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.
mercredi 20 décembre 2017
10 Toxic Ingredients Pregnant Women Should Never Use in Their Beauty Routines
The average adult uses nine personal care products every day. If I think about my own beauty routine, it adds up to much more. In the shower alone I use a face wash, body wash, exfoliator, shampoo, and conditioner. Once I'm out, the lotions, face creams, sunscreen, perfume, hair products, and makeup come into play. I can't even seem to choose just one lip color, instead opting to blend a few to get the perfect shade.
It often takes the responsibility of growing another life for us to take a serious look at our personal care products.
Does that sound familiar? Unfortunately, there are potentially toxic chemicals hiding in our makeup, sunscreen, skincare products, and everything else we slather on. The risks associated with each are potentially more hazardous for pregnant women - which is why it often takes the responsibility of growing another life for us to take a serious look at our personal care products.
"We should avoid risky ingredients at all stages of our lives," said Paul Pestano, a senior database analyst for the Environmental Working Group, an organization that researches and educates consumers about toxins in personal care products. "However, pregnancy may be a period in which women should be particularly careful."
Pestano notes that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine warn that exposure to toxic chemicals before conception and during pregnancy can have significant and long-lasting effects on reproductive health. Problems can include infertility, low birth weight, and preterm birth.
EWG suggests that pregnant women try to minimize their exposure to all ingredients that have been associated with adverse health effects, especially those known as endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors can interfere with the body's normal hormone functions and potentially affect the development of the unborn child.
Luckily, there are quality brands out there making nontoxic cosmetics. As a pregnant woman myself, I find it's easier to make responsible choices if I understand the reasons behind each warning. So I decided to do some research into the cosmetic ingredients I should avoid. I spoke to Tata Harper, the founder of her own safe and natural skincare line, and Gregg Renfrew, the founder of Beautycounter, which bans more than 1,500 questionable or harmful chemicals from its products.
If you're expecting, too, here is a list of the ingredients, where you're likely to find them, and an explanation of why they are potentially harmful. And don't worry, you won't have to go cosmetics-free for nine months - I also have some recommendations for safe options you can turn to.
11 Modifications You Didn't Know You Could Make at Starbucks
Whether you're more of an iced-coffee or grande-nonfat-mocha-no-whip type of Starbucks customer, there are easy ways to customize your drink to match your preference. While you might not find these modifications on the menu, that doesn't mean you can't make them at the register. Here's what to keep in mind the next time you find yourself in line at Starbucks and want a drink that's specifically tailored to your needs.
- Ask for light ice.
Not enough liquid and too much ice in your drink? Ask for light ice next time and you'll get more of the drink itself. - Order your latte extra hot.
Ever feel like your hot coffee is cold by the time you get to the office? You can order your latte "extra hot" at the register, and the barista will steam the milk longer to increase the temperature. - Specify unsweetened.
Certain Starbucks drinks are sneakily sweetened, including the iced coffee, iced teas, and the Green Tea Latte. For example, Starbucks's matcha powder contains sugar, and the Green Tea Latte typically has more sugar added to it. The iced coffee already comes with two pumps of Classic, aka simple syrup, so if you order it with two pumps, you're actually getting four. The default for a tall iced tea drink is three pumps of classic. If you'd rather have unsweetened drinks, be sure to specify that when you order. - Customize your milk preference.
ICYMI, Starbucks has almond milk and coconut milk! There's also soy milk as another dairy-free option. Starbucks uses 2 percent milk in all drinks unless you specify otherwise, so speak up if you want whole milk, nonfat, or plant-based milk. - Order a tall coffee in a grande cup.
Certain baristas might discourage this, but it's a common thing to order. To avoid wasting coffee by pouring out enough for milk, just order a smaller size coffee in a cup the next size up. This will give you more space than asking for "room." - Order the "short" size.
Did you know a size smaller than the tall exists at Starbucks? While not listed on most menus, there is a size called the short, which is eight ounces and costs $2 for a drip coffee. - Ask for no water for a stronger tea flavor.
Starbucks adds water to the cup of any iced tea drink to dilute it, so ask for no water if you want a stronger flavor. - Ask for an extra shot.
Tall lattes come with one shot of espresso, grande espresso drinks come with two, and venti drinks come with two (hot) or three (iced). If it's just one of those days and you need an extra boost of caffeine, you can add another shot to any drink for 60 cents. - Specify the number of syrup pumps.
When you order any drink that comes with a syrup flavor, a tall will have three, a grande will have four, and a venti will have five or six, depending on hot or iced, respectively. You can either add more for no extra cost or ask for fewer pumps if you want it less sweet. - Ask for a different kind of sweetener.
You can ask for syrups, sugar, raw sugar, honey, Sweet and Low, Equal, or Splenda in any drink. You can also inquire about the sugar-free syrup options, like raspberry and vanilla, as well as the seasonal syrup options like peppermint. - Order hot tea over ice.
If you're in the mood for a green tea or herbal tea but would rather have it cold than hot, you can ask for it served on ice. The barista will steep the tea and pour it in a plastic cup filled with ice, which takes about five minutes.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Are Kylo Ren and Rey Related?
Potentially incestuous spoilers from Star Wars: The Last Jedi below!
Arguably one of the biggest questions to come out of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was: who are Rey's real parents? Now that we've seen The Last Jedi, we have a small addendum to the query: who are Rey's real parents . . . because we REALLY need to know how to feel about the sexual tension between her and Kylo Ren!
OK, in all seriousness, the bond between the faces of the opposing sides of the galactic war - Republic Jedi-in-training Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the First Order's resident tantrum thrower, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) - is on display more than ever in the second installment of the recent trilogy. Although we don't get too many answers about the nature of what exactly is happening between them, we do see that there's definitely something there. The funny thing is, the pair actually spends most of the film apart.
While Rey is struggling to learn the ways of the Force and more about her own childhood on Luke Skywalker's remote island of Ahch-To, Kylo is stalking around Starkiller base feeling conflicted about his service to Supreme Leader Snoke. Their mirrored states of unease makes it all too easy for Snoke - a clever, maniacal humanoid villain dead set on turning Rey to the Dark Side - to open up a connection between the two. Rey and Kylo begin to have visions of each other despite their large physical separation, whether they want to or not (including one moment when Kylo is shirtless, which Rey is not pleased with) (or is she too pleased with it?!) (#TeamReylo).
When they finally meet up later in the film, the tension between them - sexual or otherwise - is palpable.
Their chats evolve into meaningful discussions about the nature of their relationship with the Force, their parents, and whether or not they belong to the Light or the Dark. When they finally meet up later in the film, the tension between them - sexual or otherwise - is palpable. For anyone who watches The Last Jedi and suddenly, uncomfortably, finds themselves on Team Reylo, but can't dispel the nagging worry that, hey, there's a chance Rey and Kylo are related, you've come to the right place. Do they share a blood line, or nah?
TL;DR, nobody knows for sure.
The answer to that question all comes down to the identity of Rey's real parents. Her mom and dad are actually a big part of her and Kylo's conversations, and Kylo claims to have seen who they really are in a vision. He first tells her that because of who her parents are, he knows she'll eventually turn to the Dark side to serve beside him. Later on, he confronts a sobbing Rey about her parents again, telling her they were nobodies, just Jakku scavengers buried "in pauper's graves."
To be honest, I got the impression Kylo was lying in this scene. After all this build up, it seems odd that Rey's parents would end up being nobodies and have little to no effect on the rest of her story. If they are anonymous Jakku scavengers and the whole point is that anyone can be born Force sensitive (like the little boy at the end of the film appears to be), then lucky you - Rey and Kylo are not related! However, if you don't believe Kylo and instead subscribe to the popular fan theory that Rey carries Skywalker blood (i.e. she's either Han Solo and Leia's long-lost child, or Luke's illegitimate daughter), then yeah, there's a chance their special bond is much more cringeworthy than we all thought. Since there isn't any concrete information out there either way, we can't be completely sure.
