paintless coca-cola cans

Heard about this through the grapevine, then confirmed via Gizmodo. Brilliant idea! They are not only saving the resources used to make the paint itself, but also the energy used to remove it during the recycling process. I know it seems like a small thing to eliminate just the paint... but considering that 25 billion cans of the stuff is sold every year, I would say it is definitely a step in the right direction. As an added benefit, this can is waaaaaay prettier than the traditional one (and my opinion gets weighted, at least a little, because I have an Industrial Design background... and because I said so).

And hey, Coca-Cola, if you're listening... if you're really committed to reducing your impact on the environment, try manufacturing a home fountain (well, one that costs less than $400 please). I've considered getting a SodaStream and stirring in the syrup as a cheaper alternative- but your average Joe isn't going to spend that kind of effort to reduce waste... so get on that. Still, thank you for the new and improved cans. I hope others follow in your footsteps.

two christmas goodies for you

Merry Christmas! 'Tis the season of giving, and in that spirit I will share some holiday fun.

My favorite xmas commercial:


And a modern gingerbread house (which, if you're inspired... the plans are here):

50 cent is... charming?

Okay, suspend your judgment and just watch it. Even though I'm a fan of rap and hip-hop, I have to say I kind of wrote him off. What with selling crack at the tender age of 12, being shot 9 times, aaaaand he's had beef with way too many people. But I digress. He's a man with real interests... following authors and production studios for no reason other than he's into it. He pays attention and is articulate, which, the older I get, I'm finding is a lot to ask of a person. I am impressed.

It doesn't hurt that Chelsey is flirting with him. I think she also has a thing for TI. Too funny. :)

an unlikely place to find beautiful art

Recognize this? I saw it on Ffffound! ... since they keep the details about images pretty sparse, I had a sort of wonderful moment with this before I knew what it was. I knew I had seen it somewhere. This piece is actually a preliminary gouache painting for Disney's Sleeping Beauty. It inspired me to dig around a little bit. Turns out it is one of many concepts by Eyvind Earle. And these weren't just ooo and aahhh concepts; they were used so faithfully throughout the whole film. He re-imagined forests, evil castles... there are a few that were more memorable for their narrative quality. I think that I can't help but love these for their mid-century feel, but I'm pleasantly surprised that a Disney movie is a source, at least in my opinion, of legit art. I didn't really think about this aspect as a child, and it's quite refreshing to rediscover it as an adult. I mean, the proportions on those trees. Mmm mmm good.

I thought about buying it, but it's a little spendy for something so mainstream. I'll hold out for the poster. There's bound to be one sooner or later.

what english sounds like to foreigners

Imagine what it would be like if a good number of your favorite songs (or movies, shows... whatever) were in a language you didn't understand. Since pop culture is America's biggest export, I'm sure that simply experiencing the sounds is where it stops for a lot of listeners. I've ALWAYS wanted to know what this felt like, but I just thought it was sort of impossible since I speak English. Sometimes if talk radio is on really low I'll try to just barely pay attention, but still take in all the sound. It doesn't work, but it's okay- because this video exists.

This piece, titled "Prisencolinensinainciusol", was written by Italian singer-songwriter Adriano Celentano in 1972. I love how it offers up an interesting point by being completely silly and playful.

happy halloween

As you can see, we had some very serious purchases to make at the grocery store...

broken english

Yesterday, I was trying to find out roughly how my Russian aunt Maya made her delicious chicken soup. See, when you search for "russian chicken soup", sometimes, appropriately, you get Russians typing in recipes for their chicken soup. I don't know why exactly I think this is sooooo hilarious, but look at how adorably broken these directions are. (Try reading them to yourself in a thick Russian accent, it takes it up a notch.)

