It is my birthday. I am 33 years old today! I love my job, and I love all of my weird librarians and archivists in their sexy glasses, and today I am PARTICULARLY filled with gratitude for the undeserved goodness of my life.
For my birthday, if you’re so moved, could you find some cause you believe in and give them five bucks? And maybe tell us what that cause is? And if you don’t have a cause you really love, I wouldn’t object if you picked my own pet cause, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (to refresh your memory), because as someone who found herself suddenly and embarrassingly swamped by a VERY unexpected urge towards God a few months ago, their (secular) work is everything I want to see in this world: goodness, forgiveness, hope, meaningful reconciliation, and the complete absence of judgment.
I am sneaking the news of my conversion to Christianity into the roundup today because my father is in Delft right now, and I am dreading telling him, and I know he won’t be reading The Toast this week, so please don’t bring it up ever again in the comments after he gets back! HOW BRAVE MY SOUL IS FOR CHRIST!
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You know what God DOESN’T like? Any suggestion that His precious and beloved child Idris Elba is “too street” to be James Bond. This marks an end to God discussion in this link roundup. You may post your preferred Idris images in the comments at this time.
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Grace Jones’ memoir is HAPPENING:
Shaving my head led directly to my first orgasm. This is because I am fairly sure that the man I had my first orgasm with was Andre, my hairdresser from Cinandre, a huge salon at 57th Street and Madison Avenue. It was such a revelation, almost traumatic, the very first, that most of the details have been wiped away, other than the tidal rush of feelings, but a little bit of detective work, rummaging through my memories, has led to Andre as the prime suspect. His salon was where I was sent to make sure that when my hair started to grow back I didn’t go ahead and shave it off again.
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I know I let Charlotte down very, very badly last week, and that’s something that’s on my heart and my mind.
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At one Hartford, Conn., school, the first day back looked a bit like a celebration normally reserved for athletes. As students approached Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, they were greeted and asked both their name and grade.
Then their credentials were called out loud before an enthusiastic group of black men who lined both sides of the entrance. As the students walked down the middle of the aisle they were high-fived and given words of encouragement.
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Here is a rap battle from HAMILTON in which Lin-Manuel (who plays Hamilton) switches parts with Daveed Diggs (who plays Jefferson), bc Daveed is obvi a better rapper and deserves to win for once:
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This is Jonathan Groff recreating the time he forgot the words during Spring Awakening, and it is VERY FUNNY:
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Deleted comment of the day:
Tags: feminism, link roundup, the internet
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICOLE
THIS IS PRACTICALLY A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
BUT WHICH NATION?
TOASTLANDIA.
Why, The SEA, of course
Jonathan Groff is such a babe and such an amazing actor. After watching C.O.G., David Sedaris will always be Jonathan Groff.
He’s like a softer, American Eddie Redmayne.
His character on Looking was so frustrating in so many ways, yet you totally understood that two guys found him irresistible, because Groff’s just so goddamn cute.
I thought he [Groff’s character] was frustrating, but at the same time I saw what the other characters saw in him. Man I miss that show.
Finally getting around to watching ‘Looking’ and I just love the candid filming and blue-shifted colors.
I met him at the Hamilton stage door a few weeks ago and he was the sweetest! He was wearing a bike helmet and still managed to be very adorable.
Idris Elba breaking the UK’s “Flying Mile” land speed record in a Bentley.
Too fucking street give me a break.
Incidentally, if you like the idea of Idris Elba playing James Bond, here is a James Bond movie I made up based precisely on that premise!
http://threatquality.com/2013/07/02/worlds-edge-j…
True story: this is one of the results of an image search for “suave person”. Admittedly, waaaay too far down, and lost in a sea of white men, but still.
Also this is the gif of Elba that’s been in my yum folder for ages:
Hot damn! What’s else is in your yum folder?
Wouldn’t you like to know 😉
Yes, yes we would!
Ha, I mostly answered the above because I’m at work right now and can’t access them, and I don’t know by heart. The one of Captain America’s ass is definitely in there, as are several gifs from Roxane’s post about Magic Mike XXL. When I get home I’ll make a list!
“Yum folder” is a great horrible euphemism for vagina.
I just drifted off for a solid minute, distracted by other office supply euphemisms too terrible to bear mentioning.
I sighed like a cartoon character with hearts in her eyes.
Mine is called “Spank Bank” because apparently I am a 14 year old BOY, but I am ashamed to admit that there is not nearly enough Idris Elba in said folder. I’ll have to trawl tumblr when I get home this evening.
GOD
He should be the dictionary definition.
definitely just imagining this is how Idris Elba gets around normally. Driving on the beach with champagne in one hand. Street? Dude doesn’t even use the street.
Tell me that isn’t the most James Bond thing ever said!
(Also Idris Elba in glasses slays me every time.)
Previously in people saying that Elba was unsuited to play a character:
He has a car. Cars go on the street. Therefore,
WAIT THIS MAKES NO SENSE
I’d be really interested to hear more about your conversion experience! (Tell us quickly, while your dad’s in Delft!)
I would also love to hear more about it, Nicole! Maybe you could write about it under a pseudonym? And post the pseudonym here so we’ll know that it’s you? And close the comments on your eventual post so that no one gives you away? This might be too much work…
Hahahaha. I will definitely write about it here, absolutely. I do not think I could successfully fake-out my dad until one of us enters into our ETERNAL REWARD WHICH I NOW BELIEVE IN WHAAAAAT.
Also, if you need to play catch-up, I’ll send over my DC Talk and Audio Adrenaline CDs, and we’ll work you forward from there. We can 86 the Silver Ring Thing, but we’ll definitely want to give you a crash course in Chubby Bunny and submit our tips for surreptitiously making out with the praise band drummer in the stairwell on the ski trip.
