The Everywhereist

It is going to be 80 degrees in the Pacific Northwest this weekend. EIGHTY FRIGGIN DEGREES. The weather is so nice that one school has cancelled class due to sunshine. No, I’m not even remotely kidding.

I am getting out from behind my desk right this second, and heading out to enjoy the day (after safely slathering on some sunscreen and putting on a hat). This links were hastily put together because, really, all I wanted to do was go out and play.

But they’re still worth a gander. Enjoy.

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Foreign Policy culled together the top 500 most powerful people in the world (the list includes presidents, past and present, dictators, and even leaders of drug cartels). I can’t tell if I was more surprised to learn that Henry Kissinger still has influence, or that he’s still alive.

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Paul Miller writes about the year he spent offline without the internet. And what it felt like to return to this world wide web of ours.

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I just got back to Seattle yesterday, after spending a week in Los Angeles with family – including my 9-month-old nephew. I have now have a suitcase full of clothes smeared with baby food and drool, and I’m completely exhausted. After a week. A friggin week.

But people who become parents do this sort of thing FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

I don’t how they do it, but I salute them. Without their efforts, none of us would be here. They deserve cupcakes and backrubs and looong vacations.

For those of you (parents or not) who have enough time to browse through them, I give you the week’s links. Enjoy.

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Photographer Haley Morris-Cafiero takes photos of people who mock her for her weight and appearance. Read her explanation of her work, and you’ll be infuriated by how cruel people can be, and awed at her courage and sense of self.

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In the wake of the Boston bombings, The Atlantic explains why there are so few Chechens in the United States.

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Good heavens. It’s been a rough few days. I hope you are all well. I hope you are all safe, and warm, and that your loved ones are, too.

Stuff remains crazy this morning, as it has been all week. I’ve tried to find some fun, pithy links to include in this roundup, but those have been hard to come by this week. It hasn’t really been a fun, pithy week, has it?

While it seems like today would be a great day for diversions … but I keep frantically looking for more news coming out of Boston. Here’s my best attempt at the links for this week.

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As usual, the Onion makes a few poignant comments about this week.

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Donald Glover talks about some of the responses he got on his campaign to be the next Spiderman. And really, why the hell can’t Peter Parker be black?

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I needed a good laugh or three this week. Below are a few links that made me smile.

I hope you enjoy them, too.

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There is an adorable little mouse that is totally awesome. It eats scorpions and howls at the moon.

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Roger Ebert passed away last week. This prescient post about how he doesn’t fear death (written a year and a half ago!) is beautiful, heartbreaking, and comforting all at once.

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Just when I thought I couldn’t like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs any more than I do, they went ahead and banned smart phones and camera devices from their shows. That’s kind of badass, is it not?

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I’m out of town yet again this week and next – I will sincerely try to get some posts up and ready to go for that time, but if I don’t, I have a reasonable excuse:

I was in the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkeling. With my husband.

Yeah. YEAH. I know. I’m probably snuggling with a wallaby right now as you are reading this. Life is grand.

While I’m off getting a tan and befriending a koala or three, you enjoy these links:

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This video, of two teenagers rocking the Beatle’s Let It Be (on the cello and violin) is nothing short of amazing.

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A collection of some of the greatest senior portraits, ever. (Note: I really wanted senior pics before I graduated, but they cost something like $300, so I just got one snapshot of me wearing a crocheted rainbow top and a choker. Because that’s how we rolled in 1998, apparently.)

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The first day of spring was on Wednesday, and Seattle’s weather almost seems to be complying with the season. Which I guess means I’m going to cave and shave my legs. Probably. Maybe. Eh … there’s a fifty-fifty chance.

You know what? I’m just gonna wait it out. If it gets warm, I can wear long pants and tank tops.

Which means, dammit, I’m gonna have to shave my underarms. Probably.

While I contemplate these difficult decisions, you enjoy these links.

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I really need to start using some of these wonderful obsolete words. Spoiler: “spermologers” and “queerplungers” are not as interesting as they sound.

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Oh, man. Once again, The Onion hits the nail on the head, and reminds me of just how damn lucky I am that I can spend so much time on this silly little blog of mine: “Do what you love … in between work commitments.”

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I HAVE HOLIDAY SHOPPING TO DO.

Please excuse me while I go freak out. Christmas is in 11 days. Hanukkah is basically over. To everyone in my life: let’s just pretend that my love is gift enough, okay? It’s like an Amazon gift card for your heart or something like that.

On with the links!

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Not sure if this is brilliance, or sacriledge. It might be both. Famous photos reimagined as cellphone self-portraits.

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A list of The New York Times 50 Most Challenging Words. (Fun fact: Rand and I often fight about the pronunciation of “verisimilitude”. Because we are total dorks.)

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I started typing the title to this post and thought, “No, it can’t be December already. It’s like, mid-October, at the latest.”

Sigh. For the record, I also think it’s 2005.

While I find a calendar and struggle to accept the cruel and relentless marching on of time, you enjoy these links.

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A flight attendant reveals the shocking list of things that passengers have requested. One guy inquired as to where he could pleasure himself. Ewww. I only hope he wiped out the lavatory basin as a courtesy to the next passenger.

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A fascinating look at how tall a LEGO tower can get before it starts to crush itself (the answer: very, very tall.)  Via my lovely friend Kristy.

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