wax | wendy

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Have a heart?

via

From the set? Did he say from the set?

2012-02-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

You better not be effing with me, Vin Diesel. Stop Facebooking and finish making this movie already!

Starbuck is in the new Riddick movie too? Apology accepted.

via Bookshelves of Doom

Monday morning moment of 'splody goodness

2012-01-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

I feel I must take issue with the title of this video. The content quite clearly demonstrates that microwaves make things AWESOME!

And yeah, I'm really only posting this as an excuse to send you here ...

Nipples?

via Laughing Squid

Fashion Friday: Twinkle Toes

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

We interrupt your usual eye candy for some hotness of a different sort.

Behold!

DIY light up shoe clips!

I need these like I need air to breath.

Check out creator Becky Stern's Make:Projects page for a step-by-step video, materials list, and instructions and then get out there and sparkle!

LED Shoe Clips via Laughing Squid

#Musicmonday: Melo-m "Final Countdown"

2012-01-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

Presented in honor of my last week at NG.

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oh pile of books, oh pile of books, how lovely are your pages

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Consider this the Orthodox Christmas coda to my ongoing discussion with ItsJustMo and BethLamPen.

Credit: Mandaleigh-Geek

Check out The Mary Sue for 11 more book trees.

Handle with Care

2012-01-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

Christmas is over. The New Year is upon us. Time to take down the tree and carefully pack away the ornaments.

Or not.

Photographer Alan Sailer works out of his garage shooting things with a high-speed pellet rifle and photographing the results using a homemade flash unit. An interesting series of photographs he has, titled ‘The War Against Christmas’, involves filling Christmas tree ornaments with various things and shooting them for unique explosions of texture and color.

Check out his full photo set on flickr.

credit: Alan Sailer

via The Mary Sue

I'm sure the Mayans got it totally wrong

2012-01-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

source

2012 is going to be a GREAT year!

EDITED TO ADD: A tip o' the hat to ItsJustMo for this!

Cheers to the New Year!

2011-12-31T10:00:00.003-05:00

Phantom Cocktails from Ty Migota on Vimeo.

via Laughing Squid

2011 - If it wasn't on Facebook it didn't happen

2011-12-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

In 2011 ...

1. Johnson County Sheriffs were enjoyed at Cville Coffee
2. Bachelorettes were WOOOOO'd
3. Slushageddon was survived
4. Fled from the Smoke Monster
5. Missions were accomplished at SDCC
6. Mazes were ... actually, I was done with the maze after 10 minutes and bush whacked my way to freedom. With the Stage-Harveys at the Dole Pineapple Plantation.
7. Teeth were pulled. Apparently I am a girl with a tiny mouth and ginormous teeth.
8. Sanctioned drinking during work hours
9. Animals were fended off with Creed songs
10. Nephews were born
11. Skee was balled. We were the Knights who said SKEE!
12. Terrenced with Ames in Fred
13. 40th birthday parties were survived
14. Dear friends visited
15. Hurricanes were hunkered
16. Cookies were exchanged

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-12-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Shakespeare in Celebrity Voices

2011-12-17T12:23:00.000-05:00

It's British Friday! It's British Friday! Hot Scot Edition

2011-12-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

In the interest of equal time and delicious accents.

via The Mary Sue

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-12-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

Alright, technically Sebastian Roche is French, but Balthazar speaks with a British accent, so. Observed.

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

All tucked in? Nine is going to read you a story.

via The Mary Sue

I put the over/under at 8 hours

2011-11-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

There's an HR Giger museum? Why didn't anyone tell me there's an HR Giger museum?!

On June 20, 1998, the Museum HR Giger opened its doors in the medieval Château St. Germain in the 400 year old historic, walled city of Gruyères, Switzerland. As the permanent home to many of Giger's key works, the museum houses the largest and most impressive collection of the artist's paintings and sculptures, furniture and film designs, including the artwork of Alien and Dune.

Pretty sure she can handle it.

Please consider that some of the work might not be suitable for children.

The museum is a work in progress and a Giger Bar adjoining the museum is completed.

Oh yes, there's a bar. It's like you're inside the Queen!

GET AWAY FROM MY DRINK, YOU BITCH!

Museum HR Giger and Museum Bar HR Giger via Laughing Squid

Totally geektastic gift idea for the SoIaF fan in your life - 2011

2011-11-26T10:00:00.001-05:00

These are just so astonishingly fantastic they cried out for their very own post.

BEHOLD!

The Ladies of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire rendered as My Little Ponies.

~~Winter~~ Christmas is coming.

Unicorns Cupcakes and Whimsy by TiellaNicole on Etsy via Winter is Coming, Bitches.

Previously on wax|wendy: 2009 Gift Guide, 2010 Gift Guides

Totally geektastic gift ideas for the fanboy and nerdgirl in your life - 2011

2011-11-25T10:00:00.006-05:00

Bruce Loves You.com has the most fantastic collection of minimalist Supernatural posters. An entire episode is captured in one simple, clean graphic image. I seriously need all of these.

Bruce Loves You — Supernatural Episode Posters

Nobody puts Baby in a corner - or in many episodes this season - but you can hang her on your wall.

Metallicar metal wall hanging by Sena Metal Art Designs and Logos.

Read about the creation of this piece here.

Adidas limited edition Kermit kicks.

YAAAAAAAY!

And then Buffy staked Edward.

Buffy Pop Art T-Shirts by Tom Trager | RedBubble

The survival strap. 16 feet of heavy-duty military spec 550 paracord in a covert ops mission as a fashion accessory.

