tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20747916747975206462024-02-07T20:30:01.173-08:00Dano Gold!Dano Gold is an apogee of found links, found words, found art, found projects, found food for thought, found food, found design, found humor, found time-wasters, found inspiration, found burrs, found nostalgia, found oohs and found ahhs. And some organically occurring words, projects, art, and inconsistencies as well.Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-65869404027505361172010-05-28T00:08:00.000-07:002010-05-28T00:36:41.142-07:00Campy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello, gorgeous beautiful glamorous campers! This weekend my family and some friends are entering that glorious Memorial Day tradition of the camping trip. Where to, you might ask? We're going to a beach on the Pacific, if that narrows it down for you. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I got to thinking about why so many of us chose to fill our leisure time with sleeping under the stars (well, the hidden stars here in Alaska if it's Summer - we're pretty much getting Midnight Sun at this point), and remembered that I had this little fledgling site that I'd filled with a few (but not all from my vault) reference databases that I could play with. I felt like looking at vintage Kodachrome and the like photos and related ephemera from the 30's-80's or so. I wanted to see some examples of vintage camping, in photos, to tie our experiences with our bug spray-wielding and hot-dog grilling forefathers. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I mean I flippin' love camping, but I'm a bit specific and fickle with my love. It must be in (usually) a state or national park campground, meaning it must be beautiful and serene. But I don't want it to be off the grid too much (i.e. some sort of toilet either flush or porta is essential), because I am a delicate, shy type person with my grooming and functions and also do not want to be eaten by a bear or taunted by a wolverine. On the flip side I don't want something so posh that it's ridden with RV's and pricey fees. I'm camping for goodness sake, I'm doing it because it's cheap and I like roasting marshmallows. I don't necessarily need a shower because showers in camps are usually either anemic or like something out of a TVA dam and nowhere in between. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So anyway, I used my little magic tricks to find a few pretty little reminders of the type of camping I love: the kind with lipstick and a clean toilet, the kind with park rangers and day hikes. I found some random: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="1971: Are We Having Fun Yet?" height="210" src="http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/happy_yet_.preview.jpg" width="320" /></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/6417"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you, Shorpy. </span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just look at that happy camper up there (1971). Read the description on the </span><a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/6417"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shorpy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> page, too. I love this guy's self-depreciating humor. I look at all the details in the shot and I think of all the preparations I just did for our impending trip. Will we look at our photos 30 years from now and marvel at the "vintage" Sigg water bottles and Bodum french press? Probably. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="Cold Camp: 1967" height="213" src="http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/camping_0.preview.jpg" width="320" /></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/4209"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks again, Shorpy.</span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please. Just look at this shot. Can't you just feel it? The flames licking the black night? I've missed that! Like I've said it stays light until almost midnight now and it's not the same. I loved the enveloping night camping down south and in the midwest. When I was little it felt like such an adventure to be </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">staying outside after dark.</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> To sleep in the moonlight. Nothin' doin' up here unless you're willing to camp in the winter and snow. I don't mind winter camping, in the south when it gets to maybe 20 degrees at night in most areas. Up here is another story. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/4209">This photo, though. </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Look at that coffee pot! We actually are bringing one almost just like it, a back-up french press one. We go through a lot of coffee when we camp (and when we don't). I love the lady's orthopedic shoes, too. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="Vintage Camp COOK BOOK outdoors and camping cookbook1974" height="320" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_430xN.135224388.jpg" width="240" /></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/GirlyQVintage"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks, Girly Q. </span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Etsy sellers have some wonderful vintage camping ephemera (of course they do!), and I found this cookbook on </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/44159009/vintage-camp-cook-book-outdoors-and?ref=sr_gallery_31&ga_search_query=camping+cooking&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Girly Q Vintage's shop</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Looks like the lady in the kerchief is cooking up some beans or something, but the cookbook also guides you in "cooking game birds" and "cooking for survival". I have a vision of the lady in the kerchief frenetically cooking Dutch oven meal after Dutch oven meal for the man in the insert - because he is holding her hostage. That's what comes to my mind when I see "cooking for survival." I have seen too many Lifetime movies. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="298" src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.144733981.jpg" width="320" /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/47216041/antique-photo-group-picnic-on-the-grass?ref=sr_gallery_17&ga_search_query=camping&ga_search_type=&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you Vintage Warehouse </span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another etsy print, the above from </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/47216041/antique-photo-group-picnic-on-the-grass?ref=sr_gallery_17&ga_search_query=camping&ga_search_type=&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vintage Warehouse</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> makes me happy in about thirty kinds of ways. The lady doing the pouring's shoes. The gentleman with the plate's hat. The Model T. Whether it's a campout or picnic or a combo of both I want to be there. Look at that jug of milk. They're moving along and happy and young and wearing good clothes in the grass. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground Amusement Parks" height="202" src="http://www.cardcow.com/images/set219/card00758_fr.jpg" width="320" /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.cardcow.com/images/set219/card00758_fr.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you, cardow.com (you can buy the postcard by clicking on the link)</span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let me start this out by saying that my mother and father were given an identical picnic basket as a wedding gift. We used to take it camping and picnicing. My mom gave it to me years ago and I used that beautiful thing, and then we moved to Alaska and couldn't ship it so I sold it to a friend at a garage sale. And now I see that sweet basket and I feel like crying - for my lost youth and for my lost picnic basket. But, hey Boo Boo! It's a Yogi Bear Campground postcard! I love the cart, the kids, the guy in the Yogi suit! If you aren't aware, the Yogi Bear Campgrounds (called Camp Jellystone - just like the cartoon!) provide safe camping, activities, and nostalgia. They are oh so still around and I just found out that there is </span><a href="http://www.greatsmokyjellystone.com/?"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one in Gatlinburg.</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I was not aware of this when we lived in Knoxville! Another reason I'm glad to be moving back home! Majestic scenery and wildlife is one thing, miniature golf and a Yogi Bear golf cart is another. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Was going to wrap this up nicely, with a little bow even, but am now so full of ideas and plans and excitement for our trip tomorrow to Clam Gulch (no Jellystone Gatlinburg, as you can see below, but it will do - and yes I am implying a wink), that I'm just going to sign off. So goodnight!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt=""Feathered Sea Foam, Clam Gulch, Alaska, from the Monolith Series" by Hal Gage is the award for this year's Mayor's Arts Awards." height="320" src="http://community.adn.com/sites/community.adn.com/files/images/ArtsHalGage.preview.JPG" width="318" /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by </span></span><a href="http://www.halgage.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Hal Gage</span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you have a majestic, campy Memorial Day. xoxo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PS! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/profkaren/504714398/">This</a>, and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anjalouise/3742715207/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/docman/2104952273/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72241383@N00/542809183/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57362692@N00/449443658/">this</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageroadside/2348149833/">this</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Good night!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh, and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37578663@N02/3592417755/in/set-72157622631037829/">this.</a> </span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-83588128588811571462010-05-19T00:07:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:11:38.771-07:00Artist Worship<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I don't typically bow down too much in supine position to worship celebrity ground. I don't even look at </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">TMZ</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> or Perez Hilton anymore, or flip through People magazine in waiting rooms. I guess I just went into sugar coma over all the high fructose corn syrup false pleasure I received from it. I follow a few working actors and writers on twitter, but it's mainly those that share interesting links and stuff. I think they're the bees knees still, of course (I'm looking at YOU, </span></span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/DAVID_LYNCH"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">David Lynch</span></span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">), but I try not to allow such activities to take up too much of my limited time. I'd rather be pretend-shopping on </span></span></span><a href="http://etsy.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">etsy</span></span></span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> or </span></span></span><a href="http://costplusworldmarket.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">World Market</span></span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> or something. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">But there are some. Some beauties that just entrance me. Like the S</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; text-transform: lowercase;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">igur</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Rós</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> Official Site, </span></span></span><a href="http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Eighteen Seconds Before Sunrise.