What A Slacker!

Urban Cowboys Unite

Add comment May 31st, 2008

I was just watching Adam & Steve and they go two stepping. What ever happened to the art of country dancing? A few years ago it was all the rage. I guess it still is to some degree but just not in my area.

One of the staples of these urban cowboys is the western fashion. That’s where Cavender’s comes in handy. Whether you are deep in the heart of Texas or sitting in the middle of NYC they have the western gear for you. Go check out their handmade cowboy boots or cool novelty cowboy hats then get your butt into a club and do some stepping.

I Want It Wednesday: Cool Police Shorts

Add comment May 28th, 2008

I thought Dickies had cool shorts, but compared to the 511 Tactical Shorts I am not so sure any more. These puppies are pretty sweet. They are stylish, built to last, and designed to carry bulky stuff. (You know, like your PDA, cell phone, iPod, etc. Gotta love those pockets.) Besides that you get to look like a cop instead of UPS man. Which is better? I’ll let you decide on your own as for me I like the stuff at LA Police Gear’s website just as good if not better.

SteamPunk Makes Headlines

Add comment May 9th, 2008

I have been on a bit of a Steampunk kick of late and in had manifested itself in one of my recent posts about a way cool Victorian home turned museum in Texas. Prior to that my interest had been merely in stumbling on some really cool sites of people who are really into Steampunk and some of the sub genres like dieselpunk.

Over the course of the next few weeks I tend to feature some of the best of these Steampunk aficionados. Until that time NY Times has beat me to it with this article…

Steampunk Moves Between 2 Worlds
New York Times 5/8/08 By RUTH LA FERLA

…It is also the vision of steampunk, a subculture that is the aesthetic expression of a time-traveling fantasy world, one that embraces music, film, design and now fashion, all inspired by the extravagantly inventive age of dirigibles and steam locomotives, brass diving bells and jar-shaped protosubmarines. First appearing in the late 1980s and early ’90s, steampunk has picked up momentum in recent months, making a transition from what used to be mainly a literary taste to a Web-propagated way of life.

To some, “steampunk” is a catchall term, a concept in search of a visual identity. “To me, it’s essentially the intersection of technology and romance,” said Jake von Slatt, a designer in Boston and the proprietor of the Steampunk Workshop (steampunkworkshop.com), where he exhibits such curiosities as a computer furnished with a brass-frame monitor and vintage typewriter keys.

That definition is loose enough to accommodate a stew of influences, including the streamlined retro-futurism of Flash Gordon and Japanese animation with its goggle-wearing hackers, the postapocalyptic scavenger style of “Mad Max,” and vaudeville, burlesque and the structured gentility of the Victorian age. In aggregate, steampunk is a trend that is rapidly outgrowing niche status…

Read the entire steampunk article.

Shopping For Shopping Carts

2 comments May 6th, 2008

I have used quite a few online shopping cart systems over the past few years like Yahoo, Miva Merchant, osCommerce and even custom programmed shopping carts. Each one has its benefits and its drawbacks. If you are looking for an eCommerce solution I suggest you check them all out but be sure to include AmeriCommerce in your research.

AmeriCommerce’s shopping cart is feature rich and affordable. What I have seen from the example eCommerce sites the software can produce some very attractive and functional online stores. While I cannot yet fully endorse this online store software, I know I will be suggesting this as a possible replacement to my clients who are currently seeking a replacement to their existing Yahoo Merchant Solutions accounts.

Steampunk House That Is A Must See

1 comment April 30th, 2008

Texas is a big state with lots of things to do. I am not sure one visit would be enough. I luckily have friends who live in different areas of the state so I should be able to plan several trips to get the most out of the state especially when it comes to making plans to visit my friends in Houston.

I just came across this beautiful historic site, W.H. Stark House that I have to fit into one of the trips even if it is on the wrong side of the state, but thank goodness for those friends in Houston. It is a huge Victorian home turned into a museum located in the City of Orange about 120 miles east of Houston. I absolutely love the Victorian time period. Not that I would have wanted to be a female back in those days as I am certainly not into wearing all the dresses and lace, but I can appreciate the beauty of it all.

Lately I have been really getting into the whole steampunk scene too and this place fits that bill to a tee. Just seeing the outside of this place makes me want to go. It is huge and gorgeous! The folks that built it, William Henry Stark and Miriam Melissa Lutcher Stark, were avid collectors. And we all know collecting is an obsession and not just a hobby. You have got to see the stuff they have online and that is only a small portion of the entire collection on view at the W.H. Stark House.

They even have a bronze death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte. This is right up my morbid little alley. Besides that there is other artwork, beautiful vintage household items (that only the rich then and now could ever hope to own) and not to be missed is the wonderfully steampunk 1909 Hupmobile Roadster. What an amazing looking automobile. What H. G. Wells or Jules Verne fan wouldn’t want to have that vehicle?

