Allure Of The Unknown Web Address

Posted 14 May 2008

Daily Life, Signs, The Little Things | 1 Comment 

I passed a billboard on the side of the highway. It was mostly blank, but it had a single web address in the center of the board. These types of billboards and advertisements have been climbing into our lives in recent years, and finally I have gotten to wondering.

When I see the simple signs with nothing but a web address, I impulsively want to go check out the website. I don’t know if I’m the only one with this knee-jerk reaction, but I am going to assume that I am not. Not every website advertised intrigues me, but the ones with quirky names that sound interesting or relevant to me (even though they might not be), the ones that I can’t possibly imagine what they are for, or the ones that might just be the next cool thing, those are the signs that draw this impulse from me. Strangely, I know from experience that more often than not the websites just are leading to more ads and nothing that I am particularly interested in. In fact, if they look too mainstream, as if perhaps designed by a major company (you can usually tell these ones because they show up in too many places), I have almost no inclination to go to the website. Still, I think even then I have a tiny desire to check out the site, if only to confirm that I am not interested.

Why do I have this attraction to the unknown website?

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Parental happiness

Posted 10 May 2008

Daily Life, The Little Things | Leave a Comment 

This evening I had a wonderful experience that brought me real pleasure as a parent. As I was putting my youngest down to sleep for the night, my oldest was thoughtful and old enough to pop a couple of beers into the freezer for me so that they would be cold when I came back to the kitchen. ( “Dad, I put in two beers, because ‘a couple’ mean two, right, dad?”) Sure, I asked my oldest to help out, but that the little one responded made me so happy. One down for the night, one to go and cold beer in the fridge …

Hey you parents out there – is this one of the great turning points in the life of the family, when a child can bring dad beer?

Cooking With Beer

Posted 7 May 2008

Daily Life, Drinks | 2 Comments 

I know plenty of people who make beer bratwurst, beer bread, or put beer in stew, and I find it a very tasty addition to the right meal. I am wondering, why doesn’t anyone make beer flavored spices? Read more

And the name is …

Posted 5 May 2008

Commuting, Daily Life | 4 Comments 

To begin, I really need to thank everyone who submitted suggestions via the comments and via email. Lots and lots of great ideas! This is exactly why we started this blog, to engage in a dialogue with people all over the world. And we have! At least according to Google Analytics, we have. We’ve had visitors from Canada, England, America and yes, even China!

The decision process for naming my bike has been an exciting one. The wonderful names submitted have been a great source of inspiration to me. Can I spend just a few minutes reflecting on some of the suggestions?

1. I loved the idea of Chuck Norris. “That’s Chuck; don’t steal ‘im or he’ll kill you with his moves,” I imagined myself saying to hoodie-wearing teenagers as I parked him outside a shop without locking him up. But what would fans of Walker Texas Ranger think of it? Would naming my bike after their hero be a diss of their show?
2. Hillary? Well, I admit that would certainly be a conversation starter, especially this year (in light of the presidential elections in the US). And how cool would that be to say, ‘Not that Hillary! Know you nothing of Sir Edmund?’
3. As a history buff, I liked the idea of Raleigh, until I considered trademark issues and the fact that Sir Walter Raleigh’s attempts at colonies in the Americas all just mysteriously vanished. That wouldn’t do for a bike.
4. I am afraid that Pit Stain was totally unacceptable.
5. Charles seems to have been a popular submission, but again like Hillary, I wonder if it would prove too political a name for the bike to handle. I wouldn’t want anti-monarchists to vandalise my bike in the middle of the night.

So in the end, what did I come up with? Read more