Unobvious Things That Delight You

Here are some of my favorites.

1) Solo Cups

Few people appreciate the engineering genius behind a solo cup -- how the precisely placed ridges massively reinforce structural integrity, and allow for a strong, fistgrip-resistant structure. Someone feel like composing some Solo Cup Acid?

2) Escalators, motorized walkways, etc.

Fuck wood stairs! I'm in awe of this automated set of stairs that walk for you. Walking while being escalated makes you feel almost superhuman. Once, while stuck in JFK airport for ~12 hours, I killed the tedium via riding the walkways. If you've been to JFK, you might be autowalking where I autowalked.

3) Microwaves

If you took one apart, you could easily put it back together into a device capable of cooking birds midair. Few people appreciate how dangerous an untamed magnetron is.

4) Bic Lighters

They've been engineered down to the minimum, and there's plenty to appreciate. Next time your lighter runs out, try taking it apart.

5) Laptops

People have grown up with laptops at this point. Few know how long it took to realize the dream.

Downloading/hoarding movies I never have time to watch.

Listening to music in complete darkness.

- the quirky design of US Post Office trucks

- the stunning variety of toilet paper dispensers found in office enviornments

- making coffee.

the smell of meatballs and gravy simmering away on a crisp fall Sunday while watching football on the couch all day anticipating dinner

waking up to see that it snowed several inches during the night and you are cozy in bed

  On 8/11/2011 at 12:16 PM, jules said:

the smell of meatballs and gravy simmering away on a crisp fall Sunday while watching football on the couch all day anticipating dinner

smelling thanksgiving dinner is the greatest

  On 8/11/2011 at 12:16 PM, jules said:

waking up to see that it snowed several inches during the night and you are cozy in bed

+1

that there's a bay tree in the garden of my new place. picking bay leaves from it. knowing i won't have to buy bay leaves. eating food that has been made with too many bay leaves. bit weird.

  On 8/11/2011 at 12:07 PM, hahathhat said:

- making coffee.

I'd list that as an unlikely thing that makes me shit. I don't have to take a sip, just smelling coffee can do it.

i didn't have coffee today or yesterday, simply because i've been eating light. but i ordered dominos today, and coffee there will be tomorrow

going to a restaurant and seeing sriracha on the table

the rain

  On 8/11/2011 at 10:31 AM, hahathhat said:

1) Solo Cups

 

Few people appreciate the engineering genius behind a solo cup -- how the precisely placed ridges massively reinforce structural integrity, and allow for a strong, fistgrip-resistant structure. Someone feel like composing some Solo Cup Acid?

I used to love Solo cups. I used to always have a stash of them. I'd keep a few in my car so I could just walk into a restaurant and enjoy their fountain beverages for free.

  On 8/11/2011 at 1:13 PM, disparaissant said:

going to a restaurant and seeing sriracha on the table

Yes.

  On 8/11/2011 at 5:33 PM, yek said:

the rain

Dear god yes. It makes the world feel smaller and cozier. It's also quite idm.

I like when clickable pens are unclicked after being used. Ditto for pens with caps. And speaking of pens, Zebra F-301's are the shit.

  On 8/11/2011 at 5:33 PM, yek said:

the rain

This.

Very underappreciated in general. And fuck people who complain about it.

  On 8/11/2011 at 10:05 PM, Jonas said:

 

aunts.

being an aunt (i have a cool niece)

raisin bran with almond milk

having enough change laying around to buy a 6 pack of good beer the day before payday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44yKX3IPars

The Size of Kazakhstan.

riots

People who use turn signals.

Forcing yourself outside for a walk or cycle in the middle of January/Febuary, when it's icy cold, biting winds and there is no leaves on the trees. You find yourself alone with one of those beautiful, widescreen winter sunsets. And it would seem, you are the only person on planet Earth as it drops below the horizon.

And getting home to a bottle of 7% import strength Guiness

I had some ideas for this theoretical thread yesterday before it was an actual thread (the McGriff thread had me anticipating it), but now I've forgotten them. Um...

Oh, the "show new reply" alert that pops up if you're typing a reply and someone else posts one before you're done. That just happened and it delighted me.

When it's a windy day in the fall and there are leaves blowing everywhere.

Synchronicity.

talking to someone for the first time in a year who you stopped talking to because they were a massive asshole and finding out that they realise they were a massive asshole and have decided to try to be less of a massive asshole.

i guess that's not unobvious.

The hum of a lawn mower in the distance on a bright spring Saturday morning.

The smell of jam donuts and fairy floss at a carnival.

A little kid staring at me on my motorbike. I was that kid once.

the sound of cicadas on a peaceful afternoon. wouldn't be summer without em!

diet dr pepper

the fact that john maus is moderately popular so less people think i'm totally fucking weird for being obsessed with him

  On 8/11/2011 at 10:32 PM, Zephyr_Nova said:

Synchronicity.

I was just thinking that.

no but really, that's a good one.

Dogs in cars with their head out the window.

Rain too. yeh it makes it more cosy definitley. My weather preference is either nice sunny day, rain or snow. Nothing inbetween.

a good pillow. and a full water bottle.

the sound of vacuuming up small grains of sand / gravel