tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51789899622015866292024-03-06T01:26:56.280-05:00A Type of BeanThe Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-86434214862607851102009-03-31T22:21:00.004-04:002009-03-31T22:52:39.909-04:00Connect With Your Frenemies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxkxsxXiJkrNDwbfVCZ14XxHv7N1rxm_l-vF5sIrkceyFNbHS5hBzghhJgAGevwHsKX-FJFKxxEKkopJEn-iHFKKkgcvhdjtsxfnL-bYVqlEmZHw9zKSEXqCBGzpNTOgBWn872dsS8eg/s1600-h/arsebook.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 90px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxkxsxXiJkrNDwbfVCZ14XxHv7N1rxm_l-vF5sIrkceyFNbHS5hBzghhJgAGevwHsKX-FJFKxxEKkopJEn-iHFKKkgcvhdjtsxfnL-bYVqlEmZHw9zKSEXqCBGzpNTOgBWn872dsS8eg/s320/arsebook.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319549770502649538" /></a><br />A few months ago I was showing my aunt pictures of my cousin's baby on <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook</a> on my phone. Being about 70 years old, she was not really in the Facebook loop. She asked me what it was, and I attempted to explain social networks, the internet, and computers in general, starting somewhere around the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC">ENIAC</a>. Not too impressed by the concept of Facebook, she replied, "Hmm, do they have Assbook? Call me when they have Assbook." I have no idea what she meant, or thought she meant by that, but apparently she was on to something.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.arsebook.org">Arsebook</a>, which I found through one of my favorites, <a href="http://anyways.us/">Anyways</a>, appears to be only a fake take on the addictive social network du jour, but I kind of wish it was real. Currently, I have no convenient way to "upload blackmail material" or "join a hate-clan" and I think this could be the answer I've been searching for. God bless technology.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-1971611485977624562009-03-30T15:54:00.003-04:002009-03-30T15:58:10.576-04:00Hot Mic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoc5Xacp5pogIvkKUd7uEEgOUGnShcgr-yiMl4W7Ee8qJCO5OVNHjcuVZGgfXPCz3dKNzW9BM7irOCDgiQ6cpR4v-RlLbZ8LBtJ5W__Xhepi0TTMy2rAYcqNTbsXNDptllVe0MEuyBU0/s1600-h/blue+bluebird+mic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoc5Xacp5pogIvkKUd7uEEgOUGnShcgr-yiMl4W7Ee8qJCO5OVNHjcuVZGgfXPCz3dKNzW9BM7irOCDgiQ6cpR4v-RlLbZ8LBtJ5W__Xhepi0TTMy2rAYcqNTbsXNDptllVe0MEuyBU0/s320/blue+bluebird+mic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319072108115750482" /></a><br />Reading a million design blogs and websites and magazines, you start to see a lot of the same things, same trends, same ideas. Your eyes glaze over, and you start to get a bit jaded, a bit bored, and often totally over it. If I see another "hip" "new" <a href="http://www.designboom.com/weblog/read.php?CATEGORY_PK=24&TOPIC_PK=1768">antler-themed</a> design, I'm going to stab someone with said antler. Seriously. The only worse offense in my eyes is the unending praise for the <a href="http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10451&storeId=10001&parent_category_rn=11461&categoryId=11462&partNumber=v45307&LangId=-1&promoCode=8S104&cid=gps0906">ghost chair</a>. Sadly, the ghost chair is an ineffective weapon. <br /><br />So when I followed link on someone's google chat status to <a href="http://www.bluemic.com/mics">Blue Microphones</a>, I was totally blown away. These microphones are the kind of "designed thing" that design is all about. They make you think about how certain objects have just evolved into their current common form, and we don't really think much about them anymore. We forget that they can be cool or interesting looking or more than just functional tools. We forget that they can actually rock!<br /><br />Blue mics are the coolest thing I've seen in a while, and while I have no need for a microphone (I do just fine with the nearest hairbrush/beer bottle/spatula/remote control), if I were a burgeoning rock star, these would be top on my wish list. Specifically, check out the <a href="http://www.bluemic.com/products/bluebird">Bluebird</a>, the <a href="http://www.bluemic.com/products/woodpecker">Woodpecker</a>, and the <a href="http://www.bluemic.com/products/cactus">Cactus</a>. From the quick reviews I can find, these mics apparently sound great too. Now if they only made one that could make me sing like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter">Barbara Streisand</a>, we'd be in business.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-59733291758467389552009-03-27T15:41:00.003-04:002009-03-27T15:52:25.291-04:00Twitter Not<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmtc2WxaMK9zGLITK9Sy_4u3EHUkIKDQ8hel0HyObBpD0uQPFnqiTegw9Siid6qYwoTEsgcYXCDS6h_K4uIfTIvQ8OYuK__Yca6DIdlN8Gz5WEgD5Cs1cRKgu2xCtzSHqfkScaApIj5E/s1600-h/rainn_twitter-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmtc2WxaMK9zGLITK9Sy_4u3EHUkIKDQ8hel0HyObBpD0uQPFnqiTegw9Siid6qYwoTEsgcYXCDS6h_K4uIfTIvQ8OYuK__Yca6DIdlN8Gz5WEgD5Cs1cRKgu2xCtzSHqfkScaApIj5E/s320/rainn_twitter-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317955393533271202" /></a><br />From a personal standpoint, I am amongst the dwindling numbers who are not into <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a>. Unless you are absolutely hysterical and all of your friends think so, why would they want to hear your every thought and action? I know the <a href="http://www.dailyblogtips.com/how-many-users-does-twitter-have/">millions of Twitter users</a> are proving me wrong on this, but I just don't get it. <br /><br />From an entertainment standpoint, there are definitely some people worth following for an IV drip of amusement throughout the day. <a href="http://twitter.com/walken20">Christopher Walken</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/rustyrockets">Russel Brand</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/rainnwilson">Rainn Wilson</a> are insane and thus hysterical. <br /><br />While some just post their stream of semi-consciousness, some famous Twitterers have taken it to a whole new level. <a href="http://twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ">Shaq</a> has <a href="http://gawker.com/5157662/shaq-citizen-of-twitteronia-welcomes-twitter-stalkers">infamously Twittered his current location</a> and plans for the day, encouraging his followers to come up and say hi or touch him. Sometimes he even gives them prizes. He is a priceless gem, and a national treasure. <br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/news/9-to-fried/2009/03/27/heart-my-job-teaching-athletes-how-to-be-themselves/">This interview</a> tells all about the woman who started the Shaq Twitter storm. A media consultant to the sports industry, <a href="http://www.sportsmediachallenge.com/">Kathleen Hessert</a> works with <a href="http://www.nba.com/suns/">Shaq</a>, <a href="http://www.und.com/">Notre Dame</a>, <a href="http://www.virginiasports.com/">my own alma mater</a> and other teams and athletes so they know how to deal with the media and fans so <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/sports/baseball/16rhoden.html">this</a> doesn't happen. She shows them how to use social networking and other tools to help their image, ticket sales, and life after sports. The interview is worth the quick read, and helps explain why sports teams and other businesses should be <a href="http://twittonary.com/">Tweeting</a> it up. She even mentions why she wouldn't touch A-Rod with a ten-foot pole, as a client, of course. <br /><br />I'll confess that as of this week I've started using Twitter for <a href="http://twitter.com/AnaStellaDesign">our business</a>, posting new designs, updates to our shops, good PR, etc. I'm hoping to post on a more regular schedule, and to keep it interesting. I wouldn't want to <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/401759_twitter28.html">bore you</a>.