I’m trying not to cry

in Random Crap

I’m writing this post on my phone because my computer is fucked. I’d be more technical if I could but when I try to explain it I get blank stares and then the person says “Wow. That does sound like it’s fucked.”  The back up isn’t working properly and I’m panicked that I’ve lost everything. I’m taking it to Apple today but in the meantime can you tell me happy things?  Tell me about what is making you happiest right now. Feel free to make something up.  Distract me.

I’ll go first.  I’m happy that I printed out the new book I’m currently working on to take with me on vacation so I know it’s safe.

Your turn.

 

770 thoughts on “I’m trying not to cry”

Read comments below or add one.

  1. My toaster ready-bell and my coffeemaker ready-bell both chimes at the exact same moment. How good an omen is that?!?!?!

  7. My cubicle neighbor got red roses from her new boyfriend for her birthday, and she’s not here yet, and I’m running in place waiting for her to come in and see them. She’s gonna freak. But in a good way.

  8. I’m happy because at the end of next week I get to see my dog Estella for the first time in six months!

  9. Your data is probably still in there. Even if the Mac’s not booting, the data may still be intact and recoverable. In most cases you can get data back from even a damaged hard disk. So, don’t panic! I’d say first thing when you get your Mac back, get Time Machine sorted out and make sure you have steady backups.

  10. We’re getting a new puppy! (We had a 15 year old poodle pass in April.)

  11. My best friend from Venezuela came to live with me here in Mexico and cured me of my depression and loneliness in just 4 months.

  12. My coffee is really good today. It’s a cloudy rainy day in the desert.

  14. I’m happy to have three days of dry weather to clean out a flooded basement.

    Whee..

  15. My whole life is royally fucked up in a serious way. However! Bet everything on your computer is safe and sound on iCloud! I’m sure it is even if you’re not using iCloud. 😍

  16. I’m happy because the weather here in Charleston, SC has been so pretty the last 3 days. Low humidity which is great. Humidity is for satan worshippers!

  18. I’m happy that my tax return is late, not because they are about to send me an audit notice, but because they had a “system error” (Yes, it’s AUGUST, and they started automatically processing my forms back in April!)

  19. I’m happy that I started therapy last month and have survived to my 5th session. One foot in front of the other. 🙂

  21. It’s going to be ok. Really.

    What’s making me happy right now is the Muppet Movie. Totally worth rewatching as an adult.

  23. I’m currently waiting on line at the Magic Kingdom! My son is the biggest Disney freak and he’s thrilled.

    Hope your day looks up.

  24. I found a homeschool group for my youngest! We were rejected and kicked out of another because my entire family’s going to hell. (Apparently going to hell is frowned upon in most homeschool coops.) Because of Eva’s severe anxiety she’s not ready to go back to traditional school so a good coop is a HUGE win!

  25. I’ve lost an inch off my waist and my bad cholesterol is back down in the safe range. And it is 80 degrees in Oklahoma in August. Woo!!

  26. UV reactive ink is my latest bit of happiness… Just recorded a bit of playing with it last night and posted a timelapse.

    It is so tempting to write secret messages on everything with it!

    Sometimes it is the silly stuff which makes life better…

  27. I started a rewatch binge session of Supernatural on Netflix this morning … this makes me feel very happy. House Rules Sammy … Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole. =)

  28. I’m happy you’re working on a new book! Plus I’m meeting a friend for dinner and we’re having chicken fingers.

  30. This will make you happy. Things could be worse… you could be me. I guess we’re both just flying by the seat of our pants

    Flying By The Seat Of My Pants
    As a mom, I’d like to say that I have it all together, but I know that most days, I’m just flying by the seat of my pants. I consider myself a seasoned multitask-er, in fact, I pride myself on it. Yet try as I may, It’s hard to pinpoint when I went from handling all of the challenges of home, work and kids to just winging it.

    If I’m being honest with myself, I’d have to say I lost a little ground with each beautiful life that I brought into this world. Sleep deprivation is a tactic used on prisoners of war and also a staple of motherhood. After my first son was born, I thought I was doing great. The house was clean, laundry was folded and vacuuming the rug was next on my list. I spent 40 minutes looking for the powdered, shake on carpet freshener that I loved to apply to the carpets before I vacuumed. I eventually gave up looking for it, chalked it up as a lost cause, and (cringe) vacuumed the rugs without it. It wasn’t until the baby woke up for his next feeding that I found the carpet freshener perfectly chilled next to the baby bottles in the refrigerator. Could I really be that tired?

    Fast-forward to raising teens, and I’m pretty sure that I had slept more during the infant stages of my sons’ lives. Now, I pace the floor, lie in bed staring at both the ceiling and the clock, all the while repeatedly calling their cell phones, unanswered, until well past 1 a.m. Am I ever going to get any sleep?

    On one morning in particular, (which is just one example of a day in my life) I woke up to Eric’s groaning announcement, “Mom, I puked in the tub!” What better way to start your day at 6 a.m.?

    But wait there’s more…

    There is always more.

    The usual morning argument with Marc has begun as I am trying to call the high school to report Eric’s absence.

    “Mom, I missed the bus! Can you drive me?” Marc yells.

    “Okay, you have to wait a minute. I’m on the phone with Eric’s school,” I reply. I then finish cleaning the puke, wash up, throw my hair in what I call a “mommy clip” and grab a fresh pair of jeans from the clean laundry basket that I’ve yet to fold.

    On the heels of my third consecutive night of work, I am up at sunrise and once again making the twenty-minute trek to the middle school. I drop the grouchy “morning Marc” off saying, “I love you honey. Have a good day!” and drive the twenty minutes back home.

    Just in the door, my phone rings. It’s the school. Are you kidding me?

    “Mom. I forgot my gym clothes,” I hear Marc say. “Can you bring them?”

    “Yes, Marc.” I say while thinking just the opposite.

    Driving back to the school all can think about is lying down. I have to work again tonight. I just want a little rest.

    The only parking space available at the middle school is a block from the front door. I shiver in the cold the entire way until they buzz me in. I make a stop at the security desk, sign in and am greeted by a security guard who, of course, knows my name.

    “How are you today?” He chirps.

    “Living the dream,” I reply.

    I enter the main office and I am warmly greeted by the secretaries and the school principal who instruct me to bring Marc’s gym clothes to the nurse’s office.

    Back in my car, I glance at the clock. No sense in lying back down now. Maybe I’ll stop and get a cup of coffee at the corner gas station near my house. I am counting down the hours until I have to be in work while I’m factoring in all of the things that I need to get done today.

    While I’m at the coffee station preparing my fresh, hot cup of morning java (my first of the day), a man walks in. I notice that he’s looking at me. The morning bustle at the store begins to peak at the coffee station and I have the unsettling feeling that all eyes are upon me. “Should I feel uncomfortable or flattered?” I think, as yet another man gives me the once over, looking me up and down.

    Maybe I’m just rocking this no make-up and mommy clip thing, I start thinking…

    Until…I glance down at my leg and notice that I have a hot pink pair of satin and lace panties stuck in the cuff of my pant leg, and static cling against the front of my shin.

    All eyes are still on me (and I’m pretty sure that my face matched the shade of my lace panties) as I attempt a discreet peeling of the panties from my leg and stuff them into my purse.

    Maybe they were all thinking that I had a night of unbridled passion or an amazing one night stand.

    I’ll just let them keep guessing. I know that I’m just flying by the seat of my pants…

    …and those pants just happen to be satin, lace, and hot pink.

  31. My knitting mojo, which had been MIA through years of depression, seems to be making a tentative return. So I am obsessing over a cabled sweater Steve McQueen wore in the original Thomas Crown Affair, figuring out how to make a pattern to replicate it. Also: kittens.

  32. Hey there. I’m loving being out on my deck this morning, all the flowers are out in full force, beautiful day and my new raspberry plant has some ripe berries for a surprise snack!

  34. I’ve been in this situation before, several times, and Apple can do amazing things. I’m happy about the fact that after about 50 years of darkness and wandering, I am finally starting to consistently feel happy. I’ve never known what that was like, and now I see sunshine a lot. Good luck to you, Jenny.

  35. When my daughter sings “Pennies from Heaven” she says “Scooby Doobie” for the refrain instead of “Shoebe Dobe.” It’s the cutest thing. I have never once corrected her:)

  37. I’m surrounded by dogs. There are three in the house and four in the kennels. I’m also starting to move forward with believing I can be a paid photographer and getting things in place for a portfolio site.

    Just because you can’t access your backup doesn’t mean that a professional can’t! It might cost a bit more but unless it’s been physically damaged and the data corrupted then it’s still there waiting for someone to rescue it!

  38. I’m happy that I have the house to myself today! Fingers crossed Apple sorts it out

  39. Two hummingbirds dive bombed me while I was filling up their feeders this morning. I’m pretty sure that the hummingbird equivalent of the cat rubbing my hand and purring while I fill up his dish.

