Simple Pleasures

As I was cruising along a stretch of open highway through the Campine this morning (Kempen in Dutch), one of my favourite Creedence Clearwater Revival songs came on the radio. I truly enjoyed the experience. Off the top of my head, here is a list of other simple things from which I derive immense pleasure (in no particular order and sticking to a maximum of 10):

1. The cracking sound of a cricket ball smacking the bat on the 'sweet spot' (about two thirds down from the handle). There's nothing like leather on willow.
2. Bending a major fourth double stop into a major fifth on a Fender Telecaster plugged into a valve amp (preferably on the second and third strings). The amp's gain should be cranked up just enough so that single notes are clean, but double stops start breaking up.
3. The deafening crescendo of cheers when the teams run onto the field at an international rugby test match.
4. Watching a procession of professors, marching silently in full academic garb.
5. Seeing old friends meet again after many years, especially at airport arrival terminals.
6. Reading an elegant computer algorithm. This is also related to the feeling when after labouring long and hard to debug your program (reasoning it through, finally finding and fixing the bug) you see it work.
   
7. Seeing and experiencing an Alberto Giacometti sculpture in real life.
8. The sound of a vintage Alfa Romeo engine idling. I am talking about that 'over-sized coffee percolator' sound.
9. Walking through and experiencing Le Corbusier's Villa la Roche.
10. Reading a book all the way through without cracking or creasing the spine.