Good Things to Put a Little Smile On Your Face

In a week full of cooling weather and nasty presidential debates, I've been on the lookout for good things. Here are three that I've found. I hope each puts a little smile on your face.

Thing To Listen To: Saint European King Days

This is not the sort of thing I usually listen to, but Saint European King Days by the band Opium Flirt has hooked it's melody into the "deep-feelings-centre" of my memory. I heard the song rising up under the end of more than one episode of the *Winds Of Change* podcast over the past few weeks. It was immediately familiar, but I couldn't piece together why. For me, the song conjures revelation and a wry wink that comes with a subtle twist in a story well told. Which is the way it was used in the podcast. But where had I heard this before? Who had winked at me like this in the past? A little Googling reminded me that this song also underscores the final moments of the brilliant 2010 documentary Catfish. I cannot hear this song without smiling and telling myself, 'wow, that was unexpected. That was a good story." How does this song make you feel?

Have a listen on Youtube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s71D72Eu4Y.

Thing To Read: Stealing Things From Richard (A Comedy)

I really enjoyed reading through this comic by Allie Brosh. The drawings look like they were done with Microsoft Paint, that most hated of graphics programs. And they probably were. It doesn't matter. The power of a simple, charming and weirdly relatable story about childhood comes through. Richard lives next door, and our protagonist, a three year old, keeps sneaking into his house and taking his things. It's a great reminder of the way our perspectives change as we grow up, and I think you should read it so that you can smile like I did.

Thing To Look At: Cover Art For Fake Albums

My friend Josh led me to this treasure trove of fake album covers designed by his friend James Alfred Friesen. From Saturday Night Knives' "Digital Shirts" to "Streets Behind" from Digital Karma, I had a lot of fun imagining what kind of music these bands would make (because you often can judge an album by its cover, at least a little). Friesen even took the time to write a little blurb about each fictional musical offering. Browse his nonexistent record store here.