Facebook’s 10th Birthday Videos

Have been having kind of a crappy week so far, so, when I saw what Facebook was doing to celebrate their tenth birthday (I know…ten years! Crazy, huh?!)  it really made my day. All you have to do is click on the link floating around Facebook today and the FB team instantly creates a little personalized video celebration of your time on Facebook. It’s super easy and most of the resulting videos I watched are pretty damn cool. Emphasis on the word most.

I joined Facebook in 2009 right after Greta was born, so, my video starts with a picture of Mrs. Yeti and myself cradling our newborn daughter in the hospital. Oy, I get a little verklempt just thinking about it. Anyway, if we’re FB friends, check out my clip there and then make one for yourself, and if you’re really shy and don’t want the whole world watching your FB video, you don’t have to share it with anyone and can simply enjoy your memories alone. Cool, huh?

But whatever you do with your clip and however you chose to celebrate the social network’s first decade in existence this week…happy 10th birthday, Facebook!

Google Zeitgeist: “Here’s to 2013!”

As we did with Christmas, Mrs. Yeti, Greta and I spent pretty much the entire weekend holed up in the living room watching movies, eating and drinking, playing video games and assembling very intricately designed LEGO playsets. And while sitting there complaining that none of the end of year wrap-up shows on TV were any good, we caught this new Google ad that captured 2013 better than any cheesy TV show ever could.

Kudos to Google for doing it again! This new ad was so beautiful it had us in tears all night. Here’s to a fun, prosperous and magical year ahead for all of us. Happy New Year!

Date Night TV: “Big Brother 15”

OK, even if I wasn’t currently working for an aviation-themed magazine, I would still think the new “have not” bedroom on Big Brother 15 is freaking ingenious. Yes, we watch Big Brother, like, religiously. It’s one of the only shows that made the cut when Greta was born, and even if we have to stay up way after she’s gone to bed to catch up on some not safe for kids episodes (especially this season, which is already off to a homophobic, racially-charged start!) we’ll do it.

For those of you not familiar with the show, randomly selected contestants called houseguests are picked to live in a house where their every move is taped all day for the entire summer. Their only contact with the outside world is with the lovely Julie Chen — who fans affectionately refer to as “The Chenbot” for her alluringly robotic demeanor — who appears on the show once a week for a live elimination episode.

Aside from arguing, drinking and running around half-naked in the backyard, each week contestants compete for all sorts of insane food prizes and something called “Head of Household”, which means they get to sleep in a fancy private bedroom upstairs and nominate two houseguests for eviction during their reign. Meanwhile, the rest of the houseguests compete to see which of them will be “haves” and eat normal food for the week, and which will be “have nots” and eat something called slop (which looks like really grey oatmeal) for the week.

Another awful thing the “have not” houseguests must endure during their week is a stay in the “have not” bedroom. In past seasons, “have nots” have slept on cots or even the floor, but, this year, the BB producers have outdone themselves with an aviation-themed “have not” bedroom that utilizes actual airplane seats for beds. Ha!

The room also features stacked suitcases in lieu of dressers and airplane-style overhead storage bins for anything else the “have nots” might want to stow during their stay. Hilarious! Luckily, it looks like the armrests on the chairs do fold up, so, at least there’s that.

But if you’re like me and the concept of sleeping on airplane seats for a couple of hours makes your back hurt. Just imagine how jacked up you’d be after an entire week of fetal position side sleeping. Urgh…I’ll take the floor, thank you.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Burbank, CA

Greta’s Dance Recital Rehearsal Pics (2013)

There’s no video yet (at least not any worth sharing) but, I did take loads of pictures at Greta’s dance recital two weekends ago. But, my favorite pics were actually the ones I took the day before at the dress rehearsal. So, here are just a few of the standouts. Unlike last year, everything went off without a hitch this time around and both the show and the rehearsal were awesome!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the cute little blonde boy is Greta’s “husband” Rocco. Yes, she actually calls him that. And, as you can see from the pics, they are adorable together. Seriously, sometimes my teeth hurt from the cuteness!

Anyway, thanks also to everyone who made the schlep to Burbank High School to see the big show this year. And for those of you who couldn’t come, fear not, there is a professional videotape copy coming our way very soon. Once it gets here, we’ll bring it by so you can relive the show with us in the comfort of your own living room. Who knows, if you’re lucky, Greta might just tap out her number for you in person too. Lord knows she’s not shy about dancing in living rooms…or, actually, anywhere for that matter. Enjoy the pics!

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Burbank, CA

Verizon Mother’s Day Commercial

I know I usually only post really sappy commercials with dads in them, but, ever once in a while, a truly great mom commercial comes along that has me weeping into my coffee in the morning. This Mother’s Day spot from Verizon gets me every time. I was weeping so vocally the first time I saw it that I think Greta thought I’d fallen and hit my head again. Seriously, so beautiful. Love that they use redheads too. Go, gingers!!

 

KLM Happy Holidays Flight!

In a season when most people complain about how badly the airlines and airports treated them on their travels, this sweet little clip from KLM Airlines totally made me smile. And it’s very seasonally-appropriate too. So, rock on, KLM!