how do you feel most of the time?

[tleilaxu]

which of these options best describes the way you generally feel?

[Dawnstar]

I picked content because I am just that. Yes some things could go better for me but I have a wonderful husband, three wonderful children. one amazing stepdaughter and great friends. I have a house I love, the ability to take part in my hobby. Overall life is good.

[Cat of Ulthar]

Droid, how can you be ecstatic most of the time?

[Limper]

I tend to be more than content so I went ecstatic.

[Droid101]

Droid, how can you be ecstatic most of the time?

Zuh? How can I not?

Own a condo. Check.
Make good money. Check.
Job is laid back as hell. Check.
Hot girlfriend who really cares about me. Check.
Tons of friends. Check.
No tragedy (losing of loved ones, etc). Check.
Happy parents, still around and kicking. Check.

I have absolutely nothing to be upset about, ever.

Edit: moar!
No health problems. Check.
Internet forum fun! Check.

[Cat of Ulthar]

I have all that, but I am not ecstatic most of the time. I would say I am very happy, but ecstatic only on occasion, when in a spot of beauty or in the arms of the Cartographer. Maybe it's semantics.

[Droid101]

I have all that, but I am not ecstatic most of the time. I would say I am very happy, but ecstatic only on occasion, when in a spot of beauty or in the arms of the Cartographer. Maybe it's semantics.

I blame tleilaxu and his vague poll choices.

[Name Lips]

Yeah to me "ecstatic" means there's no room to go up. I had kinda a sore back yesterday.

[Droid101]

Yeah to me "ecstatic" means there's no room to go up. I had kinda a sore back yesterday.

I think you can still qualify. Bolded the important part:

which of these options best describes the way you generally feel?

tleilaxu, can you just tell us what you're getting at?

[Janos]

I meet all of Droid's criteria for ecstatic, but would rank myself in content. I like my life, but I don't feel all that excited about it.

I still have goals haven't realized yet and major things in life left to accomplish. I am content with my life progress so far, but don't have 100% of what I want yet, so I'm not ecstatic.

[Droid101]

I still have goals haven't realized yet and major things in life left to accomplish. I am content with my life progress so far, but don't have 100% of what I want yet, so I'm not ecstatic.

I don't really think a person can ever get everything they want. Once you have something you want, then what you want will change. The grass is always greener, and all that.

[tleilaxu]

tleilaxu, can you just tell us what you're getting at?

i have no alterior motive; i'm just curious.

[Morbidity]

I'd classify myself as generally happy, but probably closer to content than ecstatic.

I think I read somewhere that everyone has a natural level of happiness, which you will generally revert to. Thus if you win the lottery you might be ecstatic for a few days, but if your natural level of happiness is “melancholic” you’ll revert to that. Similarly if you’re naturally happy, then if you go broke and lose everything after a while you’ll go back to being happy.

Thus for everyone who's listing all the things that are right or wrong in their life, this really isn't relevant to your general state of happiness.

[Black Angel]

I'd say I'm generally content. I have my periods of stress & worry or extreme happiness, but overall content pretty much covers it.

[Snatch]

I am content.

That's my natural state of happiness.

[lindaw]

i am content...i have everything i want in my life, love, family and good friends

[Radu]

generally melancholic. I have periods of intense joy and contentment, periods of seemingly unrelenting depression, but typically speaking I tend to stabilize somewhere around mild to moderately depressed. I've got some decent masking skills though so unless you know me well it's not always apparent.

[Trainz]

The online dictionary defines ecstasy as this:

An overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of sudden, intense feeling.

No one can be in that state over 50% of the time. So I voted content.

But, I am MUCH MORE than content. I would say spoiled happy. Every day I'm surprised at how much I have. There are times I feel like an ass because I see other people who struggle so much, while I'm there having all I could ever desire.

I'm not a millionaire, not by a long stretch, but the bare minimum needed for me to be "content" has been passed many, MANY years ago.

I have a very cute wife, smart, professional, driven, tolerant, never asking me to be more than I am, funny (hilarious at times). In 16 years, we have never fought. Not once. Never raised our voices at each other. When we're with each other, I'd describe the feeling we have as bliss.

My kids, although young adults with quite some remnants of what makes teens behave the way they do, are also very funny, sharp of wit, and they often surprise me with what they say and what they do.

I have many, MANY genuine friends who are great conversationalists and extremely fun.

I have an awesome house, located in a great spot, which I renovated with my own two hands. In my basement I have a dart board, a foozball table and a full size air hockey table. I have a lot of fun with my friends down there.

Every month I go in a club and perform music with amazing musicians.

Something I discussed here with Limper some time ago, I'm about to become a supervisor at work, go from part time to full time, and my salary will go from $11 to $18. My job is becoming more fun with every month that passes.

Oh... and the cherry on top... In 9 days I'm going to Cozumel for one week with my awesome wife.

I pretty much share Droid's sentiment. I don't have any aspect of my life that isn't good.

So yeah... your poll doesn't give me a satisfying option.

[Lady Fury]

I voted content. I'm mostly content however I'd love to improve my life situation.

Right now I'm nervous because I have to get my one wisdom tooth taken out in the morning. They think that's the reason why I get such awful headaches. I guess I'll find out. I've never had any dental work done other then braces and a few baby teeth pulled when I was a kid. I don't have any cavities so I've been lucky never to have to get fillings. At least I get some good pain meds once it's done. Wish I didn't have to be awake for it. :grey:

[Pigs in Space]

I don't really understand.

I am fine. Thanks.

[Limper]

The online dictionary defines ecstasy as this:

An overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of sudden, intense feeling.

No one can be in that state over 50% of the time. So I voted content.



My life has been in a constant state of sudden intese exhaltation... I'm getting close to completing one life goal and the vistas beyond it keep me on a high more than half the time.

Once I hit the other side my opinion might change but so far its not... and given Civ 5 has been announced then odds are I'll stay on my high for a few more years at least.

[tleilaxu]

So yeah... your poll doesn't give me a satisfying option.

jeez you guys are nitpickers about my off-the-cuff poll descriptions ;)

it's basically "how happy are you 1-5? with 5 being very happy and 1 being very unhappy"

the reason i am curious is i wonder if there is any correlation between how people's lives look "from the outside" and how they feel about their lives "on the inside"

[Lady_Acoma]

I am fine. Thanks.

Fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional?

I'm pretty fucking ecstatic that I feel content. Have lots of days with swings in either direction, but at least I am at a point now that I think most of the time, with help, I can handle it. That is the part that makes me feel content.

[Schizm]

I have a long way to go before I am content. There are a lot of ways I feel my life could be better, and I am working on them. I also tend to gravitate to the melancholic, and a big part of keeping me from doing that is keeping busy with things I enjoy.

[Enk]

I've been content for a long, long time. Over the past few months, as my stress level has ramped, I've gotten to where I'm just sticking it out until I can figure out a way to get some financial breathing room.

Once I get that, I'll be back to content.