Image: Mashable, Bob Al-Greene Amy Dickinson doesn’t think herself a know-it-all, and she doesn’t pretend to be. That’s why she’s so good at her job. She’s been a popular advice columnist for “Ask Amy” for more than a decade. She’s funny, self-aware and more open than you’d ever expect. Her responses to personal letters reach millions in syndication throughout the U.S. But what makes her qualified to give advice? She’s just like you and me. “I have a bachelor’s degree in English literature,” Dickinson laughs. “But aside from that, you might learn I have five children, I have grandchildren, I’m a stepmother, I was a single mom, I grew up in poverty … I’ve really been paying attention.” Dickinson is part of a crop of modern-day advice columnists who follow in the grand tradition of people like “Dear Abby” and “Ann Landers” — pseudonyms that entered people’s homes in the 1940s and ’50s and quickly became family legacies and national institutions. But as we hurtle deeper into the Internet age, today’s most popular columnists — from “Ask Amy” to “Dear Sugar” to “Dear Prudence” — are entering the field in totally different ways. And they’re all evolving the advice column for a contemporary audience hungry for intimacy and tough love. In this letter, Dickinson lets a woman have it for not inviting her sister out, simply because her sister didn’t fit in and wasn’t an avid churchgoer: Dear Sad: First, let’s establish that I agree with your sister: You are a horrible person. Obviously, you can do whatever you want and associate with — or exclude — whomever you want, but you don’t get to do this and also blame the person you are excluding for not “fitting in.” The only way your sister would ever fit in would be for you to make room for her. You are unwilling to do that, and that is your choice. But her being upset is completely justified, and you’ll just have to live with that. Perhaps this is something you could ponder from your church pew, because despite your regular attendance, you don’t seem to have learned much. Today’s columnists aren’t trying to be experts; in fact, they’re transparent about their flaws. At the end of the day, that might be their greatest qualification. Prepping to take calls on Thanksgiving tomfoolery for @onpointradio #butterballhotline pic.twitter.com/W4NgeqxlPc — Amy Dickinson (@AskingAmy) November 26, 2014 Dickinson had a variety of jobs before she became one of the foremost advice columnists in the nation: NBC producer, freelance writer, TIME columnist focused on family living. When that column discontinued, she applied to take over “Ann Landers,” the popular Chicago Tribune advice series run by the late Eppie Lederer. To stand out from the hundreds of unsolicited applications, Dickinson wrote sample clips and became the clear favorite for the job. The Trib ran her first column on July 20, 2003. Her first decision: no pseudonym. She admits attaching her real name to the column was a little self-serving […]
On your clothes, between your couch cushions or tossed in drawers — everywhere you go, you’ve got sew many buttons. Buttons are not just a cheap and accessible craft supply, they’re also a trendy item that’s taking over DIY boards on Pinterest. These versatile tools are a must-have item in any craft kit. With so many colors, sizes and styles available in your stockpile, it’s easy to look cute as a button. Button DIY Projects 1. Paperclips Add some pizzazz to your office supplies, or use them as bookmarks. Image: Etsy CraftyBitzandBobz 2. Bookmarks Some pretty ribbon fastened with a covered button is a charming way to keep your place in your current novel. Image: Etsy frolickingleaves 3. Thumbtacks Dress up your cork boards with some tiny pops of color. Image: @inspiredbycharm on Instagram 4. Magnets If your refrigerator is looking a bit drab lately, pin your important papers and notes with cute, colorful dots. Image: Erlend Johansen Morning Creativity 5. Bobby Pins Add an accent to your ‘do by adding fashionable buttons to your functional bobby pins. Image: Etsy MyKookieJar 6. Belt Dress up any outfit with a quirky belt of buttons. Image: Erlend Johansen Morning Creativity 7. Buttoned Infinity Scarf Give your old scarf an update by turning it into a stylish buttoned infinity scarf. Image: P.S. Heart 8. Vintage Button Bracelet Lace together vintage buttons for a pretty, new accessory. Image: Drew Scott Scrappy Happiness 9. Covered Button Earrings Covered buttons are a cheap, easy way to wear buttons without looking like a little kid. Image: Etsy CraftbyCandlelight 10. Vintage Button Ring Turn that stray vintage button you found at the thrift shop into a fashionable ring. Image: Etsy TheWitchingHour 11. Vintage Button Statement Necklace Or, stack a ton of buttons for a runway-worthy statement necklace. Image: Etsy DalstonLane 12. Shoes Arrange some colorful buttons for a pair a shoes that will add some spring in your step. Image: Alexa Westerfield I Love To Creae 13. Embellished Pillow You can arrange buttons to easily create any kind of customized shape. Image: Kathy Lewinski Just Crafty Enough 14. Framed Wall Art Some buttons are so beautiful, they need to be displayed as a work of art. Image: Amy Anderson Mod Podge Rocks 15. Clock Clocks are a snap to make. Take a clock kit and am embroidery hoop from your local craft store and use buttons as your clock face. Image: Jessica Van Den Epheriell Designs 16. Giant Wall Buttons Turn patterned plastic plates into oversized wall buttons — perfect for any craft room or work space. Image: Jen Kluftinger Drawings Under The Table 17. Lamp Shade Just a few buttons are all it takes to dress up a plain lamp shade. Image: Lesley Warren Chaotically Creative 18. Woven Coaster Make coasters that all your party guests will notice with colorful embroidery floss and plastic buttons. Image: Linda Permann Craft Stylish Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/08/17/button-diy/
Traveling to North Korea? There’s an app for that. The number of travel apps on the market increases every day, making it difficult for digital travel companies to stand out. But Uniquely.Travel may have hit a nerve with its focus on guides to controversial destinations. The company’s first app, North Korea Travel, costs 99 cents and is available for iOS and Android. It claims to be “the most comprehensive guide to North Korea ever written,” according to the website — and wants to show you “just how much of North Korea is open to foreigners.” The information in the app was provided in large part by Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours. Koryo is one of the few companies authorized by the North Korean government to provide tours to foreigners. Although the app includes detailed descriptions about sites and attractions, tourists are limited in what they can do with the information. Although it is possible to enter the country at any time of year, the government decides which destinations are and are not allowed at any given time. The app’s primary purpose appears to be to motivate more tourism to the country: Tour prices and comparisons are available within the app. Uniquely.Travel project manager Chad O’Carroll told the Washington Post the app was developed both for tourists traveling to North Korea and for “armchair travelers.” “We tried to be as transparent as possible about the ethical dilemma involved in travel to North Korea,” O’Carroll told the Post. In April, the Pyongyang marathon allowed amateur foreign runners to participate for the first time, leading to increased interest. North Korea is only the first controversial destination app for the British company, which has plans to launch digital guides for Iran, Burma and Libya by fall 2014. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/05/07/north-korea-travel-app/
