Listening Post: Valentine list
Valentine’s Day is not normally celebrated in our home. My sweetheart’s birthday is the day before, and she has taken against the holiday for stealing her thunder. Also–it is kind of another heinous, over-commercialized American holiday made up originally by Chaucer and his group of courtly love fans, then hijacked by the purveyors of roses and chocolates, and (of course) by elementary school teachers of the 1950s. But letting go of old grievance, and allowing the milk of gratitude to flow freely, is somewhat in keeping with the spirit of the day.
An excellent robot.
If I was in the practice of sending valentines, it would be helpful to make up a list of recipients. If not an actual red heart die-cut from vellum, I send out my best wishes and fond affection in no particular order to:
- Cuba–for your way with coffee and with pork, with music and classic American automobiles.
- Robot Monopoly token. In sympathy–you are an excellent robot, and the cat token adopted instead of you is a very ordinary cat. Damn internet surveys.
- EAS hackers–someone has to have the courage to warn us about the zombie apocalypse. Officialdom would sit on the news until it was too late.
- All the Westminster Dog Show runners-up. Who’s a good dog? Who’s a good dog? You are.
- Librarians
- Makers of chocolate, not of chocolates. Dark as midnight–sweet and bitter–silky. Oh yeah.
- Canada–for being an example to us all in letting go of the penny.
- People who make things with their hands.
- Apple pie
- Everyone taking a vacation from Facebook. You’ve earned it.
- All my readers who write back, even though I’m lame about acknowledging them.
- Google maps. I never have to figure out how to fold them back up.
- Emergency services volunteers
- Waiters, waitresses, baristas, barmaids and all who deliver food and drink. Muchos gracias!
Not a complete list by a long stretch. Stretch it out a little in a comment below.
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All those who, in a fit of lunacy, took my advice and survived.
Also mail persons, the toll takers at the Ogdensburg Bridge and my cats.
Applause for acknowledging Canada’s good sense in dispensing with the penny. We would too if we were serious about cutting government spending, because here, as there, it costs more to make them than they are worth. We should also follow Canada’s lead and replace the paper one-dollar bill with a loonie of our own.
I would add snowplow drivers to this list, and banjo players.
Steve Jobs who designed a computer that makes me smile and never brings me to tears.
Ken and Mary who led the way for me and so many recovery friends.
North Country Public Radio and ncpr.org
John Stewart and all the people who create and have created The Daily Show for making me laugh when I want to scream……
The Beatles. It just might be true that all you need is love.
Tom Waite, Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, The Roches, Iris Dement, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Odetta, Judy Collins, Maria Calas, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Yo Yo Ma, Mr. Rogers, Janis Joplin, The Blues Brothers, Kurt Vonnegut, Pers Peterson, Chief Wilma Mankiller, Barbara Kingsolver, Wallace Stegner, Ivan Doig, Terry Tempest Williams, Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keefe, Thelonious Monk, T. S. Elliot, Garrison Keillor, Dale Chihully, Artpark, solitare, spring flowers, Toni Morrison, Angela Davis: all these artists and more who make our world more bearable with their music, words, art and awesomeness.
Volunteers!
Chelle from the Local Living Venture
Let’s not forget the cabin attendants on airliners whose thankless job is to relentlessly push that cart up and down the aisles, handing out things to keep us from getting too restless, then hurriedly collecting all our detritus before the 747 starts deploying its flaps and undercarriage. It is those folks who will also see to it that in case of emergency, we evacuate the burning aircraft in 90 seconds or less.
Nick Wolochatiuk
Williamstown, Ontario
Todd Moe, who mentioned The Listening Post this morning, and brought me to this section of the ncpr website that I had not visited before. Todd’s voice in the morning makes every day Valentine’s Day!
I like your list except for the comment on Canada. This is only an action by politicians to round your taxes UP. All attorneys need to be banned from legislative office. All elected officials need to be out of office after two years with no pension or benefits.
Dale, I love your list. Think I’ll make up one of my own. Have you encountered Gertrude Hawk dark chocolate? the epitome of silky!!!!!!!!!!
Early morning radio hosts, who help us get up and do what needs to be done. Todd, Jonathan, Barb, and Connie (and anyone else I’ve overlooked). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!