R.I.P. Maurice Sendak, the author of the wonderfully inspirational "Where The Wild Things Are", one of my favourite childhood books.  Why was it so great?  Perhaps it was the illustrations, widely challenged as being "too scary".  Pish tosh.  I thought they were amazing.  I loved the way he embraced the forbidden and frightening and made it into something quite beautiful.  Perhaps it was the way we as children could all relate to Max, the alienated kid with a longing for adventure, friendship and greatness. 

I also loved "In The Night Kitchen", which was met with horror for the terrifying illustrations of....  a little boy happily flying around naked.  Big deal.  Again, I thought this book was wonderfully imaginative and not offensive in the least, especially not to children. I was more interested in the food aspect of the book, the baking, the kneading, and how Mickey becomes part of the food, at least for a time.  We need more authors like Maurice Sendak and he will be sorely missed by those who grew up with his books and for those just discovering his works.

Maurice Sendak lamented the declining standard of children's books in recent times.  However the wonderful thing about books is that you can track them down and children of today can discover these books all over again.  Here is a brief list of my favourite books from childhood:

"Petronella" - Jay Williams
My favourite fairy tale of all time.  It's a pity I couldn't find the one with the illustrations by Friso Henstra that I remember.  This is the original cover in all its glory:

Petronella was the youngest of three who sets out to seek her fortune.  She rescues a prince and has wonderful adventures.  There is a clever twist and Petronella must use her mind to help her in her quest.  I can't speak highly enough of this book.  It's just brilliant.  Jay Williams apparently wrote this book as a response to his daughter who wanted to read a book about a princess who actually does something (other than stand in a tower and look pretty)!  The result is an empowering, thought provoking read that kids will love.


"Tintin" - Herge



Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock. Professor Calculus, the Thomson Twins. I can't think of better companions for a bookish kid with a big imagination. I especially loved Captain Haddock. He is a classic character and still makes me laugh out loud! Red Rackham's Treasure, Prisoners of the Sun, Explorers on the Moon - there isn't a place where Tintin fears to venture. The mild-mannered reporter, the crazy sea dog and a resourceful, intelligent dog called Snowy face danger and adventure on the high seas, on light planes, in rocket ships and strange and wonderful lands.  On a rainy day, I'd like to think of kids reading Tintin's adventures and laying off the Wii/XBox/Playstation for a bit.

Captain Haddock is shown in typical fashion here.  The object of his wrath being a wayward llama who refuses to stay put on a treacherous climb.  Captain Haddock's creative swearing was one of the great inspirations of my life:

 


Speaking of funny characters, I can't go past Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, Vitalstatistix, Fulliautomatix, Cacophonix and Dogmatix!


"Asterix" - Goscinny and Uderzo



For some reason I related to Asterix quite strongly. 
I think there is a superhuman-strengthed-mustache-wearing-crafty-small-dude in all of us.

There was something quite innocent and sweet about these stories, while also being wildly hilarious while making some rather large political and social observations.

And there was something very anti-authority / anti-establishment about a small village holding out against the Roman invaders with the help of a magic potion of invincibility.

Make sure you get the earlier "Goscinny and Uderzo" books only.  From all reports the new books written by the illustrator Uderzo lack the wit, sophistication and originality of those written by Goscinny.   But the earlier ones?  Not always completely politically correct, but brilliant!

"Lord of the Rings" - J.R.R. Tolkien



Before it was a movie, it was a book.   A large, incredible, wonderfully involved book.   When I was little, I asked for this book to be read to me by my Mum and Grandma.  I was quite, quite little.  I'm not sure if I could read yet.  Hmm...  Perhaps that's why I'm such a serious person.   But I love Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin and Gandalf and think of them as old friends.  It is the classic good vs evil tale told from a different angle.  There is something quite Zen about finding your strength through humbleness, gentleness and a pureness of heart.



Possible further reading:

"Girls Can Do Anything" - Jan Harper

"The Hobbit", "Return of The King" - J.R.R. Tolkien

"Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy" - Lynley Dodd

"Marina" - Jan Harper

"Grimm's Fairy Tales" - The Brothers Grimm - this is perhaps a controversial one.  These are NOT nice kiddy stories and can scare the crap out of some kids.  But if you want your kid to grow up like Nick Cave or some other brilliant dark poet type, give them these books!

"Fairy Tales" - Hans Christian Andersen - this is what I thought of as the "lite" versions.  The same imagination and wonder, just less blood and guts.

"Fun Food Feasts" (cookbook) - Nanette Newman

"The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" - C.S. Lewis - better yet, get the whole series!!

"Serendipity" - Stephen Cosgrove

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" - Eric Carle

"The Lorax" - Dr Seuss (and various other Dr Seuss books!) - The Lorax will always be my favourite.  A children's book that weaves in hyper-consumerism and environmental degradation.  I Love It!!

"Sherlock Holmes" - Any of these books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - perhaps for older kids!

