Month: August 2023

I remember sitting in advanced algebra and trigonometry class in high school wondering if I was really ever going to use any of what I was learning. Math at that level meant nothing to me in a practical sense. I planned to study English and education to become an English teacher, so I couldn’t imagine why I’d need to learn the ins and outs of trig.

As it turned out, some of what I learned came in handy in the functions class I was required to take to fulfill my math requirement in college. But again, I found myself sitting in class with zero idea of why I was learning this level of math and suspecting that I was never going to actually use that knowledge in my adult life.

Now I’m a middle-aged adult and I can say with absolute certainty that I was right. In 27 years, I have not used anything I learned in functions. Not once. Not even a little bit. I agonized my way through that class to eek out a B-minus and to promptly forget everything I’d learned because it was utterly useless to me.

To be clear, higher math isn’t useless—it’s amazing. It was just completely useless to me.

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You know what would have been useful? Learning about financing a car or a mortgage or understanding how and why and where to invest money. In all that time I was doing trigonometric proofs and calculating polynomial functions, I could have been learning all the various real-life math-related decisions I’d have to make as an adult.

I see the same thing happening with my kids in high school and college. It totally makes sense for students who are interested in going into math and science fields to take math beyond basic algebra and geometry. But for those who aren’t—why? There are so many more valuable things for them to take the time to learn—things that every single person really needs a basic knowledge of, such as:

Basic Psychology/Mental Health Maintenance

Every one of us has a brain and mental health is an issue for a huge percentage of people. Even those of us who don’t struggle with mental illness benefit from learning about how our minds work, gaining strategies for managing our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and understanding why people do the things they do.

How many people would have been saved by learning how to spot a narcissist before getting into a relationship with one? How many people could mitigate an anxiety spiral right when it starts because they learned to recognize the signs earlier? How many people would appreciate the support and understanding of everyone having a basic understanding of their mental health disorders?

Basic Sociology/Human Behavior

Similarly, every one of us lives in a society. Understanding social connections, relationships and group behavior might kind of come in handy. If we don’t understand the causes and consequences of human behavior, we’re going to be confused by society at best and allow or enable atrocities to occur at worst.

From learning how cults and conspiracy theories work to recognizing how our prejudices can blind us to reality, sociology has useful knowledge we all need to internalize.

Media Literacy

If we’re going to be bombarded with media 24/7, we’d better know how to process it. Understanding how journalism works, what makes a source credible, how information can be skewed and how to recognize misinformation and disinformation is vital. What is bias and how can it be mitigated? How can we recognize when an outlet values accuracy?

So many of the problems the U.S. is facing currently are due to people watching or listening to dubious news sources. Mandatory media literacy courses would (hopefully) go a long way toward changing that.

The Stock Market and Other Investments

I underestimated how much I’d need to know about the stock market when I was younger. None of that economic stuff interested me, but I wish I understood it better now.

But really, it’s investing in general that we need to understand more about when we’re younger, especially since starting young is the No. 1 best advice any financial advisor will give you.

How Banking, Credit and Credit Cards Work

Every single one of us uses a bank or credit union and credit is a huge part of adult life. And yet most people I know have had to piece together how credit and credit cards actually work through advice from friends and family and good old trial and error, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Taxes

Good gracious, right? Not just how to do taxes, but what taxes get used for.

Financial literacy is what I’m saying. We need mandatory financial literacy classes. (Florida has actually just become the first state to require personal finance education to graduate, so yay Florida.) I think I was required to take economics in high school, but it was much more high-level economic theory than personal finance. We need personal finance first, then the bigger picture.

First Aid/Safety/Self-Defense

Most of us probably got some first aid and/or CPR training in health class, but how comprehensive was it? Did it include infant CPR? Do we know how to recognize if someone is having a stroke? Signs of infection?

What about basic everyday safety, like why you shouldn’t leave a car running in a garage or common household fire dangers or how to spot asbestos?

Self-defense seems like a no-brainer. Basically, a “How to Stay Alive and Keep Others Alive” course that includes most everything you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones on a daily basis.

Navigating our Healthcare and Health Insurance System

Ugh. I’ve been an adult for almost three decades and everything about our healthcare system confuses and frustrates me. Maybe if we required schools to teach young people how it works, it would shine a big spotlight on how ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated it is because no one could possibly explain it in a way that’s understandable. Maybe that would push lawmakers to actually do something about it, because honestly, it’s just a gigantic mess.

