I got a few nice comments about last week’s 7 minute rant, and in light of Seth’s article on two kinds of writing, I thought I might keep it up.

How come I can’t buy one nail or screw from the hardware store anymore. Used to be, you could grab these out of a bin. When I go to Lowe’s or Home Depot, they sell them in packages of 6 or 8 or 12, or in a box of 50 or larger. What if I only need one or two? Why do I have to buy 6? Then I have 4 or 5 left over. Now do you see why so many guys need those big metal tool cabinets with all the little-bitty drawers? I miss Mom and Pop, don’t you?

Why do all my devices still have cords (PDA/laptop/iPod/camera)? Hasn’t Bluetooth been around longer than Dick Clark? Yet we still have all these proprietary USB, Firewire, and power cables. Why don’t the power cables spool in and out of an adapter instead of having to be wound up and untangled each time?

My bank has a camera in the drive-thru lane to get a good look at me, but I can’t see them. I usually strain to see my teller. I don’t know her name (it’s usually a “her”), I don’t even know her face. It’s a big conglomerate, so my bank’s face isn’t very distinct either.

I met a friend for breakfast at IHOP every week for a year and the staff never knew my name. They never asked.

Even worse, my doctor asked. He still calls me Gary, when I’ve told him repeatedly that I go by my middle name, Dustin.

Intentional baldness is sexier than genetic baldness today. The good news is if you’re genetically partially bald (like me), you can still be intentional about the rest.