1) What's one thing you can do today to make yourself a bit more joyful?
Do something creative/artistic at least once a day.

2) What is one thing you really appreciate in your life/ the world/ the universe?
The joy and beauty inherent in everything

3) What movies or tv show can make you laugh?
Lately I have been bursting into laughter at Craig Ferguson's antics (love the puppets and dance lip-sync routines) on his late night show. Eddie Izzard's stand-up routines are also brilliant and often make me laugh out loud.

4) Do you have a favorite food that makes you smile?
I go through phases, often what amuses me is something I haven't had in a while.
Lately it's been sushi and wasabi peas.
Not sure what's next.

The Canadian candy bars (from my childhood) - Coffee Crisp, sponge toffee, Aero bars or Mackintosh butterscotch are also like that. Oh, and licorice allsorts. Ocassionally I find them for sale in the states and it cheers me up. And sometimes I track them down on the internet. ( http://www.canadiansweets.com/ )

5) Who is one person you can hug to cheer up and be cheered up by in return?
I have a bunch of wonderful friends whom I haven't seen enough lately. Any of them would cheer me up and vice versa.

Excited about my job interview this afternoon!

Because our media culture doesn't value the wisdom of the elderly.
The media/advertising is targetted at the young to get them hooked on brands before full earning power in adulthood and there is less attention paid to the elderly in the media, because their resources are generally considered static or dwindling.

This is changing a little because of the number of boomers but for them, the media/advertising is skewed to coping with physical deterioration, rather than presenting the picture that folks can all be healthy as we age. 

Disengaging from media stereotypes is one of the healthier things folks can do for themselves. But there is little societal support for that. We get the peer pressure lesson early.  It takes personal integrity and will to disengage and just be yourself, whatever that really is. 

To  really listen nonjudgementally as described, you have to open your heart bigger than your head/mind. In effect, you listen with your heart, because the (un-stilled) mind always has comments.

Stars, meteor showers, planets, all bright -when you're away from ground clutter light. Also the quietude in the deep night when all is still and silent.

Are you breathing? Then you are in-spired-- provided with prana/chi/the breath of Brahma/ G*d--- provided with the energy to follow your unique path and be great at it.

Breathe deeply into your uncertainty, breathe through your fear, breathe through your self-doubts- send cleansing bright breaths to every part of you that feels out of sorts and sub-par. Breath down though your feet to ground and feel the full support of the earth beneath you. Breathe through your heart to better align heart and mind. Breathe through each and every chakra to clear and prime the energy available from those areas. 
Be happy for the success of your breathing. Smile - rejoice in the beauty that surrounds you.
Breathing well, deeply, fully, it is hard to remain mired, because you reconnect to the Flow.