Paul Merrill | Shiny Bits of Life

December 30, 2021

Those coveted sneakers

When I was six years old, Red Ball Jets came out with the coolest sneakers ever. They were totally black except for the little red ball on the heel label.

I wanted some so bad that even though the store didn’t have my size, I was willing to get a pair that was way too big – just so that I could be cool.

That sense of cool was internal. I don’t remember any of my friends having a pair.

Many years later, I finally got my all-black sneakers.

This pair is even cooler. They are made from almost 100% recycled materials. It’s surprising how much they look like my childhood favorite shoes.

Rewards (sometimes) come to those who wait.

November 22, 2021November 22, 2021

Musicians are strong

In 1985, James Taylor wrote a song about being a star in the music business. One part always struck me: “Perfect strangers … pay good money to hear Fire and Rain again … And again and again.”

It’s 26 years later. He has sung Fire and Rain countless times since.

I can’t imagine the pain of singing a hit song over and over. And over and over.

I guess you just numb yourself to the experience.

Two months ago, I saw one of my recent favorite bands live. A few of their songs stuck in my head since then. I played them enough times that I had to stop.

I followed their tour on Instagram. Compared to pre-Covid times, it was a short tour – about fifty performances over a few months. But they must have gotten tired of singing their songs every night. Forty years from now? I can’t imagine…

October 9, 2021

Gotta love those algorithms

A message from Alexa on a Kindle screen: "Alexa, what should I read next?"

My Kindle served up this message last week: “Alexa, what should I read next?”

For some reason, that offended me. Why should I listen to what Alexa tells me about what I should be reading? Won’t I just be playing into the hands of Alexa’s father, Amazon?

But then I stepped back.

Spotify’s algorithms have done a fine job of serving up fresh music to me for a few years now. I’m a devoted fan of their “Discover Weekly” playlist, which provides new music to me based on the tunes I like. They don’t always get on-target… some of the bands and tunes have been a little too weird. And lately, they are serving up too much of the kind of music I enjoy. I like to find music that stretches my boundaries … but not too far.

So let’s ride those algorithms… but let go when it gets too choppy.

September 11, 2021September 11, 2021

Beautify our highways

a trailer with an empty back door vs. a trailer with a beautiful photo on the back door

We went on vacation – driving 2,245 miles to Idaho and back. (Some of those miles were around the state.)

Interstate Highway 80 is a major trucker’s route across the nation. As a result, we followed behind an abundance of 18-wheeler trucks/trailer combos. (We passed them when we were able.)

As I looked at the blank backsides of many a trailer, I thought what a better experience it would be to look at either beautiful photography or creative artwork.

Trucking companies – go for it! The first trucking company to hop on this idea will greatly improve their public perception.

August 9, 2021

The Lure of Canvas

The world has moved on from Canvas.

(And I do understand that Canvas is still the appropriate backing for an oil painting.)

Huckberry is a mostly-for-men retailer that often features cool retro clothing and objects of desire, targeted at males of my age and demographic.

Rarely am I willing to pay the premium for such luxury items, but it’s fun to look and sometimes dream.

This week, Huckberry tried to sell me a $268 waxed canvas jacket. I love how the jacket changes with age to become even more desirable.

Alas, that price is not in my budget. Furthermore, Gore-Tex entered the clothing market 40-ish years ago and revolutionized outdoor clothing fabrics. A typical waterproof and breathable shell parka these days weighs about a third of what the Flint and Tender waxed canvas jacket does – and allows you to sweat less if you’re doing the required wood chopping exercises.

But there’s no Gore-Tex parka made that looks anything like a waxed canvas jacket!

The photo is courtesy of Larry George II and used under a Creative Commons license.

July 15, 2021

I used to look forward to mail

home mailbox with one letter and junk mail

Mail these days consists of advertising and an occasional letter to our daughter who’s home from college this summer.

It used to be that our mailbox would include evidence of actual human contact. Now it’s only once every few weeks.

Oh – but I do enjoy my car magazines… but they’re dying away too.

July 5, 2021

Our most precious resource

Time.

I looked down at my Apple Watch and saw that the controls were blurred, since the designers decided to highlight the most important thing – time – instead of the many other possibilities it could have displayed.

We wear watches to measure time.

Whether it’s minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years, we all care about time:

How much time until our next meeting?
How much time until the show begins?
How much time until my prison sentence is finished?
How much time until our baby is born?
How much time until our flight leaves?
How much time until the start of the next semester?
How much time until our vacation begins?

Some of us measure our stocks. Some of us measure what’s in our bank accounts. Some of us measure how much water or electricity we’re using.

But all of us measure time, by far our most precious resource.

What will you do with your next hour, day, week, month or year?

