the wacky world of socks!!

I have decided to give all of my family members socks for Christmas this year. Among other things. Socks are a great gift classic, probably because a good pair of socks is a good thing to have. I, for one have favorites among my socks, and I wear them accordingly. Sometimes I save my favorites, the way I save the last bite of steak, for a day towards the end of the laundry cycle... I'm a horder like that.

Internet research yields an eye-opening peek into the wacky world of socks. I was told once that I seem like the kind of person who would be into funky socks. I'm not ashamed to admit it. But I got nothing on some of the folks out there. Here are some of my favorite finds:

'tis ever more the season

I like the idea of Santa as an army of little "Heinzelmännchen". These are dwarf-looking creatures of German folklore - mostly in the sense that they wear pointy red hats and are tiny. Though Heinzelmännchen are very, very tiny, and they come out at night to help you by cleaning, or repairing, or making things. Friendly little domestic spirits. Mythical cleaning ladies. This is a great topic to be explored at length later.
For now: Santa trying on different outfits in front of the mirror:
you can buy them for lots of money here, or hire a cleaning lady.

Glow Zoo

This would be nice to have at home. Even though I am an "adult".

Taste Test & google maps of my intestines

LBRB - the imaginary store

The left brain items are the rational-order-reality-based products. Sensible, in one word. Like an affordable, lightweight, sturdy folding chair.

The right brain items are the emotional-intuitive-fantasy-based things. Like plates with intricate decorations or an ottoman covered in scraggly wool that looks like it might come to life.

And then there's some objects that are really difficult to categorize because they're a little of both. Like this one:

Tara Donovan (coffee cups cont., sort of)

Styrofoam cups, straws, and stickers! Who would have thunk it.
Images from Ace Gallery.

Puzzles for aliens.

Coffee lids are beautiful variations on a theme. They are intriguing on their own, but even better together. If aliens came on by and saw these objects, I wonder if they could figure out what these are for!the coffee lids from a flickr set by sarcoptiform. Bread bag ties from day 107 of the "A Collection a Day" blog. Both via Swiss Miss :)

Hot on the Heels of the previous post.

It's been 407 days since my last post. Will it make my poor neglected blog feel better if I say, "But I've been thinking about you..."? No. Obviously I must change my life.

Henceforth, the following things shall be found here:

• LBRB: the left brain, right brain imaginary shopping experience
  
• moss/trees/plants/nature/flora-related items
• WOW! things: the kind I like
  
• results of experiments with the thinking cap

This is the extent to which I can limit myself or rather, decide upon anything. I still hope it will be a tasty mixture of varied but complimentary ingredients that will turn into a stew you like to eat.

Hello?
Is there anybody out there?

LBRB

Left Brain - Right Brain

Imagine, I had a store. Imagine I had a concept for this store.
Here you have it: left brain, right brain.

This idea has been cruising about my own cerebral hemispheres for a while now and I am still very fond of it. The basic premise is that there are two opposite and complenting parts, each one fullfilling a requirement in design summed up in the distinctin between the left and the right halves of the brain. (see diagram.) Make sense?

I came up with this differentiation based on a dichotomy that I often perceive in design (the design of objects being mostly what I look at). There are those objects that are highly functional and efficient, simple, clean, well-working. These objects provide lot of satisfaction in the way they work, because that is exacty what they do: they work. They do what they are supposed to do, they do it well, and it's rather easy to define what it is they are doing.

On the other hand there are objects that we like for reasons that are more difficult to put into words. They achieve a more emotional satisfaction, through their beauty, the memories they evoke or perhaps their bizzare nature. And we need them both.

It is a distinciton I appreciate because I think these two aspects of design can get into eachother's way, and also because there is no way to define good design or a good thing without taking into account that there are polar reasons for why we might covet an object.

Also, I must admit, categorizing gives me great pleaseure. What more would be a better catogorizing guideline than a list of vague tendencies based on the most complex and mysterious organ of the most complex and mysterious lifeform on our lovely planet? (human hubris? but please...)

I hope that LBRB will leave room for everything, or at least everything that triggers my personal little neurons from the most indispensibly clever tools and inexplicably intriguing whatsits. Or things that are both at the same time??? Incroyable! Wait a minute... am I just talking about function and beauty?

We could be really cool.

Summer is upon us.
And thanks to global warmin' and of course the natural spread of simply wonderful inventions, people in Austria are letting down their guard when it comes to supposedly lethal, deliciously cold air.
Personally, I have no idea how an air-conditioner works, but a man told me it has to do with the fact that heat and temperature are not the same thing. I will follow up on this later. For now, I will just assume that it's some kind of magical force remotely related to the spirits of nuclear power plants.

To worship at their chilly temples, I need your help! I'm trying to put together an index of all the places in and around Vienna that are air-conditioned: Museums, Restaurants, Kinos, Kaffeehäuser, Shops, Malls, U-Bahn stations, the Aquarium, the Strip Club, anywhere.

Please submit any and every addition as comments , and then I will make a giant list and we can all bask in the glorious cool until we can't feel our toes anymore!!

free w-lan in Wien

and now for something completely useful...
a massive list of free w-lan spots in Wien!!!!
www.helge.at/wlan/