You wouldn't think that a couple words of wisdom would be enough to pull you out of the funk of a terrible day — but sometimes a well-timed inspirational quote is really all you need to totally change your mood.

If life has thrown some lemons your way, try these quotes out. They probably won't make everything better, but they just might give you the right kick in the pants to keep on trucking.

More: 20 Excellent Quotes From Powerful Women About Overcoming Failure

1. What's the point of being alive?

2. Don't lose sight

3. A smooth sea

4. Ask yourself

5. Lucille Ball's words of wisdom

6. Personality gets the heart

7. Dreams don't work

8. Just keep moving

9. Be yourself

10. I have not failed

11. Within me

12. No regrets

13. Outside the box

14. Life's too short

15. Through the worst

More: Alyssa Milano on Healthy Habits, Motherhood and Making a Positive Impact

16. The ones that do

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Originally published March 2014. Updated March 2017.

The Boston Globe named their 2016 Bostonians of the Year last December — and this year, they’re not even old enough to have a drink to celebrate it.

When Boston Latin School students Meggie Noel and Kylie Webster-Cazeau reported in 2014 that their peers were flinging racist threats and insults at the school’s black students, as well as tweeting racially insensitive responses to the death of Michael Brown, the administration did nothing.

More: Want Your Kids to Do Well in School? It Could Come Down to Their Friends

“We were like, ‘We shouldn’t have to go through this, like, why are we so stressed?’ Our school should support us, they shouldn’t make us feel like we’re [dispensable,]” Webster-Cazeau told Temple University’s The Temple News.

After a year and a half of no administrative action, Noel and Webster-Cazeau created #BlackatBLS, a campaign meant to highlight the anti-black racism students faced regularly at the school, in January 2016. Their first move was to make a #BlackatBLS YouTube video, which inspired other black students to share their experiences on Twitter using the hashtag.

#BlackatBLS, along with a student’s report that a teacher greeted her with a racial slur in class, spurred an investigation led by the Boston Public Schools and the resignation of the school’s headmaster in June. Last week, they appointed Rachel Skerritt as the new headmaster — the first person of color to lead the country’s oldest high school.

More: Traditional School Not for Your Kid? Check Out Online Homeschool Options

Due to the school — and citywide change the two have helped enact — Noel and Webster-Cazeau were named the Bostonians of the Year and received recognition from the Harvard College Women’s Center.

“It kind of felt surreal,” Webster-Cazeau said. “It was this thing that blew up and everyone kept texting and calling and congratulating me, but it never really felt real.”

After all the drama he caused with his exit from Live!, you would think Michael Strahan would have picked a new job where he could settle in easily.

According to insiders at Good Morning America, though, his arrival there has been far from smooth sailing. Even now, months later, Strahan isn't being welcomed by everyone on the show, sources there say.

More: Michael Strahan and Andy Cohen's Man Fight Is Over

According to Page Six, other anchors on GMA are tired of the special treatment Strahan has received since he arrived.

"They roll out the carpet for [Strahan] while seasoned talent is treated like dirt," one insider said. "He’s been given a lot of opportunity, flexibility, when the others who have been working there longer don’t get that kind of treatment."

More: Michael Strahan's Move to GMA Might Bring Big Changes

The deal that Strahan signed did have a lot of flexibility. He was allowed to continue to work for Fox NFL Sunday analyzing pro football, and he stayed on as host of ABC's $100,000 Pyramid. He was, however, required by his contract to drop most of his endorsement deals.

According to the source, the deal frustrated GMA's other anchors. The insider said pop anchor Lara Spencer "feels like her role has been minimized with Strahan. There’s not a lot of love between the two. They know how to put it on for the cameras, but he’s doing a lot of what Lara should be doing [on the show] and she’s not happy. She’s the pop person."

And the source said George Stephanopoulos is "bored with the fluff. He goes into work, does the show and leaves by 8:57 a.m. He doesn’t interact. He’s been phoning it in for quite some time."

An ABC exec said the exact opposite, though.

"That’s just bullshit. They get along great," the exec told Page Six. "And as for Lara, she has far more airtime in the 8 a.m. hour and is loving the studio audience."

An ABC rep added, "We’ve tripled our lead over the Today show [in total viewers]. The show has never been better."

More: Finally, Validation that Michael Strahan's Live! Exit Was Totally Botched

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Legoland Florida is making its park more accessible and friendly for its guests on the autism spectrum, the park stated in a press release on Tuesday.

Partnering with the North and Central Florida chapter of Autism Speaks, Legoland said they are aiming to make sure all kids can enjoy the park’s rides and attractions.

More: Toys for kids with autism that they won’t want to put down

Taking a page from Disney parks’ books, the Winter Haven, Florida, location will now feature quiet rooms for guests with autism and their families to maximize their park experience. The quiet rooms will feature noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets and squishy toys to assist with a variety of sensory sensitivities. They will also have, of course, tables for children to play with Legos.

Also available are free passes for guests on the autism spectrum to be able to skip lines in order to bypass lengthy waiting times. Accompanying every ride and show will be “social stories”: illustrated walkthroughs to showcase elements that might be shocking or overwhelming to guests, such as bright lights or loud noises.

More: Sesame Street Introduces a New Muppet With Autism

April is Autism Awareness Month, and the park will donate $15 from each ticket purchased to the North and Central Florida chapter of Autism Speaks. They will also host a special building day on April 22, and will shine blue spotlights on certain miniature Lego landmarks for World Autism Awareness Day on April 2.

With knowledge and acceptance of autism becoming more and more common, these are hugely positive steps for Legoland to take — and hopefully other parks will soon follow suit.

Flip or Flop fans' worst fear may actually be coming true — sources say Tarek and Christina El Moussa aren't filming any more seasons of the show.

More: Someone Grab a Fire Extinguisher Because Christina El Moussa Is Fire

In Touch reports that five separate HGTV sources have confirmed that the El Moussas are not currently filming Season 8, even though this is normally the time they would be filming for their upcoming season.

"They won’t go beyond what they’ve already shot. There will be only the spin-off shows with the new couples in different cities," a source at the network said. "Christina El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa won’t be filming more episodes. Season 7 is their last."

The timing sure makes sense. HGTV recently announced it plans to roll out at least five spinoffs of the show in other cities. In making that announcement, the network assured fans that it had no intention of phasing out the El Moussas, but come on. We all suspected that's what was happening.

More: Christina El Moussa Reportedly Already Moved On From Gary the Contractor

And sources says Christina is preparing to leave Flip or Flop behind by securing her own spinoff show about interior design. Sources say she's confident that the network will go for it.

"She’s drawing a lot of interest and feels HGTV will let her out of her contract," an insider told In Touch. "She has impressed several people at other networks who can give her a new show. They think she’s a hot commodity."

HGTV gave In Touch a statement in which it danced around the issue of whether Flip or Flop will film another season.

"Flip or Flop still is in active production on Season 7 of the series. No additional new info to share beyond that statement," a rep said.

More: Christina El Moussa Fires Back at Insta-Shamers

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Ten years ago, the world of television got a little darker after Trading Spaces went off the air. But it's about to get really sunny in here again because TLC has announced that Trading Spaces is coming back in 2018!

Long before we started watching Fixer Upper and Property Brothers to get our home renovation jollies, we were watching neighbors swap homes. There, they would do some legitimately bonkers redesigning with some memorable makeovers, including covering a wall entirely in fake grass, making a room look upside down by putting the furniture on the ceiling, and giving someone a floor made of beach sand. Practical and modern they were not, but the most disastrous designs made for great television.

