Tuesday Treasure Trove

Tuesday Treasure Trove


Things of Note:

I have dubbed this most recent holiday Christmas: The Gadgeting. First I won a Fire tablet and a new Keurig at the hubs’ work party. Then Christmas morning I joyfully unwrapped a Silhouette Cameo from my mom, and a Kitchenaid stand mixer from my wonderful husband. !!! To say I am excited about all of these new gadgets would be a huge understatement. I’ve already put all of them to use, though my mind is bursting with ways I can use the Cameo, and my tummy rumbling for things I can make with the Kitchenaid. Aside from the test runs on each (a faux invite on the former, and fresh focaccia bread in the latter), I almost have too many ideas that I don’t know where to start. But if that’s any indication, then 2016 is going to be creatively and culinarily productive!

Aside from gift unwrapping, it was a good foodie Christmas. We did a lamb roast and had German Christmas wine for Christmas dinner, there were picadillo empanadas over the weekend, and we tried out the chocolate making kit Ian’s parents got us. We also went and saw the new Star Wars movie. Aside from that, sadly, Ian had to go into work a lot Saturday and Sunday, so most of my 4-day Christmas weekend was spent solo. But, as mentioned, I had plenty of new gadgets to occupy my time and attention, so I survived. 🙂

How was your holiday? Did you unwrap anything unexpected and exciting?
 

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Tuesday Treasure Trove

Fleeting Wonders: Be A Crew Member On A Modern-Day Viking Ship. Is it weird that I’m intrigued by this? Why are so many artificial intelligence apps female? Photographer Spends 20 Years Documenting How We All Dress Exactly Alike. If you ever wondered how the kid from Home Alone dealt with residual trauma… Macaulay Culkin Just Revealed What Kevin McCallister Is Actually Like Today. One out of 122 humans today has been forced to flee their home, U.N. says. This would be the equivalent of about 7.5 New York Cities being completely emptied of their population. Your Guide to Reading the […]

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Recent Reads

Time for some book talk! Here’s a few reads I’ve worked my way through recently: The Paper Magician Trilogy by Charlie N. Holmberg. I first picked up this series because of the covers (so sue me, I’m a designer). This is a YA fantasy series with just a hint of steampunk-ness. It takes place in an alternate early 1900’s England, where magic is widely practiced, but only on man-made materials. And a magician can only pick one material to be their life’s focus. Ceony, new graduate from magic school, is assigned an apprenticeship in paper, not her material of choice. […]

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Tuesday Treasure Trove

Random bit of the week: How A Dead Millionaire Convinced Dozens Of Women To Have As Many Babies As Possible. Even My Conservative Texan Mother Wants Stricter Gun Control. The truth about Muslims in America. “A Duke University study found more terrorism suspects and perpetrators were brought to the attention of law enforcement by members of the Muslim-American community than were discovered through U.S. government investigations.” The Atlantic’s Case for the Singular, Gender-Neutral ‘They’—in 1879. 8 Ways to Rescue Public School Libraries from Becoming Obsolete. 9 ways to skip the shallow small talk and have deep conversations. Holiday gift-giving between […]

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5 Things Friday

5 Things Friday

1. In October, after my name change and all, I re-launched my design business with a new focus and new name. It’s Studio Guerassio, and I focus on design & branding for the lifestyle sector (food & drink, writers, artists & makers, culture, events, balance & wellness). I’d like to ask a favor of all of my lovely readers: if you know a business owner or blogger or solopreneur who fits that focus and is in need of design work, please send them my way! I’d be über grateful. 🙂 2. Random thoughts on film and TV: I was browsing […]

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Book Review: The Aeronaut’s Windlass

The Aeronaut’s Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1) by Jim Butcher. Jim Butcher is one of my favorite authors (The Dresden Files! The Codex Alera!), so when I heard he was writing a new YA-ish steampunk series, I couldn’t wait to jump in. This first book in the series introduces us to the world of the Spires, floating cities high in the air where humanity has lived for eons. This is Earth’s humanity, far into the future- something has happened on the surface to make ground life inhospitable. The Spire inhabitants engage in the usual political and mercantile pursuits, and fly […]

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Tuesday Treasure Trove

“Prayer-Shaming” Isn’t About Attacking Prayer. THIS EXACTLY: “And let’s be clear: This week’s prominent “prayer shamers” aren’t really against prayer. They’re against platitudes. The problem is when “thoughts and prayers” are the only response to a public event that calls for political action. It’s hard to imagine that even the most dedicated atheist objects to Ted Cruz kneeling by his bed at night to pray for the victims of yesterday’s shooting. What Cruz chooses to do in his bedroom is his own business. The issue is that politicians like him continue to offer thoughts and prayers and nothing else: no […]

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