- add the flour till pastry will be not sickly and will be elastic
- knead it near 10 min
- to roll it for think circle and live it for 5-10 min
- powder it flour
- and.... mmmm how it will be in english.... make from pastry something like tube... you can see it in the photo...
- slice it for think pieces.
- and live it for 10-15 min
- preparing the boiling water
- add the noodles in boiling water for 2 min (for come down the flour)
- after add the noodles in chicken bouillon and prepare till noodles will be ready

I know that doesn't sound too much like a soup recipe, I think in that section she's teaching us how to make homemade noodles for the soup. Anyway, if you want to learn how to make Russian Chicken Noodle Soup by the way Nadya makes it, go here.

can't wait

Say what you want about Guy Ritchie... the fact that he's the one making the Sherlock Holmes film is effing brilliant. His trademark underbelly-esque tone is the perfect counterpoint to the classic cheesiness of this story. Will it be an "important film"? No. But I bet it will be entertaining as all get out. I'm pumped.

fancy

Everyone who knows me well is aware that I'm a bit in love with all things French. I love cooking French food (obviously) and I'm perpetually planning a vacation there that I never seem to take. I've got a list of places I would love to go, one of them being Poilâne. One uneventful weekday evening I was shopping at Metropolitan Market just minutes away from my house... and what do I see? An authentic Poilâne loaf, shipped from Paris. That's just amazing.

this is how you turn on a light at microsoft

No wonder.

silly signage

Most of us are no stranger to the smattering of accidentally funny things on the internet. I have a long standing love for engrish.com and the like. These findings, however, were not a byproduct of a language barrier. Nope. These are just some signs I happened to see in the good ole USofA.

human nature.

Thank you to Rebecca Trump for finding and sharing this little treat. [pun]

there's a celebrity in our midst

My name is Stefanie, and I'm an animals-on-the-web-aholic. If you have my, uh, problem... you might have read about Cooper the photographer cat. Cooper's dad puts a camera on his collar once a week and every two minutes the camera snaps a picture from Cooper's perspective. The results are surprisingly good. This week when I took Fig to get her adorable case of tape worms checked out, I spotted this. Cooper goes to my vet! I feel cool by association.

what does joy smell like?

In tough times (specifically, 1930: Depression times) Jean Patou created Joy which is now a classic scent. I'm not particularly into fragrances... but this illustration is just lovely.

You can read more in the NYT piece Eau de Woe.

tomatoes everywhere!

This just in: I didn't kill my tomato plants. It's true! Against all odds they survived, and they are quite tasty.

You'll notice that the tomatoes on the left side of the tray are red and the ones on the right are orange. This has nothing to do with ripeness. I special ordered Sun Gold tomatoes, and somehow a red cherry tomatoes plant found its way in. Variety is the spice of life I guess, so no harm done.

I'm tempted to go all out and get chickens. Too far?

the roots. how i got over. 10.20.09

Oh I love The Roots. Their new album is about to drop, so naturally, I need to SHOUT IT TO THE ROOFTOPS! (a.k.a. quietly blog about it.) I hear organs. I hear gospel goodness. I've pre-ordered it; there will be a physical disc involved. This is high school-esque enthusiasm and it feels good.

twenty something and sick in america

Each person in this country has had their own unique experience with our health care system. My experience has been one of great struggle. I hope that by sharing my story, it may shed some light on the current debate. I'm posting it here so that anyone who reads it can link to it or share it in hopes of making progress on improving healthcare for Americans.

Summer of 2006 was an exciting time for me; I had just graduated from college and I had big dreams. I embarked on a six month internship with a Intel, and while I was there I got a heavy dose of what working for a large corporation was like. I decided to change my direction and I moved to New York City. Amazingly, at 23, I landed my dream job. I was working for a small research and design consultancy that did interesting, ambitious, high profile projects. Like so many small consulting firms, they did not offer insurance. I hesitated to make that kind of sacrifice, but I couldn’t imagine turning down a once in a lifetime professional opportunity. I’ve heard so many people say that 20 somethings don’t have insurance because we think we are invincible. I can’t speak for everyone, but in my case (and many of my friends) we are terrified by being uninsured. Being young creative professionals, we seek health coverage... but it's unexpected. We are up against an invisible wall.

