tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77085062024-03-13T08:03:40.417-07:00Smile of the Day...maybe even a laughThe Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-19805949579596409612010-03-11T21:21:00.000-08:002010-03-11T21:37:02.045-08:00Yoga dreamsI want to try Rocket Yoga, created by Larry Schultz. Check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_1UAhRXm84&feature=player_embedded">this video</a>. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any Rocket Yoga studios in Seattle.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-2226708174299410302007-11-08T22:02:00.000-08:002007-11-08T22:04:51.501-08:00CEO quotesFrom David Pogue's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2007/11/08/technology/circuitsemail/index.html">Circuits column</a> in which readers reply to his questions:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Do P.R. people really expect anyone to believe that the standard, stilted, second-paragraph C.E.O. quote was really uttered by a human being?</span><br /><br />--"No. Some PR people are quite bright. Once they write a quote, however, it has to be vetted, edited, and changed by at least six stilted, brown-nosing vice presidents and/or product managers."<br /><br />--"It <span style="font-style: italic;">wasn't</span> uttered by a human being; that's the way CEOs talk."</blockquote>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-88473124093878812322007-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:002007-10-25T10:01:37.425-07:00Loose wiresNotes from the neighbors' never-ending remodeling project:<br /><br />This morning I heard an engine revving and looked out our front window to see the the electrician's van rocketing away from the curb. Then, a screech of brakes, as the electrician's assistant stops the truck, hops out of the cab, and runs around to secure the van's rear doors, which he'd left flapping wide open.<br /><br />One of his co-workers appeared in the front door of the house, clapping slowing and sarcastically.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1150763264888896942006-06-19T17:25:00.000-07:002006-06-19T17:27:44.896-07:00Brunch guest<a href="http://www.komotv.com/stories/43997.htm">Oatmeal-eating bear in kitchen</a> surprises Vancouver, B.C., woman.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1149903356492733572006-06-09T18:28:00.000-07:002006-06-09T18:35:56.503-07:00Raccoon capersMysterious Traveler often blogs about raccoons, and this time of year her archives get quite a few hits from search engines:<br /><a href="http://themysterioustraveler.blogspot.com/2005/02/coonzilla-returns.html">Coonzilla returns</a><br /><a href="http://themysterioustraveler.blogspot.com/2005/03/here-kitty-kitty-oops.html">Here kitty, kitty -- oops</a><br /><a href="http://themysterioustraveler.blogspot.com/2005/04/more-tales-of-cat-door.html">More tales of the cat door</a><br /><a href="http://themysterioustraveler.blogspot.com/2005/05/weekend-visitor.html">Weekend visitor</a><br /><a href="http://themysterioustraveler.blogspot.com/2005/06/another-raccoon-ruckus.html">Another raccoon ruckus</a><br /><br />But here's a blog entry that tops hers -- <a href="http://www.exit109.com/~mstevens/raccoon.html">the raccoon bicycle story</a>.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1149560501417796192006-06-05T19:20:00.000-07:002006-06-05T19:21:41.440-07:00Feeling experimental?Try <a href="http://eepybird.com/dcm1.html">Diet Coke and Mentos.</a> Talk about a burst of flavor!The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1149021273914235372006-05-30T13:31:00.000-07:002006-05-30T13:36:41.976-07:00The latest wireless deviceZorg sends word of the newly patented <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FITNESS_CORDLESS_JUMP_ROPE?SITE=KING&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME">cordless jump-rope</a>. But I think it would make <a href="http://www.streetplay.com/thegames/jumprope/ddd/">Double Dutch</a> very difficult.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1148578244562087492006-05-25T10:27:00.000-07:002006-05-25T10:31:48.530-07:00Edward Gorey cats (jewelry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/1600/goreycat.0.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/200/goreycat.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>For those of you who delight in the artwork of Edward Gorey, there's the <a href="http://www.goreydetails.net/search.php?category=21">Gorey Details</a> website, with all sorts of great tschotkes, including jewelry based on his cats. Here's a picture of the "Hanging Cat" necklace.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1148363451964018082006-05-22T22:46:00.000-07:002006-05-22T22:50:51.973-07:00Laugh, then cry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/1600/No%20amnety.