The other day I was tying my shoes and I got to thinking. Shoelaces seem to be stronger than they used to be. I can't even recall the last time I was tying a shoe and the lace broke. It was always when you were in a hurry, and as you gave that final tug, the lace snapped and often the side of your hand would snap back and smack you in the face. If you were really young, you'd get a sinking, almost afraid feeling and moan out loud: "Oh nooooooo......moooooom, my shoelace broke....." It was almost worth crying over.  If you were older, you'd simpy swear: "faaaak. My faaaaking shoelace broke. Fak."

Then you'd have to hastily unlace it a bit, usually through a few holes so that you'd have enough lace to tie a quick knot and then re-thread it, and man, nothing was worse than when you held your breath and gave it a hesitant and gentle tug, and poof, it didn't hold, and you had to start all over. Or, you had to run out with it not fixed properly and your shoe would be flapping off your foot as you did that limping sort of  gallop to catch up with your friends.

That hasn't happened to me in a long, long time.

Do you think they make better quality shoelaces these days? Why would that be? Everything else, and I mean everything is made cheaper and crappier nowadays. Other than shoelaces it seems. Is there a shoelace cartel that we don't know about? A shoelace mafia?

Or maybe I just don't have the upper arm strength that I used to. Who knew there would be a benefit to that? My shoelaces now last forever.