George F. Cram 10 1/2 inch Plasti-Lite Illuminated Globe

The globe lamp does not emit much light. It is kind of a reddish glow, with the continents glowing slightly more brightly. The whole operation is a little janky -- at first I couldn't tell if it was homemade or not. The cardboard globe is attached to the frame by a screw that goes directly into a fraying cardboard hole. (it is used from goodwill)

We used the globe lamp in the evenings during our middle school nature program. It looked great lit up next to a ceramic lighthouse candle lantern during our evening quiet singing. The globe lamp (which has countries like Southern Arabia) easily takes on a mystical symbol. I recommend this globe to anyone!

Behr Paint Color 710C-3: Gobi Desert

When I moved into my apartment in Brooklyn, I was terribly excited to be able to fully decorate a room just as I wanted it. And, in October 2008, I wanted ultra-traditional. To go with my cherry wood bedroom set and my olive-green bookshelf (handmade by my father, hand-repainted by me), I decided I wanted a rich color that wouldn't be too obtrusive. I have a tendency to go for colors like Behr 410D-4 ("Asparagus"), either very deep or very bright colors. But, with my very high ceilings (and a mother who hates color and helped pick out the paint), these seemed like they'd be overwhelming, so I decided on 710C-3, "Gobi Desert." I soon discovered that this is both the best and the worst color in the world.

710C-3 is a rich, deep color, without being too dark. It makes a room warm without looking too much like a country home, and it looks pretty sophisticated with white crown molding. I even like the color shade just below it ("Raffia Cream), although it's a little too close to the white version of colors that my mother likes so much. The name, Gobi Desert, isn't the one I would have chosen (I like my paint names to be a little closer to home, like raffia and asparagus), but the color is lovely and matches everything. It worked so well in my bedroom that I decided to paint my new living room the same color. With much lower ceilings and much less light, it still looks nice, although decidedly warmer. I think I'm more fond of it there, because I'll have cherry floors and green couches (sensing a pattern here?), and I have an extremely bright kitchen and nook (dining nook? book nook? craft nook? I don't know yet...), so it won't be so hyper-traditional. Ah, I love Gobi Desert. Alas, I also hate it.

It is beige, after all.