lines for all occasions books (funny)

i can think of a million times i could have used some of the lines in these books, which are chock full of all those smart remarks i wish i had thought of at those crucial moments in my life: quitting my job, flirting at the bar and explaining why i haven’t gotten those tps reports in.

find them all, and a special holiday edition, at perpetual kid.

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happy 4th, and snapshot friday

pssst. i really want to believe that all my wailing and moaning from yesterday’s post helped to turn the power back on, but i think it was just practical hard work by the electric company. thank you electric company! we came back up last night and that tension that made my shoulders go up to my ears is receding. i wish you all a happy holiday and a lovely weekend. thank you for coming around! xo

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miron lior conceal bookshelf for umbra

i know that you know that i don’t like furniture with footprints - are you sick of hearing me say that? well i have to say it one more time. i love this clever conceal bookshelf from brooklyn designer miron lior for umbra. it’s made of powder coated steel and hangs simply on the wall with the included hardware. there are two tiny hooks that will hold the bottom book cover in place, to give the illusion that a stack of books is floating on the wall.

miron created this piece at the pratt institute and was a winner of the competition that umbra held for student design in 2005. a portion of the price goes back to pratt, so you’re shopping for a good cause!

this design is superior to the sticklebook shelf in my humble opinion, because you are able to keep the crisp straight lines intact on this shelf. i think stickle looks a little sloppy unless everything is hanging extremelyclose together.

they’re very affordable too - us $14 for the large size 5.5 x 7 x 6.5″ (14 x 18 x 17 cm) and $10.50 for the small one 5.25 x x 5.5″ (13 x 13 x 14 cm). purchase them right here.

via inspire me, now!

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sticklebook shelf

i like this quirky little sticklebook shelf. it’s built like a fine tooth comb. the wall bracket is aluminum which has a strip of little plastic grippy “teeth” that hold onto the cover and pages, which creates a floating illusion. it is meant for any size paperback book, and can hold up to a baker’s dozen.

no footprint - two thumbs up!

purchase them directly from sticklebook website, singulier and also here.

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riki blanco art

q: what is sweet and wistful, filled with rich colors, awakens vivid memories of childhood daydreaming and wonder, and feels warm but just a tad lonely too?

a: the marvelous work of prize winning barcelona artist, album and book illustrator riki blanco.

i can’t decide which one i like best - maybe the whale with the bather on the top?

get these prints while they’re hot at thumbtack press. check out amazon to purchase the children’s literature. and you absolutely must (must!) check his whimsical website out too!

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david b dale packs a literary punch

when i find a gem like the writings of new jersey author david b dale (his pseudonym an homage to his parents, beatrice and dale), it is affirmation to me that the time spent mining the vast hinterlands of the internet for treasure is worthwhile.

david is the prolific writer and creator of very short novels. although he is a skilled technical writer, these stories are where he hones his creative art. characters are developed through his interactions with people he knows, has never met, or who only exist in his imagination, and each tale is 299 words in length -no more, no less. see for yourself:

two-minute monologue

We’re not complicated. Actors, men, all we want is a girl who can play the part. Is that too much? Naturally she has to be attractive. Even the ugly parts are played by attractive girls. You know that. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. Not so attractive that it doesn’t read right, you understand. Reasonably attractive, but decidedly more reasonably attractive than we are, and by that I mean a nine, nine-and-a-half tops. I don’t make these rules. Men want to see their wishes fulfilled. Women want to be the better man. I tell you, they’ll go looking for a guy they can stupefy; they’ll ignore his flaws, lavish him with love, and every day go out of their way to stroke his ego by staying with him, and all they ask in return is that the stupid schmuck act lucky. Yeah, I miss her. She had a way of looking at me that felt like applause. Smartest girl I ever got. I never had to dumb-down my material. She misses me, too, of course, but she’d never hurt me by letting on. We talk. She’s helped me grow as an actor and a man. I don’t think I’d be this mature about leaving her if she hadn’t. No, wait, that doesn’t read right. One minute he’s drawing blueprints of the female mind and the next minute he’s a witless fathead? No, it doesn’t scan. It’s unplayable. Maybe if it didn’t transition so quickly. I mean, are you married to this script? I’ll tell you what. You get a re-write and find me a leading lady who doesn’t look like my mother and I’ll come back and maybe audition. The way things stand, what makes you think I’d want this lousy part? Thank you for your time.

yep. that’s what i thought you would say.

to me, david’s clever concept is like literary altoids: tiny, refreshing and curiously strong. his writing is consistent and frequently forces an emotional response, just like high quality art should!

i love it and after reading a few pieces, was completely hooked, so fair warning.

click here for a more in-depth interview with this talented man.

get over to very short novels now and read the entire collection!

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