What I Like

The list would be long, so I won't put down everything, but I have been thinking about some small ordinary things that I enjoy.

The alarm on my Nokia cell phone. I don't know what it's called, but it's a happy little tune that makes it a pleasure to wake up.  And for me that's saying a lot!

Chuck Bell, the weatherman on WRC-TV (Channel 4).  Chuck's relaxed, sincere manner and loopy humor make any forecast easier to take. He is so cool.

Our daughters' conversations. Whether it's live or on Facebook, they come up with some of the funniest and most insightful exchanges I've ever heard.  And I'm not just saying that to get a big expensive present for Father's Day.

The almost continual conversation about ideas and people I have had with my wife Becky for nearly 39 years now. It's the best.


The New Yorker magazine.  Great articles, great writing, and one of the few magazines that still runs cartoons.  Even if some of them don't make any sense.

The Washington Post newspaper. Yes, I know it's liberal but then so am I. Always full of ideas, insight and information. It has a surprising local touch for an international newspaper.

Crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. Stimulation for the mind and soul.  I learn a new word every time I do a good crossword.

Choral groups.  I'm a member of three of them , and choral groups are great, whether we're learning the music or listening to another group. Nothing like SATB harmony.  How sweet the sound!

Vintage acoustic guitars. They're works of art, really. It's amazing that something fifty years old sounds better than the day it was created. One of my happiest acquisitions was a 1964 Gibson B45-12n twelve-string.  They don't make 'em like that any more.

Nationals baseball games on the radio. I find I prefer listening to them to watching them. It's a warm comfortable feeling to follow the play-by-play, even when we lose. Even when the new guy uses baseball slang I've never heard. "Inside-out curve ball"--huh?

So, to quote someone else, these are a few of my favorite things.  I hope you can think of a few of your own. Happy Monday, everyone!