Just discovered a fantastic new (to me)blog, House of Eratosthenes, written by an IT professional in Sacramento named Morgan.
I spent a good part of yesterday evening reading all of the posts in his side bar section titled Items of Interest (of which there were many).
One of them, which I’m going to steal the idea for a post of my own, is his post “Things That Make Me Smile,” which Morgan introduces thusly:
I have just about had it with things in general lately, and I doubt like hell I’m alone. I thought it would be just as therapeutic for other folks to read the following, as it would be for me to jot ‘em down.
It’s in that same spirit that I offer my own list of “Things That Make Me Smile” in a world otherwise gone ape shit (some of the things that make Morgan smile, happen to also make me smile — like guns and beer):
Dogs – I love my big ol’ dogs. Angus, our oldest Great Dane, is affectionately called “Grumpy Old Man,” while his younger brother Jersey, is — well, retarded. Which means that he does something to make us laugh at him on an almost daily basis. I love running and playing with ‘em out in the hills and canyons behind our house — their athleticism and boundless energy is an amazing thing to watch.
Guns – Putting rounds down range makes me as happy as anything in the world. The heft of a finely crafted handgun that feels like it was custom made for your hand (because it was), the focus of lining up your sights on a spot the size of a nickle, the controlled breathing and steady finger pull, the recoil as the barrel bucks back and up, and then bringing the sights right back onto target to do it again in less than a second… It’s hard to think about anything else when you’re at the range. And that’s fine by me.
Good, cold beer — Few things are more pleasurable in life then sucking down an ice cold beer after toiling in the hot sun. And if the beer is cold enough and I’m hot enough, the beer doesn’t even have to be anything special; an ice cold Miller High Life after mowing the grass on a muggy July Texas morning is nearly heaven.
Good whiskey — whether it be Scotch, bourbon, or Irish. I drink mine nearly neat (just add two cubes of ice). Power’s Irish Whiskey is my favorite daily sipping whiskey. Sitting out on the front porch sipping a whiskey, watching the sun set while the dogs run around chasing rabbits never fails to fix what ails me, and always makes me smile.
Golfing with my buddies — The three other guys who comprise our normal foursome have been my close friends since I was a kid in junior high school. We’ve been telling the same lies and stories so often that we no longer remember if truth from the embellishments. And when we’re out on the golf course, drinking cold beers, and telling those same old stories, nothing else seems to matter. There’s something special about having friends later in life who knew you when you were a kid. You can’t lie to these people and you can’t pretend to be something that you’re not — they know better. And it’s nearly impossible to replicate those kinds of friendships later in life.
Old women or waitresses who call me “honey” and young children who call me “Sir.”
When good things happen to good people.
When bad things happen to bad people — like death row inmates being executed for their crimes; like terrorists getting blown the fuck up by our good guys.
Motorcycles — Have you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Well, it’s like that for me and my bikes. I do all of my own maintenance and modifications on my bikes. When you’re life is dependent on two wheels and a layer of leather between you and the asphalt, you want to make sure that everything is tightened just right… Regardless of how bad my day has been, getting out on my bike and riding through the Texas hill country, or even just my commute home, is enough to calm me and make everything all right again.
Central Texas BBQ — Smoked meats, actually. No sauce, just good meat cooked slowly over hot wood coals with much love. And all the better when eaten in 100-year old BBQ joints like Smitty’s Meat Market in Lockhart or Southside Market in Elgin.
Unabashed and unapologetic displays of patriotism — Fly your flags, wear it on your t-shirt, be the guy in the arena singing the National Anthem so loudly that it inspires others to pick it up a bit.
Kemo’s homemade pizzas — made in the wood-fired brick pizza oven my best friend Kemo built himself in his backyard. I watched him build this thing from the ground up. A true labor of love, with a genuine respect for craftsmanship and function. But it didn’t stop there. He then learned as much as he could about the art of making pies. Experimenting with different flours and yeasts to make the perfect dough, learning how to throw and stretch that dough into the perfect NY-style thin crust. Growing his own fresh ingredients to top his simple but perfect pies. And the community that gathers on special evenings at his home, to sit around drinking good wine, cold beer, and sharing in the wonders of a guy who took extreme pride in building something himself to share with others.
Being on or in the water — A good swimming hole on a hot day, jumping off a cliff into a deep lake, body surfing waves in the Pacific, or sitting in a lawn chair on a shallow gravel bar in the middle of the Guadalupe River.
Men and women proudly wearing our country’s uniform. Especially OD Green.
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I just noticed that Daphne has a similar post up over at her place about the things she loves about summer.
What makes you smile? What are the little things in life that bring you the most pleasure.
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I thought you had already made Morgan’s acquaintance, Robbie. He linked you up a few months back on one of your death penalty posts.
You’re spot on with the smoked meats, love both of those places.
It’s just too darn nice out now that the rain has finally lifted to be wallowing in complaints – time to find the good things in life and be joyful.
Robbie,
I’ve never had the pleasure of trying either of the barbecue places you have consistently praised — a mistake that I should remedy as soon as possible whenever I can make down to that neck of the woods again.
Oh, and Kemo’s pizzas sound wonderful. I had always thought when you mentioned Kemo’s pies that you were talking about a local Austin business. Perhaps your friend should start his own pizzeria. I’d definitely be up for the adventure of finding such a fabulous wood-fired pizzeria next time I’m in Austin! Wood-fired pizza is the best.
Cuddling up in a cozy chair with a good book on a rainy day . . .
The delightful declarations made by little children attempting to classify a new discovery (such as the little girl I saw at the zoo who exclaimed, “Look, it’s a big duck!” while pointing at an ostrich) . . .
A beautifully-performed, heart-felt piece of music . . .
