For the men in my life... and my mom.

Although they were kinda makin' fun of him on the New York Times humor page, I can think of at least six men in my family who will think this guy and his contraption are super cool! I know I do. Who does this remind you of, Gentlemen?




Here's to old guys who will find a way to stay productive and follow their passion no matter how many years have accumulated under their belt.

Rock on, Del!

This could be me!

Well, except for the receding hair line and the fancy downtown office, but otherwise...

Enjoy this momentary glimpse into what my job can feel like sometimes. This is sheer brilliance!

Dude.

"The One?"

Sounds like an awful lot of responsibility to me...

How about "The Really Enthusiastic Alternate" instead?

Can I still have the cool trench coat, shades and mad bullet evasion skills, though? OOO! and The Jiu Jitsu! I want that too!

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Neo, the "One" Neo is the computer hacker-turned-Messiah of the Matrix. He leads a small group of human rebels against the technology that controls them. Neo doubts his ability to lead but doesn't want to disappoint his friends. His goal is for a world where all men know the Truth and are free from the bonds of the Matrix. Neo, the "One" 71% Maximus 67% William Wallace 67% The Terminator 63% James Bond, Agent 007 58% Captain Jack Sparrow 54% El Zorro 50% Indiana Jones 46% Lara Croft 42% Batman, the Dark Knight 33% The Amazing Spider-Man 33%

Friday afternoon amusement

Been wondering what to do with all your old vinyl LPs?

I guess if you can't play the disk, your last resort is to play with the cover.










You can check out more of 'em at sleeveface.com.

Happy Friday, Y'all!

The Mac Geek Ruminates

Make no mistake. I have a great Mac setup. In fact, for what I do, it's about as sweet as it gets. But when something as gorgeous and powerful as the new iMac comes along, I *must* sit up and take notice.

Here's a snippet of the specs:
"The updated all-in-one iMac introduced today offers the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most powerful graphics ever available in an iMac. The ultimate all-in-one desktop computer includes faster processors with 6MB L2 cache, a faster 1066 MHz front-side bus across the entire line, and 2GB of memory standard in most models. And the 24-inch iMac now offers a 3.06 GHz Intel processor and the high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics as options. Available immediately, the new iMac starts at just $1,199."

I swear, Apple simply cannot be topped for making a machine that is as tempting to the eye as it is intuitive and robust.

I recently read an article in Wired magazine about the "Evil Genius" that is Steve Jobs. It talked about how he doesn't follow any of Silicon Valley's "Rules" of "Employee-Pampering Corporate Culture." He regularly blows up at people... "but he's usually right." There is absolutely NO autonomy given to anyone and every single product must cross his desk before it is deemed worthy for Mac Snobs everywhere...

I don't think I would enjoy working for him, but I more than appreciate what his uppity attitude, perfectionist standards and charismatic personality (and the talented people who endure him) have achieved for the products that make my job not only possible, but absolutely enjoyable.

As a creative, the elegant physical design as well as the intuitive and visually appealing interface just make my brain at once settle down and get fired up. It's all just so beautiful to look at that it makes me want to sit and bask in the finely-tune ingenuity of it all.

A Sophisticated Discussion on Art

Thank you to *richiedesign* for posting this most informative and inspiring discussion on the Nature of Art.

Kudos to Aardman Studios for producing it. Brilliant! Best thing they've offered us since Wallace and Gromit.

Enjoy.





Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to don a beret, squint with intensity while holding a cigarette that will never touch my lips and make coffee rings on the surface of my very cluttered desk.

I shall call my masterpiece: Fuel for the Frustration

Adieu, Dahhhhlings...

NYT Mac ad link...

For those of you who didn't make it to the New York Times online home page in time to see the BRILLIANT ad I gushed over in my 1/17/08 post...

Click on the picture or here :)

I do what I can in the interest of Mac Snob Public Service...

Stripped Down and Sophisticated

Remember how fascinated we all where when the California Raisins introduced us to Stop Motion Animation?

Well, it was out there before in a clunky, unrefined form, but Wil Vinton took it to a whole new level and made us aware of what we were looking at. Made it cool.

I found this video on the New York Times humor page and just sat there agape. This is not over-produced, CGI, let's-see-how-much-eye-candy-we-can-generate, cutting-edge techno-flash.

So jaded am I by what technology makes possible that I am seldom impressed when I watch any heavily CGIed piece of animation or live action. I've seen the man behind the curtain and know that my eye can easily be tricked by legions of talented, young professionals locked away for uncountable hours performing unimaginable feats of programming acrobatics.

This piece, however, is so refreshing for me to watch. So simple and pristinely executed... its spartan elegance and the effort and time AWAY from a computer it took to produce made me say, "WOW!"

It takes a great deal to make me say, "WOW!" ...about anything.

glumbert - Stop Motion Battle

This is a total breath of fresh air.

Enjoy!

Mac Advertising Brilliance Reaches New Heights

I don't know how long this is going to run so go take a look at this FREAKIN' AWESOME Ad for Leopard on New York Times web site RIGHT NOW!

