Things I Love Thursday

Spring has sprung.

Well, then! Last week’s rain/slow/sleepy vibe gave way this week to activity and bustling work. I’ll take it!

Not much of an intro this week So let’s jump right into the Must-Share goodies from the last week. Enjoy!

1. Acid Drops, by Dylan Rieder on Vimeo:

Really cool and beautiful hand-painted videos of skateboarders. Everything about this is dreamy: the concept, execution, all of it. Love.

2. This quote:

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. Leann at Healthful Pursuit shared her 5-Minute Breakfast Cupcake:

I don’t have a microwave, so it’s more like 15-20 minutes in the oven, but still… That’s enough time to do other stuff while it bakes and then, YUM.

Plus, it’s gluten-free, grain-free, can be vegan, and is loaded with fiber. Looks like a fantastic way to start the day.

4. Ashley from Edible Perspective shared HER love of homemade beauty products.

As you know, I couldn’t agree more!

It’s wayyyyy easier than you might think.

Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out my 52 Tips and follow along throughout the year!

5. Simple Acts of Radical Noticing, via Crazy Sexy Life:

Guest blogger Leslie Carr on mindfulness and waking up to our lives.

She’s basically talking about the true heart of yoga. 

In yoga, we teach what is called the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. When you learn to become still, the world opens up. As you begin to wake up to your true self and your true life, you begin to notice things in new ways. With practice, you start understand that you have this new way of looking at the world, which makes it easier (and more necessary) to peel away the layers of programming that make you think you’re someone you might not actually be.

Start with her essay. I’ll write more on this at some point

6. Apartment Therapy shared this amazing half-graffiti hotel room:

Cognitive dissonance, live and in person! I’d love to stay here with my honey, but which side of the bed would I sleep on??

7. Advance copies of the Advanced Style book are in:

Is that a gorgeous cover or what?

If you’re not already familiar with the Advanced Style website, you should be!

These women are who I want to be in 50 or so years. Never compromising their style, glamour, or eccentricities, always staying rad. Plus, they highlight men with advanced style, too.

Can’t wait to get the book, but it doesn’t come out till May 22. Patience, grasshopper.

8. Finally, five questions to help lift a bad day, via The Positivity Blog

Good perspectives when you’re caught in a spiral of melodrama, navel gazing, and self-centeredness.

Eight this week, that’s all I had time for! If you’ve got ones to add, feel free to stick ‘em in the comments!

Have a wonderful weekend!

What are some great things you’ve seen this week?

Got any fun plans for the weekend?

Things I Love Thursday

Happy almost-Friday! How’s your week been? Around here, it’s been kind of quiet and rainy, which has been the perfect vibe for reading, making soup, and taking long, super-steamy baths. Nope, not for running! Haha. Some of you can run in the rain. I respect that. I’d like to run in a tropical rain. But San Francisco rain is cold and bitter! Nah, I’ll stick it out with yoga, the elliptical, and swimming until things clear up again.

Well, as always, there were some good finds around the web this week. Here you go ~ enjoy!

1. Scientists prove the color pink doesn’t exist, via Time:

Say whaaaaa???

Pink is just wishful thinking has GOT to be my favorite quote of the year so far.

I’ve always had a theory that pink is subversive and now I know why. What an interesting argument!

2. Boing Boing brings us the case for dolphin rights:

In their words… whether or not certain cetaceans—primarily whales and dolphins—deserve to have legal rights under the law, the same as people have. 

Yowza! I’m telling you. We must prepare. They WILL become our overlords… once again.

3. Need a crash course in Mad Men Season 4 before Sunday’s Season 5 premiere?

Click the link above for a comprehensive, 4-minute video that reviews all the good parts.

Trés Sugar helped us out here. Thanks, Trés!

4. Via Copyranter, this fantastic 1960s anti-war Lego ad. Try not to cry.

5. Rawmazing had some deee-lish-looking Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies!

Oh. Em. Gee.

No, I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m gonna! AND I want to try them with cashews instead of almonds. HOW great would that be? Super-great.

6. An excellent essay on Clean Foods, Clean Living via Crazy Sexy Life:

Guest blogger Amie Valpone dishes on clean eating as a clean-living lifestyle, not just a dietary choice. Yes, it takes dedication and planning, but it’s your life. Do you really want to fill your life with processed crap that makes you feel like junk? I don’t

She says:

It’s not about the gluten-free pizzas or the vegan cookies or the dairy-free ice creams. Yes, I’m sure they all taste great. But if these companies are taking out the gluten, dairy, fat or sodium, well … what exactly are they putting in? Kind of scary to think about, isn’t it? Just take a look at the ingredient list, and I’m sure you’ll be blown away (or unable to pronounce) what’s inside.

