Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
jeudi 1 juin 2017
Why You Should Never, Ever Check Your Luggage on a Plane
If you check luggage on your flight, you're inviting disaster along for your trip. It's not always that dramatic - sometimes it's just a mere inconvenience - but other times you're asking for more trouble than those extra pairs of shoes that made you upgrade to a larger bag are worth. As a frequent traveler, I avoid checking luggage at all costs - because I've learned the hard way. Unless I'm going on a trip spanning several weeks in the dead of Winter and need bulky sweaters and jackets to stay warm, I'm flying stress-free with just my trusted carry-on. I've had my luggage damaged. I've had my luggage lost and received it days later. I've had to switch flights/airlines last minute in order to make a connection at my next destination city and would not have been able to do so if my luggage was already on its way to be loaded onto my original plane. I've experienced the Hunger Games-like rush to grab my bag off the belt in order to make it through customs at an international airport so that I could catch the next leg of my flight. I've dealt with it all, and you probably will too if you check your bags frequently.
I know, there are exceptions to my "no checked bag" rule - if you're traveling with young children who can't lug their own bags (start them young, I say!), then you may not be able to avoid checking. Strollers, car seats - I get it. Maybe you literally can't avoid checking because you need to bring your laptop along for your travels, and there's a controversial rule that bans electronics on your flight. Been there. There are understandably circumstances when it can't be avoided, but if you can avoid checking, don't hesitate to. It's possible, I promise. Here's why you should keep your luggage with you on your next flight.
1. You save money.
This is a pretty significant reason to skip checking a bag, especially depending on what airline you're flying. While some airlines (looking at you, JetBlue and Virgin!) let you have your first bag (as long as it's not oversize) for free, many costs range from $25-$50 per bag for checking. Paying for a bag you have to wait in a long line to check (and one that may get lost or damaged) really feels like adding insult to injury.
2. You'll get through the airport faster.
Carrying on your luggage means avoiding the lines for checking your bags before you go through security. Many airlines allow you to check in to your flight 24 hours ahead of time (international flights can have different policies since passports are involved). You can get your mobile boarding pass and skip the wait to drop your bags by breezing past the kiosks and heading straight for security. Getting through the airport will be much less painful.
3. Your belongings are in safe hands.
You can rest assured that your valuables are in safe hands, because they are in your hands. When you need to bring items on your travels that have great worth to you, you'll have peace of mind knowing where they are at all times because you'll have control over how they are stored and transported.
4. Your luggage itself will be more protected.
It's no secret that your luggage isn't necessarily being handled with care. It's tossed on a conveyor belt and haphazardly transferred (after a roller-coaster ride) to the underbelly of your plane, where it will be crammed among countless other bags. While it's normal for luggage to go through some wear and tear on your travels, carrying it on means keeping it in better condition for longer.
5. It's easier to travel with less-bulky items.
If you plan on traveling from destination to destination instead of staying in one place, having a small carry-on bag is much more manageable than toting around a 50-pound bag full of things you probably don't even need.
6. You are forced to bring only what you need.
Not checking your bags means becoming a smarter packer. Because you have to optimize your bag space, you'll be more inclined to pack just the basics. You can avoid bringing along things you will inevitably realize in hindsight were unnecessary, and soon packing will be like an art form to you. Having an efficient packing system can make air travel so much less stressful.
7. You have everything you need for delays and long layovers.
If you have to camp out in the airport due to unforeseen delays, flight cancellations, or long layovers, having a carry-on with all of your belongings means having access to everything you could need during that time.
8. You don't have to wait for your bag once you deplane.
After hours of a long flight, the last thing anyone feels like doing is waiting around for that beautiful (or shrill, depending on how you look at it) beeping noise that indicates your bags are on their way down the belt. It seems like no matter how early or late you arrive to check in luggage, your bag is always the very last to come trundling down the slide. If it comes at all. Skip this process altogether and head straight out of the airport with your carry-on.
So, Meghan Markle's Real Name Isn't Meghan
Meghan Markle has been a successful actress for a few years now, but she's recently been thrust into the spotlight in a major way thanks to her budding romance with Prince Harry. The Suits star, who recently attended Pippa Middleton's wedding reception with Harry, has caused such a stir because of the sweet and serious nature of her relationship with one of the world's most eligible bachelors, something those closest to him insist they haven't seen before. Since engagement rumors are already swirling, fun facts about Meghan have been popping up everywhere, including one about her name. While she goes by Meghan, her real first name is actually Rachel. There isn't much information out there about when or why she decided to go by her middle name, but in a funny twist of fate, her Suits character is also named Rachel. We think Meghan suits (get it?) her better.
25 Shockingly Easy Ways For Families to Save Money on Disney Trips
A Disney trip is the quintessential family vacation, but it can seriously drain your bank account. After spending hundreds of dollars for tickets, buying gas or airplane tickets for the journey, and paying for a hotel room, you might start to wonder how anybody could consider visiting the Disney parks more than once in a lifetime! However, with a bit of theme-park savvy, you can save enough money on your trip to truly make Disneyland (or Walt Disney World!) the happiest place on earth. Here are the best ways to save money on your family's next Disney trip.
Source: Flickr user harshlight
50+ Photos That Show Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel's Style Has Changed a Lot in 16 Years
You might be part of the new generation getting to know Rory Gilmore through the addition of Gilmore Girls to Netflix and the reboot premiering on Nov. 25, or you might be part of the camp that watched the show live on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s as Rory nervously dated Dean, chose Yale over Harvard, went through a bad-girl phase, and eventually found her way back to Stars Hollow. It doesn't matter! Whether you are just getting to know Rory and Alexis Bledel, the Argentinian-American actress raised in Mexico City who portrayed your favorite character, or know everything about her, the photos ahead are about to give you a serious bout of nostalgia.
From her shy days on the red carpet, wearing loose and demure midi dresses with kitten heels, to her redhead phase (oh, yes, she was a redhead) to the most recent Gilmore Girls fan event and her homage to Rory's Chilton years, look ahead for 50 photos of Alexis through the past 16 years.
50+ Photos That Show Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel's Style Has Changed a Lot in 16 Years
You might be part of the new generation getting to know Rory Gilmore through the addition of Gilmore Girls to Netflix and the reboot premiering on Nov. 25, or you might be part of the camp that watched the show live on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s as Rory nervously dated Dean, chose Yale over Harvard, went through a bad-girl phase, and eventually found her way back to Stars Hollow. It doesn't matter! Whether you are just getting to know Rory and Alexis Bledel, the Argentinian-American actress raised in Mexico City who portrayed your favorite character, or know everything about her, the photos ahead are about to give you a serious bout of nostalgia.
From her shy days on the red carpet, wearing loose and demure midi dresses with kitten heels, to her redhead phase (oh, yes, she was a redhead) to the most recent Gilmore Girls fan event and her homage to Rory's Chilton years, look ahead for 50 photos of Alexis through the past 16 years.
Your Favorite '90s Middle School Scents Are Going on Sale at Bath & Body Works!
Bath and Body Works is answering our '90s loving prayers by including all our favorite vintage scents in its Semi-Annual Sale. Starting June 5, you'll be able to shop previously discontinued scents you loved as a child, all at a discount.
If you're a fan of the cult-favorite Cucumber Melon scent, you'll be thrilled to learn that the body-care emporium now sells the fresh fragrance in a 3-Wick Candle and Wallflower variety so your home can smell as good as your well-moisturized body. The retired scents are only available during June and are sure to fly off shelves fast, so make sure to get them while you still can.
If your favorite scent happens to be from the brand's current line up, you might want to stalk up on that fragrance, as well. The Semi-Annual Sale is notorious for being the last time you can get your hands on products before the company retires them for good.
Read on to check out the vintage scents available at your local Bath and Body Works on June 5.
These Are the 8 Hottest Mascara Launches of 2017 So Far
Just when we thought we'd seen everything, some of our favorite beauty brands managed to do it again with a round of innovative formulas and high-tech brushes designed to deliver the maximum amount of mascara to your lashes and keep it there - without any clumping or flaking along the way.
