Tag: Friday

Freelance, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work, Writing

Friday Weeks (Making it after all, edition)

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
― George Eliot

Big week! Huge existing projects, potential new projects, and scheduled meetups and meetings with people for even more potential new projects. Freelancing is an interesting business, there are some weeks that are very standard and uneventful but you get good work done, and others that just set you up for leaps and bounds of growth if you make smart decisions. Hopefully this has been the latter.

This weekend I’m meeting up with a bunch of academic friends (usually scattered from London to Cambridge, but convening in the capital for food and talk), editing and updating my recently expanded portfolio, and hopefully hitting up some new museum exhibitions with Jeff. We walk on the wild side, kittens. Here are your links, share anything else worth knowing in the comments, and let me know what your weekend plans are!

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From my latest urban agriculture profile over on The Thrifty Homesteader.

The tumblr find of the week is a source of unending hilarity and delight to me. One feed, one singular purpose. (Also, he was all kinds of dishy back in the day, was he not? Insert a sort of humming, growl-y noise here.)

People. Fundamentally decent.

Even now I have Teddy, a well worn and well loved, formerly pink bear I got the day I was born. She was my best friend and partner in crime in childhood, and still beloved to this day. (When we were dating, Jeff once commented on the less than pristine state of her fur and had to spend a lot of time apologizing to make up for it. He may be my greatest, but she was my first love.)

An excellent piece on the importance of boredom, very thought provoking.

As of tomorrow it is officially summer. Would that I were not two feet too short to wear this dress in celebration.

This is my favorite headline to come out of the World Cup thus far.

One of my cousins recently got engaged in a spectacular fashion and a photographer was on hand to capture the moment. Unsurprisingly, since my cousin happens to be a model, the shots turned out gorgeous so you’ll forgive me if I shamelessly share them.

I already posted a PSA, but for those who missed it, online buddy Kim Curran’s fabulous new novel GLAZE is now available on Kindle for $.99! It’s only for two more days, though, so get cracking.

I am still supremely annoyed that we had to forgo Ascot this year, but the Fug Girls are providing the necessary hat commentary until next summer. When we WILL be going.

I sincerely love human beings seemingly innate desire to make functional things beautiful – though I doubt the wisdom of silver finger protectors to avoid harm coming from picking strawberries (possibly the world’s least dangerous summertime delicacy) out of a bowl.

Essie nail polishes are easily my favorite, but the story of the woman behind the company is just as good in my opinion.

Pretty pieces of custom embroidery.

Last week I shared a piece from the New York Times about Mormon activists facing church discipline. This week an exceptionally good post on one of the most famous stories of dissent from within the Mormon faith community, Nazis are involved.

Freelance, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work

Friday (the 13th!) Links

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”
– George Orwell

Happy Friday the 13th, kittens! Hope you’re celebrating and/or trembling in fear according to what brings you the most satisfaction.

It’s been a nicely un-frantic week in freelancing and I’ve been able to get caught up on a number of projects around the house, including a major reorganization of the flat which has given us a lot more space. Steady work with steady clients and just enough free time to start a new schedule after the Franklin House. Working from home is a constant juggling act but there are good reasons to do it…but I get ahead of the links!

13th or not, it’s still Friday so find your weekly dosage below. Add anything you think the minion coterie needs to know and let me know what you’re up to in the comments!
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Celebrate this most superstitious of days with some new superstitions.

For the things you never knew you needed.

The World Cup is on, but there’s a pretty horrible underbelly to one of the world’s biggest sporting events. A Brazilian non-profit journalism group investigated the alleged rise in sex trafficking prior to the games, and turned their investigation into a powerful story along with Buzzfeed. Prologue, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.

Janssen over at Everyday Reading has released her summer reading list. Go forth and stock your Goodreads, minions!

Interesting read on the internet, brain chemistry, and motivation.

Seriously everyone, STOP with the “love locks!”

Friend and Friend of the Blog, the redoubtable Caitlin Kelly over at Broadside, has put together a fantastically good post on the pros and cons of freelancing. If you’re considering freelance work (and these days that’s up to 1/3 of American and British workers), you need to read this.

First issues of famous magazines.

Printed cartoons are near and dear to my heart, and I remember tearing through the massive Sunday papers to get at the “funny pages” as a kid. Well, if you’re still reading them, Stephan Pastis (who draws the strip Pearls Before Swine) has had a new looking going on lately…and the story behind it is amazing. I’ve written before of my love for Calvin and Hobbes, without exaggeration I consider it a major hallmark of my personal childhood and one of the best depictions of childhood ever created.

