Weekly Roundup: Filthy Gorgeous

More cleaning out of the del.icio.us, two categories this time:

Kitcheny

• The Perfect Pantry
• The Cook's Thesaurus
  
• Pea soup from a Fug Girl
• Something to do with spaghetti squash
• Cookies for a cause
• Pretty
  

Techie

• Woot (now with Woot Wine!)
  
• Slickdeals
• A card reader that makes me go oooh

And a reminder: for getting back into yourself, sweat and endorphins help. Filthy feels gorgeous. And I am definitely filthy.



Lastly and very, very importantly, a stunningly happy birthday to Sac. Filthy/gorgeous indeed. I know you had a wonderful day.

I'm Omnivorous

According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, anyway....

Omnivores make up 8% of the American public.

They have the most information gadgets and services, which they use voraciously to participate in cyberspace and express themselves online.

Basic Description
Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.

Defining Characteristics
You might see them watching video on an iPod. They might talk about their video games or their participation in virtual worlds the way their parents talked about their favorite TV episode a generation ago. Much of this chatter will take place via instant messages, texting on a cell phone, or on personal blogs. Omnivores are particularly active in dealing with video content. Most have video or digital cameras, and most have tried watching TV on a non-television device, such as a laptop or a cell phone.

Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends.

Who They Are
They are young, ethnically diverse, and mostly male (70%). The median age is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. Over half are white (64%) and 11% are black (compared to 12% in the general population). English-speaking Hispanics make up 18% of this group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many (42% versus the 13% average) of Omnivores are students.

What are you?

TED on Love

The inimitable Matthall turned me on to TED.

It's what happens when the smartest people alive focus on the most fun and interesting parts of science and music and life. It's amazing.

Since the annual conference is this week, I've got a few dozen posts to catch up to on my RSS for the TED blog, but here's one of my first favorites.... a video on love by a Rutgers anthropologist. It's not short, but don't let that scare you. You won't notice the time.

Weekly Roundup: Because I Owe You One

• Quite a few friends have lost phones recently and made me remember how important it is to have a contact backup. I use Verizon's Backup Assistant.
• I got a Traveler IQ of 100 - that's through level 8 with 252965 points and a smug Naval aviator scoffing over my shoulder. How about you?
• Check out Scott Wade's Dirty Car Art.
• Most kids want to be a doctor or a teacher or a fireman when they grow up. I wanted to be a Thundercat. (I didn’t. As you may have noticed.) But I loved finding these outtakes ten years later. And re-finding them ten years after that.
• My new favorite artist is Elliott Puckette. I'm not usually a big abstract fan, but I love her work.

Weekly Roundup: Sweet Consumerism

• How Walmart is taking over
• Some people really do live at the mall
• Christian Audigier: pretty things
• Chateau Residence de Bionne: pretty place
• Bruern Holiday Cottages: more pretty places
• Mr. Jones watches: making time fun
• The new WebTrend map
• The Best Stuff in the World: insanely addictive browsing

37 Signals Articles

Below are lots of posts from 37signals that I've been holding onto. Since I didn't get time to actually talk about them or do anything with them I'm just putting the laundry list up here for reading material in case you're interested.

It makes me feel like I've cleaned out that junk drawer, anyway.

• Why Apple is so good.
• What is the real world anyway?
• What good design really means.
• Pots and pans.
• Why little houses are best.
• How the honor system can work out better than capitalism.
• How to kill a collaborative project.
• What is important: time.
• Thoughtless acts. (I love, love, love this concept.)
• The best ways to do random jobs.
• How to visualize data.
• How you need to tell your secrets to stay on top.
  
• How to care about the lesser parts of what you do.
• An online update to "On Writing Well".
• Things that can make you happy.
• Why Facebook is winning over Myspace.
• 101 meals in 10 minutes.
• Why simple is better.
• How to plan.
  
