Kevin's Watch

I find very specific things make me very happy.

Taking care of my garden makes me happy. Walking around looking at all the things that I am caring for, tasting my tomatoes right off the vine, getting my hands dirty in the soil makes me happy.

Creating glass sculptures makes me very happy.


Walking in the woods with my dog makes me happy.


Cooking a meal for someone makes me happy.


Interestingly writing does not make me happy but it makes me calm. Usually I am exhausted and drained, calm but not happy.

I wish I had had children, I think that would have made me happy. But life goes on. What makes you the happiest?

Playing my guitar outside in the sun with a cooling breeze allowing me to stay out there for as long as I can

Walking home in the rain

Watching the ocean at night

just talking to my friends.

At this time in my life I find that playing music for crowds of people who are singing along is the most energizing, fulfilling thing I do.

Also love being "intimate" with hubby.

The happiest moment in my life, bar none, was a couple of hours after my son was born and I was finally left alone to hear and feel him breathing next to me. My soul overflowed with love, joy, and gratitude; my heart was free and fulfilled as never before or since. (And that's okay because it was enough joy for one person to have in a lifetime anyway.)

I also love cooking, and the sound of wind in trees, or a wood thrush, or a child singing, can change my whole day.

lorin wrote:Taking care of my garden makes me happy. Walking around looking at all the things that I am caring for, tasting my tomatoes right off the vine, getting my hands dirty in the soil makes me happy.

That is beautiful.

lorin wrote:I wish I had had children, I think that would have made me happy. But life goes on. What makes you the happiest?

I like this topic... makes one reflective.


I am delighted by deep conversations with trusted friends.

I am SO HAPPY laughing and making others laugh.
This summer one of my best friends in this area, who is just a really fun gal, had a Bible Study - and her sister joined us too.
It turned out... they -BOTH- get my sense of humor.
I would make one of my cheesy jokes (which seldom even yield a sincere groan irl) and then I would be surprised to hear... the sudden sound of peals of laughter from the two of them. It was delightful.

Oddly, I am happy when my eyes fall on something around the house that I have organized and I like the aesthetics of.

I am happy when I reach that point in an argument where I suddenly get an unlikely insight about the other person.

I am happy & floating for hours when I hear news of good coming to a friend, and/or get to see it for myself.

Even though the circumstances which brought us together recently were sad, I find I am still happiest sitting close enough to gently touch Beorn, regardless of what we are doing at the time.

I have figured out that I am only truly happy when I'm around my children.

My separation from their mother, and subsequent estrangement from them three to four days a week, was nearly four years ago. I still though, when they are not in the house, have difficulty motivating myself to do anything. Cooking and cleaning included. I've given up on writing stories and music. I don't even really read stories or listen to music much anymore (anyone who knows me, knows what a big part of my life writing and music always were)

They are at their mother's every Saturday, while I have them on SUnday. And though I work Monday to Friday, I took a part time job on Saturdays just so that I wouldn't sit around the house feeling sorry for myself

Every relationship I've tried to have has completely suffered because of it. I don't have the time to give to a substantial relationship on days when the boys are with me; yet the other days, I simply don't have the drive to even want to try. Tonight for example...right now...I've got a girl, who I've been seeing most of the summer, texting me every five minutes to come over and see her...and I'm having difficulty motivating myself to walk across the room, get my keys, and go for a five minute drive to get to spend the evening with her.

When they are here though, even if I'm at work and they are at school, just knowing that I'll be coming home to see them, cook dinner for them, help hem with their homework, listen to them play piano/guitar/sax/trumpet ...or even make popcorn and let them stay up late watching Spongebob on Netflix on my six year old computer with 12' monitor (I threw the tv away years ago!) gets me excited. It's how I make it through the day.

Those here on Kevinswatch with whom I'm Facebook friends with, know that all I post is pictures of the boys having fun...whether it's one of the many days we spend at lakes or beaches, or hiking in the woods, or building apples presses to make our own juice, or whatever.

...Perhaps this post was a little too deep.

Drew...walk across the room, get your keys, and go see this woman who is reaching out to you.

I cannot promise that it will be time well-spent. She may or may not understand what makes you tick and why you have been reluctant to engage when she contacts you. Still, you have some time before your Saturday job and Sunday with your sons. Spend it around someone else, not by yourself. It will be better for you than stewing.

If you can't bring yourself to do that, at least keep posting. Watchers will keep you company.

What SD said, drew. And friend me on FB, fer cryin' out loud!

Writing makes me happy. Hanging out with my kids *usually* makes me happy these days. Hanging out with good friends. Scenery that includes snow-capped mountains (even if the snow is presently gone). Time alone, writing or not.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as Drew; love being with my kids, and am very skittish about dating. I have had two women try to take me out; but neither one of them are even slightly interesting to me. It sucks to think this is how I'll live the rest of my life, but it's better than being with someone who I'm not 100% into.

I am not certain I know what that is anymore. I used to. It used to be simple. Give me a band playing rock and roll out in front of an audience and a way to pay my bills and I was completely satisfied. Give me time to write on top of that and life was grand.

Unfortunately that has given way to life and all that encompasses it. I'm not sure that would even work any more, to be honest. It's just the grind these days.

Reflecting on the fact that I have no children makes me happy.

--A

Lots of things make me happy these days. Here are a few:
Seeing a great movie or tv show that really stimulates my brain
Listening to a fantastic album that I sound good singing along with
Improving on the guitar - particularly taking out the hard parts in Rock Band pro-guitar/Rocksmith
Anything that feels like a victory, from getting a great deal on a big purchase, to figuring out how to fix up the new house.
Seeing my kids get smarter and funnier.

Avatar wrote:Reflecting on the fact that I have no children makes me happy.

--A

An unusual scource of the emotion Av, but fair play - there are no rules in this game. Would you add a 'yet' into the above [you're still a young man aren't you] or is this a permanent intention?

Personally I'm no longer sure I know what 'happiness' is, let alone what makes me so. Some days I feel more contented with my lot than others. On my third or so drink I tend to feel 'happy'. Sitting down and eating a good meal with my wife makes me happy - but am I not conflating pleasure and happiness here if the truth be known. When am I happiest? Perhaps when I am asleep.

So many things. I've always thought that being unhappy about things you can't change is a waste of time - like having very little money, furniture, possessions - I've been there. You just make the most of what you have. But what makes me particularly happy is the love and support of my husband and family and friends, of course my grandchildren make me particularly happy. Those are the important things.

Half-sleeping through an alarm repeatedly set on snooze! And cooking with my parents and/or brother. And eating.

peter wrote:

Avatar wrote:Reflecting on the fact that I have no children makes me happy.

--A

An unusual scource of the emotion Av, but fair play - there are no rules in this game. Would you add a 'yet' into the above [you're still a young man aren't you] or is this a permanent intention?

Relatively young I suppose, certainly young enough to have one, but as far as I am concerned, it is a permanent intention, and thank all the gods that are or ever were, the GF feels the same way. For which I am eternally grateful.

--A

I am happiest when Julie and I are doing something together.

even if it's reading on the bed with Sonny sleeping at the end of the bed.

Spending time with Mrs Vader.
Spending time with the Vadress.
When I'm cooking
When I listen to music or play guitar/bass
When I'm drunk.
When I'll be finally dead within the next 50 years
Repeat

Just had a visit from longtime, good friends (25 years) and their second set of adopted kids. Just walking around the neighborhood from the playground to the store for some ice cream and shuffling through fall leaves back home was love and joy and contentment in one happy package.