  41. I saw a golden retriever with it’s head sticking out of the sunroof of a car this weekend with the happiest look on it’s face. And also, somebody brought a ragdoll cat to the living history museum I volunteer at in a baby carrier and his name was Harry and he was super fluffy and I just couldn’t stop petting his head and telling him what a beautiful boy he was. I was very un-1850’s but fantastic.

  42. Today is the 4 year anniversary of my small business. In my first year I worried we wouldn’t even make it month to month, and now we’re just about to start my 4th year. I pushed myself hard to make this a reality, and it is–and more importantly it’s successful!

  43. I watch kitten cams 24/7. I’ve given up showering. I’ve nearly given up taking care of the three live cats that live in my house (or vice versa as they are watching me). I only watch kitten cams. #happy

  44. I’m happy that after 23 years of doing jobs I despise, I am finally working as a freelance editor/proofreader – even if it’s only in the off-hours of the day job I despise (for now), and that I’m getting really good feedback on my poetry ^_^

  45. Advil is making me happy as my tennis elbow is being a real bitch today.

  46. I’m happy that my newly adopted furrbaby Riley loves our cat, Freya. Now, if only we can get Freya to love Riley? Possibly not, as long as Riley is Hannibal Lecter- fascinated with Freya.

    I’m also happy that Ohio’s Monsoon Season seems to have passed, this week, anyway!

  47. I just made a pot of homemade meatballs in sauce and it smells incredible. Can’t wait for dinner…

  48. My new 8 week old kitten, Angus, spends most of his waking time spitting and growling at the dog. The dog is 110lb great pyrenees…the kitten is smaller than his nose and could get lost pretty much forever in his fur. Chewy (as in “somebody get this walking carpet out of my way”) just looks at Angus, sighs and blocks the doorway to nap. Does this mean Chewy’s already pussy-whipped?

    Kitten growls make me giggle.

    Crossing fingers your computer will be fine.

  49. My in-laws are visiting and they are wonderful. My 1 year old loves playing with him but he still needs mum time so he comes over to me for a cuddle instead of his grandparents. Best feeling ever.

  50. You inspire me – you make me laugh out loud – and you give me a chance to be creative. You helped me to realize that I will survive my depression! You’ve got this.

  51. we are looking at a 2 year old german shepherd rescue named mallory. she has an odd front paw so can’t run but neither can I. the name mallory makes me happy for some reason. so does her face.

  52. the boyfriend’s friends made sure to have their lobster bake (boil?) on a day i could make it. considering i am over 400 miles away, that made my heart wildly happy.
    now if only i knew if it was a lobster bake or boil? i mean, they steamed the things so it really wasn’t either!

  53. Well, I just ordered a super healthy lunch. If super healthy is a cinnamon roll the size of my head, so that makes me happy! I’d even share with you if it’d help cheer you!

  55. I am happy that you are writing another book. Also I am happy that I am going to be a grandma again.

  56. I had a nice weekend in NYC with hubby eating delicious food and doing fun and cool things. It was our first vacation since our honeymoon 2 years ago and it felt amazing to spend time just being adventurous together again

  58. my husband and I are on vacation and our 23 year old daughter is with us!

  59. Things in my life that have lasted longer than Anthony Scaramucci’s White House tenure:
    1. My 2011 road trip to Minnesota
    2. 95% of my manicures
    3. An Electronic Banking Monopoly game with the boys back in 2009
    4. The leftover pizza currently sitting in my fridge

  60. Sorry to hear about your computer, but absolutely completely totally overjoyed to hear your working on a new book. I CANNOT WAIT to read it.

  61. I am losing weight for the first time in my life. My wife and I joined Weight Watchers in April. I am down 15 lbs, which is the barest drop in the bucket for what I have to lose, but it’s beautiful. I am losing predictably, I know when I fuck up I won’t lose, and when I follow the system, I will. I have struggled my entire life (and so has my mom, and my grandmom…) to lose and maintain a healthy weight. The fact that I am in control, even when I don’t do everything just right, makes me exquisitely, raucously happy. I know you know what it’s like to struggle with health issues, so I thought you would appreciate this 🙂 I hope everything works out with your computer. There’s nothing worse than that feeling of helplessness. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

  62. I’m happy because the ferry just passed a breakwater with five pelicans and one cormorant who was totally pretending to be a pelican.

  63. My friend’s daughter died on this date. Truly awful, but she honors her daughter’s memory each year by holding a virtual day of kindness called “Live Lindsay’s Love”. Folks perform acts of kindness in Lindsay’s name and post them on her Facebook page. So,lots of kind things happening in the world today. 🙂
    And not to worry – my hard drive crashed a while ago, had to be replaced, and they were STILL able to salvage my data. Have faith!

  65. My husband and kids have been homeless for two weeks while I have been ill. Today they got approved for a house, and I got a treatable diagnosis.

  67. Sitting here drinking coffee with three little doggies in my lap, and gonna go get my hair done in a little while.💕

  68. Great super quick first aid for panic and anxiety:
    1. Take some slow, normal breaths.
    2. Name 5 non-distressing items you can see. Out loud, it’s important.
    3. Take some slow, deep breaths.
    3. Name 5 non-distressing things you can hear. Out loud.
    4. Breathe.
    5. Name 5 things you can feel. Out loud.
    6. Breathe, repeat as needed until you feel more grounded.

  72. I’m happy my 6 month old chubby bunny of a daughter is starting to wiggle into the crawling position!

  73. I’m happy that you’re writing a new book, because whenever I come across what you create it is like a lantern in the darkness, leading me somewhere better and much more interesting. Thank you for that. Hansel and Gretel’s crumbs ain’t got nothing on you.

  74. It took 30 years, but I finally have a theater of my own. I have my own key and I can go there to do whatever I want, whenever I want. It’s pretty awesome! Exhausting, but awesome!

  75. Whilst currently on diet, there isn’t much happiness. But I do poop/fart less, and that makes life easier, hence happier? Good luck.

  76. You will get your stuff back. Even if the computer is f*cked then the hard drive is likely recoverable. My happy news is that the turtle I’m carving is going well.

  77. I went to New Hope, PA this past weekend and found a shop with a multitude of mini-Beyonces (of the metal chicken variety, of course). It also had a myriad of metal friends for Beyonce. It was so tempting to buy one or several but it’s not in the budget right now, unfortunately. That original blog post of yours is the gift that keeps giving. I chuckled the rest of the day. 😀

  78. I’m excited to start my new job in Columbia SC even though it means I’ll have to move again. Good luck with your computer! I had something similar happen to me the day before finals week and I broke down completely.

  79. My nephew built his own working lightsaber at camp today and he’s texting me photos of him holding it, waving it around, and grinning like he just won the lottery.

  80. Giant Pandas are no longer endangered. You can now put on your bucket list to wear a giant panda costume while photobombing a panda. 🐼 📸

  81. I’m happy my staycation starts soon. The weather is supposed to be good so my boy and I can drive around the province looking at all the giant things..and there are many! Lantern Easter egg USE Enterprise sausage perogy….irs goo to be great!

  83. I’m happy that i finally figured out a way for people to ask anonymous questions on my blog so I can give them ridiculously good bad advice. 😂😂😂

  84. I need a new laptop because I’m still running Windows Vista and Firefox will no longer support Vista after this month. That should make you laugh!! I also live in Michigan so August also makes me happy since it’s actually summer time! Good luck!

  86. I am Happy the sun is shining and my dog was found safe very, very early this morning after she took off to get away from the chirping sound of the smoke detector due to low battery. Sending positive thoughts your way that your computer will be successfully “Un-Fucked” and all will be well very soon! 😊

  87. My day started at 4am so I could study for my two exams today but I have cheese for a snack so it’s a good day.

  88. Prisms in my window. The tiny rainbow spots moving across the wall make me amazingly happy!

  90. I’m happy you are writing a new book, can’t wait!
    Also I’m getting a beagle puppy tomorrow 🐶😍

  92. I’m in bed with my two kitties. Both were originally intensely shy, and it’s a victory to have them so comfortable they’re both cuddling on the bed! So, good, small things to celebrate. Good luck to you!

  94. When my old Macbook died I was living in Okinawa, Japan and took it to the one Apple approved repair shop on island. The guy looked at it and got a coworker to come out and tell me “Your data? Gonna be gone. Yeah?” Yeah. Here’s hoping your data gonna still be there.

    Currently making me happy is my one year-old who thinks making funny faces together is the most hilarious thing that has ever happened, except possibly for hug-tackling me while wearing a muslin blanket over her head in a game I call “snuggly ghost”. Also that she is right now taking a two-hour nap.

  95. Tomorrow we’re heading out of Austin to South Padre Island – home of Texas’ prettiest beaches, for you non-Texans 😉
    And today is my first day of vacation.

  97. I’m having dinner with two awesome friends tonight, and we are eating at one of my favorite places! Also, I just bought a bird necklace so I can put a bird on it whenever I want to. Thanks for introducing me to the wonder that is Portlandia!!