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-87910857115058441212009-03-26T10:25:00.007-04:002009-03-26T10:57:22.682-04:00Six Year Anniversary = Hippo?Sunday was my <a href="http://www.findgift.com/Anniversary-Table/">6th wedding anniversary</a>. I know, I know, "Oh my god! Really? Is it that long? Wow, it doesn't feel like that long ago, but it seems like it's been a long time at the same time." That's how I feel too. <br /><br />Anyway, my point is that my husband, whom I love dearly, hence the six years of marriage, does have one bad yet wonderful habit: When we say, "no big gifts" for any particular holiday, he often breaks the rules, and gets me something amazing. I know I should just anticipate it and get him something big, but he checks the bank account daily, leaving me with no way to hide my purchases! I know he doesn't care because he would rather get me something I love than get something, but I still feel bad. <br /><br />While on the computer, I constantly show him things I like or cute pictures, expecting that he will buy me the dress I show him just about as much as I expect he will buy me the <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/03/baby-hippopotam.html">baby hippo born at the zoo</a> that I show him. But he pays more attention than that, and thus he bought me a dress and a vase that I told him I liked. I'll have to be more careful in the future, but in the meantime I'll just show you my lovely gifts:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_dynSessConf=-6958311375984485575&id=930015&parentid=APP_DRESSES&pushId=APP_DRESSES&prepushId=APP_DRESSES&popId=APPAREL&sortProperties=&navCount=12&navAction=jump&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=ora&colorName=ORANGE">Anthropologie "Wights Sago" dress</a>. I already have some weddings and showers lined up for this baby. I thought of wearing it to <a href="http://www.foxfieldraces.com/">Foxfield</a> for a fraction of a second, and then realized it would look better without <a href="http://www.jimbeam.com/Legal.aspx?redirectUrl=%2fDefault.aspx">Jim Beam</a> poured all over it. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoE4fI6Ns1OYs7xS_1L7xW43eRqeLxedJIYQpHtBM8xBGr1_ESTOtJbRVAAo7aL5A1yohEWaqo8TTqidnjRNhM4cLnn3vkX4-2ifWv4Uezr8lfwl7KIx1xGf3Net3f0PPIBtjpRY2jdY/s1600-h/anthroplogie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoE4fI6Ns1OYs7xS_1L7xW43eRqeLxedJIYQpHtBM8xBGr1_ESTOtJbRVAAo7aL5A1yohEWaqo8TTqidnjRNhM4cLnn3vkX4-2ifWv4Uezr8lfwl7KIx1xGf3Net3f0PPIBtjpRY2jdY/s320/anthroplogie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317506306756196834" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260361489069">Wedgwood Tri-Color vase</a>. The three color pieces are not as common as the two. This one is beautiful. Now I just have to get some flowers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEusOp9e0RI6lVJHVsKd06VfdDk-DuWjOghZxv64WnCQfGvqgSlAGjFubQS6QOG6vkJ2BSNDWGkMPKf-QHDE6T_VhYl5solI7kKcNRzVsnjeW-f_0KtoIE-__4aLDERFRNJ6mNpK2bsRw/s1600-h/1wedg2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEusOp9e0RI6lVJHVsKd06VfdDk-DuWjOghZxv64WnCQfGvqgSlAGjFubQS6QOG6vkJ2BSNDWGkMPKf-QHDE6T_VhYl5solI7kKcNRzVsnjeW-f_0KtoIE-__4aLDERFRNJ6mNpK2bsRw/s320/1wedg2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317507275514857314" /></a>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-37968121065305879092009-03-25T14:35:00.006-04:002009-04-02T22:11:15.339-04:00Preoccupation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ATodPxar0DnkL6snFRyHIWvvvYYFj-BnXTd4QMO_gQLLby8ujXJ5rIYwRBzfF9FU0XM1I9jl8TIDIQW7d9MNeAuAeatz1PPHsgPHRGjBVZv8azViitdL8sArb_0xQqCzq3oik9tyQc8/s1600-h/AnaStellaBanner1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 42px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ATodPxar0DnkL6snFRyHIWvvvYYFj-BnXTd4QMO_gQLLby8ujXJ5rIYwRBzfF9FU0XM1I9jl8TIDIQW7d9MNeAuAeatz1PPHsgPHRGjBVZv8azViitdL8sArb_0xQqCzq3oik9tyQc8/s320/AnaStellaBanner1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317202433833519474" /></a><br />I've been extremely remiss in my bean blogging lately. Now, some people hate when bloggers apologize for such neglect of their duties. Others, like my husband, hate when the blogs they like to read are neglected. I don't have enough readers to bug a significant number of people with either of these options, but I thought I'd explain myself anyway. <br /><br />I've been working on a new business endeavor, <a href="http://www.anastella.com">AnaStella</a>. My sister is a graphic designer who specializes in invitations and stationery. As with most designers, she despises dealing with the sticky business end of things. This is where I come in. I live for Excel spreadsheets, don't mind filing out tax forms, and actually enjoy wading through the endless uploads and downloads to get a website, blog, online shops, social networks, and all other technological junk up and running for public consumption. <br /><br />Together, we are AnaStella, Invitations with Style and Spark! The name came from our two grandmothers' names, and the slogan came from my head. We design custom invitations and stationery for all kinds of events, especially weddings. You can see us on <a href="http://www.anastella.etsy.com">Etsy</a>, <a href="http://www.anastella.1000markets.com">1000 Markets</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/anastelladesign">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.anastella.com">www.AnaStella.com</a>, and our <a href="http://www.anastella.com/blog">blog</a>. Pick your poison!<br /><br />Hopefully if I get some things sorted out, I can get back to posting regularly on this site. Either way I'll keep you posted.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-64014145103507042382009-03-03T13:07:00.003-05:002009-03-03T13:19:06.400-05:00Ready For the Closeup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnLOGc-n87pEH_yOB38mtyzvjMWaUFZl2W2LZnniudA8DmkfaN2YBeJsPewAwv2dFs7M9diocuaf7-pVcWyqJalH_2R7jeQ5IQ0QEVQ7KTMmM-z94iEBUQahoPkrz9sxylOBUE2af96c/s1600-h/scivis2_h.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnLOGc-n87pEH_yOB38mtyzvjMWaUFZl2W2LZnniudA8DmkfaN2YBeJsPewAwv2dFs7M9diocuaf7-pVcWyqJalH_2R7jeQ5IQ0QEVQ7KTMmM-z94iEBUQahoPkrz9sxylOBUE2af96c/s320/scivis2_h.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309027255770170082" /></a><br />My friend, a biology teacher, and self-proclaimed <a href="http://shop.neatorama.com/product-info.php?i-heart-biology-tshirt-pid92.html">biology geek</a>, sent me this picture of bugs at a tea party. While it looks like something out of a Pixar movie, it's actually a collage of colorized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_electron_microscope">electron micrographs</a> (<a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/scivis2_h.jpg">click here</a> for all of the crazy detail). She knows I love a <a href="http://www.3dtotal.com/team/tutorials/xenolectro/electron_fauxcolour.jpg">good electron micrograph</a>. The picture was a winner in the <a href="http://www.nsf.gov">National Science Foundation's</a> <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/winners_2008.jsp">International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge</a>. Some are colorized electron micrographs, some are actual photos, some are illustrations. <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~artofsci/gallery2006/">Science or art?</a> You be the judge. All of the entries are amazing, but <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn14805-science-visualised/2">this</a> is my favorite. <br /><br />I really do love <a href="http://www.denniskunkel.com/">electron micrographs</a>. They have the coolest textures, and it's crazy how different <a href="http://www.mos.org/sln/SEM/staple.html">ordinary things</a> look if you get <a href="http://seabed.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/wallpaper3.tmpl?issue_id=20070201&week=3&priority=1">close enough</a>. Although it's just straight up photography, the <a href="http://www.soulcatcherstudio.com/exhibitions/blossfeldt/index.htm">work of Karl Blossfeldt</a> reminds me of electron micrographs, and I think that's why I like it so much. This guy's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcQkiMh8p7g">snowflake photos</a> are in the same vein, and are really beautiful. They're like little mugshots of the culprits that caused all that <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29462429/">ruckus</a> yesterday.