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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Miniscule Satisfactions
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
These are the things that happen, or that you do, that are pleasures so small there are no terms to describe them.
For instance, the pleasure of using a word in a sentence, feeling a doubt, going to check the spelling or meaning, and discovering you were right all along! I did this just now with 'susurration', which, however you spell it, never does look right.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Impressing one's Better Half by solving a really devious clue in the Grauniad crossword (especially if it includes an enormous anagram).
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
I'm impressed too!
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Accurate guesses. Although I say so myself, I am a good guesser, but I get a good feeling when some off the top of my head number turns out to be near enough to be useful.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Starbug
Shipmate
# 15917
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Posted
Getting a pointless answer on Pointless, when the contestants didn't.
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“Oh the pointing again. They're screwdrivers! What are you going to do? Assemble a cabinet at them?” ― The Day of the Doctor
Posts: 1189 | From: West of the New Forest | Registered: Sep 2010
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Starbug:
Getting a pointless answer on Pointless, when the contestants didn't.
Or scoring less than all of the contestants.
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Scoring more than the winning team on University Challenge.
Better still, getting the whole of a Maths question right on UC without guessing.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Throwing together a meal out of unlikely ingredients and having it come out delicious.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Diomedes
Shipmate
# 13482
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Posted
Plonking a bunch of cheap supermarket flowers in a vase and getting an unexpectedly artistic result. Just happened! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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Distrust simple answers to complicated questions
Posts: 129 | From: Essex England | Registered: Mar 2008
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Starbug:
Getting a pointless answer on Pointless, when the contestants didn't.
Discovering it's not just me.
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Mili
Shipmate
# 3254
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Posted
I've been revising and improving/expanding my French online. The website I am using involves translating from French to English and vice versa and typing what you here in French as well as multiple choice questions. (You can also do speaking, but I don't have a headset) You get a tick and a winning sound effect for a correct answer and a cross and losing sound for a wrong answer. I feel ridiculously motivated by the winning sound effect - it makes me feel like Lisa Simpson getting an A+.
Especially when I have to translate from English to French, which I find much harder than translating the other way, and it's an answer I have to guess at and manage to get right from my prior knowledge. I also am satisfied when I get accents on e the right way as I find it hard to remember these and the site doesn't help, because it lets you cheat by still letting your answer be correct if you get accents wrong.
Posts: 1015 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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jedijudy
Organist of the Jedi Temple
# 333
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Posted
The Brainy Person™ in my group of friends frequently disputes statements and facts that I casually mention in conversation. When he finds out that I'm right (which is most of the time!), he makes a point to send me an email. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
On occasion, he will admit his wrongness to the whole group.
Very satisfying!
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Jasmine, little cat with a big heart.
Posts: 18017 | From: 'Twixt the 'Glades and the Gulf | Registered: Aug 2001
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
Okay, this is not exactly Heavenly, but...
Internet debates that go like this:
A: Stetson, you immoral piece of **** idiot apologist for [whatever the person doesn't like], EVERYONE knows [something he believes to be true]. Typical of morons from your part of the [world, country, province, etc] to not know this.
B: Hmm, actually, no, you're wrong. Here's a link to an article on that website you like to quote proving it.
[ 20. December 2014, 16:06: Message edited by: Stetson ]
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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churchgeek
Have candles, will pray
# 5557
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Posted
I quickly recognized an actor who was in costume and heavily made-up, based on his mannerisms. Impressed my roommate, anyway. (I'm better at recognizing mannerisms than faces, anyway!)
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I reserve the right to change my mind.
My article on the Virgin of Vladimir
Posts: 7773 | From: Detroit | Registered: Feb 2004
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by churchgeek:
I quickly recognized an actor who was in costume and heavily made-up, based on his mannerisms. Impressed my roommate, anyway. (I'm better at recognizing mannerisms than faces, anyway!)
In movies, when they make the first mention of a particular character who has not been seen yet, but will be appearing soon, I can often sense when it will be some older, "Hollywood royalty" actor doing an uncredited cameo, and like to make that prediction either to myself or whoever is watching it with me.
The last time was in American Hustle. Anyone who has seen it can probably guess which actor I'm talking about.
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I have the power...Lucifer is lord!
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
The Metropolitan Opera in New York does a live broadcast on many U.S. radio stations on Saturdays. I usually don't pay attention ahead of time to know what it's going to be, so I'm thrilled when I turn on the radio on Saturday and can recognize the opera in the first minute or two. Some are easy (one day I tuned in during the "Toreador Song" from Carmen) but others are more of a challenge. I was delighted several years ago when it was one of the operas form Wagner's Ring and I could pinpoint the opera, the scene, and the characters. (His Leitmotifs give the whole thing away!)
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
I was riding the subway into town. a large group of young people came onto the train and sat around me. They were playing a game on their cell phones, some sort of trivia thing. The question was, in which movie did Indiana Jones meet his father again? These young whippersnappers puzzled over it for some moments. Finally I chipped in: "Kingdon of the Crystal skull." The cell phone holder clicked that option, and it was right. They were awestruck.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
If I can post one on behalf of my husband...
We are currently watching a three-year-old banshee (I mean, delightful toddler) and said toddler has gotten screaming tantrums down to a fine art. I couldn't get him to settle down last week, but he shut right up after Mr. Lamb picked him up in his arms. Later that day, when Mr. Lamb was out, I had to put the toddler down for a nap. Screamed the toddler: "DON'T WANT YOU! WANT UNCLE!"
I told my husband this later, and you should have seen the look of satisfaction on his face. Quickly concealed, of course.