  98. I’m happy there are online backup services you can use from now on for your important docs so that you don’t have to worry about your machine so much. There’s lots of them; Microsoft, iCloud, Dropbox, IDrive. I’m no techie, but I don’t want you to cry so I’m offering up the little I know that might help. On my end, I’m happy that the barn got emptied out this morning and we’re headed to the county fair with the kids. It’s going to be 101 degrees all week and so I’m mostly happy the keg is already on ice. But can I get a whoop-whoop from all my fair peeps? This is good stuff for kids and families and I’m so happy our kids dragged us into it kicking and screaming. We mostly just sigh and grumble now but we always end up looking back with hindsight that erases all the headaches so that we’ll agree to do it again and again year after year. I’ll report back with any blue ribbon news. Happier travels, Jenny.

  99. Our 11yr old recently got a Pygmy goat that now thinks it’s one of our dogs and when it plays it runs completely sideways with his back 2 legs doing what I can only describe as a cheerleader tryout jump that went amiss….it always makes me happy lol

  100. I am happy that my daughter, her husband, her two bunnies made it through the Italian red tape and onto South Korean soil safely… although seeing it’s South Korea, “safe” certainly is a relative term, Good luck with the hard drive / apple staff <3 Remember that they may not be the best ones to help you. Even if they say it’s F-ed – take it to a computer forensics / recovery specialist. It could just be some bad sectors. Look at their Yelp reviews and maybe call your local police department and see if they can recommend a “guy” (or a gal)… It’s not dead until someone with that kind of knowledge says that it is.

  101. Also, I can hear my 13-year-old belting it out from the shower right now. That’s making me smile.

  103. I’ve had a bad writer block latelt but on the plus side it means more time to draw! And I can tell I ve improved so yeah, that’s my happy thing of the day

  104. Computer issues are beasts. We rely on them so much! Best of luck with the gurus (autocorrect wanted gnus – LOL) at Apple. I was fortunate to see a beautiful double rainbow on the way into to work today so I’ll take that as a good omen for the rest of the week. – K

  106. My dad, my sibling, qnd Is had our first family book clublast nightt. It was so fun and my dad was just tickled pink that we all got together to read books and talk to each other each month. It gave me all of the good warm and fuzzy feelings.

  107. Found a kitten in the engine compartment of my mom’s car a couple of days ago, or more accurately my dog Nodens did. The kitten does not completely seem to hate me now. He really should adore me for pulling him out by his butt and saving him from certain death, but that’s a cat for you, ungrateful things. We’re calling him Hannibal. I know that’s not super happy or exciting, but it’s the best I’ve got. My life is generally pretty dull.

  109. It’s raining so the kid across the street can’t bounce his basketball all day. It’s nice to have a break from that noise.

  112. I got to bottle-feed a tiny puppy the other day. Puppy-breath is a real thing.

  113. One of our cats was given 1-3 months to live (6 at the outside) by his regular and specialist vets but screw that; he celebrated his 1 year diagnosis anniversary July 12th. Every day he and I have a cat chat forehead to forehead. I ask if he wants to make it to the 12th of the next month or a little past that, but only if he feels good, and to tell me if he hurts. He purrs and wants to be squished and have his belly rubbed. Is he a dog in cat’s clothing? I obey. Prednisolone makes him hungry and fat but that’s okay. He’s 16+ years old.

    So every day is a tiny life celebration with my catdog boy.

  114. I’m happy my vacation is only 53 days away. Im happy I woke up to a text from my best friend.

  116. Recent exchange with my cousin’s kid:

    Kid: “Hey, [Krud], I love your car!”
    Me: “Thanks!”
    Kid: “I love old-fashioned cars!”

    It’s an old-fashioned 2005 Ford Focus.

    Let’s see, in other upbeat mundane happenings, I had a dream about a board game and by the time I woke up and took a shower it had solidified into a full-fledged legitimate game idea that I hope to make a reality, and is the most excited I’ve been about a creative endeavor of mine in w ahile. So I have that going for me, which is nice.

  118. I’m happy I got to pick up two copies of your signed book at Tattered Cover Denver yesterday! 😊

  119. My husband has two days off. Last night we celebrated with Coconut Rum and Diet Lime Coke – and we probably will again tonight.

  120. My husband and I have been together today for 28 years. We met and started dating when we were 15(!). We were children. I’m so incredibly lucky to have found the love of my life and to have been so happy for such a huge portion of my life.

  121. The sun came up and we are still breathing. That’s about as good as I’m getting right now.

  123. I’m happy that I just bought some new old stuff on ebay and I will be getting 2 cool packages in the mail!

  126. I do improv with 4 of the most amazing ladies. They’re talented, fun, supportive and people I love to hang out with because they are so amazing. They do improv with me! I wouldn’t have met them any other way. Last night, we had a terrifically playful show where we had new fans and old come out. It was also my husband and my 18th wedding anniversary and he was willing to come out to the show even though he knew he’d be super tired today. I’m rooting for you, Jenny! ❤️

  127. I’m grateful I haven’t been eaten by a preying mantis. I’m also grateful that my DIL’s high-risk pregnancy has made it to 34 weeks–each day is a victory for her and for the baby. I’m glad chocolate chip cookies exist.

  130. It’s sunny and warm after a weekend of cool and 4 inches of rain. Even though many people are going back to school soon, we still have a month of summer vacation left. Only 8 years until I can retire.

  133. My big, fluffy Bengal, Carmen CatDiego turns two years old today! Later we’re giving both cats some salmon and cat wine to celebrate.

  135. I have twelve working days left until I retire. So I’m happy about that………..I think. Or….my life as I know it ends on August 18th. But woohoo either way…..

  136. I am happy that i just dragged a chair to the outside near my office door so, if i HAVE to be on the phone for an hour, i can sit outside!

  137. AppleCare apparently (I don’t own Apples so second-hand info) rocks. A friend took hers in and they said, “yep, it’s fucked, have a new one.” And it’s amazing these days what they can save.

    So. Deep breaths, count to whatever number is necessary, and don’t panic until it’s absolutely necessary.

    Now. Distraction: Perhaps you need to learn to knit to help stay calm and to make chicken sweaters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_eVwLZCpc

  138. A new kitten moved into my yard and we’ve become friends. She’s not going to be happy when I haul her to the vet to be fixed but for now we’re pals.

  139. I love you!!!! but even when things are going wrong, you are way to smart and beautiful to have these ugly profanities seeping out of your mouth…. You are very, very, funny and do not need to use them for shock effect, your hilarious stories stand on their own and have me in stitches even without them. Love & Light, Rev T.

  140. My department moved downstairs to a mostly windowless area and thinking about doing it gave me anxiety and made me cry because I can’t stand not seeing outside. But then the VP wanted things rearranged and with that I was able to get my boss to switch me and a teammate so now, if I angle myself just right, I can see a sliver of window and now I don’t hate my job after all.

  141. I just decided I needed something to hang camisoles on in my closet and gosh darn it if Amazon didn’t have the perfect thing. (who knew) Sometimes the small things make me happy. Also weeding out stuff from my closet is making me happy today..because it is HOT out. So I am amusing myself inside. May the computer gods smile upon you!

  144. I have a birthday tomorrow and generally not feeling cringey or terrible about it, which makes me happy.

  146. My middle daughter comes home today and my eldest on Sunday. Also I still have 3 more weeks before I have to get dressed and see people and work in an office and stuff.
    Also gifs of raccoons who love peanut butter.
    And my cats. And my dog who is elderly and in heart failure but still acts like she’s a puppy.

  148. Going “down the shore” tomorrow for the first time in 3 years. Woohoo!!

  149. Happy thoughts…a little over 2 years ago my world was shattered. The happy thought is this, I am healing. I found someone who is helping. An angel who held me tight and pulled me from perdition, if you’ll forgive the Supernatural reference.
    Like all relationships it has its up and down s but so far more ups than downs.
    I was in a dark place a year ago. And though sometimes things still seem a bit shadowy and dim She brightens them up enough for me to find my way. I think Carl Jung said it best.
    “I am not what happened to me. I am who I choose to become.”

  151. I just finished your 2nd book this morning. I would love to have a drink with you in real life.
    Here is something happy: my daughter (15) is a cutter (suffers from anxiety, depression …) but has recently found her ‘tribe’. We are feeding a group of teens here in a few hours ( and last night we cooked side by side – I made lasagne & she made raspberry tarts.) It was a wonderful adventure. She was so happy. My cheeks hurt from smiling. I believe she will be alright.
    Thank you for your openness.

  152. I’m excited and happy to take my two boys to the movies tonight. Valerian looks awesome! Movies during the summer are fluffy and fun. AND it’s Tightwad Tuesday so it won’t cost a fortune.

  153. The gal I sat next to in my meeting today just had eyelid surgery to remove cancer from the skin, inner eyebally parts and tear duct. She was smiling and bruised on her face and it made me so happy to be healthy and eating my breakfast burrito on a lovely Tuesday morning.

  154. I’m having a bad work year due to my head not being in a good place, but a collaborator who I have met only once is supporting me and getting me through this. What really helps is that I’ve admired his work for years and it’s good to know he has admired mine.

