Comments (2)

By Val Dodge, April 30, 2012

I’m not clear if this fish oil supplement is made from fish that don’t burp, contains no burps produced by fish, or cautions consumers against burping fish. Perplexing.

Comments (0)

By Val Dodge, February 8, 2012

Only in Toronto could you have something called “The Avenue Road Avenue Study.”

(Stumbled upon while I was looking for something else entirely.)

Comments (1)

By Val Dodge, January 25, 2012

When I said I wanted it on the rocks, I meant before I drank it.

But I’ll order it neat next time, now that I’ve seen the ice bucket.

Comments (0)

By Val Dodge, November 15, 2011

Much of modern design is sleek and minimalist. Unfortunately, some items are designed to be so sleek that their actual function isn’t always readily discernible. Such was the case with the office mailbox below, located directly across from the building elevator. After receiving one too many gum wrappers and coffee cups in the mail, someone taped up a notice describing the purpose of the sleek little box:

MAILBOX
*Please do not dispose of garbage here*

I frequently say that if a simple everyday object like a mailbox or garbage can requires instructions or explanations, it’s a failed design. Even well-meaning instructions can cause confusion. But all seemed well and good until another note appeared a month later, clarifying what the original note meant by “mailbox”:

And later that day, the grateful sender retrieved the wayward piece of mail and left a thank-you note:

Only in Toronto.