Pet Pleasures: Another 10-List

As promised, today I take the optimistic side and talk about some of the things that make me happy.

I've been compiling this list for almost 2 years, as evidenced by the date of my last post on the topic, yet yesterday it still had but 7 items. I tend to only add to this list when I'm so blown away by something that I stop whatever I'm doing and think, "Wow, I really like ____." Obviously that doesn't happen very often, but since I promised write this post, and since the Slice of Life challenge is almost over, I figured I had better get my appreciation engine in gear. I added three items to the list today, and now I'm ready to share my joy with the world!

The sound of music from far away

When I am in Dupont Circle in the summertime, I sometimes hear the mournful notes of a saxophone played a few blocks away, or the sound of a percussion group jamming to the rhythms of rhythm alone, somewhere off in the distance. This always reminds me of when I was in college, and I would come home after class to the sounds of the marching band practicing in the field behind my dorm. This in turn reminded me of the times when my family used to go to Civil War reenactments when I was a kid, and I could hear the fifes and drums across the field. Listening to music played nearby doesn't have the same impact. I love the muffled effect of sound filtered through large volumes of atmosphere. It gives the music the same hazy distance as the happy memories it brings back.

On similar musical note (haha, get it?)...

Arpeggios

It's not uncommon for me to wax ecstatic about music. Many of the songs that I've gone crazy over have made the list because they feature cool, weird electronic sounds. But another musical element that gets me going is the arpeggio. I gave this sound the credit it's due in my review of Muse's "Take a Bow," but other songs I love with arpeggios as a key (or more often, subtle background) feature include The Last Universe, Haleakala, Break Your Heart, Hung Up (especially my favorite remix by AY Riders), and an old favorite that somehow seems to have escaped mention on my blog: "Resurection" by PPK. During the melody, this features arepeggio-like sequences of notes in both the bass and the treble simultaneously! I think (OK, I knew it long ago) I'm in love!

Returning merchandise

If there's anything I like as much as shopping, it's returning what I've bought! Well, almost. I do enjoy the feeling of being liberated from the need for possessions. And once the return is completed,  I feel like I have just received some free money! Well, almost.

Driving an employer's car for work purposes

At the university, we have these things called "state cars," and when we need to drive somewhere far away for work, we are allowed to use them. I myself do not like driving, but when I'm driving a state car, it's positively enjoyable! First, I'm getting paid for my time whilst doing nothing but listening to music or stories or thinking my own thoughts, and it's like getting free miles! This time for real, not just almost!

Time Lapse Films

My first experience with time-lapse photography was a movie we saw in 7th grade science, of which my most vivid memory is the scene where the dead fox decomposed. I liked it anyway. There were also plants in the movie. I love watching plants in stop-motion, where they grow and follow the sun and every imperceptible motion is jerky and magical at once! I still want to make a time-lapse film of my own, but I don't think I have enough space to keep a setup in place for long enough.

Dill

If I had to pick a favorite herb, hands-down, it would be dill. Every time I eat something with dill in it, I feel like my day has been made! It may seem simple, but nothing's dull with dill!

Likewise in the food sphere, how could I neglect to mention...

Chocolate!

I'm always amazed when I'm feeling blah at work, and I gobble a couple of chocolates and all of a sudden I'm on cloud nine. This isn't just because I like chocolate and eating foods I like makes me happy, although that's true. Chocolate has more than that. It has magic powers, commonly known to the more scientific folk as serotonin, dopamine, and caffeine. But the real magic is that it tastes good, too! I think chocolate might be the only drug that's just as enjoyable to consume as its end effects are.

Window-prints on the wall

The sun is so talented! All it does is shine through a window, and suddenly an ordinary wall is a work of art!

Every time I see window-prints on the wall, I want to take a picture of it! The only thing that stops me, is it usually turns out something like the one on the left. Not nearly as awesome as it appeared in real life, I assure you.

Leaves blowing across the road

Fall used to be my favorite season. Once I started hating the cold, that quickly changed, but one thing didn't. No matter how cold it gets, I never get tired of seeing cavalcades of leaves tumbling across the road. A few days ago, I was driving behind a truck carrying a load of leaves (heaven only knows why at this time of year!) but they were spilling all over the road and giving me the biggest case of happiness! Even though it's several days into spring and it still felt like January.

At the risk of being totally cheesy, the final thing on the list of things I like is...

My Boyfriend

When I told him my blog post today was a list of things that make me happy, he asked me what was on the list. When I told him, "Well, for example, #10 is you," he said, "What!? I'm only number 10!?"

I said, "I saved the best for last."

He said, "What!? I'm last?"

After we had argued about that, he told me he didn't believe that he was really on the list at all. I showed him the note I'd been compiling the last couple years, and his next question was "What? I'm lower on the list than Dill? Who is Dill?"

When I showed him what I had written about this conversation, he said, "That's awesome." I agree. We have fun times together, especially when we're playing at being obnoxious and egotistical. He and I have been together for almost a year now, and I mean "together" literally. We live together, we work together, we spend our weekends and vacations together, and still, we haven't gotten tired of each other. Every time I see his face, I just want to grin like a doofus. Yes, it hasn't been that long in the greater scheme of relationships, but so far I'd say it's a resounding success.