Sometimes a true story comes along that’s greater than fiction.
Giant Inflatable Dog Turd Escapes Moorings and Brings Down Electricity Line
This falls somewhere between postmodern fiction and a trashy b-movie concept, and therefore is simply amazing.
I’ve always had a spiritual reverence for the sensory experience of good food. lorijohernandez has posted some cupcakes on her flickr site that evoke mandalas.
I’ve long since been fascinated by the incredibly rich and varied symbolism of mandalas: circular images used as an aid to meditation, transcendence and enlightenment in numerous spiritual traditions.
According to David Fontana (via Wiki), [a mandala’s] symbolic nature can help one “to access progressively deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a mystical sense of oneness with the ultimate unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises.”
…and a good cupcake, I feel, provides the very same experience.
I know I’m eating great food when I sense the ultimate unity of the cosmos in all its manifold forms. And I’m happy to report that this is a fairly common occurrence.
For someone who rarely drinks alcohol I have a disproportionate interest in alcohol accessories. I’m intrigued by the apparatuses people invent to enliven the drinking experience. Take Etienne Menau’s Strange Carafes for example.
His wine decanters remind me of the human circulatory system.
If you’d like the presentation of your wine to have a distinctly vascular quality, you’ve found your carafes.
I am a card-carrying Introvert, so these woolly suits from a French detergent advertising campaign made me smile. For some reason, I find them far more appealing than the Laptop Body Sock that made the blog rounds last year.
Wiki has a decent brief summary of the typical Introvert:
Introversion is “the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one’s own mental life”. Introverts tend to be low-key, deliberate, and relatively less engaged in social situations. They often take pleasure in solitary activities such as reading, writing, drawing, watching movies, and using computers. The archetypal artist, writer, sculptor, composer and inventor are all highly introverted. An introverted person is likely to enjoy time spent alone and find less reward in time spent with large groups of people (although they tend to enjoy interactions with close friends). They prefer to concentrate on a single activity at a time and like to observe situations before they participate.
Introversion is not the same as shyness. Introverts choose solitary over social activities by preference, whereas shy people avoid social encounters out of fear.
An introvert is energized when alone. Introverts tend to “fade” when with people and can easily become overstimulated with too many others around. Introverts tend to think before speaking.
AMEN.
The latest creation from the wonderfully talented Matt Conant and Stephanie Yuhas is a parody of Britney Spears’ “Piece of Me.”
The Original slipped entirely past my radar, so I had to look it up for comparison. Turns out, “Piece of Me” is a lackluster, deadpan, failed attempt at self-satire (in my humble opinion, anyway).
But look at THIS video, oozing with charisma and carnivorous delights! Warning: NSFV (not safe for vegans)
Matt and Steph…you’ve done it again, my friends!
I must give credit to dbx1 (whom I don’t know personally) for getting around to this project before I ever got the chance, and doing a lovely job.
Bravo!
After setting eyes on this flickr set of the Marionette Museum inside the Hohensalzburg Fortress, I believe I can add Salzburg, Austria to my European destinations list.
Source: Curious Expeditions
I never thought I’d see the likes of the Octopus Accent Lamp in the ultra classy Smithsonian Store. This overpriced treasury of worldly artifacts now caters to my love of marine invertebrates:
I love the product description: Normally shy, the marbleized amber art glass head of this charming cephalopod gently glows when illuminated. Resting on his intricately cast resin arms with antique bronze patina.
It can be yours for a mere $70. I would snag this in a heartbeat if the price dropped by about $60.
Clearly, they are venturing into the realm of highbrow kitsch. The discriminating collector can also purchase a number of very expensive, mildly terrifying Kewpie Dolls. My favorite among them: “Salon Girl.”
Due to personal tragedy, I have to put this blog on a brief hiatus. I’m spending as much time as possible in the hospital with my mother as her long and difficult cancer battle comes to an end. Depending on the situation, I may start posting as a way to unwind. I’ll be sure to spread the word when things are up and running again.
In the meantime, my heart stays with the one who inspired a lifetime of creativity and compassion in me:
The great folks at PES have done it again! This unique stop motion animation uses innovative materials to replicate various foods and cooking processes. Very clever! Have a look:
I recommend their other films as well.
SheWalksSoftly 