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> I don't know what it is with me and Iceland, but ever since we moved up in latitude I am flat out obsessed. I even discovered a story in my brain about some kids in 1940's Iceland. It was turning into a young adult novel until it tumbled back down the well of my imagination. Here that is if you're </span></span></span><a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/09/these-kids-are-back-again-even-if-i-did.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">interested</span></span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. Anyway, </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Sigur</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> Ros' site is totally beautiful, mesmerizing, and well designed. I can't read a lot of it. I love S</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; text-transform: lowercase;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">igur</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Rós</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, but if I didn't? This site might be just another boring something that I barely glanced at.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><img src="http://download.sigur-ros.co.uk/art/medsud_175.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Another love, as I've said above, is </span></span><a href="http://www.davidlynch.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">David Lynch</span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. I've been circling around his site for years, contemplating joining to get all of the dark, eerie, and sometimes </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">epiphanic</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> photography and video inside. But I usually forget about it and watch </span></span><a href="http://www.davidlynch.com/dailyreport/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">his weather report.</span></b></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><img height="200" src="http://www.celuloide.net/images/profiles/David%20Lynch.jpg" width="173" /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I just really love his brain, you know?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Another well designed site with good layout is </span></span><a href="http://www.augusten.com/site/index.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Augusten</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> Burroughs'</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> If you're a fan of his work (and God knows I am), please do yourself a favor and play around here a bit. Especially his photo galleries. Especially, ESPECIALLY the </span></span><a href="http://www.augusten.com/site/drygallery"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Dry: In Pictures</span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> section. Broke my heart and put it back again, it did. Follow him on Twitter and you'll sometimes get little </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Augusten</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">-sized chunks of insight. You know what's weird? I totally thought I saw him at the Bear Tooth the other week. I know it wasn't him. Because why? Why on earth would he be way up here? Maybe as a tourist. Maybe he was doing an Alaskan adventure trip or something.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><img height="200" src="http://www.noonewatching.com/archives/2006/12/Augusten_B_m1065427.jpg" width="158" /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">And I have time for one more tonight.</span></span><a href="http://www.whitestripes.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> is a Jack White-</span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">agasm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> for me. Although (sorry Meg), I wish he had some sort of central location where I could sometimes just see stuff about Jack and Jack only. A central place where all things Dead Weather, Raconteurs, It Might Get Loud, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">and</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> White Stripes are joined in harmony, so I don't have to take five minutes to google search and click them all. But I'll take what I can get, central location or no. And this site is pleasing in so many ways. Here's an interesting interview with Jack on Relevant magazine: Relevant - </span></span><a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/features/20878-jack-whites-many-sides"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Jack White's Many Sides</span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I just really, really am enamored with him, too.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><img alt="White Stripes photo: Jack White and Meg White" height="200" src="http://whitestripes.com/photos/img_21_floria.jpg" width="155" /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">So celebrity worship and celebrity sites. I guess I could justify by saying that these folks are all serious artists, that I enjoy keeping up with their body of work. Or I could simply label myself an obsessed type person who has what I feel is good taste in music, film, and literature. Maybe part of me is still a twelve year old girl with Johnny </span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Depp</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> posters on the wall. </span></span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-53052884507941079092010-05-12T11:47:00.000-07:002010-05-12T11:53:51.677-07:00Ranger Rick and I know I've been gone a while...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've found something else so totally amazing that I'm just busting at the seams to share it. Not sure if I've mentioned it but my husband is a nature photographer/videographer. I stumbled across this today on the </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ALA's Great Sites for Kids</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. It's </span><a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/filmmaker.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">National Geographic's Wildlife Filmmaker</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, and since my son wants to be just like Daddy I'm so so excited to have him experiment on it! We obviously love National Geographic, as have generations of folks before us. Remember that bit in It's a Wonderful Life where little girl Mary and little boy George are at the soda fountain? And little Mary says, "A new magazine! I never saw it before!" and little George says, "Of course you never! Only us explorers can get it, I've just been nominated for membership in the National Geographic society."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh, love love love. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="261" src="http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9400000/Young-George-Bailey-Mary-and-Violet-its-a-wonderful-life-9486471-480-392.jpg" width="320" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, enjoy it! I'll share more soon. Have been working an awful lot on some other projects. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PS - Have you noticed Ranger Rick lately? He's blissfully still around, albeit modernized. I love the old Ranger Rick images. Here's that site and the first I mentioned: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx">NWF Kids/Ranger Rick</a> (the magazine is still really good)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/filmmaker.html">National Geographic Animal Wildlife Filmmaker</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I cleaned houses in my very early twenties my favorite job was a mansion in the Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio. Built in 1850 or so it was a four floor wonder, and the original and subsequent owners LOVED children and incorporated little bits and bobs for their kids all over. There were little play trap doors, secret passages, a swing in the upstairs hall between the children's bedrooms, and a staircase that turned into a slide. In the back nursery closet door (and there were pocket doors in almost every room! Swoon!) there was still a fading, peeling off Ranger Rick Membership sticker - probably from the thirties. Super charming. Found out recently from a friend in the neighborhood they've subdivided the mansion and made it into condos. No! But it had a ballroom! And an inner mahogany octagon shaped study with inlay of stars on ceiling. Progress is not always a good thing. But oh, well! Ranger Rick is still cool and I have my memories!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img src="http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/resources/conservation08/blank%20version/rangerrick.jpg" /></span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-9410155268140291062010-05-05T11:01:00.001-07:002010-05-05T11:01:48.912-07:00I haven't been here in a while. I promise to come back soon.Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-85714604374838613062010-04-14T23:53:00.000-07:002010-04-14T23:53:23.226-07:00Poor little chickiePoor fledgling blog! I've been back over<a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/"> here</a> much of the time, and doing some finishing touches on a six month long project. I've found loads more beautiful things, and will be back on here soon.Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-18122178196901892352010-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:002010-04-08T11:06:25.459-07:00Inspiration in the form of a 1960's Television Witch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Yesterday, after watching Betwitched for the first time in probably twenty years, I threw myself into a bit of a tailspin, totally fixated and in love with the interior design and fashion on that show. It's an era I don't think much about (mid to late sixties), in movies from that era and movies about that era I tend to focus on plot and/or the relevance of the historical event being represented. But when plot is a little thin and silly (as in Betwitched) I can detach myself and just view the design glory that was the set and costumes of that show. I'm not going to bore you or myself and dive into a deep examination of the design of the era, I'm just going to share some of the beautiful retro goodness resources that I have learned of recently. I've chosen to focus a bit of my search on the mid to late sixties, as it reminds me of family photos of my mom as a young adult as well as the decor of the interior of my grandparent's home. It's not rocket science, what I'm doing, just decent searches with lots of "" and + and relevant words thrown in. I do seem to have a bit of the eye for skimming past the sites that might not be "perfect" for me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I just keep looking and looking and looking at this episode. The plot is cute and everyone's fantastic but OH MY GOODNESS THE BUTTONS ON the real Samantha's coat @ 1:45!! That green dress! That aqua chair @ 4:38! Total swoon. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNoMqUZK5Xo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNoMqUZK5Xo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Now with the rising popularity of Mad Men this particular aesthetic is starting to creep back into popularity (though it's always had its stalwarts). It's mid-century modern but the later edge of it (correct me if I'm wrong, design expert who might be reading this), less atomic and more 2001: A Space Odyssey (but a bit less "mod"). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="226" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3407380844_f25b361c85_o.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/">2001: A Space Oddysey Interior Set Design</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's the <a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/1960s-designs">"Best of the Sixties/House Beautiful. </a></span><br />
<img height="250" src="http://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/S35C-109080601000-xlg-29668972.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/1960s-designs">House Beautiful</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.digmodern.com/category/books.design.interior/">Modern Dig</a>, a site with rare and collectible Mid-Century Modern Design books and objects.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img src="http://popcdn-zoovy-1.simplecdn.net/img/digmodern/W216-H263-Bffffff/3020.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(</span><a href="http://www.digmodern.com/product/4063/Bloomingdales-Book-of-Home-Decorating.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I actually have this beauty)</span></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tvparty.com/">TV Party!</a> Classic television shows for those who obsess. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Twenty Five pieces of Retro Design Inspiration from <a href="http://vectroave.com/2009/12/retro-inpsiration-2-42-inspirational-retro-images/">Vectroave. </a></span><br />
