I'm asking the universe for an Aeron Chair

I stumbled across a blog, Word Wenches, when searching for the Aeron chair which I really want for Christmas but am pretty sure I'm not going to get since it costs something like $9,000. Well actually $749, to be precise, but it may as well be $9,000. They were mentioned in the book Freakonomics because the designer, Herman Miller, had his team design the most ergonomic chair they could, ignoring aesthetics. What they got is this thing that looks like, paraphrasing Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (Freakonomics co-authors) a weird large black insect covered in mesh. I was in Office Depot the other day buying a tackboard for my "Wall of Love" and I wandered over to the chair section and found an Aeron. OH. MY. GOSH. The first thought (upon never having actually laid my eyes on one) is "That looks so uncomfortable. And freakishly weird." Then I sat down. OH. MY. GOSH. They are sooooooooo comfortable. They're sort of bouncy and soft in a way you certainly wouldn't expect from appearances. It just goe sto show, don't judge a chair by its freaky mesh covering! I simply must get one. So if anyone has a random $749 to plop down on this here writer activist bohemian friend of the universe woman - or alternatively if you just happen to have one you hate, or have some in storage not getting sat upon that you'd like to donate as a charitable cause to make my rear end more comfortable (not to mention my back alignment), let me know and I'll send you my address.

I mention the Word Wenches blog because in the post I stumbled on (where they mention the Aeron, which is why it came up in Google) the writer/blogger said something that made total sense to me. She said as a writer she is a hare, not a tortoise. She doesn't do a little bit of writing every day, slow and steady like a tortoise. Rather, she cranks out a whole bunch in a very short time. I thought, wow, that is so me! I sometimes get mad at myself for doing random stuff (wasting time?) like blogging, Facebook, CNN.com, emailing, and feeling this sense of literal dread when confronted with the idea of actually starting an article (seriously - I hate starting articles - it's painful). Reading the tortoise vs hare comparison, I realized that being a hare is just my writing style and working style. I am able to crank out good copy in a short time, and never miss a deadline. I've learned this technique works for me. I consider those online sites like Facebook (well some of them) creative outlets. Or sort of random mental stimulation. But I think I need to find a little more balance though and use a combination of tortoise and hare techniques to become even more productive while still enjoying my creative online endeavors.

Another random interesting thing is that the White House has a set of ornaments painted with themes of each individual National Park, Preserve and Historic Site. There are 350 ornaments painte dby artists across the nation and you can browse images here. I thought they were pretty cool. This one has pitcher plants on it, and represents the Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas, just a couple hours east of where I live. Some of them are much more beautiful than this one but this is relevant to an article I'm working on right now! Actually the White House has a theme of Holiday in the National Parks for the White House Christmas tree.

I’ve also heard that they’re “greening” the White House in a few ways. It’s like Bush is trying to bring attention to environmental issues late in the game to soften up the negative image of the Republican party’s environmental record right before the election.

Here is what they wrote:
“This Christmas season we give thanks for our nation’s abundant blessings. In the spirit of gratitude for our natural and historic treasures found from sea to shining sea, this year’s theme highlights America’s national parks. From breathtaking landscapes to important historical sites, generations have marveled at God’s magnificent creation and cherished memories of visits to these special places.”
– George W. Bush | Laura Bush

I mean really? Come on. BARF. Bush may appreciate beauty in nature (who doesn't?) but his environmental record shows that he's selling out on our national parks, infiltrating them with private vendors, cutting critical funding, opening ways for oil drilling and new roads... the list goes on. In fact NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) has a nice list of Bush's environmental record with national parks online.