Before I get to the subject of the title of this blog, I’ll first deal with our day. It was another near perfect weather day here in Desert Hot Springs as temperatures again rose up into the mid-80’s. We started the day off in good style with an early morning Pancake Breakfast up at the Oasis Hall. As many of you probably know this is my favourite RV Park activity. Does eating pancakes count as an activity? I vote yes!
A Few Of My Favourite Photos From February
Gotta love a 5 Guys Burger!
After breakfast, Paulette and Sandy were off and running again, this time to a huge Church garage sale in a ritzy part of town. This is one Paulette looks forward to every year because of the great deals. That left me and the muttzo’s home to spend a leisurely morning just taking it easy. I’ve started another new book so I was able to sit outside and enjoy the morning sunshine while my mind wandered off to wherever the author’s words took me.
We love the way the mountains block the clouds
About mid-morning, I made myself a nice Cappuccino with our Tassimo Brewing machine to help me from drifting off into siesta land. Paulette got home from her garage sales loaded up with two of the biggest bags of clothing I’ve ever seen. Her and Sandy hit the jackpot as while they were browsing through all the clothing for sale at the Church, an announcement was made that you could fill up a plastic bag of clothes for just $10. What a haul they made!!
We managed to go on a few great hikes last month
Thankfully, Paulette knows better than to buy second-hand clothing for me as I refuse to wear any of them. It gives me the creeps to think that some guy I didn’t even know may have died wearing the very same shirt I now had on. Paulette thinks I’m crazy, but for all the clothes I buy in a given year, I’ll take brand new ones thanks.
Box Canyon Drive
While Paulette was busy sorting out the over 2 dozen items of clothing she bought, some of it looked brand new and quite expensive, I went up to the pool for an early swim. I had a late afternoon game of golf lined up for 3:45 and since it was so hot a swim was a nice way to cool off before heading out for golf. It’s a tough life being a snowbird!
Rylie’s friend and a daily visitor – the Roadrunner
After going for dinner with friends Gary, Sandy, Tom and Jennifer last night we came home and I sat down to write this blog. While browsing around the web, an article on some website caught my eye. It was provocatively titled America’s Happiest (And Most Miserable) States. That I had to have a look at.
Start of another great desert hike
This survey, or poll, was conducted by the Gallup company. Their results released last Thursday under the heading “The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index”, has surveyed 1.7 million Americans since the survey was first conducted in 2008 and reflects the physical and emotional health of residents in each of the 50 states.
States with high well-being had populations that smoked less, exercised more and tried to learn new things each day. These states also tended to share the outcomes of those behaviours. Residents had lower levels of key health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks and had more energy.
Of the 10 states with the highest levels of well-being, the majority are either in the West or Midwest. Of the 10 states with the lowest well-being scores, eight are located in the South. This has been the case since the survey began. Here are Gallup’s lists:
Top five most happy states:
| 1. | Hawaii | Well-being index score: 71.1 |
| 2. | Colorado | Well-being index score: 69.7 |
| 3. | Minnesota | Well-being index score: 68.9 |
| 4. | Utah | Well-being index score: 68.8 |
| 5. | Vermont | Well-being index score: 68.6 |
The five most miserable states:
| 1. | West Virginia | Well-being index score: 61.3 |
| 2. | Kentucky | Well-being index score: 62.7 |
| 3. | Mississippi | Well-being index score: 63.6 |
| 4. | Tennessee | Well-being index score: 64.0 |
| 5. | Arkansas | Well-being index score: 64.1 |
Looking at how the top 5 happy states and the 5 most miserable states scored in the Gallup survey, I can’t say I was particularly shocked or surprised by any of them. I was curious to see how many of the most popular “snowbird states” fared in this survey, so I checked out the following 5 states along with their rankings:
Five of the popular snowbird state rankings:
| 18. | California | Well-being index score: 67.4 |
| 23. | Arizona | Well-being index score: 67.1 |
| 25. | New Mexico | Well-being index score: 66.7 |
| 27. | Texas | Well-being index score: 66.6 |
| 34. | Florida | Well-being index score: 65.8 |
So, for what it’s worth, there’s the poll results. Where do you reside? In a so-called “happy” or “miserable” state? Like I said earlier, I’m not surprised by these results but I’m not saying I take them as gospel either. I just found it kind of interesting.
Have a great Sunday, and thanks again for visiting!
There doesn't seem to be much difference in points between a happy or miserable state.
ReplyDeleteInteresting survey... We have spent a lot of time in Tennessee and I found it to be a great place to live, and all seemed to be happy, however that was one localized area. I think life is as good as you make it for yourself...or, as the song goes "Don't worry...be happy!"
