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.
dimanche 7 janvier 2018
As a Biracial Woman and Former Evangelical, Trump's Racism Is All Too Familiar
I used to be an evangelical Christian. I helped lead people in worship, or "ushered them into the presence of God," as we used to say. I traveled the world crooning out the message of the gospel at conferences hosted by my church, a mostly white evangelical megachurch in the suburbs of Chicago. On the weekends I sang for as many as 16,000 people. It was a lofty thing to be part of, a "calling" I believed in wholeheartedly. During the years that I served in this congregation, before I walked away from the religion I'd grown up with and embraced even more intensely in college, racial reconciliation as a ministry focus became more prevalent in my church. This term - "racial reconciliation" - may be most familiar to those in religious communities. Back then, I understood it to be a kind of evangelical model for tackling racism in the church, one that emphasized diversity, relationships, and the need to address systemic causes fueling racism in society. However, these same ideals and goals are also embodied in more widely known terms like racial justice and social justice.
When the leadership team decided to do a series of services focused on this topic, I was drafted to tell a piece of my story. As a biracial woman - and usually the only woman of color singing on stage - it seemed my time had come. I wrote a brief account, summarizing in one minute a personal experience with racism. The memory I chose to relate involved a family in that church, though I didn't reveal that detail. I told the congregation about how a former white boyfriend's parents, particularly his mother, persuaded him to end our relationship because they were uncomfortable with my blackness. I said the fact that they were all Christians undermined my confidence in God's love for me; it made me wonder if He loved white Christians more than black ones. I sang a song about love and unity and building bridges.
People came up to me afterwards, some weeping, apologizing for random things. Looking for absolution that I could not give. Seeing in me - at least for a moment - the entire black community, because for better or worse, we are never singular, always plural. I soaked it up. In that era of my life, I wanted to believe I was like Esther and had been called "'for such a time as this' (NIV, Esther 4:14)." I was inspired and hopeful. Maybe the church could help bridge that space between black and white. Maybe because I'd come from both places, I was uniquely equipped to be part of that healing. I love my family - black and white. But there had been a rift long ago, and I'd grown up occupying the expanse between them. It was lonely and I was sick of it. I wanted healing for myself and, on a larger scale, for all of us.
That was in 2001. By the time Barack Obama was elected to his first term in 2008, I no longer wanted to be part of any church environment. Disillusionment festered over that 7 year period as I witnessed a hyper-image-conscious handling of ministries and the people in them, a theological certainty among fellow congregants I couldn't relate to, and culminated in a manipulative and misleading interview process for a ministry job in the church. Ultimately, the thread of racism running through my time there put me over the edge. Indeed, in the years that followed the experience with my ex's family, I racked up more than a few racially charged confrontations with white Christian friends and acquaintances from the church. There were comments about darker black skin looking like an ape's; there was an email I received warning me that Barack Obama was not a citizen. All these moments left me with a nagging skepticism about the efficacy of racial reconciliation as a ministry in the church. Did the white evangelicals who subscribed to it in theory really want to help? Did they really want justice? Maybe a better question is were they able to see something in themselves that needed to change to bring any of this to fruition? Or were they in denial?
The 2016 election of Donald Trump and its aftermath incited that skepticism about racial justice in me once again. In fact, on a recent Sunday, as the banal melodies of contemporary worship music wafted up through my dining room windows from a nearby nondenominational church, my thoughts began revisiting the past. I recalled that moment on stage at the megachurch, talking about my ex's family. I thought about what it had been like for me as a biracial woman in a mostly white evangelical congregation. Why white evangelicals voted for a man like Mr. Trump and why I'd experienced the racism I did while among them seemed like twin inquiries comingling in my mind as I got my daughter's breakfast ready that morning. Two spoonfuls of cottage cheese and one poached egg later, I puzzled over one simple fact: Trump spoke in the language of racists and xenophobes and it seemed to be of minimal concern at best or resonate with them at worst. It was certainly not enough to dissuade them from casting their votes in his favor.
Even now, it appears they continue to stand by him: even after Charlottesville; even after chastising black athletes for peaceful protests against police brutality, suggesting they are ungrateful, calling them disrespectful "sons of b*tches." Even after Trump's tepid response to Puerto Rico's suffering following Hurricane Maria, his "blame the victim" stance, and his thinly veiled threats to remove aid, he is rewarded with their loyalty. In fact, it seems as if the "conversation" happening now only includes them while the rest of us watch and listen on the sidelines.
It is not my intention to paint all of evangelicalism with a broad brush. I know there is a contingency within this branch of Christianity that is sincere about racial justice. They are inspired by people like Reverend Jim Wallis and Reverend Dr. William Barber. They are comprised of mostly blacks, Hispanics, and Asian and Pacific Islanders, but also a large number of whites. They did not vote for Donald Trump. (I don't personally see how anyone that truly cares about such things could.) But they were not - and seemingly are not - the majority. I can only speak to what I was exposed to while active in a predominantly white evangelical subculture. Perhaps all of these scenarios I've related were unique to the church I once attended. But I suspect it is symptomatic of a bigger problem in the church at large.
For a good portion of my life, I have been timid when faced with racist comments or behaviors demonstrated by white people. I default to the social survival instincts born out of a childhood spent in racial isolation. Giving the "benefit of the doubt" has typically been my modus operandi. It often translates to silence or the most palatable, watered-down version of what I really want to express. On those infrequent occasions when I've called out a white friend or family member's propensity for racial bias and/or racist thinking, they are not able to own it for long, if at all. The deflection and defensiveness that often follows comes in various forms of "you should be grateful," "what aboutisms," and other false equivalences or excuses.
This was the way with my ex-boyfriend's mother. Not long after I spoke during the racial-reconciliation-themed services at my old church, she called to apologize "for the way we treated you," she said. There had been a pang of conscience. Maybe she'd heard me speak or someone close to her had. I could hear anxiety in her voice, a rushing through sentences and marginal regret. She couldn't commit to it, though, and quickly began defending her actions. She objected to us as a couple "out of concern for what her son would face." She had students who were biracial and saw "how hard it was for them, caught in the middle." It's a twisted logic that masquerades as caring but seems to suggest I, and others like me, would be be better off not existing. She lectured me, a biracial woman, as if I had no clue what my hypothetical children would face. I wanted to say, "It's people who think like you that make it difficult." Instead, I listened and thanked her for calling. She was afraid and embraced a response to that fear which she knew was inappropriate. Nevertheless, her discomfort with interracial marriage and biracial children rated above doing the right thing. In the end, she let herself off the hook. And to my regret, so did I.
While I was part of the megachurch, I often observed this same troubling attitude around race, typically in moments when I did not strive to be palatable but was more straightforward, less "sugar coated." It articulates itself with an air of kindly smugness, in which the righteousness of an evangelical Christian is sacrosanct. It can not be challenged with charges of racism. They have, after all, been remade in Christ's image and imbued with the power of the Holy Spirit. How can they be guilty of racism? They don't use the "N" word and they may even have black friends. They don't engage in lynchings or burn crosses or march with neo Nazis and white supremacists. They denounce these things publicly, so isn't that proof they are blameless? They are good, Christian people. And yet, they have empowered and continue to support a man who repeatedly demonstrates that he does not value the lives of black and brown people as much as white ones. He has put me and my family in harm's way with his inability or unwillingness to definitively and authentically disavow white supremacy. Like my ex-boyfriend's mother, white evangelicals are so thoroughly convinced by and invested in a sense of their own righteousness and moral high ground, they have undone the work of reconciliation.
That Sunday morning in church all those years ago, I did not share what were, for me, profoundly more intense details of the relationship with my ex-boyfriend's family. Granted, I was one of many people on the stage that day. I had to be brief. But I often wish I hadn't tried so hard to make what I needed to say easier for the church to hear. I still remember the shame and bewildered frustration in my ex's voice as he repeated his mother's words to me over the phone: "If the two of you date, that's fine . . . but if you got married and had children . . . I'm not sure I could love them as much as I love your sister's kids." Such words took my breath away then and still have the power to suffocate, especially now that I do have a child who is biracial. I wish I'd told the congregation about those remarks and that they'd been made by a woman among their own ranks. As long as white evangelicals believe this mindset is only wreaking havoc in other places, they are absolved from having to address it among themselves.
Even though I no longer see myself as a part of that community, I still carry a certain amount of love for it and residual pain from it. There is some piece of me that still hopes the church has something valuable to contribute to the cause of racial justice. It's probably why I feel the need to, in my own way, hold white evangelicals accountable. I want them to do better.
