newsflash: happiness is...

...i'm not exactly sure, but it's not buying stuff, at least according to this article: The Truth about Happiness May Surprise You.

By and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs. Once you pass an income of $50,000, more money doesn't buy much more happiness, claims daniel gilbert, a harvard pychologist. 50K is a decent chunk of change, mind you.

Our genes hardwire us to reproduce, but children have a small negative effect on happiness, avers gilbert, who observed that people are about as happy interacting with their kids as they are doing housework. ha ha! another excuse to throw the defective clock out the figurative window. as for the "transcendent moments of joy" he admits kids may bring, well, i can get that from my new office chair. i can fart through the mesh seat without lifting a 'tock and folks, that's pretty fucking transcendent.

now here's some hope: with age comes increased happiness, at least until you reach doddering old age. the least happy men are those aged 18-29; the most happy are 65 and over, especially if you're republican, because they're purportedly happier than dems and independents, which i totally don't get. perhaps the happier lives are those lived selfishly (in the non-pejorative, ayn rand sense of the word).

finally, gilbert explains why a trip to europe brings more happiness than a new car. i dig what he's saying, and i've made my short list for 2007 vacay, but i still want an Acura. is that bad?

but to get granular, this friday morning happiness is:

• a good night's sleep (sponsored by unisom; thank you pfizer!!)
• ass coffee and dark choc M&Ms
• unhurried fly that just clicked

tonight we're going to atlantic city to dress up like russians and drink icyclear liquid from frosty bottles @ red square and F has pledged to help me fritter away $200 playing spanish blackjack and roulette. should i end up another bedraggled dream on the atlantic boardwalk, well friends it was nice to know you and adam i'm sorry about the camera.

have a good weekend, all.