Animated

 

I don't even really know what to say about this.  I don't remember where I found it, but I thought it was funny at the time.  Since then, I've gone back a few times to look and laugh at it (which I always seem to do).

For whatever reason, James van der Beek (yes, Dawson from Dawson's Creek) has started a tumblr site wherein he's posting animated gifs of himself doing various emotions and whatnot.  It's funny (and a tiny bit crude, at times)... but mostly it's just funny.  You'll also notice that he's working with Funny or Die which has produced some pretty funny things in the past (and which is, thankfully, blocked at work so I can get some stuff done).

So, the next time you want to know how to properly express that "oh, that was a good one!" feeling or the perfect way to give that "nostalgic" looking- into- the- distance face, this is the place to be.

» Found at: James Van Der Memes

Ten

I'm a sucker for top-10 lists; I even compile my own "best albums" list at the end of each year based on other top-10 lists. That said, Seattle Weekly columnist, John Roderick has put together a good reminder about top-10 lists that is worth a read ... especially for any other like-minded top-10 fans like myself.  It is, of course, presented as a top-10 list, so let me present you with an example to whet your appetite before you click the link below:

3. If you are too busy to discover new albums for yourself, the last thing you need is a list of more albums to buy. You should take a hot bath instead. I hear this from people all the time: They love top-10 lists because it helps them discover new music, as if discovering new music was some epic, heroic quest. I wonder--did they listen thoroughly to every record they bought last year? Did they listen to them all the way through, even? The people making records are still spending months and years on them, while the people buying them are munching through them like corn chips. Slow down.

This is something I've been saying since the dawn of the iTMS: music is becoming so disposable these days and this makes me sad. I love the album... a proper, well-ordered collection of songs, I mean; not just a collection of radio-friendly singles. I love the journey it can take you on.

Yes, I'm guilty of number four on his list, and as I mentioned above, also guilty of number five, but I still agree with what he says here. Good points and it looks like he's got a number of other good articles that I'll have to go back and enjoy as well.

Happy New Year!

» Found at: Seattle Weekly's Reverb Residency column

Alignment

I haven't played D&D in a long time, but I do remember the whole alignment piece as part of the role play aspect of the game. Characters would be either good, neutral or evil and, crossed with that, either lawful, neutral or chaotic.  On the surface, these definitions can seem quite confusing, so rather than try to explain them here, I'll just link to wikipedia instead.

However, even without fully understanding the finite complexities of all this, you'll probably still find the above chart funny if you're a fan of The Big Bang Theory (like me).  The images selected and the quotes highlighted are all very appropriate.

If you get a kick out of this thing, the author of this chart has done up a number of other charts for shows like Mad Men, The Wire, Deep Space Nine.  There are also, as I learned, a large number of these things floating around the web from previous memes and such.

» Found at: MightyGodKing.com via Kottke.org

Octopus

Sometimes you see something and it makes you smile. This is one of those times. I don't need any more websites or portfolios (as it is, I'm not updating most of them), but this one has some really talented people using the service and such a great, colourful, fun website to boot.

The sign-up buttons are my favourites ... "Sign-up for Meh." and "Sign-up for Whoo!" (complete with unenthusiastic period for "Meh." and over-the-top exclamation mark for "Whoo!"). Perfect.

I don't know anything about the company, but if you're looking for a nice, simple photo/art/video portfolio site, perhaps you should check this one out.

» Found at: Carbonmade.com