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-68468679350543338302009-02-21T10:33:00.006-05:002009-02-21T13:57:59.755-05:00Sleepers' Dreams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpiJOhFMa4UKQCfkZ-CuZ57sf7v4WpKMRqpRVhKNRpr-5Tdqwr-L1R-DO6z0Ml0I8HtG9Aofjq4Paj4A1-aspX4WuQi47p8a1_ido1C_87mIZP2BGVE8Q64YrYBI-AD83R0-pybS5Q64/s1600-h/LetThereBeLight.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpiJOhFMa4UKQCfkZ-CuZ57sf7v4WpKMRqpRVhKNRpr-5Tdqwr-L1R-DO6z0Ml0I8HtG9Aofjq4Paj4A1-aspX4WuQi47p8a1_ido1C_87mIZP2BGVE8Q64YrYBI-AD83R0-pybS5Q64/s320/LetThereBeLight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305326853583896578" /></a><br />While the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/business/19housing.html?scp=3&sq=foreclosure&st=cse">mortgage meltdown</a> has forced many families to abandon their homes and their dreams, I find <a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/02/19/Family_moves_in_cave_bought_on_eBay/UPI-59271235086834/">this particular story</a> particularly heartbreaking. The Sleepers of Festus, Missouri took the concept of a "dream house" to quite a different level. After buying a cave on <a href="http://www.ebay.com">ebay</a>, the Sleepers, huh, what's that? Oh, yes, they bought a cave. On ebay. They bought a cave on ebay, and lived in a tent in the cave for five years while they designed and built a house to go in the cave. This <a href="http://www.caveland.us">photo collection</a> shows just how much blood (beware the surprise picture of a nail gun injury), sweat, and tears they personally put into building the house. <br /><br />The Sleepers built the house mostly with their own labor, including a lot of help from their kids. I don't think anyone in 21st century America, besides the <a href="http://www.amishphoto.com/gallerybarnraising.htm">Amish</a>, is this involved in the design and building of their own home. And I applaud their anti-coddling of their offspring. How many <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20041112-000010.html">parents today</a> would let their kids within ten feet of a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hzVxMMQ6yM&feature=related">floor sander</a> or a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SabPRsWZSPg">scissor lift</a>? <br /><br />Sadly, the <a href="http://www.lendingtree.com/mortgage-loans/advice/mortgage-types/balloon-mortgages/">balloon</a> in their mortgage came at the same time as the bust of the economy, leaving them unable to afford living in their labor of love. Completing the circle of life, they have put the house up on <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Unique-Cave-Home-over-15-000-sf-Beautiful-setting_W0QQitemZ330306913609QQcmdZViewItemQQptZResidential?hash=item330306913609&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50">ebay</a>. They are trying to find a buyer, or a financier, or some sort of happy ending. Hopefully someone will come to their rescue and let them keep living the dream.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-24807109912511799442009-02-18T15:19:00.002-05:002009-02-18T15:23:42.713-05:00Whorange You Glad You Remembered Whorange?Looking through a long-abandoned <a href="http://todolistblog.blogspot.com/">to-do list</a>, I saw Whorange. I had totally forgotten about <a href="http://www.whorange.net">Whorange</a>! I somehow stumbled across her blog months and months ago, and made a note of it because I loved it, and I never went back. Now I'm so glad I did because she has the most interesting posts. Most design blogs have significant overlap, and I often feel like I've seen it all before. <a href="http://www.whorange.net/whorange/2009/02/oh-snap-whoranging-for-todd-oldham-photography.html">Not so</a> with Whorange. It's all fresh, all new, all Whorange. It's <a href="http://www.whorange.net/whorange/2009/02/whoranging-for-the-fabulous-flight-attendant.html">so much fun</a> too. Even though I'm not a big fan of the color orange, and she seems to have more of a committment to brightness than I could ever get on board with, I love the <a href="http://www.whorange.net/whorange/about-whorange.html">name</a>, I love the <a href="http://www.whorange.net/whorange/2009/01/crinoline-flowers-by-daryl-banks.html">eye candy</a>, I love the <a href="http://www.whorange.net/whorange/2008/12/2008-holiday-gift-guide.html">personality</a>. She's going on the list.<br /><br />Speaking of <a href="http://www.whatisrss.com/">the list</a>, I fear I may need to begin a cruel game of "Survivor: Google RSS Feed Reader." At 72 sites and counting, I may have overestimated my daily capacity for intake of new info, forcing my brain into <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Overflowing-Brain-Information-Overload-Working/dp/0195372883">overload</a>, and giving me tension headaches from too much read-scroll-read-click-scroll-click-read-scroll-click. But what to cut? My fun <a href="http://www.fark.com/">Fark</a> headlines? My gooey <a href="http://www.gawker.com">Gawker</a> goodness? My Limey <a href="http://londonist.com">Londonist</a> lowdown? I don't want to miss out on anything, but I don't want <a href="http://www.dlisted.com/node/29992">my brain to pop</a> either. For now, I'm putting all of my blogs <a href="http://www.wikiality.com/On_Notice">on notice</a>. No one is immune. A girl can only take so much.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-31178744607852161752009-02-13T08:37:00.008-05:002009-02-13T12:32:36.754-05:00For the Love of Jasperware<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWMoQCTerebwEaqE9x4-ns6yM47OmDilE03TuHPPBc7iSQDX3i-VhG7PVxfnuZfODmC-PpFf8ANcxlU9X0bNlo96e3oTlDQ46gFvGW9YDJSLQaT3_gVFJ7iVmeUxGvSXxU3O1hbgrcE8/s1600-h/cameo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWMoQCTerebwEaqE9x4-ns6yM47OmDilE03TuHPPBc7iSQDX3i-VhG7PVxfnuZfODmC-PpFf8ANcxlU9X0bNlo96e3oTlDQ46gFvGW9YDJSLQaT3_gVFJ7iVmeUxGvSXxU3O1hbgrcE8/s320/cameo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302335090539385058" /></a><br />My obsession with Wedgwood Jasperware started a few years back when I saw <a href="http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/wedgwood-jasperware-crimson-candlestick-1-c-309uhp9hbv">these candlesticks</a> in a client's apartment. While I had seen Jasperware many times before, I was now deeply in love. <br /><br />On a trip to London last March, I attempted to find some of this red Jasperware to make my own, but quickly realized this was not to be. Upon asking a dealer if he had in his tiny, Wedgwood-packed stall, any red Jasperware, he replied, in his most proper British accent, "You MUST be joking!" He went on to chastise me for calling it "red" rather than <a href="http://www.antiqforum.com/wedgwood_crimsonjasper.html">"crimson"</a> and told me that, due to the <a href="http://www.wedgwoodsociety.org/spgm/index.php?spgmGal=jasperware&spgmPic=2&spgmFilters=#pic">difficulty in manufacturing</a> it, it is one of the rarest Jasperware colors. Other than the obvious disappointment of not finding what I came for, this ridiculous exchange was one of the highlights of the trip. Another highlight was the cameo above, which I purchased from an <a href="http://www.applebyantiques.net/pages/About%20us%20&%20our%20website%20&%20Contact%20information..htm">adorable couple</a> who gave me a thorough lesson on the <a href="http://ciar-roisin.net/wedgwood/history.html">origins and manufacture</a> of Jasperware. I turned it into a pendant with some findings from <a href="http://www.metalliferous.com/">Metaliferous</a>, and it is my favorite purchase ever! <br /><br />Earlier this week, <a href="http://architectdesign.blogspot.com">Architect Design</a> posted his <a href="http://architectdesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/collection-jasperware.html">lovely collection</a> of blue and white Wedgwood Jasperware, sending me, once again, on a Jasperware quest. I am determined to start a collection, so every few months I scour ebay and antiques dealers' sites searching for something to buy. I am drawn to the more <a href="http://www.antiqforum.com/wedgwood_3colorjasper.html">unusual</a> <a href="http://www.antiqforum.com/wedgwood_blackjasper.html">colors</a>, putting the pieces I love well above my price range. Alas, I never actually go through with it, and my current "collection" remains the one cameo. <br /><br />Yesterday on Charles Darwin's 200th birthday, I learned (from <a href="http://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html#4357089833158581404">Diamond Geezer</a>) that Darwin's <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/science-of-natural-history/expeditions-collecting/beagle-voyage/">legendary voyage</a> may not have happened with out financial help from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_Wedgwood">Josiah Wedgwood</a>. Sadly, this <a href="http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk/home">historic company</a> is in dire straits right now. If Wedgwood doesn't get bought out of <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/02/12/business/OUKBS-UK-IRELAND-WATERFORDWEDGEWOOD.php">bankruptcy</a> soon, who knows how high prices would go for collectable pieces. I'd better get to work on that collection.