I have a couple of back issues of Brio I can throw in.
Mallory’s already got the WOW compilation CDs ready, I’m sure (they are also available on Spotify!)… I can teach you all the motions to all the praise and worship songs, as they are as ingrained of a muscle memory as brushing my teeth.
MODEST IS HOTTEST
Happy Birthday, Nicole!!!
Broadway related: Have ya’ll all seen the Low Budget Milky White tumblr? It’s horrifying and hilarious and where I’ll be spending my morning http://lowbudgetmilkywhites.tumblr.com/
OH MY GOD
I AM SCREAMING WITH LAUGHTER
THIS VIDEO YOU GUYS
oh, bless you for sharing this! I wish I had a photo of Milky from high school, she was a great papier-mache monstrosity…
ME TOO ME TOO. Ours was constantly mistaken for a pig, even though she had an UDDER (e.g. an inflated latex glove painted pink)
OH NO. This reminds me of the time I wore a white sweatsuit to play Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Also, fun fact: my uncle and his partner both worked as low-level set designers at whatever theatre in LA the pre-Broadway workshop/preview of the original production of Into the Woods was at. My uncle painted the original Milky White white.
I also wore a white sweatsuit to play Snoopy. What else were we supposed to wear? 🙂
I almost feel bad for laughing because it seems to be largely high school productions and they’re trying so hard but also this is the best of all tumblrs.
THIS IS WHY THE INTERNET WAS CREATED
Holy shit that is WAY too fantastic. There goes my day 🙂
This is SO MUCH BETTER than what I was imagining, and I was imagining some very funny cows.
MY ROOMMATE’S SCHOOL IS ON HERE IM DYING
Oh lord pillowcase Milky White.
Idris Elba, being the brand ambassador for Tanqueray Gin.
This ad looks so much like he just delivered the worst dad joke. I miss when it was plastered all over Boston, it brought me such joy.
Speaking of dad jokes, we’re all aware of the context of this gif, right? Because it’s pretty much the best, most-dad dad joke imaginable.
No! Do tell.
The whole series actually just got posted in these comments, because the Toast is wonderful and full of wonderful people. LittlestOak posted it.
*dumps out coffee, immediately retrieves tonic & lime from fridge*
This makes me feel better about the six gins I am planning on having the instant I get home from work.
…he can quench my thirst anytime…
*looks around* who said that???
there is definitely a real perverted ghost up in here because I swear I just heard a sigh followed by the words “God, I would let him do unspeakable things to me.”
There’s a three-panel moving billboard directly across from my office window that at one point had that ad campaign on it. One of the three images is him smiling and holding out a G&T as if to offer it to you. Yes, thank you Dris.
Productivity suffered a bit that month, but morale was very high.
ohmigod I didn’t know
well now you do, so you have no excuse
how does one deliver such a bad pun so smoothly
how
Years of dramatic training and a true dedication to his craft.
It’s the best, dad-est joke ever.
Gorgeous creature. Ugh. How does he make a dad joke so hot?
I am laughing, groaning, and swooning at the same time and it’s slightly painful.
That needs a portmanteau word! Lagooning?
Best thing ever?
HB Nicole! Donated to my pal who is raising money for MS, neurological conditions are a cause near to my heart and this was a convenient place to donate.
Thank you!!!
Instead of reading HB as “happy birthday” I read it as “head bitch,” which is also totally applicable to Nicole!
Oh my gosh the John Groff piece makes me so nostalgic, you guys. Spring Awakening is one of my favorite shows and I was in it three years ago exactly and I’m getting really teary-eyed right now. 🙂
Happy birthday, Nicole. I hope this turn around the sun brings you much joy, health, and love.
ALSO HERE IS GROFFSAUCE IN HIS AWESOME PERFORMANCE CHANNELING SUTTON FOSTER AND ALSO RAPPING WITH LIN MANUEL BECAUSE THE MORE ADORABLE VIDEOS OF THE GROFF, THE BETTER.
Happy Birthday Nicole! May your glasses always be sexy and your (friends’) puppies always be cute!
Idris, on a street, about to step on those who would say he is “too street.”
Ah, man, his ability to rock the double-breasted suit is one of the many reasons why I want him to play CK Dexter Haven in my imaginary Philadelphia Story remake.
I never knew I wanted this and now I want it SO BADLY.
Oh CK Dexter HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVEN!
I am **there** for Idris as the new Cary Grant. Any other casting choices you’d care to share with us?
I know literally nothing about this man, but based solely on this photo and that suit, he’s even Bondier than Bond.
This image is canon.
Also, thanks to Nicole for the lovely segue from her conversion to talk of Idris. Gave me a much-needed laugh. Happy birthday Nicole!
Happy birthday, Nicole! I hope your day and year to follow are lovely and happy and joyful.
Who else read this? http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/if-y… I read the whole thing and then I had a reaction of “Wtf did I just read?” What a world we live in. What a world.
I got to this part:
Ten seconds before you throw up, you have to call for the instructors—so they can take a picture of the moment for Facebook.
before I realized my face was stuck permanently like this :DDDDDDDDD
WHAT A WORLD!!
Yesterday, I woke up thinking about Auden’s poem, September 1, 1939, written when he was living in New York, knowing that Europe had just gone to war. There’s a draft up at the British Library right now, because his diary is displayed for that day, and I saw it when I was there a few weeks ago. It contains one of my favorite lines of poetry:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.
The point of this is, today I’ve given less money than I’d like to http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/, and to a community services organization near my house that provides free legal services to asylum seekers, because asylum seekers have no government assistance in America, none at all, including no lawyers for their asylum hearings.
