The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave
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The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave
Cupcakes in a jar, ready-to-eat style:
I dig these Mason jar cupcakes because the idea is to eat them asap - these would also be a fun picnic or camping item to share with your picnic blanked or tent mate.
Since they are perishable, I'd add berries or cherries too depending on what cupcake angle you're taking. Adam calls them a cupcake parfait - delightful. Here's another cupcake in a jar example that is, apparently, quite out-of-state shipping friendly (and beyond cute):
Cupcake Mix Jars
My Mom used to make these really great jarred spiced tea mixes and give them away at Christmas time to neighbors and teachers. The idea of doing this for cupcakes never occurred to me before, but it's BRILLIANT! You can buy a really pretty set (see the photo above) from Cupcake Provocateur or try your hand at making them on your own:
Op-Ed Columnist - The New Untouchables - NYTimes.com
A Washington lawyer friend recently told me about layoffs at his firm. I asked him who was getting axed. He said it was interesting: lawyers who were used to just showing up and having work handed to them were the first to go because with the bursting of the credit bubble, that flow of work just isn’t there. But those who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables.
That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education.
Have you ever read The Artist's Way? It's a great book about connecting everyday folks to the creativity within, whether they are a lawyer, doctor, rock star, pencil pusher or chimney sweep by day.
Are there actually chimney sweeps anymore? I threw that in for good measure. Regardless, the point is that we can ALL grow and be better at what we do by living and working creatively - no MFA required.
One of the key elements of this book centers around 'Artist Dates' - something that, most definitely and certainly, puts me in a darn good mood.
The idea is that you take yourself out for some sort of culture / artistic / creative exposure at least once a month. Do something that you normally don't do to put your brain in a different mode. Push yourself out of that comfort zone to open your eyes a bit.
Some great ideas on an Artist Date:
I've found that it's often been the "little" stuff that's gotten those bigger bouts of creativity kick started - little bite-sized pieces of inspiration that keep the spirits high and the good work flowing.
What are your favorite artist's date? What have you done for your creative bone lately? Leave a comment here and be sure to vote today for the Good Mood Blog contest!
Photo thanks to Flickr user tjrewin
Brain cupcakes (chocolate brains with caramel/raspberry extract blood on a velvet cupcake):
Pumpkin and cranberry 'Witches Teeth' cupcakes:
Worm-y dirt cupcakes:
There's nothing like soaking in the talent and creativity around you to freshen your spirit up. Thanks to the Web and a fantastic arts community in my real world neighborhood (Houston), there is no shortage of creative souls to follow and be inspired by:
Artsy love
A few artists that tickle my creative bone:
Ms. YET - one hip, funky-cool and lovely gal that rocks out some pretty amazing artwork. She's a dancer, model and all around red hot Renaissance woman. Inspiring.
Karen Walrond + Chookooloonks - a beautiful woman I look up to in so many ways. As a mother she's so loving, present and darn cool - as a photographer she so captures those quiet instances that matter - as a writer she's lovable and re-readable.
Amanda + Action Puddle - we first met at Houston Dr. Sketchy and I've watched her grow and grow into an even more amazing artist than she started oh-so-many Sketchy sessions ago.
Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School + Molly Crabapple - All 80+ Dr. Sketchy global chapters are a source of inspiration and drive for me, these highly unique groups of artists that gather monthly to sketch, sip and socialize. Our fearless leader Molly is one of the loveliest and most talented artists I have ever laid eyes on. Check her new book out - you will fall in love with her, consider yourself warned.
Tummy so happy love
Who I turn to in times of hunger and need for food porn:
Carlos Meltzer + 365 Days of Food - Word can't describe what a sweetheart this guy is, let alone what a phenomenal presence he is in the kitchen. A lover of food, beverage and teaching others to "get it" like he does, Carlos' food projects (like his latest debut on BlockCast TV) are unique, snazzy and awesome - just like him.
Vegan Noodle - For some reason, I still haven't met this lady in person even though she lives in the same city as me. Living in a vegan house and cooking primarily vegan, I'm always eager for cool vegan cooks to share their secrets, failures and successes with me. This gal does that and more - plus has a love of cupcakes that I cannot help but hugely admire.