Because you never know when you might have to jam.

via The Mary Sue

In space, there are no corners. So say we all.

Nerd Approved BSG notebooks

So, I kind of feel like Starbuck would punch me in the face for wearing these, but I just love them. "Good hunting". So saucy!

Her Universe BSG Pajama Tank and shorts - Shop

There's an app for that, or you can snap Holga's new lens filter onto your iPhone 4.

Once fitted you now have access to 9 different and crazy special effects and filters without any software or app installed. Cunningly designed like an old school telephone just dial in your preferred special effect and behold the Holga craziness that follows!

iPhone Lens Filter Kit for iPhone 4 SLFT-IP4 - HolgaDirect

And of course if you have any bad fans on your list, consider this. It's not a lump of coal, but it's a lump of something.

Thousands of girls stampeded to the square all at once. Heels clacked. Dresses swished. Hairdos wobbled. The T-DOD theme song boomed a pulsating beat.

There was one rule and one rule only: a girl must be walking in order to be chosen.

T-DOD? Suddenly Tyra's POT LEDOM nonsense makes a modicum more sense.

"She even makes trash look beautiful," Tookie murmured.

Previously on wax|wendy: 2009 Gift Guide, 2010 Gift Guides

One word: DISPLACEMENT

2011-11-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Drinkify: There's a cocktail for that

2011-11-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Tell the web app Drinkify what you're listening to, and it will pair your music with an appropriate adult beverage. It does a pretty good job:

Old school, smooth, and under appreciated.

Tastes like a bari sax sounds.

I would have expected Drinkify to suggest an ice cold American beer, but I guess it checked my Klout score.

This one is a head scratcher. Hennessy? Sure. Makes total sense. Tabasco? Okay. Just like Otis, it starts off smooth and sophisticated and then the heat kicks in.

But cough syrup?

Drop a match into that and you've got a Flaming Moe.

I would have expected this drink to be paired with Jimi Hendrix.

I can't explain it, but fire made it good.

Drinkify via Laughing Squid

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

You can't live in a jacket, but you can live in a book

2011-11-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

Or a collection of books, if they're used to build a child sized reading cottage. I think we just put a period on this conversation.

@BethLamPen, you've got some work to do, sister.

book shelter by e.kristina on Flickr

#Musicmonday: Wax Audio - Sad But Superstitious

2011-11-14T10:00:00.002-05:00

via Laughing Squid

It's a Stampede! Link Roundup - I'll tumblr for ya edition

2011-11-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Suri Cruise and her biting fashion commentary is putting the Hollywood sandbox set on notice.

People want to believe that Harper Beckham and I are going to be rivals. This could not be further from the truth. I have no qualms with well-dressed, well-mannered young celebrities—it’s the slovenly little miscreants I take offense with. (And if you think I’m going to be jealous of a baby’s wardrobe, let me just remind you that I have invested $100,000 of Tom’s money in my shoe collection.)

Suri's Burn Book

If author Cormac McCarthy wrote achingly spare and atmospheric Yelp reviews instead of novels, they would sound something like this:

Paplote Mexican Grill

Mission - San Francisco, CA Cormac M. | Author | A dusty home at the end of a road, NM

Two stars

The young cowboy lies in the afternoon sun, gut shot. The bitter tang of cordite and blood mingles in his mouth. In his hand, a pearl handled revolver, still warm. He lies propped against the lone cottonwood. A mile distant, dust trails mark a coming reckoning. Three riders, maybe more.

His eyes shift upward to a circling vulture, a sentinel of inevitability. The blood is almost black. He has another hour at most. The pain comes in waves, lingering like the burn of bad whiskey. One bullet left in the Colt.

Something as yet unheralded has died when a quesadilla comes on a spinach tortilla.

Yelping with Cormac by EDW Lynch.

This tumblr is my spirit animal.

ANIMALS TALKING IN ALL CAPS by the fabulously funny and prolific Justin Valmassoi.

I'm also pretty sure he was at Nicki and Mark's birthday party.

And while not a tumblr, I do feel the need to mention Cutting Open An Animal And Crawling Inside to Survive A Storm In the Wild. I've written about this blog before, but after "a year in a concrete wasteland ducking into liquor stores to survive storms", it's back with advice that's more relevant than ever:

An 'expert' on CNN just advised everyone to get to their safe room. He's a damn fool. Room's aren't safe. What holds them together? Nails. Razor sharp steel blades just waiting for the moment a hurricane frees them from bondage so they can ravage you and all those you love. Get out of your house! Get out of your apartment! Get outside before it's too late!

Our only hope is to cut open an animal and crawl inside to survive the storm in the wild.

Cutting Open an Animal and Crawling Inside to Survive a Storm in the Wild

So, it's my birthday next week ...

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

via

Hint. Hint.

Happy #DoctorWho Day! 9-10-11

2011-09-10T13:10:00.000-04:00

Four was my first, but Nine is my Doctor.

#SDCC Super Swag Give-away

2011-08-21T22:48:00.004-04:00

UPDATE! Congratulations commenters! You've just won yourself some fine, fine swag. Andrew, please email me your mailing address and the Psych tee will be yours.

