Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

One of Tart’s biggest pet peeves in the world is men who order women to smile on demand. It is just so, so irritating. (The movie Love, Ludlow has a great scene, as an aside, in which a guy offers up “I heard it takes more muscles to frown than to smile” to the female protagonist, who replies, with a frown, “It’s how I work out.”) For most people, of either gender, attempts to cajole one out of a foul temper is just annoying beyond description—and usually counterproductive.

But, of course, it does us good to smile, when we’re given a genuinely evocative reason. Even forcing oneself to smile can have the rather miraculous effect of lifting a grim mood. Mr. Shakes and I had the occasion to discuss this random factoid of the human condition this weekend as we had discovered a similar mind-altering effect—watching bullshit on YouTube that evokes memories of one’s childhood eases anxiety. There’s something about hearing a theme song you haven’t heard in years, or seeing the opening credits to a show you loved loved loved as a kid, that just pulls you back into a space very distant from the tension of adulthood—and, like an unexpected smile can penetrate gloom, fond nostalgia seems to have the unique capacity to ease worries.

So, I’ve decided to start each morning with a blast from the past in pursuit of such wistful Zen. Not every one will mean something to everyone, but I’ve got a broad selection lined up, so fear not—the day will surely come when you sit back with a grin and a sigh of recognition. Off we go…

H.R. Pufnstuf