that's N.E.E.T!

For those of us on the periphery of the alternative/indie world, discovering gems like N.E.E.T. Magazine often involves longish road trips to and from the Cape. Why longish trips? Well, better to chat up your indie-aware friends on the latest places to browse, shop and share! Why the Cape? Well, that's another story entirely...

N.E.E.T. Magazine is filled with all sorts of interesting and funky (occasionally bizarre) clothing, jewelry, home goods and just about anything else the editor feels like picking out. Flip through the online magazine to find something that peaks your interest!

Happy browsing!!!

~flutterbyblue

p.s. Hilariously enough NEET is also a government classification, a term first used in the UK that has now spread to other countries (so says Wikipedia.)

NEET = "Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training"

In the UK, the classification comprises people aged between 16 and 18 who do not participate in society and who are beyond the scope of labor welfare. In Japan, the classification comprises people aged between 15 and 34 who are unemployed, unmarried, not enrolled in school or engaged in housework, and not seeking work or the technical training needed for work. The ‘NEET group’ is not a uniform set of individuals but consists of those who will be NEET for a short time while essentially testing out a variety of opportunities, and those who have major/multiple issues and are at long term risk of remaining disengaged.

Hmmm...so in other words, graduate students?

SOEM this Sunday!!!

The South End Market this weekend will be particularly exciting because on Sunday from 10am-4pm I'll be there with my very own table! I've made several new necklaces and earrings to show off in addition to the items already posted on my etsy and mintd shops. I haven't been writing much lately (graduate school obligations get in the way far too often,) but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking of (all 5 of) you who read this blog!!!

In any case, if any of you are in the Boston area this coming Sunday, September 16th, stop by the SOEM and say hello! I'll be there with my book, drinking lemonade and people-watching. :)

Cheers,
~flutterbyblue

The Sowa Open Market is open every Sunday through October 28th. From 10am -4pm. The Market is located at 540 Harrison Ave in Boston's South End. Parking and Admission are both free!

Daisuke and the 5-toed sock

When it comes to playing ball, those Sox players don't kid around -- not even when it comes to, well, their socks. Popularized by our new Japanese pitchers, the 5-toed sock has allegedly been worn by more than one Sox player (including Mike Lowell, Alex Cora and Doug Mirabelli who claim to wear them regularly.) Although the clubhouse has it's own supply of classic red sox, the 5-toed socks are custom made and shipped to their main distributor (Matsuzaka.)

Why wear these odd-looking (and potentially uncomfortable) socks on your feet? Apparently it helps with grip. The socks are covered with tiny rubbery beads to improve balance and traction. “At first they feel kind of weird,” Mirabelli said. “They got some sticky things on the bottom, like little kids would have on the bottom of their socks. But you get used to them.”

Of course, not everyone is so into the new-toe-fangled fad. Jason Varitek has never worn the 5-toed socks and sees no reason to start now. “I don’t know why,” Varitek said with a shrug. “I just don’t like the toes separated.”

Not quite ready to have all 5 toes separated? Japanese tabi style, or split-toed socks might be the next best thing. In Tokyo and other cities, the tabi socks are becoming increasing popular. You can even wear them with flip-flops! Now there's a fashion statement...


~flutterbyblue

Read more about the 5-toed sock and the Boston Sox at Boston.com.

A microwave popcorn habit

An article in the New York Times caught my eye today. It was about a man who had overdosed on microwave popcorn (in a manner of speaking.) Apparently, prolonged exposure to diacetyl vapor produced from heated synthetic butter can lead to swelling and scarring of the small airways of the lungs. The severe form of the disease is called bronchiolitis obliterans or "popcorn workers' lung," and can be fatal.

Granted, the man in question had a serious microwave popcorn addiction (popping on average twice a day for more than 10 years...)

Doctor: "This is a very weird question, but bear with me. But are you around a lot of popcorn?’ ”

Patient (jaw dropping): "How could you possibly know that about me? I am MR. Popcorn. I LOVE popcorn."

So the next time you feel the urge to pop up some microwave popcorn, consider the health implications of this seemingly innocuous snack...

...and whatever you do, don't inhale.

~flutterbyblue

KISS on NPR

One of the more hilarious things I've listened to is an interview of Gene Simmons (from Kiss) by Terry Gross on NPR. You can also read the transcript (although this is not quite as funny as the audio.)

Here are a couple of snippets:
(...keep in mind that Gene Simmons speaks here without a sense of humor, something Terry Gross discovered during her interview with him in February, 2002...)

Terry Gross: Did you pattern your makeup on comic book heroes?

Gene Simmons: Um...my makeup came as a result of a lot of things, all things Americana. Godzilla, horror movies, science fiction...uh, Black Bolt, which was an Inhumans Marvel comic book, and science fiction certainly. So it's comic books, sort of, all things sort of American pop culture. The rest of the guys in the band had different notions. Paul put on the red lips and the star over his eye as a kind of a exaggeration of what he thought a rock star was, because he always wanted to be a rock star. I was never interested in being a rock star. I always wanted to be Boris Karloff. And Ace -- who's the spaceman in the group, you know -- has delusions of grandeur, and perhaps gravity doesn't quite affect him in the same way, which is to say that he doesn't have good equilibrium, which is a big word, come to think of it. Just like "gymnasium." This is NPR. That's why we're using big words.

At one point Terry asks Gene Simmons why he has had over 4,000 exploits with women. He replies very matter-of-factly, "...The first, "man" -- and women -- if man was predisposed to be monogamous, and we all lived in caves at that point, there were one or two alpha males, and the rest were females. Either way, if we were monogamous, within one or two generations, we would all be cross-eyed and retarded. Get it?"

Got it. We don't all want to end up retarded. This is about species 'evolution'...which is a big word too.

~flutterbyblue

Threadless T-Shirts

Tired of wearing the same old GAP t-shirt everyone else seems to own? Why not spend your money on something more unique, funky and creative? Threadless T-Shirts is a community-centered online apparel store run by skinnyCorp of Chicago, Illinois since 2000. Members of the Threadless community submit t-shirt designs online, which are then put to a public vote. A small percentage of submitted designs are then selected to be printed and sold through the online store.

Prints often have a limited run so if you see something you like it might not be there in a few weeks. Check back often for new and fresh designs! (These aren't yo' momma's Urban Outfitters knockoffs...)

~flutterbyblue

chandeliers and an Antoinette couch

One of the drawbacks of being a graduate student is the constant need for thrift when it comes to all aspects of life. We seek out cheap (or free) beer, the half-priced appetizers at Happy Hour and shop in the discount section of every store (or at least we should!) So when the mood strikes and I feel like getting a chandelier for my apartment, I won't be going to Neena's. There are, however, some attractive alternatives. Right now I'm quite taken with the idea of a wall decal. It takes up no space, requires no fixture installation, and can fill up a bare wall rather creatively.

Another possibility is this cut out version from Urban Outfitters. It's mod and functional at the same time!

Of course the things I'd really like to buy,

a. wouldn't fit in my apartment and

b. I can't really afford...


...but it doesn't hurt to look! I'm not as fascinated by French decor as some of my friends (check out Chic and Charming!) but if I had plenty of money to spend, I might consider this pretty Marie Antoinette-inspired couch!Well, until the day I can afford something not off the discount rack, I'll just have to satisfy my shopping cravings with some serious window shopping (and maybe a wall decal.)

~flutterbyblue