-------------------

I've finally unpacked from this year's San Diego Comic Con, and the fruits of my grubbing for free stuff are now yours to enjoy! It's rather remarkable the fugue state one enters when there's swag to be had. I've happily waded into scrums with no regard for how much it would suck to be crushed to death for a cheap t-shirt. And fortunately this year's grab didn't require getting into a scrap with a security guard *cough* WB booth *cough*

Behold the following fabulous selections (click on the photos to embiggen):

A: STARZ Spartacus tote, USA's Psych t-shirt (L), and a set of 4 TV Guide Comic Con special issues (Chuck, Fringe, The Big Bang Theory, and The Vampire Diaries covers)

B: Spartacus tote, 4 TV Guides, and USA Covert Affairs t-shirt (L)

C: Chuck and TBBT TV Guides and Chuck Nerd Herd t-shirt (L)

D: HBO Game of Thrones string bag, mini map of Westeros, House Lannister t-shirt (L), and mass market paperback.

I couldn't bring myself to rep Casterly Rock. TEAM STARK!

E: Wonder Woman iPhone case (3G or GS), Young Justice card deck and pins, and Batman Year One shades.

F: Set of 4 TV Guides and 5 FOX Animation Domination pins (Homer, Stewie, Brian, Rollo, and Roger)

G: TVD TV Guide cover, ~~Boone~~ Damon trading card, and "blood bag" soft side water bottle

H: TBBT TV Guide and 4 Looney Tunes pins and cartoon block

I: TVD TV Guide, Breaking Dawn magnet, character trading cards, 2 Jacob pins, and 2 light up key chains

Now for the fine print: Hit me up in the comments here or on twitter @Tubular_Whitney with the swag pac(s) you're interested in. You can enter for multiple pacs but only one will be given per person. One entry per person please - no spamming the comments. Names will be drawn at random** on Sunday August 28 and announced here. Offer open to everyone, no purchase necessary, void where prohibited, and valid in 49 states ... sorry Tennessee*.

* Nah, just messin'. You're cool Tennessee.

** ETA 8/27 - Except for A, B, and C. Those will go to the folks who jumped on the bandwagon first.

Read your bookcase

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well, that discussion just got a lot more interesting.

Laughing Squid: Modular Bookcase System Consists of Alphanumeric Shelving Cubes

It's a Stampede! Link Roundup - 8/16

2011-08-16T09:00:00.003-04:00

Oh yes. I ordered a pair.

Dr. Martens 1460 8 Eye Boot - Pewter Koram Flash - Shoebuy.com

I'll be wearing one of these when I marry my next ex-husband. Spiffing Jewelry via The Mary Sue

Step by step instructions for making your own custom stemware. You'll have to drink a lot of wine to stave off the nightmares.

Do you hear a baby crying?

How to make a doll into a wine glass in 23 quick steps via @NoShowMo

There are many rooms in my Father's house, and in each one a bookcase.

Bookcase Porn - A Showcase of Sexy Bookcases

Previously on LOST: What? Nicknames and SOBs

2011-08-15T16:00:00.000-04:00

What?

Sawyer's Nicknames Seasons 1-3

If someone could do a Sawyer/Dean "son of a bitch" mashup that would be great, mmmkay? Mmmm ... Sawyer and Dean ...

#Musicmonday: Geronimo Jackson "Dharma Lady"

2011-08-15T14:00:00.000-04:00

via Tubular

HAPPY 815 DAY LOSTIES!

2011-08-15T12:40:00.000-04:00

I review it: Cowboys and Aliens

2011-08-14T10:26:00.001-04:00

Indiana Jones and James Bond fighting aliens in the Old West! How do you *meh* that up? Cowboys and Aliens isn't a bad movie. It's just not as fun, surprising, or inventive as it should be. I mean, it's no Serenity.

I look at it this way: if you removed the science-fiction material, you’d be left with a decent Western that covers pretty familiar territory. If you just focused on the fantastic angle, you’d have a fairly typical alien-invasion yarn. Because neither one of the two ingredients is exceptional in itself, the melding of the genres is uninspired.

Exactly, Leonard Maltin! Exactly. And while the film is beautifully shot and cast - yes to Clancy Brown, Sam Rockwell, Keith Carradine, and Adam Beach - I never really felt invested in any of the characters. Especially Olivia Wilde. I could have cared less about Olivia Wilde.

This about sums it up.

2 leather chaps out of 5.

The movie would have been better served to ditch the aliens (keep the dog) and just have Daniel Craig roam the New Mexico badlands, glare into the middle distance ...

drink whisky, and beat the crap out of people. That's 2 hours of entertainment!

source

He could also occasionally stop to adjust his hat.

source

So, in conclusion: You're doing it right.

You're doing it better

I'll be in my bunk ...

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-07-15T10:05:00.000-04:00

Helen Mirren trumps Harry Potter. Helen Mirren trumps all. Helen Mirren, sexiest woman alive.

Photographed by Perou for Esquire Magazine

In praise of parasols

2011-07-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Shiny!

While their methodology is suspect at best, the Weather Channel is not far wrong in naming D.C. one of the sixth hottest cities in the United States.

You don't have to tell me. There's nothing like standing at the bus stop in the morning, hoping that salty tears and humid air will be enough to keep my flesh from bursting into flames.

But if there's one thing I learned from two winters in Chicago, it's that dignity and fashion have no place in extreme weather. I finally took a page from my friend Irene, and embraced the parasol. It's made all the difference. Our great-great grandmothers so had it right.

Heat index of 102 you say? Pshaw.

Easy like a Sunday morning

Still feeling awkward at the idea of popping open your umbrella when there's not a cloud in the sky? It's okay. You just need to start small and work up to it.

You can have my Oxford Comma

2011-07-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

credit: Dona Nobis Pacem

when you pry it out of my cold, dead, and decomposing hands.

