Links 4/29

It’s been in some ways an absolutely awful day but I’m still pretty content.  To explain the first part of that, I was fueled by food poisoning sometime around 2 am last night and my stomach is still feeling pretty tender.  On top of that, I wasn’t able to find the perfect plantings for my garden urns.  I’m thinking maybe nasturtiums.
To explain the latter part, it’s the birthday of one of my best friends and I got to see her for the first time in what feels like forever.  And in spite of my relative nausea, hanging out and catching up was lovely.

I’m enjoying Middlemarch, A Quiet Place was fantastic, and seeing the Art in Bloom exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts yesterday was beautiful and completely brought out my inner elderly white lady.  But what can I say, I love flower shows and I won’t deny it.

I have a scarcity of links this week, and you can decide if that’s good or bad!

• Allure on women in the fragrance industry.  Like fashion, its a business led by men that caters largely to women.
• Certain scents are found to reduce dogs’ stress levels in animal shelters.
• A list of things that intimidate me. Oddly relatable. What would be on your list?
• Self-discovery comes in all shapes and sizes.
• Scientists discover an enzyme that can break down PET plastic.

Truly, that’s all I have. It’s pretty shameful.

BUT

The yoga retreat has been picked!
*drumroll*
RADIANCE SUTRAS FLOW
Man am I ready for some ecstatic dance

I mean, not right now, because I have food poisoning, but in general.

Links 2/17

A links post with a one day delay. I’ve officially started on a two week break (but can’t get too excited because we have two exams the week we get back) and I’m debating whether I should go to The Catacombs today or take a joint trip to Maison de Balzac and the Monet Marmottan Museum. It’s a rough life full of hard choices.

• Yara Shahidi was on Stephen Colbert, is turning 18, having a voting party, and is an amazingly well-spoken individual. I know it’s a cliche to say this, but we need more people like her in the world.
• In spite of my issues with The Shape of Water, I do think it’s a bit unfair to sum it up as ‘the film where the woman has sex with a fish’. That being said, someone designed a dildo inspired by Fish God. You can find anything on the internet and this is why we don’t deserve nice things.
• The inspiring knitwear of Prabal Gurung’s Fall 2018 collection.
• The Obamas’ official portraits have been unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. They’re both pretty amazing, both from an historical and artistic standpoint.
  Buuuut: here’s a counterpoint and a deeper reading.
• Wisecrack on how Monty Python shaped modern comedy (via postmodernism, the comedy of the absurd, and political satire).
• A thought-provoking personal essay about an ‘accidental wedding dress’ and accepting that life rarely/never comes with the closure of a settled and final happy ending.
• Similarly, this comic on the numerous ways to fill your heart and live a meaningful and love-filled life.
• A surreal video of a very fluffy doggo swimming underwater.
• The Louvre has created a Valentine’s-inspired Pinterest board. I’m particularly in love (no pun intended) the Antonio Canova’s sculpture of Cupid and Psyche.
• I’m not planing on watching the newly reimagined/animated Peter Rabbit film ever, but there’s been a bit of a kerfuffle about a scene involving food allergies. I don’t think there’s much to be upset about but part of the reason I am steering clear of the film is that even from the trailer it struck me as being crass and mean-spirited. And I wasn’t even a Beatrix Potter kid.
• And… a Disneyland social club is being sued for using ‘mafia-like’ intimidation tactics. What even is this world and what are people? Watch out for the White Rabbits or you’ll be swimming with the… flounder?
• Reaffirming my goal to spend less time on my phone and computer.
• I didn’t cry at this animated short, but I won’t lie- it did give me the feels.

Friday Links: 1/26

I turned 22.5 yesterday and today I have an exam that threatens to destroy all that I hold most dear. I’ve been studying since I woke up at 5:30 am. (Approximately five hours ago). There are about three hours left. It’s panic time.

Here’s what’s happening online:

• Kate DiCamillo (author of Because of Winn-Dixie, and others) on why children’s books should be a little sad.
• You can smell when someone is sick. Here’s a case where a woman was able to identify Parkinson’s patients by body odor, some even before they were clinically diagnosed.
• NBA = ballet? Check out these beautiful unplanned synchronized moments.
• Hedi Slimane takes over at Celine, replacing Phoebe Philo. Not a fan of this development.
• An ode to the pre-teen bedroom, complete with bead curtain.
• Ann Curry may have a baby crush on Stephen Colbert but I have a baby crush on Ann Curry.
• First there was athleisure. Now there is bath-leisure.
• Screen Junkies casts the It sequel– the prestige, the popcorn, and the provocative versions (the latter featuring Jared Kushner).
• Full cast and vague plot details have been announced for The Incredibles II and I am salivating.
• This webcomic is my current (as of yesterday) obsession and I’m narrowly avoiding bingeing it instead of studying. It’s sold out but if you buy it in book form it comes with a plush. Here’s the author/illustrators tumblr for more info.
• Phantom Thread is the last big Oscar nominee that I haven’t seen. Here are some of the films from which director Paul Thomas Anderson drew inspiration (including Rebecca!) and an amazing short film featuring under-the-radar lead actress Vicky Krieps.
• One thing I really like about this capsule wardrobe article in particular (among the seeming billions out there, which get a bit very repetitive) is the recognition that, because everyone’s style is different, so will everyone’s capsule wardrobe be.
• What is Scandinavian style and why is it gaining so much traction globally?
• Living for Colbert’s imitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. It starts around 2 minutes in.
• In case you’re wondering what I’m doing here in France, here’s a video featuring some of my classmates.
• And to round out this rather fashion-focused week, Kate Spade succulent sandals.

