“Fridays are absolutely without a doubt the best day of the week, five grueling days of the same routine seem to melt at three o’clock on Friday afternoon. There’s a sense of magic there, everything smells better, tastes better, and the colors are brighter. As opposed to Sunday evenings when everything begins to get dim all over again.”
― Stefanie Ellis, Ashes

This week has been rough, ducklings.  I got off the plane at 10am Monday morning and was at work by 1pm.  I’ve got the obligatory air travel induced cold and sore throat, and I’d much rather be in London.  Who wouldn’t?  Luckily it’s Friday and we’re back to our regularly scheduled blogging routine.  I’ve got plenty more London posts for you, but we must, by all means, observe tradition!

We saw dogs everywhere in London and our puppy lust is raging strong.  When we finally get one, I’m totally going to slap one of these on it’s collar.

There’s something about public transportation that makes people read, here’s a blog dedicated to it.  Everyone on the London tube was reading – yes there were iPhones and iPods aplenty, but honestly I saw far more books than electronics.  Traditional publishing lives!

The oddest thing about fashion is how far in advance it plans.  Here we are in the blazing heat of July and the major houses recently trotted out their wares for the Autumn/Winter lines.  I stocked up on my well-beloved British mags and they are stuffed to the gills with gorgeous stuff for cold weather to set my cravings alight.  Here’s the ever fabulous Tom and Lorenzo‘s post on one of my personal favorite haute couture designers, Elie Saab.

Wow.

I have a feeling that the gentleman called the young lady, “Shorty,” immediately prior to this now gif-ed clip.

Which came first, the cat video or the egg?  Apparently, this.

This…was a thing?  Seriously?

I saw a girl whip one of these out on the tube and couldn’t rest until I knew where she got it.

Fascinating article from the NYT to make your wheels turn a bit.  I realized a while back that I haven’t made any new friends in a long time.  Growing up moving every few years I got to be pretty good at it, but I found that it was impossible/unnecessary to keep up with all of them.  The true soulmates of friends are rare, but neither time nor distance weakens the bond, and the ones who are more transient pass out of your life easily.  I’m always open to meeting new people, but honestly if all I had for the rest of my life was my four best friends, I think I’d be happy.  Friendship, kittens: a strange animal.

Well, at least MTV isn’t hiding it anymore.

“There is no such cozy combination as man and wife.”
~ Menander

A bit tardy minions, but you’ll forgive me as it was for a good cause.  I had our annual secretaries retreat today and then had to hightail it to Margot’s wedding.  The girl gone and done it – she’s hitched!  It’s been a lovely but long day, so here are your links and let Aunty C.  just take a quick nap, k?

Shake hands and make up, war can only last so long (I’m looking at you, Rome).

Speaking of wars, here’s a professor explaining how he lectures on the Trojan War – watch the whole thing if you want.  I myself could barely make it past the first couple of minutes wherein he declares that every year fewer and fewer students even know what the Trojan War is.  I’m wringing my hands, and Mum is probably gnashing her teeth in frustration!

The end point of the Big Bang has an equally negative sounding name and some unpleasant effects.  Luckily we’re a few billion years out from it.

The fun history of photoshop.  Some people in the 19th century were pretty darn good at it.

A great article (written by a friend!) about herself, Mitt Romney, the Mormon Moment, and how they intersect in personal and unexpected ways.  It’s a fantastic piece, and not just because I adore this woman.  Check it out.

Here’s yet another place I’ve found for you to spend your money, I’m having a kitsch craving moment with these, and even the more toned down versions are pretty cute.

This story is amazing.  A (sort of) God’s creation doesn’t quite act the way he intended.  There may be a philosophical lesson here, but even if not, have a listen.

This blog‘s been making the rounds, but still quite fun.  A British school girl documents her lunches every day, and the phenomenon has spread so people can send in snap shots of their lunches from all over the world.

A while back I went through and weeded everyone from my social networks that I didn’t actually know personally and hadn’t spoken with in the past six months, but I never really thought of the role that exclusivity plays in social networking.

Grocery shopping habits across the decades, and the role of food industries.

If I could do one thing for incoming freshman to our humble university, it would be to sit them down and make them watch this.  Freshman, and most seniors to be honest, you haven’t earned the right to be treated specially yet.  You’ve got a long road ahead, get to work.

The weekly sheep, just try to be in a bad mood now!