cover models: before and after :-/

When I saw this, I couldn't believe my eyes. Here's a cool before and after look at what really goes into making cover models look the way they do. Granted, this is probably an extreme case, but still...the after doesn't even look like the same girl. Take a look here.

me and the mouse: part deux

So with my past history of sticky traps, I knew I didn't want one of those. Instead I opted for the more humane choice of a box trap that allows them to come into the box, but not back out again.

"GENIUS! " I thought, "This is going to be great. I'll catch the mouse, release it into the wild, and be king of beasts!"

"yeah, ok Sparky, but what's going to keep it from coming back to the house?" my loving and trusting wife asked.

I assured her that I would take it deep into the woods and release it so it wouldn't come back. "Genius!" I thought to myself.

So we bought 6 of these suckers. It was great. I placed a load of White Chocolate Peanut Butter on a pretzel and placed it on the back of the box trap and placed the traps all over the house. Three in the kitchen, two in the guest room, one in our room. Then we nestled in for a great night's sleep. Only it wasn't so great. And there wasn't much sleep.

All my wife could think about was the mouse. She couldn't go to sleep at ALL! I tried as best I could to be a loving and compassionate husband, but there wasn't much I could do. We went to bed around 10:00 and at 11:30 I was awakened by her throwing her legs in the air and taking all the covers with them. Fearing that the mouse was in the bed, she kicked and made a fuss about thinking that something was in the bed. "There's nothing in the bed" I said.

"But I can't get to sleep...all I keep thinking about is the mouse" she said.

"Ok ok, well...everything's going to fine...just go back to sleep" I said.

"I can't"

"Why don't I get you some Nyquil" (at this point I would have given her valium if we had it) I looked and looked and didn't find anything. "You'll just have to relax" I said. "Everything will be fine."

This went on and on until 5:00 when my wife heard something in the kitchen. She quickly woke me up to tell me that something was in the trap. While I was releaved and happy that I had caught the little guy, I wasn't about to go out and look at him. It was 5:00 in the morning. "Ok, I'll get him when I get up at 7:00" "No! You can't! You can't just let him stay there. What if he dies?!" "He's not going to die in two hours. It's dark and cold outside. There's no way, I'm walking all the way out in the woods to release him in the dark. It can wait" " No it can't" "Yes. It can." "No!" "Then fine, if I'm getting up and out in the cold, then you're coming with me. If this has to happen right now, then you can come too."

So with that said, we both got up and dressed and went to look at what we had caught. And there he was, in the back of the trap. All the peanut butter was gone and he had started on the pretzel.

We took a walk down the street to a place that opened up to a field and let him loose. It felt really great to right what I had wronged the first go around with the sticky traps.

(but if he comes back, I'll kill him)

me and the mouse: part 1

Last week, we moved our dear, dear friend Lori out of our bonus room and into her brand new townhouse! (yay!) But while we lost one roommate, we seemed to get another. A mouse.

I noticed something in the sink one evening when I came home. That morning I had made a peanut butter sandwhich and I left the knive, covered in peanut butter, in the sink. Well when I got home, I noticed the knife was licked clean and what looked to be black rice was in the sink. "We didn't have black rice last night" I said to myself, thinking the drain had backed up when I ran the dishwasher that morning. But upon further investigation, I noticed that it wasn't black rice...no, no, it was (cue the climatic soundtrack) mouse droppings.

I was very hesitant to tell this to my wife for fear she might move out as well. I looked around for other signs of where the mouse might have been and found his markings here and there. For some reason, I'm not sure why, but we decided to wait a few days to get some traps. Not on purpose, it just happened that way. So every morning I would leave a knive covered in peanut butter in the sink to see if he would come back. The day he didn't was the night we bought the traps. I knew he was somehere else in the house.

**backstory**
When I was in college I had a little mouse in my apartment. He was a quick little booger. But it was time for him to go after a few days (I'm starting to see a pattern here) :-/ I didn't want to be cruel so I decided to get a sticky trap thinking that would be better because he wouldn't die in bloody death. Well, it might have been better if I didn't see the whole thing with my eyes. I walked into my apartment and he was out walking along the base board. I walked into the kitchen and we both startled each other. When he saw me he turned to run away, and in doing that he put one foot in the sticky trap. He wasn't sure what to do, so he quickly jerked back around to change directions and in doing so he broke his leg. Then he put his other front leg in the trap to pull the broken one out, but that one got stuck. Then he put his nose down to try and pull both legs out but ended up deeper and deeper in the goo that became his death. I was stunned. I stood there asking myself how this could be better than a snap trap that was quick and painless. Still alive, I took him and put him outside. He was eaten by a cat. I'm a horrible person.


to be continued...

feed the birds

The Stool Pigeon is a free bi-monthly independently published tabloid-sized music newspaper. Its amazing visual identity stretches from 16th century broadsheets to 1970s punk flyers and posters, while its content covers everything from MF Doom to Phillip Glass and every genre in between. Sixty thousand copies are hand delivered by its creators to over 500 retailers, colleges, bars, stores and venues across the UK and France, and its reputation as the best in its field means that they tend to go in a flash.

left overs have a new meaning

iDrink.com, the web's favourite destination for drink information, is being transformed from just a drink and recipe database to the fun, exciting, interactive, refreshing new world of mixing, drinking, shopping and sipping.