Friday Links 11/17

I woke up too early for no reason so here’s a links post, on time for once!

• I’ve started following French Vogue online and I’m really enjoying their “Sunday with…” series. Credit to the Jeanne Damas one for introducing me to this song.
• Love this Classic Film Club idea. I’ve seen most of the film noir on the list, but this selection of Japanese film noir is completely new to me and really peaking my interest! Where to start?
• The Marrying Mr. Darcy board game. Because it is a truth universally acknowledged, etc…
  Truly I have mixed feelings, but I’m curious.
• The trailer for “A Quiet Place“. Spooky. I like.
• The structural inequality within the comedy industry. “The solution is putting people in positions of power who are not male, not straight, not cisgender, not white. This is not taking something away unfairly — it is restoring opportunities that have been historically withheld.”
• You’ve heard of latte art, but how about smoothie art?
• My chosen candidate for the 2020 presidential election.
• My nihilistic sense of humor strikes again, but this time with cats. Super relatable.
• The pajama trend has been taken to its only logical conclusion and we can all go home now.
• The subtle misogyny of male incompetence. I’m surrounded by idiots.
• In at least 34 cases, unusually long Postal Service delays resulted in rejections of DACA applications.
• Choosing a different sperm donor is choosing a different child and a different future. What surprised this couple about their experience.
• I’m sorry, Blake Shelton isn’t even Gwen Stefani’s sexiest husband.
• Karen Brit Chick (who you completely should follow, I’m in love with her) on her favorite vintage shops in NYC. Saving this for my next trip.
• Deadpool mixed with Bob Ross. What’s not to love?
• Honestly it is not Teen Vogue’s time. It’s more relevant now than ever and I wish it had been in my time the politically active and interesting publication that it has been for the past year or so.

Sorry for using up all of your free NYT articles!

Three Funnies

I’m a person who really enjoys reading the Sunday comics (and also the comics every other day of the week).

I have a collection of Calvin & Hobbes collections that I don’t know the exact number of off the top of my head (more than 5).

Here are three that I have saved on my computer for unknown purposes.

Friday Links 7/7

As always when it’s the first links installment of the month, the above photo is my new monthly desktop background (tiled, of course!)
It’s Friday and the weekend and I seem to be living my best life- at least that’s how it feels when things go your way for a few days. I’ve been doing a lot of cooking, found the perfect denim dress (finally!) and have some nice plans for the days ahead (Hopefully involving watching some horse racing! And possibly a film).  And my birthday is coming up! I’ll be 22, which is a nice even palindrome.

There are a lot of potential posts in the offing, which means that I need to gather my thoughts into a more orderly order and then proceed. You may have noticed that my Baby Driver thoughts yesterday were a bit scattered- but I was feeling guilty for not mentioning it, as it’s a really great independent film, and we need more of them.

Let’s get down to business!

• First a McSweeney’s link about sexual harassment that will either get any misogynistic assholes reading to a) leave or b) write me a nasty comment. Five times you thought you were sexually harassed but actually weren’t. How many sound familiar?
• The top names in Spain have just been released! I’m feeling intrigued by Leire and Valeria, both for girls.
• The Parenting Series has begun again at Cup of Jo, with 17 Surprising Things About Parents in Namibia.
• Elizabeth Gilbert (she of Eat, Pray, Love fame) writes about a spiritual truth learned from a bus driver: “anyone can be the light, at any moment”. Really a lovely story, of the ‘not all heroes wear capes’ variety.
• Just Dance: a sun-soaked portrait of the dance craze sweeping Brazil.
• You know the trolley problem? That particular moral poser regarding who dies if you have the opportunity to sacrifice one to save the lives of five? What would Buddha do? Here’s how Buddhist monks respond to moral quandaries and ‘trolleyology’,
• Some Trump supporters got mighty pissed at the Declaration of Independence (which they didn’t recognize). Oh, the irony.
• Curly girl comics. Pretty adorable, and pretty relatable even if my hair has calmed down in recent years. Plus it reminds me of Gabriella.
• Linda Chambers speaks out on being fired from Vogue. Even if you’re not into fashion, I really recommend reading this. It’s an interesting meditation on ‘failure’, judgment, self-doubt, and the power of your own narrative. And if you do like Vogue- then yes, it’s a bit dishy, which is why it was briefly taken down.
• The Guardian thinks ‘post-horror’ movies are taking over the cinema and I think that’s ridiculous. The presence of a few films eschewing stereotypical horror tropes does not mean we’re entering a post-horror genre. There have been unusual horror films since the beginning of cinema and there is nothing new under the sun. Stop being stupid, Guardian.

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Friday Links 6/23: The Drought is Over

I had an emotionally trying day, so let’s turn to the profound depths of the endless internet to drown my troubles.

Thankfully, after two weeks of fairly few links, I stumbled this week across a lot of interesting things (hope you’ll agree!)