I'm a sucker for impulse purchases at the cash regsiter--especially toys. A couple shiny things caught my eye at the Powell's Bookstore stall at the airport just now. The first is an Acrobot posable metal figure. It's made of wire terminal pieces riveted together and attached to a clear plastic bead head. I got one for Amy and another to keep on my computer monitor at work. The stick figure reminds me of the actor symbol in use case diagrams, but these are more fun.

The second shiny were in a jar labeled "Mystery Capsules - Write a secret message - roll your own." It's a pill-sized machined aluminum capsule that unscrews to reveal a fortune-cookie-sized paper scroll. I bought a couple dozen to use as conntainers for special micro-business cards. The capsules are made by Tops

Malibu and are even patented (#4,696,640).

OK, time to board the plane to Chicago.

- mike lee - portland international airport -