Selected by imelda

• 
  SHUTTER SISTERS

• Come as you are

  alexdesouza

  7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  As I began to think about my post for Shutter Sisters this week, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of doubt. What do I have to offer? What if I fail?  I noticed that these questions often arise for me in Writing, but never in Photography. Writing is definitely more vulnerable. It requires me to stand still and hold my reins firmly in the open fields of thought, in the land of “wild horses”. Writing takes me galloping on an emotional journey, and only if I am lucky (and blessed with unexplained divine intervention!), it brings me back to what is simple and real. Sigh. It is that…

• Fridays Featured Resource - Photoinduced takes lunch

  Shutter Sisters

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  I met the amazing Damon at an event sometime ago and was immediately impressed with his jovial spirit and his larger than life personality. It didn't hurt of course that he was so supportive of what we were doing over here at Shutter Sisters. A guy after my own heart. On top of all that, he's a fantastic photographer and the man behind Photoinduced, a great photography resource site. Tech stuff, events, contests, interviews, photo gear, expo coverage, videos, you name it, Photoinduced covers it. Oh, and then there's the yummy contest he's are hosting over there right now. Let's do…

• the beauty of stillness

  Maile Wilson

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:14 am

  I pulled myself away from the iphone and my ridiculous addiction to searching on ebay and went to that peaceful hammock between two oak trees.  I laid down and could hear the millions upon millions of leaves stretching over acres to create this rhythmic rustling sound. It was a sound that made an overwhelming sense of peace flow from my head to my bare feet.  When I look up at the vast sky, it's impossible to not feel like a part of something bigger.  To realize that we may be only one piece of this larger-than-life puzzle... but our piece matters because it is part of what…

• Teacher Johnson Goes to School

  Jen Lemen

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  It is the last day before everyone leaves.  The internet lab--the first of its kind in Arusha and maybe even Tanzania--is humming as the kids type their tweets back and forth to one another and then their new counterparts around the world.  Teacher Johnson, handsome as always in his dress shirt and freshly polished shoes, logs on--could it be?--on the last day, for the first time? Teacher Johnson!  You don't have any followers!  Where are all your tweets?  I don't know what he'll do on Monday when everyone is gone.  Did you go to the class for the teachers? …

• The Power of Glass and Mirrors

  meredith winn

  3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

    There is a belief shared by some cultures that photography has the power to steal a soul... imprisoning it within its amalgam of polyester, celluloid, salts and gelatin. What do you believe? For me, what used to be camera shy, still is. But I'm finding over the years it has evolved from the worry of soul stealing into the peace of soul searching. The more I put myself in front of my own lens, the more I see the layers peeling away to reveal something I had long forgotten. It's me. The less I realize it's being stolen, the more I realize I am giving it freely. There is beauty in that.

• 
  The Buddhist Blog

• What is This?

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  ---This is a long post but I had a moment of realization in real time that I wanted to write out---In the Korean Zen tradition, there is a method of meditation that uses the question “What is this?” to cultivate concentration and inquiry together. As you sit or walk in meditation, you ask constantly, “What is this?” Repeating this question develops concentration because it returns you to the full awareness of the moment. As soon as you become aware of being distracted by past events, anxieties about the present, or future dreams, you ask “What is this?” This way, the power of…

• The Compassion of Animals.

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm

  The November issue of National Geographic magazine features a moving photograph of chimpanzees watching as one of their own is wheeled to her burial. Since it was published, the picture and story have gone viral, turning up on websites and TV shows and in newspapers around the world. For readers who’d like to know more, here’s what I learned when I interviewed the photographer, Monica Szczupider. On September 23, 2008, Dorothy, a female chimpanzee in her late 40s, died of congestive heart failure. A maternal and beloved figure, Dorothy had spent eight years at Cameroon’s Sanaga-Yong…

• Motivations for Becoming Buddhist.

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:32 pm

  Baseball player Alex Rodriquez is reportedly going to convert to Buddhism for his girl friend, actress Kate Hudson. I'm not a Religious Studies professor but I do know that converting to a religion out of a feeling of obligation or to please a person is a horrible reason. I was apart of a belief system growing up in which I remained for longer than I should have out of a feeling of obligation and It was gut-wrenching. I finally realized that I was living a lie and deceiving my parents into thinking I was a loyal member.I can't say whether A-Rod will stay with it or not but too often we do…

• "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines."

  25 Oct 2009 | 3:06 pm

  Knowing this, a wise and learned bodhisattva, works not towards Arhatship, nor enlightenment, nor Nirvana. In the practice alone one trains for the sake of the practice.James: So goes the 22nd verse of, "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines." I hadn't heard of this treasure until now. However, hanks to the generosity, thoughtfulness and compassion of two people I've been given a great gift: My friend Jamie and the blog, "The New Heretics." Thanks Dharma buds. You should take some time and read the whole discourse because it's beautiful, insightful and an invaluable teaching. As…

• Clinging to a Moment in Time.

  19 Oct 2009 | 11:52 am

  I wanted to add some additional thoughts about the current discussion bubbling up to the surface in the Buddhoblogosphere about sanghas and teachers, which I addressed in my last post found here. As you know I support both online sanghas and interactions with teachers as well as the traditional sanghas and teacher environments. I am somewhat bewildered by those who refuse to acknowledge the usefulness of iSanghas (online sanghas). Especially when there are those, which are run and administered by ordained monks!! We have to let go of this idea which bubbles up from time to time that online…

• 
  mental_floss Blog

• The 5pm Quiz: State Flags

  Ethan Trex

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  We’ve tested your knowledge of state quarters, license plates and state nicknames. And earlier this week, you wowed us with your mastery of flags of the world. Now let’s see how well you know your state flags. Even if you don’t ace this one, you’ll be a better person for knowing some of these peculiar designs are flying over statehouses throughout the country. Take the Quiz: State Flags

• The Quick 10: 10 of the Best Books of 2009

  Stacy Conradt

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:41 pm

  I hate the end of Daylight Saving Time. It means it’s dark by the time I get home at the end of the day, which makes it feel like the day is already over, which means I go home and get nothing done for the rest of the night. But there is a silver lining to this cloud: lots of loafing = lots more reading. For some reason I don’t feel as guilty about sitting on the couch with a book as I do when there’s daylight to burn. Luckily for me, Publishers Weekly just came out with their Top Books of 2009 list. Since I’m more apt to read fiction when I’m reading for fun, I’m going to list…

• 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Pat Sajak

  Ethan Trex

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:33 am

  He’ll sell you a vowel or sympathize when you go bankrupt, but how well do you know Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak? Here are a few things you might not have known about the veteran game show man. 1. He Got to Say “Good Morning, Vietnam” Sajak joined the U.S. Army in 1968 with the hope that he could avoid being sent to Vietnam. Of course, since it was 1968, that plan didn’t work out so well; Sajak ended up working as a finance clerk in Long Binh, Vietnam. Desperate to switch jobs, he kept applying for radio duty, but nothing happened. Eventually, Sajak hit on an idea. He wrote a…

• 8 Memorable Sesame Street Celebrity Cameos

  Joe Hennes

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:36 am

  Over 400 celebrities have guest starred on Sesame Street, including actors, musicians, writers, politicians and athletes. The upcoming 40th season will feature appearances by Adam Sandler, Matthew Fox, Ricky Gervais, Judah Friedlander, both Gyllenhaals, Paul Rudd and Michelle Obama. Here are a few memorable guest spots from the first 39 years. 1. James Earl Jones Scares Your Children In Sesame Street’s second episode, James Earl Jones became the first celebrity guest (which was no surprise, since he was a student of Will Lee, Sesame’s Mr. Hooper). Although having a big star like Jones…

• The Mental Floss Trivia Show: Save the Date! (12/6/09)

  Jason English

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:19 am

  “Probably the most important trivia night that week.” —Mangesh Hattikudur If you’re the kind of person who likes doing things and you live within commuting distance of New York, get this on your calendar: the first Mental Floss Trivia Show will be held on Sunday, December 6th at 7pm. This (extra) special event will take place at the Galapagos Arts Space in Brooklyn. Come show off your trivia prowess, win moderately-sized prizes, and meet some of the mental_floss gang. We’ll share more details as the big day approaches. You just go ahead and clear your schedule.

