Really Important Stuff -- Slow-Closing Toilet Lids

When you don't blog very often, it is important to make each blog post count. This one is a counter. For a few weeks now I've been contemplating what I could post to benefit my blog readers. I finally hit upon my topic -- slow-closing toilet lids. Are you familiar with them? If not, it's time to get acquainted.

This is the first house that we've ever had slow-closing toilet lids in. I can't remember who clued me into these, but I ought to make them a raspberry pie. We installed one on our master toilet and after a few months decided that every toilet in the house needed one. If you don't have one on the toilets in your home consider investing in one for each bathroom.

Why are they so wonderful? Mostly because they don't bang when you close them, making them the perfect choice for households with small children or careless adults. Opening these lids is the same as for other toilet lids, it's the closing part that is beautiful. All you do is just start to close the lid, and the hinges do the rest, slowly bringing the seat and cover softly and quietly into the closed position. Bliss in the bathroom for sure.

Note: While attempting to find a photo for this post (no one really wants to see a photo of my toilet) I happened upon this video. Apparently now they have toilet seats that don't even require that you touch them to close them. (Opening them is another matter.) Clearly some inventor must spend a lot of time thinking about toilets.

Me, I'm just a happy beneficiary.

New Year's in Tokyo, Japan

I'll be heading down to a class on Google Tools tomorrow and Friday. As part of the class we'll be using GoogleEarth and have been asked to bring 5 photos (digital) relating to our personal histories. This is one that I'm taking.

This is me. Age 18. In Tokyo, Japan. I spent my first college Christmas break in Japan, visiting the family that hosted me in the summer of 1988. New Year's in Japan is a BIG DEAL! To celebrate, they dressed me up in this silk kimono and we toured some of the popular shopping areas in Tokyo. I received many stares, got lots of attention, and loved the experience! (Note: My big American feet wouldn't fit into traditional Japanese wooden sandals. I wore the split toe socks with flip flops. Oh well.)

My mother was an exchange student for a summer during high school. I think that's what made me want to have a similar experience. She went to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and I went to Tokyo, Japan. I soaked up all that I could and had a fabulous host family who took me to many great locales. I'm still in touch with my Japanese family. We exchange e-mails throughout the year and presents at Christmas time.

As of this writing I don't forsee that any of my children will be foreign exchange students, but they have expressed a desire to use their passports before they expire in 2012. (Kids' passports are only good for 5 years -- but cost only $10 less than adult passports.)

Well, that's it for today. And if you were wondering, YES, I loved Japanese food. (Gained almost twenty pounds in the 2 months I was there in 1988.)