Month: July 2024

The expectation to put on an air of happy, fun, pleasant nonconfrontation through baring teeth, otherwise known as smiling, is something many, if not most, women know very well. What’s more, this pressure is often introduced to women at a very early age.

And obviously, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with naturally being a happy, smiling person, issues arise when kids are taught that being themselves, just as they are, isn’t acceptable.

That’s why people are so impressed with North Carolina-based photographer Brooke Light’s (@bdlighted on TikTok) hands-off approach when it comes to taking pictures of young girls.

Her philosophy is simple, but oh so poignant: Allow girls to show up, take up space, and perhaps most importantly, not smile if they don’t want to.

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Light posted a video showing some of her recent portraits, and truly, the work speaks for itself. Each of the girls’ distinct, unique personalities shine in these black-and-white images. Plus the lighting is moody and artsy and cool as hell. So much better than a forced, cheesy, smiling pic.

Take a look:

@bdlighted never underestimate the power of a photoshoot for your kids confidence #moodymini #kidsphotographer #childrensphotography #portraitphotographer #confidenceboost #kidsconfidence #familyphotoshootideas #familyphotoshoots #studiophotography #blackandwhitephoto #girlpower #girlempowerment #donttellmetosmile #momsofgirls #girlmom #greenscreen ♬ Little Girl Gone – CHINCHILLA

Comments began flooding in commending Light for how she authentically portrayed the girls as individuals, rather than producing cookie-cutter images of them.

“I love how they are not trying to be anything ‘extra’ just their own raw and savage selves,” one person wrote.

Another added, “I can feel their power through my phone.”

Light redirected the praise toward her clients, saying, “They are even more amazing in person! Like that vibe you feel is ALL THEM. I’m just there capturing it.”

For many women who had their own memories of being told to smile for photos, seeing the images had a profound effect.

“CHILLS! This healed something in me. Thank you.” one person commented.

“The Sears family photo trauma was REAL” wrote another.

And for the record, Light doesn’t make boys smile either. Here’s the proof in her follow-up video:

@bdlighted these mom’s got me blushing in my DMs 🫣📸 I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. it’s meant more than you can ever know. #boymom #boymoms #moodymini #familyphotoshoots #familyphotoshootideas #portraitphotographer #studiophotography #kidsphotographer #kidsconfidence #childrensphotography #greenscreen ♬ Area Codes – Kali

In the post, Light shared how touched she was by the overwhelmingly positive response.

“I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. Thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. It’s meant more than you can ever know,” she wrote.

Imagine that…celebrating others for their authentic selves, then being celebrated yourself. Now that’s something worth smiling for.

This article originally appeared on 6.2.23

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people took toilet paper—especially its availability—for granted. Everyone who experienced those hectic days probably has a new appreciation when they roll down the aisle of their local supermarket and see fully stocked shelves of TP.

A new trend shows that people aren’t only appreciating their toilet paper but finding new ways to use it that go beyond its traditional use: keeping toilet paper in their refrigerators. The most common reason is that it is an effective and affordable way to keep them smelling fresh and clean. It seems that TP’s absorbent qualities go far beyond the bathroom.

The new practice has been popularized on TikTok, where most new life hack trends seem to be springing up these days.

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In late September, TikTok user @Ezenwanyibackup shared a toilet-paper-in-the-fridge hack, and it received over 1400 views. The hack involves creating a paste out of baking soda and applying it to the top of the roll. “Now, just stick it in your fridge,” the TikTokker said. “This simple hack is going to neutralize all the smell and moisture that messes up your fridge, keeping your food fresh and tasty for way longer.”

@ezenwanyibackup

Just put a roll of toilet paper in your fridge, and you won’t have that problem anymore! #ezenwanyibackup #foryoupage #homemaderemedies #healthy #homemaderecipes #foryou #diy #naturalrecipes #recipe #fypシ゚viral @ezenwanyibackup @ezenwanyibackup @ezenwanyibackup @This Recipe @Queen ezenwanyi1

Smartfoxlifehacks has also helped promote the new trend in kitchen cleanliness with his video, where he shares how he keeps toilet paper in his fridge. He recommends that people change their rolls every 3 to 4 weeks. He claims the “trick” comes from the hotel industry because the toilet paper “absorbs odors.”

