This Jottings was first published on July 21, 1982.
Mike Downey, a Chicago imported sports columnist for The Detroit Free Press, recently devoted his space to things he hates.
All I could think of when I read it was doing a column on things I like: Here goes:
White shoes and white belts, but only between Memorial and Labor Day. Big cars. Fellowship. Watching a mother and her baby play.
Before I go further I’d like to point out this list is not listed in any order at all.
White shirt and tie. Smell of fresh mown hay, ground coffee and leather. Taste of first sweet corn, fried potatoes and fried chicken the way Hazel does ’em.
Compliments. Fishing, partridge hunting, snowmobiling, deer hunting, golf, mowing lawn, hoeing weeds, and trimming. I like to paint. I like to sweat. And, I love hats.
I like to read weekly newspapers, mystery novels, and the Lockhorns.
I like to see baby everythings. I like profit. I like playing cards but not gambling. I like colors, machines when they run right, and I like to write when the subject is interesting to me.
I like boxes, baseball and bananas. I like to buy gifts that I know people want. I like Coney Island hotdogs, hamburger deluxes and toasted bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.
I like to watch basketball professionals do their thing, and girls.
I like champions, well kept farms, shooting shotguns, swimming, shopping for fishing tackle, most stage shows, movies, going north, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Back roads, streams, big bridges and old bridges, my office, talking newspapering, iced tea when I’m really hot, marigolds, and pelicans.
I like looking at airplanes, colonial style homes, and red farm buildings. Walking on the beach, comedians, a clean shave, shooting pool, four seasons.
My job. Being on time, and not kept waiting. Thumb and Saginaw valley farm land. Beagles. Fresh asparagus, raspberries and fried zucchini.
Country music and big band sounds. Radio. Binoculars. Modal A’s. Courteous drivers. Wearing tuxedos. Good printing. Air dried sheets.
This is not intended to be a complete list, just a boring one. If you know an analyst, he can probably tell you more about me if you let him read it.