• 
  Daily Buddhism

• Podcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again

  Brian Schell

  17 Oct 2009 | 5:21 pm

  Podcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again Welcome back, this is Daily Buddhism audio show number Sixty. My name is Brian Schell, and I am the your host for the show. You can find the text as well as all links mentioned in this program and all past episodes on the website at www.dailybuddhism.com. Announcements: Do we have anything [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellPodcast Episode 60: Buddhism Once Again

• 12 Steps, Higher Powers, and Buddhism

  Brian Schell

  10 Sep 2009 | 5:50 am

  Question: I appreciate all the hard work that you spend in spiritually enriching the lives of myself and, I’m sure, countless others.  It is a matter of life and death for me, as I am on a path of recovery from addiction.  I am unable to embrace a “higher power” via the christian concept because of [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian Schell12 Steps, Higher Powers, and Buddhism

• Ambition

  Brian Schell

  9 Sep 2009 | 6:00 am

  Question: How do I let go of the constant striving for a higher paying job with more power and a title? The whole idea of making more money in order to buy more things is a way of thinking that is hard to break free from. I am a fifth grade teacher and I love teaching. I am  happiest when I am in the [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellAmbition

• Aging and Suffering

  Brian Schell

  8 Sep 2009 | 7:14 am

  Question: Brian, I was asked to join Facebook by a friend. I really did not want to do it but I did. I now wish I never had. I have found lost friends but at a huge price. The first was a big strapping Marine who was one of the first kick boxers in the USA. [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellAging and Suffering

• Poetic Impermanence

  Brian Schell

  2 Sep 2009 | 6:15 am

  Just a short post for today, but just a few words can hold a deep meaning. This is a short poem attributed to Li Bai, an 8th century Chinese poet, and expresses the Buddhist idea of impermanence perfectly. Just a reminder, zazen is a form of meditation where one just sits silently. “Zazen [...]Post from: Daily Buddhism, by Brian SchellPoetic Impermanence

• 
  dpreview.com

• Just posted: Our Canon EOS 7D review

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:59 am

• Adobe releases Photoshop.com app for Android

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:39 am

• Rebates and Discounts round-up for the holiday season

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:26 am

• Sony updates firmware for A380, A330 and A230 DSLRs

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

• Olympus announces two Micro Four Thirds lenses

  5 Nov 2009 | 7:48 am

• 
  Dooce

• Halloween 2009

  dooce

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

  Halloween was a total blur, mainly because we spent the week leading up to it trying to iron out the bugs of the community website, and as usual I waited until the last minute to buy candy and the only thing left at the grocery store was really expensive dark chocolate that makes little kids throw up. Great. So now not only are we the reclusive Internet people who run some sort of online website, have you heard? That house where that little shit of a dog escaped the house one time and chased that woman who was jogging along, minding her own business, and caught up with her and grabbed the…

• In the meantime

  dooce

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:31 am

  I'm working on a huge Halloween post that should take me most of the day to put together (in between feeding and cuddling Marlo), but here's the sunset from last night. Had to share it. click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Photo© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as In the meantime. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

• Featured community question

  dooce

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:06 am

  I found this question from Becky O a little difficult to answer at first, and of course I had to keep pushing "never trust a man with two first names" out of my brain. Because that's just a dumb rule to live by. Because come on. CLIVE OWEN. I would trust him with my everything. by dooce in Community, Nubbin© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Featured community question. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

• Business time

  dooce

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:32 am

  I take it you two would like to be left alone. click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Chuck© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Business time. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

• Lils

  dooce

  5 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

  This is Lily, Katey's six-month-old, just another member of our Wackadoo Clan. She is now crawling, sitting up, and on the verge of pulling herself into a standing position. And do you see that face? We're all doomed. click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Photo© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Lils. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

• 
  Photojojo

• Funny Face Photo Invites: Two-Faced, In a Good Way

  laurel

  5 Nov 2009 | 1:57 am

  Extra photos for bloggers: 1, 2, 3~Have a cool photo product or site? Reach 270,000 photo fans Party season is upon us, so break out your dancing shoes, piñata hitting stick, and fruit-punch-proof camera case! But take note: this season, e-vites are out, and funny face photo invites are sooo in. Our pal Laura recently made some neat custom photo invites for her crazy photographer’s workshop slash camping trip, Phoot Camp. The smiling faces of her invitees, on some very inviting postcards, let her guests-to-be know that tons of fun was headed their way! Make your own funny face invites…

• The Pushpin Masterpiece Frame

  jen

  2 Nov 2009 | 2:52 am

  Extra photos for bloggers: 1, 2 Band-Aids, bubble gum, Velcro, spit … you name it. We’ve used everything to avoid the good ‘ol hammer and nail approach. Which is why we’re nuts for stuff that makes displaying photos a breeze. Hence, The Pushpin Masterpiece Frame. It’s a super (duper) lightweight frame that you hang with thumbtacks! Face it, pushpins have never looked better. The Pushpin Masterpiece Frame  Twitter It!$26.00 at the Photojojo Shop! p.s. It’s the last day to get free Magnetic Photo Rope when you grab over $50 worth of goodies in the shop!

• How to Photograph a Ghost — A Spooky Photographic Trick (That’s Quite a Treat)!

  laurel

  29 Oct 2009 | 1:50 am

  ~Have a cool photo product or site? Reach 270,000 photo fans This tutorial is not for the faint of heart. We’re about to tell you how to photograph a ghost and it’s going to be terrifying(ly simple). In just three little steps you can have a photo of a real live ghost that looks a lot like one of your real live friends. A photo so spooky it’ll send you running for mommy (to get her to pose for more ghosty photos). But wait, sneak over to our archives for more ghastly photo misadventures like our Halloween Photo Tips, How to Carve Photo Pumpkins AAAAND through Oct 31st, Free…

• How to Make Picture-Perfect Pads of Paper

  kelly

  26 Oct 2009 | 1:50 am

  Extra photos for bloggers: 1, 2~Have a cool photo product or site? Reach 270,000 photo fans iPhones and Crackberries are all very well, what with their apps and widgets and electronic functionality. But there are moments in life when the prosaic pressed-pulp appeal of proper paper is preferred. For those particular purposes, we proudly present these paper pads, complete with pictures on the cover. Fabricate a few fetching folios with photos of your friends, or pair them with pencils to make pleasant presents! You’ll swoon for these sleek stacks of stationery sheets, so let’s get…

• A Whole New Do, a Whole New You. Here’s how.

  laurel

  22 Oct 2009 | 1:50 am

  ~Have a cool photo product or site? Reach 270,000 photo fans Have you heard? “There’s no headbands in college!” WHAAAT?!! It’s time for a whole new style! Lucky for you, we’ve found a couple of great photo makeover sites to help visualize the possibilities. InStyle has a star-studded makeover site — just upload a photo of yourself (or friend or foe) and you, too, can sport the hottest celeb styles. From Robert Pattinson bed-head to the Victoria Beckham reverse mullet, they’ve dozens of do’s for you to try on. For a little more kick, check out…

• 
  momversation.com

• Talking Back: Is It OK for Kids?

