Mood:  happy

I love looking at beautiful furniture, and since I've decided that Curbly is one too many social networking sites for me to handle, I'm going to forcibly share with you instead.  I kind of feel like round-ups are cop-outs, though, I suppose, its more for the chance that you'll see one or two things you like and will follow them to blogs and shops beyond.  Sounds good right? 

The terrible thing about online decorating news is that so much new stuff is absolutely un-gettable because it is new and fresh in another country.

Francesco Rota's collection for Paola Lenti (via Apartment Therapy), Alcove Collection (via Design Milk),  Schoolhouse electric replicates over a hundred light fixtures using original cast iron molds.  (via Apartment Therapy),  Boutique sofa at CIBONE (via Design Milk)

Empire rocker from fawn&forest (via i suwannee via the SCOOP), Octopuss by Nathalie Lete (via Apartment Therapy), Jaroslav Jurica's wall mounted drawers (via Apartment Therapy via Dezeen),  WIS Design’s Decades chest of drawers (via Inhabitat),  Tom Dixon's new collection (via MoCo Loco),  Shelves from Primative (via Apartment Therapy)

So, now you know I like tall things, and colorful things, and odd storage, and that if I got my way and could guiltlessly refurnish my whole house I would be living in something akin to a fabric candy land.

Mood:  cool

I found out a little too late last year and set a calendar reminder for this year's National Novel Writing month in November.  And now I'm reminding you too.  Ever wanted to write a novel, but just needed a little kick in the butt to get going?  Well, here's your kick.  Participants will begin writing on November 1st and promptly stop November 30th with a goal of 50,000 words.  The haste is meant spur you beyond your fears of failure and your tendencies to get hung up on the details.  At the end of the month, you, YES YOU, will have completed a novel!  How many people can say they've done that?

So go, and declare your committment for November.  Now you will have all of October to program your TV to record your shows because you will be very busy, my friend.

Mood:  happy

I do not consider myself an indiscriminate fan of musicals even though several such movies are among my favorites.  I'd like to think that the Music Man is so good that it could make people reconsider their aversion to the singing, dancing cinema--I've seen it happen on one occasion.

Anyway, beyond the "ye gods," "great honks," and bold face awesomeness of this film are two amazing comedic actors that barely get the hunk of screen time they could have made magic with.  Thankfully they both had pretty thriving careers outside of the Music Man--too thriving to mention in entirety here.

Firstly, the lovely lady on the left is Hermione Gingold, and she especially caught my attention for her role in Gigi.  Her list of films and television appearances is long and varied from 1932 to 1984.  She was a well loved story teller and had early on been trained as a singer.  Her unfinished autobiography, How to Grow Old Disgracefully,  was published after her death in 1987. 

The lady on the right is Mary Wickes, also seen in White Christmas, and much more recently in the Sister Act movies.  Mary Wickes showed up in movies and television shows from 1938 to the 1996 animated hunchback of notre dame, which came out after her death.  She was good friends and neighbors with Lucille Ball and well known for stealing scenes whenever she was in front of the camera.

Previously on the Bean Christmas in July's White Christmas.

Mood:  cool

There isn't much explanation as to what this show is about, but I am entranced by the huge, floating, bloated, somewhat disgusting baby things that can sprout mechanical parts at will.  I will be waiting for this show to become available to us poor region 1s.  Anime Innovation Tokyo has a short blurb on this that lists it as in production.  

Mood:  cool

Last weekend we went out shopping as if we have a bunch of money to spare.  And somehow my usual reluctance for getting another guitar (have five? in the house) melted away for this instrument.  And, in a way, it was a perfect compromize for my continuing admiration of resonator guitars and my husband's desire for an electric acoustic.  This is the Jay Turser JT-Res Electric Resonator Guitar (pic from Musician's Friend).  We got it for about half of what the advertised price is on Musician's Friend, including a bag, so that made it easier on my financial guilt as well.  I try not to allow myself to dream of the really gorgeous expensive guitars yet, as a new car will come before a Rickenbacker.  It sounds great acoustically and has three different tones to switch between electrically.  One day I will be a snooty rock star who demands that all her guitars are on stage just in case she needs them.  

Mood:  chillin'

Now that Autumn has officially begun, I can indulge in my seasonal obsession in earnest.  I've been looking forward to Fall foods, and holidays since the Fall semester began here at school.  Though, I wonder if a seasonal demand for pumpkins has made all the peppitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) disappear from grocery store isles.  If its true, then there may actually be something I don't like about the season.  For other seasonal comestibles there is a great treatment of Autumn food on BBC --with recipes.    

