Prince George is going to school in September! They grow up so fast.
Kensington Palace announced that the royal 3-year-old will be attending Thomas's Battersea School, which sounds exceedingly British. According to their website, "Thomas’s Battersea is a busy, thriving, purposeful school, educating 540 boys and girls between the ages of four and 13." They then use the word "whilst," just to drive home how British they are.
Can you imagine how cute he's going to be on his first day of school? Can you? Here he is on his first day of nursery school. Come on:
Prince George tweet
Prince George tweet
We look forward to seeing what sort of adorable yet unassuming getup he'll be dressed in on his first day of prep school.
We've all been waiting with bated breath to see what would happen to American health care (hooray, it's intact, even if it's still imperfect!) and everyone's eyes were on the airports when Trump's travel plan went into place. But tucked into Trump's executive orders and new budget, there are other laws being made and programs being cut that deserve our attention.
Currently on the chopping block: The Essential Air Services program, which subsidizes rural airports so that residents of small towns have adequate transportation to other parts of the country and world.
The backstory, according to Travel + Leisure: In 1978 the Airline Deregulation Act passed, which gave airlines the freedom to charge whatever they wanted on flights and to serve only locations they thought were financially viable. The EAS was then passed to make sure rural communities weren't left out of the equation (since in many places, the nearest major airport is hours away).
Where my family lives in Maine, for instance, the nearest major airport is more than two hours away — and even that's a small one that requires further connections if you want to get almost anywhere. Like my family, there are many people across the country who rely on small connecting flights to access major airports.
However, under the new budget, the EAS, which currently applies to more than 100 airports, would be cut. (Get the full list here.)
The complaint from Trump and his ilk is that the government is spending too much money, to the tune of $175 million a year, subsidizing flights to keep rural airports financially viable. There are some airports in rural towns that are actually pretty close to the nearest major airport, while others, like the Falls International Airport in International Falls, Minnesota, are hundreds of miles away (a five-hour drive) to the closest major airport. But instead of working out the kinks in the system, Trump's administration is voting to shut down the program entirely, leaving people in rural communities more isolated than ever.
Now, rural airports are scrambling, trying to figure out how they'll help those living far from major urban areas stay connected to the rest of the world. Ironically, cutting the EAS would have a crushing effect on the rural areas where Trump was a favorite in the recent election, making it harder for lower-income people in rural areas to travel. It could also affect business prospects in those areas — the harder it is for business people and industry leaders to reach a small town, the less likely they are to do business there.
For now, only time will tell whether the EAS will survive as the new administration struggles to get their budget approved. But one thing is clear — the winners in this game are not the rural voters who put their faith in Trump.
You know how people joke about having romantic types? (If you're a 'Bachelor' fan, you saw a perfect example of this in the latest season finale, during which the Bachelor wound up with a woman who looked exactly like the last two women he's dated.) Well, it turns out, that's not such a joke after all. In fact, there's new scientific proof to support the theory.
According to researchers at the University of California, we match up to people similar to those we’ve dated in the past. Sometimes, the person we’re attracted to is a reflection of what we desire in others — which can, interestingly, be related to our own subjective desirability — and other times, it's more about where we live. Weird, right?
Dr. Paul Eastwick, an associate professor of psychology who reported on three studies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, studied more than 1,000 heterosexual couples to see how people determine their romantic “types” and what attracts them to a certain person over another. The study accounted for their relationships over time — not just one relationship — which gives it longer-term credibility.
The researchers found that we go for others we find attractive, and what we find attractive tends to resemble... ourselves. The researchers took images of participants and edited them into “strangers” who resembled some of their facial features. The participants were more attracted to the strangers that were based on their own photos than to strangers whose faces were not based on theirs. To put it simply, we're into romantic prospects who we believe are at our level in terms of looks (or who simply look like us — so maybe it's a familiarity thing?).
We also tend to stick to patterns once we've established them. People’s exes had similar physical qualities regardless of the type of relationship, the authors say. They explain that we may have a hard time distinguishing between partners who want casual versus long-term relationships during the selection process because we’re blinded by the physical qualities we can't help being drawn to. (Totally explains the hottie you kept going back to who would never fully commit like you wanted.)
Eastwick’s team also noted that participants’ ex-partners didn't just share physical traits, but also preferences and levels of education, intelligence and religion (which is probably related to geographic location). In other words, people of similar mindsets and backgrounds tend to live close together, so they dated those people because they were nearby. Similarities exist because educated or religious people simply tend to meet each other out of circumstances or convenience, not because they actively select each other, the authors say.
"Within their local school context, people were no more or less likely to select educated, intelligent or religious partners," Eastwick said in a statement.
To sum up, who we choose as a romantic partner involves physical compatibility and physical location, but either way, we tend to go for what's familiar to us and what's convenient. Makes sense, but it's also a good reminder that we should break out of our comfort zones when it comes to dating — especially if we're not having any luck finding a good match!
Stephen Hawking's assistive technology has a very distinctive robotic voice. But for a new sketch for Comic Relief, Hawking decided to go out and find a different voice.
Stephen Hawking searching for new voice
Stephen Hawking searching for new voice
"Time to find my new voice," Hawking said in the video, taking in humorous "audition tapes" from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Liam Neeson, Anna Kendrick, Simon Cowell, Kylie Minogue, Gordon Ramsay, Miss Piggy, Rebel Wilson and Eddie Redmayne (who played Hawking in The Theory of Everything).
“So what is it, like a sequel?” Redmayne said. “If they want me to go through that again, they’re going to have to pay me a shitload of cash.”
In the end, Hawking turned them all down and went with Michael Caine. Uh, OK! The sketch promotes Comic Relief's Red Nose Day, an annual fundraiser on March 24 in the U.K. and May 25 in the U.S.
It is scary to realize you don’t fit into the cis-hetero patriarchy that dominates our culture. Deciding to make a change can be terrifying, but also liberating. I spoke to two individuals on the beginning of transition: Stella, a non-binary person currently in medical transition, and Zil Goldstein, a nurse practitioner and program director for the Center of Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Mount Sinai in New York.
As both Goldstein and Stella see it, there are many, many ways to begin a transition. Transition doesn’t begin with the medical, surgical or legal parts, it starts with you as a person.
Goldstein focuses on medical intervention (both hormone therapy and surgical procedures), but stressed that there are many steps (different for everybody) that come before this and she works to make sure that every case she works on is tailored to the individual’s needs. She recommends that people begin a social transition before a medical transition as a way to begin experimenting with who they truly are.
