I just received a nice little note from Amazon reminding me that my birthday is coming, and perhaps I'd like to update my wishlist? Things they thought I might like to add included the book I just raved about below, and also a Linksys BEFSR41 Etherfast 4-Port Cable/DSL Router, which I have been shopping for, but offline, not online. They are getting a little too prescient. What's next? "Christina, we've made reservation for you at La Folie for your birthday, and after tickets to Dave Brubeck. click here to cancel, click here to confirm?" (shudder)

Check out this new book from Curt Cloninger, Fresh Styles. An expansion of his terrific article Eyecandy from the Underground, the book showscases several distinctive home-grown web styles. It then goes through them one by one, deconstructs each, looks at comercial applications of each, then adds a few tips on how to "get that look." I've long enjoyed his writing at ALISTAPART.com, especially the infamous "Usability Experts are From Mars, Graphic Designers are From Venus." He's articulate and lively, funny and straightforward-- kind of a steve krug if he was a designer. Fresh Styles is a great wake-up call for any designer whining for print, or anyone trying to design who can't quite break through a creative block... and its fun for kids like me who just like to dream of better design. tasty stuff.