Stand back, kids, this might be the dish I try and conquer for #6 on my list!

This looks like the most delightful, summery dress.

Tavi Gevinson has grown up from the Style Rookie to be, well, a lot of other things. She’s the kind of young woman that makes you wonder what you’ve accomplished in comparison, but I admire a lot of what she’s done so far and think she has a long and interesting career ahead of her.

These Aled Lewis pillows are giving me life: horse speaking wisdom, woodland Agatha Christie realness, and…caption this one in the comments for me.

Having just got through a period of unusual exhaustion, I can openly confess to doing at least half of these and I can see that they’ve definitely contributed.

A development that, in my opinion signals the end of the so-called Mormon Moment: two Mormon activists are facing religious discipline for their involvement in communities and causes. Not everyone will be interested, but if you are at all intrigued or follow intersections of religion and feminism/gender issues particular, this is a story worth reading up on. (Here’s another primer on this history of excommunication in Mormon feminism, for the curious.)

Britain, Expat, Freelance, History, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work

Friday Links (Farewell, Ben Edition)

“Remember that time is money.”
– Benjamin Franklin

It’s the end of an era, kittens, my last day at the Franklin House. It’s been a good ride and I’ve been able to learn a lot about this industry and meet some truly fantastic people who you are definintely going to be hearing more about in the future (some of us may or may not already be planning summer barbeques together). On the freelance front, work is picking up with some new projects, but I get to pay another round of taxes (blech). Here are you links, let me know what you’re up to in the comments!

Fascinating look at how news organization manage their social media.

This is brilliant (PS, congratulations to Georgina who just got a cultural heritage and education job at Kensington Palace), but I watched the entire vid with wide eyes imagining what would have happened had they dropped that thing.  This are the dark places a history person’s mind goes.

I bow to others’ wisdom, is this the most Canadian headline ever? Caitlin Kelly, please advise!

Color me mesmerized… I love ballet. I haven’t yet converted Jeff to it like I have the opera, but I have high hopes.

Speaking of the ballet, here’s a great profile on a dancer who is making history.

This girl is only six years old, but she kindly invites the haterz to eat it.

There is (yet another) reality television show for me to hate, but now with the added bonus of making me want to bury my head in the sand as an adopted Londoner. It’s called, “I Wanna Marry Harry,” and it’s dreadful. We may not have inherited rank in America, but really, countrymen? Really? The only redeeming side effect for this embarrassment is the Fug Girls’ incredible recaps. They watch, so you don’t have to. Because you really, really shouldn’t.

One last bit of royally themed goodness: emeralds. (Whispered in a voice not entirely unlike Smeagol’s.)

In case you had any doubts on the matter. But have we not all of us, at one time or another, developed resentment at a public dance? And as for being in a garden and being astonished!

This child has a future. In the J. Crew children’s section.

If you watch Game of Thones and have not yet seen Gay of Thrones from Funny or Die, I urge you to rectify this shameful lapse. (Standard warning for pearl clutchers, there is language and they discuss…well, everything that Game of Thrones does. Which basically ancient Rome on a really hedonistic day.)

Big news from my buddy Teri, the outrageously talented and designer over at The Lovely Drawer has launched her Etsy shop. Check it out! (Also, if you’re not following her blog, you should be. Not only does she keep you abreast of design and the good things in life, she’s unbelievable generous with beautiful free offerings.)

Pleases me, this does.

Hm, you mean that the ability to nurture children isn’t a strictly or even predominately female trait, but a skill? One you develop by doing? And men’s brains are just as capable as women’s to develop in the similar ways? There are are so many people (primarily former youth religious leaders with fixed ideas about gender roles) that I want to send this too, it’s almost tempting to put together a mass email.

Well shoot, I am officially out of excuses. (The NYT offers some additional information.)

Bestie and New York journalist Xarissa Holdaway’s new piece on Orange Is the New Black‘s portrayal of faith behind bars.

 

Freelance, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work

Friday Links

“I’m a very ritualistic, routine-oriented person, and I discovered over the years that I love working Monday through Friday.”
– Edie Falco

It’s a Friday with a busy weekend ahead, Monday is my birthday (I’ll officially be in my late 20s, and therefore entirely mature and responsible, of course), and next week is my last at the Franklin House. The times they are a-changing.

