I would say...

1. Lying in the shade under a tree on Hampstead Heath on a hot summer's day reading Sherlock Holmes stories and feeling a cool breeze between my toes.

2. Staring out to sea in Cornwall and finding a sublime comfort the fact that I am the minutest speck in the fabric of the universe. Lovely.

3. Feeling satiated after a particularly good curry.

4. The moment you realize you are falling in love with someone.

5. The mysterious magic of a beautiful chord change.

6. The sensation I get when I put on a new pair of socks for the first time.

7. Watching toads do their thang in my garden pond.

8. Learning Italian and the wonderful experiences I have had through doing so.

9. The feeling of satisfaction I get when I am alert enough (and fortunate enough) to see the potential in a scene and photograph it well.

10. The music to Tom Baker era Doctor Who.

...are related to my wife and daughters, so I'll sum up:

- my wife;
- my daughters.

In addition:

- sitting on the park bench in my garden with my wife (q.v.) at about 8 in the evening, talking, drinking Sancerre, eating grilled food and looking at our little house and garden and life and feeling lucky for all of it.

- picking up my Fender Jazzmaster and feeling completely connected to it. I'm not the world's greatest player, but everything I can do just flows that much more easily out of this guitar. It's beautiful.

- That moment when part of a song I've written sounds right. Doesn't happen often, but it's worth it when it does.

- The moment the plane's landing gear leaves the tarmac.

- The moment when a new record which I've only just started playing suddenly becomes an established favourite. That's happened twice to me lately: High Violet and Queen of Denmark.

- Like Patrick, the wonderful knowledge of my own insignificance to the wider world, let alone the wider universe.

I'm a pretty happy guy. I've lots to be thankful for.

Coming up with the perfect gift for someone I love and seeing their reaction to it.

Writing a list of things to do on my vacation ( only one more week at work now! )

That my dad's recent stroke was just a mild one and he's still with us, and so is my mum.

Laura Marling's voice - like a summer wind that is making an old wooden gate creak...

Reading a sentence in a novel that is so astonishing that I have to go back and read it out loud to taste the words in my mouth.

Seeing my younger sisters and their babies in perfect health after a couple of scares for both of them this winter.

The amazing sunset that greet me every night at the end of the street where I live, at the end of my daily walk home from work.

A funky track that comes on unexpectedly and just force me to stop what I'm doing to dance around like a mad person.

When I invent a new soup.

Writing a first sentence off the top of my head and suddenly a short story that I never could have thought up comes out of my fingers on the keyboard without hardly having to pause.

A proper rainstorm with thunder and lightning and drops the size of quaileggs.

A picnic near water, with a chilled bottle of good wine, good food and fresh strawberries at the end; on a sunny summers day with good friends.

..is a most unsavoury prospect indeed.

Family

Friends

Anticipation

Kisses so good I forget where I am

An ice cool beer after hard, physical work on a hot day

Family gatherings, especially where small children in their ‘Sunday Best’ go ape to cheesy disco

Kindness

Songs that transport me somewhere else

Songs that make me dance like an idiot

Hotel sex

The communal joy of a great live gig where the band just happens to play exactly the right track at exactly the right time

Unexpectedly finding more reasons to love the person I love

Dirty jokes that make me snort my tea out through my nose

Singing with complete abandon

Strolling in the sunshine chatting and holding hands with my daughter and my little boy. We were told she might never walk and talk. It is just about medically impossible that he should be here at all. Every single day I think of how lucky we are.

When I look into his eyes I know that's the reason I'm here - to keep him and his mum safe, to look after them as well as I can. Nothing else matters, really, and I don't think it ever will.