Although it seems that rumors of its demise have been exaggerated. As Linda Holmes at NPR explains,

... there was a rumbling that the University of Oxford was dumping its own comma. As it turned out, this wasn't the case. They haven't changed their authoritative style guide, but they've changed their internal PR department procedures that they use for press releases. The PR department and the editorial department are two different things, so this doesn't necessarily mean much of anything, except that it's maybe a little embarrassing to have the PR department of the university with which you're affiliated abandon your style guide.

You know who's really excited by this news? Stephanie Meyer. By Reasoning with Vampires' count, she's never met a comma she didn't like.

source

via bookshelves of doom

#Musicmonday: Missy Elliott "Work It" and "Get Ur Freak On"

2011-06-27T10:08:00.000-04:00

From one Ptown girl to another, be well Missy!

The Amplified, Missy Elliott has been M.I.A. for a very good reason

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-06-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that we love us some Jason Statham here at wax|wendy. Naturally I was delighted last night when @tortiegirl advised me that he has a new movie coming out. My first thought though when I read Killer Elite: Statham Vs. Owen was, "Owen Wilson? What? Why?"

Then I clickied on the linkie.

Not Owen Wilson.

Clive Owen. *GASP!*

Shit just got real.

The Stathe is an action god, and Clive Owen has some surprising chops. If you've seen Shoot 'em Up (and why haven't you?) you know what I'm talking about.

Also, two words: pleasuring Monica Bellucci while fighting ninjas at the same time.

From what I can gather from the trailer, the movie is basically The Stathe and Clive Owen beating holy hell out of each other for two hours. Robert De Niro and Mr. Eko from LOST are there too. Yes please!

As the BuzzFeed so eloquently put it, we all win!

Happy Bloomsday!

2011-06-16T07:58:00.000-04:00

…I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.

via Contrariwise

Bittersweet

2011-05-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'd been at the magazine for five years before my name made it into the masthead. May 2009. My Dad carefully cut out the page - and every masthead page that came after - and saved them.

This month, I got my first byline.

I like to think wherever he is, Dad is adding an extra page to his scrapbook.

Check out the full "The Moment" here.

It's British Friday! Royal Wedding edition!

2011-04-29T12:54:00.001-04:00

I got up at dawn to watch Charles and Diana's wedding. I even watched Fergie and Andrew's wedding. So believe I was up at 5:00 am in my formal jammies, hat, and gloves ready for Wills and Kate.

LET'S DO THIS!

From the Virginia Philippy vintage millinery collection.

Speaking of Fergie, though not invited, she was there in spirit ...

What. The. HELL? Did Beatrice rip a piece of plasterwork off a palace wall??

I went with PBS's feed of BBC America's coverage. The US networks' yammering anchors would have made me go Elvis on my TV. Based on @TubularTV's feed, Barbara Walters was drunk and in rare form. Thanks for taking that hit for me, T. The Beeb kept the blather to a 10 minute discussion of what exact shade of blue Mrs. Middleton was wearing.

It's blue.

There was no debate about what color the Queen was wearing.

Contents of the Queen's purse: lozenges, kleenex, keys to palace, 75 effing carat diamond

Also, awkward ... Immediately after the ceremony, the Archbishop was executed.

I only noticed two questionable elitist comments, either one of which would have caused TortieGirl's head to explode had she been watching. There was the obligatory reference to a commoner marrying into royalty ... as though being the daughter of self-made millionaires is common. The second was when Kate and her father pulled up the Abbey. The observation was made that the son of an airline pilot must be so proud that his daughter was about to become a princess. Because following in the family footsteps of hard work and entrepreneurship would have been such a disappointment.

*end rant*

Ooh, look! PRETTY!!

Waitie Katie my arse. SUCK IT, BITCHES!

I wasn't immediately wowed by her gown, but as soon as someone on twitter compared it to Fraulein Maria's dress from The Sound of Music, I was in love.

I wonder if Wills and Kate will honeymoon in the Alps?

I also got a distinct Princess Margaret vibe from Kate's dress, and I've also seen lots of comparison's to Princess Grace. Basically designer Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen knocked it out, and Kate wore the hell out it.

William didn't turn around until Kate got to him, which tradition? Who knows. Harry did though, and apparently said, "Wait until you see her."

How much do we love Harry?

In the royal equivalent of the kids' table

Not as much as I love 3-year-old bridesmaid Grace Van Cutsem

Bloody hell it's two hours past my nap and I'm still waiting for the footman to bring me my juice box. Will you lot just SHUT UP!

MAZEL TOV!

Toon Tuesday - Home Movies "Mortgages And Marbles"

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

DON'T BUT MARBLES IN YOUR NOSE - PUT THEM IN THERE!

British Friday - National Library Week edition

2011-04-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

As a general rule, librarians are a kick in the pants socially, often full of good humor, progressive, and naturally, well read. They tend to be generalists who know so much about so many things that they are quite the opposite of the boring old poops they have been made out to be. Most of them are full of life, some even full of the devil.

-- Bill Hall, editorial page editor, Lewiston (Idaho) Tribune, Sept. 9, 2001.

National Library Week - Monsters on the loose? World Ending? You need to get to the library.

2011-04-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Credit: American Library Assoc

Friday marks the end of both National Library Week and the Hellatus. The celebrate the return of Supernatural (HUZZAH!) and in keeping with this week's theme, I give you a picspam of Sam and Dean in the library.

Hey, have you done your research yet?

"The Pilot". Microfiche readers are hot.

"Hook Man". Dean totally checks out the librarian's ass when she walks away. The hot, naughty librarian. It's not a stereotype when it's true.

"Hook Man". Buck up little camper. It's not that bad!