@smartfoxlifehacks

This is a secret Trick from Hotels… 😱🦊 #lifehack #tipsandtricks #cleaningtricks #cleaninghacks

Another TikTokker, @Drewfrom63rd1, has a unique use for the toilet paper in his fridge. He chills it and then uses it as an ice pack to keep his food cold. “You can use this as an ice pack,” he says, putting a roll out of his fridge. “It does really work. It lasts about 8 hours.”

@drewfrom63rd1

Replying to @wgez

House Digest explains why toilet paper is so effective at keeping your fridge smelling fresh.

“For obvious reasons, toilet paper is designed to be extremely absorbent,” Brooke Younger writes at House Digest. “However, it doesn’t just absorb liquids on contact; it can also pull them from the surrounding air. If you’ve ever touched your bathroom’s toilet paper roll after a steamy shower, you might notice that it feels a bit damp. Placing a clean toilet paper roll in your fridge will absorb some of the internal humidity and, with it, those stinky particles.”

The site adds that toilet paper can also help keep dark, damp parts of your house, such as a closet or basement, stay fresh, too.

The toilet paper hack is effective, and it’s also a great way to save money. The average roll of TP costs about $1, which is much cheaper than a refrigerator deodorizer that can set you back about $10.

Now, for the sake of all the people who love this hack, let’s hope that word spreads so that no one gets any side-eye for having stacks of TP in their fridge. But we should also hope it doesn’t become so popular that people start hoarding toilet paper again. That wasn’t fun the first time.

This article originally appeared on 11.20.23

Fat Joe hasn’t quite leaned all the way back from music. On July 12, he reunited with longtime friend and collaborator Remy Ma for the song, “Outta Control.” But that’s not the only new work he announced.

In an exclusive report from Deadline, details surrounding the “All The Way Up” rapper’s upcoming show were revealed.

According to the outlet, Fat Joe has inked a deal with Starz to produce an interview series, Fat Joe Talks. As the host, Fat Joe is set to travel across the country to “conduct conversations with cultural icons.”

Details about when it is expected to air and featured guest have not yet been revealed. However, in a statement, Kathryn Busby, the President of Original Programming for Starz, expressed her support of the network’s forthcoming show.

“‘Fat Joe Talks’ is an exciting foray into talk,” she said. “And who better than Joe—a legend in and of himself—to drive provocative conversations that tap into the zeitgeist and matter to our audience. We are thrilled to be working with Joe and our partners at SpringHill and Embassy Row to launch this incredible show, offering authentic, backstage, rare access to these cultural icons.”

In addition to Embassy Row, the other confirmed production team includes LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Philip Byron, and Jamal Henderson, who will all serve as executive produces (for SpringHill). For Embassy Row, Michael Davies take on that responsibility.

The main attraction of NBA Summer League each year is the incoming rookie class getting to play for their new NBA teams for the first time. Fans flock to Las Vegas to get a glimpse at hopeful young stars, with the first weekend becoming a hot ticket as that’s when the top picks all play.

However, the real value of Summer League is for the guys trying to make rosters, either incoming rookies or young guys trying to keep their careers going. That player comes to Vegas looking to impress the executives in attendance and show that they have the game deserving of more minutes, a roster spot, or even just a look in camp. Among that group this year is Zhaire Smith, as the 16th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft hasn’t been on an NBA roster since his sophomore campaign, but picked up a Summer League roster spot with the Cleveland Cavaliers for July after spending last year on their G League team.

On Sunday in Thomas & Mack, Smith authored the early frontrunner for the best poster dunk of Summer League as he went up and met Jaylin Galloway of the Bucks at the rim and finished a thunderous dunk over him.

I feel like the word “poster” is overused at this point, but this one qualifies as he goes chest to chest with Galloway. Smith finished the game with 9 points and four steals in a Cavs win, but if nothing else he produced one of the best highlights this year’s Summer League action is likely to produce.

At the height of Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s tussle on tracks, fans wondered where why Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj didn’t publicly chime in. Well, yesterday (July 13) after not uttering a word about the beef, Lil Wayne appeared to subtly shown his support for his Young Money Records mentee.

