Friday Link Dump: Tea, Gifs and Hiddles

It's been awhile since I've done one of these - or blogged at all, really - because real life has been kinda hectic. Part of this is because I left my old job and started a new one. Those who follow me on Instagram and Twitter will probably already know that I'm now working at BuzzFeed - and if you didn't, well, now you do! It's pretty much a dream come true. I just need to find a balance between work-internet and play-internet, if that makes sense. Part of that is finding time/motivation to do this blog, and also how to do it - for instance, I wasn't sure what to do with these link posts, because let's face it, half the links have always been from BuzzFeed, and I was worried that now it will just look like I'm pimpin' my place of work. But people always seem to like these posts (I think!), so I want to keep doing them, and unless anyone objects, I will include BuzzFeed links I think my friends will like. OK? OK.

In other news, I got a new Kindle for Christmas after my old one, Betsy, broke, and it finally arrived this week. Her name is Betty Paper-White.

Here's what I've enjoyed on the internet lately:

-Elizabeth at Devoted Eclectic explores what makes her review some books and not others (Devoted Eclectic).

-Steph Bowe released the original ending of All This Could End on her blog and WOW. It is beautiful but I am glad it was changed. Spoilers, obviously. (Steph Bowe)

-This sample of one couple's Christmas portraits over a 40-year period is fascinating and bittersweet. (Flavorwire)

-George Orwell describes how to make the perfect cup of tea. I am much easier to please: boiling water, Lipton black tea, a dash of skim milk, jiggle for 30 seconds and it's good to go. I'm such a heathen. (Brain Pickings)

-Cary Elwes is writing a book about the making of The Princess Bride and I can't breathe. (Time)

-Here's what some popular foreign songs are really about. (Mental Floss)

-The Official Princess Club is probably my favourite Tumblr ever. Someone has created a brilliant comic strip featuring Disney Princess dolls, using Snapchat. Hilarious. (Tumblr)

-Behind the Gifs is a very funny subreddit where people draw how the imagine famous Gifs came to be. (Reddit)

-From BuzzFeed: This person created outstanding visual puns with a cardboard cutout of The Rock; here's a list of the movies and TV shows to get excited about this year; this list of reasons why Tom Hiddleston is a life-ruiner will probably destroy you; here's 16 books to read if you love San Francisco and also my list of the best Australian books of 2013.