Tag: Weekend

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links IX (Food and French)

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

When young university students lightly turn to thoughts of... non-criminal activity...

Work is exceptionally slow, minions, and it has been for some time now.  Which is odd.  Normally Spring and Summer are the down times when most of the university’s population slinks back off from whence they came, but this year it’s been almost uniformly dull.  University crime is on the decline, ducklings.

It makes it a bit hard to be at work, actually, now that I’ve got my boyfriend back in town, but we all must make sacrifices.  We’re making up for it with a ton of dates.  Last night I threw on a really hot dress and dragged him to a production of Loves Labour’s Lost, and like most things I drag him to he ended up liking it a lot.  It got out too late to go to dinner, but he plans on taking care of his craving for American flavors (and portion sizes) this weekend.

That’s what we’ll be doing, how about you?  As always, here’s some fun things I found for you to enjoy:

Famous last words.

Where would the internet be without pictures of funny cats, I ask you?

There lurks in everyone a morbid sense of humor.  It may be tiny, it may be repressed, but it’s there.  Here’s a small indulgence for it.

Some people seem to do a great deal of deep thinking a la salle des bains, here are some of those gems.  And some less than stellar contributions as well. #13 is my favorite.

French women.  A certain, je ne sais quoi.  (Random French phrases today, my loves, you’d never believe I used to be quite a proficient French speaker by how much vocabulaire I’ve lost.  Quelle horreur!)

Pintrest.  Oh, Pintrest.  I’ve written of my grudging love for you before, as well as some of your less than glorious offerings.  Some kind, caring soul has taken the time to compile the strangest things people find on you.  The public is grateful.

Mad Men is back this Sunday!  I love that show and it’s been gone for too long.  Here’s some fun: Don Draper and his many disapproving faces.  Also, Mad Men re-imagined as Little Ms. and Mr. Men.  Childhood = ruined.

Expensive shoes I’m currently craving.

Last week’s sheep pic was a hit.  Here’s another one for your viewing pleasure.

If we all pool our money, sell some organs, and go into smuggling, in about a century (give or take a cartel operation or two) we may be able to afford this.  You make the call: very nifty or horridly vulgar?  I lean towards the latter, but you darlings have been known to surprise me with your opinions, so I leave the final judgement up to you.

Happy Friday!

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Links VIII (I’m Friday the Eighth I Am I Am…)

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

Logic.

It’s been a slow week, my doves, the most exciting thing that happened was buying armloads of Girl Scout cookies (thereby funding the downfall of Western Civilization, according to some), and spending the majority of work at a conference.  It’s lovely to get out of the office, but it would have been lovelier if we could have held the whole thing outside – the weather has been gorgeous!

The big news is that J. is coming to visit.  On Monday!  For a month!  Hurrah for term breaks before finals!

Here’s some fun stuff for the weekend for you, hope you’re looking forward to it as much as me:

Letters from Henry VIII and Jane Seymour have been found.  I’m partisan to Anne Boleyn myself, Catherine Parr’s a close second, but how nifty is it to see the letter confirming the birth of his son?  And all it took was throwing over multiple religious factions, a vicious divorce, a beheading, quelling very tiny insurrections, countless mistresses, wars with France, and dissolving and pillaging the monasteries.  All in day’s work.

If obesity rates are to be believed (and I think they are) we’re spending an awful lot of time sitting down.  But who knew chairs were so interesting?

I found this absurdly cute for some reason.

A fun tumblr for my fellow history-types.

Gah!  GAH!  They should slap this on the cartons along with health warnings, “May cause loss of historical monuments and priceless cultural treasures.  Oh and cancer…”

One of my old university mates is also living in the US.  She’s additionally, apparently, cooking up a storm.  Here’s her recipes for genuine British fish and chips (hands down J.’s favorite Britannic concoction) and French onion soup.

Nifty project!

For my fellow world travelers.  Someday I’m going to get a bunch of vintage maps of all the places J. and I have lived, set them in interesting frames, and fill a wall with them!

What have you discovered lately that should be shared with the minion coterie?

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Linkstorm (I should probably start numbering these…let’s call this one VII)

“What is a weekend?”
– Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

That blasted cold is making a comeback.  Thank Jupiter, Odin, and Quetzalcoatl it’s Friday.  I intend to spend it looking at all the places J. and I want to live and using my Peregrine-given resume and cover letter skills to wage a campaign of job hunting.  That an a few phone calls to J. and the girls.  And perhaps chicken soup and orange juice.  Anyway, here’s your Friday fun, minions.  Aunty C. love you.

