photo by China Foto Press

As I did last year, I am posting some of the highlights of the past year. Best wishes to all Gutsy readers in 2007!

As the Fall leaves start to change, we welcome six new colorful articles from our GUTSY authors.

Mark Sanders paid tribute to photographer Minor White, while Paul Pereira shared idyllic images from a recent trip to Spain. Joanna Smith shared her love for raspberries while Ann Whitehurst questioned her appetite for Snickers Salad. And Sandie Maxa checked out amateurs at the Apollo while Guido Alvarez asked for help checking a box on the Ecuadorian ballot.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

And as quickly as it started Summer has begun to wane. Many apologies for not providing a Digest in too long a time. Perhaps the lazy days of Summer were a little too relaxed. No matter, much has been collected on GUTSY since you last heard from us.

Our newest contributor Joanna Smith introduced us to "shavasana" and "kabobs" while Heather Manske knows a man who can really cook. Sandie Maxa happily rediscovered a classic while Paul Pereira decided he would rather rent this Meryl Streep performance. Mark Sanders saw no need to relive the World Trade Center disaster, also had good and bad weather on vacation and knew where to find a llama, emu, camel and seagull. Ann Whitehurst was victimized by some clever product placement at Target.

As part of the first GUTSY group project, several of our contributors introduced us to their workplaces. Have a look at Paul Pereira's, Sandie Maxa's, Rusty Mitchell's, Alice Marie's and Ann Whitehurst's.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

We celebrated a GUTSY milestone this past weekend – our one year anniversary. With nearly 300 entries and over 850 comments this is quite an accomplishment. We are looking forward to the next year as we roll out new features, new authors and maybe even some GUTSY products. In the meantime, take a look at what our authors have been up to since we last checked in.

Paul Pereira explored the ever-expanding world of toddler psychedelia while Ann Whitehurst presented the before and the after of child birth. Alice Marie saw middle-America desolation and an unusual source of community pride. Sandie Maxa experienced environmental art in a proper setting and helped out a delivery person. Mark Sanders rued the loss of an anti-celebrity chef and had a picnic turn sour. Finally, Guido Alvarez found a remote pot to piss in.

Have a great week and tell a friend about GUTSY.

Spring fever may have kept us from writing a Weekly Digest during the month of May, but it did not stop our contributors from sharing some wonderful story telling. From potential tragedy to triumph last month certainly wasn't boring.

Paul Pereira showed us some sugar and grew his love for Target even more. Guido Alvarez was a victim of beach larceny and Sandie Maxa wished she was a spy. Mark Sanders did not need to be transported to the hospital even though he had Spring fever, ran around a parking lot and got another haircut. And finally Alice Marie evaluated a student in more ways than one.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

With the tax deadline out of the way and Spring in the air, we can hardly imagine what new topics our contributors will find to bring to GUTSY. Beans, shopping carts, country music and more were explored in the last couple of weeks. You never know what you might find.

Guido Alvarez took pictures in an unmentionable place and explored theft as a possible form of justice. Heather Manske downloaded instant gratification while Mark Sanders wasn't impressed by Kenny Rogers. Tom Graham (and partner) acquired a wall full of tiny art and hates getting rid of beans. Rusty Mitchell chuckled at who gets interviewed in the midst of a storm. Last but not least, Sandie Maxa marveled at improvements to the humble shopping cart.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

On a recent trip to the Twin Cities I was talking to my mom about plans to replace the existing "regular" Target with a new Super Target on University Avenue in St. Paul. A plan to move the building back from the street 100 yards is being rejected by the community board because many in the neighborhood access the store via the bus. If the new Target moves a block south, shoppers would have to carry their goods quite a distance to reach the bus stop. What about using carts?

It seems Winter is winning its fight with Spring, at least in our part of the world. A Spring Break trip to the nation's Midwest did little to warm us, with 8 inches of snow on the ground. Fortunately the clingy cold weather wasn't able to lull our contributors.

Mark Sanders shared a jointly conceived pot pie and had his hair cut again. Meanwhile Guido Alvarez gave all he could to a mountain and gave up the wired world. Evan Mann passed the plunger while Ann Whitehurst learned what her son would like to do on rainy days. Sandie Maxa was identified as a "visitor" and Paul Pereira left the country.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

In addition to our regularly great contributions, there are two new features on GUTSY. First, we've added a new type of post called a SHORTY which can be seen on our homepage. SHORTIES are an evolving list of the interesting articles, photosets, videos, interviews and other curious things our authors run across online.

We've also made it easy to send any of our articles to a friend. Simply select 'email this article' and let everyone know about something great you found on GUTSY.

