Wow, I've been away for awhile, haven't I? Here's today's thing:

I'm bidding on this lovely rhodochrosite stalactite slice from Argentina. The price has gone pretty high, so I'm not sure I'll win it. It really is a pretty piece.

Ugh Still Sick

My cold turned into pneumonia. I'm starting to feel better, with the help of antibiotics. Here's a pretty picture to enjoy while I recuperate:

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King Laurino's Towers, Dolomites, Italy

From 303Pixels.blogspot.com.

Ugh, I have a nasty cold, which is why I didn't post the last few days. I probably won't post for the next few days due to said cold, as well as the Thanksgiving holiday and family in from out of town. I'll be back soon!

Today's thing is Ocean Sole, a company based in Kenya, where craftspersons make wonderful things out of flip flops that have washed up on the shore from the sea. They make a variety of things, but my favorites are the sculptures/toys:

Here's a video about the company:

Armchair Travellers, Unite!

I love armchair travel, it's cheap and it can take me anywhere. I have quite a collection of travel blogs and sites. One of my favorites is The World Geography. Stop reading my blog and go check it out.

Watch your tongue

Today's thing is The Great Language Game. The Great Language Game challenges you to distinguish between some eighty or so languages based on their sound alone.  An audio sample of someone speaking in one of eighty languages is presented, and you are asked to answer a multiple choice list of possible languages. In each game you're allowed three mistakes, which are kept for you to study at the end. At the end, you have a choice to share your score with friends via Twitter. It's tougher than you would think, but pretty interesting. Makes you wonder at the size of the world's population, and your own small place in it.

Roku

Today's thing: Roku. I love this little box that has enabled me to kiss satellite tv goodbye. Roku is a streaming media device that connects your computer to your television via a wireless connection. It enables you to hook up to all that rich internet content with just a flick of the remote. If for nothing else, the access to Netflix streaming movies on your big screen tv is well worth the $50 to $100 price of the box (there are four models to choose from). You can even play games on the device, although this isn't one of the best features. Don't have Netflix? No problem. There are hundreds of channels available on Roku, including Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus, as well as many free movie and special interest channels. You can also get the latest releases by demand on Vudu, and there are many music and sports channels as well. It's one of my favorite things.