FAB Design Site/Blog

I think Desire to Inspire is an Ottowa Canadian blog --- I'm lovin' all the design-y stuff there (loads-o-pix) and hope you do too!

Look at the FLOORS!
"Craigston was built in 1927 and this apartment takes up the whole top floor of the building. This was one of the first high rise buildings in Brisbane and was built as a residence for doctors as it is part of the medical precinct in Brisbane. The floors are crow's ash which is a now rare rainforest wood."


Even I could stand a Holiday mantle like this:











I've added the blog to my regulars at the right =o]

Some Days It's Just Not Your Time To Go

Yeah...Now watch it again,
and again.

There's a little jolt of how little control we have in life.

Irresistable Baby Dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies

Difficult for even the most cynical viewer to resist this :))

Hotter Than.....

First I'm going to quote from the words of Krista, one of my favorite reads, a nugget of sly, twisted and very funny wordsmithee, one of our most erstute contemporary sages channeling through Badder Homes and Gardens about Texas heat this past APRIL :

" It's springtime in Texas, which means we're about four days away from it being so unbearably, mind-numbingly hot outside that you can't even leave the goddamn house without your skin blistering and your face melting off. Literally. Literally melting off. I have literally seen people's faces melt off onto the sidewalk right in front of me. Literally. I have literally seen this happen. Faces. Melting off. Literally melting off. Onto the sidewalk. "

Amen Sistah. Here's the thing - cwazy circumstances - I wound up injured (pre-event injury which limits my ability severely...a few steps' about it and muy pain) isolated, no phone or power (or no power to charge the phone if you prefer) for 3 days and 'bout 4 nights and the temps this week were 105+ plus here on my lofty, little, South Austin hilltop.

I was layin' low, trying to keep little sips of water down and taking frequent showers when it dawned on me something really badddd was happening. Really bad. I fought the notion, but the message remained. So changed a shirt, grabbed a purse and and cane (if I had any vanity left I woulda shot myself for how I looked long before the heat got me), got outside on the stairs (I'm on the second story), hailed a cute girl with a cell phone - 911-great EMT's with ice packs in ther van...and on and on. Hospital ran basic tests, got me hydrated and let me charge my cell phone (so I COULD solve the power situation) AND sent me home with a giant ice chest with lotsa gatorade!!!

We've been in the 100's regularly since April. Two months earlier than "usual" whatever that is any more. Global Warming? Natural, cyclical changes in the history of the Earths' climate? Doesn't really matter much any more now does it?

Another moment of Doggie Zen

More: ElderStyle

The website I'm drawing from http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com is strictly observational -- a guy with a camera in NYC who stops older folk he sees as having a pronounced style, point-of-view, and asks if he can take a picture of them.

I love this guy.
Picking up on style from (it looks like) the 50's on up.
Inspirational!

Oh, and I love this partiular guy with his' I-was-born-cooler-than-you-can-even-imagine-being-everrr jacket, and yet I am warm and approachable' snap.

Great project. I think they have new ones a couple of times a week.

How Style Can Age (Wonderfully)

Just a quickie here. I just love this blog and its pix.


DO check out http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/ or click the title.
VIA http://atlantishome.typepad.com/

GOTH Summer Fun!!

I love this.

Although I believe I've pondered many miserable, costumed, characters' (I'm thinking think giant neoprene bananas and Disney characters in massive, heavy costumes) abject misery in the summers' heat -- I can't honestly say I'd thought about it from the Goth perspective!

Here's a snap:

Via http://gothsinhotweather.blogspot.com/ via ETSY http://www.etsy.com/storque/reviews/news-from-the-craft-style-blogosphere-june-4-2009-4109/

More below on the right. I'm adding the blog to my...er....blog list.

There are ANTS in my keyboard...aaaaaaargh

No shit.
ANTS.
Lil tiny black ones.

Periodically one makes a mad dash across my screen as well. Despite my respect for virtually all creatures I am forced to extinguish their little lives.

WTF are they doing there?

