Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.
1. The Classic Bandana
My dad was always a handkerchief guy–white cloth square in his back pocket for wiping a drippy nose. To this day the thought of putting snot back in your pocket and then having to launder it later is abominable to me. I say all that to clarify that I do not endorse the use of the bandana as a handkerchief. I do endorse the carrying of bandanas in pockets, purses, and cars for just about every other use–mopping sweat (necessary for some of of us bigger guys in warm climates), wiping kids’ faces, emergency bandage, etc. A dampened bandana is the original Magic Eraser. They are the duct tape of fabrics. Any adult should have one close by at all times.
2. Vitamix Blender
I was sold on the Vitamix when I watched my mom dump a bag of whole apples, some honey, and some cinnamon in hers, hit the start button and about 7-10 minutes later deliver delicious apple sauce to the table. These aren’t cheap, but they are worth the money. I use mine most mornings to make smoothies (that are actually smooth). If you are a soup or sauce person, these blenders are awesome. The Vitamix even comes with a recipe book because of all the possibilities you can make with it.
3. The Semicolon
An author I respect, who I would consider a trustworthy person and good thinker, posted something to the effect of “No sentence has ever been improved or made more elegant by using a semicolon.” In response I would simply like to say, rubbish. Admittedly, the misuse of the semicolon can muddle meanings and muck up otherwise sound writing. And, admittedly, learning any sort of “rules” about when to use one is nearly impossible because they don’t really exist. The semicolon is truly punctuation of style, an enhancement of otherwise sound writing by writers with the sensibility, dexterity, and panache to use it well. The semicolon is the gray area of writing–not a full stop leading to a new thought, but neither two thoughts combined into one. It communicates relationship and sequence but also distance and disparity. If that confuses you, don’t use the semicolon. If that intrigues you, become a fundamentally good writer who knows all the rules then use the semicolon.