More: Ina Garten's Selling Her Apartment, and It Will Give You Serious Kitchen Envy

In today's reality home makeover climate of bright-white kitchens, reclaimed wood and open floor plans, Trading Spaces could inject a dose of much-needed fun. Like, what is the best way to redesign your peach farming neighbor's 5-by-5-foot living room? And if your best friend who lives next door is obsessed with the Red Sox, she probably wants her dining room floor covered in Astroturf... right?

More: The Novogratzes Have a New Rug Line, and We Are Obsessed

The victories and spoils of watching real people make and execute design choices makes for great TV. We've grown accustomed to the "real estate porn" side of the home makeover genre, but there's something satisfying about watching an exhausted couple paint their neighbors' ceiling lilac at 3 a.m. It brings an element of realness to the show — like, yeah, most of us aren't going to navigate a complete room redesign with the expertise and grace of Joanna Gaines.

There's no word if host Paige Davis or any of the original designers will return (what's Ty Pennington up to these days?), but I'll definitely be tuning in. After all, where else will I get the inspiration to create haphazardly constructed and overly-themed rooms for my future dream home?

More: 5 Reasons to Get Excited for HGTV's New Show My Flippin' Friends

It seems like every year Days of Our Lives does their annual spring purge. This year is no different as the new regime with head writer Ron Carlivati begins to take shape.

More: Victoria Rowell's Lawsuit Against Days of Our Lives Comes to a Curious End

Last year around this time, DOOL let four cast members go — Martha Madison, Brandon Beemer, Marie Wilson and Sal Stowers. Beemer returned a few months later after a mistake was made with his contract. Madison was brought back into the fold for some 2017 episodes.

This time around, fans are saying goodbye to Vincent Irizarry and Vivian Jovanni. Irizarry’s character, Deimos, was left with little storyline, so the writers most likely gave up on trying to save his character. Jovanni told Serial Scoop that the exit was a mutually agreed upon decision.

“At this point in my career I wanted to pursue other interests,” Jovanni said. “Yet, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity.”

More: General Hospital's Carolyn Hennesy Has Some Great Advice for Jennifer Lopez

With longtime DOOL favorite Arianne Zucker announcing her exit recently, it is already a big enough change for viewers to deal with. However, the Jason47 DAYS Facebook page is promising that more departures are about to be announced.

Fans weighed in on who they think the next departure is and the consensus is that it is John Aniston, who plays Victor Kiriakis. Will this be the year he retires?

With Aniston’s first Daytime Emmy nomination ever, he may want to go out on a high note, especially if he wins. Either way, DOOL needs a jolt of energy and ratings after lagging behind the three other soaps.

More: How The Young and the Restless Wasted Elizabeth Hendrickson’s Return

The series was reportedly on the chopping block as NBC News figured out how to fit Megyn Kelly’s new show into the scheduling grid. Fortunately, the soap avoided disaster and it was renewed for its 52nd season. It was a close call that still has the cast and fans on notice.

With Carlivati’s storylines just about to come into play, viewers will see a shift in the plots and hopefully an upward trend in the ratings.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Robots, as we all know, will soon control everything we know and love. Oh, sure, right now they're our servants, vacuuming our detritus without so much as a peep, burning Donald Trump’s tweets for us. But it won’t be long before the singularity arrives and these servants become our masters.

More: Amazon's Proposed Robot Grocery Is a Creepy Look at the Future

And this little girl, for one, is ready. Mistaking a broken water heater for a robot, she greets it in the customary manner (“Hi, robot!”) and then embraces it, proclaiming, “I love you, robot.” The broken water heater, being only a broken water heater and, thus, lacking sentience, can only stand there, feeling nothing — the panel with its sort of eye sockets bobbing in the breeze.

But even if the broken water heater wasn’t moved by this adorable display, we were. This is ridiculously cute. And we congratulate this girl on an excellent dress rehearsal for the real event. If you can’t fight the robots when they arrive in your town, proclaim your love and hope for the best!

More: These Talking Dolls May Be Spying on Your Kids

Let’s be brutally honest today and every day. Sex isn’t always sexy.

When Googling the topic of queefing, a word that is still autocorrected no matter how many times I type it, are articles that read, “Four Ways to Stop Queefing” or “What Men Really Think About Queefing.”

As I roll my eyes and let out a small sigh, I click on one of these links. I am led to an article that lists several techniques that are intended to prevent the so-called mortifying queef. The article creates a guideline for a sexual life that eliminates the queef, and also any spontaneity or excitement that can be found with your partner, ever.

“Have sex slowly,” or “Avoid pumping,” and “Stick to positions where you aren’t bent over,” are horrifying to me as a sex writer and as a sexual human being. A natural response that happens during intercourse is most definitely not getting in the way of my orgasm, and there is no way that any of this advice will help subside the unavoidable response of a queef.

More: 10 Gross things about sex no one likes to talk about

Let’s back up a little bit and get down to the root of what a queef actually is. Urban Dictionary cites it as “an expulsion of wind from the vulva during coitus; a vaginal fart,” which, for your information, is unbelievably dramatic. Flatulence occurs when gas leaves your digestive track. Queefing, on the other hand, occurs when air escapes your vagina. Vagina’s are not tubes; they are made up of wrinkles and folds. When air is trapped inside of a vagina, a queef is the result when it is released. Not so bad, eh?

Dr. Vanessa Cullins from Planned Parenthood says, “They’re especially common during sex because fingers, penises or sex toys can easily push air up there.” She explains, “Your vagina also expands when you’re turned on, which makes more room for air.”

The idea that avoiding certain positions or going faster or slower will prevent a queef is completely untrue. This isn’t to say that everyone experiences queefs. They aren’t limited to sexual activity either. Some people may never experience the release of air from their vagina, while others can experience it with just a slight movement in their everyday routine or while exercising (e.g., yoga). Another important point is that you can’t hold in a queef like you are able to when releasing gas. A queef just happens; it’s never planned.

Now, I get it. A sound coming out of any orifice isn’t always the most appealing way to have a mid-coital session. But is any part of sex truly, undeniably sexy? With every movement comes the chance of a mishap, a fluid and an onslaught of sweat. Let’s practice self-love and sex-positivity instead of creating a fear or sense of embarrassment. To begin, we have to create a discourse around what queefing is in the bedroom. The only way to learn is to know.

More: 7 Normal phrases that mean something entirely different during sex

Still not convinced? Here are a few tips that don’t involve queefing prevention or surrendering an enjoyable sex life.

Talk to your partner

Demystify the queef! Plus, talking about sex is important and educating one another can be sexy in its own right. If it’s happening quite often and it’s disrupting your rhythm, communication is the only valid and positive solution.

Ignore it

When you’re in the moment, you don’t have time to use words. Just keep doing your thing and by the end of it all, the queef will be a barely visible blip on your radar. And remember, every time we are ashamed of little bodily mishaps, the patriarchy wins.

Laugh it off

Think of it this way: a queef could bring you and your partner closer together. Laughing during sex can be an incredibly intimate moment. Stay lighthearted to avoid any embarrassment or awkwardness and remember that it’s all natural!

At the end of the day, your partner probably isn’t really that wrapped up in the fact that you queefed during sex. It’s a natural moment and natural responses are bound to happen.

If you can’t handle me at my queef, you don’t deserve me at my O-face.

More: Pornhub Launches New Sex Ed Site

By S. Nicole Lane

Originally published on HelloFlo.

