A Colorful Weekly Link Round-Up

 

It's been another "interesting" week here at Casa Kittling. I won't go into details, but some of the most interesting bits have concerned the UK revenue folks telling me that, they know Denis is dead, but they sent him too much money and they want it back. And if that wasn't enough, I'm in the midst of trying to find someone... anyone... at the medical supply company and my health insurance who knows their gluteus maximus from their cubitus. Onwards and upwards, folks! (And I promise-- no more Latin.)

Those of you who took a look at my Christmas decorations may remember a bright Christmas tree area rug on the kitchen floor. You may even be wondering if I decided that Christmas would be year round in that particular room. I'm happy to say that I managed to bundle up Christmas and put down a brand-new rug. One that's bright and cheerful and makes me smile every time I see it. Here's the new rug.

I've gone with a bit of a Mexican floral theme in the kitchen and family room, and I kept the little tree so I can change its theme from time to time. (Right now, the tree has hearts and hummingbirds on it.) I've also brought in treasured items that bring me pleasure to look at. In other words, these are all one of my weapons against depression, and while they may not be 100% successful, the smiles they bring certainly help.

Virtual hugs to you all-- especially those of you who have your own battles to fight! Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Six small press editors explain why the hottest new thing in lit is out-of-print books.
• Mattel and Alex Aster team up for the Barbie young adult novel, Barbie: Dreamscape.
• What character are you in a traditional English murder mystery?
• How should a book stack be?
• Andrea Mara on writing suburban crime fiction in the age of social media and digital surveillance.
• Science fiction warned AI could end humanity. We may soon learn if it's possible.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• Archaeologists say they've unearthed a massive medieval cargo ship that's the largest vessel of its kind ever found.
• A monumental tomb discovered in Turkey might be of a member of King Midas' family.
• The story of Carthage isn't necessarily what the Romans committed to history. (None of us should be very surprised.)
• You can now see 750-year-old artifacts recovered from England's oldest shipwreck.
• A site in Pompeii reveals the recipe for Roman concrete. It contradicts a famous architect's writings.
• Why are there so many shipwrecks in the Great Lakes?

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• Six of the most loyal dogs throughout history.
• Some dogs are "gifted word learners" that learn language by eavesdropping-- just like human toddlers.
• Incredibly rare mountain gorilla twins have been born in Virunga.
• How scientists learn from the masters of invisibility: octopuses.
• Coyotes mate for life-- and grieve when their partner dies.
• Is the cassowary really the world's most dangerous bird?

►The Wanderer◄

• The adventures of America's most well-traveled bookstore.
• The most unusual regions of each US state.
• Archaeologists are using laser to clean decades of grime off a towering 1,800-year-old marble column in Rome.
• The ten best books about travel of 2025.
• Take a literary pilgrimage to Jane Austen's England.
• The kingdom of books.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• Where are all the women? Discover why women disappear from digital history and what can be done to change it.
• Samuel Green freed himself and others from slavery. Then he was imprisoned over owning a book.
• Months before Rosa Parks made headlines, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat for a white woman on a segregated bus.
• How Nick Benson crowdsourced more than 500 dashcams for Minneapolis to film ICE.
• Scott Adams, the controversial cartoonist behind Dilbert, has died at the age of 68.
• How women in New Jersey gained-- and lost-- the right to vote more than a century before the 19th Amendment granted suffrage nationwide. 

►I ♥ Lists◄

• Three novels featuring powerful aunts.
• The Rights of Nature: a reading list.
• Crafting cozies for winter.
• Seven mysteries set in the southwestern United States. 
• Can you name all ten of these Disney movies from the '60s?
• These are the most wishlisted mysteries and thrillers of 2025.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!