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-51972282968009840982009-02-11T12:06:00.004-05:002009-02-11T12:14:59.654-05:00Dirty Centaurs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV789Ek-P8tzFz3MulmJKop3E5w8SPDX2LPqqu1JUY99n6VEg2Re-zLRbkiM97B1WdF3qP7SbKmzStSE1_BCuAKkRJoW9XkTU4H0TlNXXK-ulLkc-bVeqq55GQpt3ptKkFV6cryrV2t9Q/s1600-h/swayzaur.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV789Ek-P8tzFz3MulmJKop3E5w8SPDX2LPqqu1JUY99n6VEg2Re-zLRbkiM97B1WdF3qP7SbKmzStSE1_BCuAKkRJoW9XkTU4H0TlNXXK-ulLkc-bVeqq55GQpt3ptKkFV6cryrV2t9Q/s320/swayzaur.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301587831948489234" /></a><br />Last month for my birthday, aside from throwing me a wonderful surprise party, my sister and friends gave me the <a href="http://www.areyougame.com/interact/item.asp?itemno=01794">Dirty Dancing board game</a>. I have yet to play the game, but in skimming the rules, we saw that the player who has seen the movie the most times goes first. Awesome. <br /><br />Then, last night on the walk home, my iPod, being possessed by some unknown force, played a medley of songs featured in Dirty Dancing. I don't have the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Dancing-Original-Soundtrack-Vestron/dp/B000002W9Q">soundtrack</a> on there, it just magically pulled the songs from their respective artists' albums for my listening pleasure. I have heard others say that their iPods have a <a href="http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2005/08/20/what-do-the-kansas-city-royals-and-my-ipod-have-in-common/">mind of their own</a>, but this was beyond bizzarre. <br /><br />But I had no idea what bizzarre really meant, until I got home, and got an email from a coworker with a link to <a href="http://www.grupthink.com/answer/114405/Behold_the_Swayzaur">this</a>, thus completing the Dirty Dancing trifecta. I have no words. <br /><br />Wait, yes I do: What kind of acid trip do you need to be on to A) conceive of <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xu9mx_patrick-swayze-chippendale_dating">such an image</a> in the first place, and then B) to actually go through with having it permanently embedded in your skin? Once on the train I saw someone with a tattoo of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD36ZhpHPpE">Captain Caveman</a> right next to his tattoo of the <a href="http://www.tattoosymbol.com/articles/tasmanian-devil.html">Tazmanian Devil</a>, and I thought I had seen it all. Touche Swayzaur, Touche.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-51645338324419067352009-02-10T20:09:00.004-05:002009-02-10T21:10:36.673-05:00To Blog Or Not To BlogRoger Ebert has a <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/">great blog</a>. He waxes philosophical on a variety of topics, touching only incidentally on film, and his readers' comments are often as insightful as his words. <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/02/ending_up_in_a_kind_of_soundle.html">Today's post</a> discussed writing and the internet in general, mainly the idea that everything we write and say will most likely be forgotten in a few years if not sooner. He goes so far as to say that even <a href="http://shakespeare.mit.edu/">the works of Shakespeare</a> will eventually be lost to future generations. <br /><br />This leads to the question of why anyone writes anything at all ever. Blogs offer a prime example, considering that <a href="http://mama.indstate.edu/users/bones/WhyIHateWebLogs.html">many are uninteresting to all but their writers</a>. In writing this blog I've had the same thought: Is this totally stupid? Is it at all worth reading? Does anyone care what I'm writing? Do I care what I'm writing? Well, I'd like to think that at least I care what I'm writing. If I find myself writing something that I'm starting to get bored with, I think, "If I can't make this interesting to myself, then why would anyone else care," and I just delete it and stop wasting my time (and yours). <br /><br />Before all the bloggers (and other writers) decide that life is meaningless and go jump off the Blogtown Bridge, despair not. In closing Ebert gives us a little uplift, a reason to live, and to write another day:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> ""A person has to participate," Studs Terkel liked to say. That's how I feel. Meditating on futility--that's no way to live. One of the most useful pieces of advice ever given me, at a time when I despaired, was: Act as if. Act as if you make a difference. If infinity is too big for you, live in the day. Shakespeare as usual expressed this better than anyone else, and it took him six words: To be, or not to be. That wasn't simply an expression of the Existentialist choice between choosing to live or die. It was the choice to act, or not to act. To participate."<br /></span><br />While it may not all be sweet flowing poetry, I'd like to think that my writing is at least improving slightly, and at least I'm participating!The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-62893672059932407902009-02-09T16:26:00.002-05:002009-02-09T16:32:31.092-05:00Dr. StrangemapVia <a href="http://www.designboom.com/weblog/full.php">Designboom's blog</a>, I found an awesome blog about strange maps. It's called <a href="http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/">"Strange Maps,"</a> and, like the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105793/quotes">Shitty Beetles</a>, it's not just a clever name. Judging by his 10 million plus hits, I'm not the only map nerd out there, which makes me feel slightly better. Strange Maps features maps that display some statistical information by geographical area, or have some creative spin, or are just plain odd. I could spend all day reading this site. Oh wait, I just did. <br /><br />One of the more interesting, if not useful, <a href="http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/358-huns-hair-salons-and-puns/">maps</a> plots the frequency of hairdressers in Germany with salons named after three different hair-related puns. This could get very confusing, resulting in lots of missed appointments and <a href="http://www.dict.cc/english-german/bad+hair+day.html">ill-coiffed Germans</a>. <br /><br />Strange as rampant German hair puns may be, I feel that <a href="http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/349-the-slaw-of-the-land-west-virginia-hot-dog-map/">this map</a> takes the "strange cake" and runs with it. It maps the availability of cole slaw as a hot dog topping in the counties of West Virginia. Apparently it's a <a href="http://www.wvhotdogs.com/">big deal</a> down there. <br /><br />While <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com">Martha</a> likes to decorate with maps, <a href="http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Whats-New_1AA/To-Entertain_1BE/Item_Map-Plates_HG6085_ps_cti-1BE.html">these plates</a> might be a bit too kitschy for her. I think it would be fun to have an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eu">EU</a> themed party with the foods of Europe displayed on their respective plates. Sadly, England and Italy are sold out.