Musing about the trivial so you don’t have to.
(Warning: there will a lot of reading and watching Columbo.)
Esquire Theme by Matthew Buchanan
Social icons by Tim van Damme
20
Nov
Nothing says “I care,” this holiday season like non-fatal weaponry. Bets on if the third Wise Man can wrangle a deal on a taser? YOU CAN’T FOLLOW THE STAR EMPTY HANDED.
HOLYCRAPILOVECHRISTMAS!!! Oakland, CA
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? A: Ivy Bean.
(Shh. Don’t tell Andy Rooney. I bet there’s enough “grow up” to go around.)
19
Nov
YEEhaw y’all. Makin’ good on the tagline of this very blog. Columbo: Season 2. Proud owner, right here.
Thus far and no farther.
I’ve long loved the idea of saving the world through what you can stuff in a backpack—first Blessings, now Farms?
This is a way cooler idea than your Farmville (apologies to fans, I’m personally waiting for the Mafia Wars to take up arms in the middle of the corn field—because that’s a game I might play…) Look! But now you can support people growing things they can actually eat!
On the heels of this week’s sobering update on world hunger, The Backpack Farm Program (tagline: Africans Feeding Africa) is a full kit including drought resistant seeds, an irrigation kit, bug dope, and a training manual.
Proof and quotes? (Via Treehugger) “With more than 100 million small landholder farmers in East Africa, agricultural commercial agriculture cooperatives can act as a realistic solution to the region’s food insecurity.” And, “the Backpack farm model could actually shift the entire mindset of how to develop rural economies and make a positive impact Africa’s food security by empowering rural farmers with access to markets.”
They’re working to raise the funding needed to start their pilot program now, and for the love of clicking I couldn’t find a Donate button. I hope they get one soon because “green” thumbs from afar could really help…
(And nice work on the sponsorship, John Deere!)
18
Nov
And also knows that properly-assembled Ikea furnishings are next to godliness.
I see your Leatherman and raise you an accessory.
How’s YOUR job lookin’ this morning? “You’ll stay up, ‘til this dump shiiiines like the top of the Chrysler Building.”
I want to go back in time and give him a safety harness.
Construction of the Empire State Building, 1931.
17
Nov
I’m pretty sure this is now the only way to get a song out of your head…
Yes. I think still believe this, especially since apparently I cannot stop listening to the song above.
Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse “I Love You,”
Go to work, do your best, don’t outsmart your common sense,
Never let your prayin’ knees get lazy,
And love like crazy…
See? So cute. Plus he’s the baseball cap/Rodney Atkins school of country duds which we all know is far superior to the Tim McGraw/big ol’ hat costuming. (It’s just a personal decision every girl has got to make for herself.) Also, hi. Hot.
Again!
You never want to be the “good pull”.
I love when words I’ve ne’er heard spoken aloud get their day. And to think I’ve been saying “DeFriend” or; “Make Your Confirmations Carefully, Sillies” this whole time.
Seriously? “I’m going to unfriend you.” Nope. Never happened. Or maybe “DeFriend” is a regionality, like the epic Pop/Coke/Soda debate? (I checked with the real masters over at Urban Dictionary ((servicey)) and there are but seven entries for “unfriend” and nine for “defriend” SO. Researched. Conclusion: potayto/potahto, I guess.) But then:
“Oxford lexicographer Christine Lindberg says unfriend has ”real lex appeal.””
Ahhh it all becomes clear. They’re not running a dictionary, they’re running a pun shop.
16
Nov
Tomorrow is Wise Owl Day! I don’t know how Dad ended up being the one to always read the November 17th entry of the bedtime story book, what the origin story of why it became “his,” is, but it was, and remains. To this day, I remember the cozy poem by heart.
Ahem, while I type from memory:
“Come live with me in a hollow tree, little Owl,” said the Big Brown Bear.
“Though it’s cold as ice, we’ll be warm and nice with the two of us living there.”
But the Owl said as he shook his head, “Mr. Bear, that will never do.”
“For if I know my name, when the springtime came, there’d be nobody left but you.”
It’s fitting, I suppose: all about common sense, nature, and logic. A little bit about not being taken by…OH. I guess it actually is the ultimate cautionary-dad tale to a daughter: “HEY. I don’t care if he offers you real estate, you don’t fall for his tricks, ya hear?”
Good advice, plus wildlife!
Ah. “Visual” learners.
According to a news report, a certain private school in Victoria, BC recently was faced with a unique problem.
A number of year 12 girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.
To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
There are teachers, and then there are educators.
(via)
Per capita calorie consumption on a nation by nation basis, compiled and produced by the World Food Program.
“Hunger now scars the lives of over 1 billion people — a new record.”
15
Nov
Nooo! (Okay, yessss ha!) This is in the running to replace my favorite: “Salad is what food eats.” But no? You don’t think Mr. Rex could learn to love a nice brontosaurus? Become a neck man? (Uh, did we know we don’t use the name brontosaurus anymore? Dang. You leave elementary school, don’t become a paleontologist, and they change everything on you.)
Also that restaurant needs to exist.
14
Nov
You know an experience has touched you deeply when you don’t want to return to your usual consumption of information, people, noise, and chatter, lest the spell be broken and a wisp of conversation or a touching scene be blotted from your mind in the overload. One miracle moment, you can keep in your head—one thousand, and you’ll need a batch of Post-Its. I suppose this serves as that; the Sports Center highlights of a Flight that was my Honor to be a part of.
via thetenssf
via randomnyc
via generic1
via hugparty