What I will say is, I don't think Rey's parents are unknown "paupers," but I don't think she's a member of the Skywalker family, either. If I had to bet, she's a descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi's bloodline. After all, Rey hears the voices of actors Alan Guinness and Ewan McGregor - who both played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the previous films - when she picks up Luke's lightsaber in the basement of Maz Kanata's castle in The Force Awakens. Could that be because Obi-Wan had the lightsaber in his possession for far longer than Luke did, and it's calling for its next rightful owner? There are also plenty more parallels between the two characters' lonely, desert backstories.
At the end of the day, the most likely conclusion is that the connection between Rey and Kylo is not because they're related by blood, but rather they're both enduring inner turmoil - Rey trying to find her rightful place in the world and Kylo grappling with both the murder of his father and his fractured relationship with Leia. Only together can they bring balance to the Force and give their universe a fresh start. But if the ending of The Last Jedi is any indication, they have a long road ahead of them.
15 Easy Breakfast Prep Ideas to Help Set Up Your Entire Week
If you want to be healthy or lose weight, breakfast is key - even science says so. The thing is, there aren't a lot of people who have time to make a filling and nutritious meal during the week. That's where meal prepping comes in; just set aside a little time in the evening to get your ingredients together, and you'll have a healthy breakfast ready to go for the entire week.
Behold, Reddit's 10 Most Upvoted Posts of 2017
More than 12 billion upvotes were made on Reddit this year, a figure that almost doubles the total number of living, breathing human beings on planet Earth. In other words, you'd be hard pressed to find a platform that gets quite as much engagement on the stories of the day, every day - and why its annual year in review is essential reading for any reasonable person who spends time on the internet.
So in order to properly bid adieu to 2017, ahead you'll find the top 10 most upvoted posts of 2017. These are the subjects that attracted the most Redditors over the course of the year and are a testament to the power of shared passions and feelings. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Reddit year in review without a couple of posts that left us LOLing for days, too.
30 Movies That Turned 30 This Year
As 2017 rolled on, many films turned three decades old. In case you have forgotten, Dirty Dancing, Lethal Weapon, Spaceballs, and Fatal Attraction all came out in 1987 - and that's just the beginning! Take a look at all the films that celebrated 30-year anniversaries, and get ready to feel old.
Nobody Does Christmas Quite Like Mariah Carey
It's no secret that Mariah Carey is one of Hollywood's most glamorous moms, so the fact that she is also the Queen of Christmas should come as no surprise to you. Whether she's celebrating with her family in Aspen, performing at an annual tree lighting, or belting out a holiday pop classic, there's no denying Mariah's Christmas slaying abilities.
Blake Shelton's "Sexiest Man Alive" Jacket Is Like a Sparkly Middle Finger to His Haters
I was honestly having a bit of trouble coming up with a New Year's resolution, but then it unexpectedly landed on my lap, courtesy of Blake Shelton. The 41-year-old country singer took the stage during the season 13 finale of The Voice, wearing a blazer with "Sexiest Man Alive" spelled out in sparkly lettering on the back. And now I officially know that my goal for 2018 is to personify the exact harmony of unabashedly extra and undeniably petty that Blake accomplished during that episode.
.@blakeshelton is reppin' what he knows best tonight! 😂 #VoiceResults http://pic.twitter.com/wREIyRyIUj
- The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) December 20, 2017
Blake's bold move comes one month after he was granted People magazine's coveted title of "Sexiest Man Alive." The decision caused quite a stir on the internet, as many openly shared their not-so-positive yet spot-on thoughts and opinions on the news. In fact, Blake's new title caused so much of a stir that it even warranted his own version of Jimmy Kimmel's "Mean Tweets" segment, during which the country star recited a handful of reactions from all over the internet.
But it looks like Blake didn't sit back and sulk in his apparent unsexiness for too long, as he proudly repped his title in shiny, bedazzled lettering during The Voice finale on Dec. 19. Needless to say, fans had some feelings about Blake's ballsy blazer, which they voiced all over Twitter. Some were totally here for his pettiness, with one person even calling his outfit choice their "favorite thing to happen this year."
Love the jacket Blake 👍🏻
- k.browning (@havensky57) December 20, 2017
blake shelton wearing a suit that says "sexiest man alive" on the back is my favorite thing to happen this year
- 🎄Kieffer Mendoza🎄 (@mynameslibrary) December 20, 2017
Blake you're too funny.!! I litterly laughed out loud... and yes your are sexiest man alive.
- Wanda Sutton (@ws_sutton) December 20, 2017
@blakeshelton @NBCTheVoice Cheering for the Sexiest Man Alive to win tonight. 🐝 You're the Sexiest Coach Alive too! Struttin' like a peacock with that jacket! ❤️😘
- thonda (@thondab) December 20, 2017
I was wondering when that would happen haha loving it!!!!!
- Alicia (@alley_alicia) December 20, 2017
Others weren't too psyched about it, with many piping up to reassert their aversion to People's choice for this year's award.
http://pic.twitter.com/P74JWZWoE8
- bigben07girl (@bigben07girl) December 20, 2017
I DO NOT LIKE BLAKE SHELTON. Take off "sexiest man alive" jacket. K thanks and give it to Adam Levine
- M A D D I E 🌻 (@madelineski42) December 20, 2017
Blake Shelton is such a troll for wearing a 'Sexiest Man Alive' bedazzled jacket on The Voice finale. 😂
- Brittney Cottingham (@bbcott) December 20, 2017
I don't know about anyone else but I'm still mad Blake Shelton was named sexiest man alive.
- Andrea (@andeedoll) December 20, 2017
I think the most mystifying time of 2017 was when Blake Shelton was named Sexiest Man Alive.
- Maria Flowers (@mriaflowrs) December 20, 2017
Still questioning how Blake Shelton is the "sexiest man alive". :/ 2017 for ya :/
- Kelley (@kelleykitty) December 20, 2017
You ever think about how Blake Shelton was voted the sexiest man alive and just laugh?
- ️️ً (@kxurtneyyyy) December 20, 2017
Regardless of where you stand on the matter, there's no denying that Blake's move is commendably confident, and that's something we should all aspire to be.
Fab Fitness Gifts Under $50 (For Every Fit Lady on Your List)
The holidays are here, and while your wallet might be trembling in terror, we've got you covered: affordable fitness gifts under $50. The best part is these products are so amazing, no one would ever guess they were budget finds. Pick from favorite brands like Lululemon, Nike, and Adidas, or discover some under-the-radar brands with beautiful gifts for the fitness queen in your life.
The Heartbreaking Photos That Capture a Tragic Birth Story
"It was so beautiful and precious. I would do it again, and again, and again," Julie told Ela Wunderli of Itsy Photography, who photographed the birth of her seventh child, Lily, who would die shortly after birth.
In her 36th week of pregnancy, Julie and her family moved from Arizona to California. Having given birth six times before, Julie was an old pro at this pregnancy thing and was having a happy, normal pregnancy. Mixed into her week of unpacking and settling was a doctor's appointment at her new OB/Gyn practice. "At the appointment they wanted to do an ultrasound where they discovered many concerns," she said. "By the next day the doctors told us that our daughter most likely had Trisomy 13 or 18, but they couldn't be sure until after she was born and tested."
Trisomy is the presence of three chromosomes instead of one. The most commonly known trisomy is Trisomy 21, otherwise known as Down syndrome. Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) are genetic disorders that include health problems that affect almost every organ of the body. They are fatal diagnoses - more than half of babies affected with the conditions do not survive the first week of life, and survivors do not usually make it past their first birthday.
The room was filled with anticipation during the 20 hours of labor. "Everyone held their breath to see if she would survive the delivery," Ela shared. "She held her breath too! But when the doctors tried to intubate her, she let out a tiny cry and started to breathe on her own. It was a miracle!"
Baby Lily was put on a CPAP (a breathing assistance machine) and rushed to the NICU for monitoring. Later that morning, her siblings arrived to visit her. After receiving hand-washing lessons, they filed into the NICU to welcome their baby sister. Each child had an opportunity to touch her and welcome her in their own way, before moving on to Julie's room to spend some time with mom. Later that day, Julie spent some time with Lily in the NICU, and Ela had the opportunity to capture their moments together.
"I couldn't have been happier to have caught her tiny eyes opening - even if it was only for a split second," Ela shared. "She cried a tiny little cry - and I must say it was like music to hear."
