Tag: Happiness

Disneyland Is Not the Happiest Place on Earth

This all started when AARP had an article in their magazine about happiness.  They referred me to the World Database of Happiness. They have sponsored polls since 2005 and found that Denmark is the happiest place on earth.

According to polls taken from 2005 to 2011, these were the happiest countries:

  1. Denmark
  2. Finland
  3. Norway
  4. Netherlands
  5. Canada
  6. Switzerland
  7. Sweden
  8. New Zealand
  9. Australia
  10. Ireland

The United States ranks 11th, just after Ireland. The unhappiest country is Togo.  It’s not hard to notice that the unhappiest countries are also some of the poorest.The four happiest countries have incomes that are 40 times higher than the four unhappiest countries, the report said. People can also expect to live 28 years longer in the happiest nations.  Apparently cold weather is not a factor in determining happiness.

The questions seem to revolve around how you feel. An example are these questions:

“On the whole how satisfied are you with the life you lead?”

4 very satisfied

3 fairly satisfied

2 not very satisfied

1 not at all satisfied

 “During the past few weeks, did you ever feel ….?” (yes/no)

A. Particularly exited or interested in something?

B. So restless that you couldn’t sit long in a chair?

C. Proud because someone complimented you on something you had done?

D. Very lonely or remote from other people?

E. Pleased about having accomplished something?

F. Bored?

G. On top of the world?

H. Depressed or very unhappy?

I. That things were going your way?

J. Upset because someone criticized you?

Answer options and scoring:

Yes = 1 No = 0

Twenty six categories or criteria entered into the conclusions.  Yes, environment and climate are part of the evaluations.

Are the conclusions biased in favor of European nations?  Perhaps.

Life After Retirement

Huell Howser passed away last night. He was the homespun host of public television’s popular California’s Gold travelogues.   He obviously enjoyed producing the programs he presented.  I actually found his presentations irritating because of the corny dialog he used.  He wrote it and he enjoyed presenting it.  He retired in November 2012.

Howser is not the first well known and widely loved personality to die shortly after retiring.  Andy Rooney was the ever loved curmudgeon who ended every 60 Minutes program with some silly but interesting observations. He died within a few weeks of his retirement.  Remember Edgar Bergen the ventriloquist?  He was the father of Candice Bergen.  He too died within weeks of his retirement.  I am sure there are other well known people who died shortly after retirement.

Still, I know some veterans of WWII that are alive and well who drive cars, play cards,  argue about everything, watch television, and are living happily ever after.

So my question is: does being in the lime light impact your life after retirement or is it that those who really love their jobs face an early death upon retirement?

I believe it’s the latter.  My own father worked until the age of 70.  He would have worked even longer if his employer had not said “We think it’s time you retired.”  He was not a happily retired man.  He struggled finding things to do.  He lived 16 years after he retired.

I on the other hand never loved any of my work.  It was work not fun.  I do not miss getting up at 5:30am.  I do not miss angry bosses.  Actually my son was 18 when he said, “You have hated every job you ever had.”  Wow! That hurt but it was true.

So since I have no regrets about not working maybe I will live to 100.  I hope so!

Moving Into the City

For the first time in a century, most of America’s largest cities are growing at a faster rate than their surrounding suburbs.  Just Google “relocating from the suburbs to the inner city” and you will find multiple articles including this Hartford Courant news item with the headline:  Great Reversion: Boomers and millennials are coming back to urban America. There is this headline on nbc.com: Cities grow more than suburbs, first time in 100 years.

 What is going on is a realization by people of all ages that central areas of cities have more things to do and see (art galleries, theaters, shopping), easier cheaper transportation, faster access to health care, educational opportunities, and some intriguing homes.  On top all this there are no more hour long commutes.

Even Los Angeles has seen a resurgence in central city population growth.  Old and mostly abandoned department stores in the Downtown and Hollywood area still have the same exteriors but have been remodeled into apartments and lofts.  Apartment house developments are along major boulevards and adjoining streets throughout the west side all the way to Venice Beach and Santa   Monica.  Central Long Beach has become a major redevelopment area on the southern perimeter of the city.

San Diego Montage
San Diego Montage

San Diego, my favorite city, has seen a rebuilt central city dominated by high rise condo and apartment developments.  Plenty of night life in the Gas Lamp district, a world class zoo, sports stadiums, and museums that are second to none.  Their light rail and bus system is outstanding.  Don’t send your children to their universities – they won’t return home; even back to Los Angeles.

Businessweek.com evaluated 100 of the country’s largest cities based on 16 criteria, which include: the number of restaurants, bars, and museums per capita; the number of colleges, libraries, and professional sports teams.  Those are some of the reasons living in major metropolitan areas outweighs the congestion and noise that is prevalent.  While you may not agree with their rankings (I don’t) the descriptions tell you the reasons that the suburbs are no longer the place to live.

Happiest Country in the World is Denmark

According to the World Happiness Report, released this week, Canada ranks as the fifth happiest country, trailing only Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands.

Trust also was cited as a key factor in overall happiness in the report, which was tabled at the United Nations.

A more recent reduction in trust was noted in countries such as the United States — which placed 11th overall — and the United Kingdom, which ranked 18th on the global happiness list.

http://www.vancouversun.com/…th+global+happiness+ranking/6406456/story.html

10 happiest countries:

Denmark

Finland

Norway

Netherlands

Canada

Switzerland

Sweden

New Zealand

Australia

Ireland

Have you ever felt like doing this? I have.

You know how irritating mobile phone users are when they fail to exercise discretion and think the world needs to know their business? When you have enjoyed as much as you can stand you can now get you own back!!!
Enjoy!!!

After a busy day he settled down in his train from Waterloo for a nap as far as his destination at Winchester when the chap sitting near him hauled out his mobile and started up:- “Hi darling it’s Peter, I’m on the train – yes, I know it’s the 6.30 not the 4.30 but I had a long meeting – no, not with that floozie from the typing pool, with the boss – no darling you’re the only one in my life – yes, I’m sure, cross my heart” etc., etc. This was still going on at Wimbledon, when the young woman opposite, driven beyond endurance, yelled at the top of her voice,
“Hey, Peter, turn that bloody phone off and come back to bed!!”