Sunday, January 27, 2013

Weekly Roundup

Why do four-day weeks always feel longer than the usual Monday-Friday?  For some reason, the inauguration seems like it was ages ago, and I don't think I've had a minute to breathe since.  So, I've been totally ADD when I've had a chance to browse the interwebs this week, landing on one page for a minute here and another for minute there.  It means I don't know much about anything but I know a little bit about everything!  Here are some of the most interesting links I've found...

snowy dawn, suburban DC; January 24

Speaking of the inauguration, Beyonce was on fire with the National Anthem on Monday, even if she wasn't actually singing live, but Bad Lip Reading Beyonce might be the true Sasha Fierce.  (President Obama is pretty awesome here, too.)

If you're in the mood for some happy/sad crying, as Anne calls it, read this sweet love story.

The clip of Bradley Cooper speaking French has been making the rounds again, and it made me think of Alias, which he was in before he was famous; then I remembered Michael Vartan, who was the main love interest on the show, and how he's also really hot when he speaks French.

It turns out there's a scientific explanation for why, no matter who we were in high school, when we graduated, or how successful we have become since then, John Hughes movies will always resonate with all of us.

Did you guys watch any of the Benghazi hearings on Wednesday?  Hillary Clinton gave a phenomenal tutorial on how to smack down a mansplainer.

A few weeks ago, I told you all that I shattered Jon's dream of living in NYC because I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to afford the quality of life we'd want - and The New York Times agrees with me.

We now expect publicity photos and marketing materials, especially those including celebrities and/or models, to be retouched to perfection, but it turns out that our compulsion to alter images isn't a modern affectation.  I can't wait to see Faking it: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop, an exhibition that opens at the National Gallery of Art on February 17.

Where does protection against hate speech slam into the right to free speech?  It's complicated, obviously, especially in countries where there is no First Amendment.

This woman has taken to YouTube to teach Americans how to speak with a British accent.  I'm not sure she's aware that there's no such thing as a "British" accent - you can visit just one town in the United Kingdom and think you're hearing completely different languages on one side of the street from the other.

it's that kind of Sunday night...

What have you found this week, dear readers?  Do share!  And I hope you had a lovely weekend.  Here's to Monday!

14 comments:

  1. 1. This week has been long because now that you've officially met me, your whole life is downhill. Well, at least until we hang out again ;)

    2. Michael Vartan... escuse me for a minute... I REALLY miss that man being on my tv every week. MMmmmmmmm....

    3. I thought the Obama lip-reading thing was hilarious!

    4. *whispers* The only John Hughes movie I've ever liked is Ferris Bueller's Day Off (and duh I really like that one, my dog's name is Sloan) and Beethoven when I was 11.

    5. About one year into living in England I began bristling when I heard people refer to a "British accent". THERE IS NO SUCH THING (This was particularly realized by my having grown up hearing Julie Andrews, Hugh Grant, and Cary Elwes and then moving to N Yorks and falling in love with the Highlands) . Ack. Preachin' to the choir. That said, I got in a several-days discussion at work over how no, it's not ridiculous that I, an American who'd only lived in England for 2 years at the time, couldn't identify a Monkey Hanger vs. a Geordie vs. a Yellowbelly when they couldn't identify Kentucky vs. Mississippi or Boston vs. Brooklyn or Minnesota vs. Canadian. But at least I could identify Scottish vs. English vs. Welsh, and I can tell the difference between S'African and Australian! (Although for that I just decide if someone sounds more like my brother-in-law or Heath Ledger.)



    Happy End-of-Weekend!

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  2. Michael Vartan in Never Been Kissed was pretty much the highlight of high school for me!

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  3. I'm so glad someone else loved Bradley Cooper from his Alias days. Him and Michael Vartan were big reasons why I love that show, as well as supporting the Sydney Bristow girl power.

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  4. I feel like I loved him before everyone else loved him which meant my loe was more true. That's how it works, right?

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  5. ohmyGod I know. I tried to find a clip online of the ending from that movie but couldn't! #swoon

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  6. haha there's usually one a week on Instagram :) and about the accent things... she may not realize that there isn't one British accent, but each "British" word she says sounds like it's from somewhere else!

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  7. I don't wanna brag but my friend that lives in Manchester once told me that I have a pretty spot on London accent. Not gonna lie, I'm pretty damn proud of that.

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  8. Bradley Cooper, Michael Vartan... Alias was such a good show. I think I need to plan an Alias marathon one day.

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  9. You my friend are my television soulmate... Alias + West Wing = a very happy Sara.
    And could Hillary be anymore of a badass? No. The answer is no.

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  10. right? sometimes this is the coolest city for these things :)

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  11. haha I foresee long hours together with box sets when we become friends :)

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  12. Alias! I love it. About a year ago, my husband bought me the first two seasons, and I seriously went on a huge marathon and ended up buying the rest (except for the last one.) I was in love with Michael Vartan. Have you noticed that with the awards show season Jennifer Garner, Bradley Cooper, and Victor Garber are all making the rounds?? ALIAS reunion!

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