Happy April 1 – hope you aren’t subject to any tom foolery today!
Here’s five non-foolish things for you to chew on this week.
1. Hit Record is making a TV show! I think JGL’s Hit Record project is really cool, and it seems its growing to TV. Check this video out for more awesome details:
2. An addicting web game (that’s of the nerdy-awesome variety). Check out typeracer, an online game that lets you see how fast you type compared to others. Simple premise that sounds dull, but go on, give it a try and I dare you to tell me you didn’t have fun! Check it out here.
3. Say goodbye to food dye in KD. This seems like a worthwhile crusade.
4. Yelp Dataset Challenge.Yelp is offering the academic community the chance to play with a ton of their data in the hopes of finding some interesting insights. Super cool.
5. What several successful people were doing at 25. I loved reading this article that showcased where the likes of Martha Stewart, Richard Branson and many other successful individuals were at the age of 25. Some were kicking ass, others were miles away from where they ended up. So here’s to the young of today and their big dreams – you never know where you may end up with some hard work and effort!
This weekend was filled with friends, fun times and family. I managed to catch two different Busker acts, and although I always love to see more, getting to see the People’s Choice Award, Victor Rubliar was awesome. He’s a hilarious comedian / stunt man who works with 5 soccer balls. And, the best part – he did his show with 110% enthusiasm in the pouring rain.
Here’s five fresh things for this week:
1. Real Actors read Yelp Reviews. I love Yelp, and I think these clips are hilarious! Hope to see more of them, and I also hope that some more 4-star reviews come through, maybe with a really over the top execution. Who doesn’t love exuberance?
2. Infographic: How the poor spend their money vs. the middle class. Interesting to compare the relative %’s on various categories. Check out the short analysis at the end of the article for some additional perspective.
3. Bicycles are major cool, according to Vogue. In a recent online article, the magazine matched fashion with some very slick-looking bicycles. Check all 8 looks out here. The one below is my favorite!
4. Italian = English? There are so many things I love about this music video. The hair, the sets, the dancing – it’s hysterical. But, the whole point is to have Italian gibberish sound like English! Neat. I guess it’s kind of what we sound like to Italians?
From the offices of the now-defunct but at one time Houston-based Tiger Oil Company come a total of 22 enormously entertaining memos; all sent by, or on behalf of, the firm’s incredibly amusing, painfully tactless, and seemingly constantly angry CEO — Edward ‘Tiger Mike’ Davis — to his staff. Little is known about the man himself (some background can be gleaned here) and in 1980 his company filed for bankruptcy, however some years ago his inter-office communications thankfully appeared online for all to see.
1. [place] Smiling Goat Organic Espresso Bar. The yelpers got together on Friday night to learn about coffee with proprietor Geoffrey Creighton at the Smiling Goat. It was so cool to learn more about the brewing process and actually understand how various ways of brewing coffee change the taste, consistency and caffeine levels of the bean. We tasted one coffee four different ways – all fascinatingly tasty. I really enjoyed the espresso, but folks, you just have to try their organic milk macchiato.
2. [music] Sheezer. I haven’t been spending many nights out on the town lately, but I had a blast losing my voice at the Seahorse on Friday night. Sheezer is this crazy awesome all-girl Weezer tribute band and they rocked it. Also, one of the ladies in the group was seriously pregnant and was playing and singing, pregnant belly and all- how crazy is that?! Overall it was a total hipster scene, but whatever, I enjoyed it.
3. [article] Can a man and woman really be friends? I read this article on the NY Times this week, and it really put the age-old question of man+woman friendship in a new light for me. I guess I’ve never really thought about the historical context, only how I’ve personally perceived my own inter-personal relationships. I think it’s possible, but the article seems to think it’s still a touchy topic. What do you think?
4. [article] Salesman tactic alert.Recent Canadian research shows that consumers will increase their purchase when sales people are able to relate or identify with consumers. Finding commonalities with customers can make them more likely to purchase. Fascinating!
