I don’t even know how to introduce this band, other than to say they’re amazing and you absolutely should listen to them right away. Akudama is a four-piece band from Brooklyn. People ask me what they sound like, and honestly, I have no bands to compare them to. They make amazing, chill music that’s upbeat and awesome. They’re also fabulously nice people as well.

Akudama just played in my backyard last week for my birthday party. Everyone who was there enjoyed the music, from the 60 year old aunts to my 16 year old brother. Also, they passed out free CDs, which none of my friends have stopped listening to for the past five days.

Go check out their myspace and listen to their tunes. Cool Kids Stay Out Past 10pm is my personal favorite. And if you like them, friend them. Tell them I sent you.

I’ll tell you a secret: I’m scared of aquariums. But the Ecosphere is an aquarium that I can handle. Ecospheres are solid glass balls that contain a self-sustaining ecosystem. Tiny shrimp eat algae (and their own shells) and produce carbon dioxide. The algae inside use the carbon dioxide as well as light to create oxygen.

I love the look of the Ecosphere. They’re small enough to use as paperweights, but intriguing enough to waste time at your desk staring into them.

Ecosphere photograph from Eco-sphere.com

I love etsy.com in general, but this shop in particular stands out. birdzNbeez’s “original jewelry designs feature vintage watch movements” as well as Swarovski crystal and Czech glass. I love them because they’re steampunkish pieces that I don’t feel awkward wearing. Also, they’re surprisingly affordable, averaging around $30 with discounted shipping when purchasing multiple items. I currently own the Once Upon a Time necklace as well as a silver Octopus Pendant. The owner seems to stock new items fairly often, so I’ll be checking the store again after my next paycheck.

Beetle Locket from birdzNbeez at etsy.com

Kettlenetics is a workout program designed by Michelle Khai that incorporates dancing and cardio movements with weight training. The heart of the program is the kBell, a four-pound weight with a U-shaped handle. During the workout, you turn, swing, and pass the kBell from hand to hand.

Kettlebells have been used in their larger form for years as heavy weight training for workout junkies and Olympic athletes. Khai designed the smaller kBell to be used in cardio routines to create lean muscles instead of sheer bulk. The principle is sound, and the cardio program is definitely exercise.

But the big question is, does it work?

It depends.

When my Kettlenetics set arrived, I popped in the DVD right away and started swinging and squatting.

I didn’t even make it through the whole video. I can run a mile and burn rubber on the bike and elliptical machine, but Kettlenetics was beyond me. I paused multiple times to catch my breath and drink water while Khai and her energetic accomplices kept grinning and swinging.

The next day, I could barely walk. Like an old woman, it took me minutes to sit down and stand back up again, nevermind walking. I decided to screw the workout schedule that came with the DVD and took two days off. Then I got back up and pushed through it again. Once again, I didn’t make it through the whole thing. But I did get farther.

Then I started doing the ten-minute workouts for specific body parts instead of the general cardio workout.

And I got results. My hips shrank inches, my legs looked leaner, and I started seeing more muscle definition in my arms. I took a perverse pleasure in trying on jeans and skirts from two years ago, looking better now than I did then.

But then I went on vacation and left my kBell behind. Ten days without my kBell and I lost my motivation. I didn’t lose all the progress I made, but I did see a difference.

The bottom line is, Kettlenetics works. But, as with any exercise program, you have to commit to it.

And with that, I’m popping in the DVD again and picking up the kBell. Let’s see if I can get through the whole hour this time.

So I was reading the SkyMall catalog on my flight from Newark to Las Vegas. I know, it’s almost too easy to pick out some weird and useless thing from the people who brought you the Indoor Dog Restroom, the genuine replica of the Indiana Jones bullwhip, and the NeckPro Traction Device, but I think I found something: a two-foot tall statue of Bigfoot. It boggles my mind that someone took a look at this statue, thought ‘This would complement my garden nicely,’ and actually shelled out the $100ish for it. But look at the reviews! Evidently, people not only like their Bigfoots (Bigfeet?), they engage in active relationships with them. “…he retains his masculinity even in his current outfit– a sleeveless pink T…with PRINCESS written across the front and matching leg warmers,” writes one happy customer.

I think I’ll stick with my Meerkat Gang Sculpture.

Bigfoot Sculpture photograph from SkyMall.com

I was never really into dolls and girly things, which is why I like the idea behind Build-A-Dino.  The dinosaurs are cute, cuddly, and also badass. I currently have a triceratops, though I’m thinking about getting an anklyosaurus, too. Also, I’m not too sure about the shiny fabric used for the t-rex or the pink apatosaurus, but the regular green ones are just adorable.

Anklyosaurus photograph from BuildADino.com

I’m currently in love with the Swarovski flash drive heart pendant. It’s a crystal heart which breaks apart to reveal a 1GB USB memory stick. I tend to lose or mix up my flash drives that are just on lanyards, or by themselves, so the idea of a necklace appeals to me. And this one is actually cute. Not to mention that it makes me feel like a spy carrying classified data across the city. Living out part of my espionage fantasy is almost worth the $170.