the old guy should be proud! annabelle and i went looking at cars yesterday. why? you might ask. well, just for fun frankly. we've had our eye on the hyundai santa fe and the honda element. i think the element only looks good in orange but that's just me. i do have to say, for such a moderatly priced car, it's nice and functional looking, and we all know i like functionality. the car dealer helping us explained that "it's a car designed with generation Y in mind, like you". well, i'm glad to know that my generation has now been named, and labeled with a car.

in a few weeks you will know where i am and what i am doing!

ciao arthur & co. visit whenever you'd like. there will be smiles here waiting for you.

still raining, which means it might be a really good time to go for a run and get myself away from this computer. blech.

i get a lot of e-mail from people i assume to be somewhere in the 12-16 year of age range. i know i am not the best person to rant and rave and typing and spelling form (as i prefer lower case) but i promise you all of my typos are mistakes. i just don't know how i feel about this e-mail short hand....let me just give you a little demo. this is an example based on real e-mails...
"i really luv yr ductape stuf. can u pls send me sum free tape. im doing the same thing 2. heheheheh!!!1
THNX!!!!! so-and-so

ok, so that's a little harsh, but i just wanted to start getting this new language out there so the masses can start getting used to it.

if i get one more 'please help me' solicitation e-mail from some doctor in africa who has been sent away from his country and needs my bank account and routing number so i can help him wire money to the united states...i think i am going to scream.

now, i know everyone gets a few wrong number and solicitation phone calls every once in a while, but i swear to goodness that this house gets more wrong numbers than anyone. we even get salespeople calling for people who don't live here (and haven't lived here in the past 2 years. we also get a lot of calls for the taxi service, as we are just a few digits off, but i guess that's all fare game. i just got the best wrong number ever, which is why i am posting this...but first, my second favorite wrong number ever...
i picked up the ringing phone to hear:
"who is this? you just called me?"
"i'm sorry ma'am, i didn't just call you. i believe you have the wrong number. sorry."
"mmmm, mmmm, i know you just called me, because i just used my *69 and you are on the other end, so you musta just called me."
"i'm sorry ma'am, I didn't just call you."
"we'll someone in your house musta just called me."
....and it went on and on like this for a good couple of minues. she had the phone number right and everything, i guess she had caller id as well, but there was no way in the world that she could have just called, because i was watching a movie and no one else was home. but she was no longer concerned with finding the person who actually called her, she just wanted to convince me that i had rung her up just a few minutes ago. that's just weird...

but now for the wrong number of the day. i just picked up the phone, and before i could even say hello i heard:
"you better put that phone down and get your butt over here..and then a word or two i didn't pick up. i gently told her she had the wrong number, and she laughed and apologized, and we said our goodbyes.

here's my favorite ditty about how to wash a cat...don't worry it's just a joke. i believe the old guy sent this to me at one point. thanks man.

1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.
2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water, and have both lids lifted.
3. Obtain the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids (you may need to stand on the lid so that he cannot escape).
CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too close to the edge, as his paws will be reaching out for anything they can find. The cat will self-agitate and make ample suds. (Never mind the noises that come from your toilet, he is actually enjoying this.)
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash" and "rinse" which I have found to be quite effective.
6. Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure that there are no people between the toilet and the outside door.
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
8. The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet, and run outside where he will dry himself.

Sincerely,
The Dog
>
>Posted for humour only, please don't do this or we will have PETA, the
>SPCA, and every other abbreviated organization angry with us!

want to procrastinate a bit? or just send someone a smile? i recommend swinging over to talking heads and playing around a bit.

ahhh. my alma maters are really coming through! yup, this one too, just scroll a bit to see that good 'ol orange panther paw. would you wear your mistress's son's high school hat?

ahhhh, i'm sure yale will include this in the next alumni notes.

i bought new shoes yesterday, and i am just so excited about them. i have wanted a good pair of red shoes for a long time now (years!) and these ones are made in portugal, so it was a no brainer. yay for red shoes from portugal. i wonder if the shoes speak portuguese?

teachers, please make note that this is not a good use for duct tape...especially if you want to keep your job.

i was very disappointed to notice a safety hazard on mtv's sorority life show. it appears that, in order to get a better view of the front seat occupants in the car, the mtv-ers have removed the headrests on the two front seats. yeah mtv, really, really smart idea.

let me tell you a little something. it's raining here. again.

congrats yale college and yale law graduates of 2003!

i love johnny knoxville

guess what? guess what? annabelle and i went to mohegan sun today and we came out ahead. way ahead! what a fun day. and then there was some running to the park and frisbee playing. it was actually a wee bit sunny here today too. wowzers, craps is now my game for life.

do you like cats? brian does. click here. you'll like it, i promise. i like it because it's like having a cat when you can't have a cat. i can make it meow and purr, can you?
oh, and for more info, just go here.

i sort of see a resemblance between ashon kutcher (now of mtv punk'd fame, and my brother. maybe it's just the mischevious antics...

has anyone else seen the ads for MAXIM haircolor for men? i think the idea and the ads are hilarious. i also think there is a bit of a disparity between the advertising and the probably audience. anyhow, i'm just glad to know that MAXIM mag is so thoughtful as to create an opportunity for men to easily do their own highlighted tips. whew, i was worried and always felt bad for those poor guys who had to go to the salon to get their hair colored.

since when did jennifer love hewitt become a good enough singer to make it into the kiis fm wango tango show this year?

