While laid up on the couch this weekend, I caught up on some reading. And on the lighter side, here were two things that made me laugh:
The New Yorker chose their winner for their 2013 Eustace Tilley Contest. I love this “Brooklyn Eustace.” You can read the full story here (and see other submissions too.)
And this one is just really funny. #truth
In fact, Texas is experiencing its hottest summer on record. So hot in fact that some bales of hay are spontaneously combusting! The Bastrop fires have consumed over 1500 homes. Although I’m about 3 hours from that town, we have seen lots of smoke and even a few small fires. The first photo is of a smokey downtown Houston on Thursday evening and the second photo is from my sis as she was driving to her office on Sunday! A little too close for comfort.
But all these fires have made me think of The Burning House Project. Have you seen it? People photograph what they think they would grab if their house was on fire. I’ve made a list before, but I don’t know what it would really be like. These Texas fires have been moving so fast, people have not had time to grab anything. I can’t imagine being in that position! I would like to say that I would grab our wedding album (since those photos are not digital), the hubs guitar (it has the perfect sound and action), the hard drives, Manchester kitty (of course), and our firebox of important documents. I would like to have all my journals, but they aren’t exactly easily accessible these days. Who knows what else. But here’s what others would take.
all photos here
Thanks to GOOD, I now know I could not have passed the 1869 Harvard entrance exam — dutifully covering your basic Greek, Latin, Algebra, Plane Geometry, Arithmetic, History, and Geography. But according to an article written by Allison Cowan for The New York Times Education Section, at least 7 out of 8 did pass the exam and gain entrance into the Ivy League. Check out a .pdf of the test here.
I was insanely busy (& productive) this weekend. I seriously can’t believe just how much I got done. But all of it seems to pale in comparison to the crisis in Japan. I really can’t believe the devastation and amazing pictures constantly on the news. I wish I was able to lend a physical hand, home, or help. It seems the only thing I can do is donate to any number of organizations. Good has a nice round-up of opportunities, including purchasing this thoughtful poster (created by Max Erdenberger). You can purchase one here and 100% of proceeds go towards aiding Japan.
Tomorrow is the winter solstice and well it certainly feels as if we are coming upon the shortest day of the year. There is so much to be done (at work and home). Thank goodness the hubs is around during the day to help me get it all wrapped up (yes — pun intended!) And although I am short on time (and energy) I’m hoping to rob myself of a few precious sleeping hours in order to catch tonight/tomorrow’s lunar eclipse. I’m hoping the weather clears in order to see it in all its glory. The moon has been so beautifully bright and full, I’m sure it will be marvelous!
Go check out the interactive website Project Vote Smart to find out which candidate you best match. And kudos to the graphic design team who flawlessly executed the site. The graphics are quite nice and laid out simply, cleanly, and aesthetically pleasing. I like that they have done all the research (everything from voting records to campaign finance) for me and then wrapped it in a nice package.
I can’t seem to get enough of the miracle happening right now in Chile. I watched as they hoisted the first miner to safety last night and have been glued to the live coverage this morning. Watching each man’s resurrection from the depths of the earth I find new tears. The power of this story is beyond words…
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