I dunno... just cool stuff

I've had a few "extra" minutes at work to spend perusing the internet and here are some things I've found that I like.

I Found Your Camera

This satisfies the voyeur in me but is also a great public service. How many times have I left my camera in a cab or at a party only to lose all evidence that the hangover I'm feeling is from me having a memorable time and not from me being stupid? Okay, never, because my camera is more important than my wallet (certainly more valuable). But for the rest of you, now when you lose your camera, there is hope that you'll get it back. And if you're like me and don't or haven't lost your camera, you get to snoop on the private lives of strangers in the name of "helping them." Win, win.

List of the Day

There are no rules for this blog other than to make a list of something each day. On some days, it's The 10 Most Special "Very Special" TV Episodes Of The Day, and on other days, it's an Engrish Roundup, but every day it's funny and makes me jealous because, dammit, my lists are never this good.

Book Inscriptions

I love a book inscription. I think I got this from my mom, who always signs the books she gives me with words that put the actual book to shame, and now whenever I get a book for someone, I try to write on the inside of it. And if someone gives me a book, I usually insist they write a message on it. I also like to use photos or receipts or other little life trinkets as bookmarks while I'm reading them and then store them in books when I'm done. Liz does that too, because when she lent me Love in the Time of Cholera, I used her enclosed bookmark. Just another little personal touch and something to send the imagination over a cliff.

Unnecessary Quotes

Look. I studied journalism in college. I work as an editor. I used to get excited in the 7th grade about diagramming sentences. I watch Cops because I like feeling superior to idiots. Unnecessary Quotes feeds that part of me, alright!

Please Enjoy

A couple years ago a guy I work with stumbled across this site, and when he sent me the link, I read it as Plea Seen Joy. Not only do I stop by this guy's site periodically to get design or branding inspiration, but I also check in to see what incredible DIY social commentary project he's crafted. Be sure to check out the projects if you're feeling like you want to give your vandalism a clever purpose.

JR ART

Surprise! I like photography! I first started following whoever this JR is when he was doing a project called Face 2 Face. He took photos of Israelis in certain occupations (bakers, lawyers, tailors, etc) and then took photos of Palestinians in those same occupations, and then he hung larger than life versions of the photos of the Israelis version and the Palestinian version next to each other in both countries. The goal was to get these people to go, "Hey, they're not that different from me." Since then he's gone all over the world, capturing humanity and putting our similarities front and center, simultaneously showcasing beauty and disgust at the same time and making us ask how can we do this to each other? (Be sure to click on the English version in the top left, unless you just want to let the photos speak for themselves. and be sure to click on Projets to see his body of work so far.) I subscribe to him so now I get email updates and photos, and I'm never disappointed.

The Belly Project

I'm still sussing out how I feel about this one. I like the concept -- women of different ages and life experiences showing the reality of these bodies we inhabit -- but I have to be in the right mood for it. Like the one that comes on days when the Victoria's Secret catalogues show up and I start having a fit of self-loathing. On days like that, this is a handy little collective of gals being real.

F My Life

Props to Amy for turning me on to this one. I'm not sure how many of these are real and how many are made up, but all of them are entertaining and make me feel grateful that this crap hasn't happened to me. So far.

Things I've Been Doing to Keep from Dying of Boredom

1. Listening to NPR's playlist of Lesser Known Love Songs.
2. Designing phone book ads for my neighbor's construction company.
3. Cropping photos of my professional clips and working on my professional website because I AM A PROFESSIONAL DAMMIT.
4. Taking mental vacations to South America. (Have you been here because it is AWESOME!)
5. Sniffing the different color Sharpie highlighters to see if they have subtly different smells.
6. Wondering if that lady who had the 8 babies really did have surgery to look like Angelina Jolie.
7. Revisiting the idea of composting.
8. E-stalking on Facebook.
9. Reading blogs. And more blogs. And more blogs.
10. Typing creative concepts as they're being dictated to me by the guy in the office with the broken finger who also likes to tell me about how he asked a girl once if he could just "stick it in her butt" since she was on her period.
11. Deciding if I really need a master's degree to do graphic design or if one of those education extension classes would do the trick.
12. Planning to take a long photo walk. Planning.
13. Watching this hilariousness over and over and contemplating if this really is real life.

14. Trying to forget my last horrible dentist appointment so I can fit in one last visit before my insurance goes bye-bye.
15. Wishing my office had a bubble bath.
16. Imagining what will happen tonight on Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible.
17. Chatting at an unnecessary length about the unconstitutionality of entrapment, even if it is to catch a predator.
18. Looking up photos of Michael Phelps with the bong.
19. Enjoying Good Earth tea 4-5 times a day.
20. Counting the minutes until I can escape, go home, and do the exact same things but find them pleasurable and exciting.