“My first step was to get a semi pixie cut that I could style either as a traditional male side part or style as a cute pixie,” they explain. “I was still working on figuring myself out, so it was great to be able to experiment, but also easily switch back if it wasn’t something I was comfortable with.”
Years after cutting their hair, Stella decided they were ready to begin taking hormones, but first they made sure they had a great therapist they trusted and knew they could trust throughout the process. Goldstein recommends that patients know exactly why they want to go on hormones before they begin the therapy.
“I spend time talking with people about why they want to go on hormones specifically," Goldstein explained. “Having a clear idea of that is really helpful when going to see a medical provider. A lot of people know and a lot of people don’t know and we talk about it.”
Once Stella decided to go on hormones, the process was surprisingly easy for them, with only a small hiccup.
“I got up the nerve to call Callen Lorde (a community health center for LGBTQ individuals in New York) to schedule an appointment with a transition-experienced doctor. I knew it was almost impossible to get an appointment there, and they told me they were not accepting any new patients at their Chelsea location. I was crestfallen," Stella told HelloFlo. "But then they said they had an appointment the very next day at their Bronx location. I didn’t even hesitate. I booked it right then.”
From there, they made sure Stella was healthy and that their liver function was strong enough to support hormones and a month later Stella had a prescription in hand.
Once on hormones, Goldstein said that folks taking estrogen may notice their skin clear up and may see some loss in libido, whereas folks taking testosterone may see oilier skin, a higher sex drive and an increase in clitoris* size (*it is important to note that some folks choose not to call this body part a clitoris and under no circumstances should you ever tell a person what to call their body parts).
Goldstein also points out that for many people on the transmasculine spectrum, the first priority is chest reconstruction and not hormones.
“There are no [prior] requirements in the guiding documents of transgender health or on the part of insurance companies [for chest reconstruction] because there is no requirement for hormone therapy prior to reconstruction," she explained. "I see a lot more people who see their chest as causing the most distress, and so there are a lot of people who want to masculinize their chest and are very happy to just do that [without any kind of hormone therapy].”
On the flip side of medical intervention is legal intervention. This is the process of changing legal documents to represent one’s actual gender instead of reflecting the sex they were assigned at birth. Goldstein’s program at Mount Sinai has volunteer lawyers who help people with this process. She explains that not everybody wants to do this. Some are happy to keep their legal documents as they are whereas others find this to be a higher priority than body reconstruction.
For Stella, this was very important and they referred to the experience as “extraordinarily nerve-wracking and extremely boring.” They had to bring a lot of identification to the courthouse, fill out forms and get them notarized. They paid $65 and then sat in a waiting room for a while.
The next step was to choose a newspaper publication where they would announce their legal gender change. They also had to get a signed and notarized letter from their doctor affirming their gender.
From there it was just about showing up. They went to the DMV and the passport office and the bank and everywhere they went they had to show documents affirming their gender.
Although the process typically takes months, Stella explained that they were lucky because Callen-Lorde had workshops every Saturday throughout December where their doctor was in a room with a lawyer and notary public, prepared to get the letter to clients that same day.
Stella also sought help from their head of HR at work to make sure the coming-out process was smooth and that they could seamlessly transition their gender and pronouns in the office. Luckily for Stella, their company is quite liberal and was 100 percent on their side.
The coming-out process can be extremely difficult for trans people and even more difficult because of all the medical and legal processes that can go along with it. Stella says that their queer support network was incredibly supportive and that was helpful in getting them through the legal changes.
“The thing that I would say that is most important is that nobody ever feels like they are trans enough," Goldstein said. "I talk to people who began their transition 20 years ago, and they still don’t feel trans enough. And especially for younger folks, this is a super-common feeling. I just want to tell everybody that that’s normal. There’s no such thing as trans enough.”
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY.
It's been a six-week emotional roller coaster for anyone who listened to the Missing Richard Simmons podcast. At least for me, the roller coaster ride went something like this:
Episode 1: Wow, I had no idea Richard Simmons was still around until after he disappeared!
Episode 2: Oh my God, Simmons was a national treasure in a tank top, and I never really knew it! All this time, I thought he just Sweated to the Oldies, but in reality, he lent deep, personal emotional support to countless people. The world needs Richard Simmons, and Richard Simmons is gone!
Episode 3: We need to find Richard! He has been kidnapped by a witch, and he's the only person who can save humanity from itself! Let's all call 911 at the same time — they can't ignore us all.
Episode 4: Wait, why do I feel a little bit dirty about all of this? Do I even believe a witch could do that? Is this podcast holding up a mirror to our society and pointing out important issues about celebrity and privacy?
Episode 5: OK, I read a pretty damaging article about this podcast in the New York Times in which my morality was called into question just for listening this far. Of course, I'm going to finish it out just so I make sure I learn my lesson. Also, I need to know where Richard is.
Episode 6: Yikes, even podcast creator Dan Taberski seems to have read the NYT article. Everybody feels bad. And he talked to a few people and confirmed that the suspected witch was just Simmons' housekeeper and companion, who is not a witch at all and is just doing her job. And basically everyone on Earth who has talked to Simmons since he left the limelight says he just retired without officially announcing it. Major bummer.
This week, after the podcast was finally over, I thought everyone in the country was finally on the same page, emotionally and morally. The Los Angeles Police Department, bless their hearts, did another wellness check at the Simmons home in Hollywood and gave the thumbs-up. Simmons' manager told Taberski that Simmons is just living a quieter life and is done with his career. His beloved older brother Lenny told People that he's fit and rested and tending to hundreds of freaking hummingbirds, like the most magical, delightful retired senior fitness guru we can imagine: “He loves his birds and his garden. He has a lot of hummingbirds that he feeds — he has hundreds of them."
But then I saw this:
simmons recycling
simmons recycling
And everything became clear to me: We need an entirely new podcast series to cover this vital development.
After all of the tireless research conducted for Missing Richard Simmons. After all of the listeners pieced together their strange theories about what might have happened to the fitness celeb. After all of this, no one asked any questions about Simmons' recycling or how it gets from his house to the curb. We've only scratched the surface of this mystery.
Here's what we know, according to the People article: Simmons' housekeeper and confidant Teresa Reveles was seen taking recycling bins out of Simmons' home and to the curb. Also, she was wearing a white shirt with red embroidery.