There are surely others, but those are the major subjects that come to mind as vital after being an adult for a long while and seeing what my own kids need to have a decent grasp on as they make their way into the world. And honestly, there are some classes that adults should be required to take well into adulthood. Parenting classes, for example. Or local government and voting.

All subjects and courses have value to some people, but if we want students to be prepared for adulthood, we should make sure they are given the vital knowledge and skills every person actually needs and will use.

This article originally appeared on 03.25.22

In a move that nobody could have seen coming, Zack Snyder is already promoting a director’s cut for Rebel Moon, a film that hasn’t even started streaming on Netflix yet. The sci-fi epic, which originally started as a Star Wars pitch, has been split into two movies thanks to Snyder’s notorious penchant for making massive films. We’re talking about a guy who infamously delivered a four-hour “Snyder Cut” for Justice League.

That said, the first installment of Rebel Moon — now titled Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire — was made for Netflix who gave Snyder full creative freedom to deliver his sci-fi epic. The only one who could’ve held back Zack Snyder’s vision is Zack Snyder, but apparently, that still left him itching to cram an extra hour of footage into a film without a revealed runtime yet. Considering Rebel Moon ballooned into two movies, we’re guessing it’s long.

Via Tudum:

I think it’s a legitimate extended universe version. You really get to see a lot. It’s just more painted-in all the way. The director’s [cut] is a settle-in deep dive, which I have notoriously done throughout my career. I don’t know how I got into this director’s cut thing, but what I will say about it is that, for me, the director’s cuts have always been something I had to fight for in the past and nobody wanted it. It was this bastard child that I was always trying to put together because they felt like there was a deeper version.

According to the director, he purposefully shot footage just for the extended cut because, well, that’s how Zack Snyder rolls.

“We shot scenes just for the director’s cut,” Snyder said. “So in that way, it’s really a revelation because it gives that second kick at the can for big fans, like a real discovery that they would not [otherwise] get. I’m really excited about it!”

Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire premieres December 22 on Netflix.

(Via Tudum)

Summer may (technically) be coming to a close, but you can still suck a whole lot more marrow out of the season. While this summer certainly didn’t disappoint when it comes to the endless music festivals, National Park adventures, and exploring new American cities… have you gotten wet yet? Running barefoot along a muddy path on the way to a swimming hole is one of the most iconic summer activities on earth. And definitely one of the most fun.

With that said, there are so many swimming holes scattered across our vast country that it’s hard to be authoritative when covering them. Still, we keep right on trying — because that’s a whole lot cooler than throwing our hands up in despair. This time around, we asked the Uproxx team and some of our fellow travel writers where their favorite natural swim settings are across the country — so you can savor the last weeks of summer in style.

Oh, and don’t forget to bring one of these milkshakes along with you for the ultimate summer double up!

STEVE BRAMUCCI (@steve_bramucci): DEEP CREEK HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

The WGA/ SAG-AFTRA strikes, the psychedelic boom, and Instagram’s affection for hot springs have put this lesser-known spot on the freaking map this summer. It’s the LA cool kids hang out and if Lisa Rosen doesn’t post about it by October, I’ll be shocked. With that said, this spot is worth the hype. In part, because it’s on the Pacific Crest Trail, so there’s a steady rotation of interesting folks, and in part because it’s beautiful, and in part because it’s accessed via a private campground (Bowen Ranch) that is folksy and scruffy and where the staff looks the other way when people get loud or run around naked or take mushrooms or whatever (seriously, this place is 97% people on mushrooms at all times).

Plus, unlike California’s parks — which seem to fill up decades in advance — this campground is literally never full. They pride themselves on not turning people away. So you can be a half-assed planner (like me!) and still get a spot.

As for the swimming hole itself: It’s an oasis. Multiple hot springs. A river swirling with deep, cold water. Plenty of shade. It’s pretty magical to find that combination in Southern California. To find it at a spot where camping is affordable and easy is beyond amazing. To find those qualities ensconced in this level of beauty? Well, that’s a discovery for the ages.

