My Favorite Things – Christmas 2023 Edition

I was in a store checkout line the other day and saw a magazine cover on which Oprah Winfrey is sharing her Favorite Things once again. I followed Ms. Winfey’s lead in 2017 and wrote about my own Favorite Things. And if Oprah Winfrey can keep at it, so can I. 

Now (as then) there is a big difference between the approaches of Oprah and JP. The Winfrey approach seems to be about promoting a long list of products (which I find hard to distinguish from merchandising). My own list is different – it is about things I really like, whether anyone else really likes them or not. Most of the things you can buy (if so inclined), but one of them is never, ever going to be owned by anyone else. 

I should add one more bit of introductory explanation: this is not going to be a post about some obscure local artisanal something or other. I am a guy of simple tastes, so we are here to appreciate some things that are fairly basic. There is beauty in simplicity, so I say embrace it. So, in no particular order:

Brunt Work Boots

I went through my five weeks of driving school and the first month or so of my new career as a tractor-trailer driver in an old, comfy pair of shoes. I was fortunate that the weather was overwhelmingly dry, so waterproof footwear was not really an issue for me. However, the old shoes finally started to fall apart, and I was warned that sooner or later, I would find myself in a gravel lot full of puddles and would need some waterproof boots.

I shopped around online and there were several choices, some of which were quite expensive. Then I came across a fairly new company called Brunt Workwear. Their main boot (which they call the Marin) got good online reviews for comfort and utility, and the price was certainly right, at just a touch over $100. I am aware that these lack the “goodyear welt” design found in the more expensive choices, in which everything is sewn together. These are glued and come from overseas. However, most of the time they are doing nothing more than pushing pedals in a truck, so my use should be on the more light-duty end of their design range.

Lighter duty or not, I have found them to be quite comfortable. They felt kind of klunky during the break-in phase (which lasted probably a week for me) but since then, once on my feet they are out of my mind. In fact, walking around Costco in other shoes has me noticing how those shoes I once thought so comfy are not as comfy as my boots. 

These will drop off this list if they don’t last me at least a couple of years, but until that happens they are on this list and much appreciated by moi.

Cat-Branded LED Pocket Flashlight

I have no idea who makes this, but it was a gift to me from my daughter-in-law’s dad. Gary is a professional driver who provided invaluable counseling and advice when he generously took the time to talk through my career-change decision with me. After I passed my tests and got my CDL license, Gary presented me with this flashlight, which is one that he has found very useful.

One of a driver’s duties is to do a pre-trip inspection before driving in any tractor or trailer, and those inspections are often done in low-to-no light conditions. Everyone has had decent flashlights, but this is an entirely different level. This thing is BRIGHT!. It illuminates really well both up-close and at distances up to five or six feet away. This light has become one of my most-used tools on a daily basis. As I write this, it occurs to me that I ought to find a second one to keep on reserve in my backpack in case the unspeakable happens and I lose or break it. 

I have no idea who actually makes this – I can be pretty sure that it is not the Caterpillar company. Their products tend to be larger and more expensive. And the branding doesn’t really matter to me – in fact, as an Indiana boy, my hometown fave in the world of diesel propulsion would probably be Cummins, which is headquartered in nearby Columbus, Indiana. But then Cummins didn’t sell its brand to be used on a fabulous little flashlight, did it.

Guinness Stout

This is an old favorite of mine, and something that can be enjoyed either at a good tavern or at home. I certainly enjoy a good pour at an Irish pub, with the rich, creamy head atop the deep, black liquid that is both bold and smooth. 

Where I will part company with many is in my choice for this libation at home. Perhaps this is about personal history, but I prefer Guinness in the bottle to the stuff in cans. The canned version claims that it pours a much more pub-like drink. I, however, enjoy my Guinness cold (strike one, say the true fans) right out of the dark brown bottle (strike two, but I don’t care). I have always preferred my beers in bottles over cans, and will often avoid Guinness when a can is the only option.

For some reason, Guinness Stout is a libation I associate with the Christmas holiday. Perhaps this is because it was during a Christmas season during my law school years that I first began to enjoy the stuff. So no Christmas season is complete for me without an occasional cold bottle of Guinness Stout. Which does not mean that I don’t also enjoy it year around – because I do. When meeting friends at a tavern in hot summer months, I will almost always eschew the lighter brews (and certainly the IPAs or trendy fruity things) for a tall, dark and handsome Guinness. 

Old Overholt Rye Whiskey

Rye whiskey has become big business in recent years, and it is oh, so easy to scan the bottles at your local liquor emporium and spend $50 and up on a 750 ml bottle of the stuff. But that is not the way I live my life. Sure, I could afford a $50 bottle of rye – I probably only go through one, or maybe two bottles a year. But the idea of such expensive liquor in the JP cabinet rubs my sensibilities the wrong way. 

