Friday Link Roundup: The Art of Book Covers

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Friday Link Round Up. I have "scoured" the Internet this "week" for the "best" links from around "the" web. Today we have videos of world-class drummer and comedian Fred Armisen, a lovely site showcasing the art of book covers, and an article about the myths of multi-tasking.

As always, I have tried to find something to help everyone. Yay!

A Video Guide to Fred Armisen's Pre-'SNL' Years
Some of these videos are harmless and some are highly offensive. I don't know your personal taste so I can't tell you more than that except really don't watch the home movie versions of the Self-Defense character.

The Book Cover Archive
Love this.

How to Customize Your Computer's Batter Warnings and Avoid Surprise Laptop Death
It's happened to all of us.

What Multi-tasking Does to Our Brains
Hint: It's not "makes you more productive."

Six Word Stories
Clever site. However, not all of the words are always appropriate.

What did you find on the web this week?

play on, miles!

Lisa came home this morning from Miles' college and career planning meeting with some good news and some bad news! The good news is that Miles scored very highly in the performing arts! The bad news is that Miles scored very highly in the performing arts! And in other news: Miles hates the performing arts.

You can understand my trepidation in seeing any of my children go into the performing arts because I, myself, have chosen this path and have been witness to so much crashing and burning. You know how everyone secretly thinks they are a great singer? (admit it.) Everyone also secretly thinks they would be a fantastic actor (under the right conditions.) But the truth is, most people aren't fantastic singers or actors. And this is how it should be! The world needs accountants and gym teachers and data-entry people, probably more than it needs a bunch of indulgent actors.

But I guess we were a little disappointed when Miles' career counselor recommended the performing arts for him, because he seems too smart for it. He is capable of so much more! He's a sharp graphic designer and I've never seen anyone more comfortable and adept with a computer. Bear in mind, of course, that he's in the eighth grade and probably none of this career guidance matters yet. But I always wanted him to be so left brained. I wanted him to make some money and pay for all of my performing arts. C'est la vie!

Of course I'm reminded of the time I scheduled an appointment at BYU with a career guidance counselor who had me take a test which would tell me what careers I was best suited for. After taking the test I returned a week later for a follow-up appointment. The guidance counselor seemed really cagey and embarrassed. Turns out, the computer program recommended my number one occupational fit to be "circus performer." Secondary options included "teacher" and "lawyer." I can't imagine that counselor had to recommend circus performance to too many students. But I'm just really special, and apparently aerobatic.

So I'm not going to sweat Miles' proclivities for the arts. It could be worse, I guess, but I'm not sure how. Poetry, maybe? He insists he doesn't want to act, and he hates singing, so I'm just going to bank on computer programming and communication design until one day, when he's sixteen, he comes home and tells me he's going to play Jubilation T. Cornpone in the Timpview High School production of Lil Abner, and I'm going to smile and say congrats, and then hide in my room for a while.