Get your minds out of the gutter- Magic Touch from FreeOnlineGames.com is not even remotely as dirty as you'd think. It's a time-wasting game where you play as a wizard, casting spells to pop balloons above evil robot bug things before they land on your castle (ya, bear with me). You cast spells by using the mouse to draw the shapes in the balloons.
The concept sounds simple, but you may quickly find yourself in a fit of rage while trying to beat the game because it's a lot harder than it looks! Make sure you turn the sound AND music off because it's really annoying, but other than that it's a fairly enjoyable game!
Enjoy!
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Thursday, August 28
Fun Game: Magic Touch
Wednesday, August 27
Recreate Your Horrible High School Photos
Just when I think that my tired little eyes have seen the entire content of the Internet, a new website comes across my screen and gives me new and exciting ways to waste precious minutes of my life.
YearbookYourself.com lets you upload a personal photo and then changes it in to an embarrassing yearbook photo of yesteryear. Simply upload a photo, choose male or female, rotate to fit the template and you're set! Sit back and relax as you flip through the pages while the site takes you on a magically horrifying journey through the decades; year-appropriate background music included. Check out some of my personal creations.
I will say that I look pretty good with those late 70s wavy locks... better take that into consideration before my next trip to the barber. I decided that posting these photos were more interesting than posting my actual yearbook photos, unless you care to look at 12 years of bowl cuts.
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Tuesday, August 26
Black20.com: Free NYC Taxi
I'm a big fan on Black20.com's The Middle Show with David Price, but I haven't posted one of their videos in a long time because of the completely superfluous and annoying in-show promotions for Loopt, but this one was pretty good and I have to share.
Middle Show- I hope you're making some serious cash from the deal. Get your soul back from the man!
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From So You Think You Can Dance to Dancing with the Stars
Although I am a fan of dancing and dance-related television, I have never been a big fan of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. I will admit that I do enjoy finding out which "stars" will be joining the cast with each new season, and this time I was even more excited to hear about the news surrounding a new professional dancer.
Lacey Schwimmer, who was in the top 4 of season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance, will join the cast as one of the dance pros, and will be paired up with former boy bander Lance Bass.
I was surprised to hear that Lacey was added as one of the pros, even though she is a champion dancer. I think most people's attention tends to fall on the "stars" and not the "professionals" during the routines, so will it be distracting to have Lacey in a non-starring role? Or will it benefit her and Bass because all of the disgruntled SYTYCD fans who will make it their life's work to ensure she wins this show since she was so obviously robbed of the title of America's Favorite Dancer last year???!!! Hmmm... maybe that's just me.
So what do you think of the news? Were you excited as me? I think this is the only time I've ever been excited for DWTS, besides when I found out Mel B was in the cast.
The full cast includes:Kim Kardashian
Ya, you might have to google a few of those to figure out who they are. If you're still interested, here's more details on the other cast members from RealityTVWorld.com. The three-night (yes, 3) premiere of DWTS begins on Monday September 22.
Lance Bass
Toni Braxton
Brooke Burke
Maurice Green
Cody Linley
Susan Lucci
Warren Sapp
Misty May-Treanor
Ted McGinley
Rocco DiSpirito
Cloris Leachman
Jeff Ross
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Monday, August 25
Gideon the Cat
This YouTube gem came my way via StarVsStar.com babes Kara and Marlena (watch their YouTube vids here) and is so giggle-inducing that you might not want to watch at work. This clip comes from a family who attended one of those character meals at Disney World. They were video taping a few of the characters from Pinocchio dancing with the children and having fun, but Gideon the cat totally steals the show.
Not sure if the person inside the cat suit was some club drug-laced cast-off from the Jersey shore or a dedicated Disney cast member determined to make you remember the oft-forgotten cat. Either way, the clip is comedy gold.
So, after watching the clip a few hundred times I'd like to suggest you re-watch it with the following notes:
Please tell me you had the same reaction that I did when you watched. Also, if you like these clips, be sure to watch the related videos on the clip, especially "Ms. Pots Takes a Dive."
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Friday, August 22
Just because...
I'm not one to really share quotes or things of that nature, but I was jamming to Basement Jaxx on my way to work and the lyrics from the song "Jump and Shout" stuck out to me. It's like a crazy dance song and the rapper's words are so fast they're almost indecipherable, but they're worth sharing.
"Jump and shout, tell them be positiveLive the life you love, love the life you live."
Your takeaway for the weekend.
Jeanette's Summer Friday
Every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day I'm going to be featuring "guest bloggers" as a part of my "Summer Fridays" series. This week I have a lengthy entry from Jeanette titled 'Lily Dale: The Town That Hears Dead People." Spooky...