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-58533412639161621472009-02-06T17:30:00.011-05:002009-02-06T18:29:55.811-05:00Memorable Memorials<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R5im6Hbu9H9dn_4y5ooyEtOrwey_lggbq1xSNgSlh09fjSIpXmZz4AhPEGv_Ux2n6F6Titf9blQb5azt6yvKXz7deYR4UuWK94UTAW7zOKx0o30qFztqDwNb1t34XgqUvKYrHRlGYu8/s1600-h/falco3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R5im6Hbu9H9dn_4y5ooyEtOrwey_lggbq1xSNgSlh09fjSIpXmZz4AhPEGv_Ux2n6F6Titf9blQb5azt6yvKXz7deYR4UuWK94UTAW7zOKx0o30qFztqDwNb1t34XgqUvKYrHRlGYu8/s320/falco3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817550367304850" /></a><br />Listening to the 80's station on cable at work, we heard the song <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6LSVNabJak&feature=related">Rock Me Amadeus</a> by Falco. This lead to the inevitable "Whatever happened to Falco?" question that has been fodder for so many <a href="http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/where_are_they_now/episode_list.jhtml">VH1 specials</a>. I'm guessing that these VH1 specials are the source of my knowledge that Falco had died in a <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/falco/articles/story/5930811/rock_me_amadeus_singer_dies_in_car_crash">car accident</a>. Upon searching the all-knowing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falco_(musician)">Wikipedia</a> to find out when he died, we found out that today was the anniversary of his death! While this is a strange coincidence, the stranger thing is <a href="http://williamsgate.blogspot.com/2008/02/falco-gravesite.html">HIS GRAVE SITE</a>, pictured above. A giant glass wall etched with his image in a giant cape, surrounded by the names of his popular songs, next to a giant granite obelisk with his name carved into it, and another stone with his real name on it! Absolutely insane. Apparently, it was created by <a href="http://www.zechmeisterstein.at/english/falco_grabdenkmal.html">this German monument company</a> whose website explains the purpose of the three-part memorial. <br /><br />I'm pretty sure the "I'm an arrogant bastard" grave site award goes to maybe-senator from Illinois <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16943.html">Roland Burris</a>. While the Senate said they wouldn't allow him in because he was appointed by Rod Blagojevich, it's clearly because they saw <a href="http://wonkette.com/405196/roland-burris-has-already-constructed-his-terrifying-death-chamber">this</a> and knew he was a total wingnut. <br /><br />At least <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/12796">these celebrities</a> have a more humble (and comical) view of their lives, and afterlives. On a recent trip to L.A., my sister visited the cemetery o' the stars where many of these graves are and took pictures of these gems below. They may not be celebrities, but it seems like they had a good time. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBV4QW3r0MULN2WOh1grFRtKT-hk2FB1gCIbQnjbMKoL1Nj98UYy1FhyphenhyphenS5Nq9UWFj9v9vtDEUdR4nptd5BOrqUdBuO2P6fLWVzJQH3Mf4bYhqYdANWKpW7Jx94OVRFKsoDEw7PPXPN7c/s1600-h/cg1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBV4QW3r0MULN2WOh1grFRtKT-hk2FB1gCIbQnjbMKoL1Nj98UYy1FhyphenhyphenS5Nq9UWFj9v9vtDEUdR4nptd5BOrqUdBuO2P6fLWVzJQH3Mf4bYhqYdANWKpW7Jx94OVRFKsoDEw7PPXPN7c/s320/cg1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299829646944528674" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwaH34oUn8yjejxEHfMtAnOD2CvLu9tsTYyX2sXBLB-NRGVE1TI0r8T8kyn13H79pCbL41q-brx0RDUHI-pWVg7qEd-lAuN4_y6x0omZ9dtR08Zs3B4FwdWWTu389a-A0QqkLarGobUA/s1600-h/cg2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwaH34oUn8yjejxEHfMtAnOD2CvLu9tsTYyX2sXBLB-NRGVE1TI0r8T8kyn13H79pCbL41q-brx0RDUHI-pWVg7qEd-lAuN4_y6x0omZ9dtR08Zs3B4FwdWWTu389a-A0QqkLarGobUA/s320/cg2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299829850970678018" /></a>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-90549995964150683402009-02-04T17:12:00.003-05:002009-02-04T17:59:28.541-05:00She Bangs? Or Botoxes.<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/FRALIC+Melt+years+appearance+with+hair+apparent/1245610/story.html">This article</a> cracked me up. It's about how, instead of getting Botox on their forehead wrinkles, women are cutting bangs to hide them. They call them "Bo-bangs." I guess, if you can pull off bangs, it's a fairly cheap alternative to plastic surgery. As long as you don't go for the bizarro <a href="http://beauty.about.com/od/bangswelove/ss/bangs3_9.htm">"I just did this myself, and, oh yeah, I'm 5 years old"</a> super-cropped look. I have been against this look since childhood, when I gave myself an ill-executed haircut. It was not well received by my parents, and resulted in the destruction of my Hello Kitty safety scissors. <br /><br />Anyway, the article reminded me of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Dolls">Valley of the Dolls</a> when Jennifer attaches a "frownie" to her forehead to prevent her from furrowing her brow and creating wrinkles. So I looked up these <a href="http://www.frownies.com/">Frownies</a>, and found that they are very much still available. Despite being around for 114 years, they have had some very <a href="http://www.frownies.com/news/">good press</a> recently, including the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/11/fashion/thursdaystyles/11skin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print">coveted plug</a> in <a href="http://www.oprah.com/magazine/omagazine">O Magazine</a>. A box of 144 Frownie patches is only $19.95, so I think I'm going to try them out. I'll let you know how it goes. <br /><br />This also reminded me of a friend, who said that for her 13th birthday, all she wanted was bangs, and a chinchilla. Sadly, she was denied both at the time, but is now making up for lost bangs-time with her current hairstyle, and maybe some therapy.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-48825488604328430842009-01-29T19:54:00.004-05:002009-01-29T21:06:53.529-05:00The Maligned Secrets of the DABA SisterhoodThe last couple of days have found the NYC news and blog worlds abuzz about <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/nyregion/28daba.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=dating%20a%20banker%20anonymous&st=cse">these girls</a>, girlfriends of men in finance who are dealing with the fallout of a tumbling Wall Street. <a href="http://www.dabagirls.wordpress.com">Their blog</a> is meant to provide support to the women whose significant others are stressed about the security of their finance-industry jobs. <br /><br />Oh yeah, it sounds all warm and fuzzy and "let's stand together and comfort each other in this hard time." Yet it quickly becomes apparent when reading their posts that these women are not feeling the economic pinch in the same way as <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/mentalhealth/01/28/economy.mental.woes/">other Americans</a>. While millions are trying to figure out how to pay their rent or feed their kids, these soulless wenches are bemoaning the decreased frequency of spa facials and $400 dinners. They complain about being stuck with men who they think are pathetic shells of what they once were. I swear, as you read the blog, your stomach turning further with every line, you can actually hear their high-pitched whining clawing its way out of the computer. I believe the highlight of the site is when multiple women, some married, exclaim, "this is not what I signed on for!" Um, no, you signed on "for better or for worse." Did you ask your husband if he signed on for a gold digger who would find him repulsive <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D960QHQ80.htm">without his billion-dollar bonus</a>? <br /><br />I would suggest that someone should take these girls to <a href="http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101041004/photoessay/">Darfur</a> or a <a href="http://www.wolvo.net/gallery/v/Mumbai+Slum+Dwellers_001/">Mumbai slum</a> for a weekend getaway to give them a little perspective, but that would imply that they actually had a conscience or a shred of self-awareness, and would be able to comprehend why they should perhaps keep their sob stories to themselves. That being said, blog on ladies, and stay strong in these <a href="http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i44712">trying times</a>!The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-81578321687337931312009-01-28T15:10:00.003-05:002009-01-28T15:14:52.188-05:00Pour Some Out: Domino Mag. Boo.Today sucks for so many reasons, besides wading through <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Snow-Sleet-and-Freezing-Rain-Heading-Our-Way.html">cold sludge</a> to get to work. <br /><br />I won't get into the work issues. There isn't enough room on the <a href="http://www.shibumi.org/eoti.htm">internet</a>.