The Happiness Thread

My first semester of grad school is officially over. Whoo!

 

OUR BELOVED FORUM IS POSSESSED OF MORE FONTS THAN I SUSPECTED. THRILLING.

 

"Just wait, there's more." -Sally Solomon-Third Rock from the Sun-

 

I re-wrote 2,000 words yesterday. I actually enjoyed the process for the first time in about three or four years. Happy to have discovered that side of myself again. It's been too long.

 

I find I'm most happy to do that when I've got fresh ideas or am feeling confident in myself. It's a good litmus test for how I'm going.

 

I ate with my hands yesterday. It was inconvenient and messy because I was picking from a quiche rather than eating a full slice. I felt lazy and didn't want to get up to go do the kitchen 5 feet away to grab a fork.

I loved it!

 

I finally understand a book I've been mulling over after finishing for a few weeks now. Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 is a parody of detective fiction. Instead of trying to resolve a complex myriad of clues into a simplified explanation as a detective fiction attempts to do, it reverses it. It builds more and more leads to an uncontainable head and then when it gives possibility of an actual ending, it cuts off before the reveal and ends. It's been maddening trying to figure this novel out. I think I get it though.

 

Sentiments long silenced were given exposure to broad daylight and left there for consideration by any and all.

I feel two stone lighter.

 

after a 4 hour drive, I am finally home with my new puppy!
I'm sleepy, he's sleepy.
Nap time for us both!

 

hasnt done anything worth disciplining (yet, lol) though he seems pretty even tempered. he stayed in my lap and eventually crawled onto his blanket and went to sleep. We'll see how hyper active he gets after he wakes up.

 

Oh, hes about 10weeks.
Hes a lab mix.

 

I dont really know. His mother looks like a black pharaoh hound but shorter. They said shes a lab mix, but her face is too narrow and her ears too bat like to be a lab.
He LOOKS like a lab now, because his ears are floppy... But i think he may look more like a pharaoh hound than a lab

Spoiler: puppo

Spoiler: His mom

his mom looks like this but all black

 

I completed my final essay for my final class in this degree program. I am completely done and will be officially graduated next month!

Then immediately on to my graduate program...

I'm actually really excited for that too.

 

Congrats!

 

I'm getting a new laptop in two days... I'm hoping all my files will transfer onto it though. I am excited, and with that, I entered in a local writing competition and got first place.

 

My mood has turned for the better in the past few days. So I've gotten some work done on my main writing project.

Also learned a new technique that I will try to use to improve my life overall. The technique may sound silly but for me it seems to work a little. What you basically do is you say out loud or think to yourself "Good work" every time you finish something you wanted to get done or want to be successful with. Basically reward yourself with a compliment when you've done something good. Will try this technique further and report back in a few weeks. So far, I'm barking like a good dog, though!

Apparently the technique has been used to train elite golfers and perhaps others. Before the technique the golfers would swear at themselves every time they missed or made a bad shot, and they would not improve. When they tested to compliment themselves or cheer when they made a good shot, their results improved. Learned the technique from Kjell Enhager, a Swedish coach.

Enough rambling from me now, have a good one!

 

that sounds just stupid enough to work

 

All depends on the tone. "Nice job, Asch" is not a compliment when I express it

 

graduating sure is fun!

congrats!


may I ask in what field? no need to be specific, also a "science" or "humanities" or else will do, just curious

 

Oh it's just an English degree with a CW minor. Little hobby degree. Can't wait to start the MA in English with a specialization in Gothic Studies!

 

I had some great strawberry-rhubarb pie this evening; nothing like a good piece of pie to lift the spirits.

 

In a perfect world, strawberries and rhubarb would never be mentioned in the same sentence.