"Alice In Wonderland" - Lewis Carroll

Also try Enid Blyton, Judy Blume, and Shirley Hughes ("Alfie").  

technorati tags: Childrens books, Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are, In The Night Kitchen, Petronella, Jay Williams, Tintin, Herge, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Asterix, Obelix, Goscinny, Uderzo, Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Girls Can Do Anything, Grimm's Fairy Tales

 This recipe was inspired by Madhur Jaffrey and a couple of other recipes I found online.  I changed a lot of things, adding heaps more garam masala, using olive oil and adding extras like green chillies and cherry tomatoes.  I hope this recipe works for you as well as it worked for me - it's quite a simple process and is very tasty indeed!!


Ingredients

2 cups red lentils (dhal)
6 cups water approx


Olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Tumeric powder
Knob of ginger
Cumin seeds
Mustard seeds
Chilli powder
Garam masala powder
Curry leaves
3 large green chillies
6 shallots
10 cherry tomatoes


Put lentils in pot with the water. 

Bring to boil, scrape off the foamy stuff on top.

Add some large slices of peeled ginger and a couple of curry leaves to the water and a few teaspoons of tumeric.

Reduce to a low (very low!) simmer, partly covered for around 40-50 minutes.

After around half an hour, put some olive oil in a frypan, heat and pop the mustard seeds and cumin seeds (if you ask me, more is more so don't be afraid to throw a few teaspoons in!)

Fry the garlic, shallots, the rest of the ginger (finely chopped), 3 chillies (seeds are optional - they aren't particularly fiery, so why not!), chilli powder, garam masala and curry leaves.  

Add more and more garam masala as you go, remember this will be diluted when mixed with the dal.  Add some tumeric and the cherry tomatoes, frying until cherry tomatoes have disintegrated. 

When dal is looking almost ready, add all the ingredients from the frypan and mix thoroughly.  You will need to add some salt (perhaps quite a bit!) and a bit more tumeric.

Serve with or without rice, add fresh chopped coriander and top with heated roti or naan bread. 

technorati tags: dal, dhal, lentil, red lentil, madhur jaffrey, cooking, recipes, food, vegetarian, healthy, Indian cooking

A quick note on how to tell if you have flu delerium.

I was in the supermarket today, buying Red Bull.

I read the ingredients briefly, then wondered what it was I had just seen.

Reading the ingredients AGAIN I somehow saw the same thing:

"May contain Pterodactyl".

Do I have flu delerium?

I think that's a yes.

technorati tags: pterodactyl, red bull, prehistoric, dinosaur, supermarket, shopping, personal, funny

It's always fascinating to find out where people find SaveSaveSave in search engine queries.  Here are a few of my faves (I am so proud to be ranking for these particular phrases):

poem on maggi noodles  (Banjo Patterson, eat your heart out!!) 

cellulite stadium 2   !?!?!?! (I'm sorry, I'm afraid I missed Cellulite Stadium 1!)

wacky toilet seats  (this one actually makes sense, I did do a post on wacky toilet seat designs)

naked people crossing  (I'm not going to ask why people are searching for this!) 

quinny  (er... use your imagination!)


And best of all, if you type in Google:

i need toilet paper for my bung hole.... acdc

you will find me.

I finally rank for "bung hole".

A dream is achieved.

I made the mistake of taking a bathroom break during "24".

If we're watching a program on TV, I usually ask my partner when I return "what did I miss?"

And he will say something like:
"they haven't worked out who did it yet" or
"they are still trying to figure out who is sending the letters"

When I came back after missing what must have been less than 3 minutes of "24" I asked the same question.

"What did I miss?"

"Well...
the plane's blown up,
a cougar's loose,
this girl's missing,
this guy's dead,
this one blew up,
this thing exploded,
they found another bomb and everyone's about to die."


Don't go to the bathroom during "24".

technorati tags: 24, kiefer sutherland, jack bauer, twenty four, TV, Digital TV

I was fascinated by a documentary I watched last night called "Selling the Moon".  The show centered around the human thirst for energy resources and the new technology that will help us get there.

Nuclear scientists have long known that fusion power is a possible way to generate large amounts of electricity using relatively small amounts of source material.  Rather than using large amounts of coal in a standard power plant or using fission power in a nuclear reactor, this method of fusing, rather than splitting elements seems to be the way of the future, if the technology is ready and the materials are available.

However, the only setback is this...

Helium 3 is the material needed to create this wonderful fusion reaction, and it's a tad scarce on the ground.  Literally.

In fact, the only large deposits we can find are on the moon.  So, logically, rocket companies and scientists alike are jostling for the rights to mine the moon.  Makes sense, doesn't it?

Except the cost of getting to the moon is somewhere in the hundreds of billions of dollars.  In fact, it costs 1 million dollars per minute to keep a man on the moon.  So a week of mining with say, 5 astronauts would cost, say 50400000000 dollars, if my calculations are correct.