kelly clarkson is growing and growing on me. e! just showed a clip of 'kelly on her weight' in which she said that she is not going to fall into the hollywood image trap of changing her weight of her look. she said something like 'i know how i look, and i'm not going to change. i'm a real person.' you go girl! (as my mom would say). we'll see how long it lasts, but props to her for setting a standard for herself. i also like her new song...maybe i should join the fan club.

she also wasn't afraid to announce her weight on tv, 125 pounds, and i think it's good she's going against that annoying taboo of hiding your weight. it's such an arbitrary number, since we are all different heights, and some people have much bigger (therefor weightier) brains. just kidding.

that's it. now i am ready to play craps.

finally, some pics of the dog carrier, with the pup included. i didn't think the pup would be this big, but it turns out it's a perfect fit and that this teacup poodles loves his carrier. and his owner does too, and is picking up a new one in camel and burgundy for her sister!

on the pop culture tv note...i was crushed with the season finale of mtv's real world/road rules battle of the sexes show, not only because the women lost, but because it meant the end of the my favorite daily entertainment. the kicker of the mtv shows is that each episode is played once in the series prime time slot, and then at least 5 other times in that week. and then the longer the series runds, the more re-run episodes a week. for some reason the real world - road rules battle of the sexes challenges entertained me so much while i would work every day. it's so much easier to duct tape with the tv going.
i didn't think anything could replace my favorite brain numbing show (barring the required daily dose of surprise by design and tnt reruns of law and order and nypd blue...
but luckily mtv has come through again with...
surf girls, a sufer girl contest / real tv show following 16 surfer girl contestants (ages 17-23ish) as they vie for one bid to some pro surfer competition, prevent themselves from being sent home and try to overcome the intense emotional experience of the 6 week episode. well, let me just tell you that i can't wait to see the third episode! it's hilarious and goofy and these girls are an interesting mix. that's all i will say about that. but it's just one of those things that i can watch and watch and watch...it also is giving me a bit more indepth knowledge about women's surfing...which is building upon my extensive surfing knowledge built upon the facts i learned from watching blue crush. more to come, but watch mtv monday at 10.30 for the show.

how come mario lopez (my favorite saved by the bellactor) only appears in vh1's i love the 80's series for the year 1985? frankly, i think he is a great force on the reminiscing team, but why does he only remember things from 1985? i think i need to investigate. btw, i think i have seen every episode (except '89) at least twice.

oh dear goodness! the world is such an amazing place and people have way too much free time on their hands. mr. squirrel sent me a link to this fantastic page documenting peep research. peep research you ask? yes! i answer, research on those fun, puffy little easter marshmallow baby birdlike/chicklike/bunnylike animals we all like (or dislike) so much. really, it's worth the trip, and it's worth lots of procrastination time.
the following is my favorite quote about all the subjects that undergo testing: "Before any testing begins, all peep subjects are thoroughly examined and sign a disclosure form explaining the potential risks of their volunteer service." see...now you have to visit.

word of the day: bowdlerize. sadly, most of the words in their definition are too big as well.

it's quite cold here tongiht. the jeepie thermometer checked in at 48 degrees on the ride home, ick. isn't it may?

annika sorenstam...because "you da woman!".

dear old guy the link is permanantly in the right hand menu of this blog, under the press section. it will always be there, as will all other online vanessa jean press articles.

this memorial day three-day weekend is host to yale university commencement activities. congrats to all the grads, and yay for all the celebrating in store for us.

yay, i just signed up for a 10 mile race this october in beautiful mystic, ct. a friend passed the info my way and now we are excited to have something to train for together, yay. only once before have i run 10 miles at one time, and that was a mother's day gift probably about 3 years back when i was in incredibly better than now. well, much training to do, and i am quite excited for it, yay!

it's still rainy and gloomy here. sniff, i think at this point it is just making me tired. oh well, i got to work on a nifty new 'mini maron' bag. it's pink with a white rose and has purple and white ribbon handles. it's a little easter-sunday-ish, but it's cute. oh, i'm tired tired tired. i don't think my nutella diet is helping too much with that either. arg... i had so many things to report on from the day, and i just can't remember a thing right now.

it's raining here again today. although rainy days are a bit gloomy, there are some reasons why they are great. my personal favorite is that thai food tastes a whole lot better when it's dreary out...hence my stop at the thai taste cart on my way home from errands today. the other reason i like dreary days is because they keep me motivated to stay inside and keep working.

just a question...is it normal to cry at least once during each episode of surprise by design?

as i hoped, the kitchen cabinet has some insider posts about the yale law school 'explosion' today. click here and here for their firsthand perspectives.

more brilliant reporting brought to us by msn, what would i do without knowing What's a homemaker worth? The shocking truth.

yes, this is how those annoying and unproductive urbal myths get started, but it's always worth a try. mr. squirrel sent me the following information on how to cut down on telemarketing calls. does anyone know if this is legit?
...Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?
This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone.
This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales person to call back and get someone at home.
What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible.
This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system."

well, anything that confuses a machine is good with me. my other favorite for messing with unsolicited friends...for any mail you receive which includes a self addressed postage paid envelope...tear up the credit card/long distance phone service/life insurance offer, stuff it back in their postage paid envelope and mail it back to them. they pay the postage, the usps gets the business, and hopefully it annoys someone on the other end.

