Five Things That Are Making Me Happy

I have recently realized that they are several things that are just making me really, really happy. They’re things that I look forward to checking throughout the day, or listening to at the end of the week, or catching up with at night or on the weekend. But more than that, they are things that I want to share with others because they just make me so damn happy. What are these magical joy-bringing things you ask? They are all waiting to meet you, after the jump.

1. Maureen Johnson’s Twitter
If you’re unfamiliar with Ms. Johnson, let me fill you in: she’s a YA author. Her books are good, but, honestly, I think her tweets are better. She’s funny and quirky and smart and diverting and I LOVE IT. I often find myself frantically refreshing my Twitter feed while at work so that I have something to make me smile or laugh or retweet. I’ve also noticed that since following her, I’ve been RANDOMLY CAPITALIZING words. And I don’t mind that I’ve picked up that trait one bit.

2.   Pop Culture Happy Hour
This weekly podcast is comprised of four of the culture editors at NPR–Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Wheldon, and Trey Graham–who all sit around and talk about whatever it is they decide to talk about for an hour. It is FABULOUS. And actually, to quote myself from earlier, it is “funny and quirky and smart and diverting and I LOVE IT.” There’s nothing better than listening to four nerdy colleagues, who are also friends, just talking to each other and knowing that they are loving every minute of it as much as their audience is.

3. Cassandra Clare Books
Miss Clare is the author of two fantasy book series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, that are separate, but relate to each other. The books are fantasy-based and are a nice balance of history, religion, folk tales, art, and literature. They’re smart books, and feature smart characters who are layered and almost three-dimensional in their emotional complexity. (Twilight, these are not.)And Clare has a vocabulary! Do you know how nice it is to find books with editors who allow their authors to use their vocabulary?! There have been times when I’ve actually needed to LOOK UP a definition while reading–which is the way it should be! I won’t say these are the best books I’ve ever read, but I’ve read three of her books in less than a month, and am more than halfway through my fourth one. If you’re looking for something to read, and don’t mind fantasy-based books tinged with teen angst, then I definitely recommend these.

4. My iPhone
For Christmas this year I received a very unexpected gift–an iPhone 4. This was unexpected because a) I have never had a smart phone before, b) I’ve never really owned/cared to own the technological “it” thing, and c) it’s really expensive. But can I just tell you how glad I am to have it? This sucker is amazing! Someone asks me what movies Minka Kelly has been in and BAM, I can tell you. Or I need directions to a bar in Manhattan–presto, directions. It’s like magic.

5. Castle
This is a TV show whose bandwagon I have been on for awhile due to the presence of one Nathan Fillion. And I am glad to report that I am still on the bandwagon not because I refuse to get off bandwagons once I get on, (*cough Heroes cough*) but because it’s gotten better as a series since I joined the bandwagon. (Hooray!)

My favorite thing about it? The writers are allowed to geek out a little–this season has featured a Steampunk episode, an X-files reference laden episode, and many a line thrown Fillion’s way that let him reference his past involvement with (amazing) Joss Whedon projects.

So those are my five! What things are making you happy right now? Tell me about ’em in comments!