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Happy early St. Patrick's Day!

We're celebrating with...tacos, I guess. Which may seem incongruous with a holiday chiefly associated with Ireland, but it's totally legit! Have you ever had a potato taco, my friends? If not, you are missing out. I'm in no way advising you to pour out your Jameson's or Guinness in favor of Centenario or Modelo this weekend — I'm not a monster, after all. All I'm saying is that you have options when it comes to honoring the patron saint of Ireland. Besides; have you ever looked at the Irish and Mexican flags side by side?

It's no coincidence that Irish-Mexican fusion is enough of a thing that there are THREE such competing theme restaurants in the midwest (Carlos O'Kelly's), southwest (Carlos O'Brien's), and mid-Atlantic (Carlos O'Charlie's). The great American melting pot in action!

Onward! This week on the podcast Meredith and I share a customer review, address the concerns of a recent troll regarding the authenticity of our art, talk about our recent adventures in end-of-life planning, dole out some deserved shout-outs, and (fittingly) lament the early demise of some of our favorite TV shows. Oh, Oliver also makes an appearance toward the end. Enjoy! Or don't...Tom. 😒

We've also been busy behind the scenes working on adding new shirt styles and improving the shopping experience on the site — stay tuned for those — along with our usual job of designing fab graphic apparel for your hot bod. Witness:

We'll be back next week with a new podcast episode, fresh designs, and other fun stuff! Please celebrate responsibly this weekend...but also have fun!

Peace, love, and (potato) tacos,

Matt

Welcome to our weekly Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Vanessa V. of Madison Heights MI, looking sharp in a Greetings from Hades Scoop Neck Fleece.

1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

My actual day job isn't too far off from my dream job. I'm an over the road semi truck driver. I get paid to travel, which is fantastic, and get weird looks when people see a 5'2" girl climb out of a massive 18 wheeler (especially in the summer when I'm driving around in lacy crop tops, flowy skirts, and combat boots, which is even better!)

But I suppose my true dream job would be to be a location scout for movies. Again, being paid to travel, but hopefully getting to see even better things. You're kinda limited on where you can go when your in a 60' long 80,000 pound vehicle. Plus I wouldn't get covered in rust, salt, mud, and fifth wheel grease...at least, I don't think I would.

2. What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?

Man, there are so many things I want to do! I've been sick my whole life, and when I was about 12 my doctors told me there was a good chance I wouldn't make it to my mid-20s. Well, I'm 33 now and feeling better then I've ever felt in my life, so I'm seizing every opportunity I have to live. I have pre-leukemia and Lupus (along with a million other health problems) so it's going to take some preparing, but I really want to travel the world. I want to see buildings that are older than America! I want to visit every country that I'm descended from — that's my biggest one. First I need a passport, though! This summer my sister and I are planning on visiting the places in Canada that our family settled back in the 1600s, but luckily I don't need a passport for that since I have an enhanced license. Yay for being from Michigan!

3. What keeps you up at night?

Probably how narrow-minded minded and biased a lot of people are. I just watched a video showing some people in their early 20s that were talking about how certain groups of people should be wiped out, and it scares me to know people actually think that way. Sure, we all have our preconceptions and biases, but seriously: we're all human and we need to treat each other with respect until we're given a reason not to.

I've had some interesting personal experiences out here on the road, from being told that "the only thing a woman should be doing in a truck is a man", to having a Georgia state trooper bang on my truck while I was sleeping and insist I show him my Class-A license because he thought I was a hooker! Then he yelled at me for leaving my husband and kids at home and gallivanting around the country...even though I'm not married and I don't have kids! Besides, if I was married I'd want a stay at home dad who'd be thrilled I was bringing home a big check!

4. You can curse a nemesis with a minor annoyance; what do you choose?

Eye twitching. Relentless, unending, eye twitching.

5. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

Instagram: @vanessavetor

Twitter: @Gypsy_VanessaV (I'm not super-active on there, though!)

Want to be featured next? Shoot us an email at hello@boredwalk.com and we'll make it happen!

Happy International Women's Day, everybody! How are you celebrating? Let us know!

