the obsessive imagist | art, design, life: school

THE ARTIST SPEAKS

DR., DR., GIVE ME THE NEWS . . .

I can't believe it has already been nearly two months since my last post—by far the longest gap between updates since I started this blog over seven years ago. I am sorry! But I promise it's been for a good reason . . .Because, guess what, you guys! I am delighted to say that my life has drastically improved since the last post. Not only am I feeling better health-wise, but I am also very proud to report that I have completed my doctoral studies and am now officially a "doctor" of art history (this is basically how I feel, #ballinouttacontrol). I have also recently started a new job as a fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (just voted the number one museum in the world, cough, blatant humble brag, cough cough). Lots of changes that have been in the works for a long time, but ones which feel so amazingly good to finally see come to fruition.So, moral of the story: I managed to tough it out through some really stressful times this summer and am feeling like—after nearly seven years of grad school!—I now get to watch some of my hard work, dedication and just plain academic stubbornness pay off. If the last post was a pep talk for myself, this is a pep talk for you (channeling this guy): you can do it! Just keep going, even on the hardest days—heck, especially on the hardest days—because you never know what you can accomplish! I bet it's a lot more than you think.I am hoping to get back into the swing of things will regular posts shortly, but in the meantime I will leave you to enjoy the first day of fall!

OFF THE WALL: INSPIRATIONAL WALLPAPER

Hi, there. I realize it has been ages since I last posted but, to be honest, social media has been the last thing on my mind recently. Normally I try to keep things really light on here (it is a blog about things that make me happy after all), but recently I haven't been feeling very sunny so I have kept quiet until I felt up to the task of being the obsessive, colorful person you have come to know.

It's been a tough year for the hubby and me. (Note: I have the best person by my side I could ask for; nothing like a few dozen crises to make you realize how much you can't live without someone.) We have faced a lot of professional challenges this year that have tested our fortitude, self-assurance and conviction. I am proud to say that we have both come out on top and are each looking forward to starting new exciting jobs in the very near future. For me, however, that means an insane push to the finish line with my dissertation, a push that has been incredibly stressful, a bit chaotic, and largely overwhelming. I am continuing to move forward and check things off my to do list, but sometimes it is hard to keep from getting knocked out by the tidal wave of work left to do in a very short amount of time.

On top of that I have been facing some upsetting health issues for the past several weeks that have really thrown me (and the hubby) for a loop. It's been hard to work through them (in fact, I am still working through them) and manage to stay productive and upbeat. Some days, hey sometimes most days, I just want to curl up at home with a Netflix marathon and pretend nothing's happening, nothing is on my to do list, no major life changes are barreling down on me.

But that only works for so long, right?

So I am checking in today—possibly one of the few times for the rest of the summer—to give myself (and you, by association) a public pep talk. Life stinks sometimes. It's messy and painful and stressful and—worst of all—often completely out of your control (remember the obsessive part of my title?). But giving up will get you nowhere and its how you handle the tough parts of life that define who you are and help you be grateful for the countless things in life that are good (and I have so many things to be grateful for on that end). So today's 'Off the Wall' desktop download is a quote by William Shakespeare. I am going to put it on my computer for the next several weeks and use it as a mantra as I work to get healthy and work to get this dissertation done. Because we all need a little reminder of what we are capable of now and then, don't you think?

Thanks for reading this update. If you want to download the wallpaper (for free) you can do so here:

OFF THE WALL | BOLDNESS BE MY FRIEND

Have a great week!

30 IS THE NEW 20

Sorry for the radio silence folks—things have gotten busy on my end! I have been doing a bunch of VIP events for Jo Malone's new spring line, working on the next chapter of my dissertation, presenting at a conference last week and . . . drumroll please . . . turning thirty! (Insert collective gasps of shock/surprise here).Yup, the big 3-0! I have to say that I am a tiny bit overwhelmed by it (Am I really that much of an adult?) but also excited. There are lots of really good, big time things happening in my life this year and I am trying to approach this new decade with enthusiasm, pride, handwork, and, of course, a whole lot of celebration. This weekend I am throwing myself a small party and I can't wait to share the theme (it's a good one!) and all the cool DIY projects I have put together to make it feel as momentous as turning thirty seems to be.I promise to get back to regular posting ASAP. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying this lovely spring weather!p.s. Quote above stolen from the the fabulous '30 Something' by Jay-Z.

