Happier

A couple of months ago, I discovered an app called Happier.

The concept is to share three things a day, three small moments that bring you happiness. I find it to be very helpful in downplaying the negative and stressful parts of day to day life.

As one of Happier's founders recently wrote on their blog, "While chasing some unachievable state of the BIG HAPPY I had ignored so many of the small happy moments that were part of my everyday – the sound of my daughter’s footsteps as I put my key in the door and she ran to meet me, grabbing our favorite Spanish Latte with my husband on a morning walk, hearing a friend tell me I made her smile. I became a lot happier when I started focusing on these small moments, elevating them out of the routine, pausing to actually be grateful for having them in my life."

I was asked to be part of a Q & A for their blog. I really enjoy sharing the good news of Happier and was, well, happy to contribute.

What makes you Happier, Neil Shurley?

UPDATE:

As Tim King mentions below, part of the power of sharing small happy moments comes form receiving positive responses from others. That's why Happier is so great (and why, I think, it's harder for it to be useful if you're using it in the "private" mode - if no one else sees your updates, there'll be no feedback).

The more I use Happier, the more I appreciate the helpfulness of it. The app is not about a bunch of Pollyanna's sharing how great everything is. It's about finding even one, small, positive thing amidst an otherwise unredeemable day. It's about reshaping your own thinking to be aware of even the tiniest happy moment. So maybe, just maybe, you'll start feeling happier all the time.

Here's founder Nataly Kogan's wonderful TEDx talk about the power of Happier - and pancakes. Mmmmm. Pancakes...

Ukulele Goldsmith

So I've been busy trying to accomplish the most natural thing in the world - play Jerry Goldsmith songs on ukulele.

First up, the theme from the TV show Man From UNCLE. Who knew there were any lyrics at all?



Next, the Love Theme from Logan's Run - As We Follow the Sun.



Brings tears to my eyes.

And speaking of tears, you will certainly experience a lump in your throat while listening to my ukulele cover of Jerry Goldsmith's exquisite love theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, A Star Beyond Time.



Jerry Goldsmith is certainly smiling down on me now. Or, um, perhaps, spinning in his grave.

Happy St. Asimov's Day!

Today is Isaac Asimov's birthday.

To celebrate, here is a photo of me with some - only some - of my Asimov books.

Yes, I am a nerd.

Meanwhile, I would also like to remind you of my short story, In Memory Yet Green (also the title of the first volume of Asimov's autobiography). The story appears in the anthology My First Time, which is now on sale for only $2.51.

I will now celebrate the way Isaac would - by writing.

Autumn

If your family is anything like mine, you have learned more than you ever thought you would about the eating habits of giraffes.

Autumn, the Greenville Zoo’s female giraffe, is pregnant and due any day now, and thanks to a webcam, we can observe Autumn 24 hours a day. My kids love Autumn. My daughter has instructed me that if I see Autumn starting to deliver her baby during the school day, I am to call the school and get a message to her class immediately.

 Image from Camscape

In the meantime, Autumn eats. And stands in her stall. And eats. And eats. And stands. And eats.

It’s oddly compelling. We’re waiting for Autumn to deliver a baby giraffe into the world.  But to look at her, you’d hardly know she was pregnant. But we wait. And we watch.

It’s strange how invested we can become in the life of a giraffe. But it’s not just our family. My wife chats about the giraffe-cam with coworkers. A recent report indicated that some 200,000 viewers across the world have tuned in to the webcam. There’s just something about Autumn.

Meanwhile, it is autumn. The days are cooling, the leaves are dropping, and you can get just about anything in a pumpkin spice flavor. My kids complain that it’s too cold, but I love it. I can’t wait to put on sweaters and jackets and have even more of an excuse to drink hot coffee all day long.

But not yet. It’s not really cold enough for scarves. And the leaves aren’t really pretty enough to justify a drive to the mountains. And Autumn the giraffe is still just eating.

So we wait. We wait for the change of season to really kick in. We wait for the leaves to turn those glorious colors. We wait for the baby giraffe to arrive. We wait. And we wait. And we wait.

When you think about it, don’t we spend an awful lot of our lives waiting? We’re forever waiting for things to turn around, waiting for the right person to come along, waiting for a sign. From God. Am I doing the right thing? Have I made the right choice? Am I doing what God wants me to do? When will I know?

The waiting is the hardest part.

