Month: February 2024

For many of us, those elusive zzz’s keep getting harder and harder to catch. Hence why everywhere you look there seem to be new “hacks” for getting a good night’s sleep—especially on TikTok, where “sleepy girl mocktails” currently reign supreme.

But unlike most viral elixir recipes, this trick for falling asleep fast is actually doctor approved.

Dr. Kunal Sood, who is a TikTok celebrity in his own right with 2.2 millions followers, revealed that finally getting some long awaited shuteye might come down to a super simple breathing exercise.

In a clip posted to his page, Dr. Sood breaks down what’s known as resonance frequency breathing, which involves slowing your breathing down to around 3-7 breaths per minute.

This type of breathing is accomplished by “inhaling and exhaling for a count of five,” Dr. Sood explains, adding that this activity “activates the parasympathetic nervous system,” which helps us relax enough to fall asleep.

The doctor also stated that “there is even research which shows that practicing resonance frequency breathing can reduce your anxiety and improve your cognitive performance,”a claim upheld by The National Institutes of Health which states: “Self-training in resonance breathing lowers stress, blood pressure and improves mood.”

@doctorsood Have you tried this to help you sleep? 😴 #sleep #sleeptips ♬ original sound – DoctorSood, M.D.

Resonance frequency breathing is very similar to the popular 4-7-8 breathing technique, where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. Both seem to uphold the concept that breath can be the key to our relaxation, thanks to the physiological processes it conjures up.

Research has shown that different emotional states are linked with different forms of breathing, and that following the breathing patterns associated with those emotions causes you to actually feel the corresponding emotion. Breathing in a relaxed way therefore sends a signal to the brain saying that it’s time to relax. Though you could you either resonance breathing as described by Dr. Sood, or 4-7-8 breathing, or some other variation, a good rule of thumb is to lengthen your exhales, as that’s when your heart rate slows down.

We all know that getting good sleep is vital for our wellbeing, and while it might seem like we need to go to extremes or buy whatever’s trending on the subject, it’s nice to know that oftentimes our body is already well equipped to help us. Sometimes, it really is as easy as taking a breath.

A mother in Missouri has found a way to maximize date night with her husband. She left a note for her babysitter, giving her options to make more side cash by completing small tasks around the home.

The goal was to have a night out and to return to a cleaner and better-organized home. It makes sense. Most of the time, babysitters just sit around while the kid sleeps, so why not make their time more productive and profitable?

Katrina Ivan, a science teacher, posted the list she sent her babysitter on TikTok and the video received over 1.5 million views.

​“You are more than welcome to hang out and watch TV all night, but if you want to make some extra $, these jobs are up for grabs,” Katrina wrote to her babysitter, a senior in high school whom she’s known for 4 years.

When the babysitter saw the list, she was excited to get to work and started cleaning the windows 10 minutes after Katrina and her husband left the house. Katrina realized her plan was working when she saw her cleaning the windows through her Ring camera. “She was like, ‘Heck ya!’ and got to work right away,” Katrina told Today.com. “I left all the supplies out for her so she didn’t have to feel weird hunting around for things.”

By the end of the night, the babysitter was able to clean the mirrors and windows, organize the toys, vacuum the couch and scrub and organize the silverware drawer.

“I think this is a great opportunity for your babysitter. You’re giving a choice, and I love that,” Lisa B wrote in the comments on the video. “This is a great idea!! Sometimes it’s boring to just to sit and watch TV. This makes time go by quicker and sometimes it’s things I would do to help,” Del added.

Most commenters applauded Katrina’s idea, although some thought she could pay a little better.

“I think $10 is too cheap for some of these tasks considering the amount of work/size of the mess,” Liz wrote. In a follow-up video, Katrina broke down the money she paid the babysitter that night.

@kivankc

Replying to @LISA B │✨ what i’m learning ✨ #greenscreen

Katrina agreed that the prices could go up a bit. “I’ll definitely be restructuring the prices to make this more fair in the future,” she wrote. However, she added that she paid the babysitter $75 for the night just to watch her 2-year-old son, who was asleep most of the time.

All in all, the sitter made $28.75 an hour, tax-free. Not bad at all.

In another follow-up, Katrina interviewed the babysitter, who said she enjoyed making some extra money. “That sounds great,” she said.

What questions do you have for the newly famous babysitter? She’s along for the ride, and enjoys the spotlight. Loving the money, and crushing the jobs we leave for her. Sorry friends, but she’s not available to book-this kid is wayyy to busy between date night babysitting for us, earning perfect grades, being involved in a zillion after school activiites, and taking night time Fire/EMS classes at night so she can start her CAREER fresh out of high school. Do I sound a little proud?!?

