If you're not an introverted, somewhat dysthymic writer who
wears big red sunglasses and who's completely out of touch with the pop music
scene, you've probably heard about the Happy song. I guess you'd actually have to live
in a cave not to have at least heard it somewhere. I don't listen to
the radio in my car, as I'm partial to books on tape, so I must have heard it
in a store or coming out somebody else's car windows.
Life gets complicated because of…well, other people, and
sometimes it's hard to keep your head above water, you know? It's easy to retreat
into your head, into books or TV or anything that keeps you from worrying about
stuff. At best, that can mean you do a ton of writing or something else
productive, say, cooking (I've heard it's relaxing) or gardening (which I hear
is quite meditative). At my worst I can't write a word. I think, "Nobody
wants to hear what's on your mind, Ana, because you've been camped out there
and it's cramped and stuffy and beginning to smell like mold."
Anyway, back to the Happy song. So in the midst of all this hiding
and extreme introversion a song is running through my head. The lyrics elude
me, but I know the word "happiness" keeps popping up, the tune is
addictive and it has a great beat. Maybe I could dance to it.
Enter Google. I typed in Happiness song, because I didn't
know what else to call it, and within ten seconds I learned that this catchy little song had created
a worldwide sensation on International Happiness Day—who knew there was one?—and that the artist had performed it at the Oscars! Did you know there are
videos of people all over the world dancing to that song? There are people who
are already tired of it, and I just figured out what it is!
Needless to say, I pumped that sucker out of my speakers and
started dancing around the living room, boppin' up a storm. (Yeah, that's me on the right.) And when I was done and
breathing heavily I was grinning from ear to ear and searching iTunes for more
dance music. Then I sat down and started writing.
It's wonderful to be out of my head and back in the world. Clap your hands if you know what happiness is to you…
—Ana
8 comments:
Great post, Ana - I could use more happy today. Seems like everyone around me is "blah" lately. ;) I do notice that if I squeeze a daily walk into my to-do list, I feel much more uplifted, if that makes sense. And more focused. Particularly if that walk is a mid-morning break before my intense writing begins.
I LOVE music and there are so many great songs. My office has two walls of glass that I admit I've rattled more than once. I know that to be happy I need to stay away from the TV and news media.
Well, misery does love company, so in a strange way it's good to know other people have been blah as well. :-/ I agree that walking helps, but dancing invigorates me in a way nothing else does. Too bad I didn't think of it sooner! I'm trying to envision those glass walls rattling, Rita!
There's an old cliche--"Music soothes the savage beast." And gets you through the trials and tribulations of life. Add dance and the adrenalin starts pumping. I feel like dancing up a storm right now. thanks, Ana.
I don't think I've heard the happy song LOL. I will look it up :) I need to avoid the news too. Holy. I get sucked into the 'why bother with writing a stupid story when we might all be dead in 50 years anyway because no one paid attention to clean energy.' Stupid and crazy but so is the human race.
I vow to go find the happy song instead. And walk the dog. :)
Ah, now Toni, you're just saying that so I won't feel like the only cave dweller, right? If any of my nieces or nephews read my post they'll laugh at me for sure. ("Only you would NOT know the Happy song, Auntie Ana!") Your dog—that savage beast—probably knows it. ;)
Dance before writing? Ana, you're an inspiration. I'm going to try it. Honest, but does it have to be the Happy song? How about Why Was I Born? Now a gal can really move to that. Anyway, nightie, night. Thanks for the fun post.
Why was I born? Is that really a song? Okay, I'm going to google that next...
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