From a cocktail shaker-inspired concoction that refreshes itself to a dual-chamber tube that serves the upper and lower lashes at once, read on for some of the Spring and Summer launches that are breaking all the rules in order to help you achieve your biggest, baddest peepers yet.
Wonder Woman Nail Wraps Are Here to Make Your Manicure More Badass
Before you hit theatres for the premiere of Wonder Woman, wipe off your nail polish and replace it with these heroic nail wraps.
To celebrate the feminist superhero, Jamberry is launching a line of limited-edition nail decals that will make you feel glamorous and badass at the same time. The collection features 10 bold designs including the iconic Wonder Woman logo, sketches of the hero, trendy stars and stripes, and more. They're the perfect way to flaunt your love for the fandom, but they're also stylish enough to rock beyond just the movies.
You can snag the collection now at Jamberry.com ($18 per sheet) or through a local consultant. Get a closer look at the nail swag ahead!
Your Favorite '90s Middle School Scents Are Going on Sale at Bath & Body Works!
Bath and Body Works is answering our '90s loving prayers by including all our favorite vintage scents in its Semi-Annual Sale. Starting June 5, you'll be able to shop previously discontinued scents you loved as a child, all at a discount.
If you're a fan of the cult-favorite Cucumber Melon scent, you'll be thrilled to learn that the body-care emporium now sells the fresh fragrance in a 3-Wick Candle and Wallflower variety so your home can smell as good as your well-moisturized body. The retired scents are only available during June and are sure to fly off shelves fast, so make sure to get them while you still can.
If your favorite scent happens to be from the brand's current line up, you might want to stalk up on that fragrance, as well. The Semi-Annual Sale is notorious for being the last time you can get your hands on products before the company retires them for good.
Read on to check out the vintage scents available at your local Bath and Body Works on June 5.
Wonder Woman Nail Wraps Are Here to Make Your Manicure More Badass
Before you hit theatres for the premiere of Wonder Woman, wipe off your nail polish and replace it with these heroic nail wraps.
To celebrate the feminist superhero, Jamberry is launching a line of limited-edition nail decals that will make you feel glamorous and badass at the same time. The collection features 10 bold designs including the iconic Wonder Woman logo, sketches of the hero, trendy stars and stripes, and more. They're the perfect way to flaunt your love for the fandom, but they're also stylish enough to rock beyond just the movies.
You can snag the collection now at Jamberry.com ($18 per sheet) or through a local consultant. Get a closer look at the nail swag ahead!
Jennifer Lopez Embodies the Flamenco Emoji For the World of Dance Premiere
Jennifer Lopez channeled her inner flamenco dancer emoji for the premiere of her new NBC show World of Dance. The judge wore a red Valentino dress with a superlow V-neck and sheer detailing, but while gorgeous, the neckline wasn't even the best part. J Lo posed for the cameras holding up her pleated skirt, spread out into a web, and our jaws dropped so low we had to physically pick them up.
Her look was full of surprises: her hairstyle also featured a small detail you won't notice unless you look really close. Jennifer had small braids that adorned her hair and came together at the topknot. She paired everything with red lipstick and H.Stern jewels. Keep scrolling to see her outfit in its full scale.
Princess Charlene Lives Out Your European Dreams in This Stunning Video
Ever wonder what it's really like to live like royalty? Well, according to this new video posted to the Prince's Palace of Monaco's Facebook page on Thursday, it's pretty amazing. In the video, which is in celebration of Monaco's 75th Grand Prix, Princess Charlene and her husband, Prince Albert II, open up about the prestigious and glamorous event. While Charlene arrives by boat (and stuns in a gorgeous halter top, sunglasses, and red lipstick), Albert flies in on a helicopter. The couple then join past Grand Prix winners David Coulthard and Mark Webber at the Monaco Yacht Club to talk about their favorite memories from the auto race's past. The video, which could easily double as a Hollywood film, also features appearances by Irish racing legend Eddie Jordan and sports journalist Steve Jones. Watch the rare glimpse into royal life above!
Princess Charlene Lives Out Your European Dreams in This Stunning Video
Ever wonder what it's really like to live like royalty? Well, according to this new video posted to the Prince's Palace of Monaco's Facebook page on Thursday, it's pretty amazing. In the video, which is in celebration of Monaco's 75th Grand Prix, Princess Charlene and her husband, Prince Albert II, open up about the prestigious and glamorous event. While Charlene arrives by boat (and stuns in a gorgeous halter top, sunglasses, and red lipstick), Albert flies in on a helicopter. The couple then join past Grand Prix winners David Coulthard and Mark Webber at the Monaco Yacht Club to talk about their favorite memories from the auto race's past. The video, which could easily double as a Hollywood film, also features appearances by Irish racing legend Eddie Jordan and sports journalist Steve Jones. Watch the rare glimpse into royal life above!
Jennifer Lopez Embodies the Flamenco Emoji For the World of Dance Premiere
Jennifer Lopez channeled her inner flamenco dancer emoji for the premiere of her new NBC show World of Dance. The judge wore a red Valentino dress with a superlow V-neck and sheer detailing, but while gorgeous, the neckline wasn't even the best part. J Lo posed for the cameras holding up her pleated skirt, spread out into a web, and our jaws dropped so low we had to physically pick them up.
Her look was full of surprises: her hairstyle also featured a small detail you won't notice unless you look really close. Jennifer had small braids that adorned her hair and came together at the topknot. She paired everything with red lipstick and H.Stern jewels. Keep scrolling to see her outfit in its full scale.
If We Were the Obamas, We Wouldn't Want to Leave This $8.1M Brick Mansion Either
Following their departure from the White House, the Obama family moved into a stunning mansion in Kalorama, an upper-class suburb within Washington DC. Though it was believed that they would only be living in the home until Sasha graduated from high school, that's definitely no longer the case! On May 31, it was revealed that the former first family purchased the home for $8.1 million.
The classic brick mansion was originally built in 1928, however, it received a more modern update in 2011. Several years later, former Clinton administration Press Secretary Joe Lockhart Gray bought the home for $5.3 million. In anticipation of their White House departure, the Obama family reportedly began renting the home for $20,000 a month - that is, until now.
In looking at pictures of the home, it becomes apparent as to why the Obamas decided to settle down there. The 8,200-square-foot property offers nine bedrooms, eight-and-a-half bathrooms, and a serene backyard. What's more, they'll have plenty of privacy as they decided to recently construct a brick wall out front as an added security measure. Ahead, see pictures of their newly permanent abode.
How delaying meal times can affect your body clock
When men postpone meal times, it delays one of the body's clocks, British researchers say, a finding that sheds light on a potential way to overcome jet lag and health harms for shift workers.
Danny Trejo's New Doughnut Shop Is the Place Where All Your Dreams Come True
We're here to say thank you to Danny Trejos for opening up the doughnut shop we are currently lusting over. Trejo's Coffee and Donut is located in Los Angeles and is full of Latin-flavored doughnuts, like a nacho one made with jalapeño, chives, Trejo's Hot Sauce, and cheddar cheese. Oh, it doesn't even end there. There's also one called Abuelita made of dark chocolate and chocolate crumble and another one that we can't wait to get our hands on called the Three Amigos, made with a tres leches bath and glaze. Drooling yet?
Trejo's Coffee and Donut is the first doughnut shop the Machete star has opened as he continues to build his food empire, which already includes the popular Trejo's Tacos, Trejo's Cantina, and a taco truck that travels around Los Angeles. Keep scrolling and get ready for your taste buds to scream for more!
5 Ways I Styled My Awkwardly Long Bangs to Survive the Growing-Out Stage
In the dead of Winter, getting bangs seemed like an amazing idea. I was completely hell-bent on having Alexa Chung's effortlessly wavy fringe, so much so that I convinced myself the look would be easy enough to manage year-round. Ignoring my stylist's gentle warnings about the difficulties of dealing with wavy-textured bangs in humidity and the extra time styling them would require, I told her I had everything under control. It was a pretty stupid bold declaration, considering I rarely sacrificed sleep in the name of giving myself extra time to get ready.
