Links!

In all likeliness, The Paperboy is a hot mess of the movie. The buzz is all about Nicole Kidman's golden shower. BUT my favorite part of the review, is the director's quote. (Vulture)

Okay, this doesn't sound real, more like a storyline from Grey's Anatomy. (CafeMom)

I hope Tom Hardy interviews never change. I laughed so hard and so loud. I really like him after this. (Vulture)

I am probably the only one that doesn't find this totally sick but actually pretty funny. (Harvey Nichols Summer Ad via Telegraph)

Which lead me to this hilarious and awesome Christmastime "Walk of Shame" commercial.(Guardian)

I do and do not agree with this woman's 20/20 take on casual sex. I think it comes down to motivation behind a person's action. (CNN)

The trailer for Perks of Being a Wallflower is really cute and captures those moments of high school youth. The sample chapters of the book didn't do it for unfortunately. (IMDB)

These look much cuter on H7. Also, I love what Posh is wearing. (Lainey Gossip)

Links!

I am liking Channing Tatum more and more. Dirty dancing with Sir Elton John is pretty awesome. I also love how British gossip is written: "Jenna, 31, wore a seductive red dress, which she paired with fishnet tight" (Daily Mail)

HOW Magazine's Top 10 Websites for Designers. (HOW Magazine)

The 25 Most Beautiful Public Libraries. New York, Seattle and LA made the list! (Flavorwire)

A Case for JK Rowling to Win the Nobel Prize. (Atlantic Wire)

This makes me happy - Buffy and Freddie Prinze Jr. are still together and pregnant! (Celebitchy)

Links!

Secret Lives of Writers: Inside 15 Famous Writers Bedrooms. Emily Dickinson's is exactly how I would have imagined it. Am kind of obsessed with Faulkner's. (Apartment Therapy)

How the hottest bachelors for NYC? Please! Well, I can at least drool a little over a couple of the guys on this LA list. (Refinery 29)

I would actually like some of these jobs. Actually, almost all of them. Surprising Six Figure Salaries. (Forbes)

NYC 2012 Pillow Fight! (Pillow Fight)

I can feel your pain, Ms. Winslet. Admittedly, I used to love that song but I get where she's coming from. (Celebitchy)


I'd love to see Kristen Wiig cast.(Lainey Gossip)

Links!

Karl Lagerfield fascinates me. Reminds of what I've read about Coco Chanel; just a little bit. Also - I want to kidnap that kitten and take it home with me."The cat is like a very refined object; she doesn't go into the street, and she doesn't go to other places." (Harper's Bazaar)

I could have written this. Seriously. Anyone who has ever seen a room of my can attest to it. Not only that but there are some awesome HP references and things that I've written like "le sigh" and her use of "clearly." (Hello Giggles)

Already read the first 3 chapters, why do I have to wait til MAY?! (Lisa Shearin)

I would have never taken this away from the Hunger Games series. But I like it. (Eatocracy)

I'm glad he got convicted. He should have taken the plea bargain. (MSNBC)

One of my favorite authors had a migraine this week, too. Yay for us :/(Tawna Fenske)

I really love the graphic on this umbrella. Totes my steeze. (Keep Dry Umbrella)

Links!

This is probably one of the coolest Starbucks I've ever seen/heard about. I could happily spend hours there. Except, oh wait, it's in Amsterdam. (Frame Publishers)

This interview makes me a bigger fan of Sofia Vergara. I agree with Kaiser - most of what she says is with a wink and a sassy but not rude smirk. (Celebitchy)

I've been wanting to take a screen printing class forever. Now I can get it on the cheap! (Living Social)

Jessica Simpson makes my day. (Celebitchy)

Yum, yum, YUM! The cast of Naked Boys Singing invades the first gay-centric but straight-friendly hotel. (Time Out New York).

Wow - Apple shares hit 600 bones. (CNN Money)

Okay, this made me really sad :(. As in I started crying immediately. Why was he on the ground?! (MSN)

Okay, this made me really happy :). In a heartwarming and almost heartbreaking way. Harper the miracle puppy! (Animal Tracks)

I am REALLY excited for the Hunger Games movies. I've the series twice and may just do it once more before the movie comes out next week! (People Magazine) 

Links I Love

Try to resist these pictures of Prince Harry and Usain Bolt. Just try. I dare you. (Lainey Gossip)


Heartwarming and heartbreaking: A Dachau Survivor and Liberator Meet 60 years later. An important part of history told from an intimate point of view. (Huffington Post)

Oreo turns 100 today! Brings back memories of my after school snack - a full stack of Oreos and a glass of milk. (Delish)

Do you know what Thursday is? (International Women's Day)

I'm really ready to read this. Is it May yet?!

BOOM! That's how you celebrate Oreos' 100th Birthday

On Happiness

I was in a not-so-great place a couple of months ago and came to the conclusion that I was scared to be happy. Sidebar: I am happy these days :)

My reason?

I don't know how I would handle it if I was unbelievably happy and it all went away.
OR
What would I do if I did everything to be happy but wasn't?

