Sigh.

Seattle is trying – however pathetically – to cling to the last few days of summer. It’s not really working. For the record, even I, the girl who loves wearing a sundress more than ANYTHING, already bought a pair of waterproof winter boots.

On the plus side, they’re kind of badass. And I’ll probably be wearing them very, very soon.

But enough about shoes. Let’s discuss the week that was.

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In a “You have got to be shitting me” move, fate attempted to make the state of Louisiana its bitch once again, as an oil rig exploded in the Gulf. Fortunately there were no casualties, and no environmentally devastating oil leaks. But still.

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If I could be guaranteed that this was the result, I would install a cat door in my home immediately. Even though, you know, we don’t have a cat.

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As I copywriter who loves cake, this doesn’t bother me at all. BECAUSE I LOVE CAKE. Even more than coherent copy. (via @TheTravelTart)

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Rand sent this to me ages ago, but since it’s making the rounds on the internet again, I thought I’d share it with you folks. A writer for Gourmet tries to get into some of New York’s hottest restaurants. He doesn’t have a reservation, but he does have a stack of bills, and a healthy does of confidence. It just goes to show you, no door is closed to you … as long as you have money and power. Sigh.

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Remember those Bratz Baby Dolls I found in San Francisco last week? They make an appearance again on the 14 worst toys for girls. It’s a horrifying list. (via @DeannaNMc, who should just write my blog for me).

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James Hance’s work is absolutely killing me. He metes out clever and cute in equal doses, and often with Muppets. While I’m no fan of A.A. Milne, Hance’s recreation of Han Solo as Christopher Robin, and Chewbacca as Pooh bear might be the best thing I’ve seen in ages. At least, until I saw his painting of The Beatles running from a T-Rex (entitled Help!), and the brilliance that is The Meep.

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Apparently there is one Chilean miner who may not exactly be thrilled to get out of the jam he’s now in. Why? Because the one that waits for him on the surface might be even worse. Yonni Barrios wife and his girlfriend met when they were both holding vigils for him outside the mine in which he was trapped. So … AWKWARD.

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As if you needed another reason to think Kristin (the lovely gal behind Camels & Chocolate) was adorable, she’s now blogged about her trip to a wildlife park in Tasmania. Spoiler: SHE FEEDS KANGAROOS. (Aaaaand, CUE JEALOUSY!)

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Happy Anniversary to my friend Laura, who’s all kinds of amazing. You and Sean are going to be such adorable crotchety old people. I’ll grab Rand, and the four of us will learn to play bridge or something. I can’t wait.

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And because everything from the 60s is suddenly new again, I am fascinated by this old video of Italian songstress Rita Pavone. I would also kill for the dress she’s wearing, her hair, and, while we’re dreaming, her waif-like figure. Alas, I’m one of those Italian girls who owes all that you see to spaghetti. Ah, well. (via my bro, @EdwardDeRuiter)

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Alrighty – that’s it for me. I’m off to enjoy what’s left of summer (KEEP SHINING, SUN. DO YOU HEAR ME? SHINE, DAMN IT!)

And a few things to think about, too, because I read somewhere that we ought to try and do that every now and then, even when we’re screwing around on the internet.

Oh, and some inane stuff, too, of course. Enjoy.

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A Pop-Tarts restaurant is opening in Times Square. Just looking at the footage makes my blood sugar spike. We’re clearly taking steps to make sure Britain doesn’t inch anywhere closer to our title of World’s Most Obese Country. (via Vagabondish)

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Continuing on the junkfood theme, this comparison of fast food items as they appear in ads versus real life is pretty darn interesting. Unsurprising, but interesting. (Thanks to my bro, Edward, for the link)

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Two words: MINI FROGS!!! (Or is that one word, hyphenated? Whatever. I’ll take a thousand of them, please.)

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The Hungover Owls blog is absolutely killing me. A good while ago, the brilliant Ben Huff and I had a discussion about why owls always look pissed off. We briefly joked about an “Owls are Assholes” blog. This is better.

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Warning: this next site will play music the second you visit it. But then again, that’s the whole idea. Got a song stuck in your head? UnhearIt.com will help you eliminate the catchy tune that keeps playing over and over again in your brain. How? By playing another equally-catchy song to replace it. After a few listens, I heard Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy, the theme to Super Mario Bros. 2 (my husband was able to peg it as being from the sequel), and then was subsequently Rickrolled.