I cleaned the keys with Q-tips and alcohol (not the drinking kind). Okay, okay the keys needed cleaning anyway.

I even splashed about a quarter of a glass of iced tea (accidentally) on the keyboard today, thinking afterword there should be a little swell of drowned ant bodies. But noooooooooo..

Any tips fellow bloggers? Should I burn sage? Lead them to a small cup of beer? <--- Hey, it works with slugs. I'm up for almost any remedy unless it includes Aqua-Net 'cause that would pretty much kill off the keyboard entirely.

WILL DURST - The "Staycation"

The terrific political comedian Will Durst posted this on the SF Gate website (from the San Francisco Chronicle) today and I thought it was a wonderfully snarky tribute to Memorial Day and all the summer holiday time to come.

Staycation Fun

Its harder than frozen bratwursts to believe we've reached the end of May already, but there it is- Memorial Day- delivering a swift kick in the buns to any lingering memory of a very ugly winter. And the mustard rises on another summer. Co- incidentally, gas prices continue to spike. Again. Hey, alright. Just in time for travel season. What are the odds? Of course, none of us have the money to go anywhere. So, there is good news.

But we Americans would rather spread kim chee on a tofu hot dog at a dental office than give up our summer vacation. Even considering fiscal conditions that are uglier than naked rugby in the rain sponsored by the AARP. So, once again its time to trot out that old Chamber of Commerce chestnut: the Staycation.

We all know the program: Due to incredible brokeness, we go to great lengths to fool ourselves into thinking that we're embarking on a festive pleasure trip while not actually traveling anywhere. Self- delusion as a budgetary exercise via local tourista escapading. A brave attempt to make lemonade out of surplus lemons infested with a greenish mold and spider mites.

The problem with most folks planning a Staycation, is they focus on all the high points of landmarks- visiting and unfrequented restaurant- frequenting but forget to include all the little moments that truly distinguish memorable holiday excursions. So allow me to help with a couple of handy hints to keep in mind when replicating the ultimate resort experience from the comfort of your own couch.

How to Perfect Your Family's Fun Filled Staycation.

Pack luggage like you're really headed on a trip, then pick a piece to misplace for the duration. Rip off one end of a handle to complete the simulation.

Duplicate inevitable airport delay by wasting four hours at a 7/ 11.

Listen to Bjork's Medulla CD on headphones at high volume as if the airlines sat you next to a screaming infant. Repeat.

Sit on curb outside your house for 90 minutes because your room isn't ready yet.

First night of Staycation, drink way too much upon arrival and pass out on bathroom floor by 10 pm.

Set alarm for 6 am to receive wake- up call for room next to yours. Knock on door at half hour intervals with cry of: "Housekeeping!"

Remain in bed most of the first day because of third degree sunburn received after falling asleep at the beach.

For full tropical experience, dump sand in your bed.

Watch a pay- per- view movie, then refuse to pay for it, citing lousy reception.

Ignore neighbors and friends by pretending you are your own long lost twin.

Eat at a strange restaurant and grunt and point at the menu, unable to speak the native language even if it's only Floridian.

Grind broken staples into your carpeting before walking around in bare feet.

Turn air conditioning off. It's broken. Call imaginary maintenance man who never comes.

Food poisoning. 3am. Sound like a match made in heaven? Oh, it is.

Every two hours, burn sixty dollars.

And finally, when time to end your Staycation, stuff all the soap and Kleenex into your bags. And a towel.

Will Durst is a San Francisco based political comic who writes sometimes. This is one of them. He's at the San Francisco Punch Line May 26- 30. 415.397.4337.

Or check out his Rooftop Comedy minutes: http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/shows/BurstOfDurst




BUT, do not think for a moment that I have anything but respect for the armed forces personnel of any altercation for what they do for the citizens' at home.

ADRIFT with no landfall in sight

No up
No Down
Like Space Garbage

Mood du jour
Order - UP!