My interest in things otherworldly probably began in 1994, when my best friend and I formed the Fourth Grade Psychic Society. We issued professionally laminated cards to our friends clamoring to be members, but actually could not boast any psychic skill of our own. I think this was more our way of mildly rebelling against our Catholic school indoctrination, so we kept things tame; instead of using a Ouija board, we constructed our own Angel Board (same idea except supposedly not demonic). And we used a shot glass* as the object to move from letter to letter. Which I never pushed. I swear.
This hobby died down over the years, with the occasional tune in to Montel Williams' show when psychic Sylvia Brown was a guest and then, more recently, the propensity to fill my DVR memory with Sci Fi's hit series Ghost Hunters (Don't even attempt to mock. I have become very good at defending myself and will, in fact, blow you out of the water).
My curiosity did perk up a few years ago, though, when for work I had to become familiar with Lily Dale, NY. Lily Dale is located just west of Buffalo, and in order to own a home there, you must be a registered medium** that has passed the Lily Dale board's accreditation. Every summer, Lily Dale has its open season in which there are lectures and workshops, and visitors can make appointments to visit a Lily Dale Medium for a private session in his or her home, which is most likely a Victorian era cottage.
Fortunately, my ability to make friends willing to follow through with my absurd ideas had not died down since the fourth grade. I convinced my friend from Rochester, NY that we should go during my visit to her—it was only a two-hour drive away. Although she was a huge and vocal skeptic, she agreed (She was probably just bitter that she didn't know me in the fourth grade and couldn't be in the Psychic Society).
Our first run in with Lily Dale's mediums happened at an afternoon service held at Inspiration Stump, supposedly the site of some of Lily Dale's most intense spirit energy. A la John Edwards, a crowd gathers here several times each day, and a group of mediums will tag team read the crowd. For most of this session, we were not convinced. It was easy to tell that a vast majority of the visitors to Lily Dale were in search of some fulfillment their life just wasn't offering, meaning we were in fairly miserable company. One medium did come through with someone that, to a T, fit a very specific description of my Great Grandmother***, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to earn an honorary membership in the Sad and Pathetic Psychic Society. And interestingly enough, no one else in the crowd claimed this spirit as their own.
I had made private appointments with one of the town's mediums, but only after some fairly intense research. I steered away from anyone who remotely resembled the woman who told Carol Ann to go into the light, and also avoided anyone looking for a deposit ahead of time (Mediums take paypal?!). Instead, our medium is the definition of down to earth: a former marine and proud lesbian, she has flags commemorating both hanging in front of her two story cottage. She couldn't be older than 38, owns two dogs (and specializes in animal communication), and puts her skills to real world use, working as a grief counselor. Sounded way better than some middle-aged, crystal ball gazer dressed in resort wear.
After a spiritualist prayer, I repeated my name three times, and the medium briefly meditated. The first thing she came back with: My friend and I had said hello to cows on our way to Lily Dale. Had we? Yes. She told me the cows said hi back. Weird. Next, it sounded as if my Great Grandmother may be coming through again (I won't bore you with the exact validations as to why I thought it was her, but believe me, they were pretty impressive). She asked if anyone in my family had recently undergone medical testing, and if so if they were suffering from diabetes. I told her no. Take home point was that my Great-Grandmother wanted me to tell my Grandfather to take care of himself.
We neared the end of our time together, and the medium asked if there was anything else I was interested in. Because of her animal specialty, and my ongoing obsession with Barney, our family dog that we had to put down in February, I asked if she saw any animals around me. Brief meditation... "Do you have cats that you feed ice cream?," she came back with. Yes, my roommate and I make a habit out of, when we are done, spoon-feeding our cats the leftover ice cream. She said she saw a little dog. She was confused because, in life, this dog knew no other co-pets. Yet this dog thinks he is mine and is jealous that he does not get ice cream. "Next time, leave some out for him." She said.
Pretty darn good, right? I mean, I was kind of bummed with the lackluster message for my grandfather—he wasn't the one paying $65 dollars—but at least I knew Barney was no longer horribly arthritic and was still capable of focusing on fine dining. So I called my mom. I told her that if it had worked, the only person that came through was Grandma Kutchins, as we called her, telling Grandpa to take care of himself. "Well that would make sense," she said. "Grandpa was in for tests this week and is in the beginning stages of diabetes."
OMFG?!#WTF?#!?OMFG?! Not your usual reaction to hearing of a grandparent's illness, but warranted in this situation. Looks like my medium was pretty dead on.