But when I consider the very real danger of war as Trump threatens North Korea, angers our allies, and alarms even those close to him enough to speak out about it, I can see that opposing ideologies and differences aside, we are all of us bound together in our shared vulnerability against a true existential crisis. This awakens my compassion, my desire to find common ground, and a willingness to have those hard conversations. My past with the evangelical church is akin to being wounded, soul-deep, by a family member or close friend: you may want to make peace with them somehow, but you do so with the knowledge that you might never be as close as you once were. A price has to be paid, and truth is the currency.
17 Trends Facebook Thinks Will Go Mainstream in 2018
As we prepare to say goodbye (and good riddance) to 2017, it's hard not to get introspective about the year that was. Be it the heady highs of the Women's March to the lowest lows of widespread natural disasters, a lot happened this year that will inform just how it is that we tackle what's to come in 2018 - and thankfully, the good people over at Facebook have been keeping close watch on what the next 12 months might have to offer.
On Dec. 13, Facebook IQ - the insights and marketing division of the social media giant - released its annual Topics and Trends Report documenting all the things that the company feels will go mainstream in the year ahead. In other words, they've given us our first look at what to expect starting on Jan. 1 - and ahead, we've shared some of the most insightful trends that Facebook thinks will become a mainstay in our everyday lives. From female empowerment to the ever-quickening rise of AR, this is what Facebook's crystal ball has to say about 2018.
Lego Relased a Women of NASA Set, Since "Ladies Rock Outer Space"
Four of the most accomplished women in STEM are about to be celebrated with the highest pop culture accolade in America: a Lego set in their honor.
Nancy Grace Roman, Margaret Hamilton, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison are the four NASA veterans featured in the special "Women of NASA" set, which will hit stores on Nov. 1. Included in the package are a Hubble Space Telescope, an Apollo Guidance Computer, and the Space Shuttle Challenger - all iconic images of the glory days of the historic NASA program. It's no surprise, then, that the set was the brainchild of the brilliant Maia Weinstock, deputy editor of MIT News, or that Lego hopes the set will not only serve as a way to laud the many, many accomplishments of women in the science and engineering fields but also encourage young women to consider careers in STEM in general. Weinstock originally submitted the concept to Lego's Ideas crowdsourcing platform, where the pitch quickly garnered widespread support among Lego's most diehard fans - and now, what was once a remarkably good idea is about to become reality.
"In all realms of science, engineering, and technology, pioneering women have historically been underappreciated for their often groundbreaking work. We have also seen that when girls and women are given more encouragement in the STEM fields, they become more likely to pursue careers in these areas," Weinstock said in a statement, adding, "With this project, I wanted to spotlight a fantastic group of women who have made seminal contributions to NASA history. My dream would be to know that the first human on Mars - or an engineer or computer scientist who helped her get there - played with the LEGO Women of NASA as a child and was inspired to pursue a STEM career as a result."
A few more images of the set are below, and be sure to pick one up for yourself in November - there's truly no better way to unwind than with the combination of female empowerment and a good ol' Lego set.
Nancy Grace Roman, one of the first female executives at NASA:
Margaret Hamilton, creator of some of the most vital software in the computer science field:
Mae Jemison and Sally Ride, legendary astronauts:
I Traded Up For the Apple TV 4K and Here's Why I'll Never Go Back
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Chelsea Hassler
I got my first Apple TV as a present; I was still working in television at the time, and my boss presented it to me as a (very, very generous) holiday gift. The supersleek, supermysterious object would quickly become something that I could not picture my life without. Not only did I use the second-generation device a lot for work, but it also meant that I no longer had to squint at my teeny-tiny laptop screen when I wanted to watch something on Netflix or Hulu, opening the floodgates of binge-watching that would remain constant for years to come. In the seven years that my Apple TV and I cohabitated together, I lived in three different boroughs of New York City, saw partners and friends come and go, and changed my career several times over. It was just in September of this year, 2017, that I tried its much, much younger sibling - the Apple TV 4K - and knew it was time to update my trusty partner in crime.
To be clear, I hadn't ever even considered upgrading my old device. It worked perfectly, so why would I bother? But when I unboxed the 4K and got it up and running, I realized the light years of tech I had been missing out on. Therefore my experience isn't one shaded by a side-by-side comparison, a judgment of what sets it above and beyond its competitors (or, for that matter, not). Instead, it's one of awe and wonder - and of falling back in love with TV all over again thanks to the help of a device that's roughly the size of a thick slice of bread.
Ahead, you'll find some of my favorite functions of the Apple TV 4K. And if you're in the market for a more thoughtful way to streamline all the many ways we get our entertainment these days and for things to be a little bit simpler in several of the most intuitive yet impossible ways, I promise you won't be disappointed by the Apple TV 4K.
Image Source: Apple
The TV App
I'd always been curious about that "TV" app that appeared on my iPhone at some point over the last year, and as soon as I got started with iOS 11 and my new Apple TV, everything sort of just fell into place. It's basically where you can find everything you're looking for, all in one easy-to-find place. Once you've signed in with iOS 11, it pulls together all of your apps (like Hulu, Showtime, and HBO) and you can also add in your cable subscription to gain access to all of the programming on apps like CBS, The CW, and more. And once you watch something - or leave off halfway through an episode - it puts it in there for easy access to pick up exactly where you left off on any other Apple device.
For me, the best thing about this is the fact that it eliminates having to search for the latest episodes and where you can stream them - it puts them right in front of your face where you quite literally can't miss it, and you can essentially just live in the "watch now" section of Apple TV if you want to. For full instructions on how to set this up and get going, head on over to Apple to read more and know that I am not exaggerating when I say that it has eliminated hours of searching from my life and I couldn't be more stoked about it.
Image Source: Apple
Siri
When I said that I wasn't looking to highlight specific features that are new only to this device, I was very much referring to Siri, who honestly blows my mind (even now!). A recent convert to voice control, it almost feels like Siri was made explicitly to make browsing more easy - and to make it so that when you lose the remote control, you've always got the ability to control your TV via your mouth. Siri can do lots of things, though, and isn't just limited to "pause" or "play."
You can ask Siri to find the most recent episode of a TV show or pick up where you left off on a movie. You can rewind a couple minutes or a couple seconds, or search through what's available in the massive libraries of the streaming giants for a specific moment in time that you just have to watch again. Say "What did they say?" and she'll skip back 15 seconds in time and throw some captions up on the screen for that scene. Ask her "Who stars in this?" and she'll give you an IMDB-style rundown on the bottom of your TV screen, no iPhone required! Oh, and if you're indecisive (like me), she can also tell you what to watch based on what Apple sees as trending at that moment in time.
Image Source: Apple
4K and HDR
I'd be lying if I said that I could tell the difference between 4K and regular TV before I got the Apple TV. But I had the pleasure of hooking my box up to a real, legit 4K TV and all I can say is: holy sh*t. It's like being in an adventure that requires no glasses or special devices to traverse, and the colors are mindblowingly vivid. I'm almost - almost! - tempted to upgrade my old TV, but as the saying goes, I'm probably better taking one step at a time. And it can cost you a bit more money (Netflix has a "premium" plan that features 4K movies in all their glory), so it may not be for everyone. But if you do have a 4K TV, do yourself a favor and get an Apple TV. I promise it won't disappoint you. Even the screensaver that comes up when you've been idle too long has been upgraded to a beautiful, crystal-clear set of images that will leave you transfixed as you listen to music or talk on the phone.
Image Source: Apple
And a Few More Things
Apple recently changed its movie rental period to a whopping 48 hours (!), which means that instead of only having a night to watch a movie, you can make a weekend out of it - and it makes the rental fee feel a lot better from where I stand. And when you don't feel like watching a movie, there's also a whole host of beautiful, addictive games that have been brought into the device, which means you can play the things you love most as well as a bunch of new TV-native apps via your tiny Apple remote (or, if you're fancy, via a control which you can purchase separately). I would be remiss if I didn't mention just how smoothly the interface works. No more loading screens and clunky click-throughs - everything about using the Apple TV feels crisper, snazzier, and, frankly, more enjoyable than ever before. And finally, one of the features I love the most: since the Apple ecosystem is so efficient, I don't have to get rid of my old Apple TV. Instead, I moved it into my bedroom, which means I can pick up exactly where I left off in the living room. It may be a whole lot more rickety, but it's the sign of true progress. Apple has clearly got one eye on making all of your devices, old and new, work together - and I couldn't be happier with the result so far.
Donald Trump Tweets He's "Like, Really Smart," and the Jokes Write Themselves
Someone should probably tell Donald Trump that smart people usually don't tweet about being "like, really smart" and "a very stable genius." But it's too late for that because the President already used his Twitter fingers to send out those exact sentiments on Saturday morning. His tweets seemed to be in response to the claims that a number of White House staffers questioned his mental stability.
