don't be an escalefter

I thought it was universal knowledge that when riding an escalator, you stand to the right side so that the left side is open for those wanting to walk up or down.

Apparently, not everyone knows this generic rule of common courtesy.
Usually these people are tourists. Or people who just don't use escalators often.

The metro system has a lot of escalators. And A LOT of commuters. Who are in a rush. All the time. Heaven help the person who breaks the "rule of the right side" and stands in the way of a rush hour commuter. They will be mowed down. Literally.

If you are standing on the left side, people will step on your heels, grunt loudly in annoyance, or literally push you forward in order to get up or down that escalator. They have places to be, people to meet, trains and buses to catch! They have a schedule to keep and by golly, you better get out of their way!

I'm a regular metro commuter; I take the metro to work daily. And I admit, it's REALLY annoying when people stand on the left side. Now, I'm not one of the furious, furrow-browed, commuters tripping over people-plowing them down-as they run to catch their bus (seriously, these people are sprinting). That's intense...I don't take my commute that seriously. But it would be really very nice if tourists, newbies, and innocent bystanders would look around and notice that they are the only ones leisurely standing on the left side. It allows for a much easier, and happier, commute.

So for the sake of general peace and accord, don't be one of "those" people.
Don't be an Escalefter.


Seriously, it's such an important rule amongst DC commuters, that the Metro, one of our ad agency's clients, had us create ads to promote proper "metro etiquette." Thus, the "Escalefter" term was born. As well as "Conseaterate"; "PlanBdextrous"; "Doorker"; and "Sumpnspicious."

Rail headliner by LM&O Advertising.

turkish gold

My dad, being in the Army, has traveled all over the world. When I was about four years old, he went on a prolonged trip to Turkey. He brought back a lot of things that still adorn our house--gold plates, oriental rugs, decorative vases. He also brought back gold pendant necklaces on delicate chains for my sisters, mom, and me--each with our initials engraved on it.


Since my sisters and I were only ages 1, 4, and 6 at the time, too young to responsibly care for a gold necklace, my mom kept them in her jewelry drawer for safe keeping. At some point during the many moves of a military family, they were misplaced and forgotten.

Twenty years later, just this past Christmas, my mom found the necklaces and gave them to my sisters and I. I usually don't wear much jewelry, especially necklaces, and especially gold, so I didn't even wear it until last week. But when I finally wore it for the first time, I got many a compliment on it.


Kinda cool to have a little "vintage" piece of Turkish gold. Thanks dad!

luscious peonies

I bought a bouquet of peonies on Monday and have been enjoying the sweet smell and pretty sight of peony blooms on my desk all week.

forget emails, send me a Landogram

Remember Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman? I LOVED this show when I was little. I remember waiting anxiously for each new episode every week! I thought it was the coolest show e-v-e-r.


How can anyone forget Sully? The resident hunk and buckskin-wearin', tomahawk-throwin' love interest of Dr. Quinn. Rugged, manly, adventurous and part Native American, part....American? He was undoubtedly the reason millions of women tuned in to watch the show.


So whatever happened to Sully, or Joe Lando, the actor who played him? Is he still acting? Did he act in anything else? What does he look like now?? Can he cook??? Is he going to be on Dancing with the Stars?!?!?!?


Have no fear! All your Sully questions can be answered at joelando.org, the Official Home of Joe Lando on the World Wide Web.

You can Cook with Joe! You can Ask Joe your burning questions! You can see Joe's Horoscope or visit the Tribute to Sully! But best of all, you can send your loved ones a Landogram!

Pick a design featuring Joe and send your Lando holiday greetings and well wishes to anyone with an email address! My favorites are the "Let's Party" and the "Easter" Landograms...



Seriously people, joelando.org has enough animated clip art and entertaining Sully-centered info to keep you laughing for hours (or minutes)!

Get over there and send someone you love a Landogram today!