• Why isn't it done yet?
• Tips from Bear.
• We're all just collections of details.
• There's always another way to do it.
• About buyer's agents.
• Marketing tips from Houdini.
  

Geeksugar Articles

It's an "I'm going to be away for a while so I feel the need to clean things out" kind of day.
Here are lots more, this time from Geeksugar.

• To clean up your kitchen, click here.
• Cardio for the gamers.
• On alarm clocks: why it's nine minutes for snooze, and what if you need different alarms.
• On jewelry: The dorkiest bracelet ever. This bracelet looks like the cast Mrs. C. had to wear when she got a pin in her broken arm.
• I wish I could get into the whole Moleskine cult but I've got my own kind of favorite books.
• On travel: Video from around the world. A slidey quiz way to figure out where to go. Another fare tracker.
• On computer stuff: Yuck, clean your mouse. If iTunes is too boring to look at.
• On photography: Take good nighttime photos. And look pretty in photos.
• A cheat to find people online. Send video messages.
• Free stuff. Free fonts. (Because Papyrus is passe.) Free movies from Netflix. Free 411. Free snail mail... online. (I don't see the point, but that's because I am a total brat with my Crane paper and my fountain pen. Shut up.) Free mobile calls. (Although I don't understand how it works at all.)
• How your rent stacks up.
• How to... whatever.
• Best website ever.
• MeeTimer, the bane of procrastination. I use it, I love it.
• Apparently the best earbud headphones.
• Tough question: what would you give up: sex, money, drinks, coffee, chocolate - or your cell phone?
• It's kind of like a skateboard foot rest. Half of me wonders, why? The other half wonders, where do I get one?

Ooooh, It's Furniture AND It's a Shiny Thing!

Oh my God it's a magic coffee table!

Slip the Digits

This is the best idea ever - numbr is a website that generates a fake number that will forward calls to your real number for a certain length of time, then expire.

Total genius.

(Link via geeksugar via lifehacker)

Incidentally, though is that the new trend in techie names - leaving out the penultimate letter in a word? Like Flickr?

...Looks like somebody already beat me to thinking about that.

Hands Free

I seem to have lost my Bluetooth headset.

When I was packing to go on one of my last trips I remember sorting it out of the stuff I needed in my bag. But since then, I haven't been able to find it.

This may be a blessing in disguise, though, because nobody liked it when I used it. I sounded like I was in a tunnel, like I was far away, like I was shouting, etc.

So I have these to choose from. Well, I guess I probably have more, but these are the ones I know are compatible with my phone. I think this is the one I had.

I need opinions, please. Do you have one of these? Does it suck? Can you actually carry on a conversation?

I also don't know if maybe I just had a bad one, and normally that headset is good. Because it was great in every other way besides the audio quality - it was little, and foldable, and easy to use, and light, and used the same charger as my phone, and kept a charge for a long time.

I'm in the car about two hours a day, so it's when I catch up with people. Speakerphone is even noisier than the headset was. And I'd rather not get a ticket. So. Help, please?

Larger Than Life

The Rasterbator is the coolest new thing I've ever heard of.

Weekly Roundup: The Weekend of Showers Ends

After a bridal shower, a baby shower, and about seven hours driving to and from them this weekend, I come to realize yet again how not girly I really am. (And how little I enjoy bingo.)

So, a whole bunch of links that are by turns geeky, posh and artsy, but not particularly girly. Happy June.

• How Class Works as decided by an interactive chart. If you're superficial enough to care what the Times says what social class you ought to fall into. (Yeah, I was too.)
• The Rockhouse Hotel, Negril. I would really, really, really like to be here. And it's actually phenomenally well-priced, so maybe I will be someday soon.
• The Sushi FAQ. If you, like me, can never remember much past "miso".
  
• MapsKrieg. One of the more fantastic Google mashups: Craigslist housing listings viewed on Google Maps.
• The Members Project. One of the more fantastic corporate citizenship projects.
• BlueQ. A Bluetooth-enabled wristband that vibrates. Not exactly the most necessary thing ever, but kinda neat.
  