@kivankc

What questions do you have for the newly famous babysitter? She’s along for the ride, and enjoys the spotlight. Loving the money, and crushing the jobs we leave for her. Sorry friends, but she’s not available to book-this kid is wayyy to busy between date night babysitting for us, earning perfect grades, being involved in a zillion after school activiites, and taking night time Fire/EMS classes at night so she can start her CAREER fresh out of high school. Do I sound a little proud?!? #sorrynotsorry #sillyinterview #babysitter #bestbabysitter #sidequests #meetmybabysitter #cheers #toddlermom #momlife

Every Gen Xer and baby boomer remembers how big of a deal “We Are the World” was when it came out in 1985. The USA for Africa project brought together dozens of the era’s most famous musicians to record the song, which raised millions of dollars in aid for famine-stricken Ethiopia and became an anthem for the global fight against hunger. (A painfully cheesy anthem by modern standards, but this was the 80s, after all. Cheese was the order of the day.)

The music video was filmed during the studio recording of the song, showing superstars like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cindy Lauper, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins and more. And up until now, that felt like the story—these musicians all got together to record the song, they did, it was epic, the end.

But there is soooo much more to the story than that, as showcased in the Netflix documentary, “The Greatest Night in Pop.” And it is absolutely, 100% worth a watch.

Lionel Richie serves as the main storyteller in the documentary, which is fitting since he was one of the main orchestrators of the project. He and Michael Jackson wrote the song—which is an entire story in and of itself. They thought they had plenty of time, and then they learned they needed to have it written and ready to record by the following week. There was a fight at Michael Jackson’s house between his dog and his talking bird during the songwriting process. At another one point, MJ’s enormous pet snake got lost and scared the bejeezus out of Lionel Richie by knocking over some albums and hissing behind him.

Richie talks glowingly about Jackson’s incredible talents, but Richie deserves a shout out as well for his energy and endurance. “We Are the World” was recorded overnight and into the morning after the American Music Awards ended. That night, Richie served as the host of the AMAs, performed two songs there, won multiple awards during the ceremony, and then hightailed it to A&M Studios to record “We Are the World,” which he co-wrote. And on top of all of that, he served as a handler of sorts for the multiple personalities who were there in that room, keeping everyone on task and focused without being heavy-handed about it. It’s genuinely impressive to witness.

But seeing how these big musicians acted when they were all in a room together is the most delightful part of the documentary. Quincy Jones had put up a handwritten sign telling everyone to “Leave your ego at the door.” Easier said than done in a group like that, but at the same time, these huge stars were starstruck themselves. We see it over and over again, these household names giddy over meeting their idols, feeling shy around one another, being nervous about their solos and other evidences of oh-so-obvious humanness.

Huey Lewis describes how his legs shook when it came time to sing his solo part—which was originally supposed to go to Prince, who never showed. Diana Ross went up to Daryl Hall and asked for his autograph, telling him she was his biggest fan, prompting the whole group to start signing one another’s music. They all spontaneously sang “Day-O” to Harry Belafonte to celebrate him, as it was his advocacy that had initially prompted the project. Seeing how much these artists admired one another is really sweet.

But there were some snags along the way, too, which are equally interesting to watch play out. At one point, Stevie Wonder tried to insert some lyrics in Swahili into the song, which prompted country singer Waylon Jennings to bail on the whole project, reportedly saying, “No good old boy sings in Swahili.” (The idea was nixed anyway, as Swahili isn’t spoken in Ethiopia and, as Bob Geldof pointed out, they weren’t singing to the people they were helping, but rather to the people who had the means to give.)

Bob Dylan appears to be completely out of it through much of the night—a fact that has led to plenty of stoner jokes over the years. But by the end, we see that Dylan was just completely out of his element in a room full of genuine singers, and it took Stevie Wonder literally mimicking him to get Dylan to feeling comfortable performing his part in the song.

The whole documentary is worth a watch to witness the creative chaos of the process, the drama that inevitably comes up when big personalities get together and the bonds that were built through this heartfelt project. Leveraging fame and utilizing art to save lives was a beautiful idea, and seeing it all come together is really something.

“The Greatest Night in Pop” can be seen on Netflix. Highly recommend.

Remember when everything you did was considered “cheugy” by some kid in 8th grade that was carrying around a Hydro Flask covered in stickers dressed like a girl from the early 90s? Millennials remember and they’re not quite ready to let it go. Turns out those cute little honey badgers people born in the mid 80s to early 90s gave birth to are giving Gen Z a run for their money.

The term honey badger was lovingly bestowed upon Gen Alpha by a therapist on TikTok, ThatPsychNP, that noticed their fearless take-no-crap attitude coupled with “feral empathy.” It seems they’ve taken to making the Gen Zers feel a bit old and out of place, much like Gen Z did to Millennials.

This shift in in the generational dynamic has those barely over the age of 20 seeking an alliance with the very people they used to make fun of. My how the tides have changed in such a short amount of time.

