Driving a steamroller over a sheet of bubble wrap — 20 comfiest moments

Life is full of little pleasures. Subtle things.

Here’s my top 20.

You know, the things that let us stop, press life’s ⏸ button, and enjoy the moment.

The comfiest feelings. Subtle pleasures that make us draw a deep, satisfied breath. If you mention one of them in a conversation, people instantly understand what you mean; often their faces light up and they go like “Oooh, I just love when this happens!”. Recalling a sensation is often the only thing needed to induce in oneself a strong empathetic or emotional response.

Let me give you some examples.

1 Popping bubble wrap.

Pop, pop, pop. Put your fingers in it and feel each tiny air capsule rupture. Then another. And another. Bubble wrap has that nice staccato snap. Each pop sends a tiny jolt of pleasure down your spine. It’s like drugs for fingers, except it’s legal. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, that eventually some lads thought “Why not crush a big pile of bubble wrap with a steamroller?”. If you want to see it on video, the link is a few paragraphs down.

2 Crushing thin ice over puddles.

The ice is so pristine, so tempting. You put the tip of your shoe on it and feel an irresistible compulsion to press down just a little. The ice makes this delightful crack and a web of fissures erupts from beneath your foot. It’s one of the pointless activities which we nevertheless enjoy doing — it’s not easy to say why. Perhaps those of us who grew up in countries with snowy winters associate crushing thin ice with long winter breaks spent playing in the snow and drinking hot cocoa.

3 Symmetry and regularity.

We all enjoy symmetry, regularity and putting things in order. Our minds are hardwired to make sense of what we experience. A human mind relaxes and feels safe when it can recognize patterns or impose structure. For some, it’s arranging color pencils into a rainbow. For others, it’s writing down every idea in neatly labeled notebooks. For me, it’s seeing even numbers appear in an uneven world, like filling a gas tank for exactly $20.00. Even the illusion of reducing chaos in our little lives feels like giving entropy the middle finger.

By the way, this list is a mess. It needs more structure.

OK, how do we put the small pleasures of life into meaningful categories?

The way I like to categorize them is by which sense dominates the experience. This gives us:

• Auditory,
• Visual,
• Olfactory,
• Tactile,

Let’s go through them all, one by one, and see if it works.

Auditory

Music is a delight for the senses, and each person has their own, unique taste. But as much as I’d love to force Django Reinhardt’s tunes on everyone I meet, music isn’t the only thing I want to tell you about. There is something below music, existing on a more basic and universal level. The stuff music is made of — discrete sounds. How can a sound in itself be pleasant, neutral, unpleasant, or whatever else? It’s quite fascinating. Anyway, I don’t want to bore you with scientific articles, the point of this piece is to be excited about bubble wrap. But just in case you find it interesting, here’s a little something from cognitive science and philosophy.

Right. Let’s see what sound-induced comfy sensations we can identify.

4 Frisson

The most common sensation (and one most people will instantly recognize) is frisson, also known as music goosebumps. Frisson is the shivering you experience while listening to music or sounds you’ve associated with intense emotions. It’s been proven, that when frisson happens, dopamine is released in your brain. Each experience of frisson is deeply personal and strongly tied to memories. For example, a person might get goosebumps from listening to their favorite movie’s OST. The music brings back the emotions they experienced while watching the movie.

5 ASMR

In some ways similar to Frisson, ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is a pleasant sensation some people seem to experience when listening to certain sounds. Few studies have been done on the link between ASMR and frisson, but most ASMR enthusiasts will passionately resist any attempt to conflate the terms. One thing we know is that ASMR experiences are not as personal — the same sound can be pleasant to many ASMR-attuned people. True uncharted territory for science. If you want to find out if you’re an ASMR person, start here, or try one of many different ASMR channels on YouTube.

6 Listening to the radio, in bed, at night.

There’s something dreamlike about the radio. Enjoying it in complete silence and darkness results in a very intimate, deep experience of music.

Radio stations change when the clock strikes midnight. No, they don’t turn into werewolves, though some howling is inevitable with indie singers. You see, the reason most stations broadcast the best stuff only late in the evenings (oh, sweet irony) is that not many people are listening. Small audience = cheaper airtime, ads at night become virtually worthless. This means shows can be whatever their hosts want. Think about all those eccentric music-lovers who wanted to work in the radio because they understood and loved music, only to get stuck playing pop hits all day. After midnight, they finally have their chance to host personal shows, broadcast what truly inspires them. This is why at night you can hear some real gems, music that would otherwise pass under your radar.

7 The sound of rain, wind, waves, and thunder.

It’s funny really, that so many people love listening to the storm. The threat of being flooded, the cold, and the boom of thunder — things that, in theory, should scare us. Somehow, the opposite happens. Listening to the storm is soothing, helps us concentrate or even sleep (as long as you’re dry and safe, that is). Well, good news! Now you don’t have to book rainmaking services whenever you find yourself in the rainy mood on a sunny day. Check out these amazing soundboards: A Soft Murmur lets you compose your own thunderstorm, while Moodica lets you immerse in an audiovisual reverie. There’s even a rainy phone app. So gratifying. Just don’t get lost in thought.

Visual

8 Machining

There is something oddly satisfying about watching machinery work — lathes, milling cutters, and even mechanical clocks. Machines like these do everything with precision and regularity. That’s why watching them operate for a few minutes can be very relaxing. Be sure to see the entire gif, don’t miss the happy ending. Here’s a version with a better framerate.

9 Viscous fluids

This one I just cannot put my finger on. Why is looking at gooey fluids so calming? Is it the positive association with honey? That’s my best guess at least. If you have a better idea, let me know in the comments.

