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The shower is a place for great ideas… which remain unwritten and often forgotten by the time we get to a piece of paper. The Diary Shower Curtain tried to offer a solution, but it wasn’t very practical.

The Shower Genius Waterproof Notepad is a much better idea. It doesn’t look like anything fancy: just a pad and a pencil. But that pad uses special “Rite in the Rain” all-weather writing paper, a patented substrate created for use in outdoor writing situations (in translation, you can use it even when submerged, so a little shower won’t even bother it).

Even though you probably won’t get brilliant idea every day, the pad also comes with 3 refill pads (each with 25 sheets), which should last a long while.

Now all you need to do is find that cure for cancer. The paper will be waiting.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $14.99 on ThinkGeek.com

There’s people who believe that being lazy is a bad thing. They couldn’t be farther from the truth: a real lazy person strives to make every action as efficient as possible in order to minimize the effort… and how can that be wrong?

If the action in question is eating, this Clip-on Tray can help with that minimal effort thing. Why get up or lean over to get the sandwich or cup of coffee when you could just extend a hand? Of course, there’s always the free alternative: put the plate on the sofa. But we all know how that’s going to end…

The LED lamp won’t be a match for a candle lit dinner, but seeing your food is a good idea if you prefer your clothes without stains.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $17.85 on HarrietCarter.com.

Via bookofjoe

PAC-MAN will never die. He’s 28, which is ancient in computer game years, but still going strong and entertaining new generations, so it’s no wonder cool merchandise keeps popping up.

One perfect example is the PAC-MAN Collectors’ Shot Glass Set, which can be the hit of any party populated by old gamers. It might not be as exciting as the newest shooter, but it’s a piece of history… and celebrating a historical event is as good an excuse as any for getting drunk.

The set has six glasses, each with a distinctive 8-bit picture of PAC-MAN, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, Pokey and Bonus Cherries (who knew the ghosts had names?). Naturally, imaginative boozers can devise a some complex drinking games starting from this setup.

P.S. Limited edition, so they won’t be around for very long!

How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 on ClubNAMCO.com.

Via BoingBoing

Ah, Halloween… A time for ghouls, ghosts and carved pumpkins… A time we like to spend money, let’s admit it. But if you’re smart you can get a lot of cool Halloween-themed things for cheap and enjoy the holiday without lamenting your empty wallet the next day.

1. Let’s start from the outside. You’ve carved your pumpkin(s), but there’s nothing better than a cult movie for a cool holiday. The Nightmare Before Christmas Yard Sign will make your front yard look a bit more like Jack Skellington’s domain.

2. After they’re done “ooh”ing and “aah”ing over the yard, invite your friends in. Act nonplussed when they pass by the Haunted Portraits in your hallway and they scream because Granny Hazel just turned into a zombie.

3. Once you’re all inside, it’s time for meet and greet with Fido, the family pooch. And he’s dressed up for the occasion in a Star Wars Dog Costume, of course. Princess Leia did look a bit less canine in the movies, but you can’t have everything.

4. Next up, the big dinner. And a proper Halloween dinner needs some fitting decorations. A couple of Lite Up Jack-O-Lantern Mugs can do the trick: any drink (even water) will look creepy inside, and they can also serve as on-the-spot lighting when a trickster decides it’s funny to cut off the power.

5. After eating and drinking comes dessert. And this is the fun part: you don’t get something you eat everyday. Or not really… The Zombie Brain Jelly Mould has yielded some interestingly disgusting results.

6. And finally it’s time to party. But clubbing in a costume isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, so a nice Halloween t-shirt is just the thing you need. The Lanterns In The Night t-shirt is glow-in-the-dark, and the creepy jack-o-lanterns will make everyone stare.

7. But what if you spill your drink on it? Be prepared. With another glow-in-the-dark t-shirt, of course. The Ghosties t-shirt is less scary and tons more fun and will make the best impact in a club with two areas - one lighted and one dark.

And that’s it. The 31st of October is just around the corner, so if you want to spend the perfect Halloween you’d better start planning right now.

