Monday, February 28, 2011

Baked Goods For Nerds

The geek inside of me nearly shed a tear when I found this list.  They all look so good!



No Task Is Too Small

This makes my heart melt!  Watch as a police officer stops to save a stranded group of little ducklings from danger.  (hat tip:  Neatorama)

This makes my heart melt!  Watch as a police officer on duty stops his car in the middle of the road to save a lost little bunch of ducklings.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Tea Time!

I've been M.I.A. for the last few days due to a terrible cold.  Suffice it to say I've been drinking an awful lot of tea to help with the sluggishness and overall sinus pressure.  It's no secret that tea is good for you and since it comes in so many interesting varieties, it seems to me that this same philosophy should apply to teapots.

Given how I feel right now, using any of these imaginative, little beauties to pour myself a hot cup of tea would definitely put a little pep back into my step!

Tea poured from a cupcake calls for coupling with an actual cupcake. Yum!
For the writer in all of us...
Who doesn't love Snow White?  I love the vintage vibe too.
A right proper way to pay homage to a place that takes time out for tea every day!
Inspired by Mary Engelbreit and so adorable.
Reminds me of whimsical artwork from a children's book.




Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Edible, Playable Birthday Cake - Yum!

Taking a queue from his son's favorite game, Angry Birds, this dad makes one heck of a birthday cake! Let the demolition fun begin!

Monday Morning Fun

This video has been circulating the web for a while, but I watched it for the first time on Saturday and it brought me to tears. It's so clever and the baby's facial expressions are priceless. Enjoy!

Friday, February 18, 2011

James Bond Would Be Proud!

Behold the smallest and perhaps most charming aircraft ever to grace the skies.   It's interesting to think that intelligence officials will be trained to fly this thing properly.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

When I Grow Up

Weird Al Yankovic just published his first children's book. It's actually quite charming and clever.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Reporter Gets Tongue-Tied

Southern California news stations were abuzz this morning with speculation that reporter Serene Branson may have suffered a stroke on-air last night.  During her post-Grammy coverage, the reporter struggled to form a coherent sentence and looked quite confused.  After failing to get through her third or fourth sentence, it looks as though she tries to get the producers to relieve her by cutting back to in-studio coverage.

I hope she's okay!

[link removed]

Making The Impossible Possible

Chase Britton is truly a medical miracle.  When doctors discovered that he was born without a cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls motor skills) or a pons (the part of the brain that regulates breathing), Chase's family prepared for the worst.

Today, Chase is an active, thriving little boy and who continues to defy the odds.  Watch his inspiring story below:

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Don't Call Them Old!


The Wall Street Journal has this fascinating article about the growing demand from senior citizens for product packaging that shies away from making them feel "old."  Apparently the aesthetic tastes between today's youth and the elderly are closer now than ever before.

This may sound like an advantage for marketers, but as Diamond Foods chief marketing officer Andrew Burke points out, boomers tend to have a filter that works against product packaging that they perceive as "too pushy."  If they feel they're being coerced into buying, they're likely to pass on purchasing all together.

The solution lies in subtle coercion, allowing marketers to "quietly adapt to aging customers."   Examples include:
  • Sherwin-Williams lowering the shelving height in it's stores by a mere ten inches to allow for more natural, easier-on-the-eyes lighting.  
  • Emerald packaging some of their nut products in cylinders versus tin cans or plastic pouches, which can be difficult for anyone suffering from reduced coordination or arthritis to open. 
  • Kleenex moving away from their signature, floral-coated tissue boxes and into more contemporary designs with trendy colors. 
With so much effort being put into shaping products that can be more readily accepted by senior citizens, it's curious to think how common, every day things like snack foods or tissues will be packaged and sold by the time I'm retirement age!



Good Clean Fun

Because every now and then, it's fun to watch things in slow motion...

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Like, OMG, Are You Serious?


It may be annoying when people speak in text messaging tongue, but as this article points out, it's a sign of the changing and eventually passing times.  Personally, I cringe when I hear people say aloud the more popular text message acronyms like "LOL" and "ROFL," but these three and four-letter abbreviations are the answer to this decade's new slang.

As a side note, I wonder how these acronyms are also tied to the drama-loving tendencies of our youth today.  Take for example, the extreme popularity of reality television.  If you've ever watched something like a "Real Housewives of Orange County," you'd know that none of these reality shows have any real substance to them.  They're all about fluffy, inconsequential, and in many cases, faked dramatic situations, where over-the-top behavior is encouraged.  If these are the types of programs young adults love, it's no wonder they use the same fluffy, faked language in communication with their peers, friends and family. (How many times is a person actually "laughing out loud" or "rolling on the floor laughing" when they send a text message containing "LOL" or "ROFL"?  The answer is never.  It's purely dramatic nonsense.)

The good news is that language is always evolving.  What may be popular now will likely not be popular ten years from now.  "LOL" won't last forever, and I think that's pretty "swell."

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Ruby Slipper Stopper

Neatorama is selling this incredibly cute door stopper in the shape of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.  What a great way to add a little theatrical flair to everyday life.  Too bad they're already out of stock!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Sweet Delusions

I am loving one of The Oatmeal's latest pieces entitled, "The 10 Types of Crappy Interviewees."  Having interviewed several of these types in the past and possibly matching some of these types myself in my early interviewing years, I can empathize with hiring managers who have to put up with this baloney.

I know it's all in good fun, but I do wonder if this list is a bit short?  I'm not seeing some of my personal favorites here like the "gum smacker" or the "Ben Stein" (monotone drabness only works for comedians).

More Etsy Love!

My sister-in-law just opened an Etsy store promoting her new line of bedding - check it out!  She's started with a super cute bird theme for her first duvet cover, but as I understand, her line may continue to expand beyond bed-related items.

For those of you interested in interior design (or in need of some help!) you might also enjoy her Eagle Rock-based blog, The Eagle's Nest.  Some people just have an eye for design and Jess is definitely one of them!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Super Sunday

I've never been a big follower of professional football, but there's something about Super Bowl season that gets me all excited.  This year, we're passing on spending the occasion with friends and instead opting for what promises to be a very low-key day on the couch. 

I'll be preparing one of the top 20 nacho dishes from AllRecipes.com and of course looking out for the best TV commercials.  When you're not a huge sports fan, great TV commercials can be a godsend! 

Speaking of commercials, MSN recently posted a collection of the Super Bowl's greatest throughout the years. I have to admit, few of them can top one of my absolute favorites (below).

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Warm Woolen Mittens

With all the crazy cold weather hitting the East Coast right now, fun mittens like these seem like a great way to make light of a tough situation.  Although mittens are not practical in southern California,  I'd still love to have some!







Disappearing Act

I've always wanted to try oysters, but after reading that they are on their way to extinction, I think I'll wait.   Surprisingly, the article doesn't mention a single thing about "global warming," but places most of the blame on popular fishing practices like trawling or dredging.  Poor little ersters!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Earliest Form of Animation

Ever wonder how animation works?  To demonstrate the basics, some brilliant minds over at Pixar created a 3-D zoetrope out of Toy Story characters.  The result is pretty nifty!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Cowpocalypse

Remember hearing about the massive cow deaths in Wisconsin earlier this month?   Investigators believe they've found the murder weapon in moldy sweet potatoes.  You can read all about the bizarre connection here.