The other day I was fixing my lunch as I normally do when I'm home taking care of the little one and I thought I should share this little morsel of advice with all of you. I have been doing this for nearly 5 years now, and although some of the three items change, the theme of it all has remained consistent over that time. The theme of my lunch is the TRI-FECTA OF HAPPINESS.
Essentially what I have discovered is that there is usually multiple things that can make one happy. Money, friends, family, etc. all taken by themselves or in concert with another can help make you happy. There are other things that have less of an effect when by themselves, but combined with other equally or perhaps less mundane, can become AMAZING. For me, the formula is three. Three items that left alone do not really do much in the way of producing happiness. They may still offer something, but when coupled with the others, the effect is much greater. This is kind of a systems approach where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole...I think I got that right.
My three things include, a soda pop (usually a coke zero because I don't need all those calories), a Costco Chicken Bake, and a great TV show. Now you are beginning to see how my three things can change from time to time. The TV show used to be the Office, but recently I have been re-watching the UK version of Top Gear. The Chicken bake can change to hamburgers or some other type of sandwich, and the soda can be a number of different flavors. Now let me explain why these three items work better together than they do alone, at least for me.
I started drinking Coke Zero (or other diet sodas) at the urging of my sweet wife. I guess she noticed that I wasn't the chiseled man that I used to be and nicely requested that I switched to diet. It took some time to get used to and I must admit that regular soda is 10 times better. So that's why I need to have something else with the soda, because diet soda by itself just doesn't make me happy.
The chicken bake is easy to make and I love simpleness. I pop it in the microwave, get my soda and my show ready and three minutes later I am good to go. The chicken bake by itself is definitely not worth it and I DO have to have a soda to wash it down. I just can't eat those Chicken bakes, or other lunch food, without a soda and a show.
The TV show is perhaps the icing on the cake. I thoroughly enjoy the time relaxing and watching a great show while I consume my lunch. Eating the type of lunch I have just explained really is disparaging unless coupled with a show. Therefore, these three items really do work together to make up a wonderful tri-fecta.
The advice I have gleaned from creating this small slice of happiness that I wish to pass onto you is just that. No matter how small or insignificant something is, there is value there. Coupled with several things it begins to take on something greater. I may be just a simpleton but I do know that finding things to make you happy can also make you healthy. Well, I mean that in a loose sense of the word because I'm sure I could always eat a much more healthy lunch. However, that would alter the balance of my happiness, so right now it's just not worth it :D
UPDATE: I have moved onto regular cherry coke, something on YouTube, and Quesadilla's!!!!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
One great IDEA
This blog has been dormant for nearly a year now and I just came up with an idea to revive it. My only hope is that I have the motivation to follow through with this idea as I think it could be really interesting.
The plan for this blog in the future centers around the word ADVICE. I am planning on talking to as many people as I can, well as many convenient people as I can, and asking them what the best advice is that they have ever received? I think it could be a great way to have a conversation and I also think I will get some really good information.
The genesis of this idea developed from insomnia really, but as I was struggling with sleep I realized the amount of bad and good advice that I have received throughout my life. The one thing I realized is that most of the advice I remember has turned out to be fairly negative for me. For instances, my high school career exploration teacher told me and the class that we should NOT choose an occupation that mirrors a hobby/activity that we love. For me at that time it was anything that had to do with a motor. Her thinking was that if you do what you love for work, then you will end up hating it.
I understand her logic, but I think it is extremely flawed. I love cars and I think I would have loved a job that involved the use of cars or motors or something. Instead, I am going into academia, which I have grown to love and am really excited about. However, cars and motors just seem fun and who wouldn't love a job that is fun. I see some people doing what they truly love and getting paid for it and think, wow that has got to be awesome. Then I think, I don't know if I would have the guts to completely change my life to go after something like that. I wish I could say that I would but I just don't know.
The other thing about ADVICE is that I think it is basically one's opinion. I think that people who give good advice know how influential they can be and thus they present a fair opinion. Some people don't always present advice this way, which I think is detrimental. My brother is one of those who gives great advice. I would say some of it stems from his counseling background and training, but I also think some of it is life experience. I mean that is really what advice should convey, right? Someones life lessons.
The final thought I have about advice is also about who gives it and the way they feel. Advice is essentially one's opinion and opinion is heavily influenced by emotion. Talk to someone who is living the good life and I think their advice is generally positive. Talk to someone down in the dumps and their advice may be more negative. I guess through this little project of mine I will find out.
I hope that you will come back and follow my journey as I write about the ADVICE I receive from everyday people.
Thanks.
The plan for this blog in the future centers around the word ADVICE. I am planning on talking to as many people as I can, well as many convenient people as I can, and asking them what the best advice is that they have ever received? I think it could be a great way to have a conversation and I also think I will get some really good information.
The genesis of this idea developed from insomnia really, but as I was struggling with sleep I realized the amount of bad and good advice that I have received throughout my life. The one thing I realized is that most of the advice I remember has turned out to be fairly negative for me. For instances, my high school career exploration teacher told me and the class that we should NOT choose an occupation that mirrors a hobby/activity that we love. For me at that time it was anything that had to do with a motor. Her thinking was that if you do what you love for work, then you will end up hating it.
I understand her logic, but I think it is extremely flawed. I love cars and I think I would have loved a job that involved the use of cars or motors or something. Instead, I am going into academia, which I have grown to love and am really excited about. However, cars and motors just seem fun and who wouldn't love a job that is fun. I see some people doing what they truly love and getting paid for it and think, wow that has got to be awesome. Then I think, I don't know if I would have the guts to completely change my life to go after something like that. I wish I could say that I would but I just don't know.
The other thing about ADVICE is that I think it is basically one's opinion. I think that people who give good advice know how influential they can be and thus they present a fair opinion. Some people don't always present advice this way, which I think is detrimental. My brother is one of those who gives great advice. I would say some of it stems from his counseling background and training, but I also think some of it is life experience. I mean that is really what advice should convey, right? Someones life lessons.
The final thought I have about advice is also about who gives it and the way they feel. Advice is essentially one's opinion and opinion is heavily influenced by emotion. Talk to someone who is living the good life and I think their advice is generally positive. Talk to someone down in the dumps and their advice may be more negative. I guess through this little project of mine I will find out.
I hope that you will come back and follow my journey as I write about the ADVICE I receive from everyday people.
Thanks.
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