And speaking of, Mark Sanders wasn't able to get out of jury duty and Ann Whitehurst prepared a completely unromantic meal. Guido Alvarez told the story of the fish and the pelican while Sandie Maxa searched for gems in a used bookstore. Paul Pereira showed an amazing performance by an amazing individual and also loved Huckabees.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

The cold weather has arrived and that's made some of our contributors nostalgic. But the return of winter hasn't stopped us from seeing, doing and thinking. This digest covers ground from existentialism to dissatisfaction and many things in between.

Paul Pereira looked out his apartment window while Alice Marie witnessed the territorial rituals of the Long-Island Blowhard. Guido Alvarez wondered "who controls the show," wasn't sure about love and would also like to flush his brain. Mark Sanders found a better use for junkmail, shared what makes him laugh and watched the Stars align on ice. Sandie Maxa showed how to re-purpose public space while Heather Manske wanted a day off due to weather.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

I get a lot of junk mail. Every day I open and then promptly throw out four to six envelopes worth of mail. Today I thought I would try to get something more out of this disposable communication than my regular complaining and paper cuts. And so I proudly present a Mad-Lib based on one of the offers for your hopeful entertainment.

I am not a proponent of gratuitous email forwarding or link broadcasting. But I have found two online items that have given me a chuckle for the last couple of weeks. The first is probably only funny if you have a little specific knowledge of the two people involved. It is entitled A Selection from George W. Bush's Eavesdropping Tapes: Matthew Barney and Björk Place an IKEA Phone Order and is courtesy of Chris McCoy and McSweeney's. The second is the aptly titled SuperSizedMeals.com which requires little knowledge of anything.

A belated Happy New Year to you from your friends at GUTSY. Thanks for making our first six months a rousing success and we look forward to hearing from you in 2006. With that here are the latest articles from our contributors.

Paul Pereira found synergy between orange and pear while Bob Holling had haiku delivered to his inbox. Sandie Maxa ate her very first Cracker Barrel meal in 2005 while Heather Manske showed she knows how to enjoy brunch. Mark Sanders smelled a skunk in New York City and got another haircut. Ann Whitehurst tried to get rid of her 800lb. beast. Finally, Guido Alvarez either thought corporations are good for or not good for infants.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

Several months ago I agreed to accept a 1902 piano that belonged to my grandmother, who passed away over 10 years ago.

At the end of the year, I like to flip through my old calendar and review my daily activities. Among the notes reminding me to pay rent and go to doctor's appointments are excitable scribbles (usually in red) that remind me it was a good year. Here are my favorites.

Over three weeks have passed since the last Weekly Digest which we blame on the tryptophan in the turkey. But just because the editors have been napping, it doesn’t mean our writers have.

Guido Alvarez promised that melimelo® is coming soon and gave us 11 reasons why he hopes to be coming to the U.S. Paul Pereira introduced us to a non-American sweet treat, churros, while Evan Mann questioned the relationship between food and architecture and in the spirit of the season, gave us a strategy for enduring snowy nights. Sandie Maxa imagined flying scissors and reminisced about Thanksgivings past. The journey of Marshmallow and Yam, the pardoned turkeys was tracked by Mark Sanders who also shared some photos that were passed over.

Have a great week and tell a friend about GUTSY.

A couple weeks have passed since our last Weekly Digest. As much as we would like to blame it on some extraordinary circumstances, the real culprit is nothing more than the routine business of life. But that does not mean there hasn't been a wide variety of contributions in the Weekly Digest's absence.

For Halloween Sandie Maxa carved a strangely vibrant fruit, David Steadman questioned donating candy to charity and Paul Pereira showed off his frightening floor. Not holiday related and no less interesting, Rusty Mitchell introduced us to a "terribly great" collection of music while Guido Alvarez sought a formula for ugliness. Bob Holling had two coincidental canine encounters and Ann Whitehurst finally got through to customer service. Finally, Mark Sanders opened his subconscience to scrutiny and got another haircut.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

After a couple week absence, we would like to welcome back the weekly digest. And there's no better time since we're celebrating something of a milestone here at GUTSY: publishing our 200th article.

Guido Alvarez presented a terrier that has a habit while Ann Whitehurst formed an unlikely alliance between chrome-dome and mullet. Evan Mann saw mouse ears after finishing a beer. Sandie Maxa showed how split pants aid no-fuss waste disposal and had no trouble overhearing the complaints of her neighbor at 36,000 feet. Mark Sanders mixed pet urine and cooking, listened to some boasting and rhyming, found a new way to destroy a camera and sought a new name for big mother hurricanes. By the way, Paul Pereira hates Ebay.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

With Fall's arrival there are a lot of things to do to get ready for colder temperatures and shorter days. On GUTSY, we devised a way to put together articles about food, movies, global warming and even Joan Rivers. Here's some of what you might have missed.