Lily lived for two and a half days. During that time her family showered her with love and threw her first and second birthday parties. She passed away peacefully - tube and wire free - in her mother's arms. Her family wrote her a beautiful obituary:
. . . She spent two-and-a-half celestial days with us. We celebrated her first birthday with lilies, handwritten birthday cards from her brothers and sisters, and a big shiny balloon in the shape of a number one. On her second birthday, we gathered round her. We held her. We hugged her and kissed her again and again. We told her how much we loved her, and how we were going to miss her so very much. And we said good-bye. For now.
Though heartbreaking, Ela says the entire two and a half days were beautiful. "I've never seen a mother so radiant and glowing. The faith of this family was beyond measure."
Read on to see the captivating photos Ela took that the family will cherish forever.
Milana Vayntrub Opens Up About What It's Like to Star in an Interactive TV Show
Milana Vayntrub is probably best known as the amazingly quirky and oh-so-lovable Lily from those AT&T commercials, though you've also probably caught her as Sloane Sandburg in This Is Us or when she guest starred as Gilfoyle's girlfriend Tara in Silicon Valley. This year, however, she plays the lead role in That Moment When, a completely innovative and fascinating interactive TV show from streaming site Eko. "Jill is a hot mess. It's up to YOU to navigate through a series of awkward moments that either leave her somewhat dignified or even hot-messier," the series description reads, but what's amazing about the series is that it really is up to you to choose what happens - it's the very first of its kind to offer viewers the chance to decide what happens to the characters on the screen.
Vayntrub's Jill is, as advertised, a hot mess. But she's one hell of a relatable mess, and by the time you've chosen your own adventure throughout the series, it starts to feel like she's someone you know in real life - and that's a definite indicator of just how wonderful an actress she truly is. I spoke with Vayntrub by phone in early December to talk about her role in the show and the groundbreaking technology that drives the series from beginning to end.
POPSUGAR: How would you describe Eko as a platform?
Milana Vayntrub: Eko is an interactive platform, so they make shows that you can play. [laughter] Our show is a sitcom where you get to choose if a character marries the guy or breaks up with the guy. I mean, maybe not those exact examples, but you get to take initiative in the lives of your favorite characters.
PS: And how did you first get involved with it?
MV: Sandeep [Parikh], who created the show, is one of my best friends. We used to be roommates. We perform together. So he's definitely one of my creative soulmates, and when he asked me, I was like, "Yeah, I would do anything that you wanted to do."
POPSUGAR: Tell me, in your own words, what That Moment When is.
MV: First of all, I'd say insane comedy. And insane because the situations are totally grounded and real. They're going to a party and not remembering somebody's name, or getting dumped at a restaurant (which has happened to me), or asking their parents for money. And then, ultimately, the whole thing leads to this big high school reunion, which is also something that we've all had to deal with or opted out of dealing with. I think if Jill was a little bit smarter, she probably would have also opted out because she was definitely setting herself up for disaster. But sometimes we learn the most from the most disastrous situation. So that was definitely Jill's calling. But ultimately, Jill's character - I think that she's somewhat of a version of me. She's maybe a little braver and a little louder, but I think the thing that makes her relatable is that she's in all of these situations that we've been in. She's not always the best person; she gets lonely and leans to the selfish. And I think that's what makes her appealing, because she's someone we all know.
There's one situation in the roommate episode where, if you play it a certain way - sidebar: that's also the most fun part of the show, that you can play it a different way and get a different set of jokes and situations every time - but in this one, the roommate character asks her if she thinks she's pretty, and because Jill can't lie, she just kind of nods uncomfortably . . . and I love that. I love that Jill is so blatantly obvious, and it's interesting to be on the side of Jill because you know when she's manipulating and you know what her tactics are, and it's kind of situations that you - like me, as a person, I would not be brave enough to explore, but it's nice doing it through this platform where everything is really playful, truly.
POPSUGAR: How much of what happens in the show is scripted and how much is improv? It's all so tight, it's hard to tell.
MV: Most of it is scripted, and then we improvise on top. There's always a script - and it was always stellar and totally carried itself - but because Sandeep and I are both improvisers and I have a problem where I can't not improvise, they cast other improvisers in the show so there were also a bunch of extra lines, too. But it doesn't feel like a mumblecore movie where it feels really improvised because they only have a loose outline. We had a much tighter script, and then we more improvised jokes rather than scenarios or full character pieces.
Finding and hiring improvisers was key, though. When you have people who are actively creating their own content, they know the dimensions to which they can improvise. They know when you've added so much content that now it's not editable. Knowing your outs and understanding, for example, not talking over other actors - that's a very basic improv tool that you get through practice, and you get also through watching and making your own stuff. Because a lot of the actors were also writers and creators, it was mostly really seamless to kind of support other people's jokes or to set them up. Also, I can't give enough credit to the editor, because that's really what makes improv work.
POPSUGAR: Do you feel like you created another level to Jill's character by doing improv on top of the script?
MV: I think I get closer to these characters when I can improvise. As an actor, you don't step into other people's words, but you get to add your own words, so you need to speak as a person because it gives the role character. It does become easier to understand them or to imagine over time. Especially when it worked. When the writers or the director laughs at your improv, that's just a sign to me as the actor that I'm hitting on the notes that they want for that character. That's the goal that I have. I like adding the improv because I'm also adding more to the project. I feel like I'm contributing and carrying my weight.
POPSUGAR: There are so many paths in the show. Did you have scripts for each and every potential path? Or was it all written and shot in pieces?
MV: For every six-minute episode, there's about 30 pages of script. It's usually there's a page per minute. So there's about 30 minutes of content for every episode even though you only see six. We would shoot multiple setups and different lines and different opportunities every time. And that's also a huge credit to our producer and director, who were able to organize all of those shots in their heads in ways that it's probably not easy.
POPSUGAR: Did you have favorite outcomes or did you just kind of approach it as completely separate scenes?
MV: You know when you are planning an important meeting or you're about to hang out with someone you want to impress? There are situations you play out in your head, if you're like, "If I get it this way, this might happen. If I get it this way, this might happen," and that's kind of - we got to play out all the situations. In a way, it was an acting exercise in not making a choice, which a lot of acting normally is figuring out what your character would do, and in this one, it's "Well, if this character could do it all." It's actually very freeing. But at the same time, I didn't fully understand how it comes together until the very end, and I'm so impressed with how it has, but now that I've seen it, I definitely have these routes that I hope people will take because I'd love to see - I want them to experience one take over another, but that's the past, man. [laughter]
POPSUGAR: Do you think you can experience the full story in just one viewing? Or do you need multiple variants?
MV: I hope that people watch it more than once and take entirely different experiences every time. Because all the jokes are worthwhile, and I think you'll also get to experience different sides of the characters depending on what choices you make, so I think it's worth it to go back more than once.
POPSUGAR: Which scene did you think was the most awkward scene you shot?
MV: There's a moment in episode seven where you have to dodge a creepy teacher from hitting on you at the reunion and that's - how many times have we tried to dodge an older man putting his hands on you when you don't want that? That is really relatable. In a way, I kind of hope there's a teaching moment there for the men that play, like, "Hey, this happens." You have to step into this woman's shoes and protect yourself from unwanted touching. It was an awkward thing to shoot, but also really professional, and then I got to have a conversation with that actor and we got to figure out where all of my boundaries are and where all of his boundaries are. That's not always what life is. But even when I play it now, I'm like, "Oh, f*ck, don't touch her. Don't touch her."
POPSUGAR: How would you compare the experience of doing the AT&T commercials to doing That Moment When?
MV: This was far more challenging because there's so many more lines. This was, like I said, 30 pages of dialogue a day - whereas the AT&T spots were one page of dialogue a day, and often, camera didn't have to move too much on the AT&T spot, so we kind of had a day of just shooting new 30-second spots in every different iteration. Like, I wish that in the AT&T spots, they showed all of the improvised versions that we came up with, but they're dead now and you'll never get to see that. The beauty of this is that you do get to explore all of the other improvised versions that we came up with. That's why movies have deleted scenes, and that's the beauty of digital reels that are dug up on the internet.
POPSUGAR: What did you like best about doing the show overall?
