Unsolicited Recommendations

ScreensavRz

Over the years I've used various flavors of Apple Powerbooks at work and one of the things that had always bugged me was the way that the lcd screen would get all smudgy. I don't know if other laptop computers suffer from the same problem, but, when closed, fingergrease left on the keyboard of Powerbooks creates marks on the lcd screen that cannot be removed.

Enter Radtech's Notebook ScreensavRz. Don't let the cheesy name fool you, this is a cool product, the kind that makes you slap your forehead and wish that you had thought of it first. It's just a sheet of microfiber fabric helpfully cut to the dimensions of your Powerbook. Before closing the laptop, simply lay the fabric over the keyboard, and voilà, your screen stays clean.

Radtech has a bunch of other nifty-looking products, but none so brilliant in its combination of simplicity and functionality.

Peter Schickele and Minimalism

Over the past couple of years, I've been developing a taste for modern classical music, also known as "art music" or "new music" or some other euphemistic phrase for "fancy music composed by conservatory-trained arteests holed up in their ivory towers and played by black-turtleneck-wearing arteests in stuffy concert halls."

One of the recent musical developments (as in sometime in the past 100 years) that has driven much of modern classical music is minimalism, a concept that often makes your average classical music fan wrinkle his nose in disdain.

So but rather than succumb to that mindset, tune in to Schickele Mix this week for the beginning of a three-week series on minimalism. Seriously, it won't hurt you. Peter Schickele begins every program with "the proposition that all musics are created equal" and he follows through on that promise, brilliantly explaining music in terms that the average listener can clearly understand.

As an example, this week's show focusses on the increased use of ostinati as a key precursor to minimalist music. Not only do I now know what an ostinato is (and how to form the plural), I can recognize it in music that I hear.

And don't just tune in this week, tune in to Schickele Mix every week (times listed are EDT). Each show is dedicated to some topic or theme and (as you might expect from the creative force behind P.D.Q. Bach) is filled with Schickele's off-the-wall sense of humor. It's the perfect antidote for turtleneck-wearing sensibilities.

Walking in the Rain

(Fourth in a series)

I didn't always share my wife's appreciation for neighborhood walks, but in recent years, I've become a fan. I've also become fond of walking in inclement weather.

In fact, I prefer it.

Not tempestuous weather, mind you, but something like a steady rain, or the falling of light, fluffy snow is nice. This is provided you dress for the conditions, of course. Getting caught in a blizzard without a scarf and mittens is anything but fun. It also helps to walk with a big, goofy dog who enjoys sloshing through puddles or bouncing in the snow.

For me, weather evokes emotions that can be fun just to try on for a little while. There is something bittersweet about walking in a warm summer rain. Morning mist is mysterious and hopeful. A stiff autumn breeze can be foreboding, but it's also exciting and invigorating. A winter afternoon's snowfall is often peaceful and cozy.

Walking in weather helps to calibrate your soul. It's kind of like running a self-diagnostic to make sure everything is still in working order.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula

Third in an ongoing series of unsolicited endorsements:

The tube claims, "Just a dab heals dry skin." I don't know about "heals," but Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream certainly makes my hands feel better. Knuckles that are cracked and chapped from frigid, early-morning, Rochester dog walks become smooth and supple after a light application of the hand cream. The small tube will last me through most of the winter without leaving behind the pungent aroma and oily texture of most bottled lotions.

Stonyfield Yogurt

Still puckering your way through Dannon or Yoplait? Try Stonyfield yogurt, instead.

Because Stonyfield Farm produces an organic line of yogurts, Wegmans' stocks it in the foo-foo section right next to the tofu. But don't let that hippy stigma deter you. It's really good. Silky smooth and as delicious as pudding, we've been known to use the Banilla flavor as a filling for cream puffs.

Thorlos Socks Rock

I'm thinking of starting a new category of posts devoted to recommendations and unsolicited endorsements of things I think are nifty. So here's the first one: Thorlos socks.

Next time you're in a sporting goods store, put down that $100 pair of sneakers or that $50 sweater or those golf clubs you don't really need. Instead, wander over to the socks rack and pick up a few of pairs of Thorlos. Try the thin ones or the fluffy ones, they are both awesome. Or, if you're feeling frisky, go for something eXtreme.

And don't sweat the price tag. So they cost two or three or four times more than the six pack of tube socks you get at KMart. They will also last two or three or four times longer and feel good on your feet in the meantime.

Side recommendation: check out the Smartwool socks too. A bit more indulgent, but your feet will thank you.