So What Do You Think?

Does this guy get paid to scratch giant rodents--or is he a little eccentric?

Ninjabread Men

Do you like cookies? Do you like ninjas? Of COURSE you do! Who doesn't? Thankfully, a genius over at Instructables has come up with a handy guide for creating your own ninjabread men cookie cutters!

Just in time for the holidays!!! (Helpful hint: Why not make them ninjabread GIRL cookies? Or hey, why not IRREGULAR cookies? Just a thought.)

Anyone Up for a Visit to the Marble Cemetery?

I just realized that Manhattan's secret Marble Cemetery (you know the one!) is holding its annual open house on October 9th and 10th! Anyone interested in joining me for a visit? Send an email to kikistrike@gmail.com!

Book Recommendation!

(Above: How awesome is that cover?)

By the way, if any of you guys are looking for a super-scary book, I recommend The Replacement! Check out my review, plus a Q&A with the author, here at my Eternal Ones Blog!

I'm gonna start recommending books more often now, I think. So if there are any I should check out, let me know!

The Strange Face in the Mirror

(Above: What do you think she saw?)

Here's a fun experiment. All you need is a mirror and a dimly-lit room. Sit with your face about a foot and a half from the mirror. Stare at your own reflection. In about a minute, you may begin to see something unusual.

Here's what other people have reported seeing:

Strange changes to one's own face
A parent's face
The face of an unknown person
The face of an animal
The face of a monstrous being

Creepy! So try it, and report back! (More information available here!)

I Survived a Tornado!

That's right. I don't care what the National Weather Service says. (They haven't reached any conclusions yet.) I am 100% positive that a tornado passed over or near my house last night!

I grew up in North Carolina, where the storms can be extremely fierce. (And, after Florida, NC leads the nation in lightening-related deaths.) But I have NEVER seen anything like the storm that hit New York City last night. The wind and hail were battering my building with such force that I was certain my skylights would be destroyed.

See some pictures on the New York Times website.

Places to Avoid: Shijiao

"Residents of a township in southwest China have been running scared after more than 160 cobras escaped from an illegal breeding laboratory, state media said Thursday.

People in Shijiao township in the huge Chongqing municipality have found the deadly snakes in outdoor toilets, kitchens and on the streets since they escaped earlier this month."

More here.

Octopus Cake and a Video

(Above: The work of master baker Karen Portaleo)

Last night I was on This Week in Books! Check out my interview here!

I've Seen the Future: Poo-Powered Street Lights!

If you've got a dog, you've got poo. The question is: What should you do with it? There are many, many options available to you. (All of which I will leave to the imagination for now.) However, if you're ecologically-minded, you might try using it as fuel.

A dog park in Cambridge, MA, has recently installed a "methane digester," which takes unwanted pooch poo and uses it to power street lights, a tea cart, and a popcorn machine. (Not sure how I feel about that last one.)

Apparently it's a pretty easy process turning poo into power. (You can read more about it here.) Which makes me think . . .

This Is the First and the Last Time I Will Say This: OMG!

(Above: May I have a glass of that, please?)

There are SHRIMP in New York City's drinking water! Tiny, microscopic crustaceans! The clear-thinking folks at National Geographic have tried their best to assure the water-drinking public that the wee beasties aren't dangerous (and they ARE kosher). But OMG! There are SHRIMP in New York City's drinking water. I LOVE shrimp!

Well Hello There!

So I'm back in Brooklyn after a week in Georgia. I had a fabulous time at the Decatur Book Festival. The highlight? Meeting blog regular EQ! Thanks so much for coming, EQ. You're every bit as dangerous as I expected you to be!

(By the way, I'll post a full list of my trips soon. And yes, I will be in Chicago in the near future!)

Now back to business. I've been meaning to post about the ring shown above. It was made from a copy of Sherlock Holmes! (Not sure which book, though.) Artist Jeremy May has been fashioning rings from a wide range of classic novels. (See them here.) Now if only I could get my hands on a Kiki Strike ring. (Which should come with a secret compartment for hiding poisons, small documents, or Liquid Roadkill.)

Heaven, I'm in Heaven

I just came across a sweet little shop selling some interesting stuff.

There are special drops that will temporarily turn a person's teeth a terrible yellow if added to hot liquids like coffee. (Love that one.) Powders that can set off a sneezing fit. Mists so foul-smelling they can knock your enemy off her feet. And of course . . . "Liquid Roadkill."

While I REALLY don't recommend trying these out in real life (and I doubt you can purchase them if you're under 18), it IS nice to dream.