If this isn't nice, what is?

For my second post, I thought I would let readers know where the title for the blog came from. Kurt Vonnegut, my favorite author, spoke at my graduation from Rice. His speech, available here, had a big impact on me and I still go back and read it from time to time. When I wrote an essay on "What matters to me most and why" for my application to Stanford Business School, I quoted this speech in multiple places. One of the things he urges is for everyone to take time out on occassion to notice that they're happy; he said,

"When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud: If this isn't nice, what is?''

It's harder to do than you think ... and it is absolutely worth the effort.