Spring Forward? Fall Back? Either way, here are some links!

These links are definitely all over the place on the random scale. I blame it on the hour of sleep we lost earlier this week with the time change. Nevertheless, here are some interesting things to check out!

Photographer Chino Otsuka revisited her childhood photos, but instead of just reminiscing she decided to create "double portraits" to bring together her past and present selves. The resulting series, Imagine Finding Me, is captivating!

I found this awesome video through Open Culture, a great resource for high-quality cultural & educational media.  Sometimes they share fantastically random things, like this cool video of tree rings being played on a turntable.

YEARS from Bartholomäus Traubeck on Vimeo.

Though I'm not a parent, I do catch myself saying some pretty... unique (strange? ridiculous? all of the above?) things.  I feel like there's not a lot of difference between what camp counselors have to tell their campers, teachers tell their students, and what parents tell their kids (perhaps it's just the duration of responsibility--camp counselors: a few weeks in the summer; teachers: the school day during the school year; parents: the rest of their lives). Either way, this father captures those "parent-isms" in a lovely way with his honest (and hilarious) illustrations.

There are more images to love at his Etsy store, https://www.etsy.com/shop/nripperger.

My links posts tend to be video-heavy, but how can I resist? If you haven't seen the "Kids React" videos, they're pretty awesome.  Usually they're about some pop-culture event, but this one is about the good ol' rotary phones we (I) grew up with (and can I just say, as someone with lots of 0s and an 8 in my old home phone number, that kid was right. It does sometimes take forever to dial a number).

Here's a moving story of how a teenager surprises the woman who helped him find his adopted family through her work as a newscaster. Absolutely touching!

If you kind of love it when things go perfectly wrong, then I think you'll enjoy this video.

If you feel like smiling like a goon while staring at your computer, then just watch this next video. Seriously. Normally I have a pretty neutral YouTube-watching face, but I realized about halfway through this video that I was smiling like a goon. Enjoy! 

Links and Videos to Bring a Smile to Your Face

I live in Iowa (and like it most of the time)...And then this headline came through. Only in Iowa... "Police: Man rode baggage claim carousel on dare" Need I say more?

And then I came across this article... "Only in Iowa" doesn't apply to this one, I guess: It's so cold... escaped inmate turns himself in

According to Mashable, "the first Monday back to work supposedly ranks as the crabbiest day of the year." It is pretty likely that everyone's holiday celebrating/traveling has ended, and so we're back in the swing of things. To help us keep on keeping on, here are 24 Things to Cheer You Up on the Most Depressing Day of the Year.

I can't help but smile after watching this video! Anyone else up for a road-trip to Albuquerque? I think we could all use some hugs to go along with our breakfast or lunch!

According to photographer, Kent Frost, "A LOT happened this year. We shot several weddings, baby portraits, and family video portraits. We had 60º weather in February, ice in May, and record flooding in August. We had two major comets. A massive meteor exploded over Russia. The Boston Marathon was bombed. The US Government shut down for 16 days. The pope resigned. China soft-landed the first spacecraft on the moon since 1976. And we lost great people like James Gandolfini, Lou Reed, and Nelson Mandela among many others. And in the middle of all that chaos...we had a baby anyway." Watch it all unfold in this fantastic video that brings together one second clips from every day of the year.

Ever wonder what college administration does when the students are away between semesters? ... Wonder no more as Truman University President Dr. Troy D. Paino gives us a glimpse.

I've watched this about 13 times, and I still love it... That kid's timing is perfection!

Happy Friday, folks!

Links to Love, Listen To, Laugh At, and Learn From

In this episode of This I Believe, an eight year old boy reminds Marianne Bachleder of what is important: gratitude. "I will tend my needs, I will whittle my wants, and I will say often, "'I'm happy with what I have.'"

I love this ad from Pantene that has been making the rounds on the internet. It's a must watch for any woman I know!

"Christmas Jammies (#XMASJammies)" has been stuck in my head for days. And now yours. You're welcome. 

