Having a child, one quickly learns about child car seats (we were not allowed to leave the hospital without a car seat approved by the hospital) and safe travel with your child..."rear-facing", "forward-facing", "ball-in-the-green-zone", etc. At a certain age and weight, our son will graduate to some sort of "booster seat". And until he is 12, he's not even allowed to ride in the front seat (I don't think).
What was legal 25 years ago (and not considered scary or unsafe) would probably send one to jail today, however. One of my fondest memories of family travel when I was growing up was riding down the highway with my two younger brothers in the back of my dad's pick-up truck sitting on a metal bench seat pushed against the back. The seat was as high as the sides of the truck and there was nothing restraining us to the seat or the seat to the truck, either. Thank goodness my dad was a good driver.
I sure had fun riding that way, and am glad that I have memories of it, but there is no way I would ever do that again! The thought of my son riding that way sends a shiver down my spine.
Due to the observance of Summer hours at GUTSY headquarters, we did not publish a digest last week. We suspect until Fall, this might continue to be the norm. Without further pause here are the two-week super-duper highlights.
During the first week, Mark Sanders got something for nothing. Pete Hofmann received an icey stare when he mimed good hygiene and Sandie Maxa needed more than a t-shirt slogan to get to know someone. Guido Alvarez wanted to be a fish while Heather Manske craved the taste of a truly fresh fish.
This past week Paul Pereira ate exotically in Brooklyn. Ann Whitehurst learned to knit and preferred to shop alone. Evan Mann showed a video of life in the future while Guido Alvarez wondered about his future. Mark Sanders went in for another haircut and warned about a macabre bird feeder. David Steadman showed his true colors and last but not least Sandie Maxa has a twin who is not her clone.
Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.
A few weeks back, I returned to our Queens apartment with my wife and visiting Mom to discover that an anonymous critter had dug out the middle impatiens from our modest window box. As we replanted what we could my Mom suggested, "Put a plastic fork in there to keep the squirrels from digging." Well, you can see how well that has worked. But this was hardly the first time my Mom had ventured into battle with these nut hiding, birdfeeder pillaging fiends.
Ever wonder what it's like to be a twin? I can tell you that it's cool to grow up with someone who's the same age and has similar interests. I can tell you that we sometimes meet for breakfast wearing the same color and type of shirt, but insist on changing to avoid looking too twinny. I can tell you that we look alike but that you wouldn't notice the things about us that are most similar (we have cavities in the same teeth and matching moles on our arms). I can tell you that the most unusual thing about us is that we're called "mirror twins" because I am left-handed with supposedly right-brain tendancies and my sister is right-handed with supposedly left-brain tendancies. While I think all this is great, I'm pretty sure we won't be getting a call to audition as the next Doublemint Twins.
I'm sorry to be so Dutch-centric, but some amazing things are coming from the Netherlands these days. "Grafisch Nederland 2005 - Kleur/Colour," designed by Irma Boom, is a monumental achievement in the art of bookmaking. It's probably one of the most remarkable pieces of printed matter I've seen.
The recent Pantomime My Ass entry made me think of another social situation that is always a little uncomfortable and annoying:
When you run into someone you know in the grocery store, spend a few minutes talking, say goodbye, go on your way shopping, then run into them somewhere else in the store. What do you say? I usually try to pretend like I don't see them, unless they are going along a similar shopping path, in which case I have to say something else to them. Usually as long as I don't catch their eye, I don't worry about whether or not they're onto me. I usually like to shop in peace and keep to myself, so unless I run into a really good friend, I prefer to not run into that person again on the same trip.
Anyone else have a similar take on this?
Last Haircut: 7 weeks ago
Day of Week: Monday
Time of Day: Lunch
Salon Bustle: Low
Stylist Demeanor: Defeated
Physical Contact: Low (appropriate for service rendered)
Quotes from Stylist: "Do my fingers feel warmer now?" "I'm sorry, I must drink some coffee." "Don't use too much air freshener."
Tip: $5.00
This past week I learned how to knit. I have always been impressed with handknit items that have been given to me, especially a little hooded sweater given to my son this past winter. So I decided to take up a friend's offer to teach me how to do it. After a lesson a couple weeks ago and purchasing a couple how-to and pattern books, I have made 2 hats so far. I was surprised at how easy it is to make some really cool things knowing just a couple basic stitches. Sure...there are lots of fancy techniques out there, but you can easily make a cool ribbed hat in a couple/few days. I had fun going into a yarn shop and picking out yarn for my next project. My plan is to make a lot of Christmas presents this year.
Last night a bunch of us headed into a mysterious place in a foreign land and had an amazing adventure searching for exotic food...
Last night I came across an interesting article in New York Magazine. After reading the cover story about the insanity of celebrity culture, I turned the page to learn about the relative insanity of the New York City fish trade.
Keeping T-Shirts in the Moment, an article in today's New York Times profiles the mini companies who make and sell limited edition t-shirts to hipsters (usually on-line). The article profiles several entrepreneurs, from unknown artists who use t-shirts as a blank canvas for their work to frustrated graphic designers longing to restore authenticity to a t-shirt market polluted by fake vintage designs. And I agree, long live indie t-shirts... until I read about the Hollywood actresses who started the company Just Dumped Inc.
It takes a lot more work these days to get anything for free. From mail-in rebates, to buy-one-get-one schemes, to placing oneself in the just right place at just the right time, it's ever harder to get something for nothing. Which brings me to this question: what is the greatest length you have gone to get an item or service for free?
To start, this is how far I am willing to go for a freebie and alternately just how little it can take.
How are we supposed to conduct ourselves when it comes to acquaintances? I have learned some valuable lessons in my time when it comes to dealing with people I hardly know. Like when and how to say hello and goodbye and what small talk is. Some other lessons follow.
1. I am not as funny as I would like to think I am
2. I probably shouldn't do it
3. A lot of people don't think baby wipes are all that funny.
Vacations, visitors, work and a lot of other things have conspired against a truly weekly digest from GUTSY. So now we are pleased to present a comprehensive list of everything that has been shared on GUTSY in the last three weeks.
By the way, did you know you can have this list automatically sent to your inbox most Friday afternoons? Just enter your email address into the text box on the upper left side of the GUTSY homepage (or click here) and follow the instructions after you hit the 'submit' button.
A band of volunteers self-dubbed as "Minutemen" is patrolling the border between the US and Mexico, reporting illegal immigrants to the authorities. To call these vigilantes "Minutemen" is a misnomer: their cause is far less noble.
For the first time in a few years, we've had a good crop of tomatoes. Last year the squirrels would pluck off the green ones, take a few bites, and toss them aside, which really pissed me off. But this year, we've been lucky.
I think I'm going to make some salsa tonight...yum.
Just wanted to tell all Londoners that we're thinking of you and praying for you during this terrible time. We here in New York City and in the U.S. stand with and support you.
Thursday's front page article in the New York Times supplement, Marketplace titled "But Can You Handle the Olive Pits?" reveals that "the lack of formal dining knowledge seems especially acute in Generation Y - generally considered anyone born after 1980." The story went on to say that colleges were solving this problem by holding dining etiquette classes for their students in an effort to give them an edge during interviews and business meetings that occur over lunch.