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by churchgeek:
... I'm better at recognizing mannerisms than faces ...
I'm often like that with voices; some actors and broadcasters have very distinctive voices - the sort you could enjoy even if they were reading the phone-book.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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anoesis
Shipmate
# 14189
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Posted
I got a disproportionate amount of satisfaction this afternoon, observing a bumblebee on my (inside) windowsill, in a state of total exhaustion due to having tried to fly out through the glass for who knows how long (the TV was on so I hadn't noticed the noise). I gave it some honey on a toothpick and it stayed there for about 15 minutes sucking it all up with its amazingly long tongue before limbering up and finally achieving take-off again, whereupon I shepherded it out the window.
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The history of humanity give one little hope that strength left to its own devices won't be abused. Indeed, it gives one little ground to think that strength would continue to exist if it were not abused. -- Dafyd --
Posts: 993 | From: New Zealand | Registered: Oct 2008
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
Shining shoes. A simple and satisfying thing, that makes me feel like I really did Something. Someone once said that it is hard to get into trouble if your shoes are polished. I have been following this for some 35 years since.
I also waxed (waterproofed) a 70 year old canvas shoulder bag which smartened it right up. No actual purpose except that I'd done this in the 1960s when in Boy Scouts and I found the bag.
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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cattyish
Wuss in Boots
# 7829
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Posted
The minister said thank you to us choir girls for singing the descant in the Chapel on Christmas morning.
Cattyish, Glooo-o-o-o-o-ooo-o-o-o-o-ory in the highest!
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...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Posts: 1794 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jul 2004
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Amanda B. Reckondwythe
Dressed for Church
# 5521
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Posted
As a retired Latin teacher currently studying Spanish, I feel quite smug when I know the answer to questions such as, "Why is día masculine?" or "Why is the preterite tense of decir irregular?"
The answer, of course, is "Because that's the way it was in Latin!" although that doesn't explain why it was that way in Latin.
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"I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility." -- The Revd Martin Luther King Jr.
Posts: 10542 | From: The Great Southwest | Registered: Feb 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
... The answer, of course, is "Because that's the way it was in Latin!" ...
That's a good enough reason for me.
On a similar theme, I get disproportionate satisfaction from working out why a word means what it does because of its (usually) Latin root.
I only did Latin for a year, but I'm glad I did; if I had the power, everyone who wanted to would have the chance to learn it.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
Made a stab at the correct usage of the word 'commonweal', which in the US is the title of a magazine. Of course I could not let it rest, and went off to look it up. And I was correct!
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
MINOR SPOILER AHEAD
I watched Kill Your Darlings last night.
In one of the scenes near the beginning, when the script is establishing Ginsberg's emerging dissatisfaction with the academic worldview, he is shown sitting in a classroom while a stuffy prof prattles on about how poems must have proper rhyming and metre.
I thought to myself "Ginsberg is going to ask 'What about Walt Whitman?'?
And, sure enough...
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I have the power...Lucifer is lord!
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Galloping Granny
Shipmate
# 13814
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
... The answer, of course, is "Because that's the way it was in Latin!" ...
That's a good enough reason for me.
On a similar theme, I get disproportionate satisfaction from working out why a word means what it does because of its (usually) Latin root.
I only did Latin for a year, but I'm glad I did; if I had the power, everyone who wanted to would have the chance to learn it.
My mother was a keen Latin scholar and, seeing that I was a language person, put me down for Latin when I went to boarding school.
There were only three in the class and both the others dropped out after a year so I did shortly after.
Admittedly in my two previous years (age 10-11) we'd had Latin roots and prefixes to learn every week. So I've been using all that Latin ever since.
The 12/13 year-olds that I have each year for 6 hours of Language extension *love* the Latin and Greek part.
And as another crossword fan, I get a huge kick out of completing a technical or otherwise arcane word with two letters out of eight to go on, and saying "How in the world did I know that?"
GG
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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113
Posts: 2629 | From: Matarangi | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hugal
Shipmate
# 2734
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Posted
I too like getting answers they don't get on Pointless particulaly when you get a well done from Richard.
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I have never done this trick in these trousers before.
Posts: 1887 | From: london | Registered: Apr 2002
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HCH
Shipmate
# 14313
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Posted
The Indiana Jones question induced my to check Wikipedia. It states that Sean Connery declined to have a cameo as Indiana's father, Henry Jones, in the movie. I've seen the movie and I don't remember seeing him. Eh?
Posts: 1540 | From: Illinois, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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Aravis
Shipmate
# 13824
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Posted
Getting a physics, maths or chemistry question on University Challenge correct just before my husband does.
(For him, it's getting a literature or medicine question before me. We'd probably have made a good team if we'd been to the same university!)
Posts: 689 | From: S Wales | Registered: Jun 2008
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
Sean Connery was certainly there:
Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade
Perhaps you were reading a slightly out-of-date gossip piece?
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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balaam
Making an ass of myself
# 4543
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
quote:
Originally posted by Starbug:
Getting a pointless answer on Pointless, when the contestants didn't.
Discovering it's not just me.
That is good, but getting a Mastermind question in a specialised subject that the person who specialises in that topic gets wron,. that has to be the best feeling in watching quizzes.
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Last ever sig ...
blog
Posts: 9049 | From: Hen Ogledd | Registered: May 2003
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HCH
Shipmate
# 14313
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Posted
Brenda, your earlier post did not mention that film. It mentioned "I. J. and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".
Posts: 1540 | From: Illinois, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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