Whether it’s waiting for a new baby to arrive or waiting for the weather to change, the waiting is hard.

But we can still enjoy it. For every day is a gift. Every meal is a gift. Every pumpkin spice latte, every zoo webcam, every single leaf that falls onto my lawn and has to be raked. They’re all gifts, whether we recognize them or not.

So today, choose to recognize the gifts. The simple, tiny everyday gifts. A smile from a friend. A sweater that you bought on sale last year. A leaf that, yes, has to be raked and isn’t even a deep pretty red color yet, but is, by itself, an ancient symbol of happiness and a reminder of the miracle that is life on this planet.

We are surrounded, every day, every minute, with abundant reminders of the preciousness of life and the uncountable gifts with which God has blessed us.

So recognize them. Thank God for them.

We are all busy and we are all distracted and we are all waiting for the next big thing – whether it’s a new job or a baby giraffe. 

We’re all waiting. So why not try our best to enjoy the wait.

Thank you, God.

My New Book - "Growing Greenville for 50 Years"

I wrote a book.

It's called "Growing Greenville for 50 Years: A Celebration of Greenville Technical College 1962-2012."

Produced for the college's 50th anniversary, the book was released last night at a celebratory gala. I am co-author, having written many of the chapters and helped arrange the overall flow.

It was a fun project to work on and I'm proud of the result - it's a great looking book. And I learned a lot about the huge effect Greenville Tech has had - and continues to have - on the community.

King of the Geeks

May 25. Geek Pride Day.

Trolling about the internets, as I am wont to do, I came across a notice from Think Geek. A contest.

Here was their preface:

It's not like we need an excuse to wear our Geek Pride on our sleeves, but May 25th is especially auspicious because it's also:

• Towel Day, the day two weeks after Douglas Adams passed in 2001, when hoopy froods keep their towel handy;
• The anniversary of the first Star Wars film, Episode IV: A New Hope,released on May 25, 1977;
• Glorious 25 May, the day in Terry Pratchett's Discworld when wearing lilac and hard-boiled eggs (and raising awareness around Alzheimer's research) is appropriate; and
• 5 + 25 + 12 = 42. Enough said.

The contest was this - take a photo of yourself, showing your Geek Pride and wearing their Geek Pride Button. Send it to Think Geek. They'd select a winner to receive a prize package.

So I outfitted myself appropriately and had The Boy snap a photo.

Han Solo holster/blaster. Doctor Who coat (purchased from Think Geek). Doctor Who scarf. Star Trek shirt. Towel. Egg.

I won.

Today, the loot arrived.

 Two boxes?!

 Let's take them inside.

 And open 'em up.

 A T-shirt bearing the number 42, a towel, and a Jedi cloak bathrobe. Sweet!

 So what about the other box?

 A tauntaun sleeping bag!

 It really is an amazing product. Soft, furry - dare I say cuddly? - on the outside, silky smooth - with entrail patterns - on the inside.

But wait! There's more...

Light saber candlesticks. I didn't know what to expect of these. I thought they'd be smaller. And plastic-y. But they are solid and large and metal and awesome.

Thank you, Think Geek!

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

There's going to be a 3 CD deluxe edition of what is probably my all-time favorite film score, Jerry Goldsmith's masterpiece, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Here's an article I wrote about it: http://www.examiner.com/article/lalaland-records-to-release-expanded-star-trek-the-motion-picture-soundtrack

And here is a video I did in honor of it. It's a recording of the regrettable lyrics for Ilia's Theme, the Love Theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Connections

I ducked into the empty donut shop.

“Two double chocolates,” I said, slipping off my wet coat. “And two coffees. Black.”

From behind the counter, she smiled.

“Two?” she asked. “Who’s the second one for?”

I slid onto my favorite stool.

“You.”

I saw this challenge to create a 42 word short story about the meaning of life, and this is what I came up with. Oh, and, by the way, I won the challenge.

Love Theme from This Week in Science

One of the first podcasts I discovered, many years ago now, was This Week in Science. Originating from UC Davis, the radio show/podcast features Dr. Kiki and Justin Jackson delivering science news and opinion in a fun, freewheeling, conversational style. I always enjoyed listening to it and hearing the latest news of World Robot Domination and mind-controlling toxoplasma gondii and Justin's weekly Disclaimers and their signature sign off - "Remember, if you learned anything from today's show, it's all in your head."

