Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

The Gen X ‘stay at home mom’ crisis is real, but what’s the solution?

A few generations ago, parents had pretty clearly defined roles, with the dad generally being the breadwinner and the mom being the homemaker/stay-at-home mother. Then women’s rights movement came along, empowering women in the workplace, ushering in the era of two working parents and producing an entire generation of “latchkey kids.”

Now those Gen X latchkey kids are parenting Gen Z, with the pendulum of working motherhood having swung somewhat to the middle. We were raised to believe we could be anything we dreamed of being and that we didn’t have to choose between being a mom and having a career. Gen X also became mothers during the heyday of parenting self-help books that impressed upon us the importance of attachment and hands-on childrearing, as well as the era of super-scheduled kids, whose activities alone require a full-time manager.

As a result, those of us in our 40s have raised our kids straddling two worlds—the one where women can have all of the career success we desire and the one where we can choose to be stay-at-home moms who do all the things. At first, we were told we could have it all, but when the impossibility of that became clear, we were told, “Well, you can have it all, just not at the same time.”

But as many moms are finding as their kids start leaving the nest, even that isn’t the full truth.


A Facebook post by Karen Johnson, aka The 21st Century SAHM (short for “stay-at-home mom”) nails the reality many stay-at-home moms in their 40s are facing as they find themselves floundering with the glaring gap in their resumes.

“This is for all the moms in their 40s who put their careers on hold to do the SAHM thing because you knew you couldn’t do both—career you loved and motherhood—and do both WELL, so you picked, saying to yourself ‘this is just for now and we’ll see,'” Johnson wrote. “But now it’s 15 years later and so much has changed in your career field that you know you can’t go back. So really, when you ‘took a break’ all those years ago, you gave it up.”

Johnson explained that yes, moms know they should be grateful for the time they’ve had with their kids. Most are. That’s not the issue. Whether a woman chose to be a stay-at-home mom because she really wanted to or because childcare costs didn’t work in the financial equation of the family, the transition out of it feels like completely uncharted waters.

“Okay, so you’re looking for a ‘career’ with part-time hours and a 100% flexible schedule because you’re still Mom-on-duty but you do have *just* enough hours during the day to reflect on the fact that you *do* have a college degree (maybe even 2) and although being a mom is the greatest and most important job in the world, you *might* actually want something more to your life than folding laundry and running hangry children to 900 events and remembering that they’re all due for dental cleanings,” she wrote.

Yup. The “default parent” role is real and weighted heavily toward moms as it is. For stay-at-home moms, it’s 100% expected, and that doesn’t suddenly end when it’s time to start thinking about joining the workforce again.

And, of course, moms barely have time to try to figure all of this out. So, as Johnson says, “But for now, you cram yourself into the only pair of jeans you have right now that fit and find a t-shirt on the floor that isn’t clean but isn’t dirty and will pass for the 4 hours of mom-taxiing you’re about to do and you tell yourself, ‘I’ll figure it out another day. Right now, I gotta get the kids to practice.'” Oof.

Johnson’s entire post is worth a read, as it resonates with so many women at this stage of life. But just as telling are the comments from women who not only see themselves in Johnson’s description but who feel like they were sold a bill of goods early in their motherhood. So many of us were led to believe that the skills and experiences of managing a family would be valued in the workplace simply because they should be and that the gap in their resume wouldn’t matter.

“This hits hard. I am right there too. And all those volunteer hours & leadership positions people said would look good on my resume when I once again applied for jobs? Those people all lied. It means squat,” wrote one person.

“Thank you! You spoke my heart. 42 this year, resigned from teaching almost 12 years ago, and never been more confused about my personal future, or exhausted in my present,” shared another.

“I’ve never related to a post more in my life! THANK YOU. Your words perfectly summarize the loneliest, most important job in the world and how that perspective shifts in your 40s. It is confusingly beautiful,” wrote another.

There is hope in the comments, too. Some moms have chosen to see their post-stay-at-home era as a fresh start to learn something new, which might lend some inspiration to others.

“I went back for my master’s degree at 47 years old. I’m now 50 in a new career I love and my husband is doing just fine pulling his weight with after school/carpool/dinner. Happy for the years I stayed home, happy with this new season too,” shared one person.

“Yuuuup. I decided to go back to grad school at 45. It’s insane but every term I complete I’m like – omg I’m doing it! So don’t let sweaty out of shape bodies and carpool fatigue stop you. I take naps and write grad school papers and have meltdowns where I cry from the frustration of it all – but dammit I’m doing it!” wrote another.

