When Devin talked about Addicted he said he was trying to make a record that felt good. Something you would turn on and say "yeah, that's gooood", and just have a lot of fun. I have a list of media that if you would listen/watch items from the list you would be guaranteed to feel great for the day.

Chicago Transit Authority
This was the first album by Chicago, and before they were called Chicago. This album just feels soooo great to listen to. There are a lot of fun bouncing horn sections, the guitar shreds, and the lyrics are sometimes so cheesy and straightforward that they become charming and endearing.
[youtube]jpYeqlvLAxQ[/youtube]

The Cosby Show
Cosby Show is all about morals and family values. That is pretty much it. They're not trying to shove anything big or deep down your throat. What makes it work is that the show is so non aggressive. You just watch a bunch of people sit around and have a good time, and naturally it bleeds over. Oh yeah, and Cosby dancing is always funny.
[youtube]ioa0-cZAO6M[/youtube]

Where the hell is Matt?
This video needs no explanation. If your heart hasn't melted after watching this, then you're as cold as ice.
[youtube]zlfKdbWwruY[/youtube]

So, Dev and everyone else. What are some media that when you turn it on you can't help but smile or feel great?

[youtube]cyIyHmG77mU[/youtube]

That moment changed my life, completely.

Everytime I watch this, I want to cry with joy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiaXQcj1 ... 758DD2F33C

ceremoniously magic

[Octillus]

Well aside from Devin's music, and a few other bands like Rush and other stuff I grew up with that make me smile, I like silly music a lot. A lot of the times it's intentional stuff almost to the point of novelty, or other times it's just the most severely new wave of the new wave. If you wanted an example, I'd probably tell you Devo.

I love a good film, I mean I almost went to school for film-making but instead I went to school for television instead.

So there's something to be said about my sense of humor finally starting to appear more and more in the mainstream of culture. And this was broken on the backs of series like The Simpsons, South Park, Kevin Smith's movies, etc. Things that were out there for their time but really paved the way. More obvious sources would be things like Mr. Show or The Upright Citizens Brigade, but that's just among the few. It's a good time for us outsiders on the medium, because the system is starting a very slow but steady collapse, and series like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are succeeding based upon the support of their rabid fans, many of whom tivo or download or only buy the dvds, and yet they can maintain their status quo, and continue. Those 3 guys are writers, producers and actors. It's amazing and an inspiration.

While I love It's Always Sunny, though, nothing could compare for my love of a series with a premise so ridiculous yet dared to take itself seriously as The Venture Brothers. Hell, those two guys have created their own mythology, which is something I was ironically inspired by the Tick to do when I was a kid (they worked on the Tick animated series). So whenever I watch a new episode, a kind of knowing glee sweeps over me.


Other things that make me feel good and smile, hrm, watching my baby brother grow up is pretty high on the list. He's 9 years old now, and he's gotten only the best traits from all of us fuck ups in the family, and it's clear he's got a great life ahead of him already. It's crazy, and considering the 13 year age gap, I've been watching him grow up for a long time.


Hugging my friend Emily. She's like my older sister, and has provided me so much guidance since I've been on my own these last 5 years. I was terribly upset when she moved to Arizona, but we still keep in touch.

Just the love and support of my friends and family. I have a pretty easy tendency to get down on myself, but never for too long these days because I have such an amazing support net to pick me back up.

Seriously, I'm blessed.


EDIT: Oh god I've forgotten so much!

I love a good graphic novel, because they take me back to when I was a kid reading comic books all day on rainy days. Nothing compares to Bone, however. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_(comics) All of that childlike whimsy combined with epic fantasy was among my favorite things to imagine growing up, when I finally gave in and read the epic last year I was overwrought with joy.

I love old sega games, because me and my stepbrother used to basically camp out in the garage where we had a beat up old CRT from the 70s, two controllers, and all of the time in the world. I find it so ironic that I do promotions for Nintendo on a regular basis now, because I was such a diehard sega kid.

There's so much more. This world's pretty nifty.

EDIT AGAIN: OH MY GOD HOW COULD I FORGET KURT VONNEGUT! I have a fucking tattoo of some of his artwork on my left arm! These are the books as an adult that get me to laugh the most and have some of the bleakest imagery juxtaposed against such hope! It's kind of funny, how a lot of things in my situation are kind of the same way, that as shitty as I often drag myself down I try to keep my chin up.

For the record, Slaughterhouse-Five did not make me smile, but that doesn't mean it was not one of the best books ever written. The best was just Cat's Cradle is all

This list is way too long in my head...but here are a few honorable mentions: (in no particular order)

NA/AA Meetings
Coffee/tea
Sex/masturbation
Devin Townsend
Recording/playing/writing music
Learning
Weight lifting/cardio
Food
Friends

I would get into my spiritual life...but I don't want to offend...

Drawing/making something good. Dancing. And some good music.

And a cup of tea makes everthing better.

Drawing/making something good. Dancing. And some good music.

And a cup of tea makes everthing better.

Do they have Celestial Seasons over there? My fave is Chocolate Caramel Enchantment chai. Mix that with a bit o' cream and sweetener....TO DIE FOR.

[swervedriver]

While I love It's Always Sunny, though, nothing could compare for my love of a series with a premise so ridiculous yet dared to take itself seriously as The Venture Brothers. Hell, those two guys have created their own mythology, which is something I was ironically inspired by the Tick to do when I was a kid (they worked on the Tick animated series).

SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

[Octillus]

Drawing/making something good. Dancing. And some good music.

And a cup of tea makes everthing better.

Do they have Celestial Seasons over there? My fave is Chocolate Caramel Enchantment chai. Mix that with a bit o' cream and sweetener....TO DIE FOR.

Celestial Seasons is THE brand.


And Swerve: FIRE ME BOY!

Drawing/making something good. Dancing. And some good music.

And a cup of tea makes everthing better.

Do they have Celestial Seasons over there? My fave is Chocolate Caramel Enchantment chai. Mix that with a bit o' cream and sweetener....TO DIE FOR.

Uh, I have no idea.

I just have Pyramid PG Tips.

Sometimes the weather/light/scent of the air is PERFECT. And when those perfect circumstances come together and creep up on me, I sort of stop and just bask in it. It only happens in October/November as well, so I'm high as a kite lately.

I love a good graphic novel, because they take me back to when I was a kid reading comic books all day on rainy days. Nothing compares to Bone, however. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_(comics) All of that childlike whimsy combined with epic fantasy was among my favorite things to imagine growing up, when I finally gave in and read the epic last year I was overwrought with joy.

Oh, I love graphic novels as well. I'm really happy my roommate is a huge comic buff and drops $25 a week on new material. One of the latest ones that I love is "Beasts of Burden." It sucks that it is only a four issue miniseries, but the first two are out now and it's awesome. Basically, it's about a group of dogs and a cat that protect their town from supernatural disturbances, and even though the story is based on fantasy the animals are drawn with exceptional detail, and are drawn in really cool poses that accentuate the anatomies of their breed. I guess that I should also mention that the stories are really fun, and funny, but can get surprisingly deep at the turn of the page. Extremely entertaining.
http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/13-834/Beasts-of-Burden-1

I'm totally going to check out that Bone comic when I get the chance.

[Octillus]

Phew, I was scared for a second that that was a furcomic.

Yeah that looks pretty sweet man, I'll have to see it in collection form!

Hey man, a good story is a good story. Be it about cute ghosts, or ass-kicking superheros, I don't care. As long as the story is good then I'm on board.

I just have Pyramid PG Tips.

Try Twinings Everyday Ambs, the ones in the yellow box.

Seriously tea-licious.

See what I did there.