Weekend Reads: Ugly Cry, OKCupid & Small Talk

I over programmed myself this week and there wasn't nearly enough rest and cooking at home and sleep. This weekend, I can only hope I manage to get healthy (huge) doses of all three. Oh, and working out. I've been talking to friends a lot lately about working out, healthy living and body image. We all go through these cycles of being really hard on ourselves, maybe even making a concerted effort to change our wine-drinking, block-of-cheese-eating ways. And while I think it's good to strive for a healthier, less stressed out life, we have to be careful about being too hard on ourselves about how we look. I've come to this conclusion (again) that this body of mine will never be model perfect, and that's okay. I do want a healthier life and a healthier me - it just won't be coming at the expense of delicious bottles of rosé shared with friends over bowls of silky pasta! Anatomy of the ugly cry. Bonus.

Networking can be hard. Especially when you're reaching out to someone you barely know - or you want something from them but you know you have nothing to give in return. This Medium article feels cringe-worthy but having received a few emails like the examples, I really appreciate people who understand how busy I am! And that's not just ubiquitous, snotty "busy." I mean 50-60 hours a week doing my job busy!

Holy moly the ocean is deep. Just looking at this graphic stressed me out a little!

The geography of small talk.

A scary vulnerability was found in the whole world wide web this week! (I don't even know what that means!!!) But you need to change some passwords to protect your information. So get on that.

The secret NYC cab trick that will save you time! Road warriors will love this!

The OkCupid Trends Blog seems to be back in action!

I'm a new subscriber to Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Goodness, is it gorgeous! Every issues doles out a heavy dose of wanderlust and makes me want to travel just so I can shop! Check out their Pinterest page for some inspiration.

How the great artists managed their time. Some of them straight up flipped normal schedules on their heads!

Age discrimination is for white guys too now! Thanks Silicon Valley.

An easy chart to help you plan your summer trip to Westeros!

These notes from kids are hilarious - I wish it would rain tacos too, kid.

I hope everyone is ready to enjoy the weekend! I'm so excited about Spring, I had to bust out this oldie but goodie from Mariah and ODB! Have a good one, lovahs!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6v_AiUK5mk]

Weekend Reads: Sci-Fi, Spring & Super Taskers

It's time for some spring cleaning whether spring actually wants to come along or not. Everything from my baseboards to my computer need a little refresh. Design Love Fest has a great series called Dress Your Tech (sample above) with beautiful backgrounds for your desktop and your iPhones. I highly recommend checking in regularly for pretty wallpapers to freshen up a space you stare at all day anyway. Anyway, I'm going to spend my weekend buying furniture, reading a stack of magazines I've let sit around for far too long and experiment with making bread for the first time! Wish me luck...I have an irrational fear of yeast.

A highly addictive game for when you need to kill some time or want to flex your brain.

The women who run Hollywood - and their slacker husbands.

Familiar with the trippy sci-fi movie Dune? Well there's a version that was never made and it influenced every major sci-fi film we know and love today.

Can you do two or more things at once perfectly? You might be the elusive supertasker.

5 tips for interacting with people you admire on twitter. Minimize the awkward and start a meaningful conversation IRL!

The best PR advice you've never heard. (Honestly, if you're trying to build a brand - at work or for yourself - thinking through these things strategically is super important.)

The Pope has hired a Japanese tech firm to digitize the entire Vatican library. Slow claps for the Pontiff.

Nate Silver had to a build an entire staff for the new 538 and was, apparently, obsessive about hiring.

If you haven't watched The Cove, a documentary about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, you should. Newsweek now reports that the community that herds dolphins to their tragic death has no intention of stopping - and are using tradition as their reason.

White blazers for Spring! Spring. Hahahahahahaha.

Have a wonderful weekend, lovahs. For those of you in warmer weather - I'm jealous. Send DC some of your sun, please! I don't understand a single word of French but I really love Carla Bruni's voice and music in general. Plus, it's great cooking and chilling out music for the weekend!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKgjDO1CdQ]

Photo credit: Design Love Fest, Dress Your Tech series.

Weekend Reads: Deep Questions, PechaKucha & Photobombs

This question came from Elizabeth Gilbert's Facebook page earlier this week. She's at TED 2014 in Canada and posed the question to attendees - and man did it get me thinking! I tweeted it and it's gone gang busters on retweets so I thought I'd bring it over here to the blog. I've always thought about achievement and my life goals in terms of adding things - never taking things away. But it totally makes sense. I've always said - you can have it all, just not at the same time. So at any given time in my life, what am I willing to give up? Still mulling over it, but then the real kicker is...will I have the balls to do it?

Walking meetings and taking short walks during the work day are becoming more and more popular. Instead of looking at a walk around the block as a break, maybe you should look at it as critical thinking time.

Raise your hand if you hate Power Point presentations! *raises hand* This short, concise and high energy way of presenting ideas has me totally intrigued.

Rappers love to mention food in their songs. Here's every food mentioned by Rick Ross, ever. (Bonus: Notorious Big loved to rap about food, too.)

Taco trucks and LA go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. My friend's photo essay of the scene captures the people who run the business and the people who eat the business.

TED 2014 is underway and the speeches and presentations coming out of it are already mind blowing. Astronaut Chris Hadfield shared what he learned from his experience of going blind while on a space walk. (WTF OMG GOING BLIND IN SPACE?!?!)

Don Draper's creative advice. (Ouch!)

How many times have you heard leaders talk about a time they seriously f#*&ed up? Well it's time to break the taboos around failure and this podcast aims to do just that.

January Jones is gorgeous yes, but she's maintained an air of mystery around her celebrity persona that makes even the tiniest peak into her mind engaging and interesting. Her Violet Grey spread/interview is well worth the read.

This dachshund really wants his toy shark in his crate with him.

I love that my friends and I have reached a stage in our careers where even our side hustles are getting tons of awesome attention. My friend Lindsay started Perfectly Noted years ago, leveraging her killer writing skills to help brides and grooms craft their perfect vows - and now the Today Show (!!!) is featuring her! Go Linds! 

Jimmy Fallon and Jon Hamm photobomb people at the top of 30 Rock.

An abandoned outdoor movie theatre in the Desert of Sinai. Super creepy and post-apocalyptic.

Penelope Trunk, per usual, totally challenges the way we approach work and our careers in this post about not letting yourself become outdated at work. You might not like the way she says things at times, but you can't disagree that staying sharp in your career is critical to long term success. 

Font Men. A whole documentary about guys who make fonts. Trust me, more interesting than you think it is.

A zoom-in/zoom-out look at the universe a la Cosmos. So you can feed your fix between episodes!

Have a wonderful weekend, lovahs! Here's some Duffy to get you grooving...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JT2_S8_v8Y]

Photo credit: Alejandra Owens (me!)

Weekend Reads: Sick Girl Edition

Hi friends! I'm sick with a mean lil' cold after a bunch of travel and SXSW-ing. No reads for the weekend but here's an awesome parody of the First Kiss video with puppies and kittens! Have a wonderful weekend, lovahs! [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaGAkU_K_EY]

Weekend Reads: Business Baby, Soundboardt & Space!

I always notice that two things make a house or space more cozy: plants (any living green thing) and dogs. A three hour brainstorm earlier this week was made so much lovelier by Nina, a ginormous Great Dane who had no qualms about putting her nose right next to my face, even if I was eating a breakfast sandwich. It got me jonesing for my puppies back home who I get to see in very short order. I have a bunch of travel coming up - criss crossing across the country and working my way back slowly - to much warmer weather than what we have here in DC. I. Can't. Wait! The reads are a little business heavy this week since I'm kind of obsessed with the topic of leadership right now...but I promise, there's fun stuff too...

"Work life balance is achievable right after world peace!" I started following this blog on leadership at the recommendation of a friend. It's awesome - add it to your Feedly/bookmarks/Digg Reader now!

This poor woman has a total meltdown when a herd of tumbleweeds crosses the highway she's driving. It's hilarious! (Don't worry, no one gets hurt.)

Business Baby is my new favorite meme.

Feel like you've failed lately? Reframe it one of these five ways to help get over the hump.

Can't wait to listen to this Ted talk on the secret sauce of incredible leaders.

Soundboardt. For the Beyonce fans out there.

The team that saved Healthcare.gov and a behind the scenes look into the technical trauma room.

How to identify bad career advice. (And lordy is there a lot out there!)

How to stop giving a fuck what people think of  you. A hard lesson to learn and one that I tackled this week.

5 tips for busy people who want to read more. (#1 is sooooo me! Stacks of unread books laying around...just taunting me.)

This adorable 4 year old loves playing dress up with nothing more than construction paper, tape and glue.

Space! OoooOOOOOooooOOOoOOOO!

10 beauty bloggers share their favorite products - and they were all new to me!

The job skill no one ever tells you to develop.

Why are so many comedians so screwed up? The Dark Psychology of Being A Good Comedian.

Dads matter - how to bring them back into the family.

A great interview with Greg Marsh of One Fine Stay.

When The New York Times mentioned Chelsea Handler as a parenthetical she broke it down for both the author and the audience - women will not be mere afterthoughts when their accomplishments demand otherwise.

Apparently we're totally messing up our body's natural caffeination schedule.

Alright lovahs, weekend...full steam ahead! I'll leave you with my girl crush Ellie Goulding singing a childhood favorite, Rhythm Of The Night in a smoky, downbeat reinterpretation. 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjoOAJE7aqE?list=PL1CA6335E0D3699B6]

Photo credit: Alejandra Owens (me!)

Weekend Reads: Pasta Divas, Amtrak & Kate Upton

Ch-ch-ch-changes! Work has been a whirlwind of exciting and interesting changes at all levels and all fronts. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of change I constantly try to remind myself that all this change means opportunities for learning are abound. I've been turning to my mentors a lot lately for advice (and comfort) folks like Jill, Cecelia, Tammy and John are keeping me centered and focused. (If you don't know or follow these folks, put 'em on your lists now!) Friends are keeping me smiling and eating deliciously. This week's reads are a little thin since I've been busy this week, but here's what caught my eye when I was taking breaks!