As you can see from the new design above, we've been feeling pretty zen about our time here on Earth — or at least trying to. No matter how good or bad things are going in your life, never forget that in the cosmic sense everything is temporary. Even the (small) blaze that my old man caused last weekend in my childhood home when he got a little aggressive saging his man cave in tribute to our dearly departed Luke Perry (RIP).

No, the previous sentence is not code for anything. That literally happened. My dad: twisted firestarter (also RIP to Keith Flint)! Moving on...

This week on the podcast we're chatting with visual effects artist David Cole. David has worked on some of Hollywood's biggest hits such as Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, Fellowship of the Ring from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tron: Legacy, Life of Pi, and most recently the critically acclaimed (so many Oscar nominations, you guys!) Dick Cheney biopic Vice. He's kind of a big (unassuming, unfailingly humble and gracious) deal.

David tells us about the magic that colorists work behind the scenes to make the films we love, well, lovable. He shares his journey from Computer Science college student in Melbourne, Australia to working on some of the biggest films of all time in Los Angeles. He shares some of the mind meld collaboration that goes into creating movies we all love and dishes about Ang Lee's unconventional way of talking about color, the working conditions at Skywalker Ranch, and what it's like to look at nothing but (fake) blood & guts for hours upon hours...and get paid for it! 

You can follow Dave on Twitter @davec555!

That's it for now! We'll be back next week with fresh designs, new products, and another podcast episode! We hope you have a great weekend. Until next time...

Peace, love, and tacos,

Matt

Welcome to our weekly Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Kealan B. of Columbus OH, looking sharp in a Visit Your Library tee.

1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

2.  If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

Flight. The price of flights back to my home country (Ireland) are outrageous. Oh, and it would be useful for fighting crime and stuff too, of course.

2. What's your biggest pet peeve?

Bad manners. It is literally the least taxing thing in the world to be courteous and polite and yet it seems to elude so many people.

4. What's a life pro tip the Boredwalk community needs to know?

Every awkward or intimidating situation can be conquered by sticking your chest out, putting your shoulders back, holding your head up, and believing that you own the room.

5. Clear up a misconception

A common misconception about writing is that it's an easy job. I've done countless jobs, everything from landscape gardening to fraud investigation and this one is by far the hardest. Mining your own psyche for the entertainment value of others is like performing surgery on yourself without aesthetic. I love it though. True passion is often masochistic..

6. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

I'm on Twitter @kealanburke, IG: @kealanpatrick, and my website is kealanpatrickburke.com

Want to be featured next? Shoot us an email at hello@boredwalk.com and we'll make it happen!

Happy March 1st, everybody! Ever wondered what's so special about the first day in March? LOTS of stuff! Here are some highlights:

On this day in 1692 Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba were arrested for the supposed practice of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. All because some weak-kneed dudes couldn't handle a little homemade LSD. Patriarchy, amirite?

On this day in 1780 Pennsylvania became the first state in the union to abolish slavery. Thank yinz!

On this day in 1803 Ohio became the 17th state in the union. Happy birthday, Ohio!

In the current era — that is, today — Boredwalk brings you a fresh (and very brief!) podcast episode! In it we share an epic customer review from Shaun H., lament the noise created by the Apache helicopter drills currently depriving us of peace & quiet, complain about jerks in grocery stores, talk about the library trip that inspired the sweet new design you see above, and reveal two new products that are in the works and will be hitting the site in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

We'll be back on Tuesday with a new design, a fresh customer interview, and a new podcast ep featuring an interview with a Hollywood creative that's been part of some of the biggest blockbusters of the last 20 years!

Oh, before I go...if you guys are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and/or leave us an honest review! It'd really help more people find the show (and, by extension, the Boredwalk brand) and would be very appreciated by me, Meredith, and the rest of the team. Until next time...

Peace, love, and tacos,

Matt

Welcome to our weekly Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Rachel K. of Waleska GA, looking sharp in a Maybe Tomorrow Satan Tee:

1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

2.  If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

It is lame and selfish, but given any super power, I just can’t help wanting a Mystique type of deal, where I could look like anyone I wanted, or any version of myself. The heart wants what it wants!

