Happy New Year's Eve! I've got a bunch of year-end roundups for you; please note that much of the year was not, uh, cheery.
Wow: How the Russia Inquiry Began: A Campaign Aide, Drinks and Talk of Political Dirt
More Than a Thousand Days of War in Yemen
The Year Russian L.G.B.T. Persecution Defied Belief
What we learned about Trump, Russia, and collusion in 2017
The political lesson of 2017: resistance works
Trump’s strange handshakes baffled world leaders this year. They learned fast.
9 bizarre things Trump did on the world stage in 2017 you probably forgot
Good advice, actually: Spend Your New Year's Eve Alone
Sad news: Sue Grafton, Whose Detective Novels Spanned the Alphabet, Dies at 77
MoviePass Adds a Million Subscribers, Even if Theaters Aren’t Sold on It
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/30/17)
PHEW: Roy Moore's Defeat By Doug Jones In Senate Race Is Certified By Alabama Board
Of course they are: Trump Administration Is Ending Safety Regulations Enacted After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Ezra Klein's take on all this is good: Incoherent, authoritarian, uninformed: Trump’s New York Times interview is a scary read
Trump, the Insurgent, Breaks With 70 Years of American Foreign Policy
Let's hope electing celebrities goes better for them: George Weah Wins Liberia Election
Meet the man who convinced Lexington to move its Confederate statues
Report: Prominent Russian Blockchain Expert "Safe" After Being Kidnapped
Sigh: Iced Tea Company Changes Name to “Long Blockchain,” Stock Immediately Skyrockets
Milo Yiannopoulos’s Book Editor Had the Most Savage Comments on His Manuscript
2,000-year-old Tomb Door With Menorah Found in Northern Israel
Of course they are: Trump Administration Is Ending Safety Regulations Enacted After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Ezra Klein's take on all this is good: Incoherent, authoritarian, uninformed: Trump’s New York Times interview is a scary read
Trump, the Insurgent, Breaks With 70 Years of American Foreign Policy
Let's hope electing celebrities goes better for them: George Weah Wins Liberia Election
Meet the man who convinced Lexington to move its Confederate statues
Report: Prominent Russian Blockchain Expert "Safe" After Being Kidnapped
Sigh: Iced Tea Company Changes Name to “Long Blockchain,” Stock Immediately Skyrockets
Milo Yiannopoulos’s Book Editor Had the Most Savage Comments on His Manuscript
2,000-year-old Tomb Door With Menorah Found in Northern Israel
Friday, December 29, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/29/17)
It's the most wonderful time of the year, when scientific journals decide to be funny: Scientists simulate the climate of Game of Thrones
Very important journalism: Who’s the Sexiest Onscreen JFK?
I had actually wondered about this for years: Investigating the Titanic Fan Fic in the "Oops!... I Did It Again" Video
Some New Year's inspiration: The Ghosts of Parties Past
2017 In Review: The Year in Wills & Kate
Very important journalism: Who’s the Sexiest Onscreen JFK?
I had actually wondered about this for years: Investigating the Titanic Fan Fic in the "Oops!... I Did It Again" Video
Some New Year's inspiration: The Ghosts of Parties Past
2017 In Review: The Year in Wills & Kate
Some Older Books I Liked in 2017!
I feel badly that new books get all the attention and then I feel guilty for not reading them all in time to make an annual list and HEY, I'm giving you some of my favorite older books I read for the first time this year, too.
Classic literature:
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Contemporary literature:
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Mysteries:
The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
A Small Town in Germany by John Le Carre
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters
Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming (and several of that series leading up to it)
Speculative fiction:
The Power by Naomi Alderman
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Historical fiction:
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Historical romance:
In for a Penny by Rose Lerner
History:
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan
Classic literature:
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Contemporary literature:
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Mysteries:
The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
A Small Town in Germany by John Le Carre
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters
Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming (and several of that series leading up to it)
Speculative fiction:
The Power by Naomi Alderman
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Historical fiction:
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Historical romance:
In for a Penny by Rose Lerner
History:
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan
Morning Coffee (12/29/17)
Time for the last happy Friday links of 2017!
AWW: Twitter appeal reunites man with pay packet he left in London pub
!!! Men Who Have Been Best Friends Since 6th Grade Discover They Are Actually Half-Brothers
LET'S GO: How Britain’s finest stately homes do Christmas decorations
Ooh, I love black and white drinks: Starbucks Reveals New Drinks For New Year's Eve
I'd try this: Dunkin’ Donuts Is Officially Making a Coffee-Inspired Beer. Here’s How to Get It
Oh, this is fun: New Yorker Holiday Covers Through the Years
Rejoice! For Laura Dern Is Living Her Best Life This Holiday Season With an NBA Player
So many interesting suits: 2017: Your Year in Harry Styles
Watch Two Brothers Build a UFO Gingerbread House
And if that's not enough: Harry Potter: The Burrow Gingerbread House
AWW: Twitter appeal reunites man with pay packet he left in London pub
!!! Men Who Have Been Best Friends Since 6th Grade Discover They Are Actually Half-Brothers
LET'S GO: How Britain’s finest stately homes do Christmas decorations
Ooh, I love black and white drinks: Starbucks Reveals New Drinks For New Year's Eve
I'd try this: Dunkin’ Donuts Is Officially Making a Coffee-Inspired Beer. Here’s How to Get It
Oh, this is fun: New Yorker Holiday Covers Through the Years
Rejoice! For Laura Dern Is Living Her Best Life This Holiday Season With an NBA Player
So many interesting suits: 2017: Your Year in Harry Styles
Watch Two Brothers Build a UFO Gingerbread House
And if that's not enough: Harry Potter: The Burrow Gingerbread House
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Weekly Rec: My Top 10 Books of 2017
Whenever I make a list like this, I feel like I first need to point out that many, MANY books came out this year that I just haven't had time to read yet, including several I can think of off the top of my head that I'm pretty sure I'll LOVE. But here are my top ten 2017 books I happened to get to in 2017! They're alphabetical by author. Please read all of them immediately.
Nutcracked by Susan Adrian - A young dancer is pulled into the magical world of The Nutcracker. This is a great blend of fantasy, holiday themes, and interesting character growth.
All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg - A messy, imperfect single woman reconsiders her view of adulthood and what she wants out of life as she approaches 40 and her family deals with tragedy. Funnier than I just made it sound.
What Happened by Hillary Clinton - I guess you don't need me to tell you what this is, but I will say that it was more interesting and thought-provoking than I anticipated.
American War by Omar El Akkad - I don't always love dystopians but this was great, especially in the ways it dealt with themes very relevant to our current world while avoiding too-easy analogues or messages.
There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - A Hawaiian teen haunted by her past moves in with her grandmother in Nebraska - where someone starts brutally murdering her classmates. I loved this even though I usually hate horror.
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan - This starts out with a "normal" boy leaving for boarding school in a magical world, and then it subverts every single trope you're expecting. Hilarious and feminist.
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera - A teen boy struggles to put himself together and figure out who he wants to be in the wake of his ex-boyfriend's death. Beautiful and simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan - A compelling, funny, moving look at family dynamics and social change, tracing fifty years in the lives and families of young Irish sisters who move to America.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - A stunning novel about a young black girl who witnesses her friend's death at the hands of police and has to decide what to say and do in the aftermath.
The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh - The first in a new mystery series about a female medical student in Victorian Edinburgh. Great if you're looking for feminist historical fiction that doesn't idealize the past.
Check back tomorrow for my favorite older books I read for the first time this year! And subscribe to my free tinyletter if you want more of my thoughts on books.
(Join me on Patreon and support more blog posts!)
Nutcracked by Susan Adrian - A young dancer is pulled into the magical world of The Nutcracker. This is a great blend of fantasy, holiday themes, and interesting character growth.
All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg - A messy, imperfect single woman reconsiders her view of adulthood and what she wants out of life as she approaches 40 and her family deals with tragedy. Funnier than I just made it sound.
What Happened by Hillary Clinton - I guess you don't need me to tell you what this is, but I will say that it was more interesting and thought-provoking than I anticipated.
American War by Omar El Akkad - I don't always love dystopians but this was great, especially in the ways it dealt with themes very relevant to our current world while avoiding too-easy analogues or messages.
There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - A Hawaiian teen haunted by her past moves in with her grandmother in Nebraska - where someone starts brutally murdering her classmates. I loved this even though I usually hate horror.
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan - This starts out with a "normal" boy leaving for boarding school in a magical world, and then it subverts every single trope you're expecting. Hilarious and feminist.
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera - A teen boy struggles to put himself together and figure out who he wants to be in the wake of his ex-boyfriend's death. Beautiful and simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan - A compelling, funny, moving look at family dynamics and social change, tracing fifty years in the lives and families of young Irish sisters who move to America.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - A stunning novel about a young black girl who witnesses her friend's death at the hands of police and has to decide what to say and do in the aftermath.
