ode to joy

[reverancepavane]

shadow_5tails has tagged her entire friends list with a meme ("greedy kitsune! you were only supposed to choose ten..."). For your viewing pleasure, education, edification, and eclecticism, I present : 10 things that give me a moment of pleasure in the day. In no particular order: The wind blowing past me and playfully tugging at my clothes, or lying under the sun (fully covered) on a sun-warmed rock. ("Why yes, I am Fire and Air aspected, how did you know?" It also means that being on Water is a moment of general unjoy...) Managing to make someone smile or laugh. (Each smile is a victory – each laugh a triumph!) Discovering a secret. Particularly if it was the Universe's, and nobody knew it before me. But I'll collect any secret left lying carelessly around. Actually it need not be a secret secret, just something I didn't know. (Curiosity not only killed the cat, it skinned it and is selling fur mittens.) Getting complex code to run. (Although if it runs the first time I usually spend the next few days trying to find the error that isn't there.) This includes finding the bug or problem in code, an operating system, or a machine, not just code I wrote myself. (Actually this really is the joy of succeeding at the hunt. And I'm only hunting problems these days.) A good book that follows Alan Dean Foster's maxim: "Irony is the principal axis of the universe." (Admittedly it was an Aann saying, but it works for me. I think if Foster's United Church actually existed in the world I'd probably have a vocation). Discovering a new author or band from the discount bins (Admittedly something has to counterbalance the crap that must be waded through to do so.) Actually I lie, discovering a good author or artist period. (It's just usually I do so by raiding the second-hand or discount stores.) Massaging people. (Some people keep pets. I keep people. At least they can usually get their own food and clean up after themselves). Hugging people. (I'm much too touchy-feely for this society's mores and find touch an important vector for communication. I class this as a subset of massage or versa-vice. Furry at heart.) Watching chaotic natural events – glorious sunrises, lightning, storms. Usually from shelter, but occaisionally I play. (Dancing in the rain is not just a movie experience, particularly if done with someone you care for.) Listening to the Song of Desolation under the stars of a cool summer night (This is the song of the silence between the stars that says all things must end. That 2.7K beat really rocks!) Teasing people unmercifully.(Well I do tend to stop when they roll over and giggle.) Giving a gratuitous compliment. (Actually they tend to be totally deserved, although our society usually frowns on doing so. Since my reward is usually the look of shock on the person's face, so this is really an annex to point 10 above.) Switching to full cavalier mode (Again the reward is the response, which could be considered teasing, I suppose.) A good argument conversation which generates new ideas or concepts that I can play with. (Might this be a subset of point 3?) At the moment, wattleseed and macadamia anything. (Surprisingly I get more joy out of giving chocolate away than I do of eating it myself – provided nobody expects it to be their right or demands it or expects it. That spoils it.) I probably should mention giving away chocolate then. (Especially to people that really appreciate it.) Movement, especially dance. (Especially dance with someone you like.) Pretending that there are only 10 things that give me moments of joy. In short, live life.