Unpopular Opinion: I really really really don’t want Idris Elba to be James Bond.
…….. Because I like Idris Elba a lot and I’m really not a fan of James Bond.
Happy Birthday, Nicole!
I think you’re in the right venue for that opinion to be totally popular. Idris, blow up Bond and make something new & awesome in his place!
I am not a fan of Bond with the sound on, or really while the plot is happening. Blerg to the gender politics. Blerg to the rest of the politics. Blerg to Idris Elba doing and saying things that are supposed to be glamorous, but make my insides curl up in sadness and horror.
I do enjoy watching, say, Daniel Craig emerging from the sea in his blue swim shorts, like a veritable Venus of masculinity. Or, say, almost any Bond run around in a well-tailored outfit. I would not mind seeing whatever gorgeous still photos emerge from Idris-as-Bond. I will smash anyone who says anyone, Idris especially, is “too street” for anything. But, yeah……….
I will say that “Daniel Craig rising from the sea like a modern-day Venus” is possibly meant as some small recompense for the number of Bond babes relegated to beautiful-scenery status over the years. It is not enough, but I will TAKE IT. To my bunk. I will see y’all later.
See, I don’t get the appeal of Craig. Not even in that shot. Q-as-played-by-Ben-Whishaw however? Unh. I mean, just look at that face:
YES. I just want to run my fingers through all that hair….honestly, he has beautiful hair.
The *best* hair. I kept looking at pictures of him from The Hour for the longest time wondering if I could possibly pull off his haircut there. And no, I don’t think I could because when it came down to it, I really just wanted his stupendous crop of wavy hair.
You’re not the only one. There are others out there with that view.
Not so much a “charity” cause in the same way, but CARE Rescue Texas (you might have seen a video from bigcatderek on vine/instagram/youtube, he works there) is raising money to build new enclosures for their juveniles tiger pair Boomer and Slade (the Teegees), and their juvenile lion pair, Arali and Zubari (the Beebees). The Beebees have Wobbler’s Syndrome, and need a special building added to their enclosure (climate controlled!), and the Teegees need a whole new enclosure to meet the new USDA regulations!
CARE (the Center for Animal Research and Education), is a non profit organization that houses and rescues animals (mostly big cats, but also some lemurs, two llamas, and a coati!) from abuse, abandonment, private collectors, closed zoos, etc etc. You can see their Indiegogo page RIGHT HERE for more info on the project, and check out their website for more info about them and the animals they care for!
(Also check out bigcatderek if you have a chance because GOSH are all those big cats freaking cute. Especially Cassie the cougar and her SQUEAKING.)
Ohhhhhh, those wobbly lion babies are so cute. Ah, just want to hug them.
Does anyone remember the time Idris Elba was photographed with a microphone in his pocket (seriously) but everyone thought it was his massive penis? Those were a beautiful few hours before the truth came out.
JESUS
These photos really tell a story!
Photo 1: Holy crap! Has my D always been this huge?
Photo 2: No, that’s the microphone, dummy.
I think “microphone in my pocket” is FAR too convenient an excuse. #dickspiracy
and his tweet about it was great! https://twitter.com/idriselba/status/498122501248…
“And yes, I am happy to see each and every one of you” would also have been an acceptable response.
Also, happiest birthday, Nicole! I’ve donated to Planned Parenthood in your honor.
Me too! 😀
Thank you!!!
Has anyone saying that Idris Elba can’t play Bond ever actually seen his work? Anyone who claims he couldn’t do it can suck my left one.
Luther without the severe psychological trauma? Nnggggh I can get on board with that.
Also, he always seemed a little upscale for how seedy they wanter Luther to be, IMO. Like, you just couldn’t make him not be charming and debonair even when Luther was a hot mess.
PS: Ruther 4eva. I am pretty sure this makes me a bad person and I don’t care.
ETA: I meant Alice/Luther. I just keep mixing up character and actress names. I’m awful.
Yeah, Luther definitely felt like he should be grimier. That was one of those moments where, I get that in show business, virtually no one is actually ugly, but for Luther, you gotta get somebody who’s at least showbiz ugly, because Jesus, look at Idris Elba! If that guy winked at you, you’re pretty much going to do whatever he asks. It kinda reminded me of the story about Mike Nichols considering Robert Redford for Benjamin Braddock in “The Graduate”. Vanity Fair story here, money quote:
He even discussed the role with his friend Robert Redford, who was eager for the part. “I said, ‘You can’t play it. You can never play a loser.’ And Redford said, ‘What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser.’ And I said, ‘O.K., have you ever struck out with a girl?’ and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he wasn’t joking.”
I can definitely see Elba in the Redford position there.
“I don’t understand the question.”
😀 😀 😀
He can’t not be attractive, so you’re always rooting for him even when he’s being a colossal idiot. <3
Luther is like what Bond wishes it could be. And I’ll hang on to it thanks for all my gritty realism and headfuckery (I watch Luther about 2 weeks before moving to London and thoroughly shit myself.), but that doesn’t mean I don’t want a stupid, expensive, splody mess with Idris Elba running around blowing things up and getting the girl.
Idris would make Bond watchable for me. I can forgive all the stupidity and plot holes if I get to watch him run around for two hours and get hot and sweaty.
I watched the first series of Luther on the plane to London and was convinced there would be a murderer under my bed when I got there
They said the same thing about Craig when he was cast. I told everybody, just watch the movie Layercake and relax. This guy is perfect. With Elba, it seems like such a no-brainer. Sometimes, when the whole of the Internet is clamoring for something, it’s because that something is the right thing.