**I realize that I'm kinda sorta maybe poking fun of Joe Lando's site. But I can't help but find it really amusing that this is his official website.

fragonard

I like art. I like history. So naturally, I like art history. I actually enjoy going to museums and art galleries (not so much the modern art though). Yea, I'm kind of a nerd there, but I can't help but admire the beauty and culture found in classical art.

Somewhere during my history/art studies, after seeing his painting The Swing, I learned of Jean Honoré Fragonard, a French painter during the Rococo period. Quick history lesson: Rococo was an art movement in the 18th century that was characterized by delicate colors and elegant, decorative curves, and often portrayed lavish, leisurely outings and pastoral scenes or mythic love.

The Swing (1767)

Fragonard (1732-1806) was a master of the Rococo period, having painted over 550 paintings, not including his drawings or sketches. He was popular among the French noble court of Louis XV and XIV, but left France during the Revolution only to return later to become ignored now that the world of noble patrons on which he depended was gone. He ended up becoming mostly obscure and died poor.

Shepherdess (1752)

His ending is sad considering the beautiful works of art he created in his lifetime. His paintings are colorful, playful, and joyful--depicting frivolous scenes of romance and myth. They convey poetic love and graceful leisure. I think they're wonderfully beautiful.

The Progress of Love: The Pursuit (1773)

The Progress of Love: The Meeting (1773)

The Progress of Love: The Lover Crowned (1771-1773)

The Progress of Love: The Confession of Love (1771)

The See-Saw

The Love Letter (1770s)

The Souvenir (1775-1778)

Le Verrou: "The Bolt" (1784)

The Stolen Kiss (1787-1789)

The Musical Contest (1754)

via CGFA, ARC, and Web Gallery of Art

design

I'm not an interior or industrial designer, but I do work in print design and am appreciative of good design when I see it.

Design Crush posted this image and I find it humorous yet fitting and true:

a Duffy weekend

This past weekend I:

-Volunteered with my church's disability ministry and spent my Friday night playing with some amazing kids.

-Risked going to the Aveda Institute to get my hair highlighted....and learned never to trust my hair color to a student again. Thankfully, it is easily fixed and could have been much worse.

-Saw the Sex and the City movie. It was entertaining--much funnier than I thought it would be--and was practically an explosion of colorful fashion eye candy!

-Stayed indoors due to the hot hot heat (100 degrees? no thank you.) and relaxed and read my book and enjoyed some cool Coronas.

-Bought the Duffy CD and have been listening to it continually! Her sound is a refreshing break from the overplayed music on the radio. She's pleasantly unique and her music is an intriguing mix of modern soul with vintage classic oldies. I had only heard her popular "Mercy" song before, but the whole CD is great--you should check it out!



Duffy's "Rockferry"

Eeek!

Gas prices are supposed to shoot up to over $4 a gallon this weekend! Next thing you know it will be over $5!

I'm moving to South Carolina--they have the lowest gas prices in the country--only $3.78!

Geez...I remember when gas was like a buck a gallon...

can i has a cheesburger?

I've seen the LOLcats pictures around here and there, but I just now actually looked on the website I Can Has Cheezburger...and oh my gosh, I've been laughing for the past hour. (Yea....it's a slow day at work).


And my favorites:



And this is hilarious:


icanhascheezburger.com

Sweet St. Louis

My family used to live right outside of St. Louis, and out of the ohhh... say, 13 places I've lived, St. Louis was probably my favorite--apart from Germany, which will always be my most favorite place I've ever lived. (My dad's in the Army...explains the constant moving).

St. Louis is an amazing city, but I feel like it gets no love. It's got everything: culture, history, sports, fun, arts, great shopping and restaurants. It's a hidden gem of a city. Plus, it's home of Anheuser-Busch beer and Cardinals baseball heaven--and who doesn't love that! ;)

This article from Southern Living gives a pretty good synopsis of St. Louis. It reminded me how much I love this city and how I miss living there.