Science amazes me. They finally figured out where that doughnut-shaped rock came from on Mars.

How far does your salary go in other cities? Depressing. All around depressing.

14 tools for better images (including infographics, quotes and more)

Do you have a coffee bucket list? Apparently you should have these 26 things on it.

Are you a writer? Maybe you should look into Amtrak's writerr's residence.

A neighborhood in DC known for having a lot of bars and restaurants neighbors Gallaudet University, a deaf and hard of hearing school. How they're responding to their community's unique needs is both very cool and heartening.

Pasta divas of Puglia, Italy.

How creativity works. For me it's all about a mind at rest that gets to wander.

This Creators Call podcast with Callie Schweitzer is a must-listen if you're in the business of communicating or storytelling.

What did all those breweries do during Prohibition?

A behind the scenes look at Kate Upton's zero gravity shoot for Sports Illustrated had me cheering her on. Someone on set keeps going, "Go Kate! That's amazing! You look awesome! YES! DO THAT AGAIN!" What can I say, I'm a sucker for a great cheerleader.

The sex lives of our founding fathers...gross...I don't wanna think about that!

Looking forward to reading danah boyd's thoughts on policing teenagers on the internet.

No children. No regrets.

I have no plans this weekend other than cooking and baking for a friend who's a new mom. I love how creating food for others can be so comforting and brings me some zen. This week's jam is an oldie from Blu Cantrell - have a wonderful weekend, lovahs!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMOKlXfXn50]

Weekend Reads: Will You Brie Mine?

Oh man I love pun-y cards! In fact, I love them so much I've got a blog post full of em for next week. I can't wait...hopefully you like it too. Well, lovahs, I hope you are all have a wonderful weekend, ooey gooey Valentine's style or not. I'm read for a weekend of binge watching House of Cards on my new TV and Roku from my bed. To say I am excited is perhaps an understatement.

10 things everyone over the age of 30 should have in their home. 

I love this piece on getting out of your own way. Every once and awhile I catch myself saying no to myself a lot. It's unnecessary and ridiculous!

Being a parent is hard. My friend Cecelia's first Medium post on the topic is great. My fave line: "And I thought, 'At least she’ll tell her therapist she loved me.'"

What is love? (Baby don't hurt me.)

Michael Sam's coming out is sparking a much needed conversation about openly gay players in the world of professional sports. This Texas sports anchor's speech on the matter is spot. Freakin'. On.

A very cool interactive map that shows all the changes and infrastructure built in Sochi to make the winter games happen.

Facing tough times at work? Design*Sponge's Biz Lady series has 6 fabulous pieces of advice for overcoming work hurdles.

A yoga and writing retreat with Ann Friedman (one of my fave journos right now) could fit the bill for a fall vacay!

Blah, blah people hate House of Cards. I love it! I love it in the way you can only love totally hatable characters.

An ode to carbs. Be still, my heart! I love the warm, cozy embrace of pasta carbonara too!

Various authors quoted on fashion. My fave from Simon Doonan: “Every designer needs an iconic look. If the South Park boys cannot make a recognizable cartoon of you, then you need to up the ante. You need a signature flourish, non?”

Um, yeah, why are so many farmers committing suicide?  

Can't wait to read: Women, work and the art of gender judo.

Blah, blah a bunch of people told me the gender wage gap is a myth that's been debunked when I shared this earlier this year. Don't wanna hear it, still made me laugh.

I can't imagine why women would want to turn down casual sex if men are calling them sluts afterward. (Oh and dudes aren't even trying to be good in bed.)

This little penguin likes science!

I'm closing out the week with a little Latin flavor, so here's some Ozomotli for your orejas (ears).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKCOvXDgST8] Photo source: The Indigo Bunting for Paperless Post.

Weekend Reads: Girl Scout Cookies, CVS Gifts & Snow Days

Who's ready for Friday? This girl! It was a long but exciting week. So many new projects at work and so much ground to be covered - I'm overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. I spoke to an awesome group of women who are members of Washington Women In Public Relations about communications and social media in the nonprofit world and presented social media best practices on a Bulldog Reporter webinar. Now that the week is done I'm looking forward to a day trip out to Frederick, Maryland and some QT with my book and my bed. What are you guys up to this weekend?

How much snow does it take to cancel school across the country? Being from southern Arizona, I can confirm, less than an inch calls for a snow day in Tucson!

I've received some pretty bad gifts from men, including trinkets from CVS.

For all you folks working in the digital world, this list of disruptive trends to watch is awesome.

Would you ever have your hot chocolate read? I totally would!

Some guy in DC wants to map the world of Game of Thrones to a map of the District. I kinda want to go help.

They say if you're not failing, you're not trying new things. Here's a tale of one man's fail.

The Heartbreaking History of Divorce.

Before you get all jealous of someone's life based on their pretty Instagram feeds alone, read this.

Comics (or graphic novels, if you prefer) meet the food world!

