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 28 décembre 2017
Exclusive: The 5 Trends a Major Agency Says to Look For in 2018
More than any year in recent memory, the last 12 months have redefined what it means to be a citizen of the modern world. The once-impermeable walls of culture have been breached. Politics is no longer the exception; it's the expectation in our everyday lives. As a result, men and women around the world have embraced a new definition of activism, one that proactively seeks to influence the powers that be and to create a new generation of ideals that will extend for decades to come.
Therefore, it's the social economy - the online world in which we exchange our earnest beliefs and deepest desires - that has grown to become one of the most valuable markets on earth. It's here that a single idea can grow to become a movement, a brand can be universally lauded or wrecking crew-style demolished, and a trend can fizzle out or grow to become the new norm. Now more than ever we have the power in our hands to change the world, to rebuild what's broken, one personal preference at a time.
Of course, these monumental shifts did not come without a lasting ripple effect. Below the perceived progressive developments in society, a whole new set of trends were able to flourish in the deepest corners of the internet, rising to the surface as what will most certainly become the true harbingers of cultural change. It's those trends that will ultimately impact the way that we coexist with commerce and brands, how the internet will infiltrate the infrastructure of capitalism in order to improve the consumer experience, and what TBWA's cultural insight studio, Backslash, monitors on a daily basis.
"When we were developing Backslash and developing our strategy on content and how we look at culture, we knew that we look at trends for brands every day and wanted to make those trends actionable," Sarah Rabia, global director of cultural strategy told me by phone in late December. "There's a gap between being able to see what's happening in the future and what's actionable for a brand right now. We bridge that gap in time by thinking about how you apply a trend or cultural insight to something new . . . we don't just want to report on something; we want [to suggest] some sort of output, too."
What ultimately classifies a trend as actionable, though? Well, for starters, they're all things that exist in some capacity in our lives already but have been subject to an evolution of sorts as they quietly percolate in online communities on the basis of shared experiences.
"A good trend is something that's happening already, in some shape or form," Rabia told me. But it's all about what's happening online that really shapes the trends, and increasingly those decisions are being made as a result of the most niche communities on the web coming together to impact change. "All these weird and wonderful subcultures - whether you're talking about sub-Reddits or meme markets - are becoming a lot more mainstream and gaining a lot more popularity."
For an example of how this is already happening, Rabia points to McDonald's, one of TBWA's current clients. After Rick and Morty featured the discontinued product on an episode this Fall, fans lit up the internet with pleas for a rerelease of their favorite menu add-on. And, naturally, it led to an onslaught of viral memes that ultimately filtered upward to the highest echelons of the company.
"McDonald's was pleasantly surprised because they were thinking that the whole meme thing was really quite niche (and such a small group), while they generally look at more of a mass audience," Rabia said. "That really showed them that the things that are happening that may be a bit more weird and wonderful and niche in online subcultures are really impacting mainstream consumers and culture, and they have a business effect."
"Rather than bland, homogenous products that nobody really wants, products can be born out of things that people are passionate about. And that's really exciting," she added.
In other words, the more popular subculture communities get, the more attention the biggest brands must pay to giving our shared opinions and ideas a chance to work in the real world. This, Rabia says, could lead to an unprecedented unity between brands and consumers, with brands ultimately having the power to act as "allies" - and for all of us to wind up with what we really want at the end of the day, as opposed to what a suit in an office somewhere posits that we'd all like to have.
Ultimately, what Backslash reports on is what's making waves right now, and how that will impact the way that marketing works on the most granular level. And for the year to come, it's got a wealth of predictions that are based not just on data and insights but also from a network of 250 spotters around the world who have identified exactly what's hot and what's happening right now.
Below, you'll find the five cultural pre-trends that Backslash believes will lead to "the convergence of unexpected worlds" in 2018. These trends encompass the concepts of genetic technology and activism, memes and currency, digital goods and fashion, creative AI and algorithms, and the cult mentality developing within social media, and they are set to shape the world as we know it, in some capacity, over the coming year.
What we're already seeing, according to Backslash:
"Today, the doctor is no longer the middle man, and patients are in more control than ever. Cheap genetic testing kits are increasingly abundant, and anyone can both decode their DNA and gain insight into potential hazards that may affect themselves or their families. Earlier this year, 23andMe was green-lit to reveal customers' risk of developing 10 diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's."
What the trend means, according to Backslash:
"Access to data has now revealed a mass of 'previvors' - those who have yet to be affected by a disease but know that it's in the cards. Today, communities are arising around gene status, such as BRCA or ApoE4. Rather than wait for a diagnosis, these previvors will use their collective power to find solutions and fight for their voices to be heard by the government and big pharma.
'Wellness is a big cultural conversation, and I'm noticing that people aren't afraid to talk about their illnesses publicly anymore. Genetic tests are binding people together, with the potential to create new tribes,' says Paul Pfleiderer, chief strategy officer at TBWA WorldHealth and one of our culture spotters.
'You might see shifts in communities away from "Patients like Me," for those diagnosed, to something like "We're the band of ApoE4 people; this is who we are." This will galvanize communities to demand industry research on their behalf. They will rally for affordable health care, which is such a contentious industry issue at this time,' Pfleiderer says."
The trend, decoded:
"One of the most tangible examples is Planned Parenthood and what happened with the Trump administration trying to defund critical women's health care. They've really mobilized women to stand up for their rights," Rabia says. "People are going to be much more radical about their health, and genetics is just unlocking the knowledge about what could happen to us in the future. Now, we're going to act on it."
What we're already seeing, according to Backslash:
"Ephemeral accessories are already a thing. Take Snapchat's dog-face, rainbow vomit, and nerd glasses filters, which are cultural staples. And 'Made For Instagram' real-world experiences have been a sell-out sensation this year."
What the trend means, according to Backslash:
"One way into Vaporwear is to make a meme out of your goods. Vetements's iconic DHL t-shirt became a viral sensation and digital product in itself, providing an access point for the millions who couldn't afford the shirt's €245 price tag. By creating a physical product that could spread on social, Vetements armed the masses with an 'asset' that connected them to the brand with each post, share or RT.
Filters and photo ops will be another way into designer brand fandom. Take Gucci's '#ThatFeelingWhenGucci' campaign, in which the brand commissioned @beigecardigan and @youvegotnomale to create memes featuring its new line of wristwatches. The resulting online art gallery was similar to Burberry's Art of the Trench in that the product became the experience.
'The important thing is the convergence between the real and virtual worlds. We'll see more blurring between the two,' says tech futurist Ian Pearson."
The trend, decoded:
"A product may not exist in real life yet, but if you've got an idea, why not just bring it to life on Instagram to see if any kind of buzz or interest arises? It might just be a visual, it might just be a protype, but we can see brands using this as an inspiration, as a kick-starter-y space," Rabia says. "Something might not exist, but why not just test the waters? For your average consumer, having a bit more of a hand in the products and brands that they want to see gives them power in shaping the things they want to buy and be listened to about. It appeals to real people and blurs the lines between fiction and reality."
What we're already seeing, according to Backslash:
"Humans have never been more traced, decoded, and analyzed. With contextual data inputs via Face ID and voice search, algorithms can now cross reference human reactions with creative content. This means that algorithms can better understand and design content that we may not even know we'll enjoy - before we even see it."
What the trend means, according to Backslash:
"'Made by humans' becomes the next 'buy local.' Creative products made by people will become an ethical choice in the same realm as 'fair trade' or 'locally made.' There will be increased pressure on brands to reveal whether content was made by human or machine.
'Human-made will be something you can trade on,' asserts tech futurist Ian Pearson. 'But it will not always be positive. Some people will prefer the AI because it gives them exactly what they want. Some people will want human expertise. Human-made will matter most in crafts, sport, and certain areas of entertainment where we value the human factor. You'll pay more for the human-made.'"
The trend, decoded:
The best example of how things went horribly wrong on this front in 2017 was the backlash Spotify received for creating algorithmic tracks that claimed to be created by real people. "With this shift, although there's positive applications of it, things are going to get worse. And when you don't know if a person or a machine has done something and there's a lack of transparency . . . consumers will start being very vocal about what they're uncomfortable with," Rabia says.
What we're already seeing, according to Backslash:
"The 'memecraft paradox' was front and center last year as popular Instagram accounts @TheFatJewish and @FuckJerry came under fire for profiting off memes pilfered from Reddit. Yet in many cases, there was no telling who had originally created the viral content.
Creative attribution hasn't just been a problem in the meme world. In April 2017, it was revealed that 25 percent of Spotify's catalog was unsourced, resulting in $25 million in penalty payments to the National Music Publishers Association. Spotify argued that it was impossible to determine ownership for every track in their 30 million-strong catalog. To solve this, they bought Mediachain, a company that applies blockchain technology to music as a means of tracking its origin."