MV: One of the things that I think is really fun about this character, and something that I see coming up more in TV and film, is dynamic female characters who are not about being sexy and are not about being attractive or liked by men, and in fact, they may be downright unlikeable, just like human beings are in actuality, and I capitalize human beings. With shows like this, get to be this multidimensional mess of a human and experience this difficult and hilarious situation. So I'm really proud of how likable this - maybe not likable [laughter] but watchable - this otherwise mess of a person is. And we didn't ever have to worry about making her digestible. But, in fact, you get to play these situations for fun. Do you know what I mean? I think I kind of rambled there. It is totally liberating as an actor, and I think really fun to see as a viewer.
The Heartbreaking Photos That Capture a Tragic Birth Story
"It was so beautiful and precious. I would do it again, and again, and again," Julie told Ela Wunderli of Itsy Photography, who photographed the birth of her seventh child, Lily, who would die shortly after birth.
In her 36th week of pregnancy, Julie and her family moved from Arizona to California. Having given birth six times before, Julie was an old pro at this pregnancy thing and was having a happy, normal pregnancy. Mixed into her week of unpacking and settling was a doctor's appointment at her new OB/Gyn practice. "At the appointment they wanted to do an ultrasound where they discovered many concerns," she said. "By the next day the doctors told us that our daughter most likely had Trisomy 13 or 18, but they couldn't be sure until after she was born and tested."
Trisomy is the presence of three chromosomes instead of one. The most commonly known trisomy is Trisomy 21, otherwise known as Down syndrome. Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) are genetic disorders that include health problems that affect almost every organ of the body. They are fatal diagnoses - more than half of babies affected with the conditions do not survive the first week of life, and survivors do not usually make it past their first birthday.
The room was filled with anticipation during the 20 hours of labor. "Everyone held their breath to see if she would survive the delivery," Ela shared. "She held her breath too! But when the doctors tried to intubate her, she let out a tiny cry and started to breathe on her own. It was a miracle!"
Baby Lily was put on a CPAP (a breathing assistance machine) and rushed to the NICU for monitoring. Later that morning, her siblings arrived to visit her. After receiving hand-washing lessons, they filed into the NICU to welcome their baby sister. Each child had an opportunity to touch her and welcome her in their own way, before moving on to Julie's room to spend some time with mom. Later that day, Julie spent some time with Lily in the NICU, and Ela had the opportunity to capture their moments together.
"I couldn't have been happier to have caught her tiny eyes opening - even if it was only for a split second," Ela shared. "She cried a tiny little cry - and I must say it was like music to hear."
Lily lived for two and a half days. During that time her family showered her with love and threw her first and second birthday parties. She passed away peacefully - tube and wire free - in her mother's arms. Her family wrote her a beautiful obituary:
. . . She spent two-and-a-half celestial days with us. We celebrated her first birthday with lilies, handwritten birthday cards from her brothers and sisters, and a big shiny balloon in the shape of a number one. On her second birthday, we gathered round her. We held her. We hugged her and kissed her again and again. We told her how much we loved her, and how we were going to miss her so very much. And we said good-bye. For now.
Though heartbreaking, Ela says the entire two and a half days were beautiful. "I've never seen a mother so radiant and glowing. The faith of this family was beyond measure."
Read on to see the captivating photos Ela took that the family will cherish forever.
You'll Never Want to Get Off the Pot Once You Try This Heated Toilet Seat From Amazon
My apartment doesn't have a heater, so needless to say, my morning bathroom stop is pretty chilly. Recently, my toilet seat was in desperate need of a replacement, so my roommates and I decided check out our options on Amazon and discovered this Brondell LumaWarm Heated Nightlight Toilet Seat ($109). We were so excited about the idea of being able to afford what felt like a luxury item, so, without hesitation, we ordered it.
It comes in two sizes, elongated and round, which was a foreign concept to me, but after a quick Google search, I learned that toilets are, in fact, made in two different shapes and you can figure out which one you have by measuring the length of your current seat.
We were excited when it arrived within just a few days, and it was easy to install - all we needed was a screwdriver. In order for it to work, we made sure we had an outlet close to the toilet because it is powered by plugging into the wall. It features three different heat settings and even a blue nightlight.
We instantly fell in love with it. Sitting on a regular toilet just doesn't feel the same anymore. The price tag was totally worth it.
This 6-Year-Old's Hilariously Savage Letter to Santa Is From All the Grinches Out There
My 6yo Santa skeptic was told to write a letter to Santa at school. So he did... http://pic.twitter.com/XUFGMnXDFT
- Sarah McCammon NPR (@sarahmccammon) December 3, 2017
Some kids ask Santa Claus for Spider-Man Marvel sets, while others may apologize for that Toys "R" Us temper tantrum two months ago, but this 6-year-old boy had something else in mind for his class assignment, and it's probably the feistiest letter to be sent to the North Pole. Sarah McCammon, a reporter for NPR, recently took to Twitter to share her young son's enraged letter to Mr. Claus himself, and, well, it's nothing short of legendary. Out of all the hilarious letters we've seen written to Santa, this one just cuts right to the chase.
"Dear Santa,
Santa I'm only doing this for the class. I know your [naughty] list is [empty]. And your good list is [empty]. And your life is [empty]. You don't know the trouble I've had in my life. Goodbye.
Love,
I'm not telling you my name."
Sarah followed up with a tweet explaining the "troubles" in her son's life: "his brother." He's hilariously savage and cynical, and the wreath and skull drawings speak for themselves, but we're just wondering if this kid spent his Thanksgiving break interning for the Grinch?
We're thinking he might be pleased to find out the truth about Santa's existence. (But if that's not in the plans for you this year, these hacks will guarantee your child still believes in Santa.)
This Dad's Viral Disney Photo Captures How Magical Coparenting Can Be
Photographer Joe Hawkey captures tons of photos for clients, but his most recent photo of his own family at Disney World is going viral for all the right reasons. The dad - who is raising his 7-year-old daughter, Maddie, with the help of her mom, Tiffany Bankert, and both of their partners, Maddie's stepparents - isn't afraid to share with the world what successful coparenting can look like.
In the family photo, each of Maddie's parents can be seen wearing a shirt with their relation to Maddie on the front and "#co-parenting" written on the back, while Maddie's shirt says her name with "#bestdayever" on the back. Joe says Disney World is Maddie's favorite place and that "she was beyond thrilled to have everyone there." Maddie had no idea that her mom and stepdad were going to surprise her at Disney, and Joe added, "It made it that much more magical."
However, things weren't always completely magical between Maddie's parents. After things didn't work out between Joe and Tiffany, there was some tension, but when Maddie's stepparents, Luke and Brianna, each came into the picture, things started improving and the group was able to successfully coparent. When asked the best part about coparenting, Joe told POPSUGAR that it's "all of us able to understand the love we have for the same child. We all want her to succeed in life. She is our number one priority."
These Photos Perfectly Depict What Parenting Really Looks Like
Life's not quite as picturesque as Instagram pictures make it look. Kids don't smile when you ask them to, family rooms aren't spotless and clutter-free, and moms don't always have it all together. That's why Danielle Guenther's Best Case Scenario series of photographs speaks so well to parents. The Hoboken, NJ-based family photographer has taken to adding some real-life (though somewhat exaggerated) photos into her mix, and the results are hysterical.
"I have a regular client that I photograph, and I was over at her house," Guenther explains. "It was at the end of the session, and the mom, [who] is always a total blast, just laid down on the couch, and I [said] we should do a funny one. She has a wonderful sense of humor, [and] she was all about it! And then it just spiraled out of control in a really great way."
From that single "Parenting Is Exhausting . . ." photo, a series was born. There are currently 13 pictures in the series - including "Fully Loaded" (above) - most of which are inspired by Guenther's 5-1/2-year-old son.
"A lot of these ideas you think back to when he was a baby," she explains. "The 'Hold On a Sec . . ." photo where they're crossing the street. Mothers are always doing everything with crap all over their strollers, picking up the dry-cleaning. That's the scenario: you running errands and your husband holding up his finger - hold on a second; I've got to check the score. That's life; that's how it is!"
Guenther is not inspired by the perfection that is so prevalent on social photo sharing sites like Instagram. Rather, she's inspired by the truth that is parenting. "This is real, this is life, this is parenting. Parenting is so ugly, but there are moments that are so beautiful. Just when you think you have it under control and you're like, 'Oh, yeah, this is great. My kid's using his manners,' they slam the door in your face and they scream at you! But nothing in life is perfect."
