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Everything Blog post 3,803 Notepad 286
  • Thoughts on writing #enjoybenches notes June 18, 2025
    I’ve started a new art series where I leave notes on benches: If I come across a bench that I have never sat in, I will stop and sit in that bench for at least sixty seconds. #enjoybenches In a…
  • My first drop for #enjoybenches June 11, 2025
    What are some good materials to create notes for public benches?
  • What makes Tiffany stained glass different June 6, 2025
    Today I learned about Tiffany stained glass windows. What distinguishes Tiffany Studios work in stained glass is that the color is infused directly into multiple levels of glasses, which at times can number to four or five layers, as opposed…
  • Ed Ruscha and the surprising potato June 5, 2025
    Whenever a potato appears in famous fine art, it’s always a surprise and a delight—especially when you’ve been tracking potato art for years. After all, my blog is named Spudart. I’ve used the Spudart name for 28 years since 1997.…
  • Eliminating the penny could cost American consumers $1.4 billion annually June 4, 2025
    Eliminating the penny saves the government $85M but could cost consumers $1.4 BILLION annually if businesses always round up. That's a 16-to-1 wealth transfer from your wallet to corporate profits.
  • The anti-clickbait news service we need June 1, 2025
    I want an AI service that rewrites the headlines in Google News.
  • Why gray is my favorite color May 28, 2025
    In 2021, gray was the Color of the Year. I felt vindicated. People laughed when I said gray was my favorite color—until the world finally caught up.
  • Volume 10 May 22, 2025
    I like to think that Spotify notices when I turn up the volume on certain songs, and they make note of that when recommending new songs to me. “Oh man, he really likes this song, HE TURNED UP DA VOLUME…
  • How Bluesky helped me bridge the gap between social media and blogging May 21, 2025
    After years of watching Twitter kill my blog, I found a way to make Bluesky work FOR my writing instead of against it. Here's the simple mental shift that changed everything.
  • Connect with your friends through their town’s anniversary May 14, 2025
    Every year, I wish my brother a Happy Wheaton Day on his town’s anniversary. Now I’m thinking of doing this for all my friends’ towns—along with a fun question about trees. Would you reply?
  • Peregrine in Google Photos May 12, 2025
    "Peregrine" is dictionary.com's word of the day. Only two photos show up when I search my Google Photos for peregrine.
  • Just a thought on humanity in the sales cycle May 11, 2025
    Please don't forget the humans in the process of your sales funnel
  • Enjoying well-designed toys May 10, 2025
    I feel this way when looking at and transforming a well-designed Transformer figure.
  • The Empire Strikes Back: As Told by Miss Piggy May 9, 2025
    In celebration of May 4th, Miss Piggy talks about Empire Strikes Back in a 2-1/2 minute video on Instagram and Facebook.
  • No libraries in Chicago own this photography book on Chicago May 8, 2025
    Chicago Magazine just reported on a newly published photography book that features everyday life in Chicago from 35 years ago. Sounds like an interesting book. The preview images look nice.
  • How to explore your Google Photos using vocabulary words May 7, 2025
    Give new life to your old photos. Use a new vocabulary word as a search term in Google Photos. Watch forgotten memories resurface in surprising, poetic ways.
  • A better way to wear your enamel pins April 30, 2025
    Finally found a way to wear my enamel pins without destroying my shirts! Hoodie hems are the perfect spot for a subtle pin display.
  • Using ‘Megatron’ as your name for fast food pickups April 25, 2025
    Using “Megatron” for mobile orders is all fun and games until you have to say it out loud to a sweet old lady named Martha. Plot twist: I called her “sweetie” on my way out. Megatron’s got a soft side.
  • Download your entire eBay purchase history – going back to November 2001 April 23, 2025
    Ever wonder what your first eBay purchase was? You can download your ENTIRE purchase history—mine goes back to November 2001. How to do it. What’s included. What’s not: my custom Mr. T doll from 2000.
  • Don’t load 48 Instagram pages at once April 19, 2025
    Instagram's desktop site is HEAVY. Tried loading multiple profiles simultaneously and my computer nearly had a meltdown. Break those bookmarks into smaller folders.
  • Poem in your Pocket Day April 18, 2025
    Today is #PoemInYourPocketDay! I'm carrying this little poem about pausing to sit on benches you've never rested on before.
  • Ewoks are good tree climbers April 17, 2025
    This time of year is so lovely with the trees blooming. During my bike to Marianos, I regularly go through a park that absolutely no other humans ever walk through, given the odd location of the park. But I bike…
  • Instant Film Cost Analysis: Instax vs. 35mm Photography April 16, 2025
    Did you know? Instax instant photos can be CHEAPER than traditional 35mm film! At ~$0.75 per shot vs $1.08 for 35mm, instant photography isn't just convenient—it's economical! Check out our full price breakdown.
  • My video and photo featured in Geoffrey Baer’s WTTW Chicago lakefront documentary April 14, 2025
    My Obama victory footage from 2008 made it into Geoffrey Baer's Chicago Lakefront documentary on WTTW! My video captures the exact moment when victory was announced in Grant Park.
  • Cost to develop 35mm film in Chicago April 11, 2025
    How much does it cost to develop 35mm film in Chicago? I surveyed 5 local film labs—from Walgreens to indie spots like Constant Agitation and Latitude.
  • Estonian branding on Japanese products April 10, 2025
    Found my Estonian heritage hiding in the Japanese stationery aisle! Tombow MONO products use the exact blue-black-white color scheme of the Estonian flag. Coincidence or secret Baltic connection?
  • How I got the country’s 239th best March Madness bracket out of 629,399 brackets on Yahoo April 9, 2025
    Over my life I've come to accept my outsider status in relation to college sports. Now I find myself the champion of a bracket. Turns out the Transfer Portal era might be making rankings more predictive than ever. Or I…
  • When a one-inch King Kong becomes a behemoth April 2, 2025
    This might be the world's smallest King Kong, but he still managed to make his mark on Chicago's skyline.
  • Need more variety in Transformer characters today April 1, 2025
    It seems whenever there are new Transformer toys release, it's always the same five characters. Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Soundwave, Starscream. Over and over and over.
  • Happy [Your Town] Day! March 28, 2025
    I'm really geeked out that I have five emails scheduled to go out on upcoming anniversaries for each person's town.
  • Pencil clips for notebooks March 27, 2025
    Marginalia lovers rejoice! Blackwing wanted $12 for a pencil clip. I found 4 clips for $8.29. Math wins.

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