Happiness Experiment Entries - Finland

23/4/17

Reading 'My Promised Land'

A late afternoon walk through Helsinki in the cool Spring sunshine to meet Noora - the ship building, the post office, the station, all under an azure sky

Bumping into Andrew Missingham by chance at the airport, coming off the same plane - small world

24/4/17

Teaching (short form video at YLE)

Reading in the park above the port after work

Getting my old dual-time watch fixed at Stockmann

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Rump steak beautifully cooked by D after Gordon Ramsay shared with the Enfants Terribles

Business opportunity with cousin Richard S in NYC discussed at The Phoenix

Business partnership with Simon G chatted about at Wellcome Collection

Last Weekend's Happiness Experiment entries

Saturday 18th June

Dinner with N in Winchester at The Chesil Rectory

Evening walk along the river in Winchester with N

Deep talk with N in wake of his perspective shift

Sunday 19th June

The Goodfather Father's Day card from D

Playing backgammon in Somerset House courtyard with D & N

Going to Holloway Odeon with D to watch The Nice Guys

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Seeing Eileen & Matthew and going out all of us with Joan

Chatting to Isaac on his last full day at C4

Working through loads of proposals

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

1. Reading 'Why Sinatra Matters' at Rugoletta - an Italian moment
2. Watching 'A War' with U on Fri night whilst stroking Ziggy
3. Drinking tea brought from China (in lovely tins)

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Accompanying D to the rite of passage that is his first viewing of The Godfather - with live orchestral accompaniment at the Albert Hall, thanks to N

Reading Jonathan Franzen's Purity in the autumnal square of Christchurch Gardens

Advisory meeting at National Portrait Gallery with various professors, in the Orange Street board room

THEE Bristol

Golden sunlight of autumn on Bath stone buildings

Indian Summer sun on Queen Square, Bristol

Travelling to & from Bristol with Lauren O & Steve J

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

• San Francisco
• Bernal Heights
• Mission / Valencia
• SFO - LHR

1. Playing bridge in Boogaloo Cafe on Valencia (and talking comics to the waiter)
2. Walking en famille in the sunshine (around Valencia / Dolores)
3. Playing chess on my dad's old set with D

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - San Francisco

• San Francisco
• Alcatraz & Embarcadero
• Russian Hill & Nob Hill (cable car)

1. finding out about the Red Power occupation of Alcatraz
2. walking up Russian Hill for the views in the late afternoon - and cable-carring down again
3. reading The Subterraneans on the front balcony and in the sheltered back garden at sundown with the smoke of the recent bushfires (100 miles) to the north of SF drifting across the hills

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - Monterey CA

• Monterey (incl. Aquarium)
• Monterey Bay

1. Watching whales, sea otters, a shark, dolphins and other animals in Monterey Bay with N & U
2. Looking at jellyfish, all kinds of fish and other sea-life in Monterey Aquarium with D & U
3. Walking home at night in a lightening storm with N & D

Recent Happiness Experiment entries

2/8/15

• San Luis Obispo
• Cayucos
• San Simeon
• Big Sur

1. D lighting fire in Lower Creek House, Deetjen's, Big Sur
2. Unearthing the history of Cayucos - Capt. Carr's landing to Western street
3. View of Hearst Castle and surrounding landscape from San Simeon, in particular the smooth hills

3/8/15

• Big Sur
• Andrew Molena Beach

1. hummingbird (my 3rd?) in red-flower tree above Deetjen's outdoor breakfast
2. swimming where Big Sur river meets Andrew Molena Beach
3. watching surfers at Andrew Molena Beach with N after a walk past eucalyptus grove

4/8/15

• Big Sur
• Castro Canyon
• Pfeiffer Beach

1. fertility rite in Castro Canyon
2. the 4 of us playing bridge at Riverside Inn
3. walking Pfeiffer Beach with D

5/8/15

• Big Sur
• Carmel
• Monterey

1. listening to the stream up Castro Canyon - an orchestra of nature
2. re-visiting Old Capitol Books, Monterey 11 years on - picked up 60s edition of Kerouac's The Subterraneans and Yael Dayan's June 1967 diary
3.  re-creating map of USA with N

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

• Venice - Venice Canals

1. listening to Strange Days in our Venice apartment on the same street as Jim's place
2. walking around the Venice Canals in the afternoon
3. first family breakfast in California 2015 (organicy healthy bakery in in-land Venice)

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - Venice Beach

• Anaheim
• LAX
• Venice

1. A Doors tribute act (Peace Frog) on Venice Beach with N
2. A Soul Sacrifice drumming gathering on the beach at Venice at sunset with U
3. Watching scratching on Venice Beach boardwalk with N

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

* Anaheim

Watching AntMan at IMAX cinema

Dozing to Kind of Blue

Listening to interesting stuff at VidCon including Hank Green interviewing Jason Kilar of Vessel

Yesterday's HEE - LA 2

21/7/15
Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills - Hidden Hills - House of Blues (shortly to close)

• A surreal afternoon spent with a porn star
• Finding good vinyl in a Sunset Strip bookstore - Back in Black and Fine Leaves Left
• People watching in Beverly Hills culminating with a paparazzi ambush (of Hilary Duff)

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Lunch with Jack Hazan at El Parador

Reading An Inspector Calls in the garden late on a sunny spring afternoon - and discussing it with D after

Tidying up my bookshelves and making space

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Walking to and laughing over dinner with the Enfants Terribles at Nahling

Coffee & chat with Martin Bright at Amici including tales of the Mitfords

Watching the beginning of Apocalypse Now with N

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Driving beside a silver-grey Aston Martin DB6 at the foot of Highgate Hill northside

Sunset jog in St Pancras & Islington

Talking photography with D - got each of us three a new SD card for the G1

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Music and other chat with Des Shaw at The Vine

Mayo & Kermode podcast while jogging in St Pancras & Islington

Listening to In A Silent Way

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment Entry

Protesting outside the Town Hall to save our library

Meeting with Rick Edwards about election/politics - he sent a message of support during the protest

Book group at Paul's - The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan