A somewhat goofy mini-collection of stuff I’ve been reading, stuff I’ve been thinking about and oh, some completely random crap.
Basically the stuff that never gets mentioned here because I’m not the kind of person who can just make some teeny little point. Not into the whole brevity thing, as the Dude would say.
Actually, I’m under the strict compulsion to write ten pages about anything on my mind. So this is me. Practicing brevity.
Oh yes.
Things will be Itemized.
There is no avoiding it.
Item! Post No. 46 in a series that is not anywhere near as methodical, calculated, structured or anything else as people seem to think it is.
Item! Really, I do not have a plan.
I promised to talk about this in last week’s Itemization. Or Item!ization, if you prefer.
A bunch of people seem to think I have some sort of method to my madness in terms of what types of stuff I will turn into Items. Item! I don’t!
Basically it’s whatever tabs are open in Firefox.
If it’s interesting I put it in here.
If I haven’t made an Item! out of you or your thing yet, it’s not because I don’t like you or your thing or have somehow decided that it’s “not worthy”.*
It’s either that I don’t know about you or your thing … or I do, but I don’t happen to have one of your posts open at the exact moment when I happen to be Itemizing.
It’s so not personal. I promise!
Anyway. Apologies to everyone who has yet to be an Item! Though I will say that a great way to get me to remember to look at your post is to write about my duck.
* If you’re wondering who died and made me the arbiter of cool? Ohmygod. I wonder that all the time too. I don’t know what they’re thinking.
Item! An extremely brilliant piece about geek thinkery.
Read it. It’s called Gaming the System and it’s great.
“Points for what?”
“Points for points. We’re geeks.”
“And everyone has their own color?”
“Yeah, so we know who has the most points. Give me a blue pen, I’ve already got root cause on bug #3.”
He’s @rands on Twitter. I found this via @melle.
Item! Helper mice wanted!
Tori writes a personal ad for some Helper Mice. Because … who doesn’t need helper mice?
It’s really sweet.
“And while I can’t promise to believe in you 100% right off the bat, I can promise to give our relationship and projects more than a fighting chance to succeed.image
How’s that for starters? I’d like to offer all the cheese you can eat, but I’m afraid that might be a bit out of the budget. It’s certainly negotiable, though!”
She’s @mindtweets on Twitter.
Item! A labyrinth locator!
For everyone who is (or not at all) as obsessed with labyrinths as I am: there is always someone even more obsessed.
This site kind of creeps me out but I do love the idea.
It’s called LabyrinthLocator.com and … that’s what it is.
Via Yael who is @treelizard on Twitter. Thanks, Yael!
Item! I am so in love with this kazoo player!
So Larisa Koehn directed me to this incredible video because I say kazoo a lot.
Actually, other people say kazoo to me and then I respond. Kazoo!
If this makes no sense to you it’s because you haven’t been hanging out with me at the Twitter bar.
None of this is the point. The point is that oh I am in love.
I realize this is not fair because I already have a gentleman friend who plays the ukulele.
But the Carolina Chocolate Drops are my new favorite everything. I went and bought all their albums.
Expect to hear them if you’re at one of my events this year, because we will totally be Shiva-ing it up to someone playing the jug. Oh yes.
Anyway. Just watch the video.
Larisa is @larisakoehn on Twitter and the Carolina Chocolate Drops are @_CCDs.
Item! Speaking of videos.
Marie from the Snakecharmers has the sexiest voice in the entire world so I will basically listen to anything that comes out of her mouth.
I can listen to their album seventy-bajillion times a day and not get sick of it.
She wrote a song called Santa I’m Your Girl and it’s hawt. Extremely. So I hope you’re clicking that link and listening to it.
“Is that a candy cane in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
Rowr. And yeah, now there’s also a video which is just adorable.
Marie is @snakecharmers on Twitter. She was one of my first-ever Twitter friends and I was friends with her before I knew she was a rockstar and yes, I adore her.
Item! Can you enhance that for us?
Okay! Fine. One more video.
I found this on Laughing Squid.
You know those excellent television/film moments when the people playing tech experts magically use “advanced technology” to zoom in on something ridiculous that then solves the crime or the mystery or whatever?
I used to think it was just me who enjoyed these — my ex-husband the electronics engineer specialized in video compression so this kind of thing was comic gold for him.
But no. We all love this.
And Duncan Robson put together this perfect little homage (“Let’s Enhance!”) to those wonderfully absurd scenes.
He’s @dunkr on Twitter. Via Laughing Squid who are @laughingsquid.
