Half-demolished Kitchen of the Soul

TED Tuesday: Do schools kill creativity?

Wish list

So here I am, a week from another birthday, reflecting on the years ahead. I thought about where and how I'd like to live in my old age. My life will be necessarily modest, which is fine, because my desires are also modest.

– A location somewhere in the world with:

• a low cost of living

• sufficiently stable government

• relatively low crime

• adequate infrastructure

• basic medical services

• public transportation

• a language I know or can learn without starting from scratch

• a non-hostile attitude toward Americans

• medium to low humidity

• low probability of natural disasters

– Living space about the size of a studio apartment with:

• reliable utilities

• adequate water and sewage

• high-speed internet

• satellite TV with English language programming

• quiet between midnight and 6:00

• walking distance to the market

That's pretty much it. Your suggestions are welcomed.

Music Video Monday: Freddy King

A big man needs a big collar.

 

My cars: 1967 Volkswagen Type III Fastback

This was my college car, except mine was dark red and didn't have blinds in the back window. The Type III was way upscale compared to the Beetle. It was roomier, was fuel injected, and had trunks in front and back. 

I loved it because it was different, and I desperately wanted to be different from everyone else—because I knew my chances of fitting in with the majority were very slim to start with.

Being a broke college student, the only customization I could afford was replacing the shifter knob with a crystal door knob. And slightly denting the rear trunk when another car gave me a push start.

When I left school I traded in the VW because it was making a strange noise (on top of all the other strange noises VWs made). That was a mistake, as I will explain next week.

New feature: TED Tuesday

Music Video Monday: Smashing Pumpkins

Sometimes it's good companies don't have their act together

After mowing with my new toy, I put it away and went to plug it in to recharge. But where was the charger? 

I had taken it out of the box and set it on the retaining wall while unpacking the rest. Then I... What?

I put it in the garage, right? So why don't I see it?

Did I take it in the house for some reason? It's not there either.

I thought back. Between putting it on the wall and mowing the yard, I had gone inside to change my shoes. Had someone swiped it then?

Thinking that was the only possibility, I went to Black & Decker's site to order a new one. Forty-something bucks plus shipping. Sigh. But when I clicked to place the order it wouldn't let me. Instead a notice came up that the chargers were backordered until May. Uh, when you release a new product, shouldn't you have parts in stock?

While I was contemplating how I would mow the lawn until May, I made one more check of everywhere. I found the charger on the table at the back of the garage, next to the washer. Oh, now I remember putting it there.

I never did any drugs but my short-term memory is still fading.

1.7 on the Manliness Scale

Behold my first ever lawn mower. Until now I've either paid someone to do my yard work or I've had no yard. 

This beauty scores low on the Manliness Scale because it's electric. Real men burn gas at every opportunity.

My cars: 1961 Dodge Lancer

The first car I considered mine was actually my mother's. This picture is of someone else's, though mine was also white. 

I was surprised to find a photo online because I thought Dad was the only one with taste bad enough to have ever bought one. Dad preferred Chrysler Corporation products for some reason. He said he chose the Lancer over the nearly identical Plymouth Valiant because he thought the  fake spare tire bulge on the latter's trunk was silly. All things are relative, I guess.

The car was seven years old when I started driving it. My contributions were a rear speaker (the height of car audio cool at the time) and a Skyline Eagles decal. It had nearly bald snow tires year round. It was starting to rust like the one in the picture. 

I left it behind when I went to college and when I came home one day the folks had disposed of it. I think they tried trading it in and the dealer laughed. I think that was when my parents decided they could get by with one car.

Oh, and this car had a feature unique to Chrysler cars of the day: a push-button automatic transmission. Almost as space age as those zoomy taillights.

Direction = time

When my parents lived in the east they joked/complained that though they traveled west to see relatives, the relatives never came east because the east is farther away than the west.

It must be true, because I got a shipment today from England, by mail, through customs, in less time than it usually takes to get something from California.