Old Overholt is a brand that has been around for about 200 years. It was originally distilled in Pennsylvania and, unlike many brands, survived prohibition by obtaining a license for sale as medicinal liquor. I am sure that then-U.S. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon’s partial ownership of the distillery had nothing to do with that. The stuff hung around after the end of prohibition as rye became the cheap liquor for alcoholics (it was Ray Milland’s drink of choice in his film about alcoholism, The Lost Weekend) and remained available when most other ryes went away.

Now, rye has become a hot category again, with shelves full of pricey brands that would go over well at any gathering of those who see themselves as important people of impeccable taste. Old Overholt remains (mostly) true to its sensible roots and can still be had for under twenty bucks a bottle. What’s more, its smooth, mild character makes it play really well with other ingredients, and I have yet to make a Manhattan (which was my father’s cocktail of choice) at my house that tastes better than one made with OO. Good stuff at a reasonable price always makes me happy, and Old Overholt is one of those modern bargains that I fear will disappear one day as a big beverage conglomerate decides to “rebrand” or “take it upscale”. 

My IU Zipper Sweatshirt

When my eldest son was a student at Indiana University, his major was sports broadcast communications. In that capacity, he held multiple student broadcasting jobs, which put him into possession of all kinds of IU swag. When he made an abrupt turn in vocation (it is harder to see a turn as more abrupt than from sports broadcaster to Dominican Catholic priest), I was the beneficiary of many of these items of clothing, in the form of hand-me-ups. My immediate favorite became this IU sweatshirt.

We tend to keep our house on the cool side during cold weather, so a sweatshirt like this is perfect to pull over whatever else I may be wearing, making me (in the words of my late Uncle Pierce) “all toasty warm”. This sweatshirt is so soft and so comfortable, that it has become a problem. 

A careful examination of the photos will show some significant holes in the sleeves (among other problems), and I know that this thing has to be replaced before it simply falls apart. The problem is that the tags are so worn I cannot even tell what it is made of. Also, everyone seems to sell zippered sweatshirts with hoods. I don’t want a hood – our house isn’t THAT cold. But I don’t want a pullover, either – I have lots of those. Someday I will find a new zipper non-hoodie sweatshirt (whoever came up with the term “hoodie” – it sounds dumb). But when I do, it will probably not be as soft or as comfortable as this one. So until then, I will continue to enjoy wearing this one. So long as I stay in the house and away from anyone who is not a member of the family, per the spousal edict.

This is not an all-inclusive list, of course, and some of these things are more essential to my health and well-being than others. But it will do for now, because genuine favoritism has to have some reasonable limits.

Note: I have not received anything from anybody for writing about these items. That’s mainly because nobody has approached me about doing so. I would happily hawk your product or service (if it’s any good, that is) for remuneration of some kind, but I will tell you if that ever happens. Except for Outback Steakhouse. After my dinner there the other night, I will not write anything nice about you no matter how many free steak dinners you promise me. I have standards.

32 thoughts on “My Favorite Things – Christmas 2023 Edition”

  1. Great list of Xmas favorites. Those boots do look good and I liked the flash light too. You are right, I don’t think they make sweat shirts the way they used to. Everything changes… sigh, some of it is good, some of it not so good. Merry Christmas!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you as well! One of these days I will find a new sweatshirt, and MAYBE after about five years of washings it may be almost as comfortable as this one.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. A very good and well-reasoned list. Good boots are a must for many people. I have a pair that will likely dry rot before they wear out – and, I think they are Cat branded also, now that I think about it.

    In your new profession, this flashlight is worth its weight in gold. Getting in a new-to-you truck at 2 am requires a person to look it over and there are loads of nooks and crannies to check on a truck, with any number of horrors that can be lurking about. Think of this flashlight as a Chrysler ballast resister in which having a second will mean the first will last for perpetuity.

    Your statement about Outback Steakhouse has me thinking of an old joke from Larry the Cable Guy. However, naturally, it’s full of innuendo and such.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Have to laugh, I’m a Manhattan drinker from way back, changed from whiskey to rye some years ago. Grew up with parents having a Manhattan every night when they got home from work. “Old Overcoat”, also known as “Old Overshoes” many times was the only rye on the shelve at my local boozery, since people rarely drank it. When, may I ask, did rye become a status thing? It was always the cheapest whisky based inebriate one could buy. By law, I think it has to be aged at least 36 hours in a plastic tub! Four Roses used to be the brand on the broken pints I used to see in the gutter of my neighborhood, as a kid, in Uptown Chicago. Now they have premium small batch ryes from Four Roses? Has the world gone mad? BTW, I never recommend the new pre-mixes of cocktails that have become popular, but I will say when being lazy, I have opted to buy a brand called On The Rocks, their bottled Manhattan being made with Basil Hayden Dark Rye. Sometimes a 750ml bottle on sale for $6.99 or $7.99. Recommended for those being lazy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I agree that the world has gone mad about distilled liquors. I know I am getting old when formerly premium brands like Beefeater gin and Dewars (or even Johnny Walker Black Label) scotch are now the brands that many consumers consider too cheap to consider. Me, I just cannot fathom paying the kind of money so many of these “top shelf” brands command these days.

