Month: December 2023

Simone Biles withdrawing from the team final in the Tokyo Olympics and subsequently withdrawing from the individual all-around finals after getting a case of the “twisties” has the world talking. She’s received overwhelming support as well as overwhelming criticism for the move, with some praising her for recognizing her limits and others blasting her for not persevering through whatever she’s dealing with.

Some people pointed to Kerri Strug, who landed on one foot after vaulting with a broken ankle in the 1996 Olympics to help the U.S. win gold, as an example of the kind of sacrifice an athlete should be willing to make for their country.

Byron Heath shared some thoughts about that fateful day in a viral Facebook post that has been shared more than 370,000 times in less than a day.

Heath wrote:

“This realization I had about Simone Biles is gonna make some people mad, but oh well.

Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug’s famous one-leg vault. It was a defining Olympic moment that I watched live as a kid, and my girls watched raptly as Strug fell, and then limped back to leap again.

But for some reason I wasn’t as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick. Maybe being a father and teacher has made me soft, but all I could see was how Kerri Strug looked at her coach, Bela Karolyi, with pleading, terrified eyes, while he shouted back ‘You can do it!’ over and over again.

My daughters didn’t cheer when Strug landed her second vault. Instead they frowned in concern as she collapsed in agony and frantic tears.

‘Why did she jump again if she was hurt?’ one of my girls asked. I made some inane reply about the heart of a champion or Olympic spirit, but in the back of my mind a thought was festering: *She shouldn’t have jumped again*

The more the thought echoed, the stronger my realization became. Coach Karolyi should have gotten his visibly injured athlete medical help immediately! Now that I have two young daughters in gymnastics, I expect their safety to be the coach’s number one priority. Instead, Bela Karolyi told Strug to vault again. And he got what he wanted; a gold medal that was more important to him than his athlete’s health. I’m sure people will say ‘Kerri Strug was a competitor–she WANTED to push through the injury.’ That’s probably true. But since the last Olympics we’ve also learned these athletes were put into positions where they could be systematically abused both emotionally and physically, all while being inundated with ‘win at all costs’ messaging. A teenager under those conditions should have been protected, and told ‘No medal is worth the risk of permanent injury.’ In fact, we now know that Strug’s vault wasn’t even necessary to clinch the gold; the U.S. already had an insurmountable lead.

Nevertheless, Bela Karolyi told her to vault again according to his own recounting of their conversation:

‘I can’t feel my leg,’ Strug told Karolyi.

‘We got to go one more time,’ Karolyi said. ‘Shake it out.’

‘Do I have to do this again?’ Strug asked. ‘Can you, can you?’ Karolyi wanted to know.

‘I don’t know yet,’ said Strug. ‘I will do it. I will, I will.’

The injury forced Strug’s retirement at 18 years old. Dominique Moceanu, a generational talent, also retired from injuries shortly after. They were top gymnasts literally pushed to the breaking point, and then put out to pasture. Coach Karolyi and Larry Nassar (the serial sexual abuser) continued their long careers, while the athletes were treated as a disposable resource.

Today Simone Biles–the greatest gymnast of all time–chose to step back from the competition, citing concerns for mental and physical health. I’ve already seen comments and posts about how Biles ‘failed her country’, ‘quit on us’, or ‘can’t be the greatest if she can’t handle the pressure.’ Those statements are no different than Coach Karolyi telling an injured teen with wide, frightened eyes: ‘We got to go one more time. Shake it out.’

The subtext here is: ‘Our gold medal is more important than your well-being.’

Our athletes shouldn’t have to destroy themselves to meet our standards. If giving empathetic, authentic support to our Olympians means we’ll earn less gold medals, I’m happy to make that trade.

Here’s the message I hope we can send to Simone Biles: You are an outstanding athlete, a true role model, and a powerful woman. Nothing will change that. Please don’t sacrifice your emotional or physical well-being for our entertainment or national pride. We are proud of you for being brave enough to compete, and proud of you for having the wisdom to know when to step back. Your choice makes you an even better example to our daughters than you were before. WE’RE STILL ROOTING FOR YOU!”

