My Halloween costume?

Not this year, but an idea for next...

You Should Be a Fairy for Halloween

According to our quiz, you'd make an ideal fairy. Your runner up costume: Mermaid

The Halloween Costume Generator

Crocheted sandwich

image: Candypop Creations

I don't know why crocheted food is so appealing, but here's another one that caught my eye. Candypop Creations also has crocheted muffins, turkey leg, fried egg, cookies and more.

I love the detail on this, from the holes in the swiss cheese to the red spiral in the onion. There's even a pickle spear and some cookies. Too much fun.

via Neatorama

Wednesday night at the memes - Halloween edition

What Your Love of Peanut Butter Cups Says About You

You are hedonistic... sometimes to the point of being greedy. You love to eat, and there's no chance you're sharing your candy! While you may be greedy, it's with good reason. You have great taste. The things you love are worth loving, and it's no wonder you crave them.

What Does Your Favorite Candy Say About You?

You Are Candy Corn

Your Halloween personality is whimsical, colorful, and creative. You see Halloween as a time to get your creative juices flowing. Each year, Halloween can't start soon enough for you. You tend to go all out for Halloween. You decorate like crazy and always dress up.

What Halloween Treat Are You?

What Your Cute Monster Says About You

You are a deep, thoughtful, down to earth person. You don't put much stock in appearances. You are never superficial or flippant. You take time in life to study, learn, and get to know people well. You inner demon is laziness. You can get so caught up in your own world that you neglect everything around you. People think you're cute because you're intelligent. Your wit and wisdom are charming.

The Cute Monster Test

What Your Jack-o-Lantern Says

You tend to be a bit of a grouchy person. The scrooge of Halloween. And while you may complain about it, you would miss Halloween if it didn't come around. This Halloween you should embrace your inner grump - be a warlock or a witch. The candy you should give out: sour patch kids

The Jack-o-Lantern Quiz

You Are 65% Witch

You've got some pretty witchy stuff going on. Even if you're not a witch, you've got to admit that you're a little freaky. You have a strong independent streak - social norms be damned. More power to you. Luckily, the time when you would have been burned at the stake has passed!

Are You a Witch?

The monster within

Coming to a Halloween party near you...



courtesy of Heineken, found via Neatorama.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 300

1. Contemplate :: ruminate
2. In the house :: of stone and light
3. Classical :: music
4. Quest :: Galaxy
5. Best friend :: People let me tell you 'bout (theme song from The Courtship of Eddie's Father)
6. 1991 :: palindrome
7. Never will :: again
8. Fool :: for you
9. Unhappy :: coincidence
10. Best man :: wedding
    

see more mutterings here.

A walk in the park

Last week the Bear and I took a walk in Roger Williams Park, a beautiful stretch of land complete with a zoo, lake, canoeing, paddleboats, museum, planetarium and lots of land to hike around. One particularly nice spot we found was the rose garden. Granted, it was a bit late in the season, but I was surprised to see how many flowers were in bloom, and still budding.








It was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Art of the moment: A. Andrew Gonzalez

image: A. Andrew Gonzalez

Gonzalez paints extraordinary works that give the illusion of three dimensions. They have an almost photographic quality to them, and amazing use of light and shadow.

Link via Boing Boing

Blog Action Day 2008: Focus on Poverty

These are tough economic times. People with decent jobs are losing them. People with good skills can't get work. The face of poverty is our neighbor's. Sometimes it's in the mirror, or worse, the faces of our children.

There's no more helpless, frustrating or demoralizing feeling than being unable to provide basic needs for your child. To know that your child is hungry, but there's nothing to feed him or her. And that's a daily reality for people all over the world, including in our own neighborhoods, on our streets and in some cases, in our homes.

To make matters worse, the tightening economy has people frightened. Food pantries are not only straining under greater demand, they're pinched by fewer donations. Fewer people donate because they're afraid of not having the money or food when they need it for themselves.

Here's what some of us can do.

If you have a pantry, and it has food in it, walk on over. Take a look inside. That can of beans you were going to use to make chili in January? Still in there? How about the creamed corn you got because you thought your family would like it?

Right now. Reach into your pantry, take out that can or box of non-perishable foods that you know you're not going to eat anyway. Take it out to your car. Put it right on the passenger's seat, or on the dashboard. Someplace you'll find it the next time you're driving.

Most chain grocery stores have collection boxes for the local food pantry or food bank. When you're on your way in, drop off that can or box. It's a small thing, but there's strength in numbers.

If you donated a can of food this week, I want to know. Tell me about it in the comments.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 298

1. Zoo :: Roger Williams Park
   
2. Neighborhood :: Mr. Rogers
   
3. Salute :: military
   
4. Immortality :: forever
   
5. Dominion :: Old
   
6. Rhonda :: Fleming (I have no idea who that is.)
   
7. Parties :: dancing
   
8. Prince of Darkness :: dracula
   
9. Garbage :: trash
   
10. Standard :: stick shift

see more Mutterings here.

What Mad Men era female icon are you?

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Katharine!

You are a Katharine -- "I am happy and open to new things"

.
Katharines are energetic, lively, and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world

How to Get Along with Me

• * Give me companionship, affection, and freedom.
• * Engage with me in stimulating conversation and laughter.
• * Appreciate my grand visions and listen to my stories.
• * Don't try to change my style. Accept me the way I am.
• * Be responsible for youself. I dislike clingy or needy people.
• * Don't tell me what to do.

What I Like About Being a Katharine

• * being optimistic and not letting life's troubles get me down
• * being spontaneous and free-spirited
• * being outspoken and outrageous. It's part of the fun.
• * being generous and trying to make the world a better place
• * having the guts to take risks and to try exciting adventures
• * having such varied interests and abilities

What's Hard About Being a Katharine

• * not having enough time to do all the things I want
• * not completing things I start
• * not being able to profit from the benefits that come from specializing; not making a commitment to a career
• * having a tendency to be ungrounded; getting lost in plans or fantasies
• * feeling confined when I'm in a one-to-one relationship

Katharines as Children Often

• * are action oriented and adventuresome
• * drum up excitement
• * prefer being with other children to being alone
• * finesse their way around adults
• * dream of the freedom they'll have when they grow up

Katharines as Parents

• * are often enthusiastic and generous
• * want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life
• * may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz

Book review: Cautionary Tales for Children, Hilaire Belloc/Edward Gorey

Another of Gorey's macabre little books, this was originally written by Hilaire Belloc. Edward Gorey's Victorian-esque drawings are perfectly suited for these morbid tales of the consequences of disobedience. For example, there's the story of "Jim, Who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion."

For those with a twisted sense of humor (such as myself), very enjoyable.

Book review: The Hapless Child

A grimly ironic tale by Edward Gorey, wherein a young child is orphaned, and in the antithesis of "A Little Princess," endures great hardships without the happy ending.

The real interest in Gorey's work isn't so much the story as the morbid artwork. He's well-known for his sketch-like drawings. It was Gorey who did the much-loved introduction to PBS' Mystery!

Gorey couldn't have been much of a child-lover, if his stories were anything to go on. But they're amusing, and rather timely.

What kind of animal are you?

You Are a Monkey

You are a very fascinating creature. People are interested in every little thing you do. You are smart, curious, and clever. You are naturally witty, and you have a great sense of humor. You can see things from many different angles, and you always have an interesting perspective on life. You are likely agile and playful. You stay physically fit simply by staying active.

What Animal Are You?

Mario cake

image: Cake Wrecks

Usually Cake Wrecks posts photos of professional cakes gone wrong. This time, they've come across a beautifully executed Mario cake. I'm not exactly a Mario fan, but this is terrific regardless. I really love the center layer blue orb with the stars. Below you can see the detail. It's so exact.