I like the Keep Calm posters as much as the next girl (although, it’s meme-like status does tend to over saturate one), so here’s the history of it.  The more you know, kids.

Here, enjoy one of the more ridiculous tales of naval warfare (warning, Cracked can be rated PG13 – though really Small Dog Syndrome is not intended for the consumption by small children, pets, sensitive maiden aunts, or faint-hearted pearl clutchers.  They can read Teletubbies Weekly.)

Words cannot express how badly I want this in my house.

In continuing women’s politics news, oh hell no.

So, I’ve mentioned that I gave up being lazy for Lent.  I have, and let me tell you, it’s invigorating!  But strangely, even though I’m wasting less time, I didn’t feel any busier and I was wondering how that worked with the space time continuum.  Normally when I take on more projects, I feel it.  And then I read this article and realized that the problem wasn’t that I was lazy, it was that I hadn’t been using my time as meaningfully and I wasn’t being honest about how much time I spent on things.  So, my goal still holds, but I’m incorporating some of Vanderkam’s language: I’m not just giving up being lazy, I’m owning up to how I spend my time.  Also, Peregrine, I’d very much appreciate it if you’d ignore that sentence of her’s in the last paragraph…you know the one I mean…

The 35 best shoes from the European fashion weeks.  You’re welcome.

Everyone knows the Brothers Grimm, right?  Well, they were not the only Germans out collecting fairy tales!  An archive of over 500 fairy tales has been found in Regensburg – somewhere Disney executive are hugging themselves and planning their next century of cinematic projects.

And here’s the late, lamented Victor Borge proving that funny is everywhere – even the noblest cultural institutions.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Friday Linkstorm

“I’m not at all fully granola.  But I am a bit crunchy, politically speaking.”
– C.

Women’s Politics edition, with food!

I occasionally tease you with politics, ducklings, but I’ve recently been a bit gobsmacked by the politics of gender and sexuality.  Here’s the ever fabulous Caitlin Kelly’s take on Rush Limbaugh’s latest verbal spewing and how misplaced the latest conflagrations on women’s reproduction rights (largely orchestrated, chaired, and debated by men) are compared to some of the other things our country is dealing with.  Limbaugh gives me heartburn, I long for the day he’s taken off the air.

From birth control to motherhood, here’s a piece, “Losing the (Term) Baby Weight.”  No plans on spawning in the foreseeable future, but I’m still digging the sentiment that a new body, changed by huge experience and personal change is “substantial and meaningful” and not something to be hated or worked against.

And straight through to childhood.  Ah, my youth!  Dressing up in cute little uniforms, camping, selling cookies… participating in back-street abortions, promoting alternative sexual lifestyles.  Man, second grade was awesome!  Puh-lease.  This is a week old story, and the gentleman in question has since said he regrets his letter, but I’m still hopping mad about it.  For your consideration: here’s a picture of me, destroying Western Civilization, aged six:

Pictured: subversion.

Did you know that this is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week?  I have two friends who either have or are recovering from eating disorders.  It can be a complicated to understand and to be supportive, but the best place to begin is by educating yourself.  Here’s a good post to start, for some information about awareness and personal insight into the complexity.

A long lost short story by Charlotte Brontë has been discovered.  With nary a Byronic hero in sight!

Grilled cheese sandwiches have always been my favorite and I love experimenting with different cheeses, breads, and spreads.  If you’re an addict like me, here’s a couple of types to try if you’re brave enough.

Janssen’s homemade ranch dressing recipe contribute to my goal to buy and eat less processed food.  Thanks, as always, m’dear!

And talking of food, would you use this?

And that, as they say, is that!  What are you up to this weekend, kittens?  Margot and Wrench are checking out wedding venues (she’s already bought a dress and it kills me that I can’t show you guys pictures!), I’m taking on some shopping assignments for J. (a sacrifice, my dears, but the things we do for love), and I’ve got a godfamily dinner on Sunday.  Apart from the weather, which turned snowy and cold very suddenly, I’m happy as a clam.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

It’s Friday, I’m In Love

“Weekends don’t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless.”
– Bill Watterson

It’s Friday afternoon and I’m ready for the weekend!  I had a bad time of it yesterday because short work weeks always throw me off and I spent all of Wednesday evening convinced it was Thursday night and saying to myself, “One more day, C., one more day.”  Reality reasserted itself around 9pm and poisoned all of Thursday for me.  But it’s alright!  This weekend I’m going on a small adventure and Sunday evening we get to pull up a seat, drink a cup of tea, and ferociously judge pretty dresses together – one of my favorite activities with you, well-beloved minions.