Okay, I'm posting this article about Dylan Farrow but not because it's about Woody Allen and Dylan Farrow. Ann Friedman tells a quick anecdote about a secret code she and her friends use to warn each other about ill-intentioned people they come across in their professional lives. I think it's sad and telling that they even have language to describe this type of person and encounter, but even more sad and telling that almost every woman I know has something similar. Here it is:

I used to have a very elaborate inside joke with a few other women in media. It was called "The Island," and the narrative went like this: All of the editors we know to be sexual harassers or professional bullies are on a plane together, probably headed to an “ideas festival” or “un-conference,” when the plane goes down on a small island. There, they are forced to live out the rest of their days with only each other to harass. In their absence, the rest of us go on to remake the media industry into a creative, forward-thinking, gender-equitable paradise. Fin.

It was funny to picture this scenario, but also sort of a sad coping mechanism. We knew these men were too professionally powerful to really be held accountable for their behavior. "The Island" became a code for telling each other who was a good guy and who was a bad guy — which upper-masthead men actually wanted to mentor us, and which ones just wanted the thrill of having a cocktail with an attractive younger woman under the guise of professionalism: “Is he on 'The Island' or not?” Or, “Watch out, that guy’s totally on 'The Island.'”

If you're a podcast fan like me (or wanna dive into the very cool world of podcasts) check out Radiotopia.

The perfect food & drink pairing: Girl Scout cookies and beer!

I've been so busy and overwhelmed with work that this video of a toddler discovering rain for the first time made me slow down and chill the hell out!

Why do people always ask women what their favorite position is in the midst of a legitimate interview? Lauren Conrad has the best response I've heard yet. 

PACs...Super PACs...or the least influential PACs in the country. See! Not all PACs are bad.

They say the key to staying sane in a leadership position is delegation. I thought this blog post on how to delegate took a more purposeful approach at what can feel like a mundane, haphazard offloading of tasks. 

I can't get enough of Avicii...I know, don't judge me! Have a wonderful weekend, lovahs!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cp6mKbRTQY]

Photo Source: fiveless via Deviant Art.

Weekend Reads: To-Do List & Nevermind Edition

I'm gonna be honest with you guys - I barely read anything on the internet this week because I was so busy. Every morning when I logged into my work calendar it looked more like a game of tetris than a day where a gal could get some shit done. Any breaks I did have were spent slouching in my chair staring at my computer screen trying to think of at least one small task I could get done in my rare 30 min break from meetings. So! I'm gonna share a few links that are hanging out in my Instapaper and my to-do list for the weekend. The weekend to-do list is one of my favorite posts Anna does at Door Sixteen because it made me realize I'm not the only overly ambitious person when it comes to weekend plans. Here I go:

1. Order paint samples so I can test them in my bedroom.
2. Order my new bed. Finally. I mean, I've wanted it since last year.
3. Order these knobs and these knobs for my bedroom dresser.
4. Order a cow hide for the bedroom rug. (I'm working on completing my bedroom, in case you're seeing a theme here.)
5. Re-measure the dimensions for a media unit a friend is building for me!
6. Laundry.
7. Clean the apartment.
8. Pay bills. (ugh)
9. Clean up my twitter lists - digital-life cleaning has been a theme the last couple weekends. Almost as satisfying as washing dishes.
10. Sleep. Like a boss.
11. See my friends.

It's not an unachievable list, but when you're laying there, becoming one with your couch, the last thing you want to do is bust out the ol' credit card and start droppin cash. Ah well. It'll feel so good to get it all done.

Here's what I'll be reading this weekend - in addition to finishing off the last 200 pages of A Dance with Dragons, the fifth book of the A Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones) series. I will cry when I'm done, but I have a stack of new books to nurse me through it.

Want to know more about Sgt. Cory Rambsburg, the soldier President Obama introduced us to at the State of the Union?

POTUS is working on changing the way we eat.

Who is Cathy McMorris Rodgers? (aka the woman who delivered the Republican response to SOTU)

I am just fascinated by the Ezra Klein/Vox story.

Ever heard of Michelle Smith? Hardly anyone has, but she's the woman who #GSD at the Fed.

The secret to motivating anyone you work with.

23 resources for cheap or free travel. (Calgon, take me away.)

Photo: Me! (Alejandra Owens)

Weekend Reads: Gay Euphemisms, Jelly Belly & Mispronounced Words

Tired?  Check. Sore? Check. (Damn this whole working out thing.) It was a long but very productive week on this end. I'm hoping for a long and unproductive weekend! As I type this I'm already running late for my day so I'll just get to the hustle - our links...

A peek into Anthoy and Ottavia Bourdain's life - work out schedule, eating habits and laundry - it's funny & interesting.

Gender equality in restaurant kitchens.

Commonly mispronounced food words and how to say them!

My friend Nikki wrote a lovely piece about loving yourself and making yourself happy - never waiting for someone else to do it.

The New York Times gay euphemism generator.

Jelly Belly announced a new flavor this week: beer! Here's a few jelly belly recipes to play with until you get your hands on it!