Sometime last year I went on a nostalgic quest to find old holiday cut-outs for decorating.  Oh how happy I was when I found they were still available for many holidays and still ridiculously affordable; which makes their being easily store-able all the better.  To get some for yourself I suggest heading over to the Beistle Company and D. Blümchen and Company.  

And finally, when October starts I'm betting there will be a new edition of Gothtober - a Halloween countdown site.  Last years calendar is still up at the moment.  But if you can't wait for October to dream about Halloween then there are plenty of goodies to ogle at Crate and Barrel  (via Apartment Therapy) and Pottery Barn (also Apartment Therapy).

Previously on the Bean "Like the Day of the Dead in July."

Mood:  chillin'

As a consumer--hopefully an objective one--I would rather get my music from DRM free sources.  Maybe even my e-books, though I don't get much of them right now.  I love paper, after all.  What concerns me is that DRM makes what you buy not really yours. It restricts where you can move and copy the file regardless of circumstance so given a computer crash, upgrade, move of residence you would have to make all your purchases all over again.  I'm also hopelessly paranoid when it comes to my computer, and would rather not have any pathway installed into it that allows other people to yank information from me.  What with archivally recognized delicacy of digital material too, we should all be able to make sure that we can use what we buy one, five, ten, or fifteen years from now.  Obviously, I'm into longevity for my money.

I know there are a whole bunch of ins and outs and legal rights issues that spurred on the creation of DRM in the first place.  As a creator, I can appreciate the need to make sure that the artist gets their dues.  But it gets too sticky here so I'm going to concentrate on a few sites I found that have interesting stuff and/or a good selection of downloads that are DRM free.

MP3City.com - hosted in the Ukraine, it has a pretty up to date selection on all the popular US and European artists as well as top 20 charts for multiple countries.

Japan Files -  specializing in hard to find indie Jrock this site won me over with its exculsive handling of Budo Grape and then it kept me with Love Psychedelico.

Hear Japan -  but if you like some of the more mainstream Jrock bands, then try Hear Japan.  One quirk of the site is the distiction it makes between artists and groups.  Be sure to check both lists if your browsing or you will miss out on  a lot of artists.

Naxos Audio Books - offers audio books of classic literature totally DRM free, and allow publishers and writers to make their own decision on whether to apply DRM to their works.  (via Boing Boing which also provides extra links for your information needs)

And its no secret that Amazon has recently made their music track MP3s DRM free.   Downloading requires a special Amazon player that's small and easy to get installed. 

Meanwhile No Shelf Required has a thoughtful piece about DRM in libraries.  I think libraries is where this programming makes the most sense.  But if you want more information, Encyclopedia Britannica's article on copyright and digital rights managment will give it to you.

Mood:  happy

I've been saving a whole list of tutorials, and DIY instructibles that I want to try some time.  If you are at all crafty and don't know about the following sites and their amazing crafty goodness, then you should take a trip over to them and look around.

From  Craft Magazine:

Both From Sheet to Shirt and  How to make a thrifted sheet skirt are awesome ideas for those brightly colored and amazingly patterned old sheets that you can find in any thrift store, or in grandma's closet.  I only wish that the sheets I will soon be donating from our linen closet were pretty enough to do something like this with.  Maybe I'll just have to add embellishment. 

Brooch Keeper Tutorial  - fancy little felt book to pin and keep all your brooches.

Paper and String's make your own owl kits - kits with which to make cute owl ornaments.  Everything is provided for the less ingenuitous among us.

Kimono wrap for babies and kids - I know these are for babies and kids, but I would really like to figure out a way that I can adapt this for me. 

How to make Wrap Pants - I honestly never thought of wrapps as anywhere near pants.

Reusable Sandwich Wrap  - though I'm not keen on sandwiches, this idea could be used for any number of cookies, biscuits, and other goodies that might be crummy if not properly encased.

Shrink Plastic Ring Tutorial - this is so cool!  and hot plastic scares me!   

Both Sophisticated Rustic Jacket Pattern and Teeny Tiny knitted toys are for knitters, though I'm betting that the tiny toys will be easier for beginners--of which I am one. 

From  Boing Boing Gadgets:

How to make your books the old fashioned way  - I've flown by the seat of my pants making books before, and yet this way seems so much easier and produces such a uniform product.