After the initial chop, I was so thrilled with my new 'do that I actually didn't mind the extra time I had to spend on my hair in the mornings. What was a couple fewer minutes of sleep if the end result was looking a little more like Alexa Chung? I vowed to do whatever upkeep was necessary to keep my bangs going all year-round.
But by the second month of living with my new fringe, I started to question if this would really be as simple to style once cooler, dryer weather passed. Maybe my hairstylist (you know, the highly trained individual who is a licensed expert in all things hair-related) had been right to warn me against getting these bangs. Visions of my fairly easy, eyebrow-grazing fringe from Winter turning into a damp curtain of frizz that stuck to my sweaty forehead in Summer scared the sh*t out of me. It was decided: I had to get a move on growing these bangs back out before Summer's sweltering heat was in full swing.
Starting the process of growing my bangs out was painful, to put it lightly. At first, I had no idea how to conceal these odd-lengthed hairs without reaching for a baseball hat every day. But with time (and plenty of bobby pins, headbands, and hair oil), I've finally figured out a number of looks that both hide my growing fringe and feel like my style. Ahead, check out five of those hairstyles I've relied on to pull me through the dreaded growing-out stage. (And if you ever hear me talk about getting bangs again, by all means, tell me to stop talking.)
Danny Trejo's New Doughnut Shop Is the Place Where All Your Dreams Come True
We're here to say thank you to Danny Trejos for opening up the doughnut shop we are currently lusting over. Trejo's Coffee and Donut is located in Los Angeles and is full of Latin-flavored doughnuts, like a nacho one made with jalapeño, chives, Trejo's Hot Sauce, and cheddar cheese. Oh, it doesn't even end there. There's also one called Abuelita made of dark chocolate and chocolate crumble and another one that we can't wait to get our hands on called the Three Amigos, made with a tres leches bath and glaze. Drooling yet?
Trejo's Coffee and Donut is the first doughnut shop the Machete star has opened as he continues to build his food empire, which already includes the popular Trejo's Tacos, Trejo's Cantina, and a taco truck that travels around Los Angeles. Keep scrolling and get ready for your taste buds to scream for more!
10 Tips For the Best Backyard Camping Experience
If a big family camping trip isn't on your agenda because of budget or personal preferences, consider adding a backyard staycation to your plans. Not only is camping close to home cost-effective, convenient, and a relatively small commitment for those who aren't nature-lovers, but it's also a great way to try things out for first-timers. Plus, your kiddos can still make those precious Summer memories. It's amazing how kids can connect with nature, even just steps away from all of their electronics, when parents check out these 10 backyard camping tips.
10 Tips For the Best Backyard Camping Experience
If a big family camping trip isn't on your agenda because of budget or personal preferences, consider adding a backyard staycation to your plans. Not only is camping close to home cost-effective, convenient, and a relatively small commitment for those who aren't nature-lovers, but it's also a great way to try things out for first-timers. Plus, your kiddos can still make those precious Summer memories. It's amazing how kids can connect with nature, even just steps away from all of their electronics, when parents check out these 10 backyard camping tips.
See What Jeffree Star Looks Like Without Makeup - Because You Know You Want To
Whether he's applying a killer neon smoky eye shadow look or testing out a shimmery bronzer, we're pretty used to seeing Jeffree Star with a face full of bold makeup. But have you ever wondered what the YouTuber looks like when it's all stripped away? In his latest video, we get a glimpse at just that, as he tests out three products from Urban Decay's Meltdown Makeup Remover collection.
In the beginning of the video, Jeffree's face is covered in foundation, powder, eye shadow, mascara, and a highly pigmented liquid lipstick. But after a few spritzes of UD's Dissolving Spray, two coats of the clear Lip Oil Stick, and a few swipes of the Cleansing Oil Stick, all of his makeup magically melts away once he wipes it off with a damn washcloth. Watch the video above to see what Jeffree looks like sans makeup - because you know you want to.
9 Ways to Remind Yourself You're Amazing
Everyone has bad days, but you can turn it around. You're an awesome person, you just need to be reminded of that! We have nine ways you can encourage yourself to feel amazing. Try out these activities and feel happier than ever. You deserve a confidence boost.
Excited for Wonder Woman? Brush Up on Her Story From the Comics
The long-awaited film adaptation of DC's Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2. As the character has been around since the 1940s, the original source material is predictably chock-full of various characters, storylines, and all kinds of other information that can seem intimidating to get through. Don't quite know where to begin? If you want to brush up on your Wonder Woman knowledge before catching the movie this Summer, here are some highlights from the comics.
Origin Story
Wonder Woman's classic origin story is heavily rooted in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of Hippolyta, Queen of an Amazon-occupied island called Themyscria (or, earlier on, Paradise Island). Hippolyta, who wishes for a child, forms her out of clay from the shores. The gods of Olympus then bring the clay to life as Diana and bless her with gifts, such as beauty, strength, wisdom, speed, and flight. Her superhuman abilities assist her in her role as an emissary in Man's World. In the New 52 reboot (DC's 2011 relaunch) and the DC Extended Universe, Diana is not created from clay. Instead, she is the daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus, making her a demigod.
Notable Nemeses
Wonder Woman goes head-to-head with several enemies in the comics. Among the most notorious is Circe, a powerful witch and sorceress who's based on her namesake in Greek mythology. Notably, she sets up the War of the Gods, an epic war between numerous pantheons. Another one of Wonder Woman's well-known adversaries is Cheetah. Several people have donned this title, but the most prominent is possibly Barbara Ann Minerva, an archaeologist who gains an interest in besting Wonder Woman in battle after a failed attempt to take the hero's Lasso of Truth. Wonder Woman has also fought Ares (yes, the God of War), a misogynistic occultist called Doctor Psycho, and the size-manipulating Giganta.
Love Interests
Though Wonder Woman has quite a few love interests over the years, her most notable one is Steve Trevor. He originally debuts as the first man she ever meets, after his plane crashes on her island during World War II. She nurses him back to health, falls in love with him, and easily wins a competition to escort him back to Man's World (aka Earth) and assist in the country's battles. Other iterations of Steve remove his romantic relationship with Wonder Woman, but fans are still very familiar with it. In fact, Chris Pine is playing him in the film. Other than that, Wonder Woman also has trysts with characters including Nemesis, Aquaman, and Superman.
Team Affiliations
Wonder Woman starts off as a member of the Justice Society of America - though she mostly appears as the team's secretary and doesn't get in on the action much until later on. She's more famously a part of the Justice League of America, a superhero team consisting of several heroes like Batman, Superman, Aquaman, and the Flash. The JLA has undergone tons of changes to its origin story, but Wonder Woman is almost always a founding member.
9 Years of Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas's Unbreakable Friendship in Pictures
It's been more than a decade since Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas bonded on the set of Camp Rock, their big break as Disney Channel stars, when they were both just 16 years old. Since then, the singers have gone through a roller coaster (rehab and a breakup with Nick's brother for Demi, and a split from his brothers for Nick), but through it all, the pair have only become closer, growing together both musically and personally, calling each other best friends, becoming business partners for a record label, and going on tour together.
To celebrate Demi and Nick's stronger-than-ever friendship, we're looking back at their cutest pictures together. Keep scrolling to see them grow up in front of your eyes.
9 Years of Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas's Unbreakable Friendship in Pictures
It's been more than a decade since Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas bonded on the set of Camp Rock, their big break as Disney Channel stars, when they were both just 16 years old. Since then, the singers have gone through a roller coaster (rehab and a breakup with Nick's brother for Demi, and a split from his brothers for Nick), but through it all, the pair have only become closer, growing together both musically and personally, calling each other best friends, becoming business partners for a record label, and going on tour together.
To celebrate Demi and Nick's stronger-than-ever friendship, we're looking back at their cutest pictures together. Keep scrolling to see them grow up in front of your eyes.
