For unclear reasons, it’s become hip this year in garden design circles to plant a mini decorative farm in front of million dollar houses in exclusive neighborhoods, a giant pumpkin, some sunflowers, maybe a gourd. Whatever the reason, there’s really only one thing to do with those giant pumpkins and it’s best to do it before you have 300 lbs of moldy orange stuff – enter it in a giant pumpkin contest.  Of course if just really into pumpkins as opposed to nouvelle jardin that’s cool too.

California offers Pumpkinmania on Oct 25, complete with a blog so you can get an idea of the competition (it’s pretty fierce) or maybe order the t-shirt if you can’t make it there in person.

Or just check out the entire list of pumpkin weigh-offs, it’s extensive and note that the places that get cold early have already done theirs in September (everyone else is hoping for an extra couple of pounds)

Okay, so like me you probably have been putting off growing giant pumpkins until a few other things get done, but if 2010 is going to be your year – here’s a directory of seed sources and growing tips (good luck!)

There is finally a customer-focused website for space travel, Virgin Galactic, where you can almost do online bookings – it’s a contact form right now. Guessing they don’t think most people have the 20K deposit handy.

Do you know which side your glass is frosted on? – it just might be important

There’s a free UFO travel guide – I think there’s a few people out there that would pay for this…

Oprah is literally in your brain – probably forever

Find out what librarians do when they get together – this alone makes the Library Association annual meeting more fun than the Museum Association’s (yeah, I’ve been to it, twice)

It’s a universal truth that pirates can make anything more interesting -  from getting a toddler to eat to studying economics (see the new book The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates) The career of legalized piracy known as privateering doesn’t get as much press but it’s still technically legal in the U.S. so if you always kinda wanted to try it out, you can still petition Congress.  If you don’t get their permission, it’s the frowned-on kind of piracy.  No promises on success but it’s there in section 8 of the Constitution: To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water.

If that fails, you can take the harder road of trying to become a Seafair Pirate, but you’ll have to live in the Seattle area for that one and quite frankly the odds are better with Congress. Like any career, there’s a job guide, Pirattitude!: So you Wanna Be a Pirate?: Here’s How!

If that all sounds like entirely too much work, buy some legos and practice talking like a pirate as a way of easing into it!

It takes patience and years of dedication to produce enough content for a book on grocery cart identification or abandoned grocery lists. It hadn’t occurred to me how much until I found out that people have actually done it.  Although I’m a bit miffed that there is no Western Guide to Stray Shopping Carts and I’m resolving right now to make sure I don’t accidentally leave my shopping list behind – I don’t think it’s all that bizarre but…
The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification

Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found