Many people shared Heath’s sentiment, with comments pouring in thanking him for putting words to what they were feeling.

We’re in a new era where our lens of what’s admirable, what’s strong, and what’s right has shifted. We understand more about the lifelong impact of too many concussions. We have trainers and medics checking on football players after big hits. We are finding a better balance between competitiveness and well-being. We are acknowledging the importance of mental health and physical health.

We are also more aware of how both physical and mental trauma impacts young bodies. Though Kerri Strug pushing through the pain has long been seen as an iconic moment in sports, the adults in the room should have been protecting her, not pushing her through an obvious injury.

And the way this fall of Dominique Moceanu at age 14 was handled is downright shocking by today’s standards. She said she never received an exam for it, even after the competition was over. So wrong.

u201cIn our sport, we essentially dive into a pool w/ no water. When you lose your ability to find the groundu2014which appears to be part of @Simone_Biles decisionu2014-the consequences can be catastrophic. She made the right decision for the team & herself. @bispingu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

u201c@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope ud83dudc4eud83cudffbu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

Athletes are not cogs in a wheel, and the desire to win a competition should not trump someone’s well-being. Elite gymnasts already put themselves through grueling physical and mental feats; they wouldn’t be at the top of their sport if they didn’t. But there are limits, and too often in our yearning for a gold medal—or even for a triumphant Olympic story—we push athletes too far.

Now we see some of them pushing back, and knowing what we know now, that’s 100% a good thing.

This article originally appeared on 07.28.21

Ever wonder what an ideal date for a lemur would be? Or a lizard’s favorite Disney princess?

Thanks to one YouTube poster with a passion for animals and an endearing sense of humor, all questions shall be answered. Well, maybe not all questions. But at the very least, you’ll have eight minutes of insanely cute footage.

In a series titled “Tiny Mic Interviews,” Maya Higa approaches little beasties with a microphone so small she has to hold it with just her thumb and forefinger. And yes, 99% of the animals try to eat it.

There’s Ginger, the pig with a lot of stored up resentment toward the big bad wolf. She ain’t afraid to talk about it, either. Or so her passionate snorts would indicate.

Then there’s Brazilian porcupine Boris (at least, I think that’s what Boris is after Googling, I’m no zoologist), who is asked to name his favorite food. For the record, it’s corn. And no, you may not touch his snoot.

Godzilla, the itsy bitsy turtle that fits into one hand, gets asked, ironically, “what’s it like being land’s fastest animal?” Though Godzilla remains stoically silent, an image of super cool speedster sunglasses gets superimposed onto his face, along with the words “I am speed.”

The best part to me is a bird, aptly named Giggles, gloriously laughing at a cheesy joke. In fact, here’s a nod to all the birds with impeccable names in this video.

Mordecai, Costello, Bartholomew (these include stars from Higa’s first interview) … I’m looking at you.

Though these critters provide some top notch entertainment, there’s plenty of valuable information being thrown into the mix as well.

All the exotic “interviewees” are part of Zoo To You Conservation Ambassadors, a permitted facility in California, Higa informs her viewers. Rescued or surrendered from the illegal pet trade, or permanently injured, these animals receive permanent care and become a part of Zoo To You’s education program. Pretty sweet gig, right?

Higa herself is a wildlife rehabilitator, falconer and streamer who focuses a lot of her content on conservation. Though her online persona veers toward the upbeat and positive, she isn’t afraid to shed light on some darker facts around certain threats many species face.

“The natural world that these animals come from is being absolutely decimated,” Higa states in another video. “The UN estimates that over one million plant and animal species face extinction today. Pollution, habitat loss, climate change, the wildlife trade, exploitation, general human intervention…is causing us to lose species at rates unprecedented in human history. We’re experiencing a mass extinction.”

Wanting to be part of the solution, Higa has founded her own nonprofit organization called Alveus, which, like Zoo To You, acts as an exotic animal sanctuary and virtual education center.

If you’d like to support Higa’s sanctuary, you can do so by donating to [email protected] via PayPal.

