joy to the world!

Peace: the biography of a symbol

PEACE: the biography of a symbol: "As the boomer generation moves onward through the milestones of life, 1960s nostalgia holds tremendous meaning today. And nothing more eloquently symbolizes the counterculture era than the peace sign. How did this simple sketch become so powerful an image? Peace: the biography of a symbol tells the surprising story of the sign in words and pictures, from its origins in the nuclear disarmament efforts of the late 1950s to its adoption by the antiwar movement of the 1960s, through its stint as a mass-marketed commodity and its enduring relevance now."

i want this book! peace to you pals!

herman miller :: mid-century innovative design leader

herman miller began by manufacturing residential home furnishings in the early 1920s + became known as a modern furniture manufacturer in the 1930s, 40s + 50s, by collaborating with some of the country's most influential designers in the modern movement: alexander girard, george nelson, charles & ray eames.

jack kelley, designer of the world's first computer mouse pad + precursor to the cubicle, partnered with herman miller to create functional + stylish pieces including the scooter keyboard and mouse stand. an avid sailor, kelley said "i won't tolerate anything that doesn't work on a sailboat, so why would i tolerate anything that doesn't work in the office?"

"Kelley has been captivated by computers since 1968, when he represented the Herman Miller Research Corporation as a researcher/designer at the Stanford Research Institute + worked with Douglas Engelbart, inventor of the world's first computer mouse. The mouse needed a pad, so Kelley designed it--the world's first mouse pad, an invention that brought him great satisfaction and an early understanding of the complexities of working in computer environments."

herman miller is also a leader in eco-friendly office products + has been environmentally -conscious since the 1950s, strategically placing windows in all herman miller corporate buildings to let in more natural light + allotting 50% of herman miller corporate land as "green space." today, many new herman miller products are made from recycled materials + the classic herman miller pieces are upholstered using recycled textiles.

classic herman miller designs are as popular now as they ever were. to commemorate the 50th year of the eames aluminum group, herman miller is offering them in a special edition, anniversary white leather.

new toy safety regulations slated to take effect in the US starting in february are well intended, but flawed legislation + will have devastating consequences for small toymakers + handmade toy vendors.

last year, the us media broadcasted many stories about recalls of toys made for children that included dangerously high levels of lead or other chemicals or small parts that could easily detach + be swallowed by a child. several of the world’s leading toy manufacturers were forced to recall tens of thousands of units of toys to ensure the safety of american children. almost every problem toy recalled in 2007 was made in china. read more at mahar drygoods.

getting glamorous for holiday parties + the oscars

i'm getting ready to take mod*tot to the oscars parties in february.

this is my 1st oscars + i'm so excited, so i'm preparing early.
i wanted to remove some sun damage brown spots on my cheeks, so

i had a laser photo facial $400 at the loveliest spa in palo alto skinspirit by co-owner + mother of 2, cara. she also has a location in walnut creek.
it was a lot easier than i thought + your face isn't red afterwards, but you do have to wait about 2 weeks for the dark spots to break up + move to the surface + go away. obagi sent me a set of products to enhance the treatment $450, but i was concerned about hydroquinone in 2 of the products, because its carcinogenic + banned in canada + france, so i checked with my oncologist, about the 4% hydroquine in 2 of the products + she said it was ok to use them for under 2 months.

+ i'm feeling like a glamorous movie star in my new cinzia crystal glasses.

i love the illustration on the cinzia homepage, it's a jeffrey fulvimari.

also, i have had a hard time blogging since this summer, because my once exceptional eyesite has deteriorated noticeably for closeup reading. so i've been on the hunt for fabulous reading glasses. i love cinzia's readers. you don't need an Rx, but you could fill these frames. here are my favorites:

lace green or orange, electric purple, twisties clear, uptown aqua.

enter my holiday giveaways

enter my holiday giveaways



palm :: centro smartphone $300

modern dose :: mod rocker $300

peek :: mobile email device $100

congratulations to jaime for winning my keen giveaway!

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: smartphone $300

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: palm centro smartphone $300!

palm is introducing their new web browsing phone to mod*mom readers.
go pick your favorite palm centro features + list them in the comments below, include your email address + web url to be entered to win,
before midnight, new year's eve  12/31

bugaboo :: travel with kids video

bugaboo friends is a community of active, modern parents sharing pictures, ideas, stories, videos, tips + inspiration to stay on the go with children.
i like the full length version of this world traveling surfer family video.