Link

Random good works - clean up

I'd like to challenge anyone who reads this blog to, in the next 24 hours, pick up one item of trash from your city or town's street and throw it away. It can be any public area, outdoors. Extra points if you recycle it instead.

If you like, you can come back here and leave a comment about what you picked up, or what city or town you helped to beautify.

Mid-season must-see

maybe it's derivative, but who cares? It's Nathan Fillion!

cool cakes

image: weburbanist

I want the Millennium Falcon cake! These are awesome, and obviously created by clever, talented hands. I'd be sorry to eat any of these.

via Neatorama

Is it too late already?

In some states it's already too late to register to vote in the 2008 presidential election. Don't let that stop you from registering. Register now, while you're thinking about it. Get it done, get it over with. It's painless. And when the next election rolls around (mayor, governor, alderman?), you won't have to sit that one out, too.

If you're registered, good. First step's over. Then, you get out, you vote.

Not voting? Then no matter who wins, I don't want to hear you whining about the state of the country. Not for four years. Got that? Whining rights revoked. Shaddup, sit down and next time, vote.

Oh, and remind your friends to register and vote, too.

Homemade liquid hand soap

image: your-cosmetics.com

I've been reading up on DIY and MYO for the past couple of years, mostly out of curiosity and a desire to save money and natural resources. More recently, I've been reading that the current financial situation may make DIY and MYO growing trends of necessity.

Be that as it may, there's a satisfaction in making things yourself, and in knowing what goes into the things that you use to feed your family and clean your home.

TipNut shares a recipe for homemade liquid soap that seems reasonably simple. I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

Link via Lifehacker

What do your favorite things about autumn say about you

Your Autumn Test Results

You are a energetic, warm, optimistic person. You approach everything with a lot of enthusiasm. When you are happiest, you are calm. You appreciate tradition and family. You enjoy feeling cozy. You tend to be afraid of change. You are never ready for things to be different. You find love to be the most comforting thing in the world. You feel at peace when you're with your loved ones. Your ideal day is active and full. You like to keep busy with your favorite things, and you appreciate a routine. You tend to live in the moment. You enjoy whatever is going on, and you don't obsess over the past or future.

The Autumn Test

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 297

1. Insight :: wisdom
   
2. Irksome :: irritating
   
3. Maybe :: so
   
4. Confirmation :: dress
   
5. Bib :: and tucker
   
6. Stop! :: In the name of love
   
7. Lobster :: pot
   
8. Boys :: and girls
   
9. Fire away :: shoot
   
10. Give up :: fail
    

see more mutterings here.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is up and running. In fact, I was seeing pink goodies in several locations back in September.

I believe strongly in breast cancer awareness and research. I'm not convinced that I need a pink hat, flavored lip gloss or a polka-dot umbrella to help advance the cause. If you're persuaded to buy pink, I encourage you to make a similar cost donation directly to the charity of your choice. Researchers need more than 3c at a time to get the job done.

Happy hat from Fred Flare

image: Fred Flare

This hat amuses both me, and my 12-year-old daughter. It's whimsical but still practical. Pretty pricey, though, at $30.

Sex and politics

I'm not overly political, but I did find this amusing.




via boingboing

Art of the moment: The Last Supper, DaVinci

It's been awhile since I've done one of these...

Highlighting DaVinci today because of new information regarding this, one of his most famous works.

image: The Food Section

Josh Friedland of The Food Section reports the findings of John Variano (Gastronomica), that the food served in the famous painting is not bread or lamb, as previously supposed. The restoration of the painting reveals that the dish in question is grilled eels garnished with orange slices. Apparently, it was quite in vogue in Leonardo's time.

Friedland is only guessing at the location of the dish that Variano refers to, and apparently there's much more detail in Gastronomica about this find. Still, it's interesting. Although I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there's also bread at the table, since it was a staple (even unleavened) of both Renaissance and Jewish diets. I'm really curious about what's on the big plate there.