Call for Entries: Third Annual Gold Toe Awards

Yes, it's that time of year again. The time when I select a completely arbitrary day to start the Gold Toe Awards Competition. Now in its third year, the competition continues to grow. I can no longer count entries on one hand of fingers, so maybe this will be the year I start counting with my toes. No way! That would require removing my socks.

Will Orson S. return to defend his 2010 title? His multimedia joke submission edged above other excellent jokes, essays, plays, and photos from around the world. The stakes are high, and the steaks are juicy. The rewards are handsome, and the bragging rights are, well, braggy.

I think most of you know the rules, but for any newbies out there:
Submit any sort of sock-related item, or any sorted/unsorted socks as long as they're clean. Jokes, stories, drawings and photos are also welcome -- keep those clean as well. The competition is strictly open to friends, family, non-friends, non-family, sock-wearing pets, gray-sock squirrels, and semi-wild animals (those living in the woods, but have been exposed to modern conveniences such as socks). Official deadline is 12:00pm, February 24, 2011. Good luck!

Send entries to:
mirandaks@gmail.com

or

2011 Gold Toe Awards
P.O. Box 21743
St. Louis, MO 63109
USA

Darn good video of a Darn Good Sock Mill

Socks on Ears

I had something of a John Hawkes weekend. After watching him in Winter's Bone, I switched gears and watched him again in Miranda July's 2005 film Me and You and Everyone We Know. MAYAEWK is a great movie that I'd seen many times, but on this viewing I took notice of a scene in the shoe department where Christine (Miranda July) hangs a sock on each of her ears. I wish I could embed a video of the scene, but I couldn't find one. I did, however, find a link to Michael Andrews' corresponding song from the film. His final score: one sock-on-ear to one sock-on-ear. Evenly matched.

It's nice to know my nephew (Socks: Not Just for Feet Anymore) and Miranda July are still doing creative work with socks.

Blacksocks: Sock of the Month Club Club of the Month

Blacksocks is a sock delivery service, virtually eliminating two of life's most arduous tasks: buying black socks and then matching black sock to black sock. I can't help but think Clark Griswald would have been tickled pink to have received a subscription to a sock of the month club instead of jelly.

http://www.blacksocks.com/us

Sockarooni: Peppers, Spices, Socks & the Whole Shebang!

Finally, a sauce flavored with socks. Thank you, Paul Newman!

Odd Sock

I draw a lot of socks, but what strikes me about this particular sock is the speck of dust on its instep.

Socks for Happy People

My sister-in-law Carolee sent me a link to a London sock shop called Socks for Happy People. I'm not sure if they have any sort of measurement system to ensure only truly happy people purchase their Affirmation Socks, but if you encounter any issues, feel free to visit Socks for Sort of Happy People, or Socks for Not-Quite-Sure-About-Your-Mood People.

Learn about Socks for Happy People's buy one give one free initiative here. With each sock purchase, a pair of warm camel wool socks will be given to a child in Mongolia.