It’s Wednesday Links time! Is it lunch time? Are you eating and reading at your desk? Is it time to go home yet?
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This following article was sent to my by one of my friends and I promptly shared it everywhere because it’s awesome – “In Defense of Villainesses” from the Tor.com blog:
We love her and we hate her in equal measure. We feel that way because she revels in being all the things that we are told we aren’t allowed to be. She is confident, and she has wrinkles, and her nose isn’t a formless nonthreatening comma in the middle of an ill-defined wide-eyed face—it’s a knife, or an arrow, or a scythe. She frowns. Everyone in the audience and on the internet wants to talk about whether or not she’s sexy but they’re asking the wrong questions and she’s laughing at them for it. She wears bright colors, nonprimary colors that coordinate with her green skin or her purple eyeshadow. She’s too good for this game, too smart for her boss, tired of getting stepped on. She gets mad and she gets even.
It gives me new appreciation for villainesses and after I finished reading, I was empowered af.
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Redheadedgirl passed this video around and I warn you, do not watch while eating or drinking:
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For those who love history and fashion, NPR profiles a rare French dress from the 1700s:
In Paris, a really old dress has sold for more than $150,000. Now, if that sounds like an unreasonably high price tag, keep this in mind: The 1730s dress is in mint condition, it might have been worn at Versailles, and it was part of a fashion revolution.
Admittedly, it looks pretty comfortable and I wouldn’t mind lounging around in it. But not for over $150,000.
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We have a new recommendation feature debuting in this post. Sometimes we have things we love that don’t warrant a review but are so useful we want to spread the word. Special note: the link is affiliate coded so if you use it, many thanks! And if you’ve got something to suggest, please email Sarah!
Miniature charge cables
These mini cables are terrific for keeping in your bag to plug in your battery backup. They're 5" long and don't take up any room or get tangled, and they weigh nothing. There is an Android set and an iPhone set.
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Don’t forget to share what super cool things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
I spend so much time thinking about female villains. My big ambition is to write the story where the villainess who’s smarter than the hero wins the day and gets away with it. But I’m not quite there yet.
A friend of mine had linked me to that villainess article and it was both eye opening and fabulous. I maintain that this dates back to Clytemnestra and before–nothing was scarier to a patriarchal society than a strong woman with a will of her own.
That video is amazing.
The video is from 2004 and everyone on the internet is sharing it like crazy.
That being said it is entertaining.
Yup. Women just walking around in full ownership and control of their reproductive organs, with their own opinions and autonomy?! Freaking terrifying.
Heh heh.
Mary Carillo’s rant is timeless. I grew up with tree seeking shuttlecocks. We were daring enough to throw horse shoes, basketballs and hammers among other things at them. I think our theory was the heavier the better. We were a stupidly daring lot as children 40 years ago. lol. Needless to say my mother put a halt to our attempts before someone ended up with stitches or at the very least a concussion. My mother earned every one of her gray hairs.
I love Mary Carillo. (That’s all. Thanks for letting me share.)
@Lora, it’s still true today. I’m planning on making t-shirt that says “Danger! Woman with fully engaged upper brain functions.”
Also, yes, that is exactly like every game of backyard badminton I’ve ever played.
I thank you, RHG, for introducing me to Mary Carillo, which I’d never heard about before today. Over here http://deadspin.com/lets-relive-mary-carillos-great-american-badminton-ra-1520537732/1520820915, there’s Carillo explaining how that rant happened, AND the like to the salute to Guido the Zamboni Guy. Watch the last section if nothing else.
Frixon highlighters are also great! We carefully “erased” all my daughter’s textbook highlights and got the best return price on them.
The regular Frixon are used on fabric for marking because they disappear when ironed. NOTE disappear is not removed! They will return in very cold weather, so take care. I keep their use to internal areas.
I was crying from this rant! This was so beautiful. Why can’t she still be doing olympics coverage. It would be soooo much better than Bob Costas “no one knew who you were before you won gold” to Simone Biles.
Re villainesses who own their story and get away with getting what they want, may I suggest the short story “Cinderella’s Secret Dream” by Ena Lucia Portela? Cinderella + telenovelas.
THAT VIDEO WAS AWESOME!!!!! As is the post! Love!
Love Mary Carillo!!!!!! I also wish she could do more Olympic coverage, rather than stupid Bob Costas. I feel like she’s more involved in the winter Olympics?
I really loved childhood badminton, but it is NOTHING like how they play it on an Olympic level.
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