Point A to Point B

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon last week, driving down University Boulevard.

I was going to the university to get some books for a paper I'm working on. (I'm in a master's degree program - a lot of added work on my plate, even though I'm just taking one class.)

So in front of me I see a new Porsche 911 convertible humming along. Slowly. $103,000. Then I think of how the chariot I'm driving is worth approximately 1/103 as much.

Three miles later, we both got to the intersection where I turned at roughly the same time. In fact, I arrived about a minute earlier. The function of both cars was achieved. Transportation.

That's the point, isn't it?

By the way, I say this not as a self-righteous thing (like how much better I am because I drive a humble car) - but rather I want to remind myself and you that the thing we already have may do the job just fine! We don't necessarily need the new, fast, shiny thing that we want so much.

Photo courtesy of the Porsche USA website.

A birthday present that gives twice

Heather's birthday is just a week after mine. She requested a stainless steel sink. (No, she didn't want a bottle of perfume. She's very feminine, but she's not your average lady. Maybe that's why I married her.)

Anyhow, Habitat for Humanity has a store in Denver. It's amazing! People bring them stuff that they don't need, and they sell it - benefiting their mission to bring affordable housing to those who are priced out of the market.

So I got a sink for $9.61!!

If you're in Denver, call 303-722-5863. And get your next little or big home improvement thing there. If you're not in Denver, do some research to see if there is one in your city. Or, if you're feeling generous, here is where you can give to them.

Another little big guy

Tattered Cover is an independent bookstore chain in Denver. They have three locations. I happened to buy something there the other day, because it was convenient (and on my way to another business I had to visit).

I noticed the poster here, stuck on the back of one of the cash register monitors.

I just don't buy all the lines about how it is more righteous to buy things from an independent. Some are true - but not all. When you go to Starbucks or Office Depot, you are helping the people who work there to keep their jobs, too.

There's a feeling that if you shop at an independent store, you are helping the little guy. That is true when you visit the little mountain town coffee shop rather than the Starbucks on the interstate. But I'd wager that Mr. or Ms. Tattered Cover President lives in a bigger house than you do.

Having said all that, I do avoid WalMart whenever possible.

The little big guy

Ace Hardware.

I dunno if they have one in your neighborhood - but they're great. You wanna buy a single screw? They have it. Bird feeder? For sure. Little red wagon? Yup.

Home Depot? NOT a chance. You have to buy a box of a thousand screws.

If I were independently wealthy, I'd buy stock in Ace, even if it was not a good investment. But I don't think they're listed on the stock market.

The double bonus for me is that my local Ace is a very short bicycle ride away.

Hot drink season again

It's so hard to believe that it's already that time of the year in North America and Europe again. Where did the summer go?

One of the things I missed when I lived at the equator was the change of seasons. Fall (Autumn, to those of you in the UK) is maybe my favorite season. I love the crisp feel in the air. I enjoy the colors in the trees. When I was a kid, I delighted in the smell of burning leaves. Alas, that's another thing that went by the wayside with the changes in culture.

(I admit, I like coffee year-round.)

A fun idea for your Monday

I found this one evening a few months back and saved it to share with you. (It was from a random flikr thing featuring "what is in your wallet?")

How thoughtful this person was!

(Do I carry a balloon in my wallet? No. But it's a good idea.)

For the detail-oriented out there, you will have noticed that the wallet owner lives in the UK.

Why I added this

It's kind of an ugly little sidebar thing. But I think it's fascinating to see who visits my blog.

Thank you to all you visitors! I may be visiting yours too!

Update: I think this tool only shows people who are registered with mybloglog.

Update 2 (Oct. 10): I took it away. Since the only visitors that it featured were those who are mybloglog members, that's not enough of you for me to keep it on this site.

The death of Sun Tour

My road bike had a Sun Tour rear derailleur for more than 20 years. It finally died. Now it has a Shimano, like the vast majority of bicycles in the US.

Sun Tour went out of business back in the 90s, I think. But apparently they are back again. If you're ultra into detail on this, Sheldon Brown has an article for you.

My wife's old Trek road bike still has Sun Tour derailleurs. We got that bike at the Goodwill. It was a diamond in the haystack!

ps It broke my heart to throw away that old Sun Tour. (Since it had aluminum and steel mixed, it would be hard to recycle.)

You have to be a REAL geek

Playing Tetris in Terminal? (The TUAW story is here.)

I don't like to play games on my computer anyhow. It's one of those doors that if I opened up, it would be hard to close. So I just avoid it.

But if you're going to play a computer game, why not go for one with a decent interface that's built-in?!

Creativity, in an unlikely place

One of the places I occasionally see live music at displays these stickers - above the paper towel bin in the rest room. Actually, stickers are all over that room.

I enjoy looking at them, just to stretch my boundaries a little. The artists are pretty much restricted to the palette of black and white. They are required to use the band's name. And yet a few gems pop to the surface, every now and then.

What unlikely place have you found creativity recently?