After a few months went by, I was still loving my job. I looked into insurance options, but they were so far beyond what I could afford that I could hardly consider them. Even though I had frequent and severe migraine headaches, paying the monthly premium was not an option. By the time I was finished paying my rent and bills I typically had a about $200 remaining for the month, and the cheapest plan I could find was $450/mo. During Fall ‘07, I developed an ulcer in my throat. It hurt so bad that I dreaded eating. I ate as little as I possibly could to avoid the burning, and ended up loosing weight. One of my friends called her family doctor as requested that I be worked in at a special rate. The medicine he prescribed healed an ulcer that I had for 4 months in just 2 weeks. I was relieved. Even though I decidedly could not afford a plan that would cover doctor’s visits, my recent brush with the system scared me to the point that I began looking into catastrophic insurance plans. They were around $180 per month, and would kick should I incur medical expenses more than $10,000. I was devastated. I was working roughly 60 hours a week in a job I was exceedingly proud to have… and I was still broke and unhealthy. After just one year of having my dream job, I left it behind.

This time, I decided, no more small consultancies. Health benefits were a non-negotiable. I started my job search with optimism. While looking for a new job in Spring of 2008, my health took a significant downward turn. At first I just had a rash and I felt mysteriously sore. Within a few weeks that soreness turned into weakness. Getting dressed every day felt like a workout. My arms barely had the strength to assemble a sandwich. At this point I knew that I simply had to see a doctor, so I went to the free clinic. The doctor spent about 30 minutes asking me questions about my symptoms, and after that they told me that they wanted to run some tests. The tests would cost several hundred dollars, so they referred me to a social worker. The social worker told me that if I could not afford an individual plan, my best option was to apply for Medicaid. It would take 6-8 weeks to see if I was approved, yet I needed tests immediately. She also told me that if I began making money again, I would no longer be eligible for the plan. That path seemed futile, so out of sheer desperation—I fibbed my way through a screener for an individual plan in Georgia, where my family lives. By omitting the facts about my current health I was approved. The next day, I boarded a plane to Atlanta. The plan started immediately, but I had to wait two weeks to have doctor visits covered. The next two weeks were the longest weeks of my life. I became weaker. At this point, I could not bathe myself. When I went to bed I could barely pull the covers over my body because they felt so heavy. Finally, the two weeks came to a close and I saw a general practitioner. He ran some blood work and referred me to a Rheumatologist. I had muscle and skin biopsies taken and they were sent to a pathologist. Within three weeks, I had a diagnosis. I have Dermatomyosotis. It is a rare chronic disease in which my own immune system attacks the muscles in my arms, legs, and esophagus, as well as the skin. The mystery was solved, but the battle was hardly over.

A few weeks after I had my diagnosis, I was informed that the underwriting department for the insurance company was reviewing my case. As if I wasn’t having a hard enough time coping with the reality of my sickness, I now had to prepare for the very real possibility of being kicked off of my health plan. I knew my only way out was to get a job to acquire coverage. Unfortunately the prescriptions I was taking weren’t working too well. My weakness continued to be severe, the rash spread all over my body creating open sores, and I developed swallowing difficulty so grave that my doctor advised that I should not eat food unattended should I choke. My world was crumbling, and out of necessity for the next few months I devoted my energy to updating my resume and adding new projects to my portfolio. Miraculously, I landed an interview at Microsoft. Traveling on my own was a scary prospect. How would I lift my luggage? Would my interviewers notice anything was wrong? I strategically packed my bag to keep it light. On the day of the interview I wore a turtleneck (in June, by the way) because my neck was covered in rashes. We took the stairs to the meeting room, and my heart raced as I pulled the weight of my body with each step, trying my hardest to keep up with them. The company provided lunch for the group, and I nervously chewed my food— hoping that I would not have one my my routine swallowing mishaps in front of them. Somehow or another, I made it through the day. And what's more... they offered me the job.

