@clairerichard

jaymug: Tui Travel - “Travel more, see more.”

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:26:42 -0400

jaymug:

Tui Travel - “Travel more, see more.”

Oh my goodness.

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:24:44 -0400

I am LOVING this Tumblr iOS update.

Open letter to people who write fake news articles:

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:50:20 -0400

It’s very unbecoming.

inothernews:

Please stop. You suck at it.

Hard work always, always pays off.

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:19:39 -0400

Daily reminder.

For “old” designers too. Authenticity and instinct driven are...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:13:57 -0400

For “old” designers too. Authenticity and instinct driven are my favorite. Pure instincts is the greatest, and the most genuine, gateway to intellect.

Wait--your high school experience wasn't this glamorous/dramatic?

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:54:00 -0400

I admit it.

I’m 21 years old, and I love to watch Pretty Little Liars.

The show fascinates me, terrifies me, and has had me hooked since those girls got their first text from the mysterious A.

Prior to last night’s summer season premier (also part of the appeal to this show, since all of my shows ended their seasons weeks ago…what else am I supposed to watch?!), I watched the last two episodes of last season during the PPL super long marathon.

I had just come home from a long day at my internship—I’m still adjusting to this whole 40-hour a week thing all over again. And after dealing with countless emails, reports, and Excel sheets galore, these girls’ high school problems seemed pretty miniscule.

I realized (and yes, I know how sad it is that I just came to this realization) just how bland and unglamorous my high school experience was—as EVERYONE’s is.

These girls look like they’re about to be on the cover of any major magazine every day when they go to school (mind you, they’re also supposed to be 18…idk about you all, but when I was 18, the standard t-shirt and jeans made up most of my wardrobe…oh wait, it still does). And they always speak in hushed tones or are screaming.

WHY AM I ADDICTED TO THIS SHOW??? This stuff NEVER happens.

That’s all.

Battery Park (Taken with instagram)

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:21:20 -0400

Battery Park (Taken with instagram)

thexfactorusa: Your X FACTOR Judges!

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:47:02 -0400

thexfactorusa:

Your X FACTOR Judges!

jaymug: Golden Gate Bridge 75th anniversary posters

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:20:27 -0400

jaymug:

Golden Gate Bridge 75th anniversary posters

Scenic drive home from work. (Taken with instagram)

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:58:56 -0400

Scenic drive home from work. (Taken with instagram)

Oh my goodness. Who’s excited? I am.

Wed, 23 May 2012 20:46:04 -0400

Oh my goodness.

Who’s excited? I am.

The Bachelorette: Episode 2

Mon, 21 May 2012 23:41:00 -0400

It’s week two of Emily’s journey to find love after her fair share of heartbreak from past loves Brad and Ricki. This Charlotte-native has plenty of Southern charm to win over the hearts of her 20 bachelors, but who will she choose?

We begin with some comforting ~~scripted~~ advice from Emily’s friends. It really is so great that she gets to stay in Charlotte…did you hear that? Once or twice?

The big question America’s asking ~~in the first 4 minutes of the episode~~, who will go on the first one-on-one date???

This. Means. Everything. Talk about some intense tension building amongst the guys—that first date could mean everything.

And lo’ and behold—Ryan is the chosen one. He’s off.

Personally, I really enjoy just watching all of the guys sit around together making fun of each other, bragging about their manhood, etc. The house has now been described as a, “frat house from Hell. On steroids.” Noted.

Where will he go? An exotic land, far far away? Climb a mountain? Row a boat? Take on the impossible?

Or…cookies. Baking cookies for Ricki’s soccer practice. Lucky for him, he “passed the cookie test.”

The two drive off to soccer practice, but he’s got to stay in the car. She’s just not ready for Ricki to meet any of the guys—but is willing to bring an entire camera crew? Right.

So where to next? Off to Chuckie Cheese!!

…jokes. Great one, Emily.

Dinner for two at Osso in Charlotte. And after her experience with Brad (as it is referenced to thousands of times within the first 20 mins of the episode), Emily’s ready to ask the tough questions. He is feelin’ the PRESSURE! The sweat is building…

Ryan reminds Emily of Brad too much. But luckily he can dance. Brad, Brad, Brad, Bentley, Brad, Brad…oh, wait.

Day two: Hopefully Emily can focus on 13 guys, one of her major concerns. I mean, it could get a little challenging…

And she announces, it’s time to perform! (Because this entire show isn’t enough of a performance.) Emily has brought the guys to a local theater to put on a performance to raise money for a charity.

But our injured friend Charlie has got some nerves—and insecurities about his speech due to the accident. Emily is so sweet and handles the situation well. His opening up to her is impressive and charming, what a gal! He came out a winner.

