Why hello there, stranger! Put the sharpened pate’ knife down and come warm yourself by my trashcan fire here in our little corner of WallStreetVille. What’s that? Of course you can have some fried squirrel leg! Share and share alike, I always say. There’s a Depression on, you know.

Or so the media would have us believe. Honestly, if I have to read one more article on how we need to get  house cleaning tips from The Grapes of Wrath and dress in plastic grocery bags to atone for our collective sins, I’m going to scream. And considering I might lose my job any minute, my day is already full of eye rolling, breast beating, garment rending, and teeth gnashing. I just don’t think I can fit screaming into the itinerary.

Fortunately, the internet is there to distract us from our ensuing economic twilight. Here for your pleasure and amusement are some Things I Like:

• Baby’s Named a Bad, Bad Thing– Hilariously snarky commentary on the inadvertently awful names some parents choose for their offspring. Free sample: “This is for my niece, Dawn. She is expecting a baby girl in September. I suggested that they name her Dusk. What does everyone think? I think her grand-daughter Nighttime would not approve. Or her grand-neices Afterhours and Graveyardshift.”
• This is Why You’re Fat– Pictures of the gastronomically vile. Or totally awesome, depending on how you look at it. Sample heading: Chicken-fried Bacon with Gravy. Mmmm.
• Gallery of Regrettable Food-- Speaking of unfortunate foods, be lucky we’re not in the 50’s. You haven’t lived till you’ve seen the horror that is meat-filled jello molds. You heard me. Sample snark: “One of the more popular cuts: pressed shank braised with smoker’s phlegm. It may take a few tries to get Uncle Hank to hack up enough Lucky sauce, so be patient.”
• Cockney rhyming slang– Did you know ‘Emma Freud’ was slang for ‘hemorrhoids’? You do now! Adam and Eve it.
• 15 Unfortunately Placed Ads– The title says it all, I think.
• Worst Romance Covers-- I’ve linked to 2003, but if you do a little searching you can find the rest. Here’s 2004, and it’s a doozy. I know, I know, authors and agents don’t really get a say over the covers, it all depends on the whims of an overworked, understaffed team of artists, etc. etc. That still doesn’t excuse some of the monstrosities here. But all is forgiven, because these covers are hilarious.

Here’s hoping everyone has a nice, peaceful week.