The best thing I've heard all week

“Anpanman spends most of his time running around, saving starving children by letting them take bites out of his oh-so-delicious head.”

The lack of context might make it even better. But now you have to keep reading, right?

Image: sugoiidolkiss.blogspot.com

Pink houses, please

I’m not usually a pink person, but there’s something about seeing a pink house that’s instantly exciting. Don’t you think?









Pink houses generate a lot of questions, too. What kind of people live inside? Did they paint the house themselves, or did it come that way? Is everything pink on the inside, too?








Austin has some pink houses, especially in Hyde Park, near where I live. Lots of the houses are different colors there, which makes me think that the group of people as a whole living in the neighborhood must be really interesting. (That, and a lot of them have couches and all manners of
other indoor furniture on their porches and front yards.)







Have you ever known anyone that lives in a pink house? If you ever trick-or-treated at a pink house, did they give out homemade treats instead of mini Snickers? It seems like they might.

Images: 1. soulfulabode.com, 2. houzze.com, 3. still from Edward Scissorhands, 4. housekaboodle.com, 5. unknown, 6. bluebirdvintage.typepad.com

Style School: Why beauty oils are the best

Do you use oils as part of your beauty routine? Every time I tell someone about the oils I use, they give me this look like they’re trying to be polite but are actually really grossed out.

But guess what? Your skin and scalp produce oils as a sort of natural protective barrier. And when you try to get rid of them by rubbing astringent all over your face or washing your hair every single day, your body actually works harder to produce more oils. I should know: My skin is super oily, and for years I tried to get rid of the slick with astringent or witch hazel or those oil-absorbing sheets. They made my skin feel tight and dry for about five minutes, and then the oil was back.

I’m not saying you should start rubbing coconut oil all over your face. (Though if you have superdry skin, that could be a big help.) Moderate to oily skin tends to benefit from lighter oils that more closely
resemble the type of oil our own body produces. My favorite is jojoba oil: I actually put it on a cotton ball to take off my makeup (BB cream, blush, eyeliner, and mascara) at night, then rinse my face with warm water. When I wake up in the morning, I splash my face with more warm water and I’m good to go for the day. That’s it!

Other great oils: Neutrogena Body Oil for when you get out of the shower—it absorbs into your skin almost immediately and leaves it feeling really soft. It smells really delicate and clean, too. And if you’re looking for a clean, fresh scent, try a few dabs of white musk essential oil. It’s so much lighter and more refreshing (and way cheaper) than perfumes.

Image: TheLane.com

Are you a dog or cat person?

Have you ever seen a happier creature?

Usually when people ask about being a cat or dog person,
they’re asking about which animal you like better. And my answer’s always the
same: Dog! Dogs are loyal, loving, and ridiculously silly (plus, they’re always
crazy excited to see EVERYONE). Whenever I see a dog—which is often, because I
seem to have a dog radar that makes me notice them automatically—I always feel
happy because it makes me think of my own dog, Charlie (a dog like no other).

Typical cat. Watch out!

But then—and maybe this is weird—I started looking at the
dog or cat person another way. Which animal am I more like? Obviously, cat. I keep to myself, I’m a little bit
lazy, and it takes a lot to get me even mildly excited. When I realized this, I
was sort of struck by the fact that I love dogs so much when I’m so different from
them. Usually, dog owners tend to be more active, friendly, and outgoing, like
their pups. And the stereotypical cat owner is, you know, kind of weird.

I’m wondering if I’m the only sort of opposite animal
person. Are you more drawn to dogs or cats? Does your preference match your own
personality?

Image credits: http://dowhattowhosedog.tumblr.com/, http://vi.sualize.us/serious_cat_photography_animals_picture_68tz.html

Hello.