Schadenfreude? schadenfreude: A Visual Definiton of a $3 Word of the Day

So, I've heard this word frequently around the office as it is one of my co-workers "favorite" words. I have absolutely no clue what it means despite her various attempts to explain it to me. So, I thought I would share it with all of you -

scha·den·freu·de [shahd-n-froi-duh] – noun: satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune. [Origin: 1890–95; < G, equiv. to Schaden harm + Freude joy] Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) :

n. Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others."malicious joy in the misfortunes of others," 1922, from Ger., lit. "damage-joy," from schaden "damage, harm, injury" (see scathe) + freude, from O.H.G. frewida "joy," from fro "happy," lit. "hopping for joy," from P.Gmc. *frawa- (see frolic).

For a much better real-life example, see her video posting, complete with performance by Justin Timberlake!

Can A Bagel Really Cause Death?

Absolutely! If you stick your knife in the toaster while its plugged in. Or so my mother always alleged, instilling the fear of God and electricity in me. As an adult, I'm not so sure I buy it. I think its not as bad as "they" say. Really, I'll bet the most you get is a little shock. I can survive a little shock, but burned fingers from hot bagels or having to move everything on the counter to unplug the toaster every time I want a bagel? Now that is a pain in the ass, I'll take the little shock. Hell, it might even be more effective than caffeine for starting my day! Of course, when I broached this subject with co-workers, the only parent in the group vehemently supported the "theory" that the knife in the toaster could do serious damage. I think it might be a conspiracy among parents. Like they vow to perpetuate the myth upon their initiation into parenthood... Conspiracy or truth? I let you know if it happens because I fully intend to keep doing it - carefully, of course.


Warning: Do not try this at home.

When Pink is NOT a Good Thing!

Apple has gone terribly wrong, IMO with the Pepto-pod. I don't like Peptobismol - why would I want a iPod that invokes the thought of intestinal distress every time I look at it...??

BREAKING NEWS: Heath Ledger = DEAD

TMZ.com is reporting the news that Heath Ledger has been found dead at his NYC home.

Conspiracy in Glover Park? *Updated*

Late last night, the Gentlemen's Club (read: strip club) known as JP's caught on fire, reaching a two-alarm status. It resulted in a total shut-down of Wisconsin Avenue this morning, causing the Georgetown/Glover Park morning rush to be more enjoyable and challenging than normal. I think it's particularly interesting that this is the second "fire event" at a strip club in the GP in the last few months. While I don't think these two are related, it does bring to mind the ongoing troubles between the GPCA (Glover Park Citizens Association) and these establishments, particularly over the expansion of Good Guys. So, who might benefit? The GPCA and the neighborhood gets rid of an "unsavory" establishment. The owner gets an insurance settlement and no longer needs to deal with the headaches from the residents. Both parties stand to gain. Likely there is no conspiracy here in GP, but it certainly is coincidental.

Updated: Thanks to a Chris over at GloverParkDC, here's the background on the Strip Clubs v. GPCA...

LinkedIn: It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Know!

Hey All -
If you are on LinkedIn - look me up - I can be found here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennicollins If you haven't yet adopted LinkedIn as the most efficient way of networking without ever leaving your desk - check it out now!

Link Love: The Super Sale Edition

From time to time, I will share what I call "Link Love." These are usually links to amazingly discounted sales, etc. My family has come to know Link Love well and its time to spread the love! Here's what I found today:

3 Cast Iron Skillets - $15 at JC Penney

6 piece Corning Ware baking dishes - $16.99 at Macy's

These are both great ideas if you have upcoming weddings, birthday presents (particularly for Mom) or just in need of some fabulously nice hostess gifts. At these prices you can't go wrong!

Jott It Down!

Thanks to my friends over at LifeHack I found this amazing new service - Jott. Its voice to text technology that lets you speak a message up to 30 seconds long. It will transcribe your voice into a text message or a reminder. This makes me so happy! Watch out world, I'll be jotting you soon!

Eek, Gads! Isaac's Gone!!!

The Budget Fashionista just broke the news that Isaac Mizrahi will no longer be featuring a lower-cost line at Target, as he has jumped ship to go to Liz Claiborne as a creative director. I love love his stuff at Target - now what? Target - go sign Milly right away!!! It's the only way I will be able to recover from this loss...