Item! Update from the land of the Peculiar & Hilarious Shivanauts!
The “peculiar and hilarious” thing comes from Melynda’s sweet bit about Butterfly Wishes.
First off, the various Shivanautical epiphanies of the week, including a link to the Psychology Today piece on the neuroscience of mindfulness.
Great stuff in the comments too. Like this bit from Casey:
“I stopped, swayed slightly for a minute or so, then went to my computer and started typing. An hour later I had my first official blog post. Definitely an “AHA!” moment.”
Also, honestly. I just adore the commenter mice over there. From Herb:
“The idea of something going wrong with Dance of Shiva resulting in raining cheese is just another reason to try it.”
Item! Comments! Here’s what I want this time:
- Things you’re thinking about.
- Something fabulously inappropriate to do on Christmas Day because the usual jew-ey tradition of Chinese food and a movie isn’t doing it for me this year. But it has to involve food at some point at least because, I don’t know how to end this sentence so just trust me, it does.
My commitment.
I am committed to giving time and thought to the things that people say. Even though asking for what I want still feels awkward for me, I’m just going to remind myself that this is a thing I’m practicing.
That is all.
Happy reading.
And happy Blustery Windsday. See you tomorrow.
Follow
Item! There is this gallery that I pass on my way to the gym and it has had some wonderful exhibitions in the past few weeks, so I decided to look up the artists. Josepha from France and her lovely statues, and Dutch Janneke Bruines. These colourful works of wonder make me happy.
I’m also thinking about the cat that arrived at my house yesterday to stay for 3 weeks. He is very needy and clingy and is pushing my buttons all over the place. I hope it’s just the newness of me and my place and he will be more relaxed soonish. I do consider myself a cat person, but I’ve only experienced the more queenly ‘I take care of myself now feed me’ type.
Kazoo! Gesundheit!
.-= Riin´s last post … Happy Fuzzy Yarn Sock Yarn Club and Fiber Club =-.
Kazoo! I love Kazoo! And now the Carolina Chocolate Drops – man they are cool.
Now let me see… what I have I checked out this week.
Umm bagpipe music – because it reminds me of my Dad so, so much and I’m missing him like mad. So I bought some and annoyed my housemate by playing it.
Jeez, that’s it! I’m boring this week, too busy making cookies and my first loaf of gluten free bread (whoo hoo!), writing Christmas cards having yule time dinners. Have hardly been on the internets.
Except this comic genius http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhkm6sgPdtk which just made me laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh. So Welsh.
.-= Wormy´s last post … The Turning Point =-.
At the conclusion of our wedding celebration instead of throwing rice, or blowing bubbles my very tolerant and goofy loved ones lined up and “played us out” on the kazoo! It was a fabulous way to end a magical day. I highly recommend it.
Kazoo!
.-= Lauren´s last post … 20 Things in 2009 That Didn’t Suck =-.
@Inge – I don’t know if this helps but one of my cats can be very clingy and insecure to the point of distraction. She’ll follow me into the toilet and try to sit on me if she can! Actually, when I’m very firm with my boundaries she becomes much more respectful and confident herself. Weird, because my first instinct is to coddle until I can give no more.
.-= Wormy´s last post … The Turning Point =-.
That “enhance it” video is fabulous. For once I want to see a movie or TV show where they understand that computer images have a resolution limit. “Zoom in. … why is it all blocky?”
Mostly this week I have been thinking about how much I have to do before we leave for my parents’ for a week (today, yikes!). Also about http://8bitchristmas.com, which is traditional Christmas carols in the style of Nintendo music, and while I know it’s not your tradition I hope that it’s at least entertaining.
.-= Chris Anthony´s last post … Depression and honesty =-.
I love the “enhance it” video. I always watch old suspense movies and wonder why they aren’t reaching for the cell phone to call for help, then realize the era the movies were made in LOL
Today I am thinking about all the vegan cookies I am about to bake, and hoping the lemon bars come out ok. Oh, and I see that Doctor Who Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix. Yay for Doctor Who while I’m stitching on this new series. 🙂
When Marty’s grandma was alive, we’d all have a huge birthday party on Christmas, because Marty’s birthday is 26th, Grandma Rita was the 25th, his mom and sister also had really close birthdays.
Last year we stayed up until about 2am watching Monty Python movies and having snack food. Then on the day we hung out and watched movies in our jammies, while Aisha and I knit. At one point I think we were all knitting, as even the boys and Marty have their knitting LOL It was all very “Little Women” or something.