10 Dominoes

Find me one person who doesn’t enjoy looking at dominoes. I’ll wait. Dominoes may be simple pieces of plastic, but they give us a very special promise — that even destruction can be neat. If watching the structured collapse of intricate patterns is your jam, you can easily find thousands of videos made by dominoes enthusiasts. There are even special events for people who treat dominoes as a hobby. Oh, want to see the spiral to the right fall, on video? Enjoy.

11 Skygazing

The Earth moving against the sky. Thanks, NatGeo.

Almost everything you can see in the sky will instill you with a sense of calm. Drifting clouds, the cold light of the moon, the distant dance of the stars, even the good ol’ sunset. If you feel like exploring the galaxy from the comfort of your chair, give GoogleSky a go. Twinkle, twinkle, R136a1. Just don’t look into the active hearts of galaxies too long. There dwell dark gods of time and gravity, and if you gaze into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.

12 Watching the fire

As a person with mild pyromania, I love watching things burn. Slow burn is soothing, as opposed to big fires and explosions which (to me at least) are thrilling. Let’s ignore the second, more violent kind for now. So how can you enjoy the beauty of fire safely? A fireplace is a common, if somewhat impractical, solution. If you don’t own a fireplace, you can always enjoy one of the many fire videos available online. The sound is the same, the warmth is missing. Or set up a bonfire.

13 Whirlpools, tornadoes, and vortices.

Really sucks you in. Denizens of the land, beware! Several perpetual whirlpools exist, some big enough to be dangerous to smaller boats. Allegedly, one particular whirlpool near the Canadian shore makes a distinctive, howling sound. Despite the fearsome appearance, looking into a whirlpool is very relaxing. Keep in mind, long whirlpool-watching sessions may cause dizziness and nausea.

Olfactory

For many reasons, smells connect to memory in a very powerful way, often causing long forgotten memories to resurface. This is why the only way to truly summon up your childhood is to actually visit the places where you grew up, like some crazy olfactory expedition. Reliving a part of one’s life is A-grade comfy. Or if you miss that special person — seeing their picture, or hearing their voice on a recording just doesn’t compare to smelling their favorite perfume.

14 Petrichor

The earthy fragrance of the first rain after a dry spell. I am reminded of the moments when I enjoyed the smell. Taking in the city skyline as it was cleansed in a catharsis of the first summer storm, embalmed with the incense from a million exotic plants in a botanical garden nearby. The last day of vacation, where I and my future wife would sit by the lake in silence and listen to the storm. Of conquering a tall mountain in a torrential downpour, only to pierce the clouds and stand amidst a sea of fog and pine fragrance.

15 Coffee

Coffee never tastes as good as it smells. Deep in your heart, you know it to be true. I’ve spent many a day in coffee shops, getting high on fresh ground arabica. It’s a universally acclaimed pastime around these parts. As I commuted home with a backpack full of coffee, my fellow passengers would unwittingly share my addiction. It’s quite enjoyable to see people sitting on the bus with an “FML it’s 5:45 PM” face, take a few curious sniffs and become lively and spirited all of a sudden. That’s the power of 2-furfurylthiol, baby! And now I want to drink a fierce espresso from a ridiculously tiny white cup.

16 Ocean

Not a single smell, more like a symphony of smells. Salt. Ozone. Water. Sand. A spell is weaved into the bird cries and the ocean waves. Fills me with an almost painful longing to buy a boat, leave my life behind, and become a sailor. Or live in a lighthouse. For now, I must survive on music about the sea.

It’s funny, really. Never thought I’d have anything in common with a certain pointy-eared fellow.

The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir.
― Legolas Greenleaf

17 Olive oil

It’s like liquid sunlight, at least it smells and tastes like it. Just make sure you buy the good kind (golden-hued). Color is decided by the ripeness of the olives when harvested. Unripe, green olives produce green-hued oil, while ripe, purple-black olives produce golden-toned oil.

Tactile

Popping bubble wrap and crushing thin ice belong here. Oh yes, the steamroller video. Go ahead and watch it. I know you want to. There’s more. Anyway, many other pleasant tactile sensations exist… Most of which should not even be mentioned on a modest, respected blog, such as this one. Let’s keep it SFW.

18 Fidget toys (and similar stuff)

Many people have a habit of incessantly clicking their pen. We’ve had stress balls and squeezers for some time, and now all sorts of fidget toys started appearing. Word is, they help people with ADHD/ADD focus. There’s great variety, from spinners to cubes, hell, they’re even making dodecagons. I still prefer clicking a pen.

19 Feeling the sun touch your skin

Do you even praise the sun, bro? Soaking up sunshine causes your brain to release endorphins; improving your mood, and decreasing stress. It’s also healthy for your skin (in reasonable doses). Not catching enough sun leads to several unpleasant conditions, including insomnia and the dreaded “seasonal affective disorder”. So don’t forget to catch a few rays every day.

20 Feeling the texture of polished wood

You may now be thinking ‘meh’ and I can see why. Wood texture (or grain) is something we barely even notice. Luxury wood furniture and floors are quite common in 1st world countries. But there is something much better than fancy tables — instruments. Case in point, high-end acoustic guitars are notable for having their surfaces made of premium wood (mahogany, rosewood, cedar), finished with meticulous precision. If you manage to get your hands on one, be sure to give it a try. Even better if know how to play — few things can compare to enjoying a master-crafted instrument this way.

That’s it! I hope you feel more relaxed. If you ever need more brain massage, feel free to visit this page.

Oh, one more thing. Writing takes a long time, and it feels bad when no one even seems to read it. I won’t know you’ve read it unless you leave a comment or share it.

For more stories like this one, head over to The UnWork Journal. Cheers!