There's a new "S" word men are using to insult women. Wait, but did you catch it?

A great series of reads - "The Toughest Scene I Wrote" from some of the biggest movies of the past year!

Aerie, the loungewear and lingerie company, announced they would no longer use super models and retouch their ads! This writer asks, "Why can’t we just not obsess about bodies?" Valid.

Kate Middleton is just as awkward as the rest of us! No, really!

The six things that make a story go viral. (We're so predictable, people!)

Got "attend conferences" on your professional development plan this year? Consider these tips your gospel.

Johnny Stimson, you are my jam. That is all, lovahs.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/130589430" params="color=ff6600" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

Photo: Karen Buckle

Weekend Reads: Mean Tweets, Jenna Lyons & Food Fraud

2014, what's your deal? Do you need a xanax? A hot bath with some bubbles and a glass of wine maybe? Chill the hell out, man! The first couple weeks of this year have been jam packed at work. Plenty of social stuff too, but by the time I get home I'm too tired to even muster a phone call home to remind my parents I'm still alive! This three-day weekend is going to be a great mini break. Maybe I can get some work done and get back on track? Or maybe I'll just sleep a ton and that'll be all I accomplish. Either way it's a win!

Jimmy Kimmel has celebrities read mean tweets to them, but what about politicians? Claire McCaskill's twitter "fan" had some choice words about her.

Are you Type A? I am most definitely Type A.

For the guys out there: a helpful chart to get you out of the dreaded friend zone!

#Humblebrag: AARP launched Lean In Circles this week! I'm very proud of my company embracing the Lean In and women's empowerment movement. But now that we (women at large) have leaned in...now what?

The woman behind Feminist Ryan Gosling.

When being single isn't a problem to be solved.

Four questions everyone should ask themselves (and they are not touchy feely).

The restaurant industry and parents went at it again this week. An 8 month old baby had the pleasure of dining at Alinea...with disastrous effects.

Are you really eating four different kinds of oysters?

Restaurants spend a lot of money on old and reclaimed decor.

Shit gets real when it comes to the truffle industry. And I'm not talking about chocolates.

Books! Books! Books! Books to read before their movie version hits theaters. Books to read about inspiring food stories!

Online dating sucks. It sucks even more for women...as one dude found out.

How to powerful and likable...a study in Jenna Lyons.

Have a great (long) weekend, lovahs! You'll find me in my bed, reading or sleeping...like, a lot of sleeping.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-KhJmh074A&w=560&h=315]

Photo Credit: Society 6, K Is For Black

Weekend Reads: Women, The Internet & Dating

It was my first real week back at work and it was a doozy. If this is any indication of how 2014 plans on going, I'll be girding my loins. I won't waste any more time here though, there's a lot to go over this week...

Traveling abroad can be hilarious sometimes. My friend Rivka's recount of her trips to Florence and Paris made me laugh. The recipe for fig cookies is a bonus.

I generally regard myself as terrible in the grammar department, but I scored a 100% on this quiz! My reward should be some of Rivka's fig cookies.

Fan of the game Cards Against Humanity? I present: Ladies Against Humanity.

Penelope Trunk, per usual, drops some stark honesty in her assessment of women who say they don't want to work. (Spoiler: she thinks it's great. At least they're being honest.) But what's more interesting to me is the call for honesty from women who DO want to work AND have children...

Someone has strong feelings about photo-taking naysayers.

This comedian's response to a (racist) heckler was pitch perfect.

Working in the digital space? Webb Media Group's trend report is a must read.

Dating. Dating in DC. Ugh. I've been talking a lot about this subject with friends lately, but this article from a men's/dating coach really brought it home. Guys, if you're doing that whole "we'll go out, but it's not really a date...it's like...to figure out if I want to take her on a date" thing...this is for you. Or maybe dating just isn't for you.

The Dogist. (Like The Sartorialist but with 100% more puppy dog looks.)

What if T-Rex was released in New York City? How much people would he need to eat a day to survive?

I live in a city so obsessed with the damn weather we have a whole blog dedicated to it. Alternatively, we don't even handle nice weather graciously. My friend Chris Shott's piece: Dog Dazed: The District Grapples With Ordinary Weather was spot on.

I'd be played by Kate Beckinsale in an action romance movie! You?

Big topic in the news this month: anxiety. Kat Kinsman of CNN penned this (somewhat anxiety inducing) recount of her search for joy while living with anxiety. One of my favorite lifestyle/design bloggers, Bri Emory, wrote this piece on living with a much more mild case of anxiety, paired with insecurity. I think I'll have more on this topic later but I'm not sure how much I'd like to share and/or jump on the talking-about-our-anxiety bandwagon.

Would you like to see creativity thrive at your company? Hire three women.

If one of your resolutions is to branch out and read more this year, try this oldie-but-goodie round up of great magazines as a starting point.

Another big topic on the web so far this year: the hell that is the ven diagram of where the internet meets women. Amanda Hess wrote this fabulous piece on why women aren't welcome on the internet. Many people wrote their own spin off articles but this one from Atlantic writer Conor Friedersdorf was especially poignant.

