the original hovercat

Ever wonder what's really going in there when your cat is cat-loafing? Looks like a glass table unlocked this mystery quite nicely for us.

the most obnoxious person to ever live

I really thought I had misplaced this screen capture forever. I stumbled on this listing when I was shopping for a used DVR over the summer. Last night as I was cleaning up my computer files I found it. Yay! Now we can all make fun of this guy long after his post was taken down!

It's hard to say what's worse: the all caps (which we all know is the text form of screaming), the extreme urgency and choppiness, or run on sentence that doesn't even end with a period. He must be scary and extreeeeemmmely impatient in real life.

celebrating martin luther king jr.

This morning I went to the post office and it was closed. I admit that I was annoyed at first... but then I remembered what this day means. Today we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth. Having grown up in the American South, his contributions hold a particular weight for me. A little known fact: his son Martin Luther King III was denied admission to the very same school that I graduated from, The Lovett School. True story. He taught the world in a way no other has since about equality and non-violence. I'm reading what I've written so far and it all sounds so clunky... such ordinary words for an extraordinary man. Of course his own voice describes the message best. So here's the full audio of the gorgeous, moving, and transformative "I Have a Dream" speech.





Goodness, I wish I was at home in Atlanta today to celebrate. But for now I'll just make a post. It's a little something.

My apologies for referencing this picture twice in my blog so far... I guess I'm a little in love with it... it's even hanging in my house.

[Go here if player isn't working... IE was giving me fits.]

who are you calling a cootie queen you lint licker?

My goodness, I love this commercial.

pet peeve!

Why Do Some People Think That Capitalizing Every Word Is Necessary? I Don't Understand. Titles Get This Treatment, Not Sentences. This Is A Fail For Delta Lavatories... Sorry To Say.

today my blog got a makeover

Out with the old...

... in with the new.

I changed a few things other than the header... I also updated font colors and what not. Yay for surface-level knowledge of CSS! For me it's like watching a soap opera in Spanish. I can only sort of deduce what is going on. :)

introducing the coca-cola tallboy.

So simple, yet so genius. I think we can all agree on the descending order of Coke tastiness: fountain, glass bottle, aluminum can, plastic bottle. If you want more than 12 ounces and can't find a fountain- odds are you're stuck with the dreaded and inferior plastic bottle. But NO MORE!

[And yes, I realize that made two Coca-Cola posts within a few days of each other.]

breakroom ad du jour

Maybe I'm being criticle, but it seems to me that a minimum bar for a dentistry ad should be to include people who have teeth. I think they're trying to be cute... still, being cute ought not to come at the high cost of making zero sense.

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]