The report comes from a scathing new book titled Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which was released this week by Michael Wolff, a media columnist who was "a fly on the wall" in the White House during the early days of Trump's presidency.
Trump's lawyer, Charles Harder, reportedly demanded the tell-all book, which reveals details about Trump's relationship with Melania and his poor eating habits, not be published by citing "defamation, libel, and actual malice," but Wolff went forward with the release anyway; he actually pushed the release date up a few days earlier so the public could read it sooner.
The bold move likely pissed Trump off even further, and it appears the President felt the need to remind us that he is a genius and "like, really smart." Needless to say, the internet had the best reaction to Trump's tweets, and we've rounded up the best of the bunch ahead.
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.
The Most Popular Google Searches of 2017
There's no mincing words: 2017 was one hell of a year. It's hard to fathom how it's even humanly possible that everything that happened this year occurred in just 12 calendar months, but from politics to entertainment to weather phenomena and global tragedy, it all happened, and we've all got lots of feelings about each and every event that affected our lives. What better way, then, to measure the year that was than by examining the words we searched for the most on the internet?
That's the thinking behind Google's annual Year in Search report, which examines all of the data gathered throughout the last 365 days and ties it all up together with a nice neat bow (and, naturally, a list of what we searched for most). It's here that you'll see why it is that 2017 was the year that we asked "how" far more than anything else - and see how it shaped the way that each and every event went down. Not sure what that means? Ahead, witness the top stories of the year in one hell of a year-in-review video - and be sure to scroll through to read some of the most riveting parts of this year's study on US searches in easy-to-digest list form.
The New Girl in Peaky Blinders Is Based on a Real-Life Feminist Hero
The fourth season of Peaky Blinders introduces us to a number of highly anticipated new characters. Oscar winner Adrien Brody has joined the cast, and Game of Thrones star Aidan Gillan will also make an appearance. On top of all that, the first episode introduces us to a third new face: Jessie Eden. What's most interesting about the introduction of this character is that she's actually based on a real person.
We first meet Jessie when she arrives at Tommy's factory to discuss the rights of female factory workers, but her name is actually first mentioned in season three, when the women of the Shelby family go to listen to her speak at Birmingham's Bull Ring. Eden is an outspoken trade union activist and a member of the British Communist party during the time Peaky Blinders is set. She fought tirelessly for equal pay and persuaded female workers at the Joseph Lucas motor components factory in Birmingham to join the 1926 general strike. She led thousands of female workers on further strikes in the '30s. Weaving her into the story of the Shelby family, who also have factories in Birmingham, makes complete sense.
Creator Steven Knight discovered Jessie while researching the series and decided she was the perfect addition to the show, telling The Guardian, "So much of history concentrates on the memoirs of some politician or other but then in the middle of all that gray there's a flash of color and that's Jessie – being female and working class there was very little prospect that she would become a household name but she did extraordinary things."
Since its inception, Peaky Blinders has always woven truth into its stories. Though the members of the Shelby family are fictional, the Peaky Blinders themselves are not, and there was indeed a gang of young men in the poor suburbs of Birmingham at the turn of the century who sported peaked caps (which may or may not have concealed razor blades, depending on who you believe). The show also used other real-life figures, like Winston Churchill, to keep the story moving.
As the lines between truth and fiction blur, let's just say this isn't the last we've seen of Jessie (played by Happy Valley star Charlie Murphy). Sparks will inevitably fly between her and Tommy as the series continues.
The Big Bang Theory Might Be Ending Soon, and Our Hearts Are Crushed to Pieces
The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular shows on CBS according to the ratings, but Johnny Galecki, who plays Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the hit series, just hinted that the show may be ending sooner than you think. While speaking with reporters at the Winter press tour of the Television Critics Association, Galecki addressed the series ending, saying, "The only manner in which the cast has discussed wrapping [the show] has been that we're all going to be very sad when that day comes."
If only he had stopped there, but he didn't. "I think at this point everyone's very comfortable with 12 seasons being a good time to go home and see our families," he continued. You hear that? That's the sound of hearts crushing everywhere. I mean, Jim Parsons character, Sheldon, is a national treasure, guys.
So, what does that mean for the show? As of now, the network has yet to announce any plans to officially end the series, so that's good news. Also, the show was renewed for two more seasons last year, which means we will definitely get a 12th season. Unfortunately, Galecki's comment won't help us sleep any easier knowing that there's a possibility that the cast might not want to return for future seasons.
For now, we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll be hearing "bazinga" for many more years to come.
Jordan Peele's Golden Globes Snub Isn't Surprising - It's Scary
Two of the most commercially and critically acclaimed films of 2017 were directed by a woman and an African-American man, but when nominations for the 2018 Golden Globe Awards were announced on Dec. 11, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and Get Out director Jordan Peele were both shut out of the best director category. Meanwhile, Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig was another woman who was passed over in the best director category, which left out female directors altogether.
Superhero-themed movies rarely secure nontechnical nominations and accolades during award season, so even though Jenkins shattered both studio expectations and the box office, it's often not a surprise when the films and filmmakers in the genre are overlooked. However, with Get Out, Jordan Peele's directorial debut that made more than $254 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget, the conversations and praise surrounding the instant classic should have made Peele a shoo-in for a best director nod. Instead, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Martin McDonagh, Christopher Nolan, and Guillermo del Toro, all talented and deserving in their own right, will face off for the honor when the Golden Globes air on Jan. 7 - without arguably the most ambitious director of the year in the running.
The first time I saw the trailer for Get Out pop into my Facebook feed in the Fall of 2016, I knew it would be special. The trailer was brief with just enough detail to convey the central storyline. Unusual things happen when Chris, an African-American man played by Daniel Kaluuya, meets the family of his girlfriend, Rose, played by Allison Williams. It looked nothing like the 1967 Sidney Poitier classic Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and every bit on par with the psychologically unsettling thrillers that have come to dominate over the last five years thanks to films like It Follows, Split, and The Gift.
Fast forward to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and I found myself among the lucky few who scored tickets to the festival's surprise midnight screening, where Peele, who conceived the idea for Get Out eight years before it was made, premiered the thriller and received a standing ovation before going into his first of what would soon be many conversations about the film.
Got a chance to see #GetOut. @JordanPeele is a genius. #Sundance
- Shontel Horne (@ShontelHorne) January 24, 2017
Non-Oscar Tweet: Jordan Peele's GET OUT is a near-masterpiece. A brilliant horror script (possible!) that blends shocks & laughs. #sundance
- Matt Patches (@misterpatches) January 24, 2017
What soon followed was an avalanche of fan theories, think pieces, social media memes, and discussions about everything from what genre Get Out fits in to the dangers of liberal elite racism and how the media and entertainment frames white womanhood. Allison Williams herself even spoke out on Late Night With Seth Meyers about how fans have felt the need to cast her character as a victim to justify her heinous actions. Peele's masterful storytelling, unique vision, and perfect timing made for a film that tapped into real issues in a way that was inclusive and reflective, a task that many celebrated filmmakers have yet to master.
Fans were furious when it was announced that Get Out would be eligible for best comedy or musical instead of best drama early in November, as many saw the decision as a slight to trivialize the very real issues that continue to plague men and women in the black community, with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization the heads the Golden Globes, leaning more into the comedic and satirical moments that establish the film's voice instead of honing in on the issues of racial stereotyping, unfair police practices, and the buying and selling of black bodies, a topic that is even more relevant now because of the plight in Libya, that define the film's message and tone.
Despite the backlash, Get Out secured a nomination in the category (Kaluuya also snagged a nod for best actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy) and has a real shot of winning, but by failing to acknowledge the genius and bravery of what Jordan Peele has done as a first-time director, the Golden Globes is sending a message that, while impressed with Peele's work and the cultural impact Get Out has had, they still have reservations about Peele's ability and effectiveness as a director. If directors aren't toying with genre conventions, exploiting our own deep-rooted thoughts and beliefs and using the lens to reflect society, all things that Peele has done, then are they truly exceptional?
Black filmmakers have also been historically underrepresented, as Spike Lee, Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay, and Barry Jenkins are the only black directors to be nominated by the Golden Globes. Accolades don't define success or impact and Peele's career is on the rise, but recognition remains a very real form of currency in Hollywood. Creatively and culturally, few directors have made a greater impact with their works this year as Peele has, and though his snub caught many by surprise, it's indicative of an industry that is still unsure of how to embrace work and creators that defy labels and genres. "You have to be twice as good to get half as much," is a common saying in the black community, and this oversight, in a time when diversity in storytelling is creatively daring and receiving universal praise, is a reminder that at times, being twice as good is still not enough.