<br /><br />The news came at me from <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/01/domino-closes.html">dozens</a> <a href="http://www.observer.com/2009/media/domino-falls-cond-nast-closes-shelter-book">of</a> <a href="http://gawker.com/5141127/domino-is-dead-conde-crumble-continues">sources</a> today that, after months of rumors, my beloved <a href="http://www.dominomag.com">Domino magazine</a> is closing, effectively ruining my day and I'm sure a few days to come. I'm still mourning the loss of <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/05/house-and-garden-100-year-old-magazine-abandoned/">House & Garden</a>, so this was too much to take. Domino was the one design magazine that, every now and then, included something that I could afford, and interiors I could actually see myself in. I couldn't wait to get to the mailbox to devour the yummy eye candy on its pages. I know this sounds crazy to non-design-obsessed people, but I'm sure my designer pals will sympathize. I'm proposing that we all cut out of work early to go <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_(Judaism)">sit shiva</a> at a <a href="http://gawker.com/5067175/where-do-you-drink-when-you-snap-before-noon">bar</a> somewhere. Are you allowed to drink while sitting shiva? <br /><br />If it weren't so cold I would storm over to <a href="http://www.condenast.com/">Conde Nast</a> and give them a piece of my mind. This reminds me of when they cancelled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh_aG5MzPVM">The Muppet Show</a>, and I was very upset, and my dad said he would write them a letter for me. It never really worked out. Thank god for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Muppet-Show-Season-One-Special/dp/B0009ULBGS">DVDs</a>.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-41579484251511250002009-01-26T13:46:00.004-05:002009-01-26T14:39:10.727-05:00From Rustic to RidiculousMy best friend is an amazing chef, who makes all kinds of things I would never think to put together. She just started a food blog, which I've added to my list at the right, called "<a href="http://notlazy-rustic.blogspot.com/">not lazy. rustic.</a>" The name comes from one of her culinary school instructors who, when a student said that his somewhat imperfectly plated dish was "rustic," told that student that in cooking there is no such thing as rustic, only lazy. Obviously, she does not subscribe to this theory, and rightfully so. After all, if it tastes good, who cares if it doesn't look like a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/05/14/dining/0514-CARVE_index.html">sculpture</a>? <br /><br />Speaking of food sculptures, my sister and I spent all (and I mean ALL) of Saturday watching the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/">Food Network</a>. Watching <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/ace-of-cakes/index.html">Ace of Cakes</a> and a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-challenge/index.html">Food Network Challenge</a> with cakes lead us to one of our favorite websites, <a href="http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/">Cake Wrecks</a>. We spent hours laughing at all of the cake mishaps. It really is mind boggling just how bad some people are at their jobs. I guess they aren't putting the most talented people in charge of cake decorating in your average supermarket, but it would seem that some of these people had never actually seen a cake before, and that they just learned how to write the day before. My favorites, however, are the cases where the person gave the bakery a picture of what they wanted, and the bakery gave them something <a href="http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-day-big-wrecks.html">horribly horribly wrong</a> in return.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-67218656070178458672009-01-23T12:25:00.004-05:002009-01-23T12:56:40.322-05:00Posh Squat<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5567131.ece?&EMC-Bltn=QQXE4A">Right now</a>, in a part of London akin to New York's Park Avenue, about forty squatters, mostly artists and students, have moved into two abandoned mansions, each worth about 15 million pounds. They say that it's all very civilized, and not at all a crack house. The funny thing is that they are totally within the law unless they start trashing the place. <br /><br />While the locals seem to have <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Squatters-Start-Living-In-Two-15m-Houses-On-Londons-Park-Lane/Article/200901415208295?f=rss">mixed feelings</a> about the squatters (<a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2158953.ece">this article</a> makes no bones about their disapproval), I'm sure that if this happened in New York, the neighbors would head over to Gracious Home to buy jewel-encrusted pitchforks and mahogany torches before heading over to drive them out. <br /><br />It reminds me of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Punk-House-Interiors-Abby-Banks/dp/0810993317/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232732963&sr=8-1">punk houses</a>, although I don't think any of those were ever located in multi-million dollar mansions.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-46444757232805969142009-01-23T11:54:00.002-05:002009-01-23T12:23:55.994-05:00Words of ChangeIn an effort to expand my vocabulary without having to sit and read the dictionary, I subscribe to a "word of the day" email from <a href="http://www.wordsmith.org">Wordsmith.org</a>. The past week has featured words pulled from <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/index.php">Obama's speeches and interviews</a>, including both the word's definition, and the quote from him. The words of this week were:<br /><br />cohere<br />syncretic<br />endemic<br />abrogate<br />sui generis<br /><br />As I read these words, I'm struck by the fact that <a href="http://politicalhumor.about.com/cs/georgewbush/a/top10bushisms.htm">Bush</a> probably doesn't know any of them. While Barack Obama can use these words effortlessly in conversation without sounding pretentious, Bush would not be able to do so without sounding like he just learnt 'em special for the occasion. It's such a relief to have someone intelligent at the wheel. That's all.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-44341654483726486092009-01-22T21:45:00.008-05:002009-01-22T23:06:02.843-05:00Designer Phone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVD2SOMY8lTHTNqjHgmkieBA1gKZ356GK6Ss9ms-IwiMhtvsEqygLNPt-4RQN-l8aojrL2BjoCjIKV6uwneBKQ7HLQCieJYNF9lxo6BQdttaOtdnGDhL1ShgHKg1oWFJbNAWCOkLPJDA/s1600-h/mark-on-call.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 208px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVD2SOMY8lTHTNqjHgmkieBA1gKZ356GK6Ss9ms-IwiMhtvsEqygLNPt-4RQN-l8aojrL2BjoCjIKV6uwneBKQ7HLQCieJYNF9lxo6BQdttaOtdnGDhL1ShgHKg1oWFJbNAWCOkLPJDA/s320/mark-on-call.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294333465238750370" /></a><br />I've tried to limit the apps I download to my iPhone so I don't clog it up or spend funny money on a lot of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5025060/a-few-stupid-iphone-apps">things I don't need</a>. Things i don't need include an <a href="http://www.hottrixdownload.com/secure/iBeer/iBeer.html">iBeer</a>, a <a href="http://www.toejamsoftware.com/mood_touch.html">mood sensor</a>, and a <a href="http://ifartmobile.com/">fart machine</a>. <br /><br />One that I might need if I were still an interior designer is <a href="http://whatwouldyoudowiththisroom.com/mark-on-call/">Mark-On-Call</a>. Designed by interior designer <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439208085?