It’s been a rough few years, for the earth, for the societies that populate it, and for my family. Like they say, “sandwich generation” There’ve been weeks when I’ve struggled for a smile. I suspect more than a few folk reading this are also feeling stretched thin these days. Happiness has not entirely departed our lives, and waiting for a happier future is a really bad idea. So we should notice and bookmark those moments and hours when smiles come to our faces.

If you share your life online, write the good times down and share them already. I used to do this a lot; here are three out-takes ranging between 2003 and 2011. Maybe one or two of them will cheer you up?

• The Picture of Happiness (2003/06/09)

• Chestnut Dusk (2007/10/13)

• Thanks (2011/11/14)

I should do that more. Starting now.

Pleasant Day · We live near a street called Main (which it’s not) and a neighborhood called Mount Pleasant (there’s no mountain but it’s mostly pretty nice). Three weeks back, under the rubric “Pleasant Day”, they blocked cars off nine blocks of Main, and the street was repopulated with retail stands (mostly from the street’s merchants), eat/drink patios, and music performances.

It was sunny and everyone was happy, me too for a couple of hours. I also enjoyed taking pictures and editing them.

There was a dog-grooming stand with a big white dreadlocked beast that enjoyed everyone’s attention.

Lucky’s Books and Comics is an excellent bookstore. Their selection echoed the summer-2026 zeitgeist.

· · ·

There were a couple of stands selling garments with a sensibility out of India, they seemed to be doing good business.

Chinese-flavored trinkets too.
Check out the dog.

Who couldn’t smile at a flower truck?

BE GAY DO ART they said.

Or just chill and shop.

She was pretty terrible but everyone enjoyed it.

There’s nothing I can think of that would improve the message on that T-shirt.

I didn’t shoot the deputy · Yesterday I was out on an errand with a pretty severe eldercare hangover — man, that can get you down — when I heard I Shot the Sheriff playing. I first thought it was a radio or something, but no, it was a Marley cover band and they were freaking excellent, razor sharp.

I felt a smile welling up from inside, the first in days. Now I’ve bookmarked it.