Nick Viall is going to be the next Bachelor and I am honestly super happy about it. I think watching Luke Pell or Chase McNary for an entire season would've been a serious snoozefest. Plus, I'm ready for Viall to finally find the love he's been searching for on television for so long.
So, is Viall happy and ready to be the next Bachelor? Viall's friend Marcos Hernandez is revealing what his pal really thinks about the new gig, plus how it's actually his fault Viall ever ended up on the reality franchise in the first place!
"Of course he's happy he was picked as The Bachelor. It's an opportunity that came up, but it's not something he was actively seeking. Nick didn't even put himself on The Bachelorette the first time. My wife and I did," Hernandez told E! News. "We'd have pizza nights where we'd watch the show and Nick would come over and watch with us. My wife thought it would be funny to try to get him on the show. She grabbed a recent picture of him and sent it in. We forgot about it but nine months later they called him for an interview and he decided to try it out."
Some Bachelor Nation members are upset Viall is being given a fourth chance at love over last season's Pell or McNary, but honestly, I'm here for it. Viall has gone from being one of the most despised candidates in Bachelor history to the guy everyone is rooting for and truly loves. He's proof anyone can redeem themselves in the public eye.
"Ultimately, at the end of the day when we were discussing all of the candidates — and Luke [Pell] and Chase [McNary] were on the board — it just got down to the final question of, 'Who's the most deserving? Who is the most sincere? Who have we watched time and time again really come on the show to find love and just come up short each and every time?'" Chris Harrison said on Good Morning America. "While Luke and Chase were good guys, we all just kept coming back to Nick. It's just crazy enough to work."
Hernandez agrees that pal Viall is a good fit for The Bachelor, saying, "He's been on the show twice. He's truly looking to find a connection."
However, Hernandez also revealed that Viall has one major Bachelor fear that I think is super understandable. Why wouldn't he be scared about this?
"Is he afraid of anything? I think it's obvious," Hernandez told E! News. "He doesn't want to have his heart broken again."
Viall's stint as The Bachelor could result in another failed relationship. Despite his troubled past on two seasons of The Bachelorette and the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise, we're rooting for Viall. Maybe all his broken Bachelor roads were always meant to lead him here.
Cheryl Burke is back for Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars and she's partnered up with the most controversial guy in the lineup: Ryan Lochte. The dance pro revealed how she really feels about her new partner during a new interview with Extra.
"First of all, [I was] shocked that he was actually doing the show, and I was like, 'Oh, I hope this guy can dance a little bit and he has some rhythm,'" Burke told Mario Lopez during an interview for Extra.
"I think Dancing with the Stars is all about redemption... and I think everyone should give him that chance," Burke said. "I think he's really hit a low point in his life and he really wants to move on from it... cha-cha it off, ya know?"
We know Lochte can swim, but can he dance? Burke revealed that they're, "Working on it… I got a lot of work to do."
Despite the international incident Lochte caused during the Summer Games, Burke thinks America should give him the chance to redeem himself.
"I mean, he really, he has so much on his plate right now, and I think this is the best thing he can do, is just try not to think about everything and come and dance with me, you know?" Burke said. "I think people really should give him a second chance 'cause he is a great guy."
You're sleep-deprived, your house is a mess, and your car is too. Congratulations, you're a parent! While it's without a doubt the most rewarding job in the world, being a parent can be exhausting and downright frustrating at times. Which is why you need Twitter. Here are 10 tweets from parents this week that are guaranteed to make you LOL.
Here's what the SheKnows editors are eating and drinking through the Labor Day weekend. What are your plans?
Sous vide smoker-finished beef ribs
Executive editorial director Julie Ross Godar has what must be the most ambitious of plans. She's putting a "giant mess of vacuum-sealed dino ribs" in a cooler with water and the sous vide stick, and cooking them that way for 48 hours. Then she'll finish the ribs in the smoker. Hell yes. Good thing she's on the other coast, or I'd be over there in exactly 49 hours.
Parenting editor Jeanne Sager is thinking of baking some tomatoes stuffed with pesto. But in the meantime, she's pretty much living on burrata. (Aren't we all?)
Community editor Kaitlin Racine made a taco tortilla cast-iron pie last night, swapping the milk sauce for tomatillo sauce and adding cheese to the beans. "I’m taking the leftovers with me to go stay on the James River in Virginia this weekend."
Beachside tuna lettuce wraps
Deputy editor Melissa Kirsch will be making what she calls her "weird, sad beach meal," which is actually tuna lettuce wraps with chopped cornichon and avocado. And that sounds perfectly light for the beach.
All the chicken paprika
Social media director Kat Lapelosa is traveling to Budapest, where she'll get to indulge in chicken paprika and goulash. Whoa! Take that, Labor Day weekend grilling.
Savor the adventure, Colleen! Savor the adventure.
Lamb sliders and blueberry-fig crumble
As the Food editor, I'd better represent, right? I'll be making New York state grass-fed lamb sliders with Aleppo pepper and topped with fig jam mixed with tamarind... just like I do every. Single. Weekend. Per my boyfriend's wishes. We'll brunch on our usual huge batch of soft, creamy scrambled eggs with harissa.
I'll also be tossing a pint of blueberries with chopped fresh figs and topping them with a mixture of 1/2 cup of rolled oats, 1/2 cup of whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cardamom and a stick of butter to make an easy baked crumble.
For cocktails, I'll either mix my extra-sour margaritas (2 ounces of tequila, 2-plus ounces of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1/2 ounce of triple sec in a salt-rimmed glass) or try Drink More Good's Cucumber Mint Earl Grey syrup with tequila.
Grapefruit-tangerine margaritas
But maybe Entertainment editor Kristine Cannon has a better idea. Here's her margarita recipe:
Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift's relationship, or rather their breakup, continues to make headlines even two months later, but this time it's for a slightly different reason.
We all know Swift moved on quickly and started dating Tom Hiddleston (the pair also made no attempt to hide their affections for each other) but Harris dealt with his breakup in a very different way, and although he has been rumored to be hooking up with a bevvy of beauties (including Tinashe and Nicole Scherzinger), it turns out he's not all that interested in dating. At least, that's what John Newman says.
Speaking during an interview with The Sun newspaper, Newman revealed that "he doesn't need anybody" to comfort him, and he's doing well post-Taylor.
"His emotions are so strong, he's so strong-minded," Newman continued, adding, "He's a one-man train who is never going to stop. The limits are literally endless for him."
Harris and Newman are good friends, who most recently collaborated on a new track, "Olé," which many believed to subtly throw shade at Swift and Hiddleston's romance — Newman sings the lyrics, "Low key you won’t tell none of your friends about me," which many believe to be a reference to Hiddleston's character Loki. Although Newman was quick to reveal that he had no comment on their relationship, previously telling Evening Standard that Harris wrote the song.
"He told me how to sing it. It's a weird one because I've got no comment on the thing [Swift and Hiddleston's relationship]," he told the publication. "I honestly can't — it wouldn't be fair. I've just related to the tune in my own way."
We had no doubt that Harris was doing well post-split, but it's great to know that he's so focused on his music and has been taking some time for himself after things went south with Swift.
You're searching for the perfect baby name, but you have yet to find one that will really suit your tastes. Maybe these long, glorious baby girl names have that feminine touch you're looking for.
While there is nothing wrong with shorter baby names, they may not have the exact flowery flow you're looking for in a girl's name. These beauties are long and strong — each has at least four syllables, and some have more. A longer name is the perfect complement to short middle and last names, and better yet, they can easily be deconstructed into adorable, snappy and cute nicknames.
Take Julietta, for example. You can call your girl Julie, Jules or Etta. What about Penelope? Penny is a supersweet nickname. And Anastasia also has a few possibilities, like Ana, Stacy or Stacia. While a nickname can last a lifetime, your daughter will always have the longer, more formal version to fall back on.
Most of these names end with a feminine-sounding A, but there are others that don't. Some unique non-A-ending names are Meridian, Serenity and Antigone.
Take a few minutes, and browse this amazing baby name collection to see which names find their way onto your baby name list.
Picking out a baby name is a long process that usually involves dozens of books, long lists and way too many annoying conversations with family and friends. But even with all that research and preparation, it's still possible to end up picking a name you don't love or — even worse — a name you totally end up regretting.
Sometimes a name develops a negative association based on someone you meet or a particularly heinous story in the news. Other times parents realize they hate the spelling or that the name is too difficult to pronounce. There are a million reasons a mom or dad might fall out of love with their chosen baby name, and when that happens, they have to make a choice about how to solve the problem. Here are a few reasons some real parents ended up regretting their baby names and what they chose to do about it:
1. It isn't her daughter's name that Julie E. regrets so much as the fact that she gave her a double first name. "She's supposed to be Lila Claire, but it keeps getting shortened to just Lila," she explained. "I think a hyphen would have helped."
2. Sometimes a first and middle name will just roll off the tongue, but when you look at the child's initials, well, things get a little strange. Jade Elizabeth seemed like a perfect choice for Gina W.'s niece. The family didn't realize until after they'd named the baby that, combined with her last name, her initials randomly spell "Jew."
Kansas mom Amy O. shared a similar story. She and her partner chose Jonathan Lawrence O'Brien for their little bundle, not realizing they were basically naming him JLO. In both cases, the parents chose to not make any changes, but it never hurts to pair up the initials of your favorite names to check for hidden messages.
3. Popularity is something most parents consider when choosing a baby name, but sometimes it's impossible to know when a name is about to unexpectedly top the charts. Ginny G. named her son Jackson in 2006, back when it was still relatively unique. Now he shares an elementary class with four other boys with his name. Her other kids, Cameron and Kate, also have names that are climbing the charts. Ultimately Ginny has made a reluctant kind of peace with her choices. "I still love the names," she told SheKnows. "It's just annoying [that they're so popular]."
4. Sometimes the name you choose is perfectly fine, but you can't stop yearning for a different choice on your list. Mom Rachel P. says she actually regrets not giving her youngest son a family name after going back and forth on the idea throughout her entire pregnancy. In this case, the feelings of regret aren't the kind she can just tuck away and move past. She feels so strongly that she made a mistake that she's actually considering a legal name change.
5. Regret isn't limited to parents. Elvira A. says she's got huge issues with her own name even though her mom loves it. "I regret what my mother named me simply because people cannot pronounce it," she told SheKnows. "I myself couldn't properly pronounce it until I was at least 6 years old." To solve the problem, Elvira started going by Elvis. It's still unique but — thanks to a certain hip-shaking rock god — doesn't present any of the same spelling or pronunciation issues for most people.
6. For Megan C., name regret comes as the result of an unforeseen circumstance in her child's life. She gave her son a traditional first name and intended to call him by his middle name, but things got complicated after he was diagnosed with autism. "It's difficult to explain to him that his first name is not really what we call him," she revealed. Megan and her partner are now considering calling their son by his first name to make things easier.
7. Cheryl R. doesn't have any personal naming regrets, but she does have one hilarious cautionary tale for other parents. Her friend Peter Enis discovered in school that he had a most unusual problem. It wasn't spelling or pronunciation. Rather, it was the way his name showed up in most school or office filing systems. It's common to identify someone by their first initial and full last name. In Peter Enis' case, that means he's often identified on important paperwork as P. Enis. No changes have been made, but it's a good reminder to consider names from every possible angle to eliminate any, um, unsavory associations.
8. Janet V. doesn't have any name regrets of her own, but she knows for a fact that her parents harbor reservations about the name they gave her. When she was born, her parents felt obligated to name her after her grandmother. That obligation resulted in the traditional family moniker Bastiaantje, which her parents were never crazy about. She ended up going by Janet instead.
Well, doesn't this beat all? You know organic has gone mainstream when Gatorade sends out organic versions of its sports drinks. Bless their hearts. The line is called G Organic. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of water, and let's discuss.
Here's what you're getting for your extra 50 cents:
Only seven ingredients: water, organic cane sugar, citric acid, organic natural flavor, sea salt, sodium citrate and potassium chloride — so, fewer artificial ingredients. Yay!
20 grams of sugar per 12-ounce bottle, about the same amount as in regular Gatorade. But it's organic, for what it's worth.
The same amount of electrolytes as regular Gatorade.
Here's the part where we all say, just because that sugar is organic doesn't mean it's healthier.
Right? I mean, the way that sugar was grown was probably healthier for the Earth, and that's great. But otherwise, that organic sugar is going to do the same thing in your body that regular sugar does.
Now let's talk about why we're still buying sports drinks. Can someone please explain this to me? Oh good, here's Adam Ruins Everything and exercise physiologist Tamara Hew-Butler.
Adam ruins hydration
Adam ruins hydration
So basically we're still buying sports drinks because marketing. Thanks, marketing!
Look, sports drinks are a placebo. People drink them because they think they're getting extra hydration and some sort of athletic support, like a jockstrap for your cardiovascular system. But take it from someone who does a strenuous workout four times a week, even in the summer, and is still alive and hasn't even fainted or anything. Save your money, save your body from that sugar, which, P.S., is just going to undo all that exercise, and simply drink water when you're thirsty.
But you know this already! You know this. We didn't even need to have this conversation, except it's just fun to kvetch sometimes.
If you were holding out for a Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama reunion, you'll be disappointed with this latest news. But if you're a Valderrama fan, there's a lot to be excited about.
Why? Well, he apparently has a new lady in his life by the name of Minka Kelly. So she's not exactly a new lady per say, but the former couple (who first started dating in 2012 after Kelly and Derek Jeter split) have reportedly rekindled their romance, and were spotted enjoying a dinner date at Palms Thai Restaurant in Hollywood on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
"[Kelly and Valderrama] did have a late dinner at Palms Thai together last night. They sat across from each other and it was just the two of them. I didn't personally see if they were holding hands or if they were being affectionate, but it looked like a date. They looked casual and relaxed," a source told E! News. "Yes, Wilmer was a gentleman and picked up the tab to pay for their food."
There aren't too many details on Kelly and Valderrama's relationship, but a source told E! News that they were dating again and recently took a trip to Mexico along with several of their friends. And according to an Us Weekly source, they've been reunited for about a month.
The news comes just three months after Lovato revealed her and Valderrama's decision to split "After almost 6 loving and wonderful years together." While there were initially rumors that the former couple would reunite, we think it's safe to say that they've both moved on: Valderrama with Kelly, and Lovato, well, she's been linked to UFC fighter Luke Rockhold.
What do you think of Wilmer Valderrama and Minka Kelly rekindling their romance? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
High school is four years of dances, pep rallies and football games, but it's also when kids really start working toward their future success. The report cards matter, the test scores actually count, and there's a ton of competition when it comes to getting into the best colleges and educational programs. The pinnacle for some kids is being named valedictorian at their high school graduation, but one Indiana school is thinking about scrapping the title completely because it says it creates too much competition.
Parents in the Greater Clark School District in Jeffersonville, Indiana, are speaking out after school officials proposed eliminating the title of valedictorian in favor of a more inclusive honor. Superintendent Andrew Melin told local media the title simply creates too much unhealthy competition and leads kids to spend their high school years taking courses to boost their GPA rather than choosing what they're interested in.
Instead of valedictorian, administrators are proposing a new system that honors the top 10 percent of each graduating class. With the current enrollment at Jeffersonville High School, that would mean around 50 kids receive the top honor each year as opposed to only one or two. The measure hasn't been approved yet, but it has sparked intense debate among district parents, many of whom see the proposed system as a "participation trophy" rather than a true honor.
For people who've gone to a large, academically competitive high school, it's easy to see where these administrators are coming from. When a large number of students are competing for the same top honor, making the grades becomes vitally important. Kids stack their course load with advanced placement classes, neglect their social lives and put immense pressure on themselves to be No. 1. It may not be healthy, but it also doesn't mean we should take the valedictorian title away completely.
If school officials want to recognize the achievements of more students, that's admirable. Perhaps they could honor the top 10 percent of each class but still also recognize a valedictorian who leads that group. Ranking in the top 10 percent of your high school class is certainly an achievement — not a "participation award" — but it also doesn't mean that whoever ranked first in the class shouldn't be recognized for doing something extraordinary.
It seems parents are so often divided into two camps: those who think everyone deserves a trophy, and those who think trophies should be astonishingly difficult to earn. Why can't we find some middle ground? No one wants to see their all-star kid lumped in with everyone else and never given that first-place prize. But surely we can recognize the accomplishments of many more kids and remove the toxicity of cutthroat competition without taking away anyone's chance to shine.
Being valedictorian is a huge honor and a very important résumé item for kids going to college. They should be able to strive for that and still celebrate the victory of being among the highest-ranking students in their class, even if they don't quite reach the summit.
In a new interview with The Cooper Lawrence Show, Spears revealed that she really, really hopes her two sons, Jayden and Sean Preston, don't grow up as famous as she was, even though they don't really know exactly how famous she is, she says — they just think her job is cool.
"I think the magnitude of it and the fame thing, I don't think they've really comprehended what that would even be like," Spears said about her boys, whom she shares with ex-husband Kevin Federline. "Hopefully they never will, because it's kind of [too] much."
That said, Spears added that she doesn't necessarily have any regrets about her career, and why would she? Even with its ups and downs, she'll be the princess of pop forever.
Spears' new album, Glory, is currently topping the charts, and Spears' performance at the VMAs last weekend was nothing short of legendary. Still, Spears, who currently performs at a residency in Las Vegas, said she doesn't consider what she's doing at this point in her career to be a comeback.
"I don't really see it as a comeback," she told The Today Show on Thursday. "I think I've never really left. I've always been here. So [it's] just like... maybe a reinvention of myself and just a different time in my life — a really good, glorious time."
While visiting the Truro Cathedral in Cornwall with Duchess Kate Middleton this week, William ran into a woman who has met several other members of the royal family, including his late mother, Princess Diana. The woman, who is a retired teaching assistant, told William that she thought he looks a lot like his mom.
The woman recounted the story of the encounter to Us Weekly, saying, "I said to him, 'You look like your mum,' and he said, 'I think my mum was better looking,'"
She continued, "He’s lovely. I’ve just got to meet Harry now. Then I’ve met all of them. I met the Queen in Camborne."
The crazy thing we've never noticed is that William does look a lot like Diana. Don't believe us? Check it out:
Image: Jens Krick/Future Image/WENN.com
In late August, William and Kate visited Keech Hospice Care in Luton, where William met a young teen whose mother had also passed away.
"Time makes it easier," William told the teen, whose mom had died of cancer a year earlier. "I know how you feel. I still miss my mother every day — and it’s 20 years after she died."
Both Prince William and Prince Harry have been open about missing their mom and wanting to leave behind legacies that honor her memory.
"All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud," Harry told People magazine back in May. "When she died, there was a gaping hole, not just for us but also for a huge amount of people across the world. If I can try and fill a very small part of that, then job done. I will have to, in a good way, spend the rest of my life trying to fill that void as much as possible. And so will William."
Blue Bell has a new ice cream flavor out this week, and though I usually associate ice cream with summer (for obvious reasons), this one is perfect for fall.
It's called Camo 'n Cream, and it's coming just in time for hunting season. The flavor is a blend of pistachio almond, milk chocolate, and cream cheese ice cream. Honestly, that combo sounds like something I'd come up with when raiding the freezer after a long night out, but even though it's definitely unique, I think it sounds delicious.
Carl Breed, director of marketing for Blue Bell, said in an interview, "You see the camo design on everything these days, so we thought why not create an ice cream flavor that looks camouflage?"
I mean, I feel like 1995 to 2001 was really when camo print peaked in home decor and fashion (thank God), but regardless, camo ice cream is a pretty innovative idea. It's cool that they took their inspiration from a visual cue, then created a flavor combo that could match their inspiration while still tasting great.
And it better taste great. I can't be the only one who associates camo and food with MREs and non-perishable meals, so Blue Bell better make sure their new Camo 'n Cream flavor doesn't invite any comparisons.
That being said, I appreciate that Blue Bell has come up with an ice cream that feels vaguely autumnal. I'm glad I'll finally have an excuse to keep dipping into a pint of ice cream long after the dog days of summer have come to an end. Because nothing says fall like eating ice cream in your flannel pajamas, right?
Narcos is without a doubt one of Netflix's best original series. When I first started my binge-watch, I wasn't completely certain I'd be able to get through it in just one weekend, given the amount of subtitles I had to read. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind subtitles, but being an editor, I literally read for my job, so when I have free time, I like to zone out and watch shows that don't take too much brainpower (if that makes me sound vapid or unintelligent, so be it). But right from the start, Narcos sucked me in, and I've been obsessed with learning about the kingpin Pablo Escobar ever since.
While Netflix does a great job documenting the war on drugs in the 1970s and '80s, there are some details about Escobar's life that have been left out. Aside from being the "King of Coke," supplying 80 percent of the cocaine used in the U.S. and having killed an estimated 4,000 people during his reign, there are some other — dare I say — "fun" facts worth arming yourself with. You know... in case you ever need them for trivia night or something. You can thank me later.
Escobar not only built extravagant houses, but he had his own zoo
As we've seen in Narcos, all of Escobar's homes were built in the finest taste, but he didn't want just nice things — the man freakin' wanted everything. His estate in Puerto Triunfo had a pool (meh, that's not that impressive), a bullring (OK, that's unique) and — get this — a zoo filled with hippos, giraffes and elephants. Supposedly hippos still roam the property today, which, if you think about it, is quite fitting to carry on Escobar's legacy. Hippos are some of the most violent animals in the world, and Escobar was known to have a few violent days himself...
He actually was a very giving man when he wanted to be
Narcos does a good job of showing Escobar's humanity. Now, I'm not saying he was a good guy — he wasn't — but every bad guy thinks his or her intentions are good, and Escobar really did love Colombia and its people (as long as they weren't police officers, journalists or government officials).
Narcos has shown him giving money to the poor, but Escobar did a lot more than that. He gave money to churches and hospitals, established food programs and built parks and fúttbol stadiums. All this would have improved the quality of life for his fellow Colombians had the drug war not been just that — a war — with tons of bloodshed, mind you. Oh, and then there's also the fact that everything he did was done with drug money. That kind of undermines all the "good" Escobar tried to do.
He wasn't always in the drug business, but he was always in the crime business
Before Escobar became the kingpin we all know today, he was a salesman of sorts. As a teen, Escobar stole tombstones and sold them to smugglers; he was known for stealing cars too. Other reports claim he was a gunman and marijuana dealer.
Later in the '70s, Escobar continued his work as a thief and became a bodyguard. He allegedly kidnapped and ransomed a Medellín executive for $100,000, but hey, he would say he did it in the pursuit of fulfilling his dream. Escobar always said he wanted to be a millionaire by the time he was 22 years old. The dream was OK, it was just the means in which he went about achieving it that obviously weren't.
Escobar married his wife when she was only 15 years old
I'm not entirely sure how Escobar originally met his wife, Maria Victoria Henao Vellejo, but he married her in 1976 when she was only 15 years old; Escobar was 27. I'm assuming she knew of his criminal activity, since it seems it was a very prominent part of his past, but she probably had no idea the lengths he would go to later in their lives to build his drug-fueled empire.
He was a very devoted family man
Family was everything to Escobar. Narcos has some sweet scenes between Escobar and his children, but they don't delve too deeply into the sacrifices he made for them (notice the slightest hint of sarcasm there) — aside from running a cocaine empire to give them all that life had to offer, of course.
Once, when the Escobar family was in hiding, his daughter Manuela got sick. Escobar allegedly burned $2 million to keep her warm. Honestly, I think any parent would give up all the money in the world to protect their children, but you can't deny, for a man who really cared about his money, that was a big chunk of change. Meh, he probably had another couple mil buried just a couple of steps away.
Escobar went to extreme lengths to ensure the safety of his cocaine and his money. Supposedly he would smuggle cocaine in airplane tires (now that's getting creative). Pilots who transported the drugs would make as much as $500,000 per day.
When the cash flow really started rolling in, Escobar needed an easier way to transport it all, so he purchased a Learjet. Yes, he bought a Learjet with his money just for his money. Now baby, that's love.
Escobar also knew his money needed to be kept together when it wasn't being moved from place to place, so he dropped $2,500 each month on rubber bands to ensure no bill was left behind.
In the late 1980s, Escobar's assets were seized by Colombian authorities. Narcos shows us that, sure, Escobar had a lot of stuff, but they don't quite make it clear that "a lot of stuff" included 142 planes, 20 helicopters, 32 yachts and 141 homes and offices. Oh, and I forgot to mention his two submarines. That's just so much shit — there's no other way to put it.
He believed in The Power of Positive Thinking
It's odd to think that such a violent, dangerous man actually had a reflective, spiritual side, but he did. I don't quite understand how the two alter egos didn't collide more often and seriously mess with his conscience, but supposedly Escobar was a fan of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, as are many of us. Authorities found a Spanish translation of the book in his home. I personally don't put positive thinking and drug trafficking in the same category, but Escobar apparently found a very strong link between the two.
My two sons are close in age. Really close in age. Our family is built through adoption, and my boys are four months apart. Most people assume they’re twins. They have similar physical appearances, and they’re in the same grade. It’s a natural assumption to make. They’re not biologically related, but they’re definitely real brothers. We have the epic knock-down-drag-outs over toys and who’s touching who to prove it.
We’ve thought about having a combined birthday celebration, but it seemed weird to have one kid celebrate his birthday two months late and the other kid celebrate two months early. One kid would be all “woo-hoo, I’m 6” when he was really still 5 for several more weeks. That would get confusing. Besides, your birthday is your day, right? If Mother Nature dictates you share it with someone else in your family, then so be it, but it seemed wrong to force it.
So birthday celebrations at our house can get a little dicey. The child whose birthday it isn't always cries. Every single time. My youngest (by four months) son had a birthday last month. My oldest (by four months) cried because it wasn’t his birthday. He cried because the icing on the cake was strawberry and not chocolate. He cried because he didn’t want his brother to be 6. Oh, the drama.
We keep the peace by giving the non-birthday child a present too.
“Oh, you’re spoiling your kids.”
“You shouldn’t teach them to expect gifts when it’s not their birthday.”
“Well how long are you going to continue that? Till they’re 30?”
Yes, I’ve heard all those things, and you know what? I really give zero shits about the criticism. One expert says giving a child a gift on a sibling’s birthday may actually be harmful because it’s not teaching the child how to develop resilience against life’s challenges. I give zero shits about that too.
We’re not lavish, over-the-top gift givers in the first place. We usually get each child one major gift, such as a bike or an electronic device, for their birthday. They’ll usually get another couple of small “extras,” like an action figure or maybe some clothes. Yeah, they’re really crazy about the clothes. Not. They usually get nice presents or money from their grandparents and the usual haul of stuff that require batteries, make noise and drive me crazy at their (relatively) modest birthday parties.
The non-birthday kid might get a duplicate or complementary action figure. If I get the birthday kid a Darth Vader action figure (my husband hates it when I say “Darth Vader doll,” but you get what I mean), then the other kid might get a Luke Skywalker doll. Action figure. Whatever. Sometimes I get them a game or something they’d enjoy together and let the kid whose birthday it isn’t open it. The birthday boy clearly enjoys the fanfare and gets the better birthday booty.
This works for us.
My children have never asked me what they’re getting on someone else’s birthday. They’ve never asked me where “their” present is. Maybe that will change as they get older, since we’ve established the pattern, but for now, we’re just trying to keep the emotional climate balanced between our two very-close-in-age kids. When one kid is the center of attention, showing the other kid “hey, your dad and I thought you might like to have this whatchamabob that matches your brother’s so you can play together” smooths things over. It’s a little thing. It keeps the peace, and peace is something that's in short supply when two 6-year-olds live at your house.
If you want to call my kids spoiled, there’s probably a speck of truth to that, but an extra play pretty that sets me back all of 10 bucks once a year probably isn’t harming them or interfering with their potential to be resilient, well-adjusted adults.
If this doesn’t meet your definition of parenting done right, I totally understand. Don’t try this at home. We’re OK with it over here. It works for us.
Legumes and pulses are typically what people think of using their pressure cooker for, but did you know you could make other dishes, even desserts, in a pressure cooker? Follow the directions in your specific model’s manual, especially in regard to the water amounts and, of course, the safety features.
1. Cheesecake
Yes, you can make a cheesecake right in your pressure cooker. Of course, you’ll want to use the type of pressure cooker that has some precise timing methods, not your grandmother’s stovetop PC, because after all, you are baking, and baking requires precision. Also, cheesecakes and other custard-like dishes can’t be directly cooked in the pressure cooker. The batter needs to be poured into an insert of some kind, and then the insert goes inside the vessel.
I didn’t know about bread-baking in a pressure cooker until recently, after all the Instant Pot Facebook groups have been posting about their bread recipes. Though I grew up in a house where the pressure cooker was used daily, we weren’t a bread-baking sort of family, just a non-leavened chapatti bread-baking kind of family — totally different! I can’t wait to try a good, yeasty bread recipe in my Instant Pot.
3. Rice
Raw rice and water in one insert stacked onto another insert holding lentils — that is a typical way to cook two dishes in one vessel. The rice my mom always cooked is basmati rice, and it would turn out a consistency that is a little mushy, not your typical rice pilaf with long, separate grains that are nearly al dente. So use the pressure cooker for rice if you’re going for that consistency, or play around with the water ratio, and get the right texture for you.
Specifically potatoes and artichokes. Potatoes cook quickly in the pressure cooker, whether you want tiny steamed fingerlings you can slather later with a little olive oil (or ghee) and a rub (like cumin, chili powder and salt) or want mashed potatoes or even baked potatoes. Whole artichokes steam beautifully in the pressure cooker at a fraction of the time. When they’re done, you can season the leaves with a garlicky breadcrumb topping, and they’ll be lip-smacking tasty in under 30 minutes.
5. Stock
While you prep veggies for dinner, throw your scraps into the PC. Pour in some water, a touch of salt, and pressure-cook to get flavorful stock for the next meal.
6. Meat sauces
Braising meats, especially ground and stewing meats, works beautifully in the pressure cooker. Again, watch the water content. The amount of water will depend on what kind of meat you're cooking and what other ingredients you add.
7. Steel-cut oats
Those larger oat grains cut in irregular shapes need a longer cook time than rolled oats do, and that may be why people tend to not cook them. But try them in a pressure cooker, and your problem is solved. You can even speed up the process further by soaking the oats the night before. Though I think a slow cooker is better for this particular dish, it can be done in the PC. And, of course, many folks now have the all-in-one vessels that do both.
Throw in some chicken pieces, celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper and water, and you have chicken soup in no time. I learned about this chicken soup years ago from a friend. It was a cold, rainy Seattle night, and she served hot bowls of homemade chicken soup within minutes of our arriving at her house. Served with homemade bread, it’s quick-cooking comfort.
9. Mac 'n' cheese
Oh yes you can. You can make pasta in a pressure cooker and not have a soggy mess. Just one example: I recently went to a barbecue potluck and brought the ingredients for mac and cheese with me. The hostess was concerned that I would be cooking instead of enjoying the party. I dropped all the ingredients (including the pasta and water) into the PC, turned it on (she had an electric one), timed it for six minutes and went to the pool to join her guests. Thirty minutes later, when she was ready to serve the barbecue, the mac 'n' cheese was hot, creamy and a crowd-pleaser.
Way back in 1984, with much fear and trepidation, my husband and I made the controversial decision to homeschool our children. I quickly discovered that I loved teaching my own children and so as the years passed we kept homeschooling them. But then, in the November of 2000, my two year old daughter Bethany was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Our whole world was turned upside down in an instant. She had the lifesaving brain surgery she needed, but shortly after the surgery she had a stroke and became permanently disabled.
After spending two months in the hospital dealing with life-threatening complications, Bethany was finally well enough to go home, but she has never been the same little girl as before the surgery. She has great difficulty communicating her wants and needs. She deals with right side hemiplegia, which means she is paralyzed on half of her body, as well as refractory epilepsy, moderate autism, significant developmental delays, occasional aggressive outbursts, and partial blindness.
