So, we decided to count our blessings. The result: our new occasional feature, Stuff That Works. These will not be Big Things or Stuff That Changed the World. No, these will be the quotidian things that make our lives just a little simpler, a little more enjoyable — when we think about them at all.

The whole point here is to share, to let you in on Stuff That Works because maybe you need a widget that does exactly what it’s supposed to. Because let’s face it: we’ve all been disappointed — righteously aggrieved, even — by stuff we’ve bought. And in these brutal economic times, who can afford to waste his or her disappearing cash on junk that sucks?

If you have Stuff That Works and want to pass it on, send me an e-mail. Keep it to 300 words and be sure to say where you got it. Please, no dealers or publicists.

The Bison belt
Up first is a truly worthy product that I discovered more than a year ago: a belt by Bison Designs.

It might seem strange and vaguely silly to feature a belt, but I’m telling you, this thing rocks.

Most of Bison’s belts are made entirely of nylon webbing and come in dozens of patterns; where they differ is in the buckle. Mine is what the company, which is based in Colorado, calls its Gunmetal Millennium. I call it my Star Trek belt.

The thing that makes it so great is its simplicity and reliability, even if it looks like it could be cheap. Cinch it up and it stays put. You’ll never lose your pants with one of these. I wear mine every day and it’s still like new.

It’s a little funny-looking, maybe, but I’ve worn mine with good slacks and coat and tie. I’m no fashion plate, but nobody gave me stink eye for wearing it.

I paid about $15 for mine at The Trail Ahead at State and Ortega streets. I’ve never seen it anywhere else, but you can buy them at the company’s website.