Happy Birthday, Nicole! I shared the 9th Ward food desert link on all of my social media and life-partner and I donated last night (he went to college at Dillard). The org also got help over the summer from some Yale MBAs in formulating a business model & sourcing vendors. Best of luck to them!
ALSO I WANT TO SEE HAMILTON SO BAD. SO BAD. BUT A TRIP FOR 2 TO NYC TO SEE IT COMES OUT TO LIKE $1000. WHAT WHY? I JUST WANT TO SEE BLACK PEOPLE RAP ABOUT HISTORY ON BROADWAY…!!
& Indris mofo Elba for absolutely goddamn everything.
Fin.
I’m an archivist in glasses and I’m currently in the archive sitting next to an archivist in glasses who’s sitting opposite an archivist in glasses and we all say Happy Birthday Nicole!
DAMN NICOLE. 33 years old and already you’ve got a faith conversion, two cute-ass and quoteable kids, a rollicking website, and the one of the sharpest wits this side of Lin-Manuel under your belt? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO NEXT?!
Seriously. 31 over here, and I’m feeling a lot of pressure.
Happy birthday Nicole! I’ll be donating to the ALS Association, in honor of my friend’s wonderful mom who died in 2010. I think she would have loved the Toast.
Oh, thank you so much!
Happy birthday, Nicole!
In completely unrelated news, is anyone else as confused, frightened and disgusted by the new Google logo as I am? It didn’t need to be changed! That little sideways tilt to the E is the visual equivalent of the sensation of having a hair stuck in your throat.
I am really confused, yes.
wait, that was about a Logo Change?? i watched the whole animation yesterday assuming it was an intro to like, the inventor of pastels or something. and then i was so confused.
i know the company is divesting into components, maybe this is why?
Yep, it’s because Google is now a subsidiary of the larger company Alphabet. And I guess they want uniformity between brands of the various companies under Alphabet.
I hadn’t noticed but I just checked — and it looks like a font for kindergarteners, in addition to being ugly. You know, who are practicing their letters so they are shown simplified versions. Reverse of inspiring.
yeah, apparently that’s exactly what they were going for :\ “We wanted to retain these qualities [simple, friendly, approachable] by combining the mathematical purity of geometric forms with the childlike simplicity of schoolbook letter printing.”
“mathematical purity of geometric forms” Pffffff {handjob gesture}
The market has responded and there is at least one Chrome extension to revert to the previous logo. Rantaoca’s Classy Google seems to be working beautifully, YMMV, IANAbrowserspecialist, caveat loadtor, etc.
I haaaate it – when I saw it yesterday, I thought it was a Google doodle for, like, the anniversary of comic sans or something.
Google just cannot stop themselves from changing things that don’t need changing. At this point I find it almost charming – like aw, again? Really?
I think I can get used to the new logo, but I strongly dislike the new G-in-a-circle thing that shows up on browser tabs.
Also, the E was always tilted. I kind of like the tilt because it’s the only thing that actually gives the new logo any character.
Yeah! I keep looking for blue squares for my search results tabs, and am like what is this dumb circle?
As someone who doesn’t care for sans serif fonts, it’s making me sad.
I know, right? Unless it’s Optima, and then it doesn’t really count as sans serif, because it has those pretty penstroke-like flares where serifs would be. SIGH.
So, I don’t dislike the “e” per se– my favorite fonts have that kind of “e.” But it’s out of place. It’s an element borrowed from handwriting (as in cursive), whereas the other letters are not. As Robert Bringhurst would say, it’s one letter built on a humanist axis (tilted as a calligraphy pen would be) amid a bunch of letters built on a rationalist axis (straight up and down).
Purity of geometric forms, my ass. It’s a pastiche.
Alternately, it’s a small moment of whimsy in an otherwise regimented, humorless world. Google’s giving us sneaky metaphors for life.
You may be right. In which case, I’d have voted for ALL THE WHIMSY. But then I have a strong, visceral preference for humanist fonts.
I mean, so do I, but I like the narrative of the e mounting a small, quiet rebellion by having that one goofy angle in an otherwise orderly, regulated line of typeface.
Conversion/getting more interested in religion is so interesting–in my experience getting much more heavily involved in Zen, it’s something you want to talk about and share, it can also be embarrassing and hard to discuss with certain people. I haven’t told my parents that I’m working toward becoming an official student of a specific Zen order, or that my ultimate goal is to become a monk. Nor have I told most people outside of my husband. I hope Nicole will write more about her conversion experience, what led to it, how it continues, etc. at some point, if she wishes. I’m very interested in such things. Good luck Nicole!
^ Seconded, re: the embarassment and difficulty of discussing this subject with others. And I don’t fully understand why it’s so hard – the handful of times I’ve shared my deepening connection to Judaism with others, the responses have been neutral to positive (though sometimes a little weird, but that’s fine, too). Maybe getting over that hurdle in one’s head is a standard-issue part of becoming a religious or spiritual person?
Best wishes in your involvement with Zen. And thanks to Nicole for sharing this part of her life with us – I am genuinely interested to hear about her experience.
My father’s side of the family is Jewish, and Judaism was one religion that I explored and contemplated converting to years ago. I still love going to temple on Friday nights and listening to the prayers and the singing, and reading about the Hasidic masters. Their stories sometimes remind me of Zen koans!
I’ve spent a lot of time wondering about this as a product of this specific corner of time and cultural space. In my generally left-y, sex-positive intersectional feminist spaces, there’s so, so much of the “boo, religion” going around. There’s very little overt christianity, in particular, but when it comes up in conversation, I can quickly separate the “raised in it but not a believer now” from the “never seen a version of a church that isn’t the extremism the seeks to dominate the public conversation” speakers. And when it’s Judaism/Buddhism/wicca/whatever that comes up, there’s such an immediate “this is so cool because it’s not christianity” undercurrent.