What the trend means, according to Backslash:
"We believe blockchain may offer a way for meme artists to maintain a level of ownership over their content. Blockchain is a technology that provides a 'transaction record' between people and ensures everything is legit, replacing the need for a bank or institution. Experts think that this verified list of transactions can connect other forms of media back to a source, proving authenticity. This means that meme creators could use blockchain to prove ownership and sell their work in an instant.
Pepe the Frog is one of the pioneering examples of applying blockchain to memes. The frog meme, which got co-opted by the alt-right due to the problem of ownership, demonstrates how lucrative blockchain can be and the creative integrity it offers meme artists. With a current market cap of $75 million, Pepe has spawned its own currency: Pepe Cash.
Artists can post Pepe-themed cards in the Rare Pepe directory and decide how many copies of their art will exist. For example, only 132 people can own a Melancholia Pepe card, which is digitally signed by the artist and certified by the blockchain. It's the limited-edition Air Force 1 of memes. Creating scarcity and collectibles is a familiar business model in the retail world and could be applied to the internet - a space that promotes mass over scarcity.
'The ability to create "digital scarcity," where you can prove there's a limited number of digital art on a blockchain, will lead to opportunities for artists to monetize digital content and get rewarded in the future,' says Koji Higashi, a cryptocurrency expert based in Japan.
Cryptokitties is another example of digital collectibles powered by blockchain. People can buy the one-of-a-kind digital creatures and ensure that they cannot be replicated, altered, or destroyed. Using Ethereum's blockchain, Cryptokitties has seen $2+ million in purchases."
The trend, decoded:
"When things become popular online and people rally to talk about them, it's very interesting for brands," Rabia notes, pointing to the McDonald's Szechuan sauce as an example of this trend. "People really wanted this product to come back to life, and it inspired McDonald's to rerelease their sauce and it sold out, and it got traded on eBay for hundreds of dollars." In other words, scarcity, integrity, and passion sell.
What we're already seeing, according to Backslash:
"Social influencers have more power than ever, commanding a market worth $1 billion and set to double by 2019, according to Mediakix. They are the role models of our age, with 75 percent of children saying they want to be a YouTuber or vlogger when they grow up, according to a recent study."
What the trend means, according to Backslash:
"Internet star Jake Paul may be following the cult leader playbook. His nation-sized fandom, the 'Jake Paulers,' are over 10 million strong and dedicated to their leader. 'The Jake Paulers are the strongest army out there,' Jake Paul told NPR when neighbors threatened to report him to authorities for disturbing the peace.
Disney parted ways with the star, who fronted one of its shows after it was reported he had turned his neighborhood into a 'war zone,' shooting viral content. Then there's Poppy, an ethereal, Bot-like YouTube star who has already inspired her own religion. Poppy is the subject of several conspiracy theories, including that she is a robot, a member of the Illuminati, or a pawn subjected to mind control. She is a figure of worship for her fan base, known as the 'Poppy Seeds.'
One fan has even invented a religion in her honor, called 'Poppyism.' In one of her videos, Poppy speaks to her status by asking followers to repeat, 'I am not in a cult,' as masked figures hold spiritual icons. At a recent concert, Poppy passed out cups of Kool-Aid and announced, 'Poppy is not responsible for any fatalities.' Creepy? It hasn't stopped Sanrio and Comedy Central from working with her.
Mainstream stars are also displaying signs of cult leadership. Katy Perry stripped naked and used her body as clickbait in order to drive votes for Hillary. Lana Del Rey asked her fans to curse Donald Trump using witchcraft. Even Eminem got in on the action by telling the world that he'd disown any fan of his who also is a Trumpster.
Part of the appeal of the cult-like influencer is the aura of mystery that surrounds them. In an age of 'I'm just like you,' instant-access celebrity, being unknowable and reclaiming the pedestal is refreshingly alluring. But while boasting massive followings, the typical YouTuber lacks a critical ingredient in the cult formation recipe: an ideology for followers to adopt. On the other hand, many niche communities that are ideologically charged are lacking charismatic leaders and centralized action.
With scholars pointing to Donald Trump as wielding both of these traits, we may see this trickle down to younger or more centralized influencer groups."
The trend, decoded:
This is the trend we can all pretty much agree is a sure thing within the next year or two. But what does it mean in tangible terms? "You can create new business models, and fandoms can become real," Rabia says. "That convergence of subculture and big brands is very interesting."
Here's What Happened After I Ran a 5K Every Morning For a Week
Summer in New York City can be downright rough. As if staring at your electric bill isn't depressing enough on its own (thank you, air conditioner), working out in the muggy afternoons is much less than ideal. Only a few weeks into the season, I noticed a pretty crappy byproduct of the season: my fitness routine was slipping. Warm mornings had made it tough to leave the comfort of my cool bedroom for a sunrise run. As someone who swears by early a.m. workouts, I saw my productivity slipping by the wayside as my lazy mornings became more frequent. Despite managing to get to midday Spin classes or even the occasional hot yoga situation, I still felt blob-ish.
I knew I needed to get my mojo back. So, I decided to commit to running every morning for a week. The rules: Hit a 5K first thing (after, of course, the whole wash my face, brush my teeth, put clothing on schtick). The pace didn't matter. All that mattered was that I would get up, get out, log the miles, and well, the rest of the day was mine to conquer.
A quick note on me and my running capabilities: I've run five marathons (I've also lost 70 pounds in the process). The last one was almost a year ago. Still, these daily 5Ks didn't come easy to me. There were days I hated it, and there were days I loved it. Days five and six, the temperatures were perfection - 60 degrees, sunny, and low humidity - making me fall in love with this city all over again with each step. Throughout the week, here are the four biggest lessons I learned running a 5K every morning for a week:
1. Preparation is everything.
Getting out the door at an early hour is a whole lot easier if you set yourself up for success. Before bed each night, I'd set aside a pair of shorts or tights, a sports bra, and a tank. Knowing exactly what I was going to put on gave me one less excuse to procrastinate before walking down the four flights of stairs from my apartment to the street. Plus, have you seen what happens when you try to put together a matching outfit pre-6 a.m.? No wonder why most New Yorkers only wear black.
2. The earlier, the better.
I despise humidity like I despised sophomore year statistics class in college. While sleep is amazing, there's no denying that beating the heat is 100-percent worth setting that alarm for an hour earlier. Maybe I'm just super sensitive, but I found that leaving after 6:30 meant it was harder for me to breathe. By setting a 5:45 a.m. alarm, I was able to get up, dressed, and my act together before hitting my stride by 6:10 a.m. This, for me, was ideal.
3. Partnering up can save your stride.
On day one of my 5Ks, I joined my boyfriend for a 10K. (He's an overachiever and after a glutenous date night, I felt like the jump-start could do me good.) I'll be the first to admit that I was in the front seat on the struggle bus. Last month, the man spontaneously decided to run 20 miles because "he was feeling great." So just envision this scene with me: it's mile two of our run, he's cruising along like a gazelle, and I stare in his general direction using puppy eyes asking him if we can take a pitstop so I can assault a water fountain.
Still, without him being there to push me past my comfort zone, I doubt I would have finished the miles that day. I became competitive, not just with him, but with myself. You've run marathons, I thought to myself. You can run a 10K. Although I didn't get to that desirable happy place on my run where you blink and suddenly it's done, I did check the box. After I felt appreciative to have had him to get me through. I also felt appreciative when he made coffee upon returning to the apartment.
4. When something becomes habit, it's easier to stick with.
When I started running back in 2007, I committed to logging the same distance every day, rain or shine. I didn't love those give-or-take 14-minute pavement dates, but after two Summer months of running daily, it had become routine. I started to look forward to taking that time for myself. Regardless of the snail-worthy pace, I felt like I had finally done something for myself. I felt accomplished.
This week of 5K running brought me back to that time. I found that by day eight (yes, I know that there are seven days in a week), I was still waking up to run 3.1 miles before going on with my day. Yes, I kept it going even AFTER I was "done." It took me one week to make this 5K morning situation habit. One week a 5Ks to find some inner peace and jump-start my fitness back to where I'm happiest. Maybe for you, it's not running. But perhaps you too can be surprised at what you're capable of when you set your mind to a goal - and execute.
Avengers: Infinity War - Everything You Need to Know, in 1 Place
We've been looking ahead to Avengers: Infinity War, since, I don't know, we knew of its existence, and now that we've seen the badass trailer, we're even more eager for its release. Originally, the movie was to be split into two parts, with the former subtitled Part I and the latter subtitled Part II, but now it's solely Avengers: Infinity War, while the second movie has yet to be named. With the trailer revealing much about the film, we have a breakdown of all the information so far!
