The Happiness Thread

Everyone is a little lookist. We like attractive people. Why wouldn't we? There's a reason we call them attractive. The key thing to remember is our standards aren't actually just like a Hollywood model, and people can even vary quite a bit. Whatever floats your boat.
That said Disney princes do tend to be boring.

 

Today's my first day at my part-time job! I'll be getting the orientation and scheduling set up! Woo!!

 

Oh, you get no argument from me. I doubt people watch Magic Mike because they enjoy the depth (?) of the characters.

I love the original Danish fairytale, though, even though it's kind of crazy how obsessed the Little Mermaid is of the Prince, despite him right-out friendzoning her because he thinks it was some other princess who saved his life and who he is destined to marry. It's really yet another allegory of H.C. Andersen's life, kinda like Ugly Duckling, so I sympathize with the longing, sacrifice, and pining to be part of another world present in the story.

The Disney version is shallow, but it's entertaining and I think Ariel is a fun character. After all, she did want to become human already before Erik, so it wasn't like it was all about his pretty face.

 

That's cool! I love cats.

 

I submitted my invention idea to Lori Greiner's website, the Lori Greiner from Shark tank (Queen of QVC), and got a response asking for more information about it! Cross your fingers and hope that she picks up my idea and makes me a millionaire!

 

I miss my cat, my buddy and friend and am depressed that he is gone but there is a ray of happiness in this post. I had a good month to say good bye to him. He went with no pain and three sets of hands petting him and talking to him. And I have his paw print (which I will use to make a tattoo) in a small clay like circle the vet gave me. I am happy his pain is over and that the 14 years of memories will live on forever.

 

Some times new cats get along fine and other times...not so much. Good luck with yours.

 

What is the website? I may have something beyond the cobwebs in my mind.

 

I miss my boy, too. Gone but not forgotten.

 

That paw print is a nice idea, but I'm sorry you lost your friend.

 

Seriously? Wow. I hope it catches on, Lewdog. You'll let us know, I hope?

 

http://www.lorigreiner.com/

just go to the Contact us tab at the top, then on the next page pull the tab down to "idea submission,: then fill in the rest.

 

Charlie's home. He's currently lying next to me on my bed, cleaning himself. I'm keeping him in my room for a while... might let Pepper in here this evening, but I'll see how it goes. I don't want to rush it but our house isn't very well set up for keeping cats apart--Pepper's used to going in every room, and we don't keep doors shut in general, so I don't think she'll like being locked out of the bedroom.

 

We use to use something called "happy cat" it is a liquid you put in their water that helps them calm down for travel and what not. I believe it is all natural too.

 

My garden is about to EXPLODE with peppers, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini. I've already harvested tons of peas, lettuce, and nasturtiums, in addition to all my fresh herbs. Years of hard work and research is finally starting to pay off, and I still can't believe I managed it with two small kiddos underfoot.

 

If I'm right, when I start working for the first month alone I'll make almost $1,700 (and this is a part-time job mind you.) I was eyeing an apartment not too far from my house that only wants $575 for the rent. The water, gas, and electric are covered by the tenant. Hopefully they can hold it for two months.

 

Just found out that Walgreens has worked with legislators in 35 states to ensure Naloxone, an antidote for opioid overdose, is available without a prescription. As someone with a close family member who has struggled with a bad heroin addiction for the past 6 years or so, this is such great news. So often, family members with loved ones in the throes of heroin or opiate addiction are just on standby to call an ambulance at any given time -- an ambulance that might not show up quickly enough to save their loved one's life. This gives a sense of hope to family members looking on as their loved ones go through this, powerless to save their lives. It should be available OTC in Texas come June. I hope the rest of the states get onboard. This is a growing epidemic in this country, and we need every weapon available at our disposal.

 

They are TV shows. Once Upon a Time and Beauty and the Beast. I am in the mid of the third season of BATB and in the mid of Season 6 of BATB. OUAT is going amazing as usual.

 

I think this is for the Happiness Thread . . .

I just found out that I took 1st in the Poetry division in a statewide writers' group contest.

But--- but--- I feel a little guilty that it was for a sonnet I wrote back in the mid-'90s. And that I haven't written much poetry lately, being too focussed on my novel-writing.

True, there were no rules on how recent the work had to be. And it's not like winning obliges me to supply them with ten more poems just as good. But I still feel . . .

Oh, crap, I'll admit it. I wish I'd won with one of my novel beginnings. There. That honest enough for ya?

