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 10 août 2017
The Healthy $2 Dinner I Make Every Week (With 20 Grams of Protein!)
I'm a creature of habit, and when I find something I like, I tend to be repetitive - extremely repetitive. I'll drink four glasses of iced green tea from David's Tea in one day, get an almond milk latte from Starbucks eight days in a row, and take the same Barry's Bootcamp lunchtime class every week, and so on and so forth. The biggest staple in the past year, however, has been my dinner: crispy tofu nuggets and sautéed zucchini.
Eating healthy on a budget can be tough and tiresome - and it's easy to fall into the ramen diet when you're especially strapped for cash (I've been there!). But I promise you this meal is more tasty, more nutritious, and well worth the extra dollar than those dehydrated noodles.
I learned this particular style of cooking tofu from chef Melissa King - it leaves you with crispy, savory, tender nuggets that feel more indulgent than they actually are. Here are her steps:
- Cut tofu into cubes [I use half a block for one dinner].
- Heat oil in a pan [I use coconut oil because I like the taste - choose your own adventure here].
- Toss tofu in a mixture of white rice flour and cornstarch, and shake off excess.
- Sauté for five minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Remove onto a paper towel and season lightly with salt.
The result? A healthy, 200-calorie, filling, plant-based, gluten-free, low-carb, dairy-free, protein-packed, supercheap dinner that helps me get through the week in more ways than one.
While the tofu is cooking, I slice up a whole zucchini and sauté it in coconut oil or grass-fed Kerrygold butter. The half a block of tofu is $1 (you can get a block at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods for $2, sometimes even less), and a medium zucchini is typically somewhere under $1 (also sometimes even less). The carryover items you'll need in your pantry are oil (I get mine at Costco to save money), cornstarch ($1 for basically a year supply), and white rice flour ($2-$3 for a year supply).
Not only is it cheap, but it has great nutrition - (roughly; I'm just counting tofu and zucchini) over 20 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, and 10 carbohydrates (zucchini brings in most of the carbs and has a little protein, while tofu takes care of the bulk of the protein and fat). This plant-based meal might seem like not enough food at only 200 calories, but it leaves me feeling so full that I can't even eat another bite, probably thanks to satiating protein and healthy fats.
I'm pretty boring in terms of seasoning (except if I'm feeling real fancy, I use truffle salt instead of Himalayan), but you could toss your nuggets in sriracha or dip them in organic ketchup - there are plenty of ways to make this creative!
16 Times Ree Drummond Gave Us Ranch-Life Goals
If you're not familiar with Ree Drummond (also known as The Pioneer Woman), you soon will be. Over the past few years, she's been making huge waves in the lifestyle industry, inspiring people to ditch the city hustle and embrace the pioneer way of life. Her magazine, The Pioneer Woman, debuted in June of this year, and her mercantile shop is a huge hit featuring home goods, clothing, books, food, and everything else you need to make your ranch-life goals come true. If you want even more reasons to envy Ree and consider a switch to country living, just check out her Instagram for beautifully styled shots featuring sunsets, animals, and the open country!
11 Reasons It Was Sweet to Be a '90s Kid
Sometimes we wish we could go back to a time when Fresh Prince was king, our greatest responsibility was making sure our Tamagotchi was fed, and candy was sweet, sour, and simple. There are near-countless reasons we're proud to be '90s girls, but the sweetest of them all was stashed in the candy aisle. Let's take a trip down memory lane with these iconic treats of our childhood.
11 Tried-and-True Barnes & Noble Hacks
Whoever said print is dead couldn't be more wrong. Bookstores across the country are still alive and kicking, including the fan-favorite behemoth Barnes & Noble. If you grew up loving your local B&N, check out these 11 hacks for hardcore book consumers.
- Grab a coffee before browsing. Snag a hot drink from the Barnes & Noble cafe (Starbucks) before venturing into the book aisles. The energy will give you the boost you need to read without falling asleep! If you're a Starbucks Rewards member, make the most of your perks.
- Look for staff recommendations in store. Not sure what to pick for your next read? Watch out for the staff recommendations on the shelves.
- Use their blog for book inspiration. Another option for when you're stuck is the Barnes & Noble blog, which has no shortage of curated book lists.
- Become a member. The cost of a Barnes & Noble membership comes down to a little over $2 a month per year. Upon joining, you'll receive more than $50 in Bonus Coupons. Perks of the membership include free shipping from the website, awesome deals, and special offers.
- Save money by curling up with a book and flipping through. Shorter reads are perfect for a day at Barnes & Noble. Just be sure to buy something at checkout to support the chain.
- Buy gifts for friends and family. Barnes & Noble sells books, yes - the corporation also offers toys and games, hobby items and collectibles, movies, and music. There's something for everyone.
- Check out the discount section. There's usually a section for sale items up front near the register. Cheap books for the win!
- Get your calendar a little bit later in the year. If you wait a little longer to grab your calendar, you'll likely get it for a bargain.
- Take advantage of the children's section. Whether you've got little ones of your own or you're just a big kid inside, the children's section of Barnes & Noble is pretty spectacular. Many stores have read-aloud sessions, kid-size tables, imaginative artwork, games, activities, and more.
- Download the Nook app. The free Nook reading app has amazing features, including serial reads, audiobooks, daily finds, Barnes & Noble readouts, magazines, newspapers, and more.
- Order books on the website. If you're feeling too lazy to leave the couch, you can always order from the website!
14 Things You'll Only Understand If You Grew Up Latinx
Do you still expect presents on Reyes Magos Day? Do you hang out with your grandma more than you do with your friends? Then you definitely grew up Latinx. I'm in my 20s and I can still pinpoint all the ways my childhood was unique and left an everlasting impact. I see it when I say my cousins are like siblings and people give me a weird look, when flip-flops symbolize more than just a shoe, and when I tell people I'm not allowed to stay over because my mom won't let me (yes, even though I don't actually have to ask for her permission anymore). Those are just a few signs you grew up Latinx. Keep reading for more.
When Not Heating Up GOT as Missandei, Actress Nathalie Emmanuel Is Living a Stylish Life
We're used to seeing actress Nathalie Emmanuel looking fierce beside Daenerys on Game of Thrones or holding her own as the brilliant Ramsey in the Fast and the Furious series, but rarely do we see her cozied up at home . . . until now. The actress gave us a glimpse into her personal life on her Instagram account, where she puts her healthy lifestyle (and love of fresh flowers) on display. Check out our favorite design moments of Nathalie's ahead.
The True Stories Behind 21 American Horror Story Characters
American Horror Story: Freak Show drew a lot of inspiration from history, several of Coven's most memorable characters are based on real figures, and American Horror Story: Hotel continued the tradition. While we're gearing up for season seven, check out the characters throughout each season who are based on real people, murderers, and stories. Beware: this is not for the faint of heart.
Who's Still on Arya's Kill List on Game of Thrones?
Arya Stark is back in Westeros on Game of Thrones, and she's in full revenge mode. Now that she's picked up a few tricks from the time she spent at the House of Black and White, she's using them to avenge her family. After exacting revenge on the Freys for the Red Wedding, Arya is merrily on her way to kill the queen - well, after she stops over at Winterfell right quick. When she finally reunites with her family, she also mentions the kill list - which Sansa initially laughs at, but then realizes it's a legit thing when Three-Eyed-Raven Bran mentions it too.
Arya's Kill List, if you don't remember, is the list of people she started reciting a few seasons ago after losing almost her entire family at the hands of various villains. There were 11 names on the list originally, which the fiercest Stark girl has not forgotten (except to eliminate one). If you've forgotten who's on it and what they did, we're reminding you of that and whether they're still alive (fun fact: the list is slightly different in the book than on the TV show).