That summer was spent making preparations to move. I was scared to begin working regular hours, after all I barely had enough energy to drag myself from doctor visit to doctor visit. The pressure became even more intense, when as I had expected— the individual plan I was on was declared null and void for past and present costs. I was now in debt for thousands of dollars worth of services. I tried to shake my fear of beginning work in my fragile state because the alternative of further amassing debt was even more grim. Microsoft offers some of the most comprehensive benefits of any company in the world, so I simply convinced myself that this undertaking would truly change my health for the better. Looking back on it, I don't know how I got through those first few months. I moved 3,000 miles away, stayed in temporary housing and a motel, I feverishly hunted for apartments, and I was also visiting medical specialists and receiving treatments— all the while trying to fill my new daunting role at Microsoft. After those first several months passed, however, something amazing happened: I started to feel better.

I had done it. I worked the system and parlayed my skills to save myself from a terrible situation. Yes, it was bad to begin with— but without landing that job, it most certainly would have been far worse. I'm not 100% better by any stretch, but I can get through a normal day without much struggle... which is progress I couldn't have imagined a year ago. It's something of a Cinderella story, really. I was sick and uninsured, and now I am on a famously comprehensive plan with my health steadily improving. There's just one big problem... this is the United State's version of a happy ending. This is the best case scenario for an uninsured person getting sick in America. Having lived it myself, I can tell you that I would not wish this fate on anyone. It has been the great struggle of my life. But the hardship isn't over for me. I used to have dreams of starting up my own design consultancy, but given my dependency on my health insurance, I don't even consider that path now. Generally speaking, I feel trapped.

I ask everyone who is having reservations about a public option to consider how common it is for young, ambitious, hard working people in this country end up in a health care nightmare like mine. We can do better. We can start today.

new memorex packaging

Honestly, it's such a successful redesign that I would totally pay more for the same product. Which means they hit the nail on the head, considering that I am a 25 year old female... their target demographic.

amanda cox, you're brilliant.

This graphic might not look like much at first glace, but follow this link to slide 9, and it's pretty likely you'll be blown away. I've been stuffed to the gills with economic analysis lately, most of it producing a "yeah right" sort of reaction. But this? This goes beyond data porn (which, don't get me wrong, I love the stuff) but at best, it tells a story in a rich way. Visualizations like this one do more than that, they make us smarter for having seen it.

Shout out to Julie for sending it my way.

now that's clever

Somehow this graphic designer took a show about the friendship between a milkshake, a meat wad, and fries... and turned the DVD Bauhaus-cool. I'm jealous.

P.S. Two anthropomorphic food posts in a row. Who knew?

___ + eyes

The feat of making successful personification is a doable one... just add eyes. In this case, you open up the refrigerator door and they seem to say "Where have you been?! It's lonely and dark in here. And so COLD!"

lessons from the underworld, doggy edition

Okay, this isn't a good video... this is a sort of lame video with a great (or perhaps sad) moment. The dogs FACE. It's as if the sheer act of resisting the treat sucked his very soul. Poor thing, I feel bad for him, but I keep watching this over and over.

As a side note, I think it's funny that the "treat" in question was a plate of cupcakes; a plate of bacon would have been far more compelling.

an experiment in getting to the point

Big A+ goes to charlesandmarie.com for sparing their customers from shipping jargon. Bottom line only. Love it. Of course there's a little link you can follow if you just want more info (that would not be me...) but they haven't traded information for wit and efficiency. I was in the process of buying a super rad flash drive which I must admit, I'm far more enthusiastic about than a cheeky, albeit useful, dropdown.

wow, that wasn't helpful.

Step 1: Break apart chopsticks.
Step 2: The picture won't help you, but you just hold them in your hand the way you are supposed to hold chopsticks. Figure it out.
Step 3: Since you're holding them perfectly with no real instruction, just start picking up food. That's what chopstick are for... picking up food.

These instructions are supposed to be a courtesy, but it seems more like they're mocking people who don't know how to use them... like, "Let me help you. Well, you just do it, stupid."

ratatouille’s ratatouille

I love Pixar. I love cooking... so making this dish was, well, lovely.

A little back story: Pixar, since they're the smartest/coolest people ever, took learning about food quite seriously while making Ratatouille. This involved taking cooking classes, dining in Parisian restaurants, and spending some time with famed chef Thomas Keller. One of the contributions Keller made to the film was the re-imagined version of this French classic. I must admit it was a little odd to make the fancy pants version before a traditional one... but, come on, it was fun. Much thanks to Smitten Kitchen for digging up this recipe and making it more visible to people like me. My version was somewhat of a hybrid of the super intense Confit Byaldi (Keller's version) and the abridged Smitten Kitchen take on it.

