Random Observation/Comment #454: The brain is a fascinating thing. We can literally create images, emotions, and transport ourselves to different states just with a thought.
Why This List?
Happiness is that holy grail we all search for. It’s such a fleeting blip of elation that fills us with all this positive energy and positive thoughts. When things go bad, hopefully, we’re all able to do something or remember something that makes us happy. These happy memories make us smile and warms our heart because we remember those little things.
If you’re interested in writing something like this and need inspiration, I read something on lifehacker yesterday that speaks about the emotional vocabulary. Here, happiness is split into Joyful, Interested, Proud, Accepted, Powerful, Peaceful, Intimate, and Optimistic.
- Finding out I was accepted into Cooper Union while in Vermont
- My Dad patting my head and saying “lak jai” after graduating Cooper
- Not the actual first kiss, but the moments before it where I ran through multiple unrealistic scenarios in my head
- Burning my high school notes in a metal cabinet in the backyard
- Parahawking – Paragliding while feeding a hawk in Nepal
- Drinking my first Guinness with my Dad
- Taking the training wheels off my blue bike while practicing in the driveway with my brother
- The whole day of drinking scotch in Scotland with all the bears. I think that’s just a blur of happiness – especially hearing “But what are you doing here?”
- Cooking a pork tenderloin and hamburgers for my friends in Asbury Park
- Sharing rollerblades with my sister by only putting one on and gliding around on the deck
- Making my first wontons with my Mom (and her actually letting me do anything in the kitchen)
- Eating (what I still consider the most delicious meal I’ve ever had) a bowl of white rice, steam fish, and soy sauce given to me by my Mom after I had a terrible fever
- Seeing the sunrise on Mount Fuji even though I’m pretty sure I had hypothermia wearing shorts climbing that thing
- Going to Osaka’s Spa World and sitting under a large waterfall of hot water surrounded by naked strangers. So serene and peaceful.
- Seeing the quick moving shiny fish that darts around in schools while scuba diving in Grand Cayman
- Hanging out with the whole crew at Flying puck watching a Rangers game during a shoot out. I think the specific one I’m remembering is where Nash scored the winning point and everyone in the bar went nuts cheering in unison.
- Listening to Dream Theater’s The Spirit Carries On live surrounded by strangers enjoying the same moment. “After I die tomorrow, I’ll be alright because I believe that after we’re gone, the spirit carries on.”
- My Dad waking me and my brother up at 3AM to excitedly drive us all the way to Montauk to go fishing. I went from really sleepy to super happy instantaneously.
- Finishing my first challenge of the epic 30 day challenge making Thanksgiving dinner to all my friends and family
- Bringing champagne to all my friends in Aix
- Having my 21st birthday with Jake and his family in Vermont. I still remember my feet being sore from a full day of skiing and falling off mountains.
- Listening to hi-fi with my Dad in my favorite blue vest. I think I accidentally poked a hole in his speaker and I really never listened to music there again.
- Seeing my Dad fall asleep while I drive my first road trip to Pennsylvania
- Getting the best hug from my Mom at the airport coming back from studying in Germany
- Walking past a security guard at a fancy Osaka club with Chris saying we’re models and everyone in the club believing us (since we hung out with models)
- Finishing my first big speech to high school students and giving advice similar to what my tech teacher Tupot told me in High School. Whatever it was, it worked.
- The whole experience of the mind blowing Megu 17-course meal. The kobe beef sashimi changed my life as a foodie.
- Playing XBOX360 borderlands on dual TVs in Harlem for what I’m pretty sure was the whole day
- Realizing that I had just finished the last exam I will probably ever take at Cooper
- Realizing how much I love her and need her just as much as she needs me
~See Lemons Happiest