The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh - The first in a new mystery series about a female medical student in Victorian Edinburgh. Great if you're looking for feminist historical fiction that doesn't idealize the past.
Check back tomorrow for my favorite older books I read for the first time this year! And subscribe to my free tinyletter if you want more of my thoughts on books.
(Join me on Patreon and support more blog posts!)
Morning Coffee (12/28/17)
Kidnapped, Abandoned Children Turn Up At Mosul Orphanage As ISIS Battle Ends
Oh: Duterte’s Son Quits Post After Battling Daughter on Social Media
!! Tied Virginia Race That Was Headed for Name-Drawing Gets Another Twist
Kremlin trolls burned across the Internet as Washington debated options
What a surprise: Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has been accused of sexual harassment
This sounds normal: Echoing Stalin, House Republican calls for ‘purge’ of the Department of Justice
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 44 percent of Republicans think Trump repealed Obamacare
Heh: New York Removes Old Nuclear Fallout Shelter Signs in Move That Seems Premature
Interesting: Manhattan DA Launches First Antiquities Trafficking Unit
After Mysteriously Disappearing in WWI, Australia’s First Submarine Finally Found
Oh: Duterte’s Son Quits Post After Battling Daughter on Social Media
!! Tied Virginia Race That Was Headed for Name-Drawing Gets Another Twist
Kremlin trolls burned across the Internet as Washington debated options
What a surprise: Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has been accused of sexual harassment
This sounds normal: Echoing Stalin, House Republican calls for ‘purge’ of the Department of Justice
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 44 percent of Republicans think Trump repealed Obamacare
Heh: New York Removes Old Nuclear Fallout Shelter Signs in Move That Seems Premature
Interesting: Manhattan DA Launches First Antiquities Trafficking Unit
After Mysteriously Disappearing in WWI, Australia’s First Submarine Finally Found
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/27/17)
Thousands Once Spoke His Language in the Amazon. Now, He’s the Only One.
Why Aren’t Fashion ‘Disruptors’ Serving Plus-Size Customers?
The Most Amazing Archival Treasures That Were Digitized This Year
I can't figure out why they don't have a podcast: Why a Maritime Forecast Is So Beloved in the United Kingdom
The Next Bechdel Test
Why Aren’t Fashion ‘Disruptors’ Serving Plus-Size Customers?
The Most Amazing Archival Treasures That Were Digitized This Year
I can't figure out why they don't have a podcast: Why a Maritime Forecast Is So Beloved in the United Kingdom
The Next Bechdel Test
Morning Coffee (12/27/17)
A bit of good news! Measles Deaths Fall to a Record Low Worldwide
Cities sue Defense Dept. over gun-check system failures
I for one am shocked: FBI Software For Analyzing Fingerprints Contains Russian-Made Code, Whistleblowers Say
New York's attorney general has taken his ONE HUNDREDTH ACTION against the Trump administration. Already.
This must be KILLING these racists: White House to cut back magnolia tree planted by Andrew Jackson
The Roots of Poland’s Defiance of the European Union
Ooooh: Clock Is Ticking on $10 Million Reward in Gardner Art Heist
The Millennia of #MeToo in Mary Beard’s “Women & Power”
I didn't know about this whole saga! Simonetta Puccini, Keeper of the Composer’s Flame, Dies at 89
Inside 'The X-Files' Season 11: Mulder and Scully Take on Their Biggest Mystery Yet
Cities sue Defense Dept. over gun-check system failures
I for one am shocked: FBI Software For Analyzing Fingerprints Contains Russian-Made Code, Whistleblowers Say
New York's attorney general has taken his ONE HUNDREDTH ACTION against the Trump administration. Already.
This must be KILLING these racists: White House to cut back magnolia tree planted by Andrew Jackson
The Roots of Poland’s Defiance of the European Union
Ooooh: Clock Is Ticking on $10 Million Reward in Gardner Art Heist
The Millennia of #MeToo in Mary Beard’s “Women & Power”
I didn't know about this whole saga! Simonetta Puccini, Keeper of the Composer’s Flame, Dies at 89
Inside 'The X-Files' Season 11: Mulder and Scully Take on Their Biggest Mystery Yet
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/26/17)
Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.
SHOCKER: Russian presidential election: Alexei Navalny barred from competing
ALSO A SHOCK: At Vice, Cutting-Edge Media and Allegations of Old-School Sexual Harassment
Trump Administration: We Bar Abortions for Raped Minors Because It’s in Their “Best Interest”
This is how the EPA is training people: "Who’s your customer? If you think it’s the general public because they benefit from clean air or water you’d be wrong."
The Ghoulish Pursuit of Executing a Terminally Ill Inmate
The British Royals Celebrate Christmas!
Oh no! The actress who played Louisa in The Sound of Music has died.
Oh interesting: Wonder Woman director helped secret recasting for All the Money in the World
Ooh! ‘An American in Paris’ Stage Hit Set for Theatrical Release in 2018
See how Christopher Nolan filmed those incredible Dunkirk aerial sequences
SHOCKER: Russian presidential election: Alexei Navalny barred from competing
ALSO A SHOCK: At Vice, Cutting-Edge Media and Allegations of Old-School Sexual Harassment
Trump Administration: We Bar Abortions for Raped Minors Because It’s in Their “Best Interest”
This is how the EPA is training people: "Who’s your customer? If you think it’s the general public because they benefit from clean air or water you’d be wrong."
The Ghoulish Pursuit of Executing a Terminally Ill Inmate
The British Royals Celebrate Christmas!
Oh no! The actress who played Louisa in The Sound of Music has died.
Oh interesting: Wonder Woman director helped secret recasting for All the Money in the World
Ooh! ‘An American in Paris’ Stage Hit Set for Theatrical Release in 2018
See how Christopher Nolan filmed those incredible Dunkirk aerial sequences
Monday, December 25, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/25/17)
Merry Christmas!
The Drone Under Your Tree Can't Fly High Until Registered With The FAA
An Airbus Drew a Giant Christmas Tree Over Germany
Can you complete Thomas Eaton’s fiendishly difficult Christmas quiz?
The Beatles’ Christmas Records: A Feat of Fan Appreciation and Devotion
In World War II America, Female Santas Took the Reins
My family calls these butterballs! Smør Bullar: The Classic Danish Christmas Cookie No One Has Heard Of
Listen to the First Computer-Generated Christmas Carols, From Alan Turing’s Lab
When good TV goes bad: the day the Queen’s Speech stuttered
Aaah, look at the Smithsonian dolls' house Christmas.
12 Facts about 'The 12 Days of Christmas' (which start TODAY, not twelve days ago!!)
The Drone Under Your Tree Can't Fly High Until Registered With The FAA
An Airbus Drew a Giant Christmas Tree Over Germany
Can you complete Thomas Eaton’s fiendishly difficult Christmas quiz?
The Beatles’ Christmas Records: A Feat of Fan Appreciation and Devotion
In World War II America, Female Santas Took the Reins
My family calls these butterballs! Smør Bullar: The Classic Danish Christmas Cookie No One Has Heard Of
Listen to the First Computer-Generated Christmas Carols, From Alan Turing’s Lab
When good TV goes bad: the day the Queen’s Speech stuttered
Aaah, look at the Smithsonian dolls' house Christmas.
12 Facts about 'The 12 Days of Christmas' (which start TODAY, not twelve days ago!!)
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/24/17)
Happy Christmas Eve! All themed links for you today:
Christmas tree cutters' labor fight shines light on holiday season's forgotten workers
Aw, this is great: The Story Behind the Music of The Muppet Christmas Carol
Rome’s Christmas tree ‘Mangy’ needled for heavy shedding
Heh: "Merry Christmas": F.A.Q.
I wouldn't eat most of this but I still want to go: At Christmas, The Swedish Smörgåsbord Redefines Over The Top
The Daily Mail's opinions are terrible but if you ignore that they have interesting stuff on royal Christmas logistics.
Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe And Toast With Eggnog
On Christmas Eve in Ukraine, the Church Is Chilly (or Is It?)
Finding the Sacks Appeal in a Collection of Holiday Shopping Bags
Reading Around the Christmas Tree: 15 Ornaments For Your Bookish Tree
Christmas tree cutters' labor fight shines light on holiday season's forgotten workers
Aw, this is great: The Story Behind the Music of The Muppet Christmas Carol
Rome’s Christmas tree ‘Mangy’ needled for heavy shedding
Heh: "Merry Christmas": F.A.Q.
I wouldn't eat most of this but I still want to go: At Christmas, The Swedish Smörgåsbord Redefines Over The Top
The Daily Mail's opinions are terrible but if you ignore that they have interesting stuff on royal Christmas logistics.
Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe And Toast With Eggnog
On Christmas Eve in Ukraine, the Church Is Chilly (or Is It?)
Finding the Sacks Appeal in a Collection of Holiday Shopping Bags
Reading Around the Christmas Tree: 15 Ornaments For Your Bookish Tree
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/23/17)
Defying Trump, U.N. General Assembly Condemns U.S. Decree on Jerusalem
Hmm: FBI’s top lawyer said to be reassigned
What a shock: Trump Promised to Protect Steel. Layoffs Are Coming Instead.
Also a shock, obviously: Women Are Invited to Give Fewer Talks Than Men at Top U.S. Universities
Wales launches strategy to double number of Welsh speakers by 2050
Zora Neale Hurston's study of the US slave trade's last survivor to be published in 2018
!! Tiny marsupial believed extinct in NSW rediscovered by scientists
Doctors Are 3D Printing Ear Bones To Help With Hearing Loss
Leicester car park where Richard III was buried given protected status
Ooh, excited for this: BBC and Netflix Release First Look at ‘Troy: Fall of a City’
Hmm: FBI’s top lawyer said to be reassigned
What a shock: Trump Promised to Protect Steel. Layoffs Are Coming Instead.
Also a shock, obviously: Women Are Invited to Give Fewer Talks Than Men at Top U.S. Universities
Wales launches strategy to double number of Welsh speakers by 2050
Zora Neale Hurston's study of the US slave trade's last survivor to be published in 2018
!! Tiny marsupial believed extinct in NSW rediscovered by scientists
Doctors Are 3D Printing Ear Bones To Help With Hearing Loss
Leicester car park where Richard III was buried given protected status
Ooh, excited for this: BBC and Netflix Release First Look at ‘Troy: Fall of a City’
Friday, December 22, 2017
Weekly Rec: LOOK AT MY NEW COFFEE MAKER
I am not particularly a coffee snob. For regular coffee, I am perfectly happy with my basic Mr. Coffee. But I do like fancy coffee drinks, and wish I could have them more often than the once a week or so I allow myself to go to Starbucks. I haven't had great luck with home espresso machines in the past - particularly because it tends to be difficult to get the milk to froth correctly. (And I do know how - I used to be a barista - so it's not ENTIRELY user error.)
But this fall I visited a friend who had a Nespresso CitiZ and Milk machine and I LOVED it. The milk froths itself! It's incredible! I ordered one for myself on a great Black Friday sale and after a few weeks I am SO PLEASED WITH IT.
I've tried a whole bunch of different blends and kinds of drinks and I'm enjoying it so much. It's even making me into a plain espresso person:
So if you happen to be in the market for one of these, I absolutely recommend this one. It's currently on sale at Amazon, but watch for sales at Williams-Sonoma (and elsewhere? probably!) too!
But this fall I visited a friend who had a Nespresso CitiZ and Milk machine and I LOVED it. The milk froths itself! It's incredible! I ordered one for myself on a great Black Friday sale and after a few weeks I am SO PLEASED WITH IT.
I've tried a whole bunch of different blends and kinds of drinks and I'm enjoying it so much. It's even making me into a plain espresso person:
So if you happen to be in the market for one of these, I absolutely recommend this one. It's currently on sale at Amazon, but watch for sales at Williams-Sonoma (and elsewhere? probably!) too!
Afternoon Tea (12/22/17)
How Layers in a Latte Form
This made me want to read a bunch of these books IMMEDIATELY: In Praise of the ‘Career Romance’
Go Fug Yourself rounded up a year in Tatler covers and the best cover lines and it's quite a ride.
Why Monks and Nuns Make So Many Beloved Foods
Ice Skating in New York Has Always Been Magical
This made me want to read a bunch of these books IMMEDIATELY: In Praise of the ‘Career Romance’
Go Fug Yourself rounded up a year in Tatler covers and the best cover lines and it's quite a ride.
Why Monks and Nuns Make So Many Beloved Foods
Ice Skating in New York Has Always Been Magical
Morning Coffee (12/22/17)
Time for some pre-Christmas happy Friday links!
Harry and Meghan’s Engagement Portraits Are Here at Last!
Oooh, trailer for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. So pretty.
I must have this Outrage Lipstick. ($5 from each one goes to the ACLU!)
Ha! Wil Wheaton wore a Star Trek uniform to a screening of Star Wars
Useful holiday information: These Are The Best Under $12 Bubblies, According To Experts
Go Fug Yourself rounded up a bunch of great party purses, which might also be useful to your holiday plans.
Let's ogle the Icehotel in Sweden.
Ooh, books about being snowbound. Most of them involve murder. As they should.
23 Rye Cocktails to Chase Away the Winter Blues
Harry Potter workout clothes!
Harry and Meghan’s Engagement Portraits Are Here at Last!
Oooh, trailer for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. So pretty.
I must have this Outrage Lipstick. ($5 from each one goes to the ACLU!)
Ha! Wil Wheaton wore a Star Trek uniform to a screening of Star Wars
Useful holiday information: These Are The Best Under $12 Bubblies, According To Experts
Go Fug Yourself rounded up a bunch of great party purses, which might also be useful to your holiday plans.
Let's ogle the Icehotel in Sweden.
Ooh, books about being snowbound. Most of them involve murder. As they should.
23 Rye Cocktails to Chase Away the Winter Blues
Harry Potter workout clothes!
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/21/17)
I'm so excited to read this translation: A Translator's Reckoning with the Women of the Odyssey
Why More Young Black People Are Trading In Church for African Spirituality
Untold Stories of England’s Militant Suffragettes
Malta, Where the West Was Born
Toasting Your Friends Once Involved Actual Toast
Why More Young Black People Are Trading In Church for African Spirituality
Untold Stories of England’s Militant Suffragettes
Malta, Where the West Was Born
Toasting Your Friends Once Involved Actual Toast
Morning Coffee (12/21/17)
I wasn't even going to link to this because I'm sure you've seen but UGH: Sweeping tax overhaul clears Congress
The True Lesson of the Tax Bill: This Country Is for Rich People
China left wondering what ‘America First’ foreign policy actually means
This situation is insane: The one-vote win for Democrats in a Virginia state house race may have just slipped away
In Honduras, Calls Rise for New Presidential Elections
Obviously this made me think "Oh, I should watch Spotlight, that's a good Christmas movie": Bernard Law, Former Archbishop Of Boston, Dies In Rome At 86
A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted
Catt Sadler quits E! News after finding out she made half as much as her male co-host
EU Rules Sorbet Can Use the Champagne Name, Much to the Chagrin of French People
Oooh, Chappaquiddick trailer.
The True Lesson of the Tax Bill: This Country Is for Rich People
China left wondering what ‘America First’ foreign policy actually means
This situation is insane: The one-vote win for Democrats in a Virginia state house race may have just slipped away
In Honduras, Calls Rise for New Presidential Elections
Obviously this made me think "Oh, I should watch Spotlight, that's a good Christmas movie": Bernard Law, Former Archbishop Of Boston, Dies In Rome At 86
A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted
Catt Sadler quits E! News after finding out she made half as much as her male co-host
EU Rules Sorbet Can Use the Champagne Name, Much to the Chagrin of French People
Oooh, Chappaquiddick trailer.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/20/17)
"Murder, Mayhem and Torture" Off the Sunset Strip: The Tragic Story of the Budding Director and His Dead Girlfriend
YEP: The Year That Skin Care Became a Coping Mechanism
How Titanic’s Iconic Necklace Almost Sank an Entire Company
A Glimpse of American History Through the Process of Becoming a Citizen
I'm not sure I quite understood all of this, but it was fascinating: Secret Link Uncovered Between Pure Math and Physics
YEP: The Year That Skin Care Became a Coping Mechanism
How Titanic’s Iconic Necklace Almost Sank an Entire Company
A Glimpse of American History Through the Process of Becoming a Citizen
I'm not sure I quite understood all of this, but it was fascinating: Secret Link Uncovered Between Pure Math and Physics
Morning Coffee (12/20/17)
YOUR VOTE MATTERS: A single vote leads to a rare tie for control of the Virginia legislature
We’re witnessing the wholesale looting of America
'The future is very dark': Central African Republic's relentless cycle of suffering
Belgium to be first country to post a female ambassador to Saudi Arabia
How Tough Is It to Change a Culture of Harassment? Ask Women at Ford
Billionaire philanthropists found dead in basement under suspicious circumstances, police say
The Historical Truth-Telling of Arseny Roginsky
Bitcoin never makes any sense to me but this helped a LITTLE: The Bitcoin Boom: In Code We Trust
Aaah, Ocean's 8 trailer! I can't wait.
Whoa: John Legend To Play Jesus In NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!’
