Bookity

• New releases: Fiction Vixen (UF/romance), Smart Bitches (romance), and Tor.com (UF/horror, genre benders, fantasy, sci fi)
• Book and publishing news from Dear Author.
• All sorts of book linkity from Book Riot.
• “On the changing roles of US bookstores and libraries“.
• “Why we need inclusive lit, not just diverse lit“.
• Free art books you can download.
• 41 life lessons from books. (via kris’ korner)
• 10 parodies of Harry Potter.

Do, Learn, Make, Think

• April’s unusual holidays.
• “The most popular antidepressants are based on an outdated theory“.
• Comparing the backgrounds of science writers for NPR and Fox. (via wilwheaton)
• Explore Asteroid Vesta.
• “10 hidden talents of the octopus“.
• 30 facts about chocolate.
• If you’ve ever been curious what would happen to your body after a space burial…

Cookity

• Frittata with potato, red pepper, and Gouda.
• Zucchini and asparagus strata.
• Hot and sour soup with mushroom, cabbage, and rice.
• Fennel and chili roasted chickpeas.
• Chicken marsala.
• The most lemony of lemon muffins.
• 9 no-bake icebox cakes and cupcakes.
• Vegan carrot cake.
• Perfect chocolate cake.
• Quick strawberry trifles.
• Homemade marshmallow Peeps.
• Deep-fried Cadbury eggs. (via The Kitchn)
• Cadbury Creme Egg ice cream. (via The Kitchn)

Gluten Free

• Steamed Chinese meat buns.
• Little Debbie-style peanut butter crunch bars.
• Fruit pizza.
• Nirvana layer bars.

Crafty

• Short film about pottery.
• Knitting linkity from kmkat.

Cool

• Short film that shows all the precipitation around the world over a week.
• Short film about R2D2 falling in love.
• Another short R2D2 film, with an explanation of how it came to be made.
• Yoda bath towel for babies.
• Cats in Japanese art.
• Sleeping cat art.
• Play Pac-Man on Google Maps.
• Pictures from SCIENCE magazine (1950-1980). (via Gizmodo)
• Dalek wandering around Seattle.
• George Takei has a new webseries with his husband.
• Linkity from kmkat.

Cool or Wha…?

• Collapsible bike helmet.
• Magic wand salt and pepper shakers. (Available via Amazon if you’re so inclined.)
• Lovecraftian memorabilia.

Wha…?

• Anti-ball crushing pants.
• “Glow-in-the-dark tampons are being used to fix broken sewers“.
• iPad selfie stick.
• Life-sized chocolate Benedict Cumberbatch.
• The new wacky Bloody Mary available at the Minnesota Twins’ stadium.
• Banana Bunker. (Although Groupon’s responses are delightful.)
• “Utah restaurant owner removes over-sized genitalia from bull sign after uproar“.

LOL

• Game of Thrones‘ Iron Throne, carrot style. (via The Mary Sue)
• Game of Thrones‘ Iron Throne, hockey style.
• Penguins as penguins, or Sidney Crosby protects the puck egg.
• Technically correct, yes.
• Scifi we’d all love to see. (via cathedralhearts)
• The Battle of Helm’s Peep.
• Peeps in space!
• How long will the Mars Opportunity rover last? (Hover cursor/long-press for additional text.)
• “Emotionally scar your typophile friends with Comic Papyrus“.
• Dogs versus cats greeting you when you get home.
• Bad kitty!
• New Simon’s Cat!

Teh Cute

• Baby clouded leopard! Tiger! Penguins! Baby fennecs! Baby clouded leopards! Baby fennecs! Sugar gliders! Tiger and babies! Bunny! Takin and baby!

Reading Update
A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella L Bird. Very good tale, written in a series of letters to her sister in England, of Isabella Lucy Bird’s extensive (and mostly solitary) travels in the Colorado Rocky Mountains during the late summer and fall of 1873. I am in complete awe of her – I’m pretty sure I would’ve curled up into a little ball and refused to continue once the temperature plummeted! And I enjoyed her compulsively readable style enough that I will definitely read more of her travels, some of which you can find at Project Gutenberg.
A Year in the Life: Journaling for Self-Discovery by Sheila Bender. Meh. Disappointing book about the benefits of journaling, complete with a year of rather contrived journaling prompts. As I first read, then skimmed, I kept muttering to the author, “Do your own work. Do your own work.” I’m not sure there was a single page on which the author didn’t quote from or refer to another writer and it quickly became very, very annoying.
Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo. DNF. I made it about 35% (into Part Two) before I put it down and decided I didn’t want to bother reading more. I found Part One weirdly off-putting as the author repeated over and over, in slightly different and not-so-different ways, what the Exact Specific Only Type Of Writing That Is Therapeutic was.
Creative Journal Writing: The Art and Heart of Reflection by Stephanie Dowrick. The title sums it up well. 🙂 This is a book that I’ll have close by when I’m feeling stuck and need some inspiration – there are thoughtful, thought-provoking exercises throughout and a list of 125 helpful prompts at the end.
Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Samara O’Shea. Only made it to page 32 before I gave up. It just felt obnoxiously self-absorbed to me, in a way I couldn’t relate to at all. It has been donated to the nearest Little Free Library.
Learn Watercolour Quickly by Hazel Soan. Perhaps a bit too quickly…

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“I’m blaming you for how scary and disruptive getting the new windows installed was!!” -Mayhem