It’s a “Ring” cycle year at the Seattle Opera and they’re seeking an opera novice to attend all four operas (that’s 15 hours of Wagner) and share the experience in an online video. “Love of social networking—whether it’s through blogging, Facebook, or Twitter—and a desire to share his or her experiences through those media is essential.” Applicants can send in a short video before Wagner’s birthday (May 22nd) or attend the casting call on May 15th. Only those aged 18 – 30 need apply. I wonder if they’ll let the person rudely send tweets during the performance (“OMG that guy is totally in love with his sister! oops! spoiler, sorry!”). (pdf press release)

The last incandescent lightbulbs are now gone from Grand Central Station with the switchover to compact flourescents in the 10 Beaux-Arts chandeliers in the main concourse. Those lights stay on 24/7 with six “wiremen” employed make sure they’re lit, even after the flourescent changeover.

This elegant foosball table is made of stainless steel, aluminum, and safety glass. Only $17,790! You get a selection of different metal colors for your players. (similarly: Teckell’s see-thru tables)

Michelle Rosen and David Zornitsky had a candyland wedding at Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York under a canopy of balloons and enormous Whirly Pops. The bride carried a bouquet of sweets and wore the dress designed for Project Runway’s Hershey’s challenge by contestant Kit. (By the way, Paula Abdul owns the winning dress from that Project Runway episode).

From Time magazine’s Obama’s 100 Days Behind the Scenes photos: “All who enter the Oval Office, Roosevelt Room and Cabinet Room are asked to leave their mobile devices in baskets like these, stationed around the West Wing.”

Blackberry vines clog the empty lots and roadsides of the Pacific Northwest. When I moved here I thought they were a native feature. I enjoy the berry season, picking ’em for free on walks, eating ’em raw and making cobbler. On Wednesday as an Earth Day gesture, my co-workers and I spent half the day clearing blackberry thickets from alongside the Sammamish River. These blackberries that have taken over the region are actually not native. The Himalayan and evergreen blackberry were brought to the U.S. in the late 1800s to cultivate for fruit. The plants spread aggressively and are difficult to control. The canes reach rapidly over fences, even roofs. Any bit that touches the ground can take root and spread further. The dense tangle of branches block sunlight and choke other plants. After searching in our own yard a few years ago for the Mother Plant that all our blackberry vines branched from, I theorized that there is one true Mother Plant somewhere in the U.S., still sending out shoots.

If you’re determined to call CitiField, new home of the N.Y. Mets, Shea, then you’ve got plenty of company and opportunity to purchase an “I’m Calling It Shea” t-shirt.

Tacoma, WA had a job opening for a new meter reader. 1,400 people applied and 1,300 of those met the minimum requirements for a civil service position and could take the necessary test. The city’s human resources analyst had to rent out the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall to accomodate so many applicants. Half of them passed the test and the top 27 were interviewed. Ultimately the top scorer, Scott Hoover, ended up getting the job. He’s been a temporary meter reader for ten months and is happy to be moving to a position with benefits. Hoover carries both dog treats and pepper spray but has only had to use the treats so far.

It’s hard to believe I could feel so nostalgic about a road, but I am especially fond of Connecticut’s Merritt Parkway. It’s scenic, has lovely bridges (which I wrote about in 2003), prohibits trucks, and is not entirely equipped to handle the load of modern traffic (which I think may keep some of the idiots away). Travelers driving through the state (as most typically do) breeze by on I-95 and miss the scenic journey. The Parkway turns 70 next year and The Merritt Parkway Conservancy is working to keep its charm intact. For me the Merritt will always be the way home.

Jones Soda‘s Earth Day undertaking is impressive. They are taking their office off the electrical grid and powering it with bicycles. After consulting with local physics and cycling experts, they gathered supplies and built a prototype. They worked into the night to get ready for today (ok, so they burned extra nighttime electricity getting themselves off daytime energy, but it’s still a noble effort). All systems are go, according to their latest tweet.