One mom who is past this stage also offered some words of encouragement:

“So incredibly well written. I feel all these things and did throughout my 40s. Now I’m in my early ’50s and I’m so glad I was able to stay home with my kids, but the guilt! The guilt of not using my education, the judgment of people who don’t understand why someone would stay home with their kids, the social engineering… We just eat each other alive sometimes don’t we? I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but it is a very lonely road and one you always question. I can tell you that all three of my kids were so grateful to have a full-time parent. I might not have always been the best, but they were glad to always have someone to talk to if they needed it. It’s hard to fill other people’s buckets when your bucket isn’t full, but the rewards do come back when the kids tell you thank you for everything that you’ve done. ❤️

Being a mom is hard, period. Working moms have it hard, stay-at-home moms have it hard, moms who have managed to keep one foot in the career door and one foot in the home have it hard. There’s a lot that society could do to support moms more no matter what path they choose (or find themselves on—it’s not always a conscious choice), from providing paid maternity leave to greater flexibility with work schedules to retirement plans that account for time away from the workplace. Perhaps that would at least make the many choices moms have today feel more like freedom and less like choosing between a rock and a hard place.

This article originally appeared on 9.27.23

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Awkward home videos from the 80s and 90s show just how far parenting has come

Parenting has changed. A lot. So many things our parents did that were considered normal in our childhood—that is, for all us millennials and Gen Xers—would simply never fly today.

This is thanks in large part to the digital age, and the countless ways to access information. Radio, magazines, television, books, online blogs, Facebook parent groups, informational podcasts, public studies…thousands of voices helping shape family dynamics and warn of potential dangers.

If there’s ever any doubt into how far we’ve come, let technology once again remind you. A trip down memory lane via TikTok might be, as the kids say, a bit cringe, but boy can it help instill a little gratitude.


On a mission to share her childhood “one home video at a time,” a woman named Rachel has an entire TikTok account dedicated to short glimpses of her younger years.

Her content is an instant nostalgic hit for those of us who grew up in the 80s or 90s. We’re talking Rainbow Brite, roller skates, Sesame Street, backpack purses when they were cool for the first time. All the feel good stuff.

And also—maybe some of the not-so-feel-good stuff. Recently, Rachel shared a video of herself as a newborn with her mom…when viewers noticed something strange in her bottle.

@nostalgicallyrachel Replying to @B Indeed, it is. 💦 #wildtimes #wesurvived #taboo #homemovie #homevideo #nostalgia #nostalgic #80s #90s #1990s #1980s #memories #family #throwback #80sbaby #90sbaby #childhood #childhoodmemories #wholesome #oklahoma #takemeback #vlog #mylife #history #vintage #retro #90skid #80skid #80saesthetic #90saesthetic #vhs #smalltown #aesthetic #growingupinthe90s #millennial #millennialtok #1986 #response #react #water #indeed #newborn #baby #mom #breastfed ♬ Roslyn – Bon Iver & St. Vincent

“I’m sorry — IS THAT WATER,” one concerned viewer asked.

Rachel followed up with , “Indeed, it is”, writing “Sugar Water for Newborns circa 1986” in the video caption.

Once upon a time, sugar water was used as a bit of a cure-all for infants, helping fight off common colds, ease bellyaches, and everything in between.

And while some studies do show that sugar water can help ease pain, and certain hospitals do use it during painful procedures, professionals still suggest against administering it at home.

For one thing, babies don’t need water until they’re six months old. They get all the hydration they need from breastmilk or formula, according to WebMd.

Second, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee says that any foods or beverages with added sugar should be avoided “during the first two years of life,” as it is likely to replace more nourishing foods and cause nutrient deficiency, and is “linked with increased risk of overweight or obesity.”

But for many parents today, this is not new news. Which made Rachel’s video so horrifying.

“As a new mom this genuinely is making me want to cry 😭 There was so much misinformation back then. Those poor babies,” one person wrote.

Of course, it could be worse. As one person shared, “My mom gave me Mountain Dew in my bottle 😳.” Yikes.

In another video, this one captioned “parenting before the internet” and shared by dad and TikTokker Vaughn Trainor, we see another bane of modern parenting—rice cereal.

Specifically, rice cereal being fed to newborns. Experts say that solid foods should not be introduced into a baby’s diet until at least four months old, when they can hold their head and sit upright on their own, start grabbing at things and show interest in food when the parents begin eating.

In this video, however, Trainor is one month old, laid back (also a big no no!) and being spoon fed by his mom, who is heard quoting the parenting magazine that suggested heavier things be eaten this way.

@mrvaughntrainor Parenting before the internet 🤣 i turned out alright 🤣🤣 #parenting #parentinghumor #90sparenting #babiesoftiktok #viral #funnyvideos ♬ original sound – Mrvaughntrainor

Over 5,000 people commented on this one, many of whom noted how this type of diet might influence common digestive issues many adults face.

And while there could be several factors contributing to this that go beyond what we were fed as babies, it is true that millennials seem to suffer the worst when it comes to gut health.