The world may not be totally on board with romances that come with big age gaps (we could care less), but Jennifer Lawrence is fine with hers.

The 26-year-old Hunger Games actress and her beau, 48-year-old Darren Aronofsky, may have a 22-year age difference, but they're not letting it get in the way of their romance. Sources say things are getting more and more serious for the couple, who has been dating for about five months now after they met when Aronofsky directed Lawrence in her upcoming film, Mother!.

More: Jennifer Lawrence & Chris Pratt Don't Want to Talk About Their Sex Lives

"Jennifer is comfortable with an older guy because she is mature and focused," a source told People magazine. "Jen has been mesmerized by his talent and brains since she started working with him."

Even though the two are separated by a long distance, they've been working through it and finding ways to spend time together. Lawrence has been living in Budapest, where she's filming Red Sparrow, and Aronofsky recently visited her there. And when Lawrence had time off from filming, she jetted off to New York City, where she and her man were seen strolling hand in hand and going on movie dates.

More: So What If Jennifer Lawrence's New Beau Is Way Older Than Her?

Despite being so happy together, they've been trying to keep their romance out of the headlines as much as possible, another source said.

"They are very sweet together and seem happy," the insider told People. "They hold hands. They keep to themselves and don’t seem to want a lot of attention."

The source also said their romance works because they're both equally focused on their careers.

"Jen is a serious actress and being around another person in the business who is intense about what he does has been good for her," the insider explained. "I don’t know how far it will go but as of now they are a really good match, two talented people who love their work and are respected for it."

More: Jennifer Lawrence Is Designing the Most Ridiculous New App

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Val Kilmer spent a few days earlier in the week on Twitter talking about Cate Blanchett — both out of the blue and without response from Blanchett. The tweet storm began with a selfie of Kilmer and the message: "Once I flew all the way to Australia just to talk to Cate Blanchett. Her husband met me first. Or, instead, I guess, to be accurate."

Several more tweets followed, praising Blanchett for her acting and generally talking about how she is "amazing in person." The tweets were peppered between pictures of Kilmer's visit to New York City and pictures of the World Trade Center memorial. It was more than a little odd.

While Kilmer has a history of praising other stars and sharing stories on his Twitter feed (he gushed, somewhat uncomfortably, about singer Carly Simon earlier in this month), the Blanchett tweets seemed odder than usual. However, Kilmer also has a long history of strange and even troubling behavior, both on set and off. In recent years, as the actor has struggled with a cancer diagnosis, some of his behavior has become even more out of line, with some family members saying it is interfering with his health and well-being.

Is Kilmer just different, or is he struggling with mental illness? Are his odd interactions appropriate or do they cross a line? Has it been getting worse over the years? Let's take a look at some of his questionable moments over the years.

More: Cate Blanchett Sets the Record Straight About Her Sexuality After "Coming Out"

1987: He wrote and self-published a poem about Michelle Pfeiffer

Apparently, Cate Blanchett is not the only woman who Kilmer has showed a bit of an obsession for. After working with Michelle Pfeiffer in an ABC Afterschool Special called "One Too Many," the young Kilmer wrote a poem called, "The Pfeiffer Howls at the Moon." He then self-published the verses in a book of poems called My Edens After Burns, most of the copies of which reside in his garage. It's rumored that the pair had a romantic relationship, but still. That's a bit weird.

1993: He randomly ate a living locust on the set of Tombstone

According to Kevin Jarre, the writer and director in Tombstone, "There’s a dark side to Val that I don’t feel comfortable talking about.” However, Jarre was comfortable telling an interviewer about Kilmer's quirkier side, which included randomly eating large insects.

“We were deep in conversation about Doc Holliday, and this stand-in brought over a very colorful sort of locust and said, ‘Look what I found!’ I looked up and said, ‘Hey, that’s pretty good,’ and Val, without saying a word, grabbed the locust from the guy and ate it. And it was big. He said to me, ‘As you know, I have a reputation for being difficult. But only with stupid people.”’

1996: He drove both directors of The Island of Doctor Moreau crazy

Kilmer has a long history of being difficult on set that goes back to when he was 12 and quit his first acting job (for a hamburger ad) because he couldn't find a strong enough motivation. He has, it is rumored, got some directors fired and made others quit. The best example is probably his behavior on the set of The Island of Doctor Moreau — the first director quit in a week and the second, John Frankenheimer, said after finishing the film, "There are two things I will never ever do in my whole life. The first is that I will never climb Mt. Everest. The second is that I will never work with Val Kilmer ever again.”

Frankenheimer also reportedly told his assistant director, “If I was making The Val Kilmer Story, I wouldn’t hire that prick!”

2002: He has spent a long time working on a weird project about Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy

For 15 years now, Kilmer has been spending less time on looking for roles as a lead actor and more time on a pet project that focuses on the relationships between Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy and writer and personality Mark Twain. The project finally surfaced as a one-man play starring Kilmer, which he has now turned into a film that he wrote, directed and produced called Cinema Twain.

More: Michael Douglas Confirms the Worst About Val Kilmer's Cancer Diagnosis

2010: He moved in with Will Forte for a few months and put his pillow in the washing machine

After making the comedy MacGruber in 2010, Kilmer ask co-star Will Forte if he could crash at his place for a few days. Forte happily agreed, but soon realized, as Kilmer's books began arriving in duffle bags, that he might be staying for longer. Kilmer was a great roommate for a few months, Forte told James Corden, although once he tried to wash his pillow, which didn't go well. Kilmer never explained why he put his pillow in the wash or why he didn't take it out. Maybe just watch the interview.

2015: He denied having and might have refused medical treatment for throat cancer

In 2015, some of his family members told TMZ that although he had known about a tumor diagnosis for months, he had refused to seek medical treatment and was instead praying for health (Kilmer is a Christian Scientist). Finally, in February 2015, he was rushed into emergency surgery, coughing blood and having difficulty breathing.

He publicly denied having cancer for years, saying that he was covering up a spot on his neck with scarves that was due to an unrelated procedure.

2017: He said this about Brigitte Bardot on Twitter

We will present this without comment: 

More: Ex-Wife: Val Kilmer Is a Deadbeat Dad

Did we forget any weird stories about Val Kilmer? Share them below.

In our new series, Pregnancy Diaries, we ask expecting women to jot down every pregnancy-related detail of their lives for a week. (Special thanks to New York mag and Refinery29 for the inspo.) Work-related conundrums, struggles with IVF and a whole lot of nausea ahead. For the second entry in our series, we have a 38-year-old writer/editor living in Brooklyn who was recently laid off. She’s 20 weeks pregnant with her first child.

Relationship status: Married to my partner of six years.

Money situation:  $1,200 in unemployment insurance, but no debt. I am debt-phobic. I have an emergency fund of one year’s rent, plus retirement and investment savings.

How long did it take you to conceive? About six months. I had been on the pill, but we didn’t use any contraception when we were open to conceiving.

Any other details relevant to your pregnancy? I was recently laid off, so I’m trying to stay positive despite fears that nobody will hire me.

Day 1

4:30 a.m. — Our younger cat wakes us by coughing up a hairball. After cleaning up the mess, I can’t fall asleep again, and neither can my husband. I love our cats, but sometimes I wish they would let us sleep before the baby disrupts our nights even more.

6:30 a.m. — While eating some Cheerios, I finish my morning reading: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, New York magazine and Gothamist. The political news makes me depressed and anxious, but also more committed to defending reproductive rights than ever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be pregnant, but I also don’t think anyone should be forced to be.