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Regardless of what you think of the president, this is highly adorable. (Personally, I happen to like the guy, even though he turned out to be waaay more moderate that I had hoped).

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The Avid Trips blog launched this week, and I’m super excited to have an article I wrote be one of the first featured on the site (Sigh – a title I have to share with Peter West Carey. WHY’S HE ALWAYS STEALING MY SPOTLIGHT?). Anywho, check out my piece on why you should go to Iceland.

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This collection of photos, featuring life on the New York subway during the 80s, is amazing. It reveals the underground system’s dark and gritty past, with painful honesty and, surprising, a good measure of beauty as well.

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Damn, kitty. You’re looking good.

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Deanna of Traveling Monkeys sent me the following video, which absolutely slayed me. If you’re a freelancer, it will ring very close to home.

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Sigh. It’s funny ’cause it’s true.

And with that, I’m off to go squeeze the last few drops of life out of summer. Have a great weekend, everyone!

In the meantime, enjoy things I found on the internet.

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Apparently Muhammad Ali had an exchange with a flight attendant back in his heyday. She told him to put on his seatbelt, to which he replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” Her answer?

“Superman don’t need no airplane, either.”

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Devastating news, which is why we should talk about it. Pakistan is a mess after floods left 1,600 dead. Estimates say the number of people impacted is greater that those during the 2005 South Asia tsunami. Here’s how you can help.

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This is actually quite insightful (and it’s from Cracked.com? This is what’s wrong with journalism today, kids. Or maybe what’s right with it.): check out 3 reasons why the “Ground Zero Mosque” debate makes no sense.

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While I don’t quite appreciate the potty mouth (seriously, F-bombs should be used like salt. A little goes a long way. Add too much, and the meal is ruined. There’s no going back), I still found this article rather refreshing: 5 Reasons Why Your Flight Attendant Hates You. (via Gadling.com)

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I highly doubt the authenticity of this, but it’s still pretty funny.

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Mike Perron has a touching post about Surfer’s Healing, an organization that takes autistic children out surfing. It’s incredibly sweet, and proves that Mike is more that just a hilarious guy. He’s a dad with a lot of heart, too. </sincerity>

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These color images of Russian people and the countryside, from over a hundred years ago, are absolutely fascinating. So is the technique used to capture color in the images, decades before color film became the norm.

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Just one more reason why my hubby is awesome: He ranked #334 on Inc. Magazine’s Top 500 Fastest Growing U.S. Companies. I propose we celebrate by eating 334 pieces of cake.

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Why not buy the kids some souvenir lighthouse gummis to commemorate your trip along the coast? They come in lots of flavors and – WAIT, WHAT? DO NOT PUT THOSE IN YOUR MOUTH, JUNIOR. (via The Travel Tart)

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Am I 14? Apparently. Because I couldn’t stop laughing at this.

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Ah, I ended on not one, but TWO unintentional penis sightings. This is going to be a good weekend.

Also, if someone wants to discuss how it isn’t really mid-August, and this is just some weird conspiracy, I would be totally okay with that. I spent the morning looking at winter boots. WINTER BOOTS. Gah. Nevermind. Let’s talk about cool stuff I found on the internet instead of my own mortality …

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Apparently Han Solo wasn’t supposed to die halfway through Jedi. But after his action figure sold like mad, Lucas decided not to axe any of the principals. Thank god. (via @mobilelawyer)

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Check out Business Week’s list of the Most Expensive Cities in The World. Oslo ranks second after Tokyo. In my book, it will always be first.

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In Soviet Russia … (via reddit.com)

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We are soooo not talking about the girl who quit via Whiteboard, because it was revealed as a hoax. And hoaxes don’t deserve our attention. But if they did, I’d point out that my brother pegged it as one and found evidence to support the fact waaay before anyone else did. Who says the unemployed are worthless?

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Are geotags revealing more than you’d like in your photos? (The New York Times)

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Whooo-hoo! I’m published on Gadling. Check out 10 Ways to Deal with a Travel Partner who SUCKS.

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Cailin O’Neil shares her Small World Moments: when you bump into someone we know, miles away from home. It’s adorable, and will get you thinking about your own what-are-you-doing-here? stories.

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In the wake of all the immigration b.s., George Carlin’s We Are Equal bit made me smile. A lot.

