Gretchen Rubin’s NY Times bestseller “The Happiness Project” (book review)

Last year fellow blogger Renee Schafer Horton wrote a number of articles about this best-selling book “The Happiness Project”, which of course piqued my interest in it. Click here for Renee’s articles.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/godblogging/tag/happiness-project/

Finally, I obtained my own paperback copy from Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange, and read it cover to cover in a day or so. There’s a lot to be said about the “pursuit of happiness” as after all, it is mentioned in the American Declaration of Independence. (“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”)

Don’t we all strive to be happy? Author Gretchen Rubin addressed this idea by creating “the happiness project”—which she says is “an approach to changing your life”. She advocates identifying what brings you “joy, satisfaction, and engagement” as well as what brings you “guilt, anger, boredom & remorse”, and then concretely making resolutions that will boost/bring you happiness.

Rubin then set up a trial yearly calendar of projects to tackle her individual resolutions:

January: Boost energy/Vitality
February: Remember Love/Marriage
March: Aim Higher/Work
April: Lighten Up/Parenthood
May: Be Serious About Play/Leisure
June: Make Time for Friends/Friendship
July: Buy Some Happiness/Money
August: Contemplate the Heavens/Eternity
September: Pursue a Passion/Books
October: Pay Attention/Mindfulness
November: Keep a Contented Heart/Attitude
December: Boot Camp Perfect/Happiness

On page 108 Rubin says that happiness has 4 stages: “we must anticipate it, savor it as it unfolds, express happiness, and recall a happy memory.” She also says that “novelty is an important part of happiness; it’s also an important element in creativity” (page 113). And she summarizes toward the end of the book that “one of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy myself.” (page 285). This last statement of course is based on the premise that one should love yourself first, then be able to love others.

This is a very engaging self-help book, with lots & lots of good ideas about becoming a better person and thereby becoming happier, spreading more happiness and good will, optimism, etc. I found some of her ideas well thought out and creative, in dealing with marriage, children, friends, family, career change from law to writing (as Rubin did), etc. Especially helpful in each chapter are her specific ideas of how to be happier, as in the March chapter on Work: “launch a blog” (we all did here at Tucsoncitizen.com), “enjoy the fun of failure”, “ask for help”, “work smart” and “enjoy now”. Truly the last one is a very useful Buddhist thought of being in the present and not worrying/fretting about the past or future.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got in my past was to nurture an “attitude of gratitude” which helps me “want what I have” not try to “have what I want” (which could be too greedy in life). Thereby I have been happier with myself, my personality, and able to accept my destiny. And I also remember to be very patient as “this too will pass” no matter what is happening (good or bad).

For more information on how to be happier & how to start your own Happiness Project go to Rubin’s website, www.happiness-project.com.

“Don’t worry, be happy.”

Showing at the Loft Cinema presented by Tucson Medical Center, http://www.loftcinema.com/node/2373, 3233 E. Speedway.
July 23 to July 31, 10 a.m. every morning, all for FREE. 9 days of great children’s films in a large, cool venue. Plus free popcorn.

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult, please. Note free book “Holes” at showing on July 28, while supplies last.

THE MOVIE LINE-UP:
(Featuring great short films from around the world before every feature)

Saturday, July 23
ANNIE Sing-A-Long!
(1982, 127 min., live action, rated G)
The world’s favorite plucky redhead sings and dances her way from Miss Hannigan’s orphanage to Daddy Warbuck’s mansion, while still finding time to battle the bad guys, hang out with her faithful dog Sandy and dream about what might happen “Tomorrow!”
All the words to all the songs will be up on the screen so you can sing-a-long to such classic tunes as “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” and “Tomorrow!”

Sunday, July 24
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?
(1988, 104 min., live action / animated, rated PG)
It’s wild fun in Toontown when tough guy detective Eddie Valiant joins forces with cartoon superstar Roger Rabbit and his bombshell wife Jessica to find out who framed the bunny … but can they solve the mystery in time to save the residents of Toontown from destruction by the evil Judge Doom?

Monday, July 25
THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD
(1958, 88 min., live action, rated G)
Join the heroic Sinbad on his grand swashbuckling adventure involving a tiny princess, a fire-breathing dragon, a very angry Cyclops and an equally crabby two-headed monster bird! Featuring amazing stop-motion special effects from legendary artist Ray Harryhausen, this was the very first installment of the beloved Sinbad movie series!

Tuesday, July 26
SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
(1960, 126 min., live action, rated G)
Disney’s spectacular screen version of the classic novel by Johann David Wyss chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they’re shipwrecked on a desert island. With little hope of rescue, they must band together as a family in order to overcome an avalanche of obstacles while trying to create a new home for themselves, but can they defeat the cutthroat pirates who want to destroy their makeshift paradise?