These 5 Underwater Resorts Will Literally Put You Under the Sea
From tropical islands to mountain lakes and jagged coastlines to sandy beaches, water tends to make any getaway instantly more exotic. There are a lot of fantastic hotels out there boasting turquoise ocean views and H2O proximity. Some bungalows even put you directly over the sea, letting you take a quick dip or feed the fish at a moment's notice. But for a truly once-in-a-lifetime aquatic experience, some resorts take it to entirely new depths. Read on for five underwater resorts that will put you face to face with the incredible world under the sea.
20 Tiny Magical Harry Potter Tattoo Ideas
While we continue to debate and think of new theories about the wizarding world, we also spend time thinking about all the different ways to permanently show off our love of Harry Potter. Though some people might prefer quotes or large illustrations, we also know tiny tattoos are just as lovely. Ahead, we've rounded up some of the best small tattoo ideas that are perfect for any fan of the books and films.
What No One Tells You About the KonMari Method
I'm an evangelist for Marie Kondo, the Japanese organizational guru whose unique tidying techniques have become a worldwide sensation. I've read both of her books and completed the full decluttering/reorganizing program in six months. In the last year, it has been my favorite thing to bring up to my friends, co-workers, heck, even distant cousins. I am obsessed, because it really has transformed my living space and shattered many of my bad habits related to tidying. Some people aren't convinced and steadfastly refuse to KonMari their home. Me, on the other hand, I'm a fervent believer, because I learned so much. Here are my greatest takeaways based on my experience.
Lesson 1: Getting rid of everything that doesn't "spark joy" is really liberating.
I know this sounds extreme, and I know some people claim there is room for regret with all the purging that happens, but not me. It was a chance to get rid of that set of lamps I always loathed, the antler candelabras and other ridiculous items I never used and somehow casually inherited, and the piles of unread books that bubbled up anxiety and regret every time I looked at them. Getting rid of all the extra junk felt so empowering and liberating, and it paved the way to celebrating and cherishing the few items I really love.
Lesson 2: Scaling back on my possessions made it easy to move.
I completed the KonMari Method while I was living in a dark studio apartment with views of white concrete walls. I had been there five years and felt the itch to move, but I didn't know how I was going to do it in crazy-expensive San Francisco. That same week, I ran into my landlord. She was trying to fill an empty unit, and on a whim, I asked to see it. One week later, I signed the lease and moved in to a beautiful, spacious, sunny apartment overlooking a courtyard and five-story-tall avocado tree. This was a month ago. Never in my wildest imagination could I have done such a thing had I not purged myself of all the extra stuff I had accumulated in my 10 years of adult living.
Lesson 3: I became confident about my sense of design (for the first time!).
My mom is an interior designer (her San Francisco apartment was even featured on POPSUGAR!). She's a pro at organizing spaces, filling them with bold colors, fabulous pieces of furniture, and thought-provoking accessories. Before Kondo, I felt completely reliant on my mom for anything and everything related to interior design and would avoid moving or getting rid of anything, even silly junk. But afterward, I realize I actually have a distinct design style, separate from my mom's. I love sparkly metallics against whites and light browns. I like my cookbooks to be color-coded like a rainbow. I carefully potted my own succulent arrangements to perch on sunny spots around the house. I prefer my kitchen and bathroom to be stark clean and shine brilliantly white.
Lesson 4: I feel relaxed and joyful in my home.
In her first title, The Life‑Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Kondo says, "When you put your house in order, you put your affairs and your past in order, too." It's true. The hardest part of the KonMari Method is purging keepsakes that hold a lot of emotional significance like old love letters and, for me, hundreds of pages of notes from my favorite professor's classes in college and all my ballet clothes, including my first set of point shoes. It's painful to say goodbye to these things, yes, but something sort of woo-woo happens when they become out of sight. Before, my house was a dark, heavy place filled to the brim with stuff from my past. After, it became a light, bright place with no history and no regrets. As Kondo puts it, it's a space that's "A detachment from the past. Not fearing the future." And now, every time I walk into my apartment, I'm filled with relaxation and joy. Imagine that!
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.
Holographic Opal Lipstick Is Fit For a '90s-Fabulous Snow Bunny
By now, you've definitely unicorned-out your makeup routine. In such a saturated market, it's hard to see a fresh spin on what has since become a classic modern beauty staple. That being said, your eyes will be totally glued to opal lips, a unicorn-esque, holographic trend that's sweeping Instagram (and damn near perfect for Winter).
If Mariah Carey's iconic "All I Want For Christmas Is You" album art (AKA my phone's current wallpaper) was shot in 2017, I think that Mimi might have switched out her bold red for an opal lip. Take a look at the example above, as imagined by Jazmina Daniels. The cloud-like design is part '90s, part 2017, and full fabulous.
Whether you're glamming up for a holiday party or romping through the snow just #forthegram, this cold weather-appropriate look gives off major snow bunny vibes. So this Winter, go ahead and paint your pout with a frosty reflective lipstick such as Stila Color Balm in Opal ($22) or Kevyn Aucoin The Molten Opal Lip Color Top Coat ($30), practice a frosty stare, and achieve straight-up ice princess status.
Image Source: Columbia Records
8 of the Worst Things You Can Do to Your Hair
If your bathroom is littered with hot tools and styling products, listen up. While giving your hair a lot of TLC can be a good thing, you might be doing too much of the wrong thing. A lot of hair faux pas can be pretty obvious, but some of our healthiest hair habits - like getting regular trims and using dry shampoo instead of water washing - can have disastrous results if not done properly, both short and long term.
The first tip for doing what's best for your hair is to know your hair type. Once you know your hair type, you can determine exactly what it needs and what you can ditch. If you're unsure, try not to experiment. Instead, find a stylist you trust and get some advice. In the meantime, take a few cues from three pros on exactly what you should stop doing to your strands immediately.
38 Fierce Women Who Embrace the Buzz Cut - and Will Make You Want One
When it comes to hairstyles, the buzz cut is reserved for the most fierce and daring of ladies, Cara Delevingne included. Not only do buzz-cut babes look badass around the clock, but they avoid bad hair days, windswept lip gloss situations, and color maintenance (what roots?). Meet the women who will have you clutching the trimmers.
24 Times We Were Jealous of Sophie Turner's Perfect Hair
Sansa Stark's hair tells a story on Game of Thrones, and actress Sophie Turner definitely makes the most of her long locks in real life too.
She has such great hair, in fact, that she's become a Wella Professionals ambassador. The British actress has to dye her hair every week (nope, she's not a natural redhead!) when filming, so she knows a thing or two about looking after and styling it. Whether it's plaits or waves, she works it like it's her calling in life. And we're pretty sure she would suit hair any color of the rainbow.
Scroll though our top 24 favorite Sophie Turner hair moments.
Target Will Offer Same-Day Shipping on Beauty Products - Game Changer!
If you've ever considered hiring an assistant to go on Target beauty runs just so you don't have to yourself, the following news will make you do a happy dance. According to WWD, the megastore has announced that it has acquired Shipt, an online platform that specializes in same-day shipping.
For $99 a year, every time you make a Target purchase, a team of personal shoppers will pick up your goods for you. It's like having Santa's little helpers coming to your assistance, but this offer lasts all year. So, when can you reap the rewards of this news that is sure to make lazy (or busy) girls cheer? It's actually all starting pretty soon - WWD reported that the service will start in half of all Target stores in early 2018.
This news is just one of the many major beauty moves Target has made in the past year. If you recall, 2017 saw the revamping of the store's beauty department, which included the expansion of its beauty concierge service and addition of new brands. One particularly exciting launch was the creation of Glow Studio, an affordable K-beauty line.
So: in 2018, we wish you health, happiness, and on-demand drugstore beauty products.
Starbucks Just Dropped 3 New Chocolate Drinks, but Hurry! They Won't Last Long
Starbucks has announced three new limited-edition mocha drinks! The trio of drinks is a new Black and White Mocha Collection, which includes a rich hot chocolate, a blended Frappuccino, and an espresso-filled mocha. What makes each drink "black and white" is a combination of dark and white chocolate, and each drink is topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate "sequins" representing a black tie.
All three drinks are available at Starbucks stores in the US and Canada starting on Dec. 27 and lasting through the new year, while supplies last. If you plan on wearing a fancy dress for New Year's Eve, you might as well do it up and have a black-tie Starbucks drink to match! If your go-to drink is a mocha any day of the week, read ahead to get the details on each chocolaty beverage and decide on your favorite.
mercredi 27 décembre 2017
Mike Pence Was the Mike Pence of His College Fraternity - Who's Surprised?