And if you’re already jonesing for more adorable “Tiny Mic Interviews,” you’re in luck! You can find even more on Maya’s YouTube channel here.

This article originally appeared on 09.02.22

Kids are interesting, especially between the ages of early toddlerhood and first grade. They can literally fall over laughing because you ripping paper is suddenly hilarious or develop a deep connection with a mixing spoon that they insist on taking everywhere. You really never know what they’re going to do and as parents we just learn to go with it.

As long as it’s not hurting them or anyone else, go for it. For nearly two years my daughter dressed up as Snow White every day, complete with plastic heels, only taking a break for wash days when all three costumes were dirty. So it’s not a surprise when one little girl decided she wanted to be a pink chair for Halloween.

Recently, her parents posted a compilation video on their TikTok page, Toy Story Dad, partially captioned, “This is her world and we are all just living in it,” giving an explanation on her viral chair costume.

The best part of the explanation is that it didn’t need to be explained. They just compiled videos of all of the times they asked their daughter, Scarlet, what she wanted to be for Halloween, likely thinking she would change her mind. But she didn’t, in fact, she started to look a bit miffed at them constantly asking. Every time they would ask, the little girl who looks to be about three replies, “a pink chair.”

No further explanation is needed. She was a pink chair for Halloween last year simply because she was persistent in her request and she just happened to be the cutest little pink chair out there. Commenters loved her adorable insistence and some included their own interesting costume choices their kids have had.

“The request, the persistence, the delivery, the execution (chef’s hand inserted) this little lady is going places,” one person writes.

“HER LEGS BEING THE BACK LEGS OF THE CHAIR IS SO CUTE,” another commenter writes.

“My friend has twin girls. One was a princess and the other was a crouton as per their requests,” someone says.

There were some revelations of unique costume choices in the comments. Kids dressed up as an oven, air conditioner, water bottle and even a recycling bin. Little ones are so creative but so are their parents because I’m going to assume it’s unlikely to come across an oven or chair at your local Target. But you can see her adorable costume below:

@toystorydad_

This is her world and we are all just living in it. 💕What is the funniest thing your kid has dressed up as? Or wanted to dress up as?

This article originally appeared on 10.9.23

Being a parent is often a thankless job, and being a stepparent is usually even more thankless. But most parents show up and do their best to make sure their kids have what they need and feel loved. So when our kids do or say something to show appreciation, it melts our hearts—but nothing melts it faster than a stepchild calling their bonus parent “Mom” or “Dad” for the first time.

A creator named Shane posted a clip from a longer video showing his reaction to hearing his stepdaughter call him “Dad” for the first time. The full video is about three years old, but when it was reposted as a clip recently, it pulled on everyone’s heartstrings.

Shane and his wife, Liana, run the social media pages Shane and Liana where they post silly videos pranking each other. But this video wasn’t a prank. His stepdaughter, London, wanted to surprise him after wanting to call him “Dad” for a long time.

She can barely contain her excitement in the clip, squealing loudly when climbing into the back seat. When Shane gets in the car, London knows this is her chance.

“Hi Dad, how was your day?” she asks.

Shane turns completely around in shock as the heartwarming realization of what she just called him sets in.

“Did you just call me Dad? Just made my heart melt to know she called me Dad,” Shane says full of emotion.

London and Liana explain earlier in the video that Shane has raised the little girl since she was 2 years old. She didn’t meet her biological father until she was 5, and he was only in her life briefly before leaving, so this was a big moment. Viewers under the newly re-uploaded clip revealed that watching the interaction made them just as emotional as Shane.

“Idk how the mom ain’t crying!?! I’m crying,” Mari Morales writes.

“This video hits me right in the heart and soul,” Sarah Douglas writes. “My ‘step’ dad raised me from 7 years old. I’ve never met the sperm donor once, but my REAL dad is the one that chose to love me regardless of biology. Forever grateful for the real men that ‘step’ up to be there for us.”

“So true the first time my oldest daughter called me dad I cried she’s not blood but she is mine no matter what,” Timothy Evans says.

