But when you are on the road and have the overwhelming urge to call your best friend and prattle on about the state of, well, nothing, being able to keep both hands on the wheel will be a benefit to both you AND all of the rest of us that have to deal with you.

Next time you are at your favorite electronics store, check out their selections. Before too long you are going to have to have one to legally use your cell phone in the car — might as well get used to it.

Asheville architecture

Asheville is a very cool city, architecturally speaking. Besides having one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings on the East Coast, Asheville is where you can find many other styles — really, just about anything. One of my favorites is the Public Service Building, a wonderfully ornate eight-story edifice that fronts both Patton Avenue and Wall Street. It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings, and that is why I feel safe in revealing this often overlooked sculptural detail. The building CANNOT be altered, no matter how many religious or moral crusades are launched against it!

On the Patton Avenue side, there are four bas-reliefs. They are all the same; look for them in the corners of two window cavities a story above street level. They represent the story of Leda and the Swan, where Zeus turns himself into a swan so that he can, um, procreate with a beautiful human woman. The sculptures are pretty graphic — and it looks as if Zeus is having a lot more fun than Leda is. I love pointing them out to newcomers and old-timers alike. A whistle stop on the Urban Trail!

Reading

You know that old adage, “Use it, or lose it”? Well, here’s a prime example for you. READ!

A book, a magazine, a newspaper, an interesting pamphlet, even the list of ingredients on the wrapper of that greasy burger you just bought. Almost anything that you read is better than almost any video game, reality “talent” show, or extreme home makeover catastrophe. If you don’t watch out, the great big cycle will come around again (as it always does). Reading will be the “new” cool thing, and you will have forgotten how!

— By David Cohen