#Nerdlution

I'm part of a movement. It began on Twitter, today. A few of us readerly types, those who hang out at nerdybookclub, have merged the oft ill-fated New Year's resolution with our nerdy book club selves. The result? #nerdlution.

 The rules for the #nerdlution are as follows (copied from Chris Lehmann):

Starting tomorrow, Monday, December 2...pick one thing or many things you want to commit to doing over the next 50 days. We were thinking it’s something you do every day, but really it’s up to you.  The focus here is making a change that matters...There is only community, support, and love for making and doing good things.

A Very, Very Important #Nerdlution FAQ

• Can I just pick one thing? A: If it makes you happy.
• Can I pick 5 things? A: If it makes you happy.
• Is it okay if it is not fitness related? A: If it makes you happy.
• Is it okay if it is reading related? A: If it makes you happy.
• Is it okay if I’m really, really scared but really, really inspired? A: If it makes you happy.
• Is it okay to only do something 3 times per week and something else 2 times per week? A: If it makes you happy.
• If I mess up and miss a day, can I make it up another day? A: If it makes you happy.
• If I mess up, can I just skip that day? A: If it makes you happy.
• Should I tell everyone if I’m having a hard time? A: If it makes you happy.
• Should I celebrate little accomplishments? A: If it makes you happy.
• Can I modify my goal if I need to? A: If it makes you happy.
• Should I give up if it doesn’t go well? A: No.
• Should I feel alone in this or like people are judging me? A: No. (Because we’re all gonna screw up a little or a lot, let’s be honest.)

Me again. Why join? Let's face it. We all need to be happier. We all want to be happier. What I love about this movement is its focus on what actually makes you happy. Think about it. I mean, really think about it. When is the last time you truly examined what makes you happy and matched your thoughts to actions of fulfillment? When is the last time someone asked you what truly makes you happy and not just listened, but heard you and supported you in your efforts? Can you be honest (and brave) enough with yourself (and them) to tell the truth?

Let's find out.

Things that Make Me Happy, in no particular order, and for varying durations (Part I)

1. Kittens and Cats--observing them, being near them, petting them, playing with them and having them sleep on me
2. Puppies and Dogs--see above only add being greeted with utter joy
3. Chocolate, preferably milk (see previous blog post)
4. Writing, and I mean actual writing including revising and editing. I'm not one of those writers who dreads writing and subsequently expels a huge sigh of relief when finished. No, no. I live for the composition process itself, rife with problems to solve, words to find and rearrange, paragraphs to move about. I really like that part. I really like mastering that part. Have I mentioned how much I like messing around with that part?
5. Gardening
6. Making a great joke, stellar one liner or wry observation
7. Reading an amazing book like The Kite Runner or Wonder
8. The ocean, lakes, rivers, brooks, ponds in close proximity
9. Watching or performing in musicals although I think I might have been happier if just once, instead of the understudy for the lead, I had actually been the lead
10. Napping on my mother's couch, which is the most amazing and perfect nap couch ever known to humankind. Its exquisiteness exceeds the words available for describing it. It has never failed to lull me to sleep, a feat fraught with failure in my own bed and on my own couch and even on a 21 hour flight to New Zealand after taking Ambien. If I could pay an airline to install my mother's couch as my personal first class sofa, I would fly again. And again. And again.

And you?