Let’s start by taking a step back and eating the basics: fresh produce, lean proteins and healthy fats. Challenge yourself to forego the food store for local farmers markets … I bet you’ll be surprised how creative you can get. And the best part? Your taste buds will transform, and you’ll soon realize you don’t need that fake sweetener or that sugary iced tea or those cookies.

Go, Amie!

Plus, she includes a few delicious recipes for Vegan Falafel Balls and Kale Cashew Pesto. Yum!

7. Aromatic Lifestyle dished on why DIY beauty is the way to go:

Save money, customize, reduce waste, and know exactly what your skin is absorbing ~ yes! Excellent reasons.

Check out her post for some thoughts that will get you on the DIY train in no time!

8. A short essay on “need” via The Minimalists:

It’s true. We don’t need much for a meaningful life. We really, really don’t.

9. Hey, romance writers! Read RT Review’s 10 places now accepting manuscripts!

Got a finished ms? Send it out! Set it free! Good luck!

(Entangled Publishing is getting big, big, big methinks.)

10. Finally, Mashable shared a new HowAboutWe, this time for couples.

Been with your honey for a while and need some fresh ideas for dates and quality time? This sounds like a good, cute idea.

Whelp, that’s all for now, friends! Have a wonderful weekend!

What are some great things you’ve seen this week?

Got any fun plans for the weekend?

Things I Love Thursday

March so far has been IN like the proverbial lion. Actually, like a lioness defending her cubs! Curious to see if the rest of the month will continue to be so roar-iffic. Looking forward to the weekend. Fun stuff like fixing my dead scooter, weeding, and going to storage ~ yes! How ’bout you? Any good plans? Hope it’s a good one, whatever you do and wherever you are.

And now, some good stuff collected over the last week. Enjoy!

1. A Day in the Life of California, via Ryan Killacky on Vimeo:

A sweet little video about my favorite place in the world….

2. From Smithsonian Mag, the story of the most common bird in the world:

An amazing story. It’s not just about a little bird, but about Communisum in China under Mao, ecology, and the growth of cities. Fascinating read and beautifully written.

It is sometimes only when a species is removed that we see clearly its value. When sparrows are rare, we often see their benefits; when they are common, we see their curse.

3. Safe Cosmetics: Five Tips for Frugal Shoppers via Crazy Sexy Life:

Obviously, if you’re following my 52 Tips, you’re already in the know about making your own!

But buying in bulk and (gasp!) doing without are other frugal options. Read the whole thing and get some great ideas.

4. What’s so bad about preservatives? Ask Georgie answered.

They’re carcinogenic, for one thing.

Fresh foods rule!

5. From ScienceNOW via Wired: How Dolphins Say Hello!

Excellent information for the coming age of dolphin overlords.

So, basically, it’s like a fist-bump… right?

6. How About Orange found these gorgeous seamless textures at Subtle Patterns:

Lovely soft designs for web designers and bloggers!

7. San Francisco Turned Me Straight, by the always-great Anna Pulley on Salon.

Sometimes I think S.F. is one of those Emerald City-type places where, free of many of the cultural or religious constraints that plague other cities, you can be the truest version of yourself, or at least have a really good time exploring untrue versions of yourself along the way. It’s a city that embraces the idea of potential, not limitations. I realize, of course, that sexuality can’t really be articulated or altered by a ZIP code, but all this flip-flopping seemed pervasive to me, and I figured the City itself, its brazenness, its tendency toward experimentation and spectacle, had to at least play a role in this shifting sexual mind-set.

A fun romp through the best city in the world, where various definitions of sexuality are commonplace.

We like to name things because it gives us a sense of order and comfort. So we can feel connected to one another. If I say I’m a daughter we all know what that means. Or a liberal, or a feminist, or a molecular biologist. But sexuality often doesn’t work that way. If you don’t look the part of a queer, then you don’t exist.

It’s a fantastic essay ~ check it out!

8. Including Cake shared their delish Quinoa and Chickpea burgers

An excellent, healthy, whole-foods, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free meal (or snack)!

9. Flourless peanut butter ginger cookies from The Edible Perspective

I LOVE THE IDEA OF PEANUT BUTTER AND GINGER TOGETHER. Brills!

10. Finally, the Healthy Diva schooled us on guilt-free eating AND gave us a recipe for high-protein muffins!

Score! She’s the best. Check out her blog for massive inspiration.

That’s all for now! Have a wonderful weekend!

What are some great things you’ve seen this week?

Got any fun plans for the weekend?