Happy happy joy joy.

Happiness: a good bank account, a good cook and a good digestion.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778)

I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately. I used to think it was dorky to get excited over small things. I've grown up a bit and have come to realize that finding happiness in the little moments as well as the big is one of the things that makes life joyous.

So what small thing is making me happy today, at this moment? A cook book. Some of you may recall that I bought a rotisserie. The problem - not really a big deal - is that the booklet that it came with has a recipe or two, but no per-pound measurements. And even then, I want to do more than roast chicken or beef or what have you.



By the way, speaking of happiness, you'd be amazed at how people LOVE to watch it turn. It makes them happy. Yup, it really does. Chicken roasting on a turning spit is strangely fascinating.

Delivered today by UPS is the cookbook "The Ultimate Rotisserie Cookbook". Sooooo excited! I am even planning on bringing it (the rotisserie, not the book) to work and making lunch for everyone. Or having that be my contribution to the next pot luck lunch. Even planning said lunch if that's what it takes.

There is even a bonus bit of happiness - enough of a bonus that I gave a yelp of enthusiasm out loud - to this whole thing. I thought it was unfortunate that my friend - a good friend and fellow foodie, amongst other things - would not care one way or another (except she would be happy that I am happy) because she is a vegetarian. Vegetarians have no particular stake in various methods of meat cooking. But guess what? There are potato recipes in the book. Twelve of them! And she LOVES her some 'taters, good Newfoundlander that she is. So hooray, I can make non-meaty stuff too :)

It's a good day.

Grammar important it is to have good.

I have, after much procrastination, started on a book. The writing of one, not the reading of one. With the reading I seem to be perpetually starting, working on and finishing a book. The writing...not so much. Still hoping to have the children's book published but that's a whole other story. This is an actual novel. Maybe. Could just as easily fall into the "never going to happen" category. I just want to try. No crime in that, right?

I started yesterday, and quickly discovered that spell-check and I have some serious differences of opinion. I'm happy to have spelling corrected, particularly as it works better for me if I can race through an idea without worrying about the spelling first time around.

The bone of contention has to do with correct grammar and the way people actually talk. Trying to write dialogue for characters who have perfect grammar is not working.. No one sounds believable, somehow. We just don't talk that way.

I remember reading a book once where each character did have perfect grammar. I don't even remember what the book was, I just remember something feeling off, somehow. The further into the book I got the more something bothered me. It wasn't until I got to three pages of nothing but dialogue - and an argument between characters at that! - that it hit me. There was no stuttering, no "uhms" or "ergs" or poorly constructed (or even incomplete!) sentences. No one argues that way. NO ONE.

I have tried to explain this to spell check. No agreement, but I warned him that if he didn't agree I'd just ignore his issues, so that's where it stands. Sentences everywhere with squiggly green lines under them because spell-check guy (yup, it's a guy) thinks I should fix them.