“You don’t know me that well.
My mad face and my happy face are the same.”
– Pam (the Vampire Barbie), True Blood
This week I was over at the lovely Heather (A Very Tessa Tangent’s) blog, reading “Unsnarkism: How to be happy in 5 easy steps”. My favourite is the stapler on the head – tip 4 🙂
I was trying to think what my 5 steps to happiness would be and, naturally, since I just finished watching Season 5, my mind immediately wandered to True Blood.
There’s that scene where the ever adorable Hoyt begs his now ex-vampire girlfriend, Jessica, to glamour him.
“I tell you what I need – from you – for my going away present. I want you to glamour me. Make me forget about you. I want you gone. Out of my head. I want to lay down, go to sleep, close my eyes and not dream about you. Ever again.”
It’s one of those tear jerker scenes. And it took me back to some of my other favourite moments in entertainment.
Buffy – and the spell Willow casts to make her girlfriend, Tara, forget about their argument.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – the movie that turned me into a Jim Carey fan.
Reflecting on it now, I realise that, at least for me, happiness is closely linked to forgetfulness, ergo escape.
It may not be a recipe for lasting joy, but in the spirit of Heather’s meme, here are my 5 simple steps to a state of (temporary) bliss:
- Stimulants. Start the day with a strong cup of coffee, and end it with a martini. I’m in heaven.
- Home delivered dinner. In the middle of winter, when you’re staring at an empty fridge and your creativity is fried…Nothing spells happiness like Pumpkin Masala and some piping hot naan bread – delivered to your door!
- Quality TV. When I say TV, I mean, on DVD. Now that I’m done with True Blood, I’m hanging out for Breaking Bad to go on sale. Next week…
- Nature. A space to go walking, and forget about the world.
- Domesticity. This may seem at odds with the implied laziness of the first 4 points. But there’s nothing like cleaning to escape the intangibility of a writer’s pursuits. A physical task with a definite start and finish, to the tune of my best 90’s mix. I mean, who can’t enjoy cleaning to the beat of Mistadobalina?
Well, that’s about as close to being glamoured as I get.
Do you have a favourite superpower? What’s your happy drug?
For more happiness inspiration, also check out Coleen Patrick’s post on how to Bust a Wallow.
Alarna Rose Gray 
A good book too. I love The Voice at the moment.
A good book – yes! It’s the less instantly gratifying option, but infinitely more worth it! I loved the first Voice.. haven’t really gotten in to the rest.
I’ve only just discovered it, so I don’t know what it used to be like. It won’t be the same without Usher next season.
Yes, I’ll go with these you mentioned, but I’ve got to get in a good boat ride to the beach and some fun in the sun…to escape all that I haven’t done.
A fine escape from the To Do list! And I love being in the water, too 🙂
My happy drugs are Earl Grey tea, dark chocolate, really good cheese, and red wine. And a hot bath and a foot rub. If I ever got them all at once, I’d probably explode like a vampire in the sun.
Oh! How simply divine that does sound 🙂
yes, a good book, a hot bath, coffee, a box of handmade truffles, and maybe a nice massage !… oh, how could I forget some ripe pont d’eveque cheese and a glass of chilled gewurtztraminer
Mmm, now you’re talking, Valerie! You just made my mouth water a little…
Alarna, this is a fabulous post! Great list. Think I’m gonna do one like it. 😉 And True Blood… I’m a total vampire fan.
Yeah, I think you either love vampires or you don’t. What are your thoughts on Vampire Diaries, out of curiosity?
I’ll look out for your 5 tips!
Coffee in the morning, marijuana at night. Some things never get old.
Oh. Yes.. that will do as a martini substitute anytime.. 🙂
I’m with you on 1-4. 5? Not so much. 🙂
Hehe! I’m surprised no-one else has picked me up on that one! 🙂
Usually writing is my superpower, but sometimes I don’t have the energy. And that’s when I turn to Disney. Anything Disney. Works every time.