8:00 a.m. — I need a little catnap, so I go down for an hour.

10:30 a.m. — A former colleague and I meet for coffee in Greenwich Village. We were laid off a few weeks ago, and I’m glad to hear that she has some promising leads — she’s talented and anyone would be lucky to work with her. I don’t feel particularly confident about my own chances of finding a new job now that my bump is starting to show. I’m trying to stay positive, though.

12:00 p.m. — I need to buy some not-hideous maternity clothing. This is not easy, as most of the stuff is decidedly not for me: loud prints, frou-frou ruffles, goofy ruching. I find some moto pants, black tights and a blouse that might look vaguely Isabel Marant-ish if you squint at it. I agonize over spending money when I don’t have a job, but I’ve been wearing the same pair of maternity jeans for three days straight. A worthwhile purchase, I decide.

1:30 p.m. — Heading home on a crowded subway car. I stick my belly out in an admittedly passive-aggressive attempt to land a seat. It doesn’t work because everyone is staring at their phones.

2:00 p.m. — Back home and I’m hungry. For the most part, I eat a healthy vegetarian, dairy-free diet. But now that I’m pregnant, I have some odd food preferences. I crave raw jicama, honeycrisp apples and potatoes (the last of which I hardly ever eat in non-pregnant life). Lately, I’ve been eating mozzarella sticks. Why? Beats me.

4:00 p.m. — Another little catnap.

7:00 p.m. — Dinner is a bowl of brown rice, sautéed kale, tempeh, sweet potatoes and tahini dressing. We watch Beverly Hills, 90210 and by 8:30, I’m asleep on the couch.

More: A Glimpse Into What Pregnancy After a Miscarriage Is Like: A Week in the Life

Day 2

6:00 a.m. — Up and at ’em. Now that I’m in the second trimester, I can finally sleep better. Still have to get up to pee a few times, but that’s a huge improvement over the first trimester.

7:00 a.m. — My husband is awake too. We start our mornings together on the couch. He drinks coffee, I eat Cheerios. We are boring and happy like that.

9:00 a.m. — Today’s to-do list involves pitching stories to editors. I’m using the layoff as an opportunity to aim high and target my dream publications. I start by creating a list of story ideas and hopping on a freelancers’ Facebook group to sniff out some contacts. But first, I enter the Hamilton lottery. You never know.

11:00 a.m. — I sort of hate myself because instead of working, I get sucked into Facebook and now I’m dinking around with the baby registry. Things I Google: “do babies need to wear pants,” “how many onesies newborn,” “scandi nursery decor.” I feel dumb and uncool.

12:00 p.m. — My husband, who works from home, cooks a cauliflower frittata and salad for lunch. He’s a much better cook than I am. To repent for my earlier procrastination, I shoot an email off to an editor to let her know I’m freelancing again. I search some job listings, and I even apply for a few positions, but truthfully, I just wish I could go back to my old job.

2:00 p.m. — All of this computer time is making me crazy. So I take the bus to a craft store to buy some yarn for a wall hanging. The bus commute eats up some of the day, and for 10 bucks, the yarn is a worthwhile investment in my sanity.

4:00 p.m. — Did not win Hamilton lottery.

6:00 p.m. — Back at home and cooking dinner: a slightly spicy quinoa-and-veggies thing. While I was at the craft store, our fancy Danish baby bouncer arrived, so I assemble it after dinner. It’s very stylish, as it should be for $200. (Yes, we used gift cards — I’m not completely crazy.)

8:00 p.m. — Vegan ice cream for dessert. Fetus goes crazy with kicks whenever I eat sugar. Despite the mosh pit happening in my belly, I fall asleep in the couch around 9.

Day 3

8:00 a.m. — Slept in after a tumultuous night of sleep. Ever since becoming pregnant, I have vivid, raunchy sex dreams. Last night’s involved walking into a room of naked men sitting on metal chairs. It felt vaguely German and I don’t understand what it all means.

10:00 a.m. — Husband and I are at the doctor’s office for the anatomy scan. The ultrasound technician isn’t the warmest, but she walks us through what she’s seeing. All looks good: Our little guy has long limbs (like Papa!) and is measuring about a week larger than his gestational age. This makes me feel oddly proud of his healthy growth, yet also nervous — what if he keeps growing and becomes gargantuan? How am I going to push out Mega Baby?

11:00 a.m. — We get some take-home sonogram shots of the fetus. Dude looks like E.T. with a pronounced overbite. I hate myself for worrying that he’ll be homely, so I email my mom pictures and share my horrible, shallow fear.

12:00 p.m. — Husband and I use a gift card to eat at Le Coucou, a French restaurant. I eat an apple pancake-type thing that is more like dessert than brunch, and it’s delicious. Fetus dances with delight as we head home.

3:00 p.m. — A potential freelance client lowballs my rate for a one-day project. After taxes, it would be less than what my weekly unemployment check pays. This, plus the lack of response to most of my “Hey, I’m freelancing!” emails sends me into a pity party. I’m such an Eeyore right now. Sad!

5:00 p.m. — Without work, I feel guilty about my husband supporting us financially, so I try to pick up the slack around the apartment. I cook, I clean, I organize, I plan for the baby’s arrival. It creates a feeling of accomplishment, which helps a little, but… sometimes I feel like I’m losing my identity, and it’s painful.

7:00 p.m. — I just don’t have it in me to make a big dinner, and neither does my husband. So we order delivery (again, gift card!) and watch Sherlock, which cheers me up a little bit. Oh, and my mom emails to emphasize that the baby will be very handsome and that he merely got caught at a bad angle.

8:00 a.m. — It’s Inauguration Day, and I’m planning to avoid the live broadcast. Besides, I have a breakfast date with a good friend who’s visiting from San Francisco. He’s one of the kindest, warmest people I know, and he’s in love with a great guy. No surprise that I leave feeling better about the future. Thanks, Danny.

10:30 a.m. — I have back-to-back informational interviews at a big company, but I don’t think they know I’m pregnant. My dress is empire-waisted, so unless someone knows to look, Fetus Van Damme is mostly hidden. Everyone says it’s illegal to discriminate against pregnant women during a job hunt, which is true, but I’d rather not show off the bump unless I have to.

11:00 a.m. — One interview down. It went very well! The interviewer was crazy-smart and thoughtful. We had good rapport and I felt excited about the possibilities of working with him. God, do I miss talking strategy and being creative!

11:30 a.m. — Second interview just wrapped up. My interviewer wanted to watch the inauguration, and it was challenging to keep my political views to myself. Oh well. Can’t win ’em all.

12:30 p.m. — Lunch with two friends who are also freelancers. We meet at Maison Kayser and they say I’m barely showing — which means the dress is indeed hiding the bump. We have a great time and I realize that yes, I need to get out of the house more.

2:00 p.m. — I trek to Union Square to meet my former assistant, who’s also unemployed. She’s hard-working, sweet, professional — a real catch for some lucky employer. In a way, I’m happy to not be her boss anymore because I like her a lot as a person, and now I can advise her to dump the selfish assclown she’s dating. So I do.

5:00 p.m. — Downpour outside, crowded subway trains underground. A teenage girl kindly offers me her seat. Fascinating fact: Every person who’s offered me a subway seat has been a woman. Not a single man has done so yet. Make of this what you will.

7:00 p.m. — I whip up a bowl of brown rice, tempeh, sautéed kale and sweet potato for our dinner. We avoid Trump inauguration coverage and instead, we watch 90210 reruns and talk about what a pious mansplainer Brandon is. He definitely would have voted for Trump, we agree.