I thought this home grown science project (which led to even more scientific inquiry) was wonderfully done and presented! I learned something from this little lady! 

This post, A Ten Month Old's Letter to Santa, had me cracking up! I definitely sent it to my young parent friends! Little crawlers tend to find the things we most want them to avoid.  Here's a taste: "I would be ok with just a bunch of electrical cords in general, but I would really love these specific ones that are located behind my mother’s desk next to the air-conditioner (whose cord I also want)." Click through to see the pictures and read more exciting items on this ten month old's Christmas list! It's definitely worth it!

I absolutely love this post that features 80 pictures of celebrities edited into classic paintings, from Worth 1000's photo editing contests. Some definitely made me look twice! 

And, last but not least: An air-powered Lego car. Yep. You heard me correctly. 

Art, Seuss, and Bullying (a linky post)

These shadow sculptures blow my mind. They have literally taken heaps of garbage and arrange them so that their shadows are amazing.

In other amazing and ridiculous art, check out War on Kinkade, where some guy throws Star Wars scenes on top of Thomas Kinkade paintings.

This article about an amazing woman whose Halloween costume picture became a viral object of ridicule is a great reminder that the people we make fun of so cavalierly on the internet are actually people. It's actually pretty easy to be a cyber bully by accident. Her experience will help you choose not to.

You may remember when Paige shared the amazing Snuggie texts posts a few months ago. Since then I've been reading the blog, which is quite hilarious and wonderful, but recently he wrote a more serious post about how insightful Dr. Seuss's Oh the Places You'll Go really is. I remember having the same reaction after I finished my undergraduate degree and decided I was never going to use my teaching license. It's really a lovely post.

Talking about Dr. Seuss just reminded me of this amazing section of an episode of This American Life where David Rakoff wrote this imagined exchange between Gregor from Kafka's The Metamorphosis  and Dr. Seuss, apparently thinking he is an actual medical doctor. It's hilarious and sad and insightful, and you should listen to it.

And that's it for me! Enjoy your weekend!

Links I Love

It's that time of the week again: Links!

I love the variety of lighting and expression in these beautiful portraits of mothers with their one-day-old babies.

Like Harry Potter? Like real life? What if there really was Harry Potter in real life? The folks at Movies in Real Life found out.  (My favorite part is toward the end when he actually gets down to the platform with his luggage and owl, around 2 minutes in.)

This Dutch artist's Grey Power project that brings children's drawings of their grandparents to life. The colors, imagination (and multiple limbs) are fantastic!

Enjoy random things and awkward social situations? Then this 2008 Viva Piñata commercial is right up your alley!

Need a puppy pick-me-up? This list of 16 Dogs that Ruined the Picture. Here are a few of my favorites: 

   

I guess I really love effective marketing. Here's another commercial I love, this time for GoldieBlox! (Edit: the original video with some awesome and empowering lyrics had to be taken down due to some questions of copyright with Beastie Boys, so here's the version with a different music selection in the background.)

Links!

Sometimes I get bogged down by the internet.  There is so much time-wasting and mind-destroying junk out there, it is nice every once in a while to find all the wonderful things the internet makes possible and all the awesome things it would be so hard to find without it. 

I've mentioned Smart Girls at the Party on the blog before. I love it.  But there's also a YouTube channel called Ask Amy where Amy Poehler answers questions submitted by girls.  There's a wide range of topics.  My favorite, though, was her video posted after the Boston bombings.  "Just because something has a gazillion views doesn't mean it's worth your eyeballs." Perfectly said.

I like all these quotes from Walt Disney, but I might like how pretty most of them are presented more than the actual quotes.  That kind of thing goes a long way for me.  Still, great advice from Mr. Disney.

I kind of want to read all of the books on this list of the most famous book set in every state. Ideally, I would also be independently wealthy and could travel around the country and read each book in each state. Even more ideally, I would arrive in each state during peak weather conditions and stay in the most comfortable of lodgings (maybe a snowy day in Utah in a cabin in the mountains with a cozy fire and blanket or 70 degrees by the water with a hammock on the porch, you get my drift).  One can dream.