But it’s not just problematic food choices. Rachel shared yet another home video, this one titled “Nursery Tour circa 1986,” that showed her baby self lying in a crib surrounded by pillows, stuffed animals, and, for some reason, a mirror.

@nostalgicallyrachel Nursery Tour circa 1986 👶🏻 #nursery #baby #babytok #nurserytour #home #hometour #homemovie #homevideo #nostalgia #nostalgic #80s #90s #1990s #1980s #memories #family #throwback #80sbaby #90sbaby #childhood #childhoodmemories #wholesome #oklahoma #takemeback #vlog #mylife #history #vintage #retro #90skid #80skid #80saesthetic #90saesthetic #vhs #smalltown #aesthetic #growingupinthe90s #millennial #crib #cribsafety ♬ A Gentle Sunlight – James Quinn

But it’s not just problematic food choices. Rachel shared yet another home video, this one titled “Nursery Tour circa 1986,” that showed her baby self lying in a crib surrounded by pillows, stuffed animals, and, for some reason, a mirror.

…All of which can be life threatening and lead to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), if you ask the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Which is why this comment pretty much sums up everyone’s collective feeling:

“It’s a miracle any of us survived.”

And while we can obviously make the case for “I’m still here, so it couldn’t’ have been that bad,” when you look at infant mortality statistics, which is the lowest it’s ever been worldwide, it’s hard to deny that maybe, just maybe, being more savvy about childcare could have something to do with that.

So, yes, many parents today might lean towards being more anxious by comparison. But it’s only because death is literally lurking at every corner! Yay vindication!

And as mortifying as some of these parenting behaviors might seem to us now, what doesn’t seem to change is parents wanting to raise a healthy kid, to the very best of their ability. We might have gentler, more science-backed ways to go about it, but the love remains the same.

This article originally appeared on 9.27.23

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Awkward home videos from the 80s and 90s show just how far parenting has come

Parenting has changed. A lot. So many things our parents did that were considered normal in our childhood—that is, for all us millennials and Gen Xers—would simply never fly today.

This is thanks in large part to the digital age, and the countless ways to access information. Radio, magazines, television, books, online blogs, Facebook parent groups, informational podcasts, public studies…thousands of voices helping shape family dynamics and warn of potential dangers.

If there’s ever any doubt into how far we’ve come, let technology once again remind you. A trip down memory lane via TikTok might be, as the kids say, a bit cringe, but boy can it help instill a little gratitude.


On a mission to share her childhood “one home video at a time,” a woman named Rachel has an entire TikTok account dedicated to short glimpses of her younger years.

Her content is an instant nostalgic hit for those of us who grew up in the 80s or 90s. We’re talking Rainbow Brite, roller skates, Sesame Street, backpack purses when they were cool for the first time. All the feel good stuff.

And also—maybe some of the not-so-feel-good stuff. Recently, Rachel shared a video of herself as a newborn with her mom…when viewers noticed something strange in her bottle.

@nostalgicallyrachel Replying to @B Indeed, it is. 💦 #wildtimes #wesurvived #taboo #homemovie #homevideo #nostalgia #nostalgic #80s #90s #1990s #1980s #memories #family #throwback #80sbaby #90sbaby #childhood #childhoodmemories #wholesome #oklahoma #takemeback #vlog #mylife #history #vintage #retro #90skid #80skid #80saesthetic #90saesthetic #vhs #smalltown #aesthetic #growingupinthe90s #millennial #millennialtok #1986 #response #react #water #indeed #newborn #baby #mom #breastfed ♬ Roslyn – Bon Iver & St. Vincent

“I’m sorry — IS THAT WATER,” one concerned viewer asked.

Rachel followed up with , “Indeed, it is”, writing “Sugar Water for Newborns circa 1986” in the video caption.

Once upon a time, sugar water was used as a bit of a cure-all for infants, helping fight off common colds, ease bellyaches, and everything in between.

And while some studies do show that sugar water can help ease pain, and certain hospitals do use it during painful procedures, professionals still suggest against administering it at home.

For one thing, babies don’t need water until they’re six months old. They get all the hydration they need from breastmilk or formula, according to WebMd.

Second, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee says that any foods or beverages with added sugar should be avoided “during the first two years of life,” as it is likely to replace more nourishing foods and cause nutrient deficiency, and is “linked with increased risk of overweight or obesity.”

But for many parents today, this is not new news. Which made Rachel’s video so horrifying.

“As a new mom this genuinely is making me want to cry 😭 There was so much misinformation back then. Those poor babies,” one person wrote.

Of course, it could be worse. As one person shared, “My mom gave me Mountain Dew in my bottle 😳.” Yikes.

In another video, this one captioned “parenting before the internet” and shared by dad and TikTokker Vaughn Trainor, we see another bane of modern parenting—rice cereal.

