Hello and welcome to your dose of Fri-yay aka some good news for the end of your week. If you’re anything like me, you’re tired of listening to all the bad and sad featured by the major news networks. Listening to the news is either alarming (“Something in your house could kill you – news at 11!”) or depressing (“We’re on the brink of war! Gas prices are skyrocketing! Avocados from Mexico are banned!”* ). Is it any wonder that so many of our commercials are for anti-anxiety and/or anti-depressant meds? (hmmmmmm…is that an AHA! moment or tinfoil hat time?).
One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic was John Krasinski’s Some Good News. Unfortunately, John Krasinski stopped playing on Youtube after 8 short episodes and moved on to other things. Something about having prior commitments to his Jack Ryan team or writing and directing Quiet Place 27. I know the truth – he doesn’t love me any more (then again, he doesn’t love me an less).
With SNG on permanent hiatus, it’s up to us dig through the dreck and find the good. Thankfully, it’s not just up to me and my recently restarted blog. That’s waaaaaaay too much pressure for this somewhat cynical anti-suburban suburbanite.
There were plenty of good things to celebrate this week, including the fact that my daughter got accepted to all three of the colleges she applied for. I realize that although this brought her joy, it affects you not at all. I’m hoping the next two stories lift your spirits.
One of my favorite pieces from this week was the story of Jasper, the Siamese cat with a new view of his hooman’s fishtank. Evidently Jasper used to spend hours staring at the saltwater tank from a dining room chair. The new tank was finished last December. While his two-legged siblings spent Christmas eve dreaming of sugarplums, Jasper was dreaming of sushi.
World News Tonight has started a segment entitled America Strong. It’s not quite SNG, but it comes close. Last night’s segment featured Andy Toleson, a senior at Lake Hamilton High School in Piercy, Arkansas. His team chose to give this young man a memory that will last a lifetime. He deserves it. As his coach said, “He’s taught us that if you’ll put your mind to something, and you believe in it and you have a dream, that anything is possible.”
I have to admit, the actions of his coach and teammates made me smile, but the actions of the other team had me reaching for tissues (damned allergies!). These young men give me hope for humanity.
So turn off the news and find something to smile about. Or, as my new TikTok BFF Greg Kata says – Find Your Joy
*Between the avocado ban and the cream cheese shortage, I might finally lose my #Covid15.
So tell me – what good news do you have today?
Twisting Suburbia 