First Bath

One thing I forgot about is the care required for a lacquer finish.  The conveniences of modern clear coat and automated carwashes are very easy to get used to.  I read somewhere that, if you really want to learn your car, you should wash it by hand.  You will see every detail, good and bad.  I found that that is true.  It also made me wonder about the ongoing debate about robots (my mind skips around a lot).  Automating our chores has had dramatically positive effects but also some negative influences.  For example, becoming less connected to the things that move us.  Some argue that, as robots take over most work, the bulk of the jobs will disappear.  That could be.

But, as I washed nature's mud off of BB (by the way, contributed to by me not securing her car cover during a rainstorm)

, I wondered if there is another possible outcome.  If we can automate the bulk of the work required to keep us and our planet alive, maybe we will have time to go back to and appreciate some "chores".  For example, cooking our own food is gaining popularity again.  As well, local, craft restaurants are experiencing a comeback.  In this case fueled by technology, which allows people to share ratings.  If you have 67 positive reviews, you don't need to rely on a national brand chain to assure good quality. 

Other activities which may pull us at a fundamental level are gardening, woodworking, writing and storytelling, scrapbooking, quilt making, and so on.  All these arts allow us to invest ourselves in things other people can appreciate.  Which is really the part of the market that works.

Anyway, BB is nice and clean and shiny!