<img alt="Retro Inspiration Vol 2" height="200" src="http://vectroave.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Retro-Inspiration-Vol-2-2-600x835.jpg" width="143" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://vectroave.com/2009/12/retro-inpsiration-2-42-inspirational-retro-images/">(courtesy Vectroave)</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://my-retrospace.blogspot.com/">Retrospace</a>, a well put together retro gamut blog (mainly 70's, but some 60's, too). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ultraswank.net/">Ultraswank</a> - Talks about old and new influence of sixties design <a href="http://www.ultraswank.net/tag/1960s/">here. </a></span><br />
<img alt="eero saarinen twa jfk 2 520x713 Eero Saarinens JFK Terminal" height="320" src="http://www.ultraswank.net/wp_uswank/wp-content/uploads/images/eero-saarinen-twa-jfk-2-520x713.jpg" width="233" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.ultraswank.net/architecture/eero-saarinens-jfk-terminal/">(Ultraswank - JFK Terminal by Eero Saarinens)</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you're looking for a more polished and professional inspiration source, <a href="http://www.midcenturymodernist.com/">The Mid Century Modernist</a> is a sleek place to start. If you're just wanting to breeze casually through the era, and float onto green Astro-turf to your white wicker laced veranda, go to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">flickr</a> and search "sixties" + "vintage" + "interior design" and you'll be treated to image collections from design lovers all over the world. </span><br />
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</span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-27468028605858460902010-04-07T11:51:00.000-07:002010-04-07T11:55:16.697-07:00Kicks to the head<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I know it might not seem like it but my time on the internet is blissfully limited now that I'm no longer working outside the home. I have a small person that I'd rather spend time with, and I might be online looking, researching, writing, and communicating but it's dotted time, not really focused. I'm constantly up playing games, have long times in between where I'm cooking, cleaning, organizing, teaching Xander, taking walks, riding bikes, giving time outs, creating forts, making art, doling out clay and paint, etc. etc. etc. Just as I'm writing this I'm holding an intense conversation about the dreams we had last night, and we're also discussing whether Yoda can swim or not. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Late, late, late in the evening I have more focused time, but by then my contacts begin peeling off my eyes and I'd rather turn to my more<a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/"> ethereal</a> writing and haiku. I also work on a project that my husband and I are working on during the wee small hours. So my point is (though this is a wavering point because I'm still fielding questions about Yoda and am a bit distracted) that I squeeze a lot into a little bit of time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Like all of us I need reassurance and guidance in my professional (ha) life, in my case writing. I hunt and gather different sweet smelling books, magazines, and websites to boost up morale and siphon advice and tips that I might not have known about. And of course, I'm fixing to share some of them here. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://zenhabits.net/2010/04/life-decisions/">Zen Habits</a>: I have a blog crush on Leo Babuta. He's taken his personal life changing journey and turned it into an empire of simplicity. His articles are peacefully written and helpful. His <a href="http://zenhabits.tumblr.com/">Simple Links</a> hop over to interesting places, people, writings, tips. His other blog <a href="http://mnmlist.com/">Mnmlist</a> hearkens back to the original blogs of yesteryear: simple and straightforward. His <a href="http://www.zenfamilyhabits.net/archive/">Zen Family Habits </a> offers practical and reassuring articles from someone who's really a parent, and is totally non-judgmental. You'll like it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://marg09.wordpress.com/">Margaret Atwood's blog</a>: Now I know that this might not do something for everyone. It just so happens that she's my favorite writer and it just so happens that she has a blog. It also just so happens that she offers tips and helpful advice from time to time and I love her even more for it. The Queen of Introspective Science Fiction (and regular fiction), the Poet Laureate of the Smirking People of the World is also an approachable, amicable, tweeting person. Check out her <a href="http://marg09.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/ten-tips-for-writers-block/">Ten Tips for Writer's Block. </a></span><br />
<img height="320" src="http://www.cbc.ca/arts/images/photoessay/carteblanche/CarteBlanche6.jpg" width="319" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/arts/images/photoessay/carteblanche/CarteBlanche6.jpg">(Image Courtesy CBC)</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.brainchildmag.com/">Brainchild Magazine</a>: If you're a mom or dad or caregiver who's ever felt a little bit preached to from all sides of the spectrum (Holy hell the scare tactics of <a href="http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods">Last Child in the Woods </a> and the <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/">Focus on the Family</a> - how's that for two ends of the spectrum - and everyone else who blathers on and on about how we should be raising our children or the world will implode). Brainchild is smart. Funny. Subversive. Love. It. I need balance and slaps on the wrist back to reality daily and this magazine offers it all. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.chopra.com/articles/">Deepak Chopra - Chopra Center blog</a>: I really love the "Laws of the Day". You don't have to be a spiritual person or anything to use these words of wisdom. Here's an example, <a href="http://www.chopra.com/articles/2010/04/02/law-of-the-day-friday-11/">The Law Of Attachment:</a> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #404040; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Today I will commit myself to detachment. I will allow myself and those around me the freedom to be as they are. I will not rigidly impose my idea of how things should be. I will not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. I will participate in everything with detached involvement."<br />
Of course we all KNOW this and it's not anything NEW but sometimes we need reminders and blows to the head to bring us back to balanced living. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #404040; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's unfortunately all I can share today, as I have a particularly high strung kid today and it's taken me an hour to write a paragraph. Every 30 seconds some small disaster strikes and I am being called to active duty. </span></span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-46522288690998213862010-04-06T22:52:00.000-07:002010-04-06T22:52:58.457-07:00Relations<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> So if you're uncomfortable with me referring to the most human of our human acts, click out now. I'm not going to get personal tonight but I am going to spread some of the love around about everyone's favorite topic: sex. If we're related or you've known me forever, please be advised, I'm not going to get embarrassing here. Just sharing some of my favorite blue-toned jewels on the internet that I've been told about, found on my own, or learned about in <a href="http://www.bust.com/">Bust</a>. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Now, breathe easier: I'm not here to give you potentially viral porn sites or preach at you about sex ed in schools. I'm not speaking clinically or ethically. I'm talking about the whispers and the cackles. Of a group of women or men (or a mix of both) in the corner during a party spinning yarns. Stories are what I'm interested in. Advice. What's odd and what's becoming blissfully more out in the open. Of blaze freedom and humorous teenage repression. The entertaining and the ridiculous. The everyday and the totally out there. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I'll keep this simple, people. I'm not shy talking about it, but I do respect that some of us have deeper puritan ties and feelings, but still like to read and think about it in a private, totally educated and curious manner. So without further you know what, here are my favorite places to read about real people, and their real sex. And wasn't that a great show <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Sex">(Real Sex)</a>? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.scarleteen.com/">Scarleteen:</a> I wish this was around when I was a teenager. The internet was barely around when I was a teenager. Although we did have a kind of wonderful sex ed program if I remember, at least things weren't all hush-hush then - it was the nineties so it was open if not a little scary and clinical. Anyway, Scarleteen talks about anatomy, self-esteem issues, gay/lesbian/trans-gender/bi topics, periods, and frank talk about more serious sexual issues. It's an open, healthy, honest place and if you have a teenage boy or girl (or are a teenage boy or girl) it's a valuable SAFE place. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="320" src="http://www.scarleteen.com/sites/files/scarleteen/images/insideout_0.gif" width="199" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.scarleteen.com/">Inside/Out - from Scarletten</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.defloweredmemoirs.com/thestories.cfm">Deflowered</a>: Abby Kincaid has created a small empire around the stories that we women have about our "first time". There's been a live show, a blog, and if I had a crystal ball I'd wager a book in the near future. You can submit (anonymously or openly) your own story, and read well-written accounts from women from varying backgrounds. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/">The New York Times</a>: Oh yes I said it. Find interesting and academic tinged sex-related news and commentary by searching <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=des&v1=SEX&fdq=19960101&td=sysdate&sort=newest&ac=SEX&rt=1,des,org,per,geo">here</a>. Oh, look I went ahead and did it for you! There goes your guilty conscience. There's everything from gender and equality issues in the US and abroad to book reviews to dissertations on the impact of everything from wartime pinups to The Arabian Nights on our collective psyches. Smart and sexy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=3709016">Savage Love</a>: I know you read the column in your town's weekly indy paper. But have you ever strolled through the site? You'll find the archive of questions and answers, good links from Dan and links to other sex columnists, and miles and miles of comments to anger and entertain. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thefrisky.com/sex/">The Frisky</a> and <a href="http://jezebel.com/tag/sex/">Jezebel</a> have taken the guilty pleasure of fashion rags and morphed them with online zines to create a gratifying, veritable treasure trove of advice, humor, and insight in all things women's sexuality. This is far from Cosmo, people. This is honest, groundbreaking, and fun. Fun is important! There's even loads of thoughtful and sociology-bent articles for those who enjoy their sex-ed more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Kinsey">Kinseyan</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_and_Johnson">Masters & Johnson</a>-ish. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since I'm in that vein, here are links to those above-mentioned pioneers' respective institutes (or what remains or is being said about them, in the case of Masters & Johnson). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/index.html">Kinsey Institute</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Human-Sexual-Response-William-Masters/dp/0316549878">Human Sexual Response </a>(Masters & Johnson's trailblazing study)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Le mariage païen." height="320" src="http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=835370&t=w" width="256" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1044710&imageID=835370&total=40&num=0&word=sex&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&imgs=20&pos=9&e=w">Le mariage païen.</a> - <a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm">Courtesy NYPL Digital Archives</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now listen. Most of these are safe, free-thinking, broad-based resources. We're all aware that the internet is rife with some dark things and some light things when it comes to sexuality (and everything in between). To foster a healthy attitude about what makes us who we are, these are decent "jumping off points". I'm particularly interested in sex on a sociological level as a lover of all things anthropology. I don't claim to be an expert and I know for a fact there there are more frank sites than these. As a general audience member, these are good though. If you want more, I have more! You just have to email me for them, as I know that my family reads this so I'm not letting on which ones I know about! So there you have it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="316" src="http://trendsupdates.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Kama-Sutra-1.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">From the Kama Sutra </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(PS - I've read that </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatsyayana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mallanaga Vātsyāyana</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, the Hindu philosopher who wrote the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama_Sutra"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kama Sutra</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, was a lifelong virgin...discuss)</span></span></span><br />
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</span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-39477980861436888862010-04-05T11:05:00.000-07:002010-04-05T11:21:43.694-07:00Artsy Craftsy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Buried in the depths of my bookmark manager are the makings of a huge reference database of crafts and art projects for children that don't suck, so I'm going to share a bunch of those today. Y'all know what I'm talking about with the kids craft suckage - type in "crafts with kids" or "kids art projects" and in the google search bar and you're presented with a multitude of neon flashing, googly eyed, haven't been updated since the first Dubya administration monstrosities. So what's a caregiver to do? Well admittedly most of our "crafts" are thought up by yours truly, I seem to have always had a knack for the arts and the crafts (at least up to a sixth grade level) and am wise to the fact that most of the time if you present a kid with really good art materials (the basics which I'll list below plus some decent "grown up" supplies) and just let them go to town the outcome will be more enjoyable for everyone. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So here are the basics that we always have on hand: </span><br />
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<ol><li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Good paint</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> (acrylic craft paint, about $1.00 - $5.00 at Michael's). The kids paint dries out so quickly and doesn't have the good "slip" that the grown up stuff does. Spend a little extra and invest - you'll save money in the long run! A<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Alternatives-Pocket-Watercolor-Set/dp/B000JQSV88"> good watercolor set is also a childhood staple. </a></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Loads of construction and good art paper in all sizes and textures</b>. This includes recycled paper. We regularly dig into our bin for collages and other projects. Tissue paper from birthday presents is useful, too (as in the project I'll list below). </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Real paint brushes.</b> These don't have to be expensive. Michael's sells sets of brushes starting at $10.00. They work so much better than the weird plastic ones that come with watercolors. Kids don't get frustrated by lack of ease of motion. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Glitter. So much glitter. </b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Elmer's Glue, pipe cleaners, yarn, googly eyes, buttons, wood beads, pom-poms. </b>Just a collection of random. We put these into glass pasta sauce jars on our craft shelf so that we can see what's inside easily. We hoard everything and use it all. <b>Milk bottle caps, used but clean foil, cardboard oatmeal canisters, craft sticks </b>are also terribly fun to have around. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.save-on-crafts.com/alortacglu.html">Aleene's </a>craft glue and a hot glue gun. </b>When Elmer's just won't cut it. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.plaidonline.com/apMP.asp">Mod Podge</a> </b>(for sealing and creating decoupaged collages)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Flour, salt, water, oil, cream of tartar </b>- for making homemade playdough. I've seen that folks are selling this stuff on etsy now, scented with essential oil. Erm, do it yourself! Half the fun for kids is in the making of it!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Art-Studio-Classic-Drawing-Set-Wood-Case-/350319742397">One of those big art kits marketed towards beginning artists and younger artists.</a></b> We scored a HUGE unused one at a garage sale with <b>pastels</b> (also a MUST - kids love the smooth work they create with these) in a beautiful wooden case. They also have a good selection of art markers and colored pencils. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.crayola.com/canwehelp/products/AirDryClay/index.cfm">Crayola air-drying clay</a>. </b>This along with a bunch of cookie cutters, safe age appropriate knives, forks, and other found tools provide at least an hour of creative entertainment. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Clothespins.</b> We use them for crafts, for securing forts, for displaying art projects, for aiding in yarn traps (yes, they're just what they sound like), for keeping the bread bag closed, for hanging clothes...We totally heart clothespins around here. Gary uses them in his line of work for securing wires and gels to lights (there's some sort of fancy film/video term for them too - bullets I think they call them. Film people are a strange lot). </span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As for when I am sapped out of ideas, I usually turn to some of the beautiful blogs that I read anyway. These are traditionally coined (but not all) by other mothers of young children, and you kind of have to admit we're a force to be reckoned with in the idea department. Here are a few of my favorite projects we've done and websites we use. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://annwood.net/blog/category/horses/">Ann Wood's 100 Horses Project: </a> This is a highly celebrated, simple project that creates objects of great beauty. We did just one each but managed to create little pieces of art that we'll keep probably forever. Here's a photo from her project:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="211" src="http://annwood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/horses3.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://annwood.net/blog/">Ann Wood</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kaboose.com/">Kaboose:</a> This is a fantastic resource for educators and caregivers. We always find great crafts and activities to match whatever we're thinking of or working on (or season we're in). I used this A LOT in the children's room. I think we're going to attempt <a href="http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/277-favorite-recycled-crafts/18">this</a> for an Earth Day related craft. We do a lot of "nature crafts" with things we've found on walks. Hot glue guns are essential for making little tiny houses and people out of sticks, bark, leaves, mountain goat fur...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Sticks & Stones Mobile" height="240" src="http://assets.kaboose.com/media/00/00/19/af/8f9a7ffe8a4b448d65246e61937d14fc4c106535/476x357/rock-mobile-craft-earth-photo-475-aformaro-541_476x357.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/277-favorite-recycled-crafts/18">Kaboose</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/">Wisecraft</a>: This beautiful little site offers pretty things every day, and a lot of it is kid-focused (and some just inspirational to spark your own ideas). I think we're going to try this doozy next. Xander loves rocks (don't all kids - don't all adults?).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Dscn8849" height="239" src="http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/images/2007/07/18/dscn8849.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2007/07/another-fun-kid.html">Hot Rocks - Wisecraft</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.naturalfamilycrafts.com/">Natural Family Crafts:</a> I've recently found this little site and there are some sweet, "Waldorfy" ideas on here. We do a nature table and stuff though we're not strictly "Waldorf" . Adhering to any set of rules or lack of any rules whatsoever bores us, so we usually use a hodgepodge of inspiration and create our own theories and dogmas. But anyway! We'll be trying this project out (a variation) this week with leftover tissue paper. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eTGgkSdMpUrV1akYwKcos_CCEm0_XVZZaYnCVd8MAPSbOZ2OCpDd5bc_fWEPFWb6Eydkgcx52UEfO37A4LTkmGP2ZJr3MbS2KCTCCed3qLNJKM8Pty2co5dPeKpZXQgTTr9xJkLPQlc/s200/rooster+tissue+paper+cardstock+window.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.naturalfamilycrafts.com/2010/03/seasonal-window-art-cardstock-cutouts.html">From Natural Family Crafts</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are a few I go to for a quick inspirational project fix: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.soulemama.com/">Soule Mama</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://imaginechildhood.com/">Imagine Childhood </a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://imaginechildhood.com/">Design Mom</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ohdeedoh.com/">Ohdeeoh</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://mermag.blogspot.com/">Mer Mag</a></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now go crazy, dump a bunch of art supplies on the floor, and go to it! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Every child is an artist, the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." - Picasso</span></div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-72904873480261388962010-04-02T10:26:00.001-07:002010-04-02T12:50:48.877-07:00Friday Finds<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have you poked around the </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span id="goog_178484033"></span>Criterion Collections<span id="goog_178484034"></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">' website lately? It's the berries! You can hop around their entire collection, and even download (for nominal fees) some of the older films. It's also kind of nice to play around on the site and then hop over to <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiHome">Netflix</a> and throw some films you didn't know about or forgot about in your queue. If it weren't so early I'd be watching The Virgin Spring. But it is a bit early for Bergman, and I think my five year old would protest.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="The Virgin Spring Film Still" height="112" src="http://auteurs_production.s3.amazonaws.com/stills/6065/Film_321w_VirginSprings.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.criterion.com/films/372">Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring</a></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
