So much interesting stuff lately I need (yet again) another day to share it all. That’s just how I roll, yo.
◊ LET’S GET HISTORICAL.
Women in the 19th Century, John Green’s sixteenth Crash Course U.S. History, is pretty entertaining and educational. Granted, it’s a super-condensed history lesson, but is it still a useful lesson? Historians, weigh in!
Via.
Who says suffragettes aren’t funny? BBC Four’s new series, Up the Women, stars Jessica Hynes of Spaced, but, despite how much I loved Spaced, I’m not sure from this clip how I’ll feel about this new sitcom.
And just because I LOVE IT SO MUCH: my favorite Schoolhouse Rock! video:
◊ SOMEONE’S IN THE KITCHEN.
I’m glad someone’s taken note of 17 extreme donuts that look like they’ll kill you. That said, I sure you wouldn’t mind trying one of these crazy donuts (or doughnuts, depending on your preference). Cameron and Daniel will appreciate Rebel Donuts’ tribute to Breaking Bad, I think….
I love this idea: a small, portable farm (“farm” is an exaggeration, of course, but a cool idea nonetheless).
Technology! Is this South Korea’s answer to AmazonFresh? Via the most excellent tumblr of Francesca Ramos:
Virtual supermarkets are popping up in subway stations in South Korea, where commuters can virtually shop for items while waiting for the train to come. Customers simply scan an item’s QR code using the free “Homeplus” app and can have it delivered to their doorstep before they even get home. Ranked as the 2ndmost hard-working country in the world to Japan, South Korea is rewarding its workers with this timesaving gem.
Who doesn’t love fancy cakes? Check out these fine specimens: first, a dragon’s eggs cake based on Daenerys Targaryen’s box on Game of Thrones. Via.
This Tangled cake by Artcake (Jane Zubova) is really incredible! Via.
◊ MAKE WITH THE FUNNY.
One Wipe Charlies, the subject of this video, is perhaps not what you want to watch or think about while you eat your Cheerios (the “#2” of the title is, indeed, about number two), but it made me chuckle—not enough to want to buy the product (and can I really want a product whose name forgoes a necessary hyphen? No, indeed, I cannot), but there you go. Via.
Andy shared this McSweeney’s Short Imagined Monologue with me: I’m Comic Sans, Asshole (by Mike Lacher). I couldn’t help but laugh!
Please to enjoy the 12th in Amy Winfrey‘s Haikus of Regret series:
My wonderful friend Molly sent me this link because she knows how much I adore the opening credits for Hart to Hart (don’t ask why; I just do). Here’s the greatest event in television history:
◊ DOMESTIC BLISS.
Laura thought I’d like this intricately carved wooden spiral staircase in Peleș Castle in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, photographed by Marc Osborn. What do you think? Via.
Spiral staircase in Peleș Castle | Photo by Marc Osborn
Here’s a glorious picture of Peleș Castle by Gabi Jguma (click to embiggen). Via.
By Gabi Jguma [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
As you may have surmised by now, I love a good mash-up, and Eric Guzman‘s been making some very good mash-ups of DC and Marvel characters. Check out the gallery at The Mary Sue or Guzman’s Amalgams gallery to see what’s he created, like Ms. Wonder and The Amazing Spider-Bat, and check out Captain Krypton, the Captain America/Superman mash-up, below:
Captain Krypton!! by Eric Guzman
Speaking of mash-ups, I liked Super-Team Family’s mash-up of Superman and Ms. Marvel. But I hope they don’t start dating!
10 genres that superheroes have swallowed up. And how! But that’s one thing I love about superhero comics and about the comics medium in general: everything can be embraced. And then devoured.
Here’s something fun: a well-made fan-made video, the first episode of Grayson: Earth One. What if Dick Grayson had never become the ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne and thus never became Robin? The costuming for Grayson was particularly clever, I thought. Via.
It’s Ladies Night and X-Men Drink Free is Kelly Thompson’s response to the all-female X-Men book by Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel. What she said.
How can you not love this Batgirl and her Batcycle, especially since her costume patterned on Yvonne Craig‘s from the 60’s Batman TV show? Batgirl and Catwoman (both Kitt and Newmar versions) were always my favorite parts of Batman, he said to the surprise of absolutely nobody in the universe.
This Saturday Evening Post cover by Ruiz Burgos is pretty darn wonderful. Sorry for the bad pun. Click to embiggen. Via.
Wonder Woman 1945 by Ruiz Burgos
A Fables film is in development!
All I can say is this: Mighty Avengers makes me mighty happy!
◊ THE HORNS OF ELFLAND.
Via The Mary Sue, something that just made my day: a rapped celebration of the all-female X-Men team by Adam WarRock (click through to TMS to read the lyrics). Enjoy!
Please to enjoy the new single from Nine Inch Nails: Came Back Haunted!
For a sharp contrast, here’s “If a Child Is Born,” a beautiful song by Sodabit. No, I don’t understand a word of Hebrew either, but the song sounds beautiful.
◊ THE WRITING DESK.
LitReactor has some tips on putting together a short-story collection.
Loved Jane Yolen’s essay about writing a poem, The Anatomy of a Poem. Great look into how a poet works.
John Rogers on why you should never write action scenes for your blockbuster movie.
Adam Nevill on working with your inner reader.
6 ways you’re botching your dialogue.
Craig Leyenaar’s Beyond the Gatekeeper: The Road to Publication.
Neil Gaiman on the book that made him want to write:
Chuck Wendig shares 10 stupid writer tricks (that might actually work) and also asks Lauren Beukes 10 questions about The Shining Girls.
Rachelle Gardner on how to create a style sheet for your manuscript.
Flavorwire shared 10 hilarious videos about grammar (some really are pretty funny).
I enjoyed Cathy Day’s post about her writing spaces and her writing machines. I didn’t have an IBM Wheelwriter, but a couple years after Day had hers I had a Brother word processor that was set up pretty much the same. Loved that thing. It looked something like this, though I don’t recall the screen being that big.
◊ VIEWERS’ PARADISE.
It’s trailers, trailers, trailers!
First up, piping hot and fresh, it’s the trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug:
Luc Besson’s The Family stars Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones. Looks like it might be funny. Or not. It’s great to see Michelle Pfeiffer, though!
Doctor Who fans, take note: Karen Gillan’s new movie Not Another Happy Ending looks like fun (not anything new, but it still looks fun). Added plus: she plays a writer! I love movies about writers, even potentially cheesy rom coms. Maybe especially cheesy rom coms?
Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine looks like it too could be great fun—or terribly depressing. Or both! Plus Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin! And Louis C.K., for goodness’ sake! (Does anyone else get a vague Streetcar Named Desire vibe when Jasmine goes to her sister’s?)
Not a trailer, but the first three minutes of a new BBC America show (which premieres tomorrow night), In the Flesh. Here’s the official description:
In the Flesh follows zombie teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry) and his reintegration back into both the local community and the heart of his family.
After his suicide four years ago, his friends and family thought they’d never see Kieren again. But shortly after his funeral, thousands rose from the dead; and after months of rehabilitation and medication, the zombies—now known as PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome) sufferers—are gradually being returned to their homes.
When Kieran arrives, he is forced to confront his family, the community that rejected him and haunting flashbacks of what he did in his untreated state.
A really interesting take on zombies, sounds like!