Helen Mirren's New Horror Movie Is Based on a True Story, and the Trailer Is TERRIFYING
Usually Helen Mirren terrifies me with just how good of an actress she is, but in Winchester, it looks like she's just plain terrifying. The legendary actress stars in the upcoming horror film, which centers around a real-life haunted house outside of San Francisco, alongside Jason Clarke and Sarah Snook. Mirren plays eccentric firearm heiress Sarah Winchester, who not only believes she's being haunted by the souls of people murdered by Winchester rifles, but also ordered that the construction on her massive house never stop - builders were there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for decades.
Is it merely the physical manifestation of one woman's madness, or something more sinister? Doctor Eric Price (Clarke) decides to find out, whether the vengeful ghosts who might live there want him to or not. Check out the latest trailer for Winchester above, before it hits theaters on Feb. 2, 2018.
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In Case You're Wondering Whether the Big Death in Star Wars: The Last Jedi IS Actually a Death, Read This
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SOME VERY UPSETTING SPOILERS FOR STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, SO GET OUT OF HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!
When Star Wars: The Force Awakens picked off one of our favorite characters from the original trilogy - Han Solo - it made us brace for what might be waiting in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. On the one hand, we worried about Princess Leia's fate in the wake of Carrie Fisher's tragic 2016 death. But it wasn't her we needed to worry about: it was her brother, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
The first trailers for the movie started to make us worry that Luke - who only appears in one scene at the end of The Force Awakens - could also be meeting his demise in the latest Star Wars installment. The film's very title also seemed to contain an ominous warning. And upon seeing the movie, at the very end, we witness Luke Skywalker's death. Or do we?
After a rematch against his nephew, Kylo Ren, Luke bests the young villain and then shows that his physical form hadn't actually been there fighting; he was using the Force to appear before Kylo Ren. When he's done, we see Luke's physical form back on Ahch-To . . . just as he disintegrates. It seems that the amount of Force he needs to expend in the duel is too much for his body, and like Yoda before him, he fades into the Force.
As far as we know, yes, this is the end for Luke Skywalker - or, at least, for his physical being. Also like Yoda in his pivotal scene with Luke in The Last Jedi, and Obi-Wan Kenobi before that, Luke will be able to appear again postdeath because he's a Jedi. This leaves room for Hamill to return in the next installment and beyond - so, after all, despite Luke's protest (and the obvious existence of more Jedi in the galaxy), the Jedi will never truly end.
Bookmark This Guide to 2018's Biggest Award Shows
With the 75th Golden Globe Awards nominations and the 24th Screen Actors Guild nominations announced, award show season is officially upon us. When the new year begins, there's an award show (or two) almost every week from the beginning of January to the middle of March. To help you get ready for all the red carpet razzle dazzle, the large-scale musical numbers, and the inevitable live show flubs, here is a guide to the 2018 award show season.
Note: Not all of these are televised, but there is telecast information when an awards show has one. All times Eastern.
75th Golden Globe Awards - Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. on NBC
23rd Critics Choice Movie Awards - Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. on The CW
49th NAACP Image Awards - Jan. 15 at 9 p.m. on TV One 2018
29th Producers Guild of America Awards - Jan. 20
24th Screen Actors Guild Awards - Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. on TNT and TBS
60th Grammy Awards - Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. on CBS
70th Director Guild of America Awards - Feb. 3
22nd Satellite Awards - Feb. 10
70th Writers Guild of America Awards - Feb. 11 (there is no telecast, but video highlights can be found here.
71st British Academy Film Awards - Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. on BBC America
33rd Independent Spirit Awards - March 3 at 5 p.m. on IFC
38th Golden Raspberry Awards - March 3, live stream can be found here.
90th Academy Awards - March 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC
5th iHeartRadio Music Awards - March 11 at 8 p.m. on TBS, TNT and truTV
If you're wondering where the People's Choice Awards are, since they typically air in the beginning of January, the answer is they have moved. With E! picking up the award show from CBS, the new network has chosen to move the awards to November.
"By moving People's Choice Awards outside of the traditional award season, we establish a new window to celebrate the best in pop culture and will harness E!'s tremendous multi-platform reach to engage fans and drive momentum throughout the year," Jen Neal, executive vice president of marketing for E!, said in a statement.
So look for the 2018 People's Choice Awards on Nov. 11, 2018 on E!.
Does Rebecca Ferguson Really Sing in The Greatest Showman?
The year's most talked-about musical, The Greatest Showman, features a cast of known singing talents, from Hugh Jackman to Zendaya. But one role in particular delivered a challenge: that of Jenny Lind, aka The Swedish Songbird, a famous opera singer who captures the attention of American showman P.T. Barnum.
Lind is a real historical figure who did indeed work with the real-life Barnum in 1850. In the film, she's played by Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson, who is perhaps best known to English-speaking audiences for her roles in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and The Girl on the Train. But is that really the actress blasting out mind-blowing vocals in Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's gorgeous ballad "Never Enough"?
The answer is no. Ferguson does have a background in music, having attended Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm, which apparently puts a strong focus on choral music. But for the film, Jenny Lind's powerful vocals are provided by the singer Loren Allred.
Allred is best known for getting to the final of the third season of The Voice in the USA. She shared her excitement about being involved in the film on Twitter, saying she was "so elated to announce my involvement in this incredible film as the voice of Jenny Lind, played by the incomparable Rebecca Ferguson."
Here's a look at Loren in action as part of "Team Adam" back in 2012.
The Greatest Showman is in theaters now.
Mom's Message After Overhearing a Parent at Chick-Fil-A Talk About Her Boy With Disabilities
After a potentially painful and uncomfortable encounter, Leah Carroll has a message to the mom-of-three who was at Chick-fil-A with her three kids. Leah wants this fellow parent to know that she overheard the questions, saw the stares, and was blown away by her response.
"I sensed your panic when your 5-year-old son pointed at my son in his wheelchair and shouted, 'Mom look at THAT boy!'' Leah shared on Love What Matters Facebook page. "You leaned forward and quietly told him and his 3-year-old brother that we don't say things like that and they shouldn't point or stare."
Leah waited because she knew in most cases, telling a child not to stare or question her child's differences doesn't work because young, curious minds have questions that they want answered. "When you realized your whispers weren't working I saw the panic disappear and you took a deep breath and took a step of courage," she wrote. "You brought your boys over to Malachi and said 'I bet he would like to know your names!'"
Leah explained that as they said their names to Malachi, her child started grinning and chatting with the kids and that this interaction was more important than this amazing mom could've realized.
The joy on his face brought tears to my eyes- he loves kids his age but so many are fearful to come and speak to him. Your boys continued to ask questions about his foot braces, his wheelchair, why his legs don't work, why he holds his mouth open like that.
You took the time to educate your sons in that moment and help them understand that different is okay. Different is not something to fear. And that it was okay to ask questions! Thank you for giving my son a chance to meet your kids.
Thank you for being the type of mom who educates your children instead of frantically trying to silence them. Special needs moms have to develop tough skin - we get used to stares, comments, and whispers. Please know it takes a lot to offend us, particularly when the comments are coming from young children. Give your kids the same grace we give them and use the opportunity to teach them about differences.
So Chick-Fil-A mom, thank you for raising your children to embrace children like Malachi. And thank you for giving my son something to smile about."
40, Fabulous, and Fertile: 26 Celebrities Who've Given Birth After Turning 40
Whether it's a case of art imitating life or the other way around, the over-40 baby boom shows no signs of stopping. Check out which celeb mamas haven't let their biological clocks get in the way of important family business.
Mom's Viral Video Hilariously Explains the Difference Between a Man Cold and a Mom Cold
Have you ever thought to yourself, "Wow, I handle a cold so much better than my boyfriend/husband/male friend?" You're not alone, and one mom made a hilarious video explaining the difference between a "man cold" and a "mom cold" based on her experience. Meredith, the mom behind the blog That's Inappropriate, posted the video back in 2016, and it quickly went viral - it's at 1 million views and counting - thanks to its spot-on humor.
In the video, Meredith and her husband both have a cold, but the two handle the situation vastly differently. Her husband is lying around in bed while she's taking care of laundry and dishes, looking after the kids, and checking on her husband every few minutes to bring him things he wants (including chicken noodle soup that needs an ice cube). Meredith plays up the exaggeration often associated with a "man cold." "I know that you feel like you're going to die, but you're not going to die," she says while holding a tissue to help with her own runny nose. "I can't lay down and pat your back. I have things I have to do."