Mike Pence hasn't changed dramatically over the years. Though the vice president entered Hanover College as a deeply spiritual man and Jimmy Carter supporter, he left as a born-again evangelical Catholic with his sights set on a political career. He was also pretty much the worst fraternity brother in history during his time in college.
In a new profile by The Atlantic, one of Pence's former fraternity brothers, Dan Murphy, opened up about what the vice president was like in college. Pence joined Phi Gamma Delta in his freshman year, and he fit right in. "You had in that fraternity house everything from the sort of evangelical-Christian crowd to some fairly hard-core drug users," Murphy said. The following year, Pence became the president of the fraternity.
As Pence continued to take on more responsibility, however, he increasingly morphed into, well, quite the killjoy. After a series of raucous parties, the fraternity was put on probation. Phi Gamma Delta soon found mischievous ways to smuggle alcohol into the house, with Pence often willingly participating in these sophomoric schemes. On one particular night, however, the fraternity received an unexpected visit from the associate dean. Pence was there to greet him at the door.
When fraternity brothers had gotten in trouble in the past, Murphy said, they would typically just take the fall and claim that any alcohol was theirs. Well, not Pence! Instead, he walked the associate dean right over to where they had been hiding a few kegs and specified that the beer belonged to the entire fraternity. "They really raked us over the coals. The whole house was locked down," Murphy said. Upon graduating, Pence was offered a job in the school's admissions office. See? Not much has changed.
Get Ready to Binge, Because Amazon Prime Is Now Available on Your Apple TV
The moment we've been waiting on for years is finally here: as of Dec. 6, Amazon Prime is finally available on our Apple TVs. Gone are the days of using the mirror function of your iPhone to stream Amazon's infinite catalog of movies and TV shows to your Apple TV, and here to stay is unlimited access to commercial-free binge-watching from Amazon's very own dedicated app on your home screen. Oh, and let's not forget that the addition of Amazon to the Apple TV catalog means that you can now use Siri to easily search through the massive library of Prime content and find exactly what it is you want to watch.
"Prime members can now access thousands of titles through the Prime Video app on Apple TV 4K and previous generations of Apple TV, including Prime Original Series and Movies such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Big Sick, with additional titles coming to the service every month," Apple's official announcement reads. And we couldn't be more grateful for the timing; the news comes amid an ongoing battle between Amazon and Google that has left many of our other devices only playing YouTube or Prime, and now we can officially watch all the goodness of all the major content providers with one easy-to-use device.
As an added bonus, the Dec. 6 Apple TV update also comes with the ability to stream live sports via the TV app on your Apple devices. And if you'd rather just watch the good stuff, you can set up your notifications to tell you to tune in right as the action is happening - that's right, you can now keep watching the next episode of The Tick and not worry about missing the play of the year. Ain't technology grand?
In 2016 Video, Donald Trump Jr. Says Kids Are the Target Audience For Gun Silencers
Less than six weeks before the 2016 election, SilencerCo, a company that manufactures gun supressers, posted a longform interview with Donald Trump Jr. to its YouTube channel. At nearly 40 minutes, it's a complete slog to listen to - but the message is abundantly clear. "I love your product," Trump Jr. tells the company's CEO, Joshua Waldron, at the very beginning, and he does not waver from that stance one bit. "There is nothing bad about it at all," he says. "It makes total sense, it's where we should be going."
In the wake of the deadliest shooting in modern American history, which left 59 dead and more than 500 wounded, Hillary Clinton pointed to the fact that the legalization of silencers could've made the devastation far worse. "The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots," she wrote on Twitter. "Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get." While the statement may not be 100 percent accurate - several outlets have argued that it wouldn't have made a difference - it was enough to cause the House of Representatives to delay an NRA-backed bill that would make silencers legal. That's not to say that it won't surface later this year, and frankly, it's entirely possible that it will - but it does raise a very important question: in this current climate, do we really need silencers to be introduced to the already deadly mix?
For Trump Jr., silencers would help make guns more appealing to young people, to kids who might otherwise be injured by both the sound and recoil of a gunshot. In the SilencerCo video, he repeatedly cites his own hearing damage as something that could have been avoided had he been allowed to legally use a silencer. "It's about safety. It's about hearing protection," he says in the interview, adding, "It's a health issue, frankly, for me. You know? Getting little kids into the game, it greatly reduces recoil. I mean, it's just a great instrument."
Below, we've queued up the video to the spot where Trump Jr. talks about his specific feelings about silencers as a selling point for kids. And perhaps it will serve as a reminder that above all, the Trumps strive to sell products, to make money, to get what they want - no matter what it is they're advocating for, be it about shoes or golf courses, or a policy that could alter the course of millions of American lives.
12 Hilarious, Touching, Way Too Relatable Tweets About What, Exactly, Gay Culture Is
On Sept. 1, a Twitter user known as introvertgay posted a sad but salient tweet: "Gay culture is being a teenager when you're 30 because your teenage years were not yours to live." The message nails how so many members of the LGBTQ+ community stay in the closet during their formative years. While the tweet is pretty striking in and of itself, the couple of weeks since have turned "gay culture" into a trending topic.
Some contributions are heartbreaking, like the original tweet, while others are pretty hilariously specific. After all, the LGBTQ+ internet community is the same space that embraced the gay Babadook, celebrated a very gay boat, and exposed gay Twitter catfish Parks Denton. So, without further ado, allow us to present some rather succinct definitions of "gay culture."
Behold, the Most Hated Comment in Reddit History
I will always be the first to admit that a lot of what I consume on the internet is a direct result of what I see being upvoted on Reddit. If you're not familiar with the phrase, upvoting is the equivalent of "liking" something on Facebook or "faving" something on Twitter - with the ultimate goal being not just the crowd's approval, but to land your post at the top of the Reddit charts and onto the so-called front page of the internet. That being said, despite making several trips to Reddit.com every hour of every day for the last several years, I rarely come across a post that gained attention not because of the number of upvotes that it garnered, but because so many people gave it a negative rating (or, more colloquially, downvoted it).
But that all changed on Nov. 12, when Electronic Arts (EA) decided to respond to some user criticism of the forthcoming Star Wars Battlefront II.
The title of Reddit user MBMMaverick's post is "Seriously? I paid 80$ to have Vader locked?" and reflects a sincere sense of dissatisfaction with the price paid for the forthcoming game. "This is a joke. I'll be contacting EA support for a refund . . . " the user writes, adding, "I can't even playing f*cking Darth Vader?!?!? Disgusting. This age of 'micro-transactions' has gone WAY too far. Leave it to EA though to stretch the boundaries." A little strong, perhaps - but certainly not anything too controversial. If I had a quarter for every time someone said a video game was overpriced . . . well, you get the idea. Anyway, the response from EA was swift and straight to the point:
Unfortunately for the gaming giant, Reddit is never the right forum for customer service jargon. As such, the post has racked up an absolutely staggering 443,000 downvotes in the span of a single day, with thousands more voting it down with each passing hour. For context, it's worth noting that the previous record holder for most downvoted comment on Reddit clocked in at a mere 24,333 downvotes - and it happened to be a comment that was explicitly asking Reddit users to click the downvote button. Literally.
Suffice it to say, EA is now unquestionably the company behind the most hated post in Reddit history, and we're willing to bet that it wasn't the record that it hoped it'd be breaking with the release of the first Star Wars game in years. The moral of this story? If you don't have anything nice to say, you probably shouldn't say anything at all - and you definitely shouldn't say it in a Reddit forum.
A Depressed J.K. Rowling Asked For Photos of Otters, and Holy Sh*t Did the Internet Deliver
After months - years! - of crazy leaders dominating the news cycle, it's safe to say we're all starting to get pretty damn depressed about the state of politics in 2017. While many of us have just found our happy place in the Reddit forums devoted to adorable animals, on Sept. 25, J.K. Rowling decided that she would no longer suffer alone in silence, taking to Twitter to band the internet together. "I'm so ****ing depressed," Rowling tweeted. "Send otter pictures."
Incompetent clowns in power and the opposition turning into a solipsistic personality cult. I'm so ****ing depressed. Send otter pictures.
- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 25, 2017
As one might expect, Twitter was quickly awash with the most adorable otters that exist on planet Earth. Ahead, we've picked some of the very best (and most cheerful) responses to the legendary author's request - and we only ask that you bookmark some of these to revisit when you, too, have had enough with the news cycle and need cuteness to remind you of all that is good in the world.