The comedy stylings of Eddie Izzard, the relentless optimism of the human spirit (I've just been to Berlin, and my respect for people who resisted the unbelievable inhumanity of DDR is now enormous), any music and lyric that can get under my leathery skin and make me cry / sing along (it's usually U2 and James...), my son's laugh - when he really loses it - he's transcendent - flying, the films of Wim Wenders, the garlic bread at Piccolino's restaurant in Leamington Spa, the unconditional affection and admiration of my daughter (I know it won't last...), Peroni, Rioja, Hula Hoops, human ingenuity, love... I could go on. Thank God, I could go on.

There are so many wonderful things that make life living. I'll confess to having a little blubber as I'm typing this, because questions like this always make me think of my dad, who killed himself a few years back.

Anyway. Here are the things that make my life worth living:

My little daughters, who make my heart ache with happiness daily.

My excellent mates.

Playing the piano. I've been doing it for 30 years.

Baking. I love to cook. I made this for my sister the other week.

Eating watermelon and dribbling it everywhere.

Hugs.

A hot bath with a good book and a bowl of cherries to munch.

I love to draw cartoons and write silliness.

There's plenty more, I'll have a think, that's just off the top of my head.

Firstly and in reference to Hannahs post - grateful that I have never been in that dark place where you want to take your own life. Unfortunately my brother in law did the same thing 11 years ago and I still miss him and still can't understand why he left us.

To happier things:-

Fish and Chips at the seaside

A boat ride on a sunny day - wind in your face

A cuddle from my wife or my daughter

Opening the front door to find Word/Mojo/Amazon delivery has come

Funfairs and the smell of hotdogs

Seeing a place of infinite beauty for the first time - my particular favourites are The Grand Canyon, Torres Del Paine in Chile, Macchu Picchu, The square in Sienna and the road from Padstow to Newquay (preferably in the rain)

First sight of the British Isles from the air after a couple of weeks away

That magical time between being awake and being asleep.

Bacon sandwiches

These are all brilliant and as of now, I haven't been able to resist singing 'Reading graffiti about slashed seat affairs' at the end of each one.
Well done one and all.

Living in Chester - such a beautiful city, with the glory that is North Wales and the coast on my doorstep.

Chester Football Club - a co-operative, community focused, supporter owned club, after umpteen years of mismanagement and finally liquidation we have something to be proud of again. Even if we are 3 steps above Sunday League!

The music of John Grant, Band of Horses, the National, Bon Iver etc etc. The last 12 months have seen me start to enjoy new music so much.

The writing of Willy Vlautin, Jonathan Coe, Irvine Welsh, Roddy Doyle and Nick Hornby. The columns of Giles Smith and the Rob Fitzpatrick interviews in The Word also.

The witterings of Mark Ellen on the Word podcast. Not to offend anyone else (the pod is always wonderful and welcome), but hearing Ellen and his sailors laugh just cheers up any journey. Wonderful and infectious.

Finally, my lads. Talk about being reminded how we are all just a speck in the Universe. When I speak to them, and they listen, it makes me feel like the biggest man in the world. Which, to them, I guess I am.

you've summed up everything perfectly (especially the unexpected chord change).

A small girl upstairs currently colouring in before nodding off

Mrs Beezer and her kindness and unwavering support

The friends I have and the infinite amount of laughter and affection they bring.

Puckoon by Spike Milligan.

Django Rheindhart

Starting a brand new book.

Making Curry

An hour to myself in HMV Oxford St - even if I end up not buying anything

Trying to do a bit of good

Being nailed by a line, a gag, a look or anything and involuntarily laughing like a honking seal.

Being seared through the chest by a piece of music so moving it tears me up.

Porridge and honey

Kindness: witnessed, given and recieved.

Bamburgh and Druridge Bay, Northumberland

Devil in Disguise by JJ Cale

plus a thousand more

Going out my friend Andrew,sharing a few beers a regular Ruby, talking all things football and music. Observing what a fine young man he is. A kind, thoughtful, respectful person who I am proud to have as my best mate. Andrew is also my only son.