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/320/No%20amnety.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.therepublic.com/siteimages/featurephoto/7910.jpg">This photo</a> from The Republic newspaper was taken at <a href="http://www.therepublic.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&amp;ArticleID=97524&TM=54097.39">a May 20 Indiana rally</a> supporting making English the official language of the US.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1148245878335136782006-05-21T14:10:00.000-07:002006-05-21T14:11:18.346-07:00The Blogger's Paradox<a href="http://www.joshmillard.com/20060419_1349">The Blogger's Paradox</a> is described by Josh Millard:<br /><blockquote><br />All else being equal, if you have anything interesting to say, you're too busy to say it; and conversely, if you have time to blog, you probably have jack squat to show for it.</blockquote>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1146953836921896752006-05-06T15:12:00.000-07:002006-05-21T14:12:22.006-07:00Magic fiveEnjoy <a href="http://www.5ives.com/">Merlin's Lists of Five Things</a>, including <br /><ul><br /><li><a href="http://www.5ives.com/archives/2005/02/02/five-things-i-suspect-im-not-supposed-to-think-about-when-watching-those-bands-with-messy-hair-who-sound-like-joy-division/">Five things I suspect I'm not supposed to think about when watching those bands with messy hair who sound like Joy Division</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.5ives.com/archives/2004/04/23/five-favorite-moments-on-a-given-commercial-airline-flight/">Five favorite moments on a given commerical airline flight</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.5ives.com/archives/2002/10/10/five-tv-commercials-that-haunted-me-as-a-child/">Five TV commercials that haunted me as a child</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.5ives.com/archives/2002/10/09/five-fake-names-for-james-bond-movies/">Five terrible fake names for James Bond movies</a></li></ul><br />Comments are closed over at Merlin's but feel free to post <span style="font-style:italic;">your</span> favorite fives here in the comments section. Here's one of mine:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Five radio commercials that haunted me as a child</span><br /><ul><li>WTOP's commercial for the Moon Palace restaurant, in which a loud gong sounded with the word "moon"<li><br /><li><a href="http://obit.washburn-mcreavy.com/obit_display.cgi?id=132576&clientid=washburn-mcreavy&listing=Current">WTOP's commercial for Northwest Orient Airlines</a>, which also had a gong (between "Orient" and "airlines")</li><br /><li>The 1968 Delta Airlines commercial with the singers purring "Delta is ready when you are" (somehow, I can't imaging them using that today)</li><br /><li>A 1970s commercial for a car racetrack on Boston AM radio in which the word "speedway" echoed several times</li><br /><li>Cape Cod radio commercials that used seagull cries in the background</li></ul>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1146084129902349462006-04-26T13:37:00.000-07:002006-04-26T13:42:09.916-07:00Spock's MySpace pageDoes everyone have a page at MySpace? Apparently so. Check out <a href="http://www.myspace.com/startrek20">Spock and his shipmates</a>, especially Video 1. Video 2 is cute, too.<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/">Good Morning Silicon Valley</a>.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1145501734438877212006-04-19T19:47:00.000-07:002006-04-19T23:53:46.673-07:00Yes, we'll still have bananasNo truth to the <a href="http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/bananas.asp">rumor</a> that bananas are going to be wiped out by disease. As Zorg said, "For extreme claims, you have to do an extreme search."The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1145219138445097032006-04-16T13:24:00.000-07:002006-04-16T13:25:38.456-07:00NY loves trapped-cat stories<span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times </span>gives <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/nyregion/16cat.html?ex=1145851200&en=cc0d0ece30d26bf4&ei=5070&emc=eta1">the historical perspective</a> on the always popular tale of the trapped cat.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1145072281641330812006-04-14T20:36:00.000-07:002006-04-14T20:38:01.656-07:00Are you crazy?About cats? Find out. Take the <a href="http://www.mcphee.com/goodies/catlady.html">Crazy Cat Lady Quiz</a>.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1144984030807350792006-04-13T20:05:00.000-07:002006-04-13T20:08:41.863-07:00For the dog peopleThis <a href="http://www.dogsrulememphis.com/">doggy day care website</a> gets four paws!The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1144870358323419472006-04-12T12:30:00.000-07:002006-04-13T20:05:30.346-07:00Just in time for EasterThe <a href="http://shmivejournal.livejournal.com/125746.html">Cadbury Egg Cake</a>. It started off so well...