It’s the week when work is slow, and there seems to be time to spare. At the moment, I have a time shortage, and all my plans to organize papers for taxes have fallen behind the book and some commitments. It’s been a long time since I got up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning to move furniture while a humming rug steamer is standing next to me.
But there is always time to find odd things on the web. Did you know there is an association of people who hand-draw maps? Yep, and some of the maps are pretty interesting, too. This map has one dot for every person in the U.S, in the location where they are living (including Central Park.) And here’s a wind map–it shows the direction and speed of the wind across the U.S.
See the world one sketch at a time at UrbanSketchers, a site that has gotten bigger and better since I last visited. Great sketches of cities, towns and streets by artists and sketchers.
Sam3 is an urban artist who paints with water, including the action of letting it dry. He videos the whole thing to create amazing animations on water.
And Crooked Brains shows you some amazing uses for clothespins that have nothing to do with drying clothes.
And then, two random questions:
—Why is it that people with 47 pairs of shoes don’t understand my shelves of books? and
—Why do people spend the entire time riding the escalator texting, then step off the elevator, freeze and begin to stare around as if they just landed on earth and are searching for the welcome committee? Meanwhile people are falling over themselves trying to step around the frozen-in–wonderment people.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
—Quinn McDonald is a writer who is, well, writing.
QuinnCreative 
My New Years resolution includes thanking people for bringing me joy – it’s a great word and an even better feeling. Thank you, Quinn McDonald, for mining and sharing the gold nuggets – reminding us of the wonder and joy in the world.
On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 1:01 AM, QuinnCreative
I’m very fortunate, indeed, to have readers who entertain and delight me.
Scientists have recently determined that in certain cases, a mobile phone can open a limited portal (technically a Van Spier psydographic vortex) that can be temporarily disorienting to users. The conditions involve activation of the mobile unit’s low-level radio circuitry (such as when transmitting textual data but not voice) and the LED-based screen illumination, while the phone is in continuous motion in both the x (horizontal) and z (vertical) dimensions.
A Van Spier psydographic vortex is theorized to temporarily transport human consciousness to another physical location. No actual physical translocation takes place, but an effected person will experience disorientation while the brain processes conflicting neural signals. The vortex dissipates when any of the preconditions end, for example when the motion of the mobile unit in any single dimension ceases. An individual whose consciousness was transported generally needs a few moments to reorient, after which they are able to resume their normal activities.
Despite considerable anecdotal evidence suggesting long-term effects from repeated immersion in Van Spier psydographic vortices, studies have not yet confirmed that victims acquire verbal tics (e.g. overuse of the word “like”), reduced attention spans, or increased affinity for enclosed public mercantile environments such as shopping malls.
Well, that explains it.
Must.Not.Check.Google.For. Terms.
People with 47 pairs of shoes are quite distinct from people with any other number of pairs of shoes — even those with 48 or more. Ownership of exactly 47 pairs of shoes is extremely highly correlated with three distinct cognitive tendencies:
1. better-than-average ability to withstand heightened levels of pain, particularly pain located in the lower extremities
2. lower-than-average ability to defer potential gratification
3. much lower — in extreme cases complete absence — of the ability to understand other individuals’ accumulation of any artifacts other than shoes.
Because these tendencies are associated with ownership of exactly 47 pairs of shoes (this link has not yet been explained), they can be mitigated simply by gifting sufferers one or more additional pairs of shoes. Anectodal evidence suggests that Leon Verres and Roger Vivier brands tend to be most effective. Book lovers have established the 48 Foundation to fund shoe donations to sufferers.
You make me laugh, Pete, and I love you for it.
Those are two very good questions, Quinn. Those people do need some coaching! How about getting someone to give out your business cards at the top (or bottom) of the escalator, LOL!
Some really cool links today, Quinn. Love the one about the clothespins. Happened upon it now, just a few minutes after using some clothespins for their conventional use. Have a happy Gregorian New Year!
Weren’t those clothespins neat? I love the dual use of holding/something else, like the jump drive. So clever! (I don’t coach people who don’t want to change. It’s a fruitless endeavor.)
One of my BIG pet peeves…people who stop at the top or bottom of an escalator and look around. Where do they think the people behind them are going? Didn’t they just come from the same place? Is there a pause button on the escalator that I don’t know about?
Move away from the escalator and then figure out where you’re going! Really, it’s not that difficult. Ok, I’m done! LOL
Sometimes I feel like printing out your answer and handing it out. The other day I tried to step around people who were stalled on the metal part of the escalator (the part that isn’t moving, but is right at the bottom of the step), I bumped into them (because they were blocking the whole width of the escalator) as little as I could and one of them still turned and shoved me, grunting, “watch where you’re going,” and I had to laugh. Watch where you are going, indeed!
Love those maps!