1. Wife
2. Kids
3. Beer
4. Curry
5. Beer
6. Waking up before anyone else in the house, and spending an hour or so just pottering about
7. That feeling where the world stops/will never be the same again upon hearing, seeing, reading or generally discovering something new
8. Did I mention Beer?
9. Good Bouboun
10. Cheese

Coming home
Family
Friends
Music
Books
Food
Real Ale in a real pub
Sitting by the canal in Moore, on the bench at the bend, eating chips on a sunny day.
A crisp, bright day in spring.
Laughing 'til it hurts

Senora Malo, the Senoritas Malo, and the rest of the Clan Malo - hugs and laughs. Senora Malo's loving support and hilarious company. My girls and their dance shows, aikido gradings, fearless facility with technology, and their caring attitude. Their delight when I cook Yorkshire puddings for them.

Music, too - I'm listening to "We Are Only Riders", the excellent Jeffrey Lee Pierce tribute album while the girls are watching "Britain's Got Talent". The joy of hearing a great new song, or re-discovering an old gem.

Playing with my band, or simply plugging a guitar in and blasting out some music on my own.

Friends - some I'm in regular contact with, with others we might only catch up once in a couple of years but good friendship can stand that and it's like there's been no gap in time.

And lastly trying to take time to smell the flowers as I hurtle along. This week I was down south for a couple of days for work (which wasn't a great deal of fun, but we don't say "going to your fun", do we?) and I managed to get down to London to see Jimmie Vaughan at Shepherd's Bush. He's one of my favourite guitarists, and I hadn't seen him since 1980. It was great, although he does seem to be turning into Sid James, facially.

It's worth counting my blessings. I'm a lucky hombre.

but for most of the afternoon I've been watching a robin feed one of it's chicks which I assume has fallen from it's nest in our garden. The chick is hopping around and the robin keeps bringing it food. The dedication of the robin is wonderful.

me, wife and 3 boys. We sat in the garden till it got dark chatting, about nothing really but together. And that my friends is why life is worth living.

First of all, I tip my Stetson to Mr Adman, what a great post, only in the Word!
Without not nearly enough aforethought, I have

Beethoven (everything)
JS Bach's Cello Suites
Cats
My wife
A great movie (Tell No One, this years choice so far)
Dylan, Morrison, Cave, Weller, Springsteen and John Martyn
Good coffee, good beer, good friends
Salsa and chips
And the countryside around my home in Arizona, mountains, desert and no clouds for weeks at a time, a sky so blue you'd never believe it!

You have just made my day.
I've just got into my hotel room, fuming after having a bit of a to-do with some of my clients. (See Theme Song Thread.) Reading this thread has calmed me down, made me realise that maybe they have a point (I knew that anyway but I was too riled to admit it), and that it was all over nothing. Life is too short - enjoy it.
I'll go and see them and give them a great big slobbery kiss - or maybe just smile and say sorry. They'd probably prefer that.

For two things.

The first is for the good things things we make.

As simple as a cup of tea. As complicated as a child. Look at what you make, or at what you have made, and feel pleased. Let it bring you pleasure. I include farts in this category, obviously.

The second is for those things which you have not made, but which are there for you to draw pleasure from. Find them and enjoy them. A sight, a smell, a sound, a feel, a taste. Our senses are there for a reason. Use them.

Being granted the privilege of looking after my Mum and up to his demise my dear old Dad.
Being lucky enough to meet and marry my wonderful Girl.
Biting into a crisp,sweet Apple.
Baby Blackbirds.
My Garden in the rain.
The sight and feel of a brush laden with paint moving over canvas/paper.
The breath snatching moment when inspiration strikes.
Music.
Books.
Laughter.
Good Beer/Wine/Single Malts imbibed in good company.
Pasta/Curry/Chilli/Fresh Baked Bread.
Seaside Towns in Winter.
Chester,my home town.I have always loved it.
Kicking a Football and finding the sweet spot.
Old worn Jeans.
Candlelight.
You lot.Best thing I've done in years,getting involved with the Massive.Bless you all.x

A scattering of cherry blossom petals on a suburban street.

