To raise morale, I demanded the staff "think positively," recall the good things they've experienced doing their jobs and then share them with the others. What could be more fun? After they stomped out of my office, I envisioned a bigger idea than trying to make them feel better. Let's share all this neat stuff with the readers and let them know about the places, experiences, products and events that have made us enjoy life just a little bit more. So, here it is, a list of 100 ideas springing from the minds of the ec staff. -Greg N. Brown
1 Find any excuse to visit the Fatherland, get hold of a good set of wheels and experience the sensation of overtaking a police car at 150 mph, without the need for a good attorney. Steer clear of big cities and aim for a Sunday. The autobahn experience is priceless.
2 The finest collection of cars in the smallest area for the shortest period, the Monterey Historics Weekend. Wretched excess, fabulous one-offs, four-star celebrity sightings (cars and drivers).
3 The one item to be stuck with on a desert island? Les votes for the Leatherman Tool. It's got a razor-sharp knife, bottle opener, assorted screwdrivers, file and scratch awl.
4 There are driving schools across the world, but high on our list is Skip Barber's Racing School. Good instruction on good tracks for all levels of skill.
5 Cigar smoking part of your post-prandial ablutions? Hunt down a box of Fuente Fuente Opus Xs. Hard to find and expensive, but those who suck stogies say these Dominicans are worth the pesos
6 If the food isn't reason enough to visit Italy, fill those minuti between great meals by viewing-or, if you're one of life's fortunates, competing in-the annual Mille Miglia Storica.
7 Stay in touch from Europe and beyond with the Sony Ericcson international cell phone. Between calls, use the attachable digital camera to record your globe-trotting for envious family and co-workers.
8 The usual key fobs and leather goods are found in Audi's gift shop in Ingolstadt, but you'll also find books and magazines spanning the automobile's history, vintage miniatures and collectibles. And there's a great museum next door.
9 Head for the formerly bleak factory town of Wolfsburg and enjoy a day at Autostadt, a display of VW's vast empire. Even those in your party who whined about "another car museum" will marvel at Ferdinand Piech's personal urban revitalization project.
10 Strenuous human endeavor, great spectator spectating, historical context like few other motoring events. To view the 24 Heures du Mans is a journey all respectable motorsport fans must make.
11 The movie "Le Mans." "Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting." -Steve McQueen
12 Be the next Frankenheimer with the Canon XL-1S video camera. This $4,500 digital camera gives its user the capabilities of a sizeable film crew.
13 No one needs an excuse to go to Paris, but Retromobile is as good a reason as any. A big, marvelous car show with the kind of flair found only in the City of Light.
14 Perhaps the most beautiful car museum anywhere is the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, Calif. Ever-changing special exhibits complement the fabulous collection of classics.
15 For all of your multimedia needs, there's little that compares with Sharp's Zaurus SL-5500. More than just a PDA, the unit has uniquely bridged PDA characteristics with mobile communications as well as multimedia capabilities.
16 Nothing takes more focus than a rally machine. Enroll in Tim O'Neill's Rally Racing School. The child within you will jump for joy.
17 Enjoy non-motorized off-roading? Check out the Ellsworth Id, a mountain bike light enough for all-day adventures, yet, with up to 5.75 in. of suspension travel, it can tackle the most extreme terrain. Accepts disc brakes. Suspension design makes it climb like a goat.