MY FAVORITES AND SOURCES OF HAPPINESS

• GOOSEBUMP GIVING FAVORITES:

• BUMPING INTO THE PERSON YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON, ON THE STREET !
• YOUR CRUSH GIVING YOU A COMPLIMENT!
• KNOWING THAT YOUR CRUSH HAS A CRUSH ON YOU!
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• EATING FAVORITES:
• EATING A FAVORITE DISH WHEN I AM REALLY REALLY HUNGRY.
•  INDIAN SWEETS.
• VOBATTU
• MISHRA PEDA/DHARWAD PEDA
• SALTED BOILED PEANUTS AND BOILED AVAREKAI.
•  BAS SAARU WITH MUDDE.
• HOT RICE WITH CHUTNEY PUDI(MY RECIPE CHUTNEYPUDI) AND GHEE
•  VOBBATINA SAARU.
• CHAPATI WITH HURALIKAALU HULI.
• VIDHYARTI BHAVAN MASALA DOSA AND CHUTNEY.
• KOKILA’S MUTTON BIRYANI.
• IS-KID-BE-LE SARU WITH MUDDE AND TUPPA
• DWARKA BHAVAN'S SET DOSE
• HAVING LOTS OF HOT SPICY FOOD WITH COLD BEER ON A HOT DAY AFTER A LONG WALK AND THEN GOING TO SLEEP.
• BONELESS CHICKEN BIRYANI FROM LAHORE TIKKA OF TORONTO, CANADA
• CHICKEN SAARU AND MUDDE
• CHOCOLATES
• CAKES
• CROISSANTS
• BENNE BISCUITS FROM GANDHI BAZAR BAKERIES (BENNE MEANS BUTTER)
• DRINKING
• CHAMPANGE.
• SAPOTA AND CUSTARD APPLE MILKSHAKES FROM GANESHA JUICE CENTRE IN  GANDHI BAZAR, BANGALORE.
•  MANGO AND BANANA MILKSHAKES.
• TENDER WATER OF COCONUT.
• MOJITOS ON A HOT DAY.
• SOUTH INDIAN FILTER COFFEE
• MASALA TEA
• HAIR OF THE DOG COCKTAIL IN A PUB IN CHURCH STREET CALLED HAIR OF THE DOG
• PERFUMES AND AROMAS AND SCENTS:
• SMELL OF RAIN ON EARTH.
• SMELL OF FLOWERS SUCH AS JASMINE OR SAMPIGE AND HERBAL PLANTS  SUCH AS MARGA IN THE GARDEN.
• SMELL OF LOVELY PERFUMES, SOME FOODS, SMELL OF SPRING
• A CLEAN NON-SMELLY TOILET IS SOMETHING I TAKE FOR GRANTED IN CANADA WHERE I LIVE. BUT IN INDIA, A CLEAN NON-SMELLY TOILET WAS A WONDER WHICH MADE ME HAPPY AND GRATEFUL AND SLIGHTLY SAD WHEN I HAD 'FINISHED' AND HAD TO EXIT!
• SMELL OF BAKING(BUT PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO  THE SMELL OF BAKING CAN NAUSEATE ME)
• SMELL OF PINEWOOD SHAVINGS, CEDARWOOD, SANDLEWOOD
• SMELL OF SOME FOODS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM  HUNGRY! 
• SMELL OF COFFEE IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP.

FAVORITE COLOURS:
 RED
EMERALD GREEN
MUSTARD YELLOW.
TURQUOISE BLUE

VISUAL AND AUDITORY PLEASURES:

