Looking back at most of my posts, I've noticed that most of them have been at the least negative and at the most quite angry (even after quite a lot of self censoring). So instead of me discussing why I think this happens, I have decided that it's time for me to be a bit more positive. This will be a collection of positivity, and I think that I will also include some positiveness in other things to come. Bear with me on this, it isn't something that I excel at.
I actually don't really know how to tell people about things that I find positive, so I'm just going to give you a list. This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully will serve to give you something to look into.
Good Food - good food, I would say, is one of the universal pleasures. I don't know of anyone (besides those with eating disorders) who can say that they don't derive pleasure from good food, especially in good company.
Good Music - this is something that will vary from person to person, I'll give you some of my favourites. Prokovief, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky (Russian classical); Ella Fitzgerald, The Idea Of North, Dave Brubeck (jazz); Kansas (especially the freaks of nature album), Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Mike Oldfield (non modern rockish stuff); The Living End, The Cat Empire, My Friend the Chocolate Cake (look these guys up, if you don't you can't be my friend), Muse, RHCP (contemporary music); Kamelot, Epica, Within Temptation, Dream Theater (more progressive or symphonic metal style).
The Awesomeness of Nature - I quite like watching storms, especially in conjunction with another awesome natural thing like the sea. Spending time in nature, especially wooded areas, and definitely with very few people around is great. Note that I am not using awesome as a generic descriptor, I am using it in terms of AWE inspiring, completely different.
People - People that know me well will know that moderate or large groups of people aren't something that I handle particularly well, but small groups of friends are great. People working together to achieve a positive goal is great. People even just getting along is always nice too.
It may seem superficial, but Aesthetic Beauty - while 'It is only an auctioneer who can equally and impartially admire all schools of art.' (thank you Oscar Wilde), it is also true that 'We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing.' (thank you Johannes Kepler) and this is beautiful. Also related is this from John Cage 'The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.' In saying that aesthetics is incredibly personal and individual. This is also one of the universal pleasures.
and finally, Good Literature or Movies - while there are many movies out there where as you watch them you just shut out anything but the movie and don't have to think about them (the same applies to books) there are others that when you watch or read them, you are required to think. These reward your thought by giving you more than is initially there. You can in some get 3 or 4 different layers of thought (try reading Jasper Fforde's book The Eyre Affair or Norton Juster's book The Phantom Tollbooth and you'll see what I mean) and in all of these you are rewarded again with not only another chance to think but something more extra (yes I'm sorry about the grammar, English was forte my never). These are the ones that you can always come back to again and again and they won't get old.
Well I hope that was enough positivity for one day, I'm going to leave you with some quotes about happiness or positivity. Have fun and enjoy yourself.
When the glass is half empty here is my solution. Relate it to a maths equation... let x=full and y=empty. So, if 0.5x=0.5y, therefore 1x=1y, therefore full = empty. Now you can look at an empty glass and make yourself feel better. -- Ryan Jenkins
Happiness is an imaginary condition, formerly attributed by the living to the dead, now usually attributed by adults to children, and by children to adults. -- Thomas Szasz
Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities. -- Aldous Huxley
The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy - I mean that if you are happy you will be good. -- Bertrand Russell
A person is never happy except at the price of some ignorance. -- Anatole France, and finally, to get you in the mood for whimsy
Not a shred of evidence exists in favour of the idea that life is serious. -- Brendan Gill
I actually don't really know how to tell people about things that I find positive, so I'm just going to give you a list. This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully will serve to give you something to look into.
Good Food - good food, I would say, is one of the universal pleasures. I don't know of anyone (besides those with eating disorders) who can say that they don't derive pleasure from good food, especially in good company.
Good Music - this is something that will vary from person to person, I'll give you some of my favourites. Prokovief, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky (Russian classical); Ella Fitzgerald, The Idea Of North, Dave Brubeck (jazz); Kansas (especially the freaks of nature album), Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Mike Oldfield (non modern rockish stuff); The Living End, The Cat Empire, My Friend the Chocolate Cake (look these guys up, if you don't you can't be my friend), Muse, RHCP (contemporary music); Kamelot, Epica, Within Temptation, Dream Theater (more progressive or symphonic metal style).
The Awesomeness of Nature - I quite like watching storms, especially in conjunction with another awesome natural thing like the sea. Spending time in nature, especially wooded areas, and definitely with very few people around is great. Note that I am not using awesome as a generic descriptor, I am using it in terms of AWE inspiring, completely different.
People - People that know me well will know that moderate or large groups of people aren't something that I handle particularly well, but small groups of friends are great. People working together to achieve a positive goal is great. People even just getting along is always nice too.
It may seem superficial, but Aesthetic Beauty - while 'It is only an auctioneer who can equally and impartially admire all schools of art.' (thank you Oscar Wilde), it is also true that 'We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing.' (thank you Johannes Kepler) and this is beautiful. Also related is this from John Cage 'The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.' In saying that aesthetics is incredibly personal and individual. This is also one of the universal pleasures.
and finally, Good Literature or Movies - while there are many movies out there where as you watch them you just shut out anything but the movie and don't have to think about them (the same applies to books) there are others that when you watch or read them, you are required to think. These reward your thought by giving you more than is initially there. You can in some get 3 or 4 different layers of thought (try reading Jasper Fforde's book The Eyre Affair or Norton Juster's book The Phantom Tollbooth and you'll see what I mean) and in all of these you are rewarded again with not only another chance to think but something more extra (yes I'm sorry about the grammar, English was forte my never). These are the ones that you can always come back to again and again and they won't get old.
Well I hope that was enough positivity for one day, I'm going to leave you with some quotes about happiness or positivity. Have fun and enjoy yourself.
When the glass is half empty here is my solution. Relate it to a maths equation... let x=full and y=empty. So, if 0.5x=0.5y, therefore 1x=1y, therefore full = empty. Now you can look at an empty glass and make yourself feel better. -- Ryan Jenkins
Happiness is an imaginary condition, formerly attributed by the living to the dead, now usually attributed by adults to children, and by children to adults. -- Thomas Szasz
Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities. -- Aldous Huxley
The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy - I mean that if you are happy you will be good. -- Bertrand Russell
A person is never happy except at the price of some ignorance. -- Anatole France, and finally, to get you in the mood for whimsy
Not a shred of evidence exists in favour of the idea that life is serious. -- Brendan Gill
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