Happiness Is...

*  Waking up the morning after your team won a game.

*  Waking up on Monday morning after your hockey, pro football and college football teams all won over the weekend.

*  Having just done the laundry and grocery shopping, because it means you now have the widest available set of options.

*  Having a big occasion to which you can look forward… a vacation trip, a visit from far off friends or family, a wild party…

*  Seeing that you have more money in your checking account after you’ve paid your bills, than you did at this time last month.

*  When your kids (or in my case, someone else’s kids) look happy to see you when you show up.

*  Going online and seeing that there is a new Hyperbole and a Half post.

*  Getting onto the elevator going down on Friday at 5:00, knowing you have 2 glorious days to do whatever you want.  (Like watching movies, sports and fiddling about on the Internet.)

*  Any time the Steelers win and the Ravens lose.  This is especially true when it’s the same game.

*  Getting to pet/hug/adore a golden retriever.

*  Writing a blog post that you know is going to kill.

*  Then having it actually kill.

*  Your bacon cheeseburger arrives and it’s even bigger and better than you anticipated.

*  Same goes for fish sandwiches.  And pizza.

*  When you finally fix something you’ve been putting off fixing and it actually works.

*  Seeing that the guy that the cops have pulled over is the same douche that cut you off earlier.

*  When someone gets my obscure movie, pop culture and/or Monty Python references.

*  Waking up with a chill in the room and you’re all warm under the covers, without it being 6:00 am and you have to get up for work.

*  That moment at a concert where the lights finally go down and the band comes out.

*  Any time one of those politicians known for railing against gays and those lacking sufficient “family values” gets caught with his pants down and his cock out.

*  You go into the break room at work and find leftover cookies from someone else’s meeting.

*  Seeing one of your Tweets get re-tweeted.

*  You get to the game and your seats are better than you expected.

*  Being able to help a friend.

*  Meeting someone famous and seeing that they’re not an asshole.

*  The moment you realize that you are done with your Christmas shopping.

*  Making someone laugh.

*  Sunshine on a clear fall day.

Ultimately, it’s like Norman Nardini sings, “Any day above ground is a good day.”

Although I hope there’s an “out” there for a guy that lives in a sunken, ground floor apartment.