Cool Stuff
Jan 13th 2010
Madeline HunterMadeline Hunter
On one of my email lists, some writers were talking about a special writing program available only for Macs called Scrivner. I only paid passing attention because I don’t have a Mac. However, it was pretty clear that this program falls in the category of Cool Stuff. It was so cool that I think some of us were thinking of changing computer platforms just so we could use it.
I am a fan of Cool Stuff. I like finding it, and I like hearing about it. Cool Stuff is anything that is unexpectedly neat, so fun and engaging or useful that the only response is That is SO Cool.
Technology offers lots of cool stuff, and lots of not really cool stuff. Clearly many people think the iphone is cool stuff. On the other hand, I have never heard a printer called cool, no matter how many bells and whistles it may have. And some things that should be cool, like bluetooth technology, have never really made it to cool.
I have a few cool stuff discoveries to share. There is a free program on the web called Mikogo that allows several people to work on the same file at the same time. The person who starts the “meeting” loads the project onto her desktop, and the others who are on a conference call can see it on their computers and even take over the curser and file’s program to make changes. Very cool.
Something similar is the process where a computer repair person can take over your computer to fix it remotely. Also cool, and it has saved me a couple of trips to the repair store,
and helped me get snags out of programs too.
Cool Stuff doesn’t have to be technological though. For example, nail polish remover towelettes that I can pack when I travel are, in my opinion, very cool. I used to buy a bottle when I got to my desintation, then have to leave it there when I came home. So I had a Cool Stuff moment when I found these little packets.
Other Cool Stuff: Stats counters on web sites. I love them. They amaze me. Widgets are major Cool Stuff. Those are those little applications that sit on your desktop or on a web site and show whatever— tweets, the weather, the time–there are thousands of them out there, and someone with basic tech knowledge can make them. And although it is not new anymore, I put blog software in the Cool Stuff category forever . I can remember when every single line for the web had to be coded by hand and uploaded by an expert. Now the basics come ready made and you just start typing.
It is hard to resist cool stuff that is not too expensive. I am weak when cool stuff is a beautiful piece of china, or artistic lampwork beads (You made that by hand with a torch and molten glass? That is so cool!) Office supply stores are cool stuff heaven (wow, a purple accordian file with color coded dividers and a bungee cord closure!)
One person’s Cool Stuff may be another person’s big shrug. But lots of us have the same reaction. If someone says to me “Is this cool or what?”– I usually agree. Yes, that is seriously cool.
What Cool Stuff have you seen recently? Have you bought anything mainly because it was just too cool to pass up? Any Cool Stuff on your wish list? What is your favorite cool stuff?
Anyone posting will be entered into a contest for an ARC of my March release, Provocative in Pearls.
(Credits: the big bead is by ravensrain.com and the set is by lovinglampworkbeads.com)
120 Comments »
120 Responses to “Cool Stuff”
Angie on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:44 am #
Office supply stores definitely head up my cool stuff list. I can never leave one without something that I just couldn’t live without once I saw it. I love that they have themed desk sets now-from the file folders and desk accessories all the way down to the PAPER CLIPS, they all match. COOL stuff.
Junk stores come in a close second.
My techie cool stuff on the wishlist: CloudEngines Pogoplug
LoriHandeland on 13 Jan 2010 at 6:43 am #
I had never heard of Scrivner and since I’m a Mac person had to go and look it up. Definitely rates as “cool stuff.”
The most recent cool stuff I saw was for my iphone. The apps are amazing. WHen they say “there’s an app for that.” There is.
I recently got an app that is a sleep machine. Haven’t tried it yet, but it looks very cool.
One of my favorite new cool stuff apps is IMDb, which has movie trailers, upcoming movies, movie times and the local TV schedules at the touch of a button. It’s so cool.
I also love my cribbage iphone app. I’m hooked.
Pesky on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:16 am #
I’ll have to go try out Mikogo.
(Getting the Gollum look from LOTR) Office Supplies…MY PRECIOUSES!
I love my 1/2 size index cards. They’re so convenients for writing notes and sticking them in folders and I can fit a pack of them into my backback anywhere when travelling.
I remember when post it notes first came out…they were the coolest thing out there!
Pens and Automatic Pencils and pads of paper….Is that a new pencil…I’ve got to have it!!!!
I seriously need help.
And computer stuff…I love the computer aisle.
Kathy on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:58 am #
I found a locally made cool stuff item a couple of weeks ago. For those of you who like honey in your tea- like me- there are hard honey drop packets that you can tote with you! amazing!!
http://www.honibe.com/
another cool thing I made myself is a grocery cart unlike the regular wire basket things.
I took an old umbrella stroller, stripped it down and attached a very large backpack to it. now I can tote groceries home with out stooping to pull or push a too-low cart. The wheels are bigger so they can make it through snow if need be; plus, they don’t take up a lot of space to take on the bus.
SuzyQ on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:05 am #
I just read about an SD card, the Eye-Fi, that has the ability for wireless upload of your pictures and videos from your camera. You never have to take the card out of the camera and it keeps track of what was uploaded and will delete uploaded pictures when space becomes limited. Don’t know if I’d care for that feature but still its pretty cool.
ladydawgfan on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:13 am #
I have a fountain pen that has a nub that is cut for left handed people (it doesn’t smudge or drag). Very cool and fun to write with!!! I also have a light that clips on to the side of my tote bag and lights up the vast, dark insides when I am searching for something. Called “Purse Brite’s,” I gave these very cool little lights to every female on my Christmas gift list a couple of years ago, much to their delight, and I am still getting thanks, even a couple of years later.
In my van tool box, I have a tool that extends, has a magnetic end, and has a little light on the end so that you can pick up a fallen screw or metal tool or something from 3 feet away and see what you are picking up. My mechanic was so impressed when he saw it that he wanted to know where I got it – he was picking one up on his way home for HIS toolbox!!
kay on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:18 am #
When we visited Stratford Canada, we stumbled across some glass candle holders called fusion glass. They’re made at a shop in Manitoba. If you like glass stuff, you should check it out at http://www.klassworks.com/Home.page. We’ve purchased a number of pieces. Since I’m a big fan of glass, I also purchased an Italian blown glass pen and tried to write one letter with it. It was like I was in first grade again, so, now I have this lovely glass pen collecting dust. When it comes to office supplies, I love those transparent plastic accordion files in bright colors and the clear plastic clipboards.