This article originally appeared on 7.19.23

If you live in the United States of America then you know that sometimes it feels like health insurance is a scam. You pay lots of money every month for them to deny things you need or only cover a small portion of it. But it’s not just insurance users that have to jump through hoops lit aflame to get the insurance company to approve something, it’s doctors too.

Recently a Doctor Peter, MD, donned a blonde surfer style wig and his best California surfer accent to reenact his first time having to call in a prior authorization. A prior authorization is often needed when a doctor prescribes a medication that the insurance company deems unnecessary. No, the insurance companies are not doctors nor are they the patient needing the medication but they have a list of approved medications they’re willing to cover. If the medication you’re prescribed isn’t on their list, it sets of a frustrating chain of events.

The doctor opens the video by saying, “today was my first prior auth and last,” before diving into the hurdles that is prior authorization. He explains he was working in an emergent situation and needed medication for his pediatric patient, which required him putting the prescription into the computer system. That’s where things quickly go downhill.

“Then the pharmacy calls me and says ‘hello’ I say ‘howdy do.’ They said ‘your medicine needs a PA.’ I said, ‘well I have three of them sitting next to me should I send one down,'” he recalls.

Of course at this point the doctor is assuming for some reason the pharmacy in the hospital needed a physicians assistant to help them. That’s when Dr. Peter learned about prior authorizations. After learning he had to contact the insurance company to authorize the medication he confusingly says he authorized it when he hit enter on the computer. One would think a doctor ordering the medication would be enough to authorize it, but Dr. Peter quickly found out that his prescription meant little.

@doctor.disney

This should be illegal #kids #doctor #parents #teacher #nurse

Though the doctor delivered the message with humor, the entire situation is frustratingly familiar to patients and medical professionals alike.

“We should be able to bill the insurance company when we have to complete a prior authorization for our time,” one person writes.

“Every year the insurance company makes me get a PA for *insulin* for my son who is a *type 1 diabetic* as though he’s been magically cured,” someone says.

“I am *enchanted* with your storytelling. I’m deeply *disenchanted* by the American health system,” a commenter writes.

Dr. Peter’s reenactment is amusing but his video is also informative showing others what people have to go through to get the medication they need.

Not everyone liked or appreciated Gary Oldman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, but he did manage to wear the heck out of those rectangular-frame glasses, so you have to give him some credit there.

The movies came at a weird time in Oldman’s career: he unfortunately had to turn down certain acting opportunities after gaining sole custody of his three children after divorcing his third wife in 2000. Luckily, he was able to secure roles in a handful of big-budget movies so he could be a dad and Gotham’s police commissioner and a dog-wizard hybrid.

The Slow Horses star stopped by Drew Barrymore’s talk show/celebrity confessional show where he revealed some of his past career moves. “At 42 years old, I woke up divorced and I had custody of [my] boys,” Oldman said. “That, in itself, was… that was hard because there was a shift in the industry where a lot of productions were being [filmed in] Hungary, Budapest, Prague, Australia, you know, all of these places. So, I turned down a lot of work,” he recalled.

The actor then praised the Batman and Harry Potter franchises because they were able to give him that flexibility. “Thank God for Harry Potter,” Oldman began. But he wasn’t being thankful for the magical memories or cultural impact. Instead, he was happy because it was a low-key job for him. “I tell you, the two — Batman and Harry Potter — really, they saved me, because it meant that I could do the least amount of work for the most amount of money and then be home with the kids,” he explained.

He’s right! It’s so easy to play a police officer in Gotham because most of the time, they weren’t doing anything anyway. That’s why Batman exists. As for Harry Potter, Oldman portrayed a slowly burning fire log, so yeah, it was probably a pretty easy gig for him. He also probably seemed really cool to his kids at the time, so it all worked out. Then he had to go and play Mank.

(Via People)

2023 has been a year filled with monumental highs for “The Way” singer Ariana Grande. From the tenth anniversary of her debut album, Yours Truly, and filming Wicked to the release of her Cloud Pink perfume, Ariana has received a flood of love from fans. It was also filled with explosive public tension surrounding the news of her divorce from Dalton Gomez and Ariana’s rumored relationship with Ethan Slater.