During a performance in Zouk Nightclub, one of the homes of his official Las Vegas residency, Lil Wayne remixed Kendrick Lamar’s diss track aimed at Drake, “Not Like Us.”

As Lil Wayne and Drake’s 2011 collaboration “The Motto” played in the background, Weezy held up his OVO chain as he rapped, “They not like us.” Although it was a kind gesture, users online have taken the act to be a subtle co-sign of Kendrick Lamar, given his reference of the pair’s one-time lovers’ triangle.

“Damn bro, even Wayne is mad at Drake,” penned one user.

“Oop well the Wayne info had to come from somewhere,” chimed another.

“That’s what Drake gets for sleeping with his girl,” declared another.

“Whaaat? Is he beefing with Drake too ,” asked one user.

“Not Wayne being an instigator . Him and Ab Soul are trying to reignite the beef. I guess. LOL,” wrote one user.

The comment referred to the advice TDE rapper, Kendrick’s friend, and longtime collaborator Ab-Soul, publicly offered Drake.

The hype behind the track was supposed to fizzle out, but it appears it won’t be going anywhere, any time soon.

Coldplay seems to be moving a mile a minute. Still in the thick of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour, the “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” musicians found a way to squeeze in a bit of research and development.

On July 12, during the band’s show in Rome, Italy, they treated concertgoers to an unreleased track titled, “Good Feelings.” According to die-hard supporters online, the song is far from new. In fact, fans speculated that the record was supposed to featured on Coldplay’s 2021 album, Music of the Spheres.

However, based on frontman Chris Martin’s sheer enthusiasm, “Good Feelings” might just make the final cut for Coldplay’s forthcoming project, Moon Music (due out on October 4).

Sonically, “Good Feelings” pairs well with the album’s lead single (“Feelslikeimfallinginlove”), and the lyrics carry the same dreamy vibe. “We fell in love in the summer / I remember baby, we felt the sun shine through / And we were born for each other / All the good feelings, for one another/As we danced to the radio,” sings Martin.

Of course, nothing has been confirmed at this time. But fans sure hope “Good Feelings” is the group’s next official single.

Watch Coldplay perform their unreleased track “Good Feelings” above.

Moon Music is out 10/4 via Parlophone/Atlantic. Find more information here.

Eminem and Candace Owens‘ longstanding feud found its way into his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce).

Although, the “Tobey” rapper gave out a few flowers across the body of work, he couldn’t help but delivery a few jabs as well. On tracks “Lucifer” and “Bad One,” Eminem had a fresh round of disses for Owens.

Owens took to her official YouTube channel to clap back, calling Eminem a “lefty elitist” that “cosplays” as a race that he isn’t.

“You’re so irrelevant,” she said. “Your music isn’t good anymore, Granddad Shady. He is a lesson to a lot of people out there that you need to know when it’s time for you to retire.”

The nicknames (“Grand Wizard,” “Klandace,” and “Grand Dragon”) Eminem gifted to Owens weren’t as PG-13 not his sharp lines.

“And Candice O, I ain’t mad at her/ I ain’t gon’ throw the fact b*tch forgot she was Black back at her / Laugh at her, like them crackers she’s backin’ after,” rapper Em on “Lucifer.”

On “”Bad One,” Eminem rapped, “she turned her back on her own race,” in reference to her public supporter of Donald Trump and critics of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Listen Eminem’s songs “Lucifer” featuring Sly Pyper and “Bad One” featuring White Gold below.

The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) is out now via Shady/Aftermath/Interscope. Find more information here.

When it comes to parenting, the second most important decision—after whether to have a child or not—is choosing a name for the kid. Even though we live in times where parents are getting more and more creative about picking a name for their children, those with a more common name have a greater chance of being socially accepted than those without.

According to Psychology Today, grade-school kids with highly unusual names or names with negative associations tend to be “less popular” than those with more “desirable” names. Later in life, people with “unpopular or unattractive” names have more difficulty finding romantic partners.

A 23-year-old mother-to-be wanted to name her son Gaylord and had her family’s full, passionate support, but her husband, 24, and his side of the family were firmly against the idea. The woman was looking for validation and posted about the dilemma on Reddit’s AITA forum.

