by Joe McKenzie
Lick: As we know, some ice cream cones are large and in this summer heat, you have to lick faster. Or, feel it melt on your fingers. So, how many licks can finish off a cone? Estimates are around 50 licks. Seems low. Please experiment with this if you can count and lick at the same time. The good news, beyond Dagney’s Speculoos, is that eating ice cream makes us happy. Simple. Ice cream triggers positive emotions. And, seeing others enjoying a Salted Turtle also evokes a positive feeling. I recently waited in an out of town line of 20+ for soft serve Maple and felt great to be in a community of like-minded strangers on a warm summer night anticipating 50 + licks. Insert the word: Yum!
Chaos: People like to throw this word around when the world gets a bit iffy or moves fast and crazy in unclear directions. It reminds me of the classic tv show Get Smart. Agent 86 and Agent 99 worked for Control - the good guys. They fought against KAOS - the bad guys. Funny fiction. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. And, our bumbling hero, Agent 86, would often have to tell The Chief - “missed it by that much, Chief.” Real life chaos is never that easy. Knowing the good guys from the bad people can also be confusing, even with color tv. If you find yourself talking to your shoe, it’s okay to seek help.
Tend: When poets and writers pen a brief biography, they want to sound interesting. They list odd jobs in unusual places. A spring poetry reading, at Redfern Booksellers in downtown Salina, had a writer whose bio said he tended a wild garden. I can understand letting a garden go wild because of lack of time and attention. Happens every year everywhere. If it’s truly wild, is it still wild after a tending? My granddaughter’s hair can truly be wild in the morning, but after some nagging, some brushing, a spray of detangler and more brushing, it transforms into wildly beautiful. The poet bio is meant to be unusual. The concept of working a garden that grows wild with artistic tending fits a poet’s (fill in your own kind adjective here) image.
Geosmin: Exactly. Sitting on the back porch with the unmistakable scent of rain - yes, good ol’ petrichor, during a morning storm. So valuable. The scent of rain evokes positive emotions. Yup, like ice cream. It’s a simple connection to nature. It rains and we feel good. When the rain hits dry soil, spores and oils are released. One of those musty organic compounds in the air is geosmin. Memory of the scent of rain also plays a part. We think of the air as being fresher. It smells earthy and we’re reminded how we’re a vital part of this nature thing. Deep breath. Take it in. Relax. Enjoy the next rain and your next dose of geosmin.
Outie: You know what I’m talking about when I say outie. I saw a young lady walking near Front & Iron and her shirt was tight enough for me to know she had an outie. She might have been pregnant. Innie or outie? Most of us have innie belly buttons. Just about 10 percent are outies. That's special. Her baby might be an innie. Do you think anyone is still doing research to discover latent value in our lint-collecting belly buttons? Or was that grant money rescinded or slashed? Imagine being an outie who is also left-handed. What are the odds?