“I’ve been trying to figure out what a skibidi toilet is on Youtube for the past 45 minutes. I still can’t comprehend it,” TikTok user Bacteriababy reveals. “I could not tell you one thing. I have not and never will use the term ‘gyatt’ unironically in a sentence and I also found out during my deep dive that apparently using the word ‘slay’ isn’t cool. That’s gross, that’s cringy.”

This is the moment that Millennials have been waiting for as they rub their hands together laughing. Or at least that’s the image that comes to mind because who does Gen Z think birthed those little Sour Patch Kids? If they were truly hoping to form an alliance with the older generation, the response from Millennials surely popped any hope for that dream.

“Generation Fortnite Battle Pass would like the aid and assistance from Millennials,” Mario Mirante responds, complete with ominous music by way of Mozart’s Lacrimosa. “I thought we were so cringey with out Disney adult behavior, our avocado toast, our zooms our pauses. A little worried are you, about Gen Alpha?”

@bacteriababy

Millennials might just be gen zs friend after all :/ #millennial #millennials #genz #genzhumor #genzvsmillenial #genalpha #gay #lgbt

Comments under both videos hilariously play into the friendly feud, reiterating that Millennials will be of no help as their honey badgers humble their older counterparts.

“I’ve been called choogy far too much for an alliance. I’ve entered my villain mode,” one person writes.

“My kids are Gen Alpha. Gen Z should be scared. I’ve been training these kids for years,” another commenter writes.

“I remember Millennials being excited to band together with Gen Z to make the world a better place and y’all just bullied us instead,” someone cries.

@mariomirante

stitch with @bacteriababy It’s too late for an Alliance Gen Z… Good luck

“Imagine an army of Gen Alpha marching towards Gen Z, singing skibidi toilet in unison…,” another person writes.

“We are the parents of Gen Alpha. We created an army that cannot be stopped,” someone laughs.

Yikes, sorry Gen Z, it seems you’re on your own with this battle. You teased the parents of your enemy and now they’ve trained them to show no mercy so hide your sticker covered Hydro Flasks and put on your big kid pants. They’re coming and their Millennial parents are cheering them on. But first, coffee.

Netflix’s Top 10 is always a fun mixed bag of content. The list consistently features long-lost crime comedies or newly beloved legal dramas that get a second chance at life. You never know what random forgotten movie you’re going to discover, and that’s the beauty of the chaos.

The latest series to climb up the list is Alexander: The Making Of A God, though it’s a bit different than other titles. The series blends gruesome re-enactments with real-life interviews with experts to look at the astounding and complex life of Alexander the Great.

Here is the official synopsis:

You’ve likely heard of Alexander the Great – the warrior prince who became a legendary Hellenic ruler of most of the known Western world. However, Alexander: The Making of a God recounts the historical icon’s conquests in a new way, using contemporary accounts and fact-based archaeology, much of which is based on ongoing excavations being undertaken by Greek archeologist Calliope Limneos-Papakosta in Alexandria, Egypt, the city that Alexander the Great founded.

While the series consists of six episodes, it only covers just a fraction of Alexander’s mysterious life, meaning there could be more seasons on the way. However, Netflix has not confirmed that a second season has been ordered, and it will likely be some time until we know the future of the series.

For now, you can watch Alexander: The Making of a God on Netflix. Check out the trailer below:

Taylor Swift has reportedly sent a cease-and-desist to a college student named Jack Sweeney, who has become known for tracking celebrity jets online. According to The Washington Post, Swift’s team gave him the legal warning in December to stop posting her plane’s location on social media.

Sweeney has been running accounts for years that use both public data from the Federal Aviation Administration and volunteers who follow the celebrity planes based on their broadcast signals. While Swift is not the only one he tracks, she does want him to stop.

The publication noted that Swift’s reported letter came from the law firm Venable, stating that she would “have no choice but to pursue any and all legal remedies” if the “stalking and harassing behavior” does not stop.

WaPo also added that the letter details that Swift and her family reportedly view Sweeney’s accounts as causing “direct and irreparable harm, as well as emotional and physical distress,” due to the “constant state of fear for her personal safety.”

“While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our Client,” the lawyer, Katie Wright Morrone, added in the letter, citing that there is “no legitimate interest in or public need for this information, other than to stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control.”

Just last month, Swift had a stalker who was arrested outside of her Manhattan home, and this is just one of many. Yet, according to the publication, Sweeney has been in touch with lawyers of his own, so the legal issue could definitely continue.

In 2023, “Good Good” singer Usher made his triumphant resurgence through his My Way Las Vegas residency. But his run in Sin City isn’t stopping there. Just before releasing his forthcoming album, Coming Home, Usher will grace the Super Bowl Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium.