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“In my family, our genealogy is extremely important. The firstborn son since the 1800’s has been given this name. I’m well aware it’s a stigmatized name today, so that’s why I have agreed to using a short form,” the woman wrote.

Understanding that her son would be bullied for being called Gaylord, she decided that it would be his legal first name, but could go by Gail. Her family believed that it was acceptable for him to be known as Gail initially, but as society grows more tolerant, will be called Gaylord when he gets older.

“They see the backlash over the name today as a fad that will eventually disappear, and I agree seeing how accepting each generation tends to become,” she continued. “When society stops being so immature about it, he can start using the full name.”

The father wouldn’t even consider naming his son Gaylord, or Gail, for that matter. His family went a step further and said that naming him Gaylord or Gail would be “abusive.”

“My in-laws are telling me that even Gail isn’t an acceptable boy’s name and that I need to ‘get with the times’ and choose something more appropriate,” she continued. “What happened to respecting our elders and traditions? His family doesn’t have any naming traditions, so it should fall to my family that does. How could I be expected to break a centuries-old family tradition?”

The commenters were overwhelmingly against the mother’s decision.

“Use your imagination. A boy named Gaylord goes to his first day of school. The teacher does the roll call. ‘GAYLORD SMITH?’ Class breaks into giggles. Embarrassed boy says, ‘It’s Gail.’ Class giggles some more, since Gail is usually a girl’s name. Boy has no chance of fitting in with his classmates. His fate is sealed. He is a social pariah for life. Don’t do this to him. Please,” one user wrote.

“Your name is the first thing people know about you. It’s the cover page of how people perceive you. Even if you think Gaylord will just appear on the birth certificate, you’re wrong. His legal name will have to be used on official documents, at school, on his license and passport. It will appear at the top of every resume he hands out. It’s not as simple as putting a name on paper. It’s how he is going to appear to the whole world. Gaylord is totally stigmatized and has been for decades. It’s not going away, sorry.” Elinbeth added.

“Some traditions reach the point where they are no longer suitable for modern times. This is 100% that time. Pick another name,” CashieBashie wrote.

After the post went viral, the mother shared that both sides of the family have tentatively agreed on a name.

“We managed to work out that Gale Gaylord would be a reasonable compromise, with Gale being the complete first name, and Gaylord being the middle name,” the woman wrote. “My husband can then add a second middle name after Gaylord if he wants. Grandpa is especially not impressed that it’s being demoted to a middle name, but he did say he understands the pressure I’m facing here.”

This article originally appeared on 2.14.24

Today, half of the Internet learned that Jeep vehicles have hidden ‘Easter eggs’ on them. Apparently, the other half already knew but didn’t bother to tell us.

As Joel Feder of Motor Authority explains, Jeep vehicles have had these little surprises since the 90s. Michael Santoro, hired as a designer in 1989, decided to slip an Easter egg into the Wrangler TJ. Since then, pretty much every vehicle has included at least one Easter Egg. According to Mopar Insiders, the Easter eggs can be found on each of the brand’s cars.

Not everyone was aware of this fact, though, as a TikTok by jackiefoster40 recently revealed. The user discovered a spider hidden in his fuel tank and decided to share the Easter egg in a video.

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“So I bought my first car, and a fun fact about Jeeps is that they have a hidden animal which is called an Easter egg,” the user said. “I couldn’t find my Easter egg for the longest time, and one day I was pumping my gas, and I saw this spider coming at me, and I thought ‘oh my god’, and then I realized it was my Easter egg.”

@nkyrealestate 🕷JEEP WAS REALING TRYING TO GET ME.🕷🤦🏼😂 #fyp #jeepsoftiktok #spider ♬ original sound – Jackie

Now, TikTok users have been looking a little closer at their jeeps to discover the Easter eggs hidden in their cars. Most of them posted jackiefoster40’s original narration over their videos to explain what was going on.

This user found a cute little lizard.

@katepetersonn Bruh wut #fyp ♬ original sound – Jackie

This user found multiple Easter eggs, including Bigfoot and a miniature grill in the headlights.

@jazzy._.boo i never realized these were easter eggs😳 #fyp #jeeprenegade ♬ original sound – Jackie

Others found jeeps on their jeeps among other Easter eggs.