These conclusions lead to several discussions with my close friends. Some friends said that it was common fear; not unusual at all. One friend said that her father told her that she was scared to be happy/wouldn't let herself. Then a very wise friend make a valid point: that it is ridiculous.

Well, she didn't say that exactly.

She basically said that even when you are really happy and all the pieces are in place, something will still come up. That perpetual happiness is a myth. I already knew this and I needed a reminder.

I'm not scared to be happy anymore. I am also taking an active role to do things that make me happy.
Brad Pitt summed it up nicely, too (via THR):

"This idea of perpetual happiness is crazy and overrated, because those dark moments fuel you for the next bright moments; each one helps you appreciate the other," he says. "We are all searching for meaning in our lives, love and betterment for ourselves and those around us."

Freebie Five Encounter: Matt Bomer

Sigh . . .

This is What I Read Today . .

This made me really happy. I teared up when I read it. The Navy's first gay homecoming kiss. A GREAT moment in history. (Towleroad)

Interesting read . . . sums up a lot about my work situation. (MSN Careers)

James Franco is officially OFF the Freebie Five. (Celebitchy)

Lainey is right - I would completely want to be Duchess Catherine in that photo, at that time. (Lainey Gossip)

New spoilers for Revenge and Once Upon a Time! Yay! (Wetpaint and Examiner.com)

I downloaded two new samples from two new books thanks to Sarah Jio's guest blog post. (Allison Winn Scotch - Ask Allison)

I'm totally bummed but not surprised. One of my favorite books/series might be an awful movie. This trailer does not give me hope. (YouTube)

Ever wanted to dramatically quit your job but didn't? Live vicariously through this montage! (Vulture)

What I Learned Today

Imagine holding hands with someone for 1500 years.

I can't wait to listen to this new single because I LOVE her.

I feel like Miss Piggy is the new Betty White - she's everywhere these days.

I want to buy this but I don't have a Blu-Ray but good info on the Harry Potter studio tours - I want to go!

This does NOT make me happy.

Yes, I can't afford this but I want it. Gorgeous, huh? I love the design and beading by the collarbone. It reminds me of 1920s and it's glamorous.

Why Men Are in Trouble.

Girl Crush: Mindy Kaling

I don't watch The Office. I am very aware of The Office, because I am such a huge fan and devotee to pop culture it would be impossible for me to not be. I know this is sacrilegious to a huge population of people out there but regardless there it is. Although I did watch the episode when Pam and Jim get married and I thought it was done beautifully (turns out Mindy wrote it!).

The point of the my intro is that I'm not incredibly familiar with Mindy Kaling's work because I don't watch The Office. But through two of my favorite celeb-centric sites, Go Fug Yourself and Lainey Gossip via this  post and this post respectively, I read a New York Times profile on Ms. Kaling and an article she wrote for the New Yorker.

I found the Times' profile on her fascinating, funny, accurate and particularly interesting to me because it details her career to date including how she came to be on The Office and her background in writing. I love writing and am fascinated by writers, so my love for this article isn't exactly a surprise for those who know me well. My girl crush on Mindy blossomed because of the following excerpts:

"A recent “E! Online” poll incensed Kaling by asking, on the hundredth anniversary of Lucille Ball’s birth, which of three red-haired young actresses is the next Ball. 'They’re saying that the essence of Lucille Ball was in the color of her hair,' Kaling said. 'Was Conan O’Brien like, "I’m a redhead!"? Maybe this isn’t exactly the right person, but they would never think the Lucille Ball essence could have been transferred into a man like, like Sacha Baron Cohen.' . . Immediately after delivering this mini-rant, Kaling added: 'I hope I’m not waxing too political. I spend about 4 percent of my time thinking about this.' "

and

"As a writer, she’s both fast and prolific. And though she’s the first to deglamorize her own creative process — she has mentioned on Twitter writing over French fries at the chain Johnny Rockets — it remains mysterious, even to those she works with closely. "

I enjoyed these parts of her New Yorker article that articulates television writers' dream to make the transition to film:

"I’ll put it this way: At the Oscars the most famous person in the room is, like, Angelina Jolie. At the Emmys the huge exciting celebrity is Bethenny Frankel. You get what I mean. It’s snobby and grossly aspirational, but it’s true (my favorite part for telling the ugly truth)."

"I regard romantic comedies as a subgenre of sci-fi, in which the world operates according to different rules than my regular human world. For me, there is no difference between Ripley from “Alien” and any Katherine Heigl character. They are equally implausible."

I particularly, really, really, REALLY enjoy the archetypes she describes. They are spot on and hi-fucking-larious. And they sound like something that might have come out of my mouth if I were to ever articulate those words on paper. But now Mindy has done it in a most likely superior manner than I ever could and hence my brand new girl crush!

She joins the rank of funny women, such as Tina Fey, to have a book come out: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and I'm really looking forward to reading it. I hope this trend of funny women fronting movies, television and books continues. I'd love to see more of the likes of Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler in the news and projects and making money than another in-your-face-fake-reality-talentless "celebrity."
 
I'm planning on doing my part to support them :).