From Lime and Violet's Daily Chum: 

Lime and Violet's is all knitting and yarn stuff.  If you don't already have some yarn skills under your belt, I encourage you to try.  Really, its not as hard as it may seem--I taught myself from a book after all.

Origami Turkish Socks 

Free Pattern:  Star Cross'd Love  

Cardiganizing the Ralgan Pullover 

Sweater of the Week:  Katrina   

From  Decor8:

I want to do this already, right now - DIY:  Frame Decals 

Mood:  cool

You know, I keep looking for the beautiful, shining, cold, and curving examples that we no longer live in a cinder block world, but all the buildings were I live are hopelessly out of date.  Almost forty years out of date now.  I really hate 70s architecture.  And though I sometimes find it hard to balance a love of history in city architecture:  buildings that have seen ages past and a need to knock down the architectural ugliness that permeates newer cities--like ones that boomed mainly in the 70s, I want new buildings.  Even if they are only selling a fantasy.

So, this first example isn't really futuristic architecture, but it is a fantasy future concept.  We need more creativity in our daily lives, yeah!  The Echo Park Time Travel Mart in Los Angelos was created/is operated by 826LA, a non profit organization helping kids with creative writing.  (via Neatorama)

The planned Songjiang Hotel built within an old quarry.  (via Apartment Therapy) and a planned Twisty Glass Manhattan building (via io9 via curbed)

Or, if futuristic construction means more smart materials than shiny looking (which I find equally alluring), then Brad Kittel's tiny houses in Texas might be for you. (via Apartment Therapy)

Previously on the Bean:

City of Silk Rail Network tower to rival Burj Dubai

Our Wonderful Future

On top of the Sea

More:

The Force is with Design on io9

In depth futuristic architecture post on SkyScraperLife

Athens Today - Athens 21st Century

Architecture on Tomorrowland

Mood:  chillin'

Did you know there is an entire website attached to this blog?  Well there is, and last night I added a little extra something to it.  The very beginning of my possibly unfunny comic Carmine and Vinny.  It stars the personifications of my beloved car (RIP), and my guitar (previously my brother's--though I don't know if he had a different name for it).  I'm ridiculously proud of the button I made for it last night (over there on the left).

And....... I just finished a few new desktop wallpapers if you are so inclined.  I think I'm getting better at them.  Anyway, there are on the free page.  So, go!  Explore!

Mood:  happy

I cannot believe I have been so remiss as to never talk to you good people about Zorro, the Gay Blade before now.  Have you seen yet?  or are you unaware of its greatness?  Let me help.

Much like The Mask of Zorro, the story in Zorro, the Gay Blade takes place after the original Zorro has become legend and disappeared from the land.  This is really where the similarities in the two movies end.  Don Diego Vega (played by George Hamilton), in Zorro, the Gay Blade is a playboy who is called home by his ailing father to California.  There he learns that his father has died before his arrival and bequeathed to him the responsibility of being Zorro.  Surprise!  True to everything I love about George Hamilton's roles, Zorro/Don Diego is impeccably funny and so is his late arriving flamboyantly British sounding twin brother Ramon Vega aka Bunny Wigglesworth.  Now, if you could possibly require more, the movie will also give you a mute servant with inventive sign language, a love story, two costume balls, and fruit salad.

And yes, I've watched it so many times I am going to pull a few quotes from it from my brain matter just for yous:

"To help the helpless! To befriend the friendless! And to defeat… the feetless!"

"Two bits, four bits, six bits a peso.  All for Zorro, stand up and say so!"

Mood:  spacey

So I'm being lazy and reviving a crafty pic I made and posted on my flickr.  I feel as though my brain is frozen.  All of my projects have non visual products so I cannot share.  That and none of them are really done.  Its all just research, study, learning, research. 

Mood:  cool

For all the time I spend on the internet, for work or pleasure, sometimes I feel as though I just don't have what it takes.  How is it that I could have not heard about the Genpets project until now?  Judging by the copyright dates on the website and io9's mention that its been around--this is far from new.  I feel as though I should be better at finding and/or stumbling across things of this curiousness.  

Genpets are limited life span pet companions color coded to help you pick out the pet with the personality that best suites your needs.  Of course, they are low maintenance in a way that cats and dogs are not.  And yes, they do not exist.

 The thoroughness of this project and its website is amazing and inspired.  Sites like this really emphasize the idea that the internet is its own reality.

(via  io9 via Geekologie)