Life is Good
In a flush of contentment last week I bought a tee-shirt that said "Life is Good" across the chest under a graphic of a spruce tree. When I got it home and took a closer look I saw that the phrase "Life is Good" has become a registered trademark of the shirt maker. This discovery took about half of my good mood away. How dare they trademark my hackneyed private sentiments!
But, trademarked or not, life is good. My older son graduated from college last weekend. It is a beautiful summer day in Vermont. The Red Sox have a ten game lead in the East, 13 1/2 over the Yankees, and tomorrow is the annual Strolling of the Heifers. Brattleboro, Vermont is the home of the Holstein Association which harbors the personal information of over 19 million cows worldwide. It's a heady responsibility for a small town and handled with aplomb, not to mention shovels. It is the most kid-friendly parade I've ever seen. Cows, tractors and jump rope drill teams are the main attraction. Every year Turkey Hill ice cream puts a giant plastic Holstein on a trailer and drags it through town. Every year we take a picture of it and put it in the center of our Christmas card. It's the small traditions that hold a society together and we do our part.
We had a fun Wait-Wait, Don't Tell Me this week in Chicago. Amy Dickinson and PJ O'Rourke, my favorite Republican, were the other panelists and graciously allowed me to win. I just bought PJ's new book On the Wealth of Nations at the airport to make me look smarter. Tomorrow I take pictures of a plastic cow.
Life is good. You can trademark that.
posted by Tom Bodett at 12:48 PM
7 Comments:
Hey, Tom, I've enjoyed you on the radio for a while.
But, as I was listening to "Wait Wait" today, you mentioned you were in college 30 years ago. I'm shocked to hear how young you are. I thought you were much older than 52. Heck, you're a mere 3 weeks older than my own husband.
I just want to go on record stating that I was in no way involved in the box of poo delivered to Mr. Bodett some years ago. =)
If we rule out Mr. Bodett himself, that's two people off the hook. Only 299,999,998 Americans left to check.
Eric, I'm relieved to be able to cross your name off the list. Do you have any siblings? Any reason to suspect your neighbors? Together we can get to the bottom of this.
Laurie, You made my day. It isn't often you hear 52 described as being "so young". Godwilling I will get steadily older. If we age apace can I look forward to 72 being so young as well?
Tom, I have so enjoyed you on Wait Wait--and I think this week's show was one of the more cheerful ones (and I think Elizabeth Edwards is quite a woman!). Even though Life is Good is now a brand, I've gotta tell you that I have a collection of LiG t-shirts and golf caps and wearing them just makes me feel cheery. The first one was given to me by a friend--on the 10th anniversary of my successful cancer surgery. So don't be disappointed that your t-shirt is copyrighted and trademarked: Life is still good!
Happy Father's Day, Tom! :)
Congrats to your son!
Our son's high school class graduated in May and we attended to represent him and support his friends. Some of them wore picture pins of him on their grad gowns and he was mentioned in the ceremony, it made us feel good that they still remember and love him.
Tom, is that your voice doing the new Comcastic ads?
floridasuzie
Suz,
Nope, not me.
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