This has been floating around for a while on the ol' interwebs, but it kind of blows my mind.  The Pixar Theory.  All the Pixar movies laid out in an order that explains how all the Pixar movies actually take place in the same world.  I'm amazed at how someone has actually figured this out.  Also, how someone had the time or motivation to figure this out.  Also, it's a little crazy, but not so crazy that you don't spend time yourself thinking about it.

Finally, this photo project, I'm Not a Look-Alike!  None of the people photographed are related.  Insanity.  

An Insane Range of Links

Happy Friday everyone! Here are some things that I am enjoying this week. Have a wonderful weekend!

This list of reasons to be a parent made me laugh so hard I was crying, then laugh that hard AGAIN when I was showing it to my husband. My favorite image from it is probably this one:

This brown butter icing is my new favorite thing on the planet. My sister-in-law and I made it for our babies' joint birthday party, and my life changed forever. Now that she has posted it, let it change your life as well.

I recently went to see a lecture by one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, at Symphony Hall in Salt Lake City. The lecture was quite wonderful and largely concerned the story of how a woman named Alva Smith went from being an wealthy socialite with Kardashian-like spending habits to being one of the most avid supporters of the suffrage movement. You can listen to an abridged (but still great) version of the lecture here, as it was broadcast on the Hinckley Institute Radio Hour earlier this week.

I've been trying to teach myself how to make dolls recently, and my favorite place to look for inspiration and tutorials (especially for hair, which still baffles me) is the Wee Wonderfuls website. If you've never checked out Hillary Lang's work, do it. I get so sucked in trying to figure out how she makes so many beautiful handmade toys that I have to go to bed instead of actually trying to make toys myself.

Doctor Who fans, just in case you haven't seen it yet, you can watch the 50th Anniversary minisode that went up this week here. It probably won't make sense if you don't have at least a little bit of a background in Doctor Who history, but if you've been eagerly awaiting the 50th anniversary episode with me, it will make you drool with excitement.

Friday Links and a Halloween Playlist!

It's Friday again! Here are some happy links to kick off your weekend.

First, because I love you, I made a Grooveshark version of my Halloween playlist. If you need something different for your Halloween party or you just want to get in a festive mood, you can find it here. I'd love to hear your Halloween music suggestions in the comments!

These honest taglines for famous products make me laugh so hard.

This Disney Princess Instagram post makes me giggle. I especially love the comments and hashtags.

You've probably seen this already, but in case you haven't, this Diva impressionist singing Total Eclipse of the Heart is so impressive and fun. I can't get over how much I enjoy her Julie Andrews.

Check out this fun mental floss list, 19 Things You Might Not Know Were Invented By Women!

This link is worth it just so you can watch the hypnotic map at the top. Check out these maps of Six Decades of the Most Popular Names for Girls, State By State. Apparently Jennifer dominated for more than a decade!

Did you know you can buy cookie cutters to make 3-D cookies? This 3-D Zoo Animal Cookie Cutter Set just jumped to the top of my Christmas list. The pieces fit together like a puzzle! I think this is the single coolest product I have seen in a long time.

I absolutely love these pictures of monsters painted into thrift store paintings as if they had always been there. It makes me want to go and find one and make my husband turn it into hilarious art for our next apartment.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Links for Fun's Sake!

If you are like me, you cherish hand-written notes from those you care about. A few years ago my mom found her mom's (my grandma's) line-a-day diary from the 1930s and it's wonderful! Technology does a great job of keeping us together, but sometimes it may feel like we lose that personal touch. Cristina Vanko is bringing that personal touch back with her Modern Day Snail Mail project. (Just a heads-up, some of the messages do have some NSFW language but, hey, it sure does look pretty in calligraphy!)

I adore these remakes of classic art--Sesame Street style. The video below shows some featured pieces, but you can check out even more in this article.