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped finely
1 sprig thyme (optional)
1 sprig parsley (optional)
1/2 bay leaf (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the vegetables:
1 zucchini (4 to 5 ounces)
1 Japanese eggplant, (4 to 5 ounces)
1 yellow squash (4 to 5 ounces)
2 or 3 Roma tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 375. Combine oil, garlic, and onion in medium skillet over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices. Next add thyme, parsley, and bay leaf (if using). Simmer for about 10 minutes until little liquid remains, do not brown; add chopped roasted red peppers. Season with salt, then remove and discard herbs. Spread the mixture in the bottom of 8-inch skillet or round pan.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes; cut into very thin slices approximately 1/16-inch thick. Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a bit of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Sprinkle garlic, oil, and thyme leaves over vegetables; season the top with salt and pepper to taste. Bake tightly covered with foil for 40 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes more. (If you've got time, bake at 275 covered for 2 hours, then uncovered for 30 minutes.)

Serve with crusty french bread (traditional) or with couscous (non traditional, but pretty darn good). Yields 4 servings as a side dish, 2 servings as a main.

the cheesiest song ever written

It's true, "Careless Whisper" wins the prize. Occasionally I'll hear it in a pharmacy or something, and I'll think to myself "How did they cram this much cheese into one song?"... mind you, the tone here is more one of reverence than criticism. I mean, the saxophone ALONE, come on.

I like to imagine the natural habitat for this song, if you will. A couple staring longingly into each other's eyes across a heavily shellacked dark wood table in the corner of a bar. She's wearing frosted pink lipstick and he's tapping his cigarette into a hunter green glass ashtray. And when the saxophone plays, he averts his gaze... dramatically closing his eyes. Oh yes. This song is disgusting perfection.

pastel cauliflower

While shopping at Metropolitan Market (which has a frighteningly similar logo to the aforementioned DVD twins, I might add) I came across something truly strange: a colorful smorgasbord of cauliflower. Call me old fashioned, but do we really need to inject excitement of this kind into our vegetables? Is the thing missing from cauliflower that it needs to come in Easter colors? I don't appreciate weird visual novelty entering my high end food market. Sorry.

In case you were wondering these veggi labradoodles have names, of course: cheddar, graffiti, and verdant.

cool neighborhood!

Maybe if we just tell them it's cool here, they'll believe us. Hey, no harm in wishful thinking...

and then everyone ran out of ideas

In the almost infinite choices of a) DVDs I could rent and b) possible design options... I ended up with two that looked exactly the same. Sightly metallic gray, centered on the upper half, the more salient of the two words bolded... it's uncanny.

kids meal panda

It's hard to even guess why Burgermaster would have put this image on this side of their kids meal boxes. Before we go any further... yes, I still order kids meals. Guilty as charged.

Confused, I launched an investigation.
Me: i dare you to make sense of this picture.
Jen: uuuuhh, I guess the other animals are from different parts of the world? and he's from china? and i think he's on safari? but he's def wearing a pimp hat.
Me: i thought he was a pirate. but then i though he was a fireman panda. but then i was confused by the fact was wearing intense dish washing gloves. with binoculars.

that's the spot.

I don't know what's better... his little hands? Or the "don't stop" face.

twitter redemption

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not sold on Twitter. The idea that it's successful as a one size fits all communication format is preposterous (and a little funny). There are, however, some interesting/beautiful/[dare I say]poetic applications of this medium, like the video above. Running a search for "star next to the moon" on Twitter will bring up these images and some lovely person compiled them for us. Watching it, I am overwhelmed with the knowledge that indeed we do all share the same sky. And even though I know that fact intellectually speaking... there's something amazing about seeing it represented visually. So, in conclusion, if Twitter is the engine that bubbles little things to the surface so that bystanders can present a "meta view"... I'm down. But I can really live without hearing what Ashton Kutcher ate for lunch.

nothing like a little negative reinforcement

Implied if/then statement: If you care about the environment, then you will buy these coffee filters. Even in the smallish realm of coffee there are bigger things happening... how about fair trade or shade grown coffee?? Nonetheless, please turn down the smug-o-meter.

pop quiz

Women between the ages of 40 to 55 refer to the vagina as "vajajay" because:
a) Oprah says it.
b) Oprah says it.
c) Oprah says it.
d) All of the above

i promise...