I have to say, I enjoyed the Muppets’ presence on the show tonight—Chris’ banter with the old guy (does he have a name?), the almost-kiss with Kirmet, his assuring words about Emily, and a charming finale. I kind of felt like I was back on Sesame Street all over again, which I’m sure was the point given Ricki’s presence. They raised over $20,000 for the Lavine Children’s Hospital!

We return to the mansion, and it’s a dark and stromy night and the battle continues for time with Emily. I don’t think I’ve ever seen guys this competitive!

One-on-One Date 2: Joe. This guy is still way too excited. They journey to a hotel that Emily often went to as a child. It’s beautiful, romantic, and has a great charm. After a lovely dinner, and learning about a great tradition…Joe just couldn’t quite pass the test.

Cocktail party: I love watching these cocktail parties. It’s like a sophisticated football game with suits and a formal gown. These guys are at each others’ throats fighting each other to this girl. And of course, we say goodbye to two more bachelors, but it’s too early in the season to be emotional about it.

Until next week…

littlemisscareerist: wisdom.

Sun, 20 May 2012 13:51:32 -0400

littlemisscareerist:

wisdom.

"The Internet—meaning everything from email to file trading to voice-over-IP phone calls—was always..."

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:20:25 -0400

“The Internet—meaning everything from email to file trading to voice-over-IP phone calls—was always technically larger than the web, but the web’s mass adoption managed somehow to overwhelm the vessel that contained it. The web became the main attraction; the packets and DNS lookups became the plumbing, essential but invisible. Facebook now threatens to perform that same jujitsu against the web itself. The difference, of course, is that no one owns the web—or in some strange way we all own it. But with Facebook we are ultimately just tenant farmers on the land; we make it more productive with our labor, but the ground belongs to someone else.”

- Can Anything Take Down the Facebook Juggernaut? | Epicenter | Wired.com (via adactio)

The Bachelorette: Episode 1

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:05:00 -0400

And so it begins: a summer TV tradition my girlfriends and I have cherished for years. Tonight we all witnessed the season premier of The Bachelorette, staring the beloved Emily from Brad’s season of The Bachelor.

We begin with Emily’s backstory—which, through the original airing, recaps, and tabloids, we have all heard over 100 times (and don’t worry, if you haven’t heard the story, we hear it another 100 times in the first half hour). A touching, lovely, yet heartbreaking story. But luckily, Emily gives the single women of America the touching advice that heartbreaks happen, and we’ve just got to “put on our big girl panties and move on with it.” (A true inspiration.)

Bring out the bachelors!

Our first bachelor: A modern, southerner. Doesn’t seem like anything terribly exciting—so unexciting that I didn’t bother to catch his name.
Ryan: Boot Camp Dad. Likes to put kids through boot camp? He does have a son though. That’s nice.
Tony: Obsessed-with-fitness man. Single dad, trying to find love—how sweet. Until he uses, the “Who has two thumbs and is going to win Emily’s heart? This guy.” thumbs.
Lerone: Seems bland.
David: NY Singer/Songwriter—already obsessed with the woman. Write some more lyrics in your love song man besides, “Emily.” He doesn’t seem pleased to be in Charlotte. Sorry Paco. Welcome to south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Charlie: Had a near-death experience with a brain injury. But don’t worry, his heart is just fine! He seems sweet. He made it through the door without falling and having another injury, so that’s good.
Jef: CEO of People Water—likes to be underestimated. I can appreciate an underdog. But guys, we’re dealing with a bit of a bada** here. Riding on the back of the limo on his skateboard…what a guy.
Arie: Racecar driver! Perfect. Let’s make Emily cry. Thanks Arie. Instant connection out of the car though. I’m kind of a fan.
Sean: Insurance Agent/creepy, creepy man.
Doug: From Seattle, and has a son—instant connection. But that’s kind of all he talks about—playing the great dad card a little too much for my tastes, but it seems to be winning Emily over.
Jackson: Fitness model? Cheasiest moment—on one knee, reciting awfully ~~romantic~~ cheesy quotes. She’s scared.
Joe: Seems way too excited. Like, holy cow, calm down.
Kyle: Got the tie right. Oh yea.
Chris: Family man, loves God—he seems like a keeper.
Aaron: Bio teacher, he’s so nerdy! “I’m a high school biology teacher, but I’m looking for chemistry with you.” What a line. I’m sold.
Brazil man, she doesn’t even speak Spanish, let alone understand Portuguese.
Stevie: This guy likes to boogie down! What a cutie. —“just want to make you smile.”
Tony: “The name’s Charming, Prince Charming.” Is he the new mask man? BOOT HIM OFF THE ISLAND!
Randy: The crossdresser/marketer. Creative entrance, but..scary.
Nate: Meh.
Brent: The name tag genius.
John “Wolf”: Weird nickname dude.
Travis: Egg Man. The egg represents Emily and Rikki. The new, “guard and protect your heart” guy I gather. This is going to be interesting…there’s always one.
Michael: Long hair, don’t care! And he comes bearing gifts—a guitar pick. (That’s romantic.)
Jean-Paul: Fancy pants name. Doesn’t know Emily. Obvi doesn’t watch ABC. Get outta here.
Alejandro: Too much Spanish dude. This is ‘Merica.
Ryan: Note-taker. But it’s sweet. I’m a fan.