• Indian wife catches her husband cheating. Probably fake, but still awfully funny.
• Tamyra Grey is Mimi in Rent. And I don't really. However, Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp are back until September. That, I do care about. Anybody want to go for old time's sake?
• The Voco Clock. What a splendid way to wake up. I want the girl version.
• BetterWall. Museum street banners. Much better than tired reprints.
  
• Donate food for shelter animals just by clicking.
• BornRich. "Your ultimate guide to the most expensive things in the world."
  
• AlterNet. Pinko commie liberal news. Love it.
• Photoshop in action. I love this clip that shows what retouching really can do.
  
• Makeup in action. Also interesting.
• Top 10 things I've learned about computers from the movies and "24". Geeky funny, but still kinda funny.
  

Weekly Roundup: Things I Did Edition

This Weekend:

• Graduating
• Dancing on a bar with crazy sisters (Also, hee)
• Watching the sun rise
• Going for McDonald's for breakfast barefoot
• Swinging in my pajamas
  
• Unpacking
  
• Repacking
• Watching the rain
  
• Playing with my new toy
  

Things I'm Doing This Week:

• Flying again (yay, but, boo)
  
• Jumping on a hotel bed
• Feeling bad that my posts have been totally lazy lists and promising to do a real one soon
  

Weekly Roundup: Spring Cleaning Edition

The only thing left dirty in this house is me.

So in keeping with the theme, let's see how much random deli.cio.us clutter I can clean out.

• Etsy (via finslippy I think) all manner of gorgeous handmade shoppery, and also for "I could totally do that why don't I already" inspiration. Honestly it's mostly a little craftsy for my taste, but even so it's really beautiful stuff. And I could play with the geolocator and the color sorter forever.
  
• SpaceSavers (via Karen) if you, like her, need stuff for your stuff.
• Distilled (via Jilly) because her friend Sep did this as well as last Sunday's LoveLines. I really like his style. (Although some of the clothes look a little too consciously downmarket. I'm not going to Fred Segal to buy a stripey polo, you know? But I love the turtle. And that hoodie with a satin Asian-print trim makes me go oooh.)
  
• You know by now I'm a sucker for "Whose Line." So this clip cracks my shit up.
• I've been totally addicted to Angela Kinsey's blog for months. The other Office blogs are sometimes funny too, but hers is the best.
  
• I got spammed with the link to these Bill Richardson ads, so I dislike that I'm passing it on because I'm making spam work. But the thing is, I really like them.
• I totally want a ladybug mouse.
• Also, these droplet-shaped waterproof iPod holders/speakers are pretty adorable. But I don't know if I'd really bring my iPod into the bathroom.
• I guess nobody needs to have an iPod at dinner either, but the idea is cool. It reminds me of that dinner in the dark concept - a multisensory way to heighten the experience of eating. Weird as hell and totally impractical, but interesting.
  
• I finally got on the Twitter bandwagon. See the widget at right. I'm not totally into it, but I'll play around for a while. If you are too, let me know.
• Also at right is the VisualDNA widget from Imagini (via Amber). It's gorgeous fun and best if you don't read too much but just go and do it. And when you do, I want to see!
• I saw Henry V this week at the Shakespeare Theatre, and as always it was totally amazing. I've got a season package again, so if you want to go, let me know. (And if you think I'm insufferable and weird, don't.)
• Seems kids who text are losing their ability to write complex thoughts well. Sad. But I question causality. Is it the fault of texting, or is it the fault of schools and parents who provide kids technology - like slapping them in front of the TV all day long - without also reading to them and teaching them grammar?
• According to this we learn mostly by teaching and doing and conversing. But it doesn't mention how I learn best, which is by writing. Am I weird? (...don't answer that.)
  

Wow, that was a lot. Good, because I'll be all over the place for the next couple of weeks and now I won't feel guilty if I don't blog. There you go. Have fun this week. And don't forget to donate for Tracy!

