A few good gems

By now you might have already seen this operating room flash mob but don't you just love it, the sheer joy even in the face of such sobering circumstances? More about it here. Hats off and well wishes to Deb Cohen:

- Are you an introvert? Since I'm not very shy (which is different than being introverted but often rolled into it), I don't know if many acquaintances would tag me as an introvert but I'm 19 for 23 on this list! How do you stack up?

 - I laughed out loud at Karen's description of the Cold Halloween War of 2013.  Do you go into "cold war" silent treatment mode in times of conflict? Or have lived with someone who does? You will nod and laugh in recognition.

 - Lindsey at A Design So Vast tackled a quandary I often wrestle with: where is the line between being gentle with ourselves and taking it to easy or giving up too soon? (I'm pretty sure I draw the line too far on the gentle side, actually. Especially with physical challenges.)

 - Brandon Stanton, of the fantastic blog Humans of New York,  has published a gorgeous book by the same name, of the best photos Brandon has captured in that terrific, creative, maddening city. Put it on your holiday wishlist or give it. Or both! 

photo credits: Brandon Stanton

 - Did you know the rate of loneliness has doubled in the US over the last 30 years? After reading Gretchen Rubin's interesting post on loneliness, I've added the book Lonely to my reading list. You might remember from this post that, though the transcontinental move here was welcomed and lovely, it felt like it sent me for an extended stay in Lonely-ville.  It's been daunting to start from scratch to find a whole new tribe of friends and to help my kids do the same. I like and agree with the seven strategies she discusses.

 - How to say goodbye at the end of a party. Are you in the hug-and-farewell contingent or the sneak-quietly-out camp?  (More about this here, too.)

 - I got such a kick out of that Saturday Night Live spoof of Wes Anderson movies (a la Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Royal Tenenbaums) that they titled "The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders." Did you see it?

So spot on--my only gripe is that I wish it were a real film, ha! Here's the fascinating inside scoop on how they made it (via Longreads).
 
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Have a great weekend, all! See you back here on Monday.