- So, I wasn’t terribly surprised to see that Crocs is on the verge of bankruptcy. The ubiquitous shoe, mostly found on children, reminded me a lot of jams, those now funny shorts that many of us wore in the 1980’s. Not because they were similar in style, but because they were similar in trajectory, i.e. quick, explosive growth, followed up by a year or two of blanketing the globe. Suddenly, though, the knock-offs start to emerge, the market is saturated and the shine slowly starts to wear off and suddenly stores find themselves with end-caps and end-caps of unsold inventory and nothing to do with them but drop the price or sell them off for pennies on the dollar to another retailer. It’s an oft-repeated phenomenon in the retail world. I never wore them and neither did my children, but I see their utility. I guess I may not be seeing them for long.
- I’m reading Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and I must tell you, it’s one of the more compelling books I’ve read in some time. There is enlightenment, disgust and bewilderment and inspiration, all rolled up into one and presented in a nice little package here. It is, of course, a must read. That said, there are certain passages where I kind of wish I’d never started reading it because now when I eat certain foods, I’ll feel guilty or irresponsible for contributing to horrific business of food. I hope it becomes easier for everyone to understand food soon.
- I’m also reading Tom Brokaw’s book about the 1960s, called “Boom!” This is a less of a book, I suppose, and more like a collection of interviews and remembrances from the people who were there. Much like “The Greatest Generation,” Brokaw’s profiles in “Boom!” range from the very well-known (Judy Collins, Dick Cheney, many others) down to some everyday people like us. It’s light-to-medium reading and a good summer book.
- Today happens to be my 5th anniversary with Stephanie. All the old cliches about time moving so quickly are true. We met for real at the tail end of 1999 (we really met in the early fall of 1985) and while so much has changed in the ten years (hi kiddos!) we’ve been connected, another old cliche applies here – she has unequivocally and consistently made me a better person.
HAPPY ANIVERSARY !!! WE LOVE YOU ALL….