“I was a little excited but mostly blorft. “Blorft” is an adjective I just made up that means ‘Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.’ I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.”
― Tina Fey, Bossypants

I’m getting sick. I only get sick when I honestly can’t afford to – and I can’t. I’ve got assignments coming out of my ears and the first leg of a move coming up in five days. Immigration to-do lists are driving me mad. The basement that is our current headquarters is an absolute disaster, which twists me into knots of guilt but every time I try to tackle it, I just seem to make the mess bigger. We’re trying to copy and store everything we own electronically, which is an easy but highly time consuming task.

I have all kinds of blog posts I want to do – serious ones, goofy ones, tales of our adventures of upgrading our tech products after half a decade (at least!) of avoiding doing so, plans for a new camera, you name it. Alas, they all have to wait. In the meantime here are your links – gotta dash!

Yikes!

It’s nice to see a tasteful kind of luxury, with the just the bare necessities…(that is a sarcastic ellipsis).

Equal parts touching and sad.

Hot dog, all one needs is a cardboard box?! That’ll kill some major industries. Kidding, kidding. This is actually quite an interesting program.

Need to hard-core up your tea? I’ve got just the thing.

The last performance is literally days before I arrive in the country. The theatre gods are cruel. (Also I’m hoping for Kerry from Planes, Trains, and Plantagenets – which you should all be reading – to pick up the slack here, because I must experience this even vicariously).

I want to go to there. All the theres. Grab your passports, minions.

Clothes, their prices, their worth, and their impact have been a bit of a pet topic around here lately. Let’s add fuel to the fire with a glimpse of the price difference between the Vogues of 1913 and 2013. Hint: woof!

Destiny is biology? There’s a twist!

It’s something of a mantra around here to take pleasure in small things.

“Birthdays are nature’s way of telling you to eat more cake.”
― Jo Brand

Marriage to J. has expanded my birthday wonderfully. Instead of lasting a single day I can sometimes span that sucker out for a week. For example last Saturday we went to pick up my present (a new iPod – since my last one was nearly a decade old. I’m absolutely flabbergasted by how much memory they have now compared to my dinosaur of a nano), and passing back through Nordstrom on the way to the car I saw the last item on my “To Buy Before Moving” list: high quality leather ballet flats on sale. Which have been ludicrously hard to find, hence their being the last entry on said list. And, because it was my birthday, J. told me to get both colors I wanted. Excellent. At some point this weekend I’ll take advantage of the extra perks corporate America gives you for just being born by using a restaurant’s birthday coupon as well. Some people hate getting older, I rather enjoy it.

In any case, I’ve got copy for a contributor piece due this even so here you go. Out the links come, lickety split!

I love bars for entertaining. Granted I go more for ice cream and sandwiches, but here’s a build-your-own-bar of the adult libations variety that might be fun for summer.

Puns? And history? Lead on!

Good idea. True story, I found one of my favorite novels in a tiny hotel in the Cinque Terre of Italy on vacation on the public bookshelf by the front desk, stocked by the leavings of previous guests. I read it nonstop for a day on the beach and hadn’t finished it but couldn’t bear to leave it behind, so I left the book I’d brought myself in exchange.

The winner of headline of the week is…

Late to the party with this one and don’t even care. Savvy, I’m disappointed not to have discovered this from you, it’s straight up your alley.

Public radio. Bad ass since…well, apparently now.

How do you speak? I have an indeterminate accent due to lifelong globe trotting.

So…basically he got caught? Right?

This man sounds like an absolute loon. Also, I really want to read that book. My Amazon.com wishlist is getting epic.

Great photos!

“If you care about what you do and work hard at it, there isn’t anything you can’t do if you want to.”
― Jim Henson

Still working away over here. That long weekend was just what I needed – unfortunately I feel like I need another one now. I’m a terrible ingrate.

Luckily this weekend is my birthday, and I’ll officially be in my late 20’s. Surely that means maturity and wisdom will be descending any day now…right?  Here are your links, and have a good weekend. Let me know what you’re up to!

Are your lives insufficiently shiny lately? Never fear. Also, who the hell swims in $75,000 diamonds?