  155. If this is the worst thing to happen to you today, you’re still one very lucky lady.

  156. I’m happy that my period FINALLY started today, which means that hopefully the heaviest days will be over with before Friday when I have to be at a library workshop. It’s a very lovely library and I would hate to bleed all over everything there. Because I totally would and that would be a NOT good thing.

  157. My cat had an ultrasound, and he doesn’t have cancer or an intestinal blockage or any of the horrid problems in my mind, he only has IBS and can be treated with medication and is NOT, I repeat, NOT going to die. It’s all good.

  161. I just adopted a dog a little over a week ago and he has already changed my life for the better!

  163. It’s not nearly as hot in central Texas as it is in central Venus. Because there’s no shade on Venus.
    I’m doing 4 stand-up shows this week and a couple of them are paying me with booze.
    My new knee is all healed up and doing well, although I have to get frisked after going through any metal detector ever. If I’d known that earlier in my life, I’d have carried my keys in my underwear.

  164. I watched a Peter Dinklage speech today and thought “aw fuck” because he made all the sense and now I think I’m supposed to chuck my job and actually do what I want to do. But then my travel blog page got a few extra likes so I’m feeling a bit more “yeah screw the job go do what you want dammit!” and for now that’s a good feeling.

  165. I found a turtle and a baby bunny hiding in my vegetable garden this morning!

  167. There are a few things that never fail to make me smile when I’m upset.
    The little girl in the ballerina bee costume from Blind Melon’s “No Rain” video. https://youtu.be/3qVPNONdF58
    Going to a coffee shop, sitting in the corner with a cup, and people watching. I like to make up conversations for them in my head.
    My pets are pretty awesome. They always cheer me up. Of course, it helps that one dog is full of wrinkles, another is full of fluff, and one of the cats looks like Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon…
    I like to look at my engagement photos, but mostly because we’re wearing masks (a horse head and a unicorn head).
    Lastly, when I get stressed or upset, I put on my headphones and I go for a walk at a nature preserve in town. Just music and solitude and nobody bothering me. Also, sometimes there are baby ducks and stuff and that’s pretty much the cutest.

  168. I became a grandfather for the 1st time 2 months ago. His name is JJ (short for Ja’miah Jedidiah) and he’s already my best friend. Being a dad is awesome and being a grandfather is awesome squared. If I could figure out how to post a photo I would because one look at his face and you’d forget about anything bad. My husband calls him our little mood enhancer.

  169. How about a joke? What do you call a waffle on a California beach? A Sandy Ego 🙂

  170. We adopted a new puppy. She’s a one year old Rottie/Lab mix and we get to take her home next week!

  172. I really want to post the pic my cat sitter sent me of my obnoxious Smoo sitting on her shoulders. He weighs 13 lbs and is currently shaved like a lion. You’ll just have imagine it. It was quite a sight. You’re welcome.

  173. I’m getting ready to start semester 4 of college, only two more til graduation.
    My sister is expecting, I’m super excited to be an aunt again!!!
    My dog and my Mom’s cat are now officially friends. I’ll send you a pic on Twitter.

  174. I just registered to take a photography course at my local community college and found out the school accepts payments! Soooooo excited right now!!

  175. So I woke up today! That is always a bonus. My husband also woke up, in fact he woke me up. That is a good thing too. We went to the gym and worked out. I did not hurt myself while working out. Which is a great thing because I actually popped a rib out of place a couple of months ago doing a glute exercise (basically a donkey kick with weights). I am now very nervous every time I work out and feel any kind of twinge in my back. I made a wonderful cup of coffee and then went outside. I am in Arizona so I was really happy to find the temperature 87 and cloudy. Most mornings it is too hot to stay outside for more than 10 minutes. I actually laid in the hammock cuddling with my old dog, so that was happy. Well except he is old and sometimes loses badder control. Well, it was happy until after I got up he peed on the hammock and the pillow. So then I had to clean it all. Not so happy! But the happy part is while cleaning the hammock with my hose, I decided to water the plants and saw my mint is growing back and my sweet potato plant is huge. Since I just tried the sweet potato plant for the heck of it and I don’t farm, I was really happy. Only I have no idea with a potato plant how you know when to pick it. I am happy that I may have actually grown something I can eat for dinner. Maybe! It will be a first. Also, I am a teacher and I go back to work/school Thursday so I am happy that today is not Thursday. I am currently reading a book on Abe Lincoln and after reading about his childhood, I am happy I did not live on the frontier back then!

  177. I just helped my 95-year-old friend write a letter of encouragement to Sen. Elizabeth Warren!

  178. When I am having a hard time, my company and coworkers have taken excellent care of me and my family for 19 years.

  179. My almost four year old started preschool this week. My husband worked from home today and dropped her off and picked her up. In between that the one year old took a 45 minute nap and my husband and I had sex. Best day ever!

  181. I’m happy because my 8 yo’s favourite player from the CFL gave him his phone number when we ran into him after a game. The look of awe and happiness on his face was priceless!

  182. I’ve had 2 laptops literally go snap, crackle, pop! I mean, one of them actually smoked a little while it sat there sizzling. And both times the local computer guru gal was able to retrieve ALL my stuff, even programs. These weren’t Apples, but hopefully the same will be true for you. It cost me a couple hundred each time, and a couple weeks of waiting while she worked her magic, but it was well worth it to get all my files, photos, work product, email (!!!), everything. Thinking good thoughts for you…

  183. I bought a new car. I’m 47 and it’s the first car I ever got to choose for myself. I LOVE it <3 <3 <3.

  184. In an absolute MASSIVE stroke of good luck, my car had to be towed and is out of service for a week and when I was walking back into the house after having the car towed I missed a step and jacked up my ankle so now I’m without a car and hobbling which means I can’t go to work since I drive long distances and climb things at my job and also i heard there’s a big layoff happening soon, but now I get to stay mostly reclined and watch every single thing on Netflix that anyone ever told me was any good which is pretty excellent. 🙂

  185. I’m happy it’s August 1. My birthday month celebrations will begin with National Mustard Day (8/5) at the Mustard Museum in Middleton, WI and conclude with the Cow Chip Throw (9/1) in Sauk City, WI. But mostly I’m glad my check was deposited last night so that I can go huy toilet paper!

  186. Deep breathes. It will all work out. I don’t know when. I don’t know what it will look like. But it will.

  187. Saturday will be the seventeenth anniversay of my motion-sick, water-avoiding-Pisces husband donning Sea-Bands and downing two Dramamine so he could accommodate my dream of getting married on an old-school party-barge from my youth on the lake in front of the cottage where I was conceived. It was a calm, flat day. He likes to remind me that he can get out of the marriage because he was under the influence of drugs during the ceremony. This reminder usually follows any admission that I’m right about something. 😍

  189. I scooped up a job interview today and it just so happens that the dress my 4-year old chose for me to wear is looking pretty dang sweet action. I am ready to dominate this interview. Best topic is talking about yourself…………..but of course…………………..

  190. I’m happy that so far today, my MI isn’t keeping me from being productive, I’m catching up on the last couple weeks of housework that MI has stopped me from doing.

  192. The bff has a lapfull of kittens that we’re taking to find homes for. They’re abonded sibling pair and they melt my cold heart.

  193. I just finished “Let’s pretend this never happened”, and i’m halfway through “Furiously Happy”, ad both are making me ridiculously happy! thank you for bringing so much laughter and joy into my world!!!

  194. I”m happy that I found you. Not in the creepy, stalker way like I’m standing right behind you but in the way that I finally listened to my big sister who has been telling me for years that I should read your blog and your books because you and Victor remind her of my hubby and me and our childhood was all weird too and we have had years of panic attacks and anxiety. And I didn’t want to read your books because I thought to myself why would I want to read about someone else’s anxiety? Won’t that just make mine worse being anxious about their anxiousness? But I’m happy to report that didn’t happen. In fact, I just finished your first book and it made me snort out loud. And it made me feel better that there are other people out there who struggle but manage. And I have my fingers crossed for your computer and am glad to hear your new book is safe. I’m going to need it when i finish the others.

  195. how bout a silly pic of my cat? oh darn, I don’t know how to imbed that in a comment box
    would a phonetically challenging joke help?
    2 olives were hanging out at the bar after a party and one of the olives rolled off the bar to the floor. his buddy rolled to the edge and looked down to ask his friend if he was okay. his friend replied “OL-LIVE”!!!
    hahahahahaha

  197. My AC died yesterday (which normally isn’t happy) but I had already scheduled a new one to be installed today. Now I don’t feel like I’m wasting the original one, I’m upgrading to the new federal requirements so I’m helping the environment, too. Summer in Kentucky (it’s both the heat and humidity) is not the best time to lose your AC!

  198. Happy thought.. ok so it’s really hard to top the otters and the butterfly.. but here it goes. I just discovered you and am buying your audio book. I have only listened to a small sample thus far but already think you are awesome. There you go. Bask in that for a bit.
    Also.. I have been working with computers since 1998. If the Apple Store decides your hard drive is bad, tell them you want to keep the drive. There is always a chance that the data is still recoverable.. so don’t give up on it.

