four-eyes rella: Things I Love Thursday!

I'm still loving my TOMS! Like mad.

I'm also loving...

"Don't Insist on English" - a ten minute video on language loss and the Globalization of English. Language Death is one of my major fears for the future. Bigger than the ozone layer depletion or global warming. I am both passionate and terrified about this subject.

How to not die in a plane crash. Yep. Also of interest, How Black Boxes Don't Bust.

Kristin Luna's "get to know the girl behind the blog" post. There's some insight on life as a freelance writer, as well as allusions to the rest of her amazing life. Like how she's about to embark as 'assistant field office coordinator' on a cruise ship called 'semester at sea'... paid to go from Montreal to Ghana to South Africa to Mauritius to India to Malaysia to Vietnam to Hong Kong to Japan to Hawaii to Costa Rica to the Panama Canal to Cuba to Florida. RIGHT? I mean...get over to her blog and look at everything and then subscribe because it's only gonna get awesomer, if that's possible.

Looking Through the Bush by Roger Friedland. An essay on women's pubic hair throughout the ages.

Ready to confront your own racism? It's a tough thing to admit sometimes, isn't it?

My friend Sam's latest vlog about his epic bicycle journey across the USA (and perhaps beyond). He's made it to Iowa so far. From NYC. My favorite part is at 4:55 (Random Sam's Book Club FTW)

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These illustrations by Sophie Blackall

Each print is signed and dated and shipped with care in a serious, sturdy, cardboard envelope which you can put to use later as a wobble board, a fan or a convenient rectangle for sitting on damp grass.

Found via Zoe's guest post on Freckled Nest!

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I also love...

Reading about weird mis-translations and culture shock. The story of the apple book is hilarious. And the best part is, I'm following two people's blogs who are on the same WWOOFing trip so you can read about the book from the point of view of Max and then check out Zoe's take on it.

How to share photos of your adorable child or pet without annoying your friends. (via Yes and Yes)

50 Reasons You Are Beautiful. (also via Yes and Yes) Yeah it's cheesy, so what?

That I finally figured out how to put that little black heart up in here. What am I talking about? Open my blog in a new tab...now look at the tab. Black heart. I AM AWESOME. Thanks to Amalie's help, of course. She rules. And so do these pictures. Also? This super easy to understand tutorial on how to make a horizontal navbar with images. Did you notice mine? I'm all proud, I DID IT!!! haha

This cover of Tool's Lateralus, by Adam Monroe on the piano. He NAILS it. It's crazy. I've probably watched this video forty times and it just gets better and better. Even the comments on YouTube are nice, which is saying something.

Aw, I just found a cover he did of my favorite A Perfect Circle song too. It's beautiful but less technically impressive.

I'm also loving...

The idea of planning out your travel journal beforehand. Wow, I wish I had thought of that before I went to Mexico in 2007! And look at this travel journal! How cool is that?

What should I read next? You enter a book you like, and this site will recommend similar books! How useful!

These hipster bears stuffed animals. I don't like owning stuffies or receiving them as gifts, but I'd definitely give these to other people! And check out the "Polaroid cameras" in the background.

This amazing video of the Toulambi Tribe of Papua New Guinea meeting a couple white men for the first time ever in the 70s. I love the innate curiosity all humans have, and how it eventually overpowers fear. And the way they express liking the taste of the food. :)

This Harry Potter giveaway on Mary Rebecca! Holy moly.

SOS, send love. Halley's mom was diagnosed with a cancer that has made it impossible for her to travel anymore. Please send her a post card telling her about your neck of the woods. It'll cost you a couple bucks and five minutes of your time. Do it!

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Coffee: The Greatest Addiction Ever.

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Michelle's (drunken?) "I'm Turning Duct Tape Into A Purse" song. Could she get any cuter?

This look at the life of a touring band's stage manager. Not so glamorous. Not even a bit. But still pretty cool.

Solargraphy. I first heard the word HERE on my friend Sam's blog a long time ago...basically it's extreme pinhole-camera-ing, and takes months for a single image. It's something I've been meaning to try forever!

The Forty Elephants Girl Gang of London. Pretty bad-ass.

This is the ultimate cookie.

What Makes Nancy So Great, a note from Sid Vicious.(Ehh, mildly offensive language.)

If you live under a rock and haven't heard the story about Vivian Maier's photographs...well, you should. Click here.

This idea on how to revamp your ugly old Holga. Duh, it's so simple but I never thought to do it before.

Locked up abroad by National Geographic. A show on prisons in other countries. So. Scary.

This post on making your own luck. It's so true, you just have to put yourself out there.

This post on being introverted, and how it may be because of an over-sensitivity to dopamine! Wow.

And last but not least...

I featured photos by Marc Da Cunha Lopes last week but I have to show you more. He's fantastic!

Vertebrata!