i'm watching news about the recent explosion at yale law school this afternoon. i hope everyone is safe and sound.

you can always be sure i am working really really hard if the template is changing. actually, i'm waiting for a phone call and so there's no point to get to the studio yet. it's also a rainy day, which means the kind of day when it feels really good to just curl up on the sofa and watch a movie.

ladies and gents...this is what happens to your blog when you mess around with the color in the template and you don't actually know what you are doing. sorry if it's too ugly to bear, i will fix it after a good night's rest.

there's nothing quite like blogging with arthur in bed. no, no that is not dirty, i promise. i'm just lucky enough to be taking care of annabelle mathey's brand new baby...arthur! ok, ok arthur also happens to be a brand spankin' new laptop, but since we broke it the first time around somewhere near the yale network, i get to keep it here with me, safe and sound. yippeeee.

if new york times writes about blogging...you know it's just got to be the hippest thing in town. ok, ok so that's not true at all, it just means that now the new york times is writing about it and now it will become a lame and silly trend..oh wait... read here and here although the first one is definately more amusing. i'm just going to make an off-the-cuff observation here since myslef and all the fellows on my super blog list seem to have to same opinion...based on my assesment of their content...why in the world would you write such personal stuff?!. hello!!! i know that the internet might feel like a safe, insular and anonymous place...but come on, use a little common sense. obviously people are going to read it, and YES, you will be found out...so why write stuff that will get you in so much trouble...or why not just make yourself completely anonymous (or anonymouse as mr. squirrel might right. well, that's enough ranting from me. ciao.

i will write more about this later!

holy begeebers! when in the world did this Clever (and Weird) Uses for Duct Tape from good housekeeping-online-sort of come up? yippeeee!

(left)well, ain't she a little cutey pie. this custom darcy has an avocado body and aqua trim...accented with a cute white and yellow flower picture. the tie was handselected to match the body design!
(center) just dashing! this custom order darcy features a navy body and yellow trim, accented with a pierced-on yellow flower. too cute (yes, that flower can be added to any bag!)
(right) inspired by the necktie! this custom darcy sports a pretty princess pink body with white trim. the incredible plaid necktie was the inspiration for this baby...and just look at her go!

custom darcy $40 includes magnetic snap closure and interior pocket. also available with flap...customorder@vanessajean.com...dare to dream! you can create your original darcy bag (or any bag)...check you vanessa jean dot com for inspiring ideas or just send an e-mail!

well...it's time for the

custom darcy!

you can view this spicy and functional bag on the website here but if you want something a little bit hotter, check out these custom order darcy bags!. these are just a few of the custom order darcy bags handmade within the past few months. remind me to put up the vegetable inspired darcy with a tomato and green pepper on the front! happy customers are either inspired by the idea of the bag and go from there (you pick the colors and i'll pick a matching necktie) or else you might be inspired by a special necktie and want to make a bag...well...just e-mail customorder@vanessajean.com and we will see what we can do for you! (that's the royal we, it's really just me and my shadow). so, browse away, and don't forget to smile!

movies to see...

(updated since 5.20.03)
1. y tu mama tambien fantastic. just finished watching it, so great.
2. igby goes down all-star cast. catcher in the rye esque meandering. love it!
3. rabbit proof fence
4. dangerous lives of alter boys
5. love liza
6. baraka excellent. fantastic. loved it. only i wish there were headers explaining where all the scenes were from.
7. talk to her
8. following
8. bowling for columbine - still haven't seen it, when will it come out on video?
9. roger and me
10. jackass the movie fantastic. now i must rent the dvd with 5 extra hours of footage. five extra hours is a hoax, it's just the usual commentary plus footage that is original to the vhs. what a con.
11. bread and tulips (translated from italian, french?) tried tried tried but i was just too tired and couldn't do the subtitles
12. italian for beginners again, it's hard to read subtitles if you're distracted. will try again...someday.
13. six degrees of separation
14. novocaine steve martin fan or not, this is a fantastic thriller, and so good to see mr. martin out of his usual role.
15. a guy thing a silly romantic comedy? yes! but i've wanted to see it forever and it didn't let me down. well, maybe the kiss at the end could have been better, but it was a good flick.

things i need to learn more about...judy chicago: the dinner party
(or something like that). point me in the right direction.

the following post is a rather large excerpt from the book Eccentrics: A Study of Sanity and Strangeness by Dr. James Weeks & Jamie James (Villard, 1995). my folks gave this to me as a christmas gift a number of years back, and i finally got around to reading it the summer before my senior year of college. the book is an interesting mixture of 'psychology' and the authors' interest in the qualities of 'eccentrics'. i am using lots of quotes because these terms (although the authors are very well intentioned) can be used lightly. the book is based on an elaborate scientific study, but there is just something about the book (possibly its often too-humorous style) that disqualifies the scientific basis of the text. however, it served as an interesting quick read full of humorous and eye opening anecdotes, and worth my time...mostly because it inspired me to create the handbound book (thank you sudler funding!) titled eccentric stiles highlighting the more eccentric and colorful residents of ezra stiles residential college (did you know that green pants and annabelle matheys both made it into the book!)...it was indeed a joyful project to work on.

the most worthwile section of Eccentrics is the list of 15 characteristics which most eccentrics posses. it's a fun quiz to take for yourself and a good test to secretly judge others with (because it's always fun to judge others, right?...just kidding). the list published in the book is not numbered, but i think numbering helps make it a little clearer. if you feel like it, shout out below with your results. i will if you will. to shout out, just click on the little 'shout out' words right below this post, and fill in your name and info, it's easy as pie.

