The End is Near (and we deserve it) . . . Phones with Smells

By Piper Bayard

. The oPhone by Vapor Communications

Meet the oPhone. Now, now. I understand that its shape and name might lead to some improper conclusions, so let’s be clear right up front. The “o” in this phone is all about odors. Smells. This phone sends smells. Read all about it here . . .

Harvard Prof Invents a Phone That Sends Smells

Blogs and Articles in No Particular Order

Via Best Selling Author Chuck Wendig, we find out What it is Like to Own a Tesla Model S — A Cartoonist’s Review of His Magical Space Car.

Thriller author and photographer Donna Galanti shared this along with a plea for the good of humanity. IMPORTANT! Please shoot responsibly! And in case you can’t tell, that’s a woman’s foot.

What does former Delta Force commander and New York Times bestseller Brad Tayler have to say about the recent change allowing women in combat? GI Jennifer and GI Jennifer II – Careful What You Wish For

Via Laurielyn Fields, These 25 Cats Went Out of Their Way to Be Absolute Jerks.

 

One of my favorite Mother’s Day blogs from last week by Julie Glover . . . If Your Mom Tweeted.

Sharon Lee Hughson details Six Sicknesses Perpetuated by Social Media.

Amazingly (not) East Ukraine Separatists Seek Union with Russia. If you missed it this week, catch Holmes’s outstanding article about the West, Putin, and why the Dancing Bear of Moscow is getting away with murder. Dances with Bears — The Putin/West Waltz

 

Chris McMullen gives excellent advice in Newbie Author Book Marketing Mistakes.

14 Things You Didn’t Know About Trader Joes via yoga instructor and author Christine Moore.

Some fun from Colin Falconer, Kitten Meat and Medieval Fun Land. He’s got a seriously funny Game of Thrones parody there.

And speaking of serious fun, I came across this jewel. Chuck Norris meets Eva Gabor on the Merv Griffen Show back in the day.

Campaign Style Poll of the Week:

All the best to all of you for a week of satisfying aromas.

Caption, Please

By Piper Bayard

One of the fun parts of my job is all of the traveling I get to do. Needless to say, Holmes and I are careful where we meet up, and it can make for some interesting sites along the way.

How about a caption for this one? Please keep it clean, and don’t insult anyone’s religion. I know that will be a challenge with this one, but you are clever people, so I’m sure you’re up to it. Have fun!

image by Piper Bayard

Planking–It’s Not Just for Pirates Any More

Pirate’s Chest Planking at the Putt Putt

Blame it on Shawna Coronado. I’m going to, anyway.

When I first heard of planking, I thought it might be some sort of arid region form of waterboarding, or a type of pirates’ Russian roulette. But Shawna set me straight, and now I’m hooked. Yes. A planking junkie. I now look at the whole world as a planking opportunity. There are few things that I will say will change your life, and planking is not among them, but it’s a hoot, nonetheless.

I call Shawna Coronado the Green Queen. She is the author of Gardening Nude and has a great blog about gardening and living green called The Casual Gardener. Stop by, and she’ll teach you everything from edible front lawn gardens to building renaissance-style castles with discarded water bottles. More or less.

Shawna Coronado, image from flowergardengirl.wordpress.com — You’ll have to find the nude gardening pictures for yourself.

When I saw Shawna’s planking pictures up on her FB page, The Planking Files, I was mesmerized. What could this brilliant athletic feat be? Shawna took me by the hand and guided me to the wooden plank path of enlightenment.

I personally believe planking is a direct result of the economic downturn. It is the sort of fun, harmless, and quirky thing people do when they don’t have enough money for a movie. For those of you as ignorant as I was about this soon-to-be-Olympic-sport, planking is the act of pretending you are a wooden plank. Generally, you get a friend or family member to take your picture as you do this.

I was a bit shy about it at first so I practiced in my living room.

Ok. Time to go outside. Still feeling unsure of my technique so I started with a dirt road in the country.

Emboldened, I moved over near an oil well.

Planking by the oil well got me to thinking about our oil economy and things we might be able to do to change our ways, so to focus, I went to a nearby labyrinth.

All that contemplation made me hungry. I stopped off for some fresh Colorado Western Slope peaches at my favorite vegetable stand.

And on to the Leanin’ Tree Museum to enjoy some of the finest Western art in the world.

That was exhausting in a very pleasant way. Time for a plank beside the river.

Ahh. All refreshed and ready for a bit of excitement down at Pearl Street, Boulder’s outdoor mall.

As I planked through the day, some folks stared, and some folks laughed, but most just ignored me. For some reason, none of them jumped into my pictures.

Have you ever gone planking? Do you have any planking pictures you’d care to share?

My deepest gratitude to Shawna Coronado for inspiring a great day with my daughter and photographer.

All the best to all of you for exploring the Joy of Planking.

Piper Bayard—The Planking Pale Writer of the Apocalypse