Day 5

8:30 a.m. — A tumultuous night of abbreviated sleep. The fetus’s kickboxing practice is getting less cute by the day, but at least this means he’s going to be a healthy baby. My husband makes breakfast for us: eggs, toast, peanut butter on apple slices.

10:00 a.m.— Change sheets, do laundry, vacuum, clean kitchen.

12:00 p.m. — Leftovers for lunch. I keep waiting for the whole voracious-appetite thing to kick in, but I’m no hungrier than usual.

2:00 p.m. — We take the subway to the women’s march in NYC. Grand Central is teeming with people, and of course, I have to pee, because this is my fun new pregnant-lady hobby. The bathroom line is easily 40 women long, so I buy a hot cocoa at a coffee shop, where there is nobody waiting to use the loo. I can’t wait to be not-pregnant again, because this will mean I can go for more than 30 minutes without having to whiz.

2:15 p.m. — OK, now we march. Pretty exciting to hear the roar of the crowd even before we join it. I’m a little cautious because people are packed close, and I don’t want anybody to accidentally jostle my bump, but it all works out well. Baby’s first protest! (The fetus’s, not mine.)

2:50 p.m. — Ugh, I have to pee again. We have slowly marched only half a block so far. Must not let bladder dictate what I do in life. Must continue on in solidarity.

3:00 p.m. — Mind over bladder. Mind over bladder.

3:30 p.m. — “I’m done,” I tell my husband. I feel like a crap activist (a craptivist?) but I get winded and tired easily, and I’m about to pee my pants. We find a bathroom — sweet relief! — and run into an editor friend outside of the subway. She, too, was laid off a while ago. She’s doing well, though, so that gives me hope. Also, I have to pee again.

5:00 p.m. — We’re too tired to cook, so we grab tacos on the way back to the apartment. There’s a dad with a cute toddler at the taqueria, and it seems strange to know that in less than two years, our own boy will be stumbling around.

7:00 p.m. — I work on my yarn weaving while we watch Girl on the Train, which is not very good and (spoiler alert) has a dead baby plot twist. Not what I need to see right now.

8:30 p.m. — This movie is dumb and too bloody and violent for me. I leave my husband to finish it in the living room while I continue reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in bed. Within half an hour, I’m out.

7:00 a.m. — Now seems a good time to mention that overnight, I get up at least three times to pee. Word to the wise: Always assume that a pregnant woman would like to use the bathroom. She probably does.

8:00 a.m. — On Sundays, we have a lazy breakfast and read the Times on the couch. It’s not very exciting, but I enjoy the routine, especially because I know it will seem the height of luxury in six months.

8:30 a.m. — Much to my horror, my shirt suddenly feels wet. My shirt is wet. Much to my horror, my nipples are leaking. Dr. Google tells me this is colostrum. I stuff my bra with tissue and shame.

11:00 a.m. — I’m taking the bus to see a former colleague, but it’s standing room only. Some elderly women graciously offer me their seats, which is very kind of them, but I can’t do that! What’s the protocol for this sort of thing?

11:30 a.m. — I meet a former colleague for coffee. She got a new job at the same company — hooray! I’m happy for her and also, I feel like an unemployable loser. But I try to keep that part quiet. I show her pictures of the homely fetus. She agrees that he is not the handsomest in his current state, and I appreciate her candor.

1:00 p.m. — On a whim, we decide to get manicures. I haven’t had one since becoming pregnant, since I am trying to avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals, but… it does lift my spirits, and surely that counts for something.

3:00 p.m. — Grocery shopping. I buy apples, some veggies that can be used in a risotto, kale, almond milk and chili supplies.

4:00 p.m. — I try to find a good WordPress theme for my professional website. There are too many choices, and I’m indecisive. So instead, I switch to doing the very, very important work of looking at crib bedding.

5:30 p.m. — I make quinoa chili for dinner. It’ll be interesting to see how our son eats. Our plan is to raise him as a vegetarian, like me, but if he gets older and wants to try meat, I won’t stop him. I secretly hope my chill mom attitude on the matter will render him uninterested in eating meat. We’ll see.

7:00 p.m. — My husband and I take a bath together. It’s very calming and it helps my lower back ache a bit less. My boobs leak during the bath, which I find mortifying but my husband finds normal. He is exceedingly kind and understanding about all of this weird body stuff. We read in bed with the cats and make it an early night.

Day 7

7:00 a.m. — I’m on this big farina kick lately, so I whip up a double batch for me and my husband. He teases me because I can’t stop talking about how it costs only pennies per serving. So sue me — I like a good value. And the folic acid is important for the baby too. OK, maybe I do sound like a farina spokesperson.

8:00 a.m. — I need to finish a story for my old job, but I’ve been putting it off. Today is the day, though! I spread out my interview transcripts and notes, then get to work. The writing flows quickly and smoothly.

10:00 a.m. — I’ve nearly finished this damn story. Why didn’t I just work on it earlier? I’m feeling good about this accomplishment, so I take the opportunity to send story ideas to The New York Times and the Washington Post. Why not?

12:00 p.m. — I write and mail letters to senators Gillibrand and Schumer. On a roll! Gettin’ things done!

1:30 p.m. — Off to see a friend and her newborn. I stop to pick up some food and coffee for her, and randomly, I run into a writer who just left her job. We commiserate about what’s happening to our industry. It helps me remember that being laid off doesn’t mean I’m unemployable, even if it sometimes feels that way.

2:00 p.m. — What a cute baby my friend has! He’s so tiny! So sweet! (Can he sense the presence of another baby-to-be, I wonder?) My friend looks beautiful as always, and while she’s understandably tired, she seems to love being a mother. Her son is lucky to have great parents because they’re kind and caring, but also, they’re both gorgeous. Kiddo won the life lottery.

5:30 p.m. — Ack! Where has the time gone? I have to head home, but first, I stop at Target for trash bags and other thrilling purchases. Normally, I like to look at the baby clothes and what have you, but I’ve got a meal to cook.

7:00 p.m. — Pasta with tomato sauce, sautéed tempeh, kale: It’s what’s for dinner.

8:00 p.m. — …and chocolate chip cookies, which make the fetus kick before long.

9:00 p.m. — Husband and I get into bed to chat and read for an hour or two. It’s a nice night:  The cats are curled up at the foot of the bed. It’s quiet outside. The fetus, having exhausted himself from cookie kicks, is doing tiny somersaults. And yes, I most certainly have to pee.

Want to submit your own pregnancy diary? Email pregnancydiaries@stylecaster.com to get started.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Remakes are a tricky business, especially when the remake is as beloved a classic as Jumanji.

More: Dwayne Johnson Shares Inspiring Story of His Battle With Depression

But with the latest news that the Jumanji remake is changing the plot in a pivotal way, I'm not even sure you can call this a remake anymore. Rather, it's a completely different film that's just using the Jumanji name.

Warning: Spoilers about the original film and the modern-day remake below. Continue reading at your own risk. Once you start, you might not be able to stop.

Thanks to new footage shown at Sony's CinemaCon Panel, it has been revealed that the modern-day Jumanji won't be about a board game at all. Instead, kids will find a video game that will transport them via virtual reality into the world of Jumanji. This sounds to me more like Tron than Jumanji.

Not to mention, the whole point of the original film was the risk involved in finishing the game.

The characters had to role the dice and take their turn. The group had to finish, otherwise the fate of the world as we know it was at stake.

