What’s bringing you joy?
I’m working on a project that’s really important to me - and I think that there’s a good chance I’ll see it through to completion at this point.
Admittedly, outside of that project… my life has not really been doing much for me lately. I’m glad to have something right now that’s helping keep me stable and sane in a world that really feels like it’s falling apart, but sometimes it really feels like I’m working to finish it and get it out there before life becomes a bit too much.
What’s the project?
I’ve been working on archiving/restoring material from an unpublished musical that was written in the 1980s, the playwright who originally wrote it passed away and was never able to publish it. It’s a sci-fi show that got a disturbing amount of things right about the world now (for example, there’s a song about being kept up at night staring at a screen and falling into existentialism - aka doomscrolling. The link is the playwright singing so it’s not nearly as strong singing as the demo but it gives an idea), and it all resonated with me deeply when I first read through the material.
We’ve been able to transcribe by ear most of the music, and recover the other music projects from floppy drives, while recreating the synth patches he used. I’ve even been interviewing cast members who were part of the show when it was being workshopped, to get a better picture of where everything fits in the show’s history. My hope is that maybe by the time I’m done it’ll be in a state where it’s more likely to be picked up and produced one day - because before I got to it it was very disparate and kind of scattered across a lot of different folders without much context.
That’s awesome and very interesting!! Where is this project happening? I am an amatuer audio engineer. Not sure if you could use any of that kind of help, but if so, id love to help.
Also, if it ever happens I’d love to watch it but chances are, distance time and money might be too much to overcome.
Wow, that sounds like a labour of love!
Cycling now that the weather’s warmer. My family and pets. Coffee and word games.
Thanks for the reminder to look for the good. I often feel like there should be so much more, but I know that’s more than some people have, so I should feel lucky.
My pleasure, it’s actually brought me great joy to read about everyone else’s slices of happiness 🙂
The closest friend i made since moving abroad alone 2 years ago, changed their mind and they are not moving out of the city. Also, two of my favorite bands put out killer new albums that fit the eternal combo of coffee+tobacco really well
What is life without good friends and music? I’m glad you have both of things bringing you joy right now.
I made a shit tonne of brownies and ive had 2 cups of sugar in one day alongside 5 cups of coffee. WHAT A DAY TO BE ALIVE
PS. Folks add pomegranate molasses to your pantry and your brownies. One of my favourite give a dish complex depth ingredients, works with sweet and savory.
Sugar for all its supposed evils really does bring me daily joy
I’m very happy to be a land owner. Just a few months ago I bought some land and now live in an RV on the land. Tomorrow we drive about 7 hours round trip and get the last of our stuff from storage. So happy to not pay that rent anymore.
We have fresh air, beautiful views, and tons of space to work on projects, free electric from solar, and soon free water from rain. I can’t wait to start our garden soon, then it will be free groceries.
Damn. Amazing. Are you in the States? What’s your latitude/geography like? Do you have a water source, as well as electricity?
We are in Arizona, high elevation so it’s not as hot as the big cities. (Over 5,000 ft)
We want to order water delivery first, then collect rain water after we build a roof over the RV.
We have solar and it’s been enough for us so far, but I know when it rains during monsoon season that I may need a generator.
I’m assuming you mean petrol/diesel, but depending on how much wind you get and power you need, you might be about to use wind or some kind of gravity fed.
We do have a lot of wind most of the year, my neighbor gave me 2 wind power generators, but I need to get them and install them.
I was saying that when it’s really rainy the clouds will block the solar, so I might need a gas power generator to keep my batteries going. We have only been here a few months so not really sure what to expect.
Right now we are very light on power, the most power hungry is our portable iceco fridge that uses about 40w of power on and off. We have mostly rechargeable lights and phones, and my laptop that is USB-C to charge.
Chest freezers are supposedly extremely energy efficient because cold air is denser than warm air and goes down, and as long as you don’t open the lid, it just stays cold.
That is how our iceco fridge is, it opens at the top like a cooler.
Oh yeah I looked up the brand, that looks really solid!
Living the absolute dream, that sounds like an amazing new venture and I wish you well in all of your future projects
I’m a month away from completing my union electrician apprenticeship. It’s been a lot of work, and there is plenty more to come. But after five years of working towards something, it’ll be nice to reach a big milestone.