Specifically, rice cereal being fed to newborns. Experts say that solid foods should not be introduced into a baby’s diet until at least four months old, when they can hold their head and sit upright on their own, start grabbing at things and show interest in food when the parents begin eating.

In this video, however, Trainor is one month old, laid back (also a big no no!) and being spoon fed by his mom, who is heard quoting the parenting magazine that suggested heavier things be eaten this way.

@mrvaughntrainor Parenting before the internet 🤣 i turned out alright 🤣🤣 #parenting #parentinghumor #90sparenting #babiesoftiktok #viral #funnyvideos ♬ original sound – Mrvaughntrainor

Over 5,000 people commented on this one, many of whom noted how this type of diet might influence common digestive issues many adults face.

And while there could be several factors contributing to this that go beyond what we were fed as babies, it is true that millennials seem to suffer the worst when it comes to gut health.

But it’s not just problematic food choices. Rachel shared yet another home video, this one titled “Nursery Tour circa 1986,” that showed her baby self lying in a crib surrounded by pillows, stuffed animals, and, for some reason, a mirror.

@nostalgicallyrachel Nursery Tour circa 1986 👶🏻 #nursery #baby #babytok #nurserytour #home #hometour #homemovie #homevideo #nostalgia #nostalgic #80s #90s #1990s #1980s #memories #family #throwback #80sbaby #90sbaby #childhood #childhoodmemories #wholesome #oklahoma #takemeback #vlog #mylife #history #vintage #retro #90skid #80skid #80saesthetic #90saesthetic #vhs #smalltown #aesthetic #growingupinthe90s #millennial #crib #cribsafety ♬ A Gentle Sunlight – James Quinn

But it’s not just problematic food choices. Rachel shared yet another home video, this one titled “Nursery Tour circa 1986,” that showed her baby self lying in a crib surrounded by pillows, stuffed animals, and, for some reason, a mirror.

…All of which can be life threatening and lead to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), if you ask the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Which is why this comment pretty much sums up everyone’s collective feeling:

“It’s a miracle any of us survived.”

And while we can obviously make the case for “I’m still here, so it couldn’t’ have been that bad,” when you look at infant mortality statistics, which is the lowest it’s ever been worldwide, it’s hard to deny that maybe, just maybe, being more savvy about childcare could have something to do with that.

So, yes, many parents today might lean towards being more anxious by comparison. But it’s only because death is literally lurking at every corner! Yay vindication!

And as mortifying as some of these parenting behaviors might seem to us now, what doesn’t seem to change is parents wanting to raise a healthy kid, to the very best of their ability. We might have gentler, more science-backed ways to go about it, but the love remains the same.

This article originally appeared on 9.27.23

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Experienced travelers share their ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ packing essentials

Have you ever been on vacation and realized you need something you wished you’d brought? Unless you travel frequently, it’s inevitable that you’ll have some packing regrets, either over things you packed that you didn’t need or things you didn’t pack that would have come in handy.

Someone who was planning a long trip to Southeast Asia asked in the /travel subreddit, “What do you regret bringing or not bringing when you have travelled? (so I can learn from your mistakes lol)” and experienced travelers delivered a goldmine of wisdom from their personal packing lists.

Here’s a roundup of some of the most helpful things to bring along on any trip, and the one thing savvy travlers say not to pack.


A Sharpie with duct tape wrapped around it—yes, really

duct tape and a sharpie pen

It sounds strange, I know, but Sharpies are always good to have on hand and so is duct tape. (Fixing a broken strap in a pinch, mending an unexpected tear in a bag, using a tiny bit to keep a chip bag closed, stopping the vent from rattling in the hotel room—so many uses.) No one wants to pack an entire roll of duct tape, though, so wrapping a length of it around the Sharpie gives you a usable amount without taking up any precious packing space.

A Ziploc bag full of Ziploc bags and rubber bands

ziploc bags and rubber bands

My family recently traveled to Europe, and on our way out the door, I grabbed a handful of Ziplocs and rubber bands, just in case. I’ve traveled enough to know I always want a Ziploc for something, and the rubber bands were just a whim because they were within eyesight and they weigh almost nothing.

We ended up using every single Ziploc and rubber band I grabbed during our travels. They’re useful for so many things. Opened a packet of nuts or chips and want to save what’s left? Ziploc or rubber band. Favorite beaded necklace broke and you need a place to keep the beads together so you can fix it when you get home? Ziploc. Your travel lotion lid suddenly leaks after never leaking before? Ziploc. Want to keep track of whose glass is whose in the place your rented? Rubber bands. Bought a fragile souvenir? Wrap it up in a piece of clothing and put a rubber band around it. So many uses.

Universal adapters and extra long charging cables or an extension cord for devices

woman on couch with extra long charger attached to her phone

Along with a universal adapter (a must if traveling internationally—take two in case you lose one), it’s a good idea to pack an extra-long charging cord for your devices in case electrical outlets are located in inconvenient places. An extension cord works too, but takes up a bit more space and weight in your luggage.

