A team of psychologists and economists is reporting today what
many Americans know but do not always admit, especially to
social scientists: that watching television by oneself is a very
enjoyable way to pass the time, and that taking care of children
-- bless their little hearts -- is often about as much fun as
housework.  Those findings, published in the journal Science,
run contrary to previous research about what makes people happy
and why.  The study also suggests that the fundamental realities
of marriage and job security have far less to do with daily
moods than factors like deadlines on the job and quality of
sleep.  The study looked at 909 working women in Texas, though
the researchers said the results probably applied more broadly.
It found that in general the group woke up a little grumpy but
soon entered a state of mild pleasure that increased by degrees
through the day, punctuated by occasional bouts of anxiety,
frustration and anger. Predictably, the researchers found that
commuting to work, ho