In the first week, Guido Alvarez wasn't sure he was good at what he does but that didn't stop him from crossing the line into controversy. Not to be outdone, Mark Sanders gave job advice. Rusty Mitchell let loose his inner pirate and Ann Whitehurst found good Chinese food. Paul Pereira liked Jim Jarmusch.

This week, Heather Manske found a better fish via a taste test while Paul Pereira worried about damaging the Earth. Mark Sanders decoded the name of a newspaper and saw Joan Rivers "helping" hurricane victims.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

To get the Weekly Digest back on schedule, we thought we would compile a list of what has been happening on GUTSY since Monday.

Mark Sanders started the week with images from a recent vacation, and also told of another issue facing the Red Cross. Rusty Mitchell gave us all a patriotic drink of water while Guido Alvarez showed us how he see "USers." Finally, Sandie Maxa gave her approval of blue tennis courts.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

It's Monday and we haven't sent a Weekly Digest in quite some time. A vacation and holiday have thrown the schedule out of whack. Because of that, we thought we would send a special beginning of the week digest of what has been published on GUTSY recently.

Sandie Maxa shared her memories of New Orleans and Ann Whitehurst helped out a neighbor in distress. Guido Alvarez found a way to purchase worthless college degrees. Paul Pereira still wasn't sure about becoming a parent. Evan Mann thought the leader of the free world might still have a problem. Rusty Mitchell shared a song that makes him happy. Mark Sanders got another haircut and finished the summer off with several glasses of rosé.

And finally, we would like to say thank you to contributor David Steadman for guest editing last week in our absence.

Have a great week and remember to tell a friend about GUTSY.

We saw a lot of good discussion take place this week on GUTSY in response to our latest articles. David Steadman introduced us to Doris Hair and her pals while Mark Sanders made dinner. Sandie Maxa showed us what bad-asses are wearing and Guido Alvarez exposed the revolution as well as had fun with corporate America. Evan Mann found an amendment to a statue of a senator. And finally, Paul Pereira wasn't sure about having kids.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

The heat has broken at GUTSY HQ but we continue to observe Summer hours, thus this two week edition of our digest. We covered a lot of ground and if you haven't noticed we welcomed Rusty Mitchell as a new contributor.

The first week started with Ann Whitehurst protesting via mail. Mark Sanders visited a new "beach" and Guido Alvarez showed us parts of a clown. Rusty Mitchell did his part to protect us from diaper bombs while Heather Manske sang along with a cabbie.

This past week Paul Pereira found discrepancies between what is said and what is done at church. Rusty Mitchell wasn't satisfied with his new drivers license and Ann Whitehurst has learned the benefits of spandex. Sandie Maxa remembered a trip to Peru and Guido Alvarez showed his clown again. Finally, Mark Sanders moved closer to death and ate Chinese food with friends.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

Even though the heat slows us down, it did not prevent us from covering a wide range of topics on GUTSY this week. Paul Pereira was creeped out by a female android while Mark Sanders found one more possible creator. Pete Hofmann experimented with science using a turtle and Sandie Maxa pined for the wooden signs of old. Ann Whitehurst enjoyed her risky childhood and also questioned office food etiquette. And finally Alice Marie told a story of dogs and betrayal.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Summer officially began on GUTSY and those lazy days are why we missed putting together last week's digest. So what frequently has become the norm with our recap, this edition is supersized to accomodate both weeks.

The first week got off to a painful start by Paul Pereira with the christening of his annual sunburn. Not to be outdone, Ann Whitehurst got summer rolling by making pesto. Guido Alvarez combined both activities into his own image. Sandie Maxa tried to cool off in a not-so non-skid tub. And Mark Sanders was concerned about people burying things in his backyard as well as getting caught with his fly down.

Last week, David Steadman was snubbed by an idol. Guido Alvarez wondered if advertising had limits while Mark Sanders wished one bride would get cold feet for the media. Paul Pereira's girlfriend followed him with a DustBuster and last but not least Sandie Maxa told the truth about snakes.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

GUTSY is almost ready for its big move to www.gutsymag.com. The site will be offline for two days to make this happen. We'll keep you posted when to expect the outage.

In the meantime, GUTSY contributors continued to cover a lot of diverse ground this week. We're glad to announce that Ann Whitehurst has located her keys. Meanwhile, Paul Pereira stereotyped New Yorkers while Sandie Maxa bid a fond farewell to the cassette tape. David Steadman found a link between cookie and card and Mark Sanders used the words "banana seat" and "kick brake." Not to be outdone, Bob Holling gave himself an eye exam. Finally, Alice Marie visited foreign lands via her neighbor.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

After having read this article in the NY Times, I chuckled at the thought of someone devouring a Metrocard-styled cookie. Why make something so beautiful (a cookie) resemble something so terribly inferior (the Metrocard design)? I felt inclined to pull out some of my favorite Dutch PTT Telecom phone cards that would, in my opinion, inspire some delectable treats. Chow down.

