For our annual Halloween party I created a black light bar and made drinks that glow in a black light. Tonic water glows well under a black light because of the quinine in it, so I made “Gin & Bubonic” and tonic water ice cubes. I also had “Dr. Rotten’s Ultimate Embalming Fluid” (Tampico blueberry juice and tonic water) and Toxic Waste (Mountain Dew). Our guests loved it…but were scared to walk past the haunt that hovered over the bar (me).

Of course, I would fall straight away for this lovely business card design from Matt Briner on istockphoto.

For years Celestial Seasonings tea had the same staid design on their tea boxes, but I was pleased to see a new warm and beautiful design for their African rooibos and honeybush teas. I am usually a green tea drinker, but I have become hooked on the deep flavor and smell of rooibos and I love that it is caffeine free. It’s a nice feeling to know that I am drinking tea from the leaves of an exotic bush that grows in beautiful Africa. It helps to ease, but not cure, some raunchy traveling withdrawals.

For the past few holidays, instead of giving people stuff, I have given money in their name to a beautiful organization called Heifer International. With the way the world is today, sustainability and the gift of self-reliance can make a huge difference in the life of someone who is living in poverty. Heifer does this with gifts of various forms of livestock and instruction on how to care for, breed and raise the animals. I love to see the faces of both the animals and the people and how much they love and depend on each other.

You have to be a big movie buff to understand most of these T-shirts, but the Last Exit to Nowhere website has some excellent designs of your favorite flicks. Haven’t you always wanted a T-shirt from the Nostromo, Shawshank State Prison or the lovely Amity Island? I am a bit partial to the M41A Pulse Rifle tee myself.

If I were to fall in love with a woman, it would be Misty Tosh. She is fierce, fun, feisty and gorgeous. The beautiful, colorful blog of her fascinating life and travels makes me want to sell everything and run off with her to Baja and enjoy margaritas and Coronas on the beach.

This is an ode to summer called the I-Am-Going-To-Miss-Summer-and-Farmer’s-Markets-Delightful-Treats-Lunch. Beautiful late summer lettuce and tomato salad with olive oil and homemade white balsamic vinegar, partnered with a bowl of organic strawberries. Must be eaten outside in the last warm sunlight of the season.

…where you can vent your frustrations out by throwing dishes, wine glasses and picture frames against a wall. The owner of the Smash Shack,  Sarah Lavely, then donates the smashed pieces to local schools and art programs. What a fun way to get out your aggressions. I see a “girl’s night out”: cussing, screaming, tossing, smashing, laughing.

Jay Hilger of bittbox fame is creating a font from the collaboration of other designers: each designer picks and creates their own letter. I will do some doodling today and give it a shot. Hmmm…the C is calling me.

Jiffy had an adventurous first day when I took him to work at the university. I found out he is quite the hipster-intellectual.

He was quite impressed with my large monitor, but he got bored with work quickly and I caught him making copies of his bum on the photocopier.

Later in the morning he shared a Starbucks with Heath and hung out in her lap, but she had to give him back to me when he commandeered her cell phone and sunglasses and went “Hollywood” on her.

Jiffy went to lunch with Harry and me and climbed around in the library bookstacks. He is concerned with the state of the union and mostly hung out in the economics section where he become interested in a book on economic restructuring. After lunch, he wanted to check out the news so I got him a New York Times, which he happily devoured for an hour or so.

I think Jiffy had a very fulfilling day and seemed to be very happy coming to work with me. He thought the university was very nice and hopes to teach a class here someday on personal finance and the importance of saving money…and baby giraffes.