Happy Stuff: Girlfriends

Andy is great at being a husband. But, sorry honey, I just can't giggle with you while shoe shopping for hours on end.

My parents are great at being my Ma and Pa. But, sorry fam, I just can't make severly inappropriate jokes while drinking with you.

My dogs are great at being pets. But, sorry bears, even though you're great listeners I need someone who can actually talk back to me.

So that's where my girlfriends step in.

They are tried and true.

Some have known me since I was four years old and had my hair cut like I wanted to be the 5th Beatle.




That means I probably tattled on them and fought with them over a toy at some point.

But they're still here.



Some have known me since middle school.

That means they chose to be friends with me during a time when I had frizzy hair, zits and coke bottle glasses. Sorry, no picture available. I think I destroyed all evidence of this time of my life. Just trust me, I was awesomely adolescent.

But they're still here.



Some I didn't meet until college.



That means they definitely saw me drink to the point of puking which is always a super attractive thing to do.

But they're still here.



This could all just suggest that I pick friends with really low standards.

Or that I pay these people to still pretend they like me.

Or that I'm blackmailing them because I know a lot of their secrets.

But actually, we might just still be friends because they tattled on me, went through awkward puberty with me and poured and consumed the booze that made us fall down drunk.

Or maybe my standards are just as low as theirs.

Happy Stuff - Animals Doing Cute Things

I'm making this post, simply because two of my favorite friends sent me videos of animals doing cute stuff. They made me happy to watch, so they qualify as a Happy Stuff post.

First, I received this video of a frisky little lamb. Watch it without smiling. I dare you.



The second, is of a Doggie Day at the beach. Happiness for pups in its purest form.



Hope these made you as happy as they made me. :-)

Happy Stuff #7 - When People Make Car Noises

I listen to a lot of NPR and one of my favorite shows is Car Talk.

Why is this one of my favorite shows?

Because I simply love it when people call in and make the noise their car is making in an attempt to get a diagnosis from Click and Clack.

You can listen to last week's show for an example. Sue describes a problem with her '94 Jimmy:

"It makes a funny noise when you first start it up and it's cold. It makes a loud noise. Kind of a roaring noise. WHOOOORRAH!! I'll do it again. WHOOOOORRAH!!"

And then I laugh.

Happy Stuff #6 - Dogs

If you haven't yet been able to tell by my ubiquitous Toby postings, I'm kind of a fan of the doggies.



I mean, I sorta think they're kinda cute and all.



Oh, who am I kidding, I friggin' love dogs.

Not just my dog either, but pretty much all dogs. I mean, I might even like some dogs better than Toby. Namely dogs that don't eat iPods, bags of powdered sugar, books, shoes, etc.

I have been known to google image search "puppies" when I'm having a bad day. I can generally say after looking at a face like this for a few seconds, I somehow always feel a little better:



I'm not sure if it's his dopey expression (made more dopey by his crosseyes), his goofy smile or just his general gumpy demeanor - whatever it is, Toby makes me smile pretty much everytime I look at him.



Well, maybe I don't smile after he's destroyed something.



Nope, dang it, that picture still makes me smile.

Now, it's not just my dog that makes me happy, it's pretty much dogs in general. I came to write this entry today because I happened upon two fantastic articles about how great pups are.

The first is a picture article, about a program called Puppies Behind Bars.

Basically, it's a program where inmates at prisons help train service dogs and it warms my heart. Now, generally, prisoners wouldn't garner a warmed heart from me. I love the program for many reasons though. Why not get something useful out of these men behind bars? And dogs can increase moral and compassion in people too - so I'd imagine the prisoner would come out a better human being after training the dog.

This led me to another article about, Tuesday, a emotional service dog. It's about a dog that helps a veteran dealing with a multitude of psychological issues.

I'll just post one of my favorite parts from the article:

On a recent afternoon, Mr. Montalvan and Tuesday walked to a nearby subway station. The platform was crowded. Mr. Montalvan began to look agitated. Tuesday, who had been lying at his feet, jumped up and stood between his master and the nearest cluster of people, creating a buffer. Mr. Montalvan's breathing noticeably stabilized.

So, this post is for all the pups in the world. Thanks for being man (and lady's) best friend.

Soulshine

A song popped up on my iPod. It made me smile, and I decided to share it with the rest of you in the hope that it would make you smile too.



Warren Haynes is one of my top 5 voices. I love bluesy, earthy voices and he's got that to boot. If you don't already have one of his CD's or a Gov't Mule CD or an Allman Brothers CD - you should probably pop over to iTunes or a music store and get one. It's perfect summertime music.



To listen to Soulshine, just pop over to this site. In the upper right hand corner you can play the song.


Hope ya like it as much as I do.

Happy Stuff #5 - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

I enjoy wrong humor.