What Happened When a Mom "Had the Gall" to Breastfeed During a Dance Recital
As one anonymous mom was sitting in her car crying as she breastfed her 3-month-old, she decided to snap a picture of the upsetting moment and share it instead of remaining silent. She wants others to know exactly what happened and how it feels to be shamed by fellow moms just for trying to nurture your baby.
"Why am I in my truck instead of in an air conditioned building watching my friends' children dance? It's because I had the gall to feed my baby without a cover," she shared on Breastfeeding Mama Talk's Facebook page.
10 Ways I Ruined My Tween's Life Today
The following post was originally featured on My Life Suckers and written by Deva Dalporto, who is part of POPSUGAR Select Moms.
Hang on to your Spanx, ladies, we're headed into the tween years. My daughter just turned 9 and things are, er, changing. Suddenly I'm really annoying. And stupid. And mean. Well, not all the time. Sometimes my daughter still adores me. Sometimes she still cuddles up in my lap and tells me she loves me. Sometimes I'm still the best. But the moments when she thinks I'm the most irritating person on the planet are growing by the day.
So what are my crimes, you ask? Oh, they are many. They are terrible. They are life-destroying. Here are 10 ways I managed to ruin my tween's life in one single day. Yes, I'm that bad.
- I looked at her.
- I spoke to her.
- I told her she looked pretty.
- I didn't tell her she looked pretty.
- I only put one banana in her smoothie and everyone knows she likes TWO BANANAS IN HER SMOOTHIE!
- I hugged her.
- I hugged her brother longer.
- I forgot to wash her black leggings forcing her to commit a major fashion faux pas and wear NAVY WITH BLACK!
- I said her drawing was great. But not with an excited enough voice.
- I existed.
Princess Diana Was the First Royal Bride to Have This Before Getting Engaged
Princess Diana's time as a royal was pretty groundbreaking. Aside from making a difference with her numerous charities and work in the community, the late mother of Prince William and Prince Harry proved time and time again that she was no ordinary princess (and not just because she wasn't afraid to stand up to the royal family). While her marriage to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981 was declared a national holiday by the UK, there's another reason why their nuptials were historic. Diana was the first royal bride to have had a paying job before her engagement.
After attending a finishing school in Rougemont, Switzerland, for one term in 1978, Diana returned to London. She took a series of low-paying jobs before finding employment as a kindergarten teacher at the Young England School. She continued to work at the school until her engagement to the Prince of Whales in February 1981. And this certainly paved the way for other royal brides. Her daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, was the UK's first royal bride with a university degree.
What Happened When a Mom "Had the Gall" to Breastfeed During a Dance Recital
As one anonymous mom was sitting in her car crying as she breastfed her 3-month-old, she decided to snap a picture of the upsetting moment and share it instead of remaining silent. She wants others to know exactly what happened and how it feels to be shamed by fellow moms just for trying to nurture your baby.
"Why am I in my truck instead of in an air conditioned building watching my friends' children dance? It's because I had the gall to feed my baby without a cover," she shared on Breastfeeding Mama Talk's Facebook page.
10 Ways I Ruined My Tween's Life Today
The following post was originally featured on My Life Suckers and written by Deva Dalporto, who is part of POPSUGAR Select Moms.
Hang on to your Spanx, ladies, we're headed into the tween years. My daughter just turned 9 and things are, er, changing. Suddenly I'm really annoying. And stupid. And mean. Well, not all the time. Sometimes my daughter still adores me. Sometimes she still cuddles up in my lap and tells me she loves me. Sometimes I'm still the best. But the moments when she thinks I'm the most irritating person on the planet are growing by the day.
So what are my crimes, you ask? Oh, they are many. They are terrible. They are life-destroying. Here are 10 ways I managed to ruin my tween's life in one single day. Yes, I'm that bad.
- I looked at her.
- I spoke to her.
- I told her she looked pretty.
- I didn't tell her she looked pretty.
- I only put one banana in her smoothie and everyone knows she likes TWO BANANAS IN HER SMOOTHIE!
- I hugged her.
- I hugged her brother longer.
- I forgot to wash her black leggings forcing her to commit a major fashion faux pas and wear NAVY WITH BLACK!
- I said her drawing was great. But not with an excited enough voice.
- I existed.
Princess Diana Was the First Royal Bride to Have This Before Getting Engaged
Princess Diana's time as a royal was pretty groundbreaking. Aside from making a difference with her numerous charities and work in the community, the late mother of Prince William and Prince Harry proved time and time again that she was no ordinary princess (and not just because she wasn't afraid to stand up to the royal family). While her marriage to Prince Charles on July 29, 1981 was declared a national holiday by the UK, there's another reason why their nuptials were historic. Diana was the first royal bride to have had a paying job before her engagement.
After attending a finishing school in Rougemont, Switzerland, for one term in 1978, Diana returned to London. She took a series of low-paying jobs before finding employment as a kindergarten teacher at the Young England School. She continued to work at the school until her engagement to the Prince of Whales in February 1981. And this certainly paved the way for other royal brides. Her daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, was the UK's first royal bride with a university degree.
Meet the Couple Who Took Gay Marriage to the Supreme Court
Kris and Sandy Stier's story proves love is worth fighting for.
9 Times Jason Momoa's Back Was So F*cking Sexy
Jason Momoa's muscles are a national treasure, which is why we love zeroing in on and celebrating them (by ogling them). This time, we're paying homage to Jason's back. The man has a nice-ass back, you guys. It's so chiseled and bulgy and always oily for some reason, but it works. It especially stands out when Jason is enjoying one of his favorite pastimes - wall climbing - which is not only impressive but very, very hot. Grab a towel and scroll through these scintillating snaps (and videos!) of Jason Momoa's back muscles.
Watch Camila Cabello Own the Stage With a Performance of "Crying in the Club"
Just call Camila Cabello the princess of UK prime-time television! The 20-year-old sang her hits "I Have Questions" and "Crying in the Club" from her album The Hurting, The Healing, The Loving on Britain's Got Talent's season finale, and literally set the stage on fire - no, really, the stage was on fire.
For her second live performance of her new singles - she first performed them at the Billboard Music Awards - Camila stepped on stage solo in a black jumpsuit surrounded by fog and later fire and with everyone's eyes on her. In fact, the internet paid so much attention, rumors quickly started that Camila wasn't performing live, leading to a statement by her team. Check out the video above and see her show off her live vocals.
Grool! The Mean Girls Burn Book Palette Is Becoming a Reality
Storybook Cosmetics has teased some particularly magical collaborations in the past, like its Wizard Wand and Rose makeup brushes, and the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory palette. The enchanted brand's most recent announcement, though, is pretty "grool": the line is officially launching a Mean Girls Burn Book Eye Shadow Palette this Fall.
If you're a longtime fan of Storybook Cosmetics, your breasts didn't have to sense this collaboration was on its way, because it was among one of the first ideas they posted on Storybook's Instagram account. (And has since been deleted.)
"We are incredibly excited to collaborate with Paramount Licensing on Mean Girls," said Missy Maynard, cofounder of the brand. "We're total Mean Girls fanatics, and this eye shadow palette is one of the first palettes we dreamed up! When we secured licensing for it we were ecstatic!"
There will be 12 shades available in the palette, although exact names and colors haven't been divulged yet. When we originally covered the idea back in October, the concept was an eight-pan palette, featuring shadows inspired by quotes in the movie, like green and blue shadows named "Army Pants" and "Flip Flops." Other names included at the time: "Glen Coco," "You Can't Sit With Us," "So Fetch," and the pink "Wednesday." It's cool to see that Storybook's idea is finally becoming a reality with an even bigger palette than initially imagined!
While we don't have photos or names just yet, one thing's for sure: you'll get your own Burn Book replica filled with pigmented shadows. And there has to be a few shades of pink involved, right? How cool would it be if it came with a feathered pen-inspired eye shadow brush? Fingers crossed it drops on October 3.
We'll keep you updated when we learn more, so stay tuned!
If You Want to Run Longer, This Is a Must
Ever wonder why some days you feel like you can keep running and running while on others you have zero stamina? Certainly the amount of sleep you got the night before, stress levels, and diet play a role in how you perform during your runs, but how you regulate your breath during your jogging session also affects your energy levels. Here's how to power your muscles with fresh oxygen on each stride.