I heartily approve. I’m hoping the trend continues towards women’s fashion as well. I honestly believe that the reason the clothing of yesteryear still appeals to us, aside from the fact that they used better quality materials than the vast majority of “fast fashion” clothes we have these days, is because the clothes fit the wearer. Instead of simply ordering everything in predetermined sizes, you would either make your own clothes or have clothes made for you, your shape, your size. There is nothing like individual tailoring to make a person look put together and even nice, high quality clothing doesn’t benefit you if it doesn’t fit you right. /rant

I’m afraid to share this because J. might insist on a road trip.

PBS for the win!

Dame Helen Mirren steps in.

So, can I blame the Jazz Age for the fact that my husband parcels the year into very distinct and separate sports seasons? It’s the equivalent of a liturgical calendar to the man!

It might be declasse, but I say rock on, Lady Canarvon. Those estates don’t pay for themselves anymore, now that serfs and farm mechanization have brought them down – the inconveniences of upstart peasants! In the words of another of Julian Fellowes characters, Lady Uckfield (from my favorite guilty pleasure novel Snobs), “Running a house like Broughton, or Feltham for that matter, is just slog once the gilt’s worn off. It’s paperwork and committees. It’s arguing with English Heritage inspectors who all hate you for living there and want to make everything as difficult for you as they possibly can. It’s pleading with government departments and economising on the heating. Those houses are fun to stay in. Even ‘London Ladies’ like that. But they’re hard, hard work to own.”

Is no food safe to eat!?

Stop perpetuating these lies!

Nifty.

For the occasional moment of crushing doubt.

I forced myself to put on real pants to avoid slothfulness as I’m doing a bit of work in the morning, and everybody knows pajama pants are the world’s greatest killer of productivity.
– C.

Terribly busy, sorry. Freelance projects to finish, dinner this evening with Angel and her husband who are back from South Korea and Hawaii, and I’ve got a fit in a shower at some point. Nothing but glamor happening over here, kittens. How are you weekends looking?

GOLDFISH CRACKERS. Sorry…did I just reveal an addiction?

Yes to love, yes to life, yes to staying in more! I’m just over a week away from 27…and I endorse this message.

In the dear dead PD days gone by, I became familiar with creepers. Or did I?

English is a language comprised entirely of exceptions rather than rules.

Nope.

Two please. Also, can we hear it for the girls? A couple of weeks ago a girl who invented an app to hide TV spoilers on Twitter and now this.

I love English, I love its history and the rule exceptions, and just how it sounds. But I am 100% in favor of introducing some of these – “grief bacon” in particular – for precision’s sake.

Love these houses, almost taken straight from Homer’s account of Penelope and Odysseus’ bed.

Ladies swag. Regency/Victorian/Edwardian style.

A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop.
– Robert Hughes

Boy golly. I just got thrown another wrench, ducklings. Although this is largely a good wrench it is still necessary to recalibrate some plans – which is rather turning out to be my constant state of existence these days. Details about this good wrench to follow pending some scheduling and finalization. My we’ve gotten secretive here at Small Dog Headquarters!

Anyway, I’m editing more website copy and banging out a last minute press release and then reveling in a marathon phone call with Marie. Tomorrow Margot is throwing herself a going away party with dinner and drinks at a favorite restaurant and then going to see what Peregrine called “THE STUPID FLAPPER MOVIE, YAY!” Long pearl necklaces and dark makeup encouraged.

This hotel. “I want to go to there.” American hotels make a big song and dance about their continental breakfasts – usually consisting of stale donuts, separated juices, and crumbly cereal. A real continental breakfast (on the actual European continent) is a magnificent thing by contrast. I can’t wait to have one again.

I may not be a fashion maven, but I am a beauty junkie. Okay, fine, I’m strictly speaking a skin care junkie. But if it came down to choosing between good clothes and flawless skin, I’d take the latter every single time. And a tube of really good red lipstick.

First Richard III and now this, all archeologists should probably report to British car parks immediately, quite possibly just in Leicester. (And of course I get Douglas Adams stuck in my head for the rest of the day. “The car park! What are you doing in the car park?” “Parking cars, what else, dumb dumb?”)