@katie.deren Shook #jeep #renagade #finalsathome #fyp ♬ original sound – Jackie

This user found a dinosaur skull on their floor.

@ellkayhey Wait for it… sorry it’s dirty😬 #YoplaitCupRelay #celebratenurses #cartooncharacter #finalsathome ♬ original sound – Jackie

Some people have even found a tiny pair of flip flops on their cars.

@micaelaaaraeee welcome home to the love of my life 💕🥺👉👈 #2020 #jeepwrangler #jeepwranglerjl #wrangler #jeep #jl #jeepeasteregg #orange #car #fyp ♬ original sound – Jackie

Everyone is having a lot of fun trying to find their Easter egg.

@kennedankk

We searched the trackhawk for 30 minutes before I found it in the headlight

♬ original sound – Jackie

So. Many. Animals.

TikTok – Make Your Day

TikTok – trends start here. On a device or on the web, viewers can watch and discover millions of personalized short videos. Download the app to get started.

@sydneytirrel brooo what!!! I thought this was fake lol…I have a fricken lizard on my car!!! I need names for it😤😉 #fyp #foryoupage #makemefamous ♬ original sound – Jackie

If you can’t find the Easter eggs in your vehicles, then NowCar.com put together a handy guide that seems to cover most of them.

Hopefully everyone can have some fun searching their cars for hidden animals and objects.

This article first appeared on 5.14.20

A lot of parents are tired of being told how technology is screwing up their kids.

Moms and dads of the digital age are well aware of the growing competition for their children’s attention, and they’re bombarded at each turn of the page or click of the mouse with both cutting-edge ideas and newfound worries for raising great kids.

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But beneath the madness of modernity, the basics of raising a moral child haven’t really changed.

Parents want their kids to achieve their goals and find happiness, but Harvard researchers believe that doesn’t have to come at the expense of kindness and empathy. They say a few tried-and-true strategies remain the best ways to mold your kids into the morally upstanding and goals-oriented humans you want them to be.

Here are six practical tips:

1) Hang out with your kids.

This is, like, the foundation of it all. Spend regular time with your kids, ask them open-ended questions about themselves, about the world and how they see it, and actively listen to their responses. Not only will you learn all sorts of things that make your child unique, you’ll also be demonstrating to them how to show care and concern for another person.

2) If it matters, say it out loud.

According to the researchers, “Even though most parents and caretakers say that their children being caring is a top priority, often children aren’t hearing that message.” So be sure to say it with them. And so they know it’s something they need to keep up with, check in with teachers, coaches, and others who work with your kids on how they’re doing with teamwork, collaboration, and being a generally nice person.

3) Show your child how to “work it out.”

Walk them through decision-making processes that take into consideration people who could be affected. For example, if your child wants to quit a sport or other activity, encourage them to identify the source of the problem and consider their commitment to the team. Then help them figure out if quitting does, in fact, fix the problem.

4) Make helpfulness and gratitude routine.

The researchers write, “Studies show that people who engage in the habit of expressing gratitude are more likely to be helpful, generous, compassionate, and forgiving — and they’re also more likely to be happy and healthy.” So it’s good for parents to hold the line on chores, asking kids to help their siblings, and giving thanks throughout the day. And when it comes to rewarding “good” behavior, the researchers recommend that parents “only praise uncommon acts of kindness.”

5) Check your child’s destructive emotions.

“The ability to care for others is overwhelmed by anger, shame, envy, or other negative feelings,” say the researchers. Helping kids name and process those emotions, then guiding them toward safe conflict resolution, will go a long way toward keeping them focused on being a caring individual. It’s also important to set clear and reasonable boundaries that they’ll understand are out of love and concern for their safety.

6) Show your kids the bigger picture.

“Almost all children empathize with and care about a small circle of families and friends,” say the researchers. The trick is getting them to care about people who are socially, culturally, and even geographically outside their circles. You can do this by coaching them to be good listeners, by encouraging them to put themselves in other people’s shoes, and by practicing empathy using teachable moments in news and entertainment.

The study concludes with a short pep talk for all the parents out there:

“Raising a caring, respectful, ethical child is and always has been hard work. But it’s something all of us can do. And no work is more important or ultimately more rewarding.”

This article originally appeared on 06.16.15