Learn to breathe deeply: Your lungs are just a bit smaller than your rib cage, but most people tend to use just the top third of this powerful organ. When you take a deep breath, you are expanding the lungs, pressing down the diaphragm, and causing your abdomen to expand as your lungs fill with air. Learning to breathe this way while running helps you take in a lot of oxygen, preventing dizziness and nausea. With a little training and some stretching, you can breathe to your full potential and increase your endurance. Cross-training with yoga and Pilates can also help you learn to breathe from your diaphragm. Here are some tips for how to conquer diaphragmatic breathing.
Match your breathing to your steps: For an easy-paced run, inhale for three or four steps, then exhale for the same amount. Count the steps in your head while you adjust to breathing on tempo. If you are running more intensely, your breathing tempo will increase to support your increased energy output and become faster - a breath in for one to two steps and out for one to two steps. If you can't match your steps to your breathing tempo, then you are trying to run too fast; slow down, and get back into your rhythm.
Breathe differently in cooler temps: It's important to breathe through your nose while running in chillier weather, because cold air is dry and breathing through your mouth increases the dryness while decreasing the temperature of the air. Since your lungs do not like dry air, you can experience asthma-like symptoms, like wheezing and coughing, when breathing cold air in through your mouth. Breathing through your nose not only filters out air impurities but also warms cool air to body temperature, creating less shock for the lungs to decrease those asthma-like symptoms.
Learn to breathe through your nose: If nose breathing is difficult for you, start experimenting with the technique now before the temperature drops drastically. Breathing through the nose helps you breathe more deeply and efficiently, which will ultimately help your running no matter what the temperature is. If you plan to run in cold temps and have yet to master nose breathing, you can try wearing a bandana (or a shirt that can be pulled up far) over your nose and mouth to help trap the moisture of your breath and humidity in the air before it reaches your lungs.
If You Want to Run Longer, This Is a Must
Ever wonder why some days you feel like you can keep running and running while on others you have zero stamina? Certainly the amount of sleep you got the night before, stress levels, and diet play a role in how you perform during your runs, but how you regulate your breath during your jogging session also affects your energy levels. Here's how to power your muscles with fresh oxygen on each stride.
Learn to breathe deeply: Your lungs are just a bit smaller than your rib cage, but most people tend to use just the top third of this powerful organ. When you take a deep breath, you are expanding the lungs, pressing down the diaphragm, and causing your abdomen to expand as your lungs fill with air. Learning to breathe this way while running helps you take in a lot of oxygen, preventing dizziness and nausea. With a little training and some stretching, you can breathe to your full potential and increase your endurance. Cross-training with yoga and Pilates can also help you learn to breathe from your diaphragm. Here are some tips for how to conquer diaphragmatic breathing.
Match your breathing to your steps: For an easy-paced run, inhale for three or four steps, then exhale for the same amount. Count the steps in your head while you adjust to breathing on tempo. If you are running more intensely, your breathing tempo will increase to support your increased energy output and become faster - a breath in for one to two steps and out for one to two steps. If you can't match your steps to your breathing tempo, then you are trying to run too fast; slow down, and get back into your rhythm.
Breathe differently in cooler temps: It's important to breathe through your nose while running in chillier weather, because cold air is dry and breathing through your mouth increases the dryness while decreasing the temperature of the air. Since your lungs do not like dry air, you can experience asthma-like symptoms, like wheezing and coughing, when breathing cold air in through your mouth. Breathing through your nose not only filters out air impurities but also warms cool air to body temperature, creating less shock for the lungs to decrease those asthma-like symptoms.
Learn to breathe through your nose: If nose breathing is difficult for you, start experimenting with the technique now before the temperature drops drastically. Breathing through the nose helps you breathe more deeply and efficiently, which will ultimately help your running no matter what the temperature is. If you plan to run in cold temps and have yet to master nose breathing, you can try wearing a bandana (or a shirt that can be pulled up far) over your nose and mouth to help trap the moisture of your breath and humidity in the air before it reaches your lungs.
What Living in a World With Terrorism Is Like When Your Child Has Autism
One mom honestly divulges her fears and anxieties about raising a boy with autism in 2017, from our friends at YourTango.
Why does this keep happening?
As someone who consumes news stories like some people pop Life Savers candies into their mouth, my first instinct was to question the authenticity of the tweets I read about two explosions following the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.
"Bodies everywhere!" One tweeted.
"Guys. It's a false alarm. A balloon popped right next to a speaker and everyone freaked out." Another tweeted.
The latter tweet seemed easier to swallow.
A concert hall filled with young children and teenagers being hit by an explosion?
No.
I was not prepared to mentally handle that.
And then the Greater Manchester Police tweeted that they were, in fact, responding to a serious incident at the Manchester Arena.
Another tweet popped up, one of a picture with bloody bodies lying on the ground in the front near the box-office.
No.
I was ready to wave my FAKE NEWS flag for the first time ever.
This couldn't be happening.
It was just about 6:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. Manchester time) when all this was unfolding and new details were starting to be released.
Missing loved ones.
Cries for help.
Children separated from their parents.
Full stop.
Children separated from their parents.
All terror attacks are senseless and I can't fully understand the psychology behind it, however ones that involve children?
As a writer it pains me to say that I can't actually put into words how it makes me feel.
I'm almost reminded of when my father died as I sat there watching his life slip away with every second; nauseated, dizzy, falling into a state of darkness and despair.
But since 9/11, I've become a news junkie ... no, that's the wrong term.
My obsessive compulsive disorder mixed with a large helping of severe anxiety disorder has me up all hours of the night, reading and watching the news for every little tid bit of additional information I can get.
I fell asleep with my headphones on, listening to CNN recount the same news over and over, replaying the video of screaming children.
I moved to the couch, where I put CNN on the TV in the background as I moved in and out of a sleepy state.
The need was ferocious; the need to know that these missing people were found and reunited with their loved ones.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt sickened.
22 people were killed, hundreds more injured.
I had an IEP meeting (Individual Education Program) for my autistic son soon after his bus came to pick him up.
I was greeted with happy teachers and therapists who told me that my son was a "ray of sunshine" and that he has improved so much.
But he's still unable to say "Mom, or "Dad."
He is still unable to form a sentence explaining his needs.
While I listened and took notes from the meeting, in the back of my head, all I could think was, "What if?"
Summer is soon approaching here in the Northeast which means some family time is now in the planning stages.
I wanted to take our son to a theme park geared toward kids like Sesame Place or Hershey Park.
Never in a million years would I have thought that would be a target for a terrorist, but now?
Who knows anymore?
As the day went on, I felt sicker and sicker; all the lovely physical side effects of having severe anxiety.
What would happen if we took our son to what should be a happy place? And there was an attack? And we got lost?
He wouldn't be able to ask for his parents.
He wouldn't be able to describe us to other people so that they can help him find us.
My father always used to tell me a story from his childhood:
"When I was in elementary school, we used to have nuke drills. We'd all have to crawl under our desks and hide. All I could think was, 'What the hell is a desk going to do to save us from a nuke?'"
My dad was partly traumatized by those drills.
Do we now have to make my son carry around his neck a tag with contact information like a puppy?
Is this what the world has come to?
I don't show fear in front of my son because he's very sensitive to other's emotions.
But I'm terrified for the world.
I'm terrified for my son.
If we let fear set in, we let them win. That's what they say, right?
But what happens if the fear isn't for yourself, but for someone who can't actually feel fear?
I know that sounds confusing ... let me explain.
My son is 6-years-old. I don't let him watch the news and I don't speak about bombs going off in front of him.
I'm not sure his comprehension will ever get to the point where he fully understands the world, as it is now, around him.
I'm not sure I want him to.
My fear, the pit I have at the very bottom of my stomach that feels like a brick that won't move, is for him.
I wanted to bring my child into a world filled with love, light, and laughter.
He gets that at home and in school.