Here's what we don't know:
What exactly does Simmons recycle? Glass? Plastics? Newspaper? Newspaper articles abouthim?
Does he break down and flatten his cardboard boxes, or is he a monster?
Does he recycle the sleeves he removes from all of his shirts?
Seriously, is Teresa Reveles a witch? Do witches recycle? Do they wear embroidered clothing?
Oh God, I just realized that Simmons' body was probably in one of those bins. We didn't save him!
As you can see now, this obviously deserves another Simmons-based podcast series, called, I don't know, Recycling Richard Simmons, or Stop That Witch Rolling That Recycling Bin! I hope you tune in, because if anything, it will be an emotional roller coaster.
Game of Thrones Live knew exactly what it was doing. It was an evening for fans of the show to perfectly geek out over the greatness and epicness that is Game of Thrones, and boy, did we jump on the opportunity.
I've read all of the books and watched the series religiously, so when the concert opened with the Game of Thrones main theme, goosebumps rose across my arms. This was a different experience entirely. I could feel the drums reverberating through my body. The strings gave me chills. And watching composer Ramin Djawadi lead it all had me fangirling for a composer in a way that I never thought would be possible in the 21st century. Imagine 18th-century ladies taking off their petticoats for Mozart. This is how I felt about Djawadi last night.
After the main theme, in which house banners, flames and an actual iron throne were used to take the already emotionally overwhelming tune into faintworthy territory, the concert decided to make us all weep with the song "Good-bye Brother." From when Rob and Jon saw each other for the last time. Ever.
At one point, I admit, I left because I had to pee, even though I knew the finale and my favorite song were near. And I was not alone. Let me tell you, I have never seen people peeing so quickly. I'll be damned if I or anyone else was going to miss the "Light of the Seven."
And I got back just in time to see Djawadi bust it out himself on the organ, supported by the rest of the orchestra.
It wasn't all doom and gloom, though. And it wasn't just about the music. There were plenty of beautiful moments that actually came directly from the audience.
As the track "Mhysa" began to play, people started catching on to the song that was coming and the crowd began murmuring the word, which made me feel like I was at the center of Yunkai as Daenerys freed the people.
At another point, the lead singer dropped her dress to reveal a nude sheath underneath. These Game of Thrones fans were on their game because the chant "Shame, shame, shame" echoed through the 18,000-seat stadium.
The term "sandwich generation" was coined by social worker Dorothy Miller in 1981, to describe women in their 30s and 40s who were the primary caregivers for their young children and their aging parents. The reality today is that the sandwich generation includes both men and women, ranging from their 30s to their 60s.
According to nonprofit association Aging Life Care, America's sandwich generation is one of the fastest-growing populations. "This group of people often find themselves stuck in the middle of trying to juggle a hectic schedule that includes caring for parents experiencing a decline in health, keeping up with adult children as they struggle to 'make it on their own' and begin their families and managing the financial and emotional stressors that arise throughout these circumstances."
A 2013 Pew research report found that 47 percent of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child (age 18 or older). Around 1 in 7 middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child.
Iris Waichler, co-author of the award-winning Role Reversal: How to Take Care of Yourself and Your Aging Parents, is one woman who knows exactly what it's like to be sandwiched between a young child and an aging parent. Her father had two major health care crises, the first a brain hemorrhage at age 90, when Waichler was 55, and her daughter was 9, followed by a bout of pneumonia at age 96, when Waichler was 61 and her daughter 15. Both times, Waichler — a licensed clinical social worker and advocate for health awareness and caregiver support — was with him daily for several months, arranging his outpatient therapies, attending his therapy sessions, acting as a conduit with her siblings and offering emotional and moral support whenever it was needed.
Waichler pinpoints the following burnout symptoms for the sandwich generation: lack of sleep; increased anger and depression; increased feelings of guilt; unrealistically high expectations of yourself as a parent, spouse/partner or caregiver; an inability to focus on tasks; increased isolation from meaningful relationships; and an inability to say no.
"Ideally have a candid conversation with the elderly parent before they have a medical problem or memory deficits, asking what type of help they would like when it is needed," said Waichler. "Do they want to stay in home or would they consider moving if frequent or daily help is needed?"
2. Create a roadmap
Getting proper legal documents in place can help make decisions about health care if your parent cannot. "Create access to information on their insurance and assets so you understand what help is covered and what they will need to pay for," advised Waichler.
3. Streamline
A mobile file to be shared with your siblings can really streamline the caregiving process. Lisa Laney, who has a master's of social work and is owner of Mountain Area Premier Care Navigation in Asheville, North Carolina, recommends including all important contacts for your parents, such as neighbors, in-home aides, doctors, care managers, pharmacists, attorneys, CPAs and financial advisors. "Create a shared calendar that is accessible at all times, and all those with access can update appointment times when they are going to visit, etc.," suggested Laney.
4. Build a support network
Identify other family members, friends or health care professionals that offer you respite when needed. "It allows better balance of time as parent and caregiver," said Waichler.
"Share the load," agreed Laney. "Be realistic in a division of duties — one sibling manages the caregiver schedule, one manages communication with medical professionals, one is the liaison with the care manager, etc. Consider hiring a service to manage the finances."
5. Keep the kids involved
Provided it's kept age-appropriate, kids should be included in discussions about their grandparents' decline and how they can contribute in their own way, such as using their digital skills to play card/board games from afar, helping to prepare meals to be frozen ahead of time, etc. "Keeping them out of the information loop tends to bring about confusion and fear," warned Laney.
"Having honest conversations with the children can make a huge difference," said Jan Welsh, owner of Special Care for Older Adults LLC, in Cincinnati, Ohio. "How you handle this will help your children establish attitudes toward aging. Talk about being respectful and helping. Depending on the condition of the parent(s), there might be a way to positively involve the children in the care without disrupting the household."
6. Identify a confidant
This could be a relative, friend, chat room support group or health care professional — any person you can turn to who will be there to listen to your concerns.
7. Include yourself in the care plan
Caregivers are the worst at taking care of themselves. Create time and space for you to do something that brings you joy and consider professional help if you feel overwhelmed. "It's a tremendous transition in life to see your parents decline while at the same time enjoying the growing up of your children," said Laney. "You will benefit from having a counselor help you through the roller-coaster ride."
