Introducing Native Tongue

If English is your second language, you probably think first in your native language, then translate to English. There are some phrases that you can probably translate easily to English, but vocally interject in your native tongue. Sometimes, my family will exclaim, “Ach!” or “Oy!” instead of using English terms like “darn!” or “drat!”

Just because most of your day-to-day correspondence is in English does not mean that the clothing you wear needs to express your thoughts in English.

With that premise in mind, Blurt Shirts proudly introduces its sister store, Native Tongue.



This store will build up its inventory of quick quips and holiday-centered designs to revolve around the language which you want used on your merchandise. Currently the store holds three Valentine’s Day designs translated into French, German, Italian and Spanish; the full inventory of Blurt Shirts foreign language designs will slowly but surely be transferred over to Native Tongue.

The store is organized by language. Within each language section, you will find Holiday sections, with other sections to be added as new designs are created or existing Blurt Shirts designs are transferred.

If you see something you like, but would like it translated it into a language that is not provided, please e-mail the English phrase and the proper translation to inquiry@blurt-shirts.com, so that we can create the design and make the translation. We do not rely on online translations, because they are not always accurate. That is also the reason why we currently only have French, German, Italian and Spanish designs. The Blurt Shirts family is familiar with these languages and can tell when the online translators are not accurate.

To see updates to the Native Tongue line, you can follow Blurt Shirts on Twitter or Facebook. (See the “Blurt Shirts links” in the right panel.)

We hope you enjoy shopping at Native Tongue, and thank you for your continued patronage of Blurt Shirts.


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Cool Stuff, December 23 Edition

I cannot help but wonder how retailers did this year. Even a poor economy does not stop retailers from relying on the Christmas shopping season to spruce up earnings for the year, either to provide a profit or least bring shops back to break-even.

I would like to thank everyone who patronized Blurt Shirts during the Christmas shopping season and all through the year. Feel free to invite your friends to visit Blurt Shirts and its new affiliate, Native Tongue, and to visit our Twitter and Facebook pages (links to the right in the panel).

Until next time, here are some of the coolest, newest designs from around the shopkeepers’ market.


















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It’s Finally Here…Almost!

O come, o come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel.

Not much else to say. Just needed to say it.

You can get all the words to this hymn here.


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Cool Stuff, Dec. 20 Edition

Here we are, a mere five days until Christmas. That means shopkeepers are done publishing new designs until Valentine’s Day, right? No, far from it. Shopkeepers always keep their stores fresh. Here are a number of new designs recently published, just for you.









WORMHOLE physics joke speckcase
WORMHOLE physics joke by jimbuf












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Root For The Home Team

I live in a town that, for whatever reasons, has professional sports teams that just cannot quite seem to get the job done. At various times in my life, the Cavs, Browns, and Indians have all had their shots at winning that ever-elusive championship, but just could not come through. Most recently, it was the Indians not being able to beat the Red Sox. Or was that the year the Cavs lost to the Spurs in the NBA Championship?

Never mind, it does not matter. I know the normal exercise in futility called the Cleveland Browns got me to pen a regular “Idiot of the Week” post in a different blog. It was easy enough to find someone on the Browns who was too busy throwing perfect passes to the opposition, getting a case of butter fingers, or tackling like they were a Toreador with a red cape. But that became too easy and too negative, so I eventually dropped the piece after doing it for a couple seasons.

It looks like the current Browns team is ripe for the same vitriol that I passed it several years ago. However, knowing that I love Cleveland, and that I root for my home teams no matter how poorly they play – is it really that difficult to play well week in and week out? – I have decided to support the home team, even if it kills me.

Root for the Home Team shirt


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Nothing Compares 2 U

Born and raised in and around Cleveland, I grew up knowing exactly who Bob Feller was. He is one of the greatest Cleveland Indians of all time, if not the greatest. (I know, Lou Boudreau may hold that special place with some folks.) Not only was Feller a hotshot prospect with an awesome fastball, but he also gave up part of his career – and his opportunity to surpass three hundred wins – to serve his country in World War II. I greatly respect Feller’s talent on the field, and his devotion to his country.

When I think about all the things Feller could have accomplished, but did not because he served in WWII – and not just as some paper-pusher – I have to turn my thoughts to today’s spoiled athletes. Would LeBron James ever be willing to sacrifice four pro basketball seasons to serve the country that allows him to get paid millions to play a child’s game? How about Allen Iverson, or Kobe Bryant. Let’s switch sports: The Manning brothers, TO or Ochocinco in football. How about any musicians? The Foo Fighters fighting in a war for the U.S.? How about members of The Offspring? Perfect Circle?

When I think about these people, I think about two things: their God-given talents and the money they look to earn. Not that earning money is bad, but would any of these talented individuals be willing to give up their livelihood – their “brand” – to serve the country that enables them to have that brand? I don’t think so.

And for that reason, I have a hard time listening to these highly pampered, overpaid athletes pontificate about things political. Yes, what they do takes effort and determination. But none of them would give it up in the name of freedom. It takes special people, like Bob Feller and Pat Tillman to make a country tick; not because of their athletic talent, but because of their willingness to sacrifice it all for the sake of country.


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Cool Stuff, Dec. 15 Edition

Here are more great products from fellow shopkeepers. Be sure to patronize their stores, simply click on the links below the products to get there.


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Let It Snow?

When it’s cold and snowy, and you wake up and 5:00am on a Monday morning to find six to twelve inches of snow in your driveway, just what is the proper protocol for snow removal? I, personally, have two choices: I can rev up the relatively new snow blower, and use it as an alarm clock for the neighborhood, or I can do things the old fashioned way and shovel the drive. I prefer the no-holds-barred method of doing the deed and getting it over with. That, of course, means I would like to rev up the snow blower at 5:00am on a Monday morning.

However, I have this nagging thing called a conscience.

Not wanting to wake up the neighbors and have them ticked off at my family all day – especially when I am not at home to take the barbs the neighbors might offer – I chose this morning to shovel the drive. Things took longer, of course, but the task provided a good bit of exercise. The exercise was a little early in the morning for me, and a bit colder than I like it, but at least the drive was cleared. And I did not awaken anyone that did not want to be up at that forsaken hour.

But I still need to know…at what time in the morning is it acceptable to start up the snow blower?


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Cool Stuff, Dec. 10 Edition

I am excited to be affiliated with an organization that gives people an opportunity to express their individual artistic talents in a way that also provides income for the artist. The shopkeepers at Zazzle have a lot of neat stuff to offer. Here is a sampling of some of the newest designs offered by independent shopkeepers. I think they are pretty cool!

If you like what you see, visit their store, shop from them, and “like” their FB pages if they have one.

There are iPhone Cases:





Ornaments:




Coasters:



Cards:




And, of course, Shirts:





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The WikiLeaks Bandwagon

One would think, with the number of political designs available in my shop, that I would be jumping all over the WikiLeaks bandwagon. Instead, I am choosing to wait for a while. The matter is a pandora’s box all over the political spectrum. In my opinion, it is not worth hitting this yet because the meat has not all been threshed out yet. When it starts hitting specific political personalities or U.S.-related issues (1st amendment or others), then I will step up to the plate and make some designs.

Until then, I will happily sit on the sidelines and let some of the dust clear.


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