We’re witnessing the wholesale looting of America
'The future is very dark': Central African Republic's relentless cycle of suffering
Belgium to be first country to post a female ambassador to Saudi Arabia
How Tough Is It to Change a Culture of Harassment? Ask Women at Ford
Billionaire philanthropists found dead in basement under suspicious circumstances, police say
The Historical Truth-Telling of Arseny Roginsky
Bitcoin never makes any sense to me but this helped a LITTLE: The Bitcoin Boom: In Code We Trust
Aaah, Ocean's 8 trailer! I can't wait.
Whoa: John Legend To Play Jesus In NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!’
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/19/17)
This Time cover story on A Wrinkle in Time is great: Hollywood’s Once and Future Classic
I love this: The book that made me a feminist
How Physicists Recycled WWII Ships and Artillery to Unlock the Mysteries of the Universe
WHAT: Two beers and a Tchaikovsky, please
The sales blog cult of LinkedIn
I love this: The book that made me a feminist
How Physicists Recycled WWII Ships and Artillery to Unlock the Mysteries of the Universe
WHAT: Two beers and a Tchaikovsky, please
The sales blog cult of LinkedIn
Morning Coffee (12/19/17)
Europe’s Plan to End Its Migrant Crisis Is Failing
Of course: Trump Administration Dropping Climate Change As National Security Threat
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program
Dahlia Lithwick on Alex Kozinski is an important read: He Made Us All Victims and Accomplices
How the Facebook Sharing Habits of Democrats in Congress Changed After Trump Won
What a headline: Twitter Starts Banning Extremists Under New Rules, Which Exempt Trump
Oh awesome: NASA will screen Star Wars: The Last Jedi for astronauts in space
Safely Ship Your Holiday Cookies With These Tips
Oh, always interesting to see what makes it: War horse grave and Skegness gardens join Historic England list
Astronomers to check interstellar body for signs of alien technology
Of course: Trump Administration Dropping Climate Change As National Security Threat
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program
Dahlia Lithwick on Alex Kozinski is an important read: He Made Us All Victims and Accomplices
How the Facebook Sharing Habits of Democrats in Congress Changed After Trump Won
What a headline: Twitter Starts Banning Extremists Under New Rules, Which Exempt Trump
Oh awesome: NASA will screen Star Wars: The Last Jedi for astronauts in space
Safely Ship Your Holiday Cookies With These Tips
Oh, always interesting to see what makes it: War horse grave and Skegness gardens join Historic England list
Astronomers to check interstellar body for signs of alien technology
Monday, December 18, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/18/17)
Heh: Hallmark's Andrew Walker Finds the Christmas Spirit on — Gasp! — Lifetime
I'm very excited for Jasmine Guillory's novel The Wedding Date next month, and here she is talking about her Christmas cookie baking.
A fun interview with the Fug Girls: Meet the Women Who Accidentally Wrote Meghan Markle’s Happily Ever After
Witch Kids of Instagram
Ask a Manager rounded up her book recommendations for the year and there's a lot of fascinating stuff.
I'm very excited for Jasmine Guillory's novel The Wedding Date next month, and here she is talking about her Christmas cookie baking.
A fun interview with the Fug Girls: Meet the Women Who Accidentally Wrote Meghan Markle’s Happily Ever After
Witch Kids of Instagram
Ask a Manager rounded up her book recommendations for the year and there's a lot of fascinating stuff.
How to Plan Your Cookie Baking
Have some cookies to bake this week? Feeling overwhelmed? I MADE YOU A PLAN:
1. Block out your time. Do that FIRST so you can plan realistically. This year I'm taking two vacation days to get my baking (and a few other holiday prep tasks) done, but this method also works for a weekend day or a few weekday evenings or whatever you have.
2. Pick your recipes. I try to have a balance of different flavors and shapes, and a mix of my family's favorites with a few new things I want to try so I don't get bored. Try to be realistic, both as far as the amount of baking time you have and the number of people you're feeding. Some years I've done ten or more types of cookies; this year we're having a smaller group so I've reduced it to five batches of cookies and a batch of fudge. Also, read through the recipes to make sure there aren't any surprises that call for equipment you don't have.
3. Calculate your ingredients. Honestly, the easiest way to do this is with a spreadsheet. I have a row for each recipes, and a column for each ingredient. (If there's something you know is in just one cookie, you can put it in a separate list off to the side.) I go through each recipe and record how much I need of each ingredient, and then have the spreadsheet calculate totals, so I can avoid underbuying (or overbuying) things that are required in more than one recipe. Here's a sample:
4. Make your shopping list. Compare your ingredient spreadsheet with your pantry and write anything you don't have on your list. (This can also be a good time to replace things that might have been sitting around for a while, like baking powder.) Don't forget parchment paper, cheap white bread (put a slice in each cookie container to keep them fresh), and ziplock bags or airtight containers for the cookies! Also, get something easy for whatever meals fall in your baking time.
5. Shop. You know how to do that. But I WILL say that I find it easier to do it a day ahead, if possible; the last thing I want to do when I wake up on Baking Day is go to the grocery store first.
6. Write out your schedule. This is less important if you're just doing a few things or aren't on a tight schedule, I guess, but even when I have two whole days blocked out, I find it less overwhelming to know exactly what I'm doing when. Some things to think about or incorporate:
Here's a sample:
7. Plan your entertainment. Baking is more pleasant with something in the background - Christmas music? Podcasts? Holiday TV specials? Whatever works for you. This is also a good time to rewatch favorite movies that don't require your full attention.
8. Clear your surfaces. I always forget I need lots of space for cookies to cool. Move anything off your counters that doesn't really need to be there.
9. Get everything out. You don't want to be hunting for the nutmeg in the back of the pantry or the half cup measure in the cabinet when your hands are full of flour.
10. Bake! Good luck! Tell me all about your delicious cookies!
(Like this post? Support me on Patreon!)
1. Block out your time. Do that FIRST so you can plan realistically. This year I'm taking two vacation days to get my baking (and a few other holiday prep tasks) done, but this method also works for a weekend day or a few weekday evenings or whatever you have.
2. Pick your recipes. I try to have a balance of different flavors and shapes, and a mix of my family's favorites with a few new things I want to try so I don't get bored. Try to be realistic, both as far as the amount of baking time you have and the number of people you're feeding. Some years I've done ten or more types of cookies; this year we're having a smaller group so I've reduced it to five batches of cookies and a batch of fudge. Also, read through the recipes to make sure there aren't any surprises that call for equipment you don't have.
3. Calculate your ingredients. Honestly, the easiest way to do this is with a spreadsheet. I have a row for each recipes, and a column for each ingredient. (If there's something you know is in just one cookie, you can put it in a separate list off to the side.) I go through each recipe and record how much I need of each ingredient, and then have the spreadsheet calculate totals, so I can avoid underbuying (or overbuying) things that are required in more than one recipe. Here's a sample:
4. Make your shopping list. Compare your ingredient spreadsheet with your pantry and write anything you don't have on your list. (This can also be a good time to replace things that might have been sitting around for a while, like baking powder.) Don't forget parchment paper, cheap white bread (put a slice in each cookie container to keep them fresh), and ziplock bags or airtight containers for the cookies! Also, get something easy for whatever meals fall in your baking time.
5. Shop. You know how to do that. But I WILL say that I find it easier to do it a day ahead, if possible; the last thing I want to do when I wake up on Baking Day is go to the grocery store first.
6. Write out your schedule. This is less important if you're just doing a few things or aren't on a tight schedule, I guess, but even when I have two whole days blocked out, I find it less overwhelming to know exactly what I'm doing when. Some things to think about or incorporate:
- Make sure you note which doughs need to be refrigerated and allow time for that. (If you're baking after work, make the dough one day, refrigerate overnight, and bake the next. Much less stressful.)
- Think about how you like to work. I'm going to mix up all my doughs the first day so I don't have to take the mixer out the second day, but if you'd rather have different kinds of tasks mixed together to keep you interested, that works too.
- Write down "take out butter and eggs" for RIGHT WHEN YOU WAKE UP, so you don't realize they're still cold when you want to get started.
- Build in breaks. Baking is fun but it's tiring. If you have other holiday tasks like wrapping presents or addressing cards, you can use them for some of your breaks, since a change is as good as a rest and all that. But give yourself some actual breaks too, especially for meals. You need actual sustenance and not just bits of cookie dough.
- Build in time for dishes.
- Pad everything. Seriously. Give every single task more time than you think it will need. Then you've built up a buffer for emergencies and you'll be so happy when things go more quickly than expected!
Here's a sample:
7:00: TAKE OUT BUTTER AND EGGS, have breakfast, get dressed.
8:30: Make gingersnap dough. Refrigerate.
9:15: Dishes.
9:30: Make peanut butter dough. Refrigerate.
10:00: Dishes.
10:15: Morning break!
10:45: Make chocolate peppermint dough.