Let's Talk About "White People Facing the Most Discrimination" and Other Insane Trump Voter Fallacies
It has been more than two years since Donald Trump first descended the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president, but that doesn't mean the majority of Americans are any closer to understanding the mentality of his diehard supporters. In fact, it almost feels like the gap between those voters and the rest of America widens with each passing day. As the president continues to normalize views that any other modern American president would have condemned, he is also, by proxy, empowering his supporters to embrace their fringe beliefs. Those individuals no longer feel that they have to keep up the pretense of civility by meeting accusations with denials and relegating their thoughts to the darkest corners of the internet.
Take, for example, the case of Ravin Gandhi. The Chicago-based CEO - who was born and raised in America and founded the company that he now runs - rescinded his support for Trump in an Aug. 16 op-ed published by CNBC. Gandhi cited the president's handling of the events in Charlottesville, VA, and "tacit" support of white nationalists as the root cause of his decision and was immediately met with an onslaught of hate-filled emails and tweets from Trump supporters. The sad but true reality is that many who choose to speak their mind on the subject of Trump must accept the inevitability of anonymous badgering, but the situation was kicked up a notch when Gandhi received a phone call from a self-avowed Trump supporter while he was at work, one that implored him to "go back to India" and was filled with hate-fueled epithets as well as praise of the president himself. Gandhi released a recording of the phone call to the public, later telling the Chicago Tribune that Trump's leadership on the issue of racism and hate speech is "morally reprehensible."
There has been an exponential spike in incidents like the one that Gandhi recounted in recent months, and that's only taking into consideration the high-profile individuals who have a platform on which to share their stories or events that end in police reports. Unfortunately, as the president continues to pull the "many sides" card, it's unlikely that this type of behavior will once again retreat into the shadows or be banished altogether to the realm of unacceptable behavior.
As indicated by polling released by PPP on Aug. 23, Trump voters are no longer fearful of revealing their markedly false and often astonishingly hateful views. If you're still a skeptic that these sorts of mentalities exist, consider these four findings from the report:
- Thirty-seven percent of all Americans thought African Americans were the most discriminated-against group in America, with eight percent saying Latino Americans, two percent saying Asian Americans, 14 percent saying Native Americans, and 21 percent saying white people. When it comes to strictly Trump voters, though, a staggering 45 percent said it was white people who faced the most discrimination - with 17 percent saying Native Americans, 16 percent saying African Americans, and five percent saying Latino Americans.
- Forty-nine percent of all Americans felt that Muslims were the most discriminated-against group in America, with 29 percent saying Christians and eight percent saying Jews. Compare that against 54 percent of Trump voters saying Christians faced the most discrimination, with 22 percent saying Muslims and 12 percent saying Jews.
- Thirty-nine percent of all Americans support monuments to the Confederacy, and 34 percent oppose them - but 58 percent do agree that they should be relocated and placed within historical context. Seventy-one percent of Trump voters, however, are in favor of keeping them up. A mere 10 percent object to the monuments, but it should be said that the spread places this as one of the most unified issues among Trump supporters to date.
- Fifty-six percent of all Americans would rather have Barack Obama be president, whereas 21 percent would prefer Jefferson Davis - but it's worth mentioning that the percent of people who weren't sure on the answer to that question (23 percent) is higher than the Obama alternative. When it comes to Trump voters, though, 45 percent said Jefferson Davis, with 35 percent saying they weren't sure and a mere 20 percent saying Barack Obama.
Seven months after Trump took office, his base is not wavering. Trump supporters are becoming more forceful and more open about their views, and all polls across the board point to continued support, regardless of what the president does or does not do. But just because the president refuses to condemn this behavior doesn't mean we have to accept it as the status quo. In fact, ignoring the Trump voters - whomever they may be - or compartmentalizing them writ large is the only way that something like that can happen. So it's now imperative that the far larger, far more rational majority continue to combat the inherently un-American views that Trump supporters put forth and remind them that as a country, we don't subscribe to such objectionable views - regardless of what the president may say.
Tenor's 4 Most Popular Memes of 2017
2017 may have been a year of turmoil politically, but boy has it been a damn good year for memes. The last 12 months have featured more insanely viral moments than ever before, and it's become something of a coping mechanism to use those images and ideas to represent what we're going through at any given time.
In order to take a look back at the year that was, the good people at Tenor - the top GIF keyboard across iOS and Android, as well as many of our most used social media apps - have pulled together the most shared memes on the platform in 2017. Just like our list of the best GIFs this year, the winners embody a whole lot of feelings that we've all experienced with each passing news cycle and trend.
So, without further ado, scroll through the top four memes of 2017 ahead.
Facebook's Naomi Gleit: "You Have to Focus on the Good Things That Happened This Year"
In the age of social media, there's no better way to take the pulse of the world than by looking at Facebook. It's no surprise, then, that Facebook's year in review encompasses many of the highest highs - and lowest lows - that we've felt in any given calendar year. The 2017 edition of the annual report was released on Dec. 5 and paints a full-color portrait of the year that was, from large scale marches and protests to terrorist attacks and natural disasters to the moments where we came together as one to support the causes we most strongly believe in - it's all documented, calculated, and transformed into metrics that become the touchstones of 2017.
This year's report was penned by Naomi Gleit, Facebook's VP of Social Good. Gleit is the third-longest-serving employee of the company and, in her 12 years with Facebook, has been integral in many aspects of Facebook's growth and development. Now, her day-to-day job is to help make it easier for Facebook users to make the world a better place - and it's a job that she couldn't possibly love more.
"I feel like I have the best job. I really do," Gleit told me in an interview shortly after the report had been released. "On an average day, I go into work and I look at all these amazing ways that people are using Facebook for good - and then I go to my team and I say, 'Hey, how can we make this even easier?' [For example,] we saw people had raised $80 million for ALS, and we were like,' Wow, that's amazing' - but the ALS website went down as a result, and nobody could donate. So I said, 'Well, what if we could donate directly through Facebook?' and the foundation said, 'Would you handle the payment processing for us?' and that's how the donate button came about. And this year we raised $45M on Giving Tuesday. So that's what I do on a daily basis - it's the best job I could ask for."
It's not always happy news, though. In 2017, Gleit's team was responsible for almost all of the large-scale responses to ongoing crises around the world. When I asked her what she was most proud of this year, she pointed to the platform's response to the bombing in Manchester, which took place during an Ariana Grande concert. Facebook's "One Love Manchester" live broadcast not only garnered more than 80 million views, but also raised over $450,000 for those affected by the attack.
"My team built that tool. It came out of wondering 'What if we had a donate button? A one-click, easy way to donate to a nonprofit through Facebook?' and then asking, 'What if we put it in Live videos?' We definitely wondered, 'Will people even use it?' What's amazing to see now is that the most-watched video on Facebook [in 2017] was also the biggest use of the donate button in Live," Gleit said. She also pointed to the earthquake in Mexico, during which "crisis response, safety check, community help and donations for crises were the most used tools," a fact which shines a light on the larger use of Facebook as a community tool, therefore aligning it further with the new mission the company undertook this year. And that's based on what they've learned in growing the platform.
"I think we learned that - and I learned this too, Mark learned this, Facebook as a company learned this - our mission has always been to make the world more open and connected, and I think what we learned is that's not enough," Gleit told me. "Of course we'll continue to make the world more open and connected - that will continue to be our core work - but we also need to bring the world closer together. Are we building the world that we want to live in? That's the question, that's what the mission is - we want to live in a world where people come together, to help each other. So that was our big learning this year. Our mission before was great - it just wasn't enough, and we know that we can do more."
I asked Gleit what we, as Facebook users, can do to help make the world a better place. And while that's not an easy question to answer - for anyone, really! - Gleit answered with remarkable poise. "Our mission is to make the world a better place. We want to empower people to build community and bring the world closer together," she said, using the massive popularity of the Women's March (the biggest event on Facebook this year) and International Women's Day (the most talked-about event this year) as examples of just how empowering the platform can be. "I view my job as building tools to empower people to do more good. It's not Facebook that's going to do good; it's people that are going to do good. And we're just going to give them the tools to do it."
Ultimately, Gleit says, "You have to focus on the good things that happened this year." And as 2017 comes to a close, we'll certainly be looking forward to making those good things happen the second that 2018 starts - and if the tools that Gleit and her team have put together this year are any indication, Facebook will continue to provide the help that individuals need to get a leg up on making the world a better place.
This Doctor Is on a Mission to Revolutionize Breast Cancer Screening as We Know It
Dr. Laura Esserman has never been afraid to be unconventional. The Harvard and Stanford grad has devoted her medical career to researching breast cancer, and her longstanding, vocal position that the medical establishment should be taking a more measured and individualized approach to both breast cancer screening and treatment has been framed as "controversial," challenging to the "status quo," and even "iconoclastic."