A waterproof bag (aka dry bag) that can be used for multiple purposes

waterproof dry bag

Not only does a waterproof dry bag handy keeping your stuff protected during water adventures, but it’s also how you can keep the wet swimsuit you inevitably end up with from touching the rest of your luggage. It can do double duty as a laundry bag and you can even use it as a makeshift washing machine for a few small items you want to wash—just toss in part of a laundry detergent sheet, some water and your clothes, and shake. (These come in a variety of sizes, so decide which size you’ll need.)

Laundry detergent sheets

Insogreen laundry detergent sheets

At some point in your travels, someone in your party is going to need to wash something, and it’s super helpful to have your own detergent on hand. These laundry detergent sheets look like paper, take up practically no room and weight almost nothing, plus no liquid messes to worry about. Just toss a few into a Ziploc bag and you’re good to go.

A clothesline—but not just any clothesline

two travel clotheslines

Theoretically, you could use any kind of string or cord for a clothesline, but these braided ones are ideal for travel for a few reasons. One, the suction cups make it easy to use in a shower. Two, the clips make it easy to use wrapped around poles or trees. Three, the braided cords eliminate the need for clothes pins because you can just tuck a bit of fabric in between the cords to hang things.

A small container of over-the-counter medications and electrolyte/hydration packets

liquid i.v.

Even if you’re not someone who usually takes pain reliever or needs extra hydration, traveling can do weird things to your body, especially when you’re visiting another country where everything is unfamiliar. Plus, a lot of over-the-counter medications we’re used to may not be easy to find elsewhere, and you definitely don’t want to be trying to figure out how to find antidiarrheal medicine when you desperately need it. As for electrolytes, people swear by powdered hydration packets like Liquid I.V. for getting over jet lag quicker, but they’re also good to carry especially in places that are hotter than you’re used to, where it’s easy to get dehydrated.

Thin, compact, reusable grocery sacks

reusable grocery sacks

Specifically, ones like these BeeGreen sacks that fold down super tiny, taking up almost no packing space, come in super handy for shopping, laundry, beach, souvenirs and more.

Leave the extra sweater at home

What do people regret bringing? Too many clothes, across the board.

Sometimes it’s a matter of being overly prepared, thinking you might need a sweater while you’re in Indonesia, only to be met with the reality that it’s always a million degrees and a thousand percent humidity there. Sometimes it’s a matter of thinking you need more shoes than you do or that it will be harder to wash things than it is. Sometimes it’s realizing that you want to buy the cheap, beautiful clothing you find at your destination but don’t have room in your luggage to bring them home.

But pretty much everyone who said they regretting bringing anything said clothes. So pack light on the clothing, heed the “must haves” above, and you’ll be golden wherever you end up traveling.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Experienced travelers share their ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ packing essentials

Have you ever been on vacation and realized you need something you wished you’d brought? Unless you travel frequently, it’s inevitable that you’ll have some packing regrets, either over things you packed that you didn’t need or things you didn’t pack that would have come in handy.

Someone who was planning a long trip to Southeast Asia asked in the /travel subreddit, “What do you regret bringing or not bringing when you have travelled? (so I can learn from your mistakes lol)” and experienced travelers delivered a goldmine of wisdom from their personal packing lists.

Here’s a roundup of some of the most helpful things to bring along on any trip, and the one thing savvy travlers say not to pack.


A Sharpie with duct tape wrapped around it—yes, really

duct tape and a sharpie pen

It sounds strange, I know, but Sharpies are always good to have on hand and so is duct tape. (Fixing a broken strap in a pinch, mending an unexpected tear in a bag, using a tiny bit to keep a chip bag closed, stopping the vent from rattling in the hotel room—so many uses.) No one wants to pack an entire roll of duct tape, though, so wrapping a length of it around the Sharpie gives you a usable amount without taking up any precious packing space.

A Ziploc bag full of Ziploc bags and rubber bands

ziploc bags and rubber bands

My family recently traveled to Europe, and on our way out the door, I grabbed a handful of Ziplocs and rubber bands, just in case. I’ve traveled enough to know I always want a Ziploc for something, and the rubber bands were just a whim because they were within eyesight and they weigh almost nothing.

We ended up using every single Ziploc and rubber band I grabbed during our travels. They’re useful for so many things. Opened a packet of nuts or chips and want to save what’s left? Ziploc or rubber band. Favorite beaded necklace broke and you need a place to keep the beads together so you can fix it when you get home? Ziploc. Your travel lotion lid suddenly leaks after never leaking before? Ziploc. Want to keep track of whose glass is whose in the place your rented? Rubber bands. Bought a fragile souvenir? Wrap it up in a piece of clothing and put a rubber band around it. So many uses.

