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When change happens too fast

dead leaves on a tree in autumn

Autumn hit Denver this year faster than ever. The temperature dropped 70 degrees in 12 hours. As a result, most leaves never had a chance to turn their usual bright colors. They went from green to brown and are falling swiftly to the ground.

Business often forces growth in the same way. If the acceleration of growth happens at the speed of a Ferrari, what could go wrong?

A lot.

When quantity increases too fast, quality drops.

The end user’s needs often get lost in the push to get the product out the door.

So instead, slow down and experience the joys of life – both personally and in your business.

Caveat… businesses should be able to adapt to change quickly. An example is the music industry and its slow adjustment to the changes streaming brought to the marketplace.

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Cauterized

match with flame

The older we get, the more cynical and cauterized we can become about life’s experiences.

As we’re hurt, it’s easy to say, “I’ve experienced this before, so it shouldn’t hurt as much this time through.”

Wrong.

If you experience pain, it shows you’re alive.

I’m thankful to be alive.

Sometimes it’s better to fully experience our pain rather than avoiding it. The lessons we learn might stick longer. Our appreciation of life post-pain will be greater. And our ability to empathize with those who are in pain will increase – they know we understand.

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The incomprehensiveness of fashion

prada sneakers

Prada has a new pair of shoes – the Cloudbust Thunder.

They look like kids’ Power Rangers shoes. They appeal to… I’m not sure who.

And they are priced at $895, before taxes.

Why?

I’m sure they cost more to make than the Nikes people buy at Walmart. Prada designers are more highly-paid. Their nylon threads are sustainably-sourced. (Maybe not on that last one.)

It’s a luxury product from a luxury manufacturer. The outsized lug soles will not provide greater traction as the wearer navigates moonscapes. But the style will stand out in any crowd – at least to the shoegazers.

Interestingly, these shoes are in Prada’s “Must Haves” category.

Not for this shoegazer.

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Facing the impossible

cars parked too close in Catania, Italy

It was our last night visiting our son, Ben. He lives in a crowded, noisy, hot city in Sicily, Catania.

We decided to stay in an Airbnb together in the heart of downtown, to give him a break from his normal life.

Problem: there’s literally nowhere to park.

The main parking garage is blocked in by the outdoor market. You can only park there if you arrive before the market stalls are set up or after they are taken down – and the stalls are up for most waking hours.

We finally found a spot, after looking for 20 minutes. Ben stood in the opening so I could drive around the block to access the spot. But then my lack of directional sense meant I could not get back. (A maze of one-way streets conspired against me.)

Ben, who is totally used to living there, was almost as frustrated by the situation as I was.

The moral of the story is, how do I deal with frustration and disappointment?

In this case, things worked out, and afterward, our frustration eventually died down.

(Ben met me in a place I shared via a maps app and then navigated me back to the aforementioned slot, which quite miraculously was still open. )

But a better reaction would have been to just relax and not worry about how long it all was taking. After all, we were on vacation together!

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Parallel murder mysteries

knife and gun - collage

I read murder mysteries on my Kindle some nights, just before drifting off to sleep.

I listen to murder mysteries via CDs that I check out from the library during my car commute.

My problem is that those two running plotlines sometimes blend.

And then, if I add in two or three nights’ sessions of an episode of Midsommer Mysteries on Acorn TV, it gets even worse.

Definitely a first-world problem.

Collage created from two Unsplash images by Yaroslav Кorshikov and Alejo Reinoso. Copyright and used under Creative Commons license.

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Smaller in real life

mannekin pis sculpture

Reality has a way of messing with our preconceived notions.

Take Mannekin Pis, for example. This little guy is a famous landmark close to the center of Brussels, Belgium.

And he’s often thought of to be about 6 or 8 feet high. In reality, he’s just two feet tall.

Until we experience things for ourselves, we never know what’s real.

Apparently, some unknown group decorates little Mr. Mannekin for special occasions. The Tour de France was going through Brussels on the same day I took this pic. The unknown group had dressed him in a yellow jersey and a cycling cap.

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Happy Father

My dad died 30 years ago this month.

I miss him.

A few weeks back, I dreamed I was traveling home from somewhere, and my dad picked me up. I told him how great it was to see him.

I don’t put much stock in dreams, but that was a great dream – and a nice thought to wake up with, circling around the corners of my consciousness.

I miss sharing my kids with him. He loved kids, and I know he would have loved mine (as well as the kids of my sisters – and the dogs of my brother).

I am sad he never got to know my wife. She met him very briefly as a brain tumor was taking over his life.

I’m sorry I never got his advice on some of the more adulting things I’ve traveled through over the last 30 years.

If your dad is alive today, give him a hug. Tell him how much you love him.

My dad was about the age I am today in this photograph.

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It’s a matter of personal taste

kia telluride

kia telluride ad - modifiedThe 2020 Kia Telluride is ugly.

But you may like it.

I know it’s rugged looking. I know it carries visual themes from the Hummer and Jeep Wrangler. I know it can perform mild off-road tasks. And I know that Telluride is a beautiful town in my home state, Colorado.

But the design just does not appeal to me.

I realize that I’m hopelessly old-school, but I find the sedan and its wagon variant attractive. They are lower to the ground, corner better and have enough room for most daily uses.

For the same money, one could buy a really nice used Audi A4 wagon with all-weather capability but no off-road ground clearance.

The photo is courtesy of Kia USA.

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Design for humans.

skin creme container protective cover

Product designers forget their end users.

This tube of creme had a security seal that would only come off using a pair of vice grips. The manufacturer never tested that seal with human hands.

Poor design surrounds us.

Bathroom hand dryers… the popular Xlerator makes so much noise that hearing damage may result. Dyson’s Airblade dB pushes your hands toward the sides – thus negating some of the hygienic effects of touchless air drying.

And the list goes on.

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