Jello is one of the most disgusting things on Earth. Sorry, jello-lovers, but it is.

…which makes it the perfect ingredient for Halloween dinner. And there’s no way you can do better than pour some in a Zombie Brain Jelly Mould then serve it to your guests in the best Hannibal Lecter style.

The real accomplishment here is not making the jello, though; it’s finding the perfect shade to make it as realistic as possible (the green and pink in the picture just don’t cut it, really). $17 is a bit too much for what’s basically a piece of plastic, but it can provide some delicious *ahem* table decorations.

How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$17.30 on Firebox.com.

Getting a woman isn’t extremely hard, but you need to follow a few simple rules.

Rule no. 1: don’t buy an R2-D2 Pepper Mill. Or, if you need to have one, for the love of God hide it from her.

What’s wrong with showing a little love for a favorite movie? The problem is “a little love” - which this is not. It’s a lot. It’s a 5-inch robot that grinds pepper by turning its dome. For $25, no less.

This does not mean that all fan merchandise is somehow wrong and will automatically repel any member of the female population. But Star Wars meets kitchen…. no. Don’t.

Unless she’s also a fan, that is. In which case: you lucky bastard!

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.99 on StarWars.com.

Via TechieDiva

The Knuckle Duster MUG! Mug has an unique design - and the word “unique” can mean a lot of things.

But first: what’s up with the weird name? Well, it goes like this: in Cockney slang “mug” means “fool”; someone who’s not a fool and wants to protect his breakfast sometimes needs to resort to drastic measures. Or something.

Although based on a funny premise, from a practical point of view the mug is not the best. Poking four fingers through the holes requires more effort than grabbing a handle, and something as basic as a mug doesn’t really needs improving. This knuckle duster is destined to be bought as a funny gift, then abandoned at the bottom of a cupboard… Unique is not always a good idea.

How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$24 on THABTO.co.uk.

Via BoingBoing

Kitchen gadgets are fascinating. But sometimes, even though they’re sold on regular websites, they’re fascinating and still utterly useless to the common user.

Today’s example is the French Fry Cutter. Slicing up potatoes in one move, brilliant! If you’re running a restaurant, maybe. A waste of money if you’re only cooking for 2 or 3. But why am I sure that many home users will buy this? There’s no limit to human laziness… Oh well, it’s their money, not mine, after all

(Alternately, you can just buy frozen fries.)

How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 on FreshFinds.com.

Via bookofjoe

Cooking can be a real adventure for someone inexperienced. And it’s not just “will the contents of the pot taste like food”. The whole process can be quite complicated.

Is spending money on special utensils justified in this case? It depends on the sum, I suppose. The Veggie Peeler with Storage looks like a good tool for a newbie, but $20 is pretty steep. We all know what a veggie peeler is, so what’s different here? This one comes with an attached recipient to gather the peelings, which eliminates the need for a newspaper or trash can underneath.

Knowing my ability to knock things off the counter, I’d normally be all over this… but it’s $10 too expensive, so no thank you.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.98 on ShopGetOrganized.com.

Via bookofjoe

Big Halloween lovers who want to turn their house into a temporary tribute to the holiday face two problems: money and/or time. Buying decorations is expensive, making them takes time and skill. So.. how about a decoration that’s also useful and doesn’t cost much?

The Lite Up Jack-O-Lantern Mug is just 5 bucks and, although it’s got a high tackiness potential, it manages to look good. And it’s not restricted to one use. As cool as it is to drink out of a glowing orange skull (and scare someone if you’re doing it at night), it can also serve as a decent centerpiece for a Halloween-themed dinner. Just add some dead roses and fake spiderweb, turn on the LED and enjoy the creepiness. Or, if both partners are into celebrating, it could change the traditional meaning of a candle-lit dinner…

Crafty DYIers could use it for even more creative things, I’m sure. At this price you won’t even feel sorry when you ruin it.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5 on CenturyNovelty.com.

Via UberReview