We're not saying this is how every guy acts when he has a cold, but we bet you'll relate at least a little bit after you watch it! Prepare to laugh and nod your head as you watch the all-too-familiar scenario above.
Why Snapchat Filters Are More Problematic Than Pretty
If I nailed a perfect cat eye, I couldn't resist photographing it for Instagram. The sun couldn't shine without me flipping on my front cam to test out the lighting, and I wouldn't dare take a bite of my Sunday brunch before documenting it first. To say I was an avid selfie taker was an understatement. But when I landed my first full-time job, my dedication to snapping these pictures diminished.
Waking up every morning for work with only a few minutes to get ready left no time to find my light and snap 50 photos from my best angle. Thus, my interest in Instagram and selfies began to dwindle. It was then that I decided to make a Snapchat account.
Joining Snapchat sparked my love for social media all over again. It was there I flaunted my most authentic self. I was comfortable recording my makeup-free trip to the grocery store or happy hour with my girls without the pressure for overly filtered faces or the fear of not getting any "likes." I posted what I wanted, not caring who was watching or what I looked like. The platform felt refreshingly real.
Not too long ago, Snapchat released a variety of facial-distorting filters that further solidified my love for the app. I would spend minutes hysterically cracking up at the sight of my face transformed into a frightening bunny - and don't even get me started on the sight of rainbow vomit when I opened my mouth. However, some filters were a little more troubling.
I have nothing against the use of Snapchat faces, but certain filters are more like instant retouchers instead of playful add-ons, becoming similar to the Facetune and Photoshop filters I personally despise. Makeup artists use apps like these to enhance their features in ways a standard camera probably wouldn't capture. However, they have gone from artistry-emphasizing tools to essentials for many everyday women, who blur out their faces until they no longer look real.
One filter in particular, which I refer to as the "catfish filter," instantly alters your entire face to create a more flawless version of you. At the press of a button, my rounded cheeks and nose are suddenly contoured and chiseled. Every pimple and imperfection vanishes - and I am no longer me. Instead, I'm transformed into a thinner, more refined version of myself . . . the more "socially desirable" me.
A variety of filters also exaggerate select facial features. Certain Snapchat enhancements can widen your nose, enlarge your lips, and even fabricate a double chin. As I hold my phone to my face, I wonder what someone who is actually self-conscious of his or her nose, lips, and weight feel seeing these features being altered.
Filters can be fun. But like any perfect photo on Instagram or on Snapchat, they are not reality. Celebrities and social media personalities like Lena Dunham and Kerry Washington have recently spoken out against retouching and photoshopping, and more women are making the choice to take a natural approach to beauty. But it seems like the more society vocalizes loving the skin you are in, the farther away from it we become. When I sign onto my social media profile, it's impossible to escape the overly contoured, "Botox Instagram faces" we are trying to move away from.
I always find myself thinking about the people using the catfish filter who would prefer to look like their retouched self. Or those who would think twice before showing off their filter-free face because it just doesn't look as good as it would enhanced. We all have insecurities, and many of us would change them if we could. But because we are constantly fed dosages of unrealistic perfection, our insecurities consume us. Instead of celebrating the traits that make us unique, we are constantly given new ways to hide them . . . and now one of those ways is through filters.
It is important to remember that while certain enhancements might give you a boost of confidence in a three-second story, you don't need them to be beautiful. Makeup and contouring are forms of artistry that can enhance what you naturally have and serve as a form of self-expression. Instagram, Snapchat, and their filters are another way to tell your story. But don't use them as a crutch that prevents you from being proud of what you see when the filters go off. Instead, celebrate who you are - made up or stripped down. You might be surprised at the way the "real" you will be received.
While I will find it hard to not excitedly transform my face into an alien-like creature or into an animated puppy at the press of a button, I will always remember my reason for joining Snapchat in the first place: to be the most raw, authentic (filter-free) version of me.
19 Things You Might Not Have Thought to Bring to the Hospital (but Should)
If you're expecting a child anytime soon, chances are you've got your bag packed with the essentials: toothbrush, pillow, loose clothing, outfit for baby to wear home, etc. However, the list need not to stop there - giving birth to a child is one of the most monumental moments in our lives, so feel free to bring what you need to make yourself comfortable during your hospital stay (as much as that is possible, at least). To get you started, here are a few of some lesser-thought-of items you might also want to think about stashing in your hospital bag so that you're ready for when those exciting first signs of labor start to come.
10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Partner
Parenting can be hard. Between sleep deprivation, temper tantrums, and strong-willed personalities, it's not always easy to know what to do. Our partners in this parenting journey deserve to be treated with respect and trust, even through fits of anger. There are a few things that under no uncertain circumstances should you say to your coparent, even if you really, REALLY want to. Your relationship, and your kids, will be better off if you avoid these 10 harsh phrases altogether.
14 Winter-Themed Kids' Movies For Snowy Days
Winter movies are often lumped in with Christmas movies, though ironically, Winter only starts a few days before the holidays. After stuffing your face with holiday desserts and finding new places for all of the gifts your kids received, spend the rest of their school break and the cold months to follow snuggled up on the couch watching snowy movies together.
Read through for our 14 favorite Winter movies for families.
What Happened When I Decided to Stop Planning
Calendar reminders, Outlook invitations, notes in my phone, early morning gym classes, work deadlines, work events, dinners with friends, date nights: these were a few of the things that made up my life as of about four months ago. If you're anything like me, this list probably sounds pretty familiar. You're constantly moving from one thing to the next barely stopping to process all that's going on. My weeks were scheduled to the minute - I rarely had an evening where I went straight home after work, and if someone wanted to make plans, the conversation usually went something like, "Great! How's two weeks from next Tuesday?"
Now, I'm not complaining. It was a blessed life, one I am so grateful for and worked hard to get. I had an amazing job as an editor for a fashion magazine in NYC, lived in a studio apartment on the Upper East Side, and had an awesome group of friends. It was everything my little 16-year-old self had only dreamed of. But for some reason, something felt like it was missing.
Let me take a step back and explain. Throughout my years working my way up the magazine ladder, I simultaneously learned more about my religion. I was raised secular, as a reform Jew in a suburban town in New Jersey, but throughout college and in the real world, I got connected to classes that taught me so much more about the magic of Judaism. We delved into classes on relationships, prayer, the power of the Jewish woman, and where it all stemmed from. Slowly, I began wanting more. I started observing Shabbat, began keeping kosher, and completely fell in love with the spirituality of it all. While doing so, I learned about different programs in Israel where I could live and learn for a period of time to go even deeper. But I never thought I would be able to do one. I've been planning out my life since college, going nonstop just to get to exactly where I was. I wanted it so badly. How could I give it all up?
Well, in reality, as much as I loved what I did, it wasn't what it used to be. People were getting laid off at the magazine right and left, I was going on one bad date after another, and when it came to the day-to-day, I started to feel a bit robotic, commuting nearly an hour each way with pushy New Yorkers, and found myself in a bit of a rut. I needed a change, and going to Israel seemed like the perfect (albeit most terrifying) one.
I'll never forget the day I went into my boss's office to tell her I was leaving. It was the most surreal experience of my life - quitting everything I've worked for? I don't think I've ever been more nervous. But when we talked it through, she was incredibly supportive and encouraged me to go for it, which gave me just the extra boost I needed. Three weeks later, I was on a plane, headed into the unknown to a school that's known for teaching women leadership skills, opening up space for introspection, and in my case, pushing me completely out of my comfort zone.
I went from living alone to sharing an apartment with seven other girls and from a full-size bed all to myself to the bottom bunk. I went from brushing elbows with celebs on the red carpet to sitting in a classroom for nine hours a day. And it was undoubtedly the best thing I've ever done. I had a roommate from South Africa and another from Amsterdam; I had teachers who challenged me to think outside the box, to figure out who I am and want to be, while at the same time really learning to trust myself. I became less attached to the crutch of NYC and learned how to live in a totally new, foreign city. I met the love of my life and got engaged. And it was all because I decided to throw out the rule book for a second and, as cliché as it sounds, just say "YOLO."
I'm not saying it was easy. It was the scariest thing I've ever done. I've been a type-A planner since I was born, always knowing exactly what's coming next. Yet going completely against my nature and just letting go, not knowing for once, ended up gifting me with the greatest things I've ever received.
I'm not saying everyone needs to make a drastic move in their life to get to the same place. But if you're itching for adventure, a break from the routine you've been living in for years, a new career, whatever it may be, I urge you to go for it. You may be completely terrified, you may stumble and meet obstacles along the way, but you have no idea how much you'll gain on the other side after you take the leap.