Here are your links, add any others worth knowing in the comments and let me know what you’re getting up to this weekend!

First and foremost, I wrote a post this week that went a tiny bit viral (by my standards at least). It was in response to the Santa Barbara killing and why I find it so important to claim the title of “feminist,” in spite of and often because of the price I’ve paid for it. The response I’ve gotten to this post on social media and via email has been pretty awesome. Here’s one response post from another writer.

Nerd culture and misogyny, h/t to Ellie, a friend of mine who is an editor at Marvel.

Another good link (h/t my friend Molly) about a culture of toxic masculinity. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an important one. When I say Patriarchy hurts everyone, even men, this is what I mean. And as the author points out, in the last few months alone there have been a string of events where men and boys have hurt or killed women for refusing them dates, sexual advances, or proposals. This is not an isolated event, this is the latest and most visible in a pattern.

Lastly on this topic, Laurie Penny over at the New Statesman wrote a much better post than mine on the killing, and everyone needs to read.

Okay. Other links for the weekend, though please do continue the conversation at my link or elsewhere. Our culture really is starved for better conversation about gender violence and we need to recognize that genuine misogyny is not a problem for other geographic areas of the world, or different cultures, it’s everywhere. And we need to fix it.

I’ll just leave this Instagram find of the week right here.

A question I have wrestled with for most of my life.

I’m gearing up for another round of applications and pitches, and it turns out some friends and members of the minion coterie are in the same boat. Here’s a link Alanna sent me that I’ve really been enjoying and using to gut up and stay motivated.

The inspiring and lovely Bethany over at Love Grows Designs wrote a guest post this week that I also found helpful. Which of us has not had a “long dark tea time of the soul,” to both paraphrase and plagiarize (Douglas Adams in particular. One of my favorite books)?

Tying scarves like a Frenchwoman, because summer is coming and we need pretty, breezy looks.

Friend of the blog and writer over at Riding Bitch, Niva wrote a really beautiful piece about loss and friends.

I would very much like this hat for summer, please.

Oh man…right in the childhood! Long live Reading Rainbow! (PS, they are still taking donations, and as of typing this, they were at $1.8 million.)

Another gently thought provoking piece from Maxie McCoy over at Ilo Inspired. I was lucky enough to meet Maxie at a Levo League event, which only helped to solidify my girl crush. I’ve had to “give up” on a few things recently and, to quote Frost, “it has made all the difference.”

I’d watch an awful lot of these. Submit your own mashup ideas in the comments.

My tiny kitchen and I have yet to reach an understanding, 8 months into our relationship. I never understood my mother’s complaints about kitchen spaces “not working” in several of the various houses we lived in over the years until now. Some are simply planned better than others. And I’m not even a particularly domestic woman! But I found these tips helpful in thinking of new ways to tackle that space.

I like collaborative apps, so here’s one if you’re trying to eat healthier. FoodTweeks will help you cut unnecessary calories and make food donations every time you do so. Winning!

I lied. In continuing ridiculous sexism and women’s sexuality news, this high school induces headdesks.

Britain, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend, Work, Writing

Friday Links (Summer Has Arrrived Edition)

“I’m leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it’s not raining.”
-Groucho Marx

This week has turned things around in a big way and much has been done, all of it . I had another cowork day with Alanna (who might soon be upping sticks on an adventure of her own), completed lots of  freelance work, went to a book launch (more on that later) and had an impromptu date night with Jeff. All things considered, that’s a banner week. Here are your links, kittens – short and dirty this week, so do link anything else worth knowing in the comments. For the benefit of the minion coterie, you understand!

I’ve only got six (!) working days left at the Franklin House, so there’s been a lot of gearing up for the Next Big Thing here at Small Dog headquaters, which of course includes a new round of pitches to editors. Here’s my confession: pitching irrationally terrifies me. It’s not at all as scary as my brain builds it up to be, which I understand intellectually, and I’ve got some new recent and impressive clips now to help me out, but still. Scary. Which is why this kick-in-the-pants post from Linda Formichelli was quite timely!

Another timely read from Garance.

One dad has made some artwork based on the crazy things he has said because of his children, and some of them are pretty giggle worthy. Parents, weigh in. Accurate or not?

I’m a little bit in love with these animal pun illustrations for cards, etc.

My inner five year old is thrilled, a new gigantic dinosaur fossil has been unearthed in Argentina and to dates it’s the largest dinosaur ever discovered.