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</div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Speaking of good films, the <a href="http://www.mayslesfilms.com/index.htm">Maysles Brothers</a> (Salesmen, Gimme Shelter) website is fun to explore. Just watched <a href="http://www.mayslesfilms.com/companypages/films/films/greygardens.htm">Grey Gardens</a> the other night with my husband and he told me a bit more about their innovations and pioneering work in the documentary film vein. So naturally being reference library-brained I found Albert's (the surviving brother) website. <img height="135" src="http://www.mayslesfilms.com/companypages/films/images/greygardens/greygardens.jpg" width="200" /></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.mayslesfilms.com/companypages/films/films/greygardens.htm">Grey Gardens - The Maysles Brothers</a></span></div></div></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><ul></ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A few months ago I discovered photographer <a href="http://www.heypeterross.com/">Peter Ross's</a> website, specifically his still lifes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Burroughs">William S. Burroughs'</a> things. William S. Burroughs was (if you're not familiar) one of the eccentric founding fathers of the Beat generation (he wrote Naked Lunch). Peter Ross has documented his odd collections, seems Burroughs has a fascination with guns, blowdarts and pinwheels. Check it out <a href="http://heypeterross.com/photography/burroughs/">here</a>.</span></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="320" src="http://heypeterross.com/files/gimgs/12_typewritermg5050.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://heypeterross.com/photography/burroughs/">Typewriter, William S. Burroughs's Stuff / Peter Ross</a></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I laughed myself silly over <a href="http://www.glamourandheadshots.com/">this photographer's work.</a> Robbie Augsperger uses an old light kit to recreate the *ahem* golden days of studio portraiture. The <a href="http://www.glamourandheadshots.com/category/corporate-headshots/">Corporate Headshots</a> page is my favorite, but this guy is pretty amazing too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Italo Disco" height="320" src="http://www.glamourandheadshots.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/italo_disco.jpg" width="212" /> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's hoping your weekend is thrilling, calming, trilling, and beautiful. I'm still writing at <a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/">Controlling A Spicy Universe</a>, too - if you're looking for some esoteric whining.</span></div></div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-64759106757672203572010-04-01T11:49:00.000-07:002010-04-01T14:30:45.302-07:00Peeping Dano<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, if you've been keeping up in the (ahem) "blogosphere" (I don't like that term), you might have heard that </span><a href="http://dooce.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dooce</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> has been asked to participate in a White House Forum on Work Place Flexibility and that </span><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Pioneer Woman</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> has both a book deal (on top of her cookbook deal) AND a film being made about her romance with her cattle baron husband currently in pre-production. Starring Reese Witherspoon. Tell me again how blogs aren't influential or powerful forms of media? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I'm happy for these women, I read their blogs I akin it to watching a popular television show after months of abstaining because it's too popular, too fluffy, too vapid. Then your friends at work KEEP talking about the show in the mornings in the breakroom so you watch just to see what all the fuss is about. You watch, and it's entertaining (but not really mind-blowing) so you continue to watch off and on just to join in the chit-chat. That's how I feel about <a href="http://www.dooce.com/">Dooce</a> and <a href="http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/">The Pioneer Woman</a>. Of course my first, knee-jerk reaction is envy - isn't that what Augusten Burroughs said in Possible Side Effects? Something about his "default emotion is envy, followed by rage...?" I'll have to skim through that book again and find it. It's precisely how I usually am. Envy first (why not me?), followed by rage (That bitch!), then usually recognition and respect. And then envy again. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I LOVE peeking in through virtual windows at people's lives that are different than mine. All over the world. I think that explains the appeal of the above listed ladies, we recognize bits of ourselves but also love peeking in the windows (even though we're obviously invited in) at another life. And the more photos the better. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, with complete acknowledgement that I am a lifestyle voyeur, here's a list of some of the blogs that I peek into. These are personal blogs, the journalistic ones that offer glimpses into daily life, humor, tragedy, joy, etc. Some are new reads and some I've been following for years. My prerequisites are that they have to be well-written and thought out. The following are just that. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://scribbit.blogspot.com/">Scribbit</a>: I've met Michelle in "real life" and she's a real down to earth sweetheart. Intelligent, articulate, and kind. She writes about a variety of things, from crafts to recipes to the meaning of it all. Right now she's in India and it reads like a beautiful travelogue. I first discovered her blog when we were contemplating our move up to Alaska. I literally googled "Reasons to live in Alaska", and a post she wrote popped up first. And it was written on my birthday!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cosycactus.typepad.com/">Cosyactus</a>: This is an icy gem of a journal (I discovered it through <a href="http://imaginechildhood.com/">Imagine Childhood</a>) about a small family in the very far North in Norway. It's written in English, and is a beautiful peek at a life that resembles mine in climate and motherhood, but so very different. Like a charming alternate reality. I love her post on <a href="http://cosycactus.typepad.com/cosycactus/2010/03/some-local-history.html">local history</a> in her new region. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://imaginechildhood.com/blog/">Imagine Childhood Blog</a>: The proprietor of the thoughtful shop Imagine Childhood writes in a light, airy, sweet tone about life in the outdoors where they live in Colorado (on a farm with lovely horses, sheep, and goats). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://nopabloneruda.com/">No Pablo Neruda</a>: This beautiful Australian lawyer is a fierce poet. You'll be entranced. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://mysewingserenity.blogspot.com/">My Sewing Serenity</a>: I found her when I bought some knitted dishcloths and soap on Etsy from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/serenitymeadow">her</a> (I can't knit or make soap - therefore I am not the atypical blog mother). She lives in Ohio I believe (my home state), and I love peeking into her tres femme life. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://sugarboot.blogspot.com/">Sugar Boot and Weasel</a>: I actually knew Anna Kiss years and years ago, when we were angsty coffeehouse teens in Dayton, Ohio. She's another solid writer, with two precocious (in a good way) boys. Her creative energy is kinetic, and I love watching what she's up to. She's totally honest as well, which is refreshing in the sometimes saccharine blog world. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://judys-journal.blogspot.com/">Judy's Journal</a>: I found Judy through her daughter Oona's blog, <a href="http://playingwithspoons.blogspot.com/">Playing with Spoons</a>. They read my other <a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/">blog </a> and commented, so I did the natural thing and read through theirs. Both mother and daughter are artists, and Oona lives here in Alaska (I think!). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweet-pixels.blogspot.com/">Sweet Pixels</a>: Another Alaskan blog, though she's much farther North than I am. Another artist, she writes about projects she's working on as well as the beauty around her. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's all I have time for now! But I have oh so many more. I think one of the joys of the internet is the ability to see people living on all sides of the earth, in all different lifestyles (really, these I've listed are a fraction of those I've seen and admired). We're able to connect with souls we'd never have the means (or reason) to otherwise. </span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-19545001102173110432010-03-31T12:01:00.000-07:002010-04-03T13:15:19.195-07:00Design Like Honey<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Quick Note: I've added another link to the Reference Library that you might enjoy if you enjoy old photos: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/">The Library of Congress' Photostream</a>. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had an arsenal of favorited websites on my workplace pc, and before I resigned I printed them all out with intentions to share them with a riveted audience (you). Now admittedly, some of these websites, when I view them with an emancipated eye? Dry as week old bread. I suppose if you're fully immersed in the world of design on more than a casual level they're possibly the shiny gossamer fancy new thing you've been looking for - so I'm going to share a few of my favorites with you. Not all, though, not yet! Mustn't share all my secrets in one day. </span><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.dezeen.com/">Dezeen</a>: This is a pretty, popular young thing that focuses on all facets of design, as well as employment and internships. They dig up some unique, innovative things, too - like this <a href="http://www.dezeen.com/">Ice Cube Chair made from recycled Pet plastic</a>:<img height="320" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/03/dzn_sq3_the-new-111-Navy-Chair.jpg" width="320" /></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.archi-ninja.com/">Archi-Ninja</a>: For architects and architecture students I'm sure this is a grail, for me it was a good source of daily industry news (along with <a href="http://archdaily.com/">Archdaily.com</a>), contests, interviews with up and comers...It's one of those "dry" ones to me now sadly. I'd rather look at...</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/">Inhabitat</a>: Probably my favorite among the design blogs, it's THE BEST "Green" Design blog out there. More humor than <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/">Treehugger</a>, more interesting and "pretty" articles for the non-designer, I still visit it at least once a week. Their <a href="http://www.inhabitots.com/">"Inhabitots"</a> page is particularly worth scrolling through (eco-friendly design and products for kids) and their Link Roundups are always interesting, too: <img alt="hippie dolls, peace and love, woodstock, handmade doll, recycled doll, reclaimed dolls, peaceful dolls, eco-friendly toys, green toys" height="132" src="http://www.inhabitots.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DevoandSummer.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.inhabitots.com/2010/03/30/free-spirited-devo-and-summer-dolls/">(Devo and Summer Dolls)</a></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/">A Daily Dose of Architecture</a>: I don't even look at the articles on this one, and I'm sure they're well-written and informative. I'm not an architect, though so I simply enjoy the collection of links in his blogroll. It's the Colossus of a blogroll! It's keeps going and going and going all down the length of the page. Most are design related, some are arts related, most of them are just really good, solid sites. I tip my hat to you, Daily Dose of Architecture dude. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://designdust.tumblr.com/">Design Dust</a>: Probably the simplest (like a mid-century modern lamp) out of my favorites, it actually was the first design site I looked at regularly. It introduced me to the big ones, like <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/">Design Sponge</a>, <a href="http://www.designmom.com/">Design Mom</a>, <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/">Apartment Therapy</a>, <a href="http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/">Black Eiffel</a>, <a href="http://www.itsnicethat.com/">It's Nice That</a>, and others. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.davidgarciastudio.blogspot.com/index.html">David Garcia Studio</a>: This is by far my favorite design house I came across during my work-related browsing (I had to do a "daily update" with interesting links strewn about once a day...). Their body of work, from playgrounds to an Architectural Map of Antarctica is the very definition of innovation (and execution).<img height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEt5vLRUWvZfF6uX4OQyNPN4WTJoOGnPRNiFXUv3LTz6zcUL5Clh8i3vzQu7NzWhzd6TNmsnVhacdjhbAghQkx-G7-TCCjFSRuH9z4Es9PfGNBsRd_mXWp2ehUqeR1MRb0R_lIuvuTRJL/s320/R0021297B.jpg" width="320" /></span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Read More About this Bad Boy <a href="http://davidgarciastudiomap.blogspot.com/2009/08/map-001-antarctica.html">Here</a>. They also hold <a href="http://davidgarciastudio.blogspot.com/search/label/WORKSHOPS">Educational Workshops</a> all over the world. And look at this cool installation, oh how I love installations:</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk__kNQQojpgHDfO2s05632MCcSf65i-0hfpS-lGZg6qaqaeD7h9xeUchdLGVp-xSFC_dBo8bdN8Mkw79_HE56aMa1HMtN2pBMFwrw9hAKtK2TmZCSCEYMkFzcH7mmf8IP_i_fQix9naM/s200/ar+001.jpg" width="174" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://davidgarciastudio.blogspot.com/search/label/INSTALLATIONS">(Installations Page)</a> </span></span><br />