Congrats! I rememeber finishing mine and it was a lot of work. Just remember to take care of your body and especially your ears! My body has started to hurt in my wrists from all marrets and wire twisting
Well done, that’s a hell of an accomplishment that will set you up for life, world will always need sparkies
The bees. All our hives made it through winter and a fairly mild spring so far has given them a boost. Queens are laying like crazy, workers are working hard.
I’ve started wearing very thin gloves while inspecting the hives after realising that they make it less likely I’ll be stung, because I can be gentler. A bonus is that I can feel the warmth of the bees, and that really does bring me joy.
omg you’ll be among the saviors of the world, given the way bees are going according to the news.
My crow bro, Kenny. Most days I go for a walk after work and meet up with him to feed him some peanuts or dog food.
This is so fucking cool, nobody I know has a crow bro. How did y’all grow to be friends?
Crows are smart. Look at them and toss some unsalted peanuts in their general direction and they’ll understand what you’re doing. After a couple of visits they’ll recognize you and slowly get more relaxed around you. They each have their own personalities, where some will be easier to befriend than others, so just give them space and time.
Partner and kitties. When they (kitties) aren’t screaming at me while I’m on the phone for work while wfh. So fucking rude. That’s sarcasm. No one seems able to infer it anymore.
Cats are brats but too cute so they can get away with whatever
… not much.
My romantic life is painful and turbulent at best. My job is collapsing because of the tariffs. I owe too much on my car to keep it if I lose my job and it needs a new clutch anyways, which is about $3000 that I don’t have for the cheap one. Family is distant, cold, and unsupportive. My government is doing its best to make life (as a trans person) as painful as possible. Best friend died last year, my only other friend has just kinda fallen off the face of the earth. My hobbies are frustrating and unfulfilling. I have vivid nightmares nightly. My body is deteriorating to the point of near disability. I eat the same shitty $5 chicken sandwhich every day. Insurance won’t cover therapy and suicide seems more and more likely by the day.
My coffee was warm this morning though so, I guess I’ve got that going for me today.
Damn, that’s all so very heavy. Honestly, I wish I had prefaced this post in some way, because the truth of the matter is that not everyone is feeling happiness these days. I’m really sorry, especially for the persecution trans people are experiencing, y’all unequivocally do not deserve any of that. I hope things improve, and that you’re able to find peace, safety, and meaningful happiness in your life, you deserve it ❤️
That all of my recent health issues the last 3 months were temporary.
GOOD. You need your health, and I find it’s the uncertainty that can be so stressful
Love my kids, love my wife. Feel useful at work. Getting rdy for the final stretch of my undergrad. Life is a grind atm and I don’t have a lot of free time, but I wouldn’t swap it for anything else.
I’m in the same boat, I feel like I’ve never been busier or more stressed at times, but it all feels so worth it for all the good things going on simultaneously
My kids. Not much else though.
Ha. My kids is the beat AND worst part of my life 😆
Gotta love the kids, I made this post after getting my youngest to bed and having my heart feel so full of love
Thank you for this thread. I’m a little misty-eyed and feeling so wonderfully blessed. Pumpkin Tikka masala and coffee for breakfast (I know, right?!), mixed greens, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, mozzarella with good balsamic vinegar for lunch, for the time in months, I made a half-gallon of iced tea, sweetened with local raw honey, fur baby sleeping next to me as I enjoy the sound of the storm, outside. So many have no meal, no roof, no companion. It’s nice reading the simple pleasures here. No one mentioned their private jet, Bugatti, haute coture. It’s nice when we recognize the real riches life grants us.
My pleasure, it’s been a treat hearing about all of the different ways people are soaking up life right now, including all th wonderful things you listed here 🙂
I’m aware that it makes people cringe, but it’s so true that I’ve never been more happy; more bottoms than a top could ever ask for… Enough to over come the negatively from the judgemental or bitter queens.
I’m not a top, but I know that feeling, and it’s amazing. That was my entire year last year. It was so freeing and empowering. Don’t do things that harm the sustainability of that like meth or smoking. Keep your health up and keep drinking water and hygiene. Take care of yourself and you’ll just continue to get more and more powerful :)
I never thought of it as powerful before and I like it! Lol
:D
Stoked for you, and Iove that description ❤️
Not more stoked than I; I’ve never had a busier social life and my asocially autistic ass is still surprised by it each time I get another invite.
Super happy for you and wishing you lots more happy years ahead! ❤️
Thunder, lightening, the sound of rain on my window.
Love a nice storm, so relaxing in a way