Not to mention, a standard sized rocket ship can't really hold that much Helium 3 (possibly in moon rock, soil or dust form), because it would mess up the weight on re-entry.  And since Helium 3 costs billions and billions per tonne (a human-made concept), it makes it one of the most valuable commodities.  Ever.  And a kilogram of this stuff can keep a large city going for about a week.  So it is a given that many, many more trips will be needed to get enough to get us started.

It all seems just a little bit... mad.

These particular scientists / geologists and rocket companies have decided that the best way to solve our ever growing energy concerns is to mine the moon and create fusion power here on earth.  The idea is to replicate the very process that the sun and the stars use to create energy.

There's a small gap in this logic.

We want to create a miniscule replica of the sun's energy producing process here on earth using a multi billion dollar rare-as-hens-teeth Helium 3 gas that is only found on the moon.  So we're going to scoot up to the moon, mine the crap out of it, drag the stuff back here and start fusing it together using extreme heat to create energy so we can power our iPods.

Meanwhile, as we try to be insanely entrepreneurial and reinvent the wheel, the actual wheel is spinning up in the sky for all to see.

It's called the sun.

If we advance solar panel technology (using terrestrial materials!) we can further improve on what is a rather perfect solution.  Since the sun is already generating massive amounts of energy using fusion power, wouldn't it make more sense to harness the ready-made power of the sun, enjoy our practically (barring any supernovas!) inexhaustible supply of clean, non-polluting energy...

...and leave the moon alone.

technorati tags: science, astronomy, helium 3, moon, fusion, nuclear, fission, moon mining, alternative energy, solar power

The spring shopping season is almost upon us, meaning that many of us will soon be hitting the mall and checking out the latest warmer-weather fashions. It also, of course, means that we come home from our shopping expedition having spent more money than we would ideally like.

We can certainly try to reduce our spending at the mall by using traditional tricks such as planning our purchases in advance, carrying only cash, and even forgoing the mall altogether in favor of online shopping. But for those of us who can’t bear to stay away from the mall this spring and who plan to buy enough clothes to fill a self storage Chicago unit, perhaps the best way to cut our costs is by taking advantage of the widespread sales expected at most major retailers this year. By using sales to our advantage we can oftentimes find great items that we want and pay minimally to have them. It’s a definite win-win when done correctly.

Taking advantage of sales usually means following retailers’ websites closely and obtaining some measure of luck while browsing through the racks at a given store. Here are some other tricks you can employ:

Repurchase Products That Have Gone On Sale

It’s always good to research a purchase beforehand and make sure that you’re getting a good deal. But, when you buy something at full price, you can also continue to research afterwards to insure that the item doesn’t go on sale. If it does, you can return the full-price version and then return it at the sale discount. This way you can get the sale benefits even if you don’t buy at the right time.

Take Advantage of Store Discount Cards’ “Honeymoon Period”

Most major retailers offer a store credit card that can be used to get sale discounts on a wide range of purchases. These cards commonly share two strong attributes. First, they offer substantial deals and savings on your first main purchase or during an initial “honeymoon period.” Second, these great offers usually quickly dry up, leaving you with a card that charges a higher interest rate and provides fewer rewards than most. In light of these attributes, you are probably best off to enroll in a store card right before making your major spring purchases, use the card to get a discount on those purchase, and then stop using the card shortly thereafter.

Use Technology To Price Compare

With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets these days, the internet is always at our fingertips – even while we shop. You can take advantage of this to price compare, both between stores and between platforms. Sometimes retailer A will have a much better deal on jeans than does retailer B. Sometimes, on the other hand, retailer A will offer a far better deal online than it does in the store. Whatever the circumstance, you can always check your iPhone while shopping and immediately see what other options are out there. There are even apps out there that can help make the comparison process even easier.
Following these tips can hopefully help you maximize your sale benefits and save some more money this shopping season. While spring shopping never fails to be fun and exciting, it’s always important be financially responsible and keep a close eye on our spending at all times.

Most people know and recognise this character from the Warner Brothers cartoons:

However what some people don't realise is that this is also a real creature.  A marsupial, in fact.

A rather grumpy carniverous marsupial with a cute and ferocious nature.

The trouble is, these little devils are in trouble.  A large number of the population have been struck down with disease and they need help to fight the very real possibility of extinction.

I was extremely distressed to find that we, as world citizens, can't seem to get together to find a measly 2 million bucks to fund the breeding program for these little guys at Victoria Zoo.

The breeding programs exist to repopulate the dwindling number of devils in the wild to give the population a fighting chance.

Project Cost: $2 million
Total Raised: $496,732
Remaining: $1,503,268

Donations will go towards breeding pens, surveillance systems, a research hut, specialist staff and devil breeding keepers, nutrition for the devils, cool room storage for meat, a devil cart (transport costs) and veterinary support for quarantine and health checks.

To find out more about these wonderful little animals, please follow the links below:


Zoos Victoria:
Devil's Advocate - Save the Tassie Devil

University of Tasmania - for US donations also:  
Save The Tassie Devil Appeal

Taronga Foundation:
Taronga Foundation Tassie Devil Appeal

technorati tags: tasmanian devil, save the tassie devil, zoo program, conservation, extinction, breeding program

When money is tight, most of us will take some concerted steps to rethink our expenses, our investments, and our overall spending habits. We might look to cut back on entertainment or shopping trips. We may eat out less and shop at Wal-Mart more often. And we may seek to move some of our money around by searching out high interest savings account tips and advice.