She will continue her photojournalistic-style family portraiture, but it is these stylized photos that really motivate her these days. "I want to know what's going on before you got to the shoot. I want to know what goes on at home, behind closed doors. If you can find a funny take on life, you're ahead of the game."
Read on to see Danielle Guenther's full Best Case Scenario series.
7 Reasons the Wilderness Lodge Is Hands Down the Most Magical Place to Celebrate Christmas at Disney
No one does the holidays quite like Disney. It's magic squared, from the over-the-top seasonal decor covering every inch of the park to the otherworldly holiday menus. But when it comes to accommodations, the hands-down most Christmassy resort at Walt Disney World is the Wilderness Lodge. Ask anyone who's been, and they'll tell you it's a must visit when at Disney during the holiday months, whether you can spend all of Christmas week there or just spare an hour to grab a mug of cocoa by the lodge's fireplace. Learn why ahead.
This Genius Changing Pad Could Be the Answer to Your Poop Prayers
Any parent who's struggled to keep their baby's busy hands or clothes out of the danger zone during a diaper change can attest to the fact that it isn't easy. The SnoofyBee Changing Pad, a product that triples as a changing pad, playmat, and diaper clutch all in one, offers a brilliant solution to keeping your baby distracted and out of that dirty diaper. A soft barrier shields your baby from what's going on downstairs, provides a place to hook up baby toys, and folds up into an easy-to-carry clutch. Invented by a couple with five children, it's safe to say they have some experience! Check out the video to see how it works, and order your own SnoofyBee Changing Pad if you like what you see.
This Artist Turns Disney Princesses Into Parents - and the Results Are Perfection
Illustrators have had fun turning beloved Disney princesses into all sorts of things, from '50s-style pinup girls to Star Wars heroines. The only artistic mashup we haven't seen yet happens to be one that would most likely follow all the "happily ever after" storylines - what these fairy-tale characters would look like as parents.
Thankfully, artist Isaiah Stephens lets us in on what it'd really be like for Ariel to have a food-throwing toddler, for Belle to breastfeed, and for Jasmine to rock a baby bump with nine amazingly accurate depictions - all shared on his Facebook page and Instagram account. From Pocahontas to Queen Elsa, it's fun to see what realistically comes after their storybook ending. Take a look.
11 Brilliant Gifts For Your Fashionable Mom
We all know that hard-working mom who manages to look incredibly cool and stylish while juggling everything that comes with being a parent. How does she do it? We're not so sure we have the answer to that, but we definitely have some gift ideas that will please the most chic mom around. Keep reading to take a look at these enviable picks.
This Gender Reveal Photo Shoot Is What Disney Dreams Are Made Of
For soon-to-be parents Megan and Ryan, one of their first real loves was Disney. After getting married, the fun-loving couple even opted for their photographer to capture a playful honeymoon shoot at Epcot. When the pair found out that they were expecting, it almost felt fateful that their beloved wedding photographer already had a trip planned to Florida and they immediately knew that they wanted to plan a gender reveal session at Disney World.
The only problem with this exciting idea was that at Megan's most recent doctor's appointment, the doctor was unable to say the baby's gender with complete certainty. Although he suspected it was a girl, Megan wouldn't be able to find out for sure until the day after Dawn Browne's, of Degrees North Images, flight back to Texas.
To play it safe, they decided to take photos with both baby boy and girl props in order to be prepared for either gender. They spent the afternoon at Disney's boardwalk so they could have room away from all of the pedestrians while still taking advantage of colorful backdrops. When it was confirmed that the expecting parents were having a baby girl, nobody was more thrilled than Ryan! "Our dad to be was so excited (he would only take pictures with the little girl shoes)," Browne told POPSUGAR. "Now we are all looking forward to future photo shoots with the newest Disney princess!"
A Dozen Delectable Things to Do With Trader Joe's Cookie Butter
Though many of us would happily eat Trader Joe's cookie butter with a spoon all day for the rest of our lives, there is a whole world of scrumptious, speculoos-rich desserts out there to try - you know, for the days you want to exert just a little more effort during your sugary endeavors. Here are a dozen delicious, luscious, and easy ways to incorporate cookie butter into your favorite sweets.
13 Ways to Print Instagram Photos
Instagram is the easiest way to create dreamy camera-phone photos in a flash. The filters work their magic so well that nearly every picture comes out looking like a keepsake. Making those memories permanent can be just as easy with these tools for turning Instagram photos into lasting works of art. Here's how:
Image Source: Social Print Studio
- Social Print Studio - The company offers multiple ways to print Instagram photos, but the 20-by-30-inch posters will make a stunning addition to a living room wall. Between 50 and 200 photos are arranged in a clean grid on thick archival paper for $25. Fill a mini book ($15 for a set of two) with miniature prints of favorite photos or do the Polaroid-style squares ($12 for 24 prints), which have wide enough borders to double as notecards.
- PostalPix - Use this iPhone app to print four-inch squares from your Instagram library for only 49 cents each. Other sizes are also available, including five-inch square prints. Fast shipping, a matte finish, professional-quality resolution, and the convenience of mobile shopping make this our first stop for basic Instagram prints.
- CanvasPop - Those filtered photos are worthy of an at-home gallery. Create a high-resolution canvas print starting at $30. Buy multiple canvases for an artful wall vignette.
- Blurb - Haven't looked at a photo album in a while? Blurb brings back what now seems like an antiquated way of sharing photos with a modern Instagram twist. Softcover books start at $15.
Image Source: Artifact Uprising
- Artifact Uprising - For a stunning addition to your home, we love the options from Artifact Uprising, which incorporates reclaimed pinewood from its own Colorado backyard. Clipboard calendars ($30) with a print for each month are serene for a workstation, and the wood block plus 12 prints ($25) creates a changeable photo display.
- Instagoodies - Print favorite Instagram photos into books of one-inch stickers ($14). Attach stickers to the computer monitor, your phone case, or a wallet for a quick flash of happiness.
- Chatbooks - Use photos from Facebook or Instagram and turn them into books and albums, starting at $10. You can even set up to get a book created from every 60 photos you post on Instagram automatically!
- FoxPrint - Take a cue from your mom and turn your refrigerator into bragging grounds for your works of art. For $12 or more, FoxPrint makes a set of photo magnets from your favorite images.
- ImageSnap - This service crafts ceramic tiles ranging from two-inch ($5) to 12-inch ($35) squares. Tiles can be installed with mortar and grout just like normal tiles, though the tiny sizes make for perfect refrigerator magnets.
Image Source: Artflakes
- Persnickety Prints - Use your Instagram account to print your favorite photos in different sizes, finishes, and paper starting at $0.35!
- Casetify - Create a custom case for your device of choice - iPhone 4 through X, iPad and iPad Mini, iPod Touch, Samsung Galaxy S II through S8+, and Galaxy Note - for $40. Customize your collage and layout, and then Casetify prints it on a white or black case.
- Postagram - A fun way to show people you're thinking of them, Postagram mails a postcard with pop-out Instagram photo and message to friends for $1.99 each. A perfect last-minute gift!
- Stitchtagram - Now that your walls are filled with Instagram photos, cuddle up to memories with a 15-inch linen-cotton-blend pillow ($58, originally $68) made from account images.
With so many resources to print Instagram photos, you could easily decorate an entire house with iPhone memories. How do you share your mobile-phone photos?
Behold, Reddit's 10 Most Upvoted Posts of 2017
More than 12 billion upvotes were made on Reddit this year, a figure that almost doubles the total number of living, breathing human beings on planet Earth. In other words, you'd be hard pressed to find a platform that gets quite as much engagement on the stories of the day, every day - and why its annual year in review is essential reading for any reasonable person who spends time on the internet.
So in order to properly bid adieu to 2017, ahead you'll find the top 10 most upvoted posts of 2017. These are the subjects that attracted the most Redditors over the course of the year and are a testament to the power of shared passions and feelings. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Reddit year in review without a couple of posts that left us LOLing for days, too.
