Here comes the circus

My friend Andre's blog post about circus elephants just got picked up on the PETA site! Before you attend another circus that incorporates animals, please read it. Makes you think!

Random Hallmark Moments: Andre

This week is Andre's 5th anniversary with Hallmark. How time flies! Since I'm now his leader, I prepared a tribute to his amazing range of talents. (And, of course, took the opportunity to try to embarrass him!)

You can tell he's already worried:

Here I shared my favorite piece of his writing: "Birthdays can be rough. But I hear you like it that way." I can tell he's glad I read that one.
This photo was taken moments before he retaliated, impaling me on a plastic cake server:

Andre is participating in the AIDS walk tomorrow morning, having already baked 19 of 175 Martha Stewart cookie recipes. Congratulations, buddy!

2 surprises in one day, & it's not even my birthday!!!

Not only did Andre leave me TWO freshly-baked amaretti crisps, but I also just received my SCUBA diver certification card in the mail!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anywhere in the world that has water, here I come!*

*Unless it's cold. Or dark & murky. Or has things that will eat me.

Monday surprise!

Is there anything better than coming to your desk & finding a delicious cookie? It seems the obvious answer would be, "No. No there isn't." But there IS, because this cookie is not only delicious, it was also baked by one of my most favoritest people, Andre. He is raising money for his annual AIDS walk through 4/24, and you can donate here if you're so inclined. (He's baking ALL 175 cookies, in Martha Stewart's cookie book since he met his fundraising goal!!!) For the record, I also dig that it looks like a sea urchin (which I hopefully will be seeing live soon on some Scuba dives. Sea urchins, not cookies. Nobody likes a wet cookie!). But I DO like fresh urchin! What was I talking about?
Follow the cookie madness here. (Blog is guranteed calorie-free.)

I just realized what else these remind me of: Cascoon, from Pokemon! And while I'm on the subject of Pokemon, enjoy this gallery of some of the most incredible character designs ever.