But all too rarely do we make an attempt to reduce one of our core expenses: transportation. For most Americans, transportation costs are an inevitable part of living and working in a modern society. We need our cars to get to work, do errands, pick the kids up from school, and essentially do anything that requires leaving the house. And, for most Americans, rising gas rates and insurance fees have made transportation costs increasingly expensive.

Changing up your travel and commute habits can consequently translate into significant savings, especially in the long-run. How can this be done? Here are a few tips:


Cut Back On Car Use

The best way to save on transportation costs is to cut back on our car use. Driving a car, after all, is quite expensive these days when gasoline and maintenance costs are included. So how can we get around without a car? If feasible, the best way to do this is by taking public transit. In most cities, public transit costs for daily use run somewhere in the range of $80 to $100 per month – far less than the cost of owning and running a car. If public transit is not a feasible option, you may want to consider running or biking to work. Doing so can help you save money while also getting fit at the same time.


Plan Your Trips

Many people take shopping trips and run errands as the need arises. They leave their home, go to the grocery store, return to their home, go to the dry cleaner’s, and then return to their house once again. This approach wastes both gas and time. Instead, you can get more value out of each driving trip by planning out your errands more fully beforehand.


Save On Gasoline

High gas costs have made paying high gas costs an unavoidable activity for most drivers. But there are certainly ways to reduce the amount you spend on gas. First, you can use websites such as GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas costs in your area. Second, you can sign up for credit card rewards programs that offer discounts on every gas purchase at particular stations.

These are just a few of the ways that we can reduce our transportation costs and therefore realize savings in a significant portion of our budget. While our culture of car dependence is deeply instilled in the American psyche, with a little planning and sacrifice we can reduce this reliance and save some money in the process.

~ Guest Post ~

I love Chinese New Year.  Even though I am not Chinese myself, I have an interest in Chinese customs and I like Chinese food.  Especially mushroom fried noodles.  There's something fun about the whole idea of creating a large amount of luck, driving away evil spirits each year and wishing great bagfuls of money on people.

Tips to make your year lucky:

1.  Say Kung Hao Fat Choy ("gong hey fat choy") to your Chinese friends who speak Cantonese.  Or Gong Xi Fa Cai ("gong shi fa chai") for those who speak Mandarin.  This means something along the lines of "I hope this year you get lots of money/have a prosperous year".    I think that's a nice thing to wish people.  I haven't done this yet but I fear my pronunciation would be rather suspect (I only learned French, Italian and German at school!)

2.  Clean everything!! Clean out the old luck and bring in the new.  But be careful not to sweep or clean during New Years or you might clean some luck away.

3.  Give out red envelopes with money in them to your family.  The amount must be an even number (preferably having an eight in there somewhere!)  When receiving an envelope, don't open your envelopes in the presence of the giver.  This is said to be bad manners.

4.  Wear/buy red clothes.  My contribution to this is my incredibly awesome Redheads top.  It's very red and therefore very lucky (see below).

5.   Light firecrackers to scare away evil spirits.  Firecrackers are illegal in most cases, so watching some fireworks might be the next best thing.  I may have to settle for party poppers and some sparklers.

6.  Display citrus fruits around the house.  These are especially lucky and are thought to bring good health for the coming year.

7.  Open all your doors and windows and keep the lights on.  This is said to bring in the new luck of the new year and let go of last year's luck.

8.  Eat long noodles for a long life!!

This year is the year of the Water Dragon.  The Water Dragon is said to be ambitious, but the water element tempers the arrogance and pushiness usually associated with the year of the Dragon.

I hope this year is joyful and prosperous for all of you!!
:-)

I am looking for a new lamp for the new year.  I love all kinds of crystal lamps, sometimes I think I might buy them all!!  But I am particularly fond of this one:

Rose Quartz (height = 6 and a half inches)


Rose quartz is a gentle crystal that eases stress, which is a good thing for most people!!

I love the soft glow of a crystal lamp, there is nothing like it, it can transform the atmosphere of a room. 

A word of warning though:  I wasn't sure of the size of the lamp because I use metric and this seller was using the imperial system. 

....whatever you do, don't go and look up "how big is 6 and a half inches" in Google.

It’s no secret that I enjoy shopping. Even if I leave the mall without making one purchase, I almost always find it exciting and relaxing to stroll between stores, check out the newest outfits, and look for great deals on items that can improve my wardrobe. But, of course, I very often do make a purchase. I rarely buy more than one or maybe two pieces of clothing in any given trip -- but the costs certainly add up over time.
If you’re like me, then, you’re probably looking for ways to cut back on your purchases when you go to the store. I don’t want to stop going to the mall; I just want to avoid having to take out loans just to keep my habit afloat. Here are some steps I’m going to take in order to reduce my costs but not my time in the store:

Set Deadlines
If I head to the mall on a weekend morning and don’t have anything else planned for the day, there’s a good chance I’m going to wander around, try clothes on, and ultimately make a purchase. But if I instead plan my mall trips at times when I have commitments shortly thereafter – for example, by going to the mall only an hour before a doctor’s appointment – I can satisfy my shopping itch without giving myself time to make a purchase.