For a couple of years, TWiS put together CDs of original science-themed music to act as a fund raiser. The last one they did featured the World Robot Domination song I wrote (and my brother performed and produced). The year before that, I contributed another song, again one I wrote and my brother produced and performed. It was intended to be a Theme Song for This Week in Science and the hosts began playing it at the close of every episode, which made me very proud.

It was inspired by Dr. Kiki's mention on the show that they didn't have an original theme song. So I decided to write one. The lyrics and tune came to me pretty quickly. I sketched it out then sang it, a cappella, to my brother, who ran with it and made it one hundred percent more awesome.

I still REALLY like the song. I think it's fun to listen to and features lyrics that will mostly reward other long time TWiS listeners.

Here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's my own personal disclaimer. As I wrote it, I heard Danny Elfman singing it in my head and the mighty horns and percussion and guitars of Oingo Boingo performing it.

My new coat

So, um, I got a new coat.

It's totally the wrong season to be purchasing an overcoat, but I couldn't wait.

And I love it.

In fact, I wrote an article about my new coat.

Is it winter yet?

The President is evidently part-Vulcan

Fascinating.

A Song For You

I wrote a song. About donuts.

Here's our first mix.


That's me on vocals and ukulele. My brother mixed it all together and added stuff.

Jerry Goldsmith

Here's a an article I posted recently.

A birthday tribute to Jerry Goldsmith.

Please enjoy.

Life is a Cabaret

Here's my review of a terrific new production of Cabaret.

Dr Zaius in Mark Twain Tonight

John Hodgman issued a challenge. He wanted to see video footage of actor Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius as Mark Twain.

So this morning I, um, "located" this:


Earlier, I had "found" this photo.

To coin a phrase, That Is All.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Perhaps my very favorite Christmas song, performed by me on the ukulele with my daughter providing interpretive dance in the background.

5 Great Christmas Albums

So long, Thanksgiving. Welcome, Christmas!

To honor the season, I'd like to share some of my very favorite Christmas records.  Christmas music is inextricably woven into the fabric of the season, and I can get a warm glow just thinking about some of these. So light up your yule log, pour a cup of hot cocoa and crank up your HiFi. 

1. White Christmas. Bing Crosby.

To my mind, this is number one, the greatest Christmas album of ALL TIME. It has nothing to do with the film, White Christmas, but does contain that great, great, great song. It also has a song that, for a long time, was my personal favorite Christmas song, Mele Kalikimaka. In the mid-eighties I became enamored with the idea of moving to Hawaii and just figuring out a way to live and work there with no plan in advance other than wearing tropical print shirts and leading my friends in singalongs to the theme from Hawaii 5-0. It was that year that I also discovered this album. Shockingly, it was not one I grew up with. But I instantly recognized it for the classic it is, and, a couple of years later, ended up cruising gas stations and buying up every $3 copy of the cassette they had so I could give one to every one I knew as a Christmas present. I felt, at the time, that everyone should own a copy of this. I still feel that way.

2. A Jolly Christmas. Frank Sinatra. 

If you can't have Christmas without Bing Crosby, you can't have Bing without Frank. These are the guys who defined the Christmas sound, that big band plus sleigh bells swing that still rules the airwaves. This one is terrific, another combo of secular and sacred, with Frank at the top of his game. This came from the Capitol years, when Frank's voice and production team were absolutely without peer. While listening to this you can alternately dance and worship. What could be better?

3. That Holiday Feeling. Steve and Eydie.

My parents owned a 5 LP set called something like the Columbia Music Treasury of Christmas, and it contained two or three songs from this album, including That Holiday Feeling! which I really loved but seems to be unique to Steve and Eydie. A few years ago I picked up Steve and Eydie's Christmas record on CD and fell in love with all of it. They do fantastic - nearly definitive - versions of what I like to think of as the swinging bachelor Christmas songs. You know, the ones that are about how cold it is outside and wouldn't it be nice if you'd stay here in my apartment a little while longer, babe? Let It Snow. Baby It's Cold Outside. That Holiday Feeling. Oh yeah.