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Gray over at Solo Friendly discusses the 7 things about travel that stress her out. It’ll resonate with you.

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Am I just a jaded intellectual? Absolutely. And I have a journalism degree. That’s probably why I found these Journalism Warning Labels so damn funny.

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ZOMG. Two words: Baby skunk. Baby FRIGGING skunk. 

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Enjoy the weekend, kids. Next week might be a little crazy, blogging-wise, but I’ll do my best to get new content up every day.

I’m been running around and fighting off a cold simultaneously, and after a few days, I knew something was bound to give. So when I woke up this morning with a wicked sore throat and no earthly clue what day it was (no, really), I wasn’t really that shocked. Except when I found out it was Friday. I had figured that it was Wednesday or maybe Thursday. But Friday? Really? It’s Friday? I am shocked.

I was lucky enough to catch up with an old friend from middle school, and meet a few new ones (including the amazing Deanna of Traveling Monkeys and her family) – but you’ll have to wait until next week to hear about all that awesomeness. In the meantime, I’m feeling too crappy to do anything but browse the internet. Enjoy …

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I realize it isn’t anywhere close to Halloween, but it’s August, and in Seattle that means that fall is already on its way. Check out photographer Amy Stein’s series, Halloween in Harlem. It’s haunting and sweet, and reminds me of Sesame Street in the days of yore.

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I can think of soooo many applications for these.

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Some brilliant soul put summed up all of Chewbacca’s dialogue from Star Wars in comic form.

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Artist Mark Jenkins reminds me a little of Banksy, but his chosen medium is sculpture. His work is equal parts macabre and playful. In short? Brilliant. (My favorite might be the stop sign, as simple as it is).

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Pam Mandel, the charming blogatrix behind Nerd’s Eye View (and fellow Seattle girl!) is calling for guest travel posts to appear on her blog for the month of August. She has a few parameters, but for the chance to be published on a site as awesome as hers, that’s a small price to pay.

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I really can’t think of anything better than Hunter S. Thompson motivational posters. Can you?

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I’m swooning over this environmentally-conscious Hobbit-style home built by a family in Wales. And I’m not even much of a Tolkien fan.

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I found this animation of air traffic across the globe (over the course of 24 hours) to be absolutely mesmerizing. I particularly love the flow of planes between the U.S. and Europe – it looks like the countries are breathing.

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Help food and travel writer Charyn Pfeuffer make the world a better place. Charyn is up for a $5,000 Voluntourism grant from Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. Vote for her here – it will only take 2 seconds, it doesn’t require you to sign up for anything, and it’s free. How many things can you say that about? (Oh, and read more about The Global Citizen Project here.)

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And finally, a PSA from cats.

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That’s all for now, folks. I’m going to go curl up with a terrible movie. Blerg.

I suspect the full-moon was partially to blame. Or maybe it’s that summer just doesn’t seem to be coming to Seattle this year, and we’re a little upset about it. Or perhaps it’s that every single person I know (myself included) just hasn’t been getting enough sleep and is a little cranky. This would certainly explain the behavior of my friend’s two year-old-daughter, who I babysat this week. She alternated between laughing, crying, and running around like a child possessed for four hours.

I knew exactly how she felt.

Why are things so off? Why are we so cranky? And how is it that my links for the round-up reflect this, even though I didn’t mean for them to? It’s clearly a mystery. Read on, while I go get a snack.

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Only the dead have seen the end of war. Hee hee. I am clearly warped for finding that as funny as I do. (via reddit.com)

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More proof of my warped mind? I found this not only hilarious, but relatable. Stupid Florida school system.

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This, too, rung a bit familiar. Rand, thank you for putting up with all my crazy. You’re the best.

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When all else fails, take your angst out on major credit companies and junk mailers, using the convenient pre-paid envelopes they provide you.

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“Your Karma is Leaking.”

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A t-shirt inspired by the most common cause of death in the Oregon Trail video game? Yes, please.

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The Matador Network has a great photo essay on wreck diving in The Great Lakes. It’s haunting and fantastic. (via Candice Walsh).

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I’m evil and hate team sports. Consequently, I found this gif of the Raptors mascot falling flat on his face to be delightful.

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Artist Dalton Ghetti carves amazing sculptures into the graphite of pencils. It’s both random and delightfully weird.

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See you next week, folks. Hopefully by then the weirdness will have settled. But don’t count on it.