Still, Grande has found joy in it all. Today (December 29), in an Instagram Story, the musician confessed excitement about her 2024 plans (that might include new music) in a lengthy note recapping her “transformative year.”

Read Grande’s note below.

“one of the most transformative, most challenging, and yet happiest and most special years of my life. there were so many beautiful and yet polarized feelings.

i’ve never felt more at the mercy of and in acceptance of what life was screaming to teach me. i’ve never felt more fulfilled by or present in my work, being able to cherish every moment. i gave everything i could have possibly given of my heart and of myself to the projects i was fortunate enough to be a part of and learned so much from every brilliant, beautiful, soul that i had the privilege of creating art with and crossing paths with this year.

i have never felt more pride or joy or love while simultaneously feeling so deeply misunderstood by people who don’t know me, who piece whispers together and make what they want out of me and their assumptions of my life. i have learned how much more important one of those things is than the other.

i have never felt more tightly held or fiercely protected by those who love and understand me (friends, family, and fans alike). i feel safe, even amidst so many things id usually be afraid of. i am listening to and trusting myself, even when fear or trauma tells me not to.

i am reacting to things that deserve my energy only and removing and protecting myself from things that do not.

i am so eternally grateful for all of the feelings i was lucky enough to feel so deeply this year. mine and Galinda’s alike. the unfathomably hard ones and the inexplicably happy ones. i feel more human than ever. i feel more deeply than ever. i feel softer and stronger, all at once.

i am wrapping you all in a cocoon of love and wishing you a very happy, healthy new year. if you ever feel misunderstood or alone, just remember that it will pass and you are not. take a deep breath and know that you are so incredibly loved.

i cannot wait for next year. :).”

For some reason, probably due to deadlines and such, social media platforms love to share end-of-year data sometime in early December. This is problematic, of course, since Wonka was just released, so how could anyone possibly know that it was your favorite movie of 2023 if you already told everyone you loved Super Mario Bros Movie? These are battles you need to pick carefully.

Luckily Letterboxd, the only good social media platform out there, isn’t sharing its year-end list until “early January.” This means your fun holiday viewing of Saltburn will count, thankfully.

Letterboxd, if you are unfamiliar, allows users to share reviews and rankings of their favorite films, but it has mostly turned into who can make the best jokes in just a small amount of characters. Just stop by Ayo Edebiri’s profile for more examples.

For its “wrapped” event, the platform gives its users a handy look back on their favorite actors and movies from the year. It’s like Spotify Wrapped but for every John Wick rewatch. And you’ll be able to see yours next month.

If you want a more thorough analysis of your watching habits, you can upgrade to the Patron tier, which offers even more data from your account. The site will also publish a general year in review in case you don’t have a Letterboxd account. But you should make one now before it becomes uncool.

Upworthy has covered quite a few stories about people who have abandoned dry land to live their best life at sea. Usually these cruise enthusiasts are older, retired couples looking for cost effective adventures during their golden years, but for 37-year-old Angela Linderman, different motivations were at play.

Linderman tragically lost both of her parents to cancer at the age of 65 to cancer. Then, she learned that she inherited the BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases her risk of developing breast, ovarian and skin cancer.

To offset some of the risks of being diagnosed, Linderman underwent a preventative double mastectomy, removing all breast tissue and nipples before having implants.

Dealing with the death of both her parents, along with her own mortality, gave Linderman a hard won epiphany: waiting is overrated.

@angielinderman Ultimate World Cruise Q&A or really FAQ since i dont know how to do a Q&A on here. Help! I tried to andwer as many as I could that I know a lot of people have, but let me kniw what else you want to know about what its like on @Royal Caribbean’s Ultiamte World Cruise. #RoyalCaribbean #crusing #explore #solotravler #worldCruise #UltimateWorldCruise #UWC #SerenadeOfTheSeas #cruise #travel #solofemaletraveler #cruiseship #cruisetok ♬ original sound – Angie

“To me there is no thought of retirement,” Linderman said in a now-viral TikTok clip. “There is no way I’m waiting to do sh*t til I retire. That’s not promised to any of us, and my family’s genetics aren’t lining up to let me have a terribly long life so ‘doing all the things now’ is kind of my motto.”