Kathy on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:31 am #
Ladydawgfan, my mom had one of those magnet wands- she used it for dropped needles and pins while she sewed. it didn’t have a light though.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:39 am #
Angie–What is it about office supplies? And what IS Cloudengines pog a cool thing?
Lori— I need to get an iphone. Knowing about all the apps is killing me
Pesky— I did not neven know there were 1/2 size index cards. Me want!
Kathy–Thanks for the link. My sister drinks tea with honey and I’ll get her some. And you should patent your new cool grocery carrier. I am serious. I have used the wire ones and you have solved the biggest problem with them. Actually two, the second being the way all you food wants to fall out between the wires.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:41 am #
ladydawgfan, I think you must be the queen of cool things. You try all those cool gizmos I see in catalogs.
Kay, thanks for the glass link. I also bought an Italian fountain pen. I tried to use it last week and can’t figure out how to get the cartridge in it right. Then I pressed something too hard and now the top half is stuck in the cap. But it is very cool that they make nibs for left-handed people.
I just realized that I forgot to post the contest/give-away! Off to edit blog. . .
Lisa H on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:54 am #
Hi Ladies,
My favorite cool thing is my new cell phone. It’s from Verizon and is called Razzle. It is not a Blackberry but I can check my email and FB with it without having to pay the $30.00 extra dollars a month that Blackberry users pay. (I am charged for the time I’m on the web, but it is usually only $5.00 per month)
I love having a cell phone and being able to talk to my kids, husband or friends anytime and almost anyplace.
My other fav cool thing is my wireless laptop which isn’t necessarily rare, but allows me to write in other locations.
I might be a couple years behind the times in my cool things but I so love them anyways.
TrishD on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:02 am #
Call me old fashion but other than the wonderful invention of DVR (it so cool that I can record the entire season of NCIS with just a few pushes of a button) technology just doesn’t do it for me. Things I find cool are those that are interesting, unique and so out of the ordinary that they take you by surprise. One of the coolest things I’ve recently seen, but unfortunately didn’t buy for myself, was a Red Wings Mr. Potato Head… it came with a smile complete with missing teeth! It was so unexpected that I laughed out loud and told my dh that I wanted it for Christmas. I didn’t get it, it is now on my wish list.
Some of the coolest things I’ve seen are certificates my dad received when he was in the Coast Guard. I don’t know if they still give certificates for this type of thing but he has a certificate for when he went through the Panama Canal, another when he crossed the internal date line, one for crossing the equator and very cool items from when he went to Antarctica. They are probably about 45-50 years old, the artwork on them is amazing… it might be because they are my dad’s but I think they are the coolest things ever!
Kay, love the web site. Very cool!
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:04 am #
I found something really cool the other day. I don’t know if anyone has one of these, but its called the Cinch. Its a handbag hook that hangs on the side of a table. You hang your purse on it so you won’t have to let it sit on a dirty floor!! Great for going out to eat at a restaurant!!
Chloe Harris (Noelle) on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:06 am #
Hi Madeline! As you might remember here in CLT we have a great store that specializes in cool stuff called, The Paper Skyscaper.
Last time I was there the cool things I got were a gorgeous leather wallet by adsa, clip clips shaped like little birds in a ton of colors and a great new party word game called Bananagrams.
I also love Ann Traintor Office Supplies -very cool!
meaghan on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:08 am #
the coolest thing i had to have recently is a wii. there are so many different uses for it – now we can surf the internet on our tv!
i would love to win a copy of your newest book!
evlqn on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:10 am #
Does anyone besides me read those Sky Mall magazines on the planes? It is abounds with all things cool! I found the watch that is a video camera, a machine that makes sodas, sunglasses with a video camera. All sorts of coolness within.
I love Kathy’s shopping bag idea, it is beyond cool!
I got a pen from Avon that has a magnet on the end of it and a double headed screwdriver inside the cap, very useful for tightening loose eyeglasses.
I will think of more cool stuff later, got to take kids to school.
crp on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:13 am #
It’s hard for me to keep up with allthe cool techonology. Haven’t bought anything in ages althoug GPS is great, I admit:)
Amy on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:18 am #
Kay- I live about 10 minutes from Stratford, and I love going through all the shops downtown, you can find some very unique things in some. It is such a nice little town, I hope you enjoyed your visit.
The most recent ‘cool’ thing I have bought, is a bottle warmer that plugs into your car. I know, not a very sexy gadget, but it’s great for heating baby bottles on the go. I also bought a similar one for my husband. It plugs into the car and keeps your coffee hot.
I also love my DVR, never having to watch commercials, yay!
I think the Kindle is pretty cool, but I am torn. I like the thought of it, but I really like having the actual book in my hands. Just the smell and the feel of opening a never before read book…makes me smile.
Sabrina Jeffries on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:41 am #
The beads are definitely cool. I have so many now that I’d have to make a piece of jewelry a day for a year to use them all. And yet I buy more.
I find my new DVR to be fabulously cool! I love it, and I’m grateful to Claudia for convincing me to get it.
My latest cool thing is something as mundane as the bluetooth (also new and also cool, to me): a cup warmer. I love that my coffee stays warm the whole time I’m drinking it! And now Amy mentions for the car? Be still, my heart!
I want a Kindle, but I’m afraid to get one. That would be so cool that I’d go broke buying books!
Julia London on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:50 am #
Check out Evernote. Does essentially the same thing and is available on both platforms, I do believe. A few people I know who use Evernote say it is a gift from the writing Gods. I have it, but I haven’t had time to learn how to use it (altho it seems fairly straightforward).
I am fortunate to have Julie Kenner as one of my best friends, who stays on top of all things techno and drags me along. She is constantly on to some cool stuff.
And I do love my Kindle. I still read actual books, but I have to say, nothing beats that Kindle for travel. And I can’t wait for the Mac tablet. I think that will be ultra cool
Sara E. on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:50 am #
I thumbed the iphone when it first came out, but it has made my list of cool stuff and now I want one. The other cool thing I would love to have is the Barnes & Noble Nook. The cool thing that I have played is the wii with my nephew- but of course kids being what they are, the wii was only cool the first month they had it, now some other game system is cool.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:51 am #
Lisa H, wireless laptops are classic cool in my book. It took me a while to trust it though. At first I saved every few minutes because I was sure the signal would die.