and yes, just so you know...i am pretty darn eccentric, i just don't fit 2 of the following (any guesses...if you read the blog you know i qualify for #15).

from Eccentrics: A Study of Sanity and Strangeness by Dr. James Weeks & Jamie James (Villard, 1995)

“Precisely what does it mean, in the first place, to call [someone] eccentric? The dictionary tells us that an eccentric is someone who deviated from the conventional or established norm, who is different from the rest of us – hardly a definition that is likely to satisfy a trained psychologist. That description applies to just as well to a criminal or a person with a birth defect.
“What does science have to say about the subject? Ten years ago, when I first began asking these questions, I undertook a thorough search for some answers through the vast, forbidding tundra known as the scientific literature. One would expect that abnormal or clinical psychology, which has produced definitive treatises on every conceivable deviation from normal behavior, must surely have established a sound, widely tested profile of the eccentric, one that carefully distinguishes the syndrome from the other, harmful forms of mental abberation. Yet in fact there is next to nothing to be found on the subject of eccentricity in modern scholarly literature. Because eccentrics tend to be healthier than most people, they rarely seek the services of the medical profession, and the medical profession, as a rule, is not very interested in those who do not seek it out…
“Thus it appeared to me that actual scientific knowledge about eccentrics was virtually non-existent. Nature abhors a vacuum, and so does a scientist: since no study of eccentrics existed, I decided to begin my own. It occurred to me that it would be a great advantage to psychology to have a basic understanding of the thought process of people who come to regard themselves, and who are regarded by others, as eccentrics, if only to help distinguish their behavior from certain forms of mental illness.”

“The study became a group portrait of people as varied as society at large, yet with many common traits. A profile emerged with fifteen characteristics that applied to most eccentrics, ranging from the onvious to the trivial. We found that an eccentric may be described in the following ways, more or less in descending order of frequency:

1. nonconforming
2. creative
3. strongly motivated by curiosity
4. idealistic: he wants to make the world a better place and the people in it happier
5. happily obsessed with one or more hobbyhorses (usually five or six)
6. aware from early childhood that he is different
7. intelligent
8. opinionated and outspoken, convinced that he is right and that the rest of the world is out of step
9. noncompetitive, not in need of reassuring or reinforcement from society
10. unusual in his eating habits and living arrangements
11. not particularly interesting in the opinions or company of other people, except in order to persuade them to his – the correct – point of view.
12. possessed of a mischievous sense of humor
13. single
14. usually the eldest or an only child, and
15. a bad speller”

fireflies! yay, i found fireflies by the river. this is why i love this place in the summer!

i am amused at myself for finding the ironically titled 'ms. independent', kelly clarkson's second(?) big hit...to actually be good. hmmm, who knew?

an idiot conversation to have at best video (truly the best video store anywhere)...

as i present my movie to them
them: that will be four dollars please.
me: sure thing. a quick question...do you have books on tape?
them: yes we do!
me: how much are they to rent?
them: one dollar a night, four dollars a week (and on and on).
me: oh, that's great. do you also have cd's on tape?
them: dumbfounded look. do you mean...
me: i'm an idiot. do you have books on cd.

ok, so it doesn't look that bad in the transcript, but i swear i really sounded like an idiot.

this is my one big revelation of the day...
there isn't really too much difference between a blogger and a radio morning show dj. we all just right and talk about stuff we find interesting, while trying to keep ourselves awake in the process. ok, so that may be too cynical of a perspective, but when i heard the morning hosts discussing this year's pole-sitting competition, the contestant, the details, the records, the history...i felt like i could have read it on oow.oos.ooc..

alan dale at the kitchen cabinet writes about better luck tomorrow. read it, yay!

i'm home! home sweet home. and i've got a otc claritin d in me and i am a happy camper (but that might be from the ice cream sandwiches too!) a little law & order season finale helps too. posting will now be regular again, or maybe not as i have so much work to do. well, i have blogs to catch up on and sleep to get...happy new week!

the following post is a compilation from e-mails i've gotten and now i can finally post it with the pictures. be sure to click on the link. and the pic is a painting...and i have the t-shirt. will look for the artist so i can give credit.

To: Dept. of Homeland Security

Dear Sirs:

I am writing to you for further instructions as to the next step in protecting my family from possible attacks by terrorists.

I have my duck taped....now what?

greetings from baltimore. thanks to the old guy for checking in. my guess is the mystery folks are 1. grandpa 2. grandma 3. mom. tee heee heee.

myrtle beach was fun. here are some interesting things to ponder.
1. north myrtle beach is the home town of vanna white.
2. on 95 somewhere in northern virginia we saw a billboard the said just 'ugly kids...' with black and white yearbook photos of ugly kids who were middle school aged. the elipses led us to believe that there would be another sign explaining this...but there was not. a google search didn't merit too much valuable help, but there are these other reports of a similar billboard campaign. if you know anything about this, please shout out.
3. mini golf in myrtle beach is a big hoax. don't be lured in by the large and hollywood production set-like displays. the golf is poor and phil the cat could have shot par with one paw tied behind his back. this was sad.
4. on an ever worse note, i got my mini-golf butt handed to me by annabelle matheys.
5. with sun, vanilla pudding will turn into cinnamon pudding. i swear.
6. i-95 was shut down today in both directions. this is not a problem if you are not on it, but if you are, life is a little rough...especially if you just drank a nalgene full of water and lots of diet coke and only drive 4.6 miles in two hours. driving might be an overstatement.
7. tomorrow is a big day. preakness. i've never been, but i hear it's a real big deal. i will report in later, if i remember.
8. i'm looking for new roomies, and i was excited to hear that a possible new roomie might have a cat. i want you all to know that the next cat i have in my life will be named 'taco'. don't laugh.
9. speaking of tacos, a week full of taco bell is a week full of life. i recommend the beef quesadilla and the new 'grilled stuft burrito'.
10. i can't think of a real '10', so i will pretend like there is something important by writing this. hmmm. la la la.