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/1600/127465381_05542d98e1_o.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/320/127465381_05542d98e1_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1144648533086994432006-04-09T22:48:00.000-07:002006-04-09T22:55:33.110-07:00Bumper sticker of the day"Who Would Jesus Bomb?" (seen on the back of an older silver sedan in Ballard this afternoon). <br /><br />It's a thought-provoking <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/jesus_bomb">bumper sticker</a>, but particularly sobering in view of today's media reports that the Bush administration is planning an invasion of Iran with the aim of replacing the current government with a democracy. (Y'know, like they're doing in Iraq.)<br /><br />So, not exactly a smile-of-the-day. More like a grimace.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1144095592055687242006-04-03T12:48:00.000-07:002006-04-03T13:19:52.253-07:00Email to raise your eyebrowsHere's the invite for the Ad Age annual awards event. Talk about brutal reality!<BR><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/1600/london-invite2a.0.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5587/192/400/london-invite2a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1144017165226695312006-04-02T15:26:00.000-07:002006-04-02T15:32:45.236-07:00Real estate jargonThose finished basement areas with mega-TVs, black leather couches, and mini-refrigerators? A real estate woman we met told us they're referred to in the trade as "dude dens."The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1143075833793344312006-03-22T16:58:00.000-08:002006-03-22T17:03:53.806-08:00Sad but truePeople sometimes ask what made me leave the East Coast and move to Seattle 20 years ago. I usually mumble something about not liking the cynical, jaded outlook on life so pervasive in the urban East.<br /><br />In <a href="http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/2006/03/21/3q4_bragg/index.html?source=newsletter">a recent Salon interview</a>, British folk activist Billy Bragg articulates exactly what it was that got my goat and currently gets his:<br /><blockquote>A long time ago, I realized that the true enemy of those of us who wished to make a better world were not the conservatives -- neo or cultural -- nor the capitalists -- corporate or alternative -- but the cynics: Those who have given up and are trying to get everybody else to follow suit so they don't feel so bad about themselves.</blockquote>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1141847938379312682006-03-08T11:54:00.000-08:002006-03-08T12:12:07.906-08:00Flame warriorsWhat type of Flame Warrior are you?<br /><br />I love <a href="http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/">Silicon Valley Today</a>, which today pointed readers to this hilarious taxonomy of classic online bullies and bozos, describing several dozen types of <a href="http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/index.htm">Flame Warriors</a>. This humorous is site several cuts above the usual online cleverness, thanks to professional illustration similar to that of Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist David Horsey.<br /><br />The "Bliss Ninny"? The "Blowhard"? The cringe-inducing "Yuk Yuk"? I've met them all. I like to think of myself as the "<a href="http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/bigcat.htm">Big Cat</a>."The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1141672343792419572006-03-06T11:08:00.000-08:002006-03-06T11:12:26.470-08:00The Oscars, Jon Stewart styleIn case you skipped the Hollywood bloviating last night, this will give you an idea of <a href="http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/media/2006/03/05/oscar_highlight/index.html">Jon Stewart's hosting</a>.The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1140755223393968072006-02-23T20:24:00.000-08:002006-02-23T20:27:03.403-08:00The hills are alive with the sound of music"What's on your iPod?" <a href="http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2006/02/i_blogged_a_whi.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Whoosh!</span></a>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708506.post-1140565764396045422006-02-21T15:46:00.000-08:002006-02-21T15:49:24.406-08:00Just the right wordsMark Kleiman posts <a href="http://www.samefacts.com/archives/lying_in_politics_/2006/02/entries_from_the_republicanenglish_dictionary.php">entries from The Republican-English Dictionary. </a><br /><br />Sample entry:<br /><blockquote>*God/ n./* Senior presidential adviser</blockquote>The Mysterious Travelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688661614993071938noreply@blogger.com0