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwwhatwouldy-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1439208085">Mark Lewinson</a>, it allegedly allows you to draw floor and furniture plans, and add fabrics and finishes. It looks cool, but I find that things like this often are more trouble than they are worth. I would download it if I thought I might need it in the near future, but my furniture has no room to move. Right now it's only $4.99, so if someone would buy it and let me know how it is, I would love to hear it.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-70124272988435250302009-01-22T17:41:00.002-05:002009-01-22T17:48:24.816-05:00Soane Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLg9Pt9u7M5jjhV2eKSr6v1dXi7Bj9e8jSIpFnQf46ZTJ2EagOfA3akFhN-T7lYGmt3nJnyOnV5nstFK50b7kHLL5eAESaV1Ef3meRuwY9YrMqZz5rr158jQ4VuxM-p64T9dPgTpL-nc/s1600-h/Soane+House2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLg9Pt9u7M5jjhV2eKSr6v1dXi7Bj9e8jSIpFnQf46ZTJ2EagOfA3akFhN-T7lYGmt3nJnyOnV5nstFK50b7kHLL5eAESaV1Ef3meRuwY9YrMqZz5rr158jQ4VuxM-p64T9dPgTpL-nc/s320/Soane+House2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294252248083527874" /></a><br />Today <a href="http://hollisterhovey.blogspot.com">Hollister Hovey</a> led me to <a href="http://tradarchitecture.blogspot.com">The Architecturalist</a>, following the breadcrumbs back to Malplaquet house. The intrigue here lies not in the house's magnificent decor, which is a bit cluttered for my taste (I would have nightmares about the dust in that place), but in the owner's occupation. <a href="http://www.royal-oak.org/ShopSite/lectures/speakers/s07_knox.htm">Tim Knox</a>, who lives there with his partner Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, is the director of <a href="http://www.soane.org/">Sir John Soane's Museum</a>!!!! While that may mean nothing to most people, it makes me freak out like a tween at a Jonas Brothers concert (I refuse to link to them for fear of even slightly inflating their perceived popularity). <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Soane">John Soane</a> was a British architect, and an early interior designer. His house (now the museum) is a temple to his love of architecture, built to showcase his <a href="http://www.britishtours.com/360/soane-museum.html">vast collection</a> of architectural artifacts. It's a must see for anyone visiting London, and in my mind, being the director of it all sounds like the most fabulous job on the planet.<br /><br />Upon seeing that the Architecturalist got the Malplaquet house pictures from "Barry Lewis" I freaked out again, thinking it was <a href="http://www.barrylewis.org/">this Barry Lewis</a>, when in fact it is <a href="http://barrylewisphotography.com/pm/pages/imagegroup.public.image.php?igId=280&pos=1">this Barry Lewis</a>, a British photographer. While British Barry Lewis appears to be very talented, he could never hold a candle in my heart to New York's Barry Lewis. You may recognize him from his <a href="http://www.thirteen.org">Channel Thirteen</a> shows, <a href="http://www.thirteen.org/brooklyn/a-about.html">"A Walk Around Brooklyn"</a>, <a href="http://www.thirteen.org/harlem/about.html">"A Walk Through Harlem"</a>, etc. His Modern Architecture and Design courses at <a href="http://www.nysid.edu">The New York School of Interior Design</a> were by far the most interesting classes I have ever taken at any school! I think you can take them without being a matriculated student, and if you are a NYC dweller, I highly recommend them. He's hilarious, and you will learn so much about this city that you never knew.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-89974726394501616042009-01-21T15:21:00.002-05:002009-01-21T15:33:32.047-05:00Sinking Self Esteemship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXAgJz3_Yk515sXsxHuA9QBHaTfOc2L5vxjyo8jm6djow-uVRFqn582bQDA7n6aivsCixyneN-ImhM1FSwxufA9nEflxmqtgnNcbiKE5di9E0y0Aeu6BxcSUwwHVnfPdZmyPzhFqOL9Q/s1600-h/allthewrongpeople.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXAgJz3_Yk515sXsxHuA9QBHaTfOc2L5vxjyo8jm6djow-uVRFqn582bQDA7n6aivsCixyneN-ImhM1FSwxufA9nEflxmqtgnNcbiKE5di9E0y0Aeu6BxcSUwwHVnfPdZmyPzhFqOL9Q/s320/allthewrongpeople.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293847355682376578" /></a><br />Today, while reading <a href="http://www.coolhunting.com">Cool Hunting</a>, I saw something that made me stand up and shout "Amen! Halleluja!!" Well, I didn't actually stand up because that would have meant shedding my giant <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085970/quotes">woobie</a> scarf-blankie thing and exposing my skin to the bitter cold, but I was very excited. What, you ask, could make me so excited? A book by <a href="http://www.rosenworld.com/">Laurie Rosenwald</a> entitled <a href="http://www.coolhunting.com/archives/2009/01/all_the_wrong_p.php">"All the Wrong People Have Self Esteem."</a> While the book seems to be a mix of meanings and media, the title is what gets me going. You see, I have noticed often, and lately with increased frequency, that there are tons of people in the world who operate under the delusion that they are smart, skilled, and talented beyond reality, and use this high self-image to propel themselves forth in the world of business. I'm talking about the idiot bosses who run companies into the ground, all the while thinking that they are above taking advice from anyone around them. These people think and act with an undeserved authority, and they rise through the ranks virtually unquestioned and uncontested. <br /><br /><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2003/08/25/pf/saving/boss/">If you work for one of these people</a>, you find yourself asking how they are able to walk out the door without getting hit by a bus every morning, let alone make a career for themselves. Given their ineptitude, you are no longer shocked by billionaire CEOs who can't seem to manage their way out of their own socks, yet have been entrusted with the fate of a giant company (and the jobs of thousands). Our nation's recent economic downfall is the fault of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/18/banking-useconomy">such people</a>, whose own unwarranted self esteem has helped them reach the top, oblivious to the fact that their personal ladder of success is constructed out of marshmallows. <br /><br />The upside of this is that it has given me a new-found confidence in my own abilities. If these schmucks can do it, why can't I? And why can't you for that matter? Whether this undeserved self esteem comes from class entitlement, or the praise heaped on them by those around them, these people have taken over the world, and need to be stopped. We can usurp their power, one dumbass at a time. Who's with me? <br /><br />P.S. - I've already requested Laurie's book from <a href="http://www.nypl.org">the library</a>, and I can't wait to read her thoughts on the topic of her title. She may have had a different idea altogether, in which case, I would sound like a total nut job. But that ship, I fear, may have already sailed.