Rough on Rats, by Lisa Pijuan-Nomura

My friend Lisa Pijuan-Nomura is an amazing multidisciplinary artist working in theatre, dance, comedy, puppeteering, images, and text.

Recently Lisa started making visual art as well- lovely collage pieces using found paper, objects and ephemera.

And now…

You can WIN one of Lisa’s 8.5×11 inch prints!

Here’s all you have to do:

1. Browse the Girl Can Create Etsy shop.

2. Choose which print you’d like to win.

3. Come back to [pageslap] and leave a comment here identifying which print you chose, and why you like it. Make sure to include your email in the comment form (it won’t be seen on the blog, and we won’t spam you. It’s just so we can contact the winner.)

That’s it!

I’ll use a randomizer to pick the winner on Sunday at midnight, then we’ll arrange for Lisa to mail you your print.
This contest is open to everyone, worldwide.
Sha-daaaa!

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Lisa was the genius behind Toronto’s popular RED performance series, and long ago when I’d never written anything except high school essays, she pretty much forced me into performing my own writing in front of a live audience for the very first time at one of her events. That peer-pressured little excerpt eventually became my solo show “Better Parts” and the cracktastic feeling of people laughing at my writing turned me into a monster. I owe her big-time… thanks, Lisa!

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. WATCH THIS IMMEDIATELY.

Thanks, Peneycad.

PS- If you’re new to this site, welcome! I’m doing a giveaway contest this weekend and you can WIN a really cool collage piece by Canadian artist Lisa Pijuan-Nomura. Click here to check it out!

This is basically every daydream I ever had in the 1980s.

Thanks to Mark Andrada for the tip.

But if I did this at home I'd be late.

This Japanese poster campaign is asking commuters not to do certain “annoying” things on the subway.

Here’s what I think is annoying on the subway:

Wearing knapsacks at rush hour

Littering

When two friends sit on either side of a stranger and talk over them.

Brushing hair when there’s a person sitting beside you (flake shower, grode)

Standing in the doorway, blithely blocking passengers from exiting. WHAT IS THAT.

Smoking crack into a napkin (I actually saw a guy do that on the TTC, just once. I was really confused about what he was doing until I told a more worldly friend, Hey, I saw a guy light up and inhale off something hidden in his hand, hold the smoke for about 40 seconds, then exhale into a Starbucks napkin, and what he exhaled smelled like sulphur, and my friend said, Uh, that was crack. Huh. Cracky McGuy was about 70 years old, nicely-dressed, not a tooth in his mouth. Summerhill Station. Who knew. Also, to be honest? Not really annoying, and actually quite fascinating.)

CLIPPING FINGERNAILS. UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH.

Here’s what I do NOT find annoying: Applying makeup. Why would that be annoying? A woman applying makeup has her elbows tucked into her ribs as they should be. She’s not flaking body parts onto anyone. She’s not being loud or getting in the way. If anything, she’s being entertaining and educational because I get to watch her make a painting of her own face, and also I get some tips on how to curl my lashes or whatever.

You know, if you curl them twice- once at the base, once halfway up- you don't get that crimpy look? True story. I learned it at Osgoode Station. And that person on the side giving her the stinkeye? That person is OUT OF LINE.

Subway Makeup Wimmin is going to arrive at her destination on time and looking polished. It’s a real boon to the workforce, actually. If anything applying makeup is practically a public service. She should be rewarded, not scorned. I salute you, Subway Makeup Wimmin.

So dear Japan: In response to your subway ad about not putting on makeup in transit: I respectfully reply, NO. I will NOT not put on makeup in transit. And you can’t not make me not do it.

However, Japan, those other things you asked commuters not to do? Totally fine. Especially this nonsense.

STOP THAT. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR THAT. THE BEACH IS (EVIDENTLY) THE PLACE FOR THAT. (ALSO: WHAT IS THAT.)

Via Copyranter, Via BoingBoing.

Invisible human shield is less effective.

Donaldson sent me this link, even though she thought it was probably faked.

Tobias Funke just got one-upped

Personally, I dunno if it’s fake. I mean, for sure, it’s so perfect that it definitely looks fake. But on the other hand, it seems to me there must be someone in this world insane enough to do this, and if there was, that person would surely be putting it on the interweb.

Pizza Hut never really caught on in China

The thing that makes me think it must be fake most of all? The fact that I didn’t see any “making of” photos showing the painted dude standing a few inches away from his perfect spot. However, I also didn’t look for any “making of” photos. Perhaps they were painted to exactly match their surroundings and I just walked right past them?

This one took me like a full minute.

Fake or not, pretty amazing, right? Link. Thanks to Donaldson for the tip.

This is fun- these two had some pretty hilarious mismatched chemistry. And Letterman’s face when he eats that thing is priceless.

E equals MC Hammer

Apparently, when Albert Einstein was a child, he was a lake talker, which worried his parents. Finally, one day at supper, he spoke his first words: “Die Suppe ist zu heiss.” (The soup is too hot.)

His parents were greatly relieved, and asked him why he hadn’t spoken up to that time. The answer came back: “Bisher war Alles in Ordnung.” (Until now, everything was in order.)

Via MeFi.

Heart him.

This is “Fix”, by Jean-Paul De Roover, video shot by Shannon Lepere. I like this video and its slightly creepy use of over 600 band-aids.

You can win a copy of Jean-Paul De Roover’s new CD/DVD album.

1. Watch the video above.

2. Leave a comment on this post, saying why you like the video or the song. That comment is your ballot into the draw.

Make sure to put your real email address into the comment form (your email address will NOT be visible on the blog, but I’ll need it to contact the winner! And I promise I won’t spam you.)

3. For bonus points, become Jean-Paul’s fan on Facebook and leave a second comment on this blog to let me know you Facebooked him. That comment will count as your second entry into the draw.
Here’s the link to his Facebook fan page.

Contest closes at midnight on Friday December 4.

That’s it! So easy! I’ll use a randomizer to pick the winning entry this Saturday December 5. I’ll email the winner to get your mailing address (we can only mail this to a North American address, sorry overseas people!), then Jean-Paul will mail you your awesome free CD/DVD. The packaging folds out into a house, how full of WIN is that?

UPDATE:
Winner is comment # 16, Bryan Cesar.
Thanks to everyone who entered!