3. What's your biggest pet peeve?

Ooooh gosh. I have so many peeves I don’t know that one stands out, but: people that chew loudly or talk with their mouth full, and the word hubby are at the top.

4. What's a life pro tip the Boredwalk community needs to know?

Dude, I need someone to share pro-tips with ME, I currently reside on the struggle bus.

5. Clear up a misconception

Not every person in the south is an ignorant, awful  bigot. Just some.

6. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

If you’d like to watch my quest to maintain an over 100 pound weight loss and hopefully score some merch or product from companies along the way (like I said, the heart wants what it wants, damn it), please follow me at @negativepounds on Instagram. 

Want to be featured next? Shoot us an email at hello@boredwalk.com and we'll make it happen!

Hello dear friends!

Here we are at the end of yet another week. We made it! High fives all around!
Also, in case you missed it, today is the LAST DAY to enter to win the awesome prize pack we're giving away tomorrow! Go enter to win now and then come back for the podcast!

This week we're joined by friend & foe alike. As for the foe: the rain is back. Yet another episode featuring the uninvited patter against our window pane. As for the friend: we were joined by Abby Weems of the band Potty Mouth! They have a new album, SNAFU, dropping on March 1st, and if the first two singles are any indication this thing is going to be 🔥!

We chat with Abby about the formation and history of the band, her songwriting process and the band's overall growth, and the ups and downs of being a musician, and the artists past & present that inspire her. We also take the episode out with a bit of SNAFU's lead single '22', so be sure to listen to the end! We also share a video and some links below. If you like what you hear, follow them! Support them! Tell all your friends to do the same!

See? Potty Mouth is awesome! If you want more, here's the video for their new single 'Starry Eyes':

For info on Potty Mouth's upcoming tour dates, merch, to follow them on social media, or — even better — to pre-order the new album, head over to PottyMouthWorld.com!

Also, ICYMI, this week we added two new designs — including the homage to fabulous fungi up top on our Psychedelic Travel Bureau shirt. I like it; hopefully you do, too. Not to toot my own horn, but I think they're both pretty cool — check 'em out!

We also have a new one inspired by our inherent pessimism and a love of vintage horror novel covers. Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is a train!

That's it for now! If you're in a shopping mood and looking to save some clams be sure to use the code LOVE15 at checkout to get 15% off orders of $75 or more. We'll be back next week with some fresh designs and a new podcast episode! Until then...

Peace, love, and tacos,

Matt

Welcome to our weekly Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Carrie V. of Torrington, CT, looking sharp in a Someday We'll All Be Dead tee in black:

1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

I have worked in municipal government for a total of 15 years now (eight years in the Assessor's Office and seven years in the Planning & Zoning Department). In between the two, I returned to college to obtain my Bachelor of Arts in English, with the intention of becoming an editor/writer/what-have-you. At the time, I thought that was my dream job.

I dabble in poetry, micro-fiction, short stories, and I even have a half-written screenplay. I've freelanced for online publications. I also have two blogs where I publish my own work--one focusing on recipes (and beautiful photos, if I can brag for a moment), the other geared toward life with tweens and ranting about things that annoy me. But I learned that I need more structure than the self-employed life provides. So I guess my dream job is one that allows me to pay the bills while honoring my love for playing with language. 

2. What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?

I want to see the Northern Lights. A few years ago, it was predicted that there would be a possibility of seeing them in Southern New England. I got in the car at around 11, drove north with no plan or idea of where I might have a chance of seeing them, and hoped they'd just appear along the way. When I finally happened upon a location with enough darkness and visibility--in the middle of a long road that travels along a reservoir, which is typically underwater during the summer--it was sooooo dark. I parked, shut the car off, opened the car door...and couldn't convince myself get out. My mind raced with all the things that could be in the dark. Bears. Coyotes. People. Aliens. I closed the door, turned the car back on, and drove home. Next time I chase the Northern Lights, I need to at least bring a friend along, and maybe a little more courage, too.

3. You can curse a nemesis with a minor annoyance, what do you choose?

The inability to ever get there, their, they're correct. It's diabolical without really having any impact on their life.