And the weirdness doesn’t end there …

At Cranium, the editorial team joked that they had to do this all the time … but I didn’t realize it was actually possible. The guys from Mythbusters take on the task of polishing a turd. Watch the video to see if they succeeded. (Note: “success”, in this instance, is a relative term.)

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Because we are a well-meaning, if occasionally misguided, town, Seattle is considering banning the Bodies exhibit (you know – the one that features real, preserved bodies in a bunch of weird poses). While the folks behind the exhibit claim that they’ve used people who’ve died of natural causes whose next of kin could not be contacted, there’s rumors that they might be the bodies of murdered political dissidents. So … that’s creepy.

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Don’t complain about the food on RyanAir. Because however bad it is, it’s better than what you’ll be eating in jail. SEE WHAT I DID THERE? Jail is where they send you if you complain about the food. Yeah. I’m clever. (via Gadling)

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“My iPad got fishy smell. You need to be careful.” Sigh. Once again, GADGETS AND FOOD DON’T MIX. I don’t know how many times I have to explain this to you folks.  (via reddit.com)

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Am I strange for finding this photo to be downright haunting? Probably. But still, I do.

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I read this four times before I understood it. Apparently the copywriters behind the ad didn’t realize that in some parts of the U.S., we refer to ecstasy as “E”.

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In less bizarre and significantly more awesome news …

Mad Men is back on this weekend. I’m freaking out with excitement. If, like me, you’re having trouble waiting until Sunday, The Simpsons parody of the Mad Men intro might help. Still not enough for you? Tom and Lorenzo (the geniuses behind Project Rungay) have a run-down of nearly every important outfit ever worn by the women of Mad Men. No, I’m not kidding. It’s fantastic. Their sartorial analysis ties into plot and character development perfectly. It is, without hyperbole, one of the best things I’ve read in ages.

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I got downright teary after reading blogger/photographer Peter West Carey’s post about why he loves traveling with his daughter. I suggest you grab a tissue and give it a gander.

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If I actually spent more time in my home, I would want it to look like this.

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I’m entranced by Seattle Times’ illustrator Gabriel Campanario’s sketches of Seattle and its inhabitants.

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And I’ve decided to close with a quote from my brother with whom I was lucky/cursed enough to hang out this week. If you aren’t following him on Twitter, you should.

“I’m like the anti-Logan’s Run: Everyone under 30 should die.”

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Sigh. A fine thing to say to your 29-year-old sister. Anyway, that’s all for this week, folks! Enjoy the weirdness.

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P.S. – Do you have an article, post, or picture that you’d like considered for The Week in Travel? Send your links to contact-at-everywhereist.com. Please, no inappropriate or NSFW content.

Too much? Tough. How often am I optimistic, unsarcastic, and blissfully in love with everything? Enjoy it while it lasts, kids. Next week, I suspect the vitriol and spite will be back with a vengeance.

But today? Today brings a world of wonder. Behold:

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The Old Spice Guy has take the internet by storm. In a round of viral advertising (that I suspect kids will study in mass media history classes for years to come), Old Spice unleashed a slew of videos featuring Isaiah Mustafa (a.k.a., the Perfect Man in the towel) responding to Tweets, proposing on behalf of a fan, and hitting on Alyssa Milano. The result? 6 million views in 24 hours, and lots of shots of chiseled abs. And for that, we say thank you.

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It’s not a permanent fix, but for the first time in 3 months, oil is no longer rushing into the Gulf. It’s not a lot (after all, there’s still a hell of a lot of clean-up and seemingly permanent environmental damage), but for right now, I’ll take it.

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Internet shorthand as if written by a proper Englishman.

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I recently saw this video, in which Jewel dons a disguise and heads out to a Karaoke bar, and kind of freaked out. It’s adorable.  AND I CAN’T STAND JEWEL (via Funny or Die).

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And speaking of adorable, Rand and I went to see Despicable Me last weekend. The whole movie is so-so, but it had a few winning moments. In particular, this one. There. I just saved you ten bucks on a movie ticket.

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Crisco + Sharpie + 3 pigs = Best. Prank. Ever.

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Did I gush about how I was published on Gadling? I WAS PUBLISHED ON GADLING!! Check out my 7 Travel Rules You Should Break. I am so excited, I am having trouble keeping my corn flakes down. It is that awesome.