Trish D, I think we should all get certificates like your Dad’s for when we have a major event or major achievement.
Lori, I saw the Cinch in a restaurant and they make great sense. And it looked like it even worked.
chloe, I remember Paper Skyscrapter well. Guys, this is one of the coolest stores ever. Take the cool of office supplies and combine with artistic flare and imagination and there it is.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:53 am #
meaghan, DS has a Wii and I need to learn to use it. They keep finding cool things of it to do and I want to play.
Evlqn, yes, Skymall mags! I can kill an hour of any flight paging through them.
crp, GPS is very cool stuff. It even uses outer space to do its thing, I believe, which ads to the coolness factor.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:57 am #
Madeline, they do work great! My mom forgot her purse one time, and was thankful someone had turned it in. But since she has had her Cinch, she remembers to get it every time. They make great stocking stuffers too..and very inexpensive.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:57 am #
Sabrina, you love beads too! You and I have a lot in common, so I am not surprised. I don’t think you need to make anything with them either. I just like to look at them and marvel at the colors and artistry someone got into that tiny piece of glass.
Julia, thanks for the heads up on the other program. I have One Note, which is cool in its own right, but it is not a writing program as such.
Julie on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:17 am #
I spent a lot of time at thinkgeek.com, which abounds and overflows with Cool Stuff; I recently got a Yellow Sun Jar from there, which captures solar rays and glows when it’s dark enough. Very cool.
Something that also allows several people to work on a document all at once is Google Wave, which is also very Cool, but very much in the beta stages.
ladydawgfan on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:21 am #
I know I shouldn’t do this, but . . . Skymall magazine has an online site – http://www.skymall.com with everything in the magazines that are on the planes. And that is pretty cool too!!
SheridanLA on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:23 am #
I think one of the coolest tech things is Skype. I can chat with my friend in Germany for free (video chat, too!) or pay a tiny bit and call all over the world (or US)
I also love my WACOM tablet (of which I just got a new one for Christmas) it makes life lovely for retouching or drawing.
you all talking about your fountain pens makes me want to drag mine out and get it back into shape.. there is something glorious about writing with one.
dbrown3400 on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:34 am #
Since I seldom use a computer away from home, I really want the new iMac. It’s been years since I’ve used anything but a PC, but that Mac looks so cool. Besides, I’ve never gotten used to the smaller keys on a laptop. We have a laptop at DD’s (which has been broken for some time now) but I prefer my home computer.
I’m also an office store junkie. Staples loved to see me coming. I finally broke the habit when I realized there were more paper clips, Post-its, and staples than I could use in a lifetime.
My DVR is a must. My original disk crashed a couple months ago and I thought it was the end of the world. There was an entire series I hadn’t even watched, plus specials that will never be on again. So not fair.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:43 am #
I love that parents can track their kids on their cell phones!!
Maureen on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:59 am #
To me digital cameras are cool stuff. I just got a new one for my birthday and to me, it is amazing what they can do. It is very cool that I can take pictures at Christmas and then crop them and fix them up a bit and then e-mail the ones that came out good to my family. When I was a kid I thought my new Polaroid camera was the coolest thing because you could see the picture right away.
Suzanne Enoch on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:02 am #
I rank wi-fi at the top of the cool list. It completely changed where I could write books and still be able to communicate.
And those little thumb drives. The thumb drive I have right now has 5 complete manuscripts on it, plus some other stuff. In the old days it took 3 floppy disks to hold 1 manuscript.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:05 am #
I’m using wi-fi right now!!…lol! It is great!
Abby on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:18 am #
That thing you put that lines the bottom of the microwave and your oven, so all you have to do is take it out and wipe it clean. Nothing sticks to it. I do have a self cleaning oven, but it takes so much time. But this linning cleans so easily, I do hate cleaning. To me its cool.
Nicole Jordan on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:19 am #
I adore my new iPod and new Netbook! 2009 was a great year for cool new stuff.
And I sure wish I were eligible to win an ARC of PROVOCATIVE IN PEARLS, Madeline! Can’t wait for it to come out — and I adore the cover.
kay on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:34 am #
Amy – Love Stratford, can you say apples dipped in chocolate and caramel and toffee for humans? And Yappin Apples from the Barkery for my doggie?
Debbie on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:59 am #
My son and I are great fans of Thinkgeek.com, which seems to have all the coolest stuff.
I think the newest cool thing to enter the house it his PS3, which he bought right after Christmas. Not only can he play games (mainly littlebigplanet with his sister at the moment), but he can play against friends online, it plays blueray movies AND (this is best for me) Netflix instant watch for free.
Skype will probably be my new favorite in another few weeks then my oldest heads off to Sydney for a year of Study Abroad.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:06 pm #
Thank you Starbuck’s for having gift cards!! They are the greatest things, gift cards. I am a coffee addict!!
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:20 pm #
I really would love a copy of your new book, Madeline! When will we find out who the winner is?
Gibb on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:34 pm #
Yup I’m definitely with you on the love for cool stuff. My younger brother loves to show me this, that and the other that is just too cool for words.
So now I have…Scrivener (very cool and easy to use), netbook(sweet little pick thing that I can type on in bed, in car while waiting and small enough to fit in my bag), kindle(love, love, love – and yes, way too easy to buy ebooks – must watch the wallet), various ipod nanos and shuffles(one is for books on tape, other is for music – really I lost one, searched every where, gave up, bought another, found the first). I agree that the DVR is the coolest TV thing, can watch marathon of whatever I want at the time. Love our wii – actually was sore from too much fun on that thing.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:35 pm #
Sara E, another Wii rec. Yep, I gotta get the controller away from my son.
Julie, I’ve heard of Google Wave but haven’t tried it. There is also Microsoft Groove, but it costs money
Sheridan, I love fountain pens, and am bummed that I may have ruined my new one. I haven’t tried Skype but I talk on the phone to people using it and it seems no different so it is worth a try, I think.
dbrown3400, I know it sounds odd to go gaga over paper clips, but there are so many cool ones out there now, so I understand completely if you have too many
Gibb on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:35 pm #
oops. trying to say pink.