BEHIND THE SCENES: THE (NOT SO) SECRET LIFE OF THE OBSESSIVE IMAGIST

I had a little panic attack this morning when I opened my computer and saw the date. December 12th! What?!! How are we halfway through December already? I feel like 2015 is stalking us like a lion in the Serengeti. Wasn't it only yesterday that we were preparing for Halloween?

All of this panic sent me into the typical tizzy of an a classic overachiever, leaving me thinking, what have I done with myself over all this time? Well, it turns out that when time flies is usually not because you are having fun, but because you are busy as all get out. This fall, while not making as much progress on my dissertation as I would like, I still managed to submit several (labor intensive) fellowship applications, write essays for a professor's amazing new book, interview two very cool artists for my dissertation research (this guy and this lady!), help curate this show and put together its catalog and probably some other things I can't remember. So, you know what, dear readers, let's all take a moment every once in a while to give ourselves a break! We work hard. We get things done. And though you may never check off all the items on your 'to do list' in one day/week/month, you are still making a difference. You are still moving forward (just keep swimming!). And that's what matters.

Don't you feel better now about 2014 winding down?

But, I do realize that this blog is supposed to be about art and design and eye candy and not so much about me blathering on about work. So here are a couple of instagram shots I took this fall of fun things I did to take my mind off of the stress of school/work/life. Hope you like them!

above | Over Thanksgiving I checked out the newly renovated Harvard Art Museums. The building is beautiful. The collection is amazing. The conservation studio is to die for. I highly recommend you head over there yourself.

Plus they have a crazy awesome organization system for pigments and restoration materials. It took all my strength not to break into this private room and drool all over those gorgeous cabinets and rainbow colors . . .

above | I like to relieve stress by baking. For Thanksgiving I made apple pie and cheddar sage biscuits. They were tasty. That is all.

above | Last week I had the privilege of doing a little side project under the guise of my calligraphy business: The Wright Hand. I promised not to spill the beans about the client's identity (Sorry!) but let's just say that I addressed 400 beautiful holiday cards for a luxury beauty company.*

not pictured but still cool! | In other random crafty news, I am also hosting a holiday crafting event tomorrow at the wonderful Jo Malone store on Bleecker Street! We will be making holiday baubles from 12pm - 6pm. Stop on by and see me!

above | My fabulous family friend, Andrew*, set me up with some sweet tech recently (hooray for new computers!) and as I thank you I used the opportunity to send over a little holiday care package (tips for making your own here). I somehow managed to resist eating all the goodies—including chocolate peanut butter fudge and chocolate chip cookies with sea salt—before sending them off. Heroic restraint, I know.

And that's pretty much it! I am looking forward to some serious Christmas celebrations in the coming weeks and kicking 2015 off right. In the meantime, no more debbie downer stuff.

As always, you can follow all my exploits on Instagram here. I would love to follow you too, so drop me a line with your info and I will get on it! Until then, Happy Friday and Happy Holidays!

*I have removed parts of the addresses on these mailings for the privacy of the recipients.

LOW BATTERY: BIG HERO SIX

Geez, this month has been crazy! This week is literally the first week since the beginning of October that I don't have two to three deadlines on the imminent horizon. I am beat!

As a little treat—and to help recharge my low battery—I went to see Big Hero Six yesterday with my hubby and some friends. It was great! Very well done all around, even though it is typical Disney with some very teary parts thrown in for good measure. I highly recommend you see it; it's fun for all ages. (This scene, for instance, had the adults in the theater absolutely dying with laughter.)

Meanwhile, if you need me I will be lazing about in my pajamas today, taking a break from the real world for a little while longer. :)

EXPAND//FOLD//COLLAPSE//SCULPTURES BY MARTA CHILINDRON

Big news, folks! I have spent the last several months working like crazy with my dear friend Susanna on an exhibition of work by Marta Chilindron and it opens TONIGHT! Her colorful, geometric, manipulable sculptures are seriously amazing and we are so excited to showcase them in the gorgeous Great Hall space at the Institute of Fine Arts.

If you are in New York City tonight the opening starts at 6pm, but the show runs until December 5th. If you can't make it in person, you can always check out the interactive e-catalogue we published (embedded above, also available here), co-written by Susanna and I and designed by yours truly. And check out the super cool preview video our webmaster and social media guru Jason Varone put together for us below. Hope to see you tonight!