Milana Vayntrub Opens Up About What It's Like to Star in an Interactive TV Show
Milana Vayntrub is probably best known as the amazingly quirky and oh-so-lovable Lily from those AT&T commercials, though you've also probably caught her as Sloane Sandburg in This Is Us or when she guest starred as Gilfoyle's girlfriend Tara in Silicon Valley. This year, however, she plays the lead role in That Moment When, a completely innovative and fascinating interactive TV show from streaming site Eko. "Jill is a hot mess. It's up to YOU to navigate through a series of awkward moments that either leave her somewhat dignified or even hot-messier," the series description reads, but what's amazing about the series is that it really is up to you to choose what happens - it's the very first of its kind to offer viewers the chance to decide what happens to the characters on the screen.
Vayntrub's Jill is, as advertised, a hot mess. But she's one hell of a relatable mess, and by the time you've chosen your own adventure throughout the series, it starts to feel like she's someone you know in real life - and that's a definite indicator of just how wonderful an actress she truly is. I spoke with Vayntrub by phone in early December to talk about her role in the show and the groundbreaking technology that drives the series from beginning to end.
POPSUGAR: How would you describe Eko as a platform?
Milana Vayntrub: Eko is an interactive platform, so they make shows that you can play. [laughter] Our show is a sitcom where you get to choose if a character marries the guy or breaks up with the guy. I mean, maybe not those exact examples, but you get to take initiative in the lives of your favorite characters.
PS: And how did you first get involved with it?
MV: Sandeep [Parikh], who created the show, is one of my best friends. We used to be roommates. We perform together. So he's definitely one of my creative soulmates, and when he asked me, I was like, "Yeah, I would do anything that you wanted to do."
POPSUGAR: Tell me, in your own words, what That Moment When is.
MV: First of all, I'd say insane comedy. And insane because the situations are totally grounded and real. They're going to a party and not remembering somebody's name, or getting dumped at a restaurant (which has happened to me), or asking their parents for money. And then, ultimately, the whole thing leads to this big high school reunion, which is also something that we've all had to deal with or opted out of dealing with. I think if Jill was a little bit smarter, she probably would have also opted out because she was definitely setting herself up for disaster. But sometimes we learn the most from the most disastrous situation. So that was definitely Jill's calling. But ultimately, Jill's character - I think that she's somewhat of a version of me. She's maybe a little braver and a little louder, but I think the thing that makes her relatable is that she's in all of these situations that we've been in. She's not always the best person; she gets lonely and leans to the selfish. And I think that's what makes her appealing, because she's someone we all know.
There's one situation in the roommate episode where, if you play it a certain way - sidebar: that's also the most fun part of the show, that you can play it a different way and get a different set of jokes and situations every time - but in this one, the roommate character asks her if she thinks she's pretty, and because Jill can't lie, she just kind of nods uncomfortably . . . and I love that. I love that Jill is so blatantly obvious, and it's interesting to be on the side of Jill because you know when she's manipulating and you know what her tactics are, and it's kind of situations that you - like me, as a person, I would not be brave enough to explore, but it's nice doing it through this platform where everything is really playful, truly.
POPSUGAR: How much of what happens in the show is scripted and how much is improv? It's all so tight, it's hard to tell.
MV: Most of it is scripted, and then we improvise on top. There's always a script - and it was always stellar and totally carried itself - but because Sandeep and I are both improvisers and I have a problem where I can't not improvise, they cast other improvisers in the show so there were also a bunch of extra lines, too. But it doesn't feel like a mumblecore movie where it feels really improvised because they only have a loose outline. We had a much tighter script, and then we more improvised jokes rather than scenarios or full character pieces.
Finding and hiring improvisers was key, though. When you have people who are actively creating their own content, they know the dimensions to which they can improvise. They know when you've added so much content that now it's not editable. Knowing your outs and understanding, for example, not talking over other actors - that's a very basic improv tool that you get through practice, and you get also through watching and making your own stuff. Because a lot of the actors were also writers and creators, it was mostly really seamless to kind of support other people's jokes or to set them up. Also, I can't give enough credit to the editor, because that's really what makes improv work.
POPSUGAR: Do you feel like you created another level to Jill's character by doing improv on top of the script?
MV: I think I get closer to these characters when I can improvise. As an actor, you don't step into other people's words, but you get to add your own words, so you need to speak as a person because it gives the role character. It does become easier to understand them or to imagine over time. Especially when it worked. When the writers or the director laughs at your improv, that's just a sign to me as the actor that I'm hitting on the notes that they want for that character. That's the goal that I have. I like adding the improv because I'm also adding more to the project. I feel like I'm contributing and carrying my weight.
POPSUGAR: There are so many paths in the show. Did you have scripts for each and every potential path? Or was it all written and shot in pieces?
MV: For every six-minute episode, there's about 30 pages of script. It's usually there's a page per minute. So there's about 30 minutes of content for every episode even though you only see six. We would shoot multiple setups and different lines and different opportunities every time. And that's also a huge credit to our producer and director, who were able to organize all of those shots in their heads in ways that it's probably not easy.
POPSUGAR: Did you have favorite outcomes or did you just kind of approach it as completely separate scenes?
MV: You know when you are planning an important meeting or you're about to hang out with someone you want to impress? There are situations you play out in your head, if you're like, "If I get it this way, this might happen. If I get it this way, this might happen," and that's kind of - we got to play out all the situations. In a way, it was an acting exercise in not making a choice, which a lot of acting normally is figuring out what your character would do, and in this one, it's "Well, if this character could do it all." It's actually very freeing. But at the same time, I didn't fully understand how it comes together until the very end, and I'm so impressed with how it has, but now that I've seen it, I definitely have these routes that I hope people will take because I'd love to see - I want them to experience one take over another, but that's the past, man. [laughter]
POPSUGAR: Do you think you can experience the full story in just one viewing? Or do you need multiple variants?
MV: I hope that people watch it more than once and take entirely different experiences every time. Because all the jokes are worthwhile, and I think you'll also get to experience different sides of the characters depending on what choices you make, so I think it's worth it to go back more than once.
POPSUGAR: Which scene did you think was the most awkward scene you shot?
MV: There's a moment in episode seven where you have to dodge a creepy teacher from hitting on you at the reunion and that's - how many times have we tried to dodge an older man putting his hands on you when you don't want that? That is really relatable. In a way, I kind of hope there's a teaching moment there for the men that play, like, "Hey, this happens." You have to step into this woman's shoes and protect yourself from unwanted touching. It was an awkward thing to shoot, but also really professional, and then I got to have a conversation with that actor and we got to figure out where all of my boundaries are and where all of his boundaries are. That's not always what life is. But even when I play it now, I'm like, "Oh, f*ck, don't touch her. Don't touch her."
POPSUGAR: How would you compare the experience of doing the AT&T commercials to doing That Moment When?
MV: This was far more challenging because there's so many more lines. This was, like I said, 30 pages of dialogue a day - whereas the AT&T spots were one page of dialogue a day, and often, camera didn't have to move too much on the AT&T spot, so we kind of had a day of just shooting new 30-second spots in every different iteration. Like, I wish that in the AT&T spots, they showed all of the improvised versions that we came up with, but they're dead now and you'll never get to see that. The beauty of this is that you do get to explore all of the other improvised versions that we came up with. That's why movies have deleted scenes, and that's the beauty of digital reels that are dug up on the internet.
POPSUGAR: What did you like best about doing the show overall?
MV: One of the things that I think is really fun about this character, and something that I see coming up more in TV and film, is dynamic female characters who are not about being sexy and are not about being attractive or liked by men, and in fact, they may be downright unlikeable, just like human beings are in actuality, and I capitalize human beings. With shows like this, get to be this multidimensional mess of a human and experience this difficult and hilarious situation. So I'm really proud of how likable this - maybe not likable [laughter] but watchable - this otherwise mess of a person is. And we didn't ever have to worry about making her digestible. But, in fact, you get to play these situations for fun. Do you know what I mean? I think I kind of rambled there. It is totally liberating as an actor, and I think really fun to see as a viewer.
The 10 Most Popular Reddit AMAs of 2017
One of the best things about Reddit is the amount of exposure you can get to strong, important voices that perhaps don't have the proper platforms to get themselves heard. As a result, Reddit AMAs make for some of the most fascinating reading material available on the internet today – and, of course, finally give Redditors the chance to turn the tables on those who do have a platform to speak on and ask the questions that they may not have otherwise answered in a public setting.
