How to be Happy Part One.

Overheard while Wanda was checking her email.

She said. "Xfinity is increasing its speed."
He heard. Xfinity is increasing its fees. 

"Speed." She said. "They've increased the speed, not the fees."

OK, so honest mistake. When is the last time a service company gave you something more or something extra for nothing. Yes, it seems they raise rates every year to cover the growing costs of doing business but to actually improve service with no immediate charge doesn't often happen.

I was anxious to update so I could find information I didn't need in half the time on a computer that was slow in 2012 and probably couldn't handle it anyway.

I went on line and checked the email. I didn't understand the instructions for upgrading my system. I couldn't figure out if I have the necessary equipment to even try.

She said. "I like Mac & Cheese."

He heard. I like microwave cheese.

And who doesn't like Velveeta soup.

Do you want to feel better and bring a smile to your face?

Here are a number of suggestions from an eminent psychologist for how to do just that.

Call up an old friend. You know you’ve been meaning to and they’d love to hear from you. 

Call a friend that owes you money and ask for it. You'll probably never talk again anyway. 

Go for that run you’ve been promising yourself. It’s going to feel so good afterward, even if the process is a little painful. 

Be sure to take legal I.D., health care and doctor contact information with you.

Hand-write a note to someone you love. Snail mail is a dying art, and they’ll love receiving it! 

But before you start check that you have envelopes and stamps. You sure don't want to go stand on line at the U.S. Post Office. What a pain-in-the-ass that would be. Screw-it, send an email....or even easier...a text. 

Make cookies from ingredients you already have in the pantry. It’s fun to get creative. Why not throw a few extra spices in there?

You wasted enough to feed a family, the cookies taste like overcooked cow pies and you have a mess the size of Topeka to clean but you had fun.

Hang up those pictures in your house. It always makes me happy to cross something off the “to do” list.

Go on a hardware store run for a laser level, a digital wireless measure/marker and command type strips. Hanging pictures and wall art tops the list of home improvement or decor projects that are divorce catalysts. Request an alone day and ask your spouse or partner to disappear.

Read a good book. Because life’s too short not to.

Good luck with this. I've been trying to find a good book to read for months. Every day I open my Kindle offers with anticipation. I think this will be the book for me. I've spent thirty dollars on thirty books and read all of five of them. My local library site is one of, if not the, most difficult website I have ever tried to use. 

I enjoy the television series so I bought Game of Thrones books 1 & 2. I finished 1 and have been reading 2 for months. At this point I've read 1200 pages. There are, or will be, five or six more novels. As for this read, in this case, I'm thinking life is too short to.

Hug your kids. They won’t be kids forever, and once they turn into teenagers, they might not be the hugging type.

I am so happy we have a demonstrative family. We are huggers, even the teenage grandson. I'm not entirely sure of his motivation since I caught him trying to lift my wallet last week.

Finding a pen in the house that actually works well. And perhaps throwing out the ones that don’t.

I have working pens all over my house and paper too. I never know when a profound thought will hit me, something I need to note for future reference and posterity or I just need a reminder to take out the garbage.

And who doesn't have a drawer or holder of some sort filled with old half dried out poorly working pens. If you live alone you have no excuse but it's understandable for couples.

No one wants to throw away the pen, change the toilet paper roll or eat the last scoop of ice-cream. 

Take your dog on a walk. They deserve your love and attention and will be exhausted afterward!

No dog? Take your cat. No cat? Take the neighbor's kid.

Allow yourself to browse Pinterest for an hour. Yes that’s right—guilt free.

Now you can spend the next several days in the depths of depression fully understanding how many talented and clever people are out in the world. And as much as you would love to complete several of the wonderful projects deep down you know you never will.

Organize your desk so it looks beautiful again. It’s so much easier to work and pay the bills when everything is neat.

Having a few extra dollars makes it even easier.

Watch a funny movie that you’ve seen a million times. Laughter is good for the soul.

Yes. Laughter is good for the soul. But if you're still laughing after a million times you need to stop smoking the Halflings' leaf.

Wish your friends Happy Birthday on Facebook. Because it makes them feel special.

Hi there. I know it's your birthday. Facebook sent me an email reminder. I also saw a weekly birthday list on my news ticker. Honestly I don't think I'd have remembered but I also saw several hundred greetings to you on my news feed. So, Happy Freaking Birthday.

Now, isn't that special.

Do a cartwheel. Because it reminds you of your younger days.

Ya, this isn't a great idea. Especially if you have hip, knee, shoulder replacements or any internal grafting or hardware. Ladies, if you are out in a dress please check and make sure you remembered to put on underpants.

Daydream about vacations you want to take someday. Having goals makes working hard worthwhile.

If you're retired on a limited income daydream all you want and watch Rick Steves on PBS. It's as close to Ireland as you're going to get.

Take the day off from work. You’ve earned it.

I'm not sure about this psychologist. If you do too many of these you'll never get to Ireland.

Take a walk in the park. Try to notice the beauty around you.

It's so much easier to walk around now with the pooper scooper laws and all.

Go for a long drive with the one you love. It’s nice just to get out of the house!

Gas is close to $4 a gallon. You want to get out of the house? Pack up a couple of egg salad sandwiches, grab a bottle of water and go sit in the backyard.

Look at old pictures from when you were a kid. Remember when life was simpler?

And you were oh so much younger?  

Seeing a rainbow. It’s such a fun and unique treat.

Three conditions must be met in order for you to see a rainbow. First, it must be raining. Second, the sun must be shining. Third, the observer must be between the sun and the rain. The lower the sun is in the sky, the higher the arc of the rainbow will be.

I'm in California and it is dry. If someone sees a rainbow please send me a picture. I could use a fun and unique treat.