Cash Only
I think it’s imprudent to go anywhere without some money on hand, but there’s no reason why you can’t leave your credit card at home -- especially if it's a store credit card -- and just take some cash in your wallet. This means that I’ll have money if something comes up or if I see something at the mall that’s really attractive and reasonably priced. But I’ll be much more hesitant to buy something unnecessary when I have to count out $20 bills in order to make the purchase.

Stick With Sales
There are a handful of stores that I regularly visit when I go to the mall. On any one given trip, however, I usually make it to only two or three of my six regular stops. With this in mind, I’m going to restrict those two or three I visit to stores that are advertising an ongoing sale. Since most store-wide sales are advertised in the retailer’s entranceway, it shouldn’t be too difficult to weed out the good choices from the bad during a given mall visit.

These are some of the main tricks I plan to follow in an effort to reduce my mall costs without limiting my shopping or my purchasing altogether. If you can relate to my situation, hopefully these tips can benefit you as well.

~ Guest Post ~

The holidays are here, and for many women that means that the to-do lists are seemingly endless. Not only do we have our normal everyday tasks, such as running the kids to school, cleaning, cooking, and grocery shopping, but we also have additional tasks such as gift shopping, home decorating, and even writing that annual Christmas letter.

Although the holidays are a busy time, it is still important for every wife and mother to take time for herself – for her own sanity's sake and for the well-being of others around her. Because we all know that if mom's not happy, then no one is. So if you are finding yourself wound a little tight this holiday season, give yourself a break and do one, or a couple of the following for yourself:

Hit the Salon

There is almost nothing better than getting a great cut and a fabulous manicure and pedicure to match. If you are finding yourself feeling a little frazzled, pull up Anywho's reverse phone number finder, find the closest salon near you, and book an appointment ASAP. Having that time to be pampered will definitely ease your mind, and will get you looking great for when you are ready to take on the next task ahead:

Go on a Date

If sitting alone isn't a good way for you to de-stress, take a night out with your hubby. There is a good chance that both of you haven't got to spend adequate time together during the holidays, so taking the time to have an intimate evening together can be just what the both of you need to unwind.

Take a Ladies' Night

There is no doubt that you aren't the only woman in your circle of friends that is stressed from holiday planning and preparation. Instead of just taking a night to yourself, consider blowing off some steam with a few close girlfriends and having a ladies' night. Either you can all get dressed up and go out, or avoid the cold weather by sending the kids and hubbies away and having a good ol' fashioned slumber party fully equipped with chick flicks and cocktails at someone's home.

The holidays are hectic. Friends and family members are always dropping by or needing to be visited, there are Christmas cookies to bake, and endless shopping that must be done. Although the holidays are often stressful, they are also often a time of great joy. Just make sure to give yourself some time to enjoy the holidays so that you too can look back with fond memories.

~ Guest Post ~

A number of new bloggers have asked me recently about where to start when learning how to use new software and becoming computer literate. Sometimes the first step can be the most difficult but when I was doing software courses with novices, I was surprised at how quickly they picked things up. Essentially, it's just a computer, and once demystified, it actually becomes fun to learn!

Some of you probably know the basics about computers and using various programs in your daily life. However, software upgrades such as Windows 7 can put you back to square one.

Teach Me Today is a simple, easy to use online learning system for IT Training using video demonstrations, allowing you to start learning immediately.  At present, it is available for US and Canadian students only (I'm hoping that they will include Australian students in the future). Subjects include software training for Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Access, to a subject such as C++ Programming.  

A couple of my readers asked me about the best way to get into C++ and the world of programming.  I find that online video tutorial courses are easy to follow and you can pause, take notes and test as you go.   

It's 3 easy steps to sign up to get exclusive access to quality software training video content:

Step 1.  sign up

Step 2.  pick your course

Step 3.  start learning

List of courses include:  Windows 7 / Excel / Build and Design Games in C++ / Using the Internet / QuickBooks / HTML and web design / Dreamweaver / Photoshop / Publisher / Powerpoint

technorati tags: it training, software training, online courses, learn to use computers, programming training, C , Windows training, software course

This coupon will get you 5% off your total purchase at Crazysales.com.au



Coupon: XMASPRO


Or for $5 off, use Coupon: XMASCAT11

Christmas shopping for 2011 is upon us.  It's make or break time.  But we don't always have to endure the pain of shopping centres and crowds.

