Your weekly distractions!

What does your email address say about you? So funny. I love this!

Sarah Wilson asks, Is it the end of men?

…Then follows it up with, Are you being authentic, really? I feel like the word “authentic” has almost reached the end of its run. Even though it’s TRUE that authenticity is important, it’s all anyone in social media ever talks about. I want to dance to a new tune!

I was profiled on Yes & Yes telling my immigration story! It might be a good place to start if you’re thinking of moving to the States, too.

On that subject, Angeliska wrote stars & shadows about her experience of being an American & what that means to her.

When I posted my first Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems piece the other day, one nonpareil said something interesting about a budget being a moral document. I asked her to email me & tell me more about it, but she took it a step further & wrote about it on her blog! “A Budget is a Moral Document” : thoughts on ethics, cash, christianity, feminism, all from yours truly.

To zoom out from that point of view a bit, for people who are not very religious or unfamiliar with these people or concepts, basically I believe in God, and I believe that God has shown his concern for the poor, the disadvantaged, the hungry, and basically anybody society has left behind. The way I understand my responsibility as someone who has the privilege of education and a lot of wealth (if you think about this globally) is to be prudent with it, and use it in ways that are morally commendable in my understanding of what that is.

I love this short film, white magic.

Creature Comforts Blog is so cute. The photos are really inspiring.

More health tips from David Barton! Because clearly I am obsessive.

Why Daphne Guinness stopped the sale of Isabella Blow’s wardrobe.

More Sarah Wilson action! Lily Allen searches for meaning & the doubters hate on her. Good points miss!

I got an email from a literary agent the other day with a bunch of good links for aspiring authors. Check out how to write a great query letter, ask a literary agent & Noah Lukeman for more goodies.

Fierce & Fabulous with Val is a beauty blog for anyone who wants to be a makeup artist. She covers professional etiquette, how to get paid a fair rate, etc. All compulsory stuff!

The names of these Japanese hair dyes are so funny! Are you more of a raspberry macaron, or a juicy peach? A bitter cappuccino or milk tea brown? Wait, wait, I know — you’re a maple doughnut! I love it when I’m right!

I really like Tim Ferriss. Some people think he’s all bravado, but I don’t. I’ve met him & he’s eminently likable. I think he’s a very smart businessman & I don’t think he takes life too seriously — two things I value highly! He recently gave a speech at The Next Web about learning to love your haters. It’s summarised very eloquently in this piece: 7 Great Principles for Dealing with Haters.

Nubby linked to Why So Catty? & it’s a really good piece. The comments are very insightful too.

I think many women have this idea that when another women “succeeds” it means that they are a failure. They should just be happy for the others, but instead they feel like it means they didn’t do as good, or that there is some competition and they just came in second.

I feel like it’s not only looks. In business, we like to see the other girl go down because we’re told that it’s harder for us to get ahead. So we should take every chance we’ve got and maybe kick her a little while she’s on the floor. We are taught as children to be exclusionary, and we practice it because it makes us feel better about ourselves. You’re right – any cattiness is just an infantile way to take our insecurities out on someone else.

My two cents on the question of “why not” say something negative or critical of another woman or person? I’d like to know what is gained by doing so? Why is it important or beneficial to feel empowered to put others down for choices that you have absolutely no background on? As Steph pointed out, these comments are seldom made in an attempt to HELP another person, especially as many of them are made indirectly. Dialogue is important, observations of the world that surrounds us are what keep us engaged in our lives, and I’m not suggesting anyone keep mum about issues or concerns that affect them directly. But simply looking at someone else and criticizing her choices seems pretty pointless to me. Especially when it comes to appearance.

You get the gist! Go have a look!

Solo Travel: How Traveling to Paris Alone Changed My Life!

This girl has style. You can’t argue with that hat!

7 tips for dealing with a sweetheart who is crabby all the time from The Happiness Project. What do you think of these tips? What do you do when your lover is moody? I find that sometimes it’s best to leave people alone, give them space, & encourage them to do their own thing. This is especially true with men, who I feel need a lot of mental & emotional space to sort things out for themselves.

I love this pink apartment! Very cool.

World issues as shown by their flags. This is very sobering. Thanks to Vixxie for the link!

Christopher Lemaire is about to start working at Hermes, & New York magazine interviewed him.

Any trends you’re ready to see retired? I’m tired of the trends going from boho chic to rock and roll, boho chic to rock and roll, then hippie chic to punk chic … I love music, but I’m just tired of this superficial rock-and-roll thing in fashion. I think being transgressive today is being classical. To pretend to dress as a punk and take cocaine and have sex orgies has just become common now — there’s nothing transgressive about that. The fashion pages, like Purple magazine, are just a joke.

How so? It’s just very artificial. They pretend to rebel and revolt when really they are a victim of the system more than anyone.

“Don’t waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good.”(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Have an incredible weekend!