More: All the Hottest Dwayne Johnson GIFs for Your Pleasure

The remake is also problematic because the kids won't be central to the plot like they were in the original film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Once the teenagers enter the world of Jumanji, they will transform into virtual avatars, played by Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas.

On a possible upside, The Hollywood Reporter did call the footage "crowd-pleasing," though I'm not sure if they just needed a good adjective for their title or they actually meant that the crowd was impressed with the sneak peek at the film. They didn't really address the reaction again within their article so...

On another upside, io9 echoed The Hollywood Reporter's words and described the footage as "surprisingly very fun." The outlet even added that it was the talk of CinemaCon after the presentation.

But there are also other previously released plot points that seem to detract from the original film. For one, the kids playing the game aren't kids, but teenagers. The film has been sexualized with hotties Jonas, Johnson and Gillan — who's sporting a crop top and short shorts. I know Johnson has insisted there's a good reason for Gillan's skimpy outfit, but even if there is a justifiable reason, the sexualization of the film still takes away from the innocent masterpiece that was the original.

Jumanji should have taken a page from Stranger Things and gone to more of a throwback approach. Instead, the movie is trying to get so trendy at this point that it doesn't seem to capture the spirit of the original film.

More: The Rock Steals Hearts With His Clever Baby Gender Reveal

Of course, I'll wait until a trailer is released before making my final call about this remake. Right now, all I'm basing my opinion on are summaries of the story. But let's go ahead and say I'm nervous.

Will the absence of a board game keep you from watching the new Jumanji remake?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

We always hear about the toxic ingredients that should never ever be in our beauty products, but what about the ones that should be there? Check your lotion bottle for these six ingredients that make lotions and moisturizers better at their job.

1. Peptides

Peptides are amino acids that help your skin produce collagen and tell it how to function properly. Applying them topically via creams and lotions can decrease the appearance of wrinkles over time. One study even found that peptides can help minimize the symptoms of skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis and dermatitis, which makes it an ideal ingredient for your facial moisturizer and your body lotion. Win-win.

More: Summer skin safety for the whole family

2. Ceramides

These little guys are lipid molecules that lock in moisture and protect your skin, so if you have dry skin, it typically means you're lacking ceramides. Your body produces them naturally, but they tend to diminish as you age. Luckily, you can restore lost lipids and restore moisture to your skin's barrier by using a lotion that contains ceramides. Because they're so absorbent, they help lock in water and give your skin its groove back.

3. Sodium PCA (sodium pyroglutamic acid)

Sodium PCA is one of many effective humectants used in personal care products. That just means it can absorb lots 'n' lots of water, which helps bind moisture to your skin cells and prevent dry skin. Sodium PCA also happens to have anti-aging benefits and can reduce inflammation. Even cooler, it actually attracts moisture from the air to your skin to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

More: No-fail summer skin care strategies

4. Essential fatty acids

Eat avocados, they say. Cook with olive oil instead of butter, they say. Well, just as these omega 3- and omega 6-heavy foods are good for your diet, they're also good for your skin. A severe lack of essential fatty acids (omegas) can lead to skin abnormalities and dermatitis. But your lotion probably isn't going to list "avocado" on the ingredient list. Instead, look for avocado oil, flaxseed oil, cottonseed oil or safflower oil, just to name a few. Borage seed oil and primrose oil are two others.

5. Glycerin

Glycerin is another humectant that helps attract and retain skin's moisture. The International Journal of Cosmetic Science found that using a lotion with 20 percent glycerin increased hydration more than lotions without glycerin.

More: 5 Ways to snag high-end skin care products for next to nothing

6. Vitamin E

You'll often see this on a label as tocopherol. It's been shown to hydrate skin, promote healthy elasticity, and even defend against free radicals, all of which make it a great anti-aging ingredient as well as a moisturizing one. You'll be hard-pressed to find a lotion that doesn't have vitamin E these days.

7. Various antioxidants

We could spend days going into the many types of antioxidants that are good for your skin. They fight free radicals, cell damage and wrinkles. Some examples to look for include green tea, vitamin C, lycopene and grape seed. While not all of these moisturize your skin directly, they keep skin healthy, which also influences its ability retain moisture and function properly.

This post was sponsored by Curél.

Um, is it just me, or does Matt Damon sound super sexist in his new interview talking about his buds Ben Affleck and George Clooney?

More: Ben Affleck Doesn't Need a Girlfriend or a Wife — He Just Needs Matt Damon

Damon was at CinemaCon to promote his upcoming film, Suburbicon, when he decided to take a minute to talk about the other half of his longterm bromance, Ben Affleck, who just got out of rehab for alcohol addiction.

"[He’s] fantastic," Damon told Entertainment Tonight. "He’s with the kids now, couldn’t be happier. Jen’s working for a couple weeks in Atlanta, so he’s Mr. Mom-ing it right now. And that’s what he wants to be doing."

Uh, he's what? Mr. Mom-ing it? Can't we just call that exactly what it is? He's being a dad. He's doing an equal part in raising his kids. Damon's comment makes it sound like moms are the only ones who bear any responsibility in this whole childrearing thing, even though it certainly takes two to make said child. Sorry, but dads should be doing a solid half of the work.

More: Matt Damon Makes Controversial Comments on Diversity (VIDEO)

We probably could have excused what Damon said as just a cute (though low-key offensive) turn of phrase, but then he doubled down on his apparently sexist ideas about raising kids when he talked about George and Amal Clooney, who are expecting twins.

"He’s going to get prepared," Damon said about Clooney. "He better figure it out, ’cause they’re on the way. But he’ll be great. He’ll be a mess, but [Amal] will take care of everything."

I sure hope Amal won't "take care of everything." George had better be getting up in the middle of the night and getting elbow deep in diapers, because it's his job to take care of half the work — Amal has more important things to do, like literally protecting people from ISIS genocide.

Since when is it 1950, when raising kids was women's work? It's 2017, Damon. Your comments are annoying and unacceptable.

More: What Matt Damon Really Needs to Hear About his Damaging LGBTQ Comments

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

If you're one of those people who's seemingly always been well aware of what turns you on — whether that's naughty role-play, dirty talk, certain toys or kinkier deeds — consider yourself lucky. Feel free to return to your bedroom! But for the rest of us, sex fantasies don't always come easily or even naturally. It doesn't mean you're not a sexual person or even that you don't have special things that turn you on... you just may not have found them yet.

Understanding your sexual fantasies can help you to understand your "core erotic feeling," or the feeling you associate most strongly with sexual desire, arousal and satisfaction, says Dr. Jessica O’Reilly, sexologist and founder of The Sexual Pro Series Webinars. “It’s the feeling that helps get you into the mood for sex and facilitates sexual excitement and fulfillment — it's essential to your erotic 'script,'” she says. Once you tap into that feeling, you can communicate it better to your partner and actually get the sex you’ve been craving, whether you realized it or not.

So, how do you actually figure out your fantasies? Well, you can go looking for them through targeted research (which may not sound hot, but it's effective): Pay attention to sex scenes in movies or books and see what turns you on the most. Then, find a way to start bringing that into your own sex life — which experts say is actually easier than you think.

Casually reference your turn-ons

Talk to your S.O. about that hot shower scene you spotted in Fifty Shades Darker or leave a book out that’s open to a particularly spicy moment you’re craving. “Using prompts helps,” says licensed marriage and sex therapist Dr. Kat Van Kirk. “Sometimes all it takes is a mention even when sex isn't afoot.”