And cue the helicopter? Who is this. Tension builds amongst the men—they already hate him.

Kalon: Luxury brand consultant. AKA: The Helicopter Guy. These guys do not like him.

The guys exchange some light banter. It’s not a competition. (But it is.) They all note how hot she is—the naked dress has nothing to do with it. It also doesn’t fit her, about how many times did she have to hike that thing up?

And surprise, surprise: Doug gets the first impression rose. Predictable.

Commence the overly dramatic music and slow pans. It’s time for the Rose Ceremony. I had a realization: Does she actually know all of these guys names after one night? That’s impressive.

Also, my favorite part of any Rose Ceremony is when Chris comes out to let us all know that there’s only one rose left. (The slow zoom into it for the past five minutes wasn’t indication enough.) Which this week, went to Egg Man. Thank goodness, we need a weirdo around to keep it interesting.

Looks like the season will have plenty of drama to go around. Until next week..

theatlantic: If We Are What We Read, Who Are We, Exactly? We...

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:15:03 -0400

theatlantic:

If We Are What We Read, Who Are We, Exactly?

We love books for being books. But books are more than just words on pages, lovely or terrible adventures, weird imaginings, plot twists and romances and things that would never happen to us in real life and therefore we should read about. Books have the power to change us—but not just in our minds, apparently. According to research recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Geoff Kaufman of Tiltfactor Laboratories at Dartmouth College and Lisa Libby of Ohio State, the act of reading of and identifying with a fictional character means also that we tend to subconsciously adopt their behavior. In reading about our favorite characters, we may actually become more like them.

Read more at The Atlantic Wire. [Image: Shutterstock]

adwriter: this is how it’s done.

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:06:22 -0400

adwriter:

this is how it’s done.

jaymug: Paris by Diego M.Torres

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:03:52 -0400

jaymug:

Paris by Diego M.Torres

Woah!

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:01:34 -0400

Woah!

Rant: Public School Buses (and Public Transportation in General) Aren't a Bad Thing

Sat, 12 May 2012 22:30:48 -0400

I recently overheard a couple of moms conversing about how their children will never, never take the bus to and from school. I almost rolled my eyes at them, but caught myself.

It got me wondering, as concerned as we all are about the consistent rise of gas prices, is the use of public school busses and transportation in general really so devastating to one’s social standing that we’re willing to spend over $3 a gallon and take an hour out of our day to drive instead?

I grew up in a suburb just outside of Richmond. I can honestly say that I took the school bus to and from school every single day from the first day of Kindergarden until the last day of 6th grade (when I moved away). 7 years. And I think it’s safe to say that I turned out to be alright. And I probably would have continued to ride it after I moved if the system was better planned out—in SC, the bus route had scheduled to pick up from my neighborhood over an hour before school even started. That’s not exactly ideal, so we opted for carpooling with a car full of neighborhood kids.

Living in NYC last summer, public transportation was the only way I ever got from point A to point B. But in a city as dense as New York, the public transportation system is pretty well developed and used—a huge underground subway system and decent bus system make it pretty economical and convenient. I think I rode a taxi twice the whole summer—once to get home after a big trip to Bed Bath & Beyond after moving in and another time to pick up my boyfriend at the airport.

But when I look at cities like Columbia and Chattanooga, the only people that ride the bus systems are, to be completely honest, elderly or destitute. Even the lady who I worked with a few years back, a senior citizen herself, noted this as well. So maybe people aren’t convinced to take public transportation when it’s not as available to them. And perhaps the people who are more likely to take advantage of it don’t make it as appealing either—I like to think people aren’t this shallow though.

I started to think, perhaps it’s the fact that these cities and school systems do not have the most time-efficient or route-efficient systems that cause people to turn away from using them. Maybe this school system is the same as it was in SC and has such a long route that kids have to be picked up over an hour early for school by the bus. Perhaps it’s not a “status thing” to pick up your kids, but rather a “convenience thing.”

I thought this until I picked up my brother and sister on a Friday afternoon. I have never seen lines so long. And the funny thing was, only one child would get into each car—there is a serious lack of carpools in this town.

Those moms could not have been thinking this was convenient. In this town, it has to be a “status thing.” The kids taking the school bus, they’re not from the neighborhoods those moms live in.

The takeaway: Public schools provide a bus system your taxes pay for, so use it. If you’re not going to use it because it’s not remotely convenient, then carpool. Please.