Yes, Disney is great for a pick me up! I guess all superpowers need a recharge at some point? 🙂
Thanks for pingback. It’s a great topic and post, Alarna! How could I have missed No. 5?! I call it tiffling – with the hoover, duster, washing-up. But great thinking/dreaming opportunity… and then the house is pleasing to write in, too. 😉 xx
Thanks for the inspiration, Heather! You’re right, ‘tiffling’ is great for the creative juices 🙂 xo
haha, cool post. hah, a staple on the head sounds sensible, huh? 😉 coffee for the win. the rest are swell, too… but a walk by the breakwater – a good view of the sunset and some caress by the wind at twilight, do one some good, too. 🙂 hello, Alarna…
Oh, I’m with you on the twilight walks. Lovely 🙂
not with the staple on the head, huh? 😉
Hehe, all for a stapler on the head if twilight walks are not an option!
haha, a hug and a high five! 😉
TV is a quick escape for me. I was a Buffy fan back in the day! 🙂 I like lots of different TV from reality to The Walking Dead (sometimes that’s the same thing lol). Oh and tea. Stopping for tea–hot or iced is a tiny mood lifter. Hope you have a glamorous kind of week, Alarna! Thank you for the shout out!
Hey Coleen, wishing you a lovely week too. You’re a Buffy fan, hey? Ah, that got me through some tough times. Nothing compares, really… I’ve not seen Walking Dead (hehe, on Tv anyway), but there’s always room for more, especially now it’s winter here 🙂
That’s a no brainer for me since I’ve been hanging out in Grammy heaven with the two newborn grandbabies and the toddler grandbabies.
A great book always does wonders for me, too!
Aw, Grammy heaven sounds wonderful, Lynn. I’m so happy for you! And now more littlies to read and write for ! 🙂
Happy drug? Writing something that ‘works’. Oh, and being warm.
Yes! I’m glad you said ‘that works’. Coz it can have the opposite effect otherwise 🙂 Being warm? Please, give me summer back…
You totally convinced me that I need to watch True Blood because I love all your other mentions. I’ve been watching Buffy again with The Boy (indoctrinating the next generation). We are just starting Season 7. I’ll be ready for a new show soon.
Judy! Your blog has just touched me in ways I can’t explain…and it looks like we have some other things in common 🙂
The next generation MUST be indoctrinated! True Blood is fascinating for the direction they’ve taken the vampire narrative. It might be R rated, but it pays homage to the Buffy with style. Be interested to know your thoughts if you do watch it 🙂
Climbing in places where the wild breezes pass through the trees 🙂
Ah, yes! And between the ears 😉
Ears 😉
Oh my! You and I are a polarity of being.. I haven’t been by here in so long (in fact your blog is the first/only blog I have visited intentionally just to catch up so far), and how peculiar that I find this post from you, your most recent post, so perfectly contrasted to my most recent post. Wow…
Isn’t it compelling that we can all possess such different ideas of how to meet the very same basic needs? I’m inspired by your heart’s tug towards the routine, the introverted predictabilities of maintaining a home, of being catered to instead of called on to do the catering, of television–this is of particular fascination to me…
I am a dead woman walking without the power of silence around me, interrupted only by periods of music and my children laughing; I’m emptied of my sense of purpose without the business of creating things, of cooking something novel, unexpected… I’m totally with you, however, on the stimulants and nature.
Coffee, coffee, coffee… At sunrise on the edge of a wooded lake… HEAVEN.
Compelling perspective, lady. I love the personal insights into your world and your life. These are the best kinds of posts for me 😉
You make me smile so much, Brandy. Your visits here make it all worthwhile – you’re a gift!!
You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but my life has always been too complicated to live properly. So I’m always searching for simplification…Once I get it, I’m worried I’ll be bored out of my brain. Are we ever happy?
I love the insights you give into your world, too, Brandy. And that picture you just painted of coffee on the lake. Ahhh… pure bliss.
Sending you much love and a wish for some indulgence in your day 🙂
Definitively a coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon always make me smile. The little things, my roses, knitting, writing nurture my happiness.
It’s the little things that go the farthest, hey? I really admire your rose garden! 🙂
Happy drugs include but are not limited to: Gin and tonic on a summer evening, sailing, fog horns, Earl Grey tea, hot baths, a walk in the sunshine, curling up in bed with a good book (or a good man), a walk in the woods, and chocolate.
Oh, those are definitely all happy drugs! Gin and Tonic – nothing more refreshing on a summer eve 🙂 Lovely!