Work it into pillow talk

Start speaking up during foreplay and sex. While you’re making out or having sex, whisper some teasing and vague one-liners in your partner’s ear, O’Reilly says. For example, if you fantasize about having a threesome, whisper, “I want to share you.” If you fantasize about being ravenously desired, remind your S.O. that “everyone wants a piece of this.” And if you feel embarrassed, you're so not alone, but there's a fix: "Play loud music in the background so that your voice isn’t the only sound they hear,” O’Reilly says.

More: How 15 Moms Keep Their Sex Lives Hot After Kids

Leave out props

Don’t wait to run it by your S.O. — just buy some kinky props and put them in plain view. “There's nothing like a blindfold and feathers left on the bed to shake things up between you,” Van Kirk says.

Make it a date night thing

If you’d rather get your partner’s input, Van Kirk recommends having a date night together and going shopping for something that will get you both going. (You can stop by a wine bar first to help loosen you both up first.)

Use your head

You don’t actually need to play out your fantasies physically to make the most of them mentally, O’Reilly points out. Instead, simply let your imagination wander during sex to indulge without making a big deal about it if you’re not comfortable opening up about them just yet. “Sometimes fantasies are more powerful in your head than in real life,” she says.

Start slow

It’s important to keep all things fantasy-related unintimidating, Van Kirk says — otherwise, you risk freaking yourself or partner out, which is obviously counterproductive. Try playing out your fantasies in small doses, like trying on one new accent, role, location, prop or scenario at a time. “You don’t have to act out your fantasies in their entirety — choose one element and try it on for size,” O’Reilly says. For example, if public sex is a fantasy of yours, but you don’t want to risk getting caught, have a serious make-out with your partner in public, but head inside for the actual event.

Above all, keep this in mind: Having fantasies that don't mirror your everyday sex life doesn't mean there’s anything wrong with your relationship (and if you're still working on pinpointing what your fantasies are, that's fine too.) “It’s perfectly normal to desire both novelty and variety,” O’Reilly says. “It’s a sign that you’re human and open-minded.”

More: 6 Ways to Be More Confident in Bed

AJ McClean really went hard celebrating the birth of his second baby — by hitting the bar and hitting on women.

According to In Touch Weekly, the former Backstreet Boy headed for Los Angeles hotspot Riviera 31, inside the Sofitel Hotel, which is across the street from the hospital where his wife had given birth just hours earlier.

More: AJ McLean: The BSB Cruise Would Blow Your Bachelorette Party Out of the Water

McLean's wife, Rochelle, gave birth to their second baby, a girl named Lyric, at 5:10 p.m. Onlookers say McLean rolled into the bar in the early morning hours.

"He showed up around 1 a.m. and it just happened to be Russian karaoke night," one eyewitness said. Video shows that McLean sang his own old hit, "I Want It That Way," at karaoke.

More: See the Backstreet Boys Together Again... Alright!

Hitting the bar to celebrate the birth of his daughter isn't the worst thing McLean could do, even though he definitely should have been at the hospital with his wife. But onlookers say things only went downhill from there.

"He was being incredibly inappropriate. He exchanged numbers with at least three girls and even offered one tickets to his Vegas show," one witness said, adding that he even "asked a few of the girls to send him a sexy, nude photo so that he could use it as their contact image in his phone."

The onlooker added, "No one could believe he was acting like this with his wife across the street at the hospital with their newborn baby."

It's no secret that McLean is a recovering alcoholic — he went to rehab for treatment in 2001, 2002 and 2011, and publicly admitted in 2012 after his first daughter was born. Witnesses at the bar say he was drinking whiskey and beer.

More: A.J. McLean Wants to Set Justin Bieber Straight

McLean's rep declined to comment.

Sure, he's a looker. Yeah, he's got charm and charisma and talent, all of which is off the charts in a great way. What really makes Riz Ahmed the most bae man of our times is just how woke he is to the real social injustices in the world. Ahmed is an activist as well as an actor, a man who doesn't purport to be better than others simply because is he fighting for the rights and survival of others, but who is worthy of a hefty amount of praise. Ahmed uses his position as an actor and famous face for charitable causes, making him a truly noble figure.

More: Riz Ahmed Out-Perfected Himself in His Self-Taped Auditions for Rogue One

Over the last year alone, Ahmed's star has risen to much more prominent levels. Thanks to breakout roles in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and HBO's limited series, The Night Before, Ahmed has become as in-demand an actor in the United States as he has been in his home country of England.

1. Attending the Women's March in London

Ahmed has become an important ally for women all over the world, and true to form, practiced what he preached by showing up at the Women's March in London in late January 2017. Ahmed was not only kind enough to pose with fellow marchers and fans, but he was out in the streets carrying signs and showing true colors as a feminist bae.

2. Giving a speech to Parliament on the necessity of diversity

In early March 2017, Ahmed gave an incredible speech to Parliament about the need for diversity and its ability to curb negative societal effects, like the youth becoming radicalized by ISIS. Diversity, Ahmed argued, provided a way for young audiences of color and of various sexual identities, gender identities, family structures, different abilities, walks of life and so forth to identify with the pop culture they love and embrace that over dangerous ideas propagated by fringe groups. Watch the full speech below to drink in the full effect of Ahmed's argument.

More: 2017 Influencers to Watch — From Models and Actors to Journalists and Musicians

3. Supporting Syrian refugees

For months now, Ahmed has been fundraising for Syrian refugees. Ahmed has teamed with fellow actors, like The Night Before co-star John Turturro, as well as working on his own to repeatedly raise funds and material goods to send along to Syrian refugees. He is so dedicated to the cause and there is no evidence that Ahmed will stop fighting to protect the rights and liberties of Syrian refugees.

4. Ahmed's "Typecast as a Terrorist" was an eye-opener

In September 2016, Ahmed's stunning Guardian essay, "Typecast as a Terrorist," arguably tuned many of us into Ahmed's political and activist feelings. Speaking about the ways in which his fame has intersected with his race, often to negative results while traveling internationally, Ahmed conveyed just how Islamophobia persists in the world today.

More: How Celebs Are Taking Action After President Trump's Muslim Ban

5. Ahmed tells followers on Instagram: "It's Not 'Us versus Them'"

In the wake of the London terror attack in mid-March 2017 and on Muslim Women's Day, Ahmed took to Instagram to post a powerful and sobering picture of women, both Muslim and non-Muslim, united in a single line on Westminster Bridge. The location is meaningful because it is the location of the attack and the unity of women as a symbol of humanity resonates. This image reinforced by Ahmed's strongly worded caption that there is no need for the rhetoric of "us vs. them" to persist in politics or the media.

6. He supports the #FreeAndyTsege campaign

Ahmed never misses the opportunity to raise awareness for various civil rights campaigns through his Twitter account. This dedication to ringing the alarm so that issues gain wider visibility is one of Ahmed's most commendable qualities.

7. "Refugees Welcome"

Ahmed is not only a supporter of Syrian refugees, but he is in favor of keeping borders open and giving refugees a safe haven where possible. Photos like the one above are a consistent theme in Ahmed's social media, commendable in any light.

Ahmed is still building momentum as an actor and an activist, but he is quickly becoming the greatest advocate for a variety of social issues we have right now.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

We all want top security when we fly, sure — but what happens when your child is the target of those security procedures? Texas mom Jennifer Williamson turned to Facebook to share her outrage after her 13-year-old son received a very thorough pat-down at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

She posted a video of the pat-down and wrote, "We were treated like dogs because I requested they attempt to screen him in other ways per TSA rules. He has SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) and I didn’t want my child given a pat down like this.” Williamson says SPD makes her son sensitive to touch and she believes the TSA's actions were excessive.