If you ever need a smile, just watch this video of these enthusiastic percussionists smiling--complete with choreography and, I'll just call it "unique," bass playing... It's a hoot! Check out more crazy films at the Prelinger Archives website. 

Running a marathon seems crazy to me--The longest I've ever run continuously was 7 miles. But, if you're going to do something crazy, you might as well go all out. Earlier this month, in the Twin Cities Marathon, one runner did just that. 

And, to continue the bizarre trend, there's a great Tumblr out there: Brides Throwing Cats. It is exactly what it sounds like... 

I think I could stare for hours at these gifs that show how aging changes our appearance. Fascinating! 

And, last but not least, a little something to make your heart explode from adorableness:

Friday Links, Hooray!

This list, 28 Pictures That Prove Dreams Do Come True, from Buzzfeed just makes my heart swell! Way to go humanity!

There are some hobbies you can only do when you are young and your health holds up, but music is something you can continue with all  your life, as this 92-year-old man demonstrates in his rehearsal. Amazing!

I'm awful in the kitchen...absolutely awful. If I don't have a recipe to follow, then I wind up eating flavorless mush, and that's just not fun. Luckily, Crock-Pots exist. Essentially, Crock-Pots are the only think keeping me fed. This website, A Year of Slow Cooking, has saved me many times AND (and this is huge, folks) everything is gluten free!  The woman who runs this website is fantastic and has some books out--I love her writing (she's honest about the victories and the flops), and her recipes are so doable! (If I can do it...you can definitely do it!)

This video/audio recording has been on my radar for years, and I listen to it whenever I need a pick-me-up (or I have my boyfriend listen to it when we're driving on the freeway with moderate amounts of traffic and we almost get into an accident because he's laughing so hard...Not something I recommend, dear readers. Please listen to this when you are not operating or even in a moving vehicle, not holding small children or puppies, or not wielding sharp objects. You know, for safety's sake).

Haunted houses are pretty horrible, but 'tis the season anyway! I must say, I don't know how much I love haunted houses, but I do know how much I love seeing others' reactions to haunted houses, particularly those captured by the Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Check out this adventurous couple as the bride does gown photo shoots around the world! You can explore their website and browse their gallery. 

The Pigeon is on Twitter: Your Friday Link Post

Okay so I don't really use Twitter and as far as I can tell there's nothing all that special about what he tweets, but I think on principle we should all go follow The Pigeon. Am I right? I mean... I'm pretty sure I am. 

You may have seen this feel-good story floating around about a group of women who spent thirty years on a secret mission no one, not even their husbands and children, knew about. If you haven't, go for it now; it's a great story. 

Here is Today is a visual depiction of time, and it's about as cool as it sounds.

Georama is a trip planner with some great features. To begin with, it asks if you know where you want to go, and you have three options: no (give me recommendations), maybe (help me decide between cities), and yes (find me great fares). You can set your budget, what kind of focus you want—golf, skiing, architecture, art, a honeymoon—what region of the world you want to explore. It looks like a pretty useful tool. 

I already use Grooveshark and Pandora and they both have their merits, but Songza gives you more personalization options and I think that could be useful. If you like finding new ways to listen to music, check it out and see if it's any good. 

A couple months ago, NASA asked people to take pictures of themselves waving to Saturn as Cassini was photographing us from orbit. I wish I'd known about it so I could participate, but it's pretty fun to think about even though I didn't. (Did any of you send in a photo?)

Want to know what fictional character shares your birthday? I hope you get a better one than I did (some guy from Superbad, which I've never seen). 

The Atlas of True Names reveals the etymological roots, or original meanings, of the familiar terms on today's maps of the World, Europe, the British Isles, Canada and the United States. It may or may not be the nerdiest thing on this list. 

... And the answer is, no it isn't. This website lets you pick a language and then shows you all the places in the world where people speak it. This is a game where you try to guess the book based on a word cloud made from its text. And this, the pièce de résistance, is a logic puzzle + geography trivia game + minesweeper (as in, if you get certain questions wrong, all your answers are wiped out and you have to start over). It. is. awesome.