Taking care of your kids and aging parents at the same time can indeed be a roller-coaster ride. But it can also be a rewarding, transformative experience. "I would say all caregivers have universal moments of helplessness, grief, sadness and an inability to sleep," said Waichler. "But caregiving also causes extraordinary moments of intimacy and closeness. This was certainly my experience with my father."
Confession: I'm obsessed with watching Instagram videos every night before I go to sleep. Specifically, I find myself watching cake-decorating tutorials. There's something so soothing about watching a plain cake come to life with color and decoration. Is that weird? With each slap of the offset spatula, each drop of color stirred into the frosting, I find myself being lulled into relaxation.
Whether cakes are being spun and frosted in rainbow colors or drizzled with oozing icing, watching them be decorated definitely makes my dreams a little sweeter — here's hoping they'll do the same for you.
So, you’ve decided to buy a sex toy for your own personal pleasure. Congrats!
Before you choose your toy, it’s important that you remember three things:
1. Consider the material
You’ll want something that is made from body-safe material. This means anything made of silicone, hard plastic, glass or stainless steel. If you’re dead set on a toy that is made from non-body-safe material, make sure that you use a condom on the toy to protect yourself.
2. Always clean your toys
You’ll want to clean your toys within 24 hours of use (preferably right after) with soap and water unless otherwise specified on the packaging.
3. Lube
Simply put, don’t forget lube. Silicone-based lube is the best for all toys except silicone toys (silicone rubbing on silicone will wear out your toy). For silicone toys, use water-based lube.
There are an endless number of sex toys, which makes the process of buying one a bit daunting. This is why I brought in Lauren Meyers, resident sex toy expert at Eve’s Garden, to help us out with a great beginner’s guide for all kinds of play.
We’ll be focusing on the best toys for clitoral stimulation, G-spot stimulation, rabbit-shaped (for G-spot and clitoral stimulation simultaneously), travel and butt stimulation.
“This little rabbit-eared vibe fits in the palm of your hand, but has two powerful motors that hug the sides of your clit perfectly and is also really great for pinching.”
“I was very skeptical when I first tried this one… It’s not quite vibration, but more like rapid air pulsation that is really hard to understand the intensity of unless it is directly on your clit. However, when you’ve found the right spot, this toy is magic. No lie, orgasms in a matter of minutes.”
“If you’ve never succeeded in locating your G-spot, this stainless steel curved dildo is your best friend. It is double-ended, with one side larger than the other to give you more options.”
“The Rave has a very unique asymmetrical shape that makes a whole new sensation when rocking against your G-spot in combination with it’s strong, powerful vibration.”
“This one is phenomenal in the amount of options it gives you. You can easily scroll through modes to find exactly where you want the vibration and then the level of intensity. It also has a memory feature if you have a favorite mode and hate starting all over again to find it. The come-hither feature is amazing on the G-spot.”
“This was my first toy that I bought from an actual sex toy shop, and I will always have a fondness for it. It’s battery-operated, but the vibrations are powerful and the head is wide enough to cover pretty much your entire vulva. If you like the Magic Wand, but need something more travel-sized, this is a great substitute.”
“If you like your plugs to have more of a presence, this heavier plug is wonderful. It’s very hygienic, has an easy grip for removal and retains temperature fairly well.”
So there you have it — some great sex toys for all sorts of play. You may be a bit scared off by the prices of some of these toys, but think of it as an investment in the future. If you’re looking for a good budget version of some of these toys Jimmyjane has a good line of intro toys and Adam & Eve has frequent sales on toys.
Have you ever woken up to Saturday morning puppy kisses and ended up with more “ick, that stinks!” than “awwww, that’s cute”? You’re not alone. “Certainly 'eau de doggie breath' isn’t going to make it as a cologne any time soon,” jokes veterinarian Dr. Christie Long in her tips for assessing your dog’s health at home, “but it should smell mostly benign." When that breath veers off into the “eww, that stinks" range, you’re likely missing a problem.
“Almost without exception there is a cause for the bad breath,” Dr. Jennifer Quammen, a veterinarian and coach from High Performance Living LLC, told us. “Although it isn’t always the teeth and/or gums.” In fact, while only a few non-medical things might lead to bad breath, a number of hidden and hard-to-detect conditions can cause bad breath in otherwise healthy-seeming dogs.
1. If what goes in stinks…
Stinky dog breath IG 1
Stinky dog breath IG 1
Perhaps easiest to handle is what your dog is eating. “Some things dogs eat that make their breath bad include feces (visiting the cat’s litter box) and dead animals/carrion. Some diets (especially fish-based diets) can cause unpleasant odors in the mouth,” notes Quammen, but other causes can be much more sinister. Also important to note is this isn’t a hard and fast rule — my own Italian greyhound, Fiona, is an avid poop eater and her breath is roses compared to our terrier mix Liza who has a major underbite.
I know, thinking about dental issues in your dog makes you about as excited as Ron was to “follow the spiders.” Unfortunately, the likelihood of smell being a sign of dental disease is pretty high. It’s estimated that 80 percent of dogs develop a form of dental disease by age 3. (Source: DVMmultimedia.com medical handout)
“It’s probably actually more correct to say that when your dog’s breath smells like an open sewer, he has needed a dental cleaning and examination for quite some time, notes Long’s "5 Signs That Your Dog Needs Dental Work." So don’t forget to brush your pup’s teeth and schedule regular checkups with your veterinarian, even when everything seems great. Your vet can tell you how often Fido should be getting cleanings and the exam looks for other hard-to-spot problems that can cause bad breath. (Don’t miss PetCoach’s "6 Things Every Dog Owner Should Know About Dental Care.")
3. When the wrong end smells of urine…
Kidney disease is hard to detect in most dogs and many of its symptoms are easy to overlook. Dogs that are in kidney failure often have the odor of urine on their breath, Long told us. That’s because the waste products that the kidneys should be filtering are building up in the bloodstream. You’ll very likely notice other signs as well, including increased thirst, increased urination, decreased appetite and vomiting. If you detect this odor on your dog’s breath or notice these signs, take him in to your veterinarian immediately.
4. Your dog’s suddenly a mouth-breather…
Dogs that experience sinus and breathing challenges may be more likely to breathe through their mouths, notes Long. While this doesn’t exactly cause bad breath, it may make underlying dental issues and halitosis more obvious to those close by.
