I was on the prowl for some new sneakers a couple of weeks ago. I wanted something simple and unique, comfortable and humbly stylish. I decided on P.F. Flyers, and thought I would share my thoughts on them, along with some background information.
I bought myself some new shoes this past week, something I haven’t done in a long time. After extensive research, I decided on going with some old school, Bob Cousy PF Flyers. I am exceptionally happy with my purchase; I think the shoes fit my personality and design sensibilities. But that is not what’s got me thinking this evening.
What’s got me thinking is just how different the retail market, and the whole process of buying something, is today. Thanks to the internet, I can, and did, shop around to dozens of different sites, looking at hundreds of different shoes, reading reviews and specs, and finding the lowest price. This is a luxury generations before ours did not have.
This is certainly not a new realization; however I did something tonight that made me think. I, a 21 year old, grown-ass-man Googled “how to lace up and tie your shoes”. Why you ask? Because I wanted to t figure out the absolute best way to lace up and tie my new shoes, which I spent so much time and energy picking out. And, of course, I found exactly what I was looking for, a nice man named Ian who seems to know everything there is to know about lacing up and tying one’s shoes. Basically, the internet allows me to appease my perfectionist tendencies, allows me to do almost anything, no matter how simple, in the best way imaginable.
I am interested to get you people’s thoughts on this. Is this kind of diversification of information, including the mundane, allow each of us to uniquely pick our path through this world from the countless choices before us? Or, is this kind of obsessive perfection a detrimental waste of time to society, suffocation original ideas? Let me know what you 400 anonymous subscribers think!
Ian on How To Lace Up Your Shoes (I decided to go with the Over-Under)
Ian on How to Tie Your Shoes (Secure Shoelace Knot for me!)
For a long, long time I have wanted a sweet cruiser/low-rider from the 70’s. A nice Schwinn Orange Krate would be the ideal, but this hot little yellow number popped up on Craigslist and I could not resist. It is in near perfect condition, right down to the original tires, and it is already super fun to cruise around on.
Today is Bill Watterson’s 51st birthday. I have been waiting for an excuse to gush about Calvin and Hobbes, his masterpiece, for some time, and his birthday seems like as good a reason as any.
I have always been completely enamored with Calvin and Hobbes. When I was a little kid I was drawn to the strip, and now that I am nearly 21 years old, the comic is even more dear to me. Something about Calvin’s antics, his innocence, his explosive imagination, represents the way I hope to move through the world. Really, what more could one ask for than to set off everyday in search of fun with a best friend. Watterson has a way of tackling some serious issues, like those of death, faith, and war, from a beautifully simple angle: the innocent perspective of a child. His beautifully illustrated strips have always helped keep me centered and never fail to put a smile on my face.
I shall consider myself lucky if I am able ever to create something that affects somebody the way Calvin and Hobbes has affected me. The strip is like a warm blanket, or a slice of my mother’s homemade cake.
Bill doesn’t consider himself a celebrity and refuses to sign autographs or make any kind of public appearance, something I admire him for. He probably wouldn’t even want me writing this little bit about him on my modest blog, but I wanted to spread the love about him and his work. So today, get out your books and read some Calvin and Hobbes, and if you some how are not familiar with the strip, buy yourself a book and delve into its glory; you won’t regret it.
Though it may make me seem a plebeian, there are few facets of culture I hold in the same high regard as Calvin and Hobbes. Happy Birthday Bill Watterson, and thank you for your fantastic work.