12 Ways You're Using Your Beautyblender Totally Wrong
The Beautyblender isn't your grandmother's makeup sponge. There's a reason professional and YouTube makeup artists keep more than one in their kits at all times. Since the brand launched over 10 years ago, it has become an insider favorite and created a new category of edgeless sponge applicators (with plenty of knockoffs available).
The main question we get when someone sees us with the pink egg: "Is it worth the money?" Yes. The Beautyblender will cost you $20 (which is about 19 more dollars than the cheap triangle versions at the drugstore). But you'll get a dewy, airbrushed finish you can't achieve with brushes alone.
There are a few things you need to know before you run out and buy one. Consider this your Beautyblender owner's manual straight from the product creator, Rea Ann Silva. Avoid these 12 mistakes to keep you from getting mold, tears, or stains in your prized beauty tool.
Trump and Obama Couldn't Be More Different - Except For This One Trait They Share
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Six months have passed since Donald Trump entered the Oval Office.
His administration remains deeply understaffed. His legislative agenda is stymied. He has been active in issuing executive orders, but many are toothless, others are only in the early stages of undoing Obama policies and some are tied up in the courts. So far, Trump's leadership has mostly been defined by his rhetoric.
And his rhetoric, the conventional wisdom holds, could not be more different from his predecessor's.
Barack Obama was, as president, eloquent. His language was sophisticated. He spoke in measured tones and advanced informed, reasoned dialogue.
Donald Trump is inarticulate and brusque. His language is simplistic. He dishes out invective. He shows so little regard for the facts that some say he's the exemplar of a "bullshit artist." And he promotes a dialogue of the deaf.
The differences between Trump's and Obama's rhetorical styles seem stark. Yet, when we set aside the presidents' speaking styles and looked more carefully at the specific words Trump employed in his first months in office, we were surprised to discover that, in certain ways, these two presidents are remarkably like each other and unlike their predecessors. Here's what we found – and why Obama and Trump have more in common than you would think.
How we did our research
Our analysis is based on Trump's more substantial speeches – which we somewhat arbitrarily define as those longer than 500 words – which were directed primarily at domestic audiences. We scraped from the website of the American Presidency Project all of Trump's campaign speeches and presidential addresses through July 1 that met these criteria. We ended up with 74 campaign speeches, representing more than 230,000 words, and 56 presidential addresses, which included more than 122,000 words. We compared these bodies of speech to each other and to a separate database of postwar presidential speech that one of us had collected, using these same criteria, for a recently published book.
We ran these speeches through a specialized computerized content analysis program called Diction. Diction contains 33 separate dictionaries tailored to political speech. It searches texts for the words contained in the designated dictionaries and then calculates the number of words from each dictionary that would be present in a typical 500-word sample.
Obama and Trump vs. everyone else
On two key dimensions, Obama and Trump look similar – and stand in marked contrast to all other presidents.
First, their rhetoric is much more self-referential, meaning it uses more first-person pronouns. Obama's rhetoric is 69 percent more self-referential than the presidential average, and Trump exceeds Obama by another 20 percent.
Trump employs almost 50 percent more first-person pronouns than the second most heavily self-referential president after Obama, Gerald Ford. Trump's rhetoric is twice as self-referential as the postwar presidential average.
Second, both Trump and Obama rank very high on measures of "tenacity." This dictionary includes a series of words such as "must" and "need" that call for action and that "connote confidence and totality." Obama's rhetoric is around 45 percent more tenacious than the presidential average. Trump's rhetoric is a bit more tenacious than even Obama's. They are the only two presidents who substantially exceed the average.
Obama and Trump's rhetoric suggests that the prime mover of government is not separation of powers, political parties or the bureaucracy – but the will of the president. Its self-referentialism projects an image of strong leadership and of the president as the central pivot of action. Its tenacity expresses confidence that the president will triumph over the many obstacles in his way.
For all their differences, both Obama and Trump consistently presented themselves as the solution to the nation's problems. Accepting the nomination at the Republican National Convention, Trump assured Americans, "Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it." He regularly cited his own biography as the reason that Americans should "trust" him. The irony is that the predecessor who, on this dimension, most resembles Trump is the very one whom Trump cast as an utter failure and weak leader and as his chief foil. Obama too regularly invoked his unique personal story as the reason that Americans should place their faith in him. Minus Trump's boastfulness, Obama too portrayed himself as the key agent of national transformation: "I'm the one who brings change. It is my vision. It is my agenda," he told The Washington Post in January 2009. He saw other government officials as just "good mechanics."
Yearning for a strong leader
The computerized content analysis of presidential rhetoric sets out a pattern, it does not explain it. However, we believe it likely that Obama and Trump adopted the same rhetorical tack for the same reason: Audiences across the political spectrum have craved a strong leader who will overcome Washington's paralysis and address the nation's challenges.
Especially since 9/11, American politics has grown more partisan and polarized, even as Americans' values have converged. That partisan divide has produced gridlock in the halls of power, and Congress has become a site of minority party obstruction. As a result, Americans have become frustrated with Congress, and their trust in government has plummeted. They have increasingly looked to the president to seize the initiative, conquer Washington's dysfunction and persuade Congress to act.
In 2007, "honesty" mattered most to Americans in selecting the nation's next president, with "leadership/strength" a distant second. In 2012, American voters said that "shares my values" was their top consideration in electing a president. By 2016, having a president who was a "strong leader" had easily taken the top spot, across voters of all parties, and was twice as important to them as it had been four years before.
Obama and Trump's self-referential and tenacious rhetoric – one might even call it authoritarian – seems designed to satisfy that demand for strong leadership centered in the presidency. It is not accidental that their rhetoric, as the linked charts show, also reflects a continued, long-term decline in "cooperative" and "accomplishment" language, as collaboration across party lines has been rare and as there have been few achievements. Ironically, "satisfaction" rhetoric has experienced a corresponding rise – perhaps because there has been less to celebrate and therefore more reason for presidents to proclaim that all is well.
Of course, some of this may be Donald Trump's inimitable rhetorical style. The figures above reveal that Trump the candidate was somewhat less self-referential and less tenacious than Trump the president has been. Perhaps he was simply restraining himself during the campaign. Once ensconced in the White House, he could become more himself. Trump the president may be Trump unleashed.
But the data suggest that Trump is also a manifestation – albeit an extreme manifestation – of our political age. Obama's self-centered, self-confident but soaring speeches gave way to his successor's self-centered, overconfident and vain tweets. Karl Marx knew what he was talking about: History repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.
Nevertheless, we'd better get used to authoritarian rhetoric. It appears to be here to stay.
Prepare to Melt in a Puddle - The Pottery Barn Halloween Costumes For Babies Have Arrived!
I'm at a loss for words. Pottery Barn Kids just released its brand-new baby costumes for Halloween, and they're so adorable, I can hardly take it. We're talking teeny-tiny puppies, unicorns, dragons, superheroes, mermaids, and more. Many of these costumes work for children from 0 to 24 months. Pottery Barn Kids is known for making high-quality costumes that will keep your little one cozy and comfortable. The retailer also designs them to be easy to get in and out of for diaper changes. But back to the cuteness: can you even handle it? Look through all of the options so you can see both the costumes and the lovable babies. If you're looking to buy one of these costumes, do it soon. These little gems are going to sell out fast . . . we know it.
A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Lemonade Between Beyoncé, Rachel Roy, and JAY-Z
In early July, JAY-Z dropped his thirteenth solo album 4:44, and the project quickly garnered attention for personal, pointed lyrics about his marriage to Beyoncé - specifically, the cheating accusations she made on Lemonade in 2016. JAY apologized to his wife on the album's title track, saying, "I apologize often womanize / Took for my child to be born / See through a woman's eyes." He also brought up Beyoncé's infamous "Becky with the good hair" lyric on another song, "Family Feud": "Yeah, I'll f*ck up a good thing if you let me / Let me alone, Becky."
