It's Labor Day Weekend, which means we're at the unofficial end of the summer of the strangest year of our lives. It seems like we were commemorating Memorial Day just a few days ago, with the pandemic persisting and national anger over systematic racism.
Three months later, we're . . . still there, I guess. But we're three months closer to the end, if my math is right.
Right?
Please?
Well, it's time to empty the columnist's metaphorical notebook, which is actually a virtual notebook on my smartphone.
•••
Whether these months of unrest have moved us in a positive direction is open for debate – we may be no better off than we were in the spring – but we seemed to have learned at least one thing: The point of protest is to create discomfort.
For years, Americans complained as people protested or boycotted because it made things inconvenient. We said that those protesters would be fine if they didn't block traffic or if they didn't make it impossible to go to my favorite restaurant or if they didn't make it difficult watch a sporting event without thinking about politics.
It feels like we've finally accepted that inconvenience is one of the purposes of protest. Protest are partially to challenge those doing wrong and to force those of us on the sidelines to consider the issue and maybe get involved.
That we're complaining less about the inconvenience of protest and talking more about the subject is one sign of growth, I guess.
I guess.
•••
Having helped with three moves (from home to home) in the past year has made something ridiculously clear: Mattresses should have handles.
When I was a kid, our mattresses had handles. At least my twin-bed mattress had them: Plastic straps on the side.
Mattresses are hard to move. They're heavy, awkward and often bend. We pay hundreds of dollars for a mattress. How much would it cost to add a simple strap to hold when you move it?
I'd even pay extra for that. Wouldn't you?
•••
As long as we're talking about improving products, how about this: Breakfast cereals should come in resealable bags.
Instead, they come in plastic bags that are either too hard to open or don't close easily. Or both.
Want to be the breakthrough breakfast cereal company: Keep your boxes, but improve your bags.
You're welcome.
•••
The NFL season starts this week with no "bubble."
What are the odds that the league makes it through January without a coronavirus-caused shutdown?
I give the NFL a 60 percent chance of making it. Mostly because that league will power through some outbreaks.
•••
I recently had an ant invasion at my house and had to get some spray, which reminded me of one of my favorite work-related stories.
Several years ago at the Daily Republic, a veteran copy editor convinced a young colleague that ants were baby roaches. "Ants turn into roaches when they get older," he said. "Why else do you think they sell ant and roach spray? Roaches are adult ants."
I started laughing in the store when I remembered that.
Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment