Category: Worldwide

When we’re kids, fun comes so easily. You have coloring books and team sports and daily recess … so many opportunities to laugh, play and explore. As we get older, these activities get replaced by routine and responsibility (and yes, at times, survival). Adulthood, yuck.

Many of us want to have more fun, but making time for it still doesn’t come as easily as it did when we were kids—whether that’s because of guilt, a long list of other priorities or because we don’t feel it’s an age-appropriate thing to long for.

Luckily, we’ve come to realize that fun isn’t just a luxury of childhood, but really a vital aspect of living well—like reducing stress, balancing hormone levels and even improving relationships.

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More and more people of all ages are letting their inner kids out to play, and the feelings are delightfully infectious.

You might be wanting to instill a little more childlike wonder into your own life, and not sure where to start. Never fear, the internet is here. Reddit user SetsunaSaigami asked people, “What always remains fun no matter how old you get?” People’s (surprisingly profound) answers were great reminders that no matter how complex our lives become, simple joy will always be important.

Here are 14 timeless pleasures to make you feel like a kid again:

1. Playing with dogs

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Doggos are basically furry children, so this one’s a no-brainer.

2. Legos

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The only thing NOT fun about Legos is stepping on one. Everything else is pure magic.

3. Popping bubble wrap

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With each satisfying “pop” sound, just imagine tiny bursts of dopamine flooding the brain.

4. Riding roller coasters

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While it’s true that riding roller coasters might become less physically possible with age, barring that limitation—you’re never too old to ride one.

5. Arcades

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Playing video games at home is cool, but there’s a special thrill in seeing an arcade absolutely buzzing with different game sounds, colored lights and other people enjoying themselves.

6. Go-karts

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Because speeding in real life is irresponsible.

7. Pillow fights

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A quintessential sleepover activity that can easily be done with a roommate. Bonus points for surprise attacks.

8. Dinosaurs

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Whether in toy or nugget form, dinosaurs are a delight.

9. Dressing up for Halloween

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Halloween costumes can go from a fun form of playful expression in our younger years to a source of self-image issues in our teens and beyond (as so many things in life do). Hopefully though, dressing up for the spooky season can be a highlight on the calendar.

10. Water slides

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Roller coasters in liquid form!

11. Dolls

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We no longer have to hide our passion for toys under the serious moniker of “collecting.” Playing with dolls is a fun practice in storytelling and has even shown a very specific set of therapeutic benefits. Permission, granted!

12. Daydreaming

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Remember peacefully imagining made-up worlds while staring up at the clouds? Those were good times.

13. Swings

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Whether you are a traditionalist or prefer to go crazy and twist yourself up for some epic spins, a swing set is a perfect place to let your inner child out.

14. Taking sick days

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Everything is more fun when you do it during a time you technically should be somewhere else.

This article originally appeared on 9.7.22

When we consider ways to improve our homes, we often think big: new bathrooms, solar panels, or redoing the landscaping. These renovations can be costly and, in these economically challenging times, too much for many people’s budgets.

However, a series of minor tweaks, like mini-makeovers, can breathe new life into our homes. We can make countless small, affordable changes to our living spaces that make them cozier, more functional and energy efficient.

Some minor fixes can increase your property value, too.

Recently, a group of Redditors came together to share some small changes that have made an enormous difference in their homes. It all started when a user named Super_Dupa2 asked, “What small upgrade made a huge difference at your house?”

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The prompt was a big viral hit, receiving over 8,300 responses in just one day. Here are 15 small upgrades that can make a huge difference in your house.

1. New shower head

“A better shower. If you can’t redo the whole bathroom, just replace the head. This also works if you rent. Just keep the old one in a box, so you can bring the nice one to your next house.” — Maartenvanheek

“And a curved shower curtain rod. You get so much more arm space.” — Cripnite

2. More chargers

“Methodically buying phone chargers with long enough cables to not have to ever move one again.” — ihadtowalkhere

3. Blackout curtains

“Blackout curtains for sleeping. Such a game changer.” — blehbleh 1122

“And they keep my bedroom cooler.” — BunjaminFrnklin

4. New lighting fixtures

“Fixtures are now properly grounded, the interior looks more updated, and there is more/better light.” — SnooCaliflowers9981

“Lighting can absolutely make a huge difference in the way you feel in your room. Get some shoulder-height (when you are sitting) lamps for your living room. You will notice a shift in how much more relaxed you feel when you use those instead of the overheads.” — ShoesAreTheWorst

5. Laundry room light

“Motion-activated light switch for the laundry room. Never have to worry about turning off the light when leaving with an arm full of clothing.” — Amazing Asian

6. Attic fan

“Attic heat exhaust fan. Our attic used to get up to 140F on the hottest days; on those days, our ceilings were hot to the touch. The whole house was consequently uncomfortable. Now the attic fan is thermostatically controlled to 90 degrees, and the whole house is cooler.” — jermleeds

“I added a passive whirlybird that does the same thing. Heat rises and escapes before it can accumulate to those extreme levels. It also happens to be clear acrylic, so now there’s always light up there too which helps keep away any vermin.” — cantwejustplaynice

7. Hanging artwork

“Spending a day mounting my artwork. It felt so much more like my home after that.” — GinGimlet.

“Every time I’ve moved, I put that off for way too long, then finally break down and do it and the house feels so much better to be in.” — Elegant-Nature-6620

8. New blankets

“My wife and I are getting separate blankets. No more fighting about who takes the covers while we’re sleeping. Highly recommend 10/10.” — Akumamatata8080

9. Fake stained glass

“I had a window above the stairs the neighbors could see through, so I went on Amazon and spent 40 bucks on some plastic window film that makes it look like stained glass. It turned out AMAZING and lasted forever.” — OathofFenanor

10. Bidet

“I get mad when I have to use a different toilet now. I’m truly converted.” — Itwasmyshadow

“The worst part of owning a bidet is going on vacation.” — TinyPieceofYarn

11. Rice cooker

“I save so much time and energy. Plus, there’s less washing up to do since all I need to wash is the pot inside, instead of a saucepan, a wooden spoon, and a colander.” — Molwalk

12. RoboRock

“Using a $150 GC my sister gave me for my birthday. I picked up a RoboRock Q5 robot vacuum ($70 out of pocket after the GC). I have it running on a daily schedule at 2 pm while I’m at work, and my hard floors are always immaculate.” — Matt314159

13. Solar panels

“Fitted 4 solar panels to my shed roof attached to a lithium battery and inverter. Not the cheapest upgrade at about £1000. But unlimited free electricity in my shed. Can plug all my power-hungry man stuff in there and it’s guilt-free! And when there’s a power cut I just run an extension lead into the house, and I’m good! and way simpler than grid tie-in system.” — Badger906

14. New windows

“After living here for 35 years. We had all the windows in the house replaced 5 months ago. The house is so much more comfortable and quiet. It was expensive but worth it. We replaced 11 windows of varying sizes with Renewal by Anderson. All had to be custom-made because of their outdated sizes. The largest was 5’X7’. They are composite materials with heat-reflecting glass. It is incredible to stand behind the window in direct sunlight and open and close them to feel the difference of the heat they block out. The house was definitely more comfortable during the hot summer, and the electricity bill was about 20% lower. They look beautiful, and the crew of 6 guys removed the old and installed the new in one day and did not leave a mess of any kind. We ordered them in the last week in March, and they were installed in the first week of June. Total cost was $23K.” — Blizzard7788

15. Get a dishwasher

“It has changed our arguments over dishes.” — xuknownx26

“No washing dishes! A handy place to hide all your dirty dishes! A handy place for your clean dishes to dry! And no dish rack on the draining board has freed up loads of space/made it look a lot less cluttered.” — binglybleep

Eighteen year old Samantha Frye has traded college life for entrepreneurship, and she has no regrets.

Frye began working at Rosalie’s Restaurant in Strasburg, Ohio at 16 as a dishwasher, working up the ranks as a kitchen prep, server, then line cook. All while working a second job, sometimes third job.

After graduating high school, Frye started college at Ohio State with plans of studying business or environmental engineering. But when she came back to work a shift at Rosalie’s for winter break, an opportunity arose—the owners had planned to sell the restaurant.

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“I was thinking that maybe [buying] was something I wanted to do,” she told News 5 Cleveland. “I had savings because I was saving for college, so I had quite a bit of money saved away. And I was like, I could possibly do this.”

Frye acted on that gut feeling, and used her college funds to buy Rosalie’s. Now she spends every day at her new business, either in the kitchen, on the floor or in the office meeting with sales reps.

This Ohio diner is under new ownership: an 18-year-old who started out as a dishwasher and is carrying on a legacy of the past. https://t.co/7VShD0O6n0

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 13, 2023

Though Fyre’s mother, Brandi Beitzel, confessed to USA Today that she wasn’t initially “on board” with her daughter abandoning college plans, over time she became very “proud” of her for forging her own path, and applauded her “drive and ambition.”

That sentiment is echoed both by Rosalie’s regulars and staff, who are amazing at the young woman’s drive and confidence.

“I just really think she’s a great example of a young lady that is following her dreams and doing what she loves,” said Leanna Gardner, an employee.

It’s no secret that there are significantly less students attending college—down by about a million since the start of the pandemic. And while there are no doubt potential long term collective consequences to that, with exorbitantly high student loan rates, it’s easy to see why young adults would avoid massive debt for careers that don’t require a college degree.

Luckily, there are more efforts to make college an affordable option being made nationwide, like offering a free two years worth of college to graduating students.

And as Frye is proving by example—not going to college is certainly not a death sentence for one’s future. There are many ways to plant seeds for success. Honestly, college or no college, no matter which path is taken, there will likely be more uncertainty than there are guarantees. Perhaps the best bet then is trust those pings of intuition.

“You don’t need college to make a decent living, and I think that’s what a lot of people think nowadays,” Frye attests. “Follow your instinct, honestly. If it feels right, just do it.”

This article originally appeared on 5.22.23

As someone who has had cats as pets all my life, I can attest to the range of intelligence our feline friends possess. Some cats have pebbles for brains, while others can wow you with their abilities.

Then there are the spooky smart cats. The ones you can see calculating in real time. The ones who convince you they could plot your demise if you don’t bend to their whims and they’d probably leave no evidence.

Ones like the cat in a viral video (shared by @catshouldnt on X) who not only knew how to open a door but who figured out how to remove the door jam inserted at the top of the door first so it could successfully get out.

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Even knowing the outcome, it’s impressive to watch:

This cat has very clear logic. I m shocked

— place where cat shouldn’t be (@place where cat shouldn’t be)
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I’ve watched my cat calculate how to jump from the nightstand to the top cabinet of our closet, and that’s always fun. The understanding of geometry and physics cats seem to intuitively possess is wild to witness, and the fact that my cat almost always makes seemingly impossible jumps perfectly never fails to impress me.

But this cat? This cat is on a whole other level. When you think about the thought process here, how any steps it requires in a specific order to open the door, it’s pretty incredible that a cat could figure it out.

Commenters weighed in on Reddit with how their own cats handle doors:

“We had a cat like that when I was a kid. He would usually grab the knob and then swing his chonk ass back and forth to open it.”

“My cat either rams it open with her head, pulls it open from the bottom, or jumps for the handle. She WILL get in eventually.”

“Meanwhile one of my cats is completely defeated by a door that’s open a inch.”

“Meanwhile i have a cat door taped open because my cat is too dumb to push it.”

“I met a cat that tried to claw through the hinge side of a door that was half open, then meow for help.”

Seriously, cats’ brains range from boxes of rocks to Einstein. It’s incredible.

People like to compare cat and dog intelligence to human children and determine an age equivalent, but veterinarian Dr. Cathy Barnette shared on Cats.com that those comparisons aren’t really accurate. A 2016 study did show that cats have about twice as many neurons as dogs, which could indicate that cats are smarter than dogs at the very least, but studies are mixed and intelligence in animals is notoriously difficult to measure.

There’s no question about the smarts on this cat, though. If I were that owner, I think I’d be sleeping with one eye open.

An excerpt from John Stamos‘ upcoming memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, has been making headlines thanks to a scandalous slice of ’80s nostalgia. According to Stamos, the Full House star once caught his girlfriend cheating on him with Tony Danza. In the excerpt, Stamos was heartbroken to find Teri Copley, who he thought was the love of his life, in bed with the future Who’s The Boss? star. (Neither actor had catapulted to sitcom fame yet.)

However, Copley has since issued a denial of Stamos’ claims. While she admits hooking up with Danza, Copley told PEOPLE that she and Stamos were already over at the time of the incident.

“I wondered, ‘What was John doing there?’ because we had broken up,” Copley said. “He just looked at me and shook his head, and walked away.”

That little clarification makes Stamos’ side of the story a little more awkward. In the excerpt, the Full House star recalls letting himself into Copley’s guest house where he found her naked in Danza. If the two were already broken up, that’s not a great look for Stamos. Although, he’ll be the first to admit that he was not the best boyfriend.

“I mean, it wasn’t right to cheat on me, but I was too immature; I wasn’t a man,” Stamos told PEOPLE. “I didn’t become a man for a long time and I think she was… I don’t know. I was broken.”

(Via PEOPLE)

Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape Tour is officially underway after kicking off on Saturday in Minneapolis at The Armory. It’ll continue tonight at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, with a setlist including both new songs like Pink Tape standouts “Just Wanna Rock” and “NFL” and fan favorites like “Money Longer,” “Neon Guts,” and of course, “XO TourLlif3.” You can find pictures of the tour merch here.

If you’re planning on checking out the show, you might want to get there earlier or extremely on time because the show reportedly starts promptly at 8 pm — although according to one Reddit user who apparently attended the show in Minneapolis, Uzi comes out at around 9 pm and aside from his DJ, does not have an opening act.

Check out the remaining tour dates below.

10/23/2023 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
10/24/2023 — Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
10/25/2023 — Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/31/2023 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
11/02/2023 — Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
11/03/2023 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
11/05/2023 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
11/06/2023 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy
11/08/2023 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
11/09/2023 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
11/10/2023 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
11/13/2023 — Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
11/16/2023 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Kia Forum
11/18/2023 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/20/2023 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
11/22/2023 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Netflix’s latest mind-bending thriller, Bodies, has become something of a sleeper hit for the streaming platform thanks to its timeline-hopping murder mystery and twist-ending. Over the course of the show’s eight episodes, the British crime caper tells the story of three London detectives discovering the same man murdered in three separate decades. It’s a wild, physics-defying ride that keeps viewers guessing until its end.

But, where did the inspiration for the series come from? Who is the Si Spencer the show’s first episode is dedicated to? And will we be treated to more of this sci-fi thriller? Here’s everything we know about Netflix’s Bodies.

Is Bodies Based On A Book?

The main storyline in Bodies is based on a mini graphic novel written nearly 10 years ago. In the books, the killing of an unidentified man happens at the same place, in the same manner, across multiple eras. In 1890, Detective Alfred Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) finds a man’s naked body in London’s Longharvest Lane with a bullet hole through his eye. Detective Charles Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) finds the same man dead in 1941, while Detective Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor) finds the body in the present day. Each detective tries to solve the mystery of why John Doe was killed and by whom as an investigator from the future works to put the pieces together with the help of a time-traveling professor who may know more than he’s letting on.

It’s a trippy murder puzzle that showrunner Paul Tomalin said he was “scared sh*tless” to adapt. “At first I thought no one’s gonna commission this, it’s too wild, it’s just too mental to do it,” he told Yahoo. “There are big differences to the graphic novel, but the characters are the same, the themes are the same, and there’s enough psychedelic madness from the graphic novels. I’m pretty sure we did our best to nail it.”

Who Is Si Spencer?

As the show’s first episode fades to black, a dedication to a man named Si Spencer pops up on screen. Spencer was the author of the graphic novels on which the show is based. He wrote volumes for DC’s Judge Dredd and Hellblazer series while also working on British TV shows like EastEnders and the Doctor Who spinoff, Torchwood. Spencer passed away from heart failure in February 2022, just one year before his Bodies series would be picked up by Netflix.

Will There Be A Season 2 Of Bodies?

According to Tomalin, the show was always billed as a limited series meaning it’s unlikely fans will get another installment of this exact storyline with the same main characters. Tomalin said wrapping up the season-long mystery was his way of honoring fans of Spencer’s work.

“We went to Netflix like, ‘This is one series, this is a one and done, we wanna close this off’, because I think when you have such an amazing concept up front, you [expletive] your audience off if you don’t solve it,” he told Hello! “As the viewer, I hate it when you get this amazing thing. And at the end it’s like, ‘Duh, duh, duh’, and you’re like ‘Right so I’ve got to wait a year and a half’.”