90 Dresses That Totally Nail Geek-Chic
Whatever the occasion, there's something spectacular about a gorgeous dress - especially when that dress totally reps your favorite fandom. Well, geeky girls, we've got a treat for you! From Harry Potter to Pokémon, here are 90 gorgeous garments that show off your nerdy side without skimping on style.
Jump to:
- Emoji and Gaming
- Comic Books
- Sci-Fi and Fantasy
- Doctor Who
- Harry Potter
- Cartoons
- Science and Nature
- Miscellaneously Geeky
Want more? Check out our list of the coolest geeky swimsuits!
I Traded Up For the Apple TV 4K and Here's Why I'll Never Go Back
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Chelsea Hassler
I got my first Apple TV as a present; I was still working in television at the time, and my boss presented it to me as a (very, very generous) holiday gift. The supersleek, supermysterious object would quickly become something that I could not picture my life without. Not only did I use the second-generation device a lot for work, but it also meant that I no longer had to squint at my teeny-tiny laptop screen when I wanted to watch something on Netflix or Hulu, opening the floodgates of binge-watching that would remain constant for years to come. In the seven years that my Apple TV and I cohabitated together, I lived in three different boroughs of New York City, saw partners and friends come and go, and changed my career several times over. It was just in September of this year, 2017, that I tried its much, much younger sibling - the Apple TV 4K - and knew it was time to update my trusty partner in crime.
To be clear, I hadn't ever even considered upgrading my old device. It worked perfectly, so why would I bother? But when I unboxed the 4K and got it up and running, I realized the light years of tech I had been missing out on. Therefore my experience isn't one shaded by a side-by-side comparison, a judgment of what sets it above and beyond its competitors (or, for that matter, not). Instead, it's one of awe and wonder - and of falling back in love with TV all over again thanks to the help of a device that's roughly the size of a thick slice of bread.
Ahead, you'll find some of my favorite functions of the Apple TV 4K. And if you're in the market for a more thoughtful way to streamline all the many ways we get our entertainment these days and for things to be a little bit simpler in several of the most intuitive yet impossible ways, I promise you won't be disappointed by the Apple TV 4K.
Image Source: Apple
The TV App
I'd always been curious about that "TV" app that appeared on my iPhone at some point over the last year, and as soon as I got started with iOS 11 and my new Apple TV, everything sort of just fell into place. It's basically where you can find everything you're looking for, all in one easy-to-find place. Once you've signed in with iOS 11, it pulls together all of your apps (like Hulu, Showtime, and HBO) and you can also add in your cable subscription to gain access to all of the programming on apps like CBS, The CW, and more. And once you watch something - or leave off halfway through an episode - it puts it in there for easy access to pick up exactly where you left off on any other Apple device.
For me, the best thing about this is the fact that it eliminates having to search for the latest episodes and where you can stream them - it puts them right in front of your face where you quite literally can't miss it, and you can essentially just live in the "watch now" section of Apple TV if you want to. For full instructions on how to set this up and get going, head on over to Apple to read more and know that I am not exaggerating when I say that it has eliminated hours of searching from my life and I couldn't be more stoked about it.
Image Source: Apple
Siri
When I said that I wasn't looking to highlight specific features that are new only to this device, I was very much referring to Siri, who honestly blows my mind (even now!). A recent convert to voice control, it almost feels like Siri was made explicitly to make browsing more easy - and to make it so that when you lose the remote control, you've always got the ability to control your TV via your mouth. Siri can do lots of things, though, and isn't just limited to "pause" or "play."
You can ask Siri to find the most recent episode of a TV show or pick up where you left off on a movie. You can rewind a couple minutes or a couple seconds, or search through what's available in the massive libraries of the streaming giants for a specific moment in time that you just have to watch again. Say "What did they say?" and she'll skip back 15 seconds in time and throw some captions up on the screen for that scene. Ask her "Who stars in this?" and she'll give you an IMDB-style rundown on the bottom of your TV screen, no iPhone required! Oh, and if you're indecisive (like me), she can also tell you what to watch based on what Apple sees as trending at that moment in time.
Image Source: Apple
4K and HDR
I'd be lying if I said that I could tell the difference between 4K and regular TV before I got the Apple TV. But I had the pleasure of hooking my box up to a real, legit 4K TV and all I can say is: holy sh*t. It's like being in an adventure that requires no glasses or special devices to traverse, and the colors are mindblowingly vivid. I'm almost - almost! - tempted to upgrade my old TV, but as the saying goes, I'm probably better taking one step at a time. And it can cost you a bit more money (Netflix has a "premium" plan that features 4K movies in all their glory), so it may not be for everyone. But if you do have a 4K TV, do yourself a favor and get an Apple TV. I promise it won't disappoint you. Even the screensaver that comes up when you've been idle too long has been upgraded to a beautiful, crystal-clear set of images that will leave you transfixed as you listen to music or talk on the phone.
Image Source: Apple
And a Few More Things
Apple recently changed its movie rental period to a whopping 48 hours (!), which means that instead of only having a night to watch a movie, you can make a weekend out of it - and it makes the rental fee feel a lot better from where I stand. And when you don't feel like watching a movie, there's also a whole host of beautiful, addictive games that have been brought into the device, which means you can play the things you love most as well as a bunch of new TV-native apps via your tiny Apple remote (or, if you're fancy, via a control which you can purchase separately). I would be remiss if I didn't mention just how smoothly the interface works. No more loading screens and clunky click-throughs - everything about using the Apple TV feels crisper, snazzier, and, frankly, more enjoyable than ever before. And finally, one of the features I love the most: since the Apple ecosystem is so efficient, I don't have to get rid of my old Apple TV. Instead, I moved it into my bedroom, which means I can pick up exactly where I left off in the living room. It may be a whole lot more rickety, but it's the sign of true progress. Apple has clearly got one eye on making all of your devices, old and new, work together - and I couldn't be happier with the result so far.
These Throwback Photos of HGTV Hosts Will Have You Saying, "OMG"
Sure, HGTV's most famous personalities are glamorous now - but was it always so? Thanks to social media, it's possible to know what the network's popular hosts looked like back in the day.
It turns out that when it comes to falling victim to '80s trends and '90s hairstyles, HGTV's stars are really just like us. Read on for a trip back in time with Fixer Upper's Joanna and Chip Gaines, the Property Brothers, and many more!
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.
You Won't Believe This Gorgeous House Is Only 362 Square Feet
"At under 400 square feet, our Craftsman cottage is indeed tiny, but in the five years we've been here, we've never needed more space," says Whitney Leigh Morris, small-space living aficionado, designer, and blogger behind The Tiny Canal Cottage. So what's her secret to making everything fit? "Nearly everything about the cottage - from the built-ins to the decor - was deliberately chosen to maximize the space. I selected furniture and accessories over time as we learned how to best navigate this particular layout with one another." Whitney recently refreshed her Venice Beach, CA, home for Spring, and the pictures were so stylish and full of small-space living inspiration that we had to share them with you. Take a look at Whitney's gorgeous digs and tiny-space living tips here, and then shop the look on Joss & Main.
The Perfect Las Vegas Activity For Every Personality Type
You're scheduling a trip with a group of friends to Las Vegas and no one can decide what to do. One person wants to party and the other is all about relaxing. Let us help you make the planning process a little easier by making sure every personality type in your group, from the thrill seeker to the Instagrammer, is feeling lucky.
The Royal Train Is Basically a Mobile Buckingham Palace
It's a miniature Buckingham Palace in motion, a sleek and streamlined royal residence of the railroads, and the queen's favorite way to travel: the royal train. It's a centuries-old institution which is still shuttling senior members of the royal family around today.
Queen Victoria was the first monarch to use it, although a lot of her frills and fancies have made way for a more functional and contemporary mode of transport - although still with some romantically retro touches. Peek inside the royal train ahead.
A Rarely Seen Look at How Princess Diana Decorated Her Private Palace Quarters
Diana was famous for her fashion choices, but her taste in home decor is a little less well-known. When she first moved into Apartments 8 and 9 at Kensington Palace as a new bride, she was just 20 years old and she had three floors of rooms to decorate in the style of her choosing. However, the revamp had to suit the 17th century building as well as blend with the priceless antiques and oil paintings already displayed in the rooms. Diana turned to her mother for help, and she recommended her interior designer, Dudley Poplak, who worked with Diana to create a suite of rooms that combined traditional royal gravitas with Diana's fresh, fun, and feminine style. Take an up close look ahead.