Tillman - A Moment of Doggy Zen

A Prayer for STEPHEN HAWKING

As you may know, Stephen Hawking has been hospitalized and is very ill. Please join me in choosing the deity or form of faith you prefer and send a thought for his recovery.

Stephen, please don't go. We still need you.

Happy Birthday EARTH DAY

A recollection of the first Earth Day - 04.22.70
An unexpected tale of horror

I was living in Forest Knolls (gorgeous, green, damp, redwood-y, hippie enclave northwest of San Francisco) with my "old man", in a 1 bedroom cottage on a very wet creek in the woods. Magical it was. It was also a place where one had to scrape the mold off the bottom of your shoes -- the price for storing them on the closet floor.

Many hallucinogens were consumed. Much pot & hashish was smoked. Much music and art and babies were made. It was the most golden of the hippie years.

The Earth Day concept had filtered to us and through us via mostly word of mouth. We were becoming hyper-aware of our affect on the planet and that by changing simple, every-day behaviors (not to mention the huge ones) we could actually have at least a less negative impact on our precious Mother Earth. "Silent Spring" was a devastating tome. Recycling was recently thought of as do-able concept. Phrases like "carbon imprint" were not yet hatched. The whole way of thinking, on a large scale, was overall pretty damned revolutionary -- the planet's health as a personal responsibility.



As this new Earth Day concept loomed we were encouraged to take a look around our homes and lives and keep an eye out to tidy up. Whether that was cleaning-up one's own yard or a neighborhoods' coming together to pick-up a larger area, we were encouraged to honor our planet on that first Earth Day by doing a little grooming.

Armed with garden gloves and a rake I headed for the front yard by the gate to the driveway area where we kept our garbage can. The terrain was pretty uneven so we had commandeered 2 or 3 appliance-sized cardboard cartons, and had flattened them to make a big level surface so the can wouldn't tip over. This was rustic woods-dairy farms-hippie teepees kind of a location, so if you're picturing suburban cul-de-sac, adjust. Making a platform for the garbage can was a big deal (curb-appeal wise) in this funky setting. We battled the skill of the local raccoons to keep the can upright, and most of the time it worked and they actually couldn't get in it if the bungi cords were set taught and secure.

In any event, this cardboard platform had pretty much held its shape and function for months despite the moist earth below it and frequent rain, but it was rather limp and soggy. I knew I'd have to move it to really clean-up the area and had already made a mental note to find a replacement cardboard when I picked up the edge of the cardboard with both hands and swung it aside.

It was said that my screaming was heard in Palo Alto and I doubt that's true, but if there was blood to be curdled, my vocals would have done it.

Although it was at least 20 minutes before I could even glance at it again, what I saw was etched into my brain with a clarity, a repulsion and FEAR that has not wavered in 39 years and counting. When I swung that wet cardboard off it's semi-flat surface I revealed what had to be (and I'm really trying not to exagerrate here) multiple nests of at least 40 million baby SCORPIONS....moving and twitching and oh gawd I can't even go into it any further. I'm sure dear reader, that you'll understand.

Neighbors assembled drawn by my continuing screams, thus compounded the decibel level with their own screams as they saw it. A plan was formulated (a controlled burn) and executed which did succeed in ridding us all of a sizable chunk of the regions' young scorpions. But in the minds of all present, as well as my own, that sight of that moving carpet of hellacious, stinging critters are what the first Earth Day meant to us.

Norwegian Student Film Of The Day - NEMESIS

Thanks for the entertaining folk at EW.com for turning me on to this one.

8+ minutes and absolutely worth it!

Enjoy!

The Death of American Malls

*
So, the news is all abuzz about 80+ major US retailers going belly-up in 2009.And, the NeoCons are all atwitter that this could very well mean the DEATH OF THE MALLS!!! --- accompanied by wails and moans and cries that this is surely a sign of Obama's socialism not to mention a TRUE sign of Armageddon!!!!

