The Quality of the Mundane

I have been replacing the mundane with the exceptional.

It started slowly, as I began to realize that little things do matter.  This is not about irrationally spending too much on stupid, obvious things. It is about removing as many of the boring, crappy, ugly items that we use/touch/eat/carry every day and replacing them with things that are well-built and beautiful.

The opportunities are endless, but beware. Eventually everything becomes something that could, nay, should, be better – and damn if I’m not going to find it!

The following list contains things that I either have or would like to, well, upgrade.

• Writing instruments (these used to be called “ink pens”). I received a Montblanc Meisterstück some 12 years ago as a gift and still use it every day.

• Paper. I like Moleskine notebooks and Levenger 3×5 index cards

• Music Player. Apple’s iPod, of course

• Books. Hardcover, signed if possible

• Cameras. Leica, but they better hurry up with the digital M. (My black M6TTL is for sale, BTW).

• Computers. I completely love my iMac.

• Drinks. I like Scotch – a lot.

• Knives.  J.A. Henckels

• Clothes. All of my clothes are cheap and usually wrinkled, so it looks like I’m not finished yet.

• Phones. Haven’t found a cell phone I like. Too many features and not enough phone. For the desk, I’ll still take the old 500 rotary for sheer dead-simple design and last-forever quality.

• Bags. I have Domke bags and love them. Get canvas, don’t be tempted by the new-fangled “ballistic nylon”. I hear good things about Crumpler bags (but their site sucks)

I’ll bet there’s more. And of course the above list should come in handy for Christmas and birthdays as well.