Recently, this picture was unearthed in my parents basement. It was taken in my grandmother's kitchen by my uncle David, who was well on his way to being the professional photographer he is today. I must have been all of three years old. I loved going to my Grandmother's house and "learning to cook." Her specialty, if you can call it that, was angelfood cake. You know, the kind that grandmas used to make with that putty-like icing it takes a chainsaw to cut through after it sets. I'm sure that's what I was mixing up in this photo.

Many years later I look back on that picture and see a time when things seemed more simple. I don't mean to sound cliche, but it didn't take much to make you happy back then. The X-Box, HDTV and e-mail were the stuff of science fiction. All it took to make me happy was the loving hands of my grandmother lifting me up on a chair to watch the electric mixer blades go round and round. After a few minutes, I'd tell my grandma that I thought it was ready to bake and I'd help her pour the batter in to the donut shaped pan. Grandma would slide the cake into the oven and turn on the light so I could watch the progress through the tiny smudged window. I'd check back about every two to three minutes with amazement as this wonderous creation progressed into a golden topped mound that I imagined looked like the surface of a far away planet. When the cake was finished baking, my grandma would take it out of the oven and balance it precariously on an empty Coke bottle which fit nicely in the center hole of the pan. I guess it cooled better that way. After it was cool, grandma would slice off the rough top edge to make it level. We ate the small slivers as she planed it to a perfect flatness to flip over onto a giant plate. Grandma would then mix up her magic icing and I would help her ice the cake. By the time we were done, I'd have icing from elbow to fingertip and be the happiest kid on the planet.

I guess my whole point here is that, while I very much enjoy my high speed internet, my X-Box and my HDTV, nothing beats a little time with a loved one, doing something simple like baking a cake.