Aural love
Music to my ears, so proud to know these folks:
Edward Grigassy + Oldtime Swing Band - not only a stunningly talented guitarist and composer, but family too! We love listening to Edward play everything from swing, classical to Latin. A happyfamily favorite.
Andrew Karnavas + Runaway Sun - local musicians that quite simply rock it out. Slow, sweet, uptempo and groovy, a great group of talented musicians.
DJ Dave Wrangler - I've been a fan for quite some time of this great guy and his great mixes. If you don't know him already, you'll know his name and his beats pretty darn soon.
What artists and musicians inspire you to be a better creative human being? What are some of your uplifting influences? Leave us a comment and be sure to vote on the Good Mood Blog contest today!
Haystack : Discover the right Web Designer for your next project.
A Throwback Exercise: Hula Hooping Becomes the Hot New Workout - TIME
A few years ago, adults began picking up hula hoops for fitness. What might have been a passing fad has taken hold, with thousands of enthusiasts worldwide.
Our house is a lover of beverages caffeinated, except for the fizzy, sugary stuff. We have a great French press for yummy coffee beans we buy from local roasters (almond flavored is my favorite) and we've got more tea bags than one family can handle.
Sometimes, however, the caffeine crashes are less than good mood inducing -- and that's where this amazing, liquid heaven comes in: KOMBUCHA!! Can you hear the angelic singing when I type out that word? It's good stuff.
Kombucha is kind of like nature's crack - except you buy it at Whole Foods and your fellow kombucha heads probably smell like patchouli (instead of Black and Milds).
It's a fermented tea that touts some hefty health claims - many cancer survivors swear by it (and many others look to it for cancer prevention), coffee junkies switch to it for ridiculously great energy it provides, it helps with detoxification, clear skin and hair -- the list goes on.
Good mood is truly a state of mind, but a nice glass of Kombucha (my favorite store bought brand is but I prefer to pick a batch up from the farmer's market from Basic Kombucha / Mama Pat) can go a long way to jump starting that mood battery - especially for those bleary eyed mornings.
Vive le Good Mood - Vive le Kombucha!
What puts YOU in a Good Mood first thing in the morning? Leave a comment and let me know - that'll enter you into the happykatie Eye-Fi contest going down next week!
Don't forget to vote for me on the SAM-e Good Mood Blog today!
Funky cool Kambucha photo thanks to Flickr user sal de mar
BUT!! I can't do this without you - I need your help in getting enough votes to make it! With your help, I'll be typing away in no time flat sharing ideas, stories and tips on keeping the happy_______ going strong.
So here's the deal, I want to share something that puts me in an incredibly good mood to thank you for your votes! You can vote once daily and I'll be putting up a mini happykatie 'Good Mood' countdown reminder blog post every day until the 10/30 deadline rolls around.
The more times you vote and comment on happykatie, the more chances you have of winning!
Just visit my SAM-e profile page to vote (no login or profile required - just a click and you're done!) and leave me a quickie comment in that day's post.
I am giving away one of my favorite things (cue Sound of Music audio...) to a lucky voter on 10/31!
A ROCKING EYE-FI CARD!!
If you despise downloading your digital camera photos to your laptop as much as I do, then this little puppy is the answer to EVERYTHING you've ever wanted.
Upload your photos and videos to Flickr, your Web site or anywhere on your laptop directly from your camera! GENIUS!!!
So whatcha' waiting for? Jump on over to click that magic little 'vote' button and leave me a comment here to tell me about what puts YOU in a good mood :) Thanks for the love!
I submitted an application today to be in the running for a great 6 month 'Good Mood Gig' through SAM-e. Basically, it's 6 months of daily blogging on the Good Mood Blog what's keeping me in a good mood - sooo... 6 months of me talking about what I pretty much talk about all the time anyway :)
YOUR VOTE COUNTS!! I'd so appreciate your vote(s) - in fact, I'll happily give you a gold star for every day that you vote for me from now until October 30th. Here's my 'Good Mood Gig' application page - I'd love your help!
You know, I feel like I should have some sort of voting platform for this election -- 'I promise to not write about only cupcakes, to branch out into exercise, nutrition and cuddly baby animals. This is my commitment to you as your candidate for the Good Mood Blogger'. How's that? :)