Archive for May, 2014

My Birthday 2014!!!!

As you know (because I won’t shut up about it), last week was my birthday!! Steven has a history of really good presents, and also being really bad at keeping secrets, but this year he was a pro at not responding to my expert wheedling. I’m glad he didn’t because my birthday present was a complete surprise and completely awesome!!

We went to the Umstead, which is the only 5-star hotel in North Carolina! Also, it’s four minutes from my apartment! Unfortunately, I didn’t take a lot of pictures because I was too busy pretending to be ~fancy~, but here are some that I did manage:

Berries and cream, the best breakfast!!!!

Berries and cream, the best breakfast!!!!

Pre-lunch spread, with bread basket, Steven's fancy bloody mary, and smoothie shots!

Pre-lunch spread, with bread basket, Steven’s fancy bloody mary, and smoothie shots!

Ice cream sampler!!

Ice cream sampler!!

This sand dollar plate was crazy cool!

Steven!!!

Steven!!!

This ridiculous bathtub!!!!

This ridiculous bathtub!!!!

You know I love taking ridiculous baths while reading magazines. PERFECT BIRTHDAY!

Nice lake out back!

Nice lake out back!

You can walk around the short trail around the water, which has little informational signs about the birds, plants, and other animals around. There were a bunch of turtles chilling in the water!

One thing they have that I definitely want to try some day is a fancy afternoon tea with a live harpist! Steven doesn’t like tea, so someone who does should visit me ASAP to try this out. I am super curious! Plus, tiny sandwiches taste better than regular kind. FACT.

Amazing Birthday Facts for my Amazing Birthday!!!!

Today is my birthday!!!! Here are some great facts about what is obviously the best day of the year:

On this day in…

…879, Pope John VIII recognizes that Croatia officially exists
…1502, Saint Helena island is discovered.
…1864, Russia declares an end to the Russian-Circassian War and many Circassians are forced into exile, designating May 21 as the Circassian Day of Mourning.
…1881, the American Red Cross is established by Clara Barton.
…1927, Charles Lindbergh touches down at Le Bourget Field in Paris, completing the world’s first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic.
…1987, I AM BORN
…2011, the world ends

Born on May 21st…

…1688, Alexander Pope, 3rd most cited writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations after Shakespeare and Tennyson
…1952, Mr. T

mrt

YESSSSSSSS!

…1973, Noel Fielding, which makes total sense, since we’re both so stylish

vincenoir

…1980, Gotye. Don’t be jealous.

goye

Okay, be a little jealous

The Cary Listserv Needs Your Help Catching 10-year-old hooligans

Guys, I got the best email from the Cary Listserv yesterday!

Cary PD Wants Help in Wiping the Nose of Taggers Who’ve Sprayed “Snot” and “Booger” Throughout Town

CARY, NC – The graffiti that has covered at least 20 Cary businesses, apartment complexes, roadside signage and parks is nothing to sneeze at, and the Town of Cary Police Department is hoping the public can help sniff out the vandals. From January through April, citizens reported “Booger” and “Snot” tagged at locations inside or just outside of the Maynard Loop, including multiple Project PHOENIX communities, Lexie Lane Park, Dunham Park, and the bridge on NW Maynard Road. No graffiti caused permanent damage, and the phrases are not believed to be gang-related markings.

I just find it hard to believe that anyone over the age of 10, when deciding to graffiti a building, would go with “snot”. Maybe a gang of really sheltered teens, finally trying to rebel but with no idea how? Either way, love it.

27 Small Presents for my 27th Birthday!

Hey Team! My birthday is next week!!!! I’m pretty excited to be 27! That’s a perfect cube! Anyway, I’m not sure what I’m getting for my birthday yet (!!! surprises!!!!), but I really like Bilbo’s idea of giving presents to other people on your birthday, so I thought I would get you something!

Unfortunately, I’m pretty cheap, and you’re the Internet, so it’ll have to be free things. So, here are 27 free things I like that you might like too! I organized them into categories for you:

1-5 are great web tools for different things!

1. GoodReads

Sorry the first one isn't much of a gift, since you already know all about it

Sorry the first one isn’t much of a gift, since you already know all about it

I know I talk about GoodReads all the time and you probably know all about it because you have it anyway. If not, you should!

2. Postable

Super simple and convenient interface!

Super simple and convenient interface!

Postable is a free online address book! I like it because it’s cute and easy, and they provide a link you can send to people to fill in their own info that automatically gets added to your contacts.

3. Feedly

It does its job well

It does its job well

Feedly is what I migrated to after the sad death of GoogleReader. It’s the only way to keep up with all the RSS feeds I follow!