— Steve Bramucci

CLAIRE RAMSDELL (@thedetoureffect): COLCHUCK LAKE, WASHINGTON

Washington is known for its beautiful alpine lakes, so you’ll join many other swimmers by following popular day hiking trails to Lake Colchuck, Blue Lake, or Lake Serene. Those looking for more solitude should consider visiting Stehekin, Washington, a small village on Lake Chelan in North Cascades National Park that is only accessible by hiking or taking a ferry. While this is a resupply spot for thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, it’s managed to remain pristine and largely undeveloped since it’s not accessible by car.

While visiting, you might find yourself the only swimmer taking a dip in Lake Chelan while others hike or relax by the lodge. From the main lodge area, you can walk right off the boat dock and swim into a picturesque mountain scene.

MELANIE GORDON(@livinginflowco): STRAWBERRY PARK HOT SPRINGS, COLORADO

Tucked away in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado you’ll find one of my favorite natural swimming holes in the country, Strawberry Park Hot Springs. This forest-bathed therapeutic oasis is just 15 minutes from downtown Steamboat and offers camping, massage, and a clothing-optional after-hours vibe.

Hot, mineral-rich spring water mixes with the crisp Elk River and flows into the naturally occurring stone pools below. Since the water cools as it cascades down, you get to select your ideal temperature. The hottest pool at the top is perfect for your post-ski decompression, at over 103℉. The lowest pool provides a cold immersion experience.

A visit to Strawberry Park Hot Springs in the winter is like being inside a snow globe. And in the autumn, an enchanted forest sanctuary. Though the scent of summertime blooms at Strawberry Park is hard to beat… I guess the best time to visit this geothermic natural wonder is year-round!

EMILY HART (@emilyventures): JACKSON LAKE, GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

Over the past several years, I’ve spent all my summers traveling around the United States to National Parks. I love to hike, of course, but what I really love is finding a beautiful body of water to jump in afterward. There is nothing as joyful, to me, as jumping in a frigid lake with mountains surrounding me. And after visiting 59 of the 63 major US National Parks, I’ve found more than my fair share of swimming holes. Still, one always stands out among them: Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park.

Right off Colter Bay Campground – my favorite campground in the park – is the expansive Jackson Lake, marina, and swim beach. Despite its tendency to become slightly more crowded than other slightly more hidden bodies of water in the park, the accessibility is part of the fun for me. The water is generally frigid, to be sure, but there’s just nothing like that backdrop.

Pro-tip: walk to the Colter Bay General Store and grab a box of wine and snacks to bring to the rocky coastline.

MIKALA LUGEN (@mikalalugen): NELSON LEDGES QUARRY PARK, GARRETTSVILLE, OHIO

I studied public relations and journalism at Kent State University and this magical place was a short 30 minutes away. Nelson Ledges Quarry Park started as a local gem but has quickly gained national recognition due to its hosted music festivals throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The location is built up by beautiful quartz and sandstone cliffs surrounded by a wooded forest. In the ’40s and ’50s, Nelson Ledges was an operating rock quarry. After digging a little too deep, the machinery hit one of the many springs and a 30-acre quarry filled within days, leaving peninsulas, rock shelves, and an island.

Since then, it’s become one of the best places to camp and swim in Ohio. What can be better than a beach in the middle of the woods? You can camp out here in the shaded woods with plenty of trees to hang and lounge in a hammock under the summer sun. Many weekends in the summer are reserved for music festivals but there are plenty of days during the week and on off weekends to come here with friends to cliff jump, lounge on floaties, and sun tan. There are also plenty of hiking trails throughout the park so once you’re done swimming you can go out and explore the beauty of Ohio’s beech-maple forest.

ZACH JOHNSTON (@ztpwhiskey): RED RIVER GORGE, KENTUCKY

After living in Kentucky for a year, there’s one place that every local insists you have to go — Red River Gorge. The hikes! The caves! The pizza! The waterfalls! That last element makes for a good place to both get your IG on but also cool down during the incredibly hot and humid summers here in Kentucky.

Kentucky is full of amazing outdoor adventures. It’s home to the largest known cave system in the world, which is centered around one of the best free National Parks in the country. There’s also just a shitton of wild forests, lakes, rivers, and swimming holes all over the state. What sets Red River Gorge apart is access. The canyon lands run through the Daniel Boone National Forest, which means that you can go pretty easily without too much planning ahead. There are tons of campgrounds, cabins, and hotels around to lay your head.

Moreover, the food is on point. Miguel’s Pizza is the center of the universe if you’re in the know.

