Pinhole Press

If you ever visit A Cup of Jo, what I'm about to share with you will be no secret.

A lot of my gift-giving this past holiday season was done with the help of a small internet business, Pinhole Press. They offer sleek, contemporary photo gifts that are very high quality for reasonable prices. Their products are LIGHT YEARS ahead of the mugs and mouse pads you find at drugstores.

From all of the photos from my Long Island excursion, I chose my favorite 68 and made a soft cover photo book each for my mom, grandfather, and aunt. Of course, I didn't bother to photograph the books before I sent them to their new homes. Shame! The books made my photos look beautiful and professional. It's easy to pretend you've had your work published into a coffee table book with Pinhole Press.

For Jake, who had decided we should only exchange gifts we'd made (yeah, I cheated!), I chose a larger hardcover book template and filled it with almost 100 of my favorite photos from our six months here in Chicago. For an extra special touch, I wrote notes here and there throughout the book so we could remember the silly little details years down the road.

I can't wait to save my pennies (and photos!) and fill a whole shelf with books from Pinhole Press.

Free Reads

I've had the week off, but my roomie hasn't...which has resulted in a lot of late nights, falling into the internet black hole. Here are a few interesting reads I've found, which are mostly related to feminism and race issues. 

Before you write off the feminist blogs (please, don't!) remember that good, healthy feminism means women are free to shave their legs, wear pink dresses, and love men just as they are free to do refuse to any of those things.* I wouldn't dare direct you somewhere promoting anything but good, healthy feminism!

• Deeply Embarrassed White People Talk Awkwardly About Race
• Why I Am a Black Male Feminist
• Feminist Ryan Gosling (a hilarious and intelligent counter-tumblr to Fuck Yeah! Ryan Gosling)
• Tumblr and blog of Danielle H, who created Feminist Ryan Gosling, full of interesting posts about feminism, race, positivity, and other heavy topics. Plenty of humor to make you giggle between thinking.
• Hairy Pits Club (thanks, Carissa!)
• Lipstick Feminism
• The Definition of Feminism, written by a young man. What is sexier than a male feminist? Nothing, in my book.

I'll round it out with a little eye and music candy from Leslie Hall, one of modern times' most glamorous musicians. Enjoy this smokin' jam, and feast your eyes on body positivity in live, dancing action. You might recognize some of the dancers, too...

*Good, healthy feminism also means all of these things are true for men as well. So go ahead and shave your legs and wear your dresses, gentlemen! Or don't!