looking for the new duct tape purses? scroll down a bit.

if not, yay. life is all good! i', hanging out in baltimore for a day or two, and then down to myrtle beach, sc. a friend told me yesterday that i look a bit pale for this time of year, so that served as some pretty good motivation to bronze up a bit. not much to report...but it does feel good to be on another road trip. and...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!!!

i hope you enjoyed your ihop and all other special treatment. i'm sending lots of hugs from the other coast. want more info on my great mom? check out the inventory specialist on the vanessa jean about us page and the alice tote. see ya!

vanessa jean duct tape design gift certificates make excellent gifts for grads!

know someone who is graduating this may or june, but you don't know what to get them? now you do! vanessa jean gift certificates are available in any denomination and are useable for any purchase from the website and on custom orders. is he going off to college...maybe he'll want to custom order a new tom messenger bag for his academic pursuits. is she graduating from college with a sleek investment job next year...she just might want to get a stylish black dana to take to work. but since you don't know their true taste, pick up a gift certificate and your favorite grad can pick out their very own bag, purse, belt or wallet. just e-mail vanessa@vanessajean.com to pick up your gift certificate.

molly

molly happens to be the name of one of the most fashion savvy divas in new haven (ok, and the name of my first cat, who was slightly neurotic, but that's beside the point)...and there's good reason for it...this is a fashion staple. featuring an over the shoulder strap with metal hook detail, this purse just screams to be carried by you at your next social event. available solid or two-tone (shown) there's no reason you shouldn't have this bag. dimensions 9" x 4" x 2" with a flap and magnetic snap closure. strap fits comfortably over shoulder. $35. shown here in a classy burgandy with camel trim combo...but the options are limitless. if you just have to have it, e-mail customorder@vanessajean.com.

mini maron

finally! a photo of a mini maron on the web. this is the smaller version of the very popular maron bag! measuring in at 8" x 8" x 3" is a great size for toting your errand-running goods or party supplies. available solid, striped, two-tone, or in this very special flower version (shown here)! $35-$40 you pick the body and ribbon color (standard is black velvet ribbon), the options are limitless, but this is a functional must have. order solid color versions online here or e-mail customorder@vanessajean.com with your specs!

mini alice

this is the most popular vanessa jean tote of the moment. it's selling like hot cakes all over new haven (they just can't keep them in the stores) and it's being custom ordered all over the states. this tote is the little sister to the alice featured on the vanessa jean website. the mini alice weighs in at 15" (tapers to 12" at bottom) x 9" x 2" with a magnetic snap and straps that fit comfortably over the shoulder and a small pocket on the inside. $45. this is a must have bag, a real charm! it works wonders as a professional bag too. featured here in navy with aqua trim, it also looks dapper in red with black trim, but you can pick anything you want, choose from solid or two-tone (shown). i can't say enough about this bag, it's a treasure!

id wallet

this id wallet is a hit everywhere since it's december 2002 birth. it's the perfect size to hold your credit cards and id cards, plus a little cash. and it has an adorable little snap closure to keep all your goods snug and safe. available in solid color or stripe (as shown)...whatever your little heart desires. $20. this is a great gift for anyone. featured here in pretty princess pink with an avocado stripe.

hazard print reversible duct tape belt

ladies and gentlemen...start your engines! throw caution to the wind with the incredible reversible belt. one side is yellow and black hazard tape, the other is hazard print with a black stripe for those more subdued days, black buckle. a real hit with the boys. belts measure 40" and you cut them down to your size. $20. really, you gotta have one. and don't forget to check out the rest of the belts, just click here! e-mail customorder@vanessajean.com if you dig this belt.

caroline

8" x 10" x 2". magnetic snap inside. a great summer tote. available (as shown) with a short handle or with a longer set of straps to fit over shoulder. you can't fail with the caroline, i promise! design your own: two tone (as shown) or solid colors. $35 or you can get creative and put a design or shape on the front! e-mail customorder@vanessajean.com if you like what you see. featured here in red with orange trim.

betty

10" x 9" x 2". magnetic snap on inside. a trendy, mod little tote, perfect for your summer trip around town. design your own in a solid color, with a stripe (as shown), or with a trim. $35. sides are slightly inverted for an a-line look. featured here in pretty princess pink with an avocado stripe. hot hot hot!
don't forget...you can view the color chart online at vanessa jean dot com.

alright...are you ready for it to take FOREVER for this blog to load? cause i am! it's finally time i put this picture ability to a good business use. the next set of posts will be of new duct tape bag designs for all my readers to see (ok, all 15 of you) for the first time! so, take a look, and if you like anything, just send your specifications to customorder@vanessajean.com and i'll get to work on it! alright...here they come!