Then there are places to dip into cool water pools along rivers, under cliffs, and below waterfalls all over. Trust me, when it’s 90 degrees with 60% humidity, a dip in a cool pool under a cliffside waterfall is the perfect way to cool down on a hike or after rock climbing. Make your way to Friday Falls (pictured above) for the most idyllic version of this summer fantasy.

VERA HOLROYD (@passportsandspice): Hanakāpīʻai Falls, Kauai

I just returned from Hawaii and must say that the natural pool created by the Hanakāpīʻai Falls on the island of Kauai is one of the coolest swimming holes I have ever swam in. There are several reasons. It is at the bottom of a spectacular 300-foot-tall waterfall which leaves one speechless once you finally reach it. I write “finally” because it requires an approximate four-hour hike from Ke’e Beach in Hā’ena State Park (which is also the beginning of the famous Kalalau trail). The hike is not easy: lots of ups and downs over rocks, roots, stairs, hot sun with heat and humidity, or pouring rain with water gushing on the trail from everywhere and thick sticky mud. Add several creek crossings (water level depending on the weather) over giant slippery boulders and you have quite the adventure.

One has to earn a chance to visit these falls and the exclusive swimming spot, but it is definitely worth it: crystal clear, deliciously refreshing water (so welcome after a strenuous hike) and relative seclusion (especially if you come early in the morning). Pro Tip: Don’t forget to pack a swimsuit and keep in mind that it takes another four hours to get back to where you started the hike.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is a hip-hop mogul, an icon of music and business whose impact on the genre and pop culture at large can never be overstated. But, somehow, his social media posts tend to overshadow all that, especially when he tries to flex on us and instead winds up making himself the butt of jokes he may or may not be in on.

This time, he’s got fans wondering whether he knows what “athlete’s foot” actually is after sharing a video on Instagram bragging about having the fungus after going hard in the gym. “It’s a proud day today,” he says in the video. “I been on my three-a-day workouts and I got athlete’s foot. If you ain’t go athlete’s foot, you ain’t locked in. Look at that pretty foot. You see that? Yeah. I’ma take care of it though don’t nobody get nervous. Yeah, it’s okay. Just a little itchy, burn burn.”

Of course, athlete’s foot, known medically as tinea pedis, is actually a skin infection caused by a number of different funguses. It’s not actually related to working out, but it can most often be picked up places like locker rooms (such as at your local gym), hence the nickname. It could also be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight, not changing your socks, or even letting your toenails grow too long.

This isn’t the first time one of Diddy’s Instagram videos backfired on him. In 2021, while recounting a story meant to highlight how far he’s come, he wound up drawing skepticism from fans instead.

While meeting with the media on Wednesday afternoon, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed a clip from ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark. While discussing the Dolphins’ most recent preseason game, Clark brought up Tagovailoa’s build, which the former No. 5 overall pick did not appreciate.

“He probably knows more about me than I know about myself, I don’t know, Ryan’s been out of the league for some time,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s a little weird when other people are talking about other people when they’re not that person. Just a little weird.

“My background is, I come from a Samoan family. Respect is everything, but it does get to a point where, hey, you know, little easy on that buddy. I think we’re pretty tough-minded people, and if we need to get scrappy, we can get scrappy, too. Just saying.”

This comes in response to comments Clark made on ESPN one day prior, when the NFL analyst said that Tagovailoa “wasn’t in the gym” during the offseason.

“He might’ve spent a lot of time at the tattoo parlor, he was not at the dinner table eating what the nutritionist had advised,” Clark said. “He looks happy, he is thick. He’s built like a girl who works at Onyx in Atlanta right now on the bottom.”

While Clark went on to say that Tagovailoa looked great during the Dolphins’ preseason game against the Houston Texans, his comments about Tagovailoa’s build caught much more attention. And when Clark addressed them on Twitter, he made it a point to say that while he was joking around, “if asked why I said it by Tua I would tell him.”

As Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN noted, Tagovailoa spent the offseason bulking up in an effort to prepare his body for playing an entire NFL season.

Bigger does not always equal better when it comes to movie star performances. Sometimes you get Nicolas Cage transcending to a higher plane of bugged-out existence in Face/Off, other times you’re left with whatever the hell Jared Leto was doing in House of Gucci. Using this metric, Al Pacino’s performance in Heat is more Cage than Leto, and it’s one of the reasons why the 1995 film is a masterpiece. But Pacino almost went even bigger.