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: mod rocker $300

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: mod rocker $300

modern dose is a wonderful mom-owned company with mod furniture + home products. i'm so excited they're offering a mod eames era rocker.

to enter to win a white mod eames style rocker, please leave me a comment telling me your favorite modern dose products + include your email address + web url, to identify you when you win!
before midnight, monday, december 22

enter my holiday giveaways (+ winners)

enter my holiday giveaways




modern dose :: mod rocker $300

KEEN :: eco-friendly product of your choice!

peek :: mobile email device $100


here are the halloween giveaway winners:
global exchange :: fair trade organic chocolate assortments $100+
sarah, ana, lacey, jodi, danil, micaela

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: KEEN product of your choice!

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: KEEN eco-friendly product of your choice!

keen stockholm winter boots are my favorites at keen's new online shop.

i love their simple modern design, cozy fleece lining + water-proof outers.

go pick your favorite keen products + list them in the comments below, include your email address to be entered to win your favorite keen product.

this is a quick giveaway, so get your entry in before midnight, monday 12/8

winner update: congratulations jaime!

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: peek email device :: Target

mod*mom holiday giveaway :: peek mobile email device $100

the fantastic new peek mobile email device just debuted at target!
the 8mb peek is simply email: no contracts, credit checks or activation fees.
i was checking these out in the target electronics section last week + i'm so excited target is offering a peek for a lucky mod*mom reader!

to enter to win a peek mobile email device, tell me in the comments your favorite features of the peek + how it would make your life easier.
(include your email address + blog url, so i can contact you when you win)
if you have a blog, please link to mod*mom before midnight december 15

Little touches: Plugs everywhere � T508 Live Blog

i'm excited about jetblue's new terminal at jfk next to 1962 saarinen
terminal they're restoring!!! these are some of the restaurants + bars.
i'm going to add more later. i'm off to the san francisco night skate

FLOR :: Martha Stewart Floor Designs

FLOR :: martha stewart floor designs

martha wants mod*mom readers to watch her FLOR show today!
she's demonstrating how you can design with FLOR style carpet tiles.

update:
FLOR's Martha Stewart Sea Grass Stripe Rug was featured on The Martha Stewart Show today. if you weren't able to tune in ... click on the this link to check-out the segment!
FLOR is offering the Martha Stewart Sea Grass Stripe Rug at a 20% discount.

future cars :: air cars, electric...

air cars run on compressed air!

watch this video about the future of cars that run on a variety of alternative fuel sources

groovy halloween song :: donovan's season of the witch

groovy halloween song ::  donovan's 'season of the witch'

soundtrack clip from the 1973 movie 'season of the witch'

i'd LOVE to watch this tonight :) 

thanks for the song daniel

halloween midcentury

i went to the funnest haunted house last friday + it's open til saturday.
not for little kids.
pic glenmullally





here are some halloween pics from my hardrive i'm not sure where i got.

update: the cat on the jackolantern is from johncoulter

happy halloween

i love fun halloween decorations that aren't too scarey for mod*tot

pic lala-a-gogo

mod*mom halloween giveaway :: 6 fair trade chocolate winners $100+

mod*mom halloween giveaway :: 6 fair trade chocolate winners $100+

global exchange wants to educate us + our trick or treaters on the importance of fair trade chocolate that doesn't exploit workers.

global exchange is a wonderful non-profit company dedicated to socially conscious artisans + products. i'm so excited they're offering 1 fair trade organic halloween is boo-tiful kit, plus 5 boxes of fair trade organic chocolates made of the finest ingredients--18-piece assortment.

to enter to win environmentally friendly + socially responsible chocolates + gifts from global exchange, please leave me a comment telling me your favorite global exchange products + why fair trade is best for everyone .
(include your email address + web url, to identify you when you win!)
before midnight, wednesday, october 22

winners announced thursday, october 23, so check to see if you won,
so you can email me your mailing address before halloween

san francisco :: california academy of sciences opened this weekend in san francisco!

california academy of sciences opened this weekend in san francisco! mod*tot + i got a peek at the building from the de young museum tower. here are some photos they sent us. does that roof look like teletubbies?
i'm going to add some more photos this evening. right now, we're off to the oncologist for an ultrasound of some lumps. i'm also going to meditate + do a mind/body/spirit dance class. mod*tot's online kindergarten isn't challenging enough for her yet. we go through the lessons, hoping to get to the challenging part. she keeps saying, "boring... preschool..."

click to enlarge photos... i'll add lots more tonight :)
update: ultrasound showed lumps are normal tissue :) yipeeeeeeeeeeeee!

mod*mom breast cancer awareness giveaway :: 2 pink dyson vacuums

mod*mom breast cancer giveaway :: 2 pink dyson vacuums $300

dyson is launching their new spage age dyson DC16 root 6 pink vacuum + i'm so excited they're sharing 2 vacuums with lucky mod*mom readers!

