Oh man, am I tired today! I don’t think I slept at all last night, due to some noisy neighbors who decided to do home improvements into the wee hours of the morning. I can’t fault them for trying to finish the job they started that afternoon, but when it starts to cut into my shuteye, that’s when I get a bit peeved. Not enough to actually get out of bed and tell them to stop, but still pretty miffed. Have you ever tried to sleep through an annoying sound? It gets to be all you can hear. And even if it does miraculously stop, you get paranoid and start to think you hear it even when it’s completely silent. It’s enough to mess with anyone’s head (and sleep cycle).
For the sake of your sanity, just put on your SleepPhones Headphones (ThinkGeek, $39.99) already! I mean, if you could easily drown out the annoyances of your surroundings, why wouldn’t you want to? Featuring an ultra-comfy soft headband that can double as a sleep mask, these headphones plug right into your mp3 player, iPod, radio, etc. Unlike with ear buds or standard headphones, you can sleep contentedly because you won’t even feel them through the headband.
These headphones work well for ignoring people at work too. Just don’t tell your boss I said that.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Comfortable headphones for bedtime
-Plugs into any standard media player
-Soft headband can double as a sleep mask
-Drowns out unwanted noise while you sleep
As summertime draws to a close, I’m reminded of all the fun times I’ve had these past few months. Naturally, none of these memories involve spending time outdoors because I hate going outside. I mean, if I don’t get out of this house soon, people might start thinking I’m agoraphobic. Seriously though, while enjoying everything nature has to offer isn’t really my thing, I like to think I have a good time just the same. Not spending a zillion hours outdoors really frees up my time to work on my various creative projects (also no sunburn, so that’s a plus). You’re gonna think I’m pretty lame (even more so than you already do), but I like to put together puzzles. That’s right, puzzles.
The problem with puzzles today is that even if the puzzle itself is challenging, the pictures are so lame. I mean, how many times can I put together a picture of snow covered trees or a cat hanging on a branch? Zip Code Puzzles (Firebox, $34.95) are a completely different story. Instead of regurgitating the same old photo options, these puzzles are made to order according to your personal choice of geographic location. Using an extract from the U.S. Geological Survey, a 400 piece puzzle is produced according to the zip code you provide. In the center of the puzzle is a house-shaped piece that represents the address location and the puzzle itself spans six miles east/west and four miles north/south of the center point. The map displays buildings, main roads, water features, and even some local establishments so that each puzzle is unique.
I don’t know who wouldn’t want to put together this puzzle. I would totally commit to putting every last piece of this puzzle together, glue it in place, and then frame it for display. That’s not weird, right?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12.25″ x 18.5″ (assembled)
-400 piece jigsaw puzzle
-Features an extract from the U.S. Geological Survey
-Map covers 6 miles East/West and 4 miles North/South
-Center piece is shaped like a house
-Puzzle box includes personal message area
-Each puzzle made to order
-Non returnable except due to faulty manufacturing
Do you ever wonder what your pets do all day when you’re not there? I don’t. I mean, I don’t have to wonder because I’m pretty sure there’s a fair amount of sleeping going on, only to be interrupted by doing things they’re not supposed to do. I know this because I come home to paw prints on my countertops and napkins hit off the top of my refrigerator. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the reason why my cats are so tired when I get home is because they’ve been running around my house and exhibiting general tomfoolery in my absence. Still, it might be nice to have some hard evidence so that the next time I’m chastising my animals, I know exactly which one is to blame for the current state of disarray in my home.
The best way to find out what your pet’s been up to all day is to stick the Pets Eye View Camera (NerdSeven, $39.95) on their collar. Because this webcam-like device attaches to your pet’s collar, it records their daily activities from their own viewpoint. You can set the camera to shoot every one, five, or fifteen minutes and it can store up to 40 photos internally. So next time you want to know who’s responsible for chewing up your homework, Scruffy or Whiskers will have the photographic evidence to solve the case.