Already in love with Marta's work? Me too! Find out more about her (and see more video demonstrations) on her artist's gallery page here.

(All images courtesy of Cecilia de Torres, Ltd. Top to bottom: Artist with Hexagon Spiral, 2013; Convertible Circle, 2009-2014; Ring, 2013)

COLORFUL CHAOS

Guys! Guys! Remember me? Yeah, with the state of my brain right now I barely remember myself. This month I have about 5,000 pressing school deadlines (a lecture, fellowship applications, catalogue essays, editing and designing another catalogue, plus a draft of my second chapter! phew, I'm tired just typing all that out!) and my life feels like a beehive with so many thoughts buzzing around I am starting to feel a little dizzy.

But I am pushing through! And you know what, when life gets this busy the very act of checking things off your list (especially when you are proud of the results) feels so good. And you know what else is good? This super fabulous fabric installation in Tokyo by French architect and designer Emmanuelle Moureaux. I love the movement of these colorful strips as they blow in the breeze. Its what I imagine my brain looks like at this very second—full of an excited jumble of ideas that (with a little patience) will straighten themselves out. You just have to wait until the wind dies down.

Read more about the cool fabric installation, entitled 100 Colors, here.

A ROUND UP OF WORK ESSENTIALS

Phew, it's been a crazy busy start to the summer—I can't believe it's already almost July! I have now officially come down from the exhaustion (and excitement!) of finishing my first dissertation chapter and am attempting to get back into a normal routine again. I have to say, it's hard. I am feeling the pull of all sorts of creative projects (sewing pillows, picking out artwork, developing new products for the new shop) even as I am trying to stay on track with my schoolwork. With that in mind, I thought it might be cool to share some of the things I use every day to keep myself productive and on track. Join me for a tour around my desk, will you?

one — Last year for about two weeks I tried to pretend that I didn't need a paper planner anymore. I figured, I take my cell phone everywhere and use iCal all the time, I wouldn't use it, right? Ha! the simple act of making to do lists and jotting down weekly appointments in this handsome book helps me feel prepared the face the world, even when everything else seems to be falling apart. moleskine weekly planner, $21.50

two — As a lettering nerd and someone who considers note taking a very serious activity, I am certifiably obsessive about the pens I use. These super thin retractable pens are the absolute best. pilot g-2 extra fine pens, pack of 12 for $17.49

three — Speaking of pens, I have recently discovered the secret to clear, dynamic notes: multiple writing implements! What does that mean, you ask? It means for headers or text I want to emphasize I use a bolder pen and with body text or random notes I use a fine-tipped pen. Since I am obsessed with Pilot Pens, these have become a go to favorite in the bolder variety. pilot vball extra fine point, pack of 12 for $15.99

four — This may be a no brainer, but as I continue researching and writing my dissertation I have found I need to cart documents everywhere. The easiest way to do that has been to use this jump drive, which conveniently and safely stores inside itself and has a ton of memory. sandisk usb drive, 64GB for $29.99

five — Sometimes you just need to work through a thought, jotting some rough ideas down while still leaving enough room on the page to go back and highlight the important parts later. I love this notebook because each sheet is divided into two sections: a main column for normal notes and a smaller side column to mark down key themes or big ideas. Plus the orange cover is cute too! rhodia meeting notebook, $12.23

six — Let's be honest: we all make mistakes. And, if you are like me, most of the time you want to meticulously purge them from your notes. Enter this magic clickable eraser that lasts forever and removes stray marks beautifully. pentel clic eraser, $2.25

seven —You know how, when you are working on a project, you seem to accumulate random information like crazy? At least I know that when I put together a blog post or a paper, I find myself gathering links, images, videos, etc. all in a mishmosh. This internet application helps me save, organize and share all that information and is, basically, a beautifully laid out lifesaver. dropmark, free

eight — Bright colors plus perfectly-sized sticky tabs equal organizational bliss (at least for me!). Since I run through a lot of library books and notations in my line of work, I rely on these pretty puppies to keep my place or my thought. Different colors can represent different ideas or can simply help inject some rainbow love into those boring brown library covers. post-it page flags, 500 for $7

nine — A zero email inbox is pretty much impossible in my life, but at least with this handy application I can boomerang some of the most important messages back to the top when I need them most. Set a coffee date with someone a month away? This service will let you send a reminder (either to yourself or to your friend) on a particular time or date or every week/month/day for those more regular meetings. followupthen, free

ten — We all know that Google has changed the way we use the internet and Gmail has changed the way we chat/email each other, but Google Drive is the real revolutionary force in my life. I use it to store all my dissertation notes, readings, and backup drafts, which I can access anyway online or off. It's awesome! google drive, free for entry level plan

That's it! Now you know all my secrets! What do you think? Any useful tools I missed?

p.s. Need to get organized? Check out my other tips (plus free downloads) here.