I'm scared for when it's his time to leave the world I built for him and venture out into the real one.
The one with suicide bombers, mass shooters, and people who believe killing others is the only way to their G-d.
I'm just ... scared.
Check out more great stories from YourTango:
What Living in a World With Terrorism Is Like When Your Child Has Autism
One mom honestly divulges her fears and anxieties about raising a boy with autism in 2017, from our friends at YourTango.
Why does this keep happening?
As someone who consumes news stories like some people pop Life Savers candies into their mouth, my first instinct was to question the authenticity of the tweets I read about two explosions following the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.
"Bodies everywhere!" One tweeted.
"Guys. It's a false alarm. A balloon popped right next to a speaker and everyone freaked out." Another tweeted.
The latter tweet seemed easier to swallow.
A concert hall filled with young children and teenagers being hit by an explosion?
No.
I was not prepared to mentally handle that.
And then the Greater Manchester Police tweeted that they were, in fact, responding to a serious incident at the Manchester Arena.
Another tweet popped up, one of a picture with bloody bodies lying on the ground in the front near the box-office.
No.
I was ready to wave my FAKE NEWS flag for the first time ever.
This couldn't be happening.
It was just about 6:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. Manchester time) when all this was unfolding and new details were starting to be released.
Missing loved ones.
Cries for help.
Children separated from their parents.
Full stop.
Children separated from their parents.
All terror attacks are senseless and I can't fully understand the psychology behind it, however ones that involve children?
As a writer it pains me to say that I can't actually put into words how it makes me feel.
I'm almost reminded of when my father died as I sat there watching his life slip away with every second; nauseated, dizzy, falling into a state of darkness and despair.
But since 9/11, I've become a news junkie ... no, that's the wrong term.
My obsessive compulsive disorder mixed with a large helping of severe anxiety disorder has me up all hours of the night, reading and watching the news for every little tid bit of additional information I can get.
I fell asleep with my headphones on, listening to CNN recount the same news over and over, replaying the video of screaming children.
I moved to the couch, where I put CNN on the TV in the background as I moved in and out of a sleepy state.
The need was ferocious; the need to know that these missing people were found and reunited with their loved ones.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt sickened.
22 people were killed, hundreds more injured.
I had an IEP meeting (Individual Education Program) for my autistic son soon after his bus came to pick him up.
I was greeted with happy teachers and therapists who told me that my son was a "ray of sunshine" and that he has improved so much.
But he's still unable to say "Mom, or "Dad."
He is still unable to form a sentence explaining his needs.
While I listened and took notes from the meeting, in the back of my head, all I could think was, "What if?"
Summer is soon approaching here in the Northeast which means some family time is now in the planning stages.
I wanted to take our son to a theme park geared toward kids like Sesame Place or Hershey Park.
Never in a million years would I have thought that would be a target for a terrorist, but now?
Who knows anymore?
As the day went on, I felt sicker and sicker; all the lovely physical side effects of having severe anxiety.
What would happen if we took our son to what should be a happy place? And there was an attack? And we got lost?
He wouldn't be able to ask for his parents.
He wouldn't be able to describe us to other people so that they can help him find us.
My father always used to tell me a story from his childhood:
"When I was in elementary school, we used to have nuke drills. We'd all have to crawl under our desks and hide. All I could think was, 'What the hell is a desk going to do to save us from a nuke?'"
My dad was partly traumatized by those drills.
Do we now have to make my son carry around his neck a tag with contact information like a puppy?
Is this what the world has come to?
I don't show fear in front of my son because he's very sensitive to other's emotions.
But I'm terrified for the world.
I'm terrified for my son.
If we let fear set in, we let them win. That's what they say, right?
But what happens if the fear isn't for yourself, but for someone who can't actually feel fear?
I know that sounds confusing ... let me explain.
My son is 6-years-old. I don't let him watch the news and I don't speak about bombs going off in front of him.
I'm not sure his comprehension will ever get to the point where he fully understands the world, as it is now, around him.
I'm not sure I want him to.
My fear, the pit I have at the very bottom of my stomach that feels like a brick that won't move, is for him.
I wanted to bring my child into a world filled with love, light, and laughter.
He gets that at home and in school.
I'm scared for when it's his time to leave the world I built for him and venture out into the real one.
The one with suicide bombers, mass shooters, and people who believe killing others is the only way to their G-d.
I'm just ... scared.
Check out more great stories from YourTango:
Is Buying a VIP Ticket to a Music Festival Worth It?
General admission tickets to music festivals are crazy expensive to begin with, so what's the deal with VIP, and could it possibly be worth the outrageous cost? Almost all music festivals now have "VIP" and "Platinum" tickets that go for twice the amount of a standard ticket, an upwards of a $1,000 per person or more. I've been to my fair share of music festivals, but never had I experienced VIP until this weekend while covering the BottleRock Festival in Napa as press. I have to confess, I loved every single minute of it. VIP reinvigorated my love of and passion for music festivals. Yes, a VIP ticket is a total luxury that may not be feasible for many (including myself), but it has some surprising pros that may entice you to purchase.
VIP Views
The number one reason to buy a VIP ticket is to have access to a better view of the stage. The most confusing thing I discovered while at BottleRock is there are many tiers to VIP. There's standard VIP ($709), then VIP Plus ($1,200), and finally VIP Platinum ($3,500). All VIP people had access to the front of the main stage. We're talking several feet with plenty of breathing room, so there's no cramming or fighting for a spot. Then, there's VIP Plus, which has access to the Skydeck, an elevated tent to the side of the stage that offers an incredible, unobstructed view of the stage (away from the crowd), comfortable seating, shade, and free, unlimited drinks (which cost about $15 a pop for festival-goers).
Then, there's VIP Platinum, which offers backstage access(!) and a private tent to the right of the stage. The balcony of the Platinum stage is basically eye level of the main stage. I did have a chance to see Macklemore backstage. It's incredible to see the musicians up close and take in the energetic audience from their perspective. It felt like being a rockstar for the day, living vicariously through the performers. There is one slight catch: no one is allowed to stay the whole set. So that everyone has a chance to go backstage, the small group stays for a few songs before being escorted out.
VIP Bathrooms
General admission = Porta Potties. VIP means air-conditioned bathrooms with flushable toilets, toilet paper, sinks, and soap. Three days in the sun, and I was beyond grateful for this. I never stood in line, and attendants kept the toilet paper and paper towels stocked at all times.
Private VIP Stage
All VIP had access to a "VIP Village" that had private bars, restaurants, restrooms, and even a private stage. Headliners performed on this stage exclusively for the VIP, so you could catch the artists in a more intimate setting.
Free Drinks and Food
You have to pay the big, big bucks to have access to free drinks and food. The Skybar offered free drinks to VIP Plus. VIP Platinum received chef-catered foods and top shelf drinks in its white tent lounge. Then, there's the "VIP Suites," an elevated tent perched to the side of the tent (like the Skybar but sectioned out into smaller units). Sponsors and corporations rent them out and provide food and drinks to a very limited number of guests.
No Physical / Mental Exhaustion
Fighting the sun and crowds all day oftentimes lead to intense physical and mental exhaustion at music festivals, but with VIP, there's none of that. Yes, by the end of the day, I was tired. However, I didn't leave sunburned, dehydrated, or have to load up on Advil for muscle and backaches. That's a first in music festival history for me! I actually left the weekend feeling relaxed, as if I had gone on a beach vacation.
Though VIP isn't something I'll have a chance to do regularly (or even again), my experience was so positive, I'm apt to read the fine print of a VIP ticket the next time I go to a concert or music festival. If, for the right price, the ticket includes a stunning view, clean bathrooms, tons of freebies, and a relaxing experience, I know I'll be tempted to buy into it. If you're really treating yourself to a special
Travel and expenses for the author were provided by Alaska Airlines, sponsors of the BottleRock Skydeck, for the purpose of writing this story.
Nas on President Trump: "We All Know a Racist Is in Office"
Nas may be known for his eye-opening rap lyrics, but now, he's speaking out on our current political climate and has a lot to say about President Donald Trump. The rapper recently penned a passionate open letter directed at the president, where he asks the public to act and not silence ourselves during this presidency.