Pineapple earrings. Which might be necessary to my happiness, as my birthday is just over a week away…

As a person with a hard won and complex relationship with faith and spirituality, I found this short Buzzfeed piece written by a young woman who has lost hers interesting.

Janssen’s Summer 2014 Tell Me What To Read list has begun over at Everyday Reading. I love her reviews and she influences my own To Read list heavily, but her comment threads are also excellent places to pick up recommendations.

Freelance, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend

Friday Links

“Friday’s a free day.”
― Neil Gaiman, American Gods

It’s Friday, ducklings, of the TGI variety. It’s been an up and down sort of week, but mostly ending on an up. I got some supremely nice emails after my post about self care as a freelancer, which was lovely, and have carved out some time for friends and museums this weekend. Like tea, both are tonic to the soul. Now if my Kindle and laptop could both stop acting as electronics possessed, all would be right with the world. Here are your links, share anything worth knowing in the comments, and tell me what you’re getting up to this weekend. As a gentle reminder to stateside minions, it’s Mother’s Day this Sunday – ring your mums!

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If the internet has taught us nothing, it’s that cats are a balm. Here’s the Spitalfields City Farm feline resident to do pre-weekend duty.

If ever you need to turn down a marriage proposal like a bad ass, Charlotte Bronte is here to guide you. Also I want to read this book.

Friend and fellow Shakespeare-course-taught-by-a-man-actually-named-William-Shakespeare veteran Amanda gets a h/t for this share. Number 8 gets an enthusiastic clap from me.

All I’m saying is that there are some parallels…

This 16 year old’s school project is pretty nifty!

I leave this vital matter in your hands: which of these Victorian words and phrases will we reintroduce first? Cast your votes, minions, this is incredibly important.

My friend Katarina currently works for Colonial Williamsburg while I volunteer at the Franklin House, and a number of 18th century American History themed emails/texts pass between us. Most recently she sent me this magnificent thing which I’ll just leave right here.

The very idea of shopping for a place to live permanently someday terrifies me. This tumblr find of the week, doesn’t help.

Excellent public health news, h/t Annette.

MOAR cute animals, you demand? This gifset made me laugh.

I like the Wall Street Journal’s regular piece Work Wear, detailing what different offices’ work styles are. This week features NPR and it’s a bit odd to put fashion styles to people I mostly know through faceless voices.

Interesting tool! Both Katie and Adam, and Chris and Nikki (couple friends of ours) are moving to San Francisco, one of The Girls just moved to New York City, I moved to London…we’re a mobile bunch these days. But how do cities compare for COLA?

Freelance, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Weekend

Friday Links (Last Day At LOOK Edition)

“I like the spirit of this great London which I feel around me. Who but a coward would pass his whole life in hamlets; and for ever abandon his faculties to the eating rust of obscurity?”
-Charlotte Brontë

Alas, my (truly excellent) work experience ends today, but it’s been an incredible run. I’ve been very lucky in that it’s been a hectic week and the writers and editors I worked with gave me a lot of assignments and opportunities to help out. I’ve written lots of different kinds of copy and interviewed some really interesting people on some equally interesting pieces. Plus I asked the editor about pitching pieces for her in the future and she told me to go right ahead and stay in regular contact. I’ve been on a high all week.

Now, how can I turn this into a regular job somewhere? Any British weekly publications (which are fun to work on in a completely different way than monthlies, and I’ve found it slightly addictive) need a plucky junior features writer?

While I scheme along those lines, here’s an extra long list of links for you to enjoy this weekend. As always, minions are encouraged to weigh in in the comments and link to other worthy of notice and note. Have a good weekend, and let me know what you’re getting up to!
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Playing this (admittedly charming) game for real.

I unabashedly adored the Little House books as a child, but yikes! I’ve known for years that they walk the blurred, heavily edited line of fiction and nonfiction, but some pretty serious stuff was ruthlessly cut by Wilder’s daughter, who was the driving force in getting the stories written. I confess, I’d love to read the unedited manuscripts and get another POV of pioneer and prairie life.

The science behind clickbait. More interesting than you’d think. (See what I did there?)

Answering the age old question, or at least the one much of the Western press has been asking since Prince George was taken on his first tour and his baby cheeks became a meme.

Worth reading and considering, is irony ruining our culture?

Great and interesting piece on the importance of storytelling and narrative!

