Insofar as there’s a distinction between the two, I feel like you’ve got it switched. Merriment would be a night out with drinks and friends, whereas deep happiness would be more like contentedness with your life choices. But they’re about the same. Plus “A Christmas Carol” uses Merry, and it’s like the ultimate Christmas story.
Vote in the primaries. Vote for the winner who’s least fascist. Yell at them. A lot. Activism in the streets, calling your representative about pending legislation. Donations to organizing groups you agree with There are multiple stages of the process you can get involved with. 1 vote every 4 years is not enough
I always found it easier to basically automate the process as much as possible. “spend” every recurring expenditure and also set aside the most aggressive savings/investments possible using separate bill pay and savings accounts or buckets. Everything is taken out of the main account as soon as your paycheck hits, so it means everything you see on your spending account is a free dollar that you can use for fun or food.
Some people might operate better with a set amount for groceries too, but I personally found that too restrictive.
A good budget is one that you stick to, helps you achieve your goals, and crucially, allows you to enjoy your life to at least some extent. Whatever method works for you, it’s important to give yourself permission to spend some money on fun. However small.
Did you watch/enjoy any of Tarantino’s other films?
He’s often praised for his dialogue but tbf I find some of the conversations not at all realistic. I can see how that could rub some people the wrong way.