Upon Bethany's discharge from the hospital, we immediately enrolled her in our state's early intervention program and discovered that she was eligible for speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and special preschool education. Bethany and I had developed an almost symbiotic relationship while we were in the hospital, plus she and her siblings were so happy to finally be together again that I didn't have the heart to send her away for her therapies, so it was arranged for her to receive them at home.
When Bethany reached kindergarten age, even though she had severe learning disabilities and developmental delays, I did not hesitate to continue her education at home along with her brothers and sisters.
When she was seven, I began to have doubts that I could teach her everything she needed to know. She was struggling to read: I'd managed to teach her letter sounds but couldn't seem to help her connect how they came together. As heart wrenching as it was for me, I convinced myself that a qualified special education teacher might do a better job of teaching Bethany than I could, so I enrolled her in our local school's special education program. She seemed to enjoy school at first, but after a few weeks, she began giving me trouble getting ready for school and was always angry and aggressive when I picked her up at the end of the day.
I thought she just needed to adjust to the new routine and structure of her day, but after about six months, Bethany's health deteriorated. She began having so many seizures that it became pointless to send her to school, so I withdrew her. We let her recuperate over the summer and tried again the next fall, but the same thing happened and I withdrew her again.
I continued to teach Bethany at home when she wasn't having seizures or recuperating from having seizures. It took about two years, and then I again became worried. I began thinking that Bethany might be bored or depressed being home all the time. This time we would to try a small, homey, private school for children with disabilities. And yet still, no luck. Six months into the school year, she had lost an alarming amount of weight and began having so many seizures that it became impossible to send her to school any longer.
I don't know why it took me so long and so many tries before I realized that my sweet, precious Bethany just cannot handle the stress of attending school. She needs a lot of down time throughout the day and between activities in order to thrive. Homeschooling allows for that.
How I homeschool my daughter
I did learn some valuable lessons from Bethany's teachers, though. One taught me that Bethany is a very visual learner. I have kept that in mind ever since and still work very hard to make all her lessons highly visual. I translate the concepts I want Bethany to learn into visual lessons by using realistic drawings, photos, videos, real objects, and games. When I was teaching Bethany the parts of a flower, we went outside and picked a flower. We dissected it and I verbally labeled each part for her. We examined each part under the microscope. I made flower-part flash cards and she completed cut-and-paste flower-part diagrams.
Errorless Learning is another educational method that I utilize frequently in Bethany's homeschool program so that she won't become confused and remember wrong answers. What that means is that I present lessons to her in such a way that she can't make a mistake. For example, when I was teaching Bethany the color words, I created a work sheet by writing the color names in black on the left side of the paper and in color on the right side (as a fail proof hint). That way, Bethany could successfully draw a line to match up the words correctly. I also used the same idea to create a matching card game.
To teach and reinforce appropriate behaviors, I use video self-modeling. Since we have a YouTube channel, I take my camera with me everywhere I go. I often catch Bethany behaving well in situations where she might not always behave so cooperatively, like at the doctor or dentist, and am able to record it. I then use that footage as a lesson to encourage her to repeat the appropriate behavior again the next time she is in that same situation. I never tape her behaving inappropriately because I don't want those kinds of behaviors to be what imprints on her memory.
We also take advantage of the many wonderful iPad apps and commercially produced games and educational products available that make teaching and learning visually easy to do.
Now at 18, Bethany is no longer legally required to get schooling and is doing well. She loves attending her social club where she has made lots of friends. She loves shopping and going to the movies with mom and dad, riding carousels and roller coasters, going to the beach, visiting her siblings, going swimming at the YMCA, bowling, picking out books and DVDs at the library and attending music class with her personal assistant. It is clear to me that she is happy and healthy, and I am grateful that homeschooling gave us the chance to do what was best for her.
Lovato went undercover as a Lyft driver in Denver during a stop on her Future Now tour, but almost no one recognized her. To add insult to injury, one rider who did eventually recognize her actually majorly dissed her.
Lovato tried to hide her identity during the stunt by wearing a hat and sunglasses, and apparently it worked, because even though she was dropping hints to her riders about who she was, it was going right over their heads.
"It's a job, like, cool for the summer," she said to one woman, referring to her 2015 hit song.
When another passenger got in the car, she subtly dropped hints about her touring partner, Nick Jonas.
"I actually really want to be a singer someday. I've actually been traveling the country with my ex-boyfriend's brother because he sings too. We really want to get our names out there. Open mic nights and anything we can do," she said, referencing her fling with Joe Jonas back in 2010.
Still, the riders didn't figure out who she was.
For the next rider, she said, "What type of music do you listen to? I really love Nick Jonas."
The rider even replied, "I think he's here tomorrow night with Demi," without realizing that Lovato was the one driving the car.
To make the situation even funnier, one rider who did actually recognize Lovato only realized who she was after saying that Selena Gomez is a better singer.
"I just insulted the hell out of you!" the woman said afterward. "I'm so sorry!"
For years, Rihanna and Drake's on-again, off-again relationship has been playing with the hearts of their fans. Following RiRi's media-filled relationship with Chris Brown, she has preferred to keep her personal life out of the spotlight and her focus on the messages of her music. However, following the closeness of Rihanna and Drake's consistent public appearances and their never-ending slew of musical collaborations (paired with steamy music video counterparts), Rihanna was still hesitant to confirm her relationship with Drake. That is, of course, until now.
