Front Yards : A Suburban Requisite

A few days ago our hired lawn crew arrived on schedule and hurriedly whisked through the chores associated with keeping our lawn manicured. They mowed, they edged, they swept ... and I wept. Okay, okay ... I didn't truly weep, but every time they arrive, I do feel a little sick knowing that I'm paying for a resource that, when considered objectively, is a complete and total waste.

Some of you might be thinking, "Hey ... stop whining about paying to have the lawn mowed and save that money by mowing it yourself." For those who are thinking along those lines, I present the economic concept of "opportunity cost." Because I value opportunities that I'd be forced to forgo if I were to take care of my own lawn, I choose to pay someone else to do it instead. Don't you just love economics? Back to lawns, though.

I actually don't mind my backyard, even though it doesn't get the regular use that it should. You can blame that on the Texas heat. It's the front yard, though, that I really despise. To put it bluntly, front yards are dumb. I would submit that front yards are a waste for so many reasons. For example, in most in suburban neighborhoods, you will rarely see people actually enjoying their front yards. Instead, most people typically choose to hide behind privacy fences in their backyards ... closing off their world to neighbors and potential friends.

The fact that people don't really use front yards, though, doesn't stop people from maintaining them. My relationship with my front yard actually resembles a dependent type of host/parasite relationship. I water it, fertilize it, weed it, and mow it ... but it honestly gives me nothing of value in return. So, why do I continue to maintain it? Because it's there, I guess. Isn't that the reason we all deal with our front yards?

What's YOUR Walk Score?

Brian Hall clued me in on an interesting "walkable" resource the other day called Walk Score. In addition to interactive mapping that provides a "walk score" from 0 to 100 based on an address, the website only has four sections that provide content. Those are: Why Walking Matters, Walkable Neighborhoods, How It Works, How It Doesn't Work.



The most important thing about Walk Score is that visitors to the website can calculate the walkability of their neighborhood by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Unfortunately, there are a few factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of Walk Score's algorithm (something that's admitted on their website): street width, block length, freeways, public transit, safety, aesthetics, and pedestrian-friendly design. Overall, though, Walk Score does a GREAT job of evaluating the walkability of an area.

So ... what's your walk score? The score for my address is 46 out of 100 -- slightly below average, I guess. To find yours, visit Walk Score, enter your address information, and then leave your score in the comments section below.

Brot, ECHTES Brot!

Truth be told, I'm a bread snob. Why do I tell you that? I've found it best to embrace such truths like badges of honor as opposed to hiding them like unsightly wounds.

Every time we head down the bread isle at the supermarket, I get that "throw up in your mouth" feeling when I see all of the "sponge bread" that litters the shelves. You know what I'm talking about ... plain ol' white bread that's devoid of nutritional, aesthetic, or relative moral value.

My personal disdain for the likes of the Wonder Bread genre of mass-produced breads knows no end. Therefore, I usually abstain from said bread and either fork out substantial cash for decent bread at stores like Central Market or, when I'm feeling really adventurous, I take a stab at baking the breads I love.

Pictured below is the result of my second attempt at making Laugenbrötchen ... the famous "lye roll" (or pretzel roll) that's found throughout Germany. To my surprise, today's batch turned out really well and passed the kids' taste test.



Seeing my children eat real bread makes the two and half hour preparation time worth it. Now I need to learn how to make the Dampfnudel! Down with Wonder Bread ... long live echtes Brot!

Video: New Urbanism

The following segment was broadcast on CBS' Sunday Morning program back in May 20, 2007. It highlights a couple of the communities that have become tangible references for the movement called New Urbanism. The CBS segment is well done and appears to be relatively free of bias. Imagine that. Anyways, at a quick six and a half minutes, it's worth your time.

Too GOOD to be TRUE

I've been thinking about one of those "warnings" that most of us learn in our youth. Unlike The Five P's, this one wasn't taught to me by my father; instead, my mother gets the credit for this one:

If it sounds too good to be true ... it probably is.