Universal adapters and extra long charging cables or an extension cord for devices

woman on couch with extra long charger attached to her phone

Along with a universal adapter (a must if traveling internationally—take two in case you lose one), it’s a good idea to pack an extra-long charging cord for your devices in case electrical outlets are located in inconvenient places. An extension cord works too, but takes up a bit more space and weight in your luggage.

A waterproof bag (aka dry bag) that can be used for multiple purposes

waterproof dry bag

Not only does a waterproof dry bag handy keeping your stuff protected during water adventures, but it’s also how you can keep the wet swimsuit you inevitably end up with from touching the rest of your luggage. It can do double duty as a laundry bag and you can even use it as a makeshift washing machine for a few small items you want to wash—just toss in part of a laundry detergent sheet, some water and your clothes, and shake. (These come in a variety of sizes, so decide which size you’ll need.)

Laundry detergent sheets

Insogreen laundry detergent sheets

At some point in your travels, someone in your party is going to need to wash something, and it’s super helpful to have your own detergent on hand. These laundry detergent sheets look like paper, take up practically no room and weight almost nothing, plus no liquid messes to worry about. Just toss a few into a Ziploc bag and you’re good to go.

A clothesline—but not just any clothesline

two travel clotheslines

Theoretically, you could use any kind of string or cord for a clothesline, but these braided ones are ideal for travel for a few reasons. One, the suction cups make it easy to use in a shower. Two, the clips make it easy to use wrapped around poles or trees. Three, the braided cords eliminate the need for clothes pins because you can just tuck a bit of fabric in between the cords to hang things.

A small container of over-the-counter medications and electrolyte/hydration packets

liquid i.v.

Even if you’re not someone who usually takes pain reliever or needs extra hydration, traveling can do weird things to your body, especially when you’re visiting another country where everything is unfamiliar. Plus, a lot of over-the-counter medications we’re used to may not be easy to find elsewhere, and you definitely don’t want to be trying to figure out how to find antidiarrheal medicine when you desperately need it. As for electrolytes, people swear by powdered hydration packets like Liquid I.V. for getting over jet lag quicker, but they’re also good to carry especially in places that are hotter than you’re used to, where it’s easy to get dehydrated.

Thin, compact, reusable grocery sacks

reusable grocery sacks

Specifically, ones like these BeeGreen sacks that fold down super tiny, taking up almost no packing space, come in super handy for shopping, laundry, beach, souvenirs and more.

Leave the extra sweater at home

What do people regret bringing? Too many clothes, across the board.

Sometimes it’s a matter of being overly prepared, thinking you might need a sweater while you’re in Indonesia, only to be met with the reality that it’s always a million degrees and a thousand percent humidity there. Sometimes it’s a matter of thinking you need more shoes than you do or that it will be harder to wash things than it is. Sometimes it’s realizing that you want to buy the cheap, beautiful clothing you find at your destination but don’t have room in your luggage to bring them home.

But pretty much everyone who said they regretting bringing anything said clothes. So pack light on the clothing, heed the “must haves” above, and you’ll be golden wherever you end up traveling.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

‘The People’s Joker,’ A Film About A Trans Comedian Named Joker, Will Get A Theatrical Release After All

people's joker
Altered Innocence

We live in a society… where The People’s Joker is finally being released in theaters.

It was announced today that Altered Innocence has acquired the rights to Vera Drew’s film, which follows Joker the Harlequin, a trans woman (played by Drew) trying to make it as a comedian in Gotham City. It premiered to rave reviews at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival but later screenings were pulled after Drew received “an angry letter” from “a media conglomerate” (Warner Bros. Discovery owns DC, the universe where Batman is set).

“This movie started as a DIY community project for queer artists and I made it with my friends to process what it was like coming out as a trans woman working in the film and TV industry,” Drew, who makes clear that The People’s Joker qualifies as parody, said in a statement. “It has been a long road freeing The People’s Joker and finding a release plan that rings true to the queer, anarchist spirit we had while making it. What better home than among Altered Innocence’s catalog of gorgeously gay and deliciously edgy films.”

The People’s Joker is described as an “absurdist autobiographically-inspired dark comedy” about “a painfully unfunny aspiring clown (Vera Drew as Joker the Harlequin) grapples with her gender identity while unsuccessfully attempting to join the ranks of Gotham City’s sole comedy program in a world where comedy has been outlawed. Uniting with a ragtag team of rejects and misfits, Joker the Harlequin forms an illegal anti-comedy troupe that puts her on a collision course with the devious caped crusader controlling the city.”