ReplyDeleteOh dear...something is definitely wrong with us. We have traveled and stay many nights in each of the top 5 most miserable states, but haven't spent one night in the five most happy states. This must change this year!
ReplyDeleteI agree that's interesting. However, I'm betting there are some pretty happy people in all of those states and some pretty miserable ones too. It's kind of like reading a review on anything. Some of the points are important to one and others aren't. I'm not one who really likes used clothing either. However, some of the high end stuff might be tempting because I sure get a kick out of the prices of it at some of the designer second hand shops. Good for Paulette.
ReplyDeleteGlad your February was great and that March is off to a great start as well. I found two brand new Hawaiian shirts at the Goodwill in Fountain Hills for $5 each, so I don't think I have to worry that someone died in them. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting statistics, indeed. I was surprised that Florida didn't score higher, given that it's a popular retirement/snowbird state. However, it's certainly not one of my favorite places, so maybe I have a lot in common with other people.
ReplyDeleteThat Paulette is sure a good shopper!
We're Texas folk and although we're happier than we can stand sometimes (TeeHee) if the stats are based on less smoking, better health it makes me wonder because Texas is not traditionally a healthy state, what with all the tortilla and popular fatty foods, etc. Didn't seem like there was much difference between the happy and miserable sites anyway.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you got that roadrunner to stand so still for a photo...were you hiding? Ours are hyper critters and whip all over the place at the slightest sound.
Have a great day!
Isn't it great to be a full time RVer? We can pick and choose where and when we want to go places. Weather is our driving force. As for being happy or miserable...it's your choice. There are folks who are never happy and folks who are never miserable!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures Rick as usual. Are you going to have to build a new closet in the 5er for all of Paulette's clothing bargains? Or maybe she can space bag them into nothing. :-)
ReplyDeleteAn interesting way to get grant funds to support yourself is what I think about the survey. I'm with Judy, doesn't look like there is much difference in the numbers from top to bottom. Seems like happy is something that should be self reported, not derived from criteria. Being a non smoker, with no medical problems etc doesn't make everyone happy. Of course all this is MHO.
I'm with you on new clothes v. second hand clothing. I share your sentiment on that front.
ReplyDeleteNice photo of the resident Roadrunner. I love watching those birds.
Enjoy the nice heat and the activities that go along with it.
I love everything about living in California except the higher prices for just about everything, and L.A. traffic.
ReplyDeleteWe went on that same hike in January. Beautiful in a desert way.
Ah...nothing that good HOT laundering won't correct! hee hee...I love 5 Guys Burgers as does my son, so we may have to hit that today for lunch.
ReplyDeleteWe live in Oregon and it didn't make any list...for the winter..its usually dark and dreary...however we can have some nice summers...starting July 5th and ending September 1st...Portland style at its best.
Hope you enjoyed your golf game.
Michelle
I guess I am not that surprised by the list of states:) You sure have a great area to spend time!
ReplyDeleteTexas is the most miserable place on earth so stay away and let me do all the suffering for everyone. HE HE HE
ReplyDeleteReminds me of what I heard a comedian say once. He said obesity is dependent on the elevation of where people live. Thinest people live in Colorado. Fattest live in Louisiana! (In advance of any negative comments to follow, I apologize to my hubby's fellow Cajuns.)
ReplyDeleteMy dad was an underpaid preacher with 6 kids. After every funeral service, bags of the deceased's clothing arrived. I hated wearing dead people's clothes, but it was a help to my folks.
ReplyDeleteI won't by second hand clothes, either.
Iowa was 9th maybe we should go back..........
ReplyDeleteTexas is my favorite place on earth.i like your Postt,Thanks For share state Ranking,Its Informative For US.
ReplyDeleteI had a boss once who said,
ReplyDelete"Figures lie and liars figure"
or who can forget the old quote attributed to Benjamin Disraeli:
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."
While we wait to get our home sold we continue to be residents of Milwaukee WI and it's laughable that the same city can turn up at the top or bottom of lists depending on what criteria you consider. The one thing for sure though.... publishers want to sell magazines and no one wants to antagonize entire states all the time.... If a camel is a horse created by committee then I don't entirely trust any opinion formed by asking a bunch of people what they think.....
Keep up the good work.
Glad to see that you didn't pick the title yourself because it is very misleading. "Healthy" and "happy" are not directly interchangeable words just as "less healthy" and "miserable" are not. Lots of "less healthy" people are happy just as lots of "healthy" people are "miserable". But I am sure you know this. We all hope to be happy and healthy no matter where we live.
ReplyDelete