While there are no plans to continue Spencer’s story as of now, the show still teased a futuristic plot point that might open things up for a spin-off of sorts later down the line.

“We really wanted you to feel that you’d seen the red curtain at the end,” he explained. “That being said, when you see the back end, there’s certainly a dot dot dot. But the premise that the show sets comes to an end.”

(Via Yahoo!)

The raunchy and weird animated series Big Mouth might be coming to an end soon (ish), but the Netflix show still has a few surprises on deck. For the jam-packed seventh season, they added a whole slew of new voices into the game, including some high-profile favorites who now get to pretend to be 12. Hopefully being a teenager is more fun this time around.

In addition to the normal players (Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, and Jason Mantzoukas) season seven included Zazie Beetz as new student Danni, Megan Thee Stallion as her own Hormone Monster, Chloe Fineman as Timon, and Mark Duplass as Val, Jay’s brother. Another new character is Lulu, an older mean girl who bullies Jessi for existing. Don’t you miss those days?

Lulu is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, who also portrays a detective (and sometimes bully) Rosa on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Beatriz is no stranger to voice acting as she starred in 2022’s Encanto as the main protagonist Mirabel. Beatriz has also appeared in Bob’s Burgers and Krapopolis, Dan Harmon’s long-awaited animated series which debuted earlier this year.

Season seven of Big Mouth is now streaming on Netflix, and the eighth and final season will hit debut sometime next year.

(Via The Direct)

When the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals a year ago, LeBron James hinted that he was considering retirement. That came as a surprise to many, not because a 38-year-old considering retirement is shocking, but because James has made very clear in recent years that one of his last remaining goals (beyond trying to win more rings) is to play with his son, Bronny.

The question is when, and where, that would be a possibility. Bronny will be eligible for the NBA Draft next June, but is rehabbing after going into cardiac arrest while working out at USC this summer with the goal of joining the Trojans lineup this season. That would mean James needs to make it at least two more years to have that chance (with the added difficulty of getting Bronny to his team in the Draft), but after another offseason to get his body and mind back in tune for another season, LeBron seems to have his sights set on more than just making it to when Bronny comes into the league.

In a new Beats ad featuring James and Manchester City star Erling Haaland, the two listen to messages from very important people in their lives. For Haaland, it’s his father, while James listens to a message from his wife Savannah hyping him up for another season in the NBA. In it, there’s a line that piqued the interest of plenty of NBA fans, as she said: “Tell them you’re not done until you play with your son,” with a cut to Bronny, “and then do that again,” with a cut to Bryce James.

Bryce is a rising junior in high school this season, currently a 3-star on the 247 Composite, but has steadily seen his prospects rise as he’s grown into a 6’4 frame. To have a chance to play with both of his sons, LeBron would need to make it to at least the 2026-27 season when Bryce could be eligible after one year of college, which would make LeBron 41 (going on 42 during the season). That’s a long time to play in the NBA, but if anyone is going to do it and still play at a high enough level to make it work, you’d bet on it being LeBron.

Netflix just started streaming its latest comedy series, Neon, and if you’re curious about what the new series from reggaeton legend Daddy Yankee is all about, we got you covered.

Starring Tyler Dean Flores, Emma Ferreira, and Jordan Mendoza, Neon follows three friends as they try to break into the cutthroat music industry. Think Entourage, but instead of becoming a movie star, these three want to be the next big names in reggaeton.

Here’s what Uproxx‘s Aaron Williams said about the first season of Neon.

“What struck me most throughout my binge — all eight episodes are out this week, October 19 — was how authentic and true to the music and culture of reggaeton Neon strives to be,” Williams wrote. “Much of that can be credited to the original music created for the series by executive music producers Tainy & One Six (Lex Borrero and Ivan Rodriguez), who made efforts to make songs that not only enhanced the story of the show but could also live in the real world as legitimate reggaeton hits.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

From small-town Florida to the bustling beaches and bright lights of Miami, Neon follows three friends as they hustle their way to making it big in the world of reggaeton. The comedy captures not only the three besties’ larger-than-life dreams but also the harsh realities and funny mishaps of surviving the music industry. Together, they hope to make the biggest star in reggaeton — or at least pay their rent.

You can watch the trailer below:

Neon is available for streaming on Netflix.