The first ice lolly of summer.

The shimmer and sway of a perfectly formed bottom.

Extra vinegar on your chips.

Birdsong.

Empty country churches.

An unexpected lick of your hand from a kitten.

The bounce of sunlight on the bright scarlet of a Routemaster.

Dipping your fingers in tranquil water on a late afternoon, the sound of a party far away.

Frost on railings

Slicing away the shrink-wrap.

Kate Bush's smile.

- Obvious ones: the better half, family and close friends

- When time flies by so quickly because you're enjoying yourself so much

- Pubs, and more specifically, being in pubs with people having a laugh and a chat about everything and nothing

- Words, writing and journalism, and any time I get the slightest recognition for something I've worked on, it makes my day

- God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

- Friday evenings; there's something kind of magical about the approaching end of the working week which still excites me. Whether I'm out with friends or having a night in at home, I'm rarely more content with my lot than I am on a Friday night

- Meeting new people; I went to visit a friend last weekend and in a pub, got talking to some backpackers from Houston. We ended up spending the rest of the evening drinking with them, and met up the next day for a picnic and a round of crazy golf, it was just an impromptu lovely thing

- Cake (I'm still salivating after seeing a picture of Hannah's creation)

...and there's tons more, I'm sure. I'm a fairly happy chappy most of the time, and within wishing to sound drippy or stoned, the mathematical chance of you (yes, you) being alive at this precise moment are so monumentally tiny as to be negligible yet, here you are. There are reasons for living to found in everything and, as someone already said, the alternative doesn't sound too appealing...

Over 2 years of posting and my first accidental double. Oh well, it was a good run

Swimming in the sea with my family - no more than two hours ago as I write this.

I stand fully clothed on Thorpe Bay beach, goading my mother and my niece after they wade in up to their waists and then drag out their torment by refusing to get their shoulders under.

When everyone else is in, I strip-off my jeans and T-shirt and leave them in an untidy pile on the sand. I take a few backward steps and then charge at full-pelt towards the shoreline, stumbling in knee-deep water, where the level of the beach changes abruptly, and plunging face-first into the waves, all flailing limbs, with the muted screams and laughter of my niece and nephew echoing in my waterlogged ears as I resurface.

"You went down like you’d been shot," says my brother.

Across the road a young couple with the body language of the newly wed watch us from the balcony of the Roslin Hotel.

My brother and I swim out to one of the poles. The freezing water gets colder the further we go; the skin tightening around my eyes every time I put my head under; the current dragging me sideways.

When I get out, I can feel the salt burn on my mosquito bites - war wounds from yesterday's barbecue that I scratched in my sleep.

Back at home, I queue up in the garden, waiting to wash the sand off the soles of my feet, under the tap outside the garage.

In the kitchen my mother cooks permutations of fried and scrambled eggs, streaky bacon and toast, while mugs of hot chocolate revolve in the microwave oven. And my brother, who is still cold, leans against the Aga shivering and making sounds like a trombone player with hypothermia, who can only communicate through the instrument frozen to his lips.

Standing in a fountain in the pouring rain, taking photos of kids playing, their parents happy for me to take the pictures and not assuming I was a perv. I got soaked to the skin and had more fun than I've had in ages. Only gripe: the photos were so-so. The parents loved them though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wayfarer88/4674650852/

I still can't get photos to load on this site!

I'll figure it out one of these days.

Blimey!,...i've read most of the posts on this subject and it's emotional stuff at times. A big hug to Hanna, who's obv been through a lot and is still wonderfully optimistic. So that's the 1st in my list Optimism, i'm lucky enough to be an optimist, cause not everyone can manage it you know.

