Top 250 Feelings – Page 8

#52 – Finding Out Your Favorite Group Is Getting Back Together

fugees2 When you’re a kid, before life really hits you in the nuts, there’s a bunch of things that can disappoint you in the small world you’ve created for yourself.

I felt, among other things, disappointment when I realized Biggie wasn’t going to be releasing any more new music.

Each year, when the Spurs or the Yankees or Bucs (everyone’s three favorite teams) would inevitably lose and see their seasons end, I’d feel disappointment.

Those were all upsetting, to varying degrees. But for me, neither compared to when The Fugees broke up.

Biggie and Tupac dying was sad, but I understood death. I mean, as a 9-10 year old I didn’t have a true grasp of what it really meant, but I got it enough to understand the finality of it.

With the sports teams, while each season’s end without a championship was crushing in its own way, you always knew they’d come back and try again next year. There wasn’t going to be a next season without the Yankees or Spurs. Bucs, maybe.

But when The Fugees broke up and stopped making music, not because someone had died or because of some other permanent reason, it really fucked me up. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the concept. If they’re all still alive, why aren’t they making music? The last album was so, so, so great. How could that be it? That can’t just be it. Can it? Fuck.

About 10 years ago, Pras said the following, making it pretty clear where things stood: “Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and [George W.] Bush in Starbucks having a latte, discussing foreign policies, before there will be a Fugees reunion.”

So, I know now not to take any of the multitude of rumors of a return seriously… however, like anything we wish to be true despite the long odds, it’s really hard not to imagine. And in that vein, we have this feeling.

The idea of them reuniting for a new album, to put music out once and for all after this time, would be so damn fun. The music itself might be garbage but, fuck, if it wouldn’t be fun to hear an album filled with Lauryn Hill verses and Wyclef tracks again.

Just like anything else, the fact that it’s been denied of us for so long is what makes it so sweet.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Knowing this will never happen. The Fugees aren’t fucking getting back together, Scott.

#154 – Getting Ahead of Something

(You try finding a picture that captures this feeling).

Figure if we’re in the lane of efficiency and task management, might as well stay here.

I likely get this desire to get started early on things from my father, a man that never saw an event he couldn’t leave his home earlier for.

But, unless you’re one of those chronically late people—and if you are, do everyone a favor and just stay the fuck home already—you’ll understand what I’m talking about when I say there’s a certain joy to actually getting out in front of a project, an assignment, a thing you have to do.

I’ve never been one of those people that enjoys waiting until the very last second to start doing something. In college, I wasn’t one of those people studying all night or writing papers til 4 AM the day before it was due.

For me, it was more of a relief to actually do that first part, submit that thesis statement, call for that first interview, schedule that initial consultation, whatever.

So, in this vein, it does feel good to get started on finishing this list. Feeling #112 and feeling #154, only 42 apart but so closely linked.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Like I said, I’m not really the type to wait until the very last minute, but I’d imagine the opposite of this feeling is the manifestation of every single anxiety dream, every single “I’m back in high school, naked, with a presentation to do” dream, rolled into one.

#112 – Checking Off That Final Thing On Your To-Do List

to_do_list Trust me, I’m aware of the meta-nature of this feeling.

A list of feelings has a feeling that is finishing that list.

It’s also not lost on me that this is the first thing I’ve contributed to this list in literally over 11 months.

Chuck Klosterman-bullshit aside, it’s good to be back to this list. I have all the feelings scribbled away, just need to actually write up these posts. I think we’re about 70-80 away from finishing the whole damn thing and that prospect, in and of itself, is a fun feeling.

I started this whole thing just over four years ago and I’ll be damned if I don’t eventually… at some point… finish this list.

And when I do, you can bet I’ll be thinking of this feeling.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Continually looking back at the checklist and seeing that one thing that you either A) keep putting off for any number of reasons or B) can’t actually accomplish. Not sure which is sadder.

#114 – Having a Really Good-Looking Person In Front of You In Line

nyc_photo_blog_nat_ma-65 You’re waiting in line for… well, anything. Waiting in and of itself is awful, you don’t need me to provide a specific location to make this scenario more dire, but I’m going to anyway.