Puppies and dogs explore the world with their mouths, which can sometimes cause challenges — or make existing ones more obvious. “I have come across dogs who have had pieces of toys, sticks or hair caught in their mouth, teeth and gums,” says Quammen. “One (somewhat common) problem is hair caught in the teeth secondary to skin itching or irritation (caused by fleas or allergies): The dog is chewing itself because its skin is inflamed and simply getting the hair caught in the teeth secondary to this chewing. The pet comes in because the ‘breath is bad’ and we wind up finding allergies as the underlying cause.”
Of course, sometimes a foreign body or toxin is the underlying issue, not just a symptom. (Mouth injuries caused by sticks are fairly commonplace and can be severe.) So be sure to give your veterinarian a call if you think your dog’s eaten or played with something that could cause injury.
6. An odor of acetone could spell ketoacidosis
This last one is the least likely to appear with a “healthy-seeming” dog, but is an important and notable change to your pup’s breath that could spell big trouble. The first signs of diabetes, including increased thirst and urination, can look like several other problems in dogs or may not be noticed at all. Unfortunately, this means that diabetes may not be diagnosed until it’s severe without regular checkups and blood work. If diabetes goes undiagnosed for a period of time, complications of diabetes might cause changes to your pup's breath. If you smell a sweet odor that reminds you of acetone nail polish remover, your dog may be experiencing a serious complication of diabetes known as ketoacidosis. “If you notice this in your dog, seek veterinary care immediately,” warns Long.
If you’re one of those pet parents who avoid smelling their dog’s breath at all costs, maybe it’s time to change that. Go ahead, inhale deeply. If you smell something undeniably repulsive, congratulations! You may just be helping your vet catch a problem a lot earlier than they otherwise would have — which is your best shot of keeping your dog happy and healthy with you as long as possible.
Do you have a question about your dog’s breath? Ask the experts at PetCoach below!
Kendall Jenner and Elle King are both pretty indisputably cool. They are both kicking ass and taking names in their respective industries and have huge fan bases. It’s no wonder that Estée Lauder would want to create an ad around the two of them. However, the finished product is kind of problematic.
The campaign was teased by Jenner on Instagram and released this week. Instead of your usual glossy makeup ad that has a celebrity soullessly pushing the life-changing magic of a cosmetic product that they probably don’t use, this Estée Lauder ad is a little more playful and relaxed, which is nice to get. The short film might even be a play on brands insisting that this or that product will help us do things that are simply impossible, like defying age or getting Selena Gomez's hair from a Pantene rinse — because, in the ad, Jenner steals King’s voice by swiping on some of her lipstick.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick Ad
Estee Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick Ad
After King ditches Jenner to go to the studio, leaving her to clean up after a party by herself (oh no, Jenner had to pour some crushed chips out of a bowl into the trash!). Jenner finds King’s Estée Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick and puts it on. Meanwhile, in the studio, King is belting out her new single, “Wild Love.” But as Jenner starts to lip sync around her lavish bachelorette pad, King starts to croak while her friend pushes buttons on the sound board and looks at her like, “Girl....” In the end, King realizes that her secret weapon lipstick is gone and rushes back to Jenner's place (unrealistically fast through Los Angeles traffic) to take back what’s hers. Then King sashays away and quips, “You’ve got enough going on.”
As refreshing as it is to see an ad with a sense of humor — and shots of King struggling in the sound booth are adorably comedic — it just seems kind of fucked up that King is used as a foil for Jenner. Advertising has historically ostracized and excluded curvy women, especially for products like makeup and clothes. So, the fact that someone else had to sing King's song in order for her to appear in the ad just feels a little sinister. Yes, Jenner is the model and the official face of Estée Lauder’s cosmetics; it makes sense that she would be the one modeling the lipstick. But is it so out there that King could also model?
To top it off, the idea that Jenner, an obscenely wealthy daughter of one of the most famous families today, who waltzed into a career in an industry that is notoriously hard to break into (not to say that Jenner doesn’t work very hard, but most models never have the doors opened for them that Jenner did when she started out) stealing something from King just feels icky. Maybe that’s the hack and I’m a humorless bitch, but I’m just ready to see advertising that isn’t transparently phobic of any body type that isn’t a size 00.
Would you let Kendall Jenner steal your voice to be in a makeup ad? Tell us in the comments!
When it was announced last year that Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale was being optioned by Hulu for a limited series, people lost their chill. TV has gotten dangerously good (#bingewatch) over the last few years, with film-level budgets and A-listers more willing to take small-screen roles. It’s a perfect time for our favorite books to be transformed into television — like The Handmaid’s Tale, which will premiere on April 26 and star Elizabeth Moss. But some people are more angry than they are excited about a show based on this deeply feminist book with a strong message about the power of corruption in government.
The chilling trailer was released this week, and it was proof that the series will not betray Atwood’s original visceral story: The U.S. government has been mostly gunned down, making way for the fictional republic of Gilead, in which women are exclusively the property of the state. Considering that the book doesn’t shy away from rape and violence against women, the show will definitely veer into the category of darker entertainment like Westworld, American Horror Story, and The Walking Dead.
Some people were clearly a little late to the party on the show’s backstory, though. Twitter and YouTube buzzed with internet trolls losing their minds about what they thought was a direct response to Donald Trump's presidency. The show was called "anti-Trump propaganda," and the trailer garnered 1,300 comments just in its first day on YouTube. Other comments included, “feminism needs to die NOW” and "what is this liberal shit?"
Margaret Atwood herself finally responded with a simple tweet:
Margaret Atwood Tweet
Margaret Atwood Tweet
It’s slightly funny that by way of their criticisms, Trump supporters basically admitted that the United States under the Trump administration bears a striking resemblance to a violent and terrifying dystopia. It makes it very clear that our political climate is confusing for everyone right now. It's also a bit ironic that a group of people who spew vitriol about the “liberal elite” accidentally confused a classic novel for new TV.
Arguments aside, it’s fascinating that a book that’s more than 30 years old could stir up such reactions. The Handmaid’s Tale will undoubtedly provoke more conservative and liberal reactions when it’s fully released, so we’ll definitely be on Twitter with some popcorn on April 26.
The week presents an exciting new moon in Aries on Monday. On par with New Year's for resolutions, use this radical, rejuvenating fresh start to reset the dial on personal issues that have come up for review lately — intentions will be supported absolutely.