4. A Winter's Solstice III.

Windham Hill records put together this series of "new age" albums (there are at least 6 in the series so far) that give pleasant, atmospheric music that makes for soothing fireside stuff. Most of the selections in this series are more about creating a mood, about the winter season itself rather than specifically Christmas. But this volume has a lost of Christmas songs on it and a couple of them are, for me, masterful interpretations. John Gorka's version of Christmas Bells, for instance, was the first to really present to me the meaning and emotion of the song. I also really like Pierce Pettis' take on In the Bleak Midwinter and the delightful Trepak by Modern Mandolin Quartet. Another favorite here is Pavane by Liz Story, but not because of any Christmas associations. The tune is part of one of my absolute favorite pieces of classical music, the Capriol Suiteby Peter Warlock, and this version is moving and lovely.

5. A Christmas Festival. Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

I still remember seeing Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops on tour, and watching them on television, and, later, seeing them perform at the bandshell on the banks of the Charles River when John Williams had taken over as conductor. I also remember playing A Christmas Festival in high school band and the arrangement and orchestrations, as well as my part, are indelibly etched into my brain. This is probably the greatest orchestral Christmas album ever. If nothing, their version of Sleigh Ride is utterly definitive.

Happy Birthday, Lara!

One of the things I've discovered through social media is my twinsie, Lara Zielin. We share the same birthday. We are both writers (she has published two wonderful novels with more on the way). We both love donuts. And there is more, but, really, need there be any more?

This year our birthday falls on Thanksgiving Day. And for a gift, I wrote this song. I hope you enjoy it, Lara. Happy birthday!




ADDED 11/28

Here are the lyrics, in case you can't make them out.

I know this is your birthday
Cause it's my birthday, too
And so in celebration
I wrote this song for you

It's more than just our birthdays
We're twins in many ways
If we controlled the calendar
There'd be more Donut Days

If we controlled the airwaves
Sharktopus would always CHOMp
And there'd be a feature film
Of Aggie's implosion at the prom

Today's also Thanksgiving
There'll be turkey and cherry pie
And now I send this wish for you
Out to The Waiting Sky

Happy Birthday!

Harvest

I was asked to write a cover essay for this week's bulletin at our church. It's Stewardship time with the theme "The Joy of Giving." I really liked what I came up with, so i thought I'd share it here.

I love autumn.

The leaves. The pumpkins. The apples. The sweaters.

The colors are richer, deeper. The weather shifts and buckles, going from hot to cold within the span of one day. It’s as if the earth is sharing the last of its delights, hosting a final banquet before cocooning itself for the winter.

In autumn we begin bundling ourselves against the coming cold. We bring together our bounty, everything we’ve harvested over the year, and we count our many blessings.

For me, my blessings start and end with family. But not just my wife and children and other relatives. My church family.

The ChristCare group that helps keep me centered.  The members of Theology Reading Group who help me to continually stretch and enhance my faith. The Heritage Lecture Committee, where I get to assist in bringing challenging and thoughtful speakers to our congregation. The smiling faces that greet me every Sunday morning.

My blessings extend in a myriad of other ways, too. I’m thankful for the Sunday school teachers and shepherds who share God’s love with my children.  The meals we share in our amazing fellowship hall. The gifts of God that shine forth into our community in the form of missions and outreach. 

This is a church that’s rich in talent, deep in expressing God’s love, extreme in the lengths it will go to help its members, its community, its world.

This is my church. And my heart belongs here. 

Autumn is stewardship season, a time to remind us that this church cannot exist through love alone. This church lives only because talented people share their time, their gifts and their resources to further the kingdom of God.

Every year, we fill out a pledge card. Every year, we join our church family in the communal act of placing our envelope on the table. And this year, our daughter will make her first pledge. She’s only 7, but she already gives a part of her weekly allowance to help thank God for the many gifts this church has given us. And this year she’s going to walk with us to the table.

We will add our envelopes to the harvest. We will join in giving thanks for this church -- in giving thanks to God -- for all that we receive.  And our hearts will be warm and full.

Sleepwalking Downstairs for Coffee (Judy's Song)

I wrote a song.

Friday morning, I saw this note on Facebook from Judy Clement Wall: "I just made up a song. It's called Sleepwalking Downstairs For Coffee. It only has the one line. And only one note. Sing with me!"

I really liked that line and the image it conjured. So I thought I ought to go ahead and write a song (with more than one note and more than one line, obviously).

Early Friday afternoon I uploaded this.

I swear I "flipped" the original raw video so it wouldn't be a mirror image. But, obviously, it didn't happen. So, no, I am not playing the ukulele left handed.