web-goddess

Category: Random Links

Links that I’m reading/watching/listening to/thinking about

We don’t talk about Backstreet… 🎵

Every New Year’s, there’s a happy moment when I remember that the latest Best of Bootie compilation is out! We’ve been listening to it for the last hour, and my favourites are definitely “We don’t talk about Backstreet” and “Take it as it was.”

And OMG we just got to the last track and I did not expect that. 😂

January 2, 2023
Random Links
Some random links I’ve had open in my web browser lately:
- The BBC have been broadcasting daily episodes of a dramaticization of Susan Cooper’s book The Dark is Rising. It’s also available as a podcast (on pretty much all the platforms), and we’ve been listening along and really enjoying it. If you’ve only seen the terrible 2007 film, you should listen to this and then go out and read the whole series. (Rodd and I have also been having fun casting an imaginary version of this for Netflix. He reckons Peter Capaldi for Merriman.)
- The Most Popular Series Eats Recipes of 2022. I’m amused how many of these are just simple potato recipes. And hey, it includes Tartiflette! I will definitely be making that pork and bean stew next winter.
- Mapping Sydney Billboards: Every QMS advertising panel in Sydney. I saw this linked on a Mastodon thread griping about the new electronic advertising panels. We’ve only been home for 2 weeks and already these things are annoying me. They’re huge and intrusive, and they take up disproportionate space on Sydney’s already narrow footpaths.
- How to Sew Like a Mathematician. Making continuous bias tape has already been a favourite sewing trick of mine – I have a whole blog post and video about it – but I hadn’t thought very deeply about the topology of it. That post goes deep into the details and then tries an interesting technique to start with a regular torus, resulting in “almost” bias tape. 🤯
December 30, 2022
Random Links
A couple tabs I’ve had open in my browser this week:
- Fine Points: Cleveland Yarn Shop Featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – Apparently this is a running segment that features small businesses in silly sketches to give them a “bump.” Very cute idea!
- Mike Flanagan is creating a TV series for The Dark Tower – Fingers crossed he can pull it off. The movie was such a disappointment, despite having nailed the casting of the main characters. I really need to see Susannah and Eddie!
- Bourdain’s World Map – An interactive map of everywhere he ate across all his shows. It’s probably a good thing we didn’t have this at the start of our European sojourn or we’d be even chubbier and poorer than we are now!
- 99 Good News Stories You Probably Didn’t Hear About in 2022 – So much goodness here. I’m keeping this one open so I can read a few more whenever I get depressed.
December 18, 2022
RAMEN TRAIN 🍜🚆

The Amaterasu Railway Now Runs on Leftover Tonkotsu Ramen Broth | Spoon & Tamago – Um, I want to go to there. New life goal is to ride on the train powered by ramen broth biodiesel!

December 6, 2022
Christmas Bootie

How did I not know that there are annual Bootie Christmas mashup albums?? They also have a playlist of all the Mariah mashups they can find, updated every year. 🎵🎄

December 4, 2022
Richard Siken – Snow and Dirty Rain

Close your eyes. A lover is standing too close / to focus on. Leave me blurry and fall toward me / with your entire body. Lie under the covers, pretending / to sleep, while I’m in…

Source: Richard Siken – Snow and Dirty Rain | Genius

Saw this linked on Tumblr today and nearly wept. I need to read more poetry.

March 13, 2020
Pie Crusts

Wow. 😳

Me to the Snook just now: “You need to up your game!”

October 3, 2017
Marimekko’s pattern of progressive design – Curbed
Things I learned from this profile of Marimekko:
- Marimekko is Finnish for “Mary’s Dress.”
- The company is 94% female!
- Their factory in Helsinki has a shop next door that sells discounted seconds with printing errors. 😳
- As part of the company’s turnaround in the 90’s, the new CEO gave individual designers profit responsibility on their designs. Giving decision-making authority to the people doing the work seems to pay off whether in tech or in textiles!
- “Early on, when Isola was making many of the company’s famous patterns by transferring her paintings to fabric, she would test them out in black and white before thinking about colors.” Good tip to keep in mind for my next sewing/knitting projects.
“When you see a colorway, you just know whether it’s Marimekko or not.” – Yep. I was lucky enough to score a pair of Marimekko Converse when I was in the US a few years back. They always draw compliments!
April 13, 2017
The Swiss Watch Industry Should Double Down on Mechanical Watches

Instead of getting into the computer business, traditional watch companies should focus on what they’ve always done: designing and making great mechanical watches — creating a breath of analog fresh air in an ever-more digitized world.

Source: Daring Fireball: The Swiss Watch Industry Should Double Down on Mechanical Watches

I totally agree! Rather than get a smartwatch, I celebrated my 40th birthday by buying myself an honest-to-goodness grown-up mechanical Swiss watch from Longines. It’s a beautiful work of art and engineering, and it’ll last me decades.

April 11, 2017
Bourdain on Money

Anthony Bourdain Does Not Want to Owe Anybody Even a Single Dollar | Wealthsimple

Nice overview of Bourdain’s approach to money. I like that he never really talks about retiring. I get the impression that he’s doing what he loves and it funds his lifestyle, and that’s good enough for him. That appeals to me.

I also found it interesting that writing books is the least lucrative of his activities. Turns out that corporate and promotional events is really where it’s at. Hmmm…

And lastly:

A friend said, “You live outside the country more than half of the year. Create a bogus residence in the Caymans and pay no U.S. taxes.” I’d feel like a shit doing that. I’m an American. I don’t want to be that guy. I don’t want to have those kinds of conversations.

Good on ya, Anthony. 👏

March 22, 2017