UPDATE:
That ad only ran for one day so here it is on ValleyWag.

It's not just funny... watch as "PC" climbs behind the frame of the web site! GAH!!!

I'm SUCH a geek, but that kind of stuff just totally blows my skirt up. I'm sorry.

LOVE IT!

Once again, Apple has renewed my devotion to complete Mac Snobbery.

For Grammar Geeks Only

From the NY Times online...


Joke of the Day:

It's not who you know; it's whom you know.

Shameless Filler

Joke of the Day

A guy walks into a bar with a priest, a minister, a rabbi, a Polish guy, and a duck. The bartender says, "What is this, a joke?"

— Joke told to Esquire.com by the "Nip/Tuck" actress Joely Richardson.

"Crack" for Voyeuristic Graphic Designers

I feel dirty and exhilarated all at the same time.

I have just discovered Coudal Partners' Layer Tennis.

Layer 9

It's really kinda hard to get your head around if you're not a designer... and even if you are... but thanks to the I-can't-even-believe-how-lucky-I-am-to-be-alive-in-this-technological-age wonder that is Adobe/The Internet/Blogging/Freakin' Genius... there exists this ongoing weekly, live competition where two designers in different parts of the world exchange layers of a design document, this time in Illustrator. You can click through the volleys at the right side under the header.

One designs something for 15 minutes, then shoots it over to the other who then takes the design and works on it for another 15 minutes and so on for ten volleys.

The whole thing is commentated on, like a sports play by play, by another blogger... this time Heather Armstrong from dooce. You see the whole thing come together, layer by layer, comment by comment.

Watching that much talent slinging back and forth while Heather commentates... Ahhhhhh! It's just... well... GAH!!! I can't even describe how euphoric it is.

Like the best graphic design class you ever had moderated by one of your funniest, most irreverent friends.

Okay, I gotta go check back at their progress... they're on layer NINE!! Yikes!!

Pheasant Present*

(For illustration purposes only... not my actual pheasant... obviously.)



What a present
Was the pheasant
I did glimpse upon this morn.

Not a peasant
Of a pheasant,
He, so regally adorned.

Til’ now I had
But seen him at
The far side of the pasture.

The bushes and
The fences had
Obscured his noble stature.

But on this day
He came my way
And stood there in the sunshine.

Mere feet away
His fear gave way
He scuttled for the tree line.

For my presence
To this pheasant
Was to surely be construed

As not pleasant
For the pheasant
But, a plan to make him food.

So effort he
Did make quickly
To end up not under glass.

How could he know
I would not go
And eat his fine, plum'd carcass.

Cam’ra in hand
Across our land
I searched through garden and trees

I did intend
To show, my Friend,
The pure glory that was he.

To write a post
For those, at most
Whose number has surged to three!

Not how to roast
Or even toast
But share his unique beauty.

But at present
My dear pheasant
Is a hidin’ in an a tree.

Seems the present
Of my pheasant
Was a gift saved just for me.

*Disclaimer:
Yes, I am aware this composition is a syllabically-rhythmic train wreck. I'm no poet, but as I was tramping around in the grass trying to find said purty birdie, this started rattling in my cranium so, I thought, "What the heck? Why not open myself up to a whole new reason for folks to point at me and laugh, 'eh?" I say,"What better way to start a Monday?!"...

... Except, of course, for going out to the garage to get some bread yeast outta the fridge and seeing a freakin' gorgeous bird hanging out right outside the window!

Very, VERY cool!


Happy Monday, Y'all! And enjoy that belly laugh at my expense. Really. I don't mind a bit!

Nerd Girl Word Freak

Few things give me more geekish pleasure than stumbling across a word that sends me scrambling for my dictionary.

Seriously.

So, there I was, minding my own business when, WHAM! This woman being quoted in an article about how the "Shanghai Tunnels" under downtown Portland may have a much less sinister history after all whips out this magnificent beauty from her own personal lexicon.

And now, I present to you, the word of the day:

obfuscate: 1. To make so confused as to be difficult to understand. 2. To render indistinct or dim.

Pronunciation? The "o" is short, the "u" is a schwa... you know the sound made by that funny upside-down "e" thing. C'mon, people, "SCHWA!" It's First Grade English.

Thank you, Jacqueline Peterson Loomis, for your outstanding contribution in the ongoing fight to keep delicious, tantalizingly archaic words alive in the age of Newspeak.

And with that, I had better cease and desist lest I belabor the point into obfuscation... ahhhh... nice!

THIS is What!*

*See previous post.

Gotta LOVE the refurb thing.

Hopefully stepping up to professional-grade will prevent future unpleasant surprises!

That's 575 watts of raw power, Baby! This one can take a good spankin' which is a very good thing when I'M at the controls!

And it's so preeeeeeetty... mmmmmmmm... Brushed *Nickel Pearl body... yummy... and *gasp!* look at all the stainless steel attachments...!



um... *ahem* ...um...


Sorry.

Kitchen porn.


Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

*EDIT: When I originally posted this, I had remembered the color wrong. It's nickel pearl, not "pearlized nickel." So, Risa, you might want to edit your new mantra.

Now What?

Shit.

Dubious Distinction

Here's a quick Monday morning poll for you:

How many people can say they have made bread dough so tough...

... it BROKE A KITCHENAID!??

Well, I can.

Shocked and amazed I was. Didn't know it was even *possible*. Stripped its poor little gears clear to oblivion.

I'm not sure it's something to be proud of, per se, but it is something.

What I *am* proud of though, is when this stunning event occurred, I was half way through making two batches of bread dough (trying to remedy my under-liquifying, actually) for a big family gathering (more to come on this shortly). I made the second batch entirely by hand. It turned out perfect and wasn't nearly as difficult as I had imagined... having never made an un-Aided loaf of bread in my life.

Now, where the blue blazes am I gonna get this beast fixed? Is there even such thing as KitchenAid repair? Given their reputation for being indestructible I'm forced to wonder.

Yes, I will get it fixed, perfect bread dough or not. I mean, the handmade stuff was great, but when it comes to bread, I'd rather spend my time eating it than kneading it. Though, it is very good therapy, I don't think my life is frustrating enough to toss out the mixer just yet.

In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "DOH!"

It's OK To Hate Me If It Makes You Feel Better

Sometimes even I can't believe what a freakin' RIDICULOUS *job* I have.

I get paid to do this stuff...

Stuart does mortgages. Pretty damned good at it, too. Knowing he's a serious numbers guy, you'd probably expect 'im to be a total stuffed shirt.

I think his asking me to do this to his likeness for a PowerPoint presentation has pretty effectively blown that stereotype to oblivion.

I also got to deface some artificially-chocolate-flavored Frankencandy which always puts a smile on my face. He's going to wrap these labels around a bunch of the bars to leave behind as a kind of *edible* business card.
Though I don't condone actually *eating* said Frankencandy, (I endorse Dagoba and Vosges,) I think it's a really cool idea and, of course, lots of fun for me and that is what matters most, after all.

Yes. I said I get Paid to do this.

I KNOW!! It's just crazy!

Man. Not finishing college is really paying off!

Thanks to Stuart and all my other clients who let me play on their behalf and give me money for it.

Now, to reassure you I don't waste a single penny of my clients' precious payments, I must be off to order that case of Dagoba Milagros Single Origin chocolate bars I've had my eye on...

At Last! Gangsta Rap for Design Geeks

Warning: The contents of this video are graphic in nature.
Sorry, Angelina. I know that was almost a pun.

This goes out to my Pantone Posse.

Word.

I mean, PhotoShop.

Click here...
Original Design Gangsta Video
...'cause I'm just not cool enough to figure out how to embed it.

You're right. I DON'T deserve my MacPro.
*sniff*

Farm Girl Does Créme Brulée

Farm Girl like blow torch.


Blow torch goooooood.


Even if I didn't absolutely *love* custard with a crisp, candy crust, I would have to get myself one of these! EDIT: This one is currently on loan from my father-in-law.

Recruiting something from the shop into useful service in my kitchen renders me giddy... especially if it involves an open flame and potential spontaneous combustion.

Pliers? Super!

Wire cutters? Brilliant!

Air compressor? Fabulous!

Fire extinguisher? Not so much!


What's even better?

A recipe made for Engineers!

I am NOT joking! I got this stellar recipe at CookingForEngineers.com and it totally rocked.

One of the main reasons I love Alton Brown's show "Good Eats" on the food channel is, not only is he very smart with a brilliant sense of humor (and I have a very tiny, highly-secret crush on him *shhhhhhhh*!) he explains WHY stuff does what it does when you're cooking it. I'm a girl who likes all the information I can get my greasy little hands on so I know exactly, in excruciatingly precise detail, how things are going to work. I want to know enough about what I'm doing to decide whether or not to follow the recipe to the letter (which I almost NEVER do). I'm spontaneous and like to improvise with the best stuff I have on hand. More importantly, however, I DETEST FAILURE AND WASTE! I buy/grow super-good ingredients and I cannot abide wasting my time, effort or money on inedible disaster.

The Cooking for Engineers recipe had pictures, great, detailed explanations and even a super-cool flow chart...

A FLOW CHART!

I totally geeked out.

My Créme Brulée is different from the recipe in two ways:

1) I only had about a cup of heavy cream so I had to use some very heavy whole milk to round out the two cups of liquid. To rescue the richness from the lacking fat content, I used a smidge less milk than called for and threw in another egg yolk.

2) Into the two larger dishes I tossed those fresh berries from the last post.

The result?

Absolutely, THE BEST FREAKIN' CUSTARD I'VE EVER HAD! Not a lump. Not a grain. No "custard sweat" to dab off the top!

Sprinkled with some organic cane sugar and torched to kingdom come, they were a thing of beauty so irresistible I couldn't keep my girls off 'em long enough to get a picture of the plain ones.

You want Créme Brulée, Beth?

I'm aaaaall over it, Sister!