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.

Friday Link Dump: Vampire Academy, Internet Linguistics And Ra-Ra-Rasputin

-A new trailer for Vampire Academy has been released and it looks much better than the first teaser. I hope the movie is good. Or at least craptastic. (Yahoo!)

-As much as I love Anne Shirley, this post about how you'd react if you met her in real life is hilariously accurate. (The Toast)

-I love words, and I love getting creative with them. So I really love internet language and totally agree with this article in defense of it. (The Toast)

-I am loving this season of American Horror Story, so I found this post on the real story of one of the characters fascinating. (Flavorwire)

-There is a TV series about Rasputin in development and I am excited. (Deadline)

-Kids movies in the '80s really were pretty scary. (Flavorwire)

-I am SO excited about the Muppets Most Wanted movie. The trailer looks great. (YouTube)

-Oscar the Grouch met Grumpy Cat and it was the most awesome meeting of cranky minds in history. (YouTube)

-You will not believe these drawings aren't photographs. (BuzzFeed)

-This acapella version of Royals by Lorde is aca-mazing. (YouTube)

-The napping adventures of a boy and his puppy is my new favourite Instagram account. (Instagram)

-These dad jokes are actually pretty funny. (BuzzFeed)

-This is why killing a lion is the most cowardly thing you can do. (BuzzFeed)

-This account of two journalists who went undercover on an asylum seeker boat headed for Australia is a must-read. Amazing. And heartbreaking. (The New York Times)

-I saw Catching Fire yesterday and it was amazeballs and of course I reacted in GIFs. Earlier in the week I discovered you can actually buy Katniss' wedding dress, although no word on if it comes with fire tricks. (This blog)

The Movie Was Amazeballs: Catching Fire

Omigod, you guys. Catching Fire was amazing. 

Going into it, I was a little nervous, because Catching Fire is my favourite book in the series and I hoped the movie would be great, too.

But I loved the first movie, so more than anything I was really, really, excited.

The opening with Katniss and Gale, connecting back with the first movie, was great.

Then the Victor's Village was perfect.

President Snow was so deliciously creepy.

The tension between Peeta and Katniss was great.

Peeta my bby.

The Victor's tour was heart-wrenching.

There were some sweet and funny moments though.

And then, OMG...

Poor Gale.

Poor Katniss.

Poor Peeta.

Poor Effie.

But then there was Finnick.

And Johanna.

And Mags and Nuts and Bolts.

Katniss was totally impressive.

But Peeta stole the show.

Then there was some sweetness.

Followed by a big whammy of heartbreak.

It was Quarter Quell time.

And I was all...

And then...

Then it was like...

And...

With a bit of...

And some more...

Finally it was like...

With some of this...

Then it was like...

With a bit more...

Then at the end I was like...

 

And it was over and I was all...

And now I'm ready to watch it again.

Friday Link Dump: Librarian Shaming, Dogs vs Cats and Norman Reedus

-The above gif melted my brain so I had to share it so it could melt yours.

-25 famous movies you might not realise were based on books. (BuzzFeed)

-Librarian Shaming is my new favourite kind of shaming. (Tumblr)

-This is a pretty fair and accurate summary of the Goodreads drama of late. (Salon)

-Today is International Day of the Girl Child and you should totally watch Jon Stewart's interview with Malala Yousafzai because she is probably the best human alive right now. (YouTube)

-Bill Murray does what he wants and it's brilliant. (Tumblr)

-This is what it would look like if Disney princesses were reality TV stars. (BuzzFeed)

-Which Disney Villain are you? Apparently I am Jafar. (BuzzFeed)

-Norman Reedus looks gorgeous in GQ. (GQ)

-This list of Aussie TV shows from the 90s is pretty much what my childhood looked like. (BuzzFeed)

-Dogs vs Cats. Dogs win. (BuzzFeed)

-This is my new favourite meme. (BuzzFeed)

-This week I learned that there is such a thing as penis beaker and I laughed a lot. (BuzzFeed)

-Popcorn Salted Caramel Icecream, get in my belleh. (Spicy Icecream)

-Brides Throwing Cats is the best Tumblr of the week. (Tumblr)

-Jimmy Kimmel has done another round of celebs reading mean tweets about themselves. It never gets old. (YouTube)

Friday Link Dump: GIFs, The Princess Bride and Pretty Little Liars

-Because I totally don't spend enough time online (ahem), I went and started a new Tumblr. Full of GIFs! For all your GIF reaction needs. (Tumblr)

-I used to think my uni was pretty. Then I saw these Harry Potter-esque campuses. They shit all over the Duckpond Lawn at UOW. (BuzzFeed)

-I wish I could go to an awesome event like The Princess Bride with live commentary. At least I have bloggers to fill me in. (EW)

-The problem with "strong" female characters. Very thought-provoking. (New Statesmen)

-Some inside info on the big twist in Pretty Little Liars. I'm still thinking about it. (TV Line)

-John Green's latest vlog gave a sneaky look on the The Fault in Our Stars movie set. I still need to read that book. (YouTube)

-I kinda want these Lego libraries. (Book Riot)

-So John Stamos has a new web series in which he interviews celebs... about how they lost their virginity. Weird. But I will watch the shit out of it. (Junkee)

-Creative things you can do with your Instagram photos. If only mine were good enough to actually print. (BuzzFeed)

-This BuzzFeed list is me. It's scary but also kinda reassuring. (BuzzFeed)

-Animals jumping on trampolines. You're welcome. (BuzzFeed)

Review: Lost Cat by Caroline Paul, Illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton

At the risk of getting kicked off the internet, I have a confession to make: I'm not a cat person. I mean, they're cute and all, and I'm sure they make great pets... for other people. But I prefer the loyal adoration of dogs over the hot-and-cold independence of cats. That's just me.

What drew me to Lost Cat was the possibility of finding out what pets do when their owners aren't around. In humorous, touching anecdotes and adorable and clever illustrations, Lost Cat reveals how the author, Caroline, dealt with the disappearance and reappearance of her cat and the feelings of loss, betrayal and hope that went along with it. It also explores her depression as a result of an injury and also her grief over another type of loss. It sounds like heavy stuff, and there are some very sad moments, but more than anything it's a funny, heartwarming tale. I think this comes down to the first-person, conversational language. Caroline isn't afraid to poke fun of herself and her outrageous behaviour - like using spycams and GPS to track her "cheating" cat. Her affection for her little family is also incredibly clear, and the feelings of betrayal at the disappearance of her cat, the grief over the loss of another, and the ultimate acceptance that a cat's gotta do what a cat's gotta do, are beautifully rendered.

Lost Cat is a quick and enjoyable read, and the illustrations, drawn by Caroline's partner Wendy, really enhance the story. I liked Wendy's inclusion in the story - she wasn't a cat person, either - until Caroline converted her. I'm still not quite converted into wanting to actually own a cat, but I was nevertheless affected by this story. A pet is a pet at the end of the day, and no matter what animal it is, the love and affection you feel for them is the same. They are with us for such a short period of time and it makes you think WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES - until you remember that they create more awesomeness in 10 years than some people create in 100. That, more than anything, is what Lost Cat is about.

Rating: 3.5/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Bloomsbury
Source: Netgalley
Get It: Book Depository

Related
And now for a cat gif party, because reasons...

OK, I may be a little bit converted.