This is totally off-topic design-wise, unless you want me to do some lame stretch that has to do with eco-friendliness and saving the rain forest. Trust me, you don’t (not to imply that saving the rain forest is lame, O.K., now I feel guilty. Help save it here).

Anyway, did anyone try watching the new TV show on ABC, The River? It’s kinda The Blair Witch Project meets Heart of Darkness. I’m just so desperate to find a replacement for LOST I’m trying it all. I just caught the 2-hour premiere and I fear there might be too many snakes and people screaming “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!” at some mysterious entity we cannot see (I was never a big fan of the smoke monster) for me, but I’m going to give it a shot.

If you’re into Amazonian jungle stories and you’d rather read a book (gasp!) than watch TV, and you’re not in a Joseph Conrad mood, I highly recommend State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I literally could not put it down.

Did you catch The River? Do you think it has potential? Are you still wondering where I’m going to insert “The Horror! The Horror” into this post? I’ll spare you that as well. Have you found another replacement for LOST that I’m missing out on? Is there anything else on TV worth watching? Honestly, outside of premium cable channels, Louis C.K. on F/X, Jimmy Fallon and maybe two or three sitcoms, it seems like there is nothing out there to watch. I guess I’m going to have to put my library card to better use!

• Photos 1 from abc.com
• Photo 2 from amazon.com

First we have the Face Trainer, which Jane Krakowski’s character invented on Ally McBeal in the late 1990s and called The Face Bra:

One time the stranger wedged in next to me and I got in hysterics over every other item in the catalog, flipping through our copies at the same time and saying “no, wait, wait, look at this one!” to each other. The one that gave us the biggest bout of giggles was the Pet Loo. The thought of what one does after a dog actually uses it (if they ever do) made our complimentary soft drinks coming out of our nostrils:

But on this last trip, I had not bonded with my seatmate and just wound up laughing like a crazy person all by myself when I saw this one. I hadn’t laughed that hard on a plane since the time I rented I Love You Man and the “Tom Sawyer” montage part came on. Anyway, I think the SkyMall people may have stolen this idea from one of those horrible Fockers movies:

Also, what’s wrong with calling this the Litter Quitter? Why do you have to go all Kardashian on us with the “Kwitter?”  Am I supposed to share the toilet seat with four paws now?

Do you ever take a SkyMall out of the seat and peruse it? Have you ever bought anything from there? What’s the most hilarious thing you’ve ever seen in SkyMall?

2. Five Hotels Across the Room with Stunning Interiors: A feature from The Wall Street Journal that will make you want to go to there.

photo by Beatrice Amagat for The Wall Street Journal

3. Happy 5th Birthday Making It Lovely! I had no idea I had posted about you within about a week of your launch, but I do remember Nicole’s work catching my eye via all of those fabulous images she posted on Flickr! It’s been wonderful to watch her home, business and family grow over the past five years. Congratulations!

4. Middle of the country fights “flyover” derision; small cities grow and flourish: GOOD mag has a great article about how small cities that a lot of planes may happen to fly over are improving, growing and spreading the word about what they have to offer.

PET PEEVE ALERT: As someone who spent her formative years in Cincinnati Ohio, I don’t like the term “flyover state.” In fact, the kind of people who say it are the ones I hope don’t land anywhere near me anyway. You can keep your insane  rents and stinky cabs, your hideous traffic and your earthquakes thank you very much. Those of us under the flightpath know what great places these smaller cities can be.

5. Oh Pinterest, you are a danger. On a more positive note, I’ve been trying my hand at pinning, repinning and liking too much this week; I even let it distract me from watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills the other night. We’re just starting to dip our toes into Pinterest over here, so Pinners, let us know how to follow you in the comments section.  Here’s our Pinterest action.

What caught your eye on the web this week? Let us know in the comments section!

The spirit of the holiday isn’t over yet folks. I’m not talking about baking more sweet treats or filling your home with modern Martha-esque decorations or singing songs at your neighbor’s doorstep while wearing a tacky sweater…I’m talking about continuing the focus on giving to those in need. Thanks to Gus* Modern we are encouraged to keep this giving spirit alive and in return Gus* Modern is giving back to you! Donate three non-perishable food items from your pantry to your local food bank and save 15% on your Gus* Modern purchase. The sale will run during the full month of January with the Thompson Chairs being the only exclusion from our site. Personally, I think a Vintage Swing Arm Lamp is worth about 62987987938 canned goods and a set of School Chairs worth about 293875928375 cans, but maybe that is just me. Think of all the meals someone could make in exchange for all that food in exchange for a lamp or chairs! We’re using the honor system here, so get into the spirit of the season and see what Gus* Modern has to offer.

Go Gus* Modern and Keep on Giving! Happy New Year to one and all!

Merry Christmas!