11:30: Bake chocolate peppermint cookies. Do dishes while they're baking.
12:30: Lunch break!
7. Plan your entertainment. Baking is more pleasant with something in the background - Christmas music? Podcasts? Holiday TV specials? Whatever works for you. This is also a good time to rewatch favorite movies that don't require your full attention.
8. Clear your surfaces. I always forget I need lots of space for cookies to cool. Move anything off your counters that doesn't really need to be there.
9. Get everything out. You don't want to be hunting for the nutmeg in the back of the pantry or the half cup measure in the cabinet when your hands are full of flour.
10. Bake! Good luck! Tell me all about your delicious cookies!
(Like this post? Support me on Patreon!)
Morning Coffee (12/18/17)
Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.
Image of Cooperation Between White House and Mueller Starts to Fracture
They are every bit as evil as you've always suspected: This Is The Daily Stormer’s Playbook
It's about time: Bethnal Green WW2 Tube disaster memorial unveiled
I'm very excited for the new X-Files.
A Team of MIT Scientists Taught an AI to Get Emotional Over Movies
Ooh: New underwater discoveries in Greece reveal ancient Roman engineering
Thylacine DNA reveals weakness – and kinship with the kangaroo
Perfect: Am I Really Planning to Attend Your Event? A Guide
Oh hi, Robin Hood.
I should pay attention this because my strategy is generally just "let it freeze": Winter Is Coming: How To Protect Your Hair From The Cold Weather
Image of Cooperation Between White House and Mueller Starts to Fracture
They are every bit as evil as you've always suspected: This Is The Daily Stormer’s Playbook
It's about time: Bethnal Green WW2 Tube disaster memorial unveiled
I'm very excited for the new X-Files.
A Team of MIT Scientists Taught an AI to Get Emotional Over Movies
Ooh: New underwater discoveries in Greece reveal ancient Roman engineering
Thylacine DNA reveals weakness – and kinship with the kangaroo
Perfect: Am I Really Planning to Attend Your Event? A Guide
Oh hi, Robin Hood.
I should pay attention this because my strategy is generally just "let it freeze": Winter Is Coming: How To Protect Your Hair From The Cold Weather
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/17/17)
This is so impressive: Blinded by Her Husband, She Fights for Justice (and Aces Law School)
UGH: CDC gets list of forbidden words: Fetus, transgender, diversity
New Mexico School Shooter Had Secret Life on Pro-Trump White-Supremacy Sites
This Is How Steve Bannon And Breitbart Tried To Sabotage Twitter
Bribes for TV soccer rights allegedly paid with 'agreement and support' of Murdoch's Fox executives
Shocker: Report Card on Female Representation in Hollywood Shows Few Women at the Top
Wow: Rare Tintin art fetches $500,000 at Paris auction
In Luxor, Two Tombs Dating Back 3,500 Years Unveil Their Secrets
Huh: Pacific pop-up: island that rose from the ashes might last 30 years
The Magical Mind of Gabriel García Márquez Shines Through His Newly Digitized Archive
UGH: CDC gets list of forbidden words: Fetus, transgender, diversity
New Mexico School Shooter Had Secret Life on Pro-Trump White-Supremacy Sites
This Is How Steve Bannon And Breitbart Tried To Sabotage Twitter
Bribes for TV soccer rights allegedly paid with 'agreement and support' of Murdoch's Fox executives
Shocker: Report Card on Female Representation in Hollywood Shows Few Women at the Top
Wow: Rare Tintin art fetches $500,000 at Paris auction
In Luxor, Two Tombs Dating Back 3,500 Years Unveil Their Secrets
Huh: Pacific pop-up: island that rose from the ashes might last 30 years
The Magical Mind of Gabriel García Márquez Shines Through His Newly Digitized Archive
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/16/17)
Wow: Doubting the intelligence, Trump pursues Putin and leaves a Russian threat unchecked
Trump's Lies vs. Obama's
Trump’s FCC Nukes Network Neutrality: What Happens Now?
New York Public Libraries: the proposal to kill net neutrality is 'appalling'
Ooh: A.G. Sulzberger, 37, to Take Over as New York Times Publisher
Useful for holiday travelers! What to Eat at 32 North American Airports
Hitler banned it; Gandhi loved it: ‘The Story of Ferdinand,’ the book and, now, film (My friend Tim co-wrote this movie and I am excited to see it!)
I think I like this? Twitter officially launches ‘threads,’ a new feature for easily posting tweetstorms
Found: A Runic Inscription on a Viking Whetstone
!! This Giant Penguin Was the Size of a Human
Trump's Lies vs. Obama's
Trump’s FCC Nukes Network Neutrality: What Happens Now?
New York Public Libraries: the proposal to kill net neutrality is 'appalling'
Ooh: A.G. Sulzberger, 37, to Take Over as New York Times Publisher
Useful for holiday travelers! What to Eat at 32 North American Airports
Hitler banned it; Gandhi loved it: ‘The Story of Ferdinand,’ the book and, now, film (My friend Tim co-wrote this movie and I am excited to see it!)
I think I like this? Twitter officially launches ‘threads,’ a new feature for easily posting tweetstorms
Found: A Runic Inscription on a Viking Whetstone
!! This Giant Penguin Was the Size of a Human
Friday, December 15, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/15/17)
How Margaret H. Willison, the Internet’s Favorite Librarian, Does Breakfast
The Letters of Sylvia Plath and the Transformation of a Poet’s Voice
An Algorithm Isn’t Always the Answer
Recreating King Midas’s 2,700-Year-Old Feast
Ha: Size does matter: wine glasses are seven times larger than they used to be
The Letters of Sylvia Plath and the Transformation of a Poet’s Voice
An Algorithm Isn’t Always the Answer
Recreating King Midas’s 2,700-Year-Old Feast
Ha: Size does matter: wine glasses are seven times larger than they used to be
Morning Coffee (12/15/17)
Time for some happy Friday links!
Liverpool made their annual Christmas visit to a children's hospital and IT WAS ADORABLE.
Someone wrote a Harry Potter chapter via predictive text and it's amazing.
Will and Harry met BB-8!!!
Pretty convincing: Why You Should Buy an Entire Case of Sparkling Wine for the Holidays
I am not this talented but I LOVE THEM: 13 Snowflake Nail Art Designs For People Who Love White Christmases
The Fug Girls have a fun chat about favorite books of the year.
NPR has PODCATS PAJAMA PANTS. Yes, as in cats listening to podcasts.
I wouldn't want this as the ONLY tree but I love them as SECONDARY trees: Pink Holiday Trees Are The Best Thing To Happen This Season
I'm not sure I GET this but it's fun: Pick Out 5 Junk Foods And We’ll Recommend A 2017 YA Book To Read
15 Blanket Scarves That Feel Like You Never Left Your Bed
Liverpool made their annual Christmas visit to a children's hospital and IT WAS ADORABLE.
Someone wrote a Harry Potter chapter via predictive text and it's amazing.
Will and Harry met BB-8!!!
Pretty convincing: Why You Should Buy an Entire Case of Sparkling Wine for the Holidays
I am not this talented but I LOVE THEM: 13 Snowflake Nail Art Designs For People Who Love White Christmases
The Fug Girls have a fun chat about favorite books of the year.
NPR has PODCATS PAJAMA PANTS. Yes, as in cats listening to podcasts.
I wouldn't want this as the ONLY tree but I love them as SECONDARY trees: Pink Holiday Trees Are The Best Thing To Happen This Season
I'm not sure I GET this but it's fun: Pick Out 5 Junk Foods And We’ll Recommend A 2017 YA Book To Read
15 Blanket Scarves That Feel Like You Never Left Your Bed
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Suggestion: Make New Year's Goals, Not Resolutions
Yes, okay, I know we're still dealing with Christmas. It's not New Year's yet! But we're almost halfway through December and you want to be PREPARED, right?? You don't want to face January 1st UNPREPARED WITH RESOLUTIONS.
Except! I don't make resolutions anymore. I really like the idea of it, of starting the year by thinking about what I want to accomplish and what changes I want to make, but the "resolution" concept is somehow both too wishy-washy and too strict. How do you measure success? Is it an absolute thing? Does it mean you have to do whatever it is EVERY DAY? If you miss one day, have you just failed the year and should stop bothering? That's stupid.
Instead, the past few years I've tried to make highly specific, measurable goals. I like plans and concrete steps and well-defined progress. (You're shocked, I know.) And I really like how even if I have a bad week or month or kinda forget about something for a while, I can come back to it later in the year. I don't have to write anything off until the year is pretty much over, at which point I can decide to keep or refine the goal or let it go, if it no longer seems that important.
