The Pursuit of Happyness

I just (finally) saw The Pursuit of Happyness. What a film! a) I love Will Smith; b) His son is so cute, and (surprise) super talented; c) I cried my eyes out. When he hits rock bottom and is sleeping in the bathroom at the train station, I lost it. I looked around my apartment at everything I have - most of it completely unnecessary - and started to cry because I feel so lucky. I've definitely had moments, recently, when I've had to struggle to pay the rent and to eat and have been terrified that I won't make it, but I've managed to scrape by. And I know that no matter how bad it gets, I still have a home, a family, awesome friends, and lots of useless crap - I still have my life. Then when he's told he gets the job - holy stock broker batman, that was the end for me. Maybe I'm over-emotional lately, but that was an incredibly beautiful film. The happiest endings are those that arrive after the most tragic and sad events. I think a main reason this movie struck such a chord in me is for that reason. I know that the hard time I've been going through - winter, bad relationship ending, sickness, etc., will end, and the result will be a happiness greater than if I hadn't gone through any hardship.

Along these lines, I want to recommend an album I've been loving a lot the past few days - partly because the songs are about loss and sadness and stuff I can relate to right now, but also because every song is so heartfelt, haunting, beautiful, prolific, and the vocals are killer. It's sorta indie/rock/country/bluegrass. Check out The Avett Brothers from North Carolina. I love every song on their album "Emotionalism." (see? I am emotional lately.) But it also has some happy, rockin songs so it encompasses all emotions, including happiness. And it's just a great album. Listen to 'Paranoia in B-flat major'