Tired of bad news? It may be time to feast your eyes on some good news

Natalie Corona, Ryan Kreidler, Pope Leo, Teresa Gould, monster avocados and so much more

You know, with all the bad news in the world, like Belgian soccer players making fun of how our beloved president likes to dance to “YMCA” and then posting sarcastic “Overturn This” messages, I say it’s time for a little good news.

So here, in no particular order, are the things that are making me happy on this fine summer day in the City of All Things Right and Relevant.

1. The Natalie Corona Splashpad

The City of Davis has rightfully come under a barrage of criticism on multiple fronts recently, but it got this one right.

Actually, a great deal of the credit goes to the hard-working splashpad committee that put in many long hours to make sure they got this project perfect right down to the last drop of water.

Not just perfect, but spectacular.

Pass by Central Park on any summer day and you’ll see dozens and dozens of kids of all ages and sizes screaming with delight. Literally having more unbridled fun and pure joy than even Disneyland can offer.

Best of all, there appears to be no age limit.

2. The Contentious Measure V campaign is now in the rearview mirror

Yes, there was a bit of divisiveness in town as proponents and opponents staked out their ground, but I’d rather live in a town that cares deeply about these things than in a town where anything goes.

Whether V was approved or rejected, I remain firmly convinced that Measure J is a good thing, as are Son of Measure J and Grandson of Measure J.

While the election was so close that even a short gust of wind could have changed the outcome, we’re lucky that we get to have a direct say over projects of this kind.

That said, I suspect the Willowgrove development on the November ballot will face far less opposition.

With two major developments totaling over 3,000 homes combined that we were voting on just five months apart, I’m certain that many people were evaluating both projects at the same time.

I figure that probably 70 percent of Davisites believe we need growth of some kind, but I doubt that more than 20 percent would have voted “Yes” on both projects.

Had Willowgrove not been looming in November, I think Village Farms might have slipped past the finish line.

With the rejection of Village Farms, it seems to me that Willowgrove’s chances of approval have improved substantially.

Conversely, had Village Farms been approved, Willowgrove would have faced a much more difficult climb than what awaits it now.

Was that fair to either project? Certainly not.

But in both cases, the final decision is ours.

And that’s a good thing.

3. Ryan Kreidler has found a home in Major League Baseball

Davis High School and UCLA superstar Ryan Kreidler had an up-and-down few years with the Detroit Tigers, where he struggled at the plate despite flashing his Gold Glove prowess as both an infielder and an outfielder.

After having a cup of coffee with the Pirates organization, he has now found a regular spot in the lineup - primarily at shortstop, but sometimes in center - with the Minnesota Twins.

Ryan Kreidler

Best of all, he’s now smacking the baseball like never before.

In one three-game stretch late last month, Kreidler went 7-for-10, including a home run, to push his batting average near .300, and later had a two-out, two-run single off a guy named Shohei Ohtani.

For the season, he now has five home runs, four doubles, two triples, 23 runs batted in and has scored 20 times.

I remember years ago when Ryan was playing shortstop for the Blue Devils, Davis High coach Dan Ariola invited our son Mick, a 9-year-old Little Leaguer, to come out to a team practice and play catch with some of the players.

Ryan Kreidler was the first one to greet Mick, put him at ease and make his visit special as he went through several baseball drills with kids twice his size.

I knew then that Ryan would be a superstar, no matter where life takes him.

4. Jumbo avocado terrorizes Davis shoppers

Speaking of things that are making me happy, a recent four-page, full-color Save Mart ad that landed in my East Davis mailbox has me laughing out loud.

For there, in plain sight, was an ad for a “2 lb.” avocado.

Now, I may make the best guacamole this side of Winters, but I generally use four or five avocados.

The chance to make a whole bowlful of this chunky, spicy delight with a single avocado sent me scurrying to Save Mart so I could be the first in line.

I was in such a hurry that I forgot my shoes, but they let me in the front door barefoot anyway.

Two-pound avocados have that effect on people.

I even took along the Red-Headed Girl of My Dreams to help carry this heavyweight fruit back to the car for the trip home.

Alas, while I thought these massive gems would be on full display, I couldn’t find them anywhere in the produce section.

When I inquired of a grocer as to where I might find the two-pound avocados, he gave me a look as if I were from Mars.

I should have brought the ad with me.

5. Fighting for that last parking spot

Several times a week I find myself at a local fitness club where folks do everything they can to tell Father Time to take a hike.

Parking is always at a premium, of course, since just about everyone drives to their early-morning workout.

These are super-fit folks who are about to bench press 400 pounds or swim 10 miles or spin on a butt-busting bicycle seat until they get dizzy, and yet they want to park their SUV as close to the gym as possible so they are only a few steps from the front door and don’t burn any more calories than necessary.

My workout is usually so short that I just double park and hope I don’t get towed.

Valet parking is clearly in order.

6. Former UC Davis Athletic Director has resurrected the Pac-12

I’m happy to report that former Aggie Athletic Director Teresa Gould has been awarded a new five-year contract after her heroic efforts to rebuild a decimated Pac-12 conference that at one point had been reduced to just two schools - Oregon State and Washington State.

Teresa Gould

The historic league that was founded in a Portland hotel room in 1915 as the Pacific Coast Conference with simply Cal, Washington, Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College as members, is now thriving with nine schools and seemingly growing by the day.

A decade or so ago, I had the chance to work closely with Gould on the Celebration of Life for legendary Aggie football coach Jim Sochor.

I was impressed with her sensitivity, her compassion and her attention to important details, even though Jim Sochor’s coaching days ended long before Teresa arrived at UC Davis.

Her success at what at first seemed to be an impossible task to rebuild the Pac-12 is remarkable.

But not surprising.

7. Hoping to beat Pope Leo at his own game

Among all the little details coming out about Pope Leo, the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, is that his real name is Bob.

And yes, that makes me happy.

Apparently, when you reach the Pearly Gates, if you simply say to St. Peter, “Hi, I’m Bob,” you’re in.

The second little detail that caught my attention in a recent New York Times article is that the pope plays tennis “regularly” and fancies himself as a fairly decent player. At least on those occasions when he’s not ministering to the world’s one billion Catholics.

Drone footage has convincingly revealed that there is a single, well-hidden, well-maintained tennis court at the Vatican.

So here’s the deal.

I hereby challenge Pope Leo to a Bob vs. Bob tennis match, two sets out of three, at a date of his choosing.

I’ll even concede homecourt advantage if he’ll agree to pay my airfare.

And who do I think will prevail in this Bobathon?

Well, let’s just say you’d be ill-advised to beat the pope if you hope one day to get into heaven, no matter what your first name happens to be.

8. In heartfelt recognition for all he has done, I award our president this incredible prize

Yes, after the Commander in Chief raked in $2.2 billion in the last year by convincing his diehard fans to buy a worthless coin, I today happily bestow upon one Donald J. Trump the first and only Nobel Fleece Prize.

“Fleece means to swindle, overcharge, or defraud someone out of their money. It likens the act of ripping someone off to shearing a sheep - painlessly stripping them of all their valuables.”

Sheep indeed.

That $2.2 billion is 440 times more than what he owes E. Jean Carroll, but his attorneys insist that if he has to pay up, he will suffer “irreparable harm.”

I should experience such harm.

And by the way, if you buy something in the morning and sell it the same afternoon, you are not an investor. You’re a gambler.

Unless, of course, you received inside information.

Reach me at bobdunning@thewaryone.com

(If something is making you happy today, feel free to share it here.)