But in recent years, as more data and updated recommendations suggest that medicine and research is ready to confront and challenge decades-long opinions about how best to confront this cancer, it seems Esserman may have simply been ahead of her time. Does she sense a sea change? "Well, the tide is starting to turn," a cautiously optimistic Dr. Esserman told POPSUGAR in between meetings at University of California at San Francisco, where she is Director of the Carol Frank Buck Breast Care Center. "I wouldn't say it turned." But if it hasn't yet turned, it seems Esserman's newest effort, the WISDOM study, could turn it.
"There Are Downsides to Doing Too Much"
On the surface, you might wonder what could be problematic about frequent, standardized breast cancer screening for all women with a certain age range. But Esserman and her team are quick to point out several drawbacks, with potential costs that are financial, psychological, and physical. "There are downsides to doing too much, and there are downsides to overscreening and overtreating," says Allison Stover Fiscalini, director of the Athena Breast Health Network, which is overseeing the WISDOM effort.
This is why Esserman may opt not to surgically intervene in cases when other doctors might. "If you need a biopsy and you need a workup, great. But if you don't, that is a hugely stressful thing to go through," she says. "When 75 percent of the biopsies are benign and 90 percent of the recalls aren't for anything, that's a lot of trauma that we don't need."
In an era when healthcare costs and insurance coverage are dominating the political and social conversation, there's also money to keep in mind. "I think the insurance industry should come to the table to help us," Esserman says, noting that shifting money to focus testing on high-risk populations is in everyone's best interest.
Esserman's cautious approach now seems to be echoed across a growing chorus of studies and recommendations urging a rethinking of the way we've been told to view breast cancer testing and treatment. One parallel development of note: guidelines for cervical cancer screening changed in 2012; now, it's recommended that women 21-70 get Pap smears every three years instead of once every year. And in 2017, The American Cancer Association suggested that self breast exams are unnecessary, as they are unlikely to help women detect signs of cancer - a move that took me, a millennial woman, by surprise, considering how frequently, and for how many years, my generation was told we must do them.
"Business as Usual Is Not Going to Cut It"
These are just some of the reasons Esserman's WISDOM undertaking could help revolutionize breast cancer screening and treatment as we know it: by tailoring both to individual women's needs and risk levels. Doing so could lead to stemming potentially invasive treatments and arm a new era of women with a greater knowledge of their own risk. The WISDOM study, which began recruiting last year, is seeking to bring on more than 100,000 women to better understand the best approach for breast cancer screening and guidelines - and hopefully to lead to a model that would allow for individual recommendations as to how often they should be screened. While there have been smaller studies that have tried to achieve similar goals, this is the first randomized, prospective study - versus a retrospective study - to look at breast cancer screening. That's not to mention its scale; the study is seeking to recruit 100,00 women within the next year. The study is open to women ages 40-74 who live in California and haven't had a personal history with breast cancer.
Part of Esserman's goal is to find better ways to treat women for whom breast cancer is a major threat. Notably, people at the highest risk for early death from breast cancer, Esserman says, do not have screen-detected cancers. "Business as usual is not going to cut it," she says. "We've been screening for three decades, and we haven't dropped these aggressive cancer rates sufficiently to say, 'Oh, no problem. We're screening, so let's all go home and feel good.' No. We have to make it better."
Ideally, the study could help produce a kind of personal blueprint that would help doctors determine the perfect screening regimen for individual women, based on a number of criteria, like her age, family history, and genetics.
"We will really move on when we identify the types of cancers that people get on this trial, and start figuring out, 'Okay if you are an ultralow risk, you don't need to be screened as frequently.' How great is that? If that's really true, that's a major breakthrough," Esserman says. "That means less [intervention] for people who don't need it, but then more for people who do need it."
Esserman's colleague, Stover Fiscalini, similarly says that identifying women who could benefit from increased intervention is just as much a goal of the study as alleviating unnecessary intervention for women for whom it's not required. Chemoprevention medication can help reduce the risk of breast cancer for women who are at high risk, but currently, there's a low uptake of these medications. The study could help better identify these women and give them the information they need to help convince them to take the medication.
"It Took Away This Heaviness and This Fear"
WISDOM uses a validated risk model in conjunction with genetic information. Women can either opt to be randomly placed in or make the choice between the annual study arm or personalized study arm. Women in the personalized arm of WISDOM share more information - and receive more in return. Among that study group, the team tests for nine breast cancer genes that are well-known, alongside smaller DNA changes, called SNPs. Those SNPs - or single-nucleotide polymorphisms, for you science buffs - help identify more particular genetic risks. Some of these markers are unique to women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, Stover Fiscalini says, and the valuable information that SNPs can provide about risk factors is currently not being used in clinical practice, making this study all the more potentially revelatory.
Bethany Hornthal, 60, lives and works in San Francisco, CA. She got to know Dr. Esserman when she began helping her identify funding for the study in her role as a business development and marketing consultant. Now, she's a participant in the WISDOM study herself.
"Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer; one died of breast cancer," she tells POPSUGAR. "I had my first mammogram at 14 because I had dense, fibrous breasts."
Hornthal said her participation in the study was incredibly simple. Participants in both studies fill out an intake questionnaire and either undergo a mammogram - or just provide the results of their most recent mammogram. Women in the personalized study also submit a saliva sample, which identifies SNPs. Hornthal, who opted into the personalized study, says she was floored by what she learned.
"I have lived 46 years just assuming I am at the highest risk for breast cancer. I had this dark cloud hanging over me, just waiting for it to hit." Instead, she discovered her risk is "very, very minimal," and credits WISDOM with giving her the opportunity to not just learn this information, but to share it with her daughter. All participants in the personalized study are given a personal recommendation for their future screenings and a letter that shares their genetic results, telling them whether they have one of the nine SNP genetic mutations the study screens for. Based on the results of the study and her age, Hornthal plans to get a mammogram once every two years.
"It took away this heaviness and this fear that was potentially unnecessary," says Hornthal, who is now encouraging other women she knows to sign up for the study, which is slated to run for five years. "There's no reason not to do this."
If you're interested in supporting UCSF's breast cancer program and research, you can donate to Give Breast Cancer the Boot via this link. The event - founded by UCSF volunteers, patients, and breast cancer survivors in 2008 - has raised more than $2.5 million to date. You can also learn more about Dr. Esserman's work - and find out if you're eligible for the WISDOM study - here.
Here's What Happens When You Ask Americans to Locate North Korea on a Map
President Donald Trump threatened to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea on Aug. 8, leaving many wondering if the ongoing war of words between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un might be taking a more serious turn. But while Twitter was biting its nails and preparing for the apocalypse, our country's late-night shows took an altogether different tack: they lambasted the hell out of the whole scenario. The real winner of the night, however, was Jimmy Kimmel.
Kimmel and his crew took to the streets of Los Angeles armed with the knowledge that, according to a new CNN poll, 50 percent of Americans believe that action needed to be taken against North Korea. His task? To figure out just how many people can identify where the country - one which 72 percent of those polled believe is capable of a strike against the US - is located on a map. And it should come as no surprise that a whole lot of people had almost no idea what the answer to that question was.
There may still be a whole lot of uncertainty about just how this whole scenario will shake out, but it's abundantly clear that as a country we really need to spend a bit more time buried in some geography textbooks - or at least not weigh in on foreign policy before we've done so.
Moms of Tweens: Welcome to the Stinky Years
When your kid's age hits the double digits, magic happens. And by "magic," I mean the type that, like, makes funk grow in Petri dishes during science experiments.
One day you're hugging them and catch an unmistakable whiff of a rancid armpit, and at first you're horrified because you think your own deodorant must have failed you. But just as your mind is racing - you've used the same reliable brand of antiperspirant for years! - an even more horrible realization comes to you: the stank is actually emanating from your previously pleasant-smelling (or, at least, neutral-smelling) child. It's like someone punched you in the gut. Or, you know, in the nose with a big, stinky fist.
It's the not-so-sweet smell of a tween, and it's the harbinger of impending puberty, bringing with it every paranoia you have about the years to come.
Unfortunately, it doesn't stop at the pits, and you start to realize that tweens are inherently gross. They're in a weird spot where they don't fully realize the social impact that walking around like a garbage heap in sneakers could cause, so they don't really care what they look or smell like. In a little while, the allure of the first real crush will make them want to spruce themselves up a smidge, but for now, they just don't see the point.
Their feet, the same adorable little piggies you used to kiss and tickle, are now contained in socks so crusty they could probably walk to the washer themselves (ohhh, if only). Their shoes are the "before" scenario in a Febreze commercial, but you only wish you could go "nose blind."
