This is dedication.

Agata Oleksiak crocheted her entire house.









images via NY Mag

The TV is my favorite, because you can see the screen peeking out in dull, hard black and white from underneath the soft riot of color that almost covers it. She says the phrases on the walls are texts from former lovers; I can't imagine really wanting to be reminded of them enough to see them every day, although some of them are definitely good enough to be immortalized.

I don't think I've personally gotten any texts interesting enough to stand alone; it's all about context.

Would you be interested in hanging out again?

From a guy I dated for about two weeks, sent at least eight months after the last time we texted. The message before that was a multi-text rant about how immature I am and how I should have a nice life, and anyway all he ever wanted was sex. So, no. Not really interested.

A Little Help from My Friends

From Ian:



I needed a good racist joke to cheer me up this morning.

I don't know where that image came from, so if anyone finds out, please link me so I can credit them!

From Duane:




via Gizmag

I feel like I'm on a sinking ship today. Julien Berthier gets to feel like that every day! He cut a boat in half and redesigned the motor and keel to make a boat that looks like it's sinking but is in perfect working order. It's so cool and I really admire the idea and execution, but you know what this thing really makes me think? GOD DAMN I wish I had enough money to cut a freakin' yacht in half just because I want to.

Speaking of boats.... from Nicole:







I'm in love with these gorgeous photos by James Morgan for the NYTimes Lens blog. To get these, he taught himself Malaysian and Indonesian, went through a ton of deep sea dives, and practiced holding his breath etc. in his own bathtub. Please click through to the article page and see the rest of the images in the slideshow because they're amazing!

From Best Bets Daily:


Yes, I know that NY Mag is not my friend. You know how I know that? Since I subscribed, I get junk mail from every single New York charity ever founded, as well as every single related New York publication. Thanks, NY Mag, for selling my address to Crate and Barrel, West Elm, The New Yorker, the New York Times, Time Out, the Wildlife Federation, the Prospect Park Alliance and the Food Bank TO NAME ONLY A FEW.

Anyway. I love bamboo. I love bamboo floors, bamboo cutting boards, bamboo heels for my shoes. I've always wanted to go to that place in Fujian, China that's supposed to have naturally growing square bamboo. I also love it because I used to have this Philippina coworker that pronounced it BAHM-boo. So if anyone wants to comfort me about the amount of paper I'm wasting by receiving and instantly trashing all that junk mail, maybe you could get me these sustainable bamboo sunglasses. Not only will you be protecting my eyes and putting a smile on my face, you'll be paying for someone in need in India to have eye surgery!

And finally, from Ben:

I'm not going to post the video, but if you're feeling up to it, take a look at this totally horrifying clip of a rat that gets loose on the subway and CRAWLS ON A MAN'S FACE. Thanks, Gawker.

Big Bambu

They used a lot of this:



and this:



to make this:



It seems amazing at first that these two guys (twins, no less!) Doug and Mike Starn, could make a structure that groups of people can walk in using only bamboo and bungee cords. But having lived in HK and China, to me it's amazing that two white guys did it. In Asia, buildings are demolished and reconstructed within a matter of days, and they don't waste time on the scaffolding. Once a small base is built, they send a guy up there with bamboo and some cable ties and he straps a few on, climbs up them, and repeats. For about 10 stories. It's amazing!