  199. My elderly mom lives 4 hours away and my home/work schedules keep me from visiting as often as I would like. On Sunday we had a ‘date’ to talk on the phone and play canasta online. It was almost as good as being there so we’re going to make card dates a couple of times a week.

    Also, and completely unrelated, my dear husband and I took our dog to an event at our local cat rescue center. Yes, dogs were welcome, too. We have 3 cats and they’ve trained him to be well-behaved when in the presence of a ‘superior’ species (they’re legends in their own minds – if they weren’t so darn adorable they’d be absolutely insufferable.) All the guests at the event were lovin’ on my dog and he was so happy I thought his tail would fly off from over-enthusiastic wagging. We didn’t win the raffle but we donated to a great cause and the dog came home with another toy

  200. I’m happy because we still have leftovers in our fridge and don’t have to cook tonight.

  201. I have two brand new puppies named Sage and Basil. They have the best stinky puppy breath and make me laugh out loving. I’m actually countingg minutes until I can go home and see them again.

  202. Little fun facts:
    When I was in grade 8… five years ago now, we made Christmas decorations at school, and mine was a wooden plaque that I painted for my mom with a picture of Beyonce the Metal chicken on the front and on the back it read “Knock, knock, mofo” I wrote Mofo in case a teacher saw me writing it. I was prettty sure they didn’t know what mofo was but “Mother fucker” would’ve been pretty obvious.

    The first line in my first Youtube video for a trailer that has brought me and many people together, was for a guy who broke down a door and yelled “KNOCK, KNOCK, MOTHER FUCKERS.” I think you can tell that I really enjoyed the story of Beyonce. This was 2 and a half years ago. I now work with a wonderful team of incredibly talented people from all over the world and meet a few of them annually at a convention. The convention this year is in 30 days.

  203. I’m going swimming with my six-year-old nephew, who has more energy than any one human should have. Seriously, he’s been here since last Saturday and I’m exhausted. But he’s so sweet and kind hearted so it’s been great to have him.

  204. Unless you actually ground the hard drive into powder, the data is most likely recoverable; if there’s no major physical damage it probably won’t even cost much to recover it (depending on the techs at Apple, it might not cost any extra! They have some smart and talented people there).

    As for a happy thought, here’s the one I’m coasting on:
    Yesterday my wife-type-human and her daughter went out for a mommy-daughter day, the plan was a movie and supper. After the movie, walking to the restaurant, Sammy (my stepdaughter, who while she doesn’t dislike me, mostly doesn’t acknowledge me) asked her mom to text me and see if I wanted to join them for supper. She didn’t want me sitting at home all by myself. It meant a lot to me. If a 12-year-old girl can open up a bit to her stepdad, the world can’t be all bad.

  205. Our very twitchy lunatic ginger cat just crawled up next to me, had a massive knead/nuzzle/drool session into my blanket, and curled up into a purring ball of snuggle by my legs. A rare and much-enjoyed treat from him. Breathe, let the Apple boys work their magic, and invest in a backup hard drive. 😉

  206. I am having the best Alaskan summer I’ve ever had. I am so happy to have my daughter in town before she goes to China. I have 2 bonus daughters that have come into my life whom I love & I feel so loved by the most amazing man that I love. It’s almost more happy than I can bear.

  207. My last apple computer would decide to implode with some frequency. But if I gave it long enough, it always came back and I could back it up. I mean I literally once left it alone for a week or two and then it miraculously started back up. So, don’t give up hope yet. Sometimes the gremlins in the machine just need to calm down.

    As far as happy things… I went to an arboretum this weekend with my kids (which was a… thing because of moodiness all around), and we found this really cool tree/bush that had these gorgeous flowers hanging off of it upside down. It was all kinds of pretty colors and just beautiful and ridiculous because they were all upside down. And then I went home and find out it’s more ridiculous and fantastic because not only do the flowers grow upside down, they only are fragrant at night and it turns out the whole thing is poisonous. I feel like this plant is all of us. Beautiful, but ridiculous as all hell. The are called “Angel’s Trumpets” http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/annual/angels-trumpet/

  208. My two analog clocks in my bedroom tick in time to each other (one ticks at half the ticks the other one does) , so it makes a funky beat. That’s the first thing I hear (after the alarms, of course).

  209. Right now I am rocking my 1st grandchild He is 5 weeks old. In another 4 weeks my 2nd grandson will be born … I was sitting here thinking its a good thing I don’t have dinosaur arms, or CeeLo arms as well call it in our family. They would be too short to fit around 2 babies at once .

  210. I’m happy to know that you’re writing a new book! Also happy that there’s a new Levar Burton Reads podcast story to listen to. I’m also happy that I heard about his podcast here …it’s my new favorite thing ( along with iced chai latte).

  211. Samwise Pupper McCleod of the Clan McCleod has not had any accidents in the house for 3 days now! It cooled down to the high 90’s in Austin, and what a difference that makes.

  212. My 70 something auntie just sent me a birthday card with a business proposal for an idea she had, using some kind of magical feathers to decrease sex drives. I can’t make this shit up.

  213. I got an email from my cable company today giving me “Complimentary HBO” and, since I’m a word person, I started thinking about how, yeah, they just mean it’s free, but wouldn’t it be funnier if it could be HBO telling me that I look marvelous? I would turn that channel on every day!

  214. I’m happy because after 35 years of being alone, and hurting, I have found a wonderful man who loves me for who I am. Someone who I regularly drive 2 hours one way to see, teice a week just for the smile he brings to my face and the joy he brings to my life.

  215. I’m happy because to date three monarch butterflies have “hatched” on my milkweed plant this year. And because a stray cat recently adopted me and he’s fabulous.

  216. I just got finished going my second cataract surgery…and more drops…now in both eyes…the drops are the worst part…and I can’t bend lift anything over 20 lbs and can’t let sweat get in my eye…there you go..

  218. Listening to my oldest and youngest happily eating their lunch downstairs. Filled with gratitude I’m able to work from home.

  220. July is behind us, and wasn’t as excruciatingly hot as usual. Things in my part of Texas are still a little bit green. There is still water in my lake. These things make me very happy. Only one more month of the crazy hot summer temps! We can get through this! Fall is coming! (All two days of it!)

  221. I am happy my mother in law made spontaneous plans to come out and visit this weekend from the East Coast. No sarcasm, I really am happy about that. I actually really like my MIL and it’s free babysitting (cause lets face it, she’s coming to see the kid, not us!!)

  222. Don’t worry! I bet it’s all there. I wrote tons of pages over a month and thought I lost everything when my system crashed. Everything was recovered.

  223. I found this quote and wanted to send your way – you bring so much happiness to me I’m happy to help you cheer up in some way:
    You carry so much love in your heart. Give some. To yourself.

  225. I’m listening to a beautiful audio book, and have a moment to just sit and listen and draw. Also, breakfast this morning was super tasty.

  227. I’m happy that my husband brought home fresh doughnuts this morning. Admittedly, he brought them AFTER he went to the gym at 5:30 AM, but still. Fresh doughnuts!

  228. Not all my hair is turning gray. I have a random dark brown one that has sprouted on the inside of my right forearm (clearly in a spot not usually inhabited by hair). I tried to take a picture to go with my good news, but I can’t take a photo with my left hand. Well, I can, but it usually isn’t the photo I was trying to get!

  229. Listening to the Theft By Finding audiobook read by David Sedaris. It doesn’t get much better than listening to him read his own stuff.

  230. I am home on a post-vacation recovery day. My IBS decided to flare on the last day of the trip, so I’m happy to be home with my dogs and a day of rest ahead.

  232. Despite rheumatoid arthritis, I can still type (slower, but whatever) and play my guitar (not as well, but good enough). And I have a copy of Furiously Happy to listen to.

  233. I bought 5 sex-linked chicks, meaning they were sexed to be sure they are hens. But two of them want me expected me to spend money for transgender surgery. I now have three roosters, when my flock can only support 1 rooster. No idea what to do. I was going to have them enlisted in the military in the cooking program, but now they aren’t accepting transgender recruits. Though, I honestly don’t know if that includes transgender roosters that were hens. In the meanwhile, their hormones are screwed up and I can’t afford their daily hormone medications, so I have to stay outside to make sure the three roosters don’t start fighting. Which means I am basically sitting on my back porch watching the hens have sex against their will and providing a cigarette to the roosters after they’ve had sex. I’ve never smoked, so I didn’t realize that a carton of cigarettes is nearly as expensive as the medications for transgender hens that want to be roosters. The alpha rooster herds his favorite hens into the coop every morning, so they can lay their eggs. He paces in front of the egg laying boxes or stands in the doorway to block it from the hens and transgender roosters that have flocked together. I assume he is telling them that his bitches were there first and they get first dibs on the egg laying boxes. Their bitches have to wait. I think the alpha rooster takes the mock Clint Eastwood (Do you feel clucky today?) sign on the front of the coop seriously.

    https://chickenart.com/collections/artwork/products/clint-nestwood

  234. My daughter and I moved to this whole other state because a friend assured us it was totally copasetic if we moved in with her. Turns out, not so much, her landlord is freaking out and we have to move this month. I know no one else in this area, I’m self-employed and I’ve already got one eviction on my record, so I’m freaked right TF out that no one will rent to me and we’ll end up in a shelter. Umm …. feel better yet? God I suck at this.

