January 2008
“I’m fascinated by things that are left behind by the modern world.”
– Kraabel We’re cut from the same cloth. It’s reassuring.
“Kolmanskop is a ghost town in southern Namibia, a few kilometres inland from the...”
Satellite is weeks away from hitting Earth →
Thanks to an old West Wing episode we watched recently, I’ve been super intrigued by the fact that hundreds of satellites allegedly fall from space each year. We were discussing whether the odds were amazing that no one has ever been killed by these untethered beasts or if it simply makes perfect sense with the earth’s staggering water to land ratio — not to mention the...
I’m not feeling very well today. It’s one of those days where you’d like to be obligated to do nothing but lie on the couch in a faint fever, letting one hot tear gravitate out of the corner of your eye while you feel sorry for yourself. That or just sit and color with the big waxy 64 pack.
7 Super-Sized (And Somewhat Insane) Soviet... →
via kraabel Did the Soviets (Russians) dream bigger than us? Or does it just feel that way these days? Man….when was the last time we cinched in together as a nation and aimed for something daring, the kind of goal that garners real hope and pride? From CNN to campaign speeches to man on the street interviews, all we hear about is our problems, our shortfalls and challenges. When did we...
“Doesn’t anyone learn from Dodi El-Fayed anymore?!”
– K, upon hearing the news of another political hack arrested for DWI.
"Really, Truly Sorry" →
What a classy apology for a pretty minor inconvenience on Tumblr today. David Karp has surprising grace and maturity for a 21 year old. These guys deserve their success.
This I believe. →
Feeling nostalgic this past fall, I jotted down a little memoir about my grandma on the anniversary of her death and put it up on my other blog. An aunt submitted it to NPR for their “This I Believe” series and I just got a notice that they’ve included it on their website database of essays. It wasn’t really written for publication or NPR’s standards, and...
My Freaks →
Love this idea: A tumblr based compilation of the creepy myspace messages ladies randomly receive from usually shirtless, often grammatically challenged bohunks. My favorite: “Subject: I drink whiskey too Body: just thought I’d share, unfortunately I’m kind of an asshole so…” At least he’s honest.
Watch“Movies twice, then?” “The second time it’s spelled different.” “Then you spelled it wrong.”
“Campaigning for Mike Huckabee, actor Chuck Norris said Sunday that Sen. John...”
– That’s cold, Chuck. Really cold.
Store your books in the rafters... →
Love this. We’ve got books stacked upon books. I can never find any older books when I want to reference something and I forget which classics we already own and which I’ve been meaning to buy. But this - it’s not only practical, it’s lovely. Plus, who doesn’t want a sliding ladder. I’d be like a professional librarian!
Retired Shirts - a photoset on Flickr →
I’m in the process of moving and thus cleaning out my closet. I have shirts that I never wear but I’m afraid to throw out because I have an emotional attachment to them. Today I decided that would change — I’ll throw out the shirt, but take a picture of it and let it live forever on the Internet. Oh Internet, you’re the best. — rickyv I’m just...
“I was laughing when we had the debate a couple days ago…. People were...”
– Barack Obama
Cloverfield teaser site. →
Such a cool site - I love that you can flip through, rotate and move the photos about. And it’s a little freaky. In a good way. Updated: Ooooh - some flip over and have a note or postcard type message on the back. This is beautiful design. K - you have to do something with this.
Just great.
For years, whenever I heard anyone was going in for Lasik surgery, I levied against them a campaign of ruthless taunting. Awww the many times I told friends and loved ones — bosses even — that their eyes were going to crust over like Homer’s when he had the ill fated surgery. I’d print them articles on freak cases and horrific 2 percent results. I have no idea why. For...
College basketball is where all the guts and the...
We went to a Big 10 game tonight and even sitting clear up in the rafters of the Barn, it was still so much more fun and palpably passionate than a pro game. There’s just no hustle, no heart, no defense quite like it in the NBA. I love that these guys still move, still swing and dive for every ball like it really, deeply matters to them - and not like it’s just another blasé lost point in an...
“Dear Allrecipes.com: Thanks for making my girlfriend a female.”
– Kraabel, after peeking at tonight’s roast chicken dinner.
I'm such a creative. →
— triciaward A Mr. Picasso Head site where you design your own abstract portrait. It’s actually very fun - give it a try!
"Life isn't like in the movies. Life...is much...
Last night we watched Cinema Paradiso - me for the first time, somehow. K again after some years. And it was the absolute most…reassuring?…thing that he teared up. Not just once and not just at the parts manufactured to evoke tears, but throughout. What better proof of heart and character could you expect? It was such a beautiful story and sad in such an unglamorous, realistic way. ...
100 Things We Didn't Know Last Year →
My favorites: 57. Sleeping on the job is tolerated in Japanese work culture, as long as you remain upright and obey certain other rules. It’s called inemuri. 73. UN population projections go as far as 2300.87. Relocating crocodiles doesn’t work - they come back.
No hands.
I was just driving home in that beautiful kind of late night snow that falls so gently on a city and I saw this fellow walking down the street. Hands tucked in his pockets against the cold, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a fleece vest - AND yet, smoking a pipe. Almost hungrily, without any hands to provide interims or tobacco free breaths. I thought it was odd. And nice. His outfit would never...
Giuliani Staffers Volunteer to Forgo Pay →
You show me a man whose staff believes in him that much, who has that great of loyalty to him and I’ll show you a good president. It’s all very West Wing and it kind of chokes me up. I’d bet Obama’s top staffers would do the same. Other than that….I’m not sure any of the other contenders could command that kind of voluntary self sacrifice.
“Major Garrett on Fox at Barack’s headquarters is wearing like five of...”
– Gawker - with the funniest coverage of NH Primary night.
“Kinda, Brit Hume Is Really Just Winging It.”
– Gawker