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-52822537695389703142009-01-19T15:21:00.005-05:002009-01-19T16:43:21.411-05:00Designo (from Decorno)<a href="http://decorno.blogspot.com">Decorno</a> has become one of my favorite design blogs because she's not afraid to say what she feels about the design world when most bloggers just blather blithely away about pretty things. <a href="http://decorno.blogspot.com/2008/12/look-i-am-not-going-to-be-coy.html">This post</a> really says it all. <br /><br />I understand bloggers' reticence to post anything negative for fear of the torrent of snarky comments from <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2009/01/tina-fey-rules.html?showComment=1231879380000">self-righteous losers with nothing better to do</a>. Can you believe someone commented to her that her marriage wouldn't last five years? What a miserable person you must be to say that to someone. As my mother always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, then... um... uh. Clearly I wasn't listening to her. Because so many people play it safe and avoid the wrath of the commentariat, I find it especially refreshing to hear from a someone who will gladly <a href="http://decorno.blogspot.com/2007/09/things-that-are-wrong-now-always-and.html">speak the truth</a>, and who manages to do so without being mean. <br /><br />But back to my point. Decorno's <a href="http://decorno.blogspot.com/2009/01/outtake-from-conversation-with-kitchen.html">recent experience</a> with a delinquent contractor provides a perfect example of why I left the interior design business. You are constantly forced to deal with <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2005/09/25/2005-09-25_dreams_end_in_contractor_nig.html">insane contractors</a> who see no fault with telling you they would rather work on their own home than yours, or with taking your money and leaving you high and dry. And when you aren't dealing with the contractors, you are dealing with clients who are not used to having someone treat them this way, and can't believe that a businessperson would do that, and thus decide that it must be YOUR fault. It's madness! The design <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/">mags</a>, <a href="http://www.blogs.com/topten/10-popular-home-and-interior-design-blogs/">blogs</a>, and <a href="http://www.hgtv.com">shows</a> only give you the pretty, shiny, finished product, not the months of torture and tears the designer goes through to make everyone happy. I know I sound like a whiner, but I'm not alone. Many of my designer friends working at many different firms have come to the same conclusion that it's just not worth it, and have fled to other industries. I hope I haven't dashed anyone's designer dreams, but they don't tell you any of this good stuff <a href="http://www.asid.org/education/selection/">design school</a> (or in <a href="http://www.pointclickhome.com/elledecor">Elle Decor</a>).The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-52594564944408808652009-01-17T13:13:00.004-05:002009-01-17T15:23:48.344-05:00Surreal Sights<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rZkskJ6ofhi8ge7WQ2sWOTxc2UMm7JisRT84utDxehHeRIKPS0foN2BEnA35fclNAQU2XRsFyK_U8zpAY7WUmkhV_eFjtkqFb6pJgyLzJPCiV9lkZDzuFSJ4QbZHA12rswzd-7VSc9o/s1600-h/NormandieNY.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rZkskJ6ofhi8ge7WQ2sWOTxc2UMm7JisRT84utDxehHeRIKPS0foN2BEnA35fclNAQU2XRsFyK_U8zpAY7WUmkhV_eFjtkqFb6pJgyLzJPCiV9lkZDzuFSJ4QbZHA12rswzd-7VSc9o/s320/NormandieNY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292356846462236562" /></a><br /><br />Seeing a <a href="http://www.wpix.com/miracle_on_the_hudson">plane floating in the Hudson river</a> seems completely surreal, nevermind the helicopters flying above my apartment until the 11:00 news ends, making me feel like <a href="http://www.ugo.com/filmtv/top11-classicrock/?cur=GoodFellas">Henry Hill</a>. <br /><br />It also reminds me that I forgot to finish my post about this <a href="http://www.take-a-view.co.uk/2008_winners.htm">photography competition</a>. The picture of the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/7293462.stm">grounded ferry boat</a> in Lancashire, England reminds me of a New York story that most people today don't know about. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Normandie">SS Normandie</a> was an opulent French ocean liner which <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angary">US authorities seized</a> in New York harbor and renamed USS Lafayette, with hopes of converting it for use in World War II. However, a welder's torch started a huge fire, causing the ship to turn on its side where it stayed for over a year. Can you imagine a huge ship just sitting sideways right off the West Side Highway for a year? Unreal. <a href="http://www.efootage.com">eFootage.com</a> has <a href="http://www.efootage.com/stock-footage/44281/French-SS-Normandie-ocean-liner-liners-oceanliner-oceanliners">great video of the Normandie</a>, before, during, and after the fire.<br /><br />However, on a recent <a href="http://avenuea.org/ev/tour/index.shtml">walking tour of the East Village</a>, our tour guide told a slightly different story of how the Normandie ended up on it's side. He said that notorious mobster <a href="http://www.meyerlansky.com/">Meyer Lansky</a> had tried to negotiate with the government to get his pal <a href="http://www.time.com/time/time100/builder/profile/luciano.html">Lucky Luciano</a> released from prison. He offered to have the mob protect the harbor during the war in exchange for Lucky's freedom. When the government refused, the Normandie suddenly and mysteriously had a giant fire, scaring the government into accepting Lansky's offer. A quick internet search yielded <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betrayals-Treason-Violations-Trust-Loyalty/dp/0813397766/ref=sr_11_1/181-4563514-5622466?ie=UTF8&qid=1232222600&sr=11-1">some information</a> to connect the two events, but apparently the government still disputes working with the mob. Either way, I think the mob story is much more fun than an errant spark starting it all. <br /><br />And I highly recommend taking the <a href="http://avenuea.org/ev/tour/index.shtml">East Village History Project's walking tours</a>. The tours are free, but they recommend tipping your tour guide, which you will definitely want to do. We took the "Gangsters, Murderers & Weirdos" tour, one of their most popular. It's a cheap, entertaining way to learn more about New York and the history that is sitting right under your nose.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178989962201586629.post-24156090512862217182009-01-15T20:32:00.005-05:002009-01-15T21:26:38.986-05:00People, Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FfbJEI6rXsrbYui3TzMvenGvQHeA-Ujk8RBBgTIAb0fgBzAz5zA6ZJwGQCm_K4OIhF0eQINwrAGkvWhVj3DhD_A3XaIYe5sm6sg23ODwv0ahKM_LY-Ag2MCQFo-XwdB5db09BKWbhpg/s1600-h/dazzle19342.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FfbJEI6rXsrbYui3TzMvenGvQHeA-Ujk8RBBgTIAb0fgBzAz5zA6ZJwGQCm_K4OIhF0eQINwrAGkvWhVj3DhD_A3XaIYe5sm6sg23ODwv0ahKM_LY-Ag2MCQFo-XwdB5db09BKWbhpg/s320/dazzle19342.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291709322944899778" /></a><br />My husband and I have recently become obsessed with <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dogtown">Dogtown</a>, a new show on <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a>, or "Nat Geo" as he jokingly calls it. It profiles <a href="http://www.bestfriends.org/">Best Friends Animal Society</a>, an amazing place that takes in hundreds of abandoned animals of all kinds. The show focuses exclusively on the dogs at Best Friends, most of which were taken from shelters who could not rehabilitate them. They handle the worst cases that are thought to be beyond saving, most notably the fighting dogs taken from <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2884063">Michael Vick</a>. Most of these dogs would be euthanized if not for the <a href="http://www.bestfriends.org/aboutus/staffdepartments/bios.cfm">saviors</a> at Best Friends. These people dedicate their lives to helping these dogs, and their skills will have you in awe. <br /><br />Ok, enough gushing about Best Friends, and let's get down to business. If you <a href="http://www.anti.com/media/download/708">click here</a> and download this new Neko Case song, Neko herself, and <a href="http://www.anti.com/home/">ANTI-</a> will donate $5 to Best Friends. <br /><br />And seriously, start watching Dogtown! If you are a dog person, it's totally addictive. Almost every episode brings me to tears, and has me ready to hand them my paycheck every week. I also end up begging my husband to let me adopt all of the dogs on the show, to which he always replies "yes" despite the obvious flaws in that plan.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752916677177628100noreply@blogger.com0