geez louis! thanks to b.p.'s post about the first annual doggy miss beauty pageant thing...i've gotten tons of hits from people searching for info about the pageant. hmmm, that could have been worded better, but i'm not going to complain. thanks b.p. for bringing so many (new readers) folks to the site (at least for 2 seconds until they realized they have found a site that won't help them 1 bit).

a new additon to the blogs that rock section. E, aka suzy insidious has been rocking my world lately. really, check it out. monkeys are good, i think.

ok, really. back to work. i swear. it's pack and ship time, which is actually my favorite part of the process. i feel like the ups man!

today i felt awfully sports and so i went to the sporting goods store and bought some much needed items.
1. a bargain one of these which solves the bike problem
2. this (but i didn't pay nearly that much!)
3. these cool things which increase my coolness factor significantly (it started out pretty low, so anything helps).

i happen to know someone who is trying to work on a take home test tonight. i am hoping that by posting LOTS of interesting information, it will at least help her to sit in her chair and write the required paper. it's just my small contribution to society. is it helping?

my roomies & co. are watching a movie. i just heard the line "want to hear the most annoying sound in the world?" followed by a wail that truly is the most annoying sound in the world. can you name the film? if you can, just shout it out, and if you are right you will have my eternal love and affection. ok, well, you'll have to right answer.

vanessa jean duct tape design gift certificates make excellent gifts for grads!

know someone who is graduating this may or june, but you don't know what to get them? now you do! vanessa jean gift certificates are available in any denomination and are useable for any purchase from the website and on custom orders. is he going off to college...maybe he'll want to custom order a new tom messenger bag for his academic pursuits. is she graduating from college with a sleek investment job next year...she just might want to get a stylish black dana to take to work. but since you don't know their true taste, pick up a gift certificate and your favorite grad can pick out their very own bag, purse, belt or wallet. just e-mail vanessa@vanessajean.com to pick up your gift certificate.
vanessa jean...solving graduation gift dilemas for the world.

ahhh, the joys of owning your own business...flexibility in working location. sometimes i feel like a snail, because my work supplies are few and i can work almost anywhere, as long as i have a few necessities (like duct tape, my cutting mat and my magic board). enough blabbering. what this all means is that i'm moving the operation southward for this next week in order to run some extensive studies of duct tape accessory interaction with sand and surf, but the main focus of this study will be sand, as well as monitoring the hottest beach bag trends of the summer. i'm packing up my shell and moving to myrtle beach, sc for the week. i promise i'll still be working, just on my tan and with the duct tape at the same time. and my apologies that blogging will be a bit slow (non-existent) for the next week...but i promise to make up for it when i return.

i love logging into hotmail. now that hotmail and msn are joined at the hip...when i check my mail i get a list of really super informative articles i can read through. my favorite feature from the 'today on msn' section is catchily titles "Is my boyfriend gay?" and how can we argue this is not an article (actually a how to column) worthy of winning a journalism award. today's msn 'spotlight' is "Top 100 bargain colleges" because college and bargain are terms i frequently use in the same sentence. and last, but not least, under the 'more from msn' header this "Should we legalize LSD?" article is sure to change the world. i'm sorry, by we do they mean the msn or slate staff? because i know they have lots of authority in the legislation. mildly sarcastic rant over...i don't have a problem with these articles or their content...just the inane and sensationalistic tag lines msn and hotmail provide. that's all.

E and b.p. excellently summarize the need to have a dog and prevent bad parenting. unrelated yes, until you read the piece (sort of). i've discussed b.p.'s theory before, with more caveats, and i have to say: he's a genius.

stop the clocks! - please! when did it get to be 4.24 pm? last time i looked at the clock, well it was the last time i posted...and where has all the time gone? oh well, i'm being productive...so i guess time flies when you are having fun. off to by some cookies, i'm starving and i need some nourishment (of course cookies are the natural choice).

exciting news! vanessa jean is featured as the pick of the day on the very, very cool BUSS BUSS website. it will be archived here forever...so take a look. and check out buss buss too, very fun and lots of things to look at and read!

congrats to the yale women's lacrosse team, beating syracuse in the first round of the ncaa tourney. congrats!

the film festival continues. i'm almost through primary colors and i think it's great. not great enough, though, to make up for the fact that i am short 3 feet of black velvet ribbon, and i know i just cleaned out the local fabric store. grrr. oh well, off for a run and some fun.

very much looking forward to watching reruns of the real world road rules finale last night. i missed it because i was watching x2 and eating at bill's carousel, a great drive through ice cream parlour. i recommend x2, it was good. (duh)

ahh yes. green pants and i took a beautiful and scenic trip to the alps. it was a wonderful day hike full of beautiful views like the above. and it was exciting to stop at this lake and see the enormous fishies swimming in the shallow water. they were huge fish. i almost thought about jumping in and wrastlin' with them, but i thought that might be a little offensive.

and before leaving for germany most people i talked to suggested (ie threatened) that i had to drink some german beer. i'm not an uber beer drinker, so i thought i'd have my order of the good stuff in the alps...so i could at least enjoy it with a beautiful backdrop. woo-eee, i sure was talkative on the walk back down. and here's the proof just in case certain people don't believe me.

the streets and windowsills of venice were lined with these peace flags...they were just all over the place. it really brightened up the streets, and it was a beautiful display. but my favorite of all was the following handmade peace flag...handcrafted with nothing other than DUCT TAPE. hooray.