On a lighter note: you know how there's different ways to dress for different body shapes? Now we have a make up guide for different shaped eyes! 

All 107 men of Sex and the City. Ranked. (Just for John Slattery! He needs a higher rank!!)

Phew! That was a long one, lovahs! It's a rainy, gross mess outside here today and I'm looking forward to a couch-bound weekend! Whatever you do, have a wonderful time! Here's a head-bopping happy jam to get it started:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekPBOVgGRSA&w=560&h=315]

Weekend Reads: Snapchat Hack, Terrible Words & Feeling Feelings

It's cold as a frozen tundra outside in DC right now - I believe Capital Weather Gang called it a balmy 2* with the wind chill. I thought this article explaining wind chill was pretty interesting...and only further confirmed my decision to not go outside today. I'll be working from my couch, under a blanket, sporting a turtleneck sweater doing calls and answering work emails. When I do finally make it out - there better be amazing pasta at the end of that jaunt. Until that time - the weekend links...

11 hit songs originally intended for other artists.

I have a couple British friends, so this list of 10 great things about Brits tickled me.

The 39 worst words of 2013 according to one grumpy grouch over at Mother Jones.

Was your data leaked in the Snapchat hack?

Can I buy you a coffee? One man's attempt to explain to other men what it's like for women to get hit on.

One woman's quest to save the lost art of conversation.

The Wolf of Wall Street's daughter wrote an open letter to the makers of the movie and it gets awkward.

Where do you feel love in you body? Hint: it's not your heart.

The 1-3-5 rule of to-do list writing and #GSD.

All LinkedIn with nowhere to go. If one of your career goals is to get more active on LinkedIn this year, think twice.

"...because men aren't supposed to be happy; they're supposed to do well." In the ongoing debate about finding happiness in our work, the conversation is very different for men than it is for women.

12 habits of healthy happy people who don't have a shit about your inner peace.

3 classic sci-fi and fantasy movies you can watch on YouTube!

The Washington Post's 2014 in/out list is pop culture gold. Out: This is everything. In: You do you. Amen!

How To: treat a woman when she's drunk/passed out on your couch.

I reached into the depths of my iTunes this week looking for untouched music to listen to while I ran errands and rediscovered my Gaby Moreno collection. About half her album is in Spanish, but even if you don't understand a word of it, you'll appreciate the ambience it creates. Have a warm weekend, lovahs!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnN1AgAuk9A&w=560&h=315]

Weekend Reads: Fashion Choices, Otters & Karl Lagerfeld

I'm writing this post from my bed in Phoenix, AZ with a very sad Small Dog in my lap. The little guy knows I'm leaving (as evidenced by my neatly packed bag) and is trying to squeeze every last drop of cuddle time and affection he can get out of me. It's sweet, but for anyone who has a dog and has seen that "where are you going!?!?" face, it's a little bit desperate in the most heartbreaking way.

Great dating advice from a 103 year-old woman: "Don't be afraid of a woman who knows how to drink, play cards, eat, and show you her zest for life. She will take you a lot further than some skinnie minnie with no personality. You'll have great things to say to each other and great stories to tell when you're old."

How America gets drunk. DC likes to make out in bars apparently?

This take down of Love Actually made me laugh.

A cacio e pepe recipe that will get you through some cold winter nights.

Shake an otter's hand!

What words were invented the year you were born? 1982 = downloadable.

Karl Lagerfeld: Sociopath or Genius?

Women executives in The New Yorker from the thirties on.

Tell me your grocery store and I can tell everything about you.

AskASlave.com (before you go getting offended, read the About page.)

People are going bonkers and naming their kids weird stuff. 

What you wear at work (and in life) matters, we know that already. But what does it say when you buck social norms and wear whatever the hell you want? As author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reminds us, it's not so easy a decision to make for women:

"Because the sad truth is that when it comes to appearance we start off with men as the standard, as the norm. If a man is getting ready for a business meeting, he doesn't worry about looking too masculine, and therefore not being taken for granted. If a women is getting ready for a business meeting, she has to worry about looking too feminine, and what it says and whether or not she will be taken seriously."

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! No video this week, as I'm hustling to get ready for a plane ride back to DC, but have a safe and restful weekend!

Weekend Reads: Baking For Singles, Santa & Hollywood Screenplays

I'm already back in Arizona for the holidays but I brought with me a chesty cold. It's not so bad, forcing me to actually lay in bed, relax and read my book. I'm looking forward to some time with friends and a weekend project with my mom. We're going to digitize the family photos. Oh, Throwback Thursday, here I come!

"Because the truth is, rarely does a response make something better. What makes something better is connection." This video explaining empathy is the best and everyone should watch it.

The Deported. A great story about what happens after the U.S. returns illegal immigrants to Mexico.

For all your airport time coming up - how to torture people who talk too loudly on their phones.

If you want to remember a moment - don't take a photo. Totally counterintuitive, no?

A gift guide for the tasteful alcoholic in your life.

Your Friends and Rapists. It's a long read and quite intense but it'll get you thinking about rape culture, gender bias and the decisions women face every day regarding our sexuality.

