Friday Tapas: The Leftovers Edition

So, I’ve been pretty serious, self-reflective, and kind of morbid this week, huh?

Yeah. I get like that sometimes.

But now the weekend is upon us, so it’s time to lighten up.

Very little mundane nonsense has entered my brain over the last few days that I haven’t then turned around and vomited forth onto Facebook. So, rather than cook up fresh new content for this week’s tapas, I’m just going to go ahead and reheat some of those brain droppings.

Anyone up for some leftovers?

• Lil’ Bit has informed us that she’d like to visit the island of Sodor, where Thomas the Tank Engine lives. So, we’re currently exploring various steam engine tours in our area, along with the ever-popular Day Out With Thomas. In other news, I’m also looking into how to make it rain, as well as feed a crowd of thousands with only five loaves of bread and two fish.

• When three blog friends get together for dinner and drinks, does it count as a blog conference? If so, then I totally attended a blog conference last Saturday with Kristen from The Preppy Girl in Pink and Denise from According to Denise. And yet, despite my admiring their smartphones (and their laughing at me for not having one), not a single one of us thought to take a picture of the gathering. So on that note, if three blog friends get together for dinner and drinks and no one Instagrams it, did it really happen?

• During that same outing, the three of us saw Magic Mike. And I’m being completely serious when I say that, artistically-speaking, I thought it was a really good movie. And that Channing Tatum – my goodness, he can dance. I think Kristen had the quote of the night when she said admiringly, “Oh my, he is quite talented.” Which could be subject to several interpretations. Ahem.

• While watching Superman II one night this week, I casually Hubs, “Would you give up all your powers for me?” To which he cryptically replied, “Maybe I already did.” He’s now a hero among my male friends.

• In pointless viral meme news, Rick Rolling is back – super stealthy ninja-style. I’ll admit it – I laughed.

(Get it?)

• People are also breaking the first rule of Fight Club:

And the second one, too.

Image Source: Pleated Jeans

What They Said

Yes, I’ve decided to give this portion of Friday Tapas a name. I’m sort of anal retentive, you see, and like everything to be all arranged in a nice, neat order. So, thanks for indulging my OCD.

Also, I figured it was only fitting to make it “official” and whatnot since my pal, Julie Gardner, recently sang its praises and pontificated on how generous I am to recognize and share the work of others week after week. Which only made me realize just how high I’ve set the bar because apparently you guys have, like, expectations and stuff.

Well, crap. Whatever have I gotten myself into here? I mean beyond a ginormous self-inflicted guilt trip during those weeks when I don’t have time to peruse as many blogs.

See, this is why I generally strive to be merely mediocre. Set the bar low from the beginning and no one’s ever disappointed.

Anyhoo, since I tend to share mostly the work of fellow mom bloggers (a term I loathe, but have nonetheless come to accept as What She Said’s general niche), this week I thought it might be fun to highlight some recent blogging discoveries that go beyond the mommy blogging bubble:

• Suffer from wanderlust? Well then, check out Connecting Coordinates and travel the world – if only vicariously. I stumbled upon this “intersection of latitude, longitude, and life” during an impromptu Google search after fancying myself a travel writer (yet another impromptu whim). I like Christina’s succinct, matter-of-fact writing style, which seamlessly blends compelling narrative storytelling with practical travel tips. And the girl goes everywhere. I especially enjoyed her recent tale of hiking the Black Canyon in What Goes Down Must Come Up.

• I’m not normally one for fashion blogs, as they tend to only heighten my sense of self-consciousness and inadequacy about my own fashion savvy. But D.C. fashion blogger Lacey Maffetone of A Lacey Perspective is just plain cute. And so are her ensembles. And her writing. And her photography! Stylish, practical, and understated, this is one fashion blogger who inspires rather than intimidates. As Carrie Bradshaw would say, me likey.

Image Source: A Lacey Perspective

• And lastly, he’s recently become a Twitter sensation, but did you know he also has a blog?  Honest Toddler is not just entertaining in 140 characters or less, folks – the kid (or at least his mother) has some mad writing skills as well. (And I do think it’s Mom because there are far too many Pinterest and Instagram references for it to be Dad.) Whoever the author is, however, they deserve kudos for managing to so accurately capture in words the mannerisms and devil-may-care attitude of the average toddler. I have yet to read a post that hasn’t made me laugh out loud. Among my favorites are One Year Olds, which offers hilarious insight on the little buggers from the perspective of their slightly older counterparts, and George, a tribute to poor, dumb George the UPS guy (may he rest in peace). Meanwhile, The Pause and 7 Stages of Night Grief are funny simply because they’re so disturbingly true. And it’s all written with such irreverence that you may find it entirely appropriate to leave a comment telling Honest Toddler what you’ve likely wanted to say to your own but dare not speak: Why, you little shit.

___________________________________________________________________________________

And that just about wraps up the regurgitated cud that was this week’s Friday Tapas.

I’m off to enjoy a weekend that, sadly, includes neither “blog conferences” nor Matthew McConaughey in ass-less chaps. But with mild temps and a possible winery visit calling my name, I’m sure I’ll make do.

Have a great one, y’all!

What’s on your mind?