"Dyson is proud to support breast cancer research with the introduction of the DC16 Pink. The limited edition vacuum, which uses Dyson’s patented cyclone technology + does not lose suction, is available exclusively at Target. Dyson + Target will donate over $1 million to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation from sales of the DC16 Pink. Dyson understands how critical research is in advancing early breast cancer detection + treatment, + is dedicated to supporting efforts to develop a cure in our lifetime."

as a breast cancer survivor, i'm so excited dyson is offering these giveaway prizes + raising awareness that 1 in 8 women in the us will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime according to the american cancer society.

to enter to win a dyson dc16 pink vacuum, tell me in the comments how breast cancer has affected you + ways you can detect it early.
(include your email address + blog url, so i can contact you when you win)
if you have a blog, please link to mod*mom before midnight october 31

we're going to the emmy's this week!

mod*tot + i are getting ready to go to the 60th Annual Emmy Awards
"style lounge" this week in hollywood. this exclusive event offers emmy nominees + celebrity guests a chance to get "red carpet ready" with luxury services + gifts in a 5,000 square foot secret location transformed into an ultra luxurious gift lounge + spa. we're invited as part of the "press" with magazines, newspapers + tv shows. it's so exciting to be included as a real mom getting to interview celebrities. i hope i get to interview christina applegate, sally field + the actors from desperate housewives, ugly betty, house + the late night talk shows. i'd like to ask them about their ideas on saving the environment+being healthy role models.

the 60th Annual Emmy Awards will air this sunday september 21 on abc

virtual kindergarten

i've been so busy getting mod*tot started back to school + playdates.
mod*tot is really good at "virtual" public school kindergarten. it's a lot of online games, but they also mailed her a great hp computer + printer, headphones, microphone, lots of books, cds, dvds, maps + extra stuff.
it's been taking a week to get acclimated + organized + excited.

the k12 website software has the lesson plans + it tracks attendance, so i just have to read the instructions. she's breezing through the 1st courses, because she has known her alphabet since she was 2 + she's a webhog. her nursery school was play-based + we read several books a day to her, but we haven't tried to teach her to read. she recognizes a lot of words + she's so bright i think she'll be reading on her own soon. it's so exciting to see her learn + answer questions correctly. it's just as exciting as seeing her pull up to standing for the 1st time or take a 1st step. it's awesome too, when she corrects my spelling or that i'm explaining something incorrectly :)

the stanford kindergarten math module is a great supplement + it adds the extra challenge, because the public school math is not challenging yet. the stanford software adapts to her answers, so if she gets a lot of questions in a "strand" correct, it won't work on that area + it will work on weaker areas.

modern caravan :: mehrzeller 2008

i'd love to road trip in this futuristic caravan
‘Every customer configures his own very personal caravan according to his or her wishes and needs, with the help of an online configurator. The honeycomb exterior design is continued in the interior: Each function has its own cell.’

education for whole being :: human ecology

mod*tot is starting virtual kindergarten this week + i want to make sure i don't squander her precious creativity + talents of childhood. this video on educating the whole being by supporting daily dance, art, play + music as much as academics is a must for parents, educators + human ecologists.

"the purpose of public education is to produce university professors (who live in their heads-disembodied). public education is a protracted process of university entrance designed to meet the needs of industrial-age jobs, but now we're in a world of revolution that requires intelligence + creativity."

mod*mom back-to-school giveaway :: 3 student body gift bags $150

mod*mom back-to-school giveaway :: 3 student body gift bags $150

whole foods has a new back-to-school podcast + they want to know what mod*mom readers think of their work, so they're giving away 3 gift bags of products mentioned in the podcasts this month :)

to win a whole foods market back-to-school student body gift basket, listen to their new back-to-school podcast, then leave them feedback in the "comments" + be sure to put modmom.blogspot.com in the “website” field on the comment form, to be entered in this giveaway.

+ please leave me a comment to tell me what you thought of the podcasts
before midnight tuesday, september 30

nursery school carnival

mod*tot's bing nursery school carnival was so much fun! she played all the carnival games with her friends. they caught "fish", tossed bean bags, painted cookies, made hand prints, navigated the obstacle course, cakewalked, + watched the stanford marching band, with tree + dancers perform their loud + lively show. i used room&board big orange cantilevered umbrellas to create a subtle entry archway that looked perfect with the rolling green wooded campus + shaded the registration area.