Friday, January 13, 2012

Don’t Turn off the Light; it’s Friday the 13th

What’s your superstition?


On today’s date, many wake up and dread looking at the calendar. Some are riddled by fear while others look at it as another day. Just how did this hullabaloo start over this legendary day? As The Lite Source unraveled the history of this mystery, we have discovered some fun and entertaining facts to about this freaky Friday date!
How did it all begin?
Although there are a few different theories about how the fear of Friday the 13th came about, one of the more popular beliefs is that it derived from The Last Supper with Jesus and the apostles. There were 12 apostles at dinner and Judas ended up being number 13, after he showed up. Later, Jesus ended up dying on a Friday.
Friggatriskaidekaphobia
Just what is that jumbled mess of letters above? Friggatriskaidekaphobia is the actual name for the fear of Friday the 13th! According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with this phobia. Source: glo.msn.com
More fun Friday facts:
· Airplanes often lack a 13th row
· Many buildings do not have a 13th floor
· A lot of hotels will not have a room #13
· Estimates have suggested that on Friday the 13th, the U.S. economy loses up to 900 million dollars. (Source: glo.msn.com)
· Many Americans will not drive on Friday the 13th
· In the 1880s, The Thirteen Club was formed to expose the superstition that 13 was not unlucky
· On Friday the 13th, Henry Ford did not do business and Franklin Delano Roosevelt eluded travel.
· In 2012, there are three Fridays that fall on the 13th
· Hurricane Charley hit Florida on Friday the 13th
Here are some other top superstitions besides this famous Friday’s date:
· Crossing paths with black cats
· Walking under ladders
· Opening an umbrella indoors
· Breaking a mirror
· Stepping on a crack
Do you know of any more freaky-Friday fears or facts or superstitions? Let us know!
So take along your trusty rabbit’s foot, four-leaf-clover or lucky horseshoe and keep your fingers crossed that this Friday ends up being fantastic!
~Charlene Marie

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Saving Energy with the Latest Home Technology

What in the world is AIGT2012?


If you are looking to be better to the environment or save money on your electric bill for 2012, the latest gadgets have just emerged. Straight from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), these devices are economically feasible and smart. In honor of today’s finding, I have dubbed an acronym for these ingenious innovations: (AIGT2012) for affordable, intelligent, green technology for 2012. For your enjoyment, check out these fabulous finds below!
Bracketron Stone GreenZero Charger
Leave your USB compatible devices plugged in and only pay for the electricity needed to charge them, period. This green-charger will stop stand-by power from being drawn from an outlet when a device is fully charged.
Image courtesy of secondact.com
GE Green Mobile Power Station
Here’s another all-in-one, smart gadget that will shut down socket power after devices are charged! It functions as a power strip, surge protector and USB hub. For added convenience, it also houses a lithium-ion battery.
Image courtesy of secondact.com
Solar Kindle Lighted Cover
What a great item for the avid electronic reader! Charge a Kindle without the use of electric power and flip open the attached mini LED reading lamp when the lights are low!
Image courtesy of secondact.com

Speaking of light, OttLite bulbs are always a great way to save money and be green too! Check out our stock at thelitesource.com for more smart and stylish lamps and light bulbs!
Know of any other AIGT2012 products that will help improve the quality of life this year? Pass it on; we’d love to hear it!
Until next time, stay green!
~Charlene Marie



Monday, January 9, 2012

New Year, New Design: Lighting

Out with the old and in with the new
Are you seeking a fresh new look this year? Why not start with your home décor? There are a lot of fabulous room designs out there for 2012 and believe it or not, besides painting, one of least expensive ways to upgrade is to change your lighting. Whether it’s replacing an outdated light fixture or adding a decorative lamp updating your lighting can have a big impact on the way your home looks and feels.
Take a look at some of these before and after pictures and see what you think.
Check out the new vanity lighting in these pictures! It makes a huge difference in the look!
Photos courtesey of casasugar.com

In this living room, the outdated floor lamp was exchanged for two cute table lamps.
Photo courtesy of gillaninteriors.com

Here’s another idea on how to handle an old light fixture!
 Photos courtesy of diyhomedecoratingideas.com
Need a place to hunt for perky new lamps? Check out thelightsource.com for a great selection! Not only are the lamps are stylish and contemporary, the natural lighting from OttLite is good for your health!
Have any other home décor ideas? We’d love to hear them!
~Charlene Marie

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Lamps of the ‘80s

Take a step back in time and remember when...

 Photo courtesy of wardrobeadvice.com

Being a product of the ‘80s, I can recall many of the bizarre styles, big hair and flamboyant fashions produced from that decade. Don’t ask me why, but another thing that stuck in my head was the interesting light fixtures that illuminated that funky era as well. From seashell shaped bases to touch lamps, I remember these lamps like it were yesterday. So throw on your jean jacket and bring on the Aqua-Net hairspray; for it’s time to take a trip down memory lane with these vintage lighting finds!  
Touch lamps
When my parents first brought a touch lamp home, I thought technology was at its prime. I marveled at the lamp’s brass base and shiny, smoked-glass shade and was floored that the human touch could have so much power! We placed the lamp in the TV room, so we could see our cassette-operated answering machine better. It also worked well to view the buttons on the remote better in order to get to the one and only channel of HBO faster!
This lamp is pretty close to the one I remember!
Halo-shaped light bulb
On the ceiling in the kitchen, we had a halo-shaped light bulb. It was attached to a shiny round, silver fixture and I always thought it was quite interesting. I’m not so sure if it was the in-thing back then, but it lit up our hideous green refrigerator and stove quite well!
Seashell-shaped lamp base
As a little girl, I was an avid shell collector. At the beach, I’d walk around the shoreline for hours and pick up the old residences of random mollusks and crustaceans. When I first caught sight of scallop-fashioned glass lamps in the store window, I begged my parents for one! Eventually, I ended up getting a small tan, seashell lamp with a white shade to match my room.
Photo courtesy of sealifegifts.net
Curved floor lamps
I had a trendy uncle that had an eye for home décor. Whenever my parents and I would stop over for a visit, he always seemed to have something new and stylish that garnished his pad. One day, I remember seeing a really unique brass, curved, floor lamp that extended over his couch. It had one base and four lights that branched out from the top. Each light was topped off with a frosted bell-shaped glass shade. I pointed it out to my parents on numerous occasions and hoped they would get one too!
Do you recall any lamps or fun lights from previous eras?
Although the lamps of the ’80 may have been ‘like totally rad’ at the time, I’m just glad that my taste in décor has changed since!
Until next time, embrace your memories!
~Charlene Marie