I’ve worked on a crowd funding campaign for a freelance client that was a really great and interesting project with a lot of future work planned, but it’s opened my eyes a lot to what that sort of funding can do. This fashion line, for instance, is making some waves and I think it might be an interesting way to open it and other traditionally closed and hard to break into industries in new ways.

Truth.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I know a lot of amazingly talented writers. I first met Ellie when our plays were being produced by Theatre Virginia as teenagers, she now works for Marvel comics and just released her second novel via ebook. Go check it out!

Leila, yet another awesome writer friend (of the sci-fi/fantasy variety) posted this useful guide the vernacularly fraught world of “yeah” and associates.

3D printing is a mesmerizing, weird, cool, intimidating (hi, guy who printed a gun), and totally innovative technology, but I think this 3D printing pen might be the most interesting design tool I’ve seen all month.

I’ve decided that being like Baroness Trumpington in my old age would be a worthy goal. I also want to read her new memoir.

The recent lawsuit surrounding AirBnB is sort of strange to me. Thoughts? Everybody I know sings its praises. Thoughts?

I found this art project interesting (and the link the rest of the artist’s work is well worth following).

Though I thought the now-famed Atlantic Piece, The Confidence Gap addressed some good points, I think this response, filled with suggestions, is pretty much spot on.

Emma Stone is my girlcrush of the week for this performance alone. (Confession, she is frequently my girlcrush for lots of reasons, not the least of which because she seems down right hilarious.)

Oh, Idaho. Having lived nearby I can totally see this happening.

Speaking of crushes, I’m personally and politically loving this initiative and PSA against sexual assault. Victim blaming, check. Speaking up when you see something wrong, check. Consent, check.

Britain, Friday, Friends, Humor, Linkstorm, Travel, Weekend

Friday Links (More Visitors, Edition)

“Stay is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.”
― Amos Bronson Alcott

Another big week wrap up, and best of all my friend Lauren is coming into town! Lauren and I met at a summer Young Global Leaders program when we were 15 and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. She’s currently conquering the world of media and is flying to London from Hong Kong for work because fabulous is her middle name. I’ve got lots of food and wandering planned for us. How are you guys spending the weekend? Let me know in the comments and add any links that you think the minion coterie has to know about.

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Lauren and I do manage to meet up in some fabulous places. Last one was in Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival and an obscene amount of celebrities.

Let’s get a new look at some of the world’s old favorites, shall we?

WARNING. Do not read if you’re caught up on Game of Thrones, there are spoilers and I cannot stress that enough. Seriously. Don’t click through if you don’t want secret knowledge you’ll be angry to have. ‘K? Alright. If the modern media reported on “that thing that happened” on GoT.

Gorgeous find. What else is hiding under plaster elsewhere, I wonder?

Twitter friend and entrepreneurial girl crush Bethany of Love Grows Design wrote a really good piece on the fundamentally edited nature of online writing and social media that’s really worth the read. Something to think about both creating and ingesting content.

Behold, the thing that made Jeff burst into the loudest, most hysterical laughter I’ve heard all week. Do make sure the sound is on.

Channeling love for the old Batman TV series, now for the low, low price of $2200.

Huh, does this guy do house calls? Across the Atlantic? I’m pretty chronically sleep deprived these days…

The British Museum recently opened one of the biggest new exhibition in years, Vikings. We haven’t seen it yet (and we’re BM members, the shame!) but I’m enjoying the heck out of the many campaigns and bonuses the museum is running. Here – Viking yourself! (I kid you not, I got “Cadence the Little.”)

Friend and Friend of the Blog Caitlin Kelly writes about her recent experience in Nicaragua, and the lessons learned while working with WaterAid for Rewire Me.

 

Expat, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, London, Travel, Weekend

Friday Links (Nevermind, I’m In Paris Edition)

“When good Americans die, they go to Paris.”
― Oscar Wilde

What I week! On the one hand, there’s been large degrees of stress and late nights, and doing my best to develop new schedules and positive habits to get me through what promises to be three crazy months. I’ve also have a few doses of emotional wringing and exhaustion and one or two genuinely dark patches due to some cultural issues.

But on the other, I started some volunteer work at the Benjamin Franklin House Museum which I’m outrageously happy about, I’m working on some hugely exciting freelance projects launching next month, plus as many of you read this we’re on a train to Paris for the weekend to play with Katie and Adam, I believe that means that in spite of the occasional harumph, everything’s coming up Milhouse!