4. What's the most useful piece of advice you've ever received?

As simple as it sounds, "it's okay to say no" is the best advice I've received.  It was only in the last two years that I finally took that to heart--but it took completely falling apart to finally be receptive to that message. Over-committing to avoid confrontation or spare disappointing others harms myself more than I could ever hurt them with my no--or they could hurt me with their reaction to it. Boundaries are essential for good mental health and success in life.

5. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

They can find me at:
instagram.com/poetinthepantry
poetinthepantry.com
momruinsitall.com

Want to be featured next? Shoot us an email at hello@boredwalk.com and we'll make it happen!

Some quick housekeeping notes:

Yes, we're co-sponsoring a giveaway! Now through February 22nd you — and your friends! — can enter to win an amazing prize package from us and our partners! You can get all the details here, but entering is a breeze, and the prizes are rad. They include:

• $100 gift card from Boredwalk (I'd link to it, but you know...you're already here.)

• $100 gift card from The Bro Basket

• $100 gift card from Metal Marvels

• A Snarky Tea Bouquet and rad It's Motherf**king Tea Time mug from Snarky Tea

 In addition to the sweet sea monster shirt shown above we've also added a new state to our series of vintage tourism inspired designs — Rhode Island, come on down! I can't take all the credit for this one, though — this represents Boredwalk team member Josh B.'s first published Boredwalk design! Way to go, Josh!

And don't fret, denizens of the Granite, Constitution, and Bay states — New Hampshire is done and just waiting to be published, and Connecticut and Massachusetts will be up by the end of this month to round out the rest of New England. Until then I guess you'll just have to cry yourselves to sleep next to your Lombardi and Commissioner's trophies. This Orioles fan's heart bleeds for you...

And ICYMI, be sure to check out last week's other tourism-inspired design if your wanderlust leads you to...darker...environs... 

Almost-finally, we've added a new payment option to our checkout page! We've recently partnered with QuadPay. What the heck is QuadPay, you may ask?

Put simply, it's an interest-free way to break up larger purchases into more manageable chunks. So if you can't decide on just ONE Boredwalk item and your order total is more than $35, QuadPay will allow you to break your total up into four equal installments paid out over a six-week period instead of all at once. It's pretty sweet!

Whew! That was a lot of info. Sorry to have rambled. Here's the TL;DR:

• New designs — admire them!

• New podcast — listen & laugh!

• Giveaway — enter to win over $400 worth of rad stuff!

• New payment option — don't break the bank all at once!

Finally-finally, don't forget to save 15% on orders of $75 or more when you use the code LOVE15 at checkout. You're OUR sweetheart, and you deserve some savings!

We'll be back next week with more designs, another podcast ep, and (hopefully) less rambling! Until then...

Peace, love, and chocolate,

Matt

Is it just me, or is love in the air?

It should be! We're a mere seven days away from Valentine's Day!

Normally I'd take this opportunity to do a deep dive into weird Valentine's trivia, but we've got a tremendous amount of ground to cover before you get bored and leave!

OK, OK...one little tidbit. Unless you spent your formative years obsessing over D'Aulaire's Book Of Greek Myths like this guy did, you may be wondering why the heck a pomegranate was included with Cerberus the three-headed dog and Charon the ferryman of the dead as a symbol of the underworld in our new shirt design. Or maybe not, but I'm gonna tell you anyway!

Hades was the Greek god of the underworld; a very old school version of your typical bad boy. Squint hard enough at his chariot and it just looks like a really fancy (and really slow) motorcycle. Anyway, being a bad boy, he knew that no self-respecting parent would let him date their daughter. So when he took a shine to Persephone, daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, he kinda just kidnapped her and made her his queen. What. A. Cad.

Demeter was (understandably) pretty pissed about this and convinced Zeus to force Hades to return Persephone to the land of the living...which he allowed. BUT...in her brief time in the underworld, Persephone had eaten six kernels from a pomegranate that had grown in the land of the dead. As a result of this bit of trickery, Hades was able to require that Persephone spend one month in the underworld for every kernel she ate. According to legend, this is why it's cold for half the year and no crops grow — Demeter is too sad pining for her daughter to do her job effectively. Spring heralds Persephone's return to the land of the living, and Demeter's joy upon her return consequently means we don't have to eat potatoes forever (as if that were a bad thing...)