So, until then, let’s see what’s been going on around the world and cherry pick a few things for you, eh?

Russian scientists have apparently taken an Ice Age seed and brought it fully to flower!  Next up, reviving that mammoth they found in the tundra a couple years ago.  Wasn’t there a bad 80’s movie along these lines except with Neanderthals?  Science!

Apparently facial recognition technology has taken the inevitable leap – advertising (coupled with social activism).  Wasn’t there a bad Nought’s movie along these lines except with clones?  More science!

This explains my neighbors’ mid-night, ah, activities.

6 Reasons to Carry a Handkerchief, from The Art of Manliness.  I should really buy J. some at some point, I remember stealing my dad’s all the time as a girl.

Hands down the fanciest thing I make for semi-regular consumption.  Between this and my gourmet mac-and-cheese recipe, I can fool people into thinking I’m some sort of culinary genius.

And that, as they say, is all, folks.  Again, you are all required to report for Snarky Fashion Commentary Duties, this Sunday night.  Wear your comfiest pajamas and we’ll see you there!

Home, Humor, Weekend

Can’t Get No Satisfaction (or “Dad, Skip This One”)

“Never go to bed angry.  Stay up and fight.”
– Phyllis Diller

I’m grouchy, I’m tired, and I’m going to overshare some more.  Brace yourselves.

You can always tell who is new to our apartment building.

If only...

The astute learn early that the walls are paper thin and everyone can hear everything that is going on next door (or above, or below), and most moderate their behavior accordingly.  The newlyweds learn quickly that the whole building may be treated to their sexcapades if they aren’t careful and move their bed away from the creakiest of the floorboards and try to somewhat muffle their, ah, enthusiasm.  Families learn to keep their fighting relatively civil, lest the whole building hear their business.  The Girls Next Door have learned that not everyone appreciates their impromptu dance parties – especially the couple beneath the with the new baby.

The obtuse take a while longer, to the amusement/annoyance of their neighbors.  My Lord and Lady Stompington never learned, and their departure is regretted by no one.  While my Lord and Lady Beepington’s peculiar conjugal habits became legendary through the complex.

But because the frequency of tenant turnover is so high (we’ve been there nearly three years and we’re ancient by lease standards), no one stays for long.  The Beepingtons were replaced just a week ago by a newlywed couple who, I suspect, are going to take a while to learn the ropes.

Sunday night Margot was out of town visiting her fiance and I was still doing battle with the never ending cold, so I’d turned in blissfully early.  Only to be woken up by the new neighbors going to bed.  Angry.

It was 1:30am, and apparently the perfect time for a fight.  And lucky me, I got to listen to it as it got more and more heated.  They slammed closet doors and banged dresser drawers as they traded accusations.  Not really knowing them, I assumed that reason would reassert itself, they would realize the time and that their altercation was probably at a decibel displeasing to most and leave it till morning.  I was wrong.

Half an hour into it my inner monolog had been hijacked by the feuding couple and I found myself thinking things like, “Be fair, that’s not what he said at all!” and  “Leave her mother out of it,” and “Now now, she has a valid point.”   After about ten minutes of that, though, I’d crammed a pillow over my face and was sending hate-filled thoughts through the ceiling and contemplating the ups and downs of charging upstairs an banging on their door with demands that they shut up.

Really, propriety? NOW?!

Believe it or not, I have a very well developed sense of propriety – kept in a functioning state mostly for the malicious glee of doing exactly the opposite of what it tells me to do.  But unfortunately this is the time it chose to assert itself.
“C.,” it said forcibly, “as aggravating as this is, there is nothing in my playbook for this scenario.  If they were flinging artichoke hearts at you across the table at a really good dinner party I might have something for you.  But 2am shouting matches on the part of perfectly nice but socially unobservant neighbors is, surprisingly, a new one.”
I was going to have to wait it out.

At about 2:30am, the conversation turned weepy with many protestations of change and improvement in the two parties’ attitudes and behaviors. ” Bully for you,” I sighed, and hoped that such talk meant an end to hostilities.

It did.

After a couple of minutes of lovely silence, however the sounds of, ah, vigorous amorous activities began.  “Sex isn’t going to solve your problems, kids,” I thought nastily and dragged my blankets over my head.

I hear you asking, “Why didn’t you just go sleep on the sofa, you complaining idiot?”  Two reasons.  First of all there was the principle of the thing: I was not going to be forced from my bed simply because they were using their for acrobatics.  Second, and more importantly, another of the fun features of our building is that in addition to thin walls, all of the heating and cooling elements are connected.  Through which sound carries.  The acoustics of the living room being what they are, things were actually louder out there.