Wednesday, July 27th
ELEANOR’S SECRET
(2010, France, dubbed in English, 80 min., animated, Not Rated / All Ages)
In this new animated feature from France, a young boy who can’t read discovers his eccentric Aunt Eleanor’s magic library, which serves as a shelter for all the heroes found in children’s literature. When an evil book dealer tries to obtain all the books in the library, such characters as Little Red Riding Hood and Peter Pan come to life and the boy must learn to read and stop the book dealer’s nasty plan in order to save the characters from extinction, since without the magic library, they will cease to exist. But a wicked fairy from one of the books has shrunk the boy to miniature size, so how will he be able to save his new friends and their stories for future generations of readers?

Thursday, July 28th
HOLES
(2003, 117 min., live action, rated PG)
With FREE copies of the book for those in attendance, while supplies last!
Louis Sachar’s award-winning book comes to life in this phenomenally fun, adventure-filled Disney movie. Dogged by bad luck stemming from an ancient family curse, young Stanley (Shia LaBeouf) is sent to Camp Green Lake, a very weird place that’s not green and doesn’t have a lake. Once there, he’s thrown headlong into the adventure of his life when he and his colorful campmates — Squid, Armpit, Zigzag, Magnet, X-Ray, and Zero — must dig a hole a day to keep the nasty warden at bay. But why? Through it all, Stanley and company must forge fast friendships as they try to unearth the mystery of what’s really going on in the middle of nowhere.
This screening is made possible by the generous support of Bookmans Entertainment Exchange and the Pima County Public Library!

Friday, July 29th
KING KONG / THE ORIGINAL VERSION
(1933, 100 min., live action, Not Rated / All Ages)
A movie crew on a filmmaking expedition discovers a mysterious island full of incredible wonders (and dangers), including long-lost dinosaurs, fantastic creatures and of course, a giant ape known as King Kong! When Kong falls for the movie’s beautiful blonde starlet, things start to get hairy, but when the movie crew decides to take the big ape back to civilization, things really go bananas as Kong tries to destroy New York City! Packed with thrills, chills and amazing special effects that still seem special almost eight decades later, this is THE all-time classic monster movie, and one of the most famous films ever made!

Saturday, July 30
THE SECRET OF NIMH
(1982, 82 min., animated, rated G)
Based on the classic children’s book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, this beautifully animated adventure stars Mrs. Brisby, a mild-mannered mother mouse with a plan to move Heaven and Earth (or at least her house and home) to save her family from Farmer Fitzgibbon’s plow! Along the way she gets some help from a lovelorn Crow, a busybody neighbor mouse and a fearsome Great Owl. Unfortunately, Mrs. Brisby will need an engineering miracle to hoist her home, and for that she must face a mysterious rat, fend off a ferocious cat and claim a magic amulet! But when Mrs. Brisby discovers the astounding secret of NIMH…it could change her life forever!

Sunday, July 31
BABE
(1995, 89 min., live action, rated G)
This Oscar-winning family classic tells the hilarious and heartwarming story of a shy Yorkshire piglet who doesn’t quite know his place in the world. But when Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins him at the county fair, Babe discovers that he can be anything he wants to be – even an award-winning sheepdog! With the help of a delightful assortment of talking barnyard friends and a chorus of singing mice, the heroic little pig is headed for the challenge of his life in this endearing and fun-filled tale. “That’ll do pig, that’ll do.”

PLUS: Fantastic short films before each feature! And don’t forget to enter our FREE DAILY RAFFLE to win FABULOUS SURPRISES!

The TUCSON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL receives additional support from Bear Essential News, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, KGUN 9′s The Morning Blend, Pima County Public Library and Tucson Federal Credit Union.

It was “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and all through the house, creatures were stirring…

Showing at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway foe 2 nights and one day only:

Friday, December 24th
and Saturday, December 25th at 10:00 p.m.

BONUS HOLIDAY SHOWING!
Sunday, December 26th at 12:00 p.m.

Admission: $6.00 general; $5.00 Loft members

LATE NIGHT CULT CLASSIC PRESENTED BY BOOKMANS
http://www.bookmans.com
THE GREATEST CULT MOVIES OF ALL-TIME ARE BACK ON THE BIG SCREEN!

“The hippest of all holiday classics … A postmodern three-ring circus of morbid humor, eye-popping puppet animation and show-stopping songs.” – Colin Covert, MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE

For those who never thought Disney would release a film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped and tortured, well, here it is! The full title is Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, which should give you an idea of the tone of this ghoulishly clever, stop-motion animated musical/fantasy/horror/comedy. The film, an offbeat holiday favorite, is based on characters created by Burton, the former Disney animator who went on to create a distinctly kooky cinematic universe inhabited by Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Alice in Wonderland and many more. His benignly gothic, scary/funny sensibility propels the story of Halloweentown resident Jack Skellington (voiced by Danny Elfman, who also wrote the catchy songs), who stumbles on a bizarre and fascinating alternative universe called … Christmastown! Directed by Henry Selick (who later made the great animated features James and the Giant Peach and Coraline), this PG-rated fantasy has a refreshingly light touch, creepy creatures galore and a compelling, subversive energy that makes it the kind of children’s film that can be enjoyed by adults as much their pint-sized counterparts.

Merry Christmas to all, and pleasant dreams.