      Like

      Reply

      • Ditto! Any of the modern boutique brand spirits, and for that matter, cigars, have all been made so strong, as to be undrinkable or unsmokeable! They’ve realized the “kids”, that don’t know any better, can be talked into cigars and spirits, mostly on strength, that are so powerful, they really have no real taste, and they’ll cause you to bleed from your eye sockets. Gin, vodka, and whiskey based mixed cocktails only taste good when they are made with classic formulas based on spirit tastes and strengths from decades ago; not booze so strong it basically tastes like gasoline or rubbing alcohol!

        Liked by 1 person

  5. I love this list. When I got my first factory job as a QA at the Ball lid plant, a terrible pair of $30 steel toes from Walmart nearly ruined my life. I wound up with a pair of composite-toed Redwing “running shoes.” I’ve done little running in them, but they’ve held up for three years. Unfortunately, it’s about time for a replacement judging from many rips and tears. I doubt they’re still waterproof.

    The flashlight is another essential. I got Ball’s canning corpse to buy me a $130 Inova T4-R that strobed or blasted 1300 lumens at the subject. I used it to communicate in our 130 dB factory, and it was unbreakable until I smacked it against a steel turnbuckle. They paid for another, and I took it with me when I left. It’s an essential tool at the property, and I’ll never go without!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Hmm, can’t comment on everything here but:

    Your boots look a lot like my Keen San Jose boots. I like the flat sole, I found that walking on concrete floors with heeled work boots was hurting my knees. They’re likely the last work boots of my career, I don’t crawl around machinery in oily pits anymore, just visit suppliers and do inspections. They’ll last for years.

    When it comes to whiskey I don’t limit myself to a single level of quality. I enjoy Irish and Scotch whiskey, so for “utility grade” whiskey I prefer Jameson or Famous Grouse, but occasionally indulge in the good stuff like Balvenie Doublewood or Red Breast 15 year. This keeps the overall cost at a reasonable level but I still get to enjoy my favorites occasionally.

    And my preferred Guinness is served from the keg whilst in Dublin. Far superior, I recommend you try it JP.

    Happy Christmas all!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • DougD, Jameson is one of those spirits that every time I have one, I think “why am I not buying more of this”…then I forget to get it when I’m at the store…ach!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • Guinness in Dublin sounds like a great idea! I do occasionally get really nice bottles of whiskey, but those tend to come as gifts. One son-in-law has parents who live next door to a guy who works for a liquor distributor and who is always giving away bottles of top-shelf stuff. I am occasionally a 2nd or 3rd hand beneficiary of his generosity.

      Like

      Reply

  7. In my waitressing days, I’d be on my feet 8 hours with about a ten-minute break to eat. This was weekends, school breaks and Summer vacation. Back then my footwear of choice was white Earth shoes – remember them, with the negative heel? You’re a few years younger than me JP, so you might not remember them. They were mostly in dark brown leather. Boy, those shoes were ugly, but they felt like slippers and even though I was a heck of a lot younger, I did not want sore feet by the end of a long workday. I have some swag sweatshirts from my Wayne State University days … I no longer wear any of them outside the house as we’ve had an idiot or two get riled up seeing someone sporting a rival team’s swag and take revenge. My school was not sports elite, but I still take no chances. I think the name “hoodie” is dumb too. In Canada we called them “kangaroo shirts” whether they had a hood or not, but that was due to the pockets that almost met in the front like a pouch. I think a jogging suit (top part) would be the equivalent of your comfy shirt, sans hood and zipping up the front.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I do remember Earth Shoes – they were a thing when I was in either jr. high or high school. I was rebellious against trends, so I never tried them. You would think that if they were so comfortable, they would come back, but I don’t think I ever saw them after the 70’s.

      I don’t wear the sports apparel outside much. There is a big rivalry in the state between IU and Purdue. I will admit to being an IU partisan, but that is more out of longtime habit than having anything to do with the schools. I would have been perfectly fine with my kids choosing Purdue, but none did for whatever reason.

      Like

      Reply

      • The Earth Shoes were good for those on their feet alot – nurses wore them as well. I had several customers at the diner who were nurses. I remember my mom telling me my feet would spread and I’d never wear dress pumps – this was partly true as I went from an 8 to an 8 1/2 after my waitressing days were over. I’ve not tried Crocs or Birkenstocks yet and likely won’t as I don’t like the look of either of them and they sure aren’t stylish.

        Our U of M and MSU rivalry wouldn’t be too worrisome as to wearing sports apparel to a game, but I’d think twice wearing U of M apparel to an Ohio State game or even crossing the state line.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Earth Shoes still around! Acquired by someone and relaunched in 2023, and not cheap, either. Mostly web sales. Think that’s crazy, Famolare’s, the wavy sole shoes, also a fashion thing in my teens, and also back and not cheap!

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a reply to Herb Cancel reply