Random Acts of Adventure
Rock, Paper, Scissors - Telluride Mountainfilm at UCSB
October 14, 2009
It is here! Telluride Mountaifilm on Tour will be showing at University of California Santa Barbara this week (Thurs, Oct 15th). Horny Toad and Telluride Mountainfilm go way back. We were both born in Telluride and have an affinity for the mountains, fresh air, arts and and telling moving stories about amazing people and places. It is because of this like-mindedness that support the great things they do and the amazing films they show around the country. If your anywhere near UCSB this Thursday come say hello and check it out. It will be worth the trip. If you are not one of the lucky ones to be nearby please check out the tour schedule and find a show coming to a place near you.For more details on the UCSB show on October 15th. (You can also buy tickets on line here.)
Rock, Paper, Scissors - Air Drumming as Inspiration
October 6, 2009
Adventures of Power, the multiple award-winning comedy about air-drummers and the American dream, starring Michael McKean, Jane Lynch, Adrian Grenier, Ari Gold, is being released starting October 9th in New York City, October 16th in L.A., and beyond! It is an independent release directed by Ari Gold (one of the Honey Brothers). I most recently met Ari through a friend who sent me Ari’s trailer thinking it was a good brand fit for Horny Toad. Although, I can't speak directly about the details of this independent film but the trailer is very funny, very Toad and caused a couple of LOLs. The spirit of the subject ... air-drumming, on one hand, really speaks to the lighter side of life (the heaviness of the world is killing me and I'm sure I can't be alone in that). Of course, the deeper meaning of the film seems to represent the human spirit trying to make something of nothing. At least at Horny Toad we call that our mantra ... "Every day is an adventure." Making fun and the best of every moment.
If you are in NYC or L.A. I'd be sure to check it out. Gee, the worst that could happen is that you peed your pants while laughing – it’s called “lissing” laughing and pissing.
Check it out!
Movie opens October 9th, AMC, 3rd Ave. and 11th St., New York City
Opens October 16, Sunset 5, Los Angeles
For other cities go to:
www.adventuresofpower.com
www.powerthepower.com
The Conservation Alliance
October 5, 2009
Recently the Toads cast their collective vote for the nominees of the winter grant cycle from The Conservation Alliance. If you aren’t familiar with the good work that The Conservation Alliance does, check them out here.Their mission, “The Conservation Alliance’s mission is to engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values.”
We are stoked that one of our local organizations, the EDC (Environmental Defense Center), was awarded a grant during this last cycle!
Let’s here it for the good guys! Get involved with The Conservation Alliance and help make a difference in your local lands.
Dear Ellen
September 30, 2009
Dear Ellen,Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Curious
Dear Curious,
Definitely yes. In the mid-20th century Otis Elevator Company improved on their standard passenger elevator by installing an electronic algorithm system which detects floor requests and determines destination priority. The algorithm determines the level of impatience, the probability of single or numerous anxious passengers, and the estimated level of determination. There are a countless complicated combinations, each trumping the last. For instance, an elevator call button which is insistently pressed multiple times within a short period is determined a higher stop priority than a call button pressed only once, gently. However, a call button which was pressed multiple times in a short period, neglected for a period of time, then again pressed insistently multiple times will win priority over the single session multiple pressing floor. If there was a standoff between two floors, each applying a single multiple pressing session, priority would be triggered by the floor with the greatest number of presses within a 10 second time frame OR by the floor which jammed the button with the most extreme pressure (algorithms may vary slightly among elevators).
With such a complicated system, it would be very difficult to fully study all the possibilities in order to always ensure your own priority. Just us common sense – if you’re finger is tired, people around you are rolling their eyes, and the button is starting to crack ... you will likely be the elevator’s top priority.
Ellen
Rock, Paper, Scissors - Creativity's Fuel
September 29, 2009
I don’t know about you folks out there, but I have to make stuff. It’s moderately obsessive, but at least it’s productive. My husband is sure there is a code for it in the DSM, not that I’m familiar with that weighty tome.
So my house fills with stuff that I must then jettison, so off to the market I go, my cart laden with the latest hats, puppets, sock monkeys, scarves, beads, sweaters, whatever. This weekend I sold it all, to my amazement, and my husband’s too.
The high point of the day came when a woman with long, thin hair came to my table and plunked a hat on her head. It looked great, deep blue super soft chenille, a welcoming hat on any head.
She loved it immediately.
“I am starting chemo this week and my hair will be falling out,” she said. I gave her the hat. We locked eyes and grateful tears welled up, with a smile of thanks spreading on both our faces. It was a shared moment – one where I gave to her, but she also gave back to me.
I have to make stuff for others to love – it’s my fuel, my creative air … find that in the DSM!
Binary Chef - The Virtues of Vodka
September 23, 2009
1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive.
2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.
3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.
5. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
6. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
7. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes – or just drink it, that helps with pain too!
8. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains – or again, just drink it.
9. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.
10. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.
11. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
12. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.
13. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth and allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.
Most of us only drink it thereby missing out in its full potential. But that’s a good use too!
Dear Ellen
September 23, 2009
Dear Ellen,
I saw a bumper sticker that said "My Gamer Fragged Your Honor Student." What does that mean?
Curious
Dear Curious,
"Fragged" is originally a Vietnam War era term, which referred to the intentional killing of one’s own officer. This was often done with a fragmentation grenade (thus the term "frag"), as the culprit could not be traced by fingerprints or a bullet. Frag has found a more contemporary meaning in video gaming, meaning to kill (or "fragment") another player.
The topic of "gamer" vs "honor student" refers to a bigger debate in the country concerning our primary educational landscape. The debate hinges on the idea that the 20th century foundations of our school system are no longer appropriate or sufficient for creating adaptive citizens within the technological 21st century.
This bumper sticker could easily be interpreted as an extremely confrontational and violent mindset, suggesting that one parent’s child assassinated another parent’s child, or will in the future, perhaps with the aid of robots. But as we all know, a frag doesn’t necessarily mean final death, because obviously even if a player is fragged he can respawn if his health score is over zero. Or it could just result in gibbing, and not even lose any frags! So to me, that bumper sticker says "Let’s engage in a healthy discussion about the structure of the American educational system and it’s sufficiency in preparing our children for flying cars and robots.”
Ellen
What Comes Around Goes Around
September 22, 2009
It was a normal day at Toad. The fog was in. Everyone was working. There was a meeting going on in the front room … and then suddenly …
Tres bolted out the front door and raced down the sidewalk.
Jeremy jumped in his car and drove after him.
Steve-o zoomed out from the back of the office and ran down the road.
Gordon screeched around the hood in his truck.
Paige took off on her little Vespa, revving it down the street.
Were we making another spontaneous video?
No. Someone had stolen Tres’ bike, quite literally, right in front of him as he sat in a management meeting. The chase was on! We may be a peaceful bunch, but you don’t mess with a Toad’s bike … or beer or dog for that matter.
As the search parties splintered off in all different directions those of us left at our desks were wondering ... what if they catch him? Then what? Do we beat him up? Orrr … Do we go against what seems to be the status quo of bad behavior these days (ehem … Joe, Kanye, Serena) and just call the cops instead?
Out of all the people in the office to apprehend the subject, it happened to be our little Paige, who’s very petite, but doesn’t let her stature fool you. As she motored down Mason street on her Vespa, she saw the bad guy and drew upon her mighty spirit to say, “Hey give me that bike! It’s stolen!” To which he said, “I’m trying to return it. Here take it.” And, then he sprinted toward the beach in the other direction.
Morals of the story? Don’t mess with a Toad’s bike (or Paige apparently), use a bike lock and don’t stoop to the bad guys level.
Marvin's Ride
September 18, 2009
I just think this is so classic! Marvin, one of our colorful and, I might add, inventive reps that sells our wares on the road for Horny Toad and Nau. During the selling season, our reps spend countless hours driving their territories to bring the best and brightest of our new lines to our dealers. So, it’s important to have a rig, such as this one, that can a.) fit all the goods and b.) is super pimpin’. Done and done. Marvin, not being a very shy fellow, opted for an old ambulance from Pennsylvania as his road companion of choice.One thing is for sure, he gets noticed when pulling up to a store.
Marvin, you’re one of a kind and we wouldn’t want you any other way!
Binary Chef - Just Say No To Canned Soup
September 17, 2009
I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately (I even stayed home from work) so I turned to the old standby, chicken noodle soup. In my house, we've been in the habit of making our own soup, and during the fall and winter homemade soups are a staple we keep in the refrigerator. Being that it's middle of September, and we're desperately hanging onto beautiful summer days here in Santa Barbara, I broke down and went to the store for my soup. What a terrible mistake. it wasn't that long ago that I was perfectly happy with soup in a can, and this was the "good stuff" kept refrigerated, etc. As sad as I was that I couldn't stand to eat the salt laden water passed off as soup that I so desperately wanted, it did feel good to know that the little steps we're taking to try to eat fresher, prepare things at home and cook with seasonal ingredients are working, and they are worth it. Let's just say that I won't make the same mistake again. Soup is something better made at home, and this weeks delicious corn and chicken chowder* was proof.
*goes great with Beer Bread.
No recipe except for the encouragement to be creative with the ingredients in your cabinets and fridge. That's the best thing about soup, anything goes!
Crusade Against the Mundane