They'll talk in your general direction, and their words will be delivered on a wave of breath so heinous that you'll wonder if it was just a very articulate-sounding fart. Then you'll realize that you no longer check their toothbrush for usage because you automatically assumed they reached an age where they could be trusted to brush responsibly - but no. Apparently you still need to remind them, using bold threats like, "Your teeth are going to fall right out of your head!" to try to get your point across. (Spoiler alert: it still doesn't work.)
Much to your dismay, you also have to remind them to use actual soap when they shower, because what seems obvious to you (or any showering person) is lost on a tween. Which is why they emerge from the bathroom smelling like a wet dog, with their hair still half-dry, leaving mounds of inexplicably soggy towels in their wake.
Because that's another thing: the slovenly nature of a tween, and all the gag-worthy scents that accompany it, doesn't stop at their personal hygiene.
Because that's another thing: the slovenly nature of a tween, and all the gag-worthy scents that accompany it, doesn't stop at their personal hygiene.
You'll find that their room is a place you visit less and less frequently as it becomes more and more depressing to set foot in. Once a cheerfully decorated haven, maybe with a few toys scattered around the floor on its messiest day, it has now turned into a festering dump. The tween's suddenly ravenous appetite and increased desire for privacy combine to make their bedroom a graveyard for every wrapper and dish they secretly spirit away. (Yes, even if you institute a "no food in the bedroom" rule. Maybe especially then.) It's like the gross-out factor of finding a sippy cup full of curdled milk in the toy box multiplied by a thousand. You'll find cereal bowls with gelatinous mush pooled thickly at the bottom, half-eaten granola bars, hardened bread, blackened banana peels, and enough dirty drinkware to require two trips to the dishwasher. Every drawer and cubbyhole becomes a trash receptacle and yet another reason to shriek, "We'll have rats!" Or roaches. Take your pick.
But there's always a light at the end of the sewer tunnel. You only have to harp on their foul habits for a year or so before they finally realize that, yes, good hygiene is indeed preferable to not giving a damn. Like anything else they've gone through, it's just a phase, and this too shall pass.
Just make sure you don't inhale too deeply until it does.
Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Shakes During Delivery
I felt prepared to give birth. I'd read my books, I'd taken my classes, and my friends shared a few too many gory details prior to the big day - but they didn't share everything.
Heading into my C-section, I was confident and full of anticipation. I knew what the procedure entailed and how long it would take. I knew the schedule for the baby afterward and had a plan so my husband would follow our baby as soon as he left the operating room. But once my son arrived, they came too - the shakes. Nobody warned me about the shakes. And these weren't just a little shiver felt throughout my body, but full-on, uncontrollable shaking that probably made me look like I was convulsing to the untrained eye. I honestly don't remember much about them - I was probably so pumped up on endorphins that they've been erased from my memory - but I do recall having trouble getting a full sentence out of my mouth because my teeth were chattering so hard. The whole "episode" probably lasted the total of an hour, and, like I said, it isn't anything I would have remembered, except that it happened again when my second son was born.
This time around, with a scheduled C-section on the books, I braced myself for some postpartum shaking prior to entering the operating room. My body, however, seemed to have something else in mind.
After receiving a spinal block and lying down on the table, I began to feel cold - like polar-vortex cold. I asked the operating-room staff to raise the temperature in the room, at which point my husband told me that the room was already very warm - he was sweating. Before I could say anything else, the shakes set in, and this time they were uncontrollable! Whether it was nerves (sometimes it's actually worse to know what to expect) or a side effect of the painkillers, I'll never know. But, thanks to a thoughtful anesthesiologist, my upper body was covered with an air-warming blanket that looked like it came out of Big Hero 6, which provided me some comfort and heat throughout the surgery. Before long, my second son was in my arms and the shakes were the furthest thing from my mind.
But consider this your warning. The shakes are real, and they're normal. They are part of your body's recovery (or in my case preparation) and nothing to worry about - unless they're accompanied by a fever. Because heck, you know you wanted your newborn to have an interesting first feeding session.
Did you have the shakes during your delivery?
Wondering If You Can Drink Coffee While Nursing? We Have Good and Bad News
The biggest (and most vital) luxury for a new mom is sleep, which is closely followed by coffee - the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world - to function until she can sleep again. But despite the desperate and constant need for caffeine, there's always the eternal tug-of-war between that and how safe it is for your baby if you're nursing. No mother wants to expose her child to stimulating drugs, and unfortunately, the caffeine in coffee is a central nervous system stimulant of the methylxanthine class. So, is coffee the forbidden fruit when you're breastfeeding?
According to experts, not necessarily. When you drink coffee, a small amount (usually less than one percent) goes to your breast milk. The amount that shows up in your breast milk will usually peak within a few hours of consumption. However, if your child is less than 3 months old, you need to be extra careful, because newborn metabolisms can't break down and get rid of the caffeine in their bodies, so there is a good possibility that the caffeine will accumulate and cause irritability or sleeplessness. So when dealing with nursing newborns and coffee, practice mindful moderation. "Caffeine can affect different babies in different ways," Molly Petersen, certified lactation counselor at Lansinoh, told POPSUGAR. "It is important to monitor how your caffeine intake affects your baby and watch for signs like increased fussiness or wakefulness."
Once your baby gets older, you can start to drink 16 to 24 ounces of coffee a day as long as your child isn't showing signs of difficulty when trying to fall asleep. It's also important to note that different types of coffee beans can have different amounts of caffeine. For example, a Starbucks 16-ounce cup of coffee will have 330 mg of caffeine, whereas a Dunkin' Donuts 16-ounce cup will have 211 mg. As long as nursing mothers maintain a coffee habit that doesn't exceed more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, there should be no problem. "It's best to have caffeine moderation," Petersen continued. "A general guideline is that moms can have one to two caffeinated drinks a day." Just remember that every child is different, and if your little one is showing effects of coffee consumption (such as wakefulness or jittery-ness), consider eliminating the coffee from your diet for a few days to see if it makes any difference.
15 Ways You Can Incorporate Pom-Poms Into Your Home Decor
There's something about pom-poms that has us seriously in love with this trend. From sticking a fluffy keychain on your bag to filling your home with these fun accents, we're sold on this craze. If you want to incorporate this vibrant style into your home, we made it easy and shopped a wide variety of decor items that will brighten up any room. From bins to shower curtains and even table settings, prepare to fall in love with these festive and fluffy picks.
What Your Sign Says About Your Parenting Style
Who we are as parents is a mixture of experiences. Our predetermined personality was forged throughout our lives, and our astrological signs help guide us when figuring out what kind of parent we are and who we hope to be. Some parents are no-nonsense, while others seem to thrive in experiences where children can be free. Some are extremely organized, while others just go with the flow. And since every sign has such strong personality traits, it's only natural that they also apply to parenting styles. Keep reading to see what parenting traits each sign has.
7 Benefits of Breastfeeding You Might Want to Consider
Almost as soon as a woman becomes pregnant, the conversation about breastfeeding begins. It's commonly stated that "breast is best," but what does that actually mean, and who is it best for?
Understandably, there have been numerous studies and much research done about breastfeeding and its many benefits. Regardless if a woman chooses to nurse her baby (at POPSUGAR, we're supporters of "fed is best" and urge you to make the best choice for you and your baby), there are a lot of advantages to breastfeeding that should be considered. Below are just seven pros for baby and mom.
- Breast milk provides perfectly balanced meals. The human body can truly do some amazing things, and breast milk is pretty spectacular. The milk is specially tailored to an infant's needs, with the perfect blend of nutrition to ensure that baby grows big and strong.
- It can also provide a natural defense against illnesses. Some studies have shown that breast milk will contain nutrients and antibodies that will help the baby defend against common childhood illnesses. This is especially important since medicines are very restricted for babies of a young age.
- Nursing might lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). One of the scariest parts of having an infant is the risk of SIDS. A study found that nursing can reduce the risk of SIDS around 50 percent, and recommends that parents nurse at least up until six months old.
- Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of asthma. Asthma is a notoriously hard condition to live with. Thankfully, it was recently found that babies who carry the genetic marker for asthma could be protected by breastfeeding .
- Nursing saves an astounding amount of money. Since the mom's body is creating the milk, it's no wonder that it is an extreme cost-saving measure. Overall, a minimum of $3.6 billion would be saved if breastfeeding participants were raised to the Surgeon General's recommended numbers, roughly 70 to 75 percent of newborns.
- Breastfeeding is probably the greenest option. Breastfeeding doesn't require any packaging or bottles, making it more environmentally beneficial. For every 1 million formula-fed babies, 150 million formula containers are consumed, many of which end up in a landfill.
