When I worked at Hallmark Cards, I had the good fortune to work with a lot of very talented writers and artists.
Maura Cluthe was one of ‘em.
She has her own website now — with a shop where you can buy posters, prints, books, buttons and stickers featuring her distinctive artwork.
My favorite?
Her new happy blue button.
Look at that face — gotta love those big, angelic-yet-mischievous eyes.
I wonder if she gives volume discounts? 
Posted in Art, Business, Design, Humor, Internet, Life, Shopping
Tagged art, artists, artwork, big eyes, books, Business, buttons, cute as a button, design, Hallmark Cards, happy blue button, Humor, Internet, life, Maura Cluthe, online shopping, posters, prints, shopping, stickers, volume discounts, website, writers
2013 is two days old.
As The Egg marvels at this turn of events, we look back at the Top 10 Search Terms that brought visitors to our little site in 2012.
Take a gander:
1. The letter ‘C’
2. Ryan Gosling
3. hats
4. Adam Levine
5. bulto biggest
(I don’t get this one at all…)
6. band
7. movie
8. Christopher Columbus
9. elephant
10. the sunshine state
Let’s see — that’s movies, music, celebrities, animals, fashion, and a couple of random entries that even I can’t explain…
Yep. Sounds like The Egg to me! Thanks for stopping by.
Posted in Blogs, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, Life, New Years, Writing
Tagged 2012, 2013, Adam Levine, band, blogs, bulto biggest, C, Christopher Columbus, elephant, entertainment, hats, Humor, Internet, life, movie, Ryan Gosling, search terms, site visitors, sunshine state, Top 10, website, writing
After what has seemed like an endless hiatus, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is back tonight (or early in the morning) with new shows in their brand-spanking-new studio. I’m really excited.
You know who’s not excited?
CBS.
Craig likes to joke that the CBS brass don’t know he’s on the air. That he can get away with the nonsense that he does because they simply don’t have a clue that there is a show on after David Letterman. It’s funny schtick.
I’m starting to believe him.
Tonight’s new Late Late Show is going to be broadcast from his shiny new studio — a studio that was part of Craig’s two-year contract renewal. One might assume this cost CBS a little bit of pocket change. So you’d think they might want to promote the event.
A little.
But to date, I have seen nary a promo on TV. Nothing in print. Even CBS.com doesn’t mention it, not even on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson page.
Pitiful.
Come to think of it — I did get a tweet yesterday.
But I think it was from someone like me, anxious for the shows to begin.
Posted in Advertising, Celebrities, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, Television, TV
Tagged advertising, CBS, CBS brass, CBS.com, comedy, commentary, contract renewal, Craig Ferguson, David Letterman, entertainment, here come the players, Humor, Internet, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, late night, new studio, schtick, Television, TV, tv promo, tv promotion, tv studio, tweet, Twitter, website, website homepage
Do you play your numbers? Does anyone?
I drink a lot of bottled beverages, and I find these secret codes to be less than compelling.
I’m not even sure I know how to play. Do I visit a website? And what do I win? Is it worth the micron of effort that it will take?
Maybe if the code itself were more entertaining. This mis-mash of numbers and letters is random, no doubt, but enthralling? Exciting? Filled with possibilities?
I’m know I’m not bubbling over…except perhaps with carbonation.
I’ve been rather obsessed with Downton Abbey lately, and a good friend asked if it was time for an intervention.
It might be now. But not just for me.
Adam WarRock, the Internet’s ‘foremost comic book rapper,’ has gone gaga for Downton Abbey, too.
A rapper….all wrapped up in the soap opera at Grantham Hall. He even posted a confession on his website:
Downton Abbey is the kind of thing that you hear about, and you’re all like, “That sounds terrible.” And then even one of your best friends won’t shut up about it, and then you have to fly to Seattle, and you watch it on the plane, and get completely obsessed with it. And then you’re calling your friend and saying things like “I’m at the part where Matthew Crawley is investigating the entail for Lord Grantham, and the Dowager Countess finds out about it,” and you realize you’re whispering because honestly, what the HELL are you even saying?
I love this guy.
Now he’s gone one step farther and written a rap about Downton Abbey. You gotta give it a listen.
Can’t see any problem with that!
Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, Life, Music, Television, TV
Tagged Adam WarRock, celebrities, comic book rapper, comic books, confession, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, entail, entertainment, Grantham Hall, Humor, Internet, intervention, Lord Grantham, Matthew Crawley, Music, rap, rapper, Seattle, soap opera, Television, TV, website
People often ask what it’s like working for myself.
What do you do everyday, Carla?
As it turns out, I do patchwork.
I encountered this term in an article this morning; apparently it’s the latest trend in freelancing.
Patchwork is defined here as a ‘mosaic of interesting and meaningful small jobs that may vary in any number of ways, including required skill sets, appointment types and rates of pay.’
That sounds about right.
That’s why it’s difficult to describe a typical day — I really don’t have one. On Monday I may be writing an e-newsletter, Tuesday leading a workshop on speaking skills, Wednesday redesigning a website. And, of course, writing a blog entry every day.
I love the variety that patchwork enables me to do. I’m sure my fellow freelancers do as well.
Just call it our little ‘sewing circle.’
Posted in Business, Commentary, Life
Tagged blog, Business, commentary, e-newsletter, freelance, freelancing, friends, independent contractors, life, patchwork, patchworking, self-employed, sewing circle, skill sets, small jobs, website, work from home
No two snowflakes are alike.
Especially if you make your own!
In my continuing quest to find every wacky website out there — particularly those with a seasonal theme or intent — I bring you
SNOWDAYS
If you can’t go outside and catch a snowflake on your tongue, throw a snowball or build a snowman, you can build your own digital snowflake and watch it fall softly to the ground in the iconic country scene provided.
You can also add a personal message to your snowflake which anyone who visits can click on and enjoy. They can also respond, turning your snowflake into a means of communication.
Chill!
Just think — you couldn’t go out and play in the real snow — which is cold and wet anyhoo – and the next thing you know, you’re chatting with someone from Indonesia.
Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?
Posted in Beauty, Blog, Blogging, Blogs, Christmas, Design, Entertainment, Family, Holiday, Humor, Internet, Life, Technology
Tagged beauty, digital snowflake, entertainment, family, Holiday, Humor, Internet, life, online snowflake design, online snowflake maker, snowball, snowflake, snowflake design, snowflake maker, snowman, website
From a very quick perusal of Facebook this morning, it sounds like a lot people out there are snowed in, cold, sad, behind in their shopping, fed up and worn down.
It happens every year. The holidays can be treacherous. Sometimes, ya just feel like singing the blues.
There’s a website for that.
Blues Maker not only shares your pain, it helps you create an original piece of harmonica music to express it.
You pick the subject matter, the harmonica licks, and in just a matter of moments, your sadness and your sorrow are put into song….so you and your hound dog can sing along.
Give ‘er a try. It’ll make ya feel better. Then you can commence with your celebrating.
(Apparently one possible side effect is a Southern accent.)
Posted in Christmas, Comedy, Entertainment, Holiday, Home, Humor, Internet, Life, Music
Tagged blues, blues music, bluesmaker.com, Christmas, comedy, entertainment, Facebook, harmonica, Holiday, holiday depression, holiday shopping, hound dog, Humor, Internet, life, Music, snow storm, website
Last night I had dinner with a friend at the Pier 1 Cafe, an outdoor eatery on the Hudson River at 70th Street in Manhattan. The weather was perfect, so it was a great evening to sit outside with the dogs and enjoy the view of the Jersey skyline.
On the walk back uptown, we were laughing at the snippets of conversation we overheard from passersby — everything from one man’s recitation of his daily pill intake to a teenager’s repeated, “So, what are we gonna do now, huh? Huh?” to his rather bored looking girlfriend.
(We weren’t eavesdropping; they were just talking really loud.)
That’s when my friend told me about a website called OverheardinNewYork.com — a compilation of conversation overheard in New York City and beyond that is posted online for everyone to enjoy.
These hilarious gems are submitted by everyday folks; the website editors put them into categories — heard in the office, the beach, New York City, celebrity wit, and everywhere (as in everywhere else) — and then give them snarky headlines. They let site visitors get in on the fun, too, with regular contests where you can submit your headline ideas. Winners receive copies of the book Overheard in New York. (Yes, there’s a book, too.)
Here are a few you might enjoy:
Mom to daughter, wandering off: No, come back here, I don’t want to lose you in the store. I already lost one of my kids that way, and that’s enough.
Wife: You’re so grim!
Husband: You made me grim.
Wife: Did I make you grim?
Husband: I’m not grim.
Girl: I’m so glad I don’t work nine to five.
Friend: So, when do you work?
Girl: Eight to four thirty.
Silly, right? But if nothing else, regular visits to the website will make you feel smarter.
Enjoy!
Posted in Books, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Food, Humor, Internet, Life, Relationships, Summer, Technology, Travel
Tagged books, comedy, commentary, contest, contest winners, eavesdropping, entertainment, food, Hudson River, Humor, Internet, Jersey skyline, life, Manhattan, New York City, Overhead in New York book, Overheadinnewyork.com, overheard conversation, Pier 1 Cafe, Relationships, summer, technology, Travel, Upper West Side, website, website editors, websites
If the sock fits
Today’s post is a love story –
An ode to socks.
On a cold, snowy day like today, they are very much top of mind…and on the bottom of my feet.
I first discovered these gems during one of Old Navy’s ubiquitous sales. I got an email, clicked through to the website and decided to give them a try.
You can never have too many black socks, right?
But these were my first chenille socks, and I was an immediate convert. They are quite simply the softest, warmest, most durable socks I have ever owned. And at only $3 a pair…well, let’s just say I’ve bought a truckload.
To be clear — Old Navy has not reimbursed me for this most earnest of endoresements. I am just a huge fan.
(But if they wanted to send me more, I’d wear ‘em.)
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Posted in Commentary, Fashion, Humor, Life, Shopping, Weather
Tagged black socks, chenille, chenille socks, cold weather, commentary, email, endorsements, Fashion, feet, Humor, if the sock fits, life, love story, Old Navy, sale, shopping, socks, weather, website