....Oops, almost forgot.

Being a mama looks like an awful hard job, and I know a lot of people who make it look easy.

I've learned something from every mom I know, including mine.

Happy Mother's Day.

(And, one last link if you're a shopping mama. Or even if not, actually. I think I need this shirt. Also possibly this bag.)

Oops, one more. Because he felt left out, this is a link just for Brian.

Oh damn. Last one, I swear. Please send getting-better wishes to poor Tommy!

Edited to add: I don't know why I've had to use "totally" so many times. Why am I so 80s?

Weekly Roundup: Pharmaceuticals, Technology and a Little Bit of Love

• Why do people think the pharmaceutical industry is sleazy?
• At least it's nothing new.

• If I didn't already take long showers, now I could get a TV in there. I'd actually become a prune.
• I was going to say that since everybody has a little secret desire to be a spy this pen-sized scanner is really cool... but I was so annoyed by the creepy semi-animated girl on their site that I don't like it as much anymore. She looks like those awful investment commercials.

• Oh no, fire at the Palm Jumeirah, where I want to buy my house!

• In happier news, Lovelines (not the Dr. Drew version) is a gorgeous algorithm that collects "loves" and "likes" and "wants" and "dislikes" and "hates" from across the blogosphere and puts them all on a slider for you to play with. It's hard to explain but a little addictive, specially the Pictures tab.

Deal of the Day

The Amazon Gold Box is a whole lot better than it used to be.

They've got all their designer sunglasses on sale for $69. Not a huge selection, but when you consider that most are better than 70% off, not bad! (And, Prime shipping, too.)

iPod Update

I have my lovely shiny little iPod. And I also have a coworker who is lovely and conscientious and, when he thinks I've left for the day, tucks my iPod away so nobody will steal it.

(But then forgets to tell me that he did.)

Lost: One iPod, One Mind, One Temper

I can't find my iPod.

I did have it at about 10 this morning, sitting happily in its little radio at work. And I didn't have it at 5 when I got back from a meeting and noticed it was gone.

And now I am so mad at myself because I am so forgetful and so unsure of myself that I can't say for absolutely certain that I didn't move it. But I'm pretty sure that I didn't. I always put it back in its little case when I take it out of the radio. And it was still there. I didn't go anyplace that I would have taken it. It certainly doesn't appear to be in my office, in my car, in my bag, in my house...

But where else would it go? Nobody at work would take it, and nobody remembered anyone odd being in the office all day.

And, of course, I have no raving idea what the serial number is. And all the links (Why must I Google when I know no magical internet answer is going to solve my problem? Why?) are, of course, utterly no help.

I am so sad. I'm so upset that it's gone, so worried that there's a thief somewhere, so guilty for thinking that there's a thief somewhere, and mostly just so angry with myself for not remembering for certain and for letting this happen at all.

Kerrin's Weekly Roundup

You do not expect coherence out of me, do you? Y'all just don't. I am just tired all over.

If you're a friend on Flickr, you can see all the pictures I just uploaded. (If not, let me know.) I tried to make pretty labeled sets but it died halfway through and I don't have the temper to try again. Maybe tomorrow.

In the interest of quickest possible sleep, here's some random-ass links. Enjoy, and expect something better... eventually.

• Lisa Congdon is gorgeous art, in the "wow, I could almost do that" sort of inspirational genre.
• You Don't Know Jack is back, as an online game - fun, but requires sound.
  
• Jungle Crazy is a collection of the biggest deals on Amazon.
• Partly, I think the Archos 704 is a crazy cool MP3 player; partly, I just enjoy the Techie Diva post title, "touchable seven inches." Because you know they're getting Google hits accidentally.
  
• Feel Your Boobies. Fashion. Women's health. All in one. Geeenius.

Knowing There Are People This Much Dumber Than You Could Ever Be: Reassuring? Or Worrying?

Warning message in my cell phone manual: