Boing Boing » romance

Titanium ring whose jewels glow through induction

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:52:02 +0000

Ben Kokes wanted to give a ring to his sweetheart, and to make it interesting, he decided to create a ring with an inductive loop that would cause the stones to light up when they were close to a power-source. He documented the tricky technical problems that cropped up during the build, and it sounds like the romance part came out well, too:

The final idea was to embed a LED and copper coil assembly inside the titanium ring, illuminating it from under the stones when it was in close proximity to an induced alternating magnetic field (henceforth called 'the transmitter'). Autodesk Inventor helped me develop all of the dimensions and constraints for the design. Having some help, I was able to obtain her ring size and the rest of the measurements were based from there (15.72mm if anyone was wondering)...
... Of all the challenges presented in making the ring, affixing the stone is the most difficult. Traditionally, stones are affixed by mechanical means -- prongs, groves or snaps. Epoxies will delaminate from the attachment surfaces due to microstresses, thermal cycling, and other unmentioned movements. The stone may be attached now, but eventually it will fall out. It's just a matter of time.
With that in mind, I had 4 initial ideas for affixing the stone: thermally expanding the hole, hole deformation, point expansion deformation, and epoxy. Ultimately, I went with the epoxy method for attaching the stones.
The first test was to try and heat the ring, expand the hold and drop in the stone. When the hole cooled and contracted, it would hold the stone in place. Not only does the hole not expand enough, if I was lucky enough for it to happen (it did once), the stone would fracture along pre-existing crack lines.

Project Longhaul (via Hacker News)

Ne plus ultra of retrogamer wedding cakes

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:07:57 +0000

This amazing retro-gamer wedding cake was made by Wedding Cakes By Nicole of Bunbury, Australia. The cake pays homage to many of the arcade greats:

I created a 3 tier square cake, with each of the sides representing a popular retro platform game. Topped off with a game off Pong, with the score depicting Stephen's "30" years. The board had a joystick, buttons and coin slot. Pacman (my favourite), Donkey Kong, Frogger & Tetris

Dimity asked me to create a cake for her Fiance, Stephen, who loves "old school" computer games. (via Geeks are Sexy)

HOWTO bake anatomical heart-bread

Cory Doctorow — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:52:02 +0000

Here's a fun set of instructions for baking anatomical heart-shaped bread that you rip apart and gorge upon:

Nothing says romance like ritual cannibalism. Use this anatomical heart pull apart loaf to pretend you’re vampires feasting on the heart of that asshole in HR who gave a promotion to Brad. Alternately, you could engage in a little Indiana Jones cosplay where the sexy archaeologist in your life can rescue you from having your heart ripped out by any other man. Gentlemen bakers, you could show up at your vegetarian girlfriend’s house triumphantly holding this and declaring you were successful in the hunt, so tonight you feast. There are so many ways to express your doughy love.

Bitchin’ Bread Battle Day 13: Valentine’s Day Anatomical Heart Pull Apart Bread (via Neatorama)

Skull wedding cake

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 03:18:50 +0000

Baker Anna at Eat Your Heart Out Bakers made this astounding skull wedding-cake.

Food artist Annabel de Vetten, also known as Conjurer’s Kitchen, created this incredible skull wedding cake for the Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza in Birmingham this weekend. Her theme being ” ‘Til Death Do Us Part”.
It features solid chocolate skulls of 16 carrion crows, 12 domestic kittens, 3 Vervet monkeys, and 4 barn owls, all of which the artist sculpted by hand. Made from White Chocolate Mudcake, the cake took her over 100 hours to complete in total. There are two options of toppers: a chocolate conjoined kitten skull, or dried flowers from an actual wedding bouquet (ones shown here from her own).

The Ultimate Skull Wedding Cake (Thanks, Emma!)

Have yourself 3D-scanned and turned into a human gummi

Cory Doctorow — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 03:59:43 +0000

FabCafe, a 3D printed confectioner in Shibuya, Tokyo, is offering nine lucky blokes the chance to have their bodies 3D scanned and rendered in gummi, the most wondrously magical of all the edible substances. It's in honor of White Day, the Japanese give-your-female-lover-a-present holiday on March 14 (they also did custom chocolate-lollies of one's 3D scanned head for V-Day). These are so amazingly amazing and they point the way to a future where cheap scanners will render entire rooms as voxels to be output in gummi, wherein you can pay to be encased while you slowly, deliciously eat your way out. Coming soon to a Shibuya Love Hotel near you (maybe).

Chew on this: FabCafe lets you create a gummy replica of yourself for White Day (via OhGizmo)

Marriage proposal in the form of a physics paper

Cory Doctorow — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 19:52:41 +0000

Redditor bogus_wheel is a physicist in Sydney, Australia. Her boyfriend of seven years submitted a marriage proposal in the form of a physics paper that tracks their relationship (with a graph!). It is a beautiful piece of physics romance!

My boyfriend of 7 years and I are both physicists. Here's how he proposed to me. (imgur.com) (Thanks, Mark M!)

Skele-Gore, now with fluorescent colors!

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:54:37 +0000

Scarecrowoven has revisited his "Skele Gore" image, and just in time for St Valentine's Day! Of the new version, Mr Scarecrowoven sez, "It's pretty insane. In person, the colors are so bright and fluorescent they actually work under a black light."

Skelegore "TRIP AT THE BRAIN EDITION" giclee print

Disney's "Paperman," a romantic short film

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:50:50 +0000

Disney's posted the short feature "Paperman" to YouTube. It's an utterly charming and stylishly drawn animated film about love at first sight, and the perverse uncooperativeness of inanimate objects. We saw this as the short before "Wreck It Ralph" (another great one), and loved it.

Paperman - Full Animated Short Film

Warren Ellis reviews Bruce Sterling's "Love is Strange," a paranormal romance

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:49:10 +0000

Last month, I blogged the new Bruce Sterling book, Love is Strange, an ebook-only paranormal romance. I haven't had a chance to read it yet (it's in my queue), but Warren Ellis has, and he's written up a review that makes me want to read it RIGHT NOW:

Bruce likes breaking things in his fiction. I often see things his characters love getting ruined somehow. It’s hard to think of anyone else who enjoys the casual harrowing of his characters so much.
It is a romance. Bruce does in fact have fun playing with old romance-fiction tropes. There are points where you can almost hear him cackling as he rattles around a LOVE BOAT port of call and scatters poison romances across the sun-kissed trattorias and streets. There is the paranormal: or, at least, people who think they’re paranormal, and people who call each other paranormal. It’s also, to some extent, about the delusions around these things. The female romantic lead is a loon, the male romantic lead is a Silicon Canal alpha-drone, the supporting cast are grotesques and I’ll be surprised if Mr Sterling is ever again invited to a European futurism conference.

booklist 2013: LOVE IS STRANGE, Bruce Sterling [Warren Ellis]

Love is Strange [Kindle edition]

Anatomical heart pop-up shop in London

Cory Doctorow — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:53:28 +0000

The wonderful, edible weirdos at the Eat Your Heart Out blog are throwing an anatomical heart pop-up shop for Valentine's day in east London, at the site of this month's edible horror installation on Bethnal Green Road:

Very excited to share more information about the anatomical heart pop up in London for Valentine’s Day. Indicative of the way Eat Your Heart out has become a cultural leader, the shop is 60% gifts and art 40% cakes and chocolate treats. It’s being run under the guise of Anatomical Snuff Box, a venture from myself and Emily Evans promoting the education of anatomy using cultural channels. You can see all of the gifts here (more being added daily). The wonderful Kraken Rum are also supporting the event so expect lots of free rum shots and rum soaked cakes – if you have not tried this amazing drink yet here is your chance.

Throb – anatomical heart gifts for Valentine’s Day

Valentines from Brian Ewing

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:07:07 +0000

Boing Boing favorite Brian Ewing (Ghosbusters in a Rat Fink car, Anatomical Frankenstein) has a line of Valentine's cards with scratch-off secret messages:

I collaborated with animator CRANKBUNNY to create a nerdy and awesome Valentine scratch-off card.
The card reveals one (of four) secret messages* underneath a heart within a skeletal chest cavity. It can be used for more than just a traditional Valentine's card. Use the card to break up with someone. Quit your job. Or just to pay your rent late. Great for someone you love or hate any time of the year. Soften the blow or sweeten the deal...and be awesome while doing it!

*1. Your Coffin Or Mine
*2. Your Heart Belongs To Me
*3. My Body's A Zombie For You
*4. I've Got A Heart On For You

VALENTINES!!! IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR...SO TRY TO BE RAD FOR ONCE! (Thanks, Brian!)

Zombie teddy bear: Undead Ted

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:01:23 +0000

Eclectech sez, "UK artist Phillip Blackman is creating fantasic and gruesome zombie bears (undead teds), including this excellent valentines bear offering you his heart."

Valentine UnDeadTed offering you his heart (Thanks, Eclectech!)

If corporations are people, would you let your sister marry one?

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:56:08 +0000

DiominicMR sez, "This past weekend, Occupy Wall Street and Reverend Billy put on one of the largest, most elaborate pieces of street art I've ever seen: a mass wedding between humans and corporations on Wall Street, to mark the third anniversary of Citizens United. This video captures it perfectly. Enjoy!"

A Citizens United Wedding

Wedding proposal hidden in a Kinder Surprise Egg

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:32:36 +0000

Matthew wanted Lori to marry him, so he secretly dissected a Kinder Surprise Egg and loaded it with a custom toy containing a down-on-one-knee robot version of himself complete with tiny toy engagement ring, resealed it, and gave it to Lori. She said yes, because of awesome.

We used to buy Kinder Surprise Egg candies for each other all the time. If you aren’t familiar, it is a chocolate egg that contains a tiny, whimsical toy with assembly instructions inside. They are so much fun — maybe too much fun — sadly, the US banned them from import a few years ago.
Matthew painstakingly took apart the chocolate egg and replaced the toy inside with a small robot figure and illustrated instructions on how to assemble him into a tiny MatthewBot on bended knee. Also inside was my amazing ring! He then reassembled and rewrapped the egg to look virtually untouched.

Kinder Surprise Egg Marriage Proposal (via Neatorama)

Woman whose ex- won't return her suitcase retaliates by auctioning the locations of his secret fishing holes

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:13:01 +0000

Angela Potter, a teacher in Waikato, NZ, has a funny definition of "vindictive":

"My ex-boyfriend is an avid and very successful fisherman who asked me to protect his collection of GPS fishing spot co-ordinates [with my life no less]. Not a problem," she wrote on the auction.
And sold secrets tend to make for an angry man - Miss Potter said her ex was less than pleased to find out they had been shared.
Miss Potter said she would never have sold the co-ordinates had it been an amicable breakup, however, the man packed his belongings into her suitcase, which had sentimental value, and fled the country.
"When he refused to return my suitcase that's when I sold his co-ordinates," she said. "I didn't list them to be vindictive. I listed them as a bit of a laugh."

OTOH, she's now dating a new fisherman and says that she has not shared her ex's fishin' holes with him.

Fishing spots sold on Trade Me after breakup [Jenna Lynch/Stuff.co.nz] (via Neatorama)

Bruce Sterling's written a paranormal romance, many hands interview him:

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:54:21 +0000

Bruce Sterling has written a new paranormal romance (!), Love is Strange, and in honor of its publication, many hands have been recruited to ask weighty questions of the wise fellow:

Cory Doctorow: Do you feel that the world is, on balance, improved by technology?
Well, if you ask that question from the point of view of almost anything in this world that's not a human being like you and me, the answer's almost certainly No. You might get a few Yea votes from the likes of albino rabbits and gene-spliced tobacco plants. Ask any living thing that's been around in the world since before the Greeks made up the word "technology," like say a bristlecone pine or a coral reef. You would hear an awful tale of woe.

Love is Strange

Bruce Sterling: The Complete Interview, 2013 « 40kBooks

Choose-your-own-adventure wedding proposal comic

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 13:42:37 +0000

Lauren Beukes sez, "My South African writer friend Sam Wilson proposed to his scientist girlfriend Kerry Gordon using a comic that he's been secretly collating for the last three months featuring quirky, sweet, wonderful, funny artwork to illustrate the possible futures that might occur depending on whether she says yes or no. In the yes column were wonders like riding on dinosaurs, bountiful kitties and becoming rock stars, or the horror of bad parking spaces, squalor and tomatoes on EVERYTHING if she says no (she really doesn't like tomatoes). It was adorable and of course she said yes."

Best Christmas Present Ever

Adjustable wrench wedding-ring

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:33:28 +0000

Etsy seller BandScapes offers this lovely, makerish wedding-ring featuring a sterling silver adjustable wrench, clutching a sapphire:

The jaws are pinching a .06ct medium-blue natural sapphire. Overall, the profile is low to be comfortable, not too wide and not heavy, but sturdy. A ring that can be worn continuously as any wedding band would be.

WRENCH WEDDING BAND with Genuine Sapphire. A real wedding ring. (via Neatorama)

Printing press made from IKEA drawers

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:30:56 +0000

Jenny and Charles are making their own wedding program, and to do so, they made their own printing press. From a set of IKEA drawers. Because they are awesome.

The printing press is made of an Ikea Kullen chest of drawers, several pieces of wood, and several iron pipes... The cabinet is upside down, but with a drawer placed facing upwards. The drawer slides back and forth, and there is a piece of plywood attached to the back side of the drawer with a hinge, so it can swing up and down. The paper being printed is placed on this piece of plywood.
On the back of a cabinet is another piece of plywood which is attached to the sides of the cabinet. This back piece holds the engraved printing plate, which is inked to create the impression.

Printing Press (via IKEA Hackers)

Help celebrate Carrie's birthday by packing the Carousel of Progress

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Walter sez, "The Carousel of Progress is a classic Walt Disney World attraction consisting of an Audio-Animatronic stage show that follows a family throughout the technological progress of the 20th century. The Carousel of Progress also happens to be my wife Carrie's favorite Disney attraction. Carrie turns 30 this month, and as a surprise, I want to put together a big enthusiastic audience to join her in a viewing of the show. The Carousel is obscure and unpopular with most Disney guests, so a big enthusiastic audience would make Carrie overwhelmed with happiness. If you can make it out to Magic Kingdom this Saturday at 11:30AM, please join in."

The Carousel is one of my all-time favorites, too. I named a book after its main theme. I always sit in the front row, and sing along. My wife sings too, but her words go, "There's a great big hairy Cory Doctorow, sitting in the front row every day." She is less enthusiastic about scenes of animatronic technological progress than I am.

But she is a patient woman.

Hello (Thanks, Walter!)

D10 engagement ring

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 23:58:54 +0000

Dragonslorefury posted this wonderful D10 RPG-player's engagement ring to DeviantArt, along with these notes:

My engagement ring, designed by myself and a reality thanks to my amazing jeweller father. Yes that is a D10 (10 sided dice for those not used to the lingo XP), me and my partner are quite frequent roleplayers and I'm a huuuge geek and odd-ball. I wanted my ring to be one-of-a-kind and personal to me any my amazing finace so I eventually came up with this idea. If I want the dice can also be removed and replaced with a stone of my choice ^_^ Happy to be engaged to my amazing partner and to have my awesome engagement ring. <3

My Engagement Ring (via Geekologie)

Topless dungeon master sought

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:09:36 +0000

A Craigslist poster is looking for a woman to dungeon-master a D&D game/bachelor party. DM must be familiar with D&D 3.0 or 3.5, and topless. C-cup or greater preferred. "There will be 5 'guys' that will be participation (sic) including myself. We are at all above the age of 24. Each of us are gentlemen and will treat the Dungeon Master with the utmost of respect."

