I’m on vacation this week. Vacation makes me happy. Here are some other things that make me happy.

• Comic books. I recently discovered a web site that has tons of old comic books available to browse for free, and it has turned me back into the nerdy, dateless teenager I once was. Reading classic story arcs like “Knightfall,” where Batman takes on Bane for the first time, “The Death of Superman,” and others that I missed over the years has gotten me back into a hobby I left behind a few years ago.

Some of it is nostalgia, but it’s more than that. When a comic book is done well it takes you on a ride, sucks you into its pages, and truly becomes a work of modern art.

• Huge comebacks in a game. This one might sting Ole Miss fans a little, after the Rebels blew a 9-1 lead in the SEC Tournament championship game against Vanderbilt, but it’s always thrilling to watch a huge comeback unfold.

There’s a point in these things where you realize it’s still early and there’s time to rally. Another point where the team that’s behind breaks the momentum and then has a pivotal inning or run to chip into the deficit. And, finally, the moment when the comeback is complete. The journey is the thrill.

• A team ending a championship drought in its home stadium. Watching the NHL’s St. Louis Blues end a 49-year run of mediocrity to reach the Stanley Cup Final a couple of weeks ago was an exercise in joy.

The Blues beat San Jose 5-1 in Game 6, on their home ice, and by the midway point of the third period the outcome was not in doubt. The players on both teams felt it. The fans could feel it. And, over the last 10 minutes, the crowd worked itself into an anticipatory frenzy as they celebrated a moment they’d been waiting their whole lives for. I’m not a fan of the Blues, and only a casual hockey fan, but that moment when a city can let go of generations of frustration always brings a smile to my face.

• The beach. There’s something so calming about sitting there with the sand in front of you, while a gentle white noise of waves, splashing and seagulls fills your ears. Seeing a ship on the horizon and wondering if you could swim out to it. Seeing the endless stretch of water in front of you.

I’m at the beach this week. I’m going to let this one soak in for a little while.

Ernest Bowker is the sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at ernest.bowker@vicksburgpost.com