And even as someone who is by no real measure religious in my day-to-day life, or particularly invested in any relationship to a deity, it hurts so much to try to engage with the latter group. We need to be able to talk about sadness after an abortion without “supporting the enemy” and we need to be able to make space and respect for faith without the same.
Thisthisthis. My best friend in the world very much tends towards the latter camp, and we’ve lately been having very difficult but productive and conversations about it. The most useful one recently was when I told him that I’m finally going to start using the words God and prayer instead of always tiptoeing around it and using words that are more acceptable in the lefty social group I’m part of. For me, this means that I’m fully owning my spirituality and not couching it behind clarifications and sarcasm. For him, it sounds like I’m using words that for him only mean trauma and oppression (he’s gay and was raised Catholic). Where we landed was that I get to use those words because I need them and they have meaning for me, but I also need to acknowledge that for many people there is trauma associated with religion, so I still need to be deliberate and thoughtful about how I use them and who with.
Happy Birthday Nicole!
I somewhat share the opinion of some above who feel that Idris is too good for Bond.
This image provided me with a rare opportunity to say “The Duchess of Cambridge – she’s just like me!”
Yup that would be my reaction too. Or uncontrollable sobbing, maybe? I have never met a celebrity for whom I have had strong pantsfeelings for.
HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAAAY NICOOOOOLE
Here’s a cute animal for you:
Happy birthday Nicole! I’ll be throwing some money at Donors Choose in your honour and that of those awesome dudes who cheered on kids on their first day of school.
PS. I am at work way too damn early and all this gorgeous Idris Elba content is proof of a benevolent deity, I tell you what.
Happy birthday, Nicole!
I will be donating to the nuns on the bus! (okay they’re actually called Network Lobby.) Because they work towards social justice, economic justice, peace, and are just generally awesome!
What a great choice! I worked in an archive that holds the collection of one of the founders. What a badass group.
Nicole! Happy Birthday and yaaaaaaay! I hope the eventual conversation with your father goes well.
Happiest of Birthdays to you, Nicole! I’ve donated 50 dollars in your honor to a group that prepares food bundles for the elementary school kids in the free lunch program to take home on Fridays to make sure they have enough to eat on the weekends.
No child should go hungry. I’ve told them I’ll give $50 every month,because I’m sure they’ll still need food help next month too.
BLESS. Can you email me the link or post it?
Here you go: https://www.odbfairfax.org/civicrm/contribute/tra…
Thank you!!!!
My husband just reminded me that his company(like many companies) MATCHES charitable donations, so it is worthwhile to see if yours does too. Then your donation to your good cause of choice can be doubled
Yes please post the link!
Thirding the link request!
This is a great organization, 100% of the donation goes to the kids’ food packets.
Our Daily Bread’s Food4Thought program works with volunteers and staff at participating Fairfax County Public Schools to provide healthy meals, drinks and snacks over the weekend to children who receive free or reduced-price meals during school days. For many of these children, school meals might be the only ones they receive
https://www.odbfairfax.org/civicrm/contribute/tra…
Thank you for this! I grew up in Fairfax County and so it gives me great joy to give back to kids in need in my home district.
Happy birthday, Nicole! I donated to PAWS, a no-kill shelter here in Philadelphia that also happens to be the place I got my cat Musichetta, who is basically a furry Toastie (and also up on her rights as a citizen? something):
Thank you for all you do, making The Toast such a wonderful community.
YOU NAMED YOUR CAT MUSICHETTA is there a Joly and/or a Bossuet in the house as well???
Actually, I’ve just been thinking about this, and obviously at a certain level the idea that Idris Elba is “too street” to be James Bond is basically ludicrous, because Idris Elba is 1) suave as a motherfucker and 2) an actor so you know, he could probably swing any kind of characterization that the franchise needed.
But ALSO the idea that Idris Elba ISN’T “too street” — which, in this case I guess is sort of code for “doesn’t act white enough” — is similarly offensive, like the only way a guy should get to be James Bond is if he also embodies this caricature of British imperialism that is used as a vehicle for asserting white supremacy, so I kind of feel weird giving counter-examples about it.
It’s like when all those Republicans say that Barack Obama is a Muslim, and it’s like, well, no, he’s not, but it’s actually sort of offensive to try to disprove it, because there isn’t anything wrong with being a Muslim in the first place.
The best reply to that asshat writer’s tweet about Elba being “too street” that I saw was someone who basically ignored the unsavory debate you outlined. Instead this person just pointed out something like, “Well, if they hire Idris Elba as James Bond, the franchise will sell TONS more tickets. Don’t they want that?” Good point.
Yes! I think you’re right about it being offensive on both sides of the coin. I am taking comfort in the following facts:
1) The “too street” dude sounds awful. He is writing a Bond book called “Trigger Mortis” which is a stupid, stupid title.
2) The “too street” dude didn’t like Skyfall, somehow, despite it being an incredible film.
3) The “too street” dude didn’t even like the original Bond novels!!
4) The “too street” dude has no say whatsoever in the casting and production of future Bond films, so GET OUTTA HERE WITH YOUR STUPID AND OFFENSIVE OPINIONS.
I remember reading the headline that said, “James Bond Author Thinks Idris Elba Is Too Street to be James Bond” and thinking, “What? James Bond author? But Ian Fleming is 100% dead.” And then I discovered it was just some guy that basically got paid for some James Bond fan fiction, and oh, but it’s actually kind of beneath any of us even to address him.
This sort of why I was so disappointed in the terrible, terrible ending of Kingsman, because up until then I quite enjoyed some of the delicious jabs they made at the Bond franchise.
