so i have these red mittens, and i've had them for something like five years, which is the longest that i've ever kept any mittens, ever (i think that the second runner up would probably come out at something like six weeks), and the reason is that they're on a long string that goes all the way through one coat sleeve across my back and through the other coat sleeve. i can leave them in my coat all winter long. it blows my mind that all mittens don't have this feature. it easily makes my top ten favorite things in the technology category.
in this my fifth long winter with mittens on a string it occurred to me that when my hands aren't in my mittens, i can put other things in them. my phone. money. small food items. i realized this one day when i absent-mindedly put my hand in my mitten with my phone in my hand, and then left it there (the phone, in the mitten, in my lap, on the bus, while i was staring out the window) when i absent-mindedly removed my hand. then i had to jump off of the bus in a hurry. and rather than my phone (or my mitten) (or them both) being left on the bus-- a fate that has befallen many of my mittens, one phone, and two wallets-- they both came swingingly with me off the bus, across the street, and to work (without a minute to spare, p.s.).
these little miracle mittens are a gift from my friend liza. liza is getting married, and i have to get her a gift, back. it has be something really wonderful. i can't imagine how it'll even begin to compare, but i have to try. she gave me the gift that keeps on getting better, keeps on saving me from myself, year after year. and also, i'll probably wear something stupid to her wedding and ruin all the pictures. i have past debts and future indiscretions to repay. please send me your best idea.
[thank to steve, for taking a picture of my mitten and sending it to me.]
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2 comments:
in the spirit of the mittens, why not give liza a gift that also saves her from herself? which tar pit, if left to her own inertia, would she stumble into if not for your intervening gift? is she particularly prone to tardiness? (gift: watch) or dropping breakable objects? (gift: rubber flooring). of course, you could also just give her the gift of your own time and presence which wouldn't necessarily stop her from being late or breaking things, but would, i'm sure, make her enjoy the tar pit a little bit more.
This is a great picture. There's something about red mittens that goes beyond the practical. A brown or blue mitten would not be the same.
On my technology top ten list is a leatherman tool. Jimmy gave it to me for, like, Valentine's Day and I was underwhelmed at the time. Over the years, I have come to appreciate it as just about the best gift I have ever gotten: it's useful on a daily basis, and it's so elegantly designed.
I also like my little $4 lemon zester -- it makes great lime twists for drinks -- but that's just me.
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