Tal on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:38 pm #
After years of using vaseline to remove eye make I finally discovered the remover pads.. love them..also no more checks ….online banking is the way to go…I have a feeling I might enjoy an ipod if I ever get one… my son has one he can fit 3,000 songs on it, yet I can’t put 20 of my favs. for a playlist of my own…lol. Tal
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:41 pm #
Lori A, I still do some tracking with the cell phones, and they aren’t kids anymore. I don’t think my sons find that part of their phones so cool, somehow.
Maureen, Like most tech stuff, it helps if you learn to use it so you can appreciate just how cool it is. You have done that with your camera and I almost never do that, I am sorry to say
Suzie, I’m with you on the wi-fi, but I don’t trust any data storage devices. I will admit that with thumb drives I thought they were very cool stuff when I first got one, not to mention cute as the dickens.
Abby, I’ve never seen that lining but it sounds like I need to find it, because I have a few guys at home who overblast food.
GSM on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:44 pm #
My next-door-neighbors gave their college-aged sons Droids for Christmas. Have you seen what those little phones can do? They’re mini computers full of information–type in a question and bam there’s the answer. They also function like a personal radio station–just tell it a song you like and it will play songs of a similar nature. Of course, it’s a GPS…and a phone. Too cool.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 12:51 pm #
Madeline…lol! That is funny! I know, I wish I could put one on my husband…lol!
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:13 pm #
Thank you, Nicole—I love the cover too.
Debbie, yours is the second vote on Thinkgeek, so I must visit now
Lori, I draw the name in the middle of the night then make a comment at the bottom of the others. I also contact the winner directly.
Gibb— I have a little notebook too. Cool AND cute–now that is a deadly combination!
Tal, the make-up remover pads go right up there with my polish remover ones on the cool list. I also found jewelry cleaner ones. They work better than any other jewelry cleaner cloth or anything I have ever used before, esp for silver
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:14 pm #
GSM, who makes droids? Or is this a whole new category of phones?
evlqn on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:18 pm #
Now that I have my laptop I want a Netbook, because they are easier to handle. The g-sons will gladly take this one off my hands. For that matter my oldest would take this one in a heartbeat. He told his DW that his mom was mom was NOT allowed to have cooler stuff than him.
I want a wardrobe of Casio watches because they have so many cool ones I don’t want to have to choose.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:23 pm #
Madeline, awesome! I can’t wait!
Terry Odell on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:28 pm #
I recently found a website, Wordle.net, that makes word clouds from text you paste into a box. I’ve been pasting chapters of my books, and finding which words are used most frequently based on how big they are in the cloud. It’s a fun, visual way to work on edits.
Joanne on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:28 pm #
I love cool stuff!! Especially when I go to flea markets or garage sales. Oh, I love finding oddities that I would not find in a store………..cheaply too!
One time I purchased this beautiful hand crafted wood vase. I still have it and it’s beautiful. Carved into it are flowers and vines, but the wood, I am not certain what kind it is, but the beauty and oddity is wonderful and a conversation piece.
jackie on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:33 pm #
I also think antique or simply old tea pots are cool, I think the entire tea making process is pretty cool. Technology wise I still think the DVR is the coolest! Sometimes I think I am getting old because I can not remember when things I want to watch are on tv, so I just program my DVR and do not miss a single episode of “Bones”! I wish I could program way in the future because “Emma” is going to be on PBS this spring and I do not want to miss it.
Mason on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:37 pm #
I think tote bags are cool. I know I’m nuts but I can’t help myself. I seem to collect tote bags from grocery stores, book stores, and store that features their own tote bag. I also like coffee and mugs. Some have the cutest sayings, while others are just beautiful in their design. And I can get carried away in the office supply store as well. Too many neat little items.
Laurie on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:49 pm #
Cool stuff: Army/Navy stores…you never know what you will find in an army/navy store. My teen-age daughter had never been to one when we saw one in New Hampshire a few years ago and I told her we had to go in. She asked why, and I told her, “You never know what you’ll find in an army/navy store.” She found a great bowler hat, the first of her hat collection (which eventually spread to me). More modern cool stuff: smart phones…specifically the calendar function that allows you to share appointments with others. That’s how my husband and I know what each other are doing. TiVo, iPod, and Kindle go without saying.
Laurie on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:52 pm #
One more “cool stuff” thing: Skinny Girl egg mugs
evlqn on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:53 pm #
Mason, I just had drool fest at Dharma Trading.They have scads of neat tote bags that you can dye and?or decorate yourself. Personal favorite is one that zips into it’s own pouch for easy storage. They also have dye able silk at reasonable prices. Silk is a major favorite cool thing for me. Home depot has a great tote bag for $.99.
I found two hand painted Noritake plates at the Goodwill in Goodyear, Az last week. The two sold for $1.99 and they had the green M for Morimura on them.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 1:58 pm #
The coolest thing in the world that I love to collect is anything wrought iron..I love anything made of wrought iron! My house is full of it.
ZedAitch on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:07 pm #
On my cool stuff wish list is an e-reader from Plastic Logic called Que. It is the size of a piece of letter sized paper and accepts .doc, xls, .pdf, .ppt, Oh, it’s just beautiful and I WANT one. There is a wifi version with a 4 gb memory and a wifi & G3 version with an 8 gb memory. I’ll take either one. The company has partnered with Barnes and Nobel, so you know book selection will be huge. AND you can actually work on your spreadsheets, documents, powerpoints right on it!
nancyg on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:11 pm #
Since Mr. G is known as “Inspector Gadget”, we have lots of cool things.
We’re a 4-iPhone family – there IS an app for that – my kids keep me in the loop on cool things. There’s one you tag your car in the parking lot (esp at Christmas) and it directs you to where you’re parked.
Wii is awesome – get the Fit board & Shawn White snowboarding game – too much fun, esp after a bunch of cocktails, lol. Rock Band & Guitar Hero are good & we have bowling tournaments in the living room.
Tivo/DVR – best thing since the TV
the gadget that pulls photo files of your computer & plays a slide show on your TV. We have fun at parties with that one, too – makes files of “post-cocktail” shenanigans.
Glasses you plug into your iPod/iPhone & makes it look like a big screen, ear buds included. Mr. G uses these on the plane
Bose noise canceling headphones – Mr. G watches hockey & football after bedtime
We get the Think Geek catalog too! TOO much fun! We have the showerhead with built in LED light for the girls’ bathroom.
Sky Caddie – it has a built in GPS that tells you how far your golf ball is away from the hole. You just tell it what course you’re on.
