Links: Jim C. Hines, The Landmark Trust, and Relaxation Techniques

Happy Wednesday! It’s time for some links. Big thanks to all you awesome readers for sending me cool stuff to feature! Please, keep ’em coming!

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From Reader Susan, who sent me a link to Jim C. Hines’ blog, in which he swapped the genders of characters in passages from scifi/fantasy novels:

While Mr. Douglas was speaking freely on a subject he knew little about, Jane C. Henshaw, LL.B, M.D., Sc.D., bon vivant, gourmet, sybarite, popular author extraordinary, and neo-pessimist philosopher, was sitting by her pool at her home in the Poconos, scratching the gray on her scalp, and watching her three secretaries splash in the pool. They were all amazingly beautiful; they were also amazingly good secretaries. In Henshaw’s opinion the principle of least action required that utility and beauty be combined.

Andy was blond, Martin red-headed, and Dean dark; they ranged, respectively, from pleasantly plump to deliciously slender. Their ages spread over fifteen years, but it was hard to tell which was the eldest.

The first post was presented without comment, but Part II has a few of Hines’ thoughts on his experiment.

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Thanks to Reader Jazzlet for the link to The Landmark Trust, which sounds pretty amazing and cool. This is what Jazzlet had to say:

The Landmark Trust is a British charity, which rescues buildings of architectural significance and turns them into places you can take a holiday. You can get your own Georgian or Regency house, castles, country cottages from the smallest to the grandest, or even stay at Hampton Court Palace! You can stay in old industrial buildings like a mine engine house, water towers and a railway station. You can stay in a variety of follies or in military buildings like a Martello tower or one of several chapels. They are furnished in the style of the building from simple to sumptuous, rustic to elegant and are located from the remotest countryside to the middle of London. Even if you are never going to be able to stay in one the website gives you a chance to take a virtual holiday.

Be forewarned that just browsing the site will give you a series case of wanderlust.

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Sarah: New t-shirt for fun and one less day of laundry? Sure!

We have a few SBTB T-shirts in the Zazzle store, including the very popular Bad Decisions Book Club shirt, and the TEAM DFTG shirt –  as it says in the description, “when you’re reading a book and you can’t believe a character is choosing that guy, even if he’s the hero, you’re on our team: Team Don’t F*#! That Guy.”

But we have a new shirt I’m very proud of: WTAF, the radio station for all of us who are confused and asking… what the actual fuck is happening right now.

WTAF – Retro Logo Tee Shirt by SBTBLLC

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Self-care is so important! If you’re struggling to find ways to take a break to relax or if you want to change up your usual routine, Upworthy has 101 ways to take care of yourself:

I think that, for most of us, there are times in life when it all just feels like Too Much. There may be some days, weeks, months, maybe even years when — for whatever reason — just getting through the day or going to work or putting one foot in front of the other feels hard. Really, really hard.

Maybe it’s because you’re wrestling with anxiety, depression, or some other mental illness. Maybe it’s because you’ve had your heart broken. Maybe you’ve gone through a physical or emotional trauma. Maybe you’re deeply grieving. Or maybe there’s no easily understood reason for why you’re feeling bad.

Whatever the case, I want you to know that it’s OK if you’re going through a tough time.

This doesn’t make you any less lovable, worthy, or capable. This just means you’re human. Being a human can be a messy, hard, confusing, painful experience sometimes.

I’d also like to note that the list is written by a therapist and it’s full of some really great suggestions.

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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!