raindrops on ivy and whiskers on tigers

In order to exhume myself from this dreary state I've decided to write down and discuss the things that I really like.. stuff that makes me feel good, maybe it's stuff that makes you feel good too.. Borrowing from the sound of music, I guess these are my favorite things.. I can't believe I just made a sound of music reference, but the truth is, everyone's seen the sound of music, and as hard as you sit and try to suppress those memories, they still manage to surface... I'm not going to deny it, in fact if I could redo the sound of music for the 21st century, I would have the entire musical done in interpretive break dance.. The von trap family doing head spins in their good night song; Edelweiss redone with vocoders; solving a problem like Maria by doing the robot.. Off tangent again, back to the good of the good according to me.. things that settle really well in my belly..

That initial soft tapping of the crème brulee caramelized sugar crust - that feeling when your spoon spring's back in your hand from that initial touch. The anticipation of the crunchy sugar and the sweet soft dessert underneath, that careful tapping, making sure you don't make a fissure, the sound of the tap, the temptation to take your spoon and just break the crust and dig in. I love that feeling.. Learning to appreciate that feeling will make you feel happy and good..

It ain't easy being this fuqin' cheesy - the urge to bust out the umberto tozzi cd sometimes goes against everything inside you.. you refused this impulse before and you will refuse it again.. Sometimes, just sometimes, you need to pull out that cd and throw it on for a listen - why you might ask? 'cause dammit, there was a time when Anna Begins was the greatest song in your repertoire.. if you catch yourself singing along with the words, grasping the remote control like you're doing this live in front of 30,000 people, then so be it.. just make sure you've locked your doors and your windows are tinted..

Moonlight reflecting off the ocean - people will tell you a beautiful sunset or fantastic sunrise is the image to keep ingrained in your mind.. Ok I can't argue with that, but moonlight??? now that's the stuff people write songs about, know what I mean? On a clear night, in full view, with moon beams reflecting off the ocean - you can whisk yourself to anyplace you want to.. Romance, deserted island, pygmies, bonfires on the beach, hunted down by pygmies that are planning to throw you into a bonfire on the beach.. The possibilities of moonlight are endless..

Your life shrinking to a radius of 6 feet - we have so much to worry about in today's world: family, career, religious fundamentalism, forgetting to drop off the movie rentals, speeding tickets, global warming, increasing waists, nuclear proliferation, neo-right conservatism, what to have for dinner, receding hairlines, spam, rising costs, interest charges, PC compatible, copyright infringement, three points dropped, etcetera etcetera etcetera.. Putting yourself in a setting where the only thing you need to concern yourself with is in your immediate vicinity does make you forget about everything.. no worries no stress no nothing except that invisible radius.. I don't have to tell you that life becomes so sweet.. try it sometimes, it's a lot of fun..

Fresh fruit - Be seasonal about your fruit or don't, just enjoy every bit of it.. Mango skins being torn off the bone as you sink your teeth into the fleshy fruit and the juice streams down your forearms... Figs so ripe, tearing them open almost has a sexy adult connotation to them... Hacking away at a cold watermelon, slicing off a half moon, and letting the sweet juice quench a thirst you didn't even know you had.... The smell of oranges under my fingernails... I love fruit..

Calypso music and your feet in the sand - I am an islander, I appreciate laid back living and an easy take on life.. Calypso music just works for me in terms of reminding you that life at the beach is not only okay, it's incredible.. Take your shoes off, dig your feet into the sand and take it easy man.. Listening to calypso just sends you away to a special place where the drinks are always cold, the shirts are always airy, and the wind, well the wind feels brilliant between your toe hairs..

Beautiful light - afternoon light has a special place en mi corazon.. Lazing around as the light breaks through the curtains giving the room that perfect atmospheric setting.. mornings are too bright, evenings are too dark, but afternoons are just perfect. That period from about 4pm till sunset where the light can set the stage for anything: napping, conversing, walking, chilling, driving around, people watching, I'll let you decide what else you can do with afternoon light..

The sound of ocean waves dancing through your ears - Is it the hypnotic repetitive sounds of the waves rolling along the shore? I don't really know, nor do I really care. Falling asleep to the sound of the ocean is up there with eating icecream on a hot day, mimosas for breakfast, james taylor jam sessions, … the best place to nap is under a parasol on the beach – or – if you're close enough, then in your bedroom with the sounds of the ocean filtering through your balcony (hey everyone should have a balcony facing the beach)..

Pancakes for breakfast - the syrup, the melted butter, the fluffiness of it all, pancakes just remind me of a "don't have to do anything else after breakfast" breakfast.. And let me tell you, taking your time eating breakfast , leisurely reading the paper, and attempting the crossword is just the perfect way to your feel good morning.. if I could take an hour and a half for breakfast everyday, I would honestly be a happier person... scrambled eggs with ketchup are also a great way to start the day..

Receiving a 36 cd order in the mail - and that opening act of joy when you expose the insides of the box and feast your eyes on the properly stacked cds in front of you.. Along with t-shirts & sneakers, music is the best form of retail therapy for me... getting a new shipment of what's hot and experimental has me salivating at the prospect of unearthing the next big tune on my stereo.. I love it... sharing that music also feels equally good, very good.. Current addiction until the shipment arrives: Music Kills me, by Rinôçérôse - thank you very much..


Just wanted to point out different things I consider delightful.. I can see the beach theme recurs quite a bit, but like I said, I’m an islander, it’s what I know.. Scratch deeper and I’m almost positive there are more underlying universal themes there for you to explore..