Sunday Surf: From Fun to Serious and Back Again

I am 38 years old today. I've had no special plans. I kind of hoped someone would whisk me away to have sushi for lunch, but I didn't really voice that until yesterday. I got most of my presents before today though I have one coming in the mail and another friend I'll see soon to exchange (we share a birthday). I got some cool goodies, but had a bit of a rough day otherwise. My birthday cake (which I bake myself) did, at least, turn out perfect! Oh, you wanted LINKS in my Sunday Surf? Alright then...

• I have a journal over on Live Journal. From there, I'm in a community called Handmade Gifts. All year long, people post looking for help with gifts as well as posting gift ideas and tutorials. I've gotten some great ones there. Well this week someone posted a link to Kind Over Matter Freebies. At first I thought the post looked like spam, but I checked it out and there are some really cool printables! I printed out the "Compliments for you or your Coworkers" and left it on the bulletin board in the break room on my last day. I thought it was a nice goodbye gift to leave behind. I am sure you can find a project on this page that you'll like! And guess what... they're free!
  
  
• I'm sure I saw it linked from someone's Facebook, but Shots, NPR's Health Blog published an article this week entitled Virus Passed During Oral Sex Tops Tobacco As Throat Cancer Cause. I'm usually a bit vulnerable to such scare tactics as such articles use, but honestly... I feel like this is just another way to get more people to pay for a vaccine. The article is actually partner content from Kaiser Health News. Based on this article, they're now saying men may also benefit from the vaccine against Cervical Cancer. What a great way to expand your market! In fact, some of the research is funded by Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes Gardasil.
  
  
• During the holidays, several mom blogs were posting information, articles, warnings, "how to deal" articles regarding TSA pat downs and scans. Even though I haven't flown anywhere since... business trips I took in the early 1990's, I read all of the articles with fascination and a bit of heartbreak. Mothers have truly been wronged on some occasions, as have children. So I simply had to share this short article from BoingBoing. Mind you, I'm not terribly familiar with BoingBoing, but I get the impression it is news brought to you in a slightly more fun attitude or at least less stuffy than most sources. Alaska state rep refuses TSA grope of her mastectomy scars, drives home from Seattle. Reading the comments may get you riled, but otherwise the article is short and to the point.
  
  
• This next link is the sort of thing that might change lives. Somehow it is extra moving when you realize a man wrote it. I think because it is rare that you see men get passionate about this sort of thing (publicly). I think I got this Link from a friend on Facebook and you should definitely read The disease called "Perfection".
  
  
• Through a link I got from Hobo Mama on Facebook, I found Mila's Daydreams. This woman takes the most gorgeous photos of her daughter while she naps! These things are REALLY cool! Her images have been stolen all over the internet, though. She is going to put out a BOOK, though! (Yes, these photos are that good!)

I hope you found several links of interest here this week! I was pleased with these sites as they crossed my reading path. After all, I thought they were good enough to share with you!