- Producing breast milk is said to burn calories. After giving birth, it can be difficult to get back into an exercise routine. Since breastfeeding burns 425 to 700 calories per day, many women attribute breastfeeding to returning to their pre-baby weight.
17 Reasons Target Is the F*cking Best
There are a few things moms just can't live without: caffeine, pants with elastic waists, and that magical place where we can feel both productive and inspired - Target. OK, so we may consistently come out with more than we went in for, but we're not complaining (we needed those new throw pillows, OK?!). Between the seriously chic home decor, the affordable (and stylish) shoes, and the groceries, we could honestly just set up shop and happily live in an aisle forever. Since Target holds such a special place in our hearts, we've composed a love letter to our favorite store . . . in GIF form, of course. Enjoy!
17 Easy Breakfast Sandwiches You'll Leap Out of Bed to Eat
Whether you're rushing out the door or enjoying a leisurely weekend morning, you want a breakfast that sticks to your ribs and keeps your family happy. There's no better solution, then, than quick and easy breakfast sandwiches, made with protein-rich eggs and other delicious ingredients that will tide you over until lunch. Peruse this mouthwatering list of sammies that won't take forever to make, and you're sure to find your family's new go-to breakfast.
Film Student's Hilarious Recounting of Her First College Exam Proves She's in the Right Major
My first!!!!! College!!!! Exam!!!! Was magical 🌈💫 D is for Degree amiright http://pic.twitter.com/3WOBiJT3AF
- Ann Mark (@annmarkk) December 15, 2017
Ann Mark, a freshman RTF (radio, television, and film) major at the University of Texas at Austin, just proved to the entire internet that she totally chose the right career path through a video she posted recounting her first-ever college exam. Let's just say that things didn't exactly go as planned - because why should they? - and our new hero had to overcome several obstacles in her way just to get to the room her exam was held in.
"My first!!!!! College!!!! Exam!!!! Was magical," read Mark's tweet, which included the hysterical two-minute video. "D is for Degree amiright?"
In the selfie-style video, Mark goes into detail about her mission to buy Blue Books right before the exam, her encounter with a physics class she thought was her own until she realized she recognized no one, and her enlightening chat with a girl who explained what Google Maps were when she showed up to yet another wrong test location.
Mark's original tweet has gotten so much action on Twitter since it was posted on Dec. 15 - even Greg Fenves, UT Austin president, sent Mark a reply. "College can be challenging, but Ann, you're clearly cut out for UT! Send me a direct message, and we'll make sure you have enough Blue Books for the next four years," he wrote. Adding, in reference to her emailing him for security footage of her smashing into a window during her quest to find her exam room, "As for security video, I'm not sure what we can find . . . "
6 New Movies to Enjoy With Your Family This Holiday Season
After feasting on an early-afternoon holiday meal, I like to save the dishes for later and head to the movies with my family. We're excited for some of our favorite books making their way to the silver screen this season, but there are some exciting new tales coming out too. Here's a list of family films opening from mid-November through Christmas. You can watch the trailers, then start making your holiday movie list!
- Additional reporting by Shannon Vestal Robson and Alessia Santoro
7 Signs Your Kid Is an Awesome, Alone-Time-Loving Introvert
Every child is born with their own unique personalities, and as parents, we have the best job of watching them grow, develop, and, well, say some of the weirdest and funniest things imaginable. But different personalities require different types of nurturing, and if you have an introvert on your hands, navigating that path can be a bit more complicated. In a world where extroverts outnumber introverts almost three to one, it can be a challenge to parent a child who doesn't thrive on social interaction and engagement.
We often mistake shyness with truly being an introvert and think it's our job as parents to "fix" that shyness, but the two are not the same. While the shy child may need help coming out of their shell, the true introvert won't thrive on being drawn out and will instead struggle more with the added pressure and socialization. Introverts recharge by being alone, unlike their extroverted peers, who gain energy from being around others. Shy children and introverts both might avoid social situations, but the introvert does so by choice, while the shy child makes the decision out of fear.
Wondering if your child is an introvert? First of all, don't be alarmed. The trait comes with some awesome strengths. However, it also requires some specific parenting strategies. Here are seven things to look for if you're trying to determine if your child is an introvert.
- They avoid eye contact and interacting with others, especially new people. Because meeting new people can be draining to an introvert, they might avoid engaging at all. Know that the behavior doesn't come from a place of rudeness, but instead your introverted child is just trying to protect themselves from the intimidation and embarrassment they often feel when meeting strangers or interacting with people they don't know well.
- They throw tantrums or are generally upset after a busy day. A day spent running errands, at a party, or at school can feel extremely draining to an introverted child, and they might act out because of it. If you know you're going to have an extended period of time that involves a lot of social interaction, be sure to schedule some quiet, alone time for your child before and afterward.
- You find them talking to themselves or favorite toys more than other children. Introverts tend to be quieter than their extroverted peers, preferring to process the world internally. Don't be surprised if you often find your child having a conversation with themselves or a favorite stuffed animal. Having private time to unpack their feelings and experiences is necessary for them.
- They prefer playing alone than with other children. Enjoying solo play is a hallmark of the introverted child, who would rather use their imagination and play alone than interact with other children, especially in large groups or when those children aren't well-known to them.
- They stick to a few trusted friends. Introverts need friends, too; they just prefer to stick to a few close confidants rather than collecting a gaggle of buddies. Helping them form deep bonds with those friends they do trust and enjoy spending time with is important as a parent.
- They're reluctant to try new things. Because new experiences usually involve interacting with new people and places, introverted children may not be keen on saying yes to any new undertaking, instead preferring to stick to situations they know and feel more comfortable with.
- They have trouble expressing their emotions. Introverts are hardwired to process their emotions internally, so talking about them with anyone else - even a parent - can be difficult. Don't push the matter, but instead give your child time to think, process, and come to you when they're ready, while still letting them know that you're always there to provide any love and support they need.
8 Dinner Traditions You Should Start With Your Family This Year
Unless you're a top chef with a stocked, high-grade kitchen and all the time in the world, carving out time to make delicious meals for your family that won't take forever to cook (just to be denied by your picky eaters) can be tough. Whether you're a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, a mom of "carbs only" kids, or just a mom who needs some great ideas for quick weeknight dinners, we've got you covered.
Rather than hit you with a number of specific recipes that we both know will be filed in your brain under "I'll make that when I have time," we've come up with eight dinner traditions that your family needs to start in 2018 (enough for every night of the week!). Not only are these simple enough to replicate in a meal-planning pinch, but if you actually consider them traditions, they'll also be ones your kids will get excited about week after week and want to keep around forever.
These Are the Chores Your Child Should Be Doing This Year Based on Their Age
If you're a mama who feels like she's doing literally everything around the house, including picking up after your very capable kids, we know how you feel. It makes some parents feel guilty to give their children mundane responsibilities like taking out the garbage, and some moms follow the "if I do it, it'll get done faster and better" mode of thinking. But the truth is, our children can - and probably should - handle more than we think.
We're not suggesting you turn your child into a regular Mrs. Doubtfire, but there are a bunch of tasks around the house that can be completed by children based on their age. If you're looking to set your kiddos up with a chore chart to help them learn about hard work and having responsibilities, there's something every child can help with.
Scroll through for a list of manageable household chores for kids based on their age.
20 Must-Have Classic Children's Books - and When to Introduce Them
It's never too early to start introducing your children to the classics - the kiddie classics, that is. We've rounded up 20 timeless children's books that are musts in every literary kid's library. From titles just for babes and toddlers like Goodnight Moon and Are You My Mother? to books that have been sparking the imaginations of older children for decades, these books are as relevant and extraordinary now as they were when you first read them.
Unique Middle Name Ideas to Set Your Special Baby Apart From the Rest
Once parents have gone through the laborious job of finding the perfect name for their little one, oftentimes the task of finding a unique middle name still remains. The middle name serves many purposes such as honoring a family member, including the mother's maiden name, or serving as a compromise when parents can't agree on a first name. But for parents who want to showcase a more unique side of their personalities, a middle name can be the perfect way to pair a conventional first name with a more unusual middle name to exhibit some individuality. A lot of people also end up going by their middle name, so the decision is just as important as the first name!
Boys
- Flynn
- Ives
- Apollo
- Bodhi
- Orion
- Storm
- Thelonious
- Zeus
- Fox
- Jagger
- Ziggy
- Milo
- Ezra
- Hugo
- Edric
Girls
- Zelda
- Amina
- Chelle
- Meadow
- Paloma
- Calypso
- Artemis
- Fern
- Rain
- Cerise
- Aquilla
- Imogen
- Riona
- Siobhan
- Zorah
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