Whole Bean
Friday, March 15, 2024
The Chocolate Set
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
In Living Color
"The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC."
Words like those, heard often on American TV back in the 1960s, signaled that the program about to be aired was something special. Instead of being broadcast in black and white, those of us lucky enough to have a color TV would be treated to a veritable video rainbow. It sounds comical nowadays, but back then, a color TV was something of a luxury. My Aunt Alma had one, and my mom and I used to go over to her house on Friday evenings to watch shows like Gomer Pyle, USMC and Hogan's Heroes. It should be noted that our visits represented dedication to video excellence on the part of my mom and me, since Aunt Alma had a smelly little black poodle that she named Tangeroo, or in her words, "Tange-WOO." It was a sweet little dog, but still.
Fast forward sixty years or so, and here we are in a world that is very different, both in appearance and attitude, and yet still, people crave color in their lives. I'm not sure whether you've noticed, but if you take a look at home design websites or magazines, you'll see a return to color. People are no longer scared of painting a room something other than a safe neutral, and that is really livening things up. I think I have some ideas about why this is occurring.
For one, it's just time. Color choices are cyclical. Several years ago, we were all laughing at those midcentury kitchen shades of harvest gold, copper tone, and avocado. And yellow? Fuhgeddaboudit. But now, I'm seeing colorful kitchens on HGTV and Discovery Plus. Granted, I have yet to see the aforementioned marvelous three, but blues and greens are in abundance. And I read an article last week that yellow (in tasteful shades of course, because otherwise, it can knock you silly) is experiencing a comeback.Another reason for more color, I believe, is that people need some brightening up, both in their lives and in their surroundings. Face it, we've kinda got a mess going on in the world at large, and I think that most people like to decorate their homes in such a way that they are either soothed or energized, depending on the person and the room in question. With more people working remotely and spending larger amounts of time at home, this seems perfectly understandable.
I have to stop here for a minute and address the popularity of "griege," you know, that shade of gray that has for some years appeared to be the perfect neutral. Granted, we have two rooms in our house that are painted variations of it, but I was surprised recently when, at a loss for how to decorate my gray office/study/Casbah, one of my daughters suggested that it was missing an accent color to bring in a little warmth. Enter some rust accent pieces, and voila, problem solved.
This color shift also appears to be applying to vehicles. Back in the 1970s especially, you could buy a car in almost any color of the rainbow. Some of these were glorious, others appalling, but nevertheless, they were striking, not to mention easily identifiable by either friends or law enforcement, depending on how close to the edge one conducted one's personal business. For a while there, it seemed that all vehicles were neutral, but that too is changing. The Germans, always a driven people, seemed never to have let the color wheel stop spinning. Germans are not afraid to put any color on a car and call it a day. (I can say this because I'm part German myself.) I've had three BMW's, and they were all neutral, but doggone it, if I ever get another one, it will probably be some shade that will make me glad I had cataract surgery.
In summary, I'm actually glad to see all these colors back. To me, it signals a positive change in people's willingness to express themselves in a way that is harmless to society, and heaven knows, we need more of that. There's no need for our environments to be as sterile as the inside of a refrigerator or for all rooms to be the color of the Sahara. Let's live a little.
By the way, I have my eye on some green Allbirds shoes. Think I'm gonna go for it.
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
The Three Krogers
Dopamine causes you to want, desire, seek out, and search. It increases your general level of arousal and your goal-directed behavior. Dopamine makes you curious about ideas and fuels your search for information.
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Life by the Numbers
One of the things that drives many visitors or new residents crazy about our fair city is the preponderance of street and place names containing the word "Peachtree." As of late 2021, there were 71 streets in the Atlanta area bearing that name or some derivative of it. If I just think off the top of my head to streets which I travel on a normal basis, I come up with the following:
- Peachtree Street
- Peachtree Road
- New Peachtree Road
- Peachtree Corners Circle
- Peachtree Parkway
- Peachtree Battle Avenue
- Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
You get the idea. On top of this, we are also one of those cities that appends quadrant identifiers (NE/NW/SE/SW) to many of its streets, although in most cases, that designation is unnecessary and is generally ignored. Oh, and also, we're not on a grid system. With all this in mind, giving directions to a newcomer or visitor is quite a challenge, since almost no one says things like, "Head east on New Peachtree Road," although in truth, that would be a perfectly adequate directive. But such is life in Atlanta, and hey, snow is a rarity, so we aren't complaining.
I find it curious to contrast this with navigation in other cities, and since I write mostly about what I know, Chicago comes to mind. Chicago, unlike Atlanta, is built on a grid system, and to locals, that is a very necessary fact of life. The good thing about it is that it's actually somewhat difficult to get totally lost in Chicago. If you drive far enough north, south, or west, you'll eventually come to a cross street that you're familiar with. It is worth noting that driving east is limited: go too far and you'll splash into Lake Michigan.
Chicagoans, of which I was one for most of the 70s and into the early 80s, tend to navigate by numbers and compass directions. It may sound a little daunting, but it actually is quite handy. First, know that in Chicago, there are eight blocks to a mile, and each mile contains 100 address numbers. This numbering system also works heading west, where numbers get larger.If, for example, I say that I live at "3400 North, 900 West," that will indicate to someone familiar with the city that I live a little over four miles (3400 divided by 8) north of downtown. It also means that I am actually within walking distance of Wrigley Field. How does one know this? Because Wrigley Field is at 1060 West Addison, and in the 3600 North block. It's walking distance because 3400 North (where I live) is not that far from 3600 North, and 900 West is not that far from 1060 West. It's about a half mile walk.