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I hate resorting to LOLcats, but damn it, this is funny. “Turtle is not angry …” (via @Jennita)

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And I’ll close this week with a quote from my friend Skye, who’s leaving town, like, tomorrow. Ahem:

“Adults are weird about dessert. I have not lost my youthful enthusiasm for sugar.”

Right on, sister.

Anywho, on to the week that was …

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My aunt loves to send me forwards, usually consisting of photos of animals hugging one another. I’m not saying I mind, but I was delightfully surprised when she sent me this video of Italian kids giving away free hugs.

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Cough-cough. Excuse me. I’m just a little hoarse. (via reddit.com)

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Sabina Lohr of Solo Female Traveler encounters “squeaky sand.” No, really. It squeaks. (My theory: it’s possessed by the souls of a thousand deceased mice.)

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Do you take pictures of your food because you worry you’ll miss it after it’s been eaten? No. Me, neither (looks around nervously). For those of you who enjoy taking pictures of food for entirely different reasons, check out Gadling’s new photo contest, which ends on Monday. You could win some nifty camera-type accessories.

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One writer explains why soccer fans should be cheering for Spain and against Holland in the World Cup final. Considering my Dutch last name, and my lingering belief that “if you ain’t Dutch you ain’t much”, despite, you know, not being Dutch at all, I am conflicted at best. (via Slate.com)

Oh, and they also have a weird, hysterical collection of slow-motion videos clips from the World Cup. Everyone looks dorky at 1/20th speed.

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A Chinese airport was shut down for an hour due to … A UFO?! No, seriously. It was unidentified, it was flying, and it was an object.

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I am super psyched about my guest for Boots ‘n All: 10 Tips for Joining Your Spouse on a Business Trip. (Also, did I just say “psyched”? Apparently, yes. “Bitchin” is soon to follow, I am sure.)

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It is clearly too hot for attire like this. Seriously. Dress coolly, and don’t forget to stay hydrated.

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And with that, I’m out folks. I need to go take an ice bath or eat a penguin or something.

As for this past week, I’m not gonna lie: it’s been a mixed bag for seemingly everyone but me (my week was downright delightful). Some people have amazing news (new jobs! New apartments! New babies!) while others I’ve talked to have had a rough time of it (some big uncomfortable changes and nasty breaks). Accordingly, this week’s posts are a bittersweet mix of sentimental, silly, and at times even snake-y. Hopefully they’ll either sustain the good mood you’re in, or cure what ails ya. Enjoy.

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The blogatrix behind Brooke vs. the World has written a great piece about the strange, lonely melancholy that occasionally accompanies us on our travels. It’s incredibly easy to relate to, and will have you wondering, “Is travel all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows?” (My answer: No. But it’s still worth it).

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An illustration of the never-ending struggle … between donut and bagel.

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This warmed the brittle lump of coal that is my heart. (Via Slog)

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Keith Savage, of The Traveling Savage, has a great post up entitled “The Goodbye Traveler“. He notes that when a vacation comes to an end, not only should we say goodbye to friends and family members, but also to the places we visited. We should take a moment to reflect, to express gratitude, and to close the book on our travels (at least for now).

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Apparently eating airline food can get you sick. How this is news? We’ve all learned this lesson (and painfully), I’m sure.

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I have not read the Twilight books nor seen the movies (and I don’t intend to). Nevertheless, this made me giggle like a little girl. Professor Snape, FTW.

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Kristin, the blogatrix behind Camels and Chocolate, shares her harrowing tale of encountering a black spitting cobra while on honeymoon in Borneo (don’t worry: she comes out unscathed)

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This picture collage shows the amount of food families in different countries eat over a week (note: it’s depressing, but fascinating). (via reddit.com)

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EU 261 is a new law protecting travelers heading to Europe. The airlines are doing all they can to work around it, and consequently don’t want you to be too informed about the intricacies of the law. So, naturally, you should commit the whole damn thing to memory.

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Hurry! Only a few more weeks to enter The Washington Post’s Travel Photo Contest!

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And one last thing of note – and it’s an important one. My brilliant friend Mimi started a blog (apparently several months ago, but I was drunk at the time, and didn’t pick up on it until now) about what it’s like to be bi-cultural in the U.S. (she moved to the states from Japan while in high school). It’s called Don’t Put Chopsticks in Your Hair. And it’s awesome.

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That’s it – have a safe and happy Fourth!