What makes you happy?

[ny biker]

Another thing is music. Music makes me happy. Something I think I got from my father -- he always had music playing in the car whenever we went anywhere, and back when we all lived at home he would turn on the stereo to his favorite music station while we had dinner. And now I always have the stereo on when I'm alone in the car (which is most of the time that I'm in the car) and ever since college I've had a walkman/discman/mp3 player with earphones so I could listen to music while I'm exercising. Unfortunately I can't use my stereo at home because it would bother my neighbors. But a couple of weeks ago I realized that the daily status meetings we have at work every morning were driving me crazy and setting me into a bad mood every day. So I plugged the mp3 player into some cheap portable speakers and have been listening to music while I get ready for work and have breakfast, and it's been helping. This week I'm going to treat myself to a new speaker that will sound better but not be too loud for the neighbors.

So I bought myself a new portable speaker so I could listen to music in my condo without it being too loud for the neighbors. And it was working, in the sense that it's been helping my mood a lot. Except the neighbor just knocked on me door to tell me it's too loud. So, waste of $200 and back to being miserable most of the time.

[Pax]

Maybe try some quality headphones at home? My honey and I have VERY different musical tastes so I use headphones LOUD and jam.

[Helene2013]

What a bummer that you can't really listen to music a notch higher!

I think I would go nuts as I am used to have a really good sound system in the basement and we train to almost the sound of a concert hall. hihi I'm sure you can hear the music pounding outside but my neighbours are really far away.

Too bad that too many condos are so not well in noise reduction. My brother-in-law lives at the top of triplex (but still attached to others left and right) and he had to pay big money to get his whole floor redone so walls/flooring is sound-proof or just about.

If I had to move out of a house and into some type of apartment, I think my 1st question would be: what type of soundproofing do you have. hihi

[OakLeaf]

Or shoulder speakers? I don't like wearing headphones, I'm not a naturally fearful person, but not being able to hear things around me freaks me out. But shoulder speakers might give you your music while keeping the outside volume very low? Maybe not too late to exchange your speaker?

Becky, without knowing what you've been reading, just in my head I feel like it's the opposite, that joy is transient while happiness is more a way of existence. Joy comes reasonably easily to me, mostly from situations where I'm outdoors in flow, like motorcycling, fast descents on the bike (not that I've done that lately), distance running. But having been independently diagnosed three times with double depression, it's safe to say I'm not naturally a happy person ... if I don't deliberately put myself into joy (which usually involves NOT doing most of what needs to be done ), my natural state is pretty miserable ...

[redrhodie]

The thing that makes me happy is being thankful. If I'm feeling down, I have learned that thinking of all the good things I have in my life really helps. Music also makes me happy. Playing guitar with my dbf makes me really happy.

[BlessedB]

What an excellent topic!
I agree with some of many others' thoughts. I work hard at maintaining a positive energy, and my work includes taking antidepressants as prescribed. That I'm on them still bothers me (If I was really a spiritual evolved person I wouldn't need these...), but it is what it is, and they help. Prayer and thankfulness makes me happy. Riding my bike also does - love those endorphins! Spending time with my partner, friends, and family members, as well as discovering new friends - very happy. It's not my place to judge others, including those who are chronically unhappy and/or negative, but I can't spend a lot of time around such people. Let's go for a ride!

[smilingcat]

Success at being cheap or rather as someone pointed to me, "being thrifty" makes me happy.

Recent acquisition of a farm has required me to acquire farm equipment but also some office related items. Desk, chair, white board to keep track of planting schedule and a computer...

A WiFi 801b/g/n router (high end one) died at my house. It didn't hurt to try fixing since it was already dead. I actually managed to repair the darn thing with 50cent part. That made me smile/happy. We did buy a backup one for cheap. $20 for 300Mbit/sec with WiFi and 4 port switch. yeah for black Friday.

Obviously need a computer for my farm. I was ready to buy a new one but the sticker shock. So went to my computer junk bin and found a laptop my father used before his Alzheimer and his eventual death few years ago. I managed to powerup and its XP. WiFi is dead on it Ethernet seems okay. USB is okay so off loaded data. It's going to be reloaded with Linux. so yipee didn't have to spend any money. Just hour or two of my time and I have clean computer.

Thank goodness for black Friday. Managed to pick up a very nice 24" monitors for less than $100 each. That sale went on midnight. When I woke up in the morning it was sold out. Early bird at midnight helped.

More black friday or rather cyber Monday stuff. Picked up two monochrome laser printer with 1200 x 1200 DPI with WIFI connection for less than $30 each. I thought about this and realized that it is cheaper than buying inkjet cartridge for our Artisian printer. After the toner runs out, could throw away the printer and still be ahead. Chances are pretty good that that will happen as the toner cartridge seems next to impossible to find.

So I bought two 24" monitors, and two laser printers, a backup WiFi/router for well under $300.00. No computer needed. I'm happy being cheap.

Oh and I found a supplier for flourescent grow lights at less than $3.00 for 4ft, high output, T5 tubes, with color temperature of 6500K and 4000lumens I think it was. Normal price is anywhere from $6.00 to $25.00. pretty good deal so I'm happy.