It’s such bullshit– and it’s not like (say) Sean Connery came from a particularly privileged, Bond-like background. (As far as I know, he was from a working-class family and worked as a milkman, before inventing his own unplaceable Anglo-American accent).
None of them came from Bond-like backgrounds! Ian Fleming had a more privileged lifestyle than literally anyone who has ever played James Bond! Roger Moore was the son of a policeman! George Lazenby worked as a mechanic and a used car salesman! Pierce Brosnan grew up in a boarding house and was recruited to be an actor when someone saw him fire-eating on a streetcorner*!
*this is apparently true, and what? That is amazing!
Also, a good joke is that Idris Elba is more English than 60% of the actors who’ve played James Bond.
Although I’ve heard someone say that Idris Elba is the name a medieval Welsh peasant would have, so that’s interesting
That’s interesting, because it is also an Arabic name, which is what I’d assumed is the source. Though in Welsh it means “Ardent Lord”, so maybe not a peasant’s name!
Also, James Bond is an asshole. Idris Elba is a very talented actor, and I feel confident that he could play a complete asshole.
Oh, Nicole! Overly personal note from a stranger time! I am so excited and happy for you, and so pleased Christianity is being joined by someone who believes in its powers of love, justice, and redemption instead of that not-even-biblical judgment nonsense. As someone who used to be Christian and now longs to believe with every fiber of my being but doesn’t, I’m surprised by how jealous I am! I’ll get over it, though, and want to read about your experience, and all your thoughts on the Christian theology and writing you’re probably tearing through right now. Good luck telling your dad, and having any other difficult conversations.
And happy happy birthday! On the theme of birth, I’m making a donation to the Fistula Foundation.
To be clear, was this conversion prompted by looking at pictures of Idris? That would make a lot of sense to me.
Happy Birthday! I will give my bucks to the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois (tjlp.org). Check them out- they do amazing work on behalf of trans* people, and just helped me get my legal name change started.
Lovely! Thank you!
Thank YOU! This site is a wonderful place.
Toasts! Excellent news, Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg is finally available again as an ebook on http://www.lesliefeinberg.net/
Please join me in rereading it and sobbing.
Thanks for the heads up!
I tracked down a copy through the wonders of ILL, but so glad to see this. Such a good book, though yes, I ended up in lots of dusty rooms while reading it.
Nicole I’m new but love it here and that’s because you and your compatriots make it amazing. So happy birthday, please enjoy the knowledge that your marvelous presence on this earth for another trip around the sun netted the Anti-Recidivism Coalition some bucks!
And as someone who is deeply liberal of politics, unabashedly feminist, and who converted to Christianity at 25, about 8 years ago…it was the most beautiful, most difficult thing I’ve ever done. So fight the good fight of faith and all that. Its a hard slog but Jesus loves you. 😉
a Toast toast, that is
Apparently Wednesday’s British Navy toast is to “Ourselves”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toast_(honor)#Tradi…
Seems fitting 🙂 The Toast, toast thyself! Nicole, you know what to dooooo happyberfday
Happy birthday Nicole!!
Since you brought up conversions and spirituality….I thought I would once again (shameless plug ahead) let y’all know that I’m compiling an essay collection on spiritual coming-of-age stories. It will be called Smells Like Teen Spirituality: Adolescent Encounters with the Ineffable, but you don’t have to actually be a teen to contribute. I’m doing this with NYT Beliefs editor Mark Oppenheimer, so this is actually legit. We have an agent and everything! (Who also reps Neil DeGrasse Tyson!)
Contributors on board so far include: Stacia L. Brown (!!), Laura Ortberg Turner (!!!), Taffy Brodesser-Acker, Jamia Wilson, Tyler Ford, Matthue Roth, Lauren Winner, Elna Baker, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, comedian Judy Gold, and more.
I got a couple of really interesting submissions when I posted in Open Thread a couple of months ago, so why not try again? Nicole, in light of recent events? Everybody else? Email me: djkomisar at gmail dot com.
I WANT TO GO TO THERE.
Love your title.
Happy birthday, Nicole!
On an off-topic but still internet-related tip, I’m thinking about starting a new blog about pregnancy and parenting (“But Kaiko,” I hear you say, “this has never been done before! What a revolutionary idea!”), and would totally love blog name suggestions. I’m looking for that sweet spot between sarcastic, terrified, excited, and legitimately lovely—previous ideas have been “Mad Pregnant” and “Glowing and Glowering,” but neither is quite right. Any ideas?
(Relatedly, it is 37 degrees Celsius in Toronto today [99 Fahrenheit] and we are moving from a second-story walkup and I’m 4.5 months pregnant and WHAT A MAGICAL TIME IN MY LIFE.)
37 degrees is WAY too many. Here, it’s 13C (55 fahrenheit) and I’m not ready for summer to be over. I propose we share. 25 degrees C each. (that’s 77F)
Reading the Charlotte Shane piece while I waited in court today helped me come up with some definitely-too-late and possibly-too-mean (but pretty good) jokes re: Taffy Brodesser-Akner. OH WELL. BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, ARIN.
happy birthday, Nicole! i’ve donated $5 to the Sunlight Foundation
Happy birthday Nicole! I have donated a small amount to the ARC — one of my dear friends just finished volunteering with the prisoner-advocate corner of the JVC in New Orleans, is taking a year to do a post-bac-type-thing with an expert in the same field in Austin, and then heads on to Stanford Law. I am so very proud of him and the change he is going to be in the world, so the donation is in his honor too.
Also, I would be interested in sponsoring your post – if you choose to do one! – in the Convert Series. I converted to Catholicism from several branches of Protestantism, and it gives me great hope that someone so thoughtful and progressive is willing to take on the mantle of Christian. I’d love to hear about your journey, when and if you want to share it.