And this is why, at the age of 37, not 65, Linderman chose to embark upon the much talked about Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World cruise, a 274-night journey to every continent across the globe. Her dream was made possible by the life insurance money her parents left behind.

In some ways, regular life goes on. Though Linderman took a step back from client management at her job, she still works as a part-time social media freelancer when not taking in the views. Above all though her main focus is creating joyful memories.

On various social media platforms, Linderman has shared several of those memories, from a hike to Mexico’s Chichén Itzá to the gorgeous beaches of Aruba to simply knitting and binging Netflix during canceled port days.

@angielinderman Day 4; Chichén Itzá it was a long hot day, but completly worth it. We had an 11 hour excursaion and 7 of those were travel. This is our first of the World Wonder stops and it was a great way to start!!! #RoyalCaribbean #crusing #explore #solotravler #worldCruise #UltimateWorldCruise #UWC #SerenadeOfTheSeas #cruise #travel @Royal Caribbean ♬ original sound – Angie

@angielinderman Day 15: (12/24/23) Sushi Making Class  A few of us were invited to join in on a Sushi-making class and even though seafood and rice are not my favorites I said yes. This trip is about trying new things and enjoying all the experiences along the way and all the new people I am getting to know and spend time with!  #RoyalCaribbean #crusing #explore #solotravler #worldCruise #UltimateWorldCruise #UWC #SerenadeOfTheSeas #cruise #travel #9monthworldcruise #9monthcruise @Brandee Lake, @Shannon Marie, @Madison Schwetje, @Brooklyn Schwetje, @Little Rat Brain, @Andrew & Ale Kenney, @drjennytravels, and @Amike Oosthuizen ♬ original sound – Angie

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Royal Caribbean’s website boasts a tour that includes 11 Wonder of the World, 60+ countries, and a visit to all seven continents—though passengers will not touch down in Antarctica. Prices for tickets start at around $59,999 per person and go upwards of around $117,599 per person.

But even if you can’t afford a round-the-world cruise, there is still valuable wisdom to be had from Linderman’s story. Long term plans serve a great purpose, but so does remembering that the future is not guaranteed. What we do know is that people tend to leave this world regretting all the ways they didn’t truly live—working too hard, not expressing themselves, or not allowing themselves happiness.

So maybe not every gratification needs to be delayed. Maybe there are a few bucket list items, big or small, that can and should be enjoyed now, rather than being put off. If for nothing else, to simply feel like one’s precious life really is theirs to create.

Go carpe that diem.

Martha Stewart woke up like this. Literally. Snoop Dogg’s best friend posted her latest thirst trap on Friday, this time while posing in front of a mirror.

“After an eight hour plane trip from westchester to palm beach- horrible by the way – we went to bed early and wore my beautiful @sabbiarosa nightgown (linen with robe),” she wrote on Instagram. “I didn’t look so bad when I got up at least not as bad as I did when I went to bed- it must be the $$$$$outfit!!”

Is this free advertising for Sabbia Rosa? Yes, but a) she got the tag wrong (I believe it’s @sabbiarosaparis), and b) it’s Martha Stewart sharing a thirst trap and using four dollar signs before the word “outfit.” In the final week of the year, this counts as news. Also, what happened during her “horrible” flight? The first-class plane must have run out of champagne.

“I was trying to take a picture of the beautiful turquoise planter at the end of the pool, but the camera was on me, so I just snapped it,” Stewart told People about her first viral thirst trap. “It looked so good, so I posted it. I didn’t know what a ‘thirst trap’ was, but now I do. Now I’m looking for the next thirst trap. I love doing those promiscuous, provocative things, because it’s just fun.”

You can see Martha’s Instagram post below.

(Via People)