  235. EVER so happy to have air conditioning, and that I just force fit to extra filters into my cheap as f*@k air conditioner because I am that bad-ass. Also – totally happy that I had enough duct tape to make the “blankety blank blank” filter cover “fit” back on. AND…I’m sure my husband will be totally happy when the cover flies off in the middle of the night and smacks him (not me, mind you – definitely him) in the face and leaves a scar he can brag about to his friends. 😀

  236. I hosted ten girls ages three to eight for a fancy tea party at my less than fancy home and they loved it. Other moms helped me when I was overwhelmed and a fried made her gift crafts for the kids. I love my tribe!

  237. My baby boy is turning SIX today, and I’m pretty sure that he’s gonna stop being such an asshole now.

  238. My four month old kitten and I just finished playing a frantic game of chase/hide-and-seek (I think that’s what we were doing, but she may have a totally different take on the rules). We take turns running down the hall and ducking through a doorway to hide until the other races past. I jump out and yell, “Boo!” She then takes off back down the hall to hide. When I run past, she leaps out with her front legs raised high above her head (imitating my gestures when I jump out). I take ‘squeal in terror’, because the kitten loves that, and run off laughing hysterically as I take my turn hiding. My other, older cat, stares at us like we have both gone insane (she’s not far off the mark). Oh, and if it helps the mental picture of this ridiculous image, I’m a great-grandmother.

    Then, still out of breath, I check my computer and read that you have another book in the works! Well, of course you do … but just saying … we heard it here first!!!!

    So, it’s been a doubly wonderful morning. No, make that triple-wonderful; running through the house with my kitten counts as exercise! Haven’t laughed this much in a very long time.

  240. I have insurance if the supposed damage in my downstairs neighbor’s (AKA the a$$hat) turns out to be real and somehow turns out to be from a totally unknown issue in my unit.

  241. I got a job as a professional mascot after wanting to be one for YEARS AND YEARS and it’s exactly as awesome and fun as I thought, even when it’s 100 degrees outside. I’m a pickle. A professional pickle. A cuke for hire.

  245. Hang in there, Jenny. All is probably not lost – it just may take a while to get to it. Breath deeply and expect the Universe to take good care of you.

  246. I’m 47 and currently in law school (going into public interest law) after 20 years of waiting to go. And I’m finally doing something that will make a difference for at least one person. That makes me happy.

  248. I’m happy, because I know there really are Genius working at Apple and they’ll help you out. Also, the end is near for SCROTUS (so called ruler of the U.S.)

  250. A year ago I was I the depths of depression and anxiety and only days away from checking into a psych ward. Today… well, I’m not depressed or anxious, I am functioning well at my job and I am starting school tomorrow to finish my bachelors degree.

  252. If my miniature schnauzer saw you, he would be so happy. He’s happy to see everyone, but just imagine a little bearded dog with a nub tail wiggling so fast his butt has to wiggle with it.

  254. Don’t you worry pumpkin, but get yourself a large backup drive to take with you when you go to Apple just in case. They can transfer your hardrive onto it, then you use that to boot a new computer and eveything is exactly as it was. My IMac fried during a power outage, it wouldn’t even turn on but they got the hardrive I hadn’t backed up!

  256. I bought myself pretty roses Sunday and they are brightening up my kitchen.

    I am going to order a kids meal from outback for lunch. If you order the grilled chicken and a side salad it’s only $7.50 and I feel like I have tricked them. You can’t do this if you are dining in, but you can get it to go.

    I will be taking Friday off from work for my birthday.

    My friend is attempting to make me a gluten free cake for said birthday. No matter how it turns out, I will feel loved.

  258. Oh no no no no! I’d be in tears too. Yuck.

    Um..something happy. Something happy. OK.
    The other day I told my son the “Pete and his brother Repeat” joke 4 times before he got it.

    For those of you who’ve never heard the joke, here it goes.

    Pete and his brother Repeat were in a boat. Pete fell out. Who was left?

    Repeat.

    (Repeat ad nauseum until they figure out they’re not supposed to say “Repeat” because you’ll just repeat the same thing over again.)

  259. I got to meet a lot of really great people today who are trying to make the world a better place!

  260. After being out of work for about six month I finally got a job working at a sex shop. It makes me happy how happy most people who are buying dongs and vibrators are. I mean, genuinely cheerful! Good vibrations, Jenny!

  261. I just bought tickets to go see my favorite band in the pines with my sister and cousins later this month. So, road trip to cooler weather, with family, to hear great music, and probably get drunk on excellent tequila!

  263. It’s my birthday. My 3 three kids and 2 dogs snuggled in bed with me this morning and made me late for work. My husband and my boss sent me flowers. I’m going to drink an entire bottle of champagne tonight and I’m hopefully going to the beach this weekend. 😀

  264. I am buying my first home…no man involved. It is a huge deal as I never thought I would be able to do any of this without relying on a man. I can do it, I will do it, I AM doing it!

  267. My cute Devon Rex cat and kitten Cleo and Jonah
    My girls, Cavaliers Matilda and Lucy. They are both in bed snoring. Although it’s Ioud I like it because one day I won’t be hearing it anymore.

  269. I went rollerblading along the beach today instead of going to work. 🙂
    I hope your computer gets fixed soon.

  270. I’m happy that my 5 year old daughter, who I call the Overlord, is thriving in pre-school. She just started swim lessons and loves it. I’m very proud of her.

  271. I am happy and so very grateful for having the best doctor in the world. The best thing is that she never gives me up. She has been there with me through panic attacks, flashbacks, flood of tears and she is my angel.

  273. I’ve been there, lost things, electronic things. It hurts but, Jenny, they are things, just things. You are still here and you are very much loved and appreciated. Please know that it’s stuff lost not the best of you.

  277. After five days in the psych ward I finally came home yesterday. Last night I spent an hour sniffing my 9yr olds skin, hopefully not in a creepy way but I’m unclear at this point.

  278. I tried to send a text message with a box of sunscreen, and pre-treated a stain with febreeze. My week has been awesome so far.

  279. I bought new quilting fabric called Sand in My Shoes that looks like colors from the ocean and the beach.
    I am happy to read all this good news from people–so far it’s 243 posts!

  282. My five-month-old has been trying for nearly two weeks to imitate us blowing raspberries. This morning, he was whining in his crib in the wee hours, calling for us from the other room while he crawled around on all fours. I switched on the lamp, turned him over, lifted him into my arms — and he promptly blew a perfect raspberry, spraying me with spit from my hairline to my collarbones, and then laughed gleefully for nearly a minute straight. It was a delightful way to start my Tuesday 🙂

  284. My hard drive completely melted down beyond repair and I had NO BACKUP. Not only all my files (including tax & other important docs that I didn’t have hard copies of) but I’m the keeper of my job (which is a virtual web-based biz) files too. What a loser! I totally freaked but all my data was retrieved despite worse-case scenario. Yours is there somewhere too. There is special equipment that can do this as I found out…not cheap but worth it. Now I’m backed up in the cloud…lesson learned. Try not to panic, you haven’t lost everything.

  286. You aren’t me and you don’t have to find all of your business receipts from the whole last year and reconcile all of your bank statements on Quickbooks which you don’t know how to work today because you have a meeting with the accountants tomorrow and you’ll go to jail if you don’t get the taxes filed right this time plus be fined eleventy million dollars even though the business hasnt made a profit yet and you’re already sleepy and it’s only 9 am.

  287. This social anxiety riddled chick got out and had a really good date Sunday night.

  288. That otters + butterfly + Shostakovich video keeps me smiling. After a crushing bout of depression that kept me from writing for about a month, I seem to have my writing mojo back. The fog has burned off and the sun is shining. For the first time since moving to CA 13 months ago, my blood pressure was back to normal at yesterday’s MD appointment.

    Backblaze. They have saved my sanity more than once. I love them.

  289. Sorry about the Canada post. That link didn’t copy correctly – I thought I was posting about loose elephants!

  290. My cat Bob likes to sleep on my feet when I’m wearing my Ugg slippers. He weighs 18# so he tends to pin me down which is cool. I can’t do chores or run errands because I don’t want to disturb Bob. Bob naps and I catch up on my reading – this makes both of us happy.

  293. Sorry about the Canada post (# 283). That link didn’t copy correctly – I thought I was posting about loose elephants!

  294. I’m happy Season 3 of Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce is on Netflix. I’m also happy I took the high road today instead of being petty and making a horrific situation worse. Sometimes doing what’s right is a lot less satisfying than being petty, but it’s the right thing to do.

