Vacation Time

Hey everybody. I’m taking the rest of the year off. I’ll be back in 2011! So have a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, or Fabulous Festivus!

In the City on Sunday?

If so, stop by the fabulous Books of Wonder store (18 W. 18th St.) tomorrow at noon. I will be there, participating in the Great Teen Novels event! Check out the other authors who will be there as well!

I've Seen the Future: Glowing Trees

Scientists in Taiwan believe they may have discovered a way to turn ordinary trees into streetlamps. Injecting gold nanoparticles into their leaves could make entire trees glow red. And no electricity would be consumed!

Read more here.

Awesome Holiday Gifts, Part II

Unfortunately, I can't figure out where to purchase them. UPDATE: Now I do, thanks to a Facebook friend!!!

A Unicorn Wouldn't Last Ten Minutes in New York

You may have already seen this online. But I think it's a nice example of how one simple, cheap idea can make a million sullen New Yorkers laugh. (OK, "laugh" might be going too far. How about "consider laughing?" Still a remarkable accomplishment.)

Read more here.

Awesome Holiday Gifts, Part I

Looking for a (relatively) cheap present for your favorite wannabe superhero? These webbed gloves are the perfect solution!

I Love, Love, Love This Site

I can't believe I didn't find this site earlier. John Kenn is a Danish television director. In his spare time, he draws pictures on monsters on Post-Its. There are literally hundreds of monsters on his website. And all of them are unbelievably awesome.

The Ghost Boots of Central Park

(Above: No, that's not Central Park. Click here for more info.)

For the past six years, New Yorkers who have ventured into Central Park at night have often come across an unsettling vision: A pair of large cowboy boots waiting by a park bench, with no owner in sight. Is Central Park haunted by a boot-wearing ghost? A New York Times blogger investigated and discovered that the truth is much, much weirder.

(Thanks for the tip, Kartoffel!)