Outright stealing a (good) idea...the letter Z

Ok, these might not be things I LOVE, but I do enjoy them in their own way and would rather they exist than not exist and really isn't that all anyone can ask?

1. Zucchini (a.k.a. courgette) - A small summer squash that lends itself readily to yummy things that make me happy such as breaded or battered fried zucchini. Even the flowers of the zucchini plant are edible. The fruit (it is, indeed a fruit, though for culinary purposes it is treated as a vegetable) can be prepared in oh-so-many ways: steamed, boiled, grilled, stuffed and baked, barbecued and, as previously mentioned, fried. It can also be incorporated into a bread. I suggest whipping up a simple tempura batter, dipping the flower in and giving them a quick fry.

2. Zeros, The -(specifically the album "4-3-2-1...The Zeros"). Sammy Serious et al were a purple, glam rock treat.

3. ZIP Codes - (Zone Improvement Plan)...I mean, c'mon... someone from the farthest reaches of the country, or even the planet can drop a letter in a nearby mailbox and, assuming the proper postage has been affixed, the letter will somehow find it's way to my mailbox. You can't beat that!

4. Zinc - Not only does this metal mix with coopper to make brass, it is an essential mineral that is necessary to sustain all life. Ironically, too much zinc intake is possible, leading to lots of bad things, so don't swallow any pennies (post 1982).

5. Zoo, The - In particular, I like the Brookfield Zoo. It was the first American zoo to have a giant panda on display, the location of the first entirely-indoor dolphin habitat and the first indoor rain forest habitat (which at the time of it's opening, was the largest indoor zoo exhibit in the world. Brookfield Zoo also had the first captivitive birth of an okapi in the world.

6. Zoe - My parents' dog, a miniature short-haired dachshund. The best weiner-dog anyone could want, if one wanted a small, yapper type dog.

7. Zorro - I remember watching the old, black and white feature with Tyrone Power (not along side of him, he wasn't around me when I was watching, he played the lead character in the film) and the repeats of the 1950s TV series starring Guy Williams. They'd run on Saturday or Sunday mornings along with The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid. I even had collectible Zorro trading cards that, had the old garage not collapsed under the weight of massive amounts of snow, would probably be worth a great deal today.

8. Zero 13 - Superstition demolition. Reverse the curse.

9. Ziploc Bags - Keeping school-childrens' sandwiches together and 'safe' for over 40 years.

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