Williamson also writes, "Let me make something else crystal clear. He set off NO alarms. He physically did not alarm at all during screening, he passed through the detector just fine."

More: I Adore My Kids, But I Still Think #ChildFreeFlights Are a Great Idea

And she says she didn't even catch it all on tape. "We had two DFW police officers that were called and flanking him on each side. Somehow these power tripping TSA agents who are traumatizing children and doing whatever they feel like without any cause, need to be reined in.

The family (who officials say were detained in total for about 45 minutes) missed their flight and Williamson says even hours after the incident, her son was saying, " I don't know what I did. What did I do?"

Apparently, the young teen left his laptop in his book bag when it went through the scanner. It's supposed to be removed and put in a separate bin when it goes through security. But even I (an adult!) have made this mistake. It should hardly signal some kind of security threat. Just let the kid put the laptop through again the correct way.

TSA did release a statement, saying that all approved procedures were followed to "resolve an alarm of the passenger's laptop." The statement continues to say, "In total, the pat-down took approximately two minutes, and was observed by the mother and two police officers who were called to mitigate the concerns of the mother."

Apparently the full-body pat-down is part of new security measures that are the result of a 2015 study by the Inspector General's Office of Homeland Security that revealed major lapses in airport security.

More: These Airlines Give You the Most Legroom for Your Money

Honestly, I'm glad they are trying to improve security at our country's airports, but it's hard to watch that video without thinking, "I would never want that happening to my kid."

It's hard to get through this world without accidentally learning a little bit about Scientology. By now, you probably know that it is a religion founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. You probably also know that it has historically been pretty popular among Hollywood celebrities, particularly Tom Cruise and John Travolta. But there is so much more to know about Scientology, from its beliefs to its practices to its history. And, not to spoil anything, but it is all really freaking weird (at least, in my opinion).

Below, read 10 facts that we've uncovered about Scientology. You can decide for yourself if they're odd or not.

More: Does Tom Cruise Have a New GF and Did Scientology Really Choose Her?

1. You have to pay to be enlightened

Most religions might pass around a basket for donations or ask for volunteer work, but Scientology asks its members for cold, hard cash in order to gain wisdom. Members have to pay to take courses in which the writings of Hubbard are slowly revealed to them, climbing a ladder of knowledge with multiple rungs. Only 900 people have been fully enlightened at an estimated cost of tens of thousands of dollars, according to the LA Times.

2. Scientologists believe they have to rid themselves of trauma from being in the womb

According to The Scandal of Scientology by Paulette Cooper, Scientologists spend a lot of time trying to rid themselves of "engrams" — traumatic experiences in their past that have attached themselves to the cells of their body. While it makes a lot of sense that someone could become healthier and happier by processing past traumas, Hubbard had some super-, super-weird thoughts about the traumas unborn babies undergo in the womb. Specifically, he thought people were traumatized because:

• Their mothers were beaten by their husbands while pregnant.
• Their mothers tried at-home abortions.
• Their mothers had affairs and rough sex.
• Their mothers said bad things about their husbands that the fetus overheard.
• Their mothers masturbated.

3. Scientology doesn't believe in psychology or mental illness

Although Scientology welcomes medical help for purely physical ailments, it, like founder Hubbard, is virulently against treating mental illness with medication or therapy. In fact, the church created the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, which was formed to protect people from the "abuses of psychiatry." The group has worked to combat kids getting diagnosed and treated for common mental conditions like autism and ADHD.

This is all a bit ironic since the church offers its members "audits," which are much like therapy sessions in which individuals talk about their lives in great detail in order to resolve their issues and "go clear."

4. Scientologists believe in "silent birth"

You might have heard that Katie Holmes had a "silent birth" because of her involvement in Scientology at the time. John Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, also engaged in silent births with the couple's children, telling the Daily Mail, "L. Ron Hubbard found that the single source of aberration, of psychosomatic illnesses, stress, fears, worry, things like that, have to do with the reactive mind, and in that part of the mind is different words and commands that can come back to affect you later in your life. I'm blessed with, my kids have always been amazing, very calm, very peaceful, happy, and I absolutely know that it's very much because of that."

The belief is that talking, yelling or moaning during labor and delivery would cause "engrams" in the baby: moments of trauma that would later have to be processed.

5. Scientology contains a "Sea Org" that acts as a kind of private navy

Try to follow us here: Scientology has a maritime tradition and the leader of the church is called its "Captain." The Sea Org consists of the church's highest members, who dedicate themselves to the church by signing a "billion-year contract," wear seafaring outfits and call each other "sir." In the '60s and '70s, the Sea Org operated on four boats — though now the operation takes place mostly on land. Participants live in cult-like conditions, must follow strict rules and have to leave the organization if they want to have children. Some former members say that women who became pregnant while in the Sea Org were forced to have abortions.

More: Leah Remini Says Tom Cruise Could Be the End of Scientology

6. Scientology's origin story reads like actual science fiction

Only those who pay for and take high-level classes are given access to the full story behind the creation of humans and Earth, according to Scientology founder Hubbard. But information from former members has leaked out over the years.

The story starts 75 million years ago, when Xenu, the dictator of the Galactic Confederacy who years ago brought billions of people to Earth in spaceships, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them with hydrogen bombs. The spirits of these aliens are called thetans and adhere to human beings. Makes sense, right?

7. The Church of Scientology might have had a prison camp

According to the recent documentary Going Clear, disobedient members of the church could be taken to a prison camp where they are not allowed to leave and where they are treated harshly and forced to do physical labor. The Rehabilitation Project Force would make people work for 30 hours in a row and have them sleep on dirty, damp mattresses while they were being reindoctrinated.

8. The wife of the Scientology's current leader hasn't been seen for 10 years

Michele Diane “Shelly” Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, has not been seen publicly since 2007, though the LAPD investigated after a missing-persons report was filed and said that they have made contact with her. Both Shelly and David are longtime members of the church and met in the church at sea. Shelly was heavily involved in finding a suitable girlfriend for Tom Cruise in 2005, though she disappeared soon afterward. She is believed to be in exile at a Scientology compound in Running Springs, California, though no one knows for sure.

More: Leah Remini Suggests Police Are Lying About the Scientology Leader's Wife

9. The church allegedly blackmails members thinking of leaving

Church members are "audited" regularly, during which they share secret thoughts, stories about their childhood and even their sexual issues. These sessions are often either recorded outright or secretly. In cases when parishioners want to leave the church, they can be threatened with blackmail and cowed into staying or at least staying quiet.

Going Clear shared that John Travolta thought about leaving the church, but the Scientologists put together a blackmail package of his auditing sessions that convinced him to stay.

10. You can't leave the church easily — at all

Many former members of the church have shared how difficult it is to leave once you are in. King of Queens star Leah Remini has opened up about everything in her life that changed when she decided to leave, most painfully being shunned by family members who remained in the church. Scientology encourages "disconnection" with anyone who leaves the church. All ties are cut, no matter how close your relationship.

In addition, the church is not afraid of releasing scathing statements about your choices after you leave. Their statement on Remini read: "'Given Leah Remini's insatiable desire for attention, it comes as no surprise that for two years she has been incapable of moving on with her life and remains obsessed with shamelessly exploiting her former religion in a pathetic attempt to get publicity." Ouch.

More: According to Leah Remini, John Travolta Can Literally Get Away With Murder

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