journal features

the stroller

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Hong Kong, 2009.11.23

The Boy has a good stroller. It's from the wildly popular Maclaren line, and it suits our purposes. Except that it's heavy and bulky to lug around when traveling.

Since The Boy's now getting bigger, we don't have to carry as much stuff. There's still a fair bit of it, but nothing like the bulk of the changes of clothing and so on that used to accompany us on the simplest excursions. So we don't really need something as large as our current one, with its under-seat sling and rear compartment.

Also, it's very much a sidewalk-and-indoors unit, suitable for the urban environment, but difficult to use on anything more rough.

So we're looking for something new. Something lightweight that just seats the boy and folds away nicely. Perhaps something with larger wheels (or fewer of them, at any rate). Retail being what it is in central Tokyo, I expect this to be a tall order. Gambarimashou.

rand()m quote

Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

—Hermann Goering