Ongoing tensions could be pushed toward the breaking point on Thursday, with enthusiasms thwarted. Dispel clashes with an honest, open approach — if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Mercury sweeps onto sedentary, solid ground Saturday, joining Mars on the material planes of sensual Taurus. Shift focus toward earthly delights and indulge in practical pursuits.
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Image: Marites Algones/SheKnows
Monday’s new moon is particularly significant with a highly personal fresh start on offer. Consider how to maximize the opportunity, setting autonomous goals for the months ahead — it’s an incredible time to imagine the possibilities and dream big, Aries. Individual ventures are absolutely supported.
Others might not be entirely encouraging of your ambitious streak, but strive to maintain harmonious ties. On Saturday, you can think clearly about earning potential within your role — you might like to look at your savings in weeks to come.
Consciously or not, Taurus has been performing a great feat of cathartic release behind the scenes, and though it’s not over yet, there’s a pause on offer this week to recalibrate intentions moving forward. Take time out to consider recent developments and honor your needs; radical insights can surface in still moments of solitude.
A busy spell toward Thursday could spark tension, so go slow. Thinking becomes far easier to navigate on Saturday — it’s likely your mind and body will feel more connected, delivering relief.
A new network beckons! This week, you have the opportunity to lay foundations that will see you branch out into a new cause, interest or group endeavor. Think about who you’re already connected to and where your interests could lead in months ahead.
Starting Saturday, you could be inclined to switch off, as your ruler Mercury deep dives into the quietest area of your horoscope for a stint of processing, purging and resetting the dial. Still your mind and release old ways of thinking.
With your position now clearly defined, you can work on how you’re coming across in the world. This week offers an exciting chance at a fresh start and opportunities to recharge professional goals — think outside the box. Wednesday is particularly fruitful for conversations around reinventing your role.
Use this week to drive ahead your career or further advance how you’re seen. On Saturday, you’ll be inclined to take the pressure off and relax, as focus turns you more directly toward group activities.
It’s a great time to plan your journey, invoke wanderlust and incite change around your broader perspectives. Contemplate the bigger picture. It’s a powerful time to anticipate what’s in store over the next six months and the possibilities of the road ahead — think travel, education or an entrepreneurial adventure.
A conversation Thursday might be misconstrued, so temper expectations. On Saturday, you’ll be inclined to think more about your position at large, pressing ahead to elevate how you’re seen, so dare to dream before then.
A private matter is heating up as you reach all-new levels of trust and loyalty on common ground. This week allows you to begin again in close exchanges, setting the tone for the months ahead with a refreshed outlook. You’ve got some heavy lifting to do, but grit and determination sees you through.
Thursday’s power struggle might leave you feeling flat; however, on Saturday, you’re ready to embark on an adventure that truly expands your horizons. Process deep thinking before the weekend, which serves to lighten your load.
Single scales can invite a plus-one to their side this week, with new beginnings in collaborations of all kinds. If you’re looking to partner in business or share the load, there’s a willing pair of hands to help you. Relationships across the board can be refreshed, so think about how to add excitement into your union — it’s a magical time for two.
You’ll find you’re talking more in deeper terms of trust on Saturday, with all the right ingredients available to tackle serious matters.
This is the best week of the year to consider goals around work, health and your routine — what more can be done to improve your schedule, Scorpio? You've no doubt been reviewing habits and delegating, with more clarity on your rituals and duties — now you can truly reset your agenda.
On Saturday, life becomes easier as full focus is granted to relationships, which have recently become a much bigger priority. Though you’re busy, make time for date nights in the weeks ahead.
Your sense of fun, enjoyment and creativity is presently under scrutiny, therefore you may find yourself questioning what it is that makes you smile, what you value and who makes you happiest. This week offers you opportunities to reset your stage with positive intentions and people.
Altruistic intentions are tempting, as is being a team player; however, it’s time to think about your own ideals and romantic notions — independently and autonomously. Your workload increases on Saturday, yet there’s still plenty of space for good times.
Give yourself a fresh start around home matters this week, whether it’s a deep spring clean or new approach to balancing life at large with your domestic duties — it may involve change, so be adaptable.
Toward Thursday, your desire to push ahead may be strongly contested, proving particularly challenging. Be honest about what you really want.
On Saturday, thoughts turn to passions, hobbies and your creative streak, which has been hot on your agenda lately. Having fun will be increasingly appealing, so find an outlet.
Solo studies or a project among peers might have prompted you to consider how you communicate and connect with others recently. You’re ultra-receptive to all kinds of information now, and Monday heralds a fresh start for your line of inquisitive learning. You can easily embrace new lessons — open-mindedness is key to progress.
Saturday prompts you to turn toward home and domestic matters. In weeks to come, you’ll have much to focus on around the house or the foundations that support and sustain you.
Fresh starts in finances are the focus of your week as spring ushers in new beginnings in your role and how you’re compensated. There’s room to maneuver and redefine your position, so think fast — you can play a genius move that pays off.
It’s a great time to consider what makes you happy and invite more of those things toward you. Tension culminates and peaks around an ongoing matter regarding income; however, starting Saturday, you’ll be far better equipped to receive information and ideas.
I firmly believe that all people look better with a swipe of blush, and I will fight anyone who disagrees with me, because they have probably never seen themselves with a sheer wash of color on their cheeks, then. I mean, there’s a reason why your skin glows after sex, and why kids and babies have perpetually rosy cheeks: Flushed skin is happy, youthful skin. And a quick dab of blush is the easiest way to fake a five-year younger appearance—that is, if you use the right formula.
And that means staying the hell away from the heavy, powdered blushes that your grandmother used to own and switching to the new wave of creamy, hydrating blushes that seriously make your skin look years younger. Or, at least, really, really pretty, thanks to their hydrating formulas that are loaded with skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, cell-repairing ceramides, and lightweight fruit and nut oils. Basically, the product of your skin-care ingredients and your blush making a baby.
So we rounded up the five best anti-aging (or, anti-looking-old, we should say) blushes that seriously make your skin glow. Just tap and blend them over your cheeks with your fingers or a damp sponge for a sheer finish, and then wait for me to tell you “I told you so.”
If your dog suddenly becomes aggressive toward you or to someone else, you need to start with some soul-searching. Is this really the first indication that you’ve had from your dog that he may have aggressive tendencies? True sudden or acute aggression is actually pretty rare in most dogs, and as veterinarians, we find that once we discuss the problem thoroughly with the pet parent, there have been warning signs in the past.
