What makes you actually smile?

[Rupert]

No idea why, but I was talking about  the "quotes that hit home" thread with my daughter this morning, she collects quotes on her phone.

Then I went to pick up some friends Children, where their Mum had been singing "inspirational songs" with them, all laughing.

So we ended up chatting in the car (15 min run) about things that make you smile.

For me loads and I am not always aware of it.  Its where to start, and what I cannot afford to miss out:

Family being happy. When all seems well with everyone, I will look round and find myself smiling.
Sue coming in having completed a triathlon. Its always a high.
The dog (Jake) welcoming me home.
Pulling out of a corner on the throttle of my bike.
A good downhill mountain bike run.
One of Ergophobes long posts ( I was also explaining your nick to Lucy recently)
Beating Ian and Ian sailing racing on a wed night (One is always happy, the other soooo grumpy when we win)  Is that mean?
Seeing my Mum with my daughter. (Mum always has a big hug for her granddaughters)
Water-skiing hard....

I don't mean smile inside, that's important too, but makes the corners of your lips turn up. The involuntary relflex.

[Mackin USA]

My 4 year old granddaughter Ember

[littleman]

watching kids be goofy
spending time with my wife
sitting down to eat a delicious meal
hitting a goal
sometimes when I am ridding a bike or skateboarding
good cup of coffee
hanging out with old friends

[Rumbas]

You pretty much summed it up John.

Going to a great party with good friends.
Getting a client where we estimated they should be and getting a pad on the back from that client.
Seeing my kids accomplish their goal - big and small.

[ergophobe]

- seeing my wife in the morning or at the end of the day.
- time alone after being in a group
- time with friends after being alone
- time in nature
- a nice downhill run on a mt bike or on skis
- a few cranky people who have hilarious rants that I interact with a lot. They're just funny when they're mad and strangely lift my spirits.
- a great day climbing
- an unexpected windfall.

>>One of Ergophobes long posts

Honored. Mildly embarrassed too

>>( I was also explaining your nick to Lucy recently)

Told my wife one day, "I have agoraphobia" which etymologically means "fear of the marketplace".
She said "What are you talking about?"
I said "I really don't feel like working. I'm afraid of the marketplace."
She said, "But you work at home alone. Your problem is you want to go out in the marketplace, not sit home alone working. You're not agoraphobic, you're afraid of work."
I said "You're right. I have ergophobia! A crippling case!"

And of course I immediately looked and ergophobia.com was unregistered so I grabbed it. Ergophobe quickly became my handle for rec.climbing and lots of rock climbers just called me that as a matter of course, then I used it on WebmasterWorld, drupal.org, here and a few other places. I found out another ergophobe grabbed it on Flickr and a few other places. So there's at least two of us!

[Rupert]

It wasn't long, and it still made me smile.    And it should not make you feel embarrassed.  I am sorry, that was not my intention.

The bit in the original post,

and what I cannot afford to miss out:

There are lots of people here that make me smile in different ways. But obviously I cannot do everyone.

[ergophobe]

Oh no... I just mean in the blushing way, being mentioned by name and the feeling I sometimes get when the screen refreshes and I think "Holy crap! Did I just write all that?"

I'm glad you have enjoyed some of my posts and I'm grateful you mentioned it. *THAT* put a smile on my face.

[buckworks]

>> afraid of the marketplace

My mother-in-law calls it "public shy".

[DogBoy]

- Fireworks
- A complex pun or play on words
- going through all the gears on my Ducati, and then slowing back down, almost goofy from the rush.
- Hearing my wife saying non funny things, or using vulgar expressions only I use, but with her funny little accent, saying things she may not really understand.
- Hearing people who like me, try to introduce and describe me to people, that have a hard time trying to make sense of what they hear, but are giving me the benefit of the doubt.
- shooting a long, exaggerated burst out of fully automatic weapon, with an oversized magazine.
- watching animals in general (and dogs in particular) meet, play and interact.
- innocence, in any form

[Drastic]

1. Boobies
2. More throttle


In that order.

[Gurtie]

- my animals, any of them, especially when they'e clearly happy themselves.
- a winters day, fire lit, christmas decorations up, wine open, just me and Rob
- time with real friends
- cooking at the weekend when I have time to enjoy it
- random stuff which is totally diffferent from my normal life - glass blowing, offroading day, making a scarecrow
- seeing one of my staff do something they didn't think they could until they tried
- a good book

[littleman]

Here you go Dras.