BECAUSE I'M HAPPY!

Guys, guys! Guess what! . . . insert drumroll here . . . I finished my first dissertation chapter. Hooray! I am very happy to report that I now have 59 pages (of a likely 250, eeps!) of this massive tome in the books. After weeks of frantic writing I was delighted to finally hand off a draft to my advisor yesterday and now I will spend the whole weekend celebrating by doing nothing. Well, it's obsessive old me we're talking about here, so not quite nothing, more like lots of these fun relaxing things:

Continue reading . . .

HARD AT WORK (BEHIND THE SCENES)

I know I haven't been around much lately, but that's because I am hard at work behind the scenes! This just happens to be a crazy couple of weeks at the moment, so I hope you will bear with me while I scramble to meet a dissertation deadline, prepare for a research trip next week, do some home improvement projects at my parent's house, and address some wedding envelopes for a friend. Phew, I am tired just thinking about all that!

In the meantime, I highly recommend perusing the archives (at right and below) for some back-in-time inspiration. Thanks!

GOOD THINGS: WEEKEND RECAP

Hi friends! How are you? How was your weekend? I had a lovely weekend and am happy to report that this week is shaping up to be pretty good too! If it's cool with you, I would like to gush a little bit about some fun things that have happened recently.

On Saturday I found out that Refinery29—the amazing fashion and lifestyle website—did a fabulous feature on our wedding! You may remember the post Martha Stewart Weddings did about it in February; being included on Refinery29 too is a dream come true!

The hubby and I also spent the weekend in Durham, North Carolina for the wedding of two very dear friends. We spent hours and hours wandering through the lush Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the Duke University campus. It's in full spring bloom right now and was spectacularly fragrantly floral.

We also ate ourselves silly in true southern style: fried chicken and sweet potato waffles with herbed mac and cheese at Dame's, blue cheese bacon burgers at Only Burger, and strawberry rhubarb ice cream sandwiches with chocolate fudge cookies at Parlour. Needless to say we practically had to roll ourselves home!

The wedding itself, of course, was beautiful. Set in the Duke Gardens, it was blessed with beautiful weather, great company, tasty food and gorgeous decorations. Plus an adorably happy couple! Congrats Susie and Curt!

Thankfully we also had an incredibly easy return trip to New York that culminated in this breathtaking view of Manhattan as we began the descent into LaGuardia. It felt like we were in a helicopter filming a panoramic movie shot! Definitely the coolest airplane landing I have ever experienced!Last but not least I got a lot of great professional news this weekend too! I found out my sis-in-law just got offered an insanely prestigious position for next year. I can't tell you the details but let's just say that she is one smart cookie! Congrats Kate!Also I just found out that I have been selected to co-curate two exhibitions through this program next year (with one of my best friends!). As a budding curator-to-be I am very excited for this incredible opportunity to show off my skills and get some experience under my belt. Can't wait to get started!So, all in all, things are good on my front. I hope they are with you too. I have a major school deadline in the next two weeks—a chapter draft of my dissertation is due at the end of the month—so please bear with me if I am a little radio silent for a while. I will just be working hard and staying happy; that's all you can ask for, right?

DAYDREAMING OF SUNSHINE AND BEACHES

Remember me? I am not sure how it happened but it's been a week since I have posted! What?! I spent the whole thing in a crazy work haze staying up all hours preparing for a lecture I gave at a symposium on Friday. Luckily the presentation went off without a hitch and I was able to spend the weekend contentedly relaxing with family and friends. I am finally feeling back to normal today and ready to rejoin the blogosphere!But you know what I am not ready to do? Succumb to the dreary rainy weather here today. Instead, I will be daydreaming about the gorgeous sunsets I witnessed (and photographed) on my trip to Hawaii two weeks ago (above). Sigh. Is it beach weather yet?
p.s. These photos aren't edited at all! The sky is really just that beautiful in Oahu!

