The Happiness Tag

Things that make me happy:

(Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...)


Scents

New books
Rainy days
Peach
Baking goods!
Tea


Books

Harry Potter: this just has to be the number one influence on my life since I read the first book when I was 7! I've made so many amazing friends thanks to Harry Potter and I've always been really active on the fandom. I've written fanfiction, read the books up to 7 times... I just love it!

The Fault in Our Stars: okay, I know this is supposed to be "things that make me happy" and you must be thinking TFiOS is a tear jerker... well, it makes me cry a lot, but it's also one of the things that brings the most joy to my life. I just have a connection with that book. It speaks to me on such a deep level! It's also one of my favourite films, but I've decided to put it just once so it would make room for more things :)

The Little Prince: I've said it before and I'll say it again: everybody should read this book! Adults more than children. We need to go back to the roots and see what's important in life. Sometimes we get so obsessed over the unimportant things that we get lost. To me, that book is solid ground. Is me knowing what I have to value.

All My Friends Are Superheroes: THIS IS THE CUTEST BOOK IN THE WORLD. It wasn't on my favourite books post, but I love it. It's actually Carrie Hope Fletcher's favourite book! So there's that. If there's a word that defines it is endearing. It just leaves me with a warm feeling and makes me so happy.

Malory Towers: talk about throwback! I've read these thousands of times and I love Enid Blyton. It actually inspired me to write a story when I was 10 and I still have it hahaha I still find myself going back to them every some months!


Miscellaneous

Singing
Swimming
Children
My village
Playing theatre

Music (artists, songs, musicals...)

Les Misérables: IT HAD TO BE SOMEWHERE. As with TFiOS, it's one of my favourite movies too, but I've decided to put it on the list just once. Do I really need to tell you again how much I love this musical?

Danielle Bradbery: my favourite "mainstream" singer, winner of The Voice US season 4. She has a huge voice and needs to be more promoted, because even though her first album was average, she's been getting new amazing songs out and I can't wait to see the studio versions on a new album!

Lea Salonga: my favourite musical theatre singer. If I could just listen to her live... I'd be the happiest person on the planet. I admire her so much, and her skill is undeniable. She's such a funny person too! And her daughter is the cutest! (Let me say I wanted to put Carrie Hope Fletcher here so badly but I wanted to talk about different categories and she fell on Lea's... but I love her too!)

Txarango: you probably won't know about them, but they're a Catalan band which has been touring all over the world. And to me, they are the definition of something that makes me happy. Their music can always lift my mood. There isn't a grey day when they're around. I've also heard them live a handful of times and you have such a fun time.

Haven't Met You Yet: This song is by Michael Bublé and never fails to make me smile! I love the whole feel of the song!

(Sidenote: I have my "Favourite Musical Songs" playlist on while I'm writing this post and "My Favourite Things" has just started to play! This is perfect!)


Films & TV

DOCTOR WHO.: Just freaking Doctor Who. I love how it celebrates the wonders of the smallest things human beings do, the smallest acts of kindness that make us human. It makes me cry and laugh at the same time and it's such a special show to me.

Mary Poppins: This was my favourite film growing up and it holds a special place in my heart! It's so endearing and fun and funny. I love it :)

Hercules: I wanted to say "Disney Films" in general, but I felt it was like cheating... so I decided to write my favourite one instead! But if I say it maybe that's cheating too... Oh dear! Well, I'm sure you all know how special Disney films are to our generation :)

Castle: I'm still in denial over it ending. Castle's character is a joy. A writer investigating crimes... I love his out-of-the-box way of thinking and his different abilities. The other characters and the stories are also phenomenal.

The Big Bang Theory: Just funny! The characters are so well-rounded and they have the craziest ideas. I love it!


And that's it! Thank you so much Beth for nominating me, this was so fun to do! You can go check Beth's post here ^^ I want to apoligise to whoever invented this because I know music wasn't on the original, BUT it didn't feel right to leave it out! So I just had to add it hahaha I nominate Laura, Iris and Jess! I hope you'll enjoy doing it!

A big big hug,

Acqua

QOTW #7: Being alive

I've put quotes from my favourite books and musicals, but a thing I haven't talked about a lot is my favourite TV series - and believe me, I'm almost as obsessed with it as I am with LesMis. It has to be Doctor Who. I love the amazing job it does with praising humanity, the small brilliant things about the human condition. I love how it brings hope, joy and pain equally. I love how it underlines the importance of small abilities that one may have, and how they can save the world. You get REALLY invested emotionally with it and it has helped me through so much.

And this is my favourite quote from the whole series. It's actually not the first one I've written, because I managed to fit one into my last post, "We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one!", remember? Doctor Who just manages to speak to my soul!

This quote is SO important to me and I live my life by it (I did even before having heard it!). I've told you before how I think feeling everything deeply is a huge part of my personality, and it explains a lot about me. When I'm happy, I'm really happy, and when I'm sad, I'm really sad. I don't stay in between. And everything gets me all the time; maybe that's why when I like something I'm quickly obsessed with it!

I used to see this as a curse, because I kept wondering why I seemed to be sadder than most people I knew. But then I realised there was a beauty in it. I was sadder; but I was also happier. I was living EVERYTHING as much as it could be lived. I was giving life my all. And that meant I was so alive. When this quote came to me, it was like heaven-sent. If feeling everything deeply is being alive, boy do I agree that this is the best thing there is! And letting it get to you is exactly that. You feel pain because it matters. And allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough for something to matter this much is taking a risk, but in the end, I also find this a huge part of life.

You can't live your life halfways. You only get one chance. And you have to give it your all. At least, that's how I see it. And at least, that's what I'm going to do.

A big big hug!


Acqua