Let’s say you’re on line at Target. You just had a nice experience buying crap you don’t need at prices you can’t possibly imagine were this low. Now, you’ve made the mistake you always make–you’ve picked the wrong line. It’s a Saturday, it’s busy, so of course the store only has lines 1, 3, 67 and 72 open. 1 and 3 are about a quarter mile down the road, so you picked 67 because the line appeared to be shortest.

Naturally, that was a short-sighted selection as every single person in front of you has a million items, coupons, out-of-date gift cards and basically every other form of delay known to mankind is taking place in front of you.

Then, a gift from the heavens arrives.

No, not the manager coming to your lane. That’s just a sign of further delay.

It’s the woman standing in front of you (or fella, whatever). She’s gorgeous, she’s not listening to music, she doesn’t have a ring, she’s not with anybody.

This isn’t a club, you’re not even necessarily looking to score in any way—be it a number or, you know.

But, now, at THE VERY LEAST, you have someone to make snide comments with.

Don’t pretend you’d rather share those with the dude in the Star Wars shirt behind you.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling? Thinking you’re in with this girl/guy, getting the courage up to ask for a number or even say, “You know, we should hang out some time!” and then getting flat out rejected or having the line suddenly move so fast you run out of time.

#161 – The Sound of the Ice Cream Truck

ice-cream-truck This is a tough one to really visualize and enjoy at this exact second, seeing as how it’s absolutely, soul-crushingly cold and bleak out and will continue to be for the better part of the next two months, where in we only get a reprieve in the form of a slightly less-shitty few months before the three good weeks of weather this area of the world is granted per year.

Phew.

OK, anyway. Point is, it’s cold. It’s not exactly what you’d call “ice-cream weather.”

But, you’re a goddamned liar if you’re telling me that, even in this cold, if you heard that familiar diddy (turns out, like most things from our country’s past, it has wildly racist origins) you wouldn’t turn on a dime to look for that fucking truck.

I’ve never even been a huge fan of ice cream (partial, of course, to sour candy), but I don’t think there’s a time or a place where that propaganda music won’t change my course. It’s like I’m sort of a Manchurian candidate and the only thing that will unlock me and begin my journey is that tune.

It reminds me of summer, of being a kid, of being thrilled with having three or four dollars in my pocket. It’s a great association to have with, ostensibly, a sweaty dude in a white truck.

The Polar Opposite of this Feeling: Finding out they don’t have the good soft-serve ice cream and/or are out of the Sonic the Hedgehog bar.

#91 – Taking All the Stuff From The Hotel Room

hotel-shampoo Wait, you mean you’re not supposed to gluttonously take all of the soap, shampoo, coffee filters, towels, linens, sheets, pillows, televisions and shower curtains that you can stuff into your suitcases?

I was under the impression that going to a hotel room was like a 48-72 hour-long version of Supermarket Sweep. “Whatever you can fit, you keep”, I believe, is the motto for one of the Hilton chains. Not sure which.

Assuming you’re not a goody-goody who has never taken a thing from a hotel room, you’ll know this feeling.

I’ll admit that in honesty, I don’t just take shit to take it. However, if I’m in a hotel and the shampoo is amazing… that shit’s coming home with me. And hell, I’ll ask for more from the room service just so I can take that shit too. I’m a real thug when it comes to looting hotel bathrooms.

There’s also shower caps, conditioner (it’s honestly cheaper for me to go to a hotel once ever few months than buy conditioner on its own), bar soap (long live bar soap, BTW) and other shower accompaniments that are just begging to be taken.

Do them a favor. Bring ’em home.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Having one of those shampoo/conditioner bottles explode in your bag on the ride home.

#109 – Getting a Good Deal

cyber-monday Just over a week ago, I bought stuff online. I hadn’t planned to. I typically don’t. But, I was having lunch with a friend–a savvy shopper in her own right–who suggested that if there was anything online I was looking to buy, now would be the right time.

