Some ideas are so valuable that they are kept in secrecy. They are buried deep, hidden from the light of day, for the profit, safety, or peace of mind for an individual or group. Some examples would be how to make a nuclear bomb, or the recipe for Classic Coke.

Other ideas, however, are even more valuable. They're so important that they must be shared with all of humanity. Information on basic nutrition, for example, is readily published for all to see.

I just had one of these ideas, a concept so valuable that I must share it with you all rather than hoard it and profit from it by myself. I freely give this idea, and all the proceeds that it generates, to the blogosphere, and thusly, to the universe.

I was at the mall today at lunch looking for several items including a wide-brimmed hat for my daughter, Daisy. I went from store to store, viewing displays of baseball caps, beret thingees, and woolly winter hats. In each store I was told the same thing, "Oh, we aren't carrying any sun hats right now."

I left the mall un-hatted. I walked back to my car in my short-sleeve shirt under the full glare of the sun on a typically warm San Francisco autumn day. The most important idea in the universe began to ferment in my brain.

What if every clothing store in the mall didn't have to carry the same set of seasonal items? Why can't a store carry "summer" clothes after summer has ended, or "winter" clothes when winter isn't looming? I live in California where almost every day of the year there's some city that has scorching heat and some other city that has below-freezing temps. It would be easy to be in 90 degree heat at noon and then drive somewhere where it was 20 degrees at night.

Some people are cold all the time and bundle up in sweaters even during summer. I also know people who wear shorts even when it's snowing. There are Alaskan cruises during the summer and my daughter takes indoor swim lessons in winter.

So why did every store in the mall focus on the same season? What if there was just one freaking store that carried off-season clothes?

I give to you: Offseason Clothes Inc.

There would be one in every mall. They'd carry warm coats during summer and swimsuits during winter. This store would recognize that it's sunny somewhere in December and cold other places in July (like in SF!).

Genius! Obviously not every store can dedicate floorspace to sun hats in November, but surely one store can. Everyone who was looking for out of season clothes would say, "Oh, I'll go that Offseason place!"

This idea is so good it hurts.

Now, why does Daisy need a sun hat in November? Because we're going to Hawaii for Thanksgiving!

Our good friends Liz and Larry have a time-share there, and they've gracefully offered to share it with us this year. So, on Friday, we're all flying to Kauai. Hoo hoo!

Someone, quick, open that damn Offseason store so that I can buy some beach threads.