Get ready, people. As alluded to in the title, I am really covering all the post-modern blogging bases in this post here.

So, we've established that I like projects. And, by way of update, we did end up getting those curtains on our next trip to Ikea because 1) Jon is really the best husband ever, and 2) I made up a ruse project. And it sounded even crazier than the curtains. While Jon was busy rightfully vetoing that crazy-a** project, I was sneaking the curtains into the giant yellow Ikea bag.

And it worked! (pictures soon to come)

So, on to the next project.

This one comes via my great friends Holly and Andy. They did this fun thing on their blogs. I wasn't in time to cash in on Andy's and, technically, I wasn't even actually in time to cash in on Holly's (but I thought I was and, turns out, that was enough-- welcome to my life). Here's how it works:


The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

Just for you.


This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I get to choose what I make for you.
2- There are no returns or exchanges.
3- Your creation will be just for you.
4- It'll be done this year.
5- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a poem. It may be a mix-tape. It may be a small child. Remember: no returns.


The catch? You have to join the tagging-crafting-giveaway ranks by re-posting this on your own blog and offering the same deal to 5 of your own lucky blog readers.

So, the first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they are in win a homemade gift by me!

Note: No crushing people in your hurry to comment. This isn't Wal-Mart here.

Poor Jon. He thought that our recent move into our fun new apartment (I'll post pictures when it doesn't look like a bomb that blew up at a garage sale) was going to keep me satisfied for more than four days.

Unfortunately, we're learning that I have an infinite capacity to want stuff.

It's not that I'm materialistic. I don't want stuff just to have stuff. But I love projects. And more importantly, I think it keeps me off medication sometimes. Rather than popping a Xanax (I have a sneaky suspicion that I could also love prescription drugs), I arrange furniture in my head. All day. Jon aptly termed it a "healthy fixation."

Which might help to explain why I was almost in tears at Ikea last night when my convoluted explanation of how I would attach the curtains below to a network of exposed piping in our bedroom with imaginary hardware was met with less than the rapturous reaction I was hoping for from Jon.


Sorry, dude. At least now you know what a temper tantrum in Sweden would be like. Taking me out for ice cream afterwards was a really nice touch. Just one more reason I'm glad I married you.

I know. I don't deserve to consider myself a blogger. But maybe you want to forgive me and think I can do better in the future?

I'm giving you the video below as a little "let's make up and be friends again" offering. I think you'll find it's worth it.

(A little pre-video note: This is all real. And it's all serious. And it's 199% amazing. Go to utahwolfproductions.com if you want to see more. Thanks to Collin for the great lead.)





And if you think that's awesome, how about a promise that I won't ever go a month and a half without posting again? I can totally make that promise. Probably.

The last couple months of my life have been pretty crazy. Some more sane people may be less generous and call it a total mess. I have been so busy that poor Jon has been forced to fend for himself for food even more than he already had to. I've turned into one of those "once a month" bloggers. And I've only barely kept up with Project Runway. Clearly, it's been a little nuts.

But I think it's been for a good cause.

Three months ago, I was just minding my business, working at the TSG, when my dear friend Jenna approached me and asked me if I'd do some freelance web writing for this start-up company she was working with. I said yes, expecting a few hours of easy work. As I started working on it, though, I started seeing something truly unique and, honestly, genius. I felt like Heidi Montag when she realized she could make her own music videos: this thing was just full of possibilities. I immediately called Jenna and told her that, with the right brand, this idea could be something really huge.

Thus, Speek was born.

Speek is based around the idea that advertising should be a conversation. Scott (the guy behind the great idea) one day had just had enough with all of the wasteful junk mail, lame TV spots and obnoxious banner ads that were always surrounding him. He started thinking that advertising should be something more: something that not only actually made sense for the people viewing it but that also gave something back to them and the communities that they live in.

Rather than just complaining about it (my usual stance), he then actually came up with a beautifully simple idea that solved several of the biggest challenges facing advertising. And Kristin, Jenna and I (along with several other really great people) have been working like crazy since then to help Scott make this awesome idea a reality.

So, how does Speek work?

1. People come to speekback.com and sign up for a free account. In this account, they create a profile about their interests.

2. They then get access to an online viewer where they receive advertising for things that are actually interesting to them (so, for example, I might get an ad for a discount on a new "So You Think You Can Dance"sheet set-- stuff like that).

3. For every ad the member views, they get $.05 and a partnering non-profit organization of their choice gets $.05 too. So, not only are you getting information that you actually might find useful, you're also getting some of the benefit for your time and helping to support the causes or groups you believe in at the same time.

4. As people share Speek with their family and friends, they also get money for each ad that anyone that they invite views. Even if you just invite a few people and view a few ads, it all adds up pretty quickly to cover your gas money or, in my case, your Bugles money (come on-- you know that crunchy salty amazingness is pretty much impossible to resist).

5. Advertisers then have a way to interact with people that would be interested in their products without filling our mailboxes and landfills with wasteful junk that doesn't work for anyone involved. So, the whole process is better for everyone involved.


Anyway, I think this idea has the potential to change the way that people see advertising. And I've been spending blood, sweat and tears (my fingers are cramping even now) getting this to the point that we can now share it with you.

So, it'd mean a lot to me if you would check it out and let me know what you think.

First, you can check out the site here: www.speekback.com.

Then, come back here and click here to sign up (right now, people can only join by invitation, so you have to use this link). It's totally free and it only takes a few minutes.


Thanks for taking a few minutes to support me. You guys are the best.




(One caveat: realize that all of you amazing people will be among the first to really experience Speek. So, there may be some things that are still a work in progress. But aren't we all?)

One of my favorite things to do with Jon is go on random little shopping trips. On this particular outing, we hit up DI. Trips to DI have become increasingly rare lately, mainly because I'm not as dirt poor as I was in college and the charm of buying shoes that someone else has already been putting their feet in kind of wears off when you have more than $3.50 to spend. DI does have its benefits, though, in that you can occasionally find gems like this.





I think we can all agree that there's nothing hotter than ravishing someone with an infant looking on. Thanks, "Heart of the Raven," for teaching my innocent young husband the true ways of the world. And all for only 50 cents.




(For any concerned family members reading this: No, we didn't really buy it. What kind of pervs do you think we are?)



The store next door to DI was also another highlight and we didn't even have to go in.




The 99 cent +- store? As in "everything here is 99 cents, give or take some"? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that every store?


I love it.

We just got a brand new iMac and I kind of love it. Apple is one of the few (okay, many) things out there that just brings out the total nerd side of me. I love how they balance power and style with pragmatic simplicity. We also did a mini-remodel of our sunroom to make it into an office (translated: put down Flor carpet tiles and moved around some furniture-- if you're wondering about the "remodel" label, you should see what I classify as "cooking"), so I'll post a couple pictures of that soon. But for now, in celebration, I share this seriously awesome music video by The Bird and The Bee, constructed entirely using Mac OSX. It's pretty fun.

What? An electronic Kenneth bobble-head doll with a button that will play all of your favorite Kenneth lines, like "Pregnant cornbread?", "Frankly, LaDonica, you have not been real helpful," and "My mom is my best friend"?

Um, yes, please.