If you’re JD Vance, it’s bogus questions from the media, but I’d like to hear from Dopers, what makes YOU smile?
Me? The question made me think of a moment from my time as a scoutleader. We’re in our troop cabin, the older scouts are cleaning up from dinner. 4 teenagers in the kitchen with buckets of water and a heap of things to clean. One of them has tunes cranking from a bluetooth speaker, they’re laughing and yelling and kidding and getting the work done.
One perfect moment that I hope they remember for a long time.
I find that, no matter how tough my life may be, I can usually get out pen and paper and write 30 things to be grateful for, or unusual advantages I’ve had.
I also have maybe 10,000 photos/videos on my computer and can rewatch a lot of happy memories and travels.
I used to get fun from composing music, but AI is going to make original composition pretty obsolete. Not sure how to feel about that.
My youngest son’s two daughters. They’re both at a goofy age and still in awe of the world around them. Actually, just being able to see my kids on a regular basis instead of, maybe, once a year makes me happy.
I smile with happiness when I cook something for my family and they eat it and tell me it’s delicious and I definitely have to make it again.
Edit to add: Also, my answer to the other easy-slam-dunk question Vance incomprehensibly stuffed up — “why are you a good guy to have a beer with.” I’m a good guy to have a beer with because I pick up the check.
Most common, when I’m playing music with a group, and everything comes together such that we are actually making music, instead of just sawing/plucking away.
Funny, b/c peopl ewill listen and say, “You sound really good!” But in the midst of it, I know what we are capable of, and how (unfortunately) infrequently we attain it. When everything is clicking, it just becomes clear and seems effortless.
I’ve been messing with the bass guitar since I was a teen. Am still not all that great at it, but I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the bass line to a song, by just listening and playing it over and over.
Along those lines, when the grand boys get to fighting over Lego close to bed time. That means Mom is putting them to bed earlier.
I forearm them every night, “Don’t fight at Lego time and you get to stay up later”
They just can’t do it when it gets late-ish.
Taking my dog swimming on a hot summer’s day. It’s his favorite thing to do in the world, and he would gladly spend all day playing in the river if I let him. Simple pleasures.
My dogs: the crooked little pack leader, the well-meaning ugly one, and (gosh, how to say this) the one that’s not too smart and takes up a lot of space.
Sitting out on the porch in the evenings with the husband and a glass of wine.
All three of the pasture pets. Any wild animals. Occasionally even the damn chickens.
New books coming in from the library!
You guys make me snicker all the time.