Heat director Michael Mann told Variety that he shot a scene of Pacino snorting coke off a dagger, but it was cut for sending “too strong a message.” Too powerful, even.

“Al’s best takes are always five, six or seven,” Mann said. “It’s never the first two. He’s experimenting around, and then after five, six or seven, maybe it’s a small change. After that, he would deliver a take that was fantastic.” He also told an amusing story about the famous “great ass” scene.

Once they had a good take in the can, he’d ask Mann if he could do “a wild one.” Mann always said yes. Sometimes it was brilliant, sometimes it was terrible. Often it was hilarious. Alas, this was Azaria’s first day on set. “I neglected to tell him that we had a habit of doing this,” says Mann. “Al just flipped this guy up and down and cut loose, and that look of shock and amazement on Azaria’s face is because we’re going completely off the script into something totally wild.”

Maybe the cocaine dagger scene can be resurrected for Heat 2.

(Via Variety)

Some of the best parts of HBO’s Hard Knocks come when the series dives into the lesser known players and rookies trying to make the team and introduce you to the people behind the pads and helmets.

On this week’s Hard Knocks, Jerome Kapp, an undrafted wide receiver out of Kutztown University, got some shine as he stole the show in the team’s rookie talent show. Rookie talent shows are often gold mines for Hard Knocks, as rookies are often tasked with doing impressions of coaches or star teammates, sometimes to hilarious results — Tim Johnson’s portrayal of Shannon Sharpe during the Ravens’ 2001 camp remains one of the great moments the show has ever had. Kapp was not tasked with imitating one of his coaches or teammates, but instead delivered a rendition of B-Rabbit’s freestyle from 8 Mile to the delight of the Jets team room.

I don’t think Kapp has a future in the music industry, as he struggled a bit to stay on the Shook Ones beat, but he went all out for it, knowing fully well this was likely to end up on national television. His teammates certainly appreciated the effort and earning a little more respect in the locker room for being willing to risk making a fool of yourself is always the goal of the rookie talent show.

A story out of Moorehead, Minnesota, originally reported by WDAY in Fargo, North Dakota, is remarkable because it combines incredible fortune and commendable generosity. When these things come together, we must share them with everyone on Upworthy.

Connor Halsa, 14, was fishing with his family on Lake of the Woods, a large body of water between Minnesota and Canada with over 14,000 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline. It’s known as a fisherman’s paradise and the Walleye Capital of the World.

Connor felt a tug on the end of his fishing line and thought he caught a fish. “I thought I had a huge fish, so I set the hook really hard,” Connor told WDAY reporter Kevin Wallevand. But when his cousin grabbed what he had caught off the hook and netted it, they realized that it wasn’t a fish but a billfold.

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“My cousin opened the wallet up, and he said some words you probably shouldn’t say, and he showed everyone, and we took the money out and let it dry out,” Connor said. When they counted up the cash in the wallet, it amounted to $2,000.

There was no question to the Halsas that they would do the right thing with the money. “My dad said we should give it to the person, and I said we should, too,” Connor said.

It’s impossible to calculate the odds of Connor dredging up the wallet from the bottom of the lake. Lake of the Woods is 70 miles long and 70 miles wide, and he just happened to nab the billfold and reel it into the boat.

They found a business card inside the wallet that helped them track down its owner, Iowa farmer Jim Denney. He says that he lost the wallet while fishing about a year ago. Denney drove up from his farm in Red River Valley, Iowa, to Moorehead, Minnesota, to retrieve his wallet, and when he arrived, he offered Connor a reward. But the teenager refused to take any money. However, he did accept a gift from Denney—a personalized cooler. The farmer also took the Halsa family to dinner.

— (@)

Denney was also blown away by the chances of his wallet being found. He believes the wallet slipped out of his back pocket while fishing. “The odds of ever, ever finding a billfold in there, of hooking a billfold in 20 foot of water, I don’t think there would be a number,” he told WDAY.

It’s also incredible that the wallet and its contents were still relatively intact after all that time in the lake. Winters in that part of the world are harsh.

“To meet people like that, who are that honest, I tried to get them to take the money, and they wouldn’t do it,” Denney said of the Halsa family. “I would take Connor as a grandson any day, and I would fight for him any day,” he added.

For Connor, it was all about doing what was right.