ahhh. more pictures from my trip to germany and italy.
this is one of my favorites though. a dog (yay) in a boat (yay) in a canal (yay) in venice. he was just the cutest and most well behaved pup ever.

i'm so excited to dish about the exciting surprise changes around here. the good news is that the vanessa jean studio has moved! i know have my own space for working on the vanessa jean line...which means that i have a real bedroom now too (if you put this together, it means that my studio used to be in my bedroom). but now it's not...so i have some nice private space where i can actually get away from work...it's so exciting. i'm thrilled, and i just had to share. ok, back to work for me!

earlier i reported on the bizarre dribbling basketball sounds occuring outside my window 24 hours a day. they seem to have floated off with the winter weather...and so have the
racoons, but there is no lack of sounds here. for starters, there is an elegant whooping pigeon outside my window. luckily, he or she is pretty mellow and soothing, so i kind of dig having a whooping pigeon pet. however, today it sounds like there is a herd of clydsdales outside my apartment. maybe they are harnessed up to the bud light float and there is going to be a parade on my street. well, i can pretend at least. i love the bizarre sounds, because i can't figure out what in the world they are!

ok, that's all for now. there will be more pictures as soon as this little computer can handle it. aren't you all glad i take ordinary pictures of scenery? those just aren't as exciting.

we're still not sure why anyone thinks it is a good idea (or a sanitary one) to feed pigeons from your hand...but pigeon feeding was all the rage in san marco square. more pigeons than you could shake a stick at.

hmmm, let's see what's next. this is some really, really old armor for a horse. i didn't know that horses used to get protection...but i guess they did. isn't just the cutest thing you've ever seen? my favorite are the detailed horse-ear protectors.

well, it's finally time i put up some pictures from the vj and green pants vacation. our first 5 days were in venice. and the nixt five at green pants' abode in munich. and with no further delay, here are some very strange tourist pictures. (get excited...next are some posts of new purse designs)... to start...here is your typical street performer. actually, he was very a-typical...most 'street performers' were trying to sell knock-off designer handbags..."you know how much?" they would ask. but this guy, he was different.

this article describes the 'fun activities' of the execs of one duct tape company. hmmm, is anyone surprised that business has been up lately? well, i'm glad to know the henkel execs can laugh at themselves, and i wonder who made the dresses for them...do they need some accessories?

i'm on week number two of the regular 9-5 schedule, and so far so good. i took the whole weekend off, and that was a bizarre feeling. i had a FANTASTIC saturday, it was just such a beautiful day, and great for a walk. then yesterday i almost got bored and restrained from doing work. but life got good at 8pm with two episodes of the real world - road rules battle of the sexes challenge, and i was excited to be up to date on that (yes, my iq is slipping as i turn into a pop-culture and tv maven). then i had 2 WHOLE HOURS of ALIAS, which was pretty darn fantastic. oh, and that ending, it was just a pretty intense cliff hanger, but i won't ruin it yet for anyone who hasn't seen it. but it was delicious! and then i got to watch the E! true hollywood story of the hilton sisters. what an eventful night... and there was another project i worked on all night last night, but it's still a secret and i'll be able to spill tomorrow. as for today...i'm working on THE BIG order...11 maron bags in pink, avocado, aqua and camel...and they are going off to baltimore serving as bridesmaid's gifts. alright, surprise by design is over...so i'm going back to work. have a good day!

the biffster is back! or at least she's been posting a lot lately. be sure to take a close look at the links. the archives aren't linking right now, but it's something like the third one down.

looks like b.p. is back. he's gonna kill me for announcing that, but i'm glad.

BOOK CLUB!
jessie and i have decided to start a book club. we've been in new haven for a while, and we are still having trouble meeting lots of people, so we are going to branch out in our little network and start a new haven book club. of course it will be very serious and academic...not really at all...but we will read fun books of our own choosing and eat food together and talk about books and other fun things. are you in new haven and want to join? send an e-mail!

doo doo dood oooo!!! that's supposed to be like a horn or something. what a good day. there was a slow start, and lots of deciding whether i should go to the paddlesports test drive event. i decided not too because there wasn't too much time in the water, but i'm not sure i made the right choice. i need a wingman for these types of things. oh well, the day ended with a wonderful and fantastic run by the river. oh, how delicious! it was my first run after all the snow melted and it is so good to see so many green things in bloom.

it's a beautiful day and i can't find a bike pump to save the day. grrr.

which barbie are you? i came out as 'palm beach barbie'. that's a surprise to me.

it's a beautiful day here, and finally time for me to put air in my bike (freddy is its name) tires and go for a ride.

here's a sort of disgusting little update on the previous foot photography post from a while back. i just read this february 20th article in rolling stone about college campus crimes. here's the excerpt from the article curriculum of crime:
"Musty Paperbacks Turn Students On. 'We've had incidents as long as I can remember,' says University of Arizona police officer Kevin Haywood. The university's main library is, according to students, a haven for perverts [and] weirdos...In the month of November 2002 alone, there was one incident of indecent exposure...and two cases of a man recruiting students as foot models. Senior Megan Ethington was one of the unlucky: "I was just sitting alone when this guy came up and asked if he could sketch my feet. He said he was in an art class, looked totally normal, so I said OK. I put my feet up and just continued doing my work. When I looked up, he wasn't sketching but [had his hands down his pants]."