In April 2016, the world was forever changed when Lemonade, the visual album by Beyoncé, roared through HBO. There was plenty of buzz surrounding the mysterious event, and we're not just talking about the rumblings in the Beyhive. As the special aired, not only did viewers try to derive the meaning of the album's name, but the greater, more personal implications were also hard to ignore. We all couldn't help but wonder: did Jay Z cheat on Beyoncé? It wasn't long before fans latched onto a scapegoat, citing past drama and a cryptic Instagram caption as damning evidence. It seemed clear that fashion designer Rachel Roy had done the deed. But how much did we actually know about the situation? How sure are we that Rachel was Jay's other woman? We're breaking down everything, so read on, learn your facts, and arrive at your own conclusion.
Game of Thrones: This Surprisingly Plausible Theory Reveals Why Bran Gives Arya His Dagger
I don't think I'm alone in being irritated at how . . . off Bran Stark has been acting on Game of Thrones lately. After reuniting with his sister Sansa in season seven's third episode, a lot of fans were expecting Bran to fill her in on literally any of the mind-blowing revelations he comes to find out while roaming around beyond The Wall, or at the very least, give her a warm embrace (is that so much to ask?). Unfortunately becoming an emotionless robot the Three-Eyed Raven has completely changed Bran's personality, leaving him prone to staring into space and blurting out seemingly random phrases. While the new tics might be annoying for a lot of people watching (*raises hand*), there is likely a method to Bran's madness. A very, very spoilery method.
During his bizarre conversation with Sansa next to the weirwood tree at Winterfell, Bran brings up the traumatic night Sansa was viciously raped by Ramsay Bolton after their wedding (not the greatest of icebreakers, my dude). In episode four, "The Spoils of War," he has a puzzling exchange with Littlefinger where he utters the phrase "chaos is a ladder," which is actually a line that the former Master of Coin says to Varys back in season three. Though the parameters of Bran's newfound abilities haven't been made totally clear, both of these interactions (as well as multiple instances in season six) prove that he can observe any event in the past. But does he have the power to see into the future as well?
As Reddit user mn_lax_man recently pointed out, the Three-Eyed Raven's abilities seem to be leaning more toward being omnipotent, which could have some pretty startling implications for the show moving forward. See, if Bran can see what might happen in the future, everything he says and does from now on is technically foreshadowing.
While I doubt this theory means Littlefinger is going to chaotically fall from a ladder to his death anytime soon (lol), it does hold some weight when you take into account what Bran hands Arya in episode four. After Littlefinger gifts Bran the Valyrian steel dagger that basically started the War of the Five Kings after an assassin tried to kill little Bran with it in season one, he immediately passes it on to Arya. Now why would the Three-Eyed Raven take time out of his day to give his sister a thoughtful gift?
[EVERYTHING] Everything Bran does at this point... from gameofthrones
Well, Bran could just be giving it to his sister as a sign of brotherly love, but as mn_lax_man mentions, the gift might also have a way bigger thought process behind it. If he indeed is omnipotent (and can see the future), there's a chance he sees Arya going up against a White Walker at some point down the line. Because what kills White Walkers? Valyrian steel. His choice to give his sister the dagger also plays the theory that Arya is going to be the one to kill Littlefinger. Either way, it seems like Bran's motivations behind handing over the rare and important weapon will come into play in future episodes.
Since Game of Thrones has yet to clarify Bran's powers, no one can truly say whether or not this theory checks out. The only thing all of us know for sure is that it would be wise to start turning the volume on the TV up extra loud anytime Bran speaks from now on.
Amal Clooney's Biggest Style Secret Is Decades Old
Aside from Amal Clooney's natural ability to put together an outfit, she's got another thing going for her: a vintage wardrobe. Because somehow - when the human rights activist and lawyer is not working to better our world and defend high-profile clients - she finds time to thrift shop. Sure, she's got some go-to contemporary labels, including Altuzarra, Giambattista Valli, and Gucci, but Amal's also got an eye for one-of-a-kind pieces.
She secures a handful of them from William Vintage and styles them with seasonal It bags, power pumps, and dark sunglasses. If we had to guess, we'd say Amal's goal isn't to mix high and low but to mix the new with the old. The outcome is a signature look that lands Amal on best dressed lists but also serves up inspiration for business women on the go. Scroll to find Amal's most memorable vintage ensembles yet.
How to Become the Neat Freak You've Always Dreamed of Being
If you've ever been inside the home of a neat freak, you were probably in awe of the sheer perfection of the place. Books lined up systemically, shoes in a perfect stack, and a remarkable shine from floor to ceiling. If you have aspirations of becoming a neat freak, or at least picking up a few tricks of the cleaning trade, look no further than these helpful tips below.
- Sort your bookshelf alphabetically or by cover color.
- Always store refrigerator food in the appropriate compartments.
- Make your bed every morning.
- Eliminate clutter.
- Give your items a "home." Designate a place where the keys go, where spare towels are stored, where sunglasses are kept, and don't deviate from this system so that you always know where everything is.
- Clean your fridge weekly. Throw out anything past its date, and use anything that is almost expired.
- Make to-do lists, schedules, and charts. For everything.
- Buy or make drawer dividers so that your underwear and socks do not cross the line into each other's territory.
- Follow the "something in, something out rule" - if you get something new, something old that you don't use anymore has to go.
- Containers are your best friends - use them excessively.
- Make cleaning enjoyable. Pick out cleaning products you like, turn on music while you work, or clean when you're stressed so that you feel accomplished.
- Organize your bathroom, and maintain your system on a daily basis.
- Always take out recycling and garbage the minute it is full or begins to smell, instead of waiting until it is overflowing or unbearably smelly.
- Store up, not out. Buy or build shelves instead of stuffing items into closets or under the bed.
- Never leave dishes unwashed in the sink. Do them as soon as you're done using them.
- Organize your pantry by food group or type (all cereals and snacks on one shelf, all cooking oils and spices on another shelf, for example).
- Dust the house from top to bottom weekly; do it more if you have pets that shed!
- Vacuum after you dust. Empty and clean out your vacuum bag if it needs it.
- Store clothing in drawers based on type (pants vs. tops) and season (Winter vs. Summer).
- Labels, labels, labels. Stick them onto everything you can, and follow their instructions!
- Wipe down counters before you cook, while you're cooking, and after you're done cooking.
- Enforce the "no shoes in the house" rule.
- Fold clothing and linens in a uniform and consistent way so that they all lay on top of each other seamlessly.
- Use an under-the-bed or closet storage system for things you don't need as often.
- Go paperless. Switch your bill payments to an online account, and input your legal document data on to a computer so that you can get rid of years worth of old papers.
- If you have kids or pets (or a messy significant other), then clean up after them as the mess is made rather than waiting to start until they are finished making it.
- Don't just wipe toilets, sinks, and tubs - SCRUB them.
- If you see something that needs to be cleaned or organized, don't wait - do it when you notice it.
We Definitely Just Got a Juicy New Hint About Big Little Lies Season 2
Image Source: HBO
Variety held the annual Power of Young Hollywood event on Tuesday in LA, and some the brightest stars of tomorrow showed up to celebrate the occasion. On the red carpet, we snagged an interview with Chloe Coleman, who recently played the daughter of Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) on HBO's acclaimed series Big Little Lies. Seeing as there's been a lot of back and forth on whether the show will return for a second season, this was the perfect opportunity to gain some clarity. Coleman may be young, but she could have inside information. I decided to ask point-blank: had she heard anything about season two?
