Your Daily Awesome

Reading these helps me to remember that the world is by and large a very good place.

A brisk early-morning walk
Best started at exactly sunrise. Not a jog or a run, a walk where you spend some time looking around.

James Tate
His poems, in books such as Memoir of the Hawk and Return to the City of White Donkeys, read like brilliant, surreal short-short stories.

Stouffer’s French-bread pizzas
You probably abandoned these around the time you left middle school, but it’s time for a reappraisal. Crunchy, zesty. A nice sauce/cheese mix. Methinks they’ve been up to some fine-tuning in the Stouffer’s kitchen.

The American version of The Office
This show really snuck up on us. At first, we were maybe a bit dismissive, suffering from the vertigo that comes from comparing it with the original, but the recently aired season finale demonstrated that this is not only the best comedy on television (RIP, Arrested Development) but one of the best dramas as well.

Not showering for a day or two
Sure, you’re a bit grungy if you do this one, but after you do shower you realize you’ve really been taking being clean for granted.

“Discovering” a writer who has already published a bunch of books
We recently became acquainted with the work of Eric Kraft, who is highly recommended, but what makes it even better is that he’s published like 10 books, none of which we’ve read, which means we’re pretty much guaranteed a bunch of great reads in the coming months. Same thing happened with Steven Millhauser a few years ago.

Screened porches
Protection from bugs and rain while still getting the benefit of the fresh air.

Kicking Television—Wilco Live in Chicago
If possible, the Ghost Is Born songs sound even better on this live CD.

The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford
Ford’s third book featuring Frank Bascombe. The first two were The Sportswriter and Independence Day. This one’s every bit as good as those, which is plenty good.

Led Zeppelin (I)
People aren’t recommending this album as much as they used to. We’re here to pick up the slack.

Taking stock
We’re talking physically and mentally. Every so often it helps to know the exact quantity of SpaghettiOs Sliced Franks in the cupboard as well as the state of your psyche.

So many more