An idea poignantly and powerfully conveyed by perfectly chosen words strung together in just the right order — pure poetry . . .
My purring and contented kitty in my lap, on my shoulder, by my side . . .
Time spent relaxing and laughing with my husband . . .
Getting a message, piece of mail, phone call, or surprise visit from a good friend . . .
Witnessing any act of charity and selflessness . . .
Seeing a smile upon a previously tear-stained face . . .
Just recounting all the little things in life that make me happy . . .
I don’t mean to throw water on a cozy fire but what makes
me ‘feel good’ is people in an ‘official capacity’ or likewise
a U.S. state that takes a stand against Obama’s Marxism.
Ahhh..a good beer anytime anywhere.
good music.
a pretty girl/woman smiling at me.
tossing a complement at a pretty girl way and making her smile.
relaxing with a good book.
a good shoot em up movie. [saw Predators yesterday..oh yes I like]
A good satirical comedy.[there's a REASON I love Mel Brooks movies]
“Mongo just pawn in game of life.”
just driving around with the windows down and some good tunes[no rap thanx] blastin from the speakers. no particular place to go and no great hurry to get there either.
firing up the grill in the garage to cook. [yes I grill in the garage..it's 4 burner propane. Open up the garage and fire it up. I grill, rain or shine, or snow if it snowed..makes no never mind to me what the weather is/ when I want to grill..I'm GOING to grill.]
*points at last entry* sipping on a cold beer..or 3 while I doing it.
Making my mama smile and laugh, when she’s feeling down or stressed.
Playing with my boneheaded idiot of a Golden Retriever. Two Ton Tessie, or Tessie for everyday usage.
Pretty girls.
a nap on a lazy hot afternoon.
Pretty girls..[anyone sense a pattern here?]
oh and the unconditional love of a child. Don’t have my own, so at the moment that bill is filled by my friends 2 little girls. I’m a mobile jungle gym and amusement park to them. Quite content to be so.
The smell of fresh cut grass and the slight tinge of chlorine on a summer day while cicadas sing in the trees makes me smile.
Bubbly with slices of fresh strawberries in the glass.
A smoked brisket – done well needs no BarBQ sauce. I don’t need anything else…just the brisket, altho’ a friend of ours makes award winning BarBQued chicken.
Going to Galveston to my tattoo artist for more ink. I don’t have sleeves or anything visible if I don’t want them seen, but I am most Definitely addicted.
A good book that makes me forget everything else.
Driving – anywhere – I love my large SUV.
This sounds really “old people” but – working on jigsaw puzzles with DH, J.
Listening to music I really like. The Doobie Brothers had a song “The Doctor”, with the line “Music is the doctor of my soul.”…so true.
Puppies or kittens – our cat, Buster.
All big cats.
SB — working on jig saw puzzles is a family tradition for us. It’s a very communal activity that pulls together multiple generations around the table.
There is always a jigsaw puzzle in some state of assembly at her house. And all of the kids and grandchildren love sitting around the table with mimi and papa to help them build it.
Too many things to list, that have and do make me smile.
Standing in the dark, dark woods on a cold November morning, listening to the last encore of a coyote concert while I put on my hunting camo, which was sealed in plastic bag with several handfuls of acorns, to mask my scent.
The thrill of fooling the deer’s senses so I can get close enough to almost touch them. The adrenaline rush of knowing I am about to harvest a deer and the muzzle blast and flash on the cold morning.
Sitting at the edge of Caddo Lake around midnight, looking at the stars between the bald cypress trees covered with Spanish moss, and listening to the Nutria jumping into the water, and the fish jumping out.
Riding a well tuned high performance motorcycle; driving or riding in a well tuned high performance car.
Just thinking of my three grandchildren; any visit with my children and grandchildren; the looks on my grandchildren’s faces when I give their Mom’s a big ol’bear hug and tell them that their Mom is “my” baby girl.
Anytime spent with my family, all of them, scattered all across the land.
Good food, irrespective of what kind.
And so much more.
Ahhh, the purring of my cats laying next to me. Yes, I happen to be a cat lady
Cold beer, any time. Rudy’s BBQ, sausage and potato salad, any time.
Cory Morrow and Pat Green
Dancing at Gruene Hall and hearing tourists phoenetically pronounce it.
Tubing the Guadalupe out in Bergheim, TX.
Is there really anything else?
Oh, and a glass of Macallen 25 scotch, 3 rocks.
my son, my body that the Lord has kept healthy through many races run and many more to come, taking a plane ride with my fabulously-talented pilot husband, and seeing justice done.
oh, yeah…and sushi too.
mmmmmm….redneck sushi.
/substitute tuna for smoked, chopped pork butt
I like this one very much!!
The way my grown daughter’s eyes look when she is suddenly surprised which reminds me of her being 3.
My wonderful husband who makes me smile everyday with his positive attitude and kindness. My Marine.
My soulmate.
A great book that takes you away from everything else.
The dark sky that accompanies a thunderstorm on a cool day.
A T-bone cooked perfectly. No sauce. Also smokey BBQ like Robbie said…the best!
ICE COLD BEER!
Catching a bass with a Zara Spook watching it fly through the air when I whip the pole back snagging it.
Seeing the ocean…or the mountains…on road trips…feeling and seeing snow (it’s so rare here you know).
Camping in the Spring or Fall, smelling the campfire…the crisp morning…enjoying coffee and little smokies.
The thought of the Dallas Cowboys finally going all the way this year! You either love them or hate them but I’m a die hard…:-)..
How is it that your wife doesn’t make this list. Makes me sad.
My wife is the greatest joy in my life. To compare her and the happiness she brings me everyday to the otherwise mundane things on this list would not do her justice. And she knows that.