Here’s a tribute to one of the masters of stop motion animation. Which, since it produced Wallace and Gromit (among other great wonders) I will hear not a word against. That plus Jason and the Argonauts is another childhood favorite that everyone needs to see.

Know your insult.

Margot’s throwing a 20’s themed going away bash tomorrow: dinner, drinks, and The Great Gatsby. Tiffany designed several pieces of jewelry for the film and apparently there was an intense amount of security on set. Lots of it isn’t my favorite, but I admit that Daisy’s diamond headband is so unbelievably over the top that I kind of love it.

People. People! Like any other app or site it’s a tool. I don’t have Pinterest angst, but I can see how people can get it by forgetting that it’s a tool and thinking it’s a competition. (Which can sum up a lot of life and cultural problems, frankly.)

How cool.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
― Confucius

I have neglected you. In my defense I have been editing/tweaking website copy, knocking together an article for a Hawaiian magazine, and creating blogs and posts for DC startups. I’m literally working one end of the country to the other! That and the cold that plagued me for all of April decided to make a return visit, much to my irritation. Here are your links, tell me what you’re up to this weekend!

Loved this short article from Elle. I’ve been thinking a lot about clothes the past year. We’ve invested in building Jeff’s new work wardrobe and I’ve been paring mine down to get rid of old, worn, or out of date pieces. I read a book that really made me rethink my clothing choices and have since been looking to build a wardrobe of high quality clothing that will last long, wear well, and age appropriately – which feels ridiculously difficult in an age of fast fashion to start, compounded by the fact that at my heart I am a jeans and t-shirts kind of girl. I’ve fought it, but there it is. I can do that or a little black dress, but precious little in between with aplomb. It’s a work in process.

…I’m listening…

It may be the packing, storing, shifting, and donating – it could definitely be the nearer and nearer move – but whatever the reason, I’ve got decor on the brain. And assuming that all of our funds will go to rent itself, decorating will probably have to be all imaginary, alas, and we’ll use crates for furniture. Which is where cute pieces like this come in.

This pinterest board exists. You’re welcome.

This week I used coding for the first time for a freelance project. It was laughably simple and small but boy I felt my face light up as it made sense. Then I read this article and tumbled straight back down a well of inadequacy.

Fascinating.

Indiana Jones meets the Wind in the Willows. I know everyone knows them as pests, but I always found it funny to come outside in the morning, when my family lived in the English country and see mounds of dirt that had sprung up overnight from moles tunneling away. The dog would go crazy trying to dig down into them.

Loved this. It’s important.

And the winner of headline of the week is…

Fun for travelers and global enthusiasts a like!

*Snort. Yeah, I can see it.

“We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”
― David Mamet, Boston Marriage

The good news: it’s not mono or strep throat. Yes, I got myself checked out this week because I’m still not over being sick. The bad news is that the doctor confirmed what I already knew, “There’s nothing really wrong except you’re badly in need of rest.” $35 copay for that advice. Blerg.

On the other hand, my dating approach to furniture sales is working! Sold my beloved exercise bike Harley yesterday, and someone is coming to check out the shelving unit we’ve used as a TV stand this afternoon. Tomorrow our mattress and boxspring will be hauled away. We hope. Please, universe, send our couches some suitors!

It’s also graduation day which means the population of people on campus (already in the multiple tens of thousands) has effectively doubled and everyone is getting in accidents, getting tickets, and getting in fistfights over parking spaces. The entire town is virtually shut down due to traffic and I haven’t actually been in my office since before one due to running errands. And I still have to pack up another car load of things for J. to haul to store away properly and get some freelance assignments done (why don’t people answer emails?!). As you can tell things are just a bit frantic over here so here are you links and let’s talk later, k thanks bye.

Fascinating.

Kind of a hilarious photo gallery. I find teenage determination to refuse to enjoy anything hysterically funny now, but I know I was just as bad a perpetrator as any of them.

