“Modern life is so thin and shallow and fake. I look forward to when developers go bankrupt, Japan gets poorer and wild grasses take over.”
Tiny Hamster Eating Tiny Burrito
BECAUSE, okay?
Bic Pens For Her
Other than the times that she scares people on her show, I don't really have an opinion on Ellen. (Those scare pranks? Oh, man are they great. Just in general. So funny to see someone's scared reaction.) But anyway, yeah - no real opinion on Ellen. Seems okay, I guess. But this is just great. (Thanks Adele for posting it originally and showing me!)
16 Acres
I just watched this on Netflix and I thought it was really good. Not in an entertaining-good kind of way, but moreso in an I-didn't-know-any-of-this kind of way. And if you're like me and would watch anything 9/11 related (as I've stated before), then definitely check this out. It basically highlights the politics and drama surrounding the rebuilding of Ground Zero, and the 16 acres that now house 1WTC and the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. The trailer's above.
Also, this is what one of the proposed designs looked like, as shown in the film.
Is it just me or is that one of the most beautifully complex buildings you've ever seen? Man. Anyway, lots of stuff is covered in this movie - if you have any kind of interest in architecture or anything September 11th-related, then you'll really want to see this one.
I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley - A Review
Remember how I liked that Larry Miller book a lot at the beginning and then it gradually got less good? The opposite is true of this book. I can't really pinpoint what I found so irritating about it at first, maybe just the tone of it? I don't know, but I found myself intensely not caring about so many chapters. Except the one where she described being a bridesmaid. That entire one was fantastic. I doubt that I'd ever want to read it as a whole again, but it definitely had its moments.
Parts I Liked
- "I was taught that candles are like house cats - domesticated versions of something wild and dangerous."
- "I have never pictured my own wedding. I do want to get married. It's a nice idea. Though I think husbands are like tattoos - you should wait until you come across something you want on your body for the rest of your life instead of just wandering into a tattoo parlor on some idle Sunday and saying, "I feel like I should have one of these suckers by now."
- The idea that if a woman is having a big wedding, she should just get interns instead of bridesmaids. So great.
- "Christ, I thought, is this what it's like to own a golden retriever puppy and take it for a walk? Or to be eight months pregnant and take yourself for a walk? Why do people always want to put their hands on vulnerability?"
- "If I was lucky, she'd let me go down to the kitchen to retrieve the Bremner Wafers tin, which contained all her "special occasion" jewelry. Putting valuable things in the kitchen was a tip she'd read about in Redbook or an insurance pamphlet and it stuck. Should thieves have broken into our house and poured themselves bowls of cereal, they would have found all four of our passports." -- amazing. Love this so idea so much.
“If you don’t want to spend money on dessert after dinner, go to a few different frozen yogurt shops and ask for a sample at each one. This is crazy stingy, but super effective. (This works especially well if you eat dinner in the Union Square area. Fro yo is RAMPANT there.)”
(I do realize this could also be categorized under any of my gross personal confession posts. I'm aware.)
Cherry Blossom Season
The first time I actively sought out some cherry blossoms was last year, and I'm glad I did. Look at that gorgeousness! And late-April is the time that they bloom, so you should try to find out where they're at in your area. What's the purpose of seeing them? I don't know, maybe to inject a little visual beauty into your life? Don't analyze it, just go.
There's a great (updated) map of what's already bloomed and what hasn't at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, so you can try to plan the best time to go and see them. And you can find semi-updated information on their blooming status in High Park in Toronto over here.
How to See Without Glasses
I only watched the first 52 seconds of this - not because I'm a busy, professional woman of the world and have no time for full YouTube videos, but because the rest of it seemed kind of boring. And also, I tried out what they suggested and it worked, so what more could I need? Try this if you have dead eyes like me!
Mom Says
Illustration by Andrew Hamm
Illustration by Andrew Hamm
Lessons of the Week
1. Pinterest Tip: Highlight text on something before hitting “Pin It” and the highlighted text will automatically appear in the description box.
2. Twitter Tip: You can create lists for people whose tweets you don’t want to miss. Am I the only person who didn't know this already?
3. A beautician just told me that the best (least painful) time to pluck your eyebrows is right after you get out of a hot shower. I just tried this, and she's completely right.
For past lessons of the week, you can find them over here: July 2013, October 2013, and December 2013.