"We all know a racist is in office," Nas wrote for Mass Appeal. "People can talk their sh*t. Comedians can sound racist. People can go through their moments of that sh*t, but when you have the responsibility of being president and you carry on like that, you send a strong message to people outside of your group that they ain't worth sh*t."
Nas is unquestionably one of the most politically aware rappers our country has seen, and his letter to President Trump reasserts that. He explains that the president's morals and messages often make minorities feel like they "ain't worth sh*t."
While Nas doesn't vote nor does he "pay attention to politics," he believes his actions are enough. "My way of addressing these issues is through my work. Whatever president may be in office doesn't affect my work directly. The way he affects people is what affects me," Nas wrote. "My focus is on what's happening with real people in their everyday lives. How they behave, the decisions they make, and how that affects families. I grew up in a single-parent household, so I was affected by that life. But it didn't stop me. So I speak to the everyday people. I speak to everybody. If the people are bothered by it, I speak on it. If the people are bothered and want change, I speak on that."
He wrote that former President Barack Obama followed his dreams, but it doesn't change the fact that racism is still incredibly prevalent and he believes Trump has only made it worse.
"But Barack Obama changed the game so that now, whether you're a woman or Latino or whoever, you can feel that running for office can be a real goal. Winning the election could be real for someone in this country, if that's what you want," he added. "I'm doing all the things I ever dreamed of, even though there was a Ronald Reagan, even though there was laws that ruthlessly destroyed the black community, put tons of us in prison on trumped-up charges, and put us in jail for a long time over crimes that other people get a smack on the hand for. It's basically slavery."
Nas is asking people to act and acknowledge these issues, because remaining silent won't change anything. He closed his letter with some advice: "I don't got time for lippin'. I got time for actions. Anytime I'm speaking it's action."
Action. https://t.co/bfbPVupHKo
- Nasir Jones (@Nas) May 30, 2017
Nas on President Trump: "We All Know a Racist Is in Office"
Nas may be known for his eye-opening rap lyrics, but now, he's speaking out on our current political climate and has a lot to say about President Donald Trump. The rapper recently penned a passionate open letter directed at the president, where he asks the public to act and not silence ourselves during this presidency.
"We all know a racist is in office," Nas wrote for Mass Appeal. "People can talk their sh*t. Comedians can sound racist. People can go through their moments of that sh*t, but when you have the responsibility of being president and you carry on like that, you send a strong message to people outside of your group that they ain't worth sh*t."
Nas is unquestionably one of the most politically aware rappers our country has seen, and his letter to President Trump reasserts that. He explains that the president's morals and messages often make minorities feel like they "ain't worth sh*t."
While Nas doesn't vote nor does he "pay attention to politics," he believes his actions are enough. "My way of addressing these issues is through my work. Whatever president may be in office doesn't affect my work directly. The way he affects people is what affects me," Nas wrote. "My focus is on what's happening with real people in their everyday lives. How they behave, the decisions they make, and how that affects families. I grew up in a single-parent household, so I was affected by that life. But it didn't stop me. So I speak to the everyday people. I speak to everybody. If the people are bothered by it, I speak on it. If the people are bothered and want change, I speak on that."
He wrote that former President Barack Obama followed his dreams, but it doesn't change the fact that racism is still incredibly prevalent and he believes Trump has only made it worse.
"But Barack Obama changed the game so that now, whether you're a woman or Latino or whoever, you can feel that running for office can be a real goal. Winning the election could be real for someone in this country, if that's what you want," he added. "I'm doing all the things I ever dreamed of, even though there was a Ronald Reagan, even though there was laws that ruthlessly destroyed the black community, put tons of us in prison on trumped-up charges, and put us in jail for a long time over crimes that other people get a smack on the hand for. It's basically slavery."
Nas is asking people to act and acknowledge these issues, because remaining silent won't change anything. He closed his letter with some advice: "I don't got time for lippin'. I got time for actions. Anytime I'm speaking it's action."
Action. https://t.co/bfbPVupHKo
- Nasir Jones (@Nas) May 30, 2017
Don't Design a Home Until You've Read RHOC Star Heather Dubrow's 4 Wise Tips
Heather Dubrow's multi-million-dollar homes are practically their own character on The Real Housewives of Orange County. From their mind-boggling square footage to their over-the-top amenities, Heather has a knack for designing unforgettable residences. "I've done two houses from the ground up. One that I bought halfway through construction and finished. And maybe three or four major remodels," the Evite video series host, actress, and mother of four told us in a recent phone interview. Based on the splendor of her most recent home - it has a champagne doorbell inside the palatial closet - we wanted to pick Heather's brain on home design. She shared her truly wise wisdom below.
Design a Home YOU Love
"I think the biggest thing with home design is - and it's taken me a long time to learn this - is you have to put things in your home that you love. And you can't worry about what other people are going to think about it," Heather sagely advises. She admits that when she first started designing homes, she was worried about what everyone else thought, getting hung up on the builder's opinion or a comment the designer made. "When I did [our current] house, I thought, 'You know what? I don't care. I'm going to build the house that I want.' And I am so happy with it. Terry's so happy with it. Maybe it's some people's taste, maybe it's not others,' but you really can't make a mistake if you put things in your home you love."
Start With a Solid Foundation
While Heather's first rule is to design a home you love, no matter how outlandish it may seem to other people, she clarifies that you can't put specific and bizarre pieces in your home in a way that cannot be removed. Meaning, she says, "you can put fuchsia pillows or a purple sofa or anything weird like that, that's fine. But you cannot do a purple marble bathroom because it's just too odd, and if you go to try to sell it, people will feel like they have to replace that." In summary, she says, "when you do the bones of the house, you have to make sure that it's very pretty and homogenous . . . but other than that, go crazy."
Create a Floor Plan Around Your Specific Lifestyle
While Heather's last house was huge, she says the floor plan didn't really flow with the way her family lived and that's, "really important when you're building a house, or remodeling a house, or even buying a house." Heather always wished she had taken a couple more passes at the design before construction began on that house, so when building this house, she says, "I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like. I knew exactly how we function. And as ridiculously large as this house is, we use every square inch of it because of the way it's laid out.
Search High-End and Low-End For Decor
While Heather isn't shy about admitting she loves fine art or splurging on fancy pieces, like a recent Kelly Wearstler statue, she also doesn't overlook more affordable options. "I've been looking for art for my formal powder room for literally six months, and I finally just found something from Target!" Heather exclaims. "I bought this collection of paintings and they are so gorgeous and they were the perfect color and the perfect size and it was wrapped canvas and I freaked out over them." To give them a more unique, upmarket look, Heather positioned them in a different directions. "They're the cheapest thing I've bought, I think, in the house, but they are perfection."
What It's Like When Your Wife Is Pregnant - at the Same Time as You
Usually, when a couple says "we're pregnant," it's a figure of speech. But for married pair Lindsay Lanciault and Toby Fleischman, they mean it quite literally.
The two sit across from each other at a busy cafe sharing tomato soup and bread on a cloudy Saturday. Lanciault, 34, is a speech-language pathologist at UCLA while Fleischman, 41, is a celebrity makeup artist with clients like Evan Rachel Wood, Ellen Page, and Gabourey Sidibe. Both women are brunette with a California-cool style and similar toothy smiles. They've been married for almost three years, live in Los Angeles with their Shih Tzu Lemon (short for Liz Lemon), and have stumbled into a unique circumstance several years in the making: they are both pregnant at the same time.
Given the tangle of legal and medical processes, there simply aren't many women who have experienced what they are going through.
"There was definitely a time in my life where I didn't think kids really fit into my plan," Fleischman says. "Then, when I met Lindsay, it was absolutely clear that she was someone that I wanted to raise children with."
