Caffeinated Links: Best Books of 2013, Marriage Secrets, The Civil Wars’ New EP

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Goodreads Best Books of 2013 are out! RT

10 Secrets You Should Know about Marriage – “Communication is the lifeline between two people. There’s no way around it. It will cause you to take responsibility for not just what you say, but how you say it—tone, body language, sarcasm and all.” RT

Amazon is already my favorite place to shop for very nearly everything, and this handy guide from Lifehacker on how to save even more money shopping on Amazon is fantastic. RT

The Civil Wars released their Bare Bones EP today on iTunes, featuring alternate & acoustic versions of songs from ‘The Civil Wars’ RT 

Check out the December Seasonal Shopping List from the Free People blog RT

How to Save Money on…Shaving

shavingcreamThis will be part of an ongoing series of posts about saving money in life matters and everyday items.

Two years ago I gave up using shaving cream.

Why?

Because I realized it was a huge huge scam from the beauty industry.

You don’t need shaving cream to shave your legs – unless you’re using disposable razors. Disposable razors are the cheapest possible razors to buy and because of their low quality they will cut your legs if you use them without cream – but every other razor? Try it. I dare you. I promise. Sure, shaving cream smells really good, gives an illusion of protection, and softens your skin a little – but do you need it for the purpose it’s actually sold for? To keep from getting cut when you shave?

No. A big fat no. I’ve used razors from a number of different brands for two years, without shaving cream, and I simply don’t cut myself. Most razors now are of the three-blade variety, and the truth is that the design is sophisticated enough, designed, to shave your skin without cutting it. And as far as softening your skin, slap on some body lotion afterward – I’m a huge fan of Nivea’s Smooth Sensation – which most of us already do anyway, and you’ll be good to go.

Shaving cream in and of itself may not be a huge expense – but it’s not cheap, either, for something that is basically whipped soap, and it definitely adds up over time. Cut out this expense that you usually have every few weeks or month.

Caffeinated Links: Catching Fire Book Cover, T.S. Eliot, Inside Llewyn Davis Music

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Julian Peters’ illustrations of T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock are among the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. RT

This “book covers come to life” – animated book covers – series is not just breathtaking, but also the way of the future – one day very soon we’ll walk into bookstores and the book covers will be animated. RT

Millenials in American aren’t the only ones desperate for jobs – it’s the same in Europe, according the New York Times writing about a generation “Young and Educated in Europe, but Desperate for Jobs

100 Notable Books from 2013, RT

Ruth Engel reviews the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack – “The album itself is lovely – Oscar Isaac’s voice is so compelling that I’m sure his performance in the movie will be beyond reproach even if he doesn’t act at all. It includes a number of instantly recognizable folk standards, including one of my all-time favorites,” 500 Miles.” Marcus Mumford collaborates on an aching version of “Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)” that contains no frenetic banjo strumming, and Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers bring warmth and a fiddle into the mix.” RT

Gimme Shelter – Must See of the Year

I didn’t even recognize the well-known actress in this until the very end of the trailer – and I don’t want to give it away so will leave you to watch this. But – glorious. Every bit of this is achingly real and a reflection of so many of the realities of the world we live in, from the brokenness and yet necessity of the foster care system, to how our loved ones fail us over and over sometimes, to how your parents can be your enemy, to the destructive nature of drugs and ongoing poverty, to the flashes of hope that filter through the system sometimes, mostly, always, through individuals.

Yes. I am watching this.

Hilarious Response to Amazon’s Drones

Yesterday, Amazon.com announced that it is developing pilotless flying vehicles called “octocopters” that can deliver packages within a half hour of customers placing an order. See the full WSJ article here and Amazon’s video overview.

Below, however, is a video response from UK company Waterstones.

“We’re excited to announce the Ornithological Waterstones Landing Service, a brand new way to receive your favourite books,” said Waterstones, trying hard not to snigger.

“O.W.L.S. consists of a fleet of specially trained owls that, either working individually or as an adorable team, will be able to deliver your package within thirty minutes of you placing your order.”

Heirs MV – I Will Always Want You

Heirs has me, heart and soul. It’s not that it’s a particularly well-written show, but the romance within it has that spark of sheer, achingly real magic that I look for in my favorite romances. I’m obsessed with the below music video. (Note: you can watch Heirs online on Dramafever). The song is a stellar cover of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” by Sam Tsui and Kylee.

The Hobbit

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Laughter

Something about the clear chemistry between the couple in this picture just gets me.

Electricity and laughter. Don’t settle for less in a relationship.

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The Onion Reviews The Hunger Games

I know this is a satire (and it is spot-on) but it’s also…true. “Josh Hutcherson is cute…but he’s not hot.”

The Brew Will See You Through

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from watersounds