8 1/2

I was reading Vanity Fair's "International Best-Dressed List" article, which is full of bad puns (e.g. "she’s the Apfel of our eye"), expensive stuff, and preferred charities. For the latter, it's standard fare (UNICEF, breast cancer research), but then I got to Tilda Swinton.

At first I thought she was making fun of the interviewer, the specificity of her foundation sounded so whimsical: “The 8 and a Half Foundation, founded this year with Mark Cousins, to bring great world cinema to children on their eight-and-a-halfth birthdays.” Then I Googled, and no, it's real. Excuse me that my mind didn't jump directly to Fellini, but now I'm just trying to think of what I was watching when I was 8.5...and I'm pretty sure it was this.

Christmas in July

I've blabbered to most of my friends already about my new toys: a MacBook and an iPod Touch. But given that it has been five years since I last bought a computer and knowing that the two iPods I've owned were, in order, a bulky hand-me-down and one of those tiny Shuffles...I feel fine gushing about my gadgets.

They arrived last night, and they are pretty! And shiny! I'll be at full speed with them once I can get the stuff (namely the music) transferred from my old, heavy-breathing Gateway. Tonight I plan on playing around with it and some of the programs I was so generously given (hello, Photoshop and Illustrator).

The only issue so far has been typing--first, on the iPod, the fingernails-to-touch-screen issue. Right now my nails are sort of long-- longer than the girl's in that linked demo/review and some are longer than in that photo-- and I definitely had to position my fingers in a weird way that looked like I was trying to type while some nail polish dried. (For the record, though, I don't think the design's misogynistic. ) I also seem to tilt le pod when I hold it and subsequently keep typing one letter to the side of what I'm aiming for. Lastly, the keys on the MacBook are also shallower than I am used to. All a matter of adjustment...

Crafty bastard

Woot! I just sent in my application for 2008 Crafty Bastards. Today, of course, is the deadline--last year I somehow did it ahead of time. I revamped my mission statement to sound less dorky and hopefully succeeded (can't c+p because I managed to not save the exact version I sent).

I also updated my Etsy shop, which meant adding a couple new things and refreshing some old listings. I have been slow on the crafting front and, how do you say, need to get my ass in gear. This weekend's work will be fabric- and felt-focused. I've also have to buy hooks for jewelry/key hangers and varnish a bunch of things. Here's to a weekend at home.

"And what about Mr. Lumpy Flounder himself?"

Besides the fact that I can't help but extol Wii's virtues, I also enjoyed the NYT article about Wii Fit for this quote:

"The closest I get to serious exercise is flopping around at concerts like a lumpy, overeducated flounder."

The article does neglect how much of a workout games like boxing already are (although the video feature reveals that Wii Fit has a boxing component). I also don't think it mentions a price. Finally, I know that the physical rehab center where sister-in-law works uses Wii, a detail the likes of which could have added something.

The video is pretty fun, though, especially, because it makes me want to try the hula hooping and skiing. Sooo, do I buy one?


Addendum: Yeah, I just read too quickly. The article does include the price, which is $90 (plus the cost of a Wii itself, which NYT puts at $250).