A Unique Situation
Stories like New York's coverage of Kate Elazegui and Emily Kehe last year and Discovery Health specials like Quads With Two Moms illustrate how parallel pregnancies for lesbian and queer couples can be not only rare, but difficult - and oftentimes sensationalized. And, as FiveThirtyEight reported in 2015, the odds of this situation are so slim, it's hard to even gather data on it. Neither the CDC nor the Society for Artificial Reproductive Technology record comprehensive statistics on intrauterine inseminations. And because a large number of women decide to undergo insemination in the privacy of their own homes - like Lanciault and Fleischman did - or at a clinic, their successful pregnancies aren't always reflected in the data that is collected, anyway. Given the tangle of legal and medical processes that come with two women in a relationship trying to get pregnant, there simply aren't many women who have experienced what Lanciault and Fleischman are going through.
Dr. Kristin Bendikson, fertility specialist at University of Southern California Fertility, says the situation is as unlikely as it sounds. "The only time I've seen it happen is when I was a resident - and that was, like, 20 years ago," Dr. Bendikson explains. "The overwhelming majority of lesbian couples that I see are usually focused on one person getting pregnant at a time." In fact, so were Lanciault and Fleischman when they started their journey.
The process of getting pregnant seemed easy enough when Lanciault and Fleischman started to explore their options. The couple decided in August 2015 that Fleischman should try to get pregnant first, since she's the oldest of the pair and her window for motherhood seemed slimmer. Lanciault supported the decision and aided in finding a sperm donor. With a donor in place, Lanciault tried at home via the "syringe method" - more technically known as intravaginal insemination (or, as Fleischhman laughingly refers to it, the "turkey baster" method.)
Fleischman and Lanciault's insemination process was a lot simpler than you might assume; with guidance from their doctors, the two used menstrual cups (Diva Cups, specifically) as their syringe-method vehicles for inserting their donor's sample. It was as easy as that.
"First try at home, I got pregnant," she says. That pregnancy ended in miscarriage, however. Over the next year and a half, they kept trying, though complications arose. They faced the miscarriage and medical complications. It also became clear that their original donor's samples were not going to be viable moving forward, which forced them to seek out a new donor. All of this kept them from achieving their dream of motherhood.
The process took a toll on their relationship. "It was probably the most stressful thing," Lanciault says. "Not that we were going to get divorced over it, but . . . I didn't want to come home. We were at odds."
Deciding to Try Together
Due to the series of blocks standing in the way of motherhood, the two made the choice to shift focus from Fleischman to Lanciault after they successfully landed on a new donor. This brought up a lot of complicated feelings - the shift wasn't as easy as passing a natal baton from one wife to another.
She remembers thinking: "We can't be pregnant together. What are we, crazy?"
"I wasn't ready to stop," Fleischman remembers. She remembers thinking: "'We can't be pregnant together. What are we, crazy? We can't do that.'"
With the help of Danica Thornberry, acupuncturist and author of Stick It To Me Baby!, the two were able to physically and emotionally anchor the process by focusing on fertility. "Women who identify as being infertile deal with a lot of jealousy and negativity as they see friends and sister-in-laws, family members, getting pregnant and they're not," Thornberry shared by phone. "To have 'the enemy' - a pregnant woman - in your house, when you're not able to get pregnant and that's your wife, that's what made this case so unique."
Fleischman can speak directly to this: "During that time, Danica was really helpful in emotionally dealing with some of these issues and trying to think about the process in an emotionally healthy and positive way, and not trying to control it, and not trying to be crazy about it, and not trying to be negative."
"While [Lindsay]'s saying, 'I think that I should start - you should stop,' another birthday was nearing and there was kind of this mental block of that birthday," Flesichman says. "I had to let go."
Fleischman followed Thornberry's The SEED Fertility program, a diet Thornberry says "optimizes fertilization," and credits it with helping make her insemination after two years of struggles a success. "After a month and a half on this diet, I had this perfect, beautiful, normal ovulation - and that's the month I got pregnant. I'm very lucky I got pregnant 'naturally' at home by syringe method."
"Is This the Right Thing to Do?"
The two found out Fleischman was pregnant the same week Lanciault was starting her efforts in November 2016. Instead of abandoning the work she had put into her own attempt to become pregnant, Lanciault attempted to get pregnant, too, via the same donor and method - and it worked. Quickly. She, too, was pregnant by December.
The two have just a three-week difference between their due dates - Lanciault is four months along; Fleischman is five - and found out about Lanciault's pregnancy the week following the election of Donald Trump, which placed a shadow over the news.
"There was this level of 'Is this the right thing to do? Bring children into this world?'" Lanciault says. "We were so fearful."
These fears aren't entirely unwarranted. Emily Hecht-McGowan, chief policy officer at the Family Equality Council, says the process of non-traditional parenting is complicated to begin with, and that the Trump administration's stances on LGBTQ issues could further hinder the process. That potential future aside, she finds that this all has to do with a handful of roadblocks that LGBTQ persons face in trying to start a family.
"Information is probably the first barrier," she says. "Lots of same-sex couples (or prospective single parents or LGBTQ people) generally don't know the host of options that are available to them. The other piece is financial. All of these processes cost money, whether it's adoption through foster care or hiring a surrogate to help you create a family. Nothing is free." That cost, according to Dr. Bendickson, can range from hundreds of dollars for a sperm sample to tens of thousands for more advanced treatments like in vitro fertilization.
Policies and practices on a state and national level also stand in the way of LGBTQ persons becoming parents since laws do not exist to protect them. This leaves queer parents and their children vulnerable and can make starting a family impossible for some.
Beyond this, Emily sees actions like a reported religious freedom executive order as validating for anti-LGBTQ attitudes - especially as they relate to potential queer parents. She advises all potential queer parents to talk to an expert who understands the laws in their state - and warns that simply being married might not resolve all the issues that LGBTQ families can face in their day-to-day lives.
While Lanciault and Fleischman are concerned, they're confident in their state's policies and legal protections and feel very fortunate to be where they are in America. "We're really lucky that we live in Los Angeles," Lanciault says. "Hopefully, our kids won't feel like they're different because they have two moms."
But being Californians hasn't meant there has been any relaxing regarding LGBTQ parenting rights. As Lambda Legal advises, all same-sex and queer parents today must take the proper steps toward adoption as soon as possible, particularly second-parent adoptions.
Lanciault and Fleischman aren't taking such advice lightly. "We're very eager to adopt each other's children as soon as legally possible just to solidify that aspect of it . . . just in case!" Fleischman says. "You just don't know. We live in this lovely world of California but you just don't know."
Rising to the Challenge
Still, Fleischman sees starting a family as a welcome challenge - especially considering that the couple will be birthing a set of boys. The couple were very confident with the idea of raising strong women, because they themselves are strong women. But men? This is a challenge they admit they didn't initially think through. "We have this huge responsibility to raise respectful, compassionate, feminist men," Fleischman says.
As far as her advice for other lesbians who want to start a family? Fleischman believes women should figure out their fertility standing as soon as possible. "The top headlines of advice have been to go to a fertility specialist early, no matter how old you are or how regular you are or how healthy you think you are," she says.
Lanciault also takes the opportunity to remind people to be aware that many women - straight or gay - face fertility challenges. "People think it's okay to ask a woman who is maybe of childbearing years or who just got married, 'Are you going to start trying soon?' But you don't know if they actually have been trying. You don't know what their situation is. We've gotten that 'When are you going to start?' question and it's like . . . we've been trying for six months. You don't know what somebody's going through."
"If she's feeling something that I've gone through, I can validate it and say that that's normal."
Lanciault concurs. "As a lesbian couple we have that extra, added 'How do we do this?'," she says.
While they look forward to being mothers, Lanciault says they're "a little nervous" about the potential for dueling labors, and Fleischman knows caring for two children while they're both recovering from birth will require some assistance; "We're going to have to get a nurse for the first month."
Overall, though, sharing the experience of pregnancy has brought the pair even closer together.
"If she's feeling something that I've gone through, I can validate it and say that that's normal," Fleischman says. "But, like I said, there are a lot of hormones in the house and we go through waves - in one day - of being obsessed and in love with each other and so euphoric, to 'I don't want to be next to you. Please don't talk to me.'"
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