Here are my top picks for Christmas 2011:

1. Detox Foot Patches


2. Jimmy Choo Perfume


3. Sheridan Beach Towel


4. Ladybug Handbag Hook


5. Srixon Q Star Golf Ball


6. Bionic Gardening Gloves


7. Star Wars Poster


8. Heller Personal Fan


9. Himalayan Crystal Bath Salts


10. Beach Bag

technorati tags: christmas gift, christmas 2011, christmas gift ideas 2011, christmas gift ideas, last minute christmas, stylish gifts, gifts 2011

Woods' win at the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club has been a long time coming. Tiger's fans have been waiting patiently, and Tiger himself has been waiting and striving rather impatiently.  It cannot be easy to fall from the world No#1 spot to off the charts in a short space of time.  Injuries, a media furore, and more injuries have plagued the former No#1 ranked golfer in the world.

Tiger's last win was at the 2009 Australian Masters.  How do I know that?  I was there.  I saw him put on the yellow jacket at Kingston Heath.  I got a sore neck from crouching down and watching between somebody's knees.  It was worth it.  Tiger was where he belonged, and in my eyes had never really left, just lying dormant until the right time.  Some said he had "lost it", "was over", I never really believed it so I kept my mouth shut (my blogging mouth, anyway).  Tiger showed some form towards the end of the  2011 Australian Open, finishing third, beaten by John Senden (2nd) and Greg "going for the triple crown" Chalmers (1st).  Chalmers, after his win at the Australian Open went on to win again at the PGA at Coolum and is set to put in a fight at the 2011 JBWere Masters next weekend.  Chalmers will be set to play key US events next year, so stay tuned... 

In that same month, Tiger played a crucial role in the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, helping to seal the win for the USA against the International Team.  

Photo Credit Bay News 9

Currently, Tiger's world ranking has ricocheted from #52 up to #21.

What is to come is yet unknown, but when golf and Tiger Woods get together, it creates eventful, inspiring and perhaps even surprising entertainment.

technorati tags: Tiger Woods, world ranking, australian golf, jbwere masters, australian open, PGA Coolum, Presidents Cup, Chevron World Challenge

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, from shabby chicks to shabby chic, along came the Shabby Sheik:

A rustic, shabby sheik timber cabinet.  What is a shabby sheik?  What decorating movement does it represent?  Broken tiles?  Ornate but mud covered mosaics?  Or perhaps the seller was someone mysterious but well known...

I love the shabby sheik movement, I intend to decorate exclusively in this style.

And, to follow the immortal words of the man himself,

You are what you is

And you is a bad speller

technorati tags: shabby chic, shabby sheik, shabby chick, frank zappa, sheik yerbouti

It's amazing what a difference one letter can make.  I've always thought of the term "shabby chic" as a bit of a self gratification session (I'm trying hard not to swear!)

There is also some kind of brilliantly simple diabolical thinking going on here.  Whoever came up with shabby chic is one clever monkey.  I'm going to take a guess as to what prompted this movement.  One woman or man had a garage full of stuff.  People came and viewed the stuff at a garage sale and said "wow, your stuff's really old, rusty and the paint's peeling off.  I wouldn't give you 20 cents for that rusty oak barrel or that crappy sign that says "flour" that has cobwebs all over it.  Your junk sucks."

So this woman or man, after not selling a thing at their garage sale, developed a plan.  S/he would put a display ad in the local paper, showing all the old rusty, paint peeling crap in a large country-style room, complete with polished floorboards, lace doileys, white tablecloths, white curtains, another bunch of doileys, a couple of pot plants and a headline for the picture "shabby chic".  And thus, the shabby chic movement was created, giving all people from all walks of life the opportunity to sell a rusty bike on ebay for $400 to a clueless yuppie who is willing to buy all your paint-peeling, oxidising junk at premium prices.  And everyone was happy.

And hey, if you want to make your place into a Jane Austen on coke meets Barbara Cartland nightmare then go ahead.  I have developed an irrational fear of lace, doileys and all-white rooms.  And floral bedspreads.    So a shabby chic room for me would be like some kind of interrogation room.  I'd end up telling everything, even though nobody would be asking me any questions.  I'd tell where the gold is buried and the combination to a non-existant jewel safe, just to get out of there.  If someone brought out the iced Vo-Vos I might even scream.  Or run.  Or both. 

What I love even more is when people get this wrong.  Apparently you can buy a table from a "shabby chick", which is in my opinion, too much information for a simple buyer/seller relationship.

I do appreciate her honesty, though.  If you want to create your own shabby chic wonderland, more power to you.  Just don't be too surprised if one of those creepy-assed dolls moves when you're not looking.

technorati tags: shabby chic, shabby chick, rustic, provincial, french decorating, home, decorating, rusty, overpriced

Have you ever wondered about the difference between caffe latte and cappuccino? Many don't know the difference, including the people who serve them.

Let's start with cappuccino. Cappuccino comes from the Capuchin friars - some say it refers to the colour of their robes, others say it refers to the friars' distinctive hairdo - bald in the middle and hair ringed around the head like a headband. Whatever the reason, we have the wonderful caffeinated beverage, coffee, steamed milk, and a large head of foam topped with a ring or a pattern of cinnamon, cocoa or chocolate sprinkles.