Today (February 6), Usher revealed his post-Super Bowl plans. Starting in August, Usher will hit the road for his Past Present Future Tour. Given the sheer amount of time his residency was extended due to demand, tickets for the 24-date run are sure to sell out fast. So, when will fans have the chance to secure tickets?

When Do Tickets For Usher’s ‘Past Present Future Tour’ Come Out?

In the caption of Usher’s announcement post on Instagram, he revealed that tickets for his Past Present Future Tour will go on sale as early as Friday, February 9. Beginning at 10 a.m. local time, Usher’s fan presale will launch via Live Nation. The Past Present Future Tour public sale will start on Monday, February 12, at 10 a.m. local time. Find more information here.

Usher’s Past Present Future Tour dates

08/20 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
08/24 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
08/27 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
08/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
09/02 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
09/03 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
09/06 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
09/07 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
09/12 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
09/17 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
09/21 — Los Angeles, CA @ Intuit Dome
09/22 — Los Angeles, CA @ Intuit Dome
09/28 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
09/29 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
10/04 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
10/07 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center ATX
10/11 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
10/12 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
10/17 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/18 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/22 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
10/26 — St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
10/28 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/29 — Chicago, IL @ United Center

Usher’s Past Present Future Tour poster

Coming Home is out 2/9 via Mega/Gamma. Find more information here.

Leaks have long plagued the music industry but Drake is currently dealing with a leak of a different kind: That of an NSFW video. In the video, someone who appears very much to be the ultra-famous rap star can be seen sitting in bed, filming with his phone in a mirror, and showing off his um….. other talents.

While it’s possible that the person in the video is NOT Drake — after all, he’s had his share of impersonators, and a general look that is often imitated — fans on Twitter are having a field day with the visual, bringing out mixed reactions from extreme thirst to over-the-top disgust. They even included some from his music peers like City Girls’ Yung Miami:

You’ve got to admit: The timing is a little too convenient, either way. Drake had recently come under fire in the wake of Megan Thee Stallion’s all-out assault on “Hiss.” The song, which takes several of her male detractors to task for their dismissive actions after she was shot by Tory Lanez, takes special issue with his “Circo Loco” lyrics that used her trauma for a punchline. Just saying, if he needed a distraction, he got one.

Drake himself has yet to respond to the video — and there’s still no word on where it actually came from — but you can probably bet he’ll try to take it in stride.

Usher has announced the Past Present Future Tour in support of his upcoming album Coming Home. You can find out how to get tickets here, but you might be wondering just how much those tickets will cost.

While the ticket prices have not yet been announced, we can look at the ticket prices from Usher’s recent Las Vegas residency to get an idea of how much they’ll be. The residency had tickets listed between $162 and $217 initially, so it would seem you can expect tickets for the tour to start around the same range depending on seat choice. See below for the tour dates.

Usher’s 2024 Tour Dates: Past Present Future Tour

08/20 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
08/24 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
08/27 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
08/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
09/02 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
09/03 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
09/06 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
09/07 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
09/12 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
09/17 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
09/21 — Los Angeles, CA @ Intuit Dome
09/22 — Los Angeles, CA @ Intuit Dome
09/28 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
09/29 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
10/04 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
10/07 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center ATX
10/11 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
10/12 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
10/17 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/18 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/22 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
10/26 — St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
10/28 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/29 — Chicago, IL @ United Center

The Tourist‘s second season has already aired across the pond(s), but the show ran into a bit of a detour stateside. Don’t worry, Jamie Dornan will continue his adrenaline-fueled quest after mega-baddies failed to kill him, and then he failed at the same “goal.”

Dark stuff. Regardless, U.S.-based audiences who got hooked on Dornan as Elliot (or “The Man”) zooming through the Australian Outback will want to get ready to switch venues. The first season streamed on Max (then HBO Max), but the second season shall not. The show already did begin airing on January 1 on BBC in the U.K. and Stan in Australia, but U.S.-based viewers will have to pop over to Netflix to watch.

The wait and the change in streaming services might be perplexing to viewers, but hey, the second season will be fully available to Netflix subscribers on February 29, so the binging can then commence. What can Netflixers expect from the second season?

The show moves from Down Under to Ireland, where Elliot is continuing to dig into his past of doing a drug lord’s bidding. Make no mistake, Elliot does not have clean hands, but he’s running from dudes who are even badder than he has ever been, and the cat-and-mouse spin runs the momentum. Along with Helen (Danielle Macdonald), however, Elliot will end up embroiled in the McDonnell family’s feud. Several new actors — Conor MacNeill, Olwen Fouéré, Diarmaid Murtagh, Nessa Matthews, Mark McKenna, and Francis Magee — will add to the chaos. And are we about to watch this show turn into Season 3 of Sons Of Anarchy?

Probably not, but admit it, that’s an intriguing prospect.

The Tourist‘s second season arrives on Netflix on Feb. 29.