It's Friday, Lovely Readers!

Happy Friday!

 If you've ever wanted to measure your child based on their development please read What Should a 4 Year Old Know. It's a good reminder about how to measure kids by their worth and not their abilities. "What does a 4 year old need? Much less than we realize, and much more."

I recently came across 20 historic photos colorized and not only am I amazed that technology allows this, but I'm amazed at how the color really brings the history to life. This photo titled "Migrant Mother" is one of the most heartbreaking photos I've ever seen. When it's colorized I realize that she could be my friend. She could be me.

This article on hating the phrase "Strong Female Characters" opened my eyes in a new way to inequality in literature and film and made me rethink the phrase. (I myself often bemoan a lack of "strong female characters" in literature). 

I love this tradition started back in 2005 by a couple while sitting on a beach in the UK. Do you have any photography traditions of your own?

I've always appreciated people who are patient with me and my children, even when my kids are acting like hyenas. This letter titled Dear Parents, you need to control your kids. Sincerely, Non Parents really summed up my feelings on the subject.  "Parenting is the easiest thing in the world to have an opinion about, but the hardest thing in the world to do. You shouldn’t scrutinize parents when you aren’t one, for the same reason I wouldn’t sit and heckle an architect while he draws up the blueprint for a new skyscraper. I know that buildings generally aren’t supposed to fall down, but I don’t have the slightest clue as to how to design one that won’t."

I absolutely love this article in which a woman reflects on the value of educating women--yes, even those who chose to stay home with her children. She states: "My point is, when a highly educated woman is home with her children day in and day out, she weaves the riches of her education into their lives in continuous, subtle, living ways. This is a priceless preparation for a lifetime of learning. This gift is the transmission of culture."

Links for a Friday

Oh, Friday.  You couldn't have come sooner.

Now for some links to go along with this loveliest of days.

Check out this awesome list of "Captivating Commercial Art" over on Stuff You Should Know.  I'm a sucker for this stuff.  And while you're at it, check out the rest of Stuff You Should Know, including their awesome podcast, it's a quick and fun way to expand your knowledge on so many topics, and it's slightly addictive.

I've been holding on to this one for a while, just because I like it.  I'm a fan of Zooey Deschanel and her blog, HelloGiggles, and I really like this response.  It's not unlike what we are aiming for here.  She says, "I just felt it's important to teach young girls to be strong people, to not think, I can't do this because I'm worried about what people will say… When somebody says, 'That idea's stupid,' you stop your flow of ideas. We can't have the next generation be so afraid because they have been attacked."

On a somewhat similar note, this dad tried to teach his daughter a lesson about modesty in a way that would have absolutely killed me as a teenager.  Luckily, my dad could never pull off short-shorts.  Honestly, neither could I so there wasn't really an issue there.  I just like the alternative method.  Sometimes talking and arguing doesn't cut it, but that girl will never forget spending the evening with her dad in a pair of cut off shorts.

This I just love.  11 Authors Who Hated the Movie Versions of Their Books.  I had heard of a few of these, but I'm intrigued by the whole process of turning a book into a movie.  I can't imagine how difficult it would be to turn over creative control like that.

Over on Babble, check out my friend Kacy's posts.  This one made me actually consider watching So You Think You Can Dance.  Not to mention, another book-related post.  I can't get enough of those.

And finally, because I love Tumblr and random bits of useless knowledge, check out Fill the Silence and get gems like this every day:

ALL THE LINKS!

I promise I'm not trying to internet yell at you. I'm just excited about Fridays (hooray!) and links! The internet is this wonderful Alice-in-Wonderland type hole and I get sucked into it more often than I'd like to admit!

Here are some links to help you along your rabbit hole journey!