One interesting thing to keep in mind is that there are no documented cases of anyone coming through and confirming our earthly superstitions about life after death. For example, my Great-Grandmother was very Catholic, but at no point did she say, "I am chilling here with Jesus! SUCK IT JEWS!" Are any of the earth's major religions right? Or do dead people get a handbook, like in Beetlejuice, asking them not to pass on any info that might start a religious World War III? Or is there a place where the energy of all living things continues on once they die, no deities included?
Or am I just insane?
*Gotta love the mom that unquestioningly gave us a shot glass for recreational use in the fourth grade.
**A medium is a person who can communicate with the spirit world. Think Patricia Arquette except usually less excitement.
***Keep in mind that, unlike most, I had a very good and long relationship with my great grandmother, thanks to the fact that she got knocked up so young with my grandfather and lived until about 8 years ago.
I think I'll be passing on the ol' psychic readings. That stuff freaks me out!
If you like Jeanette's entry you can read more from her when her blog, The Boob Tubers, relaunches September 2, 2008. And if you have something you'd like to write about just let me know, and you might be the next Summer Friday blogger!
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Thursday, August 21
Al Roker Learns Chinese
Al Roker has been teaching his TODAY co-anchors a different word in Chinese each morning while they are in Beijing for the Olympics. This morning we got to see him taking full Chinese lessons, then get graded by some very young instructors.
It's actually really funny, so make sure to watch through the end!
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Zoila's Painting Sells for Over $10K
The breakout star of Bravo's Flipping Out would have to be Jeff Lewis's maid, Zoila. This season Jeff contracted someone to paint a questionable portrait of Zoila as a gift to her, but it was less-than-well received. Although Zoila seemed to dislike the painting, an auction of the work has raised more than $10K for the right to own it!
Here's some of the press release from Bravo:PORTRAIT OF "FLIPPING OUT'S" ZOILA CHAVEZ SHATTERS BRAVO'S ONLINE AUCTION RECORDS REACHING MORE THAN $10K
NEW YORK - August 20, 2008 - An auction for the portrait of Zoila Chavez, Jeff Lewis' loving housekeeper from Bravo's "Flipping Out," broke records for BravoTV.com, raising over $10,000. The auction for [Zoila] Chavez's portrait was announced during the "Flipping Out Reunion Special" which aired on Bravo on August 12, 2008. The painting was featured in an episode this season and was originally given to [Zoila] Chavez as a birthday present from Lewis. The online bidding frenzy lasted for one week, finally coming to close yesterday evening. All proceeds from the auction will go directly to Lewis' devoted housekeeper.
"If I knew how much the painting was going to sell for, I never would have agreed to surrendering all the proceeds," joked Lewis. "I am worried that with this much cash in hand, she might leave me. But in all honesty, she deserves every penny for having put up with me for so long."
How long do you think we'll have to wait to get a Zoila spin-off? If you're not familiar with the quirky housekeeper please take a look at this clip from Bravo about what she's learned in the first two seasons of the show:
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Wednesday, August 20
Pet Peeve #5
Jumping the Seasonal Gun
Today is a much cooler day in New York City; down around 76 degrees instead of the recent 85. While the air is slightly less oppressive than it has been, there is NO NEED to start breaking out the sweaters, cardigans and scarves just yet. I saw several people who were completely layered up and really rushing the Fall fashions already. Relax, people. The dark, cool days of Autumn will be here soon enough.
These are probably the same folks that jump into their cargo shorts (gag) and flip flops in March just because the temperature rises above freezing. Also, there's already Halloween costumes and candy in some of the drug stores. IT'S AUGUST. It's just annoying.
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Schweppes Slow Motion Balloon Pops Ad
If you liked the super slow motion punch fest video then you're in for another treat! This viral video has been floating around for Schweppes. It's water balloons being burst in slow motion. I mean, is there anything that's not cooler in slowmo?
Does it make you thirsty? I need a drink, but I guess that was the point.
[thanks, Pierce]
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Tuesday, August 19
Skyblast at PNC Park 8/16/08
I've been posting a lot of photos from my recent trip back to Pittsburgh, but I can't help it! I take a lot of pictures. I went to see the Pirates v. Mets game last Saturday night with my mom, dad and brother and following the game there was a fireworks show and concert called Skyblast. Country singer Phil Vassar performed, although we were definitely not there to see him (sorry, Phil) although he was pretty good.
Here's my photos of the fireworks, a video of a portion of the show, and some cool distorted pictures I took of the Pittsburgh skyline and the moon. Makes a great desktop background!
Skyblast @ PNC Park
Distorted photos of the Pittsburgh skyline
What do you think of the photos?
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