Okay, so it's not that new. The lowly t-shirt rose from underwear to outwear way back in the '50s when Marlon Brando, James Dean and other famous heartthrobs shocked everyone by wearing them in public — and on television!

Back then, t-shirts were still mostly white and we wore them because they were just plain comfortable. But now they've become wearable billboards that broadcast our thoughts, feelings, political leanings, and, above all, a sense of humor.

Gone are the days of buying 3-packs of cheap plain undershirts to wear as outerwear. Today's t-shirts are tie-dyed, screen-printed, colorful expressions of our individuality. And the more unique they are, the more we love them. Lucky for me, one thing about buying t-shirts hasn't changed much: the more you buy, the more you save.

Your "Tee Time" Gift Guru,
Linda

Did you watch the Republican "debates" this week? If you didn't, you missed some good laughs. And not just comedians spoofing the candidates.  Dubbed the "clown car" because of the sheer number of candidates seeking the nomination, the ticket did not disappoint.

It was just as crazy, funny, and unlikely as a car full of clowns. There was the four-time-bankrupt billionaire. And Ex-POTUS' little brother with middle child complex. Plus, a Texas senator who couldn't even raise a round of applause from his own party. And, of course, many, many more.

Whether you have a horse in the Republican race or not, you have to admit, it was probably better entertainment than networks have planned for their fall premiers. But if you missed all the laughs this week, don't worry: the Democrats are up next!

Your "Send in the Clowns for 2016" Gift Guru,
Linda

Coffee. That aromatic, deliciously bitter, and energizing staple of the American morning. But we’re not the only ones who love our coffee. It’s the most widely consumed drink in the world, beating out even beer, wine, and spirits.

That’s why we have an international holiday to celebrate the magic bean. September 29th is International Coffee Day and the best part might be that a lot of coffeehouses will be giving the stuff away! Reason enough for celebration if you ask me.

Just in case you don’t know where your morning Joe came from, here are a few fun facts you can take to the coffee shop on the 29th:

• It’s believed that the stimulating properties coffee beans were discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia in the 9th century. 
• He noticed that the goats got very energetic after eating the “berries” of the coffee plant and started to experiment. 
• Members of the Galla tribe got an energy boost from grinding up the beans with animal fat. •
• Around the year 1,000, Arab traders started to boil the beans to make a drink they called “qahwa”. 
• In 1475, Kiva Han – the world’s first coffeehouse opened in Turkey. By 1668, coffee had replaced beer as New York City's favorite breakfast drink. (Yes, breakfast!)

 And the rest, as they say, is history.

Your "Keen on Coffee" Gift Guru,
Linda

Ditch the drones! Now you can get a cat's-eye view of the world — at least in one city in Japan. The Cat Street View Map, centered on a shopping district in Onomichi City, shows that "there are different points of views to explore, specifically those of our benevolent feline overlords".

Maneki-neko

Onomichi City is well-known for it's huge population of friendly street cats, as well as areas like  Neko no Hosomichi (Cat Alley), and a whole museum dedicated to maneki-neko, the lucky beckoning cat.

Right now the map is only available in Japanese, but a translation plug-in for your web browser can help with that. Cat Street View points you to the most interesting attractions with "meo-tags", which you can click for more "biogra-fur-ical" information.

But fair warning: it's really hard to leave the virtual world of Onomichi City with all those cute, cuddly cats around!

Your "In the Catbird Seat" Gift Guru,
Linda

The unofficial end of summer is almost here. The kids will get their first holiday from school (they just started!) and we'll get a day off of work to enjoy the last days of summer fun.

Before you break out the grill and the picnic plates, I thought I'd share a few facts about the holiday that might make all of us a little more grateful for our labor-free holiday.

• Labor Day became an official federal holiday in 1894.
• At that time, it was common for people to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Children as young as 5 years old were allowed to work in mines and factories.
• The Central Labor Union decided American workers needed a day off between July 4th and Thanksgiving, so they chose the first Monday in September.
• The first Labor Day holidays were celebrated with street parades and festivals to entertain laborers and their families. 

Your "Work Hard, Play Hard" Gift Guru,
Linda

August 25th is International Kiss and Make Up Day. It's a day to forgive and mend fences with anyone you've been mad at. I love this holiday because it reminds us to appreciate everyone in our lives and to let go of anything "bad" in our relationships.

This year, I'll have something to celebrate. Because, after all these years, my sister and I can still really irritate each other. In fact, we've sort of ticked each other off last Christmas. We used to talk on the phone once or twice a week, but I haven't heard from her since then. Of course, I've been too stubborn to call her, too.

The funny thing is...I don't really remember why we started arguing. I bet she doesn't either! So to celebrate the holiday, I'm going to take my sister to lunch and apologize for whatever it was that I did — even if I didn't do it!

Life is way too short to hold grudges. Much better to let it go. To kiss and make up. And get my sister back.

Your "Forgive and Forget" Gift Guru,
Linda

The older I get, the faster the years go by. It seems only yesterday summer was starting and I was trying to dream up things to do to keep the kids (and adults) busy.

And now it's back-to-school time? How did that happen? Did I sleep through summer?

Now I have to get my school year ducks in a row. We need pens and paper and books. We need lunch boxes and and clothes. We need to make a schedule. Figure out everyone's activities. That's an awful lot of work for the dog days of summer!

Not that I'm complaining. The kids are bored and Mom is tired of being activity director. The first day of school can't come fast enough for me. I just hope I don't sleep through it!