You know, the kind of humor that makes you cringe and laugh all at the same time? You almost feel guilty for laughing, but you have to laugh because it's hilarious?

Here's a clip from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia:



I was introduced to this series by Danielle, who we were visiting almost a year ago today for her birthday in Chicago. We somehow managed to watch almost the whole first season that weekend - which I literally then purchased the day I returned to Michigan (along with Season 2).

Just look at some of the titles of the episodes, and you'll get a sense of the "wrongness."

"Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender"

"Mac is a Serial Killer"

"Sweet Dee's Dating a Retarded Person"

"The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby"

"Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare"

I then stumbled upon the wikipedia page for the show. The character descriptions are hilarious. For example,


Charlie: "Charlie is a volatile loser who displays little ability to cope with day-to-day problems and is prone to Bobcat Goldthwait-styled outbursts. He also has poor hygiene, lives in squalor, and frequently abuses inhalants . . . He was the survivor of a failed abortion attempt."

Deandra: "She is consistently criticized and belittled by the gang for her looks (often comparing her to a giant bird), lack of talent, and the mere fact that she is a woman."

Mac: "He comes from a broken home; his father is an incarcerated meth dealer, and his mother is extremely apathetic. He believes he is an adept martial artist and bouncer, often attempting idiotic stunts and wearing sleeveless shirts in order to prove his physical prowess.

Dennis: "He frequently pops his shirt off without hesitation, believing that his physique impresses people and diffuses conflicts. He listens to glam rock, and displays some ability to sing in a falsetto voice wearing silver spandex."

But the best way to experience the show is to simply start with the first episode and don't look back. You can watch full episodes here, but here's one more clip for your viewing pleasure:

Baby Tan

Happy Stuff #4 - Happy Songs

No, no, I'm not talking about "Don't Worry, Be Happy." That song actually kind of makes me want to punch somebody.

There are some songs out there that just make you happy. I really don't know what it is, but when I hear these songs, I get that instant feel-good feeling. And my head starts to bop back and forth. And then my whole body starts to sway. And before you know it, I'm almost full out dancing whilst belting out the lyrics as loud as I can.

What just me?

If you've never done that, you should. I don't recommend you do that at work in your cubicle, however. Perhaps in the car, by yourself - that's my favorite time.

So, here are the happy songs that have made my list. I dare you to listen to them and not move your body to the music in any way shape or form and not feel somewhat lifted after listening.

It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers



Pennies From Heaven - Louis Prima

Click this link - and then in the upper right you can click play to hear the song

Jackie Wilson Said - Van Morrison

Click this link - and follow instructions for above


I think those are my top 3. Honorable mentions go to:

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - WHAM!

Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest


What's your go to feel good song?

Happy Stuff #3 - Cheeks

Get your mind out of the gutter. Not those cheeks, I'm talking about the cheeks on your face.

Cheeks make my happy. I know, kind of weird, but bare with me here. Think about it - baby cheeks, cheeks with dimples, chubby cheeks - you just gotta love 'em. I actually have to hold myself back when I meet a new baby because I don't want to accidentally go overboard and squeeze their cheeks too hard. Now, who better to use as an example of awesome cheeks than my husband. Are you ready to see his baby cheeks as an actual baby? No, I don't think you're ready, but here you go anyways:



Since you're reading this, I like you, so I'll spoil you with another:



Ok, just one more:



Now look at those big round cheeks and tell me they don't make you smile.

Now, someday far away when we decide to have our own babies, I'm going to pray, hope and wish on every star I see that our kids inherit those cheeks.

Happy Stuff #2 - Flight of the Conchords

TV Show + funny = I'm a happy lady. This will not be the only TV show on my list of Happy Stuff. So, the show for this post is Flight of the Conchords. They've been around for awhile now, I remember Danielle directed me to some YouTube clips of them a year or two ago. Then last spring we purchased the DVD's and had some good laughs. For some reason, comedies like this are always funnier when watched in a group with friends. Perhaps while drinking too.

I picked a few of my favorite clips/songs from the show for you to enjoy. I realize the show/humor isn't for everyone, but I like it still. It's hard to argue with lyrics like "I’m the mother flippin’ Rhymenocerous" or "I'm not crying, it's just been raining . . . on my face."







Now go do yourself a favor and watch a few more of the clips on YouTube.

Happy Stuff #1 - stuffonmycat.com

There are various things that make me happy. I've decided to post about these happiness makers one at a time. The first one on my list is the website: http://www.stuffonmycat.com/

Now, the site is exactly what you would think it would be. Stuff on cats. So simple, yet so amusing. I cannot explain to you why I find this amusing either. Perhaps it's a combination of the cuteness and the silliness of the whole thing. Really, I have no idea what's so funny about stuff on cats, but I keep looking at the pictures and smiling.