"Actually, they are working on it," Coleman revealed. "I hear they may be telling a bit more of Bonnie's story. Because last time they did it, they didn't do that much of her story. And she still has a lot to tell. I hope, if they do make a season two - which, they're really close - there are a bit more Bonnie stories." What she says is spot on: if you read the book, you know that there's a major change: Bonnie doesn't confess to the crime in the TV adaptation. Also contained in the book is a subplot that details the abuse Bonnie experienced when she was younger at the hands of her father. Even though we can't count Coleman's quote as an official confirmation, we have to admit she may be on to something.
Image Source: Getty / Frazer Harrison
On top of some key intel about the show's next chapter, Coleman also offered her own theory about how she could be involved. "I'm kind of thinking that there may be, like, some new kid at the school, and he does some really bad stuff. Like, badder stuff than they did in the other one," she revealed. "For some reason, I had this dream, there was a bigger bully and all these kids were hanging out, and then they started to build up and work on the bully. That's what I think is going to happen. That's just my prediction." Don't worry, I urged Coleman to set up a meeting with the creator, David E. Kelley, ASAP to share her vision. Whether or not the second season will ever come to light, at least we'll always have that kickass soundtrack.
Holy Sh*t, Every Friends Fan Needs to Read This Argument in Favor of Rachel and Joey
Rachel and Ross may seem destined to be together on Friends, but is Rachel's lobster actually Joey? It's a very controversial subject among Friends fans, but Twitter user kaneandgriffin dropped an absolutely incredible, 100-tweet argument in favor of Rachel and Joey. Along with pointing out some of Ross's less-than-stellar qualities, she also highlights how Joey actually brings out the best in Rachel - not to mention the fact that they have a really strong friendship before any romance comes into play. We're sharing some key excerpts here, but you can check out the entire thread starting with her first tweet.
16 Handbags That Cost More Than Your Rent
Luxury bags are my ultimate guilty pleasure, and I dream of the day when I will finally get my hands on a Valentino Rockstud leather top handle. Much to the dismay of my boyfriend (I've told him that they're a good investment, but he won't believe me), I spend a lot of time drooling at pictures of my future babies online; and to this day, I still haven't taken the plunge. Why you ask? Well, the thought of buying something that costs more than my rent is - and you'll probably agree with me here - a little bit difficult.
These past few years, the luxury market has been booming, and with the ever-growing popularity and influence of social media, prices have only been increasing. Funnily enough, splurging on a $1,000+ handbag isn't quite as extraordinary as it used to be, and you'll find it quite difficult to discover a designer bag of decent size that doesn't go over that mark - trust me, I've looked everywhere.
So, in case you ever wondered what you could do with your money if you didn't have to pay for a roof over your head, here are 16 coveted designer creations that cost more than the average rent.
The 1 Place in Scotland That All Harry Potter Fans Should Visit at Least Once
Scotland is a veritable mecca for Harry Potter fans, considering J.K. Rowling herself lives there and wrote a large majority of the series there. Everywhere you turn, you can see Rowling's inspiration or something that could easily be found in one of the films. While our Harry Potter travel bucket list can take you all over the world, it's important to make a stop at where it all began: the Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The cafe in the heart of Edinburgh touts itself as the birthplace of Harry Potter, because Rowling spent countless hours in this shop penning Harry Potter. She sat in the back of the restaurant, overlooking Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriars Kirkyard, where a grave for a man named Tom Riddell can be found. I'm not saying there's a guarantee that that gravestone was the inspiration for Voldemort's real name of Tom Riddle, but the likelihood is there.
The cafe, which opened in 1995 and includes more elephant decor and memorabilia than you could ever dream of wanting, serves gourmet coffees, teas, and food, but it's no surprise that many people come here to feel the Harry Potter magic and leave notes on the bathroom walls for the wizard himself and the brilliant author who created him. To get a little bit of that magic for yourself, scroll through to see pictures of the cafe and even Tom Riddell's grave. Then next time you're planning a Harry Potter-themed vacation, keep Edinburgh in mind . . .
Game of Thrones: This Detail About Littlefinger's History Could Change Everything
The following contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season seven.
Game of Thrones fans know that Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish always has a trick up his sleeve, but a moment in the seventh season has us worried that his latest scheme could change everything for the newly reunited Stark family. But before we dive into our concerns, we need to explore a bit of Littlefinger's background - specifically, his connection to the free city of Braavos.
As you might recall, Arya journeys to Braavos to train with the Faceless Men in earlier seasons, and it's where she learns the true meaning of "Valar morghulis." The face-swapping skills that she picks up during this training follow her back to Westeros, aiding her in her revenge against the Frey family in particular. She is also well-trained in the Braavosi fighting style, "water dancing," which she first begins learning with Syrio Forel in season one.
While Sansa looks perturbed by the good-natured fight, Littlefinger has something of a smirk playing on his lips as he watches the exchange.
But what many fans might not know is that Arya isn't the only one with a connection to Braavos in the series. Before they settled in The Fingers, the island territory that led to Petyr's nickname, the Baelish family traces back to Braavos, where Littlefinger's great-grandfather was a sellsword. This means that Littlefinger likely grew up on tales of the homeland, the Many-Faced God, and those wacky dudes who wear dead men's faces.
The moment in particular that concerns us from season seven is when Littlefinger observes Arya and Brienne sparring in the Winterfell courtyard. While Sansa looks perturbed by the good-natured fight, Littlefinger has something of a smirk playing on his lips as he watches the exchange.
So, why are we concerned? Well, the story behind this knowing smile could mean something major for the Stark family . . . and Arya in particular. Let's dive into it, shall we?
1. Littlefinger definitely notices Arya's "water dancing"
Littlefinger's great-grandfather was a fighter back in Braavos and presumably trained his male heirs to fight in the same fashion that he knew: water dancing. So when Arya arrives to Winterfell and openly exhibits mastery of the uncommon fighting style right in front of Littlefinger, he picks up on it because of his own experience with the style of swordsmanship. Notice how we've never seen Littlefinger fight in the series? We have no idea how he's trained in swordplay, but it could very likely be in the Braavosi style.
2. He also probably suspects that Arya was at the House of Black and White
While observing their sparring match, Littlefinger hears Arya reply "no one" to Brienne's inquiry about who trained her. While Arya clearly enjoys her own private joke, she might not be the only one who catches the reference to the Faceless Men; Littlefinger, who knows all about the House of Black and White thanks to the tales of his homeland, would know all about their lack of personal identity. This answer, paired with her unique fighting style, probably tips off Baelish that Arya has spent the past few years learning the art of becoming "no one."
While Arya clearly enjoys her own private joke, she might not be the only one who catches the reference to the Faceless Men; Littlefinger knows all about the House of Black and White.
What's more: for somebody who has been on the series for all seven seasons, Littlefinger is a surprisingly enigmatic character. Sure, viewers know that he once challenged Ned Stark's eldest brother to a duel for Catelyn Stark's hand and lost, but do we know where he went afterward?
Consider this: Littlefinger might also have surprising skills of his own
After leaving Riverrun in disgrace because of this lost duel, it is presumed that Littlefinger went home to The Fingers. However, he's open about his hatred for the home of his childhood - who's to say that Littlefinger didn't go abroad to retrace his roots and end up in Braavos before finding work in King's Landing?
It's no secret that Petyr Baelish seeks power above all else, and there's nothing quite as invigorating as the power to become another person. It seems reasonable to suspect that Littlefinger would nurse an interest in the Faceless God and his identity-fluid followers. It's a stretch, but Littlefinger may have even dabbled in becoming "no one" himself. If he has training in changing his own appearance, it would definitely explain how Littlefinger seems to know everything about everybody; that technique would be even more effective than Lord Varys's "little birds."