Some learn to follow this statement early in life while others never learn to follow it. Let me be honest by saying that my learning and abiding to this maxim has created a monster of sorts. I tend to be hyper-critical of "opportunities," but I would rather be critical and safe than overly-trusting and unsafe. How about you?

I suppose I could relate this to finances or, in particular, those "golden investments" that are pitched as "once in a lifetime opportunities." For example, if someone waltzes into your life and promises easy returns that beat some of the smartest investors alive (e.g., Buffet, Icahn, and Soros), then your warning flags should probably shoot sky high.

I could also apply this to the shallow promises associated with living the suburban dream. For example, Realtors never pitch the arduously long commutes or the inherent isolation associated with living in the outer rings of sprawl; instead, they always talk about how perfect life can be in subdivisions with romanticized, phony-sounding names like Pheasant Mill Crossing.

Instead of associating this life lesson to a particular topic, I'll simply leave it be and let you, the reader, figure out how you can apply it to your own life. I don't necessarily subscribe to the "defense wins championships" mantra in every situation; however, I do believe that a good defense is a practical requirement before a strong offense can be assembled. Some might call this living life under the guidance of, "Better safe than sorry." I just call it smart.

Thanks, mom, for teaching me this.

Reading : Suburban Nation

Hooray for me ... I got a new book from Amazon.com. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking: "Amazon.com isn't a 'local' business, Joe." I know that I should shop local, but when it comes to books, I just haven't found a better shopping experience -- anywhere.

Anyways, the book I'm reading is called Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. You might notice that this book falls in line with the other texts listed on the left side of this blog. (You get bonus points if you figured it out before I told you.) Interesting chapter headings include:

• What is Sprawl, and Why?
• The House that Sprawl Built
• The American Transportation Mess
• Sprawl and the Developer
• The Victims of Sprawl
• How to Make a Town

When I finish my reading, I promise to provide an objective review of the book. Please ... try your best to maintain your excitement.

Why I hate CARS

I have to be honest with you ... I hate cars. There, I said it. Yes, cars can be "sexy" and "cool," but so can crack cocaine or being a member of a gang. Just because something is "sexy" or "cool" doesn't make it good, right? My reason for loathing cars boils down to four main points. In general, cars are:

1. Loud
2. Dirty
3. Dangerous
4. Inefficient

What's most unfortunate is that for most us in America, cars are a necessary evil. I can't even begin to imagine asking my family of five with three kids ages five and under to walk two miles to the store. Yes, I know that some kids in Africa walk even further to get to the community well to retrieve water, but that's an unfair comparison on so many levels.

I'll discuss each of these four points in greater detail in the very near future ...

Happy Fourth of July!

Independence Day ... the day we celebrate "the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain" (source). Of course, I seriously doubt if most people celebrating this "day off from work" really know what this day is all about. Oh well. At least there are lots of pretty fireworks to appreciate. (ooh ... ahh) Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, I hope you enjoy(ed) your Fourth of July!

Scooters = Cool

It's been almost two years since I purchased my Honda Metropolitan, and I've never (not even once) been disappointed with my decision. It came with a few bruises on it (scrapes, dents, etc.), but it's still a lovely piece of machinery. It gets 110 (plus) mpg, and if I'm going downhill with a relatively strong wind behind me, I can get it up to 40 mph. Yeah ... it's a rocket.

So, why do I think my scooter is cool? Here's seven reasons:

1. It's fun to feel the wind in your face
2. There's no gear shifting required
3. You can smell the world around you
4. It's footprint is small
5. I can park it like a bike (close to buildings)
6. Seeing me (6'4" tall) on it makes people smile
7. When I fill 'er up, it costs less than $3.00

I understand that scooters aren't practical for everyone, especially for those who live 30 (plus) miles from work; however, if you're lucky like me, and live within a decent commuting distance, then perhaps you might want to consider owning one -- an amazing alternative to the traditional automobile.