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Friday, Feb 09, 2001
February 8, 2001
Bits and Pieces
I realize that I continue to procrastinate about writing about the return portion of my cross-country trip. In the meantime, a few tidbits.
Patina
Patina seems to be all the rage these days. In Pottery Barn (TM) and other similar retail establishments, you can find furniture with pre-installed dings, chips, worn off paint, etc. Faux patina is good. It gives a sense of character earned through longevity to items that are not built to last.
On the other hand, Americans have a fascination with newness almost as extreme as the Japanese. (Try to find a car with a dent in Tokyo.) Real patina is bad.
Will the baby boomers catch on to the concept of "patina chic"? Will they use their collective media power to change the standards of beauty? Can you imagine 20-year olds, who generally don't need makeup in the first place, applying faux wrinkle makeup to imbue themselves with character? Nah.
Onward Christian Soldiers
I'm looking for a volunteer gig to avoid complete loss of the work ethic during my sabbatical. (Note to self: How many months can I slack and still call it a sabbatical?) During December, I spent time with a charity that collected and distributed over 50,000 toys.
That was nice, but I'm interested in doing something more significant than helping perpetuate a Christian holiday. I justified my involvement with Christmas on the basis that it's really a pagan holiday co-opted by the early Christians. Besides, a lot of the gifts are things like school supplies and toothbrushes.
Habitat for Humanity builds simple, decent housing in the US and around the world for people who otherwise couldn't afford it. That's more significant than a toy drive, but I keep getting stuck on two words in their brochure: Christian ministry.
Perhaps I should put aside my thoughts of the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the KKK and the Holocaust. Perhaps I should just pound nails for people who need housing.