Luckily for us, Reddit's gone ahead and pulled together the 10 most popular AMAs of this year as part of its annual year in review, and it makes for the best kind of after-the-fact reading when you're traveling or looking for something to lazily read as you relax on your time off. Ahead, from Bill Gates to a local weatherman to the man who played Goofy at Walt Disney World for more than 25 years, you'll find the best AMAs that Reddit had to offer in 2017.
14 Reasons Almost Home's Dave and Jenny Marrs Will Be Your New Favorite HGTV Duo
If you like watching Ben and Erin Napier rehab historic homes in Laurel, MS, on Home Town, then new HGTV show Almost Home is about to be your new favorite obsession.
The show stars Dave and Jenny Marrs, another husband and wife duo, rehabbing historic homes in their hometown of Bentonville, AR - a town just as charming and fun as the Napiers'. But there's more to the Marrs family than their cute town. Get to know them a bit more ahead, then tune in to their renovation show Tuesdays at 11 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV.
The 1 Video That Perfectly Explains Why Your Parents Don't Understand You
Image Source: Unsplash / Kendyle Nelsen
For years - decades, even - the world has struggled to understand millennials. We're glued to our phones, annoying as hell, don't take no for an answer, and, if recent reporting is to be believed, we're basically over. Naturally, that makes it the perfect moment for a revelation to arrive that is so perfect, it makes us all shout "it me!" - and that revelation happens to be an explanation as to why we are such a resoundingly f*cked-up group. Behold:
i pinpointed the exact moment millennial humor became this sort of fucked up weird and vague disturbing humor that is very difficult to understand from the outside looking in. essentially our downward spiral began with this video http://pic.twitter.com/7ZUBM00f0c
- nick(y) (@backtoyoubfs) November 27, 2017
April 14, 2007. That was the night that Saturday Night Live debuted "Dear Sister," a digital short so inexplicable to our parents that it became instantly clear that there was one hell of a generational divide in our collective senses of humor, and we would never be able to see eye to eye on comedic ground. It wasn't the first digital short that the late-night show produced - nor was it the last - but it was certainly among the most memorable moments in viral video history, spawning a decade of memes and virtually destroying a perfectly decent Imogen Heap song called "Hide and Seek." But let's start at the beginning, and talk about the cultural phenomenon that was The O.C.
The O.C., at heart, is the story of a wealthy philanthropic family's decision to adopt a tough street kid (Ryan) and force him into semi-brotherhood with their geeky-yet-lovable son (Seth) and the duo's subsequent journey toward adulthood, often coupled with two young women of the same age (Marissa and Summer). Drama, sexual tension, a bangin' soundtrack - the show had it all. The New York Times, in its first review of the series, noted that the show "obviously owes a vast debt to Beverly Hills 90210 and to Eminem's wardrobe in the movie 8 Mile," adding, "Teenagers between 12 and 50 will love it." And boy, did we love it. So much so that one of SNL's star comedians, Andy Samberg, could not get the show - and in particular, an Imogen Heap song that played during the show's season two finale - out of his head. It's from this obsession that "Dear Sister" emerged.
"When 'Hide and Seek' aired on The O.C. we all became somewhat obsessed with that song. I remember listening to it on headphones while we were shooting with Jimmy Fallon on the MTV Movie Awards when we were writers before we got SNL. I remember being on a stage at Universal where he was shooting the pre-tapes and Jorma had it on his headphones, and we kept being like, 'God, that song is so cool,'" Samberg told Entertainment Weekly earlier this year. "We couldn't let go of the O.C. thing and that song, because Akiva, Jorma, and I were obsessed with The O.C. [The sketch] was 100 percent because of that the season 2 finale. It's a classic moment, and we love doing digital shorts about movie and TV tropes. The 'Gunshot That Happens Off-Camera, and Then Everything Cranks Into Slo-mo and Someone Realizes They Have Blood on Their Hands When They Look Up' is a move done a bunch of times, and we always really loved it."
In fairness, the scene that Samberg is referencing is one that will live on forever in infamy. I'm not even going to attempt to describe what happens, so spoiler alert, here's the clip itself:
"Dear Sister" hones in on the extreme melodrama of the scene and cranks it to one million. Dave (Bill Hader) is shot by Keith (Andy Samberg) and after Keith returns fire, Dave shoots their friend Eric, played by none other than Shia LaBeouf, and the three alongside Keith's sister (Kristen Wiig) continue to shoot each other over and over, and over - with every single gunshot being marked by the Imogen Heap song starting from the top (over and over, and over and over). The skit ends in equally dramatic fashion after two cops (Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen) arrive and find a letter describing exactly what went down ("Dear sister . . . ") and they shoot each other after reading it.
Now that I've typed this whole thing out, I can somewhat see how it is that my parents thought I was nuts for finding it hilarious. But suffice it to say, it was so perfect in every way. It was exactly the coda that The O.C. needed, and it became the inside joke of an entire generation - one that was far, far too hard to explain to the old folks who just didn't get it. For good measure, why don't you watch the skit again and laugh a little bit more? Can you turn it off? No, I didn't think so.
As @backtoyoubfs (who may be a genius, and is certainly now the voice of our generation) pointed out in his tweet on Nov. 26, "Dear Sister" is truly the moment at which it became clear that we we could never really explain the internet and viral videos and our particular brand of teen angst to our parents, and they'd never understand the way that the world had changed. But as Dr. Seuss may or may not have said many years ago, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." So while we may be the most f*cked-up generation the world has ever known, never forget that we're also most definitely the funniest people who have ever lived - even if we're the only ones who understand our jokes.
The Best Gadget Gifts That Don't Break $100
Mobile-device mavens, car connoisseurs, and audiophiles are hard to shop for - it seems like they already have it all! We've rounded up some great gadget accessories to give the techies in your life, and best of all, they're all under $100. It'll be a very merry Christmas indeed with one of these affordable tech treats for gadget geeks.
20 Stylish AND Affordable Watches - Just in Time For the Holidays
When the big hand's on nine and the little hand's on six, what time is it? Trick question, because no matter what hour it is, when it's already mid-December, every minute is holiday shopping time in our book.
The countdown is on for gift-giving, and one present that will last far into the future is a stylish watch. Whether the recipient's taste runs sporty, glamorous, or minimalist, there's a surprisingly inexpensive and fitting pick on our list of 20.
Facebook's Newest Feature Is All About Getting to Know Your Friends Better
Facebook constantly tests and launches new functions across the massive platform on what feels like a near-daily basis. Despite that fact, it's not all that common that the social media network adds a new function directly into our personal profiles. But on Dec. 5, that's exactly what Facebook did with its newest feature - and it's one that has the most social additions to the platform in years.
Did You Know seeks to let users share thoughtful, personal details with their friends according to prompts that are raised in the app and on Facebook.com. Questions about preferred superpowers, guilty pleasures, hidden talents, and secret loyalties are interwoven with more lighthearted questions about what it is one might do if they were to win the lottery. The feature not only populates in the News Feed, but it also shows up in a brand-new box below the photos on a user's profile - and while you can of course choose to opt out of having these shared with your friends, the idea is to help you get to know your social friends a little better.
The feature is live now and easy to access using your mobile phone or browser. Just click into your personal profile, and then tap on the Did You Know section - from there, you'll be able to tap through the questions that are available to you at this stage. You can also access Did You Know by clicking the "Try It" button on a friend's post - and of course, you can use those funky new backgrounds we're all loving so much to spice up the post when you set it to go live.
So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to Facebook and get answering those questions, and while you're at it, be sure to update your Facebook profile anyway - it's probably been far too long since you did that.
11 Supersimple Ways to Make Your Home Smell So Fresh and So Clean
Have you ever come home from a long day of work, stepped through your door, and noticed that your home smells a little musty? Between lingering food smells from the kitchen, damp towels in the bathroom, and other day-to-day activities, there are lots of things that contribute to your home smelling a little less than fresh. It happens to the best of us, but luckily it's an easy fix! DIY air fresheners, houseplants aplenty, and some essential cleaning tips are some of our favorite ways to get a fresh home that smells amazing.