I’ll be back next week with updates from our Parisian jaunt. Plus on Sunday check back for a tale of tacos and my first real invitation to a notable shindig. In the mean time, here are your links and let me know what you’re up to this weekend in the comments. And do, for the sake of the minion coterie, link to anything that we need to know about!

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All will become clear on Sunday. I’d try to be cryptic, but it’s hard with that graphic.

Irreverent, yes. Pearl-clutchers avoid. But I’m surprised to admit that Putin wins this catwalk.

Big news from the realm of theoretical physics this week. The math is beyond my understanding, but I’ve been hooked on studying more about the history, science, and theories of spacetime and universal origins after watching the series Fabric of the Cosmos a few years ago. It’s on youtube, start here.

Books that end in the middle of a

If you’re in need of a rather judgey (but sometimes wholly accurate) t-shirt to wear out and about, may I recommend this one?

Speaking of t-shirts, this article about the rise of Fast Fashion – something I’ve personally done my level best to swear off entirely since reading a book on the subject a couple of years ago – is well worth the read. h/t Xarissa.

The headline of the week might sound like an existential crisis but it isn’t.

Oddly haunting photos of an abandoned cinema in the most unexpected place.

Do you need some affirmations in your life, care of a late 80’s cartoon? The internet is here to oblige you. (Also, when Jeff showed this to me, he told me the story of how he had a He-Man sword in childhood and how he used to hold it aloft and yell, “I have the power!” while running about having imaginary adventures. He followed up with, “Which, in retrospect probably wasn’t a great thing for a little while boy to be saying.”)

“And if you wrong us, do we not revenge?”

Nearly two decades out of childhood and I still love dinosaurs. Also, “chicken from hell” needs to be a band name.

Friend and friend of the blog, journalist Caitlin Kelly is on a rather amazing assignment in Nicaragua at the moment and her posts on her trips really are wonderful – go see what’s she’s doing!

Freelance, Friday, Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend, Work

Friday Links (Big Plans Edition)

“The life of the professional writer – like that of any freelance, whether she be a plumber or a podiatrist – is predicated on willpower. Without it there simply wouldn’t be any remuneration, period.”
– Will Self

Another big week on the freelancing front, kittens. I got a position as a part time volunteer on the marketing staff of a museum (supporting cultural heritage and gaining new skills, win win!), I’m building some long term plans that are getting me more excited about finances than I’ve been in a while, I’m working on some fun and challenging projects that are stretching me in new ways, and I might have the opportunity to become a contributor to some really stellar platforms. Last evening I went to a networking event that I’ll talk about more later this weekend, and met some really impressive people including other current and wannabe freelancers, and I’ve found some new publications to approach.

In other news, we had a misadventure with banking and British bureaucracy, we worked out an extension deal with our landlady so we have a place to live for another year (clutches self a little to think that six months have already flown by), next weekend we’re going to Paris, and I’m looking forward to a steady stream of friends and visitors starting in April that already making me giddy with excitement.

That’s me. Tell me what you’re up to this weekend in the comments and link to anything else of note that the minion coterie should be made aware of!

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Someday I’ll add “lady adventurer” to my list of accomplishments. In the the meantime, Stylist rounded up some of the ones you should know about.

My sister-in-law is a mother of two and a living with Cystic Fibrosis. Her health has had peaks and troughs but she is a tireless campaigner for CF research, here’s a chance to learn more about her goal for this year and support her.

I cannot be the only online writer who has had a learning curve in making/using images for their blog/site, right? Here’s a handy tool for the similarly bemused.

In New York City and in need of a cry? Tumblr has you covered.

18th century gear we need to bring back!

How valuable is Twitter for you? I mean literally?

Most downloaded books by state – and I think we can all just breathe a sigh of relief that certain tomes (cough 50 Shades of Grey cough) have had their moment and moved on. Mostly. It is being turned into a film. Drat.

Oh holy hell, this is how society ends, people! When we start outsourcing even basic affection!

I really appreciated the feedback I got on my post about the #BanBossy campaign, and clearly the conversation around it is continuing. Here’s a good critical piece from Elle about whether this effort accomplishes meaningful change or not that’s worth the read. I deal in words, I think changing language absolutely matters, but it’s true that just changing words doesn’t accomplish legal or legislative changes that need to happen.

You guys, this caused major marital discontent last night – but what else can you expect when asked to choose between Doc Brown and Dr. Frazier Crane?!

Great news for American Public Libraries!

Oh, I see. The key to having a stunningly decorated home is to Know A Guy.