Have Your Smelling Salts at the Ready.

You may find this shocking, but sometimes -- only on very rare occasions -- I like to look at things on the Internet...things that are not exactly library-related. When you get over the shock, visit some of the following websites, why don't you?

Letters of Note posts letters from famous people -- scans of the letters, plus transcripts in case of messy famous people handwriting. Letters are so personal that you can't help but learn something new when you read them. This one from David Bowie is one of my favorites.

Word Journal gives you handy definitions of words you probably haven't heard before. You'll have to go there to find out what "griffonage" is.

Missed Connections is a new favorite. Sophie Blackall reads the "missed connections" columns, where people post messages to people they felt a fleeting kinship with (usually on public transportation), then illustrates them.

Don't be afraid of the name: Sexy People posts funny Olan Mills-esque portraits of people from the past. Like this gal:


Fancy Fast Food makes me gag a little, but it's still pretty fascinating. These people buy regular old fast food, then transform it into new food using no new ingredients. Click here to see how a meal from Steak 'n Shake ended up as beef stroganoff.

If there's anything you've recently found that you want to share, leave a comment for us!