The concept of happiness is a wild thing. Probably defined as the most personal of concepts on the planet.

Because, if you were to ask a dozen people what happiness meant to them, they’d probably all say the same things. To them, happiness might be to be in a good loving relationship. Or to have a good job that provides them enough to survive on. Or to see their grandchildren. It’s all pretty generic stuff, when you think about it. But, if you were to strap them in a chair, tie electrodes to their fingers and toes and turn up the juice, their perception of happiness would quickly turn from a lovely snow on a Christmas day to the concept of you turning off the electricity and stopping their pain. You see, happiness is merely an expression of what we want next.

High School Dreams Almost Always Include Cars

I remember in high school, all I wanted was a Rolls Royce. Not a new one, mind you. Those weren’t even cool. No. An old 1960’s Rolls Royce Phantom V, the giant boxy one that used to haul around London The Beatles or The Stones as they enjoyed their mobile drug orgies. John Lennon famously brought a new 1964 one and had psychedelic patterns painted all over it, signifying his disdain for establishment and his unabashed love for money.

I think as we grow older, happiness hits a fork in the road. Most of the things we wanted when we were younger (family, career, etc.) have either happened or it didn’t. We can still try and fight for those things later in life, but all that’s really gonna do at the end of the day is make us more unhappy. The key to happiness, I think, is to find the perfect balance between what you want and what you have. Remember, “wants” are attached to the future. And, unless you are so confused, all you want is what you used to have, you can find little blips of happiness in the present. In the moment. The problem with “the moment” is that we kind of never know when it’s coming, therefore, you have to train your mind to be super vigilant to recognize that it’s actually always here with us. Take for example octopus.

Happiness is Octopus

When I lived in London, one of my favorite things to do was to get on my little 50cc “Joker” Honda “looks like a mini Harley” scooter, ride up to Golborne Road and go to the fish stalls and buy a half a kilo of fresh squid. I’d also get some “rocket”, better known in America as arugula. I would then zip back home and do a little stir-fry of the squid, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a little white wine. Once they were all satisfied as cooked, I would sprinkle a little chopped arugula over the sauce, which was served over freshly made pasta. Delish indeed. So, that made me happy. Was I able to free my mind of worry and concern about my life in general while I made my dinner? Not really, but yes. Because within the exercise of cooking, one automatically gets the satisfaction of accomplishing something and that can only be good for one’s soul.

These days I pine a lot about not having a steady relationship like I’ve had in the past. Whether I’m aware of it or not, every woman I meet during my day, I’m either sussing them out as a potential candidate or seeing if I make any sort of substantial impression upon them. Nearly all of these quick chance encounters never lead to anything, not even a phone number, though occasionally they do. And some of these conversations with “strange” women can be absolutely delightful and funny and even, on some level, loving. But, I know it’s not a reality to think that I can immediately take them home and serve them Octopus Flambé. (If ya know wot I mean, wink, wink…)

The Sweet Bird of Happiness

Happiness is hard to find for one simple reason. Our personal definition of it keeps changing. And as long as one is aware of that, then you can avoid seeking happiness as some sort of permanent thing and just try and find the little pleasurable moments in life. The laughs, making someone feel good, exceeding your personal best at the gym. Giving the finger to someone who cut you off in traffic. There are a million daily reasons to be happy. But trying to find happiness as a permanent thing is something that only time will prove or disprove. Happiness is in our minds. Happiness is in the moment. Happiness is in good memories. And happiness is in garlic squid over pasta. AND, flipping the bird to some dickhead in traffic. Unless, of course, that bad driver was an octopus.

For the Hollywood Dog, this is a very happy Steven Alan Green

2/13/2020

Photo by Mark Maryanovich

]]> https://www.thehollywooddog.com/happiness-is-squid-a-rolls-royce-and-the-moment/feed/ 0 6614 https://www.thehollywooddog.com/perry-funny-show/ https://www.thehollywooddog.com/perry-funny-show/#respond Mon, 06 Nov 2017 14:29:50 +0000 http://www.thehollywooddog.com/?p=6174 After working as a full time professional comedian, seen on TV and in all types of venues and events, Perry Kurtz finally has his own Comedy Show in North Hollywood beginning on Wednesday November 8th at 9pm. Aside from Perry’s 18 hours of established material he has developed over 43 years in the “biz”, and his uncanny ability to be off-the-wall and create hours of laughter using only his limited wits and based on the audience, each show will feature ONLY professional comedians doing 15-20 minutes sets of established material. None of those amateur open micers who yell at the audience when they don’t get a laugh.

Perry will host each show to get it rolling and keep it rolling and interesting. He’ll also close each show with some form of improvised music that he will make up about whatever the audience is doing AS they do it and get them singing along.

The other main attraction is the venue. It takes place at The C.I.A., or CIA in North Hollywood. That stands for California Institute of Abnormalarts, and is clearly the strangest theater in Los Angeles. It sports a real theater room with a real stage, sound man, and theater lights, a separate room for beer and wine distribution, so there is no vending chatter in the room during the performance, and, mostly, an array of very unusual artifacts, including a mummified person in a glass case as you wander towards the patios. Lighting comes from above and through the walls with a strong Asian feel, giving the place the alter-name of Chinatown East. Colors are bright everywhere and it truly feels as if you are on a different plane of existence, with the ability to return to Earth by leaving the premises. You enter the establishment by passing a giant 15 foot plastic head from an old TV show, where the owner speaks to you from inside the head THROUGH the eyes and takes your money through an ear on the left side of the head.

Showtime is 9pm and admission is only $10, not bad for a really funny 2 hour show without having to travel downtown. The CIA is at 11334 Burbank Boulevard, just east of Lankershim blvd. and The Holiday Inn Express in North Hollywood, 91601, phone (818) 221-8065. This is adult material, but also some of the funniest in L.A.

As for the C.I.A., here ‘s a link to show you what’s in store for behind the giant head.  https://www.facebook.com/CIAbnormalarts   

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