# Happiness is ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 31, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504 "2014-07-31T17:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/1 "2014-07-31T17:28:50Z")
So yesterday I was at work, being all industrious and stuff while surrounded by jackholes. Around lunchtime I called my wife at home to discuss some stupid extended family shit. During the call I could hear our two-year-old daughter making increasingly louder two-year-old’s babble in the background. At first I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but in time it was clear that she was repeating"Tell him, tell him, tell him" over and over. When my wife and I were done with the stupid extended family shit, she handed the phone to the baby, who promptly said, “I love you Daddy, I love you Daddy, I love love love you Daddy!” The afternoon was as stressful and filled with employee idiocy as the morning, but that didn’t matter. My baby had recharged my batteries. Happiness is a two-year-old daughter who loves you so much she can’t contain it. But that’s just me. What makes _you_ happy? ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/2 "2014-07-31T18:02:32Z")
…a warm gun? (D&R) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/3 "2014-07-31T18:08:24Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > But that’s just me. What makes _you_ happy? Reading your post. Next time the ice cream truck rolls by send me the bill. o.k.? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/4 "2014-07-31T18:13:38Z")
I don’t think I can top that one, but that moment when one of your students Gets It, whatever it is you’re teaching. Sometimes you can see this just from the look on their face; sometimes it’s heralded by a really good question. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/5 "2014-07-31T18:21:22Z")
Sitting back and watching my son handle the sailboat. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/6 "2014-07-31T19:05:29Z")
There was the time I got my then young niece(S) and nephew(B) to get into a loud argument over who loved daddy. In his earshot. S: You do! B: No, you do! S: Nuh uh, you do! B: I do not! You love Daddy more! S: No way! You love Daddy more! B: No you do! lather, rinse, and repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/7 "2014-07-31T19:08:04Z")
Waking up on a weekend morning, rested, snuggled up with my SO, and reallizing I don’t have to be anywhere, and I can stay right there for a while longer. But I think Skald wins this thread. Sneak bragging done right! ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/8 "2014-07-31T19:08:09Z")
… warm, dry socks. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/9 "2014-07-31T19:09:27Z")
My dog snuggled up to me as he sleeps. Finding the perfect picture to take. Being in sync with my husband, so much that it’s scary. Having a great home cooked meal. Watching a movie that intrigues me. …to just name a few. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/10 "2014-07-31T19:36:42Z")
Sitting in any given Hard Rock Cafe, anywhere. Crossing the finish line of any running race, anywhere, and walking away with the medal around my neck. Curling up under my favourite couch-sitting blanket early in the morning with my dog at my feet and my cat above my head. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/11 "2014-07-31T19:40:52Z")
Ditto on the warm, dry socks. I always have a pair in my work drawer in case of sadness. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/12 "2014-07-31T19:44:57Z")
A warm puppy. A bowl of buttered popcorn and an Agatha Christie mystery. The smell of horses and fresh cut hay. A day with nobody being stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/13 "2014-07-31T20:27:35Z")
A slightly later in life parenting moment but the times when people compliment my children. My daughter has her first job in an organization that is semi linked to mine and due to my remarriage and her name change she is not easily linked to me. Overhearing someone say nice things about her work performance or her attitude is great little zing to improve my day. I don’t have the same ability to overhear things about my son but direct ones are almost as good 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/14 "2014-07-31T20:44:09Z")
When I go out to get my horse, he’s usually at the very bottom of the long narrow pasture, where all the good grass is. Many times, when I call to him, his head flings up and he immediately _gallops_ all the way up the hill to greet me. And, no, it’s not because he thinks I have a treat in my pocket. Makes me warm and tingly all over to see this animal – this member of \*another species \*-- be so happy to see me. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/15 "2014-07-31T22:01:22Z")
Nutella ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/16 "2014-07-31T22:02:18Z")
Playing “I’ve Been Everywhere” really loud while barrelling down the highway on a sunny day. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/17 "2014-08-01T16:05:28Z")
Kids will say anything for candy ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/18 "2014-08-01T16:30:20Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > But that’s just me. What makes _you_ happy? In a minute, I’m going to cuddle up with my two-year-old, when her mom’s done reading _How Do Dinosaurs say Goodnight?_, and she’ll fall asleep on me. That makes me happy. She hasn’t learned to say “I love you!” properly yet, though - she almost always says “I love you, too!” even if she’s the initiator. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/19 "2014-08-01T16:48:00Z")
There’s no greater ego trip in the world than coming home to toddlers and hearing “Daddy’s home!!” ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504/20 "2014-08-01T16:52:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Reading your post. Next time the ice cream truck rolls by send me the bill. o.k.? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happiness-is/694504.md?page=2)