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Shameless Consumerism

I know so many people who would love this

Monday, September 21st, 2009 | Bloggity goodness, Shameless Consumerism | 2 Comments

Pizza boss: A pizza cutter that looks like a power saw.

I would have to make power saw noises while I sliced my pie. I think I could let myself slide on the safety goggles, though.

(Via Rare Bird Finds)

A follow-up to the Buy Indie Day post

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 | Screed!, Shameless Consumerism | 5 Comments

I found out about this from several online acquaintances today. It’s called the 350 Project and it seems like a pretty good idea to me. The idea is that you spend $50 each month at a local business.

It’s pretty easy to drop $50/month at a grocery store. And think how many times a year you’re going to get your hair done and your oil changed. Now how about that coffee you pick up every day? It wouldn’t really change much in your life if you spent that at a locally owned business rather than a chain. And while 3/50 is easy to remember, feel free to increase either of those two numbers (especially the last one). Every little bit helps.

I’ll hop off my soapbox now, but please do think about supporting your local businesses and helping keep brick and mortar stores in business. Keeping the money and jobs in your neighborhood is good for everyone. (Ok. It’s not quite as good for Amazon, but I think they’ll manage.)

Buy Indie Day

Friday, May 1st, 2009 | Shameless Consumerism | 4 Comments

May 1 is Buy Indie Day, which makes it an excellent opportunity to visit your local independent bookstore.

Yes, I know you can get things cheaper at Amazon or buy your books, music, movies and coffee at your nearest chain store. But indies offer things neither of those places do. They host author visits and local events, their profits stay within the local community, they’re far more likely to work with other local businesses to support local events and causes. And really, I’ve never found the service at any chain store to come anywhere close to the kind of service I can get at my local bookstore. The people who work there are serious readers and they’re eager to share their love of books with their customers.

One of my fondest memories of Schwartz Books involves a bookseller stashing away a book for me. I had purchased a book on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and he and I chatted briefly about Mack’s work. A couple months later, I stopped in the bookstore on a day that seller was working. A book of Mackintosh’s architectural papers had come into the store and he put the last copy aside for me in case I was interested. My visits to the store didn’t coincide with his schedule for several weeks, but he held onto the book. I’m glad he did. It was a fun surprise and a really interesting read.

So go visit your local indie today. Say hi to the booksellers. Ask them to recommend a book they love. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of interesting suggestions and you’ll go home with a book you’ll really enjoy.

Milwaukee area folks, check out Boswell Books, Next Chapter, The Little Read Book, Woodland Pattern or Mystery One (if I’ve missed anyone, feel free to leave a comment). For those of you in other areas, Indie Now’s got a list of local sellers near you.

Wish I had $9000 laying around

Friday, February 20th, 2009 | Shameless Consumerism | 5 Comments

I’d so get a life-size Cylon.

I’d put him outside my cube at work. Requests would go through him.

Must be better than the original

Thursday, January 29th, 2009 | Shameless Consumerism | No Comments

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Oh, sure. Where was this when I was forced to read Pride and Prejudice the first time? (Sorry, Jane Austen fans. I’m just not a fan of the non-zombie versions of her work.)

300 blocks of signs

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 | Design-y Bits, Shameless Consumerism | 1 Comment

New York City Signs: 14th to 42nd Street

Since it is possible to display only a small fragment of these images, the site will contain only a few highlights of the signs in this prolific area. The emphasis is on vintage signs but not exclusively. My earliest photographs date from the mid 1980’s. Many of these signs no longer exist. Documentation is supplied wherever available.

This site makes both the ghost ad lover and NYC history buff in me go “squeeeee!”

(Via The Morning News. Again.)