Fake TV

There's an energy efficient device called FakeTV that's a burglar deterrent. It makes it look like you have a TV on in the house but it's really just an array of LEDs. They have an assortment of good arguments for why this is a good product. It's good to use when you're home alone or out of town. I only saw this recently and thought it was cool enough to share on my blog, so check it out.

Pick #248

Gorillaz - "Feel Good, Inc." from Feel Good, Inc.

Science/Lab Themed Bathroom

I had an idea while brushing my teeth. It would be cool to decorate a bathroom with a science/lab theme. I already have a Periodic Table shower curtain and the thought of using a beaker (300mL?) for a toothbrush holder kicked off these other ideas:

wallpaper with molecular structures on it

microscopy photos

safety shower style shower head (would need a flow restrictor)

lab style sink and bench style counters (you could hang a towel on the metal arm)

lab looking GFCI electrical outlets

nalgene rinse bottle for soap dispenser (using thin soap like Dr. Bronners)

Anybody have other ideas? I was trying to think about ways to have the medicine cabinet look like some sort of lab storage.

note:  links are not necessarily the ideal products.  Many of the items I liked to are laboratory grade and therefore very expensive.  I think you could find/make some similar looking products way cheaper.  The wallpaper would probably have to be custom.

Eco Tip #6

Buy refills for your pens instead of throwing the whole pen away.

Pick #247

Of Montreal - "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethian Curse" from Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Accidental Bathroom Upgrade

I was preparing the shower to be re-caulked on Monday when I noticed that the linoleum flooring was starting to peel up by the door to the hallway bathroom. I looked beneath it and saw what looked like tile. I asked Erin what she thought I should do and we were curious, so I ripped up the linoleum only to find another layer of laminate flooring beneath. Ripping up that second layer wasn't too hard except where it was under the toilet. I ended up pulling the toilet out. I couldn't get the tank or the seat off, so I extracted it in one piece. The rest of the flooring came right up. The difficult part was removing all the adhesive to get to the concrete slab below. I am lucky enough to have a nice neighbor who lent me the lion's share of the tools I needed and didn't have.

This is an opportune time to redo the floor since nobody's using that bathroom anyway. I have been wanting to get rid of my linoleum, but not knowing what to replace it with. Tile seems like a good option for resale. I don't like how cold tile gets in the winter. I decided I wanted to paint the floor. Then I came across the other options of staining or epoxying. I ended up going with paint, inspired by the floors at Damn Good Bikes. My neighbor introduced me to an awesome local paint store where I consulted with a guy who recommended floor paint. We got a small paint container and it was super easy to apply. It'll dry overnight then I'll lay down a second coat, let it sit for a couple of days, put the toilet back on, then boom...new looking bathroom. I imagine it won't hold mold as easily as before (that stuff in between the two layers of laminate was nasty) and I think it looks cool. If I'm advised that it'll make the house harder to sell, I can always tile over top of it later.

Pick #246

Bad English - "When I See You Smile"