Genius, I tell you. Married to the Sea is my go to place for a fun desktop, and a giggle here and there.

could paul rudd be more lovely?

Maybe my enthusiasm is being colored by the fact that I saw I Love You, Man last night... but still, Paul Rudd is super great. He's funny, cool, and attractive (the latter being soooo uncommon for comedic actors), and as a bonus he teaches children about caring for the environment. Love him. Love him.

In lieu of embedding the video (for some reason the code has been stripped for that one) I shall link you to it.

important health benefits

Sometimes clever wording isn't so clever.

oops

May I just add that I didn't find this on some "omg, look at the ridiculous crap people sell on craiglist" site. No, my officemate was actually looking for lumber, and this is what he found.

my breakfast

So pretty. And beats the hell out of my typical banana + toast in the car.

phrases that aren't ok: installment 1

"Do me a solid..."

where the wild things are

This book is so close to my heart that odds were high for this trailer to spoil all my hopes and dreams of a good reproduction of this classic. Needless to say, I've now overcome this fear... basically because this looks effing rad. Counting down the days now... ahem... 193.

land quilt made of tulips

Clumsy title, sorry. I mean, the Dutch and their tulips have always been impressive... but there's something particularly amazing about seeing them in an aerial view. See the original source here. Ah, yes. Good plan.

**ADDITION 4.11.09**
Reading back over this, I realize that it might sound like I'm all about mono-cultures... but I promise I'm not. I just like the picture. But I like bees more.

now that's a horse of a different color

Ummm, this video/hand routine/slice of awesome is so dang cool it literally makes me angry I didn't think of it. These are the tidbits that get us all thinking "I love the internet", and as a bonus... normal people are cool again. I'm pondering learning how to do this, but knowing me I'll just watch it over and over instead.

thrift store find du jour

I don't know what is more awesome... a) that someone thought their emergency numbers would be a good thing to donate and eventually purchased by someone else, or b) the fact that this person took the time to cross stitch said phone numbers and frame them. Either way, it can be yours for $3.

the humor of a eigth grade boy

If you sell glass this has GOT to be a common mistake when taping boxes. But I mean, it's funny right?

complex[simplic]ity

When I look at this it really makes me think. You know, Powers of 10 style. Am I odd for saying that?

patience

Hell yes I'll wait 56 years for those files to copy; 1.23 GB of data is totally worth waiting for. I'm actually really looking forward to how awesome it's going to be when it's finished. Until then, this green bar is endlessly intriguing. Fine work Vista, fine work.

Much thanks to my coworker Yong Rhee for sending out the best complaint email ever ( the source of this delightful image).

julia child's kitchen reassembled

Okay, so this news is 7 years old... but it's news to me that the Smithsonian made this exhibit. Interestingly, they did not recreate the room (as so many exhibits do), they actually removed items from her real kitchen in Massachusetts and schlepped it all the way to DC. Remarkable. I love how the room reflects her practicality. She's lovely. So lovely, in fact, that I recommend reading her biography. Derek and I audio booked it during a long drive (rented it from Cracker Barrel... oh the irony) but I would suggest actually reading it. The woman's voice was horrid. And on top of that, it's written in first person... and Julia had such a unique voice that I could never move past it. So for all that love Julia, make the pilgrimage to Washington DC. Bon Appetit!

woah, seriously?