  295. It will be ok. I hope it’s like the time I called IT with an issue and they looked and looked and looked while I noticed the computer appeared to not be plugged in. May that be the case for you so that you may also walk around laughing hysterically every time you see the IT guy.

  297. I am finally coming out of a 3 year bout of depression! It’s amazing to actually feel good again. Don’t worry. Those techie folks will fix your computer! So happy you are working on a new book!

  299. My best friend is coming to see me. We have known each other since we were 11 but we hardly ever see each other. When we do, we just carry on from where we left off. I haven’t seen her for three years and I’m really looking forward to showing her the beauties of South Wales – castles, ancient churches, lovely villages, cliffs and beaches.

  300. I had a hysterectomy a week ago and I was really really scared but recovery is going great.

  301. I have paint. Paint is good. I get to make happy paintings with it. Hard to get much better than that…unless you also have bourbon.

  303. On this day in 2013, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, my rainbow baby. I always enjoy celebrating all of my milestones of being pregnant with her because I thought I’d never experience it. It also happens to be my nana’s birthday so I think I’ll call her and send her good wishes.
    I’m sorry about your computer and send you good tech vibez. 💚

  304. I filled out the paperwork to renew my passport today. I don’t have any plans to travel at the moment, but having a passport will make it more fun to daydream about visiting places I’ve never been.

  306. That young otters suck their tail when they fall asleep. Like children sucking their thumbs.

  307. My boyfriend is in IT, and they can retrieve ALMOST ANYTHING from a fucked computer. There is hope!

  308. I literally followed the circus truck to work today. I’m hoping it’s not a sign of how my day will be lol.
    And I’m sure the government has all your data backed up if you need it 😉

  309. Hearing you’re working on a new book has been the happiest thing I’ve heard all day. I love your work. It’s saved me on more than one occasion. How cool is it that you are such a hero. You’ve literally saved lives. Probably thousands. All because you had the balls to tell your story and love people you don’t even know. Please don’t cry. We all love you very very much.

  310. I’m happy when my kitties cuddle with me and purr in my ear.

    Also, I’m happy that my boss encourages the taking of “mental health days”.

  312. It rained in OKC this morning. That makes me very happy. We haven’t had a good rain here in over 2 months.

  314. I’m wearing a cute dress that I sewed, and I remembered to bring a scarf to work because my office is FREEZING. And anytime I can remember to do something I’m supposed to, I feel like a boss who is winning at life, even if it’s something silly like “bring a scarf to the freezing cold office.”

  315. I’ve got no happy things. I almost laid my hand right on a giant cockroach at work, as it was hiding in the paper towel roll. I called the City Of San Antonio on the jerks in the bodyshop next door for blocking our parking lot again (which made me happy), and today is the 14th anniversary of my mom’s death.
    So my day is kind of shit.
    HOWEVER….Apple people are pretty magical and I’m quite certain they can find and save all your stuff.

  317. I’m happy for ONE DRIVE – free cloud backup. I can access files from anywhere I’m logged in, and it’s FREE (for the amount I’m using.) No worries at all about my PC dying and losing data. & I’m happy I have a husband who’s an IT guy who helped make sure I had it set up.
    Sorry to rub it in, but it IS something I’m happy about!

  318. Today is my dog’s birthday. Gotta be happy for that! She is a year old and still looks like a gremlin.

  319. For almost 20 years my daughters and I have taken lots of day trips in the summer. Today my daughters took off on their own day trip, shopping and exploring places we have never been before. I’m feeling proud of them, a wee little bit left out and a wee little bit worried about driving in a big city without mama or dad but,mostly happy that they want to spend the whole day together exploring.

  320. You might need to wait until your computer is working (sending good techie energy your way) before trying to view these, because I predict you will want to look at all of them!

    amazing tiny crochet animals: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SuAmi?ref=l2-shopheader-name

    amazing felted? animalshttps://www.etsy.com/shop/ClaudiaMarieFelt?ref=shop_sugg

    and thank you, all commenters before me, LOVED reading all the fun things.

  321. As long as a hard drive is physically intact, its data can be recovered (often even if it’s damaged.) May take a non-Apple tech, but there are plenty around.
    For whatever it’s worth, after I lost a lot of work to unrecoverable hard drive crashes (yeah, twice, I learn slowly), I back my stuff up weekly to two separate backup drives (one is external), and if I’ve done any important writing or other work I back that up on a flash drive at the end of the day. Probably a little OCD.
    Also for whatever it’s worth, I really don’t care for Apple products – they’re like Italian sports cars: flashy, pretty, overpriced, and high-maintenance. Come to think of it, that also describes my second wife…
    Also, SSDI finally approved my application after only four and a half years of fighting back and forth, with the VA having already declared me 100% disabled before it even started (the Social Security Judge, Judge Gaslight, just sniffed and said the VA had different standards.)
    Now I have some playing with cats to do – good luck with your computer.

  323. Gahhh…. fucked computers are the worst kind, I hate that. I am loving that I have a Nanny day today, which means I get to hide away on my own, write, draw, whatever I fancy really! WHoop!

  324. Trust in the Apple Store people. They should be able to fix it.

    I agree with Megs… I use OneDrive for everything… You get a terabyte with a basic office365 subscription, which is all email and such for about $6 a month.

    Even paid separately though, it’s well worth it. 🙂

  325. My best friend has been fighting his depression for years, and suddenly seems to be winning the fight! His new motorcycle is bringing him so much joy, and seeing him happy is making me happy too. Also I finished the tough part of my chemo, and I’m feeling so much better. After all the complications I went through, I’m thrilled to have it behind me. This next round is supposed to be easier, and I definitely deserve easier.

  326. I am taking sign language classes to become an interpreter. I am really enjoying the classes and making it to them in spite of my severe anxiety and agoraphobia.

  327. Happy things! I’ve had two glasses of wine, my house will be on the market in two weeks and I will go move home to my father, andddd my cat won’t stop giving me love.

  329. Today is my 54th birthday! My hubby took the dog out at 6 before he left for work and accidentally woke me, so he said happy birthday. My daughter texted me at her midnight (different time zones) with a pic of a stripper. We’re weird like that. My son and ex texted me with birthday greetings. My hair is recovering from the 5 inches I cut off in January and finally covers my shoulder blades again! It needs dying, on the other hand I dye it magenta, so no one thinks it’s my natural color anyway.

    And my daughter told me they’re moving, then asked if I can come to Florida for a couple of weeks this fall to be there when the wee dictator comes home from school, till she can get daycare arranged. Of course!

    Oh, and I got two pairs of suede boots for $35 in a clearance buy one get one sale. Gotta love that kinda bargain! Hugs to you in the computer woes!

  330. I don’t know a lot about computers but I do know it is hard to lose everything anymore; and I DO know about anxiety and that it is easy to go to the worst case scenario without stopping along the way. So deep breath, and trust that things will be fine. And even if they are not – you can get through that too!

  331. It’s a beautiful day in Michigan and we are playing hookey from everything and going to the beach. Your stuff is still in your computer. The Apple Geeks will find it. XOX
    Christa

  332. I painted my fingernails last night and it’s a new color. I am not completely sure about it but it’s okay. I haven’t redone the polish on my toes since March when I visited my daughter in Florida. I just keep painting over the old where it needs it. I hate doing my toenails and I am so proud of this genius way of stretching out a pedicure. I am going to shave my legs today and touch up my toes and I will look like I have spent all kinds of time on personal grooming when I haven’t. Genius

  333. I lost my online teaching job and people are donating to my classroom for when I have to go back to traditional teaching bc I haven’t had a paycheck since June and can’t afford to get the things I need. The generosity of others is amazing.

  335. Designed my engagement ring and wedding band, and have solid direction for his as well… so incredibly happy looking into the future!

  337. I’m confident you’ll get your computer data restored!
    Meantime… hmm…. happy things… my almost-8-year-old (very mild mannered and typically quiet) daughter discovered she has some Norse ancestry on one side of the family, and has decided to identify herself as a Viking. She now lets put a piercing battle-cry or shrieks like a banshee throughout the day to show enthusiasm (or any other emotions). Apparently, this is how real Vikings behave, or so she tells me. It’s really quite endearing and hilarious.

  339. All these posts made me happy… can you imagine us all in a room? I mean together, not separate little rooms? Happy chaos would ensue.

  340. I’m excited for the total solar eclipse and thought I’d invite a few friends over because our new home is in the path of totality. It’ll be around 1:15, so I’ve decided I better offer something to eat, but was wondering what until I realized the obvious: cheese! It works on so many level. (I may be overtired.)
    Kiddos hugs also have been sustaining me.

  341. We haven’t had A/C for 2 months. Today it gets turned back on. It is only 86 degrees in the house now so I don’t even know why I need it 🙂
    Apple always solves my techy crap. It will be good (and I did cry in the Apple store twice so it is totally ‘normal.’)

  342. This morning I saw a huge truck with a phone number on the front, 506-DOUG, and then DOUG’S RUBBISH on the side, and then I noticed this little old man sitting in the front seat, looking cheerful and determined and undeniably DOUG.

