Have you ever wondered that...

[mayaclars]

I thought about some topics, and, maybe you have also been thinking about similar stuff. I've realized that simple things make me so so happy, and I don't need anything else. For example, just getting up early and do my little routine lifts my mood up. So, questions for you:

1. What's something ordinary can make you feel really happy?
2. Are you a morning person?
3. If you could pause time, would you?

personal site in the 2000s style

[Dan Q]

1. What's something ordinary can make you feel really happy?

A heartfelt hug from a friend. A hot black coffee. The opening bars of a comforting familiar song. My youngest kid getting stuck in a giggle-loop.

2. Are you a morning person?

Yes!

It's long been said that people are hard-wired to be "morning people" or "night people". If that's true, I am the exception to the rule! I was a "night person" until about my late-20s and then suddenly flipped to being a "morning person".

It used to really suit me at my old job: I could get up early and, while I was feeling most fresh and productive, get started at work before the kids woke up. Then I could take a break to ensure they had breakfast and got to school, and then return to my desk for deeper work, building upon the foundations I'd laid earlier while I was feeling more-imaginative and inspired. And then I could knock off early a couple of days a week to take shifts at afternoon childwrangling, too.

My new job's less-good for that, because they're less-good at "asynchronous" thinking... and so I end up in lots of meetings with people eight timezones West of me, which means my synchronous "morning standup" meetings are now at around 5pm in my timezone, ugh!

3. If you could pause time, would you?

All the damn time!

Under the assumption that this magical ability somehow pauses time for everybody but me, and somehow does so without any other knock-on effects (which doesn't seem like it'd make much sense from a physics standpoint), I'd use that for all kinds of purposes.

I'd also enjoy being able to do the opposite and accelerate time, "missing out" on some time in the present (perhaps at night) in order to live longer and thereby see more of the future. Or at least to counteract all of the ageing I'd presumably end up doing while I'd paused time for everybody else.

[sproutknip]

1. What's something ordinary can make you feel really happy?
Recently, I’ve noticed my most simple pleasure is a hot crumpet for breakfast in the morning. No matter how hectic my morning is, the instant the crumpet pops out of the toaster I butter it and immediately eat it while it’s still hot. If the sun has risen, I like to look out across the fields as I do this. It makes me feel very present, and very lucky!

2. Are you a morning person?
Sadly, I’m terrible at waking up. Sadly, I’m terrible at staying up late, too. I’m neither a morning or a night person. I’m just always tired! I suspect that’s just what being a parent is.

3. If you could pause time, would you?
Yes, and I would sleep during the paused time. It would be so good, and so quiet. And I could just pause time and sleep wherever and whenever I wanted. I’m sure there would be other practical uses, but I’m pretty hung up on the sleeping idea.

I think, more seriously, I probably wouldn’t want to use such a power. I like the passage of time, even if it brings sad things. I think being able to pause time would be too tempting, and would make facing difficult things even harder. I think it’s probably good to not have a choice, sometimes. Plus, time heals. If you pause it, that’s probably not true anymore!

[IndigoGolem]

1. What's something ordinary can make you feel really happy?

Cloudscapes. When the sun hits a mass of clouds just right, it's really beautiful.
Also, a good meal.

2. Are you a morning person?

Sort of. I would be if i could wake up early, but alas i work evenings. And i'm bad at not staying up late even when i don't work (quarter past 23 as i write this)

3. If you could pause time, would you?

Probably. sproutknip's sleep point is a good usage. I'd probably also use this power to prep stuff for cooking really fast. Chop veggies in no time. Maybe spend what feels like days at a time reading, except if the sleep thing works that suggests i'd also still get hungry and tired and old.

[mayaclars]

Cloudscapes. When the sun hits a mass of clouds just right, it's really beautiful.
Also, a good meal.Sort of. I would be if i could wake up early, but alas i work evenings. And i'm bad at not staying up late even when i don't work (quarter past 23 as i write this)Probably. sproutknip's sleep point is a good usage. I'd probably also use this power to prep stuff for cooking really fast. Chop veggies in no time. Maybe spend what feels like days at a time reading, except if the sleep thing works that suggests i'd also still get hungry and tired and old.

Cloudscapes!! Ah, it is so beautiful to look at!!

personal site in the 2000s style

[mayaclars]

1. What's something ordinary can make you feel really happy?
Recently, I’ve noticed my most simple pleasure is a hot crumpet for breakfast in the morning. No matter how hectic my morning is, the instant the crumpet pops out of the toaster I butter it and immediately eat it while it’s still hot. If the sun has risen, I like to look out across the fields as I do this. It makes me feel very present, and very lucky!

2. Are you a morning person?
Sadly, I’m terrible at waking up. Sadly, I’m terrible at staying up late, too. I’m neither a morning or a night person. I’m just always tired! I suspect that’s just what being a parent is.

3. If you could pause time, would you?
Yes, and I would sleep during the paused time. It would be so good, and so quiet. And I could just pause time and sleep wherever and whenever I wanted. I’m sure there would be other practical uses, but I’m pretty hung up on the sleeping idea.

I think, more seriously, I probably wouldn’t want to use such a power. I like the passage of time, even if it brings sad things. I think being able to pause time would be too tempting, and would make facing difficult things even harder. I think it’s probably good to not have a choice, sometimes. Plus, time heals. If you pause it, that’s probably not true anymore!

the crumpet and the view across the fields sounds like a lovely little ritual. It's amazing how something so simple can make you feel grounded and grateful. And I really like your final thoughts about pausing time.... It's important to be present and feel the life

personal site in the 2000s style

[mayaclars]

A heartfelt hug from a friend. A hot black coffee. The opening bars of a comforting familiar song. My youngest kid getting stuck in a giggle-loop.

Yes!

It's long been said that people are hard-wired to be "morning people" or "night people". If that's true, I am the exception to the rule! I was a "night person" until about my late-20s and then suddenly flipped to being a "morning person".

It used to really suit me at my old job: I could get up early and, while I was feeling most fresh and productive, get started at work before the kids woke up. Then I could take a break to ensure they had breakfast and got to school, and then return to my desk for deeper work, building upon the foundations I'd laid earlier while I was feeling more-imaginative and inspired. And then I could knock off early a couple of days a week to take shifts at afternoon childwrangling, too.

My new job's less-good for that, because they're less-good at "asynchronous" thinking... and so I end up in lots of meetings with people eight timezones West of me, which means my synchronous "morning standup" meetings are now at around 5pm in my timezone, ugh!

All the damn time!

Under the assumption that this magical ability somehow pauses time for everybody but me, and somehow does so without any other knock-on effects (which doesn't seem like it'd make much sense from a physics standpoint), I'd use that for all kinds of purposes.

I'd also enjoy being able to do the opposite and accelerate time, "missing out" on some time in the present (perhaps at night) in order to live longer and thereby see more of the future. Or at least to counteract all of the ageing I'd presumably end up doing while I'd paused time for everybody else.

I love the idea of going from a night person to a morning person. That sounds like quite a useful transformation. It was interesting to read!! Great thougths

personal site in the 2000s style