Betty Boop a racist cartoon? Yes indeedy. Now, I'm not putting this up to make light of it... it hurts my heart (the worst offense happening at 3:00 - 4:00). I end up laughing, mainly because I'm uncomfortable... but also because I'm shocked at how far it goes. It starts out offensive and then kicks it up a notch. You know-- good clean fun for the whole family. Not that we don't have a LONG way to go... but look how far we've come in 70 years. I can only hope that we equal progress from where we are now in the next 70 years. So get on it, people. Quit being racist pricks. Ya heard?

"offline"

It's no secret that Microsoft is dork mecca... and one would suspect that as such developers, program managers, etc in this company would fit nicely into the dork box. Apparantly the people who service elevators are equally geeky. I thought printers deserved an "offline" description... not elevators. Elevators are "broken", "out of service", you know... "busted"... offline? Please.

I'd also like to mention how equally cryptic everything else on the page is... I'm just sayin'.

sweet deal!

No way... you mean if I buy THREE 2 liters of Coke I save 2 cents?! It's too good to be true. Man, you guys are good. I'm totally buying three now. Before I would have bought just one, but maybe with all the money I will save from buying three I can finally afford one fifth of a tootsie roll! Oh the joys of smart shopping. :)

like looking in a mirror

Derek recently said to me "I know when our friends watch this they are thinking of us..." and suddenly my jaw dropped. Indeed we make loving jokes at each other's expense, and the delivery is eerily similar as well. The one detail that is decidedly not accurate is that the "Derek" character is eating a cantaloupe half... which would never happen in actual life because it is categorically a fruit. And he doesn't eat those.

amazing man

I get teary every time I look at this picture too long.

a confession

I might as well call my blog "An Extension of the Cool Shit Derek Shows Me", because that's exactly what it is. It goes something like this.

Granted, it's not always like this. I do sometimes make my own obervations... but I need to give credit where credit is due. Derek's unhealthy fixation with StumbleUpon at the very least has an outlet.

pixels and/or crayons

Très awesome. Well done, Christian Faur.

On a related note, don't you hate it when people pronounce crayons weird and say "craowns" instead. It's like towel and "tal". Ugh.

truth.

It's not fair, but we Americans have to convince ourselves of our own superiority by forcing the belief that someone got more shafted in the accent department than we did.

i may have watched this fifty times today

Kittens. And an odd little girl. Aaaaaaaaaaamazing.

But let's not simply dismiss her as strange. I'd say her narration is pretty sophisticated: Fluxus word use like Beck, the visual interpretive prowess of Dimitri Martin... too far? Whatever. I guess what I'm saying is... I admire her. Yes I do.

essentials?

Alright Target, I love you, I do... but boxers with devils and/or flames and/or hearts are decidedly not essential.

words that i read incorrectly... over and over again

soiree
how you're supposed to say it: swah-rey
what i hear when i read it: soy-ree

tarot
how you're supposed to say it: tar-oh
what i hear when i read it: tar-it

paradigm
how you're supposed to say it: par-uh-dahym
what i hear when i read it: par-uh-digum

epitome
how you're supposed to say it: e-pit-uh-mee
what i hear when i read it: eh-pit-ohm

perfectly crafted.

This would fall into the things-that-look-like-other-things category. Like burger candy, or fake bacon (a.k.a. fakon)... it seems like if the cookie monster was going to be anything other than himself he'd be purely a cookie, NOT a cupcake. But maybe it's better this way. Choosing the latter, we might have a scary situation on our hands, and no one wants that.

Om nom nom nom. Thank you, whoever you are.

oh adidas

Ignore the obligatory/stupid graff cameo in the beginning [believe me, if I could edit this to start at 11 secs I would]... but the rest of the commercial is spot-on perfect. It's a moment in time, coolness so concentrated it's down to a syrup.

store-brand packaging steps it up!

I have been a long standing fan of Publix packaging. It's modern, playful, and most importantly uncluttered. I think they have an advantage here; marketing typically just can't help themselves. They need to throw in everything but the kitchen sink to "grab your attention" or what i like to call: an assault on the eyes. While looking for images of said packaging (sadly, I no longer live near a Publix)... I discovered there's a fan site for Publix packaging! Who knew?

