Author: Michelle

 

Sitting here in Queens
Eating refried beans
We’re in all the magazines
Gulpin’ down thorazines

–the Ramones/We’re A Happy Family

 

 

On Twitter I see multiple links every day to articles that give you “secrets” to being happy.  I tend to think that reading about it won’t make it happen, but maybe I’m wrong about that. I also tend to thing there’s  not even a secret, just some stuff that we all know. Stuff like making the best of things. Getting enough sleep. Having good friends.

Know what, though?  Sometimes it isn’t easy, but it’s never complicated.

Reminding us about it doesn’t hurt, I suppose, except that some people really buy into the idea that there’s a secret. If they just read the right article, it will happen!

Worrying about it? Definitely won’t make it happen. Much as the song annoys the crap out of me, it’s still right.

 

Stupid Bobby McFerrin anyway.

I’m going to go and recline upon the sofa dramatically now.

À propos of nothing in particular…

 

Reclining upon the sofa is just one of the many things that make me happy.

 

 

One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple

–Jack Kerouac/The Dharma Bums

 

But why listen to Kerouac, when the Ramones tell us pretty much everything we need to know about living?  Kerouac doesn’t even have a good beat, and you can’t really dance to him. Maybe you can. I can’t.

Read, and be amazed. Oh. Yeah. Right.

 

Read and just Be.

 

 

There’s no stoppin’ the cretins from hoppin’

We can all be ourselves, be happy with our lives, and not waste time with worry.

 

 

1-2-3-4 cretins wanna hop some more

We can all be  diligent and enthusiastic in our daily lives.

 

 

4-5-6-7 all good cretins go to heaven

If we live life fully, we may reach Nirvana as our Selves become fully actualized.

(That made me gag a little, but I didn’t say it–the Ramones did!)

 

 

Well I don’t care about history

Rock, rock, rock ‘n roll high school

‘Cause that’s not where I wanna be

Leave the past in the past, and live in the present moment.

 

 

Don’t wanna be taught to be no fool

Recognize that the validity of a lesson depends in part on who the teacher is, and act accordingly.  Know what you want. Want what you have.

 

 

Eckhart Tolle could have saved a lot of time if he’d just listened to the Ramones instead of being obtuse.  Being obtuse is a lot of work.

The Ramones are simple.

 

With thanks to the Ramones for  both “Cretin Hop” and “Rock ‘n Roll High School” and apologies for possibly perpetuating the use of the semi-offensive term cretin used by the Ramones in their oeuvre. It  wasn’t offensive when they wrote it.

 

 

 

 

Her: What kind of hair did you have before you shaved it off ? Was it curly?

Him: I had mocha flavored hair.

Me, to myself: Uh…wasn’t that sticky?