I'm not really a cat person (I know, a card-carrying, cardigan-wearing librarian who doesn't like cats?! Outrageous!), but this little feline friend definitely made me smile:

This little guy lets nothing stand in his way--especially not that hair dryer! From the video's description, "This is our five month old cat Oskar. He was born with no formed eyeballs and hence he cannot see at all! His blindness does not hold him back at all -- he can do pretty much everything that our 'normal' cat Klaus can do." #Adorable #SometimesISayHashtagInRealLifeConversationsAndIKnowItIsLame #IEmbraceIt

StoryPeople artwork by Brian Andreas has absolutely captured my heart! There's at least one StoryPeople piece that fits everyone I know.  I first discovered it while in college--Brian Andreas' studio was in Decorah, IA (though he now works out of California) and I remember strolling downtown, turning just off Water Street, and being captivated by the displays.  The vibrant colors and shapes are great, but the truth in the words is what usually connects most with me! I love seeing their Story of the Day on their Facebook page! (P.S. They totally aren't paying me anything to include them in this post--I'm just super-enthusiastic about their work!)

I adore my smart phone. It keeps me from getting lost (most of the time...at least when I pay attention to the directions it gives me; sometimes I say "Oh, this road will be a shortcut." Here's a hint: with me it's never a shortcut). It keeps me connected with the people I love, but how often does it get in the way? 

I'm trying to do a better job of putting my phone away and being present when I'm in social situations, or not-so-social situations, but it can be a challenge (especially for someone like myself who is curious and loves looking up things that randomly pop into my head). How have you kept a balance between technology and living in the present?

This mom and artist discusses sharing and creating art with her four-year-old daughter. The shared sketchbook art is absolutely captivating, and the message is heartwarming too! There's nothing like the imagination of a child to help us remember the wonder of the world!


This song has been stuck in my head basically all summer...and this version: love!

This man reflects on his failed marriage in the caption of his Facebook photo. He says things like "Never stop courting. Never stop dating. NEVER EVER take that woman for granted." and "FALL IN LOVE OVER and OVER and OVER again." While I agree with several of the points he makes, it is also important to remember that both partners have these responsibilities.  What I think he's saying, without coming right out and saying it, is the most important aspects of any relationship come down to respect, communication, honesty, and responsibility. At least that's my take on it--What stands out to you?


Along a similar message, but perhaps even better articulated, is this article, A Daddy’s Letter to His Little Girl (About Her Future Husband).  "Little One, it is not, has never been, and never will be your job to 'keep him interested.' Little One, your only task is to know deeply in your soul—in that unshakable place that isn't rattled by rejection and loss and ego—that you are worthy of interest." How do you (plan to) communicate with your children that they already deserve an amazing partner who loves them for them (without having to turn into twerking Miley)?


Not to beat a dead horse, but I really appreciate Eric Clapp's post, How to Talk With Your Sons About Robin Thicke, because, when it really comes down to it, Miley is young and young people sometimes make bad decisions, but there are some people old enough to have better judgement about ways they act and portray interactions--particularly those involving skewed power dynamics. This, of course is all just my opinion. What do you think about the song (and video for) Blurred Lines and the way women are portrayed?


And, just because it is Friday, here is a spinning seal gif (which I found through Swiss Miss).

The Fabulousness of This Link Post Defies Titling

Or maybe it's that I suck at naming posts. I'm not lying about the fabulousness, though. There are at least two links in this collection that caused me to stare open-mouthed at my screen for several minutes.

I'm going to keep this list short, because you can easily spend an hour or more on the first link, and the second link gives you a lot to scroll through. The third link is awesome slash important, the fourth is heartwarming, and I think all together that's more than enough material for one Friday.

First: forty maps that explain the world. There's a map showing which countries are most and least welcoming to foreigners, one breaking down the world's writing systems, one showing where people smoke the most cigarettes every year, one rating the best and worst countries for being a mother, and one showing the earth as seen from space over a twelve-month time lapse. It is fascinating and way more than you can really take in in one sitting (each map has links to analysis of the data), but so worth the time you'll spend. 

Second: ballet dancers in random situations. This is just beautiful, at times funny, and so impressive. I tried to pick a favorite but couldn't, so then I tried for a top five and ended up with fourteen. We'll just go with one of my favorites, and you'll have to look for yourselves to see the rest.