Shameless plug: Nick Barron says I'm one of the five best blogs he reads! I'm in good company, check out my compadres. 

The Santa brand book has my PR/Marketing/Advertising friends nodding and laughing.

Kids in third world countries read our first world problems. Yikes.

15 stories I think need to stop being written.

The Black List is a running list of all the very best screenplays that didn't get picked up this year by Hollywood.

How a working-class couple amassed a priceless art collection. 

A gift guide for the 30-something in your life. Ahem. :) No, but really, I want these. 

Lovahs, I leave you with this informative and hilarious video on baking holiday cookies. I hope everyone has a restful holiday, and if not restful, I hope you come back with some great stories! 

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Stories I Hope Go Away In 2014

2013 was the year you didn't even have to be an avid news consumer to catch on to the fact that every news outlet wrote a series of the same damn stories, often multiple times each, throughout the year.

Here's a list of stories or hooks that I would be elated to never read again in 2014:

• Why Miley/Beyoncé/someone with a vagina isn't really a feminist
• Women having it all, not being able to have it all
• The virtues of getting up early (Is it just me or is the hour I'm supposed to wake up getting earlier and earlier?)
• Anything about millenials ever again
• The benefits of taking time off (And that MUST include not being tethered to your iPhone.)
• Someone's account of their day, week, month or year off of social media
• How social media is ruining everything
• Habits of highly successful people
• Habits of very creative people
• How blogging is dead - actually anything tech related being dead
• [insert food item] Day!
• Journalists waxing poetic about journalism - how it's dying, it's not dying, it's under appreciated, it's still appreciated
• DC navel gazing (#ThisTown)
• Navel-gazing in general

The list is not exhaustive and, as always, I reserve the right to change my mind. What stories are you tired of reading, friends?

Weekend Reads: Dapper Criminals, Holiday Hosting & Lady Inspiration

What a long week! Even with the random snow day (that resulted in...no snow) the days seemed long and the week even longer. I'm ready for some cookie baking and some bourbon drinking and general lounging. And then probably a few hours of work at a coffee shop cause things just refuse to slow down! I hope you all get to relax a bit...

My friend Nikki has the holidays on lock down. Here's her guide to no-stress hosting. And she has a great mashup of party playlists and gift lists for every type of party you're going to this season.

Introducing! Corporate Boards for Her!!

Whoa - is this networking, or are we on a date?

Dapper criminals.

24 ways to be a gentleman (or woman) in modern society. Spoiler alert: have manners and common sense.

This ad in the Philippines shows us the double standard at work where women earn monickers like aggressive and bossy but men are leaders.

Ladies, time to get them dollas! Here's Ann Friedman's guide to knowing your worth and asking for it! 

Thinking about your New Year's resolutions? Maybe try a few of these 30 things to stop doing yourself.

The Verge has a list of 50 innovators and gamechangers from a ton of industries. Totally worth a look and a twitter follow.

WestJet airline made people's wishes come true...and me cry.

I downloaded this jam last week and have been playing it on a continuous loop since. If you see me laughing like a weirdo on metro, this is why lovahs. This is why.

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Weekend Reads: Weird Twitter, AZ Holidays & Star Trek

That right there folks is an original Frijolita's Mom ipad drawing. (Arizona holidays...in case you were guessing.) I'm having it printed, framed and it's going up in my new apartment. Oh, did I mention I upgraded to a fancy new one bedroom last week!? It's kind of great. It's also a lot of space and sometimes I marvel at it and sometimes I don't know what to do with it all. I'm a nester, so empty or un-cozy space is like kryptonite to me. While I go browse my 58234th furniture sale, here's some links to get you through the weekend!

This long read on "weird Twitter" is...well, weird. But also gives you a peek into the most interesting and funny people on the platform.

Valleywag seems to be appalled by a networking and professional development group geared toward women charging for membership. Full disclosure: I'm a paying member and it's been the best networking of my life. Related: The gendering of technology work. Of course, when women do something, it's somehow less than, salacious or appalling. Ridiculous.

Famous book characters you just want to slap! Lookin' at you, Jay Gatsby.

The most common sentences used by young adult authors. 

What does it even mean to be a needy girl?

Ever heard of revenge porn? Here's the dude who's king of it, and the woman who's fighting to shut him down.

#SelfieNation and the age of internet self obsession.

Unintentionally funny lines from Star Trek. "Get this cheese to sickbay!" Mmmm I love a good out of context quote!

Related: Star Trek TNG texts from last night.

What young, gay men have forgotten about HIV/AIDS.

This baby dinosaur fossil reminds me of my favorite book when I was little!

YouTube commenters are famous for being nonsensical and often crass. A female YouTuber with a STEM channel reads sexist, ignorant comments on her channel aloud and makes everyone look even sillier.

Avocados should be extinct?! What!? Nooooooo!

How to handle people who want to fight with you on the internet.

I love my home state of Arizona. Recently, the Grand Canyon filled with fog making it an eerie, almost mystical sight.

