Hard Work

It's a nice reminder to know even those we view as almost superhuman for their accomplishments had to work their behinds off to get where they did.

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem that wonderful at all."Michelangelo

Decisions

Always go with the decision that will make the best story.

Bad Luck

I love the song "Born Under a Bad Sign." I always listened to the "Cream" version but didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, until I heard Albert King's version, "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all." It may not be grammatically correct, but it sure does resonate!

The Jersey Motto

As a proud sixth generation Jersian, today's factoid is about the Garden State. The New Jersey state motto is "Liberty and Prosperity." And YOU thought it was tanning and oil refineries!

Famous Notebooks

Today, I propose we celebrate some famous people's notebooks. They are fascinating.

Famous Notebooks

Scratch and Sniff Menus

Imagine

of how revolutionary scratch and sniff menus would be...it would be like a free sample of all the food on the menu! Just think of the possibilities. I should see an inventor about this...

Lung

Your right lung is slightly larger than your left...but the TSA already knew that. Wow, that joke was so 2012.

451

A book melts at 451 degrees Fahrenheit...so that's how the book got its name!

Confederate Flag

It will always be a mystery to me why the Confederate flag included 13 stars...but it only had 11 states!

Mars

Here's a nifty fact for you: Mars is populated entirely by robots.

                                                       That's your brain right now.

Fruit Stickers

The stickers on your fruit are FDA approved, so don't panic if you accidentally eat one...phew, that was a close one!

.7mm Pens for the Win!

Hey all! Great news...I've revamped my notebook. I took a fun trip to Staples yesterday and bought new .7mm pens, index cards, and dividers, so now my notebook is really stylin'...I get a little too excited about this stuff!

Yes, I drew that (well, is writing word art considered drawing? Technically I wrote it fancily). And FYI it's a take on The Lego Movie and South Park!

But I wouldn't leave you hanging, so here's your fact for the day: Technically, King Henry VIII only had two wives, because he had four marriages annulled!

Elvis' C

This is a quote from a great book, "In the Event of my Untimely Demise" by Brian Sack that always cracks me up, " Elvis got a C in his eighth grade music class, yet became a music legend. But he also died on the toilet. So maybe we shouldn't celebrate mediocre grades after all."

"I feel like a glass shrimp."

So shrimp's have their hearts in their heads...Talk about thinking with your heart!

Pavlov

I recently told this joke and received no laughs. But I am hoping that you, my faithful readers, appreciate the humor in this, because it totally made me laugh.

"Pavlov is sitting at a pub enjoying a pint.The telephone rings, and he jumps up shouting, "Crap, I forgot to feed the dog!"

What is Life?

According to Gardner, "Life is the art of drawing without an eraser." Wise words, but who is Gardner you may ask? Well, Gardner is a great reminder to me to cite the sources my notebook better so I can remember which book I read great quotes like this in! Why do there have to be so many by people with the last name Gardner!

Family Feud

The first question ever asked on "Family Feud" was to name someone named George. The number one answer was Washington.

No, Steve Harvey did not host back then...

Castles in America

Demetri Martin said that 99% of castles in America are located in fish tanks, but I'd venture to say that .000009% of fish tanks are located in castles.

Jay

Jay used to be slang for "fool." And that's why it's called "Jay walking." Everything makes sense!

Guarantee

I love the MTV Unplugged CDs. They give new insight into the minds of music artists. A couple of my favorites that I listen to on repeat are the ones for 10,000 Maniacs, Florence and the Machine, and Nirvana. During his set, Kurt Cobain said, "I guarantee you I will screw this up." I immediately jotted that in my notebook the first time I heard it, because I just thought it was the coolest thing that such a world renowned musician could admit and even embrace when he makes (or may make) a mistake in his music.

What the...

According to criminal law, it only takes three people for a disturbance to be classified as a riot...I guess that would be a "quiet riot" though.

Copycat

You know, the first person to copy someone was actually very original.

