“This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”
― Alan W. Watts

Another busy week and I literally worked myself sick (again) and lost my voice as of this morning. But on the whole I’m pleased with how my projects are moving along, freelance is becoming much more manageable, and the weather is gorgeous. There’s nothing to complain about! Here are your links, tell me what you’re up to this weekend.

“Hashbrown, no filter.” And if you’re not watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, get educated!

Wonderful prehistoric artwork.

Food for thought. Since I stopped following most of the parts of the internet related to mormonism (affectionately referred to as the Bloggernacle), it’s been interesting to see how things that pop up in my Facebook feed, for instance, have changed. Our world is built on algorithms and information is no different. When I was immersed in one community and its conflicts, it’s news and conversations and events was practically all I saw. When I stepped away, it was eye opening to see how comparatively small that amount of information had been. And it was even more interesting to see how the algorithms of information created echo chambers. In spite of the torrential flow of data out there, unprecedented in human history, I think media has allowed us to isolate ourselves pretty easily with those with whom we already tend to agree.

Dandies forever!

Well, that’s just…horrible…

I ask my eternal question when things like this happen, how did you lose this stuff?!

Development is an complicated industry.

Let’s do it, Jeff!

Synesthesia is such an interesting thing, and this artwork stemming from it is downright gorgeous.

Why not?

Nerdy things to look forward to!

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”
― Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

It’s Friday, and a long bank holiday weekend so I’m on vacation. Adios, kids!

Because I am still fascinated by the whole arc of this story.

And while we’re on the subject of British royalty, a number of succession laws have been updated including the sexist ones.

My inner Grumpy Cat says good. My inner Grumpy Cat, as it happens, hates soda.

Tom and Lorenzo have a podcast now! Get thee to an iTunes subscription!

Speaking of, since she’s the first guest on the aforementioned podcast and since there’s a lot of hoopla about the winding down of Mad Men, here’s an interview with costume designer Janie Bryant.

Weird and wonderful photos of animals in utero.

It’s been a while since we’ve had vintage photos with colour on the blog, let’s amend that!

I have very little patience for people who bang on about how much more horrible things are these days than [insert time period here]. Sure, we’ve definitely got some issues as a species, but as a collective, we’re doing demonstrably better than we ever have.

Any post that begins by quoting Euripides has my heart.

In this week’s lady news… (h/t Jeff who keeps an eye on all things sports in the SDS household)

“For Children: You will need to know the difference between Friday and a fried egg. It’s quite a simple difference, but an important one. Friday comes at the end of the week, whereas a fried egg comes out of a chicken.”
― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt

Must dash, quite busy today. Here are your links, and let me know what you’re getting up to this weekend in the comments!

This story broke last week, but I still think it’s important. First of all this happened in the county where my parents live so it immediately caught my personal attention, and secondly I think this piece does a really good job exploring its title question. Thrill? Experimentation? Ignorance? And the question, “Will this not be as big a deal someday and therefore less frightening?” is both an intriguing and odd one. On the one hand, a world where girls (and let’s face it, we are mostly talking about female exploitation and exposure here) aren’t stigmatized, bullied, or hounded into self-harm and suicide but allowed to move on with minimal negative impact seems like a pretty good one. But that means it’s also a world where sexualized images of real, non-consenting children are even more widely available. Weigh in in the comments, please, because I’m really curious to hear people’s reactions and thoughts.

An article about a time capsule. Nice in and of itself, but the first comment (more specifically the response to it) rather made me chuckle.

Yep.

Where does your nomenclature put you on the political spectrum? There’s a site for that! (I laughed uproariously at my own results.  Jeff, incidentally, is apparently somewhere around here.)

Tumblr find of the week.

Interesting piece on BBC News about why Brits (and to some extent Americans eat and eschew the meats that we do.

Indeed, let us bring back the hat pin!

British comment sections are the best comment sections. The first two comment threads especially.

I need this because I am hell on umbrellas…

Great short piece on xoVain about the history of banning black hair.

There is so much still to find!

Girl power. (h/t Savvy)