Amid all this negativity, I wanted to focus on something good, something positive. So, in no particular order, here are five things off the top of my head that I like a lot.
When we moved to Arizona, we had no real idea what we were getting. We made the decision because my mom and dad live here, and we wanted to be with them for their later years. It’s been a fantastic move in that light. We didn’t expect the mountains, though. They are amazing to watch. Different every day. Red. Blue. Purple. Dappled in sun. Crossed by rainbows. It’s a beautiful thing to see, you know?
Here’s a great little shot that, of course, won’t do it justice…but what the heck:
Okay, this is a gimme. I mean, who doesn’t like a big slab of whipped nougat covered in sugary chocolate? My like goes a little beyond the norm. It can make me happy just walking past a display of those silvery packages. Every time I see one, I remember walking through the neighborhood with Brigid on Halloween, taking my service fee out of her bag in the form of those delightful little mouthfuls. Thanks, Three Musketeers. (Extra points if you remembered that they used to come only in white packages)
Orphan Black is, in my mind, an absolutely perfect example of both science fiction and artistic craftwork in about every direction you can look. High end science turned on its head, a pulsing storyline with several layers of social commentary, smart writing, amazing application of technology merely to produce the product, and, of course, the acting, which begins with Tatiana Maslany, but does not end there. It’s a fantastic show, and the world is a better place for it.
Yes, cats. Cute, sleek, smart, funny, beautiful cats. Those indispensable creatures who the powers put on earth to make sure no one thinks they are particularly hot shit. I’ve grown up around cats, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
We needed a new grill here in Arizona, and when my dad and I went out to get one, it so happened that the local sales guy for Traeger was at the store. I talked to him a bit, thinking I would just move along to the normal propane jobbies. But he get further into his pitch and I started thinking about it, and I said “you know what, Ron, he’s right. Cooking on wood is just better.” So I bought it. It was pricey, but what the hell. The kicker, of course, is that my dad got one, too. The scream of joy from the salesman was audible for three counties.
Anyway, the food is great, and the overall easy of grilling is fantastic, too. No heavy LP tanks, now concern about running out of gas in the middle of a job, and a nice taste to the stuff we put on it. When we’re in or normal swing of things, we use it nearly every day.
(And, yeah, I kinda like my dad, too, so there’s a freebie #6 for you).
