All Posts By

Marti

When mirrors talk in the workplace

By That's life, Work

When mirrors take sidesTalking mirrors, eh?

Well, IKEA have done exactly that with their Motivational Mirror. Their research suggested that in the UK

  • 49% of the British receive no compliments in an average week
  • 43.6 million people in the UK are self-critical about their appearance
  • 33% of the nation feel they look their worst before 9am on a Monday morning

The solution to this issue – the talking mirror, which compliments you as you stand in front of it.  Take a look at the customers’ reaction as they pass by in this You Tube video. Currently on trial in UK IKEA stores; I guess time will tell if it’s a success or not. I don’t think this one is for me, but it could be a fun way to start the day.

So over to you. Will you be rushing to pre-order one today?

April 30, 2015
Love1

Right brain versus left brain

By That's life

How to get from A to Z using your left and right brain

Working as an engineer, I feel this explains many things about my work colleagues

Ask any neuroscientist what they think about the analytical left brain vs the creative right and you’ll probably end up with a lengthy lecture on why that whole concept is a myth. If logical thinking lights up those electrodes in the left brain hemisphere and visual creativity lights up the right, it doesn’t mean that your brain is more dominant on one side versus the other. The brain works as a network and such simple ‘if…then…’ type assumptions don’t necessarily correlate.

Even so, it’s good to have a bit of fun with the notion, so I couldn’t help myself and found this 5 minute online left brain vs right brain test and this shorter 30 second one. If you’re a wee bit curious as to what you are ‘labelled’, then take the short or long version.

I must admit, I thought I’d be more balanced, but my results were 78% right for the short and 67% right for the long test (showing you just how accurate the whole process is 🙂 ).

If you take the test, let me know how you go

April 24, 2015
Love2

Boss logic

By That's life, Work

Mirrors used to duplicate work output

I’m beginning to think the boss is onto something here.

That’s it! Now even I am convinced of the boss’s logic here; nothing like a little scientific experiment to prove your theory. I’m buying two for my workstation immediately.

Will you join me?

 

April 17, 2015
Love1

Fabulous free containers inspired by Andy Warhol

By Freebies

Put a smile on your kitchen table with these free cutlery holders

Cutlery tin holders free template

Don’t have time to set the kitchen table? Want to do something for the environment and bring recycled products back to life? Want to show your friends how creative you are?

Look no further, these Andy Warhol inspired tomato soup tin can cutlery holders are just the thing for your kitchen or dining room table.

Download your free template now and then check out all of the other freebies we have on offer.

 

If you love a freebie and don’t want to miss out on the next one, be sure to sign up to my email list.

 

 

April 14, 2015
Love0

Creative accounting

By That's life, Work

Creative accounting using mirrors

It’s been a while since my last Frank cartoon so thought I’d introduce a mirror just to see what would happen.

As usual, his boss came to the rescue with an innovative take on it.

Mirrors are inspiration to many, so I did a quick Google hunt for some fun mirror quotes:

  • Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?  Pablo Picasso
  • I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.  Steven Wright
  • The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  Dudley Moore
  • Natural beauty takes at least two hours in front of a mirror.  Pamela Anderson

 

April 9, 2015
Love1

How to make chocolate Easter eggs

By Animals

How chickens make chocolate easter eggs

It’s obvious, I guess. What goes in, must come out.

Have a wonderful Easter, and overindulge knowing that these chocolate facts will be in your side

  • Chocolate may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack and diabetes
  • Chocolate makes you smart – UK scientists completed a study that indicated that flavanols (a particular one found in chocolate) helped wit mental maths capabilities. “The findings suggest students who binge on chocolate when revising for exams may gain a real benefit from doing so,” the British Telegraph reported.
  • Eating chocolate can add to your life span. Research suggests it can add up to 2 years – that’s two extra years of chocolate eating

 So, now, you know how good chocolate is, how many extra eggs are you going to eat this Easter? Let me know.

April 3, 2015
Love0

The impact of western society’s overindulgence

By That's life

Household consumption

Have you taken a close look at your household consumption lately?

I do regularly as we seem to collect a ridiculous amount of stuff.  I religiously purge as we go and always make sure that the recycle bin is full. I follow the reduce/reuse/recycle philosophy by buying things with minimal packaging. One of my pet hates is green grocers who think it’s a good idea to cling wrap vegetables and place them onto a foam tray – avocados, bananas. (Is it just me, or is that just the most stupid idea to have evolved this century?)

I was thinking of introducing a new weight management system for the house involving a set of scales at the entrance for stuff brought home. Bring something new into the house, then offset it with something else you take out.

Enough 0f my rambling. What are your overindulgence pet hates?

March 27, 2015
Love0

Guess who’s crashed the party?

By Animals

Earworm partyMaybe you don’t have an Ohrwurm, perhaps you have beans stuck in your ears

You’re in for a real treat this week. I’m going to share with you the song ‘Bohnen in die Ohren’ (beans in the ears). My father used to play it incessantly at night time, while I was trying to go to sleep in my bedroom, which unfortunately shared one paper thin wall with the living room.

You absolutely must listen to this shortened rendition by Gus Backus to the very end (it only goes for 1:26 min). The lyrics are stupid at best; so stupid you gotta laugh.

A quick translation, so you get a better feel…

  • Yes, my mother says, Don’t poke any beans in your ears, beans in your ears, beans in your ears.
  • Yes, my mother says, Don’t poke any beans in your ears, beans in your ears.
  • Yes, you must speak louder, I have beans in my ears, beans in my ears, beans in my ears…
  • You can’t hear the teacher, with beans in your ears….

All this Ohrwurm talk reminded me of this song and I Googled it, not thinking I would actually find it. But surprise, surprise, there it was. I played it to my children, who thought it was so wonderful(ly annoying), they downloaded it from iTunes while my back was turned.

So, what do you think of the song? Feel sorry my my cruel upbringing?

March 19, 2015
Love0

Can’t get that song out of your head?

By Uncategorized

The ear worm sings her song in the head of her next victim

Well, maybe it’s an Ohrwurm!

Thanks to Jen, from Espresso Science, I discovered the wonders of Ohrwürmer. The literal translation of this German word is ear worms (Ohrwurm for one) and it is used to describe the phenomena of hearing a catchy song or jungle, which goes over, and over, and over, and over in your head until you go crazy.

Gotta love those Germans for coming up with such a visually descriptive name. I can’t help but picture a tiny worm singing inside it’s unsuspecting victim. Not surprisingly, scientists are fascinated by this insect and have undertaken various studies to get to the heart of the ear worm phenomena. The three key elements are: the type of music, the person and situation. But rather than go into it in great detail here, check out Jen’s comprehensive research into this little bug to reveal the true nature of this singing beast.

When I read Jen’s article, the German aspect reminded me of Nina and her 1980’s song ‘Ninety nine red balloons’, which proceeded to get stuck in my head for the next 20 minutes. So, what ear worms have you experienced? Love them or hate them?

 

March 12, 2015
Love0