While we doubt that Littlefinger is a faceless man in his own right - that's too complicated a storyline to introduce this late in the Game of Thrones plot - he's definitely on to Arya Stark. We'll have to see how his knowledge of her powers could affect the Stark family's return to power as season seven plays out.
Rare GIF of a Dying Star Will Make You Rethink Your Existence
The Hubble Telescope recently celebrated its 27th birthday, and in those years it has given us an incredible look at the vast world we live in. Case in point: a rare peek at a dying star.
From 2002 to 2006, Hubble captured close-up images of an enormous star named V838 Moncerotis, which sits 20,000 light-years away from Earth. Back then, the star emitted a powerful flash of light that illuminated the dust and gas that surrounded it.
"Hubble's exceptionally sharp focus of V838 Mon offered a ring-side seat at the slow death of the star and excited astrophysicists with the chance to study the physics of the light, matter and microscopic dust of the interstellar medium," writes The Conversation, which offers more details about the life of the star and the cause of that light flash.
Below you can see a time-lapse video of the photos taken by the Hubble. Looks fake, doesn't it?
DIY Coffee Grounds Garbage Disposal Cleaners
Instead of tossing your coffee grounds in the trash, give them new life and DIY these helpful garbage disposal cleaners that leave your sink smelling amazing - especially if you're a coffee-lover! And because you are using used grounds, the little cleaners cost basically nothing to make.
What You'll Need:
- 1 cup dry used coffee grounds
- 1/2 cup Epsom salts
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- Small mixing bowl
- Rounded measuring spoon or small melon baller
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Directions:
- Measure and add the coffee grounds, Epsom salts, and baking soda to the mixing bowl. Along with giving the disposal cleaners a great scent, the coffee grounds also sharpen garbage disposal blades. Baking soda naturally cleans the disposal, and Epsom salts break up hard water stains and buildup.
- Slowly add the vinegar - it will bubble when it interacts with the baking soda, which is totally normal. Add a little bit at a time until the mixture resembles wet sand. You can also add vanilla for an extra layer of amazing smell to the little cleaners.
- Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper, and use a rounded measuring spoon or melon baller to create the cleaners. Scoop the mixture and then press against the side of the bowl, packing the coffee ground cleaner together, then tap onto the parchment-covered sheet pan. We found a one tablespoon and one teaspoon measuring spoon created cute half rounds. You could also roll small golf-ball shapes with your hands or use a silicone mold instead.
- Let the cleaners dry overnight and then place in a coffee cup next to your sink and use when needed. Just drop one down your drain, turn on your garbage disposal and the water, and enjoy the wonderful smell.
Makes around 30 coffee grounds garbage disposal cleaners. Not a coffee-lover but still want to refresh your garbage disposal? Try making these lemon zest cleaners or ones made with citrus and rosemary.
This Instagram Account Is the Virtual Book Club You Never Knew You Needed
At the start of 2017, Sabrina Rodriguez began sharing succinct and approachable descriptions of popular books written by Latinx authors. Through her Instagram account, LatinxReads, she's created a virtual book club for people in search of recommendations. Months later, she's suggested nearly 100 books and amassed over 6,000 followers and counting.
In an interview with Latina, Sabrina said she started the social media project when she started to feel disconnected from her Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Italian background. She said, "As the Instagram gained followers, I realized that there are so many people out there who feel that same disconnect. So I began posting books every day and grew it into a community where authors, readers, and Latinxs of any kind can join to take a look at a book they may be interested in."
Within each post, Sabrina will often share some information about the author, setting, and her own opinion about the book, in addition to a brief synopsis. Ahead, check out some of Sabrina's recent posts and consider adding a few of these books to your list.
Inside Mariah Carey's Life as the World's Most Glamorous Mom
Mariah Carey: elusive chanteuse or supercool mom? According to her Instagram, it seems the iconic singer is more devoted to the latter role. But let's get one thing straight from the get-go: Mariah is not your average celebrity parent. She has ridiculously expensive taste, and as a result, her kids are treated to nothing but the best. Boat excursions, Christmas in Aspen, theme park takeovers - these are just some of the A-list activities Mariah does with her adorable twins, Moroccan and Monroe Cannon. Read on to find out what Mariah has (probably) been thinking as she takes on motherhood like a loving diva, and be sure to follow more celebrity families on Instagram.
Daenerys Repeated a Jon Snow Quote Word For Word and Didn't Even Know It
As much as we want to know who will end up taking the Iron Throne on Game of Thrones, the recent sexual tension between Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) has shifted our priorities a little. Will these two live happily ever after and rule Westeros in peace? Can these two crazy kids somehow bring their dragons and direwolves together to make it work?
LOL, this is Game of Thrones. No one is allowed to be happy.
Then again, if anyone seems meant to be, it's them. The case for Jon and Dany continues to grow stronger thanks to subtle hints that the show's writers have been sprinkling into episodes for a while now, which we got another taste of in season seven's fourth episode, "The Spoils of War."
Dany - feeling the pressure of losing the support of Dorne, the Tyrells, and the Greyjoys all in one swoop - finds herself at a crossroads: trust Jon Snow or not trust Jon Snow. Though his refusal to bend the knee certainly has her shaken, a moment between the two leaders in a cave on Dragonstone seems to bring them closer. Jon shows her the ancient cave drawings made by Children of the Forest and the First Men, who worked together centuries earlier to fight the White Walkers, and points out that the two of them need to do the same if they want to stand a chance against the Night's King's impending army. Dany agrees to fight for Jon and his people, but only if he bends the knee. "Isn't their survival more important than your pride?" she asks.
It turns out this scene isn't the first time that line has been spoken on Game of Thrones. In the season five premiere, Jon says the exact same thing to Mance Rayder while the two discuss Stannis Baratheon's order for Mance to bend the knee or burn. Fortunately Jon doesn't respond to Dany's line the way Mance did ("Fook my pride").
Interestingly enough, the Targaryen queen has echoed Jon Snow a couple other times. Later in that same episode, Dany argues with Tyrion about why she shouldn't hop on Drogon and light up King's Landing, declaring, "What kind of a queen am I if I'm not willing to risk my life to fight them?" Jon says an almost identical thing to Ramsay Bolton in season six just before the Battle of the Bastards ("Will your men want to fight for you when they hear you wouldn't fight for them?"). Similarly, when Dany first meets Jon in her throne room at Dragonstone in season seven's third episode, she asks him "not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father." It's a direct callback to Jon's line in the season seven premiere when he tells Sansa that despite the former treachery of the Umbers and Karstarks, he "will not punish a man for his father's sins."
The fact that these two characters continue to parrot each other seems like too big of a coincidence to mean nothing, especially on Game of Thrones. Romance or no romance, Daenerys and Jon Snow's paths have always been destined to cross, and clearly the connection between them is stronger than ever.
Demi Moore Surprised Us All by Wearing This Boho Maxi Dress on the Red Carpet
Demi Moore was spotted at the New York premiere of her movie Good Time wearing perhaps her most interesting red carpet look to date. Rather than choosing a typical gown, the actress opted for an amazing bohemian number that turned heads. The gorgeous gown featured a colorful print, long sleeves, and a matching belt that cinched at her waist.
While her dress was stunning, we have to say it was her colorblock platform heels by Nicholas Kirkwood that truly stole the show. These magenta and teal suede sandals can easily be worn in the Fall when styled with a pair of socks. Have a look at her full ensemble ahead and buy similar versions of her dress too.
8 Celebrity Couples Who Got Back Together After Getting Divorced
New research suggests that celebrity couples are twice as likely to divorce than the rest of us, and this is evident in the number of pairs that called it quits in 2016. While some duos like Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have proven that a break is necessary before tying the knot, others like Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson have gone as far as to remarry after getting divorced. From Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to Eminem and Kim Mathers, we're taking a look at all the celebrity couples who've rekindled their love after getting divorced.