Some that've been mentioned that i too dig...Woody Allen 'Manhattan" but also "Play It Again Sam" & "Love & Death"...Allen at his best has the ability to make me laugh til it hurts and that's another thing in itself. Weller("Going Underground" is when i signed up for this musical journey)....Cezanne's apples & pears, i have to agree, also Gerhard Richer's paintings...not necessarily a household name, but i urge you to google it. Rolling Stones'-"Gimme Shelter"(my Desert Island Disc). "Lost In Music"-Giles Smith(you must read if you haven't) Great concert memories...Public Enemy Reading Fest '91(wonderfully lump-in-the-throat righteous rage)....U2 Wembley Stadium Summer '87 soaring, euphoric, stratospheric rock, at their peek when people would still be honest about liking them. "The Office"..will we ever tire of watching it?? Full English Breakfast....great coffee....etc etc I now have to break off and have the last 2, despite the fact it's gone 2pm Sunday. (oh that's another one, the weekend lie-in.

Bye all.....

the way my three-year old niece can render me an emotional sap with her innocence, interests and inquisitiveness. Before her, I always felt slightly awkward around new-born babies, and toddlers- and to an extent I still do up until the point where they can walk and talk, and I feel as though I have a purpose.

Watching my other niece crawl rings around everyone, by being at the age where everything fascinates her and it''s impossible to take your eye off her because she'll have no doubt crawled into the kitchen/garden/garage at the blink of an eye. She should be walking fairly soon, and I'm currently attempting to get her to say 'Uncle Tom' as her first word.

My nephew, slightly (by a few months) younger than my youngest niece and yet to start crawling, walking, playing the guitar etc but no less fascinating for it. This is the boy who will do well to look to his uncle for musical guidance, rather than his father. Mind you, if he wants to be a professional footballer, Daddy is bound to be a far better coach/role model/teacher than his 'always picked last' brother.

Although it has its benefits over paternity (i.e. not having to change nappies, rarely having to discipline) I'm only an uncle, God knows how it must be for the parents of these children.

I have another one on the way too.

A few other things I love:

Discovering a (new) band, and wondering why I'd never listened to them before. The most recent example being The National.

Going out with a group of friends, and ending up in a club that plays songs that I know off by heart enabling me to sing and dance (drunkeness/social inhibitions permitting); and enjoy myself rather than stand uncomfortably near the dance floor trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone or people-watching in the vain hope of finding my own true love.

Writing poetry or songs. At least when I get the chance. I love the self-made-discovery of a great line, (para)rhyme, or chord sequence that kick-starts a new writing process. Sometimes these things can take months to finish. Not that I'm always good at it, but there's something that delights me when I compose a piece and I play/read it back to myself knowing that I've just created that. I have a sligtly over-the-top fascination with my own recordings; in my heart I know they're not brilliant, but in my head I am John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, E, Darren Hayman, Stuart Murdoch, David Bowie, Nick Drake et al.

My two favourite poems are 'Daddy' by Sylvia Plath and Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est'.

Reading too. Without doubt, my favourite book of all time is 'Revolution In The Head' simply for the sheer thrill it gives me and MacDonald's ability to write intelligent, complicated thought provoking work that I understand despite lacking knowledge of musical theory. I have no idea what an aeolian cadence is either, but I understood perfectly what he meant when he described the end of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' as "hard-braking"

At the moment, I'm reading 'Wuthering Heights' for the third time having fallen in love with fiction and the Bronte sisters again. 'Jane Eyre' will be next on the list; and I'm looking forward to that because it's arguably my favourite fiction book, having first read it on the train from Liverpool whilst I was at university. In fact, I'm a big fan of Penguin Classics in general.