Obviously, this works better for some kinds of things than others - stuff like healthy eating can be harder to quantify than reading a certain number of books or getting important documents into a fireproof safe or finishing the draft of a novel, all of which have been on my goal list now or in the past. But as a general rule, making goals as concrete and specific as possible has worked well for me. I also try to mix in some fun goals with stuff I HAVE to do - in 2018, for example, I have decided I will finish reading all the Lord Peter novels, in addition to less fun things like cleaning out my storage room.
Oh, two other tips: 1. Make goals that are entirely within your control. For example, lots of people use "get a book published" or "get an agent" but that's not entirely up to you (unless you are self-publishing, in which case, go ahead)! But "Finish and edit a draft" and "Query agents" ARE attainable things that need no outside input. 2. REWARDS. Bribe yourself. It's silly but it works.
Anyone else thinking about this yet? What are your goals for 2018?
Except! I don't make resolutions anymore. I really like the idea of it, of starting the year by thinking about what I want to accomplish and what changes I want to make, but the "resolution" concept is somehow both too wishy-washy and too strict. How do you measure success? Is it an absolute thing? Does it mean you have to do whatever it is EVERY DAY? If you miss one day, have you just failed the year and should stop bothering? That's stupid.
Instead, the past few years I've tried to make highly specific, measurable goals. I like plans and concrete steps and well-defined progress. (You're shocked, I know.) And I really like how even if I have a bad week or month or kinda forget about something for a while, I can come back to it later in the year. I don't have to write anything off until the year is pretty much over, at which point I can decide to keep or refine the goal or let it go, if it no longer seems that important.
Obviously, this works better for some kinds of things than others - stuff like healthy eating can be harder to quantify than reading a certain number of books or getting important documents into a fireproof safe or finishing the draft of a novel, all of which have been on my goal list now or in the past. But as a general rule, making goals as concrete and specific as possible has worked well for me. I also try to mix in some fun goals with stuff I HAVE to do - in 2018, for example, I have decided I will finish reading all the Lord Peter novels, in addition to less fun things like cleaning out my storage room.
Oh, two other tips: 1. Make goals that are entirely within your control. For example, lots of people use "get a book published" or "get an agent" but that's not entirely up to you (unless you are self-publishing, in which case, go ahead)! But "Finish and edit a draft" and "Query agents" ARE attainable things that need no outside input. 2. REWARDS. Bribe yourself. It's silly but it works.
Anyone else thinking about this yet? What are your goals for 2018?
Afternoon Tea (12/14/17)
I want to make ALL these things: Showstopping Holiday Desserts For Home Cooks Of All Skill Levels
This is good and important: Rebecca Solnit on Women’s Work and the Myth of the Art Monster
The Un-Christmassy Origin of Gingerbread Houses
How One Mycologist Saved France's Wine (Among Other Things)
Heh: The Psychic Tea Rooms of 1930s New York Didn’t Predict All the Police Raids
This is good and important: Rebecca Solnit on Women’s Work and the Myth of the Art Monster
The Un-Christmassy Origin of Gingerbread Houses
How One Mycologist Saved France's Wine (Among Other Things)
Heh: The Psychic Tea Rooms of 1930s New York Didn’t Predict All the Police Raids
Morning Coffee (12/14/17)
Tory Brexit rebels inflict major defeat on Theresa May
Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, will replace Al Franken
It’s not just scandal: Moore lost in Alabama because the GOP agenda is toxically unpopular
What we know about the Omarosa White House drama
Net Neutrality Protests Move Online, Yet Big Tech Is Quiet
Good for Patreon for listening: We messed up. We’re sorry, and we’re not rolling out the fees change.
News media offers consistently warped portrayals of black families, study finds
Rock Hall To Induct Nina Simone, Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits And Moody Blues
All the SAG Awards presenters will be women!
This reads a bit like entertainment headline Mad Libs, but I remember hearing interesting things about this book, so I'm intrigued: Jennifer Lawrence to Star in Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Burial Rites’
Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, will replace Al Franken
It’s not just scandal: Moore lost in Alabama because the GOP agenda is toxically unpopular
What we know about the Omarosa White House drama
Net Neutrality Protests Move Online, Yet Big Tech Is Quiet
Good for Patreon for listening: We messed up. We’re sorry, and we’re not rolling out the fees change.
News media offers consistently warped portrayals of black families, study finds
Rock Hall To Induct Nina Simone, Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits And Moody Blues
All the SAG Awards presenters will be women!
This reads a bit like entertainment headline Mad Libs, but I remember hearing interesting things about this book, so I'm intrigued: Jennifer Lawrence to Star in Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Burial Rites’
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/13/17)
I love Williams-Sonoma BUT I ALSO LOVE THIS: The 2017 Hater’s Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog
Still so happy about Nicole Cliffe's new advice column: How Do I Keep My Old Work Friends Without the Old Work Drama?
The Bumpy Business of Hauling Historical Sites to Safety
This is really cool: Turning Hurricane Data into Music
Wow: Ada Blackjack, the Forgotten Sole Survivor of an Odd Arctic Expedition
Still so happy about Nicole Cliffe's new advice column: How Do I Keep My Old Work Friends Without the Old Work Drama?
The Bumpy Business of Hauling Historical Sites to Safety
This is really cool: Turning Hurricane Data into Music
Wow: Ada Blackjack, the Forgotten Sole Survivor of an Odd Arctic Expedition
Weekly Rec: The Librarian and the Spy
If you're feeling anything like I am this week, you may be in the mood for a quick, fun read that's just slightly Christmassy and very escapist. If so, have I got the book from you! Susan Mann's debut The Librarian and the Spy is marketed as a contemporary romance, but to me it read more like a light spy mystery that included a romance plot. It's about a librarian named Quinn Ellington who is asked for research help by a hot library patron - and winds up being pulled into a bunch of international intrigue, because the hot patron is actually a spy. It's kind of as silly as that sounds, but in a thoroughly enjoyable way; I expected it to be a cute romance I'd breeze through but not particularly care about, but it left me eager to continue with the series. It's light without feeling hollow, which is just what I need sometimes.I don't want to give too much away, but the mystery here wound up being more interesting than I expected, with a combination history and current geopolitical tensions. And Quinn's library knowledge ends up being very necessary to figuring it all out - not just her research skills, but very specific aspects of library science. It's explained well enough if you're not familiar the specifics of cataloging and such going in, but it's a fun treat for those of us who are familiar. As with most of my favorite romances, this features a heroine who is very competent and cares a lot about her career and her family and friends and her own interests, rather than being focused on finding a guy. Also: the guy is the one with the spy training here, but Quinn is NOT a damsel in distress.
ALSO: There was a twist at the end that genuinely surprised me. I do NOT expect that in a romance novel. (But don't worry, it's not a romance-centric twist. This does have a HEA.)
And, yes, it's kind of incidentally set around Christmas - it comes up in the background a few times but isn't an important part of the plot. So that was a cheery surprise, but won't add to the problem if you're a little sick of ALL CHRISTMAS ALL THE TIME.
So if this sounds like what you need for your holiday binge-reading needs: The Librarian and the Spy (currently only $1.99!) and its sequel A Covert Affair (99c as of this writing!) are available now, and the third book, An Uncommon Honeymoon, will be out on Boxing Day.
Morning Coffee (12/13/17)
I did not expect this! Once a Long Shot, Democrat Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Race
Exclusive: Grassley urges Trump to reconsider controversial judicial picks
There's finally a conviction in the Irene Garza case!!!
Janet Yellen Didn’t Set Out to Be a Feminist Hero
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year is feminism.
This Year's Christmas Tree Shortage Has Roots In The Recession
This is an important study but SIGH: Diversity on Magazine Covers Saw a Slight Decline in 2017
Olympic Athletes From Russia, and the Politics of What They’ll Wear
Memoirs of an Emperor: Hirohito’s Account of World War II Sells for $275,000
!!! Harry Potter Mobile Game Will Turn Users into Hogwarts Students
Exclusive: Grassley urges Trump to reconsider controversial judicial picks
There's finally a conviction in the Irene Garza case!!!
Janet Yellen Didn’t Set Out to Be a Feminist Hero
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year is feminism.