While the online images of this place are beyond amazing I truly do suggest that anyone near this place goes there.

Dry Clean Your Hair

Add comment January 15th, 2008

It never ceases to amaze me at how far science can take us. Now you can dry clean your hair with Salon Grafix’s Dry Shampoo line This is perfect for people on the go or for use between your normal washing. When I was in the hospital I had a similar product to use since I could not take a shower and I thought how great this would be if you could find this out in the real world. Well guess what you can at SalonGrafix.com. And this is not just any shampoo either. You color match your hair to revitalize and cleanse on the go.

It brushes out easily leaving your hair clean without any white or oily residue. All you get is clean, shiny hair. What more could you ask for when you’re in a hurry?

Running late for work or never made it home the night before? Make sure you have some dry shampoo stashed in the office for just those types of emergencies. And speaking of emergencies what about at home when the electricity goes out and you still need to look good for work or a date. Better get another bottle for the home. And don’t forget to pack some if you are going to be roughing it. Who wants to wash their hair in a freezing cold stream? Not me that’s for sure.

Affordable Prescription Eyeglasses

Add comment January 14th, 2008

Recently I found myself, my face and my glasses being smashed by an airbag. We had a near head on collision with another driver that turned in front of us. So needless to say I was in need of a new pair of glasses. I hunted high and low for glasses I could afford since no one would bill the auto insurance. If I had found this “Great Discovery: $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglassess” maybe I wouldn’t have minded shelling out the money for my glasses first. Heck, I could have gotten my replacement glasses and sunglasses for a fraction of what only my standard eyewear cost me. Unfortunately, I found them too late for my glasses, but not for my Rx sunglasses.

Brought to you by the same folks who bring you $8 eyeglasses, Zenni Optical.

Blueprint Magazine and SheSpeaks.com

Add comment January 7th, 2008

When I first signed up for SheSpeaks.com I had hoped to get something really cool. What was great was they fact that I signed up after hearing about them on the local news as did a lot of other women. So I did not think I would be contacted to review any products any time soon. But not long after I signed up I did receive and email telling me I could review a new magazine from the folks who bring us Martha Stewart Living. Woman’s magazines are not really my bag but I figured what the hey. So I filled out the initial survey and received the magazines today.

I really was not expecting too much from the magazine. Just another Woman’s Day or Cosmo, don’t get me wrong Comso has its good points but I am not into the makeup tips and high fashion no one can afford. Blueprint has this but in moderation and the fashion is more affordable. The best part of the magazine is it does not pander to a feminine stereotype. The makeup tips and fashion spread are mixed with computer tips, decorating help, technology tips, and of course recipes, but done in a cool way. Dare I say it? It is almost like Blueprint is the WIRED of the women’s magazines.

Really enjoyed the 100 lists at the end of the magazine. Nice list and a neat layout. Well done.

Draw back the magazine has all the articles on the left and the full page ads on the right, which keeps us cover rollers from doing that easily and forcing us to keep the magazine opened wide [not good for commuters but good for the advertisers].

I got two issues the March/April and the May/June issues.

From the website: “Our new magazine, Blueprint, inspires with easy ideas for your home, wardrobe, and life. Design your life with Blueprint.”

[I know the post is a little late. Since then I had also reviewed an AOL website for SheSpeaks.com as well. Now on to some good stuff in ‘08.]

Just Say No To Stretch Pants

Add comment December 29th, 2007

Why do clothing manufacturers feel that all overweight people must wear stretch pants? It is next to impossible to find jeans that do not include some kind of stretch material. Personally, I hate stretch jeans. They never fit right and if they are slightly tight in one area they stretch and pull down the pants making them even more uncomfortable.

But don’t even get me started on the skin tight, body hugging stretch pant that all fat people seem to be wearing. At least the jeans leave something to the imagination, but the spandex pant does not. These should not even be sold let alone worn in public. I guess if you are really huge these might be the only thing you can fit in and still allow you to move around a little, but the rest of the world does not want to see you in them!

PJ Bottoms Not A Good Fashion Choice

Add comment December 15th, 2007

Why do people wear PJ bottoms out it public? Is it really that hard to put on a pair of jeans before leaving the house? This is an idiotic fashion statement, especially in the middle of winter. The thin flannel cannot be warm. Yeah they are comfy, but comfy for the home sitting around watch TV. Come on people pull on some jeans and leave those pajama bottoms at home where they belong.

Take that free advice and don’t do it. don’t subject the world to your poor fashion sense. [Don’t even think about swapping the PJs for Sweats either. Sweats are not a good option either.]