  Momversation

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:04 am

  Talking back to strangers: when is it appropriate, and when is it rude?  Some moms want to empower their children to defend themselves against inappropriate behavior.  Some parents don't allow their children to talk to strangers period, yet alone in a confrontational manner.  Sure, as parents, we don't love when our children "talk back," but we also want our kids to not be pushovers.  So, where's the line?  Jessica Gottlieb from JessicaGottlieb.com asks, "Do you allow your kids to talk back read more

• Babysitters Needed: How Young Is Too Young to Babysit?

  Momversation

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:44 pm

  The sign reads, "Babysitters Needed!" and your teen is dying to babysit.  But you're not quite so enthusiastic.  Sure, you started babysitting at age 13, but that now seems so... young.  But what's the difference between then and now?  Are teens really less responsible than they were a scant 10 years ago?  Or have parents changed?  Giyen Kim of Bacon Is My Enemy asks, "How young is too young to babysit?"   read more

• Depression Hurts: Overcoming Depression

  Momversation

  1 Nov 2009 | 9:59 pm

  You've heard of the phrase, "depression hurts?"  It's true.  Beyond emotional symptoms such as guilt, hopelessness, and irritability, depression also has physical symptoms, such as chronic aches, fatigue, and insomnia.  It's not something one can just "get over."  It is an illness that can affect every member of a family.read more

• Are Little Girls Clothes Way Too Sexy?

  Momversation

  29 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  From tweens with "juicy" on their butts to butts hanging out of low-rise jeans, little girls' clothing keeps getting racier and racier.  And if the clothes themselves aren't racy, then their slogans are dripping with innuendo.  Fine if the wearer is 23, but why should an 8-year-old worry about being "Legal-ish?" (a real T-shirt).  While some parents are outraged, others happily purchase their 10 year olds thongs and push up bras.   For these parents, why is it OK that marketers are sexualizing our little girls in order to sell products?& read…

• Do Your Kids Call Adults by Their First Names?

  Momversation

  27 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  What does it mean to you?  To some, it means that kids call adults "Mrs. Jones" or "Mr. read more

• 
  Gizmodo

• New For iPhone: 2 Balls 1 Cup

  Adam Frucci

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  Presented for your approval without comment. [iTunes Link via The Awl]

• This Week's Best iPhone Apps

  John Herrman

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:20 pm

  In this week's never-gonna-switch-so-stop-asking app roundup: Free games, reinvented! Airplane anxiety, averted! Photos, wirelessly printed! Cool apps, discovered by other cool apps! Navigation, cheapened! Black Friday rush, preempted! Google Wave, appified! Screens, pointlessly tapped! And more! The Best Chorus: Hey, Apple, when people start making apps just to help people find new apps, take it as a sign that your App Store interface could use a little help. Chorus crowdsources the effort to cut through the endless jungle of trash: Chorus is a bit like Apple's native App Store app, except…

• The iPhone-to-Android Switch: 10 Things You Need to Know

  matt buchanan

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:40 pm

  You've had it. Maybe with AT&T. Maybe with Apple's crushing, dictatorial grip strangling the App Store. Whatever the reason, you're going to Android: Land of freedom, carriers not named AT&T, and the great Google. Here's what you need to know. It's All in the Google Cloud Android phones don't sync with your computer. That's because they don't have to: Your contacts, calendar and mail are all kept up in the great Googleyplex. Unfortunately, Google's Contacts manager, while it's gotten better, is kinda crappy, and all of your Contacts are beamed down to your phone from there. So even after you…

• Another iPhone Developer Gets Busted Stealing Phone Numbers

  Adam Frucci

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:14 am

  iPhone game developer Storm8, creator of games such as World War, iMobsters and Vampires Live, has just been hit with a suit for secretly gathering the phone numbers of everyone who purchases its games. It's not the first time we've seen this; Swiss developerMogo got busted gathering numbers and then calling people to harass them to buy more apps, which is certainly a more brazen move. Storm8 claims that this was a bug, but they're getting sued anyways. It doesn't pay to be shady, devs! [Boing Boing via Kotaku]

• iPhone App Interprets Babies' Tears While Excusing Pathetic Parenting

  Rosa Golijan

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:20 pm

  The Cry Translator iPhone app is supposed to assist those with little parental instinct by translating the sobs and screams of their children and providing advice. How ever did we all make it to adulthood without apps like this? The makers of the app claim that it is "accurate 96% of the time" in interpreting "the five baby cries universal to all babies, regardless of culture or language; hungry, sleepy, stressed, annoyed and bored." I don't have a baby nearby, nor did I manage to make anyone cry long enough to test the app, but I sincerely doubt the statistic. Definitely hoping that no one…

• 
  Flickr

• Getty Images wants you!

  Fiona Miller

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:09 am

  The Flickr Collection on Getty Images has been growing and growing since it launched back in March – with a princely figure of nearly 60,000 images in the collection so far. It’s no secret that there are billions of amazing photographs on Flickr, so it made perfect sense for us to find an easy way for members to suggest their own photos to be considered for the Flickr Collection on Getty Images. Starting today you can submit a portfolio of 10 images to the Getty Images Call for Artists group, giving you an opportunity to showcase your best shots directly to the editors at Getty Images.

• Experience History: Berlin 1961-1989

  Fiona Miller

  4 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am

       To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, we’d like to invite you to take part in writing our virtual history book. We’ve created the Experience History: Berlin 1961-1989 group, to give members the opportunity to share photographic memories of divided Berlin during this period. If you were living or visiting Berlin at that time, this is a wonderful excuse to rediscover your old slides and dust off those photo-filled shoe boxes that are lurking under your bed. There are already some interesting images and stories emerging in the…

• The App Garden

  Josh Nguyen

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:57 am

  Since the launch of our API in August 2004, software developers have built and innovated on top of Flickr’s open API. The results continually amaze us because they have enhanced the Flickrverse, enabling our members to do more with their photos. Gorgeous, fun, remarkable and useful things — these labors of love are certainly deserving of more recognition. We’re happy that starting today, these creations will now have a home on Flickr, within a place we call the App Garden. If you’re a developer and are looking for information about how to use our APIs and submit your…

• Let’s play

  Zack Sheppard

  1 Nov 2009 | 11:17 pm

       Photos from armisteadbooker, Andrew Kufahl, minusbaby, sean dreilinger, and Jamie Basso.

• Happy Hallowe’en

  Zack Sheppard

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:31 pm

     Photos from Boy_Wonder, Shaefer, kharied, Michelle in Ireland, Paul Beeley., and njchow82.