• LISTENING TO FAVORITE SONGS.
• WATCHING VIDEOS OF MY FAVORITE SONGS ON MTV/VEVO.
• WATCHING FAVORITE MOVIES AND TELEVISION SHOWS
• AN EXCITING OR FUNNY MOVIE IN A THEATRE
• WHEN A RARELY HEARD FAVORITE SONG COMES ON RADIO UNEXPECTEDLY. THE SONGS FROM TELGU MOVIE MAROCHARITRA GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS WHEN IT CAME ON RADIO UNEXPECTEDLY! WE DID NOT OWN THE RECORD OR CASSETTE PLAYERS AND HAD TO DEPEND ON RADIO ONLY FOR THE SONGS...I WAS LITERALLY WAITING LIKE A BEGGAR!
• WATCHING PEOPLE DANCE.
• WATCHING A GOOD SINGER SING A FAVORITE AT YOUR REQUEST.
• A PLEASURE I TAKE FOR GRANTED IN CANADA IS THE PLEASURE OF 'NOT-BEING-FORCED-TO-HEAR-CARNATIC-CLASSICAL-MUSIC! In India, I was forced to listen to Carnatic classical and devotional songs which poured into my unwilling ears from the speakers on the street and neighbour's radios.
•  THE SOUND OF SILENCE is a wonderful pleasure I get in Canada. After living in noisy India, I have come to appreciate the preciousness of silence in Canada. Sleeping in my cousin's home, which is in a sort of gated community in Missassuaga , one can hear oneself breathe in the night! It's so silent. No traffic, no noisy neighbour's TV or radio blaring when you are trying to sleep, no loudspeakers blaring Gajamukana Ganapathi-ye, ni-na-ge, vandane...on religious holidays. 
• The SOUNDS OF NATURE are sometimes quite enjoyable such as the wind, breeze rustling through the leaves, some birds, etc.
• SOUND OF THE COPPERSMITH IN THE PEEPUL TREES AT KADUMALLESHWARA TEMPLE IN THE SILENT, SUNNY LAZY AFTERNOONS. THE SOUND OF THE KOEL, OUTSIDE MY HOME IN YELAHANKA AROUND 4.30AM, JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE NOISES STARTED. 
• BABIES LAUGHING IS ONE OF THE MOST DELIGHTFUL SOUNDS IN THE WORLD...TO EVERYONE I THINK.
• THE SOUND OF SILVER ANKLETS ON A BABY(ANKLETS ON BABIES ANKLES  IS AN INDIAN/HINDU CUSTOM). THE SOUND OF SILVER ANKLETS ON A BABY WHEN IT'S CRAWLING, WALKING, RUNNING...IS A JOYFUL SOUND. I LOVE THIS SOUND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BABY IS PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK AND IT HAS NO IDEA THAT IT'S ANKLETS GIVE IT AWAY. ALSO, THE SOUND OF THESE ANKLETS WHEN THE PARENT RETURNS HOME FROM WORK AND THE BABY RUNS TOWARD THE PARENT IS A SOUND WHICH WILL BANISH ALL THE GLOOM IN THE WORLD!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        THE SOUND OF MY CAT'S FEET AS IT COMES UP THE STAIRS.                                         MY CAT EATING FROM A BOWL.THE SOUND OF HIM CHEWING ON THE PELLETS AND TRYING TO CATCH THE PELLET FALLEN OFF THE BOWL ON THE FLOOR. THE SOUND OF THE PELLET SLIPPING AWAY AS HE TRIES TO CATCH IT ...BASICALLY, WHEN YOU LOVE SOMETHING, EVERY SOUND IT MAKES, EVERYTHING IT DOES LOOKS AND SOUNDS WONDERFUL!
  
  
  
  
  
  

BODILY PLEASURES: 

