December 20, 2019 - News Post

Holiday greetings, everyone!

I had written “laptop greetings” since I’m on my laptop, but people always act weird when I say that.

This week, I visited a mall where I saw some clear plastic Christmas trees filled with water and glitter. The glitter would swirl and shine in the liquid under a light. Pretty stuff. I don’t care too much about Christmas, yet I was thrilled to see this.

They were nothing more than a tree-shaped snow globes with motors and lights. Oddly, I’ve never ever seen those technologies combined in that way before. Even if it’s something that’s been around for decades, it’s an incredibly shocking and rare treat to find a simple invention I haven’t witnessed in some form before.

I love clever innovation on everyday objects. Sure, the newest phone cameras have 3 lenses operating at once. I’m used to that. But what about objects that we take for granted? My jaw drops for those little bits of “missing” technology that somehow avoided being invented in our modern era. Give me an ergonomic mug handle, an annoyance-free baby proof bottle top, a new type of holiday decoration... these are the innovations that blow me away.

The point is, it made me unusually happy to see that little tree. I’m pretty sure my smile made those around me uncomfortable.

They were the same people that hate when I say “laptop greetings”, so it’s hard to take them seriously.

-Jeff