Tonight I made macaroni and cheese for dinner. Not from a box, but from fresh grated cheese and milk and butter and pasta and seasonings. It's been awhile since I cooked mac n cheese, but I should do it more often as it is definitely a "happy" food. You doubt me? You should see Greg's face. He has been looking blissful ever since I started cooking dinner.

Of course, I served the entree with peas. It's the combination that makes this meal one of the happiest meals. When I worked in food service as an undergrad, I noticed that people loved to say, "Macaroni and cheese and peas, please." Big smiles on their faces. I don't know if the happiness stemmed from the rhyme or the prospect of comfort food, but these people seemed so pleased with themselves. Never failed to amuse me.

The rhymers served as a nice contrast to Heart-attack man. That's how I think of the man who came on campus every day and ordered eggs, bacon, and potatoes. I can't recall exactly how he wanted his eggs cooked: over easy, I think. What I do recall is that when he was handed his plate, he'd look at the eggs and sigh in a displeased fashion. Guess we never got the eggs cooked to his satisfaction. All I know is that this man ordered a fat/cholesterol bomb every morning for an entire summer and wasn't even happy about it! That was over a decade ago. Wonder if he's still alive?

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