Aisha’s boyfriend is coming in this year and expects the “traditional Chinese food and a movie”, but I don’t think any Chinese places are open here in town. I am going to make a pasticio and again with the hanging out. I may also play in my journal. Weather permitting there is also the bike path. That night we may ride out to the guy who covers his whole house with lights and sets them to music on his own radio station. It’s become a family tradition.
.-= Andi´s last post … What It Kind of Looks Like Outside Right Now =-.
I am loving Andrew Lightheart’s post about fighting at Christmas:
http://www.apeacefulresolution.com
Even as I cringe in recognition, I love it. *Especially* as I cringe in recognition, I’m grateful for it.
@Chris Anthony: 8 Bit Christmas is AWESOME. (Though have to say they weren’t particularly careful with the URL…)
Totally got me into the Christmas spirit. Thanks for sharing!
.-= Blue´s last post … Mad Men Bonus! Watching Billy Wilder’s The Apartment =-.
Havi, me too – no Chinese food and movie this year. It’s been our family Jewmas tradition for many, many years. and we feel weird breaking tradition. But this is the first time anyone dared to raise the question, “do we like doing this?”
On December 25th, Loews Lincoln Cinema on the Upper West Side is like the 9th circle of hell. Except in hell, not everyone is so cranky and pushy and no one tries to save a row of 12 seats.
I’m so done with it, and I think we’re all relieved not to go there this year. We’re doing brunch instead.
I may need to turn this into a post. Thanks for the inspiration!
.-= Laura Belgray´s last post … Go ahead, hate my stuff (or, why writing is like a big glass of milk). =-.
We decided a few years ago to bow out of the holidays and invent our own. We call it Zombie Yule (full origin story here: http://corvus.zakelro.com/2007/12/have-a-safe-zombie-yule/). It started out as a silly excuse to not celebrate the holidays (I loathe the holidays) and have four days to just lay around and watch zombie movies, eat decadent food, drink good beer, and not clean the house for company (the apocalypse just happens whenever, you can’t plan for it and nobody cares if your toilet is clean). However, as happens with these things, it just kind of grew and grew. This is the third annual Zombie Yule–a time to gather together with as many uninfected as possible and celebrate getting through another year without the zombie apocalypse (you know it is GOING to happen). We watch zombie movies, sing zombie songs, and play zombie games. You even have the right to board up your house and keep everyone out. It is an all purpose holiday. With shovels.
I found that labyrinth locator! That’s how I found the labyrinth at Kaiser Sunnyside! I was so impressed that someone actually tracks labyrinths just to help me in my search. Well, I’m sure it wasn’t just to help me .. but it felt like it at the time.
.-= Elizabeth´s last post … it’s a hard knock life =-.
Item!
I’m doing a thing because Havi said I should (except she thinks I should charge for it). It’s a…thing. You know, a Q+A-type thing where you ask me anything about starting an online yarn company, quitting my dayjob and/or starting a real-live in-person yarn store.
You can sign up here: http://www.blondechickenboutique.com/index.php/sharing-it-in-2010/
Item!
You could eat Indian food and GO to the movies. That is totally different.
Item!
You could do what Jay & I do – refuse to answer the phone, eat at IHOP and watch 2 movies in the theater, back to back with piles of popcorn, pop and candy (except, you know, your hippy food)…and we’re not particularly jew-ey, but I think your people would approve.
Item!
Go around singing “Christmas for the Jews”: http://www.hulu.com/watch/1373/saturday-night-live-christmas-for-the-jews-song
.-= Tara´s last post … Sharing It =-.
@Tara – I like your plan. Piles of popcorn sounds good. I might do that!
@Ms_Z – how do I not know you? You sound like someone I should already be friends with. Zombie Yule = awesome.
@Laura – I know! The funny thing is that I’ve never done the “chinese food + movie” thing (well, occasionally the movie thing), but it always feels like a should.
Hiding seems like a good plan. Maybe I’ll pretend it’s the end of the world and eat things from cans.
@Wormy – whoah, does your dad play the bagpipes too?! Are you my secret twin?
@Riin – EXACTLY! Yay!
Internet hugs all around, y’all. We can make it through the week, traditional traditions or zombie traditions or whatever!
@Havi — do you own a kazoo? Because you could totally play it on the 25th. Ever attempted “Flight of the Bumblebee?”
O.M.G. I am totally blushy right now! Thank you, Havi! (Now I deeply regret not putting a kazoo and a ukelele into “Santa, I’m Your Girl!” Next year!)
Merry Shiva-ing!
