This should be easy ...
In one of my posts I featured pet peeves. It was easy to come up with a long list.
Significantly more difficult was developing a list of my favourite things. It should have been the easier of the two. This must say something about life today - at least mine anyway. I should mention that I don't have kids and recognize that they will probably make this list easier for those who live for their family.
Here are a few things that give me satisfaction, a feeling of warmth, and a desire to replicate the sensation:
- Spelling and pronouncing words the English / Canadian way and hearing my American colleagues express dismay - like favourite over favorite! Just kidding
- Shoes that are comfortable from the first fitting and stay that way made better only by comfortable socks
- The aroma of freshly baked goods including roast beef and turkey
- A really good carrot cake, apple pie, or butter tart
- Really good and probably expensive perfume, but only a dab - not the cheap stuff that some women splash on like holy water. I say it again - less is better
- A really attractive female whether individual the parts or the total being
- Making others laugh, even at my own expense
- The laughter of children, especially infants in a group. They have not yet learned anything evil
- A well composed, uplifting, and eloquently delivered speech
- Solving a problem others were unable to solve
- Sitting outside early in the morning on a pleasant day with nothing but the sound of nature to distract me - minus the crows
- Satisfying a hunger with great food or a thirst with cold water or beer
- Completing a difficult physical task I hated doing
- Hearing someone at the gym say I am in great shape, even though they diplomatically omitted the "for your age" part
- Preparing a meal and having my partner say it is really good. Makes me regret all the years I neglected to say the same to her day after day. I did sometimes but should have complimented her more often
- As with the speaker, a very talented and accomplished singer who hits every note bang on with limitless pitch and volume and total control over both. Examples: Celine Dion; Karen Carpenter; Barbra Streisand; Josh Groban; Roy Orbison; Colm Wilkinson in Les Mis.
- Shooting a really good golf score. This one is still on the bucket list.
- Appreciating a really clever new invention
- People who can genuinely listen without interruption and when appropriate, offer help or suggestions
- The opposite. People who value me enough to share something but know when enough is enough and give me a chance to comment if I should wish to
- Knowing that I can and will keep a secret, and people who will do the same for me. These are as rare as the Loch Ness Monster
- Finally catching a very bad criminal(s) and seeing justice done