Happy birthday, Nicole!!!!!!
UGH DAVEED DIGGS is the BEST. You can download his album on his website FOR FREE. It’s really good!!
ALSO, here’s Jonathan Gross singing Moving Too Fast and it’s A PLUS (also, OBVIOUSLY Norbert Leo Butz is the one and only, but still) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMLDMhJjGjg
That school story brought tears to my eyes!
Happy birthday! I donated to a local interfaith group that is on the front line of both immediate assistance with food and housing to people in need AND working on policy change to try to make themselves obsolete.
Conversion-wise, I have only this, one of my favorite hymns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHEjyGfRO7s
I have considered getting the words “will you love the you you hide” tattooed on my person somewhere.
Happy Birthday, birthday buddy! 9/2 Virgos unite! In honor of both of us, I’ll be donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center http://www.splcenter.org.
love it
Happy Birthday, Nicole! I am waiting to hear about volunteering for some local farmers markets and if it comes to pass I will offer them $5 in extra elbow grease on your behalf, as the actual $ are a mere abstraction at present. Congratulations on your conversion from a non-Christian who nevertheless prays the rosary daily.
Happy birthday, Nicole! I was actually planning to post anyway this morning off topic to say that, I was showing my fiance your tweets on Nichelle Nichols’ book and was all “UGH I WANT IT” and so she ordered it for me!! I just started reading it last night and it is already the beeest. I choose to believe it is a gift in your honor (on the Day Of Nicole Cliff, one gifts one’s loved ones with badass lady books).
Happy birthday, Nicole!
I thought I understood what Hamilton is, and now I understand even LESS, but it looks cool.
Happy birthday, Nicole! And I don’t know if one says “congratulations” on a conversion, but I’m glad you’ve found a spiritual connection that makes life more meaningful for you!
It’s funny, I realized I’ve never heard of an adult conversion to Christianity that wasn’t some version of “Jesus Christ lifted me out of the gutter of alcoholism and addiction!” So I can’t wait to hear your story, as someone who was not at rock-bottom when she decided to embrace the faith.
Oh, and I will choose a charity at lunchtime.
Happy Birthday, Nicole! In honour of your Conversion, I will do Saint Francis a solid and take that five dollars burning a hole in my pocket and donate it to our local SPCA. Wait, is Saint Francis an RC thing? Tough, I’m co-opting him. Birthday Bonus: an oldie but a goodie poem to read at your leisure:
Saint Francis and the Sow
BY GALWAY KINNELL
The bud
stands for all things,
even for those things that don’t flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;
as Saint Francis
put his hand on the creased forehead
of the sow, and told her in words and in touch
blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow
began remembering all down her thick length,
from the earthen snout all the way
through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of the tail,
from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine
down through the great broken heart
to the sheer blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering
from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking and blowing beneath them:
the long, perfect loveliness of sow.
Galway Kinnell, “Saint Francis and the Sow” from Three Books. Copyright © 2002 by Galway Kinnell. Reprinted with the permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved, <a href=”http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com” target=”_blank”>www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com.
this is so beautiful.
Yes, yes it is…I’m glad you found it beautiful, too.
Sent from my iPad
Happy Birthday Nicole! I sent some funds to the Unist’ot’en camp with you in mind. They’re facing a potential incursion from the RCMP so now is an especially good time to donate. Anyone else who is interested can find more details at http://unistotencamp.com
Good idea! I did the same. HBD Nicole!
Happy birthday from one Nicole to another! ^_^
Absolutely cannot wait for open thread to share this!
The Last Woman to Weave Sea Silk: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33691781
(And every possible happiness to you, Nicole! Thank you for trusting us with your new faith. I slunk around for months after coming back to faith, mumbling vaguely to friends about what I was doing on Sunday, and it sucked. The more loving and reasonable people that say openly, “I’m part of a faith tradition, and it doesn’t involve hurting or diminishing other people,” the better it is for everyone.)
Awesome story! This lady is amazing!
Also, I donate to ARC, partly because they are awesome but also partly because that story about buying the guy his first Starbucks drink punched me right in the feels.
How Canadian can it be if the currency will NOT be accepted by a depanneur!
Happy birthday Nicole! I made a donation to a women’s shelter that I love dearly and used to volunteer for. I loved your article about the Anti-Recidivism Coalition! It moved me to tears, for exactly the reasons you listed, Godly and otherwise. And, as someone said above, hurray for another non-asshole Christian!
Happy Birthday Nicole!
I will put some dollars towards the Wish Drop-In Centre. http://wish-vancouver.net/
Happy birthday, Nicole! I am going to give some money to the Odyssey Project at UW (http://www.odyssey.wisc.edu/).
Last week I was in Scotland and I bought the September Tatler; AMA.
Happy birthday! I donated money to Kiva, one of those micro-credit companies for people around the world who don’t qualify for loans from banks.
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, Nicole, and many happy returns! I just donated to Planned Parenthood–thank you for the inspiration.
Happy birthday! I’m helping buy some supplies pay the salary for a teacher in one of the villages near where I work in Cote d’Ivoire – specifically, he teaches reading, writing, and basic math to interested adult women in the village who didn’t have the opportunity to go to school (there are four women in the village who know how to read). In return, the women have agreed to devote some time to learning about ecosystem services, primate behavior, and conservation, with the help of the employees of my research project! Anyway, I’m sending money for new notebooks and textbooks tomorrow – and it’ll be in your honor 🙂
Happy Birthday Nicole! I got you this picture I took of alllllll my sexy librarian glasses, including the ones I use when I make THE TOAST. thanks for being rad!