  343. I just cut my grass and now my yard looks so nice! And so do my flower beds🌼🌹🌸

  344. I have a candy Ring Pop waiting for me at home when I’m done work!!! 🙂 Sometimes it’s the little things!

  345. I had the opportunity to spend a little time with a friend I hadn’t seen in over 30 years. Plus, I got really good pizza in the bargain!

  346. I just finished eating a unicorn sweet bread and all that is left is pink, purple and aqua unicorn crumbs on my plate.

  347. Day 2 of an allergic reaction, but the kids are being awesome, the couch and blanket are cozy, and one of the kitties is curled up with me, purring.

  348. It would have been my 38th wedding anniversary a couple days ago, if I hadn’t gotten divorced 12 years ago. I celebrated that it was NOT my anniversary.

  350. The baby boy who joined me in the world 17 years ago asked for my homemade mac & cheese on his bday. Proving that no matter how old and “manly” we get, we always need our moms:). Makes this mom happy! Plus, I have a 90-lb. furry ball of joy–my rescue dog–snuggling at my side at this very moment.

  351. I can’t waiting for the new book. Furiously Happy helped me out of a bad place better than any meds. I laughed out loud! I had to take reading breaks because my eyes were so scrunched up from laughing! My husband said it made him so happy to hear me laugh again. Then I read Let’s Pretend…! I tell everybody about you, how funny, smart, talented, brave, and helpful you are. I know this comment isn’t funny, but I hope it cheers you. I’m hoping for a speedy and complete recovery for your computer!

  354. What you should do is google Fiona the hippo from the cincinnati zoo – I promise you’ll smile 🙂

  356. My father had knee surgery on July 10th. When I saw him this past weekend the spark was back in his eyes. When I asked him if I could bring him anything he asked for liverwurst from a local butcher shop. It thrills me that he is well enough to have a craving. He starts PT today!

  357. I am happy that I still had enough leftover soup that I did not have to cook anything new for lunch.

  359. My foster cat went from hiding in boxes and not eating anything (seriously, I was freaking out) to full on cuddly sleeping-on-my-bed lover mode in only a couple of weeks. Now to get her to stop freaking out about the cats that actually live there…

  360. After pulling it apart 9 times, I finally figured out why the second fingerless glove wasn’t looking like the first one I crocheted last night. That might not sound as exciting as it really is. But trust me… it was the highlight of my day.

  362. I’m happy that we burned the giant brush pile the previous house owner left… and it did NOT set anything else on fire.

    Also, I back up my shiz on Mozy Dropbox and Back blaze. Because I’m paranoid after losing my first three novels to a crash.

  364. I have my three Grandkiddies from Colorado here in Seattle for the week while the parental units are cruising to Alaska. Kids are great granddog, pooped on the carpet tWice this morning while teenagers slept in

  367. my chiropractor says she thinks i’m NOT having a vertigo attack (again), but my spine & muscles were tightly bound up from top to bottom. to me, that is great news!

  369. Ok what’s making me happy right now is pretty epic and thanks to your books. I didn’t listen to anxiety or depressions voice and went for a few things and this is the result:
    -I’m painting an X Files mural on a wall of a coffee shop with other talented artists doing their own murals
    -I am having a poem published in an anthology
    -My photographs were among the selected to be in this years university agenda
    -And I gave my first public motivational speaking on mental health and my story to a small group and didn’t pass out or run away. After I hugged your Furiously Happy Book cause your books are my security blanket

    Hope your computer gets unfucked. Wait, that sounds wrong.

  370. I had been procrastinating on doing something little that wasn’t terribly important. Last night I discovered that I had, in fact, already done it and just totally forgotten. Yay!
    Also, I’m happy that I’m no longer an anorexic vampire (hypovolemic). It turns out that there are pills that can fix that. I call them my anti-vampirism pills. 🙂

  371. My friends & I ( 4 women) were in Oklahoma & we asked the hotel concierge if there were any Tapas restaurants in town & she looked horrified & scornful & said “We don’t have those sorts of things here.” Later we realized she thought we asked for TOPLESS restaurants

  372. I thought I lost 7500 pictures on my phone a few months ago including the newborn pictures of my youngest. I got it working after about 18 hours though and a lot of internet scouring and a call to Apple. And I might have finally learned my lesson about not leaving 7500 unbacked up photos on my phone that could get lost or stolen or broken at any moment.

  373. I texted my best friend from the bathroom stall yesterday : How can I be constipated when I have been living on Smoothies for a week; they literally have the word SMOOTHIE as a name?

    Signed: Backed up in Seattle

  374. I let a guy go before me In the checkout line at Central Market since he only had one item and the turd did not even thank me! Of course I bitched about him the rest of the time undoing my nice gesture. Lots of turds out there people💩💩 Don’t be a turd! 🤗

  375. I found my a-hole cat on top of my fridge just now. His shock was genuine when I walked in, and rather than have the decency to show some kind of effing shame, his reaction was to jump on me like a rabid flying squirrel. And he doesn’t even have the balls to look or act ashamed or even a slight bit embarrassed.

  376. I’m so very happy that it’s raining and the high today is supposed to be in the low 80s after two weeks of brutal hundred degree weather. Breathing a sigh of relief – in fresh air.

  377. I am happy today because after work I am doing some fun HAM radio stuff with a couple friends. It will be a great time!

  378. I am making a big batch of Super Bubble Solution so my kids and nieces can celebrate my Grandmothers 97 th Birthday tomorrow We LOVE super bubbles. The bigger the better!

  379. Someone sent me this and I find it quite calming. This is my kind of meditation.

    F*ck That: An Honest Meditation. (Audio is NSFW.)

  380. As others have mentioned, I’m happy you’re working on a new book! Yesterday I even managed a completely happy moment – the first one in many years. Everything’s coming up Milhouse!
    PS – If Apple is unable to recover the data, feel free to reach out. I haven’t met many hard drives I wasn’t able to work with 🙂

  381. I’m happy that someone I sort of see around my workplace every now and then happened to mention your book and blog, and now I get to read it.

  382. I’ve been in the “MY COMPUTER IS FUCKED” place before. Then my hubby recited some mystical incantations, we sacrificed a pirated copy of Windows 95 over a raging bonfire, and I sang, “99 jpegs of pics on the drive, 99 jpegs of pics” and everything magically came back. Hope the same happens for you. hugs

  383. I’m happy that it’s a beautiful day and I will be with my daughter after work.

  385. It’s the first of August and I have decided to begin a new art journal in which I am going to tell all the critics in my head (and maybe elsewhere) to shut up — I AM an artist, I don’t need to give it up already just because I am older, nothing has to be for sale (ie: please anyone else) and Grandma Moses was older than me when she started, so there! Or something like that. I am also going to leave a libation of strong coffee for the computer goddess just in case …

  386. I’m concerned about alligators moving into the lake our house is on in Arkansas. My caretaker who feeds the geese says ask the “swamp people” in southern Arkansas because they will know how far the alligators have migrated. So now I have a lead.

  388. Last week, I rescued a cat off the side of the freeway. After the shelter I took her to rejected her as “not adoptable”, I picked her up and took her home, because she is so sweet and clearly they are nuts. She has wounds on her paw pads and has trouble walking, but she’s clean and cared for and starting to be a real cat again!

    I named her Posy, and she’ll be staying with me as long as it takes to find her a lovely forever home.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BXPRUecAVsk/?taken-by=heidisomething

  389. My very first ever submitted short story gets published today!!! I don’t have a link to the magazine yet, but it’s gonna be out there in the world sometime soon. Though I am ecstatic about it, I am also so terrified I can hardly breathe. But, I’m getting paid for it, so yay there!

  391. I think it’s that time of year where crying is inevitable. Or maybe crying just really is inevitable anytime of the year? Wait, that didn’t make any sense….so on that note, I’m happy my medication seems to be wearing off an my brain is slowly working again. Oh, and Law & Order episodes. Those always make me happy.
    P.S. You’ll get your stuff back!

  392. My Great Niece & Nephew are here on vacation with their Mom & Dad. They are 6 & 4 years old respectively (the Great Niece & Nephew, not their Mom & Dad). I got to spend the day at the pool with them all on Sunday. I’m still floating on the cloud of happiness and we still have 10 more days to play together. It doesn’t get any better than that.

  393. I read a Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyway) tweet with the following: “Anyone point out that a Donald Trump anagram is Lord Dampnut?’

    I hope that makes you giggle like I did. Sending you a crapton of positive mojo from IL.

  394. What’s making me happiest right now is that another book you wrote exists, and has been printed out for safe keeping!

  395. Took my 14-year old pup to the park – she sauntered and sniffed to her heart’s content. Now snoring in the shade. A good morning 😀

  396. I am happy that on Thursday, I, along with 3 of my best friends, get to hop on a pickle boat and sail over to a pub where we will drink beers, laugh and enjoy each other’s company until the sun sets. I am so fucking blessed.

  399. My son finally got statutory time with his children and they are arriving tonight for a one week visit with him and us. Doing the happy dance.
    Barbara