I’ve noticed something. So far on this blog I have just four categories. Within these, I have a category named ‘sadness.’ Why don’t I have one called ‘happiness’ then? Because really, what likelihood is there that I will write a post about happiness if there is no category in which to place it – if there is no home waiting to taking ownership? This, I will rectify. Give me a moment. Great, thank you.

Now that I have a category named Happiness, I will go on to share a story, that may or may not qualify…

On the 20th of August 2011 at around midnight, I posted 8 status updates, all in a row on Facebook. Here they are:

1. OK, so I’ve noticed it before, but I’ve never really noticed it, you know what I mean?

2. And so then I thought, like, why not? I mean, I closed mu laptop, that was it, but then I opened it. And then I started posting.

3. And then Facebook was like, what’s on your mind? And so I started answering.

4. And then I thought, I guess I’ve really had a bit too much to drink tonight.

5. And now you’re all thinking, dude, stop posting. Go the feck to bed and stop filling up my fecking news feed. (you said fecking cause you’re Irish, just by the way). Oh and if you like this status update, I’ll totally unfriend you.

6. And then I thought, seriously Nicola, you’ve had far too many wines. You’re going to have a headache tomorrow. Just log off. Quit while you’re ahead (or not, as the case may be). But then…. I’m kind of having fun…

7. Earlier, I misspelt my. I put mu. omg, like, how embarrassing. And while we’re on the subject, it just took me about fifteen goes to write the word ‘how’, for some reason I kept writing ‘jow’. Like over and over. Loser.

8. goodnight world, I’m going to go before you all unfriend me!! No wait, please don’t. I’m totally counting my friends now and if one is missing in the morning.. oh I’ll be mad… Oh I’ll be soooo mad… oh you just wait. OK, i’m seriously going now.

That was a good night. My sisters and mum and dad all came over to my place for take away and drinks. Clearly I had my fair share of the drinks. We were supposed to be having a ‘family assembly’ – something we used to do when we were children, usually when Mum or Dad had some announcement to make, such as, ‘We’re getting a new foster baby’ or ‘Who’s responsible for blocking up the spare toilet?’ or ‘Why did I just get a phone call from a DJ asking about a party that he’s supposedly working at here next week while we’re AWAY?’ This time it was going to be about something quite serious. Mum and Dad wanted to talk with us all about their Will. Not a topic anyone wants to think about. (I’ve already told my parents that as the youngest in the family it is my right to request that they live until at least their late nineties, preferably over one hundred. Otherwise, it’s just not fair, is it?)

But here’s what happened, when the moment came for the serious discussion to begin, my Dad just shook his head. “No,” he said, “I’m not going to talk about that tonight, not when you’re all having such a nice time together.” And then conversation turned back to light hearted things, and we all relaxed and I had another glass of wine – because it was my house, so I didn’t have to worry about driving anywhere.

I have decided that this post does indeed qualify as part of the happiness category. So that’s good, right?