“Be nice to everyone and give back. We didn’t work hard for the money, he did. It was his money,” he said.

Having to “walk on eggshells” is an uncomfortable situation for anyone. But when children are forced to do it around the very people meant to keep them safe, it’s downright painful. And the damage caused can be long-lasting.

In a viral TikTok post, psychologist Dr. Kim Sage breaks down this unhealthy parenting style and what exactly constitutes an “eggshell parent.”

With eggshell parents, Dr. Sage explains, the parent’s mood is always “unstable” and “like being on a rollercoaster.”

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An emotional outburst could include name calling, verbal berating, gaslighting, accusations, threats, intimidation, shame, mocking, invalidation, yelling, even destroying possessions…while other times the mom or dad might be very supportive and loving.

Never knowing what to expect, kids of eggshell parents then have to become “hypervigilant” to prepare for whatever comes next.

@drkimsage Eggshell parenting and emotionally unpredictable, unsafe parenting often creates a lifetime of hypervigilance in us —and a deep belief that there’s no such thing as real safety in relationships.💔#eggshellparent #toxicparent #walkingoneggshells #emotionallyimmatureparents #narcissisticparent #drkimsage ♬ original sound – Dr. Kim🦋Psychologist

Oftentimes, Dr. Sage notes, this kind of dynamic leads to parentification and/or enmeshment, leaving the child not only without emotional boundaries of their own but also in a position of regulating the parent’s emotions and possibly even taking care of the household while doing so.

The biggest problem with eggshell parenting is that it eviscerates trust.

“No matter how much ‘good love’ you give as a parent…if tomorrow that love is unsafe, if it’s hurtful, if it’s conditional…the good love doesn’t really mean the same thing,” Dr. Sage says in a follow-up video.

How does this dynamic carry over into a kid’s adulthood? It shows up as social anxiety, an inherent lack of trust in others and a tendency to isolate.

In other words: “What you start to believe is that if your own mother or father or caregiver is not generally consistently safe, then no one is safe.”

@drkimsage Eggshell mothers, eggshell fathers, eggshell parents…#eggshellmother #eggshellparent #enmeshment #parentification #drkimsage #toxicparent ♬ original sound – Dr. Kim🦋Psychologist

Dr. Sage’s videos struck a chord with millions of viewers who considered themselves raised by eggshell parents.

One person recalled, “This is my family. Constantly dancing around my father’s moods and my mother’s coping mechanisms. Neither able to connect with me on any meaningful level.”

Another added, “It was like a battlefield. You had to worry about sniper fire and bombs going off. Truly feared for my life.”

Still another wrote, “Anxiety. Scanning. Waiting. It’s exhausting. I spend weekends by myself by choice. It takes days to feel like me after socializing.”

Considering that so many people feel the aftermath of certain toxic parenting styles like eggshell parenting, it’s no wonder why parents today are so interested in gentler and healthier approaches.

In order to avoid repeating the eggshell pattern, Dr. Sage recommends that parents take active steps to regulate their own emotions, rather than displaying volatility towards their children. And if there is a sudden emotional shift, take responsibility for the action instead of leaving kids to internalize it all.

So much of parenting seems to be figuring out how to avoid the shortcomings of our own parents. Luckily, social media and helpful professionals like Dr. Sage make that task just a little bit easier.

Catch even more of her videos here.

We are just weeks away from Mitski‘s new album, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We. Ahead of the upcoming release, Mitski has shared two new songs.

On the extraterrestrial “Star,” Mistki delivers chilling, ghostly lines over an organ, as she describes the feeling of holding onto a special love throughout various universes and phases.

“That love is like a star/ It’s gone, we just see it shining /’Cause it’s traveled very far, I’ll / Keep a leftover light / Burning /So you can keep looking up / I am yours no matter,” sings Mitski.

On the reflective “Heaven,” Mitski finds a glimpse of hope amid heartbreak, as she delivers angelic vocals over a triumphant orchestra.

“Now I bend like a willow thinking of you / Like a murmuring brook curving about you / As I sip on the rest of the coffee you left / A kiss left of you / Heaven, heaven, heaven,” she sings.

This mystical pair of songs comes by way of production and collaboration with arranger and conductor Drew Erickson and a full orchestra at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles.

You can listen to “Star” and “Heaven” above.

The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We is out 9/15 via Dead Oceans. Find more information here.