Single cup coffee servers, originally posted to Flickr by Andrés Nieto Porra; Wikimedia Commons

by Rose Madeline Mula

Shopping was much simpler in the old days.  When you ran out of toothpaste, for instance, you went to the store and bought a new tube.  You just had to decide between the brand that promised to make you wonder where the yellow went, or the one that cleaned your breath while it cleaned your teeth.  That was it. 

Today it's not so easy.  For starters, you have to choose from a dizzying multitude of brands, each of which offers dozens of formulations.  Do you want a gel or a paste?  Do you want to diminish sensitivity to heat and cold?  Do you want to prevent plaque, remove tarter, whiten your teeth, discourage cavities, or strengthen your gums?  (Unfortunately, a choice that includes "all of the above" doesn't seem to be an option.)  Further, would you like your toothpaste (or gel) to contain antioxidants ... flouride ... mint flavoring...?  It's overwhelming.   

Despite all that, a toothpaste choice is one of the easiest conundrums facing us today.  Nowhere near the challenge of buying a new pair of sneakers for instance.  Yesterday the only problem was finding the extra few bucks to get a new pair of Keds.  Today, after taking out a second mortgage to finance new footware, you then must analyze your requirements.  A Google search reveals that different activities demand specific shoes.  Will you be wearing them while cross training, weight lifting, long-distance running, short-distance sprints, jogging, or aerobics?  A flatter heel will enable you to execute deeper squats, a flexible sole is preferable for kick boxing, and flex-grooved bottoms kick your Jazzercise workout up a notch because they help you sidestep seamlessly and move effortlessly in any direction.  Also consider soles with shock absorbers and others with zig-zag bottoms that provide a spring-like action.  And don't dismiss the "deconstructured" sneaker which "forces otherwise dormant foot muscles into action."  Just like my old Keds!  But at twenty times the price. 

So which sneaker should you buy?  It's enough to drive you to drink.  But that presents a new problem:  What to drink out of: 

You can't just grab an empty jelly jar out of the kitchen cupboard if you want some wine.  No, no, no!  It's important to match the glass to your choice of fruit of the vine.  The bowl of a glass for red wine, for example, should be fuller and rounder and with a larger opening so you can dip your nose into to detect the aroma.  Also, the larger surface area enables the wine to come in contact with more air, which apparently is critical.  But it's even more complicated.  The same glass is not appropriate for all red wines.  You need special glasses for a Bordeaux and a Burgundy.  The former must be taller, with a slightly smaller bowl.  This shape allows heavier red wines such as Cabernets and Merlots to travel directly to the back of the mouth to maximize the wine's flavor; while the Burgundy glass — not as tall but with a slightly larger bowl — directs lighter wines, such as Pinot Noir, to the tip of the tongue to taste its more delicate flavors. Who knew??

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