Alright, enough with the quasi-history lesson!

This week on the podcast we share a customer review, relate some listener-submitted anecdotes about the worst dates they've ever been on, tell how owner and co-founder Meredith and I met, and chat with digital advertising expert Brian Swichkow about how he's using Reddit to drive traffic to his dating profile in his quest for Ms. Right. Let's dig in!

We'll be back next week with some fresh designs and products, but in the meantime you may want to enter to win our epic Valentine's Day giveaway contest!

Now through February 22nd you — and your friends! — can enter to win an amazing prize package from us and our partners! You can get all the details here, but entering is a breeze, and the prizes are rad. They include:

• $100 gift card from Boredwalk

• $100 gift card from The Bro Basket

• $100 gift card from Metal Marvels

• A Snarky Tea Bouquet and rad It's Motherf**king Tea Time mug from Snarky Tea

Until next time...

Peace, love, and tacos,

Matt

Welcome to our weekly Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Adam F. of Riverside RI, looking sharp in a Someday We'll All Be Dead tee in royal blue:

What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

I work as a Business Analyst for CVS/Health, primarily focusing on pharmacy software. However, my dream job would be to work in the video game industry! I would love if my nieces could say they have an uncle who works at Nintendo, and I think I'd be thrilled to take practically any position. I would also love an opportunity to work as a game reviewer.

What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?

Aside from eventually getting married, I'd love to to travel to Tokyo. It's possible one of the two can happen in my lifetime. 

What invention do you wish science would deliver already?

Self-driving cars. Can't come soon enough. 

What keeps you up at night?

Usually feelings of loneliness and concerns about being different and disconnected from others. (Ed. note: Let's all send a cyber-hug Adam's way, shall we? *squeeze*)

Got an article from your social media feed or internet travels this week that everyone should see?

This is one of my favorite articles online. It really resonates with me. While I confess it brought me to tears, it was helpful to realize I am not the only gay man struggling with a lot of these feelings.

Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you? 

The best way to find me is on Instagram @madarolyat.

Want to be featured next? Shoot us an email at hello@boredwalk.com and we'll make it happen!

Hello, friends. Welcome!

It's been a bit of a weird week here at Boredwalk HQ. Meredith and I were in New Orleans last week for an e-commerce conference, and we're still recovering from the acute lack of sleep and intense amount of socializing and catching up with our pals from around the world. Seriously — we hung out with new and old friends from Australia, Ireland, Canada, the U.K., all over the U.S., and beyond, and got to nerd out about stuff like email deliverability, Facebook ads, hiring, etc., without anyone passing out from boredom. It was refreshing!

In our absence, Breana, Sarah, Scarlett, and Josh picked up the slack like the champions they all are to make sure your questions got answered and your shirts & bags got printed and shipped in a timely manner. They're kind of a big deal.

As exhausted as I was, I recovered enough to crank out the gem of a new design you see above inspired by the timeless wit of Oscar Wilde. Think of it as a companion piece to our classic Hell Is Other People design. As you all know, I'm loathe to too my own horn, but I think I kinda nailed it.

We also recorded a new podcast episode for your listening pleasure! In it, we expound on our trip, share a very verbose customer review, and complain about the aggressive cheerfulness of the Southwest crew on our flight home. It's short! You'll love it. Maybe.

We'll be back next week with a special Valentine's Day episode featuring an interview with someone who's trying to boil online dating down to a science — literally! We'll also have some new designs, possibly some new products, and other stuff to keep you entertained.

Oh, and a shout out to those of you in the heart of the polar vortex — we're thinking of you and hoping your furnaces hold up. If you're in the upper midwest or northeast, please be aware that the extreme cold may lead to delivery delays as shipping companies are limiting their staffs' exposure to the dangerous elements. Remember: they're just t-shirts. Yes, they're awesome, stylish, soft, unique t-shirts...but they're not worth your dedicated mail carrier getting frostbite or hypothermia.

Finally, happy early Groundhog Day! Until next week...

Peace, love, and warmth,

Matt