• BOUNCING IN YOUR SEAT ON A  BUS WHILE RIDING ON A BUMPY ROAD DURING A LONG RIDE. THIS MAKES SOME PEOPLE SICK!
• RIDES SUCH AS GIANT WHEEL, ETC. THIS MAKES SOME PEOPLE DIZZY OR SICK.
• THAT ONE SINGLE SECOND WHEN THE PLANE'S WHEELS LIFT OFF FROM THE EARTH. THE ONE-TWO SECONDS WHEN THE GIANT-WHEEL COMES DOWN FROM THE VERY TOP. SIMILAR SENSATIONS WHEN GOING UP A LIFT.
• FEELING THE COOL BREEZE ON YOUR SKIN AS YOU SIT UNDER A TREE TO COOL OFF AFTER A LONG TREK ON A HOT DAY.
• GETTING INTO A NICE BED AFTER A TIRING DAY.
• SITTING DOWN (FOR GOOD) AFTER A LONG HIKE; TAKING OFF YOUR BOOTS WHEN YOU ARE FINALLY DONE AFTER A HARD LONG DAY'S WORK; 
• FINDING A CLEAN, COMFORTABLE, NON-SMELLY TOILET WHEN I URGENTLY WANT TO PEE ! FEW 'RELIEFS' CAN BEAT THE RELIEF ONE GETS AFTER HOLDING THE URINE FOR 8 HOURS ON A BUS JOURNEY OR WALKING AROUND IN A PLACE WITHOUT ACCESSIBLE AND GOOD  TOILETS!
• NOT HAVING PERIODS.
• SCRATCHING AN ITCH.
• TAKING OFF THE BRA WHEN I GET BACK HOME AND THE PANTS(ANYTHING WHICH FEELS TIGHT) AND SHOES AND SOCKS  IS SUCH A RELIEF AND PLEASURE ESPECIALLY AFTER A LONG DAY!
• GETTING A MASSAGE TO RELIEVE A PAINFUL ACHE.
• RELEASING TIGHTLY PLAITED HAIR WHEN YOU GET INTO BED AND RUBBING YOUR SCALP VIGOROUSLY..THE SCALP'S GRATITUDE AND PLEASURE OF BEING FINALLY ALLOWED TO RELAX!
• FINALLY SUCCEEDING IN GETTING OUT THAT ELUSIVE BIT OF  FOOD,  STUCK IN-BETWEEN TEETH FOR A LONG TIME!
• S & RELATED STUFF
• RIDING A CAR, WATCHING THE SCENERY AND DROPPING OFF TO SLEEP AS THE WARM SUN-RAYS COME THROUGH THE GLASS .
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• There are several experiences I fail to 'ENJOY', simply because I experience them on a daily basis and also effortlessly ...I take these experiences for granted and don't 'notice' them, until they are missing.  If I did 'MINDFUL' everything, then I would notice, I would take pleasure and I would be grateful, almost every minute of the day for the thousands of things! For example, cleaning my arse with water in my bathroom.  The pleasure(or should I call it 'absence of pain' of cleaning bum with a soft toilet paper is a nice experience. But I would realize it's a 'nice' experience only if I have had the 'pain' of cleaning my bum with a cheap, rough textured toilet paper.  An even greater 'pleasure' would be washing bum with water after the toilet paper. I have access to water only at home and not in public places. I would feel 'pleasure' of washing my bum with water only when I have experienced  the 'absence of pleasure' of wiping my bum with 'rough' toilet paper  and not having water to wash my bum.
• If I did every activity of my day, 'mindfully', then I would notice and enjoy almost every second of my day as an enjoyable favorite...eating, sleeping, reading, talking, working, playing, walking, cooking, whatever.

PLEASURES WITH PEOPLE:

• WATCHING A TODDLER WALK OR CRAWL OR PLAY.
• VISITING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. OR FAMILY/ FRIENDS VISITING YOU.
•  CHATTING.
• FINDING THAT STRANGER ON THE BUS WHO SHARES YOUR ATTITUDES AND GETS YOU PERFECTLY.
• SLEEPOVER AT FAVORITE COUSINS HOUSE.
• A GOOD STORY TELLER TELLING SCARY STORIES AT BED-TIME.
• RETURNING HOME, TIRED AFTER A TOUGH DAY.. TO FIND THE COOKING AND CLEANING ALREADY DONE BY SPOUSE!
• GETTING GIFTS...FROM PEOPLE YOU LOVE
• GETTING GIFTS...WHICH ARE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED!
• I AM USED TO MAKING TEA, EVERY MORNING FOR ME AND HUSBAND; ALSO MAKING BREAKFAST, ETC. I SIMPLY LOVE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO IT WHEN I AM ON VACATION. I LOOOVE THAT FEELING OF NOT HAVING TO DO THE CHORES!
• GOSSIP!
• JOKES
• LISTENING TO A GREAT TALKER.
• SPENDING TIME WITH SOMEONE WHO IS VERY VERY NICE BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET HOLD OF AS LOTS OF OTHERS ARE ALWAYS WITH THEM OR THEY ARE BUSY.

JOYS OF PETS AND CHILDREN AND PEOPLE:
YOUR DOG JOYFULLY JUMPS ALL OVER YOU, LICKS YOU, WAGS AND BARKS WHEN YOU ARRIVE HOME.
WATCHING MY CAT'S VARIOUS ANTICS! MY CAT THROWING TEMPER TANTRUMS WHEN I DON'T TAKE IT OUTSIDE, MY CAT SITTING ON MY CHEST KNEADING, MY CAT CHASING AFTER A BALL I THROW, ETC.
YOUR FAMILY'S KIDS (NEICES AND NEPHEWS) COME RUNNING TO HUG YOU WHEN YOU ARRIVE
PLAYING WITH PETS
PLAYING WITH KIDS...WHEN YOU WANT TO


PLEASURES YOU ENJOY ALONE OR IN COMPANY:

• WRITING WHEN IDEAS ARE FLOWING IN MY BRAIN.
• READING FAVORITE STORY BOOKS & COMICS
• DAYDREAMING .ESPECIALLY WHEN I GET  A NEW GOOD IDEA TO DREAM ABOUT !
• FINDING SOMETHING YOUR LOVED ONES CRAVE FOR AND PRESENTING IT TO THEM AND WATCHING THEIR JOY
• WATCHING PLEASANT ANIMAL AND BABY VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET!
• SLEEPING LATE.
• YOU FEEL YOU ARE 'LOOKING GOOD' AND FEELING COMFORTABLE IN YOUR CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES.
• BEING HAPPY WITH YOUR NEW HAIRCUT
• LOOKING AT YOUR PHOTO AND FEEL THAT YOU LOOK GOOD IN IT
• GETTING GOOD NEWS LIKE: YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES GOT A PASS IN EXAMS, JOB OFFER,  VISA, GOT TICKET TO MOVIE, SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS VISITING, 
• FINDING A FAVORITE MISSING OBJECT.
• BROWSING IN USED BOOK STORES AND AN ADDITIONAL PLEASURE WOULD BE FINDING AN UNEXPECTED TREASURE
• BROWSING IN THRIFT SHOPS & GARAGE SALES; AND A BONUS WOULD BE FINDING SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED.
• BROWSING IN BOOK STORES.
• WINDOW SHOPPING AT DESIGNER SHOPS .
• LOOKING AT YOUR OWN COLLECTION OF OLD COINS. STAMPS. ANTIQUES.
• BUYING NEW CLOTHES;THAT RARE OCCASIONS WHEN THE CLOTHES FIT YOU PERFECTLY, YOU LOVE THE COLOUR, THE MATERIAL, THE DESIGN AND PRICE!
• TRAVELLING TO NEW YORK OR BEACHES OR FAVORITE CITIES .
• TREASURE HUNTING FOR REAL TREASURE.
• WALKING ON BEACHES IN THE EVENINGS.(Beaches are not really my thing but I am putting it here anyway! I can spend happier hours in bed, reading or watching TV!)
• FINDING ABANDONED BIRDS NESTS .
• PHOTOGRAPHING.
• WAITING FOR YOUR LOVED ONES EMAILS & LETTERS.  
• WAITING FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND TO ARRIVE.
• SITTING UNDER A TREE IN A FOREST, IN PRIVACY, READING.
• RETURNING HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY EVENINGS  BEFORE A LONG WEEKEND.
• SEEING ART WORK IN MUSEUMS.  
• FINDING SOMETHING LOVELY UNEXPECTEDLY....such as a colourful and rare shell on the beach, a favorite book which you have been seeking for ages. (Note: The pleasures of finding what you want unexpectedly has been wiped away by the advent of amazon.com, ebay.com, etc...now one can find literally anything and get it from anywhere, if one has the money. )
• RECEIVING A LOVELY HAND MADE GIFT FROM A CLOSE FRIEND LIKE A PAINTING.
• SPOTTING ELUSIVE WILD LIFE SUCH AS SNAKES, FOXES, RARE BIRDS SUCH AS PARADISE FLY CATCHER, COLOURFUL FROGS, WILD ANIMALS SUCH AS DEER. AN ADDED BONUS WOULD BE, BEING ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH THEM.

LEARNING: LEARNING HAS ALWAYS BEEN PAINFUL TO ME. BUT THE FEW THINGS I ENJOYED LEARNING WAS ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY . I LOVED THE SUBJECTS, THE TEACHERS, THE FACT THAT I DID BETTER THAN MY CLASSMATES AND THAT THE TEACHERS NOTICED IT, I ENJOYED THE TEACHERS PRAISE OF ME. I HAVE A VERY POOR WORKING MEMORY AND ATTENTION, I AM DISTRACTABLE, HAVE JUST AVERAGE IQ AND ALL THIS MAKES LEARNING A PAINFUL PROCESS. ADD TO THIS THE HARSH TEACHERS AND TERRIBLE TEXT BOOKS OF THE  70S AND 80S, BANGALORE SCHOOLS, THE HARSH LEARNING CLIMATE AND BEING FORCED TO LEARN HINDI AND KANNADA...SCHOOL WAS TORTURE FOR ME. COLLEGE WAS TORTURE BECAUSE OF KANNADA, POLITICAL SCIENCE, HISTORY AND ECONOMICS. COLLEGE WAS PLEASURE DUE TO PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY AND ENGLISH. I ENJOY LEARNING IF THE TEACHER IS FUN, KIND, MAKES IT INTERESTING. THE THOUGHT OF THE TEST AT THE END OF THE LEARNING IS ANOTHER THING WHICH DEPLETES MY HAPPINESS LIKE WATER IN A SIEVE.

