I wish I were happy...

September 3, 2001 9:44 AM

I wish I were happy... Who says money can't buy happiness? Katy and Greg would beg to differ.
posted by wondergirl (19 comments total)

That was hilarious. I personally think that this weeks Best Buy ad , depicting ecstatic Fred, Joan & grandson sending e-mail on the tv was worth a glance!
posted by redhead at 11:32 AM on September 3, 2001

lol... great link.. i usually make a note to check out the best buy flyers 'cause it's usually the best flyer in the sunday paper (and to find out what cds are coming out on tuesday), and i won't be able to look at it the same....

"but what i'll mainly remember is the laughter."
posted by lotsofno at 12:35 PM on September 3, 2001

Here's a question that's been bothering me since I read that article. Is it "I wish I was happy" or "I wish I were happy?"

Maybe were is correct english, but was sounds better.
posted by wondergirl at 12:50 PM on September 3, 2001

"Were" is the traditional rule in this case.
posted by bee at 1:37 PM on September 3, 2001

actually i think 'were' sounds better; this coming from someone who doesn't bother to capitalize his i's though
posted by juv3nal at 3:28 PM on September 3, 2001

i'm getting used to "i wish i were happy..." but in the past i would have used... "i wish i was happy." isn't there a song that goes like that? or something like that. anyway, i do take the occasional break from using capital letters.
posted by wondergirl at 5:51 PM on September 3, 2001

"Were" is correct because the mood's subjunctive. That is, you're not actually happy.
posted by kindall at 7:26 PM on September 3, 2001

In this case, it's "were" - it's the rarely-used subjunctive form, indicating something that you're not, and haven't been (and in its most pure form, something you will never be.) I wish I were a bear, I wish I were a happy little monkey. It can also be seen in the ever popular putting one's self in someone else's position... "If I were you..." If you're saying "I wish" it's always were, unless you're talking about a past conditional, like "I wish I had been a better student in college," or a present/future conditional, "I wish I could get a plumber out here on Labor Day."
posted by headspace at 7:29 PM on September 3, 2001

It seems this week's missive is sans Katy and Greg
posted by owillis at 7:35 PM on September 3, 2001

First thing that came to my mind was an old link that memepool helped me unearth...

(Seems Rob and Jennifer would beg to differ as well.)
posted by Fofer at 8:07 PM on September 3, 2001

Note to Rob & Jennifer - If you're visiting this site from the unfamiliar referrals in your logs, how 'bout adjusting the levels on this front-page photo. If anything, at least throw an Auto-Levels on it. Unless, of course, you're going for that mysterious & shadowy psychotic animal-loving look.
posted by Hankins at 9:38 PM on September 3, 2001

I didn't get it at all....
posted by salmacis at 1:15 AM on September 4, 2001

Note to Rob and Jennifer #2: All the pictures are a bit dark, although the picture of the mutant racoon with glowing eyes has some kind of excuse.

Oh, and I think you've completely misunderstood the meaning of the word "pimp".
posted by Grangousier at 2:12 AM on September 4, 2001

And "mack". And "fun", though that one's a matter of taste.
posted by gleuschk at 12:41 PM on September 4, 2001

What is "Rob and Jennifer"? It seems like some psycho-stalker page about this couple that are, by all appearances, complete aberrations of our society. Very scary.
posted by amanda at 1:14 PM on September 4, 2001

Scary, yes, aberrations, no. *shudder*
posted by briank at 1:20 PM on September 4, 2001

Hmmm... you're right. Aberration wasn't the word I should have used. What I meant was a distillation of some of the worst elements of consumerism and image in our society.

:)

But, maybe that's a little dense for these two.
posted by amanda at 1:27 PM on September 4, 2001

Damn you Fofer! I have been trying to forget the nightmare that is Rob and Jennifer.
posted by faithnomore at 5:10 PM on September 4, 2001

wondergirl, the song to which you are refering is probably "I Could Be Happy" by Altered Images. "maybe swim a mile down the niiiiiile..."
i know no one will see this but i could not resist
posted by yonderboy at 6:55 AM on July 16, 2002