This Year's Christmas Tree Shortage Has Roots In The Recession
This is an important study but SIGH: Diversity on Magazine Covers Saw a Slight Decline in 2017
Olympic Athletes From Russia, and the Politics of What They’ll Wear
Memoirs of an Emperor: Hirohito’s Account of World War II Sells for $275,000
!!! Harry Potter Mobile Game Will Turn Users into Hogwarts Students
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/12/17)
Remembering the Groundbreaking Life of the First Black Astronaut
The Greatest Clash in Egyptian Archaeology May Be Fading, But Anger Lives On
13 Wonderfully Specific Libraries Reveal Their Oldest Treasures
In the Middle Ages, The Upper Class Went Nuts for Almond Milk
I'm embarrassed to say I'd never really given this any thought: China and the American Revolution
The Greatest Clash in Egyptian Archaeology May Be Fading, But Anger Lives On
13 Wonderfully Specific Libraries Reveal Their Oldest Treasures
In the Middle Ages, The Upper Class Went Nuts for Almond Milk
I'm embarrassed to say I'd never really given this any thought: China and the American Revolution
Morning Coffee (12/12/17)
Rape and no periods in North Korea's army
No, the Pentagon Did Not Overrule Trump on the Trans Troops Ban
Uh... Right-wing group sends 12-year-old girl to interview Roy Moore
This is an important read on voter suppression: The Alabama Senate Race May Have Already Been Decided
That viral story about Alabama drivers license offices is from 2015, and it’s missing one key point
Mario Batali Steps Away From Restaurant Empire Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations
HA: This Is the Single Greatest Way to Get Out of a Political Conversation You Don’t Want to Have
The 23-Year-Old Who Dresses African Soccer Teams
Good advice: Don't Make These 6 Mistakes at Work During the Holidays
Ooh, first pictures from the new Mary, Queen of Scots movie.
No, the Pentagon Did Not Overrule Trump on the Trans Troops Ban
Uh... Right-wing group sends 12-year-old girl to interview Roy Moore
This is an important read on voter suppression: The Alabama Senate Race May Have Already Been Decided
That viral story about Alabama drivers license offices is from 2015, and it’s missing one key point
Mario Batali Steps Away From Restaurant Empire Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations
HA: This Is the Single Greatest Way to Get Out of a Political Conversation You Don’t Want to Have
The 23-Year-Old Who Dresses African Soccer Teams
Good advice: Don't Make These 6 Mistakes at Work During the Holidays
Ooh, first pictures from the new Mary, Queen of Scots movie.
Monday, December 11, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/11/17)
Me elsewhere: Your TV news for the week.
How ISIS Produced Its Cruel Arsenal on an Industrial Scale
21 Rohingya women recount rape by Myanmar armed forces
18 crucial days: What did the president know and when did he know it?
Under Trump, E.P.A. Has Slowed Actions Against Polluters, and Put Limits on Enforcement Officers
A fake Bruce Willis story is being monetized by Google AdSense and prominently featured on YouTube
Lobsters, Fajitas, Sex Toys, And More: The Best And Weirdest Heists Of 2017
Lawsuit Over Mashup of 'Star Trek' and Dr. Seuss Gets Past Alpha Quadrant
This should be interesting, given his combination of jobs: Kal Penn Lands Book Deal With Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Audible
Ooh, I forgot we're getting this next Christmas: Keira Knightley is a pink Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms first look
This is neat: Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden, More Hollywood Moguls Pose With Their Daughters
How ISIS Produced Its Cruel Arsenal on an Industrial Scale
21 Rohingya women recount rape by Myanmar armed forces
18 crucial days: What did the president know and when did he know it?
Under Trump, E.P.A. Has Slowed Actions Against Polluters, and Put Limits on Enforcement Officers
A fake Bruce Willis story is being monetized by Google AdSense and prominently featured on YouTube
Lobsters, Fajitas, Sex Toys, And More: The Best And Weirdest Heists Of 2017
Lawsuit Over Mashup of 'Star Trek' and Dr. Seuss Gets Past Alpha Quadrant
This should be interesting, given his combination of jobs: Kal Penn Lands Book Deal With Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Audible
Ooh, I forgot we're getting this next Christmas: Keira Knightley is a pink Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms first look
This is neat: Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden, More Hollywood Moguls Pose With Their Daughters
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/10/17)
In Syria’s Skies, Close Calls With Russian Warplanes
Inside Trump's Hour-by-Hour Battle for Self-Preservation
Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. Has Been Fired From Morgan Stanley for Alleged Sexual Misconduct
In case you thought it was just the U.S.: 'Shocking' levels of harassment in UK TV industry – report
Police Discover Over 150 Cases of Sexual Assault Within Indigenous Community in Remote Norwegian Village
I mean, I'm glad they killed the plan, but the fact that they were doing it in the first place... VA kills plan to cut homeless-vet program after outcry
GOOD: Gymnastics Doctor Who Abused Patients Gets 60 Years for Child Pornography
Pantone is VERY EXCITED about their color of the year.
Tracking Dolphins With Algorithms You Might Find on Facebook
Big Little Lies is officially getting another season and I'm curious to see how that works out.
Inside Trump's Hour-by-Hour Battle for Self-Preservation
Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. Has Been Fired From Morgan Stanley for Alleged Sexual Misconduct
In case you thought it was just the U.S.: 'Shocking' levels of harassment in UK TV industry – report
Police Discover Over 150 Cases of Sexual Assault Within Indigenous Community in Remote Norwegian Village
I mean, I'm glad they killed the plan, but the fact that they were doing it in the first place... VA kills plan to cut homeless-vet program after outcry
GOOD: Gymnastics Doctor Who Abused Patients Gets 60 Years for Child Pornography
Pantone is VERY EXCITED about their color of the year.
Tracking Dolphins With Algorithms You Might Find on Facebook
Big Little Lies is officially getting another season and I'm curious to see how that works out.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Morning Coffee (12/9/17)
F.B.I. Warned Hope Hicks About Emails From Russian Operatives
Voucher Schools Championed By Betsy DeVos Can Teach Whatever They Want. Turns Out They Teach Lies.
Study: Hillary Clinton’s emails got as much front-page coverage in 6 days as policy did in 69
This is really impressive: What Colin Kaepernick's Philanthropy Tells Us About His Vision for Social Change in America
How white engineers built racist code – and why it's dangerous for black people
Aww: Albuquerque police officer adopts a homeless addict’s baby after a chance on-duty encounter
This is important: An Open Letter to HarperCollins about TO SIRI WITH LOVE
OH GOOD: Can't Be Topped: Neapolitan-Style Pizza Making Wins UNESCO Heritage Status
How to Make a Holiday Playlist That Doesn't Sound Like a CVS
See a 94-Year-Old Sphinx Emerge From Californian Sand Dunes
Voucher Schools Championed By Betsy DeVos Can Teach Whatever They Want. Turns Out They Teach Lies.
Study: Hillary Clinton’s emails got as much front-page coverage in 6 days as policy did in 69
This is really impressive: What Colin Kaepernick's Philanthropy Tells Us About His Vision for Social Change in America
How white engineers built racist code – and why it's dangerous for black people
Aww: Albuquerque police officer adopts a homeless addict’s baby after a chance on-duty encounter
This is important: An Open Letter to HarperCollins about TO SIRI WITH LOVE
OH GOOD: Can't Be Topped: Neapolitan-Style Pizza Making Wins UNESCO Heritage Status
How to Make a Holiday Playlist That Doesn't Sound Like a CVS
See a 94-Year-Old Sphinx Emerge From Californian Sand Dunes
Friday, December 8, 2017
A holiday interlude
The post I was going to give you today is half-written because I took the day off and have been doing holiday stuff with my mom. So have a picture of our tree instead!
And then I recommend a tea break.
Have a great weekend!
And then I recommend a tea break.
Have a great weekend!
Afternoon Tea (12/8/17)
Heh: 20 Authors I Don’t Have to Read Because I’ve Dated Men for 16 Years
Napoleon was the Best General Ever, and the Math Proves it.
What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel
How to Put a Fake Island on the Map
Science! Cheap fizz or luxury champagne: can you hear the difference?
Napoleon was the Best General Ever, and the Math Proves it.
What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel
How to Put a Fake Island on the Map
Science! Cheap fizz or luxury champagne: can you hear the difference?
Morning Coffee (12/8/17)
Time for happy Friday links!
This is a GREAT news story: Service dog causes chaos at ‘Cats’ performance
!! Watch Astronauts Make Pizza in Zero Gravity
Let's ogle the Windsor Castle Christmas decorations.
Rachel Hawkins Shares an Excerpt From Her New Book Royals
Ooh: Boozy Balls Are the Season's Classy Answer to the Jell-O Shot
If that's not enough: 21 Winter Cocktails to Help You Survive the Cold
Okay, this Dolce & Gabbana pasta box is PRETTY.
You Can Now Buy Pink Prosecco Cheese
15 Pretty Nail Polish Colors Practically Made For Christmas
Totally Bookish: 20 Tote Bags for Every Bookworm
This is a GREAT news story: Service dog causes chaos at ‘Cats’ performance
!! Watch Astronauts Make Pizza in Zero Gravity
Let's ogle the Windsor Castle Christmas decorations.
Rachel Hawkins Shares an Excerpt From Her New Book Royals
Ooh: Boozy Balls Are the Season's Classy Answer to the Jell-O Shot
If that's not enough: 21 Winter Cocktails to Help You Survive the Cold
Okay, this Dolce & Gabbana pasta box is PRETTY.