"No Rest for the Wicked". Gratuitous book pr0n.

"No Rest for the Wicked". Granted, it's a private library with closed stacks, but I think Bobby's house counts.

"Are you There God? It's me, Dean Winchester". Dean's going to take the tiniest book in the pile. Sam didn't forget the pie. He was trying to respect the 'no food in the reading room' rule. Naturally an exception is made for sweet, sweet healing booze.

"Are you there God? It's me, Dean Winchester". The librarian must be the librarian militant before he can be the librarian triumphant - Melvil Dewey. Credit: The CW

"The Monster at the End of this Book". Dude, I'm full frontal in here.

We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the Earth - John Lubbock. Credit: The CW

And I know Bobby had good reason for breaking into the Sioux Falls University Library, but be warned. Some libraries take that sort of thing more seriously than others ...

For him that stealeth a Book from this Library, let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with Palsy, and all his Members blasted. Let him languish in Pain crying aloud for Mercy and let there be no sur-cease to his Agony till he sink in Dissolution. Let Bookworms gnaw his Entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not, and when at last he goeth to his final Punishment, let the flames of Hell consume him for ever and aye. ~ Curse Against Book Stealers, Monastery of San Pedro, Barcelona

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REV. AL GREEN

2011-04-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

credit: Kansas City Pitch

He'll never be untrue.

Preach it Rev.

National Library Week - Conan the Librarian

2011-04-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

National Library Week - "Party Girl"

2011-04-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

".. one of the hidden masters of the world — a librarian. They control information. Don't ever piss one off." - Spider Robinson, The Callahan Touch

National Library Week - Doctor Who "Silence in the Library"

2011-04-11T09:00:00.001-04:00

The Library. So big it doesn't need a name. Just a great big 'The'.

Etsy buy of the week: Octopus Ring

2011-04-10T19:30:00.000-04:00

How much do I love this ring?

I purchased it from etsy seller Ayansi, but she has since closed her shop. She can now be found at ArtFire, and has a bridal store on etsy - crystaldust - but unfortunately both seem to be cephalopod free.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY DEE WILLIAMS

2011-04-06T10:07:00.000-04:00

According to imdb, he originally auditioned for the role of Han Solo. I don't know if the franchise could have withstood cool of that magnitude.

Not that Billy Dee needs any help. For the rest of you mere mortal men, there's Lando. Welcome to the cool side of the pillow.

Via Glark

Love what you love

2011-04-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

via The Mary Sue

Waterproof mascara my ass!

2011-03-20T11:41:00.002-04:00

I don't know what this is from, but I kind of want to make it my new avatar ...

via where i pause

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-03-18T10:00:00.001-04:00

Inspired by a very silly comment I received that seemed to imply that Brit Pop star Robbie Williams is, in fact, a robot.

Right up your kilt!

2011-03-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day amateurs!

POW! POW! Take that robots!

2011-03-15T10:00:00.003-04:00

via Reddit

Come on scientists! Are you trying to accelerate the singularity? I don't think I would stand much of a chance with Watson, but based on these results, I can hold my own when rock-paper-scissors becomes the coin of the robot-realm.

Computers mimic human reasoning by building on simple rules and statistical averages. Test your strategy against the computer in this rock-paper-scissors game illustrating basic artificial intelligence. Choose from two different modes: novice, where the computer learns to play from scratch, and veteran, where the computer pits over 200,000 rounds of previous experience against you.

I opened with scissors, on general principle.

Although I do think in addition to novice and veteran there should be a Sheldon level of game play.

Rock-Paper-Scissors: You vs. the Computer - NYTimes.com via Laughing Squid

Musical Pi

2011-03-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

For Pi Day, a musical interpretation to 31 decimal places by Michael John Blake.

I wonder what would happen if you keyed this into an FTL drive?

Previously: wax | wendy: Happy Pi(e) Day! 2010

via Laughing Squid

Have you met my husband, Fantastico McAwesomesauce?

2011-03-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

via The Mary Sue

#Musicmonday: "Don't Think Twice", twice

2011-03-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care

2011-03-06T10:00:00.007-05:00

Caldwell Tanner created covers for four classic childrens books reimagined as sci-fi. Artist Julia Yu took one of those covers and filled it with AWESOME!

Goodnight Dune ...

Her version of Dune is perhaps a better introduction to the story than the coloring and activity books that were published as tie-ins to David Lynch's 1984 movie version.

Duke Leto and Piter die.

You CAN color THEM!

What better way to teach 4th and 5th graders about political intrigue, messianic breeding programs, assassination, revenge, walking without rhythm, and drugs! Don't forget the drugs!

The no bake spice cookies must flow! Paul eats delicious spice cookies. They allow him to shorten the way, be many places at once, and see all possible futures. You can make some cookies that will show you the Golden Path too ... if you survive.

Be sure to ask a grown-up to melt the butter for you.

The Dune activity books also have an important Green message. Water is life. Conserve. Recycle. Reuse.

Coilhouse has a spice blows worth of scans from the activity books. Perfect for the whole gom jabbar family.

io9: Goodnight Dune, a children's book straight from Arrakis

Dune Coloring Books | The Mary Sue

Coilhouse Blog Archiveb | Franchised Goodies for the Children of Dune

What you call Shrove Tuesday ...

2011-03-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

IHOP calls National Pancake Day. So they're a week early.

FREE PANCAKES AT IHOP! WHO WANTS TO GO TO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS? FREE PANCAKES AT IHOP!