<ul></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I've got more, oh how I have more! I'll post more of these lovelies and build up the database here in the hours and days to come. </span></div></div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-75469066874917353622010-03-30T11:51:00.000-07:002010-03-30T12:22:13.624-07:00Art as Old LoverI<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'m going to keep going on this image-rich vein for a while. I'm on a summit, and can only come down from here, and then will go into words and more things you have to work on a bit. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But now. Art. Art to stare at. Old art. Established art. Of course there is a lot of new, exciting, daring, interesting art online right now, too - and I'll cover that later, but not today. Today I want to share a few of the places I go when I need to visit old friends and lovers...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course there's this place: </span><br />
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Metropolitan Museum of Art</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - but you've probably never heard of it, right? (There's an assumed winking emoticon there, by the way) Well, I had never explored its website until a long standing obsession with </span><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Unicorn/unicorn_splash.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Unicorn Tapestries</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> tipped me towards it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here you can explore in a very research-trippy environment all the ca. 1495-1505 goodness is there for you to explore, and if you've read </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Unicorn-Tracy-Chevalier/dp/0007219229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269973711&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracey Chevalier</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> this activity will have deeper meaning for you. There are other "</span><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/index.asp"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Explore and Learn</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">" pages, as well as a </span><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Timeline of Art History</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that makes me giddy. These pages run the gambit interest from the precocious preschooler to the seasoned art aficionado, so don't feel silly exploring them (or intimidated). Of course, there's also the museum's </span><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">collection database</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, I could get lost in there (much like Claudia in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/">From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</a>). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Other "places" I explore are listed below, and for obvious reasons, they are beautiful and worth more than a passing glance. Be willing to dig a bit, some of the website's treasures aren't particularly out in the open. I've tried to hyperlink these to the collection pages, for ease of movement...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/">The National Gallery - UK</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/">Met Museum's Collection Database</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/index.asp">Explore and Learn</a> - Met Museum</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/citi/themes">Art Institute of Chicago </a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/liste_approche_visuelle.jsp?bmLocale=en">The Louvre - Kaleidescope</a> (easy to navigate database - pieces by theme)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://americanart.si.edu/collections/">Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="200" src="http://americanart.si.edu/images/1936/1936.12.1_1b.jpg" width="95" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=14198">Peacocks and Peonies</a>- La Farge</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="200" src="http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/citi/images/standard/WebLarge/WebImg_000067/57577_591555.jpg" width="130" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/111442">The Child's Bath - Cassatt</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.louvre.fr/media/repository/ressources/sources/illustration/atlas/x196image_53379_v2_m56577569830560537.jpg" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_853232024">Vase in the Form of a Woman's Head - </a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, go and explore some of these databases; search for old lovers and find new ones. Find old friends. If you're like me and live far away from them in person, you can reunite online. Facebook for art lovers. </span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-13232805038907043012010-03-29T11:04:00.000-07:002010-03-29T15:22:33.617-07:00Daily Clicks - Old and Found Photos<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have been thinking about spooky images lately. Like that scene at the end of The Shining, with the slow push zoom towards that group photo at the Overlook in 1924(?): </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="320" src="http://philzine.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/the-shining-photo.jpg" width="246" /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And can't you just hear the trills of "Midnight, With the Stars and You"...? Here's the </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUGYgWSz8c"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">scene</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. I recall the first twenty times I saw that film, that bit gave me the willies about as much as Grady with his unfortunate head wound in the mirror. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was thinking about that scene this weekend, and about old photos. Don't we all just love old photographs? I used to love to slink around antique shops in Ohio and Tennessee, pawing for old photos, making up stories in my head about the strangers caught forever on film. There are several places online to do this right from the relative comfort of your computer, and I'll share a few that I frequent. In the coming weeks I'm going to dig out more, and if anyone has any suggestions...comment them here please and thank you. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">#1: <a href="http://foundphotos.com/">http://foundphotos.com</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">: My knowledge of this site is relatively new, but thanks to</span><a href="http://nopabloneruda.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Katie in Australia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I'm a convert. Unfortunately it hasn't been updated in a while but there's enough in the archive to click for a while if you've never visited before. These aren't very old photos, just candid, random, and fascinating. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">#2 <a href="http://www.shorpy.com/">Shorpy:</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Oh, I'm a huge, huge fan of </span><a href="http://www.shorpy.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shorpy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!! Nicely organized, nice collection, nice feature to zoom into a high-res version and really explore each image. The other evening I was just totally engrossed in their collection of Dorothea Lange photographs, exploring some of the ones that I wasn't familiar with, like Wapato Ennui: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Wapato Ennui: 1939" height="245" src="http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/8b34383u1.preview.jpg" width="320" /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/903"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1939 - Dorothea Lange</span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 1px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">535-07-5248 and Wife:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 1px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="535-07-5248 and Wife" height="238" src="http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/8b15572u.preview.jpg" width="320" /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 1px;"><a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/921"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1939- Dorothea Lange</span></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 1px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dear Lord the STORIES in those images! Shorpy categorizes photos by photographer, era, "Pretty Girls", World War Two, Civil War, </span><a href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/6882"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kodachrome</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and tons more. </span></span><br />
