Plain or peanut? It’s a simple question that deserves a simple answer. Either plain… or peanut.

When working fundraiser concession stands as a youth, I would ask the plain or peanut question to customers who would order a Snickers bar. The answer was always the same — a pause, a wrinkled brow, and then a very slow and questioning, “…peanut?” This was my slightly warped sense of humor derived from my fascination with words, human behavior and marketing. But, on another level, it depicted the obsession we have to define ourselves based on choices of two.

Ford or Chevy? My family members drove Chevrolets, or at least GM vehicles of some sort. This was not a debate in my childhood home — until I drove a Ford Mustang into the driveway. The car had plenty of problems, and I was given constant reminders of this. My parents and siblings scratched their heads on my vehicle purchases of Jeeps and Dodges and Buicks for the next few decades. They offered some “I-knew-you-would-see-the-light” comments when I finally bought a Chevy, and they cringed again with my last three Ford truck purchases.

I am writing this column on a Macintosh. I lost track of how many of these computers I have owned in my lifetime. It started for me in college when we were putting our student newspaper together on early Macintosh versions. I wanted to buy one for myself, but even the basic model cost more than my aforementioned Ford Mustang. My friends in the business school were partial to their PCs, which were mostly all IBMs back then. These are the same folks who, years later, praised their Blackberrys while calling my iPhone “a toy.”

Have you ever been with someone at a restaurant who ordered a Coke only to be told by the server that the place only serves Pepsi products? And then watch that person, in obvious frustration, order a water? Maybe you are that person. I have never been able to tell much difference between Coke and Pepsi, especially when they come out of watered-down fountains. I am not picky on my pop, but, when options exist, I do tend to make unique soda choices. Me and my RC.

Yes, we have lots of choices in this world, despite being led to believe that, in most cases, we only have two. Why? Because marketing works.

Built to last. Think different. What’s good enough for other folks, ain’t good enough for me. And, yes, packed with peanuts, Snickers really satisfies.

Have a memorable Monday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

See Shane Goodman's previous columns here.

BUSINESS FEATURE
Customer service through technology

By Colson Thayer

When business owners want to increase profits, one of the first places they often look to is decreasing costs. One of the biggest expenses for any business is payroll. As technology advances, companies are looking for opportunities to reduce that cost. And, sometimes, it means replacing a human with technology.

[...]

CITYVIEW's seasonal guide for activities and things to do in Central Iowa

EXPLORE: Cruising Central Iowa

By Cyote Williams

Want to see the area’s best classic or newest cars? From Mustangs and Corvettes to the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Bel Air your grandparents used to drive, you’ll find most anything at this summer’s car shows.

Yards with personality
Residents share how their landscaping choices reflect their style.

By Ashley Rullestad

A plethora of pots. A hillside of hostas. Wildflowers willy nilly. Manicured hedges and straight edges. From wild and unruly to precise and planned, the landscaping around a home often reflects the owner’s own unique style. While some prefer lush, thick foliage, others enjoy succulents among a garden of rocks. From a tropical vibe to the charm of a country cottage. From mad about mulch to mad for magnolias. Whatever their preferences, homeowners with a green thumb and plenty of imagination enjoy creating landscaping masterpieces with pizzazz.

A landscape memorial
When the Scott family moved into their house in 2017, there was no landscaping aside from one tree in the front yard.

“I knew I wanted to bring my late mother's landscape design to life,” Elyse Scott says. “She loved plants and gardening and had the most beautiful gardens at our family home, full of flowers that took turns blooming at different times of the year. I fondly remember her drawing and designing her final project for her landscape design class, and I wanted to honor her memory by trying to incorporate as much as I could in our landscaping at our home.”

[...]

These celebrities were born on this date:  Maya Hawke, Jaden Smith, Penelope Disick, Riele Downs, Jeffrey Tambor, Anjelica Huston, Kevin Bacon, Robert Knepper, Michael Weatherly, Lance Gross, Sebastian Maniscalco

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:

How do the Malfoys of Harry Potter fame get into bed? THEY SLYTHERIN! - Gail Tomlinson. More answers from Rex Post

Today's riddle

What do you get if you eat beans with onions?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or CITYVIEW, contact:

Aaron Burns
Advertising Sales Manager
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 330
Mobile: 712-310-3860
aaron@dmcityview.com

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