Links: Hogwarts, Outlander, & Wildlife

Happy Wednesday to everyone! I hope you’re enjoying a good book and enjoying some nice weather. Here are some neat links to kill that mid-week slump!

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Thanks to author Rhoda Baxter for telling us about The Setup Wizard, a parody account written from the point of view of Hogwarts’ IT guy:

First day on the job.

Where in the world do I begin? Hello, my name is Jonathan Dart and, as of today, I am officially the IT guy at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

You read that correctly. It took them until 2016, but both students and staff alike have finally caved and demanded that their cell phones work on school grounds, and with that request they had to find a “muggle” (a term I’m quickly learning to detest) to install wifi and maintain any technology that functions on school grounds.

So let’s make this clear to any wizards, witches, or IT muggles allowed into their circle out there. I just entered this “wizarding world” 3 days ago. This is all entirely new to me. I’m writing this because I’ve learned through the grapevine that other magical schools are planning on making the same jump, and I’m hoping my experiences can help other outsiders down the road.

As its my first day I really don’t have much advice to give. All I can do is stand here and wonder to myself what the hell I was thinking. For the record, I’m typing this on my iPhone while I ride a magic staircase. They better have beer in this world because I’m going to need a drink tonight.

I’ve always wondered about the lack of cell phones and computers at Hogwarts. Definitely read the posts in order!

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We’re also announcing an upcoming feature, tentatively called Squee from the Keeper Shelf. Reader Mary had a great idea:

Thanks to you and the Bitchery for continuing to provide us with such great content and entertainment! In looking at the guest reviews, I wondered if it could be possible to have a semi-regular feature where readers submit reviews of their fave/keeper shelf romances? Sort of a best of the best Squeeathon 🙂

Sarah: I love this idea! So we’re going to do a monthly “Squee from the Keeper Shelf” feature where we share the reasons we love a book that resides permanently on the keeper shelf. There’s no requirement that the book be recent; some of my keepers are sentimental reads from 1987 (Hey Blaze Wyndham, how YOU doin?). The only guidelines are that it be a romance, and that, if possible, you give a heads up as to any content in the book that might really upset someone. Want to join the fun? Just email your Keeper Squee to Sarah!

It’s more than just ‘I love this book;’ we want to know why you keep that particular book, possibly through moves and downsizing and thinning the collection of books (such a difficult task). Why do you love it, and why do you keep it? We want to know!

We want to know which romances (or books with strong romantic elements) mean the most to you, and we’ll be running this feature once a month. So please share with us what you love about the books you keep close to you, and why!

Specifications: Google docs are the easiest in terms of submissions, and if you want to include photos or gifs, be sure to provide links! While Google Drive is wonderful, it hasn’t yet enabled us to save images from a Google document.

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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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Elyse has discovered that Hot Topic and Torrid is going to begin carrying Outlander-inspired fashion:

According to Nerdist, the pieces in Torrid’s collection are “specifically designed to fit and flatter women who wear sizes 10 to 30.” Hot Topic offers sizes extra small through 3XL. The line is full of small details for die-hard fans — like the Fraser clan’s iconic tartan And some classic quotes we all know and love.

Seriously, click through and look at the photos. I need that cape in my life!

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A note from Sarah: I’m getting closer to launching my online course about calendar organization and time management.

I know many of you found my series on Google Calendar useful for your own schedules. The course is an expanded, more intensive version of that series designed to help you organize your time and your daily, weekly, and monthly agenda.

I’ve been sending out tips and step-by-step instructions for specific organization and time management strategies through the Organization Academy mailing list. 

I know many of you have found them helpful, especially the recent links to donation services that pick items up from your house, and customizing the view on your desktop calendar. Please sign up if you’d like weekly suggestions on how to better organize your time and schedule. You’ll also get information about the course when it’s ready.

 My goal is to help you get rid of that can’t-catch-up, overwhelmed feeling we all dislike so much and make room for the things you want to do. Like, maybe… reading a ton of books!

And if you’ve got questions, you can always email me.

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Did you know there’s a Comedy Wildlife Photography Award? I didn’t:

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, ingeniously titled to avoid any confusion, was the result of two factors: Firstly, a need for a photography competition that was light hearted, upbeat, possibly unpretentious and mainly about wildlife doing funny things. After its first year, these objectives seem to have been met. Secondly, and way more importantly, this competition is about conservation.

The animals are all so cute and I can only imagine the patience it takes to get one of these shots. Now, if only they’d sell these gems as prints!

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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!