Jackie Morcone on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:16 pm #
I have fallen in love with glass fussion. We have a place in town where u can paint your own pottery and she also teaches u how to fuse glass. I made necklaces for all of the ladies in my family for Christmas. They loved it. I love when I discover a new way to be creative.
Gwynlyn MacKenzie on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:19 pm #
Being a techno-dud, I read the post and wasn’t going to comment because I have little to offer—until I read the arc part. Talk about bait! Resistance is futile.
Cool for me is rarely a gadget—unless it’s for the kitchen. Love kitchen gadgets. I’m with you on the hand-blown glass. That’s one of the reasons I love the PA Ren Faire. The glass blower there is amazing. Cool for me is usually very different or unique. Keep the ‘puter toys. Give me soft and fuzzy (puppies count!) or knock me senseless gorgeous which, for me, usually requires some rich shade of red.
nancyg on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:20 pm #
Our 10-year old just got a digital camera that takes pictures under water up to 25′, no case required – and it was less than $100!
oh, at the “as seen on TV” store at the mall, dust mop house shoes – got a pair for each of my girls in their stocking – they dust as they walk around the house, lol. and a mini-flashlight key cover. It slides over the top of any key, push the middle, and a little LED light turns on. Half the time, I leave in the afternoon, come home after dark, and the porch light isn’t on – very handy!
For Christmas, I bought my mom those plant watering bulbs you plop into houseplants (going back to yesterday’s blog).
for Suzie E – do you have an iPhone? For us Star Wars fanatics – there’s a light saber app – you can pick the color of your saber and it makes the “whoosh” noise when you wave your phone around, lol.
my “mom” calendar – a grid for each day for each person in the family (up to 5 people – perfect for us). I write in all the kids’ activities, appts., etc. & hang it in the kitchen so everyone can see what “we” have going on each day at a glance.
P.S. I’m a Snuggie convert, but I still won’t use the sleeves, lol.
nancyg on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:28 pm #
a few more & I’m done – I promise! – have to pick kiddos up from school….
Our coffee pot with the automatic timer – PRICELESS at our house. The girls set up the coffee every night, and it’s done before the alarm goes off. WOO HOO!!
Does anyone else have the outdoor patio heater that runs on a propane tank? Love them for parties when it starts to get chilly at night and much safer (no sparks!) than our firepit!!
The little fabric softener balls you just throw in with the wash – I’d always be doing something else when it was time to put it in. Now my clothes are “downy” fresh, lol.
The gadget that cuts your pills in half with a safety guard for klutzes like me.
Motor starters for cars – I can turn on the car in the driveway & have it heated up or cooled with a press of a button from my living room, lol.
My Kitchen-Aid mixer – they’ll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands – it’s awesome!!
Janae on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:46 pm #
I’m loving Wii EA Sports More. It’s so much fun that it doesn’t feel like I’m working out. It keeps track of the calories that I’m burning. It has a journal, so it keeps me conscious of what I’m putting into my body and makes sure I’m taking care of it.
Sabrina, I LOVE beads, too, which is why I really need to start listing some jewerly in my etsy shop. My favorites are semi-precious stones, especially tourmaline. I could NOT pass up the 3-4 mm bicone cut tourmaline beads I found on etsy.
I, too, like hitting garage and estate sales, junk shops, etc, all in the name of good junk. Although, I have to say that my most recent find came from the neighbor’s garbage can. The renters just moved out. I saw this vase peeking out of the trash. So I went and I got it that night. It’s a clear glass vase that I’m going to turn into a terrarium. I know exactly where it’s going to go.
Oh, and I can’t forget Craigslist. I found someone to reupholster my dh’s ggrandparents loveseat for $200, complete with new insides. I got this gorgeous linen fabric off of ebay for $79 with shipping. I can’t wait to get it in place with the $40 table that I found on Craigslist.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:47 pm #
How about those little minature flashlights that go on your key chain…Our power went out the other night, and we just moved into our house. I was still in the process of unpacking and didn’t know which box our big flashlights were in..luckily i remembered the little one on my key chain!! It really helped!!
Jane on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:48 pm #
My cousin just got a digital video converter for Christmas. You can convert your old VHS videos and TV programs into a digital file.
Claudia Dain on 13 Jan 2010 at 2:51 pm #
I don’t follow Cool Stuff at all! I rely on other Kind People to tell me (usually by a hand firmly clamped to my lapel) what Cool Stuff I MUST buy. That’s the extent of my research.
“I have always relied upon the kindness of strangers.”
And look where that got poor Blanche!
Cherry Mischievous on 13 Jan 2010 at 3:53 pm #
Haven’t come across any cool stuff lately… but I still want that arc
So will tell you about my wishlist instead. I’ve hold out buying iphone for now because I want an iphone that can read ebooks too! I want my phone to be ereaders more than play music so I’m waiting and keeping my fingers crossed!
Cherry Mischievous on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:05 pm #
And, oh, will review at my blog if I get the arc
Hah! How’s that for a bait?!
Re-posted your contest at: http://contests-freebies.blogspot.com/2010/01/win-provocative-in-pearls-at-goddess.html
Freedom Writer on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:08 pm #
I like cool stuff. I would like a kindle and iPod or Netbook. An iPhone would be cool, but AT&T doesn’t provide service in my area.
MariElle Curry on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:09 pm #
I love dichroic art glass… it’s beautiful and I too would love the book. If it’s anything like your other stuff it’ll be great!
happy new year!
M
Sabrina Jeffries on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:10 pm #
Madeline, it’s funny you should say that about just looking at the beads. Sometimes I just like to play with them. How weird is that? I guess I like pretty things.
Julie on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:17 pm #
I just got a BlackBerry, after resisting it for a long time. I would like a Slingbox, which would enable me to watch sporting events remotely or record them for later consumption.
I can’t even imagine how cool a Kindle would be. Then again, I’d never get anything else done.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:22 pm #
Terri O, I wondered how all those word clouds were made. I’m going to take your tip about using that program on a chapter. I wonder what words will be really big?
Joanne, I love old oddities. I found these photograph holders, like big lockets, that open like a book to show two. They were made of metal and decorated with a carved material that I think was an early form of bakelite. Cute and cool.
jackie, I love tea pots. Especially the ones that are part of a breakfast set. Have you seen those? They are adorable. A pot for one, and a cup and saucer, creamer and sugar holder, and a toast rack all on a big tray, and all the same pattern. I love them in chintz china.
Mason, LOL, I had a sentence in the blog about tote bags, but had to cut it because my cool stuff list was getting too long.
Karen Hawkins on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:24 pm #
I am SO making a list of all of this cool stuff. Madeline, thank you for opening the floodgates af the Cool Stuff River!
Karen Hawkins on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:26 pm #
Btw, I love beads, too. I even have a rosary, though I’m not Catholic. I just love the sound of the beads clacking together. It makes me grin every time.
I know, I know … I probably need counseling. But until then … clack, clack, clack, clack!
Teresa on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:34 pm #
Ipod nano got one for Christmas it’s cool. Something cool that I really want an E-Reader!!! Go anywhere and don’t have to carry all my fav paperbacks, save some room for other stuff like clothes!!! lol.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:34 pm #
Laurie, a bowler hat? I wonder how the Army/Navy surplus store came upon those. And what is a skinny girl egg mug?
I ‘m learning a lot about these fancy phones. I had no idea they did all the things you guys are describing. Even without using one I can tell they are Mega Cool Stuff.
ZedAitch, I haven’t seen the Que. I don’t think I’ve even seen it in the flurry of comparisons done recently. I have to check it out because sometimes soon I’m buying an ereader.
NancyG, I always wondered if those glasses worked! You are lucky that you and Mr. G are of one mind on cool stuff and indulge yourselves and each other.
Jackie M and Gwyn, I love ALL glass work. In my city we have a major glass center where you can either do or watch all the different varieties. Glassblowing is making a major comeback in art/craft areas.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:48 pm #
MarieElle, thank you! I am hoping readers like it, of course
Dichroic glass is so artistic. I have a couple of flat pieces of it that are like little abstract paintings.
Sabrina, that is all I do with them too. I started by saying I was going to learn to make jewelry, but soon admitted that was just an excuse to buy these tiny works of art.
Julie, DH has a Blackberry and it turned him into a techno cool stuff geek all by itself. He went from neanderthal to robot man in a few weeks of using that thing.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:54 pm #
Karen, I am making a list too. I haven’t even heard about some of this stuff but it sure sounds good to me.
Theresa, I’m with you on the ereader. I am researching them and keep finding ones I did not know existed, so the choice is getting complicated.
CherryM, welcome! I keep putting off the smart phone, like the rereader. I am assuming they are getting smarter as I research but it is really easy to be behiind the curve on these, they are improving them so fast. But I plan to get both soon!
Janae, I have seen some really cool stuff on Craigslist. It sounds like your chair and table will be beautiful.
Jane, I need one of those video converters. For one thing, tape doesn’t last forever.
Claudia, we are collecting our very own TGB catalogue of Cool Stuff just for your benefit.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 4:54 pm #
and nancyg, those patio heaters are So Cool! I want one too. They really work and like you said, they are a lot safer.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:02 pm #
Amy, I think that anything that makes life with babies easier should go into the cool stuff hall of fame.
Peggy on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:15 pm #
While I hate to sound like a cliche, I love my iphone and could not live without it. My husband and kids are now iphone orphans, because I spend so much time on different apps. I also love my new compact super-zoom Panasonic camera. We love to travel in wilderness areas and take pictures of wildlife. This camera is fantastic and the pictures are better than my old (1 year) bulky Canon. Finally, while I do not own it and can not control it, the Pergrine Falcon that lands on the railing outside my office window is very cool. I am on the 17th floor and the windows are tinted so he can not see me watching him. Sometimes he is right next to the window and sits sleeping (??) and preening himself for about an hour mid-morning. Very cool.
readerdiane on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:29 pm #
I love tech stuff and own quite a bit considering I do not make my living from it. Had to get DH his own computer so he’d leave mine alone. Last weekend we had 6 computers at the house for 4 people.
This year after researching & reading blogs, I bought a Kindle and I love it. DH wondered why I still buy regular books but I do. I have a Blackberry and even though the I-phone looks cool, the reception stinks in our area.
Right now I have tech envy for the tablet, but I am not ready to buy yet.
We did break down and got a flat screen & I do love it, not necessarily for the football games that are playing endlessly on it.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:30 pm #
Whoever made these mosturizing gloves…BLESS YOU!! I think that if I didn’t have them, my hands would just waste away!! Thank you for such a cool thing.
Amy on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:57 pm #
I am gald Skype was mentioned, it completely slipped my mind. I use Skype and my webcam all the time to see my niece in San Diego. She is only 2 so it allows me to see her and she gets to see me too. That way she doesn’t forget her favourite auntie!
JoMarie DeGioia on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:57 pm #
What cool stuff have I seen recently? I am overcome with envy every time a customer at my B & N tells me they have a Nook, are buying a Nook, are going to buy a Nook. If I had the money before the holidays, this cool thing would so have been in my stocking! But I needed a new dryer and after spending over two weeks without one (and sloughing off easily one size with the hard rough towels!) it was easy to forego this cool thing. For now, LOL!
Barbara Elness on 13 Jan 2010 at 6:14 pm #
I like cool stuff. One cool thing that I’ve been wanting is a GPS for my car, I think it’s great to be able to actually drive somewhere with directions as you go. Since I’m directionally challenged, that’s a great thing. I just got a new, improved DVD player for Christmas – it does some cool stuff, including playing downloaded DVD’s, and even videos directly from a flash drive. I’m enjoying reading about all the cool stuff others are listing. My wish list is growing.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 6:28 pm #
Peggy, my DH once worked on the top floor of a downtown office building, and two falcons had their nest on a little balcony up there. He would come home and report what the falcons were up to. Once another falcon tried to horn in on their territory, and the feathers flew. The fight made the city newspaper.
readerdiane, we have, hmmmm lemme count, 8 computers for 3 people. Gads. Some are old, but all are functional still.
JoMarie, I thought that I WAS getting a nook for Christmas. B & N sent me an email that said Now that you have your nook, here is how to get started (then links, etc.). So I figured DH was going to surprise me, and they sent the email to me either too soon, or to the wrong address. Christmas morning comes and I’m looking around for my nook. Nope. B & N had made a bigger mistake than I realized. So I am back to researching these readers to buy one on my own.
Barbara, your DVD player is way cooler than mine. They just keep adding bells and whistles to this stuff. I’m going to look at mine tonight and think, how come you don’t play videos off a flash drive? That would be a cool thing to be able to do.
MsLooneytune on 13 Jan 2010 at 6:59 pm #
With all the talk about the Wii being cool, I have discovered my daughter’s copy of “Just Dance.” It is a program for Wii where you select songs that come with the program and then learn dance moves that go with the song. I say this is cool, because it actually got my behind off the couch and dancing like crazy. You can compete against someone if you want, but what a great way to exercise. I was totally out of breath after two songs.
I just recently returned from a flight and I think that there is all kinds of “cool” and “unusual” stuff in those travel magazine/catalogs in the seats ahead of you.
Peggy on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:08 pm #
For those who do not yet own an e-reader, I would wait a few months. I am so in love with my iphone that I want to review the Apple Notebook when it is released. Also, I am worried that given shipping delays at the end of the year, that there may be technical problems with the Nook. I am waiting to read reports by actual Nook users after several months with the product. I have tried the Kindle (a friend’s) and the Sony e-reader (my daughter’s) and both seem to have some slow and cluggy (is this a word?) navigation. It seems the e-reader is the next big technology and I think it makes sense to wait at least a few months for expected new product releases and more feedback on existing products.
Lori Adkison on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:16 pm #
I would have to say that colonoscopies are cool!!, Not to be weird, but it saved my life..The doctors found my cancer and I had a surgery to remove it..been cancer-free since 2004!!
Louisa Cornell on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:39 pm #
Now I HAVE to find those nail polish remover towlettes! That is just TOO cool! (I am very easily amused!) While I don’t own a Mac. I did buy one. For my nephew for graduation. He is a freshman at Bama and his classmates think he has the most fabulous aunt and Nana in the world. (Mom and I went together and bought him a Mac Airbook Pro – I think that’s what it is called.) I must admit it is an AWESOME computer.
What I REALLY want is one of those computerized sewing machines that has embroidery programs that you can scan a photo or pattern into the computer, download it to the sewing machine and it embroiders what you downloaded onto the fabric! There are also programs that will turn what you download into a cross-stitch pattern or quilt pattern. I love to quilt and I could go nuts with a program like that.
One not so terribly complicated sort of techno-thing is Library Thing. I like it because I can access it from the bookstore and check to make sure I haven’t already bought the book I’m looking at. For someone with a romance library like mine and a quickly expanding Regency research library that is very helpful!
Some of the most interesting stuff I have ever seen is the
Louisa Cornell on 13 Jan 2010 at 7:41 pm #
equipment my brother and his wife use for their ghost hunting expeditions. They have all kinds of fascinating equipment to measure light, sound, temperature fluctuations, energy, you name it. It is a fascinating area of study and one I never would have thought my no nonsense, straight-laced brother would get into at all. That’s my brother – steel mill kiln designer and engineer by day and ghost hunter by night!
Tracey Devlyn on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:16 pm #
Hi Madeline,
Fun topic! I recently converted from a PC to a Mac. One of my first purchases was Scrivener. I used to use WriteWay on the PC, so knew the power of this type of writing program. Love it.
The other cool thing I use is Google Docs. My blogmates and I keep all of our business files on there. The three of us can access the files and make necessary changes. It’s helped us keep our guest bloggers and topics organized.
GSM on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:23 pm #
Madeline–Motorola makes the Droid; my neighbors purchased this nifty gadget through Verizon.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:26 pm #
Ms. Loonytunes, thanks for the tip. Dancing sounds more fun than “exercising” and works just as well if not better.
Louisa, I have seen those sewing machines do their thing and it is very, very cool. They are probably coming down in price too, like most technology. And your bro is a ghost hunter! So has he met any? He must have found something(s) to keep doing it, right?
Tracey, I need to learn how to use Google Docs, and all the other software they have that allows coordination. I surfed around a few times and was pretty impressed. Our blog here does use the calendar and that has been great. I did not realize the docs work sort of the same way.
Louisa Cornell on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:39 pm #
Madeline, he actually got interested when his cynical self was forced to call in a paranormal investigation team because of some things that were going on in his house, a hundred or so year old farmhouse. He wouldn’t have called them except a friend of his, whom he has a great deal of respect for, told him about the problems he and his wife encountered when they bought a home on the historical register in Marion, Alabama and began restoring it. The house apparently was haunted and this paranormal research team documented the occurrences so he could call in a “cleanser” to put them all to rest. Jim’s experience with the team so impressed him he got interested in the research. He and his wife have been on a couple of documenting trips and they have actually seen and heard their first ghost, outside of the one that was in their house! They never actually saw the guy in their house. But they saw his manifestations – things falling and breaking, framed pictures floating across the room, floating lights, etc.
I asked him why the sudden interest and he said “I guess I finally realized I’m not immortal. I don’t like taking any kind of journey without knowing what’s at the end of it.”
evlqn on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:51 pm #
Louisa, if your brother ever goes ghost hunting in Oregon,I’m up for helping. I like ghosts and I love watching the ghost hunting shows. I think it comes from living in haunted houses for most of my life.
I sure could have used a GPS last week, I took the scenic tour of Goodyear, Az more than I care to admit.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 8:55 pm #
wow, Louisa, that is fascinating. It always impresses me when a skeptic is won over.
Sweet Jane on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:42 pm #
I know the feeling of finding out about something and going “Wow, this is SO cool!” But I have to say I’m not much into gadgets, let alone technological stuff. I’m pretty technophobe, if I may say so.
I realize that when I see “cool stuff”, most of the time it’s not any kind of object, but a principle, a possibility or a fact. Does this make sense, and does it fit in your blog somehow? Examples: the names of the months in Ukrainian are very cool. March is the birch month. May is grass month, etc. Or at my university, there are subterranean passages that allow you to walk from one faculty building to another, and even to the national library, without once having to go outside! It is very cool, especially in Montreal’s 4-5-month-long winter. Actually, a lot of stuff about life seems cool to me.
Sabrina Jeffries on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:53 pm #
Oh, Madeline, I forgot to say that I LOVE those fingernail polish towelettes. I was so thrilled when I found them! They’re great for travel.
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:28 pm #
Ideas and facts can definitely be cool stuff, Sweet Jane. For example, one of the coolest things I know is the Golden Mean (sometimes called the Golden Ratio or the Golden Section). I put a drawing of it up on the blog that shows it. It has been used in art from ancient times and is often used today in product design. The cool part is that if you divide that rectangle into a perfect square and another rectangle, that next smaller rectangle will have the same proportions as the first one, and it keeps going infinitely as you divide and get smaller. I thought this was so cool that in one of my books By Design, I have the hero show this to the heroine. Anyway, if you look at that pic I put up, you see this spiral following the angles of the square. That spiral, andn it proportions, can be found all through nature. Google Golden Mean for more info on this very cool stuff.
Lisa G on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:47 pm #
I feel a little lame! I have nothing to brag about, except new front room furniture! It so pretty. After raising 5 kids, a stay home mom, Hubby finally got Momma new furniture. I nearly filpped. Well he did build me a new addition on to the house which ncludes a two car garage, sunroom, mud/laundry room. He gutted my kitchen, dining room and put me in a brand new country kitchen, put new hardwood floor in throughout the house and redone the living room and entry way. When we get the master bedroom finished I will have a brand new house. Mine you Ladies, this was all done by a 135 lb man with the help of his 6 brothers to do the exterior work. I’m one happy Momma
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 10:55 pm #
You should be happy, Lisa G! Wow, that was a lot of work. I am sure it was a labor of love too, and it is great you get new furniture to go with it all. It probably does feel like a new house. When I had our family room redone down to the studs and rebuilt, I did not want to put anything in it (including, and especially, kids) for a week or so. I would just stand in it and admire how new and clean and fresh it looked.
evlqn on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:15 pm #
LisaG what is DH doing this weekend? I have a room I want enclosed, he can bring the brothers.
Jen Drake on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:22 pm #
i bought some super cute items from after xmas sales : ) funfun. mostly sparkly items : ) hehe
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:37 pm #
The name out of the hat ARC winner is Lori Adkison. Thank you, everyone, for sharing all the cool stuff. I have a long list to check out!
Madeline Hunter on 13 Jan 2010 at 11:38 pm #
Jen, I love cool anything, but especially if it is on sale!
Patricia Barraclough on 14 Jan 2010 at 12:06 am #
We’ll have to leave the technology cool stuff to others, I’m hopeless. I don’t need more cool stuff there, I can’t figure out how to use what I already have. I have a multitude of those plastic accordian files. New discovery – magnetic clip on bookmarks. Not high-tech, but useful and kind to the books.
Cherry Mischievous on 14 Jan 2010 at 2:54 am #
Patricia B, you sound like my mother! lol
Cherry Mischievous on 14 Jan 2010 at 2:56 am #
My mother is the bestest mother in the world… But, she is just hopeless with high tech gadgets and totally unrepentant about it
Emmanuelle on 14 Jan 2010 at 5:00 am #
The only think I want right now is a brand new Kitchenaid stand mixer, either shiny black or red… DH remodelled the kitchen last year and my old mixer seems just… old. Other than that I wouldn’t say No to an I-phone (I know, dream on…).
Thanks for the constest !! (I luuuuuv ARCs)
Kathleen O on 14 Jan 2010 at 9:18 am #
I think the “coolest” thing I have found is “gift cards”, but not having to purchase them in the store they are intended for. Like if I want to get someone a gift card for Home Depot and I am in the grocery store, there is one staring me in the face as I stand in line to check out my groceies. Or I am at the Shoppers Drug Mart, and I want to get a prepaid Visa or Master Card as a gift for someone and there it is in the on the revloving rack as I am on my way to the cosmetic counter..
I can litterly gift card shop for anyone in one store and not even break a sweat running from one store to the other..
Now that is my find of fun things to find..
Quilt Lady on 14 Jan 2010 at 11:07 am #
I haven’t bought any cool stuff lately! Now at Christmas I did buy some of those neat little gift cards, they are life savers! Come to think of it I bought my FIL A Cracker Barrel gift card last week for his birthday! They have so many cool electronics these days, you just can’t keep up with them all.
Booklover1335 on 14 Jan 2010 at 8:44 pm #
I love computer programs, especially the freebie ones that make my life easier. By nature I love post it notes. They use to line the perimeter of my computer monitor because it’s how I like to keep track of important things, notes, or chores I need a reminder to do. Thanks to the PBW blog by Lynn Viehl I ‘ve found numerous free programs that I love by my fav is a program that allows you to make virtual post it notes on your desktop so I no longer have to worry about the real ones falling off. She also had one that I have yet to try out yet, but it acts like you clipping out an article and it saves it in a file on your computer. Not the whole page, or article just the parts you want. Love that!
elainec on 15 Jan 2010 at 8:42 pm #
PBS had a fascinating program called “Craft in America” back in the fall. We liked the programs so well that my husband ordered them from Netflix and we watched them all over again.
The coolest part was of an Indian woman with young children who as a teen started learning beading the traditional way. However, she takes traditional symbols, motifs, and stories and sews them on high-topped gym shoes, umbrellas, and other non-traditional things. What she creates is fantastic. Her work is not for sale in retail establishments. The items are museum quality.
Another very cool thing I found out about recently is that at Harvard University there is a museum that has exact replicas of plants and flowers that are made of glass. They don’t look like glass. They look completely real. My sister-in-law and brother knew I loved both horticulture and art glass and sent me a book from the museum with the history, techniques, and gorgeous pictures of the glass plants. I have poured over the book regularly since they sent it to me last fall. Glass flowers and plants are very cool. Unlike dried plants in a herbarium, glass plants and flowers never wither and dry or lose their colors.
IceJewel on 20 Jan 2010 at 11:49 am #
I recently bought a thin and flexible book light which I can attach to my book when I am reading in the night as my sisters don’t allow me to switch on the lamp ! So, this little thing is certainly a cool thing for me as it illuminates a lot of light in which I can read easily without straining my eyes
Regards,
IceJewel.
kj coker on 24 Jan 2010 at 9:28 pm #
Being “Techno-lazy” as my Darling Computer Geek Hub likes to call it, I’m getting all sorts of neat sounding things that I’m now going to have to look up. I love my DVR, cell phone, and Wireless Internet connection, but that’s about as far as I went…*until now*
I do agree that Office Supply stores do have the neatest things, as well as Culinary stores. I love all the neat kitchen gadgets that I would probably never have a use for until I see it and then insist on finding a time to put it to use.
Also, I love those little Mary Jane socks they have for babies now. Don’t know if they really count as cool, but they really are too cute.