You Can Now Buy Pink Prosecco Cheese
15 Pretty Nail Polish Colors Practically Made For Christmas
Totally Bookish: 20 Tote Bags for Every Bookworm
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/7/17)
This is great: I Tried Emailing Like A CEO And Quite Frankly, It Made My Life Better
How Neolithic farming sowed the seeds of modern inequality 10,000 years ago
Lovely: A Fleeting Resource: In Praise of the Deep Cold
Using a Particle Accelerator to See Inside a 1,900-Year-Old Mummy
This made me want to read all these books: A Little Noir in Macau: “The wickedest city on earth.”
How Neolithic farming sowed the seeds of modern inequality 10,000 years ago
Lovely: A Fleeting Resource: In Praise of the Deep Cold
Using a Particle Accelerator to See Inside a 1,900-Year-Old Mummy
This made me want to read all these books: A Little Noir in Macau: “The wickedest city on earth.”
Morning Coffee (12/7/17)
THIS IS NOT HOW ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE WORKS: Trump Jr. cites attorney-client privilege in not answering panel's questions about discussions with his father
Flynn Said Russian Sanctions Would Be ‘Ripped Up,’ Whistle-Blower Says
"Several advisers said he did not seem to have a full understanding of the issue and instead appeared to be focused on 'seeming pro-Israel,' in the words of one, and 'making a deal,' in the words of another."
This is fascinating: God's Plan for Mike Pence
Bryan Singer: The Epitome of Hollywood’s White Male Privilege Problem
Good: After Sexual Assault Investigation Massage Envy Changes Multiple Policies
Phew: Curious George Store to Stay Put in Harvard Square
I love her: The Duchess of Cornwall poses with four Donald Trumps in London
Ooh, first pics from Abi Morgan's new show.
Found: A New Ice Age Cave Network Below Montreal
Flynn Said Russian Sanctions Would Be ‘Ripped Up,’ Whistle-Blower Says
"Several advisers said he did not seem to have a full understanding of the issue and instead appeared to be focused on 'seeming pro-Israel,' in the words of one, and 'making a deal,' in the words of another."
This is fascinating: God's Plan for Mike Pence
Bryan Singer: The Epitome of Hollywood’s White Male Privilege Problem
Good: After Sexual Assault Investigation Massage Envy Changes Multiple Policies
Phew: Curious George Store to Stay Put in Harvard Square
I love her: The Duchess of Cornwall poses with four Donald Trumps in London
Ooh, first pics from Abi Morgan's new show.
Found: A New Ice Age Cave Network Below Montreal
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Afternoon Tea (12/6/17)
NPR's Book Concierge is out!!!
200,000 died in Guatemala’s civil war — this digital archive is finally bringing families closure
This is fascinating: How Dollar General Became Rural America’s Store of Choice
When a City and a Bishop Went to War Over Beer
“Kill the Ámpaya!”: On Latin American Baseball Fiction
200,000 died in Guatemala’s civil war — this digital archive is finally bringing families closure
This is fascinating: How Dollar General Became Rural America’s Store of Choice
When a City and a Bishop Went to War Over Beer
“Kill the Ámpaya!”: On Latin American Baseball Fiction
Weekly Rec: Susan Adrian's Nutcracked (+ a Bonus Author Q&A!)
I love Christmas books, but I'm a little picky about them. And I love The Nutcracker, so I'm SO PLEASED to be able to report that Susan Adrian's new middle grade novel Nutcracked is a COMPLETE delight. (Just look at it! It's adorable inside too! There are little drawings for the chapter headings!) It's the story of a young ballerina named Georgie who gets cast as Clara in The Nutcracker . . . and then gets magically pulled into the Nutcracker's world. And she has to save him. As though that's not enough, Georgie is dealing with family troubles and evolving friendships and figuring out her own goals and dreams and who she wants to be in the world.I'm theoretically recommending you buy this for kids on your list, especially those into dance and/or fantasy stories, but I bought it for myself and had a wonderful evening reading it while drinking cocoa and listening to The Nutcracker. So, you know, maybe both?
And something extra this week . . . Susan is a pal of mine and was kind enough to answer a few questions, because I ALWAYS want to talk about The Nutcracker!
The original Hoffman short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" is, let's face it, kind of weird and not particularly accessible, especially for kids. What do you think it is about the Nutcracker concept and its various forms that went on to capture the public imagination for two centuries? Does it capture the magic of Christmas in some unique way?
Susan Adrian: The story has certainly lasted through many incarnations. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the original Hoffman story...I hadn't read the entire original, in fact, until I started writing this book! My knowledge of the story came from various ballet productions and a Maurice Sendak book version. The ballet is actually based on an adaptation by Alexandre Dumas (author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, among others). He seems to have simplified it and taken out some of the odder bits of the Hoffman, and then the ballet simplified it further. From there came many, many different versions of the ballet. I think at its core, The Nutcracker has a few key elements that allow it to continue to captivate: Christmas, with the tree and the big family party; magic, with the grand growing of the tree/shrinking of Clara; and lots of fun, short, attractive dances. I've tried to include all of those elements in Nutcracked as well.
You were a ballerina yourself, and I know that absolutely informed Nutcracked. Is there anything fun/weird/interesting from your Nutcracker experiences or your ballet years in general that you couldn't work into the book but would like to tell us about?
I was quite a serious dancer from ages 8 through 16, and over the years I danced nine different parts, including Clara. So much of the dance parts and studio parts are adapted from whole memory! I managed to fit in a lot of the quirky things I remember, like sneaking sugar cubes from the coffee/tea tray and warming up backstage. I didn't include some of the minor disasters we had: when the girl who was dancing Arabian decided to take a bath in Nair hair remover right before the show, and an understudy had to go on because she had a rash and was in so much pain, or when Mother Marshmallow, the man-in-drag character, fell over coming onstage, giant skirt with children underneath and all...good times. :)
You're now working on another middle grade fantasy novel inspired by a classic - Forever Neverland, about kids who discover they're descendants of the Darlings from Peter Pan. (Can't wait to read it!) What is it that attracts you to this genre?
I am having SO MUCH FUN with these books. I realized, once I started writing middle grade, that my favorite books of all time are in this age range: A Wrinkle in Time, Ballet Shoes, The Dark is Rising, and many others. Those books are when I fell in love with reading, with the magic that other worlds could bring to my life. I want to carry that magic on to other kids as well, and I adore being able to tie in classic stories in whole new adventures. I have some ideas for other ones too...
I've enjoyed many versions of The Nutcracker but the one I have on DVD (and previously VHS) and watch over and over is the 1977 TV version with Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov. That's the REAL Nutcracker to me. Do you have a favorite?
That one, and the one I danced in at the Sacramento Ballet, are both very vivid to me, though I prefer the Nutcrackers where Clara is a child, 12 or 13, instead of a young woman like in the Baryshnikov. As far as choreography, Balanchine all the way. I just saw the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker this weekend, and they did a very classic Balanchine production that was beautiful.
Nutcracked is available now and would make a perfect stocking stuffer OR holiday treat for yourself!
Morning Coffee (12/6/17)
Time's person of the year: The Silence Breakers
WHOA: Russia Banned From Winter Olympics by I.O.C.
Hm: Trump lawyer denies Deutsche Bank got subpoena on Trump accounts
Tax Bills Could Expand Private School Benefits and Hurt Public Education
... New Book Claims Hope Hicks Steamed Trump’s Suit While He Was Wearing It
To Cut Waste, U.K. Grocery Chain Will Sell Products Past 'Best Before' Dates (This is a good idea! I have recently discovered that my store vastly marks down yogurt about to expire and it's GREAT.)
Heh: Which Doug Jones Is Which? A Handy Guide.
I am not necessarily convinced that what the world needs right now is Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek.
I like this: Instagram will now create a private archive for all of your stories
Huh: James Patterson Signs Three-Book Deal With Albert Einstein Archives
This is gonna be adorable: Adorable Children to Steal Spotlight During Family Wedding
WHOA: Russia Banned From Winter Olympics by I.O.C.
Hm: Trump lawyer denies Deutsche Bank got subpoena on Trump accounts
Tax Bills Could Expand Private School Benefits and Hurt Public Education
... New Book Claims Hope Hicks Steamed Trump’s Suit While He Was Wearing It
To Cut Waste, U.K. Grocery Chain Will Sell Products Past 'Best Before' Dates (This is a good idea! I have recently discovered that my store vastly marks down yogurt about to expire and it's GREAT.)
Heh: Which Doug Jones Is Which? A Handy Guide.
I am not necessarily convinced that what the world needs right now is Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek.
I like this: Instagram will now create a private archive for all of your stories
Huh: James Patterson Signs Three-Book Deal With Albert Einstein Archives
This is gonna be adorable: Adorable Children to Steal Spotlight During Family Wedding