The show ran for an encore last night, at about the same hours.  So now I’m horribly tired and more grouchy about J.-being-in-London-enforced-celibacy than usual.  Never say I don’t tell you everything, kittens.

Humor, Linkstorm, Weekend

Oversharing

“The internet is a great way to get on the net.”
– Bob Dole

Seriously.  I am baffled by how much snot the human body can produce – surely I should be comatose from dehydration by now.

This is me trying to make you laugh. My aunt skills have improved over the last three years, but only somewhat.

Too much information?  Ah, well, we’re close.  Here: ignore my overly loud nose blowing and look at some interesting things I found for you.  (I apologize for treating you like toddlers, easily amused by shiny, noisy objects, but a week-long cold is a terrible thing.  Indulge Aunty C. and smile at the jangling keys, alright?)

Italian artist Anna Utopia Giordano has a fantastic venture, the Venus Project, wherein she ruthlessly photoshops iconic images of the goddess to make them more in keeping with current beauty industry standards.  Botticelli’s Birth of Venus is one of my favorite works of all time, once while in Florence I bought a reproduction of it from a seedy street vendor and displayed it in my college flat (to the discomfort of an unbelievably prudish flatmate and her even more puritanical boyfriend – keeping them off-balance became a sport).  Seeing her reshaped really threw me.

Yo dawg, history is the shiz!  (I apologize for even attempting that…I can’t pull it off, even on the anonymous internet…  But history is.  The shiz, I mean.)

London tube humor.

You guys!  Downton Abbey stars out of costume!  The illusion is shattered.  Although seeing Ethel thus doesn’t really shock me in the slightest – that tart!  Perhaps now would be the time to brag/admit that when living in London, I got to see Michelle Dockery perform in her breakout role in Pygmalion at the Old Vic.  Believe it or not, I didn’t love her in it…  We all make mistakes, my dears, don’t hold it against me.

French parenting: superior to American or not?  Having had an overabundance of opportunity to witness American tourists growing up, I can admit that you can always pick them out in a crowd: they usually are the loud, misbehaving ones.  But my family may just be snobbish.  Weigh in and let me know which side you fall on.

Pintrest find of the week: this soup.  Ohmybleedingheavenstryitatonce.

Marie inspires me to decorate my Someday House with a gossip table.  I need a more elegant place to spend my hours long weekend calls to my girls than the corner of the couch J. and I bought on Craigslist.  This is a classy establishment.

Family, Friends, Humor, Weekend

Ring-a-ding!

“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.”
~ Albert Einstein

What a weekend!  I’m still getting over this cold, and therefore still a bit fuzzy in the head, but here’s some news for you:  Margot and Wrench, and Drill and Trixie got engaged this weekend.

To one another respectively, not collectively.  We’re not that weird a family.

While we’re on the subject, one of my dearest guy friends Flyboy also recently popped the question to his longtime love.  Love is clearly in the air.  Congratulations everyone!  It’s going to be another filled up summer for me, weddings and J.’s graduation, and trips, and life.  It may be the winter doldrums (and it certainly could be the fact that it’s a groggy Monday), but I’m anxious for the summer to come.  It’s going to be a busy one and I can’t wait because for all I complain, I really love being busy!

(Also, check out Margot’s hardware, courtesy of her sister.  Can we all say, “Well done, good sir!”)

Humor, Weekend

And Where is My Lady’s Maid, Pray?

“Upstairs?  I didn’t know we had an upstairs.”
– The Corpse Bride

There is a pestilence lurking over the house of Small Dog, my pretties.  Margot came down with it first, I’m suffering through it now.  We’re as perky as swollen glands, sore throats, and drippy noses will let us be.  Luckily she’s on the mend as her charming gentleman caller came into town to take her about for Valentines Day, but I write this to you from a bed of pain and a highly drugged state.

Here’s some humor to make us all feel better, courtesy of the ever fabulous Pinto:

Humor, Weekend

Past and Future

“What is a weekend?”
– Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

I spent the weekend playing with Catriona and Bear (who were in town from Florida), scouring the local library’s annual book sale and donation drive, cleaning, shopping for a birthday present for my niece and a just-because present for Marie, baking, and watching Downton Abbey.  I have thrown up my hands in despair at all of the characters besides the indomitable Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess.  I have decided that I am going to be her when I’m old.  Although I have heaps of other characters and personalities to try on before I get there.

So fabulous it hurts.