Personally, I’m not sure how well this will really work out. I mean, I bet my cats are sleeping all day. I would probably come home expecting to uncover some great mystery, only to find that Whiskers hasn’t moved from the couch all day. If I sound jealous, it’s because I am.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Resolution: 640 x 480
-Camera can shoot every 1, 5, or 15 minutes
-Stores 40 photos internally
-PC and Mac compatible
-Rechargeable Li ion battery included
-USB cable included
-Only use flat collars at least 3/8″ wide to prevent choking hazard
I’m not terribly skilled at home repairs, but that hasn’t stopped me from finagling my way through a home improvement project. Most of the time it’s not a big deal because whatever I’m fixing is fairly benign to begin with. However, sometimes I start a project that seems fairly easy and quickly evolves into a huge, somewhat dangerous undertaking. I’m not saying that I’m gonna stop doing these little pet projects because, 1) it saves me money, and 2) I really should know how to fix things around the house without having to call my dad 24/7. One might argue it’s a matter of pride.
If you’re like me and you’re gonna put yourself in situations with the potential of bodily harm, you might want to invest in a pair of Dual LED Safety Glasses (ThinkGeek, $19.99). I’m not saying this is all you’ll need to protect yourself from injury, but it’s a good start. While they look like normal safety glasses (albeit a lot trendier than the ones you donned in shop class), they actually exceed the ANSI Z87+ high impact standards. Translation: safety just got safetier. In addition to being safer and considerably more fashionable than most safety glasses, this scratch-resistant pair is also outfitted with an LED light on each side of the frame. With 99.9% protection from harmful UV rays and an optically correct viewing area of 180 degrees, these glasses are sure to help you get any DIY job done without a trip to the emergency room.
The LEDs have a 48 hour battery run time, which has got to last as long as the job you’re doing. If not, it’s time to stop. Seriously, put down the hammer. Take a break. People don’t even play Wii for that long without stopping.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Safety glasses with fully adjustable/removable LED lights
-Includes glasses, carrying case, and breakaway cord
-180 optically correct viewing area
-Two LED lights
-99.9% UV protection
-48 hour battery run time
-Scratch resistant
-Exceeds high impact standards
-Uses two CR2032 batteries (included)
I’m doing my best to be more eco-friendly, but sometimes it gets a little frustrating because I don’t know what to do. I mean, I already do most of the things that people suggest as easy ways to reduce my carbon footprint, so where am I supposed to go from here? I was at the bank today and there was a commercial talking about how turning off the water while brushing your teeth saves 80 million gallons of water per day (figure may be slightly exaggerated). Great! Except I’ve been doing that for years. It’s like saying that you can lose weight with little to no effort if you just stop drinking soda – but I don’t drink soda, so what about me?
I already try to turn off extraneous lighting when it’s not in use, but one place I don’t like to skimp is on outdoor lighting. I hate coming home to a pitch dark house and not being able to see my path to the door, but I also hate killing the planet. Luckily, the Solar Lighted Walkway Tiles (Hammacher Schlemmer, $99.95) doesn’t make me choose between the two. Sold as a set of four tiles, each one features a solar panel protected by tempered glass. This solar panel powers four inlaid LEDs, which are rated for 20,000 hours of lighting. The tiles themselves are actually made of PVC, but designed to look like flatted hardwood so they’re 100% waterproof and won’t rot or fade. Because they interlock on any side, you can lay the modular tiles out in any pattern you wish, connected or otherwise.
So instead of leaving a light on all night because you don’t know when your son will be getting home from a friend’s house or if your husband is going to be working late, you can just put a few of these tiles out. Not to mention, your yard will look pretty snazzy and everybody will applaud your eco-activism. I don’t really see any downside here.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ sq x 1″ each
-Weight: 1.5 lbs
-Set of four tiles
-Modular tiles interlock on any side
-Solar panel protected by tempered glass
-Four inlaid LEDs on each tile
-LEDs are rated for 20,000 hours
-100% waterproof
-Made of PVC fashioned to look like slatted hardwood
