Yeah, it really is the simple things that make me feel the best. Simple pleasures go along with that. In our (or at least mine) gadget and technology glutted world, it really is the simple stuff that makes me really happy.

You may have noticed I’ve started writing a little more. Another simple thing, but depending on your mindset, so hard to do sometimes.

So in no particular order, Some simple things I appreciate...



First things first!

k2rider78 sent me a nice v-gift. Thanks for that darlin’


Thing 2!

Met serene_orange Little Woodrow’s last night for beers. She was effecting a payoff for the detergent (that made me itch) that I gave her. She now considers that debt paid in full. And I guess if pushed, so do I. *grins*

We talked about a wide variety of things, mostly good, poked fun at a few folk there, laughed a lot. Another thing we did a lot of was shiver. Kinda chilly sitting on the patio last night. And at some point one of her ex-BF’s walked up and tried to start a conversation. He is also an acquaintance of mine from The Big Clam. Let’s just call him Frankenstein.

Frank tried to start a conversation with us, but is such a social nit wit. First thing out of his mouth to me was, “You’re not from around here. Where you from? That isn’t a Texas drawl I hear.”

“Naw. Yer right I ain’t from around here. Wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could.” He tottered off shortly after that as it was plain that neither of us was really interested in a conversation with him. Boy was fairly well lit up I’m not even sure he remembered he knew me from work. Remembered me from somewhere obviously.

I really dislike that fucking smug native Texan shit that some people put out. Frankenstein’s was full of fail however-because I was having none of it. Don’t give a fuck and don’t care who knows I don’t give one.

But all in a fun evening! Think it was nearly 1 when I walked through the door here. Sitting in a beer joint, especially outside (weather and riles permitting) is another of these simple things that make me happy.


Thing the 3rd

Patio - Living in an area where I can use my patio, even if it is just for sitting doing nothing, most of the year is a simple-thing that makes me glad to be alive. I like it.


The Fourth Thang

De-stressing - At least on a personal level and having a home or space where I can go is kind of a simple thing. I finally seem to be sleeping better and the dark circles that have been prominently displayed under my eyes may be starting to give up the ghost. At least I think I can see a difference. Still a long way to go. But at least I feel like there is progress.


In Fifth Place

Having access to tech that lets me listen to the same music where ever the blazes I happen to be. Complex and simple all at the same time. Just depends on how you want to accomplish it. Need some way to pipe iTunes into the bathroom. Eventually.


The Sixth Big Thing

Remember I groused a bit about my friends that were going to give me some pots and pans? Thursday night I went out to Target and bought my self a set (and then some) made by “The Original Green Pan”

Got:
8“ open fry pan
11” Square grill pan
9.5“ open Fry pan
1 and 2 quart saucepans
3 quart covered casserole

And a 7” Pyrex bowl or dish. Cooked a can of soup in this last night.

Simple things like buying a set of cookware...



7th Thing

Meal

And this is the one that got me thinking about the simple things that make me happy this morning. What can be simpler than bowl of oatmeal? So I prepped the saucepan per the instructions from Green Pan because it would be it’s first use
.
Washed it gently.
Dried it
Coated it lightly with some cooking oil.

And now the really simple parts

Then poured the water in the pan and set it to boil on the stove. Once the water boiled I added the oatmeal and reduced the heat, and let the pot, water, oatmeal, and heat do their thing for about a minute. Then I had my first real home cooked meal in my apartment. Been cooking mostly pre-packaged stuff in the microwave since I moved in, but I felt this was the first real meal cooked here. Simple.

As I sat there eating my oatmeal and reading a 2 or 3 day old newspaper (I know, right?), I thought about how it really was the simple things (like this) that gave me the most pleasure.



So what are my next steps? Want to KISS it...

Keep It Simple Stupid

I have to teach myself to cook. One of the things Mom and I never got around to was training for this basic skillset. I’ve picked up a few things over the years. But usually I had a partner that was willing to take care of the meals part, so, I am sure that whatever skills or knowledge I had at one time are either very rusty or no longer exist.

I need to buy a good cookbook - and maybe another one for short meals for one to two.

Also want to get a dish-rack I don’t plan on putting these new pans through the dishwasher, even though the manufacturer says you can.

Then I want to plan some meals and go to the grocery store.



Thoughts?

Reckon our cold front is here.

Something just THWACKED! against my patio door. Scared the crap outta me. Of course I was sitting right there. It is where my desk is.

Now this normally is no big deal. But let’s remember... I live on the fourth floor!

The north wind is really whipping through my concrete canyon. Palm trees are swaying and pool furniture has already ended up in the pool. Chilly wet, and nasty. Perfect weather for indoor activities.

Jeepers!

Off to the west last night as I was on my way home from dinner.

While I love my apartment, being on the courtyard I am facing north, I don’t see sunrises or sunsets or the moon much at all.

Kinda miss that. But I can deal.

I’m gonna have to purge some books I think. Even doubling up the shelves I don’t think I’ll have enough room for what I wanna do.

And that last novel I read? I was really disappointed with that one. I really wanted to like it. But alas and alack!

Soooooo outta here!

A DVI to HDMI adapter. I now have (in effect) a 32“ HD computer display.


I love technology.

With my little bluetooth keyboard and mouse, I’m set.

This is so sick.

I may have had some of the cables jacked into the wrong ports. In instead of out. Or vice virsa.

Plus I replaced the analog cable between the TV (out) to the Amp with an optical cable. Muchly improved.

Got some issue with my A/V setup that I haven’t been able to run down yet. The sound when run through the TV or DVR into the stereo sound really, REALLY tinny. There is also some sort of echo.

There also seems to be some bleed over between audio sources. I need to nail that down...

Talk about going through some changes though. Check it...

I’m sure you remember the trials of using the credenza beast as an A/V rack.

So I went from that to this:

Then I decided the damned thing was much too tall and was screwing with the esthetic I am trying to assemble (slowly, very S-L-O-W-L-Y) here. Didn’t feel like I could hang any pictures behind or even beside it because they would be overwhelmed by the big black rack. Plus the way I had the DVR and DVD/VCR setup, I had to do some funky contortions to use the remote(s).

So for now the thing lives on my porch:

Some shelf rearrangement will be necessary to make it work for outdoor storage and that won’t be a problem.

And I finally got a bench I can live with:

Couple more things come first (like this audio issue) around the place and then I’ll be hanging pictures! Woo HOO!