Category Archives: Frivolity

Procrastination is important to a well-balanced mind.

Friday Frivolity: Concepts in Ant Farm Design

Posted on September 20, 2013 by cicada

Jeff Schwarting didn’t like the pre-fab plastic look of commercial ant farms, so he designed a farm of his own and put it on Kickstarter. His farm uses “space gel,” which serves as food source, water source, and tunneling medium. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Conspicuous consumption, Education, Ephemera, Frivolity | Comments Off

A truly great comment policy

Posted on June 26, 2012 by cicada

I quit having comments long ago because I barely have time to post (as the timestamp on my last few posts demonstrates) much less weed out spam and deal with trolls. But if I did have a comment policy, I’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs and Blogging, Frivolity, Web 2.0, New Media, and Gadgets | Comments Off

Anatomical chairs for your medical library?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by cicada

From my friend Shana: wonderful anatomical wingchairs: “Tante Wera” wingchairs: “Flow” Limited edition

Posted in Conspicuous consumption, Frivolity, Medical Illustration and History, Science | Comments Off

Have your wonder cabinet and eat it too!

Posted on March 3, 2012 by cicada

I’ve been spending too much time browsing etsy lately – it’s like windowshopping, only I don’t have to go out in the dismal drizzle that is Cambridge in March. One of the wonderful, fanciful shops I found is Andie’s Specialty … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology, Conspicuous consumption, Ephemera, Frivolity, Wonder Cabinets | Comments Off

“You’re radiant, Nikola.” “No, Marie, you’re electrifying.”

Posted on February 19, 2012 by cicada

The folks at eavesmade used to only have scientist ornaments. Now they have scientist valentines and coasters. Adorable! (Can you guess what Wallace and Mendel say on their Valentines?)

Posted in Biology, Conspicuous consumption, Frivolity, History of Science, Science | Comments Off

Remarkable Lego street art illusion

Posted on February 4, 2012 by cicada

Legophemera FTW. If you have not yet seen this street art illusion of a Lego terra cotta army, watch now – before your techie-artsy-hipster cred is permanently diminished! Video: “Lego Army,” by Leon Keer at the Sarasota Chalk Festival 2011. … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Ephemera, Events, Film, Video & Music, Frivolity | Comments Off

Russian water computers + garden design = underused steampunk plot

Posted on January 27, 2012 by cicada

If you’ve been secretly hankering to read an Umberto Eco novel about the Illuminati building a giant proto-computer underneath Versailles, do I have the blog post for you!

Posted in Blogs and Blogging, Ephemera, Frivolity, Retrotechnology | Comments Off

Carnival of the Animals: holiday window wonder cabinets

Posted on December 27, 2011 by cicada

Bergdorf Goodman’s elaborate animal-themed holiday window displays rock my world: See more windows (huge images) at their blog. The last window in particular is Snow Queen-esque (think Narnia); the metal bird themed window seems very Yeatsian. Truly, upscale holiday window … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Conspicuous consumption, Design, Ephemera, Frivolity, Wonder Cabinets | Comments Off

Victorian worm syrup!

Posted on December 17, 2011 by cicada

“Celebrated?” You don’t say. . . at Daily Memorandum’s etsy shop

Posted in Conspicuous consumption, Ephemera, Frivolity, Medical Illustration and History, Museum Lust | Comments Off

This tea robot is too cute to exist

Posted on December 1, 2011 by cicada

OMG, sTEAmpunk! I don’t even know what to say about this tea infusing robot other than IT IS SO ADORABLE. I want to buy them for everyone, regardless of whether they like robots or drink tea. (If you get one … Continue reading →

Posted in Conspicuous consumption, Frivolity, Retrotechnology | Comments Off