The iDrink database is a quick and easy reference tool for mixing drinks for you and your guests. They have a database of over 13700 mixed drinks and cocktails. They have everything from traditional favourites to the latest trendy concoctions, and can make you look like an expert in no time. The information on over 13700 drinks has been compiled from recipes submitted by professional and amateur bartenders everywhere.

The next time you are planning to entertain a few friends or throw a big party, enter all of your house or bar ingredients in their quick checklist (everything from absinthe to allspice!) Then let their program match your ingredients against their database of over 13700 drink recipes. iDrink will display all the drink possibilities containing your ingredients. You will be surprised at the number of drinks you can make!

*disclosure*
While having a drink can be a lot of fun it also can be dangerous. We strongly encourage everyone to drink responsibly. At iDrink our goal is to promote fun, responsible consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Don't spoil the fun by doing something irresponsible after you have consumed alcohol. There are many ways to avoid this such as designated drivers, having a safe place to stay after a night of drinking, waiting until the effects have worn off before leaving, etc. iDrink provides an extensive list of tasty alternatives to alcohol which as a designated driver you may consume without any risk, or if you simply wish a non-alcoholic alternative. Plan the end of your night before you start so you don't end up in a bad situation. Drinking stops being recreational when you affect the people around you. If you need help please get it.

Rustic Luxury

Rustic Luxury: The pampered population has often turned to the Four Seasons for luxurious accommodations and services. Now, when those room service addicts and spa-centric travelers get a hankering for the outdoors, they can book a few nights at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle. Located at the borders of Thailand, Laos and Burma, these spacious 900 square foot tents feature amenities such as indoor/outdoor air conditioning, high speed Internet access, a mini bar, and a well-stocked wine cellar. Guests willing to venture out of camp can hike with elephants in the jungle, or take trips down the Mekong in a long tail boat. Come January, when this location officially opens its doors, we’ll be kicking ourselves in our snow boots....

Four Seasons Tented Camp
Golden Triangle, Thailand
P. O. Box 18, Chiang Saen Post Office, Chiang Rai
Thailand 57150
p: 66 (0) 53 910 200

Style: mine | Size: perfect

Suits are non-existant in my line of work, so a good pair of jeans (or two, or three) is very important. I think of them as investments. Not that everything revolves around jeans, but in a creative and influencial industry, designer jeans are the equivalent to a designer suit.

If you're a businessman you want your clients to view you as refined, tailored, polished. You have the expensive watch, the Armani suit, the Italian leather shoes. Shouldn't the same go for creatives? As an artist, you want people to view you as orginal, different, against the grain. Jeans of this nature are viewed by some (my parents) as rediculous; a waste. "You spent how much money for those jeans? They have holes in them!"

For those who are looking for the perfect, made-just-for-you pair of jeans, there's a company in (where else but) Canada called UJeans. Using 11 of your own body measurements, UJeans will create a perfect pair of jeans designed by you. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes and the jeans are only $110.00! (Pretty cheap for tailor-made denim)

UJeans will guarantee that the jeans you are about to buy will fit perfectly. If they don’t, simply return them within 30 days of your delivery and your money will be fully refunded. By the way, international orders are accepted!

Frequently Asked Questions

Best Picture of the Year!

Last night I was able to see Naria before it opened. There aren't enough words to describe how beautiful and wonderful it is.

I have NEVER seen such amazing CGI before. What they have done is ground-breaking. There is no line between reality and fantasy. It's seemless and magnificant.

The children actors and actresses have successful careers ahead of them. Unbelievable performances.

Some people have said that the voice of Aslan was distracting, but I didn't find it to be. It wasn't who I thought it would be. I was surprised when I read the credits. Oh, be sure to stick around after the credits...there's a little more ;)

They actually stuck with the book and made so clearly the metaphor of Aslan and Christ. How can you NOT see the resemblance...there's also more forshadowing at the end that links back to Christ...love it.

Part of it, the climactic battle scene, was filmed in New Zealand. The shots and scenery were amazing. I couldn't help think of The Lord of the Rings, though. I dunno...I think New Zealand is fast up and coming. Perhaps the next hollywood or epic films. It's definately becoming a Utopia for creatives, that's for sure. More on this later.

One thing that I had a hard time with was the little dwarf that was the witch's aid (he drives the sleigh) is a very familar umpa-loompa, so I kept thinking about that the whole time.