Third: Hollaback! is a movement to end street harassment. You can document incidents, share your own stories (click that link to see why sharing stories is good), and learn how to safely intervene when you see someone being harassed (this can be as simple as a knowing look to the person being harassed, who will instantly feel less isolated). If you've ever needed somewhere to vent about being catcalled or are just looking for a cause that's easy to support, go check it out.

And, finally, your warm fuzzies for the day: this story of a ring, traded by an American POW in World War II for some food, that finally made its way back to the soldier's family seventy years later.

Happy weekend!

Cue Rebecca Black...It's Friday, People!

In case you were living under a rock last year HERE is the song that inspired the post title...and the reason I secretly hate when Friday rolls around because I inevitably hear this song in my head at least once.

Ashton Kutcher's advice on life to teens attending the Teen Choice Awards went viral this week and it seems to have resonated with a lot of people. 

Shannon Hale's Austenland has been made into a movie and THIS is why it is imperative that you see it. I for one have been looking forward to this one for a long while. Shannon Hale is witty and charming and if you haven't checked out her books you should really remedy that immediately. 

Speaking of books Lauren Graham (aka Lorelai Gilmore) wrote a new novel: Someday, Someday, Maybe. The story of Franny Banks, a struggling actress in New York City in 1995. Semi autobiographical, this novel is extremely sweet and hilarious and if you are a fan of Graham you will enjoy this book. 

I find myself chuckling several times a day at THESE MEN who have captured toddler-hood in a very real way for me. Check out all eight episodes of Convos With My Two Year Old (As re-enacted by me and another full grown man). My personal favorite episodes are HERE and HERE. 

Have you seen THIS COMMERCIAL for Farmersonly.com? Narrated by farm animals as an added bonus. I actually went to Farmersonly.com to check it out and came across a man who is looking for "a sexy confident woman that I can laugh with, love and be proud to share a life. She must be able to handle a hard working, hard loving man. Preferably a woman with the land for me to work and to build us a house on. Oh yeah, I can build a house from the slab up with my own two hands. And I would love to build her dream house with a wrap around porch for our rocking chairs! Must enjoy ATV's."  So if you are sexy enough for his standards and a land owner, this young man would really love to build you a house with his bare hands.

I found a few things on Pinterest that I loved....like one of THESE rings or THESE hand or footprint projects. Also how hilariously adorable and or unrealistic is THIS invention (and does it come with the baby)?

Classical Hipsters, Readers, Body Language and more

Happy Friday! Behold, a beautiful array of things that I love around the internet to kick off your weekend.

Because it makes me laugh, this ridiculous collection of pictures of classical sculptures dressed as hipsters: http://todayilearned.co.uk/2013/06/13/classical-sculptures-dressed-as-hipsters-look-contemporary-and-totally-badass/

A lovely story about a dad who read to his daughter every day for nine years:  which made me feel better after reading this article, which kind of depressed me (but maybe that's just because I freaking love kids books and having my 13 month old bring me one and climb into my lap so I'll read it to her.)

This is great advice about talking to your daughter about her body.

And here is a great one about the way women think about their post-baby bodies, and why on earth everyone acts like it should all be back to normal immediately - or ever.

In case you haven't seen it yet, this is an awesome video of Dustin Hoffman talking about how his experience playing a woman in Tootsie changed the way he feels about women.

I really love this blog post about being sensitive when you ask people when they are having kids. It's a good reminder that you just don't know what's going on in someone's life, and that decision is incredibly personal (and probably none of your business).

I think these Where I Have Loved You Canvases are adorable, and you could totally make it just Where I Have Lived if you didn't want to be all mushy. (I love you, Debra!)

This Oatmeal Cookie and Salted Caramel Cinnamon Ice Cream looks divine, doesn't it? I want to eat it right now. (Anyone want to come over and make it for me? No? Shoot.)