I'll get over it. I'll probably adjust up to full happiness mode once I hear officially about the prize--- full registration fees paid to the organization's annual convention. That means next year I can go.

 

I love my job!!!! Everyone I work with is so nice. I can really see myself hanging out with them in the future. I sign my management offer next week. While I'm a little nervous I won't be able to hack it, I trust my coworkers won't let me down. Store opening is in two weeks, and I'm so ready to get started and do normal work.

Sure, I'm exhausted. It's been a long time since I worked. But I feel so complete. A purpose, something to make me feel accomplished, something to be proud of, new and awesome people in my life, and a real sense of belonging, acceptance, and worth. I'm so happy.

 

Anyone who knows me knows that my writing has suffered badly this past year. I'm not sure why exactly. The heavy doses of psychiatric drugs that were keeping me stable also dragged me down and made concentration very difficult.

I've been avoiding the forum, just popping my head in now and again because seeing other folks regularly writing was starting to sicken my happiness. This is a writers forum. Not producing makes me feel like a charlatan and a fake. A writer who doesn't write is not a writer, not in my book.

By chance @ChaosReigns messaged me to ask whether I was planning on entering the 10th anniversary competition. To be honest, I hadn't even noticed we were having one at that point. But, on thinking about it, I decided, "Where's the harm?"

At the weekend I was over at a friends for Sunday lunch and we were gathered round the table. I mentioned I intended to enter and we started bouncing ideas around. As it turned out, the only suggestion I think might have worked for me was way beyond my skill set. It would have required too much research that I didn't have a hope of learning within the time frame. Also add into the mix, that I've been computerless for a month, and I've needed to borrow a laptop so I don't render myself blind using my phone to type, or by endlessly researching

In the end, I decided on a very loose interpretation of '10' and because the theme will only truly reveal itself in the very last line, I became concerned that the judges might feel I wrote what I wanted, (fitting or not.) In order to not have the ending seem like an afterthought, tacked on to make it comp appropriate. I realised I was gonna have to hint from the off, foreshadowing what was to come.

I nearly had a crisis when I looked back on my workshop posts. I went from, "I can do this!" to "I'm outta my depth!" in nought to sixty seconds. I'm used to that so I shrugged it off, got out the laptop and hammered out a few details about my protagonist, who started to flesh out pretty quickly. Characterisation, and scene setting have never really posed much of a problem for me, plotting has always been my major stumbling block.

Once I had a feel for the character, I wrote several pages of Stream of Conciousness. I highlighted the worthy chunks and slowly a story started to immerge. It's not my usual style. definitely not. It's written in first person, and has a black comedic feel about it, and whilst it deals with heavy subject matter, I'm hoping it'll come across as light and a bit frothy. It also has more than a touch of Irishness about it. I'm hoping the particulars might raise a smile if nothing else, as the story is in part based on a situation I've actually experienced (and nearly bust a gut over) although I've changed it up a bit for sake of keeping with my overall theme.

I had a busy day yesterday, having to leave my flat multiple times, and the same will be true today. I managed to write 5,448 words despite the constant interruptions and my head has been stable enough to start back where I left off each time. That hasn't happened in... like forever.

So... I'm happy as a pig in shit right now. I'm not claiming to have my mojo back but just feeling like I'm working on a piece that might be entertaining for someone else to read has buoyed me up, no end. I know I'm gonna be way over the word count by lunchtime today, but already I have devised a plan for editing that will ensure the reader will get all the good stuff and hopefully, I'll manage to excise the bad. In the past my narrator has been very pass remarkable. My way round this is simply to have my protagonist tell his story by talking directly to the reader. Will it work? We'll see. I remain cautiously optimistic.

Ta ChaosReigns. I needed that.

 

Oh, boy oh boy. I'm really looking forward to this.

 

I hate to say it, @jannert. I think that might be part of my problem. When it comes to those who have already expressed an interest in my writing, I'm so scared of letting them down, yourself included. I have some idea what I might be capable of if the stars alligned but my up-down mood makes it so difficult to express the ideas running through my head.

Since starting my new treatment, I've been feeling a little more with it. I'm hoping the lack of sedation will help with the concentration issue, and if the passages I wrote yesterday are anything to judge by, I seem to be writing quite cogently. Or I might just simply be deluding myself. Can be hard to tell. The proof is in the pudding, I guess.

 

No Problem Obsidian, I've had a mental block after busting my ass on the series for far too long, and thought the contest might be a way to break from that, and figuring that you might want to try it as well meant I sent that message

 

So glad you did. I was really starting to wonder what it was gonna take to get me back in the saddle.