Join IHOP on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., for National Pancake Day and receive one complimentary short stack! In return for the free flapjacks, we ask you to consider leaving a little something behind for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. Thanks to our guests' generosity, IHOP raised more than $2.1 million last year. IHOP began its National Pancake Day in 2006, and since then, has raised $5.35 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities and given away more than 10.1 million buttermilk pancakes.

#Musicmonday: Dirty Dozen Brass Band "Ain't Nothing But a Party"

2011-02-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

It's Mardi Gras tomorrow.

"Do the right thing and have a breakfast cocktail."

God hates hate. God loves poetry.

2011-02-28T09:00:00.002-05:00

We will run from hate
Every adult & child shall be in thine heart
And thou shalt teach them
to read (between) the words.

You can't engage the crazy, and you can't shout down the crazy. God Loves Poetry is a tumblr that attempts to subvert the crazy by blacking out words from The Westboro Baptist Church's daily hate-filled press releases.

We began this website to demonstrate that everyone has the ability to manipulate negativity by using just a little bit of creativity. Art, humor and love are three of the most powerful tools used to combat hate. That’s why we’re implementing these tools to turn the Westboro Baptist Church’s hatred into something both positive and enjoyable. The idea is basic: just eliminate words to create something meaningful, potentially creating something even more momentous than the original canvas given to you.

You can join the project by submitting your own WBC poetry. I recommend using the pre-selected press releases. You really don't want to slog through the Church's own archive. You might get some on you. It's kind of like when you step in poop. No matter how many times you run your shoe through the grass, you never really get all of it.

via Bookshelves of Doom

Self organizing bookshelf

2011-02-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

@noshowmo and @BethLamPen I think shit just got real ...

OH MY GOD OHLENKAMPS GET OUT OF OUR HEADS!!!

via Laughing Squid

I gave her my heart ...

2011-02-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

... and she ripped it out of my chest and showed it to me.

Happy Valentines Day!

14 scenes of hearts being ripped out | SCI FI Wire

#musicmonday: Irma Thomas "It's Raining" + "Ruler of my Heart"

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

#Mishasrhino: The game's afoot!

2011-02-05T10:00:00.001-05:00

When I opened my mailbox Wednesday I was surprised to see a manilla envelope. I didn't remember ordering anything. And then I saw the return address ...

OMG IT'S MY RHINO! MISHA'S RHINO IS HERE! MISHA'S RHINO IS HERE! OH, HAPPY DAY!! HAPPY RHINO DAY!

Rhino, you say? In December, following the Supernatural fandom's glorious TV Guide cover poll win, Misha Collins made the following pledge via the twitters:

All you had to do was send him a plastic bag and a SASE. I had forgotten all about it, but Misha was true to his word ...

... and shared his rhino. Of course now that you have your piece, you have to marry it to its fellows. Find your puzzle peeps here. Go Team 1!

UPDATE! As of 7:30 Friday night, Team 1 had deciphered the email address and we stand by, awaiting futher instructions from our Overlord.

Misha is awesome. That is all.

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-02-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

#Musicmonday: Concrete Blonde "Someday?"

2011-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

Not that she's going to see this, because she simply refuses to read the blog, but - Hey Jen! Remember that time we almost died at that show at the Boathouse? Yeah, that was awesome.

These are not the books you're looking for

2011-01-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

Libreaction's Andy Priestner has managed to ping two of my nerd sweet spots with his thoughtful review of the Jedi Archives. He takes issue in particular with their access policy, which could be the greatest comprehensive exam question ever written.

"Create an access policy for an archive containing all of the known information in the galaxy, held in a variety of print and digital formats, and serving a diverse user population. Special attention should be paid to the competing needs to provide critical information while guarding against data corruption at the hands of the Dark Side. Cite the professional literature and provide specific examples."

And while I won't go so far as to call head librarian Jocasta Nu the worst librarian in the galaxy, I will say that if your client is having trouble finding something, the answer is not, "If an item doesn't appear in our records, it doesn't exist".

Jedi Librarian: Libreaction via Neatorama

Slacks is fun to say. Slacks. SLAHHHKZ!

2011-01-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

Put This On: LBJ Buys Pants from Put This On on Vimeo.

via Laughing Squid

#HappyBirthdayDean!

2011-01-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

I have too much time on my hands

2011-01-23T18:07:00.002-05:00

When you watch all of Season 1 of Spartacus in one sitting and then combine it with Creed's impressive ability to fend off dangerous animals you get this ...

Thracian fends off Spartacus kittens with Creed song - credit: STARZ and Nathan V.

Why yes, I have created a wholly unnecessary tumblr account, and expect CBS to call with a production deal any day now.

If you'd like to see the kittehs in their original, un-Creeded form check out Nathan's Spartacus recaps at Tubular.

Monday morning moment of Star Blazers

2011-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

Now let's get crackin' on a US release date for the live action movie.

via Topless Robot - The Most Beautiful Version of the "Star Blazers" Theme You'll Hear Today

Your Monday morning moment of Evil Dead

2011-01-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

2011-01-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Mumford & Sons

"Roll Away Your Stone" and "The Cave"

4 8 15 16 23 42

2011-01-01T16:00:00.001-05:00

Today is 010111

In binary 010111 = 23

WE HAVE TO GO BAAAAACK!

Last Year Next Year This Year New Year - Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

What channel is Dick Clark on? Happy New Year, huh? Happy New Year, right?

And behold, another year begins ...

2010-12-31T14:00:00.000-05:00

Bubble works out the whole "new year" thing.

Tip o'the hat to Rich!