Don't Put Your Dresses Away Just Yet - Here Are 15 Ways to Wear Them This Fall
When Fall comes around, we often like to think that we'll find lots of ways to continue wearing our favorite dresses. However, the reality is somewhat different, and cozy jumpers and cardigans find themselves right back on top of our shopping lists as soon as the temperatures start to drop.
Although cold-weather essentials can look pretty stylish, we have to admit that it's just a bit difficult to go from bare legs to skinny jeans, and we're not ready to do that just yet. So, before you stock up on stylish coats and find your perfect ankle boots, here are 15 ways to wear your favorite dresses this Fall.
5 Ways to Watch the Solar Eclipse Without Going Anywhere
The upcoming - and highly anticipated - total solar eclipse takes place on Aug. 21, and it's inspiring people to travel across the country to find the best viewing spots. Even Southwest Airlines is joining in on the fun, as the company recently announced themed flights that will allow passengers to watch the solar eclipse from the sky. However, if you're stuck at work or in a state where a total viewing isn't available, don't fear - the internet's here to save the day.
There are several ways to watch at work, home, or on the go. Bookmark these options now.
- NASA: Watch NASA's Eclipse Megacast on the agency's website, Facebook page, or YouTube channel. The live stream event will include interviews with scientists, film from several different places, and footage from airplanes, ground telescopes, and 57 "high-altitude balloons."
- Slooh: Of course, Slooh, which regularly live streams meteor showers, will also host one for the solar eclipse from Stanley, ID.
- San Francisco Exploratorium: If you need on-the-go coverage, the San Francisco Exploratorium will live stream the eclipse from both its website as well as the Total Solar Eclipse app, available on both iOS and Android. It will include telescope views from Oregon and Wyoming.
- CNN: Take your live streaming of the eclipse up a notch with CNN and Volvo, which are broadcasting it via 360-degree video in 4K resolution. You can watch it on CNN's website, the CNN app on iOS and Android, or a virtual reality headset.
- Science Channel: The Science Channel will live stream the solar eclipse from Madras, OR, via Facebook Live on its Facebook page. The company will also air a one-hour special of the day, called The Great American eclipse, at 9 p.m. ET.
Now you have zero excuses to miss the solar eclipse! If you do decide to watch this once-in-lifetime event in person, don't forget to follow NASA's safety tips to avoid injury. You can even pick up free solar eclipse viewing glasses from a local Warby Parker store.oh s
mercredi 9 août 2017
10 Thoughts Only Die-Hard Pottery Barn Fans Will Understand
Do you believe that Pottery Barn is the absolute mecca for home decor, furniture, and accents? Do you hold yourself to that stylish Pottery Barn standard when furnishing your own home? Do you have a pileup of outdated catalogs just because you never know when you might need to be inspired? If so, then you may be mildly (to severely) obsessed with the PB. But it's okay, because you certainly aren't alone. Read on for some thoughts that only the truest Pottery Barn fans will understand.
Finn Jones Traded the Iron Throne For an Iron Fist - and Has Never Looked Sexier
Game of Thrones is full of eye candy, but some of the most gorgeous guys on the show also happen to be dead, and Finn Jones is no exception. While his character unfortunately met a bitter end during season six, the actor himself is doing quite fine since saying goodbye to Westeros. In fact, he's traded the Iron Throne for an iron fist as one of Netflix's leading superheroes on The Defenders. Get ready to melt over his baby blues as you scroll through his hottest pictures over the years.
4 Reasons I'm Refusing to Use "Authoritarian Parenting"
The hallmark phrase of an authoritarian parent is "Because I said so!"
Now, while I'm pretty sure that all of us have heard these four words escape our mouths in a moment of exasperation, it doesn't mean we are all authoritarian parents. A true authoritarian parent demands immediate and complete obedience without any explanation, all the time.
In the 1960s, developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind classified parenting styles into three basic categories that are still used today: authoritarian parenting, permissive parenting, and authoritative parenting. The three categories are based on how much a parent demands of their child and how responsive the parent is to the child.
Authoritarian parenting involves high parental demand and low parental responsiveness.
Permissive parenting is characterized by low demands being placed upon the child, while at the same time being very responsive to the child.
Authoritative parenting combines the high parental demand of authoritarian parenting with the high responsiveness of permissive parenting. Baumrind concluded that authoritative parenting was best for children.
I interviewed several therapists who specialize in working with children, as well as some experienced elementary school teachers, and all of them agreed with Baumrind: from a child development standpoint, authoritarian parenting is not the optimal way to parent. After my interviews, here are the top four reasons I'm not using authoritarian parenting.
1. I want my kids to be able to self-regulate.
I don't want my kids to only do the right thing when someone is watching. I want them to learn to do the right thing because they have a deep understanding of why it's the right thing to do. If they have learned to follow rules only to avoid a consequence, then they have missed a valuable learning opportunity.
I talked with Dr. Don Williams, a child psychologist whose practice has a focus in the area of self-regulation disorders. This is his explanation of why using authoritarian parenting can inhibit the development of self-regulation:
"Authoritarian parenting tends to use shame and fear, which stir up the stress centers in the lower and mid-brain. It can be very effective at achieving short-term results and does develop cause and effect, which is driven by the control center of the brain (this is why speeding tickets are effective).
But self-regulation involves activation of the frontal lobes in much broader ways, such as the need to repair when you've done damage to a relationship, nonjudgmental self-awareness, morality, and valuing self-control itself. These are capacities that need to be taught and cultivated over a long period. Excessive shame and fear will inhibit the development of some of these capacities."
2. I want my kids to be able to practice self-care.
The first step in self-care is self-awareness. You have to be able to notice what it is you need before you can care for yourself. The second step to self-care is being able to effectively communicate with others about what it is that you need. If children are routinely not allowed to articulate how they are feeling or what they are thinking, then they lose valuable opportunities to develop self-awareness and communication skills.
Hannah DuVon, LMFT, is a children's therapist whose work focuses on child development and healthy attachment. She explained to me that these skills are imperative for long-term social and emotional development:
"The authoritarian parent style has been discouraged more and more over the last decade. Research has shown that the authoritarian parenting style, although often effective at getting obedience/compliance in the moment, still has its drawbacks. . . . The authoritarian style of parenting may also breed a feeling of powerlessness and resentment as children feel angry that their thoughts and feelings aren't heard and confused on how to express themselves in a way that feels like they matter. In my experience with working with children, it comes down to the human need to feel important and be heard. Parents need to maintain rules and limits; however, taking the time to listen to their kids and then offering an explanation of why allows children to feel respected even if ultimately they do not get their way."
3. I want my kids to be responsible.
Authoritarian parenting can make the child overly dependent upon the adult. The child learns that all they have to do is follow the instructions of the adult. They learn that they don't really have to think through the whole situation for themselves. If something goes wrong, they can end up feeling that it is not really their fault because they were just doing what they were told.
Amanda Dungan, a grade-school teacher for over 18 years at Escondido Elementary in Stanford, CA, explains how this can happen:
"While the authoritarian style of parenting sets high expectations for behavior, it does not usually explain the reasoning behind the expectations. Punishments are also often given without explanation. The child does not have a chance to make behavioral choices and experience natural consequences. Children need practice making their own choices in order to find out they are capable of handling hard situations - leading to resiliency. Authoritarian parenting may inadvertently teach children that they are not responsible for their own behavior and are incapable of making good choices."
4. I want my kids to form healthy relationships.
I don't want my children to get used to the pattern of doing things out of fear. I want them to have lots of practice while they are young and at home with relationships that are based on love and trust. I want them to know that if there is fear in a relationship, then that is a red flag that something is wrong and needs attention.