@Havi – sadly no – he just loves listening to them. I would have if I could have. I’m pretty good on the starter intrument thingy (my gran had it and I loved it). It means I’m AWESOME at blowing up balloons now… Your dad plays the bagpipes though? Freaking amazing!
.-= Wormy´s last post … The Turning Point =-.
Havi your just right people must be related to mine.
Although I’m still trying to find my people. (They might be wondering the snowy streets somewhere.)
All this has made me wonder WHY? Why? why? Am I not blogging yet?
Love all these posts and comments.
And Ms_Z -I will never worry about cleaning the toilet again! Thank you.
To wonderful fun no matter your tradition!
@ Ms_Z Zombie Yule sounds awesome! We could adapt it to a full showing of the Lord of the Ring movies back-to-back – or a day of Disney (young kids and zombies don’t mix. Don’t mix well, I mean.) Totally keeping the not cleaning the toilet thing.
And I decided to spend part of my break assembling my recording studio (yay!) and another part of it re-reading the Twilight series. Because I’m not going to apologize for reading escapist silliness anymore. I LIKE escapist silliness, dammit! And the alternative is a series of romance novels featuring either people in outer space or suspiciously sensitive ex-Navy-Seals. Bwahahahahaha!
To offer another inappropriate option, one of my favorite Christmas memories was the year we went to my grandfather’s house and, after dinner, he put out all the weird liqueurs he’d bought over the years (there were a lot – he used to travel) and we all (10 people) drank a vast assortment of small tastes and had a lovely time. There was some cherry thing that totally won, and it was great fun to get to try a bunch of things.
OMG, Zombie Yule! I love this idea! I wonder if I can Buddhistify it somehow… Dharma zombies?
Speaking of zombies, you all read Skin Horse, right? http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php
.-= Riin´s last post … Happy Fuzzy Yarn Sock Yarn Club and Fiber Club =-.
So glad to hear everyone likes the idea of Zombie Yule. It is truly what preserves my sanity and gives me a framework for other peoples’ behavior this time of year. It also gives me another way in which I can disappoint my mother, and this is always useful.
@Havi–I only recently found my way here, to which I credit Dear Friend Cassandra–who went to one of your one day sessions in CA recently and thought that I would relate to what you have to say (and especially the way you have of saying it) and also (loosely paraphrased) because you love Portland the way I love Portland (I love Portland!). She was right. 🙂
Wish I had particulars to Item, but just a big <3 to Havi and everyone. 🙂
Ingrid
Brooks,
Please do something entirely inappropriate on Christmas on my behalf. If I have one regret about marrying my lovely gentile wife it’s that I’ll never have another Jew-ey Xmas again, which in my neck of the woods involves the obligatory movie on Xmas eve and then grabbing the skis and hitting the blissfully empty slopes on Xmas day. Now I have a stocking with my name on it, and a tree, and the rest of the usual chazerai. I try to get into it. I even tried to hang xmas lights this year, but I made a mess of it and they look terrible. Sigh. At least there’s pie.
jon
If nobody has already suggested it, I would like to put forth the inappropriate option of Kazoo Karoling (TM) on Christmas day.
No matter when you knock on the Christmas celebrators’ doors, it will be inappropriate for one reason or another. They’ll either be sleeping late, opening presents, or cooking or eating dinner. You pretty much can’t lose.
In fact, you could go all out by drinking liqueur first (hat tip to Alicia), then dressing as a zombie (tip to Ms_Z) and *then* embarking on your Kazoo Karoling.
Hmmm…this is sounding more and more fun, especially because I’ve been pondering all my tradition/ritual/holiday stuff. Build-my-own-holiday sounds like it could work well for me.
.-= Victoria Brouhard´s last post … Because It Would Be Good for Me =-.
@Riin, Dharma Zombies! (Of course, it’s just one guy.) Please go register dharmazombies.com. I don’t know what you’ll use it for either, but it’s too good.
.-= Sonia Simone´s last post … What Makes Marketing Hard? =-.
So I’m reading along about how we shouldn’t take not-being-Item’d personally, and thinking, Ok, Ok, I PROMISE not to take it personally. Then I keep reading and OMG. I’ve been Item!’d – which totally deserves more punctuation. so here you go: !!!!!
But now, I’m busy not taking it personally.
Even though I want to take a magic marker and write ITEM! on my forehead. Backwards. So I can read it in the mirror. Personally.
But come to think of it, that might be a marvelously inappropriate thing to do for Christmas. I’m very, very tempted to show up all ITEM!!’d to my obligatory family gathering.
