Shangri-La de da

Shangri-La is commonly associated with the notion of a hidden paradise, or a place of eternal happiness. It can mean other things depending on whom you ask. To my neighbor Matt, his house is Shangri-La if a certain condition is met.

When I'm walking my dogs, I sometimes see him on his carport stoop, arm braced on a refrigerator stocked to capacity with beers, smoking Marlboros and contemplating how he can procrastinate running errands from his "honeydew" list.

"The thorn in mah side is at her mama's today," he'll say wistfully, referring to his wife. "So now I'm in Shangri-La!"