The People’s Joker will open at New York City’s IFC Center on April 5, 2024 (that makes two Joker movies coming out next year). More dates will be announced in the future. You can find out more information here.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

On It’s 25th Anniversary, It’s Time ‘Velvet Goldmine’ Claimed Its Bisexual Masterpiece Status

Velvet Goldmine
Miramax

Twenty-five years before director Todd Haynes (rightfully) gained a lot of attention for his true crime-influenced melodrama May December, he released an audacious glam-rock drama that was at its core David Bowie and Iggy Pop fanfiction delivered through a Citizen Kane-esque framing device. That film was Velvet Goldmine, which somehow still feels as rebellious and revelatory today as it did in 1998. It’s a bisexual masterpiece, complete with tons of queer characters, a glitter-covered Ewan McGregor gyrating nude, and even Mother herself Toni Collette doing a bit of riffing about her perineum. And that’s not even getting into the soundtrack, which saw some of the biggest names in British alt-rock create fake supergroups for the film’s two onscreen bands. What’s not to love?

It’s hard to deny Velvet Goldmine’s queer status, as it follows reporter Arthur (Christian Bale) as he tries to investigate the faked death of 1970s British pop star Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), remembering his own journey of sexual discovery at the time, spurred on by Slade’s music. At one point he remembers seeing Slade on TV talking about sexuality, and he points and jumps up and down, shouting at his parents, “that’s me!” It’s hard not to immediately identify with this ruddy-faced youth, exuberant that someone out in the world feels an attraction that’s outside of gender norms. Slade even announces to the press that “everybody knows most people are bisexual,” and explains that he and his wife Mandy (Collette) feel the same way so there’s no issue. This does not impress more conservative members of the press or Arthur’s parents, but it rockets Slade to glam-rock superstardom as his alter-ego, Maxwell Demon. (Just think of Demon as the Ziggy Stardust to Slade’s Bowie.) Then he meets out-of-control Iggy Pop-analogue Curt Wild (McGregor) and falls in lusty love, which spells the beginning of the end.

All of that’s pretty fabulously queer, but then Haynes gave his story a fantastical, supernatural element that’s a kind of wish fulfillment, making The Portrait of Dorian Gray author Oscar Wilde the recipient of extraterrestrial magic in the form of a stone brooch. The brooch is passed from queer artist to queer artist, helping them to share themselves with the world, until it’s stolen by Slade just prior to his ascension to fame. Velvet Goldmine doesn’t just give us a peek into the life of a queer rock god, it also creates its own fabulous queer mythology. It’s not all roses and love songs, though, as we also see the darker side of rock ‘n’ roll excess and the challenges of being authentic to yourself in a homophobic, puritanical world. The latter can be painful, like when Arthur is forced to leave home after his father discovers him masturbating to one of Slade’s albums, but it does make the movie feel more lived-in and authentic.

Just as Haynes uses the elements of melodrama to make May December’s reality feel both heightened and grounded at the same time, he uses the trappings of glam rock to tell a story both deeply specific and utterly universal in Velvet Goldmine. Other than the possibly unknowable Slade, who only really exists through the way the other characters remember him, the characters are wonderfully human. They’re not caricatures of the men and women they’re supposed to represent, especially not Arthur, who remains incredibly relatable from beginning to end. Whether he’s trying not to smudge his eyeliner while first learning to put on makeup or staring at his computer screen dejectedly in his crummy journalist-salary apartment, Arthur is exceptionally vulnerable for a character that basically serves as an audience surrogate, especially when compared to the people around him who are mostly Slade’s jaded emotional collateral. It’s hard to blame any of them for being burnt out by rock excess, however, and we see moments of their humanity, especially when Wild and Arthur have a romantic rooftop romp of their own.

Each of these characters is a fully formed person whose bisexuality is integral to who they are without defining them, something that’s still often rarely seen on-screen more than two decades later. Velvet Goldmine’s depiction of sexuality feels especially bold now, as it’s depicted and discussed explicitly in a way that would launch a thousand thinkpieces if it were released in 2023. These characters aren’t just bisexual, they say the word bisexual! Often sexuality is reduced to the binary of “gay” or “straight,” erasing bisexual identities, and to not only see it represented by such a variety of fascinating characters but to actually hear it spoken aloud is deeply validating.

Velvet Goldmine begins with a voiceover about Wilde and the young Jack Fairy, whom Slade will one day steal the brooch from. After Fairy is beaten by some bullies, he stands before a mirror and uses the blood on his lip to rouge them, then smiles as the voiceover explains, “Until one mysterious day, when Jack would discover that somewhere there were others …quite like him. Singled out for a great gift. And one day… the whole stinking world… would be theirs.” When it ends, in the 1990s of the film’s present-day, it’s clear that those days either came and went with the glam-rock era, or they have yet to truly come to pass. The final sequence is of queer couples throughout the U.K. as a cover of one of Slade’s songs plays, hinting at the idea that the best for LGBTQ people is still yet to come. Twenty-five years later, we have seen improvements and setbacks both for queer folks, but that hope still feels incredibly vital to hang onto.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

The Most-Liked Instagram Posts Of 2023 Feature Selena Gomez, Cristiano Ronaldo, And… A Sunset

selena gomez
Getty Image

You’ve seen a ton of year-end lists by now; We just published the Uproxx Music Critics Poll for 2023, in case you missed that. If you have an appetite for one more ranking, let’s take a look at 2023’s most-liked Instagram posts.