Latte, or caffe latte means "coffee and milk". So, unsurprisingly, the drink consists of coffee and a boatload of milk. This is often served in a glass with a napkin wrap to stop you burning your fingers. It is more similar to a flat white than a cappuccino, only the caffe latte contains more milk. According to Wikipedia, the drink was popularised in Seattle in the 1980s and is still hugely popular today.

Which brings me to my daily battle with take away coffees. I love to drink a take away cappuccino, lift off the lid and lick off the foam and chocolate from the inside. Perhaps not the daintiest look, but that's how I do it.  Only a cappuccino can provide this experience, so I order a cappuccino every time I get a coffee.

For some reason, my saying "Cappuccino" sounds distinctly like "Caffe Latte" to the person behind the counter.  I walk out only to find that I have a milky coffee and no foam, no sprinkles, no fun.   Apparently the rise of caffe latte in Seattle was so powerful, that nobody believes you anymore when you ask for a cappuccino.  They think "poor thing, she's obviously not keeping up with the times.  I'll do her a favour and make her a latte so she won't be excruciatingly embarrassed."

I would like to release an open letter to my particular local cafe, however this can apply to cafes around the world:

Dear "Barista",
You are actually Italian, so you should know better than to confuse a cappuccino with a caffe latte.  I know it's hard for you and that I am the only person since 1989 to ask for a cappuccino since everyone is sooo hip to the latte thing, but I-don't-care.  I want my daggy outmoded cappuccino, I want it brimming with foam and chocolate sprinkles.  Kindly make mine frothy, I don't want a hot milk with a dash of coffee in it, I don't care if Kate Moss is doing it.


sincerely,
Proud (if not fashionably challenged) cappuccino drinker

technorati tags: cappuccino, latte, caffe latte, cafe latte, capucin, friar, barista, cappuccino vs caffe latte, coffee, cafe

The sign is often the first thing people see when they come to your place of business. The important question to ask is what does your sign say about you? I have seen signs that appear to be thrown together with sticky lettering and cheap wood. This is the kind of impression you do not want to make with your customers. As they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

On the other hand, if you walk into an office, store or other business and see a brushed metal, machine cut logo with spiffy lettering, you will think to yourself "these guys mean business".   If you really want to get it done right, Impact Signs are professional corporate signage specialists a with professional installation and service and no-nonsense quote process. If you are after bronze / metal lettering or custom designs, the turnaround is fast, so you can get back to the business of running your business.

If you want a professionally made sign, Impact Signs is a member of the the American Marketing Association and provide creative, professional solutions to your signage needs.

As you shop, browse and scour the web, have you ever wondered who is profiling your browsing habits?

Once, when searching for a yoga mat and book on Amazon, I became alarmed when I started to see ads appearing on blogs featuring "yoga mats" and "yoga books".  Tick one for Amazon, they profile your shopping habits and then try to tailor suggestions based on your previous choices.  Some of us find this useful but others will be thinking "what else are they finding out about me?"

Most of us know that Facebook profiles its users.  Recently, it has come to light that Facebook is profiling you even when you are logged out of the Facebook homepage.  It seems people need to start enabling "Private Browsing" in Firefox, deleting cookies and blocking certain third party applications in Twitter, Facebook and every other social network or shopping site.

But there may actually be a rather ingenious way to ferret these profilers out.

You could try browsing for things you would never normally search for.

As an experiment, this morning I visited the KKK website, looked up Hitler and S.S. Halloween costumes, checked out white power memorabilia and Nazi uniform collectibles.

Why, you may ask? Have I gone all white supremacist / racist / nuts?

No, I was just researching an article for "Inappropriate and Bad Halloween Costumes" for one of my other blogs, "Halloween Holidays".

However, now that I have surfed for these outrageous topics, it will be glaringly obvious if someone has used this information to "profile" my browsing habits.

If I start seeing ads for "Grand Dragon Costumes" or "SS Uniforms" it will be clear that this information has been recorded and used for advertising purposes.

The emergence of Google's new +1 network has raised some important questions relating to privacy.  If you have a profile in a social network (Google +1), and then use a search engine (Google) to browse, it is possible that this information will be used in some way to market to you in the future.  Worse still, your profile can be linked to certain interests, which may make some a little nervous for those who have done research on offensive and inappropriate topics.

technorati tags: privacy, google, google 1, profile, browsing habits, facebook, social networking,

I am a geek.  There.  I said it.  Sometimes it's important to get these things out in the open so we can grow and move on.  So I love anything geeky, be it sci-fi related, gadgety or gizmo-y.  Geeky Gadgets is a nifty site with links to gadgets, geeky things and coupons for the online acquisition of gadgets (an important pastime, and a personal fave of mine).  There are some fun posts on such wonders of the sacred tomes to nerd wisdom:

I of course have bought, cataloged, memorized and translated this book into 7 different languages, including Klingon.  It contains references to Yoda, who has shaped my philosophy much more than any religious organization could manage.  It was Yoda who equated fear with anger, and espoused the Ghandi-esque path of non-aggression and zen fighting.  After all, if you are an evil angry dude, what do you do when the other dude refuses to fight, or puts down their weapon.  Yoda taught the most important lesson of resolving conflict - mess with the other dude's head.  A lot.