I love the Zombie Yule thing, and Dharma Zombies (It’s just one guy!) is priceless, I tell you, priceless!
Can we enhance that?
.-= Tori Deaux´s last post … Helper Mice Wanted: A Very Personal Ad (part 2) =-.
I loved the “enhance” video! I am going to share that one, too!
The parts of Christmas (which is in summer in Australia) that I specially like are the fairy lights and cherries.
This is not specially inappropriate, but after a family ‘Christmas’ lunch, hopefully my husband and I might go for an afternoon beach walk before watching “Spicks and Specks” (an Aussie Music quiz TV show that we love, and who will be doing a wonderful Aussie-celebrity-filled Christmas special) and some movies, or playing the game “Settlers” with friends.
I was thinking we might get Indian food, but I just rang up and they are closed tomorrow.
Zombie Yule sounds like an idea worth following up on.
Much love to all,
Meg
.-= Tangerine Meg´s last post … Bold greetings of the Season! =-.
item, for Inge: catfaeries (dot) com All sorts of good stuff. Their flower essences have been a blessing for my kitties. I think they have stuff for bunnies and dogs, too.
Love to all!
.-= Mahala Mazerov´s last post … Don’t Let Your Heart Freeze =-.
A labyrinth locator? Cool. Doesn’t surprise me though since years ago a friend of mine found a site with a DDR machine locator. DDRfreak.com, of course. 🙂 I mean, if there’s a locator for that? Well…
.-= claire @claireofttat´s last post … Solstice =-.
Apparently, Zombie Yule is an idea whose time has come…
I certainly feel like a zombie right now! All I want for Christmas is a good night’s sleep…
.-= Kathleen Avins @spiralsongkat´s last post … If blogging can be therapy, can it also be triage? =-.
@havi – love the enhance it video. last night we watched the season finale of our UK home-grown spies show Spooks. it has lots of this sort of unfeasible problem solving in it alongside some very impressive technological ticks that abuse the civil rights of the suspects involved. thing is, you watch and think “yeah, right” and then you think “OMG, MI5 is probably doing this to me RIGHT NOW!”
@inge – this morning our cat Loaf woke me by licking my hair. Cats are just, you know, weird.
Item! i totally do not feel xmassy. I’m an atheist so clearly I’m going to have some issues. having said that, I’m not feeling at all festive in any way. I don’t feel bad about this as I’m enjoying my holiday.
i think I would just like to celebrate the winter solstice at this time of year. I like bringing the light into the house and I like the evergreens. that’ll do thanks.
so something Un-Christmas Day? Watch Cricket live from India and have some Indain food to go with it..
@wormy: Thanks! The cat is now content to lie on a Chair Near Me and he actually let me sleep last night. The bedroom is my space, but at his home he sleeps with his people so he had some issues the first night.
oooo such a funny post. Thank you Selma & Havi! Hugssss!
Here’s some stuff that cheers me up, nothing seasonal though – have popped it on my post on FB too and added your wonderful link to Carolina Chocolate Drops!
Happy Wacky Christmas Thursday’s! Time to shake a tail feather!
A few things that make me smile, dance and go ooooo yes baby!
1.
Jim Carey does Vanilla Ice – Ice, Ice Baby
Need I say more?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7tLVIsuNw
2.
Neneh Cherry – Buffolo Stance
Please God – bring her back we miss her so!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EQCOshGwPI
3.
Crankin’ dat Soulja Boy/Spida Man on Steel Drums
Some really bad dancing…boy oh boy…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uQijkp0uio&feature=related
4.
U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
Come on you know you love it? Do the moves, wear the trousers & admire those wonderful female dancers doin’ their stomping bootylicious thing! Pre Kylie. When celebrating the curvy female form had not yet reached mainstream music business- wahoooo! Would this work for you Yogi lovers – hmmm?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c4L4CPfQY8
5.
Kid plays Bach Prelude In C BWV846 (From “The 48”) On Steel Drums
Who said Steelpan is not a ‘real’ instrument’? Neeeeyu!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SquUTpl0UaI&feature=related
6.
The Office theme on Accordion + Boy in Bear Hat
Yep some things are just too weird.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkZ0coRzoR8&feature=related
8.
Otis Redding Satisfaction
Oh baby – I neeeeed to dance! Nobody does it better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQszoQJT0Tc
HAPPY FRIGGIN’ CHRISTMASSSSS/VACATION-TIME FOLKS!
Kiss kiss
oops . cant count!
yowzer!
My Christmas plan involves latkes. That is all.