Muggles, Don't Even Think About Attempting This Harry Potter Bucket List
Muggles, don't even think about attempting this Harry Potter bucket list! It's only for folks who know their stuff about witchcraft and wizardry - aka extreme fans of J.K. Rowling's magical series. From collecting special items to learning one's own true wizarding colors, we've rounded up quite a few experiences that every Potter enthusiast should have in their lifetime. If there are items on this list that you haven't already accomplished, you won't need a Remembrall to remind you about them . . . you won't want to rest until they're completed!
4 Ways Decluttering Will Improve Your Health
Medical professionals and organizers alike believe that a cluttered home is not just an aesthetic problem - it can lead to very real health issues like insomnia, weight gain, anxiety, and depression. Done & Done NYC has worked with many clients who experience health symptoms related to a messy house and a messy mind. Based on our extensive experience, we have zeroed in on the biggest problem areas in your home, and can teach you how to clear harmful clutter.
1. Cluttered surfaces can create anxiety.
The Problem: Surfaces covered in papers, makeup, clothes, and dishes create a sense of visual chaos.
How it affects you health: You will almost certainly have trouble finding what you need, which can lead to the stressful experience of rushing out of the house every morning. Do you lose important things, like your car keys or work documents in your own home? Increased stress levels can raise your cortisol levels and increase your risk of cardiovascular issues and anxiety and insomnia. It will make you more distracted and less productive. It can also spread stress to your roommates, family members, and co-workers, which can lead to interpersonal conflicts.
The Solution: Schedule a weekend to declutter your home. Purge your closet, open the mail that's piling up, and buy some attractive bins to keep items by category like makeup, office supplies, and other items. Then, establish an ironclad daily routine. Kate's Pawlowski, cofounder of Done & Done NYC, suggests, "after having coffee, spend five minutes on each of the following tasks: clearing tables, loading the dishwasher, fold clothes, make your bed. This way, you will never have to return to a messy house after a long work day, and prevent a clutter relapse by letting things pile up."
2. Messy, unfinished projects can lead to depression.
The Problem: Your knitting is in a knotted pile on the floor of your bedroom. Or you started crafting, but halfway through had to leave to go out. That was six months ago and you still haven't picked it back up!
How it affects your health: The feeling of never finishing a project can reinforce negative beliefs about ourselves that affect our self-esteem. These hobbies are important to our creative lives and should be outlets for our creativity, not a drain on our energy.
The Solution: Create a dedicated workspace for your projects. If you don't have the space for a desk and storage, then organize each project into bins and stack them in a closet. The objective is to centralize your projects in one place so they don't spill all over your house. If you are in the middle of one right now, and don't have the time or willingness to finish: give yourself permission to throw it away, and start again another time. Remember: hobbies are supposed to be pleasurable and stress relieving!
3. A chaotic bedroom can prevent a good night's sleep.
The Problem: Your bedroom doubles as your living room and home office, and the floor is a stew of papers, clothes, and blankets.
How it affects your health: Even if you're not conscious of it, a cluttered bedroom can make you restless and keyed up before bed. Insomnia can reinforce anxiety and leave you lethargic all day long.
The Solution: If possible, take all nonsleep related things out of the bedroom. Your laptop should live in your office or in your living room, as should all work and creative things. Fold your clothes neatly in your closet to keep your floor clear. Kate even keeps her phone in her living room at all times, so she isn't tempted to scroll through her Instagram feed before bed. Make a rule about what goes in your bedroom and keep it totally analog: a good book, a cup of herbal tea, and a snuggly blanket (or snuggle buddy!).
4. Holding onto things you don't use can lead to weight gain.
The Problem: You feel so overwhelmed at home that your meals are a mad dash to the fridge. You have so much on your mind, carving out the time to go to the gym isn't an option. Sitting down to a peaceful meditation in the morning? Please.
How it affects your health: You may not think that clutter, meditation, and weight gain are related, but they definitely are. Peter Walsh, fellow professional organizer, argues that the stress of a cluttered home can elevate certain hormones that cause your body to hold onto excess weight. Not to mention that a calm mind is more in tune with the body, and is apt to choose healthier foods.
The Solution: Once you're finished with your living room and bedroom clear out, move onto your kitchen. Organize your refrigerator into sections. Proteins such as meat and tofu can go on one shelf, vegetables and fruits in the drawer, milk and yogurt on the shelf. Being able to see what's in your fridge will let you shop smarter when at the grocery store, so you always have what you need. Also, your newly organized home will give you the mental clarity to truly be able to ask yourself, "What do I want to eat?" Meals are no longer acts of hurried desperation, but thoughtful and mindful experiences.
Change doesn't happen overnight. Be kind to yourself during this process - you are trying your best! And so am I, imperfectly.
30 Unique Altar Alternatives For Outdoor Weddings
Outdoor weddings offer all sorts of possibilities for ceremony decor - especially when it comes to creative, unexpected altar alternatives. Whether you're into ornate, romantic archways or delicate DIY details, we've rounded up some of the most original backdrop ideas from across the web. Hoping to bring a bit of personality to your ceremony? Here are 30 must-see ideas to spark your inspiration.
- Additional reporting by Angela Elias
A Neuroscientist Says These 4 Things Will Make You Happier
There's a ton of "helpful" advice floating around the internet, but when the tips come from a neuroscientist, it might be time to actually listen up. Ladders, a job platform site, put together some insights from neuroscientist Alex Korb's book The Upward Spiral on how you can be happier - based on brain research.
1. Label your emotions.
If you're feeling a negative emotion like sadness or anger, label that emotion. It may seem simple, but your brain responds when you put your feelings into words. One fMRI study cited in the book noted that when a participant was shown images of people expressing emotions on their faces, their amygdala activated to the emotions they were seeing. When they were told to name the emotion, "the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activated and reduced the emotional amygdala reactivity." This essentially means that when participants consciously recognized the emotions they were seeing, it reduced the impact of those emotions in their brains.
Reddit user letstablethisfornow noted the effect labeling their emotions has had on their own happiness, calling it a "a game changer" for them.
"It's so simple and yet has such a profound effect that I'm amazed this isn't taught in schools. The effect is subtle since you are not actually removing the emotion, you just take one step away from it intellectually. You find that from experiencing long drawn-out swings in emotion you tend to have short peaks and valleys with a nice equilibrium most of the time.
You also realize that for the most part our day-to-day emotions are not really connected to anything specific. It could be caused by anything. That outburst at your wife, coworker, or boss could be the end result of waking up with a headache, indigestion, or forgetting you keys on your way to work. We tend to construct stories in our minds as to what our emotions mean after the fact when in reality we have no clue. When you label, you become more aware of your emotions, don't get carried away with them, and will be less likely to fall into this trap."
2. Ask yourself what you're grateful for.
In The Upwared Spiral, Korb says that the benefits of gratitude "start with the dopamine system, because feeling grateful activates the brain stem region that produces dopamine. Additionally, gratitude toward others increases activity in social dopamine circuits, which makes social interactions more enjoyable." Gratitude can also boost the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is what many antidepressants do. And as The Ladder points out, even if you don't have an answer to the question "what am I grateful for?", that's OK. "It's not finding gratitude that matters most; it's remembering to look in the first place," the book says. "Remembering to be grateful is a form of emotional intelligence." The studies showed that as emotional intelligence increases, the neurons in these areas become more efficient. So even if you have trouble finding something to be grateful for, merely asking yourself the question means you're on the right path to happiness.
"Address the possibility of a blind spot in your mind where you aren't able to instantly know what you take for granted. Spend time simply observing the things you don't have to overcome, all the conveniences and luxuries," says Reddit user Privatdozent. "This 'positive feedback loop' has to loop around many times to have a solid effect. The common criticism of this idea is that 'No one else's struggles diminish your own.' Well, yeah, they don't. But what if you take seriously much more of the struggles than the things deserving of your gratitude? Basically, try to give equal weight to the good things that happen as to the bad."
3. Be decisive!
There's nothing more anxiety-inducing than feeling like you've got unfinished business. Simply making a decision about something can reduce anxiety rather than allowing yourself to spend more time hesitating over all of the scenarios and outcomes that the decision will result in. "Making decisions includes creating intentions and setting goals - all three are part of the same neural circuitry and engage the prefrontal cortex in a positive way, reducing worry and anxiety," says Korb. Making decisions also allows people to feel more in control - feeling "out of control" can also cause feelings of worry. And when you do make a decision and the outcome of that decision happens to be a positive one, then even better!
"There's a book that's really helped me, called Getting Things Done," says Reddit user Kabitu. "It explains how indecision is a major source of mental stress. When you don't want to make a decision now, and leave the decision to be made later, that builds up a big cloud of annoying mental work you don't want to do, and it can sustain a subconscious reluctance to work."