The Most Important Thing I Learned Spending a Week Alone in Uzbekistan
For many years, I have had an academic, professional, and personal focus on the post-Soviet political space, with a particular interest in the five Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Central Asia is a region located to the south of Russia, west of China, north of Afghanistan, and east of the Caspian Sea. If you are prone to falling into Wikipedia rabbit holes and enjoy learning about obscure cultures and places like I am, Google cautiously, because I am here to tell you you'll get sucked in.
In May 2016, two weeks after walking across the stage to collect my college diploma, I was boarding a plane to Astana, Kazakhstan, to attend a two-month Russian and Eurasian studies program hosted by Nazarbayev University. In many ways, I decided to do this program because I knew I needed to get my foot in the door in Central Asia, and that's exactly what I did. I arrived in Kazakhstan not knowing a word of Russian, a language I was theoretically there to study at an intensive level, nor did I know a single soul or have any experience in this part of the world. After the conclusion of my program, equipped with a beginner's level of Russian, I set off for Kazakhstan's neighbor to the south, Kyrgyzstan. I did some traveling and had some amazing experiences, but eventually it was time to go home.
I returned to New York in late July, in many ways struggling to digest my recent experiences and faced with the reality of establishing my postcollege "adult" life. A year elapsed, during which I found employment, an internship where I first began to write about Central Asia, moved out, and then moved back home, attempted to join the foreign service, cultivated new relationships, and struggled through many months of uncertainty, confusion, and general anxiety due to not knowing what I should be doing with my life. I decided that the best way to shake off this funk and gain some perspective was to find a way to get back to Central Asia over the Summer, while I had less work responsibilities.
Against a different background and out of context, I learned some valuable lessons about myself.
On my second trip to this part of the world, I was determined to not let the wonders of Uzbekistan evade me. I had arranged for a month of Russian lessons and an internship at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, the sleepy but charming capital city of Kyrgyzstan. I booked a one-way ticket, optimistic that the weeks following the end of my classes and internship would lend themselves to a travel adventure of some sort. There were a million places I wanted to visit in those weeks, as I was in close proximity to places that were normally very, very far away when I was home in New York. But my heart was on Uzbekistan, which happens to be one of the more inaccessible countries in the region. Bogged down by the confusing intricacies of a corrupt and overly bureaucratic visa process, I had neglected to pay a visit to the Uzbek embassy located in NYC before departing (I swear it was on my to-do list . . .). I knew getting my visa wasn't going to be easy, but I reasoned with myself it would be easier to obtain when applying from the embassy in Bishkek as opposed to back in the USA.
I will spare you the details, but after a few weeks of embassy visits, walks down the highway searching for a bank, hours waiting in a half-shaded courtyard in the Summer heat outside the visa office, urgent withdrawals of stacks of local currency, and many, many frustrating communication-related issues, I was the proud owner of a full-page visa from the Government of Uzbekistan granting me a one-month stay in its country. I worked out an itinerary, hitting four cities spread throughout the country, made some essential arrangements, and that was that.
I'll admit, I was nervous. I didn't know how this was going to play out, only that I was hoping for the best. To traverse a foreign country by myself, one where I knew I would stand out and be in the minority as a Western woman traveling alone who didn't effectively speak the language and was far removed from any comparable experiences I had had before, wasn't my first choice. I would have loved the security of a travel companion, maybe someone who could help me communicate, but at that point in time, it wasn't in the cards. I had a decision to make; was I going to put this dream on hold to wait for the right conditions or just do it? I decided this was my shot, and I was going to take it.
I planned to spend my time in four cities called Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva. I flew into Tashkent, the capital and largest city in Uzbekistan, and marveled at its size and impressive infrastructure. I buzzed along the underground in a well-working subway system that mimicked Moscow's world-famous metro system, visiting huge bazaars and taking long walks around neighborhoods that alternated between old and modern every few feet. A short flight took me to Urgench, the metropolitan hub for the ancient city of Khiva. Arriving at sunset, I strolled along the ancient walled city, Itchan Kala, which once was the epicenter of the Khanate of Khiva in the 17th century. I traveled by taxi to my next stop, Bukhara, a journey that took five hours through the Uzbek desert in a car with no air conditioning, making mental notes to avoid a similar passage next time around. Bukhara greeted me with open arms, a city said to have been inhabited since the 6th century BCE, the winding streets of its old city softly shrouded in late-afternoon light. I caught a high-speed train and was comfortably transported to Samarkand. My accommodations placed me within eyeshot of the Registan, a collection of three ornate, mosaic-adorned schools of Islamic study called madrasas, which formed the town square of ancient Samarkand.
It is possibly one of the grandest sights on this planet.
The stories I could tell about the kind and helpful people I met during this week could fill a book. From the jewelry seller who ended up taking me on an hour-long walking tour of Bukhara en route to the city's only ATM to the friend of a friend who arrived with her family to collect me at the airport when I first arrived in Uzbekistan to the countless hostel employees who helped me to arrange my many domestic trips utilizing different modes of transportation, the people of Uzbekistan proved to be some of the nicest I have ever met in my life. I was consistently humbled by these acts of kindness, more reassured every day that I had made the right decision.
Oftentimes, people tell me that I'm brave or ask me if I'm crazy, and the answer is probably both. I don't know what it is or why I have it, but there is something deep inside of me that pushes me to seek more, take risks, and do the things I am drawn to on a subconscious level. I am not afraid. I place a lot of faith, some of it blind, in the good of the world and the human connections we inherently have regardless of creed or color. I learn more about myself in these relatively short time frames than I have in many years of time spent on this earth. Against a different background and out of context, I learned some valuable lessons about myself. I can absolutely do anything I set my mind to. I am not alone in this reality. I am any girl off the street; there is nothing specific about me that enables to have these experiences that differentiates me from anyone else. We are all brave, fearless, resilient, adventurous, and capable.
In my second-to-last city in Uzbekistan, I was checking into a lovely family-owned hostel. The man who was checking me in asked if I was traveling alone. I said yes, and he responded with slight shock that I was a "strong woman" for doing this. I was accustomed to these types of questions, as it was rare for a woman to be traveling alone in these parts. I immediately fired back a self-deprecating response to deflect from the compliment I had received, something I think as women we are conditioned to do. But as I lay in my bed that night and mulled over the day, I reflected on that exchange. Yes, I am a strong woman, and this strong woman is here to stay.
41 Things That Prove Tech in the '90s Was Bomb.com
Shame on the people who make fun of '90s tech (it's not like we've ever done that before - ever). Seriously, who could question how great the Discman or AIM was? For the ultimate tech throwback, take a look at the gadgets, games, and software that we loved most from the decade that brought us Spice Girls and Super Nintendo.
9 Scented Candles Interior Designers Always Buy
Candles may as well be currency in the interior-design world. Interior designers use them as the final touch to a room, the one that elevates a space to the next sensory level. We mortals love them too but have a hard time knowing where to start.
To help you wade through the morass, we rounded up our favorites. Psst - they are also on every interior designer's list!
Get ready to buy matches in bulk.
The 21 Best Smart Home Devices of 2017
This was the year that I discovered just how glorious a smart home can be, and luckily, it was also a year in which some of the most innovative devices made their debut. From lights to music to fitness and more, ahead, I've highlighted the 21 devices that really changed my life this year. And the best part? Each and every one of these items is perfect for gifting and requires no knowledge or existing products to become the centerpiece of your loved one's smart home.
The 19 Best Tech Accessories of 2017
The most wonderful time of the year has finally arrived, and we couldn't be more excited to bust out our festive sweaters and bask in good holiday cheer. But there's one thing that's got to be done before anyone's able to truly unwind, and that's buying the perfect present for each and every loved one on your list. To make that process ever-so-slightly easier, we've pulled together our favorite tech accessories of the year. . . all of which are perfect for gifting. From chargers to speakers to quirky accessories, ahead you'll find 19 items that are sure to please - and, of course, will free you up to start making the most out of the holiday season.
Amnesty International joins call for Delilah Saunders to be put on liver transplant list
Supporters of a Labrador Inuk woman denied access to a liver transplant waitlist because of alcohol abuse rallied at Confederation Building in St. John's Friday.
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