2010 - A Year in Pictures

2010-12-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

Shopping with wax|wendy: Scenes from the mall

2010-12-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

If your kid starts crying because the toy animals are frozen in moments of life and death struggle ... yeah, that was me. Sorry.

I'm just going to sit here and eat all the baby penguins.

Life beyond the paddock proved to be crueler and shorter than Blaze could ever have imagined.

Fear was for tomorrow. Today they would cross the Mara River unchallenged.

For those about to drink, we salute you.

We've talked about this before, right? Is it really necessary to gender segregate baked goods?? And if you're pushing cookies, I would reconsider the use of the word "cavity".

This is a page from a delightful little book called The Southern Night Before Christmas.

What? Of course one of the reindeer is called Sister. Naturally.

This has drinking game written alllll over it.

You can hang both of these on your tree, but you might need a buffer ornament in between to keep the peace.

When did Barbie get Kardashian'd?

Over 2-feet of hair. Perfect for the budding princess or baby drag queen in your life.

Monday morning moment of nerditry

2010-12-27T10:00:00.001-05:00

"Kara Remembers / All Along the Watchtower" performed on an Eigenharp by my new boyfriend.

via Topless Robot - BSG's Cylon Theme on an Autoharp

Happy Kwanzaa! Pass the corn nuts.

2010-12-26T10:00:00.008-05:00

You've seen it. You're mocked it. You've thrown up in your mouth a little at the sight of it ... but have you ever wondered how it came to be?

While semi-homemade Sandra Lee may have unleashed the Kwanzaa cake upon the world, she didn't actually write the recipe. That blame credit goes to cookbook author Denise Vivaldo. Her mea culpa has been taken down from the Huffington Post where it originally appeared, but nothing ever truly disappears from the interwebs ...

In my defense, I must start at the beginning. I've been developing recipes for cookbook authors and food companies for over twenty years ... I sell recipes from $100-$400 dollars apiece plus the cost of groceries. I love it. Not only is it fun, creative and challenging, I get to study all kinds of food. Most projects are just plain terrific. I'm humbled by the amazing people I've gotten to write and work for.

But (isn't there always a but?)...wait for it...wait for it.

One night in my office, at least 10 years ago, my phone rang. I answered it. If only I had noticed that my dogs started to howl and blood mysteriously started seeping from the walls. Alas, I did not. So excited to close the sale, I made an appointment with a personal assistant to meet "the next Martha Stewart, only bigger." I was happy to think about this latest project that would help feed my assistants.

It turned out that the premise of this cookbook would be "delicious desserts with nothing made from scratch." This book would be the second in a series. The first book was almost done, but apparently the writer, food stylist and recipe tester from that first book had all gone sailing in the Bermuda Triangle to celebrate and had disappeared. The books were being self-published by Ms. Lee, unless she could find a publisher, ASAP. She really, really wanted a publishing partner.

I 'm not sure if it was because my head was spinning 360 degrees and my retinas had become burned by some horrible smoke that seemed to fill the room whenever she moved, but I wasn't grasping the concept. "No fresh food. Just canned food. Nothing fresh, do you understand me? All food out of cans or boxes, so it's easy for the homemaker ...and write the brand name of the cans or boxes right in the recipe."

I assumed it was the ten years of smoking dope in my formative years that was making me stupid. Then I thought, okay, this is another slant on The Cake Mix Doctor, by Anne Byrn. A book that had been wildly successful. I can do this.

Before you say a word, let me say one more thing in my defense.

I have people that depend on me for their livelihood. Assistants, designers, photographers, and especially my American Express Platinum card. I sign the checks, so I have to bring in the money. To make my small business work, I took the job. First time I ever signed a contract. Of all the truly big stars and real celebrities I've worked with, it was always just a handshake and my reputation for getting the job done that created the deal. To put it simply, I deliver what I say I will.

Thirteen months past and after exactly 151 recipes, I tried to fake my death.

Ms. Lee called and though we were done with the book, she needed at least ten extra angel food cakes for "fun" sugary holiday times to sell to a magazine ... Please ask yourself, what would you have done in my place? See how that Kwanzaa cake is looking better from my perspective? I will tell you truly, the candles were her idea.

I guess I imagined something more refined. And I know the Corn Nuts were disgusting, but she didn't. As a matter of fact, the more tasteless the recipes got the more she liked them, the faster she approved them, and I could get home and drink some medium-priced wine after our meetings. She's not a good role model for abstinence.

I've never watched any of the videos on YouTube. My priest says, "Never call the devil."

And to think, Anthony Bourdain was afraid of her. Crap, he was never even close.

Woman behind ‘Sandra Lee Kwanzaa Cake’ Explains Debacle | EURweb

Christmas!Christmas!Christmas!Christmas!

2010-12-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

Thank or blame Bobby for this.

A Kiwi Christmas Story

2010-12-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

"They called the baby Jesus, and they loved him. And he has two daddies - God and Jonas."

The Christmas story as told by the children of St. Paul's Church, Aukland NZ

via Neatorama

Werner Herzog reads "Twas The Night Before Christmas"

2010-12-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, mein fledermaus

via io9

Here we come a'caroling: "Fairytale of New York"

2010-12-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Here we come a'caroling: "Little Blue Man Group Drummer Boy"

2010-12-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

Was anyone else hoping for an appearance by David Bowie dressed as his 70's self? It seems to be a thing on Late Night.

Here we come a'caroling: Rudolph (You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light)

2010-12-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Rudolph (You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light)

#Musicmonday: Adele "Rolling in the Deep"

2010-12-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

#Musicmonday: Duffy "Well Well Well"

2010-12-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

Monday morning moment of WOOOOOO!