5. Henry 2, Paw de deux. This one is for the cat lovers. Just watch:
1. March is my money month. I have a testy relationship with money. Since this is a prime tax filing month, let’s talk money this month, each and every thursday, shall we? Stay tuned for tips on tax filing, how to make a small budget stretch and the juxtaposition of living solo in a small space while paying down those god-awful student loans. As I proved earlier this year with my 20-something life quiz, I could use a review of my personal financial outlook so hopefully this will be both introspective and revealing.
2. [book] Room by Emma Donague. If you are looking for a satisfying good book, I implore you to read ROOM. I had seen this on the bookstore shelves, and it was definitely intriguing, so when I entered the local library and immediately saw it on the display shelf, I took it home and soon devoured it. The story focuses on a woman who’s a victim of kidnap and rape, having been held captive for 7 years. The story is told through the revealing eyes of her five-year old son who was conceived, birthed and lives in Room with his mother. It was a chilling read that will keep you turning the pages.
3. [movie] Monsieur Lazhar. Saw this at the Oxford Theatre this past week with a couple of Yelp friends. Going in, I was more prepared for the fact that it was subtitled, but I completely got lost in the film, forgetting entirely that I had to put effort into reading the subtitles. It was a heartfelt and emotional movie that dealt with tough issues, and is one that I think is definitely worth watching.
4. [article] Picky online daters? The Globe and Mail published this article on the fact that racism seems to be showing through on online dating sites. Is it okay? And, is that really a form of racism, or is it people trying to find people like them in a crass and ignorant way? Either way, It’s for sure weird.
5. [things] IKEA has new items coming soon! Ooooh how I love IKEA. Since I’m not within a short distance of 1 or 2 hours to an IKEA store, I have to get my IKEA fix by dreaming of a larger space to decorate and furnish and by browsing the online catalogue. Lucky for me, Poppytalk featured some of the new products that are set to debut shortly. My favourite is this kitchen cart. I already know exactly where it would fit in my house. Maybe My Box Buyer can help me out?
Oh hey, February. You’re here already? Good thing you’re one day longer this time around.
Thanks for the love around my 20-somethings quiz. I like hearing your thoughts, so if you’ve commented, sent a note or told me in person what you think, thanks! Please keep the feedback coming.
Here’s what’s cool this week:
1.It’s officially the month of luuuuve. So in thematic honour, my Thursday posts will be celebrating things related to love. Let’s hope it’s not just a summary of the bad/strange/awkward dates I’ve been on. Stay tuned!
Aw, love!
2. Being Elite. I’m a proud Yelp.caElite member, and that means I get access to some sweet perks here in Halifax. Most recently, I was invited to a Vegan Cheesecake tasting at a new(ish) Cheesecakery, Sweet Hereafter, and got to test run five vegan cheesecakes. I’m about 98% dairy-free and gluten-free, so knowing tasty belly-friendly dessert treats are within my reach is awesome. And, Yelp events are pretty awesome. The people are great, the businesses are cool; what more could you want?
Michelle Doucette's Photos of Vegan Variety Night
3. Super Bowl Ads underwhelm. I don’t know a stitch about football even though I attended a few of the homecoming games throughout university. I don’t really care for football, nor do I begin to understand what’s going on on the field. It’s not my thing. I do, however, love seeing the Super Bowl ads, and since I’m no longer working for an agency, today I’ll be missing out on the hyped discussion on what was cool and what wasn’t. For the record, the only one I really liked was the Honda’s CR-V Ad, “Matthew’s Day Off”. Classic. (I suppose the Budweiser Port Credit Ad did give me a few warm fuzzy feelings, but I’m not the target and I’m not going to buy their brand, so whatever.)
4. Bananagrams.I have a new “board game” like. My brother gave me a set of Bananagram tiles for Christmas, and it’s a ton of fun. It’s like scrabble but the players are more independent. Totally portable, too. Coincidentally, I Love Charts posted this image this week:
Scrabble vs. Bananagrams
5. Time Management. Time management has always been cool in my books and I think everyone can do a better job at being effective with their time, energy, and resources. I’ve been using the Pomodoro technique lately, and this website has a great little timer to keep you on track in blocks of 30 minutes. Start the timer, begin your task, and in 25 minutes (with no distractions, I might add) it’ll ring, you’ll take a 5 minute break, and then repeat with a new task. If you can get into the habit, it can be highly effective. (I’m using it right now to write this post!)