As the lifelong human companion of a particularly valiant and devoted teddy bear (who incidentally linked up with me the day I was born and to this day sleeps on my bed and is transported in my carry-on luggage because I will not trust her to baggage claim – and regarding all of this I have no shame whatsoever) I heartily approve this Facebook post.

A very smart adult literacy campaign.

Ever wondered who makes the Queen’s headgear? Wonder no more.

Oops.

Semi-funny photo aside, it’s amazing to think about

Interesting article about confidence in general and women in particular (in response to that Dove ad that took over my Facebook page for a few days). Thoughts?

I am an unabashed Game of Thrones fan. Here’s a fun piece about creating the languages for the series – bet you didn’t know we’ve all be pronouncing Khaleesi wrong.

If ever I design my own house, I am definitely throwing in some hidden nooks and crannies.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

This has been a rough week, kittens, lots of bad things happened in a lot of places, some of which are still shaking out. Stay safe out there, everyone, and here are your links:

How David Sedaris works.

An article on the perpetual love for the Longchamp Le Pliage bag – I’m an admitted devotee.

People. Inherently decent.

I can’t even stay upright on skis!

I watched this Frontline episode this past week. I’ve joked in the past that we are poor, but never again. Not after watching this. I’ve lived in truly poverty stricken areas of the globe before but it’s been a while and I honestly think I forget how grim it was for the members of my various communities, even those who bore hardship with stunning grace and resilience. My pay might be small now, and about to go from regular to project based, but except for a couple of hurricanes disrupting things in my teens, I have never gone hungry in my life. I have clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and the ability to provide for myself, I am never going to refer to myself as poor again unless I am facing the challenges these kids face. Perspective. Also looking into some volunteer opportunities this summer because I can do more.

I’d try some of these recipes.

Please consider giving a blood donation to your local donation center if you can. Chronic blood shortages are pretty common, but it gets worse after any large tragedies.

The semi-occasional sheep.

Always strive to excel, but only on weekends.
~ Richard Rorty

This week was long. My trainee requires constant supervision and the universe seems determined to keep me from getting my personal projects done in other ways too. We received a phone call out of the blue yesterday asking to see our flat, and when I stated that I had not advertised it, the caller said, “Oh, yeah, I got your number from your managers.” A conversation about private information and the sharing thereof needs to happen, I think. In any event we spent over an hour cleaning frantically and in the end the prospective renter never even showed up. Two and a half weeks, twelve business days…

Here are your links and tell me what you’re up to this weekend in the comments! We’re going to start the first phase of deep cleaning and packing up for our move and I am going to get my work done! All I’ve managed are phone calls and a few pdfs and this changes now – Saturday at sunrise we attack!

As we get closer to it’s release, I’m not sure that the latest incarnation of The Great Gatsby will actually be good (and this from a woman who adores Carey Mulligan). But I am sure that the sets are going to blow me away, and I’m already drooling over the costumes from the previews. What say the minions – eager to see it or not so much?

Language is much trickier than most people think. I took a psychology class in high school where the teacher explained how it’s possible to fake out your brain by simply putting syllables together that sound correct but are actually meaningless. Here’s the fabulous John Cleese to demonstrate. Bonus fun! Turn on the closed captions and watch it try, poor thing, to do its job.

Photos from lavish New York private homes during the first half of the last century.

I have many questions about North Korea and what goes on there…but I admit, in the Trivial Category, why soldiers are wearing these tops the list. I thought this was only a thing in comic books and films where the director has no desire to portray reality. (Sidenote, heeled boots happened in The Avengers, and not just for Black Widow, and I was disappointed in Whedon.)

As a Gemini, I call BS. Although I find it funny because J. is a Scorpio, because of the two of us he’s the one with the best chance at a decently lucrative career. You can tell exactly how much stock I put in this sort of thing, but I can never resist checking my horoscope in magazines just for kicks.

Hat tip to Savvy, this tumblr is hysterical.

I’m suspicious of any hotel that doesn’t show pics of the bed and bathrooms. Doubly so here.

This is a really clever campaign. Oh, you don’t get it? Quick, to Netflix!

Cats have taken over everything, we must accept it.

The semi-occasional sheep, demonstrating how I generally feel about life and being overwhelmed at this moment.