If you are an Austinite, or have even visited the Violet Crown, you probably interacted with a grackle. Grackles strong-minded birds, who are not about to take backseat to people just because people are bigger and can purchase food. In fact, grackles see people as useful patsies, and I have had them literally work as […]
Upcycle Old Diskettes into Even Older Tech…a Notepad
If you used a computer in the ’90s, chances are you used floppy disks to store your files at some point. I recently came across four mystery diskettes and after getting the files off them (which took a trip to the archival team at the University of Texas at Austin Library–ha!) I wasn’t sure what […]
960 Saturdays Before Your Kid Leaves Home at 18
There I was, quasi-yawning through a parenting magazine the other night a few minutes before midnight, and the words seared in my brain. “You will only have 960 Saturdays with a newborn until they go off to college.” Only 960 Saturdays? Could it possibly be true? Well, my darling Benjamin is already five. That means […]
My Salute to Pain Au Chocolat
Or, “croissants with a bunch of yummy chocolate in the middle” if you prefer. Either way…heaven! Thankfully, they are becoming more common here in the States. I find it incredibly hard to turn down a chance to buy one, even if it’s from a chain store and not a cute bakery somewhere. A not-so-hot pain […]
Panning for Gold on the NYC Streets
This video makes me want to get out there and pan myself! Which is bat-guano level crazy, most likely. But what an interesting story! A big thanks to my main squeeze, Nick, for sharing. Good luck with the gold rush! Have you ever found a treasured freebie on the street? Hoping it’s not just a […]
Parody Song Lyrics: You’ve Got a Frenemy
So, here’s a confession. I love pretending I’m Weird Al. I love singing, and almost as much, I love purposefully butchering songs. Here’s one I came up with in the car with Nick. Don’t take it personally…it’s not about you….it’s about someone else. I pinky swear. Ahem. Sung to the tune of Randy Newman’s, “You’ve […]
Lil’ Roni: Fuzzy Gangsta Cover Star of World’s Best Pets Magazine
Okay, if you EVER wondered…which city has the most adorable pets magazine?…you may now rest your weary grey cells. It’s Tulsa, OK. What is it that makes it the most adorable? Is it that the photographer actually captured what appears to be a smile on the strawberry-gnawing cutie’s little guinea lips? Or, the fact that […]
‘Like’ & ‘Dislike’ Stamps
Make it clear why you left the random article or message on your colleague’s work desk (or just use them for easy notation on staff meeting agendas) with these fun stamps. And, with the “dislike” button, you get twice the functionality (with paper and ink) over Facebook’s own features. Just when are they going to […]
Each Day’s Proper Work
I recently re-read the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and came across this passage from Little House in the Big Woods: “Each day had it’s own proper work. Ma used to say: Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Churn on Thursday, Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday.” […]
Webster’s Pictorial Curiosities
I saw this book at the Paper Source on Wednesday, and it shall be mine – oh, yes…it shall be mine. Mind you, I didn’t buy it…yet. But it’s officially on my Amazon Wishlist. (Cough, cough. Is anyone married to me reading this? I’m just sayin’.) Not only is it a terrific book to flip […]
The Best Movie Scenes for Spring Cleaning
The world of cinema is a huge playground for the imagination, so it makes sense that we should watch a tearjerker film when we are in need of catharsis through a good cry, a romantic film when we are feeling, well, ready for romance, etc. But what about good, old-fashioned cleaning inspiration? Never fear, Freckles […]
Free Online Literary Journal — Cerise Press
I like the New Yorker (in theory) very much, especially select sections. Still, the percentage I “read” of each issue is meager at best, if I’m being honest. How is it that I have read a ton of their cartoons and poetry and so little else? It’s not that I don’t enjoy their other pieces […]