#105 The Echo Meal

The Echo Meal is any perfectly recreated plate of turkey, veggies, stuffing, and pie made from all the leftovers from yesterday’s pig-out. Microwaved brussels sprouts, steamed turkey chunks, and stirred up gravy all combine into a perfect follow-up to the feast.

AWESOME!

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#106 Finally unsubscribing from that annoying email you’ve been getting forever

Let freedom ring from the felt-covered walls of cubicle farms. Let freedom ring from the dimly lit university dorms. Let freedom ring from cell phones at the back of the train. Let freedom ring from laptops at the back of the plane. But not only that — let freedom ring from daily coupon deals! Let freedom ring from weekly donation appeals! Let freedom ring from alumni sponsorship requests! And let freedom ring from random marketing contests!

And when this happens, when we let freedom ring, let’s all join hands and sing “Free at last! Free at last! Look at this empty inbox, we are free at last!”

AWESOME!

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#108 That one guy who starts the standing ovation

Standing is big.

After all, we’re the audience here — we came, we paid, we get to sit down. The deal is we put our feet up, spill popcorn everywhere, and whisper to our friends while you prance about trying to entertain us. Dance your little dance, speech your little speech, play your little play, because we came, we paid, and we get to have our way.

A deal’s a deal.

Oh sure, when everything’s over we’re going to stand up and walk out of here anyway, but our end of the bargain is so scrimpy that standing up thirty seconds earlier is a huge deal. It’s a special sign that this audiences cares, they really care, and it’s not something that happens every day.

Now that one guy who jumps out of their seat before everyone else to get the standing ovation going is pretty gutsy. Blocking views to become the focus point leaves them temporarily naked and alone. Yes, there’s a chance everybody else at the 3D cartoon, library reading, or local debate may just shove past them as they wipe hot tears off their bright red cheeks.

It’s a risky move.

But that’s what makes it so great when that guy gets the whole crowd roaring together. Girl in the hat starts clapping, guy in the jeans starts slapping, then you feel a little rustle as the row behind you stands up … and now it’s on. The theater is rumbling, the music is blaring, and everything’s crashing into

AWESOME!

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#109 Lying in a beam of sunlight coming through the window

You’re like a cat.

Maybe it’s Sunday afternoon and you’re exhausted after a long week. Teething babies, bickering boyfriends, everything’s taken its toll. So when you spot that bright sunbeam shining through the window pane it’s time to collapse on the dusty carpet in the front room again.

Dirty dishes and doing laundry can wait.

Now it’s time to feel the warmth on your skin, see the red on your eyelids, and let your brain slip somewhere far, far away.

AWESOME!

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#111 Double dipping amongst friends

Man, that’s one long celery stick.

I’m not sure if just one dip in our communal bowl of ranch dressing will be enough to coat that big green stick with enough sauce to get the job done. No, you better dip the second half in too, wet stringy bits and all, so you really get some creamy flavor on that bland crunchiness left in your hand.

Sure, maybe a couple spit molecules slip into the bowl for your best friend or little brother. But we say that’s a small price to pay for well-sauced veggies, salsa coated nacho shards, and dip-covered potato chips.

AWESOME!

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#112 When the score’s tied up near the end of the game

Are you a fourth quarter fan?

Those are the folks who flip the game on with five minutes left to catch the big finish. When it’s a lopsided score they shut it off but when it’s all tied up they think “Good thing I didn’t waste two hours watching everything until now!”

When the score’s tied up near the end of the game it’s time to get ready for the edge-of-your-seat rush.

It all comes down to this.

AWESOME!

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#113 Doing your thing

I am a terrible baseball player.

When I was in Little League we got to use aluminum bats but they were too heavy for my spaghetti-noodle arms to swing properly. Opponents caught on to my weakness pretty quick and I would stand there in my gray Velcro sneakers watching three straight fastballs fly through the strike zone before trudging back to the dugout like some sort of Guaranteed Strikeout Ghost.

And you know, I’m terrible at basketball, terrible at driving, and pretty terrible at cooking too.

But life ain’t about any of that because it’s just about doing your thing.

Yes, I say whatever your thing is… well that’s what you should do. Because whatever you’re pretty good at… that’s what makes you you.

Thank you so much for letting me do my thing by chatting about awesome things every day with you.

I say today’s our day to do our thing and keep on moving.

Today’s our day to be

AWESOME!

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#114 Finding your name on some tacky souvenir in the gift shop

Bob, Betty, Barry, you don’t know the shame.

Only Bilal, Baxter, and Bernadette know the pain of turning a squeaky metal rack full of tiny plastic doorplates and failing to find their name.

My friend Agostino has a great story about how he found his dad’s name on a toothbrush in Italy. Jaw dropping, eyeballs popping, he couldn’t believe somebody actually stamped “Guido” on a toothbrush.

To this day his dad says it’s his favorite present of all time.

AWESOME!

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