cool things to check out.

if you do nothing else today, you must wander on over to miss Jane's blog and view the special on "The Stopping Occasion." i'd post it here, but then i'd be stealing. so i'll borrow with credit. check out the absolute hilarity if you haven't heard about it already. oh, and if that's not enough for you, try out a youtube version of Choose Your Own Adventure (courtesy of adverblog). i was going to save it for Feline Friday, since it has to do with finding a cat named Sparta, but you get lucky this time.

be sure to stick your nose in or around all the fun cameras in the Plaid van. the tour is in full swing; i've followed them through Vancouver and Seattle so far (digitally speaking). i even got to listen to Bill pick radio stations. i was envious of the Canadian view, but even more jealous of their trip to Jones Soda. i love the Cream Soda best. they promised to drink one for me. you can tweet them, AIM them, and any number of other dirty-sounding social networking actions. ...PS >> if you didn't notice, even their social media tour shirts are dirty. can anyone say "tires"? hee! (thanks, greg, for loan of your photo!)

AdFreak. yes, as in the blog. they're on fire these past few days with some really interesting posts. if you're not a frequent reader, you should just dash on over there for a few minutes and peruse the latest stuff. full disclosure: no, they did not ask me to do this. i really just enjoyed it that much. so apparently did johnny (every time i type his name, i hear Poe's Angry Johnny in my head).

first impressions: agencies gone wild, more.

this post is about things i am jealous of.

i am jealous of the Plaid Nation tour bus. i wish i was on it. in fancy plaid. maybe the plaid i wore in high school. i had some serious punk rawk b&w plaid pants. oh yeah, i'd wear those. it'd be wild. i am forlorn that all the fun will be on the opposite coast. i anxiously await my shirt (thanks RJ et al!) and i will pretend i was cool enough to be there.

i am jealous of 1 Person Trends. i want to start a 1 person trend. i especially enjoy the one about the woman and the facebook status. see it here. and by the way, i do totally use "yrs" because i'm a rebel grrrl like that. so that makes that one a 2-person trend. my 1 person trend: going to McDonald's only to buy the toys.

i am jealous of these bizarre lists which tell you What You Need If... yanno, you want to become a baller. or go to prison. or go fast (faster pussycat kill kill). or pick up a 7th grade chick (hey i didn't write it). how about if i want to get hired at the agency of my dreams? yeah i didn't think so, either. some kind of postmodern problem there, i assume, about the paradox of the assumption of such an agency.

i am jealous of debranding a home; i don't think i could do it. some brands comfort me. i have become a brand. my friends are brands that endorse other brands. we are the entities we project. without my brands, what am i? and yet, i am jealous of that freedom. plus those labels are pretty badass. you have to admit they're, dare i say, pretty.

i am jealous of the good work TWLOHA is doing in collaboration with PostSecret to save the Hopeline (1800SUICIDE) from being government-run (and thus non-confidential). i am jealous of the movement and anxious to donate, help, and get involved. can't wait to get the PickUpThePhone tee after August 1st. if you're also jealous, buy a shirt or donate directly.