The movie is amazing. A bit scary in some places--I jumped a time or two; and emotional--I got a little misty at times. The winds of change are in the air. Make sure you see it opening weekend. We need more movies like this.

Gen. Y Feels the Music

Music is one of the most influential entertainment genres affecting Gen Y. It can be seen as the voice for a generation, representing the trends, thoughts and values for this wildly diverse group. Despite the particular nature of Gen Y, music is a common bond.

The unequivocal truth is that for the past century, music has been the tie that binds a generation together. Today's generation grew up with FM radio, MTV, and a copy of Rolling Stone and SPIN in hand. Gen Y has deeply incorporated music into daily activities, such as studying sports, or hanging out with friends, providing a soundtrack to their active lives.

Music has the advantage of being both portable and affordable. With today’s technology, there are many mediums from which a person can access this form of entertainment, making it extremely versatile. Clearly, Gen Yers love to be informed and connected to the newest trends, which often begins with musicians.

A 21-year-old female Gen Yer commented, "We mimic what our rock stars wear, whether old (John Lennon sunglasses) or new (Gwen Stephani's crazy get-ups), music and music artists influence every aspect of our lives."

In order to have successful marketing strategies, marketers (and churches??) have to stay tuned to the latest trends happening in the Gen Y culture. After the recent pop backlash, it is clear Gen Y is looking for something real and credible. In a marketer's perfect world, there would be a manual available of various artists who are hot and topping all the charts. Unfortunately, the cultural drifts and constant changes in Gen Y's "what's hot" taste would make such a manual obsolete within months.

To reach Gen Y effectively, marketers (and churches!) must know Gen Y. Get current up-to-date trends by staying tuned to MTV, reading SPIN and Rolling Stone Magazines, and browse MP3 sites and the Billboard charts. Keeping current will give you an edge in the eyes of Gen Y.

Generation Y Voodoo is a Gen Y centered blog that's great for finding out everything you want to know about them...us.

You're a Good Magnet, Charlie Brown

In a twist that might make its round-headed hero exclaim, "Good grief," Charles M. Schulz's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" — the animated television special about love conquering materialism that aired last night on ABC — now fuels a $1.2-billion-a-year global publishing, merchandising and marketing machine.

Millions of Americans tuned in, as they have every December for 40 years, to watch Charlie Brown and his gang learn that friendship and faith are more important than presents.

And this year, as every year, advertisers clamored to buy time during the cartoon to hype their holiday movies and toys. So many advertisers, in fact, that ABC had to turn some away.

Those who got into the coveted program paid as much as $200,000 for each 30-second spot, which is more than what advertisers have paid for such hot new hits as ABC's "Commander in Chief."

That is just one reason Schulz's estate, the Charles M. Schulz Creative Assn., earned an estimated $35 million in 2004, according to Forbes magazine. Powered by "Peanuts"-related products that include clothing, cosmetics, dishes, toys and stationery, Schulz has become the second-most-profitable "dead celebrity," Forbes found, with only the estate of Elvis Presley collecting more.

Read more here.

two ads that make me smile

This is one from Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong. It's so simple, but yet says so much. I love it.

This is from AXE deordorant. Very out-of-the-box; simple; you get it right away.

at&t's new logo

A new logo is out from AT&T. It seems to be the thing to do nowadays. Sprint just redid theirs. I'm predicting that IBM will be soon following. These "legendary" serivce companies have been around forever and it was starting to show. I'm glad to see AT&T coming into the 21st century.

The new logo "maintains the recognition of the iconic AT&T brand mark while adding dynamic design elements to signal the new, reinvigorated business," according to Interbrand. "The new globe is three-dimensional and transparent to communicate the openness and clarity of the new AT&T." In addition, a "more approachable" lower-case type style — a customized font based on Avenir — is intended "to make the brand more appropriate in the residential space, and a comprehensive graphic system has been designed to provide a structured sense of movement and dynamism, introducing color in a way that adds vibrancy and freshness." See www.interbrand.com for more.

what's in a name?

Just about everyone knows what IBM stands for, and Hewlett-Packard is named for its founders, but what about the more obscure origins of company names? This strangely enjoyable page on Wikipedia demystifies some offbeat corporate names like Apple Computer and also explains ones that may never have puzzled anyone but are still interesting, like Adidas and Cisco. (This being Wikipedia, I don’t vouch for the accuracy of all the listings, of course.)

Check out the histories of Glock, Häagen-Dazs and Kinko’s. And finally! One that made no sense is explained (sort of): eBay was originally supposed to be called Echo Bay. Here’s the Wikipedia blurb: “ ‘It just sounded cool,’ founder Pierre Omidyar reportedly said. When he tried to register EchoBay.com, though, he found that Echo Bay Mines, a gold mining company, had gotten it first. So, Omidyar registered what (at the time) he thought was the second best name: eBay.com.” I still don’t get why that’s the name of an online auction site, but whatever floats the guy’s boat.