Linda Ikeda, MFT, is a therapist who has been working with children for over 25 years. This is her take on authoritarian parenting:
"Any of us can MAKE our children obey, but when we do, that usually means a child is obeying out of fear of the parent rather than out of love or trust. The question you must ask yourself is, 'Do you want your children to obey you because they are afraid of you or because they love you?'"
Well, Hello There - These 11 Fall Boots From H&M Are Beyond Gorgeous
Bring on the boots, because we are so ready to pile them up in our closets. It may not be Fall just yet, but H&M is already releasing much of its seasonal collection. We are particularly in love with the brand's latest boots designs. Whether you want metallic gold booties or a black over-the-knee pair, there's no doubt you'll be impressed with the new styles. What makes us even happier is how affordable they are. Browse our top picks and score some new shoes for yourself.
Is Fame to Blame For Anna Faris and Chris Pratt's Split? Here's What We Know
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced their separation this week, and needless to say, fans were heartbroken - actually, "heartbroken" is an understatement: crushed, destroyed, and emotionally wrecked are probably more accurate ways to put it. It wasn't long before reports of how this could possibly happen began to surface. Was Chris's skyrocketing career a factor? Did the couple, who are parents to 4-year-old son Jack, disagree on growing their family? Did one of them cheat?! Here's everything we know about their split so far.
- Anna announces the separation on Instagram. On Aug. 6, Anna posts an Instagram photo of a text message (?) that reads, "We are sad to announce that we are legally separating. We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward. We still have love for each other, will always cherish our time together." Chris followed up with his own version of the statement on Facebook, to which he added, "[We will] continue to have the deepest respect for one another."
- Chris's skyrocketing career could be to blame for the split. According to Us Weekly, the actor's success with the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation and big-budget films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World created tension in the marriage. "Chris became this huge movie star and Anna wasn't getting any big jobs," a source told the outlet, adding, "She was the more famous and sexy one at the start of their relationship and then things took a turn." By the time Chris and Anna married in 2009, she had landed roles in The House Bunny, Lost in Translation, and Brokeback Mountain and was starring in the Scary Movie franchise.
- Things seemed to get competitive. Us also reported that Chris and Anna, who both have pretty amazing senses of humor, were frequently competing for attention when around friends. "When they're in a big group, they each want to be the one telling the funniest joke."
9 Travel Destinations in the Color This Generation Is Obsessed With (Millennial Pink!)
What is Millenial Pink? It's the color you have been seeing everywhere, you just never realized it. Millenials are utterly obsessed with shades of this blush tone - it's been popping up repeatedly since 2012. It has even become a point of interest in travel destinations - people are posting buildings, lakes, hotels, and restaurants in Millenial Pink all over Tumblr and Pinterest.
We rounded up the most beautiful destinations in the mesmerizing hue. Take a look at the places you ca visit in the trendiest color of this decade.
Cool Swimwear For Those Who Like a Little Extra Coverage
If you've got a few stretch marks you'd like to keep under wraps this Summer and "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" just isn't your anthem, don't fret: we've found the swimwear just for you. From high-waisted bikini bottoms to floral swimsuits, there's a look for all bodies and budgets, without compromising on sexiness, of course. And no, they're not all black one-pieces.
12 Reasons Spencer Reid Is the Best Part of Criminal Minds
The ever-changing ensemble cast of Criminal Minds is always on point, taking down unsubs and bringing happily ever afters to families across the nation. While the team couldn't properly function without each of its very crucial members, there's really one who reigns supreme day in and day out - and who has been with the Behavioral Analysis Unit since day one.
Yes, Dr. Spencer Reid, sometimes referred to (completely appropriately) as Pretty Boy, is the FBI's resident genius and nerdy hot guy. He makes a giant vocabulary sound oh so good and sweater vests unfairly attractive. But he's more than just a pretty face and a brilliant mind! He's also a loyal friend to everyone in the BAU and a devoted son. He truly is the best reason to watch Criminal Minds, as further proved by the following 12 reasons that are only partially credited to Matthew Gray Gubler's unfairly beautiful face.
10 Ayesha Curry Recipes You Have to Make
Like her husband's handles on the court, Ayesha Curry's skills in the kitchen know no bounds. That's why we're giving you 10 of her foolproof recipes, including a few from her cookbook, The Seasoned Life, as well as her Food Network show, Ayesha's Homemade. These recipes cover everything from sophisticated meals to cozier classics for the Rileys and Ryans in your life.
This Brilliant Hack Keeps Spiders Out of Your Home
If you feel like the spider population in your home is spiking, you aren't imagining it. August and September are the months male spiders enter the home in search of a mate. What's even creepier? For every spider you do spot, there are loads more all around you that you don't see. According to Earth Kind, you're never more than 10 feet away from a spider, and the average home has over 61 spider inhabitants! If the thought of these creepy crawlies overtaking your home makes you want to sleep with one eye open, you'll want in on this all-natural hack I just discovered.
I'm 100 percent the type of person who can't sleep with a spider visibly occupying the same room. I'm a child of the '90s still recovering from the trauma of watching Arachnophobia once when I was 8. I'm also an essential-oil junkie, so when I heard about Earth Kind's Stay Away Spider repellent, I was intrigued. These nontoxic pouches are filled with citronella, lemongrass, and rosemary essential oils and can be placed throughout your home in spots where spiders love to hide and build webs. The pouches interfere with a spider's ability to smell their prey, but they also repel the bugs they would be eating. Bonus? They make the spaces you place them in (like closets, basements, dormers, and attics) smell fresh, too. And because they're made from essential oils and plant fibers, they're safe for homes with pets and kids - no toxic bug sprays needed!
You can find these at hardware and home improvement stores or even on Amazon for $4. The pouches last for 30-60 days, and the packaging suggests using one pouch per entryway or dormer and two pouches per small room. There's also a money-back guarantee, so you seriously have nothing to lose. I've only been using them for a couple of days, but so far, I haven't seen any spiders and am enjoying the citrusy scent!
What a Teacher Really Wants Parents to Understand About Homework
Within a month of school being back in session, there will probably be a post that goes viral from a parent complaining about a horrible teacher and a ridiculous homework assignment. Sure, sometimes the homework can be a bit extreme, but from my experience as an educator, blaming the teacher is useless because they have very little say in what they get to assign.
That's right. Homework policy is often out of the teacher's hands. In the three districts I've worked at, each department (English, math, biology, et al.) had an explicit, long-established grading and homework policy. For my friends who teach elementary, their individual grade levels had a determined homework system. For some of them, they have set times for when various skills and worksheets should be assigned. These plans and procedures have often been established for a while.
This means your child's teacher may have little to no say in what gets assigned, especially if they are new to the profession. While I personally subscribe to the no-homework policy like they do in Finland, my opinions on the subject were never strong enough to where I felt like charging forward to change the system. This is especially true if the principal and district believe that homework is a pathway to understanding.
So, I gave the minimum amount of homework I was supposed to assign. Personally, my homework assignments were mostly there to work as practice or a refresher of a skill taught earlier. As required, I felt pressured to give 30 minutes to one hour of homework every night, even though daily homework quotas don't work for every subject and every kid.
As an English teacher, there were days when there wasn't an authentic assignment I could give the children, in part because we were working toward longer term projects. Even though I tried to bracket essays and research papers into easier chunks, for a child to be successful in completing the task, they needed to understand time management. So while there were days I didn't assign any homework, the students were sitting on a paper that they could have worked on but didn't. This is in part what causes that midnight rush.
Not every student works well with the prescribed number of homework-minutes-per-night method, and teachers know that. In trying to teach kids how to manage their time and to not procrastinate, schools assign homework to help with this. Even though homework is designed to give students at home practice with a learned skill, schools are neglecting to teach children how to do schoolwork at home.