If your dog truly has never shown aggressive tendencies, and does so suddenly, read on to learn some possible causes that should be investigated.
Primary brain disease
Some diseases affect brain tissue. If the disease reaches the area of the brain that controls behavior, it’s possible that a dog could exhibit very sudden changes in its behavior, including aggressive tendencies. Strokes, tumors and infections of the brain can all affect this area.
For this reason, it’s critical that your dog be evaluated by your veterinarian for any episodes of sudden aggression. A thorough physical examination that includes careful evaluation of all of the cranial nerves (the nerves that originate within the skull cavity) will provide clues that will help to establish whether brain disease is a possibility.
Hypothyroidism is one of the most common hormonal diseases we see in dogs. It typically occurs around middle age, and it’s suspected to be an autoimmune disease in which, for reasons we can’t explain, the body destroys its own thyroid tissue. This leads to a significant drop in the amount of hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland and subsequently a decrease in the rate of metabolism. It’s thought that hypothyroid dogs may develop aggressive tendencies that resolve once the disease is treated; however, more research is needed to establish a definitive correlation.
Cushing’s disease is another hormonal disease that occurs in dogs and involves an increase in the amount of cortisol that is produced in the body. Cortisol is frequently referred to as the body’s “stress hormone,” and dogs with Cushing’s disease can exhibit behavioral changes, including aggression.
In both of these cases, lab tests can help your veterinarian understand whether a dog that has exhibited sudden aggression may be affected, so again, be sure you have your dog examined for aggressive episodes.
Drug interactions
Drugs that impact the way that the neurotransmitter serotonin is metabolized in the body are sometimes used to treat anxiety in dogs. These drugs are called “serotonin reuptake inhibitors” and examples include Prozac and Zoloft. These drugs are widely used in human medicine, and although their use in veterinary patients is relatively recent, they can very positively impact many dogs with severe anxiety issues.
The problem is that certain other medications can “ramp up” the effects of these drugs and produce a syndrome that is widely recognized in people called “serotonin syndrome.” The result is often hyper-excitability in people. It’s thought that dogs can also experience serotonin syndrome, and suddenly aggressive behavior could be the result.
An overdose of SSRIs can also cause serotonin syndrome, so if someone in your household takes these medications, ensure that they are always stored well out of your dog’s reach.
Even a normally docile dog may be prompted to lash out in an aggressive manner if he experiences sudden pain. A friendly pat to a painful region along the spine can especially trigger this, so make sure that your veterinarian carefully evaluates your dog’s entire body for painful areas if he suddenly becomes aggressive.
Canine cognitive dysfunction
Canine cognitive dysfunction is a well-recognized problem in older dogs. We believe that it may be due to a process similar to the destruction of the brain tissue that occurs in human Alzheimer’s patients. CCD can cause the development of aggressive tendencies in older dogs, and other symptoms include insomnia, apparent confusion (i.e., ending up in unusual places in the house or standing and staring at an object without moving) and loss of learned behaviors such as house-training.
There are treatments for CCD, and although not all dogs respond, many can improve with the use of specific supplements, diet change and medications to improve sleep quality and anxiety.
“Let’s go boom boom in the zoom zoom room,” Justin Vivian Bond, the tall, soigné blonde 53-year-old cabaret/performance artist/social activist sings in a seductively edgy voice. Bond — who prefers to be called “Mx,” not Mr. or Ms., and by the letter, “V,” rather than “him” or “her” — isn’t so much channeling Blondie onstage at Joe’s Pub in the East Village as completely reinventing the song.
My husband and I started going to V performances long before we adopted our black-haired, cinnamon-skinned baby daughter from Guatemala. Two years ago, when that baby turned 12, she started complaining whenever we headed out to see Bond without her. “Why can’t I go with you? You let me watch every episode of Will & Grace when I was 5!”
This was true — not that I ever admitted to other parents that my 5-year-old and I howled together in laughter as the narcissistic Karen Walker, played by Megan Mullally, told a potential suitor, “Just because we once made out like drunk straight girls at a frat party doesn’t mean you’re wanted here.” Now, I worried anew: Had my daughter been too young to understand that Will & Grace’s writers weren’t actually advocating alcoholism, even though the charming Karen Walker was rarely without a drink in her hand?
“Why do you want to see V so badly?” I asked.
“Because you love V!”
But Bond is a lot less mainstream than an Emmy award-winning TV sitcom from the '90s. (Still, V's not exactly fringe — V's got a Tony nomination, has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker and makes regular appearances at Joe’s Pub and the Public Theater.) Still, was my daughter truly ready for a transgender star who riffed irreverently, bawdily and sometimes graphically (albeit poignantly) about sex and gender? One of V signature songs is Bambi Lake’s haunting and heartbreaking, “The Golden Age of Hustlers,” a vivid depiction of the rough lives of some of San Francisco’s transgender community during the '70s.
In fact, Bond is a lot edgier than Will & Grace. In “The New Economy,” with a confrontational swagger, V sings about “the sexual economy” of having to sell one’s body.
V jokes about receiving favorite gifts from fans: “No flowers for Mama; just pills.”
And, after all, my daughter was still a preteen.
Then I remembered that day years ago in my daughter's swim class. She was just a preschooler. When I arrived to pick her up, a boy in the class pointed at me. “She can’t be your mom,” he said. “She’s not your color.” I am white.
My daughter looked stricken. “That boy just needs to get out more,” I whispered, hoping to make her smile. Instead, she blinked back tears.
Given that experience, maybe the truth about Bond’s “different” life as a trans child and adult is one of the best gifts I could ever give to my daughter. After all, as a member of a transracial family, my daughter also pushes society’s boundaries and is “different.”
The fact is, she and I are often forced to explain our relationship. When we stroll arm in arm through the streets of New York, we often encounter almost cartoonish double-takes, despite how cosmopolitan and multicultural the city may appear. On a few occasions, total strangers have actually approached us, demanding to know who we are to each other. Inevitably, she and I feel hurt and angry.
These kinds of reactions come from people of various ethnicities. Once, as we sat quietly in the backseat of a taxi, the driver, in an accent I couldn’t place, informed us that our relationship would “never be real.”
At school, I was often taken for her nanny.
Sometimes we receive praise. People applaud my “bravery” and tell my daughter what a “lucky girl” she is. But that singles us out just as much as criticism. We yearn to simply go about our daily lives with our relationship unremarked upon.