Free guns for romantics

Rob Beschizza — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:43:08 +0000

Buy a $2,500 diamond and receive a free rifle from D. Geller and Son of Cobb County, Ga.,: "A lot of our customers are hunters, and it just seemed like a great thing to do." [WSBT]

Washington's King County voids marriage license between a person and a corporation

Cory Doctorow — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:16:16 +0000

Jeff sez, "King County has voided the license it issued Tuesday between Corporate Person, a Washington State Corporation, and Ms. Angela Marie Vogel: 'Marriage is a civil contract between a male and a female who have each attained the age of eighteen years, and who are otherwise capable.'"

The Wedding of Corporate Person to Angela Marie Vogel (Thanks, Jeff!)

Doctor Who/Sherlock Holmes wedding bouquet

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:57:56 +0000

What could be more romantic than a wedding bouquet whose flowers are made from the pages of Sherlock Holmes, and whose handle is a Doctor Who sonic screwdriver?

My Sonic Screwdriver Book Bouquet (via Neatorama)

Anti-cheating ring brands I'M MARRIED into the flesh of your finger

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 03:27:07 +0000

TheCheeky sells a $550 titanium wedding-band with I'M MARRIED etched on the inside in block serif caps. After wearing it for a sufficient time, your finger will bear the indelible mark of those words, advertising your marital status even if you slip the ring off.

With Arnold, Tiger and two timing IMF guy in mind, we have created this wedding ring for people intent on cheating. The negative engraving on the inside means that when you are in the ‘Club’ and an attractive woman…or man comes along to chat, slipping your wedding ring off is not an option. The mark left on your skin says…’I’m Married’

ANTI-CHEATING RING (via Neatorama)

Buy one divorce, get your next one half off

Cory Doctorow — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 16:09:09 +0000

An attorney called Sean Simmons is apparently offering "buy one, get your next one half off" divorces, with the strapline "End the Misery Today." The image is unsourced, so it may be a fake, though there is at least one attorney called Sean Simmons in the USA who does divorce work.

That’s a good value. (via Neatorama)

Hex-nut-shaped ring is a six-sided die

Cory Doctorow — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:00:32 +0000

Individual Icons's "Nut Dice Ring" is a ring shaped like a hex-nut, which functions as a six-sided dice, for those moments of indecision and romance.

This ring is a perfect piece of jewelry for people who say that they don't wear jewelry. It really does help with decisions (odds I stay home, evens I go out). As proper dice should, each pair of opposing sides adds up to seven. Comfort fit inside, available in standard sizes 6 through 10. Sterling silver. 1/4" (6mm) wide.

Nut Dice Ring (via Neatorama)

Minecraft-themed wedding

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:53:30 +0000

The Goodness lavishly photo-documents a Minecraft-themed wedding:

Matt and Asia are simply the most perfect couple ever. They met through their church (Matt said he fell for her watching her dance, awww) but they truly bonded over the game of Minecraft. They built a house together in the digital world and have been inseparable ever since, both in the game and in real life. Matt even proposed to Asia up on stage at MineCon with the help of the game’s creators. So it was no surprise that Matt and Asia would plan a Minecraft themed wedding, and wow, did they ever. They worked hard and put together an incredible event, which truly reflected their love for Minecraft, ahem, each other! We felt so lucky to capture such an awesome day, both in photos and with a wedding film (at the end of this post). It was a labor of love with lots of DIY and help from some fellow Minecraft lovers. Matt, Asia and friends created the pixel-trees from cardboard boxes and used them to decorate the structural pillars, genius!

They even got custom Minecraft-themed Jones Soda flavors.

Matt and Asia’s Minecraft wedding | The Goodness | Sacramento Wedding Photographer (via The Mary Sue)

XKCD wedding cake

Cory Doctorow — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:02:27 +0000

Mike sez, "Photographed a wedding reception in upstate NY this weekend -- the cake was awesome! The couple are both geeks and have three geeky teenaged daughters who helped design it.... Take a look at the cell phone video!"

Cameraphone MP4 video
(Thanks, Mike!)