There are all kinds of factors that affect why a student chooses, or is unable, to complete the assignment. Extracurriculars, family obligations, lack of parental involvement, too much parental involvement, and work that is confusing can all affect a student's ability to perform. Add in the fact that students might share or compare answers with their peers, and it leaves the work essentially useless and difficult to adequately grade.
And districts and administrators understand this, which is why many departments and schools opt to limit the effect homework can have on a child's grades. Every school I've taught at mandated that no more than 10 percent of a child's grade can come from homework. So even if a child didn't do any homework, but got an A on everything else, the worst that their grade could be brought down is to a B.
Of course, every school's policy is different, and individual departments are different, but this is one of the key things I suggest that parents make themselves aware of as soon as possible. A simple email or phone call to your child's teacher at the beginning of the year, asking them to explain how the child will be graded and what the role of homework is in the class, will clear up a lot of confusion later on.
How to Get Your Sh*t Together When You’re Feeling Stagnant
Like many young American women, I totally do not fit under the category of "the people who surprised everyone and really did something with themselves." That's because I just graduated college and I don't know how anyone expects recent college grads to have the résumé of a seasoned elder when we're all still so insanely young.
I don't believe that anyone straight out of college should feel like they need to have their lives perfectly in order. It's unrealistic and (can I be honest?) seems kind of boring. The idea of having my entire life set out for me at this exact moment is highly unappealing. I want to work a thousand different jobs! Have different experiences! Accidentally buy a ticket to Ireland and then be forced to go by myself because I'm impulsive and don't think anything through!
Life is good right now and I'm extremely thankful for the place that I'm in at this very moment. I'm healthy, I'm making money, and I'm able to wake myself up early enough that I can do my makeup before going to work (at least most of the time).
If we act like we have our sh*t together, eventually it's bound to happen, right?
But up until recently, I still didn't feel like I was a real adult, which is an insane concept! I am an adult! But this is totally a millennial thing. I'm not the only one of my peers who feels this way. Employment for recent college grads is dropping and it seems like no one can move out of their childhood bedroom. These are two major life events that we associate with adulthood, and millennials just don't have as good of a chance at either of the two as our parents and grandparents. And even for those who have accomplished getting a job and moving out, there's still a good chance that we're going to be calling Mom for some extra cash come the first of the month.
But hey, I believe in the power of manifestation. The law of attraction tells us that if we send positive vibes into the universe, we get positive vibes back. Now, the only positive vibes I concretely believe in come out of a battery-powered piece of plastic, but this law of attraction thing might just be onto something. If we act like we have our sh*t together, eventually it's bound to happen, right?
1. Stay productive
Don't let yourself get stagnant. OK, so you didn't get a job right out of college. One will come. I can't tell you when, how, what it will be, or how much you'll love it, but you'll find a job eventually. And hey, maybe it has absolutely nothing to do with your career path of choice, but at the end of the day you need money and there will be someone out there willing to give it to you.
But if it's not what you want, you have to stay productive. It's easy to let yourself become stagnant in a job you aren't passionate about. But you have to pursue your interests outside of work. Volunteer at an animal shelter. Freelance. Bake a cake.
2. Adapt healthy habits
Adults give a hoot about their health. It's amazing how much of a difference adding healthy habits to your life can make. When I started cooking for myself, I swear to God I went from broke college grad to frugal young professional. Nothing else changed other than the fact that I made my food instead of hoarded it from the dining hall. And get in a total of 30 minutes of structured exercise a day for your endorphins.
3. Track your expenses
I avoided doing this for a long time because I hated admitting to myself that I spent too much money and was living beyond my means. Then I opened a savings account because I figured, well, it's the right thing to do, and suddenly I loved seeing money stay put. I loved seeing the number go up. So I started tracking my expenses and doing so makes me a lot less tempted to spend.
This doesn't have to be hard. I just have a spreadsheet in my Google Drive with columns for what I spend money on, method of payment, how much I deposit, and the level of necessity. It's a lot easier to stop spending money on useless things when you have to evaluate each purchase by how vital it is to sustaining your life.
4. Discipline yourself
Maybe you don't do the laundry often enough. Maybe you always forget to pack food and end up spending too much money on lunch. Maybe you have been putting off cleaning that one skillet for a solid two weeks because you don't want to face scrubbing away burnt quinoa. Just do it already.
5. Get rid of your bad friends already
It took me a total of one hour to cut out a bad friend earlier this month. And it was both the hardest and easiest decision I had to make. It makes absolutely no sense to hang on to people who you know just really suck the life out of you. Ankle weights are the only kind of weight that should slow you down.
6. Meditate
Guided meditation and practicing mindfulness has made me super focused. I'm lucky that I'm the first one to the office in the morning, because it gives me some time alone. I get to work a little early and do a five-minute guided meditation. I literally type "five min guided meditation" on YouTube and pick one to get my day started.
I've also been reading You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh. He talks about the impermanence of everything. Just think about that - everything is temporary! Unemployment, feelings of doubt, life in general. It's easier to move forward when you know you have somewhere to go. If you know you aren't where you want to be, figure out what the right direction is and do something about it.
22 Problems That Only Real Introverts Understand
Source: Fox
If you're a true introvert, you're probably reading this from the confines of your favorite comfy chair, perhaps with a cup of hot tea and a good book next to you. We get that. As introverts, it's not that we can't interact with other people - in fact, some of us are quite good at it. It's that more often than not, we don't really want to. It's not you, it's us. Mostly. If you're a true introvert, you'll relate to these problems on so many levels - but don't worry, you're not alone! Actually, for you, that's probably a cause for worry . . .
1. Socializing is legitimately exhausting.
2. Too. Many. People.
3. There's A LOT going on in our heads . . .
4. Alone > around other people.
5. Talking is kind of the worst.
6. Phones were invented by demons.
7. Panic mode is often engaged when interacting with humans . . .
8. "Mingling" is basically a curse word in your book.
9. This conundrum we face:
10. And this one . . .
11. This hard truth.
12. We need to recharge our batteries . . . AWAY from you.
13. But don't worry - it's us, not you (mostly).
14. This fun fact:
15. We know our strengths. "People-ing" is not one of them.
16. Overanalyzing social situations is sort of our "thing."
17. What people think we are vs. what we are:
18. No touching, please.
19. We appreciate the simple things - but not everyone understands this.
20. On going places and stuff . . .
21. Puppies? Yes. People? No.
22. Still, we are in tune with what we want/need . . .
You Can Have Camila Cabello's Shoes Thanks to Her New Partnership With Skechers
First, Camila Cabello became the new Guess Girl, then she was added to the L'Oreal family as its new spokesperson, and now she's the new face of Skechers. Keep in mind that she's also working on her new album, which is set to be released later this year. Is there anything that Camila can't do? Skechers announced Camila would be the new face of the brand with a behind-the-scenes teaser of the campaign she shot for the new collection of Skechers Hi-Lites coming this Fall from the Skecher Street line.
"I am so excited to be working with Skechers! I've been such a big fan of the brand! My sister is really excited about the partnership because she gets free Skechers - it makes me the best big sister right now!," she stated in a press release. "I am really excited for my fans to see what we have been working on together and am excited for them to see this commercial!"
The 20-year-old also went on to talk about what really pushed her to work with Skechers in the first place. "One of the things that attracted me to Skechers was their philanthropic efforts through their BOBS program - helping children and animals in need, because that's something that is really important to me and close to my heart. I work closely with this charity called Save the Children - I actually started working with them a little over a year ago. They focus a lot on children - whether it's education, disease or poverty. . . . It's really important to me to use this platform to do good in the world - that's what it's all about." We can't wait to see the rest of the campaign, and the best part is that she did the commercial in English and Spanish so everyone can enjoy it.
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