i felt the need to paraphrase the last part, just to keep this happy blog pretty pg, but it makes me wonder what mr. dude is doing with the photographs of the feet?

similar to the new haven quest, the rochester quest exists...
rochester, ny and rochester, mn have been visited, which leaves:
rochester, nh
rochester, in
rochester, mi
rochester, il
rochester, ky
rochester, ma
rochester, oh
rochester, pa
rochester, mn
rochester, tx
rochester, vt
rochester, wa
rochester, wi
can anyone explain the large overlap in states that host a rochester and a new haven? that's bizarre.

new haven, ct is a great place, but it's not the only new haven in the country. according to mapquest there are 10 cities of new haven in the unites states. i have a friend, andy, who wants to visit all of them. so far i believe he has hit
new haven, ct
new haven, ky
new haven, vt
which leaves him with
new haven, wv
new haven, nv
new haven, mo (any thoughts green pants?)
new haven, in
new haven, il
new haven, ia
new haven, mi
new haven, ny
new haven, oh
we better get crackin', that's alot of work to do!

speaking of quizes, this is the best quiz/procrastination/game if have ever seen. the rochester royals crew and i played lots of this junior year around exams when we were all procrastinating A LOT over e-mail. yup...dorks, all of us, but in the best possible way. the site is called Guess The Dictator/Sit-Com Character and it actually really works. it even knows comet the dog from full house or the annoying side-kick on charles in charge. try to beat it, really, you just go ahead and try, but you won't be able to. it's so much fun. and i highly suggest mixing in a little variation and playing for yourself. that means that you answer all the questions for yourself...and then the final result will show you which evil dictator or sitcom star you are most like. hee hee, green pants was a little perturbed to find out she was so similar to carol seaver. no joke.

not much blogging today, well, not at all. it was just too pretty outside to sit here at this computer, and there is nothing better than a hike up east rock follwed by some archie moore's wings and a showing of best in show. it's just part of my preparation for a mighty wind, which received rave reviews from the old guy and mr. squirrel, which is always promising. i'm so excited to go see it, yay.

i love post-it notes. they are such a great invention. and as vh-1 has informed me, they were born in the eighties at some point. i can't remember the year, but since i saw it yesterday...i think it was either '80 or '81.

it's a beautiful, sunny and warm day here. it's so nice to have some sun, it's just fantastic!

i've been wanting to see better luck tomorrow (2002) the minute i saw the ad for it on mtv...and i think tonight is the night. this is so exciting. i even have a free pass and everything. yay! now i just have to be sure i can stay awake that late. so excited.

so, my task for the summer is to do some sea kayaking, and actually really get into it and learn some stuff about it. become sort of self sufficient. i need a new hobby, and i think that's a good one, and i think one day soon it might actually be warm enough to think about going on the water.

done for the day, yay. that only makes sense if you know that my new goal is to work on more of a 9-5 schedule...not panicked and around the clock. this is day 4 of the experiment, and it's going well. today is so gloomy and icky that i think i worked longer cause there's not much else to do, and sitting and reading on the porch looks neither warm or comfortable.

wahoo! an exciting online store carrying the awesome SENT glass jewelry collection from murano, italy. yay. see why i fell in love with the stuff.

organic foods rock! tuesday and wednesday i learned all about how expensive they are, sometimes three times more expensive than their non-organic counterparts. well, isn't that just a lesson for all of us. annabelle matheys is researching the subject, so any organic-related questions can be directed to her.

another reason i'm glad i turned down a job in hong king for this year. hmmm, glad i'm here instead.

annabelle matheys is in bridgeport toda, which means she should go to bloodroot. so should anyone in the area who likes food (especially vegetarian) and views of the water. they have the most delicious bread i have ever eaten, not to mention the cheeses too.

books of the moment

...
ah, the joys of vacations. one of the joys of my vacation was reading again. i've now been a voracious reader for 15 consecutive days, and it feels great. i can't believe i fell out of the book reading mode. and in the new spirit of books, i'm posting my current and recent reads in the menu on the right...in case anyone is curious. and i just have to say that sarah vowell's 'take the cannoli" is a great read. a quick collection of short essays, a few already featured on 0 comments

the archives are back!
the archives are back!
the archives are back!

oh geez, this is exciting. thanks goodness (or anyone who might have had anything to do with this.)

girls gone wild

this is very interesting. i just visited this blog (or tried to) from a link...and it told me my site was under construction, and it wouldn't load anything. don't quite know what to think about this. off to investigate.

boo. rain and gloom through tuesday.

oh, i love animals that talk, and this is hilarious. turn up your volume and then click here. then make your own. if you make something super funny, send it to support@vanessajean.com and i'll post it on the blog. rock on!

oh dear goodness, it's almost that time again, the best time of the year, summer. the international festival of arts & ideas makes the summer here kick some serious behind...check it out and get your tickets early...or even better - volunteer! then you get to help out and see shows for free.

this summer artpace is running an exhibit involving duct tape. if you are interested in participating, let me know and i can give you contact info.

this is so cool, and why i love new haven. check out new haven artspace - the backpack project an exhibit from last summer. learn more about artspace here.

i'm back! after catching up on work monday...my internet connection bit the dust for 2 days. two whole days, i felt helpless. but i also got tons of work done since i couldn't work (procrastinate) on my computer. my hypothesis for the failure of the internet connection...the internet was sad and on strike in hopes of bringing b.p. back to new haven.