LOVE
are we supposed to guess which one you use for Toast-making? my guess is … #1?
it’s more a retrospective through the years
Happy birthday!
I have heard from so many people in the UK book trade over the years that Anthony “he’s too street” Horowitz is a total drama pig, he’s probably loving all the attention (negative and positive) his 007/Idris dumbassery has led to.
I used to religiously read his Alex Rider YA series which was basically just “Wannabe Teen Bond” (and it was read by Nathaniel Hawthorne who I would listen to reading a takeout menu.) But STILL, despite the endless deus-ex-machina and cliches, it had a heart-pounding intensity to it in the way a *screenwriter’s* book does.
So. all that to say I was bummed he turned out to be pretty racist, and have terribly sexist reasons for disliking Skyfal which was a *brilliant* movie, and also seems to be kinda garbage in general. :-/
Happy Birthday Nicole! I was just sitting down to donate something for your birthday, when your tweet came up about the UNHCR, so suddenly that seemed most appropriate.
Hope you’ve had a wonderful day!
Happy birthday, Nicole!
Ugh, those Anthony Horowitz comments. He’s talking nonsense. I was also pissed off at his, “I didn’t like Quantum of Solace because Bond shouldn’t have flaws and doubts” thing, because seeing people have flaws and doubts is interesting! I would much rather see that than “James Bond is sexist and kills everyone”. (The context of the article I saw this in, in the Times, had quotes from various Bond actors talking about how much they dislike the character. Daniel Craig is very much not a fan.)
I look forward to reading any future stuff about your conversion. As an atheist for whom religion has never been a part of life (and I can’t imagine it being), I find the religious content on the Toast really interesting, although sometimes feel a bit lonely in the comments with my lack of experience to share. (I am a weird librarian with glasses, though, so I think I still fit in here.)
Oh Nicole! I know I’m very late to the party on this but HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND WELCOME TO CHRISTIANITY, SISTER. You have no idea how incredibly happy and moved I was to find out about your conversion. I’m so looking forward to reading about your experience! As someone else said above, we need all the good people we can get. I’m imagining you, Laura Ortberg Turner, and Rachel Held Evans having long passionate talks/Twitter exchanges about theology and it’s making my heart so happy.
Happy birthday Nicole! Like waitressinlove, I tragically cannot comment on link roundups in a timely fashion due to working mornings, but on the other hand, I work for an NGO so . . . let’s say I did it in your honour? 😀 (I also have my monthly sponsorship payment to Plan International coming up in a few days- I still cannot for the life of me figure out how to embed links into IntenseDebate comments, but I do strongly encourage you all to check them out. They’re one of the most reputable charities out there, and they run the Because I Am A Girl initiative!)
Happy birthday, Nicole! And if you’d like a welcome fistbump from a lefty Christian who loves to hear about people’s spiritual journeys, no matter their trajectory, I’ve got one on offer. I’m the daughter of two people who met in seminary, who became excellent co-ministers and non-excellent spouses. Church was the one place where I dependably saw my parents set aside their rancor to focus on something by which they both felt powerfully moved. In church, I saw them respect each other’s work. In church, I saw them recognize each other’s gifts. In church, I saw what they saw in each other. That gave me a strong sense of how powerful and transformative a person’s love for God can be (and also, how exhausting it can be to act out of one’s love for God all the time).
I am happy faith is making your life better, too!
Happy birthday. I donated to the humane society–not the national org, because I’m iffy about any charity that big, but he local shelter where I get all my cats.
Hippo birdie two ewes, Nicole! (read it out loud in an Australian accent). Coincidentally, this week is my “donate a chunk of my tax refund to charity” week, so I am now considering that $5 of the money I donated to the Australian Indigenous Literacy Foundation is part of your birthday present! I am also donating to the New South Wales Cancer Council in memory of my aunt, who died of cancer on Saturday (cancer of unknown primary is the wooooorst), and to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, who are based in Melbourne and do desperately needed work on behalf of asylum seekers in Australia, who are shamefully treated by our government.
I think you're actually getting to the idea of why I'm hesitant about it; I don't really feel like I'm searching, per se. Though I do feel as though different doctrines would be interesting to contemplate, but not necessarily to get any kind of consensus of interpretation. In terms of my own beliefs, I'm kind of closest to pantheist/polytheist right now, though I don't worship any deities (I just think they all exist). I guess I'm just having trouble reconciling my own special snowflake feelings about spirituality with the idea of actually discussing them with such a wide community. But I'm thinking it depends on the actual church itself and group of people, so the only way to know is to try it out. 🙂
I think I'm very much with you about the community aspect; I remember having a really hard time in my senior year of college (I was actually on the brink of starting to seriously consider therapy, and had recently developed an ED on top of my long-existing BDD) and since i was raised Catholic I went to the Catholic mass on campus. And even though I didn't agree with quite a bit of what they said (and, and I realize this is a very personal thing, but it's hard for me to get past the gendered language present in most organized religions), but I still felt really comforted by the atmosphere there. I think it really depends on the people you meet and are involved with in those communities, and I hope to find ones like you did at your Episcopalian church. I hope that you connect with a similar community/support in your new area (I moved recently as well; it can be really difficult to feel safe/supported during those times).
Thanks for this; I love all the different perspectives on this topic, and I'm glad your dad was able to really benefit from attending. I think I'm going to end up giving it a try; I need to check their calendar again to see what worship services are coming up and see how it is.
I'm glad you found something comforting in the services at that time in your life! And aw, thanks for the good wishes.
“You may post your preferred Idris images in the comments at this time.”
I’m two days late but had to chime in that those words struck me as you doing the lord’s work, very much in keeping with your recent conversion. Happy late birthday and may your new belief path serve you well.