Family, friends, music, literature, creativity, documentaries, muller-yoghurts, coca-cola, long-distance train journeys, my ipod, sunny weather, August 7th, harmless flirting, beautiful girls, intelligent girs, intelligent conversation, puns, one-liners, haribos, the excitement of a forthcoming World-Cup, Football Manager, beating my brother on Pro. Evo., days off spent doing nothing and not feeling guilty, sleeping, waking up to a brand new day and knowing I'm still alive, Outnumbered, not knowing whether Ben or Karen is my favourite child from Outnumbered, writing retrospectively pointless lists that at the time were significant, my Beatles Stereo box set, my Beatles Mono box set, the second movement of Holst's 'Jupiter' section of 'The Planets, the anticipated handclap in 'Rebellion(Lies)' the emotion of 'The Drugs Don't Work' the use of slide-guitar in 'My Sweet Lord' that makes the song so wonderful, the lyrics of Richey Edwards, Paul Heaton and Colin Meloy, close-harmony groups, Motown, the urge I get to listen to a song again, seconds after hearing it, being in a job that I usually enjoy, working with people I (nine times out of ten) have a great relationship with, loving Emily Blunt despite not seeing anything she's ever been in and basing my opinion of her on an interview she did with Jonathan Ross, Monty Python's Flying Circus and related films, Michael Palin's travel series (have recently 'discovered' these), bacon sandwiches, pasta carbonara, Mexican food, going out to restaurants, a good photograph, finding Rita Tushingham strangely attractive in 'A Taste of Honey'.

All these things make me happy and feel as though life is worth living, which is ironic really because I'm usually rather pessimistic.

Midsummer, is here with us now,
Midwinter, the evergreen bow,
A smile from a child,
A drink with a friend,
A feeling that I never want this to end.

1. THE GLW who is the soul of perseverance after being diagnosed with MS last year. She is an absolute inspiration. She puts up with me for a start and just gets on with it. Back in the day, everyone else was chasing 'birds' but I've great faith in instinct and chased her when I was very young. I'm lucky she went for me. God, she puts up with a lot (French rap,Lord Buckley rapping while we are cooking)and I hope I can do her proud for many, many years.
2. The wee girl, nine years of age and a complete legend. Into books, history, music (loves the Gorillaz)and wants to be an artist when she grows up. She is the most humane person I have ever met. When her friend in school was withdrawn she kept talking to her and chivvying her to come out of herself. Said friend is now one of the most outgoing people you could meet. Parents' night usually consists of: 'Ella is a beautiful human being and a delight to teach.' We are proud and I wish I had half of what she has, cynicism is a bad thing.
3. My wee godson Cillian (christening next weekend). My sister struggled to conceive - it'll be a great Craigavon party albeit in the leafier confines of North Down where sis lives now.
4. Any phone call home to ma, da or the wee brother Martin. He's the best mate anyone could have. He has put up with being in 'my shadow' (which, in itself, is a ridiculous concept) and is a fabulous fellow.
5. A phone call to Widnesian (who blogs here) in North Carolina. He sends me the most wonderful Radio Cheezwizz compilation tapes which make me so happy. He's helped me out of some big jams.
6. A great squash shot, a well taken free off the ground in gaelic football or a great long cycle/ run.
7. That moment when you have to positively pull over and find out the name of the song you have just heard and devote months or years to that band. (Last two were Disiz la Peste and The Hold Steady)
8. Getting a great story or a piece of gossip, alas I am reduced to the latter now.
9. Writing, those hours of submersion in your own thoughts. It is the most fun. Especially writing blog posts here.
10. Getting time just to think.
11. Sleeping, although the duel between thinking and sleeping means I am doing this at 1:13am
12. Finally, today, we had a prize giving for our football club where I manage the U9s girls team. It was beautiful to see all of them getting recognised for all the effort they put in. Now that is a real warm feeling.
Oh, and a freezing cold flat with damp on the walls.

apologies if duplicated, but this was Woody Allen's second take at the question and seems worth posting:

... and lose on penalties.

ECM that is on Spotify, not just the Jarrett that all you nice people have recommended but Towner, Metheny, Weber etc

--- have just gone Premium --- and decided to spend more time reading and being soothed before bed, and less on TV.

And to get a copy of Love and Death ...