#3 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefound/">Albert's Eye</a>: </span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know next to nothing about Albert's Eye, I can't even tell you how I FOUND Albert's Eye - a beautiful flickr photostream full of vintage charm. Some of my favorite sets are <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefound/sets/72157619493881581/">St. Vincent's Orphanage</a> (there's the beautiful and heartbreaking), <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefound/sets/72157622464067413/">American Studio Portraits</a>, and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefound/sets/72157619494019167/">In the Photobooth</a>.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The beauty and heartbreak of humanity is all over these collections. I hope you feel as grounded and grateful of life when you browse them as much as I do...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Coincidentally, if it's vintage Photobooth images you love, here's a wonderful little book with a nice collection of them: </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Photobooth-Babbette-Hines/dp/1568983816/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269885273&sr=1-1"><img alt="Photobooth" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41M1A2BD7QL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Photobooth-Babbette-Hines/dp/1568983816/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269885273&sr=1-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Photobooth - Babette Hines.</b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">*I've added the above links and a few more to the </span><a href="http://danogold.blogspot.com/p/reference-library.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reference Library</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> page*</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>UPDATE: Thank you </b><a href="http://www.garagesalegirly.blogspot.com/"><b>Princess Sarah</b></a><b> for the following links: </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://blackandwtf.tumblr.com/">Black and WTF</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://vintagechildabuse.blogspot.com/">Vintage Child Abuse</a></span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-45954464979220191792010-03-26T22:43:00.000-07:002010-03-26T23:55:25.198-07:00Evening Finds (a bow to my rampant consumerism)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some little things I've happened upon tonight, accompanied by minimal story-telling and commentary. </span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://store.metmuseum.org/Pop-Ups/Modern-Architecture-Pop-Up-Book/invt/13052550"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Modern Architecture Pop Up Book</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - I love pop up books. I don't really love modern architecture, but having spent over a year as an admin. assistant in an architecture firm, I still find this thrilling. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Modern Architecture Pop-Up Book" height="200" src="http://store.metmuseum.org/content/ebiz/themetstore/invt/13052550/13052550_02_m.jpg" width="200" /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1627&f=36114"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Marimekko Madison Green Shower Curtain</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - I had the grey version in my old house, and left it behind to boost the bathroom's appeal for staging as we had the home on the market. I spied this green one on </span><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/bathroom/10-ways-to-customize-a-rental-bathroom-112382?image_id=1284826"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apartment Therapy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and sighed a little, remembering my pretty grey one, but think I'll get this one eventually again, once the wounds have healed and the Spring begins. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="200" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/atimg/1284826/11bathroomrental_rect540.jpg" width="200" /></span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Prints by </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SophieBlackall"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sophie Blackall</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">: I first stumbled upon her while looking at her </span><a href="http://missedconnectionsny.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Missed Connections</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> blog that she pens (a drawing for the craigslist Missed Connections ads that inspire her) and then realized that I had admired her work in the children's library - she's a children's book illustrator as well! Her </span><a href="http://www.sophieblackall.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">website</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> is a joy, and so are her prints. My favorite: </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="Are you scared of birds or something" height="200" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.120786206.jpg" width="148" /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39928818"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Are you Scared of Birds or Something?" - Sophie Blackall</span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-39576067438330203902010-03-26T13:02:00.000-07:002010-03-26T13:06:34.323-07:00Reference Databases To Swoon By<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
I'll admit some of these are old friends. I've walked down their cobblestone paths before, but I've never divulged them in front of a live (debatable) audience before. What's been on my mind today is research, but that's not new. Not the research you need to do for work or school or your current project, but the joyful research that comes from learning new things about something you knew very little of before. I give you, the databases I look at when I need to be inspired (but not for any specific purpose).<br />
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<a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm">New York Public Library Digital Database</a>: You might know of this one already. If so, good! If not, good! Here it is and your life on the internet will never be the same. This collection of images grouped by architecture, art, graphics, nature, culture, cities is dizzying and totally satisfying. Cultured crack. Here's what I drooled over today:<br />
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<img alt="[Winged beetle, beetle on leaf, and beetle.]" height="320" src="http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=806401&t=w" width="205" /><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=715655&imageID=806401&total=94&num=0&word=beetle&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&imgs=20&pos=9&e=w">[Winged beetle, beetle on leaf, and beetle.] - NYPL Digital Collection</a></span><br />
<img alt="[Woman applying lipstick in mirror.]" height="320" src="http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=824786&t=w" width="233" /><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=713905&imageID=824786&total=1&num=0&word=lipstick&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&imgs=20&pos=1&e=w">[Woman applying lipstick in mirror.] (1917) - NYPL Digital Collection</a></span><br />
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Why lipstick and beetles? Simply because those were the two things simultaneously on my mind a moment ago. On the front page of the <a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm">NYPL Digital Collection</a> is a magic search bar. You can type in whatever is interesting you at the moment and go from there. Or browse the categories if you're feeling organized.<br />
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And here are the other lovelies for today:<br />
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<a href="http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/photosearch_pageADV.jsp">Los Angeles Public Library image database</a>: Simply type in a keyword to start exploring. For instance, when I entered "Hedy Lamarr" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr">(my favorite b&w actress and wartime genius)</a>, this image came up:<br />
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<img height="253" src="http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics29/00064410.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<a href="http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/DoSearch?databaseID=968&index=-1&initialsearch=true&count=10&finish=photosearch_pageADV.jsp&mode=manual&keyword=hedy+lamarr&terms=//whedy+lamarr&author=&Search=Search&after=&specific=&before=&lowdate=&hidate=">"Boomtown Actors"</a>, Actors by oil derricks! Weird and glamorous! Spencer Tracey! Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Hedy Lamarr, and Frank Morgan. (Thanks to LAPL)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mnh.si.edu/rc/">Smithsonian Research and Collections Database:</a> I'll admit I haven't explored this one too much yet. I'm saving it for a free hour. But, seriously, it's the Smithsonian. It's not going to suck.<br />
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So here they are. Perfect internet cruising for a dull day at work or a late evening insomnia session. I have more to add now and have more in my magic bag of links, but I think I'll keep you on tenterhooks for a bit while you browse these babies.Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-77084935981818167182010-03-26T10:58:00.000-07:002010-03-26T11:06:16.746-07:00Cherub RockI have a small(ish) child. He's five and he has a large, blonde head. Here is a haiku that I wrote about him a while back, and have coincidentally turned into a small typography art piece in our kitchen:<br />
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<i>Little yellow head</i><br />
<i>which was once swan white with fuzz</i><br />
<i>How long until brown? </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Now this little flaxen dude soaks up information nuggets like a sea sponge (which did you know regenerate from their broken off-pieces?) so I try to steer his small shoulders towards the educational but entertaining (and genuinely) and away from the insipid. The reasons are diverse. Mainly I want him to learn something while he's playing, and also I don't want to be annoyed by Sponge Bob's maniacal giggle or the pew pew sounds that emanate from the <a href="http://www.starwars.com/">Star Wars</a> website (although in bleak moments I have succumbed and allowed him to click around there, within five minutes he's frustrated - kind of how I felt when the remastered Episodes 4-6 came out). Although, the Star Wars site does have a few good memory games and a killer <a href="http://starwars.com/games/playnow/soundboards/">Sound Board</a> activity for your budding movie sound engineer.<br />
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So how do I, as the heavily eyeliner-ed, peacock feather adorned caregiver of the century, help my son have quality computer time in his (dwindling fast) preschool years? Well, honestly I learned everything I ever wanted to know from a library. During my time in a Children's Library I learned of, found, shared, heard, and had kids bounce in their tiny chairs and raise their hands to show me a collection of fantastic and satisfying sites, cool enough to spend a bit, but not saccharine enough to cause a temper tantrum when computer time is over. Here is the short list that Xander cycles through, and I do add more and will add more here as I find them. We of course try others, which I will add to the database <a href="http://danogold.blogspot.com/p/small-people.html">Small People</a> at the left,<br />
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<a href="http://www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm">The National Gallery of Art's NGA Kids site</a>: This is my favorite. Chock full of interactive art that goes way beyond playing around with Microsoft Paint. Xander has learned about the Dutch Masters, the surrealists, American folk art, and his creativity has gone through the roof from these easy to navigate activities. It's even fun for adults, no joke. In fact, most big museums have good websites for children, some are for elementary to middle school ages, but there's usually something of value for all ages. If your child is older they might enjoy the <a href="http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php?channel=paleontology#channel">American Museum of Natural History's</a> wordy activities. Mine's just a bit young for them, seeing as he can only read a few words.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/">CBeeBees:</a> The BBC Kid's website is full of show-related activities. Some are shows that have made the jump across the pond to the states, such as Charlie and Lola. <a href="http://www.playhousedisney.com/">Playhouse Disney</a> has some Charlie and Lola activities, too - but in our opinion they're not as good. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/charlieandlola/games/#/lb/charlieandlola/butterflygallery">The Butterfly Gallery</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/charlieandlola/games/#/lb/charlieandlola/germcounting">Germ Counting</a> games teach and art and math respectively and when you poke around the site you'll find Shaun the Sheep games, as well as Fireman Sam, and a bunch of others you've never heard of because you're American.<br />
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<a href="http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=TNP_FUN_ACTION">Playmobil Fun & Action: </a> Playmobil is a recent, all encompassing obsession of my son's lately. He plays with his sets for hours, combining them into clashing of Romans, Pirates, Dinosaurs, Swat Teams, Giant Squid world, a twisted, dangerous place that I would never step foot into willingly. The website actually has some good activities and little films, as well as the massive collection of clickable products for sale, so your kid can keep on dreaming of more Playmobil and harass you to buy things.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm">The ALA - Great Web Sites for Kids</a>: The American Library Association has compiled a beautiful list of the best sites to steer kids to (and for older kids to click through). The presentation is a bit dry, but the content, oh the content! In the coming weeks we're going to test a bunch of these out and post our favorites here in the shiny, pretty, gossamer database that is Dano Gold.<br />