This wacky site provides all things required by a man who shuns fresh air, the sun, vegetables, eats too much junk food and lives in his mother's basement.

I'm looking at you, Warlock.

I seem to be a target for spam lately.  Yesterday I got a text message from a ridiculously long phone number reading:
@===@
)"EID" )
/ "Mub /
(arik" (
@===@
I think that @ and = thing is supposed to be a scroll.

It reads:

"May Allah bless U and your family!"


Well that's nice. Couple of points though,

1. I'm not a Muslim, or in fact religious in any way shape or form
2. I'm not rabid enough to text back "die godless A-rab" either

So whatever they were hoping for - ie. "Thank you brother, may Allah bless you as well" or "I will find out where you live and git you just like Osama", they ain't gonna get it from me.

Another couple of points. They can't spell Eid Mubarak properly but they did send it at the right time, as Ramadan has just ended. A little bit of research goes a long way.  I'm guessing it's just a run of the mill spam thing, but I can see some people receiving it happily, and sending back "Eid Mubarak blessings to you too.  Just one thing, who are you and how did you get my number?" or freaking out completely and throwing the phone over the ranch fence and running in the general direction of Alaska.

My next spam adventure happened this morning when I received a totally official looking (*insert sarcasm here*) email from Mr Ambrose Wekkinbeck. Well, with a name like that I can't help but be reassured of its authenticity. It just sounds like the kind of name you can trust. Not made up at all.

Here is an excerpt of this earnest letter written by good natured people who just want to get my "missing funds" to me so they can sleep at night, knowing they have done the world a great service.

"Due to this lost of Funds of your's which was suppose to be given to you but failed to."

When I studied grammar at primary school, high school and university, not once did I dare consider indulging in any number of these cardinal sins. This person deserves to be tied up in a small room with an audio recording of "Introduction to The Grammar of English" for desecrating a poor defenseless sentence.

Apparently, the object of the exercise is to fleece people out of anything between $180 and $396 to cover "shipping fees" for an ATM card. That's one heavy ATM card. If anyone is stupid enough to pay an exorbitant shipping fee to an illiterate stranger with a made up name, they really can't blame anyone else when their accounts get drained. I guess you could call it a stupidity test.

That said, I feel quite sure there is a special circle of hell reserved for spammers and identity thieves. And I'm not even religious.

They end the last part of the email with "Thanks and God bless you and your family."

Spooky eh?

So, in the interests of reciprocating this earnest outreach of human goodness, here is my response (posted here only, not emailed!):

Deer Mistir Ambrowse Wekkinbecc,

!Git Stuff'd.

yorz sincerelly,
LjPPPPPP

technorati tags: spam, eid, mubarak, text, scam, funds, bank, bad grammar

I watched a cute baby and his grandad strolling along the street today.  It was such a cute scene, the baby was cute, the grandpa was doting...  but something caught my eye.

The stroller's name was "Quinny".  I immediately recognised it from "Elizabeth" (or was it "Elizabeth - The Golden Age" - I can't remember).  Anyway, the term is a euphemism for the female genitalia.  Dating back to Elizabethan times, hence the word appearing in the film "Elizabeth".

I tried unsuccessfully to stop laughing out loud.  Then I stopped trying and just went with it.  Apparently the word is sooo Elizabethan era that it's a cute, sweet and altogether wholesome word again.

I hate to think what strollers will be called in 3010.

technorati tags: quinny, euphemism, elizabethan, elizabeth, stroller,

There are certain eras in fashion that just got things right.  Take swimsuits for example, some fads went a bit haywire with the high cut idea, and soon women were paddling in the ocean using baby steps and holding themselves together with blu tack and tarzans grip.  You feel the need to sneeze but hold it in because you know the consequences.  All you need is one large wave to come along and hello embarrassing dive for lost part of missing bikini top...

The trend continued unrestrained, resulting in the much maligned (and equally revered) "Borat Mankini".

But we can take heart in the sensible nature of some designers, coming up with glamourous pin up bathing suits for sensible women:

Vintage pinup high waisted shorts in White Cherry from Pinup Couture
This fancy number comes with matching white cherry sarong.
For some reason the shorts and top are sold separately but I wouldn't advise wearing only one or the other, except on certain beaches!!

Vintage Swimsuit - The Marilyn by Pinup Couture
The classic one piece inspired by Marilyn Monroe.  Designed for swimming and/or posing in the desert.

Bettie One Piece Swimsuit
Slightly Gidget inspired, practical for all uses, including adorning light planes (preferably before takeoff!!)

technorati tags: bathers, swimsuit, retro swimsuit, retro swimwear, marilyn monroe, gidget, bikini, pin up, one piece