• 
  chookooloonks blog

• quinceañera

  Karen Walrond

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  See that Eiffel tower behind them?  That's the cake.  It was all chocolate. Incredible. Last night, Marcus, Alex and I attended the Quinceañera of the elder daughter of a friend of mine, Melissa. Melissa and I used to work together back in a past life, and I've known her daughter Maddy since she was 4 years old.  My most vivid memory of Maddy is hoisting her up on Santa's lap at our company Christmas party.  And now she's 15.  I have to say, Marcus and I were both in a little bit of shock watching Maddy greet people so graciously, all decked out in her stunning…

• the danger of a single story

  Karen Walrond

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

    If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where I sell my photos, powered by Fotomoto.I had a post all ready to publish today, and then my dad forwarded me the link to the following video from the TED conference.  I find it so amazingly powerful, I decided to postpone my post and share this instead. When you have a spare 20 minutes, grab a cup of tea, and then please come back to watch the following.  And then share it with your friends.  Because I think everyone could do with watching this. Enjoy.   Song: Interested by…

• love thursday: kissy-face

  Karen Walrond

  4 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  Outtake from this year's holiday card. Every year around this time, on one of those beautiful Texas fall days, I drag my family outside to take our annual family self portrait -- primarily for sticking in holiday cards for family and close friends.  We do this by precariously balancing a mirror on some of the patio furniture, and then I start clicking away.  As is true with every family photo shoot, there are always shots where someone is blinking, or someone's mouth is doing something strange, or someone's smile is too stiff and stilted.  We have a lot of outtakes. Eventually,…

• smells and sounds

  Karen Walrond

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

    Do you associate smells with certain memories?  Because I really, really do, which is somewhat shocking to me, because I generally don't consider myself has having a particularly good memory.  But a great smell, man, can just send me rushing back to my past.  Some good ones off of the top of my head: Chanel No. 5 -- My grandmother.  Until the day I die. Pipe smoke -- My grandfather.  I hate smoking, but I love the smell of a pipe.  LOVE. Vanilla -- My mom.  She used to bake a lot. Old Spice -- My dad.  Again, from my childhood.  I don't…

• coming clean

  Karen Walrond

  2 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

    If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where I sell my photos, powered by Fotomoto.When I met Heather B. about eighteen months ago, we'd each heard of and read each other's blogs before, but we'd never actually met each other in person.  About 5 minutes into our conversation, I dropped an F-bomb. "Oh my God," gasped Heather.  "Chookooloonks just said the f-word." "Um, yeah," I responded.  "Did I offend you? I'm really sorry." "No!" she said immediately. "I'm cool with it!  It's just ... you never curse on your blog.  You're all…

• 
  Lightroom for Digital Photographers

• Comparing Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4 - Part 1

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:42 am

  How well do you know the differences between Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4? Watch this tutorial to find out.

• Lightroom 3 Beta - First Look

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:11 am

  Adobe recently released a new pubic beta - Lightroom 3 beta. In this tutorial we'll look at some of the highlights from this new beta release.

• How To Organize Complete Chaos

  22 Oct 2009 | 5:01 am

  Do you happen to have a bunch of images stored on multiple hard drives? Would you like to learn an easy way to import and organize them in Lightroom? Watch this tutorial to find out how.

• Fine Tuning Images With The Adjustment Brush

  15 Oct 2009 | 5:28 am

  Make quick and precise corrections to your images with the adjustment brush.

• Using the Previous Button

  7 Oct 2009 | 5:04 am

  Interested in cutting down your editing time? If so consider using the Previous button when is found in the Develop Module.

• 
  Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips

• Tip – Rotating Identity Plates in Slideshow

  jgilbert@photoshopuser.com (Matt Kloskowski)

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Your tip for today falls victim to one of those little things that I never knew about before and found out about the hard way. It has to do with the Slideshow module. You know how you can put an Identity Plate on your slideshow right? You can also put other various text overlays that show some metadata about your photo (which is exactly what people really want to see when they're watching a beautiful slideshow by the way) :-) Anyway, I ran into some one who showed me their computer and the fact that their ID Plate was rotated 90°. Naturally, I'm used to working with the ID Plate in the Print…

• A Few More Dates for David Ziser’s Tour

  jgilbert@photoshopuser.com (Matt Kloskowski)

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Hey folks. I've mentioned David Ziser's Digital Wakeup Call tour before and I just wanted to let you know there's a few more dates left. Of course you'll learn lots of stuff about shooting weddings but David is also a master at Lightroom and he's got some great things to share when it comes to the production end of things. Here's his website and here's a write-up I did a while back after attending his seminar. If you have the chance to go, its definitely worth it. Bookmark It

• What’s a Lightroom “Snapshot”

  jgilbert@photoshopuser.com (Matt Kloskowski)

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:41 am

  During a recent workshop I had some one ask what a Snapshot was (its a panel on the left side in the Develop module). Then everyone else kinda chimed in with a "yeah what the heck is that?". They don't get used a lot, but I think they definitely do come in useful at times. Basically, a snapshot is a freeze-frame of your photo at that moment in time. It's a way to save all of your develop settings at a certain point in case you ever wanted to revert back to them. So let's say you're working on a photo. You're pretty happy with the way the photo looks but you want to try a couple of other…

• Presets – Lightroom 3 Grain

  jgilbert@photoshopuser.com (Matt Kloskowski)

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:44 am

  A couple of weeks ago, Adobe released a beta version of Lightroom 3. Among the new features is a grain effect that people have been asking for to simulate film grain. So I figured what better candidate for a new preset then some grain effects. They're pretty straightforward and there's 3 versions of the effect from Light, to Medium to Heavy. I purposely left off any black and white, lomo, or cross-process settings (which is the type of photo we see this effect being added to) because I figure you'll apply those settings to your photo first and then add some grain at the end. Also, before you…

• Tip – An Unexpected Lightroom 3 Sharpening Tip

  jgilbert@photoshopuser.com (Matt Kloskowski)

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:01 pm

  Over the last couple of months, I've had the opportunity to test drive the Lightroom 3 Beta before it came out. I spent a pretty decent amount of time kicking the tires but there's one little feature/tip that I didn't find out until this week. Before the Lightroom 3 Beta, when sharpening you had to be zoomed into 100% to see the effects of the sharpening. If you weren't you wouldn't see any change. But now in the Lightroom 3 Beta you can see your sharpening even at the lowest zoom level. Cool huh? Have a great weekend! Bookmark It

• 
  PresetsHeaven

• Like facebook but just about photography!

  Pierre

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:42 pm

  Greetings all! I’ve just made a special social network for all of you who are interested in photography, post-processing, sharing thoughts and everything related to it. Facebook is great but it’s about just everything. The Social Photo Network I’ve started are for those who like to share thoughts, photos, videos with others who have the same [...]

• Export to FTP with Lightroom

  Pierre

  27 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pm

  When you’re making webgalleries in Lightroom you are able to upload your gallery directly to an FTP-server. But if you are a photographer who just wants to upload your files to an FTP-server, without the gallery files (html, flash etc.) you’re toast… until now. Scott (Principal Photographer) mailed me and asked if I knew any [...]

• Lightroom 3 public beta is here!

  Pierre

  22 Oct 2009 | 12:36 am

  Today you can download the latest release of Lightroom 3 beta. The Adobe team have really made some nice adjustments on this release compared to LR 2 with lots of new and improved functions. What’s new in Lightroom 3? There are so many new things so you should really download a copy of the beta release yourself, [...]

• PH in Japanese or Greek? No problem

  Pierre

  14 Oct 2009 | 5:21 am

  I’m not sure if you have noticed it, but in the sidebar I added a translation tool a couple of weeks ago. Everyone knows these translation tools doesn’t match a human translation, but it’s good enough if you just want to get a summary of what the content is about. Try it out to see [...]

• 6 new presets to “wow” your photos

  Pierre

  12 Oct 2009 | 5:34 pm

  I’ve been sitting here for hours now. Playing around in Lightroom, testing and adjusting before I finally got satisfied. Photoshop have a nice feature called “Curve adjustments” where you can change the color channels (RGB) separately with a few clicks with your mouse. I really wish Lightroom had that feature built in. Anyway, I started [...]

• 
  Lightroom Queen Blog

• LR3 Beta – Popular Bugs & Forum Threads

  Victoria Bampton

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:57 am

  Lightroom 3 beta’s been out for a week now, and the main beta forum alone has seen nearly 3000 posts already.  So, a quick run down of the most popular themes and bugs… No PPC, No Tiger – yes, you read that correctly, minimum system specs for Mac are Intel processor and 10.5.6 or newer.  The subject has been beaten to death now. Soft Proofing is not in LR3 beta.  LR3 is not feature complete.  Jeff Schewe has been dropping heavy hints, but no one can say what will or will not be in the final release. Lens correction – no, it’s not in, and yes it would be very…

• Lightroom 3 Beta Book – Extracts now available

  Victoria Bampton

  29 Oct 2009 | 3:02 pm

  Just a quick post – the free PDF extracts and full table of contents for Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta – The Missing FAQ are now online at http://www.lightroomqueen.com/lrqebook3.php. You can download the beta book today, and get the final release included in the price when version 3 is finally released.  The book’s had a great reception so far!

• What’s new in Lightroom 3.0 Beta?

  Victoria Bampton

  21 Oct 2009 | 9:21 pm

  Adobe have just announced the release of Adobe Lightroom 3.0 Public Beta! Here’s the official announcement: http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/ And the download link, of course! http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom3/ So what’s new so far…?   Image Quality One of the primary improvements in 3.0 beta is image quality. Lightroom’s been taken back to its bare bones and the raw processing engine has been given a complete overhaul. Even the demosaic algorithms have been substantially improved to give a cleaner file which will respond better to subsequent…

• Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta – The Missing FAQ Book available now!

  Victoria Bampton

  21 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm

  To coincide with the release of Lightroom 3 Beta, I am proud to announce the release of my new book – Adobe Lightroom 3 – The Missing FAQ – and the rough cut is available for immediate download. The Lightroom 2 version of the book’s had such great reviews, I had to update it for version 3! You can pre-order the final Lightroom 3 PDF or paperback, which are due for release at the same time as Lightroom 3 final, and anyone pre-ordering gets immediate access to the PDF rough cut free of charge. What’s a rough cut? A rough cut of a book is like a beta version –…

• Lightroom Secrets Spotlight

  Victoria Bampton

  19 Oct 2009 | 2:04 pm

  I’m still here… very busy with a huge project… watch this space a little longer to find out what I’ve been up to! In the meantime, I’m in the spotlight at Lightroom Secrets this week. Gene’s got a great site, so go and have a wander round and get your Lightroom fix.

• 
  A List Apart

• Can You Say That in English? Explaining UX Research to Clients

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  It's hard for clients to understand the true value of user experience research. As much as you'd like to tell your clients to go read The Elements of User Experience and call you back when they’re done, that won’t cut it in a professional services environment. David Sherwin creates a cheat sheet to help you pitch UX research using plain, client-friendly language that focuses on the business value of each exercise.

• You Can Get There From Here: Websites for Learners

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

  "Content-rich" is not enough. Most websites are not learner-friendly. As an industry, we haven’t done our best to make our content-rich websites suitable for learning and exploration. Learners require more from us than keywords and killer headlines. They need an environment that is narrative, interactive, and discoverable. Amber Simmons tells how to begin creating rich content sites that invite and repay exploration and discovery.

• Getting to No

  20 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am

  A bad client relationship is like a bad marriage without the benefits. To avoid such relationships, or to fix the one you’re in, learn the five classic signs of trouble. Recognizing the never-ending contract revisionist, the giant project team, the vanishing boss and other warning signs can help you run successful, angst-free projects.

• The Myth of Usability Testing

  20 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am

  Usability evaluations are good for many things, but determining a team’s priorities is not one of them. The Molich experiment proves a single usability team can’t discover all or even most major problems on a site. But usability testing does have value as a shock treatment, trust builder, and part of a triangulation process. Test for the right reasons and achieve a positive outcome.

• Discovering Magic

  6 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am

  Wouldn’t it be a little magical if, when you signed up for a new site, it said something like, “We notice you have a profile photo on Flickr and Twitter, would you like to use one of those or upload a new one?” Glenn Jones created a JavaScript library called Ident Engine that can help you do just that.

• 
  Smashing Magazine

• The Beauty of London in Design

  Dan Redding

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am

    “There is no specific London style.” At least that’s what the ‘Super Contemporary’ show at London’s Design Museum proclaims. During an exploration of London’s art and design scene in September 2009, what did emerge was a city with a unique sense of its own personality and history, a fertile hub of international thinkers, and a community working towards a future that is designed to be interactive, environmentally responsible, and prosperous.Here is a look at the visual personality of London, based on visits to the city’s major art museums, attendance at…

• Invoice Like A Pro: Examples and Best Practices

  Kat Neville

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pm

    Your invoice should be prim and proper, so that you can get paid by your clients efficiently. While invoicing is not a fun task, it’s a necessary one: by keeping clients informed of your expectations, you will get paid punctually and reinforce your professionalism. After going over some best practices for creating invoices, we’ll review some great (and not so great) online invoicing tools, so that you can spend less time creating invoices and more time doing the things you love!So here are some general guidelines, best practices and examples that will help you make…

• Website Maintenance Tips for Front-End Developers

  Louis Lazaris

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm

    One of the biggest advantages of online media over print is the ability to change, update, and enhance online media at virtually anytime, with virtually no negative side effects. In fact, if a website or web application does not continually offer its users an ever-evolving and growing experience, that site or application would soon become insecure, unusable, and out of date.Have you beautified your code, validated your markup, and made your XHTML more semantic? Have you implemented basic SEO best practices, spell-checked content, and removed legacy code? Have you ensured…

• 50 Beautiful and Creative Blog Designs

  Julia May

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:23 pm

     The most recent collection of creative blog designs was featured here on Smashing Magazine back in July. Only three months have passed and we’ve got a new dose of inspiration for you. Beautiful and sophisticated designs are constantly appearing on the Web; creative activity is in non-stop mode, despite global economic shocks and unfortunate events; and this is surely a positive sign.Today, we showcase 50 fresh, beautiful, inventive and, hopefully, inspiring blog designs. The variety of styles represented in this collection is considerable, so everyone will be able to find a…

• The Ails Of Typographic Anti-Aliasing

  Thomas Giannattasio

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:12 pm

    As printed typography enjoys the fruits of high-DPI glory, proudly displaying its beautiful curves and subtleties, its on-screen counterpart remains stifled by bulky pixels, living in a world of jagged edges, distorted letterforms and trimmed serifs. Until display manufacturers produce affordable 200 or 300 PPI monitors, we’ll have to rely on software advances to fix these problems.Enter anti-aliasing: the next best thing to a world of higher-resolution monitors. The concept of anti-aliasing is fairly simple: add semi-transparent pixels along the edges of letterforms to…

• 
  Jeffrey Zeldman Presents The Daily Report

• Crazy man at Starbucks

  Jeffrey Zeldman

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:18 am

  Shot by Mr Greg Storey.

• Once more into the breach

  Jeffrey Zeldman

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:50 am

• Less babble, more learning

  Jeffrey Zeldman

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:49 am

  Issue No. 295 of A List Apart emphasizes words and experiences that communicate. Can You Say That in English? Explaining UX Research to Clients by DAVID SHERWIN It’s hard for clients to understand the true value of user experience research. As much as you’d like to tell your clients to go read The Elements of User Experience and call you back when they’re done, that won’t cut it in a professional services environment. David Sherwin creates a cheat sheet to help you pitch UX research using plain, client-friendly language that focuses on the business value of each exercise. You…

• House Party

  Jeffrey Zeldman

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:02 am

  Real fonts on the web: House Industries supports WOFF format. …a font format for the Web that satisfies the needs and concerns of browser makers, web designers, and type foundries. … WOFF offers compression to speed page load times, freedom from thorny legacy issues, and inclusiveness (font outlines can be Postscript or TrueType). WOFF has the support of a wide spectrum of the type community; from peers such as Emigre, Hoefler & Frere-Jones, Commercial Type, etc., and larger foundries such as Linotype and Monotype. Today it has also gained the support of Mozilla in the their…

• Beep ’n Me, Live

  Jeffrey Zeldman

  29 Oct 2009 | 1:29 pm

  Join Ethan Marcotte and me tonight at 8:00 PM EDT on the CreativeXpert Live Show, an interview and podcast with live listener call-in via Skype and Twitter. We’ll discuss the newly released third edition of Designing with Web Standards and such topics from its pages as selling standards to reluctant clients and bosses, changing what support for IE6 means, understanding and transitioning to HTML5, neato CSS3-based design techniques you can use right now, and more. Tune in, call in, rock on. Short URL: zeldman.com/?p=2810

• 
  Just Creative Design

• A quick copywriting tip to get more subscribers

  Jacob Cass

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  I recently wrote an article for Freelance Folder about how to get more subscribers by adding an email subscription box and within the comments, Troy Peterson left a great tip on how to optimise the copywriting to maximize subscription signups and I thought it was worth sharing… One thing that will improve your signups as well, is to replace “Subscribe” with “Get Updates”. Many people tend to associate “Subscribe” with some type of commitment. This is typically carried over from the old days of Magazine subscriptions, where people had to commit for a year and pay a price.

• Tutorial: How To Create An Iconic Logo Design

  Jacob Cass

  1 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Logo design is arguably one of the hardest parts of graphic design though with a little insider knowledge, you may find it’s not so difficult after all. By understanding what makes a “good” logo and the principles behind effective logo design you will be on the right track in no time. In this tutorial you will be guided through the logo design process, from initial brief right through to delivery while being given vital logo design tips along the way. For the sake of this tutorial we will be creating a fictional logo - for now I’ve gone with a logo that reflects the…

• New Just Creative Design Store

  Jacob Cass

  25 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am

  Inspired by Von Glitschka’s simply awesome Zazzle store, where I just recently bought his Tickles “Evil Clown” t-shirt, I thought I’d see how opening a store of my own would go. You never know, right? Though before I did that, I thought I should wait to check out the quality of Zazzle’s products and overall service. I didn’t have to wait long - just 5 days after ordering I received my shirt (and I’m down in Oz). I was also pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their products, especially considering their very competitive pricing. Anyway,…

• How to choose a logo designer

  Jacob Cass

  19 Oct 2009 | 6:00 pm

  With such a plethora of choice it may be hard to find the right designer for your specific needs. Below is a short guide to help you make the right choice when choosing a logo designer. These points could also be useful when hiring a web designer, graphic designer, or any designer for that matter. I don’t want this post to come across as self promotional, however, I’ve linked to my own examples to show you how I personally communicate to potential clients the value of my design work. For other designers, I hope this in turn, gives you an idea of how you too can communicate the…

• Climate change is about people

  Jacob Cass

  15 Oct 2009 | 5:40 am

  As part of this year’s Blog Action Day focusing on climate change, I have Simon Owens from CARE come to talk to you about the effects of climate change and what you can do to help. I’ll pass you onto Simon now… Climate change is not only about melting ice caps and polar bears. Climate change is about people. Swinging weather patterns are creating disasters on a scale that human civilization has never before witnessed. For the world’s poorest people – the ones least equipped to deal with its effects – climate change is devastating their crops, livelihoods and…

• 
  Lifehacker: iPhone

• Change Your iPhone's Root Password After Jailbreaking It

  Kevin Purdy

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  From the files of the Worth Mentioning Again Dept.: If you're jailbreaking your iPhone to get tethering up and running, be sure to change the root access password once you do. Besides hacker ransom attempts, it's just good security sense. The Just Another iPhone Blog provides the steps needed, from first jailbreaking to final lock-down, to get a new, custom root password installed. By default, your iPhone's root password is alpine—and everybody with a bit of iPhone savvy knows that. Especially when you open up your phone for tethering access, anyone who knows your iPhone's IP address…

• Enable Tethering on Your iPhone 3G or 3GS Running 3.1.2

  Adam Pash

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  AT&T has been dragging its feet on data tethering for months now, so if you're fed up waiting for official support and desperate to tether your iPhone's internet connection, weblog MobileCrunch details how to do it on the latest iPhone OS. The multi-step process isn't all that difficult, but you'll want to set aside a little bit of time. In the brief overview, enabling tethering works like so: Jailbreak your iPhone with blackra1n (available for Windows and Mac). Unlock your phone with blacksn0w—which you can do through the blackra1n icon on your iPhone post-jailbreak. Install a custom…

• Brush Your iPhone's Bezel to Hide Scuffs and Scratches

  Kevin Purdy

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:30 am

  If the shiny metal bezel around your iPhone has seen better days, and that nags at your perfectionist instincts, a quick protective taping and smooth back-and-forth with a rough-sided sponge can give it a more consistent, brushed look. As detailed by a YouTube user and tested by the Just Another iPhone blog, brushing your iPhone's shiny bezel gives the phone a different look, along with helping to hide fingerprints, scratches, and chips acquired during rough travel. The key is taking long, smooth strokes with the coarse side of a sponge (they're usually yellow with green scrubbing surfaces),…

• Nikon Learn and Explore Keeps Photo Tips in Your Pocket

  Kevin Purdy

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:30 am

  iPhone: There are scads of photography resources on bookstore shelves and on the web, but they're not always available when you're about to shoot a birthday cake scene in pitch black. Nikon's got an app stuffed with portable photography advice. Of course, if you're somewhere in cellular range, the web's photography resources are, in fact, available on your iPhone. Chances are, though, they're not as organized and immediately on-topic as the information held inside Learn and Explore. Read up on adjusting depth of field, shutter speed, ISO levels, and other fancy-schmancy settings for your…

• Remember the Milk for iPhone Gets Smart Add

  Kevin Purdy

  29 Oct 2009 | 8:05 am

  Smart Add, the command-line-like task adding tool for users of to-do manager Remember the Milk, just got added to RTM's iPhone client via an App Store update. Grab it if you prefer little text tricks to lengthy menu searches. [RTM Blog via jkOnTheRun]

• 
  Cool Mom Picks

• Trying Funny Stuff makes me want my kids music with extra Jimmies

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  I don't want my kids to grow up listening to lame, easy-listening music which is why The Jimmies' fun-rock songs have been on heavy rotation since we got Make Your Own Someday, their first CD, a couple of years ago. A

• Modern Hanukkah menorahs? Thanks, Jonathan Adler

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Jewish kids know all about the Hanukkah miracle but what they don't know is how hard it can be to celebrate that Hanukkah miracle in cool, modern style.

• Adventures in Babysitting - now free from Care.com

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  When it comes to finding childcare, I'm one of the lucky ones with built-in babysitters (as in, my parents) living a few blocks away. There's a downside or two to having my parents around the corner, trust me, but when it comes to finding someone to watch my kids I've got it pretty good.

• The anti-cameo cameo necklace

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  I was just poking around Etsy (I do that a lot) and I came across a link to the KnitKnit shop from Brooklyn artist Nguyen Le.

• Small space baby gifts? Reader Q&A

  5 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  My sister lives in Brooklyn and had a baby girl in June. I know that her living space is very limited and I am having trouble finding cool gifts to give to the baby. I was wondering if I could get suggestions on things that would be cool as well as functional in their limited space. -Melissa

• 
  The Bloggess

• I’m in Japan and too sleep-deprived to come up with a good title. Also, I’m very, very grumpy.

  Jenny the bloggess

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:32 pm

  So I’m still in Japan.  Day 847.  Or Day 6.  Something like that.  All the days blend together here because my nights and days are still mixed up and I haven’t slept more than 3 hours at a time and it all feels like I’m trapped in a weird Hunter S. Thompson story except that there are less drugs and more puddings that look like boobies and I spent the day disguised as a Japanese prostitute.  Those links both take you to my satirical sex column, by the way, because they’re paying for all the really fucked up parts of this trip.  Thanks, Eden Fantasys!  Now my…

• Sue me. I’m awesome.

  Jenny the bloggess

  30 Oct 2009 | 10:34 am

  So this weekend I leave for Japan.  ”Why?” you ask?  Because it’s there. And also because I got drunk one night and Victor asked me if I’d go to Japan with him and apparently I said yes.  This is what happens when you get drunk around Victor.  You wake up in the morning and need a passport.  Whenever I mention it to people they’re all “JAPAN!  THAT’S AWESOME!” but to be honest I’m a terrible traveler and Japan scares the shit out of me and all I really know about Japan is that Godzilla was born there.  Also, I may be mixing Japan up…

• UPDATED! An open letter to the King of Germany who might actually only be a Prince. I didn’t really research it. But we’re at war now so you’ll probably hear about it on the news.

  Jenny the bloggess

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

  Dear Mr. King of Germany: It has been brought to my attention that your daughter is either impersonating me or mocking me in her royal portrait.  Exhibit A: I’ve been rockin’ this look for years so I can only assume this is an act of aggression on her part.  That’s why this morning I declared war on Germany.  I try not to judge people for their parenting skills but I can’t help but think this is kind of your fault for not reigning your daughter in (Get it? “Reigning”?  Because you’re a king?  I kill me.) but lucky for you, I am a kind and…

• Twitter will molest you.

  Jenny the bloggess

  28 Oct 2009 | 1:10 pm

  Conversation between me and twitter, who is kind of an asshole: And that’s the reason why I don’t like twitter.  Because it’s judgemental and it never goes away.  It’s like your junior high boyfriend when you’re all “You hang up the phone first” and he’s all “No, you hang up” and you’re like “No, you hang up” and he probably thinks he’s being all romantic by not hanging up but you really want him to hang up because you have to pee and you don’t want him to hear you peeing.  And that’s basically what twitter is all about.  This is like a tutorial for…

• In all honesty, you’d probably be better off skipping this post.

  Jenny the bloggess

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:09 pm

  "Other shit I did this week." (Translation, in case you don't read Dracula.) You know how on Sundays I do a week-in-review about all the shit that happened to me that I didn’t write about here but then sometimes I forget to do it and instead I do it at the beginning of the current week and it gives everyone a headache?  That just happened again.  Honestly, I need an intern to help me with this stuff.  I’d be all “Intern, I need to know what animal has claws and is scary but also has a funny name.  Something with at least two syllables.  And it can’t…

• 
  Design Mom

• Polarn O. Pyret Giveaway

  Design Mom

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:52 am

  Another amazing Giveaway today. And it's perfectly timed for the season. It's a pretty good bet that sometime in the last couple of weeks, you've considered your children's (or your own) winter wear. Will you be skiing this year? Will there be snow? Do his snow boots still fit? Has she outgrown her coat? Are there mittens missing?Well, today, the Swedish company Polarn O. Pyret (that's a mouthful, I know) will be setting you up. The winner will get to pick out any outerwear top and any outerwear bottom from their site. Or. Any outerwear “all-in-one” — like a snowsuit or bunting. The top…

• Ask Design Mom Week — Family Christmas Gift

  Design Mom

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:51 am

  Question:My husband's family always draws names for gift giving. This year we are gifting to his sister's family; they have six kids and a total of eight people. (Which made me think of you ;)). I'm wondering if you know of any good gift ideas that the whole family could enjoy, or perhaps a something we could get for each family member that wouldn't break the bank. The kids range in age from 3-14. Thanks! — LynnetteAnswer:Another great question. My family picks names as well. One of the favorite gifts we've ever received was a collection of Nativity Dress-ups my sister put together from…

• Ask Design Mom Week — Blogging Advice

  Design Mom

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:50 am

  Question:I just started my own blog this month! It looks boring, I have no followers, and I feel left out of the "Blogging Circle." Can you give me some tips on how to make my blog better? — TanyaAnswer:Thanks for the question, Tanya. I'll start by saying, you're not alone. I think I get questions along these lines more than any others. How do I grow my blog? How do I get sponsors? How do I change my header? How do I decide on a blog topic?But I confess, I don't answer as often as I'd like. For a few reasons. One, the answers are long. Long enough that people teach multiple classes and hold…

• Ask Design Mom Week — Christmas Tree Decor

  Design Mom

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:39 am

  Question:I'm in a new house, new life and looking ahead to the holidays, I realized that our decade plus years of marriage/college/med school/residency tree decor might be in need of a slight makeover this year. I'm just looking for ideas — new, old, swanky, homestyle, yadda, yadda. Any advice or pictures to find, etc.? Thanks! — StaceyAnswer:Love this question, Stacey. People have strong opinions about Christmas Trees: They should have the same decorations each year — it's tradition! They should be filled with ornaments made by children! They should be flocked! Flocked trees should be…

• Ask Design Mom Week — Christmas Card Sources

  Design Mom

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:34 am

  Question:-Do you know where I can find Christmas cards that have a religious message but that are also arty and contemporary looking? I love the tasteful designs at Tiny Prints, Paper Source, etc. but haven’t been able to find any that are religious. Any suggestions? — Renee-Do you have any good resources for great looking, unique holiday photo cards? The options at Walmart/Snapfish/etc just aren't cutting it. Thanks! — MeganAnswer:The two questions above are just a sample of the dozens of emails I've been receiving along these lines. Apparently, everyone is looking for pretty holiday…

• 
  Insanely Great Mac

• RadTech Styloid Stylus for iPhone and iPod Touch (Review)

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  The stylus can be used in place of a finger gesture on an iPhone and iPod Touch. The product may be ideal for those with limited dexterity or wearing gloves.

• AT&T to roll out $99 iPhone 3GS?

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:08 am

  Apple and AT&T may intro new 3GS to compete with DROID for the holidays.

• Next iPhone to interact with devices via RFID?

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  Industry rumors suggest Apple maybe adding RFID capabilities to its next generation iPhone.

• iSkin updates solo FX iPhone case with new Special Edition

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:57 am

  New version updates look and feel, adds anti-bacteria properties

• Giveaway - New Speck SeeThru Case for iPhone 3G and 3GS

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:36 am

  Giveaway of the new Speck SeeThru cases just released.

• 
  Hulu Popular Videos

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - The 11/3 Project

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am

  Jon just loves Glenn Beck's digestive and immune system so much, and he fears for it.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Nov 06 14:08:02 UTC 2009Air date: Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 08:31Rating: 4.3 / 5.0

• The Colbert Report - s5 | e142 - Thu, Nov 5, 2009

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:55 pm

  Olympic Speed Skating Medalist, Joey Cheek and former LAPD Chief, William Bratton joins Stephen for what is to be expected as a life changing conversation.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Nov 06 06:55:01 UTC 2009Air date: Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 21:43Rating: 3.8 / 5.0Closed captions available.

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - s14 | e142 - Thu, Nov 5, 2009

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:55 pm

  UN Ambassador, Susan Rice visits The Daily Show to talk about the Obama administration's foreign policy.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Nov 06 06:55:01 UTC 2009Air date: Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 21:40Rating: 4.0 / 5.0Closed captions available.

• The Office - Angela Visits Yo Gabba Gabba

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm

  Angela visits Yo Gabba Gabba land and does the octopus dance.Add this to your queueAdded: Thu Nov 05 20:03:09 UTC 2009Air date: Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 02:04Rating: 3.0 / 5.0

• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - s5 | e7 - The Gang Wrestles for the Troops

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:51 am

  There’s nothing more American than wrestling. That’s why the gang has decided to put on a wrestling show for the returning troops.Add this to your queueAdded: Thu Nov 05 17:51:10 UTC 2009Air date: Thu Oct 29 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 21:12Rating: 4.3 / 5.0Closed captions available.

• 
  HowStuffWorks Daily Feed

• 18 Memorable TV Theme Songs

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  A hit TV show is not complete without a memorable theme song. In fact, you probably know all the words to the theme songs included on this list. Read our list of 18 memorable TV theme songs, including the theme from 'Happy Days.'

• What's the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal?

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  The traditional Thanksgiving menu in the United States generally consists of a few staple items with a variety of side dishes, depending on family traditions. But do you have to break the bank to create this extravagant meal?

• Top 10 Public Enemies

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  Public enemies threaten the well-being of the populace, committing serial murders, genocide or financial piracy. What 10 public enemies make our list?

• Today's Video - Understanding: Cloning a Cow

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  Learn more about the cloning of a cow and other animals on TLC's "Understanding."

• What can I do for extremely dry hands?

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  If the skin on your hands is always dry, simple tasks like picking up objects or shaking hands can be uncomfortable. What can you do to lock in more moisture?

• 
  kirtsy / Popular

• Hilarious Banner Ad for Pringles

  saraolive

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 pm

  Bet you can't stop clicking!28 Vote(s)

• 10 Things Indie Musicians Do That Make People Hate Indie

  yugosakimi

  6 Nov 2009 | 7:53 pm

  Indie rock is one of the most loved, and most hated, music genres out there. The conundrum is that even though there are plenty of good indie bands, there are also people who have good taste in music, but still hate indie. Here are 10 possible reaso24 Vote(s)

• such a delightful project, it makes my head spin. {that's a good. a very good.}

  kareym

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:50 pm

  because there are so many variations of this one. and it's timely. and recyclish. and i found it via design crush. i don't know why that's relevant, but it makes it sound even cooler, doesn't it? of course it does. enjoy. and xoxo.35 Vote(s)

• Have you met these fabulous, gorgeous Truffle Girls?! The Sweeterie is perfection.

  barchbo

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pm

  The Sweeterie totally perfect. Go look. Now. Seriously. Love.33 Vote(s)

• This is A Seriously Fantastic Idea...

  joslyn

  6 Nov 2009 | 3:01 pm

  and I fully plan to steal it. You should too!65 Vote(s)

• 
  Mighty Goods: Shopping Blog

• Necessary Objects Colorblock Dress

  Margaret Mason

  And for Halloween it doubles as the base for a Frida Kahlo costume. All the kids are crazy for Surrealism these days.

• Pfaltzgraff Sphere Gravy Boat with Saucer

  Margaret Mason

• Fiesta 18-1/2-Ounce Sauceboat, Sunflower

  Margaret Mason

• Classic Century Sauce Boat

  Margaret Mason

• Apilco® Opera Porcelain 6 3/4-Ounce Gravy Boat

  Margaret Mason

• 
  Simply Stated

• Protecting Your Tech

  ErinDoland

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:34 am

  My laptop and phone are the two most important tools I use to do my work. Protecting these devices is essential. As a result, I'm always on the lookout for beautiful, efficient, and (in this case) sustainable ways to protect them. Recently, I came across byrd and belle's shop on Etsy. It's full of felted wool laptop bags and cell phone covers that look modern and elegant, in addition to being very useful: One important aspect of being a smart consumer and leading an organized and uncluttered life is that you take the time, space, resources, and energy to protect the things you choose to have…

• Five Ways to Get Through the Holiday Season Calmly

  ErinDoland

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:19 am

  Buy a case of Champagne (many stores will offer a discount). Give bottles as hostess gifts, then use the rest on New Year’s Eve. Avoid surprises. Confirm vacation days with your HR department. Know what to expect. Check Traffic.com, Flightstats.com, and Weather.com before traveling. Give gifts you don’t need to wrap and/or ship. Try zoo and museum memberships, items from Etsy.com, spa or credit-card gift cards, or dance lessons. Skip the cooking. Order a smoked turkey from your favorite barbecue joint. What advice would you add to this list? I'm excited to read your suggestions in the…

• Election Day Party Theme For Kids

  HollyBecker

  3 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  With Election Day being a current hot topic, I must share an adorable vintage campaign party theme for kids that you'll love whether you're a parent or not -- it's so creative and clever! Plus I have tons of photos from this special day to share, so be sure to keep scrolling down to view all of the delicious eye candy. This clever theme was coordinated by creative mom and paper goods designer in Washington, D.C., Suann Song, who happens to have a son named Ike so the party was called, "I Like Ike". The theme was developed around Eisenhower's presidential campaign in…

• Chocovenyl Wall Graphics

  HollyBecker

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:20 am

  I was delighted to hear from Nataly Nir this morning from Chocovenyl in England, a children's wall decal company because they carry decals by some of my favorite illustrators and designers. Nataly, a graphic designer and a mom, loves decorating with decals which led to her passion for creating a company that makes them. Using state of the art printing equipment and premium materials to produce these whimsical graphics, Chocovenyl stands out because their decals have a slight texture and can be used over and over again since they're printed on fabric. With categories like tea party,…

• Photographer Bob O'Connor

  HollyBecker

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:39 am

  I was reading Jenn Ski's blog recently, she's an artist living in New Hampshire, and discovered the photography of Boston photographer Bob O'Connor. He shot her beautiful mid century modern home for, I'm guessing, a magazine or book and I thought I'd share some of the photos with you today. So many love the mid century style and enjoy bringing it into this century in a fresh, modern way and I think Jenn does this so well and I appreciate that she decorates on a budget. Mixing in products from stores like Room & Board and sites like Craigslist for used finds, she is…