4. Postcrossing

I just learned about Post Crossing pretty recently, but I am all in

I just learned about Post Crossing pretty recently, but I am all in

Basically you sign up to send someone in the world a postcard (you’re assigned an address), and someone in the world sends you a postcard!! Exciting!!

5. Geosense

Strangely addictive

Strangely addictive

It’s a simple game: two players, each looking at a map, have a few seconds to click where they think a given city is. Points are given based on closest distance. There are different maps to choose from (world or USA) and I can waste hours getting pwned by someone from Finland.

Gifts 6-9 are cool places to learn something!

6. Io9

This stuff is important

This stuff is important

Sometimes science news, sometimes interesting TV/movie facts. WHATEVER

7. The Mary Sue

I am all about this concept, incidentally

I am all about this concept, incidentally

The Mary Sue has movie and TV news as well as random fan-made creations.

8. The Big Picture

The "Daily Life" posts are often my favorite

The “Daily Life” posts are often my favorite

The Big Picture is part of the Boston Globe’s website that publishes photo series, either on specific news events, specific themes (spring around the world), or just “Daily Life” for a particular week.

9. I Love Charts

Education or entertaining, always fascinating

Education or entertaining, always fascinating

A repository of charts from around the Internet, from super serious graphs about income inequality to silly Venn diagrams about pizza.

Numbers 10-14 are funny!

10. NYTimes Haiku

Some are funnier than others

Some are funnier than others

This blog just collects sentences from the New York Times that are unwitting haikus. It’s best to read them in a dramatic voice.
Read the rest of this entry »

Etsy for Rich People: Knitting vs. Crochet

I like both knitting and crochet, so I figured this would be a great opportunity to see which will (potentially) get me the richest on Etsy. Here’s a comparison between their various categories:

Accessories
Winner: Crochet, $10,000

The most expensive thing in the “accessory” category is this crocheted king sized blanket:

The information says it's "taken over 11 years" to make

The information says it’s “taken over 11 years” to make

Not really an accessory, but whatever. Knitting doesn’t even close, even with this $3500 shawl.

Blankets/Aghans
Winner: Crochet, $18,044.90

This blanket is vastly more expensive than its $3450 knitted counterpart:

Unfortunately you can only buy it in Italy

Unfortunately you can only buy it in Italy

Bags and Purses
TIE!

The most expensive items in this category are both $550. In crochet, this blue beaded bag:

From Senegal!

From Senegal!

And in knitting, a series of bags of different sizes:

Still, with this you get SIX bags for the price of the other one

Still, with this you get SIX bags for the price of the other one

Clothing
Winner: Crochet, $9,500

This dress could be yours for under $10,000!

Called "red diamond"

Called “red diamond”

Knitting couldn’t beat that with a weird turquoise coat for $1,264.56

Cozy
Winner: Crochet, $1000

Yeah, this snuggie will cost you:

But can you really put a price on joy?

But can you really put a price on joy?

Meanwhile, knitting has a $300 blanket. Nice try, knitting.

Doll
Winner: Crochet, $888.35

This terrifying doll thing could be yours:

Cost does not include therapy

Cost does not include therapy

Knitting has stuffed rabbits for $277.07

Hat
Winner: Knitting, $1,325

Knitting actually won this one for some reason:

I don't get it

I don’t get it

Which is too bad because the $850 crochet hat is just wacky.

Housewares
Winner: Crochet, $8,000

You have to REALLY want a Mickey Mouse coaster set for that price:

Maybe it covers the ensuing legal fees when Walt Disney Co sues you

Maybe it covers the ensuing legal fees when Walt Disney Co sues you

Knitting has another $1995 blanket.

Jewelry
Winner: Knitting, $640

Knitting narrowly wins this one with these earrings:

It totally still counts as knitting

It totally still counts as knitting

Crochet had some $625 necklace

Scarf
Winner: Crochet, $1000

What winter look would be complete without a badly made $1000 scarf?

Hot

Hot

Knitting’s priciest scarf is only $899

Supplies
Winner: Crochet, $1799

I guess this rocking chair could be considered a crochet supply.

Maybe

Maybe

Knitting has this $1595 electric wool drum carder.

Final Totals
Crochet: $44,257.25
Knitting: $15,795.63

Knitting also has some categories that crochet lacks, namely: Baby, Children, Men, Women, and Sweater.

But even adding these in only brings knitting’s total up to $22,603.43. Clearly crochet is the best way for me to strike it etsy rich.

Previously: Holidays

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