Thursday, December 22, 2005

Joy

Joy, n. An emotion variously excited, but in its highest degree arising from the contemplation of grief in another.

2005 Update: The sensation of having avoided detection. Often wished on that or those we could stand to hear less from.

37 comments:

The Reverent Eater said...

Then there's the Buddhist notion of Joy, which is the exact opposite of Ambrose's: an emotion in its highest degree arising from the contemplation of joy in another, AKA Sympathetic Joy, ie., Joy for ME is actonbell getting through today's luncheon without being detected, then sneaking out early to read somewhere.
Good luck, actonbell! May you and all other sentient beings find JOY!

dddragon said...

Joy: getting thru all the obligations that one has not managed to avoid.

Tom & Icy said...

Joy: a slow hand across my back, a tickle behind my ears or ribs and a tummy rub. Woof! *wag wag*

Unknown said...

that unbridled feeling spilling over when, at the end of the day, one can at last unclasp one's bra

tummy rubs for tom & icy!

Sar said...

Lots of things come to mind. Among them having fun dialog and lots of comments from my blogger buddies brings me joy.

And here's another one. My little one (who's snuggled next to me since school's out for the holiday) just looked over at the screen, took notice of the sidebar, and said "look mommy, doggies! 1...2...3 doggies!"

TLP said...

Joy,n., Chocolate for the soul.

I'll mangle Oscar Wilde with, "Some cause joy wherever they go; others whenever they go."

Doug The Una said...

Joy to you, Actonbell, through some much deserved time off. Wait a minute, didn't you just get back from a vacation?

Manchego, Joy for me is seeing you show up here again.

I wouldn't know, Dddragon. I pretty much avoided all of them lately. But I wish you a quick conclusion to those you were left with.

That's great, Tom. What's Icy say?

I know just what you mean, K.

Aw, Sar. She should see my house. Only two doggies but put some meat in her hand and she'll think there's six. (And two of me)

Well done, TLP. Great definition and great quote.

Unknown said...

Did you have to post the picture of the dish soap? All I could think of when I saw it was:

Joy - That which we all wish we have but the that the mundane chores of everyday life often preclude...

Anybody wanna clean my house? It's sucking the Joy right out of me...heheheh

Logophile said...

Joy- The emotion excited by seeing someone ELSE has washed the dishes.

Indeterminacy said...

Joy: The feeling one has when stopping by Waking Ambrose and seeing a word one can define.

Doug The Una said...

Sorry, Spiritdancer. Next time I'm in MO, I'll bring a mop.

Ariella, that's a strange sentiment in a dog. Willie and Walela love doing the dishes. I think maybe Logophile has your password.

Indie, nice and circular. That's the way I like 'em.

Jamie Dawn said...

Joy:
1. Receving better news than you expected.
2. Getting off the elliptical trainer after having completed my new goal. The antithesis of joy is getting up the next morning and knowing I have to do it all over again.

Anonymous said...

The part of this season that is too often lost in bustle.

Minka said...

Joy; the feeling I get whenever I make people do something they think they thought of for themselves, but I really initiated them. A lot of my Christmas presents are already know to me without the people that are giveing them have told anybody...I enjoy being me :)

tlm said...

joy, n., a long-lasting state of pleasure -– often confused with happiness

Ariel the Thief said...

good one, Tim.

TLP said...

Joy could be enjoyed here if Ariel would tell us what she's looking at on her finger.

AsianSmiles said...

echoes tim's definition..

Have a joyful holidays everybody!

Merry Christmas Doug!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Once meaning something close to a heavenly feeling. Today an archaic word only written on Christmas cards.

mireille said...

Bierce means schadenfreude, huh? I'm ashamed to say I've felt that a couple of times. But now it's kind of a generalized feeling of being lucky, of having been given gifts I didn't deserve of being increasingly enthusiastic about inhabiting my own skin xoxo

Doug The Una said...

Amen, Jamie Dawn. If memory serves, I can really relate to your second definition.

Amen to that, too, Weirsdo. In an atheist kind of way.

And well you should, Monika. I'm almost done with your scarf, by the way.

Great definition, TLM. Or, using the lobster motif, a nice warm bath.

Ariel, nice to see you as always.

TLP, that's not how I'm betting.

Merry Christmas to you and yours, Asian Smiles. First white Christmas?

Thank you, Liz. I almost forgot what I was doing here.

Bierce was a strong believer in schadenfreude, Mireille. You, on the other hand, are expressing something close to Reinhold Niehbur. Well done.

GABRIEL C. ZOLMAN said...

Nope...I got nothin' on this one. :(

)+(

Omnipotent Poobah said...

joy (n)- An intangible substance that, when combined with almonds, makes a passable candy bar that make millions for the international chocolate cartel that controls the levers of pow....

I guess this isn't really in the spirit of the post, is it?

Doug The Una said...

Gabriel, today doesn't really play to your strengths, does it? I'll try to find some kind of effluvia to post about after the holiday.

Sure it is Poobah. If you haven't been to TLP's site today she's been brainwashed by those self-same gnomes.

Jamie Dawn said...

An evil joy of mine is beating everyone in my family at Scrabble, and Boggle, and all word games. It is my daughter's life ambition to defeat me. When that day comes, heaven and earth shall pass away.

Doug The Una said...

A new Jerusalem on a triple word score.

Goa'uld said...

Joy, n. expression expressed in song by the overblowing of trumpets.

Cooper said...

Now I can't beat any of those this week. I hope to have some Joy soon b ut who knows.

Just dropped in to drop you off the wide angle lens close up of the red eyed tired santa.

Doug The Una said...

Well done, Goa'uld. Biercelike.

Get some sleep, Santa Coop and thanks for leaving the picture. I didn't want to beg.

Lila said...

Joy is reading all your blogs, even when I'm busy.

Ariel the Thief said...

TLP, even at that young age I was looking for the reason of life!

joy is picturing Doug knitting pretty scarves for his friends for Christmas. the colour that suits me is green, Doug. just in case... :-P

LeMas. said...

joy-the warm, fuzzy feeling you get on christmas morning that you spend hundreds of dollars trying to achieve, only to realize later that you get a much better bargain with liquor and that warm, fuzzy feeling tends to last longer

Minka said...

Doug, you know it has at least 5 colours, it is very long and it has my initial stiched obnto the end?! I think I made myself perfectly clear and am glad to hear that my telpathyworks all the way to the States!

Doug The Una said...

AP3, and Joy is knowing you read them, even when you're busy.

And I see you found it, Ariel. Well done. I'm sure you're stunning in green but I'm a little concerned how you'll use the scarf.

Masil, I'm humbled by your devotion to efficiency.

Uh-oh, Monika. I used six colors. Does anyone know how to remove and replace a single thread?

~Daydreamer~ said...

Joy: What I'll keep looking for all my life and won't find.

Sorry for the pessimism, Doug. It may be my truth. Are tears allowed on this blog? (Go read my last entry btw and tell me what you think of the very dark poems...)

Doug The Una said...

Marwa, tears are welcome when you bring them. No apology needed.

Unknown said...

In the midst of a world of deceit, avarice and injustice, one of the few honest goods.