Touring My Space

As a change of space, I take you on a tour of my space where I like to write in my notebook. And of course it's decorated with all the stuff from my notebook!

The Brady Bunch

One of the funniest and most underrated movies of the nineties is definitely The Brady Bunch Movie...the sequel was also quite hilarious. And it had one of the best lines in movie history:

Mr Brady: Put on your Sunday best, kids, we're going to Sears!

The gang then proceeds to dance and sing around Sears. How funny is that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rKeqPEGMvM 

Birthday

My birthday is one day away...it is almost scary that I read this quote at this moment...just had to share, "I wonder if I am closer to my birth or death right now."

The Truth About Bananas

Did you know that bananas only turn black and bruised because they participate in fight clubs at night...they're just not allowed to talk about it.

And if you have trouble with bruising, check out my friends at www.dermaka.com. They have

Dermaka Cream for bruising. It is a natural plant based vitamin enriched cream that aids in repairing damaged skin and reduces redness. It's ideal for treating patients after surgical or cosmetic procedures.

MY FAVORITE WORDS

I have an ever-growing list of favorite words. These are words that sound nice and  pretty much just make me happy..unlike those demonic words on my most despised words list...oh don't get me started on that one.
These are some of my very favorite words, and don't be a stranger. Share yours too!

• marvelous
• brilliant
• ironic
• epitome
• autotroph
• exclamation
• gorgeous
• variable
• revolution
• cafegymatorium (technically not a "real" word, but Ray Romano used it so it mush have some validity)
• kashmir
• unusual
• fluffy
• knucklehead
• profoundly
• turntable
• hyper
• obsolete
• blech
• anachronism
• artsy
• tyrannical

The Fuzz

You know why police are sometimes referred to as "the fuzz?" Well it has nothing to do with fuzzy wuzzy bears like I originally suspected. It actually comes from the fuzzy helmets on London police officers.

Movie Credits

Interesting fact for those of you who enjoy reading movie credits. When you see "&" between two writers' names, it means they collaborated on the work. But if it says "and" they worked at different times.

  And if they can't decide who should get credit or can't remember, they write "or." Okay, bad joke. I know.

Why 30 Rock Rules

"30 Rock" is so brilliant. I love the fast-pace, topical humor, and wittiness of it. Out of all the quotes this is surely a favorite from Tracy, "I finally understand the ending of 'The Sixth Sense.' Those names are the people who wrote the movie."

Luck of the Irish

You know why they call it "Luck of the Irish?" Because the Irish struck it rich in the gold rush. Interesting if you believe it, huh?

Kangaroos

Kangaroos hop because they can't move their legs independently.

Kangaroos: just another reason why visiting Australia is on my bucket list.

Plant life support

Technically, vases are plant life support.

Go, Frodo!

Lord of the Rings won every category it was nominated for at the Oscars, a total of 11 wins.

Don't be so glum, you won!

Heart

I often like to doodle and illustrate the quotes and ideas in my notebook. This is one of my latest, an illustration of the beautiful quote, "Always listen to your heart, because even though it's on your left, it's always right."

My Favorite

Yesterday I was talking to someone (not on the Internet-gasp!), and he asked me what my favorite quote from my notebook was. It was a question that I had never thought of before and it took me ny surprise. But the first fact that came to mind was about dogs and how the Taco Bell dog was a girl named Gidget and that the first living creature in space was a dog named Laika. So I suppose those are my favorites!

Wisdom

"Buy experiences, not things, and take photos, not souvenirs."

Some Advice

Here's some simple advice from good ol' Ben Franklin, "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

Tablecloths

Tablecloths were originally used as big giant napkins people would wipe their hands and mouth on...now that sounds like something George Castanza would do!

Hum

It's impossible to hum while holding your nose.

You just tried it, didn't you? Now walk over to a mirror and see how ridiculous you look. This is how scientific discoveries are made.

Psycho

The blood used in 'Psycho' was chocolate syrup...who knew yummy Hershey's toppings could be so terrifying?

