Thursday, November 30, 2017

Today, we celebrate the birthday of PONG! Well, it was yesterday, but still. Check out the Optimistic Almanac for details! 

For language nerds like me: A deep dive into all the accents on Game of Thrones. (Unsurprisingly, Littlefinger is making it up as he goes along.)

Related: the Dictionary of the Scots Language is good for hours of entertainment. Today’s Word of the Day is cahoochy!

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

An exhibit on witchcraft in North America has opened at Cornell, and is there through most of next year! If you go after February, you could swing through Hartford and check out the Gorey’s Worlds exhibit at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. It looks like 2018 will be good for spooky roadtrips, provided we’re all still alive and functioning.

A huge auction of memento mori and mourning jewelry just took place. I think it’s mostly over now, but you can still see the items (and the prices at which they sold). 

I tripped over the amazing Necro Nom-nom-nomicon in my online travels. Spooky food and crafts! What’s not to love?

And finally, if you’re thinking of traveling internationally, here are some estimates on how long it’ll take to learn the language(s). I think it’s weird that German is supposed to be so much harder, but hey, what do I know, I’m here in America, where we can barely speak English these days.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Good morning! It's another one-link day (unless I get some more time later): Behold, ghost photography (of deceased children?!?) in the 19th century. (Actually, here are some additional links on the same topic: William Mumler was quite the character.)

Monday, November 27, 2017

Hello! We are easing back into normal work weeks slowly, so here’s just one link for today. It’s all about the complicated world of fake stage blood. Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Greetings! It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and Tedium takes a good hard look at the (seriously interesting) history of mashed potatoes. (Controversial take here: I like them with lumps.)

For your family discussions: The Celebrity Perv Apology Generator! 

Have a good holiday (for those in the US) and a good weekend (for all of us), and we’ll be back next week.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Good morning! You may remember me posting comics and the like by Kate Beaton, who is a treasure. Kate’s sister Becky needs some financial help to participate in clinical trials in the U.S. If you have a bit to spare, it would be much appreciated. (Also, Kate is doing comics about their childhood on her Twitter account, with additional photos of them as kids, and it’s hilarious.)

From Cassandra: The Addams Family and the Divine Feminine. It’s true, they embody the maiden/mother/crone trinity, and make each phase look fun!

In New York City, if you play your cards and roll your dice just right, you can be a professional Dungeon Master (the Dungeons & Dragons kind, not the S&M kind. Although you can be that, too. But that’s not what this article is about!).

Monday, November 20, 2017

Hello, it’s Monday!

What’s your favorite color? Is it blue? Do you know why? (Also, if it is mustard yellow, you are apparently very strange.)

A new paint has the ability to cool buildings. (No word yet on whether or not it comes in colors.) 

Remember hidden tracks? They’ve been around for ages (be sure to read the Monty Python LP story!), but the mp3 era is not being kind to them.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Hi all. My father-in-law died, so we've been away, making arrangements and getting everything (and everyone) together. We'll be back on Monday for a short of week of posts before Thanksgiving. Have a safe and spiffy weekend, everyone.

Friday, November 10, 2017

Hello! We're still here, just super busy and handling some family stuff. However, never fear, Zazoo is here with some links to end our week!

The "Me Too" movement has a hairstyle, thanks to the amazing Laetitia Ky.

Have you seen those giant mirrors in New York apartments (or anywhere else, for that matter)? They're often called pier mirrors, and they make a place look enormous and filled with light!

Have a safe and spiffy weekend, everyone. See you soon.

Wednesday, November 08, 2017

Today, we look to the stars!

EDEN-ISS is producing space food! Well, food in space, anyway.

Carrie Fisher suggested that space jewelry would be important in the Star Wars galaxy, and I’m amazed they didn’t think of this sooner.

Thanks to the Mysterious Package Company, I have discovered the nocturlabe, which is all kinds of complicated coolness.

And finally, this is not about outer space, just being spacy: Reddit has a hilarious thread about the stupid things we do while our brains are on auto-pilot.

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Monday, November 06, 2017

Happy Monday. This is a rather uncertain week at Spooky Librarians HQ, so the links will be similarly scattered.

If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, or if you just like medieval cities, this Medieval Fantasy City Generator is all sorts of fun.

China’s Music Bureau was founded in 120 BC. It was rather short-lived, but the history and concept is fascinating.

Libraries damaged by Hurricane Irma could use your help. As an example of what they can do in return, some libraries lend out protest banners!

Friday, November 03, 2017

Happy Friday. It’s the end of a rather bonkers week and I don’t have many links, but here we go! 

From Zazoo: A badger wanders into someone’s house and tries on the lifestyle of the family cat. 

From Dorian Cope: On this day, Olympe de Gouges died. She’s a woman who should get more attention than she does. (This applies to both Dorian and Olympe!)

Have a safe and spiffy weekend (and Guy Fawkes Day/Bonfire Night). See you next week.

Thursday, November 02, 2017

Happy Day of the Dead! Here are some fantastic photos.

Good news, everyone: Borderlands Books will have a permanent home in San Francisco. 

Weird news, everyone: There are mysterious “voids” in the Great Pyramid of Giza. (Alien spacecraft hangar? Grain storage?)

Literary fun, everyone: Behold, Literary Tea, with scores of blends designed and named after authors!

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

If you're not quite ready for Halloween to end, fear not - NASA has you covered with spooky sounds from space!

(More later, hopefully.)