LET'S GET CREATIVE

Have you guys heard of Creative Mornings? I have written about it a couple times before (see here), but I was feeling in dire need of a jolt of inspiration yesterday and—without fail—the Creative Mornings site delivered big time. I mean, look at that homepage! It's like a perfect venn diagram of my obsession with bright colors and maps. Drool!

Besides being beautifully designed in and of itself, the Creative Mornings website also hosts an incredible archive of all their previous talks, now taking place in 71 (!) cities around the world. Since I will be giving a presentation on the first chapter of my dissertation next month at this fabulous design-focused symposium, I think it only proper to brush up on my public speaking skills by watching some of the masters at work in the Creative Mornings spotlight. In case you want some presentation pointers too, or are just in the mood for some good advice and a few laughs, check out the videos below. You won't regret it!

I loved Debbie Milman's talk when I saw it in person way back in 2011. I loved it even more when I rewatched it this week. Her advice here is both thoughtfully considered and amicably delivered—the whole presentation feels like an uplifting pep talk from a parent or friend.

This talk, by MailChimp founder Ben Chestnut, was the only one of my three picks today that I didn't get to see in person (it took place in Atlanta in December 2011). But it is absolutely hilarious in the way that a brilliant but rather crass friend can be—there is a common recurrence of a middle finger icon in the talk at very funny intervals—and is all the most inspirational for it. I can't recommend it enough. And I now I funny understand the MailChimp radio ads that say they make hats for small dogs and cats!

Last, but definitely not least, is this belly-laugh-, drool-, and awe-inducing talk by Christoph Niemann (who I have extolled on many occasions before, see here). His illustrations and masterful creativity never ceases to amaze me and this short and sweet presentation will show you why. I shared before and I have to share it again—it's that good.

See more of creative goodness at Creative Mornings here.

HAPPY 2014! GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Hello friends! Happy New Year! Did you have a good holiday? I spent a week and a half hanging out with my family, eating too much, lounging by the fire and all around making merry. Not a bad vacation I would say! I have a couple pretty photos of my activities to share with you in the coming days, but until then I wanted to take care of an important early 2014 activity . . . Writing New Year's resolutions (or revolutions, ha!).Groan, right?Well, not necessarily. Normally I don't make resolutions at the start of the year because I find them hard to keep and usually overly critical of ourselves (think about it: the average resolution basically says we are too fat, too tired, too boring, etc. when we are all just trying to do our best!). Instead I am putting together a goal list which, semantically speaking, seems like a more positive approach all around. So here is my list of goals for 2014—things I want to keep I mind to help me be my best, kindest, most productive and happy self. . .
one | WORK SMARTERWe all do it. In any given day I have so many things on my to do list that I find myself endlessly multi-tasking or getting distracted by minor issues (I spent several hours the other day trying to track down a New York City phone book from 1965 for my dissertation, to no avail. It was a true 'rabbit hole' project that sucked up my afternoon and made me want to reassess how I was spending my days). This year I want to endeavor to work smarter, focusing closely on a given task and getting it done efficiently and effectively (using this method has helped me a lot; as has making accomplishment lists with this app). This especially goes for working on my dissertation—which needs nearly all my energy this year—but also accounts for maintaining a work-life balance. If I work smarter on my school-related tasks, I will be able to better focus on spending quality time with friends and family.
two | PLAY HARDERWhich brings me to number two. Being an only child, I often find myself falling into the abyss of self-sufficiency. I can go weeks without seeing my dear friends or spending an evening on the town. This year I want to prioritize my friends and family more, setting aside time regularly to see and catch up with all my favorite people. Just say no to be a hermit!
three | STIR IT UPThere was a time a couple years ago when my husband had a slightly less crazy job and we were actually managing to have 'family' dinners together frequently on weeknights. During that time I made it a priority to make a big home-cooked meal several times a week. These days, having dinner mostly on my own, I find myself shirking a proper evening meal for snacks or random frozen foods. I love cooking (and would like to think cooking loves me!) and want to try to make at least one or two 'nice' dinners a week. That shouldn't be too hard, right?
four | GET LOSTI live in one of the most vibrant, exciting and busy cities in the world but I don't take advantage of it! I find myself stuck in the library or my apartment studying (see #2) and more often than not learn about the cool new exhibition/show/restaurant/pop up shop long after it's over/closed/uncool. If I am going to live in NYC I should take advantage of it, no? So this year I want to hit the town more. Go exploring. Get lost and discover a new neighborhood/cafe/park/store. Otherwise I will regret not doing this in the future when I live in a boring suburban town, right? :)
five | BE KINDIn keeping my accomplishment list (see #1), I have started adding a daily addendum: a random act of kindness. I would like to think of myself as a nice, thoughtful person but it can't hurt to try to do more. This year I want to reach out to friends with random little surprises (see #2) like care packages when they are sick, funny emails when they are feeling down or just a random call to say hello. This goes for strangers too; New York so often has the reputation for being unfriendly or downright rude so each day I try to hold the door open for someone, pick up something they dropped or offer them my place in line to help counter that (erroneous!) rap. Be nice—it's contagious.
six | GO BOLDWe all have moments of doubt: can I really do this? Am I qualified? Is it going to be an epic fail? Whether it's a new blog feature, reaching out to a colleague you admire for advice/mentorship or simply starting a new project you've been thinking about, I say go for it! This year I am going to interview a ton of really famous artists for my dissertation (Lynda Benglis, Yoko Ono, Ed Ruscha and more) and I am going to be brave and bold and leave them thinking that I am bright and will represent their work thoughtfully and thoroughly. I am also going to re-learn calligraphy, make a quilt (like this one) and master trapeze sailing on our new boat. What crazy new things will you take on this year?
seven | JUST DO YOULast but definitely not least: I want to just be me. We all spend so much time thinking, if I could only be a little bit skinnier or look a bit more like that model/actress/athlete or be a bit richer then life would be better. What we don't think about is all the awesome things we already have going for us (brains, health, family and friends, etc.). This year I am going to focus on my blessings and try not to compare myself to the other people out there—bloggers who seem to make every post perfectly pin-able, friends who travel to exotic locales every other week, classmates who have five jobs and write a million articles at the same time. This year I channeling my inner two year old and focusing on myself. :)
What are your goals for 2014? I would love to hear them in the comments! Let's support each other and make this year one to remember.