Anyway, I think Whole Foods is a follower rather than a leader in this case... but still, I'm digging the 365 bread. That wheat is purdy, no?

kitty kitty

Some things just tickle my funny bone. Yes, I am the person who perpetually watches cat videos... but I give myself points for quality curating. At exactly 8 seconds into this clip, you will have a peek into what makes my soul smile.

hip-hop :: wine

To the untrained ear/pallette, they all sound/taste the same.

... But do the similarities go deeper than that? Characteristics that are specific to each go widely unnoticed, aging is a particularly tricky but vital part of the process, heavy emphasis on the area where it is from... I'd say they're more similar than we might think. I have an uncanny ability to drill things into the ground, so let's see how deep this comparison goes- shall we?

Three 6 Mafia // Cabernet Sauvignon
Enjoyed by experts and novices alike, manages to hold its own regardless of context, sloppiness that you wouldn't accept in other varietals evades your judgment here; with this one it just makes sense.

Common // Sauvignon Blanc
Light in color and content, pleasant for its subtle nods to herbaceous/jazzy flavors, recipient of a lot of praise most of which is undeserved, can be a little boring.

Aesop Rock // Pinot Noir
Complex, delicate and difficult to grow but well worth the effort, a tad pretentious- but no fault of its own, white people love it.

LL Cool J // Rosé
Cheesy but has it's place (if you're into that sort of thing...), beloved by people who are either too young or too old, "romantic".

Jay Z // California Chardonnay
Flying off the shelves at all times, you might find some good stuff if you look hard enough but must be very careful, good for parties with people you don't know very well.

Outkast // French Chardonnay
Accessible and adored by many for good reason, unfairly classified as inferior for association with questionable contemporaries- but flawless aging process has saved it from buttery hell.

Mystikal // Grappa
Almost too strong to drink, subtleties lurk but take patience to find (mainly because your taste buds were burned off), will fuck you up.

2Pac // Pinot Grigio
Many who enjoy this claim to be connoisseurs when in fact they drink nothing else and they can't get past it, neither too complicated nor too straightforward, an acceptable crowd pleaser.

Lil Wayne // Anything Black Box
The box would make you think what's inside completely sucks but its surprisingly amazing, it never seems to run out of new material, available everywhere but you still feel clever for buying in, the air miraculously doesn't get to it.

Biz Markee // Champagne
A moment of joy follows its suggestion every time, you might forget it exists but you'd never turn it down, brings out the silliness in almost everyone, seems special.

Missy Elliot // Anything Yellowtail
Popular, feminine, surprisingly delicious, quirky visual representation yet solid output.

M.I.A. // Sangria
Delightful but not purely wine (there's other stuff in there), ideal for small gatherings of like-minded folks, exotic.

Ludacris // Half-bottle of Champagne
A pleasant surprise, best enjoyed by yourself but you still like to share, festive, little.

Biggie // Merlot
Strong but smooth, nearly impossible to find a situation where it wouldn't fit nicely, a nice default especially if you're feeling indecisive.

Salt-n-Peppa // Port
Strong yet sweet, best enjoyed in small amounts, ideal for nights with staying power.


Busta Rhymes// Chanti
You'll always drink it if it's there, packs a punch, unassuming and slightly silly, goes quickly, an everyday indulgence, not a big fan of "the gays".

Andre 3000 // Syrah
Eccentric, new school with strong roots in all the right places, provocative yet goes down easy, independent in spirit but still very well known.

Kanye West // Krystal
Plastic wrapped, over-consumed, high cost with disproportionately low return, but for all its flaws it still tastes amazing

The Roots // Malbec
Authoritative, can be on the dark/deep side, consistant quality and longevity although still considered obscure by many

Will Smith // German Riesling
Too sugary sweet to actually take seriously, good international appeal, theoretically delightful but thoroughly disappointing execution.

Matisyahu // Kosher Wine
Everyone knows about it but no one really partakes, uhhhh... and Jewish.

and then there was fried chicken

It was a southern food extravaganza: fried chicken, collards with chow chow, baked mac'n'cheese, corn bread, AND lemon meringue pie. Much thanks to Kathi for providing the photo... I was up to my elbows in peanut oil at the time. :)