This weekend will include some serious geeking out.  I picked up a few books from the Library at work:

• Visual Basic .Net Complete
• Introduction to C# using .Net
• Creative HTML Design

First task?  Go crazy with style sheets.  I've been aching to dig into CSS since I found the CSS Zen Garden earlier this month.

For those of us who like to do projects around the home but hate having to try to get things level Zircon has come up with a really cool product.

The Laser Vision Cube System (yeah, the product name is a bit wordy) is a great combination of several different technologies, it combines an auto leveling base with magnetic, laser generating cubes.  The cubes come in three flavors, line, dot and cross.  The base powers the cubes which project a laser line(s) or dot on your wall or ceiling.  using the projected line you can line up pictures, shelves or any other item you wish to attach.

To use the LVQS you put the base unit on either a table or the optional pole mount.  The unit will then automatically level the top surface.  The top metal surface is one pole of the power source, drop a magnetic cube onto the top of the base and stick the wire from the cube to the side of the base and it's ready to go.

Next time I have to put up a set of hooks and have to measure down from the ceiling or draw a line on the wall I'm going to wish I had this. 

Here's a really cool product for people who like to travel or who simply forget to water their plants:  DriWater is a gel made of water and vegetable matter which, when it comes in contact with dry soil, will become water.

To use, simply water your plant well then wrap one of these gel-noodles around the base.  DriWater comes in 30 and 90 day varieties as well as other flavors targeted at professionals.

If you liked Sesame Street as a kid and enjoy twisted humor you have to go see Avenue Q the next time you're in New York.  My eyes were watering through most of the show I was laughing so hard!

My favorite part of the musical?  I'd have to say the musical number “The Internet Is For Porn”.

Recommendation:  Aim for third to fifth row center... too far back and you can't see well, too close and you can't see the TVs (which show the occasional animated bit).

Exhibit A:  I'm a geek.
Exhibit B:  My wife has great fashion sense.

For Christmas this year (yeah, we celebrated a little early) my lovely wife bought me a very cool SCOTTeVEST (SeV).  These stylish jackets would not look out of place on any snowboarder or sullen teenager yet are a wonderful bit of clothing for your favorite geek. 

The SeV (taking advantage of the “SUV” craze?) is rife with nooks and crannies for all your favorite gear.  Most pockets can be accessed from both inside and outside the clothing.  There are also built-in channels to route wires for your own PAN (personal area network).

My Version Three.0 Stealth Fleece has 12 hidden pockets... including a spot for a CamelBak Bladder!

For a list of all the features, check out the glossary of terms.

Okay... here's the story...

I was looking for a small toy, a puzzle-type thing that really has no purpose other than to entertain your fingers (I have several in my office, they're fun).  So I searched for hand toy... I just found “Hand-made wooden toys”.

When I searched for “Hand Amusement” I stuck gold: “Second Hand Amusement Park Rides!”  A new roller coaster is going on my Christmas list. 

• http://www.italintl.com/usdride.htm
• http://www.barbieri-rides.com/view/3.htm

The truly amazing thing, however, is my searches didn't net me any accidental porn sites.