Possibilities

"There are two possibilities: either we're alone in the universe or we're not. Both are equally terrifying."
-Arthur C Clarke

Culture

"Culture is anything we do and monkey's don't do." Darwin said that...he sure was a smart monkey on The Wild Thornberrys...

Lincoln's Funny

Everyone knows Abraham Lincoln as the one who "freed the slaves," but did you know he had a sense of humor...and was quite self aware?

When someone accused him of being two-faced, he responded, "If I had two faces, do you think I'd be wearing this one?"

A Wilde Day

Today sure has been a Wilde day...please forgive the TERRIBLE pun. Do not abandon me, oh faithful readers! I am allowed one bad pun every once in a while.
So to celebrate this Wilde day, here are two of my favorite Oscar Wilde quotes:
"Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others, whenever they go."
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts someone else's, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."

And for kicks, here's a Twain quote I love, "The world owes you nothing; it was here first." My English major is showing!

My Favorite Artistic Mavericks

I have compiled a list of some of my favorite artistic mavericks and what makes them so awesome. Sure there are many more to admire, but these are the ones I have really come to admire because of their work and work ethics.

• Jack White: Of course he's the first on my list. Besides making the best music of this generation, Jack is always evolving. He makes him music imperfectly perfect (See everything from "This Protector" to "Want and Able" to see what I mean). His style, especially with Third Man is old timey...the man has a serious obsession with turn tables and color patterns. All this just makes him more of an admirable genius. 
  
• Tina Fey: I have wanted to grow up to be like Tina since I was 16 years old. She is a proud nerd, but not just a nerd. She is legitimately intelligent and funny with her fast-paced writing. And she gives a modern female voice like  no other.
  
• Chuck Palahniuk: This guy's writing is so quirky. That was obvious from the first read of the zany "Fight Club" and "Choke." Then, I read "Damned" and knew this guy uses dark humor to bring out the best of societal flaws. He has this extremist voice that is oddly endearing. And he writes in what I call an "ADHD" voice, meaning he jumps a lot from place to place and it's so fast-paced, but that's just another reason I like it so much. Each time you read it, you find more to love in his work.
• Louis CK: Everyone loves this guy, and it's no wonder. He's the "everyman" who is unafraid to point out societal flaws. He's really honest. And like everyone else on the list, he's incredibly hard-working. For his show, he does it all from the writing and acting to the editing.
• Matt Stone & Trey Parker: These two are way braver than I could ever be. They have received death threats for their humor. Yet, they are unapologetic about their edginess. I like how their humor can be infantile and playful while remaining intelligent and topical. Just brilliant!
  
• Stanley Kubrick: You have to admire any perfectionist, and this man is the text book definition of that. He may have been demanding and bossy, but that is how he made such well-rounded work. His films truly can be considered art. And it's amazing how he did every genre from horror (See "The Shining") to comedy (See "Lolita") to Sci-fi (See "2001 Space Odyssey") to a brilliant combo of genres (See "A Clockwork Orange" AKA his best work!).
• Rod Serling: By this point, you faithful readers also know of my "Twilight Zone" obsession. Mr. Serling is the classy man who put the whole thing into motion and revolutionized TV and the sci-fi genre in the process. Plus, he wrote some other really amazing works, all of which are timeless.
  
• Other artistic mavericks that I would be remiss not to mention include:
• George Carlin
• Judd Apatow
• Zooey Deschanel
  
• Bo Burnham
• Stephen King
• John Stewart
• Judge Judy
• Dimitri Martin
  

So who ado you admire? Maybe I can add them to the list!

Music Lyrics

I rarely put music lyrics in my notebook. I guess it's because I have so many memorized and don't give much thought after I get the words to a song down. But one of the most perfect lines to a song comes from Jimi Hendrix, "Castles made of sand fall to the sea, eventually."It's so sad, but beautiful. I love bittersweetness in music and art.

$2 Bill

I've known people that've never even seen a $2 bill...yet I read it makes up a whipping 3% of our circulation...so where are all these mysterious $2 bills hiding?