BACK TO SCHOOL ROUNDUP

I don't know about you guys, but I am majorly in back to school mode. I spent much of the summer relaxing and doing fun things (like planning my Dad's 70th birthday party this weekend!) but now that fall is setting in I am ready to be all business again (no not this business time!). With the start of the semester I am in full swing with my dissertation research and thought I would round up some fun school supplies that are guaranteed to brighten up any desk this fall and, more importantly, keep that momentum going!

one | bright ideas pocket notebook, helloquiettiger, $5

two | le pen, uchida, $1.69 each

three | scotch precision ultra edge scissors, amazon, $8.99

four | bigso desktop stockholm file storage, the container store, $19.99

five | 2013 tissue calendar, russell+hazel, on sale for $20

six | eight days-a-week planner, bob's your uncle, $14

seven | semicolon sticky page markers, see jane work, $8

eight | aqua starter set, poppin, $40

p.s. While this is a colorful, lighthearted post I am still a New Yorker and therefore want to honor the tragic events that befell my fair city (and the nation) twelve years ago. Every year, to be sure I never forget, I watch this moving story about one of the many heroes that made the ultimate sacrifice that day. Please take a moment today to stop and honor the victims and survivors of 9/11, not to mention hug your family members and be grateful for all our daily blessings.

PATRIOTIC PASTA

What a cool idea! The Australian advertising agency WHYBIN\TBWA created this smart campaign to promote the Sydney International Food Festival. It consists of popular foods from 17 different countries laid out to resemble their nation's flags. France is made with bleu cheese, brie and grapes; Greece consists of feta and olives; Japan has tuna sashimi and rice. The whole idea is simple yet well-executed—just as smart graphic design should be!

Check out more great examples here.

Still hankering for something to do over this long and potentially-rainy weekend? Here are some links to tide you over.

Four Steps to Better Photos.

I think these tips will prove useful for my trip next month.

Anthony Weiner needs more friends.

Thinking about heading up here this weekend.

This would be a lovely anniversary present.

Ununpentium—there's got to be a better name than that.

I am planning my Dad's 70th birthday party and these would be fun to have on hand!

What a useful (if nerdy) list.

I wish I had been able to see this.

Maybe this guy isn't such a dumbbell after all.

These are perfect for dinner parties, water cooler talk and networking.