It turns out, Cyber Monday is a real thing.

I wound up buying a pair of headphones (for $80 down from $200) and then 7 separate articles of clothing (for a combined total of $160) all in the matter of a few hours.

I have yet to receive all of these items and, of course as is the case with most shopping, I didn’t absolutely need any of them… but simply the idea that I was able to buy them all for so (so, so, so) much cheaper than they originally cost made it all the sweeter.

In fact, even as I use these various things, I don’t think the joy I’ll get out of them at any single time will equal the joy of knowing how good of a deal I got.

The super-sized version of this feeling is when it’s not a massive deal, when it’s something relatively (or very) exclusive. Obviously, everyone’s in on Cyber Monday. But when you (somehow) get a good deal on a car or know someone somewhere who hooks you up in a way most people aren’t, that’s the real winner.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Thinking you got the deal of a lifetime on, say, a car, only to find out that a friend got a way better deal than you. And you’ve already made your purchase.

#235 – That New Car Smell

new-car-smell-690x390 This one is pretty self-explanatory, I think.

Let’s be fair, it’s so engrained in culture at this point that the scent has literally been packaged as it’s own air freshener—which by the way doesn’t do the real smell justice and is just a tease, if you ask me.

The reason we like the new car smell is, in my opinion, two fold… One, we’re all cheap whores for that leathery smell for some reason. Like the need to eat to continue life, the scent of leather drives us all forward for one reason or another. Two, it implies you just bought or leased or borrowed or rented a new car… which has its whole separate and obvious list of good feelings.

I wouldn’t recommend buying the air freshener.

Just buy the car.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Having that odor in your car you not only can’t get out (windows open, full-scale cleaning, etc.) but can’t identify.

#67 – Taking Sweaty Clothes Off After a Workout

sweaty-woman-workout-clothes_3 There’s something about the peeling off of drenched workout clothes that brings with it a satisfaction hard to describe.

It’s basically the only tangible proof that you, in fact, just worked out in either a strenuous fashion or a gym with no temperature regulation.

You’re not yet sore so you don’t feel bad. You’re still riding high on endorphins or dopamine or whatever the fuck it is that keeps you from not jumping into oncoming traffic and you’re about to hop into the shower and get on with your life.

But before you do, you slide that shirt off and marvel at how hard you—yes, you!—were able to work that this shirt has basically been reduced to a thick puddle. Good for me, you think, I should be some sort of an Olympian the way this shirt is so fully drenched. Did I go swimming in my clothes and not tell anyone? I am impressive.

And on an obvious note, there’s the simple fact that you get to take off what is otherwise disgusting and uncomfortable clothing in favor of warm, normal clothes.

Polar Opposite of this Feeling? : The start of every single workout, ever.

#178 – Recognizing Someone in a Place Where You Shouldn’t

513956894 Tonight, I was at a Nets game.

Don’t worry about why I was at a Nets game or how sad my life has gotten that I, indeed, found it to be a good way to spend my time to go to Brooklyn to watch Sean Kilpatrick and Isaiah Whitehead get starter’s minutes… I was there, that’s all you need to know.

Point is, once the game was over, my friend and I sat in our seats for a while as the rest of the crowd filed out. We had no where to go, so we waited for the traffic to die down.

Then, I heard this:

“Is that fucking Scott Spinelli?”

The answer was, of course, “Why yes, dear fellow.”

All jokes aside, it was a kid I’m friends with from growing up and high school that–completely randomly–also had nothing better to do on a Thursday night than watch the Nets play live and in person.

We’re not best friends in the whole wide world, we don’t text every day… but seeing him was a fun surprise. The three of us hung out for a while after the game, shooting the shit and it was all by random chance. Had we simply left earlier or sat somewhere else, no dice.

In a crowded place, to see someone you recognize somehow makes the whole place more familiar. Like it’s always been your little cove.

Polar Opposite of This Feeling?: Thinking someone is someone else and being wrong, or waving at a person you do know and having that person either not see you or ignore you.