/8 "2008-05-19T19:06:58Z")
When your bottle of soda is still more than half full. leaving the gas station with a FULL tank of gas. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/9 "2008-05-19T19:15:16Z")
[QUOTE=Jimson Jim] My [daughter](http://www.flickr.com/photos/7302259@N02/2506254244/) smiling at me when I get home. [/QUOTE] Aww. I can see how that would make you happy. Holding my girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/10 "2008-05-20T01:12:36Z")
Two kinds of ice cream. Knowing a secret. Climbing a tree. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/11 "2008-05-20T01:34:39Z")
A cold beer on a hot saturday afternoon, then going for a stroll. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/12 "2008-05-20T02:09:34Z")
W/apologies to **Charger** > [@](#): > > \*Happiness is finding a pencil > Pizza with sausage, telling the time > Happiness is learning to whistle > Tying your shoe for the very first time > > Happiness is playing the drum in your own school band > And happiness is walking hand in hand > > Happiness is two kinds of ice cream > Knowing a secret, climbing a tree > Happiness is five different crayons > Catching a firefly, setting him free > > Happiness is being alone every now and then > And happiness is coming home again > > Happiness is morning and evening, > Day time and night time too. > For happiness is anyone and anything at all > That’s loved by you > > Happiness is having a sister > Sharing a sandwich, getting along > > Happiness is singing together when day is through > And happiness is those who sing with you > > Happiness is morning and evening > Daytime and nighttime too > For happiness is anyone and anything at all > That’s loved by you\* ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/13 "2008-05-20T02:56:35Z")
…A warm gun. And a Prius. Happiness is a warm gun and a Prius. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/14 "2008-05-20T02:59:11Z")
_Happiness runs in a circular motion Thought is like a little boat upon the sea. Everybody is a part of everything anyway, You can have everything if you let yourself be._ –Donovan, '69 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/15 "2008-05-20T03:01:00Z")
My little girl’s voice. “Watch baseball wif Daddy!” That’s all I need. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/16 "2008-05-20T11:59:14Z")
According to my junior high Gym Teacher, “Happiness is when you hit yourself in the head with a hammer 50 times, and then stop.” He was a little weird. We all thought he seemed too happy. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/17 "2008-05-20T12:45:53Z")
Lots of medication. [del]I’m in a cranky sleepless mood this morning.[/del] Alternatively, the smell of vanilla or cinnamon, sleeping in on a blustery cold morning, having a day off to do absolutely nothing, taking life slow and easy. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/18 "2008-05-20T12:52:30Z")
I found a clearance sale on some stationary items a few weeks ago, and so was moved to buy a gigant-o box of Crayolas for my 8YO. She was _amazed_ that there were silver and gold crayons in there! The first thing she did with those crayons was to make me a Mother’s Day card. It says “You are more preshus than silver, and more preshus than gold” with the color words written with the corresponding crayons. I’ve heard it said that we can only make ourselves happy, happiness is not anything anyone else can do for us. But I think whoever said that originally didn’t have kids who made them cards like that! ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/19 "2008-05-20T13:01:53Z")
The whine my knobby bicycle tires make on the road when I’m riding hard. Waking up to the coastal fog on a warm, humid morning. Hearing the wild turkeys call in the same fog. Having my (grown, college kid out of state) son say: “Dad, I need to come visit…” Fixing a hair-pulling technical issue at work. Having one of my ambulance patients recognize me afterwards, and hugging/shaking my hand/thanking me for helping them out. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761/20 "2008-05-21T01:27:47Z")
1. Being skinnier than my sister. 2. A really good day of shopping, then lunch at one of those colonial inn type joints with my aunts or mom. 3. Resolving a problem at work that nobody else could (and that actually I didn’t think I could either!). 4. 85-95 degree days all summer long and no A/C, just ceiling fans and breeze. 5. Finding change on the sidewalk and snapping it up. 6. Having a bunch of friends over for dinner and having a really protracted drinks and apps session and then a long dinner and then sitting around the table after and trading ghost stories. 7. Scoring kick-ass deals at Goodwill or any thrift store or flea market. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/449761.md?page=2)