In wake of the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Rihanna and Drake may finally be the confirmed, public celebrity couple you always dreamed them to be. How? Well, after Drake very bluntly expressed his love for Rihanna when presenting her with the VMA's Michael Jackson Vanguard Award, RiRi just couldn't stay silent. And honestly, what's happening now feels like a full-on eruption of emotion from years past. Because Rihanna is finding all kinds of ways to prove her love for the rapper right back — even if she's still being as discreet as ever.
Aside from first taking the VMA stage and giving Drake a swoon-worthy thank you, now Rihanna is taking to Instagram to share a photo from the heartwarming night. Her Instagram post reflecting on the VMAs included the words, "your speech was so touching and I love you for that" directed toward Drake.
Rihanna VMAs
Rihanna VMAs
And if you're still not convinced, that is really only the beginning. Yep, Rihanna has also found other ways to prove to the public that she's in love with Drake, despite how unconventional they may seem. Because even if Rihanna herself is still hesitant to make any direct posts, she's not holding back on her sly reactions to Drake's, with special thanks to one adorable stuffed shark.
Allow me to explain. First off, as you can see in Drake's post, there's a stuffed shark that seems to be butting in on their otherwise adorable couple-like pic. However, that's not the only appearance their new friend has made. In fact, it has now become clear that — despite being posted on Drake's Instagram — the shark does indeed belong to Rihanna. And well, she's not ashamed to take it with her when she goes out in public.
Rihanna Shark
Rihanna Shark
But the subtle hints don't even stop there. As the reveal for Rihanna's latest tattoo seemed to have sealed the deal. Yep, Rihanna got a tattoo of the stuffed camo shark she supposedly got from Drake. And at this point, that shark tattoo might as well be Drake's name. Because relationship tattoos are not something to be taken lightly.
So, Rihanna and Drake basically have a mascot. Could it get any cuter?! We'll just have to wait and see. But until they share more, I finally feel free to 'ship Rihanna and Drake so they can be the celebrity couple they were always meant to be. Seriously, bring on the combined red carpet appearances, the couple-y Instagram posts and the paparazzi photos of them walking hand-in-hand. The secrets pretty much out, Rihanna. Embrace your love just as much as we do.
Do you think the couple will finally make their relationship public?
Alicia Keys is continuing to rock her no-makeup look, and I love her for it. After Keys appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards without makeup (or, if she was wearing makeup, there was very, very little of it), she had no shortage of critics in the Twittersphere begging her to put on some concealer and mascara. Still, Keys has refused to stop.
This morning, Keys appeared fresh-faced on the Today show and even inspired anchors Tamron Hall, Billy Bush and Al Roker to take off their makeup on live television. As Keys helped Hall take off her makeup, Hall told her that she wanted to do it because she loved her, to which Keys responded, “It’s not for me, it’s for you.” And that right there is what makes Keys’ no-makeup stand so empowering.
Alicia Keys on Today 9/2/16
Alicia Keys on Today 9/2/16
Keys’ decision not to wear makeup is one she made by herself and for herself. And it’s one she may change. Keys isn’t looking to start a no-makeup movement; she wants to encourage others to do whatever it is that makes them feel beautiful, and if that means wearing makeup, she’s all for it. “I think the most important thing is that you do what feels good for you… Do what makes you feel good, as opposed to trying to please every-damn-body,” Keys said on Today.
But make no mistake, Keys’ decision to stop wearing makeup — and her willingness to speak about it publicly — is still an important example. By rejecting what has become a standard of beauty, particularly for people in the spotlight or in front of a camera, Keys has exposed its ridiculousness. “We put so many limitations on ourselves. I think we put limitations on each other. Society puts limitations on us. And, in a lot of ways, I’m sick of it,” Keys told Today about her new look. All this raises the question, why do we expect all celebrities to wear makeup? Why do we accept that as the norm? Some will say that celebrities sell a particular image — an image of perfection — and those who buy it (that is, us ordinary people) understand that the image is false. But that’s not always true.
Kim Kardashian Instagram Glam
Kim Kardashian Instagram Glam
The more saturated we are with media, the more we come to accept celebrity beauty (read: makeup) as the norm. As social media grows more essential to everyday life, so does the pressure on regular people to be "camera ready." So, if you buy into modern celebrity beauty standards, being "camera ready" means having a full face of makeup. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, media can negatively affect a woman’s body image and ability to love herself. It’s not a huge leap to suggest that part of that is because girls off the street can’t hire a “glam squad” to do their makeup every morning like the Kardashians. Figures like Kim Kardashian can be incredibly empowering for women (personally, I love it), but it’s also true that a full-glam Kardashian represents an unattainable standard of beauty for anyone who can’t afford to hire professionals to help them get ready for a night out.
As a celebrity, Keys’ choice to ditch the makeup provides a very important counter-narrative to these unattainable beauty standards. Not everyone can afford makeup or skin care or blowouts, but everyone can afford the face they were given. It’s also true that not everyone wants to wear a full face of makeup, and by publicly deciding not to wear makeup right now, Keys is allowing for that to become a media-endorsed beauty norm.
Alicia Keys no-makeup tweet
Alicia Keys no-makeup tweet
There’s no reason wearing makeup should be the standard — both in and out of Hollywood — just like there’s no reason not wearing makeup should be the standard. Keys’ refusal to wear makeup while still supporting and celebrating women who do is making that point crystal clear, and we will all be better for it.
