My Favorite Work Accessory

Like most women, I'm almost always cold. Especially at work, where I'm chained to a desk with few excuses to get up and move about. Hence, the technically verboten space heater. And these:



Love Hate Fingerless Gloves from Urban Outfitters, $12

Positively filmic, yes?

Excavating Etsy

My current favorite item on Etsy:

A Useful Government Publication. No, Really.

During my recent review of all things usability, I came across Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines from the HHS department. I ordered the book itself, but you can actually download and print the entire book in PDF format, if you like.

It's basically a compendium of most of what Jared Spool, Jakob Nielsen, et al have written about already, but it ranks individual issues on a scale of 1-5 based on strength of evidence (i.e., research-based or expert opinion) and relative importance—helpful metrics when you have limited time and/or resources and need to prioritize site enhancements. These are well-organized guidelines, generously illustrated and thoroughly cited, that allow you to back up your assertions of what makes a good user interface.

The downside? I didn't get to order it from Pueblo, Colorado.

Early Christmas Shopping

Yes, I'm getting started early. No, I don't want to hear any guff about it. Here are a few things I'd like to buy for someone, but can't figure out who I'd give them to:

Atypyk 'Be Tough' T-Shirt from Charles & Marie, $40.

Gun Flower Vase, Uncommon Goods, $50.

Gun and Dagger Necklace, Erica Weiner, $35.

You can see my dilemma.

i can has midsentchury modurn?

Dunno if they're authentic or not, but I got some Saarinen chairs from eBay. Fortunately, the cat likes them.