Hope y’all enjoyed “Palm Springs Week” here at Goodboys Nation blog. If you’re ice-bound or snowbound or about to be either, I hope this week’s posts brought you a sense of warmth and spirit. If you’d already thought The Great White Shank was nothing but a washed-up dinosaur, then perhaps this week kinda confirmed those sentiments. But you what? I don’t care. I think this country would do well to embrace a more laid-back, “ring-a-ding-ding” lifestyle where everything isn’t so “edgy” and bitter and divisive. I mean, what’s stopping everyone from gathering together, vegging out, and having a couple of cocktails to simply enjoy life for what it is? You only go around once in life, right?

One of the things I find most fascinating about the whole mid-century modern thing was how positive it all was. Whether it was architecture or furniture or a lifestyle, it was about simplicity and integrating one’s self with the environment you lived in. There was an innate sense that the world could be your oyster. And not taking everything so damned seriously like people do today. I mean, nowadays you can’t say or do or think anything without some idiot or group of idiots (and you know who I’m talking about here) getting all pi$$ed off and demanding an apology or explanation. Y’know what I mean?

I think everyone needs a Palm Springs to long for and dream of. It doesn’t have to be Palm Springs, per se – my concept is an earlier version of the Margaritaville that Jimmy Buffett conceived. But it’s all the same: a place where everyone knows your name. A place where you can feel comfortable amongst your peeps. A place that is carefree and welcoming. I’m not talking about a place where there are no stresses and strains, but it’s certainly a place where you can come home from a hard day at work, drop your coat and your hat and unwind with a few cocktails amongst friends on a patio with some cool music playing on the patio. And if you’re single and there’s an attractive chick around, why not make a pitcher of martinis and let nature take its course?

What’s so bad about that?

And the things is, to do the Palm Springs concept right you don’t really need a whole lotta anything, just some imagination. Start off with some cool music, make some cocktails, invite a few friends, and let your patio or pad create the kind of laid-back atmosphere where folks can feel comfortable and welcome.

We all have it in us. What’s wrong with letting it happen?