
Today Is International Day of Happiness - lun4r
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Happiness
======
johnpowell
Since everyone seems to be all negative I will share a story about the
greatest day of my life. This happened around 10 months ago and it involves
hash browns.

Due to mouth radiation I had to have all my teeth pulled and then two months
of radiation and chemo just made my mouth a nightmare. I hit the point where
trying to get down warm chicken broth was impossible. Everything I tried to
eat just resulted in hours of pain to get down a swallow. So I didn't eat for
around six months. I have a feeding tube for slurry to provide nutrients. It
takes a bit to get used to getting full without using your mouth. There is a
bit of a disconnect between your mouth and stomach.

I hit a point where my neck muscles were so unused they almost stopped
working. I couldn't even swallow a tiny pill. So the doctors started talking
about putting a balloon down my throat and inflating and deflating it a bunch
of times to get the muscles working again. Fuck everything about that.

So I decided to just suffer and I started eating the blue box. (mac and
cheese, kraft dinner for those up north). It was all I ate for months. I like
noodles al dente but I had to overcook them to the point of mush so I could
swallow them. Then I slowly worked my way to firm once I was able to normally
swallow again.

But back to the greatest day of my life. I had only eaten mac and cheese for
months and I decided to get adventurous. We had frozen hash browns in the
freezer. So I cooked some in a ton of butter. My neck was still really raw so
I barely browned them and covered them in ketchup to help them slide down
since I can't chew anything.

It worked and was amazing. Then I had the bright idea to cover them in cheese
so I ran up to Safeway and got a bag of shredded cheese. That was next level
shit. I used to love the fried tater-tops covered in cheese and ketchup from
Taco-Time.

But yeah. I was under 100 pounds and I put on about 15 pounds in a matter of
weeks. That was 95% hash browns and Safeway cheese.

I think I need to put the internet down. Everything is so negative. Six months
ago my good day would be your nightmare.

~~~
lidHanteyk
I am an incredibly negative person. I am full of hate and loathing. I do not
like people, humanity, or society. However, your story moved me to recount a
story of my own.

A few months ago, while I was on my way to get dinner, I was waiting at an
intersection for the light to change, when I heard a fire engine approaching.
I looked around the intersection to find where it was coming from, and noticed
a young woman with massive headphones on her head, stepping into the
intersection, in the direction of the fire engine, with her head down.

I did a cartoonish double-take, and then I lunged several feet to grab her by
the shoulders, holding her in place and surprising her. A moment later, the
fire engine rolled through the crosswalk and into the intersection, where she
had been about to step. She was shocked, but safe. She thanked me and walked
away; I continued to my dinner.

This story really only has one thing in common with yours: It was the greatest
day of my life. I am glad that you are recovering and finding health and
prosperity in your life; I hope that she is, too.

------
Tade0
Somewhat unrelated note: there's an interesting side effect among depressed
people in my social circle - they seem to be... happier now?

Apparently the fact that everyone is currently on lockdown removes the
pressure of having to go to work, socialize etc.

Some of them found a new purpose in helping their neighbours with groceries,
pets etc.

~~~
Retric
I don’t know about clinical depression. However, changes in routine can really
help when you’re feeling down for a while.

I accidentally flooded my apartment and while it was inconvenient and
expensive, my mood noticeably improved for the next few weeks. Presumably
because I was tossed out of my comfort zone and had a bunch of odd
experiences.

------
sub7
International Year of Shittiness more like :/

~~~
DonHopkins
I sure could use an International Day of Tacos right now.

------
rubyfan
The 10 principles seems like the rules of a chain letter. 1,4,5,6,9 and 10 are
essentially tell other people about DOH and happytalism.

------
blumomo
Wait, what? The (CEO of) UN New World Order is the author of this program
according to the linked wikipedia page?

~~~
foobarbecue
Does the UN seriously have a program called New World Order?? Am I missing a
joke here? I looked at the page and it seems pretty legit...

~~~
SimplyUnknown
Turns out, they do and the author of this wikipedia page is indeed the founder
of the program: [https://unnwo.org/](https://unnwo.org/)

~~~
input_sh
> Happytalism is a new economic paradigm which places happiness, well-being,
> and freedom at the center of human development models, systems, and all
> life.

Oh wow. Just... wow.

~~~
andrepd
The name is a bit creepy with hints of dystopia, but surely by the description
it's actually a noble goal?

------
mantas
Yay for another synthetic celebration pushed from the top that nobody cares
about.

Spring equinox is a damn great day though.

Next - appoint 4 yearly happiness days on both equinoxes and solstices. Like
many pre-abrahamic cultures did.

~~~
rubyfan
Haha did you mean

1\. Passover/Easter

2\. Saint John’s Day

3\. Harvest Festival/Sukkot/Thanksgiving

4\. Christmas

~~~
mantas
Sort of. But drop bastardised add-ons by Christianity and return to
celebrating the nature. And stick to sun calendar.

I couldn't care less about christianity, but both solstices are a big thing
for me. I hope christmas eve dinner won't die and won't move to "new year" as
christianity slowly dies.

------
317070
Well, that and happy Nowruz everybody!

------
charlesism
Good one :(