June 30, 2021January 27, 2022

My new Porsche

The very cheapest new Porsche 911 costs $101,200.

If you add…

Fancy wheels: $4,030
Fancy seats: $5,960
Fancy power addition to fancy seats: $3,830
Fancy leather-everywhere interior: $17,110
Fancy gauges and clock: $3,900
Fancy headlights: $2,470
Fancy stereo: $3,980
Fancy remote parking system: $6,950
Fancy carbon fiber roof: $3,890
Fancy aerodynamics kit: $8,710
Fancy paint protection kit: $2,760
Fancy door mirrors: $1,630
Fancy black window trim: $510
Fancy “Porsche” on door: $560
Fancy “911” on rear: $350
Fancy lid grille slats in same color as car: $720
Fancy tailpipes: $3,380
Fancy front axle lift system: $2,770
Fancy rear wiper: $370
Fancy cruise control and lane-keeping system: $3,020
Fancy heated leather steering wheel: $590
Fancy interior trim: $1,260
Fancy painted keys: $540
Fancy seat belts: $540
Fancy maintenance plan: $5,035
Fancy customized luggage: $6,323

…The final price comes to $201,271.

First: I did not get a new Porsche! I don’t have a used Porsche, either. Maybe when I get to heaven, my wheels will be from Stuttgart.

Second: This is an exercise to show you how crazy Porsche is when it comes to upgrades.

Third: If you add the costs of the options, it may not equal the total above. Porsche uses a different calculator than some people.

Photo by Martin Katler on Unsplash. Used by permission via a Creative Commons license.

June 5, 2021June 5, 2021

Which car should I buy?

I’ve been into cars my whole life. If I could sell my long-gone childhood Hot Wheels collection, I’d be a rich man.

My idea of fun reading is a car magazine. I love learning about a vehicle’s performance, design, value, and how it stands up against the competition. As a result of a lifetime of study, I know a lot about cars. I may not be able to diagnose why your car won’t start, but I can tell you which vehicle is the best in the class you’re considering.

I’ve never formally been a car salesperson. But I’ve recommended cars to many friends over the years.

Here are some of my favorite tips…

Skip the lease. If you buy a car, you’ll save a lot in the long run by buying a lesser model for the same as the lease payments for a fancier model. “But I’d have a monthly payment anyway,” is not a good argument when you consider where you’ll be at the end of the lease – having to start again compared to having a paid-for car. Better yet, keep driving your old beast and save up to pay cash.
What’s your primary use? If you’re going to live in the mountains with serious snow to plow through every day for months, then all-wheel drive is a good option. If you spend the vast majority of your time driving around town and live in a place that gets snow, a good set of snow tires and front-wheel drive will get you to your destination 99% of the time.
If you’re buying from Craigslist, be sure to take the vehicle you’re seriously considering to a reputable shop nearby to have a mechanic check it over. That could save you thousands in repair costs. The shop may turn up a serious problem you won’t see.
Make sure it has a clean title. If the used vehicle you like has a salvage title, you’ll save upfront but you’ll never recoup the difference when you later try to sell it.
Reliability makes a big difference five years down the road. Spend $10 on a month-long membership to Consumer Reports and find their ratings on the model you’re considering. You’ll discover, for example, that the Mazda CX-5 has much better ratings than the Hyundai Tucson.
Make sure it runs on the lowest octane. 30¢ a gallon adds up to a lot of money over the course of a year. (If you’re considering an electric car, this obviously does not apply.)
Finally, have fun. I’ve shared many practical considerations. But it’s worth spending a little more for a vehicle you’ll enjoy.

Disclaimers: I am not judging you if you lease your vehicle! And as with many things, do as I say, not as I do… one of our two vehicles has all-wheel drive. (The other, however, has front-wheel drive with snow tires – and it works great in the snow.)

The dashboard photo is courtesy of Claude Gabriel on Unsplash and is used with permission.

May 1, 2021

BMW Stumbles

2021 BMW M4: before and after design suggestions

BMW decided to change the face of their vehicles. They went from subtle double-kidney grilles to massive gaping mouths. In their attempt to go for a menacing look, they went too far and landed on a face that not even a mother (or father) would love.

Car and Driver magazine agrees: “Do whatever it takes to ignore the new BMW M4’s toothy grille…”

Sometimes designers go too far on purpose to push the envelope. Over time, what was outrageous becomes acceptable.

I have to eat my words on Kia’s design decisions (see this post). Two years ago, when their Telluride large SUV came out, I thought it was quite ugly. Now I’m used to the look.

I’m not sure if I will ever get used to BMW’s new face.

So I did a little work in Photoshop on James Lipman’s photo and made the grille more the size that God intended. (See above.)

Let’s push the envelope, but not too far.