This is a beautiful article about letting our children help us learn how to slow down and enjoy life.

Friday Friday Friday!

I've really been coming across some lovely links lately (alliteration!) and I'm super happy Friday is finally here so I can share.

This has been floating around Facebook, and it might be my favorite.  25 Common Phrases That You're Saying Wrong.  Read it, memorize it, share it with your friends.

I'm sorry, friends, but I hate The Bachelor and all related shows.  I can't handle it.  This letter a mother wrote to her daughter after watching The Bachelor makes some wonderful points.

This TED talk is fascinating.  Two minutes and you can change the way people think of you and the way you think about yourself.  Look powerful and be powerful. I love when she changes "fake it till you make it" to fake it till you believe it.  Such a great thing.

The Bronte Sisters are awesome.  Check this out in case you have forgotten or never quite enjoyed this enough.

Finally, I am addicted to this Tumblr, Humans of New York.  I can't stop reading it.  This photographer walks around and takes photos of people he sees.  He asks them questions like what's the saddest/happiest you've ever been and what advice would you give a large group of people?  Or people just tell him things unsolicited.

It's sweet and beautiful and kind of heart-breaking.  Have you ever stopped to think about all the things that have happened to all the people around you?  It boggles the mind.  Humans are just beautiful.

Friday Link Post!

So this definitely needs to be a thing now—the "girlfriend zone." In fact, it makes much more sense than the original phrase does, and I love it. Also, did you see the names they used in the example dialogue??? (But Ben would never do such a thing... I just want that out there.)

Something random and interesting for your weekend: the family tree of the Greek gods on Wikipedia. I'm sure I'm not the only one who went through a Greek mythology phase in junior high/high school, right? And I still think this stuff is really fun.

If chocolate truffles, maple souffle, peanut butter banana ice cream, lemon mousse, strawberry fudge, eggnog muffins, and the idea of using only two ingredients sound good to you, I have an article you should read. 

Last week I watched Black Swan, and I was kind of blown away by it, so for several days afterward I kept pulling up YouTube videos of Swan Lake. I actually watched the entire ballet one night, and then this scene—the Dance of the Little Swans—probably a dozen times more. This is the other theme from Swan Lake that everyone knows, and it is really beautiful.

And, finally, something for our Doctor Who fans: Because if you don't already know that they're going to put a real TARDIS into orbit, you probably want to.

Friday Links!

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to the end of a long week and the beginning of an awesome weekend!

If you need a date this weekend but don't have a lot of money, hopefully you can find a little love at your local library. Tell your librarians they need to do this. Or start your own little library! Share the love of books and reading with those around you.

Looking for the perfect name for your little ones, or writing a novel and need the best name for your characters? Ask the Baby Name Genie! Type in the last name, pick the gender or leave it a surprise, and make sure you block out some time because you'll keep clicking through name after name.

Need to keep yourself or some kiddies occupied while you're getting an oil change? Create your own word searches, cross words, cryptograms, mazes, and more with the puzzlemaker. You could make a lot of these and then bind them together to make your own puzzle books.

Still in a creative mood? Try Wordle! Type in your favorite words, or someone's name and things about them, or whatever you'd like. Then style it up with colors and fonts. This would make a fun present or wall hanging. Hint- the more you type in a word, the bigger the word will be.

Looking for a good book? Try my favorite author, Madeleine L'Engle. Remember reading A Wrinkle in Time in elementary school? Yup, that's Madeleine L'Engle. She wrote fiction, nonfiction, childrens, teen, and adult books, and auto-biographies.

You know all those times you had such good intentions and bought tons of fruit and veggies and then two weeks later you found bags of moldy squishy goop in your fridge? Well, your problems are all solved now! You can cut out these produce pictures or draw your own, then stick magnets on the back. After you go grocery shopping, put up a magnet of the fruit and veggies you bought, then you'll have a nice reminder of what's in the fridge!

And lastly, if you just need a big kick in the butt to get you motivated, here are 6 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person. PS- these are not for the sensitive soul.