We have no reasonable excuse for why there wasn't a digest last week so we aren't going to try to make one up. As done with the last weekly round-up, this edition will be supersized to accomodate all the highlights.

Bob Holling got the first week started by angering his cat. Mark Sanders was given the gift of underpants while Paul Pereira gave up television cold turkey. Ann Whitehurst not only saw a toddler resist sweets, she also successfully avoided another parent.

This past week we were told a story about death by Pete Hofmann while Evan Mann talked to kids. Guido Alvarez showed us a third world child seat and taught us how to make dog noises. Bob Holling found a rat even though he is losing his vision. Ann Whitehurst soiled her pants and then showed us recovery. Mark Sanders watched others shop and got another haircut. And last but not least, Sandie Maxa is worried about summer.

Tell a friend about GUTSY and have a great weekend.

Although I've never been a cashier, I have always thought it would be fun to criticize the odd assemblage of goods each person purchases. I imagine sometimes you would find the makings of a meal or a party, but other times the basket full of purchases would appear more disconnected or even sinister. Often I don't pay too much attention to the person in front of me, but occasionally some break in checkout routine catches my eye.

We took a week off from posting the Weekly Digest because of family visiting GUTSY headquarters. This week's version has been double-sized to accomodate all the highlights.

Pete Hofmann started us out by spinning a tale of a man in overly tight underpants while Mark Sanders uncovered a building that looked like a modern brassiere. Heather Mann shared her required lunchtime reading and Sandie Maxa posed as an employee. Fortunately, Evan Mann didn't lose it all in Atlantic City nor did Ann Whitehurst's neighbors get the best of her.

New guest contributor Alice Marie has a hard time being content, but Sandie Maxa happily won a poodle. Paul Pereira crashed his bike while nobody was looking. Evan Mann likes clean clothes and Guido Alvarez is in love with a window. And don't forget that Mark Sanders gets drunk and steals things.

Tell a friend about GUTSY and have a great weekend.

This past week on GUTSY Tom Graham was overcome by a photobooth and Mark Sanders was immersed in spring. Paul Pereira committed hit-and-run in a dream while Ann Whitehurst pointed out the surreal editing that is a Super Walmart. Sandie Maxa found architects who hate walls and Bob Holling watched the decline of Hitler. Last but not least, Evan Mann showed the people that he sees each day and one cool day.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

This week on GUTSY, Guido Alvarez asked us to seize the day, no matter what the political climate while Mark Sanders felt at home no matter what the decibel level. Mark also shared a day of art and Bob Holling questioned the nature of coincidences within the syntax of a group of letters or a star sighting on the streets of New York. David Steadman showed us how to look closer to see uniqueness within uniformity. Paul Pereira critiqued the new Nine Inch Nails CD while Sandie Maxa critiqued a cover letter. The week ended with a gutsy sign of spring - the dandelion.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

Synonyms: Swine's Snout
Botanical: Taraxacum officinale

This week on GUTSY, Pete Hofmann shared visions of concert hell while Paul Pereira gave a look inside his head. Sandie Maxa told of who lived in her closet and David Steadman explained a tree made up of two species. Ann Whitehurst decided to buy a pair of trees and drank a scuppernong elixir. Mark Sanders exposed a copious list of feline nicknames and reviewed a book he's read while Heather Manske looked forward to summer in the city. And finally, Evan Mann showed us what to do with a dollar.

Have a great weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

My in-laws recently purchased a new home and along with it came quite an unusual specimen. This grafted tree is one-part oak and one-part pecan, joined just below the branches.

It's been a great week at GUTSY and we have covered a lot of different ground. Evan Mann welcomed Spring and exposed muppet conspiracy. Guido Alvarez pulled his hair out over information design while Bob Holling slowed down to help the blind. Paul Pereira wasted another Sunday and Sandie Maxa kept losing her Credit Union contest. Tom Graham presented a theme song and Heather Manske couldn't get enough of DeVotchka. Pete Hofmann tells a tale of debauchery while Mark Sanders gave a review of toilet paper and got a haircut. And let's not forget Ann Whitehurst who offered opinions on grocery store check-outs, messy kids and washing machines.

Enjoy your weekend and tell a friend about GUTSY.

Now that I'm the mother (gosh...saying that makes me feel old...just a couple years ago I was enjoying an evening of "poop-dollar") of an 11-month old, I realize that I must get used to leaving every restaurant that we visit with our child a total mess on the floor. Tonight we left falafel and Cheerios in a 36" radius around the high chair. But it's not really a big deal, I don't think. I think the cost of the food more than covers a few swipes with a broom.

(Wanna know what "poop-dollar" is? Ask Evan Mann.)