Finally, hoping we were doing the right thing, my husband and I brought her with us to see Bond perform. The single child in an otherwise extremely diverse audience, my daughter sat between us at our ringside table.
“So, V dates boys and is a guy below and a girl on top,” she said as Bond, in shimmering, golden cigarette pants, commandingly took the stage. “That’s cool.”
My daughter became a fan of V that night. Since then, she’s watched V perform numerous times. Recently, Bond, in a flowing Vivienne Westwood top, drink in hand, à la Karen Walker, declared Vself “too nearsighted” to register the way people stare at V on the street. My daughter smiled with delighted recognition.
Like all the best poetry, the lyrics V sings — about “San Jose Johnny The Libra” and his lovers and friends, for instance — are life-affirming and life-changing. “Mom, I don’t understand all the words to this song,” my daughter says softly, meeting my eyes. “But I know that V is singing about strong people… like me.”
When Bond angrily revealed that V father, who recently died, wouldn’t let V — “a fake woman” — into his home, my daughter gasped.
“That’s horrible!" she said. "V is real.”
Just as you are, my real child, I thought.
She and I held hands throughout the evening as Bond, sometimes with manic energy and sometimes with great calm and earnestness, celebrated love, hope, courage, art, activism and differences of all kinds.
Today’s political climate is tense, to say the least, and for many of us, downright terrifying.
I am not going to list rising (and existing) hate crime statistics, nor am I going to cite all of the reasons we have to be concerned. There are too many, beginning with equality and ending with the climate. Instead, I am going to do what I do best: talk about my dog.
Bear with me.
Staying informed without sinking into despair, staying alert without giving into fear, staying angry without giving in to hate — these things are difficult for those of us on the margins. We need to be superheroes for ourselves and our communities, and let’s face it. Superheroes need sidekicks.
I have an amazing sidekick. She thinks I am the cat’s pajamas, no matter what I do. She loves me unconditionally, and she forgives me every time I make a mistake. I need that right now, and I’m willing to bet you do too.
I’m an animal person. Animals bring me comfort. These days, my dog helps me cope with my political anxiety. She is a reminder that love and loyalty can be natural instincts. She knows when I need a snuggle, and she doesn't tell me everything is going to be OK when I read the news or when I am worried to check Facebook because I might find out that a friend is a statistic. She knows that what I need is love.
Most important, she gets me outside and moving. Meeting her needs for exercise, play and affection reminds me to meet my own needs. Self-care is not some liberal fluff word. It’s hard work, and it is crucial if you want to accomplish your other goals.
Recently, I have found myself making a conscious effort to let my dog help me. Now, when she comes over when I am reading the news or talking about politics or worrying, I remind myself to let those things go for the moment and focus on her. When I want to draw into myself and hide, I reach out to her. Reaching out to her, in turn, reminds me to reach out to other people. She is a touchstone for my humanity.
We go for long walks, and I take deep breaths. It helps that my dog is a German shepherd. I feel safe on these walks, but even if your dog isn’t a tough-looking canine, or if your dog is actually a cat or a ferret or a bird or even a tortoise, our sidekicks can help us get through what could be a very, very difficult time. They won't save us from deportation or assault or discriminating legislation or police violence or climate change, but they can help us take better care of ourselves while we fight those things.
Everyday, I am faced with the reality of being one of these women. While my PCOS is less severe, there are still many things I have to remember on a daily basis when it comes to my diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, PCOS is an endocrine system disorder that affects women at reproductive age. The usual culprits can be anything from excess insulin, low-grade inflammation or pure genetics.
What I’ve learned since becoming diagnosed is that superfoods are the best way for me to cope. The reason this works for me is that some of the food that I’ve incorporated into my diet actually help tackle the triggers themselves.
For instance, extra tomatoes have been an easy addition to my diet. Adding them to my sandwich, salad or pasta has actually helped reduce any inflammation that may lead to a bad episode of PCOS.
When I first realized that something may be wrong with me, I was overwhelmed. The doctor on my college campus was able to narrow down what was off with my body because of my missed periods. (Irregular periods can be one possible symptom of PCOS.)
Her main recommendation to me was to focus on incorporating healthy fats and foods with anti-inflammatory properties.
Over the last few months, this is what I’ve slowly done. I’ve turned to the internet and medical professionals to build out a diet that works for me and helps keep my PCOS in check. The journey to figuring this out has been a tough one, oftentimes made more stressful by everyday life, but I’m on my way thanks to tomato, avocado and some other superfoods.
We're getting closer to April 7 with every second that passes. April 7 is the day reserved for Styles' first solo single to be released upon the masses. Ahead of that hallowed day, Styles has released a teaser video for what is presumably the music video for his debut single. The teaser premiered in the U.K. over the weekend and has now made its way to American shores, tantalizing us all in the process. Seriously, this video is enigmatic AF.
Harry Styles Teaser Twitter
Harry Styles Teaser Twitter
The teaser consists of Styles walking through a dark, misty room while piano music plays softly. Is this the instrumental track from his debut single? Styles walks across the room in slow-motion and opens a door. He's blinded by and shrouded in bright light, so of course he holds up a super-tattooed arm to shield his eyes. The teaser ends with a tight close-up of his eyes and eyebrows; there's no mistaking that's Styles looking broodingly into the camera.
If the music playing in the teaser is in fact the music from his upcoming debut single, then it would signal a pretty interesting direction for the former boy band member. Like Zayn Malik, Styles might be going in a more slowed-down, ballad-heavy direction in which he can show off his crooning skills more than anything else. Zayn has found considerable success moving into an R&B vibe with his music unlike other now-solo One Direction dudes Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan (who've gone into electronic and acoustic pop, respectively), both of whom are still trying to ascend to Malik levels of success. Styles may be making the right move just by choosing this genre as his solo career vibe; it's definitely a promising sign.
Harry Styles Blank Space Instagram
Harry Styles Blank Space Instagram
The mysterious teaser isn't the only part of his solo debut campaign that's full of mystery. Around the same time as the teaser drop, a ton of photos showed up on Styles' Instagram that just showed white space. No caption, no explanation, nothing. Not even an emoji to maybe give us a hint at what's going on here. Maybe Styles is pulling from the Ed Sheeran playbook in making both his avatar and cover photo on his Twitter (which also features the blank space photo) and Instagram as a way to tease what his album cover will look like. What gives, guy?