This information isn’t readily available in an official capacity, so the best available data appears to be Wikipedia’s list of the 20 all-time most-liked posts, with figures accurate as of November 4. According to that, the year’s biggest posts came from entertainment multi-hyphenate Selena Gomez, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and a photographer who captured a colorful sky.

The top post on that list from 2023 is a reel of a vibrant sunset from user @jiangzhibin24, which has about 34.5 million likes. That makes it the most-liked reel/video post in Instagram history, as all the posts above it in the all-time ranks only feature images. It’s the sixth most-liked post ever overall.

The next two 2023 posts on the list are both from Ronaldo. Both feature action shots of Ronaldo during games, and both posts have just short of 28 million likes each. The posts are No. 14 and 15 on the all-time list.

The final 2023 post on the list, at No. 19 all-time and No. 4 this year, comes from Gomez. The post was shared on March 13, is captioned “Violet chemistry,” and includes two selfies of Gomez, in which she’s not wearing makeup.

Unless Taylor Swift finds a cure for cancer or Beyoncé announces she’s running for president in the next few days, that is where the 2023 ranks will likely remain for the rest of the year.

It makes sense that Gomez made the list, considering she was once the most-followed person on Instagram, and is currently the most-followed woman, musician, actor, musician, and person from North America on the platform. She has the No. 4 most-followed account overall: The official Instagram account is No. 1, followed by Ronaldo at No. 2 and fellow soccer icon Lionel Messi at No. 3.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

‘Reacher’ Season 2 Has Already Punched The Living Daylights Out Of Every Other Amazon Title This Year

Reacher Season 2
Amazon

Alan Ritchson might not have been able to pass that note to Tom Cruise, but the “new” Jack Reacher is doing just fine. See, he says so himself…

Reacher Is Fine
Amazon

To that end, Amazon has already announced that the second season of Reacher, which has only released three episodes thus far, is already whooping tush and tossing punches all over the streaming charts. As Deadline relays, the three episodes not only “surpassed the entire Season 1 audience by 50% in the first three days,” but the show is now the top-viewed in for all Amazon Originals released in 2023. Here’s more:

Season 1 already seemed like a home run for Amazon, racking up 1.84B minutes viewed across all eight episodes in the U.S. (which were released all at once) during its premiere weekend in March 2022, according to Nielsen streaming data. Since Nielsen only measures domestically, that wouldn’t give an indication of how the series is performing internationally.

Exact Nielsen figures from this season will be delayed, as is customary, for around a month or so, but so far, Amazon is at least thrilled that their own internal figures are perking things up for 2023, which hasn’t had this many streaming minutes racked up since the September 2022 premiere of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Of course, the first Reacher season from February 2022 didn’t do so shabbily, either. And there will be weekly Reacher episodes through January 19, along with a third season that’s already in the works. Details matter!

(Via Deadline)

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Report: The Chargers Are Interested In Jim Harbaugh, Who Apparently ‘Loves’ Justin Herbert

jim harbaugh
Getty Image

We’re getting to the point in the NFL calendar where the coaching carousel starts spinning, which can only mean one thing: There are rumors about Jim Harbaugh returning to the league. Harbaugh, the former San Francisco 49ers head coach who currently coaches at the University of Michigan, is apparently one of the names that has piqued the interest of the Los Angeles Chargers as they look to find a replacement for the recently fired Brandon Staley.

The news of this interest comes by way of Jordan Schultz from Bleacher Report, who added the caveat that it’s unclear if Harbaugh would want to leave his alma mater to coach the Chargers.

It is worth mentioning that Harbaugh is a bit busy right now, as the Wolverines are the No. 1 team in America and are headed to the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row — they have a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Harbaugh returning to the NFL rumors have been around for years, and Michigan has always been able to convince him to stick around in Ann Arbor, although in a fun twist on this one, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg recalled a recent conversation he had with Harbaugh in which he spoke glowingly about Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Chargers opted to part ways with Staley after two and a half years following a Thursday Night Football drubbing at the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders last week. During his tenure in L.A., Staley registered a 24-24 record, but got fired while the team sat at 5-9 during the 2023 campaign.

Harbaugh has amassed an 84-25 record at Michigan, which has included three consecutive Big Ten championships and three straight berths in the College Football Playoff. Prior to becoming the head coach in Ann Arbor back in 2015, Harbaugh spent four years with the Niners and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012.