4. Hug and touch loved ones and friends.
Social interactions have been proven to increase a person's feelings of acceptance and therefore happiness, but The Upward Spiral takes it a bit further. "One of the primary ways to release oxytocin is through touching," the book says. Oxytocin is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter to the brain. Psycholology Today says that it's known as the "love hormone" because it "regulates social interaction and sexual reproduction, playing a role in behaviors from maternal-infant bonding and milk release to empathy, generosity, and orgasm." So when people touch, hug, or kiss others, oxytocin levels actually increase. "Oxytocin is the hormone that underlies trust. It is also an antidote to depressive feelings," says the site. According to Korb, holding hands with someone during a painful experience can comfort you and your brain and help reduce the reaction to pain. So, more hugs!
See the Places Barack and Michelle Called Home Before the White House
Until very recently, Barack and Michelle Obama have proudly called 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue "home." For almost a decade, not only has this monumental White House served as their living quarters and "office space," but it has been where they have raised two cute little girls into poised and well-rounded young women. And while they already have their new home post-White House, we were curious to know where Barack and Michelle lived before they both became staples of American history. Read on for an inside look at their digs long before we referred to this power couple as president and first lady.
11 Things Introverts Know to Be True
I'm not in the habit of putting any one group of people into a box. No matter how any of us characterize our personalities - introvert, extrovert, ambivert, whatever - we're all unique and diverse and lovely in our own nonconforming ways, and I get that. I do. At the same time, there's a good chance you'll find me eating ice cream alone on the couch at 2 a.m. on Saturday mornings, screaming with laughter at trending memes and cartoons about introverts because they describe my awkward, introverted existence to a T, and man do I love the internet. That said, in my tireless research, I've discovered several (dare I say) ubiquitous truths introverts can relate to. If you identify as such, see the points below, crack a beer, and celebrate. It's a weird, wonderful life indeed.
1. Introverts are often alone and rarely lonely.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: introverts need alone time. We absolutely require a few hours or even days to ourselves if we're expected to operate like the rest of our functioning peers in society. It's how we recharge. So if you notice us with our earbuds in and heads down listening to music, reading a book, playing a game, or watching a YouTube video in our own little corners of the world, just nod and pass on by.
2. Introverts are total homebodies.
I have a strong attachment to my apartment, and I'll readily admit I rarely leave it on the weekends. I can curl up in bed and do my own thing on my phone or Kindle. I can sprawl out on the couch and peruse Netflix. I can chill out on the floor and complete a puzzle. Home is where the heart is, and it's the one place where introverts don't have to put on the "hi, how are you, please engage in conversation with me" happy face.
3. Introverts usually think before speaking.
Obviously, we're not perfect. Here and there, we'll blurt things out and we'll say things we don't mean, just like everyone else. For the most part, though, introverts think before speaking - especially when it comes to work-related functions, like meetings or happy hours. We may have much to say, but we pick and choose what we ACTUALLY say, because our ultimate humiliation is blabbing about something completely stupid and being rebuked for it. That happened to me once, when I was in eighth grade and made a dumb joke at a sizeable gathering, and no one but my best friend laughed (kind of funny in hindsight, but it was super embarrassing and slightly traumatizing at 13). Mark my words: I've been careful ever since.
4. Introverts overanalyze.
In the same vein, introverts tend to overthink. Sometimes we should be saying more than we are, but we overthink what we want to say, and by the time we decide to say it, the moment has passed and it'd be weird as hell to bring the topic back up. I find myself in this situation fairly frequently, though I think (hope?) I'm getting better about joining the discussion.
5. Introverts don't enjoy the spotlight.
I write about real weddings a lot. One thing that consistently stands out to me is how poised the bride and groom appear walking down the aisle, all beaming smiles and confident sashays. I try to picture this wallflower ambling to the same altar, every sharp pair of eyes on me, and I immediately break into a cold sweat in the underarm region. Obviously, introverts get married; I'm just naming an example of an anxiety-inducing, center-stage scenario. We're really not big on the spotlight.
6. Interacting can feel like hard work for introverts.
The key word, here, is "can." Interacting CAN feel like hard work, most especially if we've been thrown into a wild sea of strangers where uncomfortable small talk is deemed socially appropriate and/or necessary. Honestly? I find big parties to be more terrifying than any of the Paranormal Activity movies, because mingling with people I'm unfamiliar with is both nerve-racking and mentally exhaustive. Nine times out of 10, I'm passing on that invite.
7. Introverts are not antisocial.
Despite our general aversion to large group settings, the idea that introverts are 100 percent antisocial is a misconception. We're not some sort of human subspecies immune to the affection and interest of our fellow primates. We enjoy a nice one-on-one dinner date with someone we know well, a coffee run with a few friends, and even, occasionally, making an interesting connection with someone random ("Oh, you're best friends with your dog?! SO AM I!").
8. Introverts are fiercely loyal to loved ones.
Speaking of that interesting connection, introverts tend to stick like glue with a few good ones. This isn't to say we ONLY get on with other introverts - my boyfriend's about as extroverted as it gets - just that when we do achieve a real, meaningful relationship, we don't take it for granted. We keep very small, very special social circles.
9. Introverts love the small stuff.
A hike in the forest during the Fall has been known to bring me to tears once or twice. I freak out when an animal willingly crawls into my lap for a scratch behind the ears. A great story will find a permanent home in my heart. We introverts derive inspiration from the little things, which maybe aren't little at all, if you think about it.
10. Introverts embrace every emotion.
We're in touch with our emotions, plain and simple. Alone time allows us to thoughtfully ruminate in our complexities. We feel all the feelings, and we're not afraid to face them, question them, analyze them, sort them, and even write them down, if we're so inclined. (In fact, it may be argued that we communicate best on paper.)
11. Introverts take on new challenges.
Despite what you've probably heard, introverts don't live timidly. It's true that we have a natural tendency to remain within our comfort zones. It's true that we shy away from attention, spend a lot of time at home, and feel some level of discomfort around strangers. However, it's also true that we explore new things, push the limits, make the effort, and strive for success. As introverts, we may have our own set of challenges, but we rise to the occasion, day in and day out.
The Most Popular Google Searches of 2017
There's no mincing words: 2017 was one hell of a year. It's hard to fathom how it's even humanly possible that everything that happened this year occurred in just 12 calendar months, but from politics to entertainment to weather phenomena and global tragedy, it all happened, and we've all got lots of feelings about each and every event that affected our lives. What better way, then, to measure the year that was than by examining the words we searched for the most on the internet?
That's the thinking behind Google's annual Year in Search report, which examines all of the data gathered throughout the last 365 days and ties it all up together with a nice neat bow (and, naturally, a list of what we searched for most). It's here that you'll see why it is that 2017 was the year that we asked "how" far more than anything else - and see how it shaped the way that each and every event went down. Not sure what that means? Ahead, witness the top stories of the year in one hell of a year-in-review video - and be sure to scroll through to read some of the most riveting parts of this year's study on US searches in easy-to-digest list form.
Queen Letizia Isn't Afraid to Wear a Good Outfit More Than Once - or Twice
When it comes to fashion, no one can call Queen Letizia of Spain wasteful. The royal wears and rewears the same pieces with total confidence - sometimes in the same month - getting photographed at official events and meetings with dignitaries in recycled outfits like it's no big deal.
Whether it's a classic white dress with black leather trimming, a trendy statement jacket, or even a white shirt and A-line skirt combo, the queen knows what styles work for her, reaching for the same outfit from head to toe often. We don't blame her! The classic items in her closet could really carry her through her entire reign. Keep scrolling to see just 33 of the many outfits the queen has grown fond of, then check out her style evolution through the years.
26 Hilarious Memes Every Avocado Lover Will Understand
A true avocado fan knows the struggles of being a true avocado fan - the amount of time spent choosing the perfect avo at the store, the financial expense of needing to eat the fruit every day, the phrase "guacamole costs extra" - and is also not one little bit shy about sharing the pain on social media. If this sounds like you, scroll ahead, because we've rounded up the best avocado memes and puns on the Internet in one place. We apologize to your friends (who will surely be getting all of these via text) in advance.
The Best Effing Chicken Recipes You'll Ever Eat
Sure, chicken is probably already your go-to protein - it makes for great and easy yet satisfying packed-up lunches and dinners. But it's easy to fall into a rut and feel like you need to kick it up a notch as far as unique flavors go. We get it, and that's why we put together this list of 25 chicken recipes with lots of Latin flavor and spices that will keep you coming back for more.
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