Here's the deal: Culture changes as time goes by. By the early 1980's mall culture was in full swing and became the new small town, i.e. with suburban sprawl in full blossom often without the traditional "town" to accompany the burb **. These malls throughout the country became the new town centers where moms with strollers and toddlers took their coffee (and Cinnabons!) with each other, and teenagers roamed in packs to "hang", meet each other and indulge in pre-relationship mating rituals.

At the time there were objections. "The malls are killing our towns!" the cry went up and Wal-Mart in particular did it's very best to kill off small retailers in the more rural areas.

The culture eventually shifted and became totally at ease with mall culture and life went on.
***
In the past few years many of most mall staples from Mrs. Fields cookies to MOST of the mall music retailers (Wherehouse, Musicland...far too many to mention here), to the traditional department stores to SEARS fer chrissakes have taken big hits as our buying habits shifted online and to discounters. So these guys were in trouble long before our current financial woes set in with the worldwide recession. It's just killing off the weaker retailers who've been off the mark or unwilling to change as the market has.

So for those trying to politicize this retailing evolution we face now, shaddup. The malls may indeed die. Street accessible retail may rise again. The malls may be torn down to make room for more housing or for companies aware and in tune with the markets' needs. We may actually go OUTSIDE to shop (and walk) again, and teenagers will always find a place to socialize.

Change is natural and often good for us.

In my humble opinion.




* Southdale Mall, Edina MN 1956 - The first enclosed mall

**Case in point: When I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Eden Prairie, MN (a prosperous newer suburb of Minneapolis that at the time was literally devouring corn fields with each passing moment) there was indeed a mall, anchored by regional department stores, etc. but there was no TOWN of Eden Prairie. I know because as a newcomer I drove all over the square mileage, following every sign that said Eden Prairie to no avail. Having passed it several times on these town-hunting excursions, I stopped one day at the city administrators' offices and said "Okay, I give up, where's the town of Eden Prairie?". A sweet woman in a bedazzled and adorned Halloween sweatshirt behind the reception desk looked at me like a dog who's hearing an odd sound (head atilt with a quizzical expression) and said, "there is no town...just the mall". It was the old expectations vs. reality gambit.

*** The behemoth Mall of America, Bloomington, MN - 2008

SXSW '09

From afar, well not too far...I can hear multiple bands as we speak from my perch in South Austin, but I have no idea who they are.

Biggest news: Metallica at Stubb's

My personal vote for best band name: We Were Promised Jetpacks

They're from Glasgow and after hearing a sample on their My Space page
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

I think they're kinda interesting. Drummer's weak though.

NOT Embarrassed By Our New President!

Refreshing isn't it?

I don't watch TV news and haven't since Sept. 13th 2001 -- except for a bit during the recent election and some during the starmaking turn of Anderson Coopers' coverage of Hurricane Katrina. But, I do keep up via many different online sources in the States and abroad.

I did see images and clips from Dubyas (George W. Bush) reign obviously, and so many of them seemed so very cringe-worthy, especially when he traveled. Whether in the presence of foreign heads-of-state or even a reasonably intelligent 7 year old with a better command of the English language, there was always the cringe. Those moments when, as an American, I was so completely embarrassed by our nations' "leader". His ignorance - His lack of aptitude and his poor, poor representation.

I recently saw a clip of Obama in Canada. Smiling, articulate, warm and at ease and realized: I am NOT embarrassed by him. Obvious perhaps, but as a conscious thought it was most delightful.

The return of hope is powerful in itself, but these moments of realization that someone competent represents us to the rest of the world is profoundly pleasurable.

Fiona HEWITT Link

Apologies....her product line is called Dumpling Dynasty.

The above will link you to her fabulous art site.

I am humbled.

Lil Dumplins

Copyright Fiona Lewis

Ahhh...the magic of the Dumpling Dynasty. Enjoy!

http://www.fionahewitt.com/index.htm

WIP

Tuesday - 'Tis a "work in progress"...aaaargh, the cliche!

In the meantime...checkout The Mincing Mockingbird and the other blogs I follow to the right for dashing wordplay, downright cleverness, creative fodder and a dollop of snark.

Thank you,
The Management