What's the best thing that you own?

[dreamshark]

Sure, most Americans have too many things. But some things are better than others. What's a thing that you own that has more than proved its worth year after year? It might be something you use every day, or just something that is always the perfect thing when you need it. Something you may take for granted, but would never want to be without. (Multiple entries are allowed.)

I mused on this question this morning as I ground the beans for my morning coffe for what must be at least the 5000th time in my little electric Jericho coffee grinder: definitely the best present I ever received. It was a surprise Mother's Day gift from Richard and the kids so long ago that ambertatge could hardly wait to tell me how they walked all the way around the lake to the coffee store to buy it for me. At least 15 years later, it's still whirring away, grinding a handful of beans at a time for the freshest coffee possible. Thanks, kids!

Comments

Nobody's quite getting it...

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

First of all, it's a coffee GRINDER, not a coffee MAKER. Coffee makers are just ordinary kitchen applicances that pretty much everybody has. My coffee grinder is a tiny little machine that turns coffee beans into ground coffee in 10 seconds, which allows me to make a cup of coffee that tastes wonderful from the most mundane coffee beans. It's a small, elegantly simple, durable little gadget that makes life better consistently without requiring any time or fuss or maintenance.

That's the kind of thing I was thinking of - not big, demanding things like cars or essential health items like glasses or contacts. The mandolin is in the right spirit.

It's interesting that everybody responded with a CLASS of items, not a specific one. I was thinking more specifically. For instance, I'm glad to have a sewing machine in the abstract, but the specific sewing machine that I have is special: it's a classic 1948 Singer Featherweight. It is simple and durable and has been sewing straight and true for more than 50 years without requiring any maintenance other than cleaning the lint out of it with a tweezer ever now and again. It was also my mother's machine, which gives it sentimental value. If it finally gives out and I buy a newer, more capable model I will still miss my old Singer.

On the other hand, much as I like having a refrigerator, I never miss the old one after I buy a new one. I deeply appreciate indoor plumbing, but one toilet is much like another. See what I mean?

Re: Nobody's quite getting it...

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I got the coffee make and coffee grinder at the same time, and consider them one unit, so you'll have to forgive me for the metonymy. And I referenced a specific item (Apple's 20" monitor) as well as the general class of large monitors.

Bifocals, good sneakers, digital watches, all could have been classes of objects that improved my life in major ways.