Let's take another example. Say you want to meet friends at the Giordano's Pizza in Rogers Park. The address of Giordano's is 6836 North Sheridan Road. That tells you that a) it's on the North Side, b) it's definitely in Rogers Park (because anything with a high 6000's number is in Rogers Park), and c) it's about 8-1/2 miles north (6800 divided by 8) of downtown. Depending on where you're coming from, you can get a pretty good idea of how long it will take you to get to Giordano's. And all this is without using your phone's GPS. Pretty cool, huh?
The other thing you learn, and this is a skill acquired only over time, is which areas, i.e., number ranges, to avoid. Like any big city, Chicago has its share of rough neighborhoods, and they can pop up within the space of a few blocks, so it's good to know where you're headed. If I am a new acquaintance who tells you that I live at 1150 North Lake Shore Drive, that will indicate that I am pulling down some serious paper, since that is right downtown and on Lake Shore Drive (which locals sometimes humorously abbreviate as LSD). In other words, you probably need to bring wine with a cork vs. a screw-top bottle. Also, you can bring your little dog that fits in a basket. If, on the other hand, I ask you to meet me at Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, at 5757 South Woodlawn, you will want to be keenly aware of your surroundings.
Although this whole system may sound rather arcane, it actually makes its way into daily conversation and is sort of fun. If, for example, a friend tells you that she has just bought a condo at 2200 North, 1100 West, you'll want to head up there, since it's not far from downtown, and it's a pretty vibrant area. If someone says they bought a house at 7600 North, 6900 West, you'll know they're out in the northwest suburbs, and if traffic is bad, you might want to pack a snack.
And that's all there is to it. Now to get to my house from downtown Atlanta, head north on Peachtree Street until it turns into Peachtree Road, then stay on that until it turns into Peachtree Parkway. About the time you run out of "Peachtree" street names, you'll be at my front door. And if it's a weekend night, we'll order pizza. Ciao.
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Georgia Driver's Guide
For the sake of brevity, and also to hold your attention, because I know you're reading this online, I've condensed the need-to-know rules of driving in Georgia into eight simple guiding principles. I hope that these help you in your travels within our fair state. Let's get started.
1. Making a Left Turn
It is important to realize that making a left turn (at least in the United States) is a more complex endeavor than making a right turn, since one must be aware of traffic coming from more than one direction. Therefore, in the interest of safety, it is recommended that any left turn be made as slowly as possible, even if this involves stopping in the middle of an intersection to decide whether said left turn is, in fact, the preferred option. Take your time here.
2. Handling Four-Way Stops
There is perhaps nothing more confusing than the four-way stop. In this scenario, traffic coming from four directions must all come to a stop before proceeding. Traditional driving instructions indicate that the first vehicle to arrive at the intersection has right of way; however, in recent times, this rule has largely been discarded in favor of the philosophy that everyone must decide, via a roll of the dice, who goes first. The person rolling the highest number, of course, goes first. In case of a tie, the larger or most expensive vehicle goes first.
3. Controlling Speed
States and municipalities vary widely in the degree of speed enforcement. In Georgia, a law enforcement officer will rarely stop a vehicle unless a) it is traveling at least 30 miles per hour over the speed limit or b) it jumps a curb and begins traveling on the sidewalk, and the latter of these is not strictly enforced.
4. Driving in Congested Areas
When driving in congested or confusing areas, i.e. five-way intersections or areas with heavy traffic or misleading signage, it is advisable to speed up so as not to further complicate what is already a bad situation. The basic rule here is KEEP MOVING. Exceptions to this are cases where either pedestrians or Canada geese are crossing the road. Deer frequently appear on Georgia roads, but most of them know to avoid vehicles. Not all.
5. Parking Techniques
When pulling into a parking space, backing in is recommended, particularly in areas of dense traffic or in parking garages with small spaces. This is especially important for large SUV's and pickup trucks. Drivers of such vehicles should never pull forward into a parking space. When pulling out of a parking space, whether forward or backward, looking to the right and left is not recommended, as this is unnecessary and can change the angle of egress.
6. Driving on Straight Roads
In Georgia, straight roads are rarely seen, but drivers must remember than many people from other regions or countries may be used to driving on them. The main thing to remember about straight roads is that eventually, they will curve. Be patient on the straightaways, and keep speed to a minimum so as not to distract other drivers.
7. Negotiating Roundabouts
In recent years, roundabouts (also called "rotaries" or "traffic circles") are a relatively new phenomenon introduced to Georgia in an effort to make intersections safer (see #2 above) and reduce the severity of collisions. If you find it necessary to stop in the middle of a roundabout, which is unusual but not entirely impossible, be aware that other drivers around you may keep moving, resulting in higher insurance premiums for all involved.
8. Purchasing an SUV
The modern world demands consumption of every conceivable technology, so when shopping for an SUV, aim for a vehicle in the $100,000 and above price range. This will ensure the ultimate safety in backing into parking spaces, taking charge at four-way stops, and particularly in making left turns, where the LED lights mounted on each surface will ensure that all other drivers are aware of your intentions.
I hope you find these driving pointers useful. Happy Motoring in the Peach State!