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<a href="http://knoxrooms.sirsi.net/rooms/portal/page/10084_Kids_Library">Your local library</a>: Your local library system is most likely to have a whole Kids page chock full of suggestions, book reviews by children, Tumble Books, activities, reference databases for homework help, and links to good and safe websites. My favorite (the system I worked for) is featured on the hyperlink. Libraries, I xoxo you.<br />
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Those are just the three most common ones we pop over to these days, in the coming days I'm going to build the database to the left, but these are some of the lesser known ones that provide a bit of educational entertainment without parental annoyance. Enjoy!Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-53287355697034799222010-03-26T01:41:00.000-07:002010-03-26T02:04:15.080-07:00As evening deepens, I seem to walk straight into the bizarre<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I'm going to share it here, what's the point of keeping it all cooped up inside? If it festers, it might metastasize and burst. Or worse! I'll forget about it and it will be buried forever in my bookmarks.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found the blog </span><a href="http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A Journey Around My Skull</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> around six months ago on a late evening (just like this). My brain works in quick fits and starts when the clock turns past midnight and I seem to pick up some sort of bizarro signal from the internet. My first visit I was on for about an hour, clicking away at the visually pleasing in a dada - ish surreal way shown in posts like </span><a href="http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/2010/03/divine-communion-time-is-here-little.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">this</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/2010/02/dedicated-to-you-but-you-werent.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">this</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, and images like this:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #15222b; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="400" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2607/3661733326_3c13803fa2_b.jpg" width="285" /></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #15222b; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #15222b; line-height: 22px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jiri Trnka, illus. for Fireflies, 1969 - Thank you A Journey Round My Skull person</span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #15222b; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was the author's focus on vintage European picture books that initially drew me in (though how I found the site I can't divulge - I'm not even sure how I find the things I do. Luck? If so, good or bad?) and the rich, macabre, image-laden posts kept me clicking with interest longer than most blogs I happen upon. Even design ones, and I can click a design blog to bits (yeah, I'm talking to you, </span><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">AT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #15222b; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So here I'm sharing it. I've forwarded it several times to those friends of mine who enjoy a bit of the disturbingly beautiful, like my friend </span><a href="http://www.existtomorrow.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tony</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. If I don't share I might forget it exists, and where does that leave you? Without a cool site to wind down an afternoon with while avoiding spreadsheets. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PS! Will from Journey Round My Skull has a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">hypnagogic photo stream on Flickr that's highly enjoyable. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajourneyroundmyskull/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here it is in all its nicely categorized glory. </span></a></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PPS! I'm guessing the title " A Journey Round My Skull " is a nod to the perhaps </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Round-Skull-Review-Classics/dp/1590172582"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">original medical memoir of the same title. </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> It's a topic I'm quite taken with, the effects of brain tumors both benign and malignant on the senses (and the formation of hallucinations visual, auditory, olfactory, etc.) I haven't read it (yet) but you can bet I'm opening up a new tab as I type this to put in on hold at the library (I had to do it Interlibrary Loan, by the way). </span></span></span></span>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-83496497622466799292010-03-25T23:48:00.000-07:002010-03-26T01:25:08.424-07:00What's been drudged up today<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1920's and 1930's music from www.live365.com </span><a href="http://www.live365.com/stations/291071"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Radio Dismuke)</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, reminds me of the tinny goodness my husband and I listened to in his <a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/2010/03/they-feel-in-love-in-tower-secluded.html">tower room</a> when we first started dating. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">DVD cover art from my favorite darling letterpress </span><a href="http://www.yeehawindustries.com/home.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yee Haw Industrie</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">s in (say it) Knoxville, TN. And yowza it's for Jim Jarmusch's </span><a href="http://www.criterion.com/films/2057-mystery-train"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mystery Train</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">! What a match made in a guitar from a Tupelo Hardware Store heaven. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Spotted these little darlins from a friend of mine's vintage-sweet blog </span><a href="http://www.garagesalegirly.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Garage Sale Girly</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. While Gary and I have decided to have just one child I will admit the sight of these ducky leg warmer buggers from Saint Raegan's Hollow made me spontaneously ovulate -<img alt="New and Unique Handmade Funny Canary Yellow Knitted Duck Foot Leg Warmer Slippers for Children little Boy Girl Grandson Granddaughter Christmas Present" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.107077190.jpg" /></span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35866416"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Saint Regen's Hollow)</span></a></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have also been salivating over my friend </span><a href="http://www.scribbit.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Michelle's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> trip to India. Perhaps simply because I feel the need for a hot climate right about now - here in Alaska SNOW is still our constant fishwife - or perhaps because I've always been drawn to all things India. Her posts about the voyage are captivating. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And here's today's "Photo I Want to Live In": </span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img height="240" src="http://www.thestarlightstudio.com/wedding%20of%20the%20painted%20doll.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.thestarlightstudio.com/wedding%20of%20the%20painted%20doll.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(from the Starlight Studio)</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can't decide which lady or gent I want to be. The bride with her little cap and silver draping? The sailor girl in the back - because I'd get to stand on that fabulous deco set piece? What was it like to live in a time without hipsters? When legs were plump and humor was more than a bit corny? When lips were painted maroon and eyes smoked with kohl? Oh, I know we can do all those things and more now, but what was it like to have a hat and gloves with every dress? And to purchase something like a jet bead bag - just ripe for the picking in crystal department stores with newfangled escalators? To talk like </span></i><a href="http://local.aaca.org/bntc/slang/slang.htm"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">this</span></i></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">? It would be the berries, and how!</span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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</div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074791674797520646.post-57492484912589828052010-03-25T01:09:00.000-07:002010-03-25T01:14:00.447-07:00Why.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Taking a bit of a break from my usual introspective and highly angsty and metaphysical </span></span><a href="http://controllingaspicyuniverse.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #8e7cc3;">writing</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, as well as a sexy blog (no, you can't see - it's a secret), and some children's literature thrown in, I've decided to create a bit of a database of sorts. I find interesting things online. I have a knack for the gathering of information. I used to work in a library, and it was a perfect fit. Like a good pair of black tights that never, ever get holes in them. Tights that you tell your friends about and they grab your arm conspiratorially and beg in a hiss to share where you got them. I share. I am a generous oracle. </span></span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">This vehicle is new. It is rough around its metaphorical edges. The goodness and gold will be categorized, maybe in the order you see to your left, and maybe not. I'm a fickle, ever-changing oracle. There's simply too much in my head and too much I'd love to share to keep it to myself. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I'm not ashamed in my love of the internet, like others might profess. I could wax whimsical and nostalgic for hours about my first experience online (no, not like that), playing Doom in a dorm basement during theatre camp in 1996. We talked in a chat room with FOUR other people, a VIDEO chatroom that was for some sort of fancy Linux people. Our camp counselor was a fancy techy engineery major and knew the inside of what we had barely heard about - most of us still typed our papers onto dot matrix printers from DOS systems. Clack.clack.clack. Bzzzzzzz. Tsst. Tsst. Tsst. That was the sound of a dot matrix printer - deafening and harkening back to the days of beige plastic everywhere. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">A bit about me? I'm currently living in Alaska. But watch! I move around a lot. In a few months I might be somewhere completely different. I write. I make. I have a brilliant photographer </span></span><a href="http://grjohnsonphotography.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #8e7cc3;">husband</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> and a beautiful, bright, brave little boy (he doesn't have a website yet). I try to see the beauty and the luster and the patina in everything. Sometimes it makes me frown, being like that. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">But mostly I like to find the wonderful, beautiful, recreational, pointless, pointed, meaningful, helpful, meaningless, silent-laughing shoulders shaking, and informative on the internet. Like I said, I have a brain like a reference library (or did I say that?) and I retain an awful lot of trivial bits up there. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">And please do share. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Soon and thanks. </span></span></span></span></div>Chrissy Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327104021278929499noreply@blogger.com0