ADMISSION

Sometimes I find a song that I get obsessed with and I listen to it over and over and over on repeat. I know - so annoying, right? And usually they are overly-sentimental songs that totally bother other people. These are the latest 3 songs that I have had on repeat (my poor roommates - I try to keep the volume down).

3: Adele's Someone Like You (this one lasted for multiple walks home from the metro)

2: Fun's We Are Young (I still love this one. Don't judge.)

1: Jason Mraz's I Won't Give Up (most recent)

SWEET MOVIE

Really sweet video for some Valentine's inspiration...
 
via Design Mom

A SLOTH IS COMING TO MY HOUSE

Seriously one of the funniest things ever. Love it.

ONLINE MAGS?

Open publication - Free publishing

Are you into online magazines? I have to say I was a bit dubious. One of my favorite parts of the day is going to check the mail (without locking myself out - don't ask) and seeing one my magazines stuffed in the little box. Even though I'm a poor graduate student I have figured out a way through Coke Rewards to get some of the magazines that I love (I steal other peoples' points and use them - thanks, Mom, for collecting some of them for me!). I currently get Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor for...well, for free!

Anyway, lately I have seen a lot of online mags popping up and have checked out a few of them. I just found one that I am absolutely in love with! It's called Matchbook and you can find it at www.matchbookmag.com.  So many awesome items, stories, interviews and pictures!

The best part about online magazines? You see something you like and just click on it to get to the actual website where it is being sold. Can we say DANGER?!? Okay, couple of friends who bother to look at my blog...do you have any other favorite mags I can look up? I also like Rue and have a couple others on my list to look up, but this one is my fave so far.

MY LOVE FOR TOMS

Did you know TOMS now sells sunglasses and flats??? Oh how I wish I had money. If I did, these babies would be on my list:

I pretty much love all of them. You can find more here. Enjoy!

THOUGHTS FROM AN ASPIRING DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONER #2

So disturbed recently by this issue going on in Egypt. The fact that the new government raided NGO offices focused on governance and democracy is totally unacceptable. I don't know if they realized what an outcry the whole situation would cause, but they aren't doing themselves any favors. It's just so disturbing that they are now looking to charge these NGO workers with criminal activity. Doesn't it make you look suspicious when you target well-respected NGOs that are in your country to make sure your elections are free and fair? Hmmm...

A quote from the article:


"We've operated for 30 years, everywhere from (dictator Augusto) Pinochet's Chile to Nicaragua, to the Soviet Union when it was the Soviet Union, to Central Europe, to Indonesia under Suharto," he (IRI President Lorne Craner) said. "We work in China, Belarus. This has never, ever happened in the 30 years where we get out offices raided. And Egypt is supposed to be an American friend."


Just another testament to the fact that the life of a development practitioner is anything but predictable.

THOUGHTS FROM AN ASPIRING DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONER #1

How do you know you are being immersed in development theory? When your first thought upon seeing students trying to raise money outside of a metro station so they can go to New Orleans and help build houses is "That money would be much better used to hire local people to build those houses. More effective than wasting it on flights and transaction costs for a short-term volunteer project. Would definitely be more helpful to the local community."

This is my world.