2010-12-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

Totally geektastic gift ideas for the fanboy and nerdgirl in your life - 2010: Part of the Second

2010-12-02T08:00:00.008-05:00

To be the man, you've got to beat the man ... in a mask.

Lucha Libre masks via Cool Material

Do you need to affix take out menus and childrens' art to your fridge? Well, there's a magnet for that.

I make this suggestion with fair warning - buy it ONLY if your giftee was eventually able to purchase Comic Con 2011 tickets.

Otherwise I take no responsibility for the thrashing you're likely to incur.

Error 500 Internal Server Error tshirt

Does your loved one want to be among the first to welcome our sentient robot overlords? Consider sending them to Singularity University.

Singularity University is an interdisciplinary university whose mission is to assemble, educate and inspire leaders who strive to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies in order to address humanity’s grand challenges. With the support of a broad range of leaders in academia, business and government, Singularity University hopes to stimulate groundbreaking, disruptive thinking and solutions aimed at solving some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. Singularity University is based at the NASA Ames campus in Silicon Valley.

Naturally, if you go to the trouble of selecting the perfect geektastic gift, you should at least wrap it in perfectly geektastic paper.

You could give me an empty box on Christmas, I wouldn't care. Not if it was wrapped in Dune paper.

Bless the Maker and all His works; Bless the coming and going of Him.

Sci Fi inspired wrapping paper by merrypranxter via io9.

Totally geektastic gift ideas for the Star Wars fans in your life - 2010

2010-11-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

Your pants are no good to you around your ankles.

Boba Fett belt buckle

IT'S A SAMPLER!

Star Wars cross stitch from steotch

This is the swimsuit you've been looking for.

Black Milk Clothing via Gizmodo

And finally, I may actually ask for this for Christmas, because seriously? Seriously. Words fail.

You provide a photograph with the face and the pose, Paul makes the magic happen. Orders are NOT guaranteed for Christmas delivery, but the anticipation becomes part of the gift. Just like when you were 10, waiting for Jedi to be released so you could find out what happened to Han.

Custom carbonites by Paul Pape via Neatorama.

#Musicmonday: Etta James "Something's Got a Hold on Me"

2010-11-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

Monday morning moment of ... and you are?

2010-11-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

via Neatorama

I review it: Burlesque

2010-11-28T16:57:00.002-05:00

I kind of loved this movie. It's like a giant pink cupcake iced with glitter and served on a plate of camp - and I mean that in the best possible way.

The 'small town girl with big dreams makes good' story line is pretty paint-by-numbers, but that's not why you're there. You're there for the musical set pieces and gorgeous production design, and those are worth the price of admission. Christina Aguilera does a capable job with the material, and she's given ample opportunity to do what she does best - blow the roof of the mother.

Cher spends the movie being Cher, because she's already proven that she can act and made one of the greatest movies of all time *cough* Moonstruck *cough* and my god people she's a goddamn national treasure! What more do you want from her?

Oh, you say you want a patented Cher power ballad? Alrighty then. Seriously y'all, this is the show stopper number. Believe.

Stanley Tucci steals the movie and is amazing and needs to be in everything. That guy who plays the campaign manager on The Good Wife (tm my Mom) has the Joel Gray role. Julianne Hough is in it so people can say, "Hey isn't that the girl from Dancing with the Stars?" and then spend the movie waiting for her to show up because FAKEOUT! she's a brunette. The great Etta James also gets several shout outs because Christina worships her, as one does.

The one casting misstep is Kristen Bell. I didn't really buy her as the fading star who is eclipsed by newcomer Xtina. I just kind of sat there wondering, "Veronica Mars? Really?" She came off as more petulant than life weary, which is what I think the role really called for. Although she did get the best line of the entire film:

"I won't be upstaged by some chick with mutant lungs!"

3 tasseled pasties out of 5. Check it out.

In upcoming movie news, this was one of our trailers. I have no idea what this movie is about, but you pretty much had me at chicks with swords blowing shiz up in slow motion while the levee breaks. With robots! It's like director Zack Snyder made this movie just for me.

Totally awesome gift idea for the badass in your life

2010-11-28T08:00:00.003-05:00

I don't have words to adequately express how much I love this bag.

Each duffle is custom crafted from the turnout coat you provide.

VALOR overnight bag by etsy crafter CLEVERSCENE via Neatorama

Totally geektastic gift ideas for the fanboy and nerdgirl in your life - 2010

2010-11-26T08:00:00.015-05:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving, friends. Let the shopping begin!

The Enochian translates to, "Peace out, douchewad".

Yes, I've already ordered one. Yes, it is just that awesome.

Enochian sigil tees by SoupGnats

via LogicandLove

Stay warm, live long and prosper with the Vulcan greeting hoodie.

Sadly, these 75th anniversary DC Chucks won't be out until Spring 2011. Maybe a geektastic idea for Easter then.

via io9

I love my iPhone, but there are times when I miss a physical keyboard. Think Geek feels my pain. That's why the developed the blue tooth enabled flip out keyboard.

Naturally Apple laughs at my pain. That's why it's not compatible with the 3G.

Break out the footie pajamas and burst your bonds! It's ...

THUNDARRRRRR THE BARRRRBARIAN!!!

Thundarr the Barbarian: The Complete Series at the wbshop.com via io9.

And finally, don't forget the reason for the season ...

Sweet fancy Moses it's Christ on a Cracker!

Previously on wax|wendy - 2009 gift guide

God as my witness I thought turkeys could fly ...

2010-11-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Video from sharkhost

Full episode below