THE THOUGHT OF EXAMS AND TESTS IS A HUGE ANXIETY PROVOKING HAPPINESS DEPLETING PAIN FOR ME. I WISH I COULD DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE MY FEAR OF EXAMS AND FEAR OF LEARNING. THE LOW SELF-ESTEEM I HAVE AROUND MY LEARNING CAPACITY DUE TO MY INATTENTION, DIS TRACTABILITY, POOR WORKING MEMORY, ETC BOTHERS ME..IS IT REALLY LOW SELF-ESTEEM OR HAVE I ESTIMATED MY SELF-WORTH ACCURATELY.

THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL HAPPY NON-EXPERIENCES WHICH PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED. I AM MENTIONING THEM HERE SO THAT I NEVER EVER BECOME ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO TAKES THINGS FOR GRANTED. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE THESE HAPPY NON-EXPERIENCES, BE GRATEFUL THAT I AM ESCAPING THEM AS I AM LUCKY TO BE WHERE I AM. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HAPPINESS I HAVE BY EVADING THESE EXPERIENCES. I WANT TO REMEMBER TO BE GRATEFUL AND REMEMBER TO BE HAPPY.

I AM  HAPPY THAT I DON'T FACE MOSQUITO BITES. NO MOSQUITO BITES SINCE I MOVED TO CANADA ABOUT 14 YEARS AGO.

I AM GRATEFUL AND HAPPY THAT I HAVE 24 HOUR ELECTRICITY IN CANADA. IN INDIA, BANGALORE, ELECTRICITY IS NEVER CONTINUOUS BUT INTERMITTENT.  LIFE COMES TO A STANDSTILL SOMETIMES IN INDIA IF ONE IS DEPENDING ON ELECTRICITY.

I AM GRATEFUL AND HAPPY THAT I HAVE 24 HOUR UNLIMITED  HOT AND COLD WATER SUPPLY. IN INDIA, BANGALORE, I WOULD GET WATER ONCE IN TWO DAYS FOR TWO HOURS. I HAD TO MAKE SURE I WAS AT HOME AT THOSE TWO HOURS, AND FILL ALL THE POTS AND PANS WITH WATER TO LAST UNTIL THE WATER FLOWS AGAIN AFTER TWO DAYS.

I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE FAST, UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD  INTERNET.
IN INDIA, THERE IS LIMITED INTERNET AND IT'S SLOW AND I OFTEN HAVE TO CAREFULLY CHOOSE TO DOWNLOAD WHAT AND HOW MUCH I WANT.

I AM GRATEFUL AND HAPPY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO DO THINGS I DON'T WANT TO DO AS I LIVE WITH A EASY GOING HUSBAND. SOMEONE WHO IS RESPECTFUL AND NOT BOSSY.

I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A GREAT BOOS TO WORK FOR; AN EASYGOING RELAXED WORKPLACE; NICE COLLEAGUES; I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH NICE BOSSES AND COLLEAGUES IN THE THE PLACES I HAVE WORKED PREVIOUSLY.

I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE GREAT FAMILY, SISTERS, PARENTS, UNCLES, AUNTS, COUSINS, ETC. DESPITE HAVING DIFFERENCES, ON THE WHOLE, THEY ALL COME TO HELP AT TIMES OF  NEED, TO PARTICIPATE AND PARTY IN HAPPY TIMES, ETC.

I AM GRATEFUL I HAVE FAIRLY GOOD MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH...SOMETHING I TOOK FOR GRANTED UNTIL I SEE NOW MANY MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY, COLLEAGUES AND NEIGHBORS HAVING VARIOUS TYPES OF ILL HEALTH.

I AM IMMENSELY GRATEFUL FOR HAVING PEOPLE TO LOVE AND PEOPLE WHO LOVE ME. THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALL TAKE FOR GRANTED AND WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS FACT AND BE HAPPY AND GRATEFUL.

I AM HAPPY THAT I HAVE SOME INTERESTS IN LIFE AND HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ENGAGE MYSELF IF AND WHEN I AM ALONE. THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME THIS CAPACITY AND NOT MAKING ME MORE NEEDY THAN I AM AT PRESENT.

After living for 50 years, I think I should be able to come up with a million more favorites which gave me joy, pleasure and happiness.