What does your favorite color say about you?

Two dads discuss their gay sons on the train one evening. Heart...melting....

Dogs are such funny little beasts. This one remembers his favorite song from puppyhood and sings along.

Have a lovely weekend lovahs - no video for this week but I promise some fun jams next week!

Weekend Reads: Mexicoke, Goldie Blox & Girls Who Read

I'm down for the count, I over extended myself and didn't get enough of that precious shut eye. When I made it my New Year's resolution to get more and better sleep I never thought it would turn me into a total baby! It's a good thing, most of the time, but enough nights with not enough sleep take a harsher toll on me than they used to. Aren't I too young for this? Maybe not. On to the weekend reads...

Ever and always a George Takei fan, he now brings us: The Gay Bachelor.

Quoting lines W.E.B. DuBois and Notorious B.I.G., David Swerdlick shares why he loves being a black man.

If you love politics, or just love watching politics, you should be plugging this list of 50 influencers to watch into a Twitter list right now! Disclosure: my friend Liz Mair is on the list and she's awesome!

10 types of writers block and how to overcome them.

Soda taxes are no fun, especially when Mexico considers one that could kill famed glass-bottle Mexicoke!

We all have our beef (ba dum chhh!) with food, and apparently so did Duke Ellington. He was a voracious lover of food, concerned about his appearance and held on to some old food habits from his less fortunate days.

16 cities foreign governments warn their citizens about in the US.

Sometimes a girl just wants to be little spoon. Don't worry, you can hire someone to do that for you.

Uterus...crying...omg...so...cute!

Goldie Blox are building toys for girls. Watch the video and then vote for them so they win a Super Bowl commercial and spark that inner engineer in girls all across the country.

All the deaths in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

"See. Some guys prefer asses. Some prefer tits. And I am not saying I don't like those bits. But what's more important, what supersedes, is a girl with passion, wit and dreams. So I like a girl...who reads."

2 states everyone is fleeing. Not shocking.

Shameless plug: I was in 1Chicklette's Twitter Spotlight this week!

Star Wars v Star Trek.

Ryan Gosling has been gypped again!! And he did so many things that were kinder and more interesting than Adam Levine!

I shudder to think how much bad coffee we're all drinking in The United States of Starbucks.

Well that's useful: how to clean a spice (or coffee) grinder.

I love you honey, but you have clothes like a f*&^%ing d*ckhead. Oh Kenny Powers.

The skater girls of Afghanistan.

It's that time of year again! Beaujolais time! But Jason Wilson tells me we should be drinking cru instead.

If you're feeling a little bouncy this morning then Tegan and Sara will help you start your weekend of perfectly. Have a good one, lovahs! 

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Photo credit: Me (Alejandra Owens)!

Weekend Reads: Twerk Free Zone, Holiday Bullshit & Food Slot Machines

I'm ready for a wicked snow storm and it looks like DC is going to hit 70 next week. What is that crap!? I have a pair of fuzzy boots and some scarves in my closet that would really love some wear time. Until I get snow, there's links...

Even if you don't know what an API key is or what JSON stands for, it's fascinating how much information is hidden in just one tweet.

And on that note, how much is your twitter account worth? I add up to a cool $5,624.

Why the hell does your drink cost so much?! 

A step by step guide to winning Price Is Right. 

Don't have a menu planned for Thanksgiving yet? Saveur's Thanksgiving slot machine has got you covered.

Alternatively, I'd just cook everything Rivka of Not Derby Pie is making!

Your friends play a bigger role in your happiness than you thought.

We Americans are kinda weird.

www.holidaybullshit.com from the fine folks who brought you Cards Against Humanity.

Do you help make innovation happen at work, or are you trying to stop it. Consider.

Everyone learns in different ways, but learning by doing always seems to be the best. A social media scavenger hunt at work recently inspired a whole crew of aspiring social media strategists!

Depression around the world is...depressing.

Ryan Gosling Mad Libs for your next girls night in.

Thanksgiving in Mongolia. Warning: this is a heartbreaking and graphic story of epic proportions.

Another shameless work plug: the latest episode of Takei's Take is up and this week George is chatting with Ann Friedman about the future of journalism.

Lilly Allen Lilly'd the internet this week with her signature straight talk and eye popping bluntness with her new song Hard Out Here. Warning: NSFW lyrics and video.

 9 things extremely successful people do after work. 

Amanda Cohen eviscerates Howard Chua-Eoan's lame defense of his Gods of Food issue of Time.

"...why would women be on a chart of 'The Boys Club' because then it wouldn't be a chart of 'The Boys Club' and would, instead, be a chart of 'The Boys Club with Also Some Icky Girls in It Ew Gross This Club is Hereby Disbanded.'"

Some food world nerdery: a fabulous Q&A with Rene Redzepi of Noma fame.

What does a newspaper "without sound" look like? Behold, the power of photography.

Sorry I'm not sorry for posting a Miley Cyrus video, lovahs. There's no twerking, no cut up basketball jerseys, just Miley flexing her vocal chords while she covers Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Ray. You'll like it. I promise.  

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