Blue Ivy, the 5-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has got this rap thing down already. She's featured on a bonus track called "Blue's Freestyle/We Family," which leaked online in a 45-second clip.
The track comes from Jay-Z's new album 4:44 — which has already gone platinum only five days after being released on June 30. Yeah. This family don't mess around.
Is this Jay and Bey's way of trying to get our attention off the twins? (What are their names, anyway? Bea and Shawn? Or Rumi and Sir? And when will we see them?)
Whatever the case, we're grooving along with Blue Ivy (even if we can't quite make out all her lyrics), and so is most of Twitter. And we totally agree with this tweet — North West, we're betting you're up next, girlfriend.
We think Will Settle's work pals are pretty awesome. When Settle (director of sales for Marlin Outdoor Advertising) and his wife welcomed a baby girl — the first girl born into the family in 137 years — Settle's co-workers decided to surprise him with a 24-foot-by-12-foot highway billboard outside of Bluffton, South Carolina, announcing her arrival.
Settle and his wife, Kelen Settle, were definitely surprised — by the baby girl and the huge pink billboard.
“When I first saw it, it was an ‘Oh my God’ moment... It is so pink [and] so large. It’s pretty obnoxious, I hate to say," Will Settle said. "It is so in your face, you wouldn’t believe it.”
The baby girl at the center of all the fuss? Carter Louise Settle, born on June 25. (We're guessing Carter Louise will have a lot of pink clothing to choose from.)
The family has waited a long, long time for a little girl to come along — more than a century and a quarter — and is clearly over the moon.
“I just assumed I was going to have another boy,” Will Settle said. “I was like, ‘What’s going on? This just can’t be possible.’ I was absolutely shocked. We had the whole family there. My mother just went nuts. My mom always wanted a daughter
“She’s going to have to be strong with all the men she’ll deal with in the Settle family,” he joked.
We just found out what Starbucks was almost named, and one thing's for certain — the person who came up with it definitely didn't have their coffee that morning. Now, while the name "Starbucks" doesn't make much sense as relates to coffee, the original name is way worse.
Are you ready? Cargo House. That's right — the most ubiquitous coffee shop in the nation was almost named Cargo House. Ugh!
Imagine what the world would be like today. Well, chances are Cargo House just wouldn't have taken off, because who really wants to go pick up their morning coffee at a place named after a cargo storage facility? No one, that's who.
Instead of mermaid-themed cups, would their logo have been something cargo-related? A warehouse forklift or a back support belt for heavy lifting? Or, God forbid — cargo shorts? Would that be the employee uniform? Would they sell them as part of their branded product line? Imagine the horror!
Thankfully, Starbucks co-founder Gordon Bowker and advertising expert Terry Heckler worked together, realizing that words beginning in "st" are powerful and thus make good business names. After randomly coming across the town of Starbo (which, weirdly, rhymes with cargo), Bowker's mind was jostled and he suddenly thought of Starbuck from Moby Dick, and from there, our favorite coffee chain name was born.
From Cargo to Starbo to Starbucks, things had to change a lot before the business could get up and running. Hey, it makes me feel a lot better about my failed business ideas. Sure, no one wants to buy penis pasta pet collars for animal bachelorettes from a company called Woof Woof Party, but maybe if I change the name to Meowby Dick, I'll finally get things off the ground.
In the meantime, I'll be drinking lots of coffee to fuel my entrepreneurial spirit.
Before I met my husband, kids were always this fuzzy part of my vision of our ideal future. I knew I wanted to have them someday, but had no idea when or even how many. Before we tied the knot, Chris and I had the “do you want kids?” talk and shared a hazy notion that we’d have two.
But during my pregnancy with my second son, Chris, said something that threw me for a loop: “I’ll get a vasectomy soon.” I was floored by the idea that this would be it for us — after all, we loved being parents and were so excited for our new baby. Motherhood has turned out to be so much more amazing than I thought it would be, and despite our at times complex schedules, parenting has been more seamless than I anticipated. So I assumed the possibility of more kids was on the table... but my husband was thinking otherwise.
Chris is a chef and works long, odd hours, and it tears him up to miss T-ball games, family dinners and bedtimes several times a week. He also dreams about us owning a bigger home one day and helping to put our kids through college. Having more children could put that in jeopardy and potentially strain our relationship, he argued. “I don’t want more than two kids,” he said plainly.
So, I did what any pregnant woman would do: I freaked out and starting ugly-crying. It was overwhelming and emotional — and we needed to get through having the kid in my belly first, anyway — so we agreed to table the discussion for the future. Our second son was born, and he turned out to be pretty much a dream baby — incredibly laid-back, sleeps and eats well, adores his big brother. At some point during this easier-than-expected postpartum period, Chris implied that he’s open to the idea of baby No.3, but still leaning toward “no.”
I know that I’m so lucky to have two healthy, happy boys, and I’m obsessed with our little family. I also completely get Chris’ argument — but a friend’s mom once told me something I’ve carried with me: “You’ll know when you’re done.” And I don’t feel done. I keep bringing up the topic, hoping Chris will suddenly say that he’s changed his mind, but we don’t seem to be getting anywhere beyond talking about our different viewpoints. I’m terrified that one day, he’ll say he absolutely doesn’t want any more children — and I’ll be devastated.
I feel very alone in this disagreement, but according to Jocelyn Charnas, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Manhattan, we’re not the only couple going through this. “I’ve worked with a lot of couples on this,” she says.
Licensed clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula, author of Should I Stay or Should I Go?, agrees. “It's not uncommon,” she says, pointing out that just like the question of whether or not people want to have kids at all, how many kids to have can be a deal-breaker in some newer relationships.
But Chris and I have been married for years and we’re committed to each other and our family — we’re just at odds on this topic. According to the experts, here’s what we and other people in our situation should do.
Don’t panic
It’s easy to think your relationship is in deep trouble if you can’t agree on the kids issue, but Charnas says it’s important to take a step back before making any assumptions. “It's a doozy, and we can’t pretend that it’s not a difficult and complicated thing to address,” she says. “But it doesn’t mean your marriage is doomed and one partner is relegated to unhappiness. There is room to work with this.” Take a deep breath, then proceed to the next step.
Have empathy — and ask for it in return
You’ve heard it before: Marriage is a compromise. But Charnas points out that compromise doesn’t really work in this situation. “This is something that's ultimately a yes or no answer, and it can feel in a marriage like there is someone who wins this battle and loses this battle,” she says. “By virtue of that, it can be very emotional and painful.” That’s why it’s so important to ask your partner to be understanding of where you’re coming from or at least try to.
But it goes both ways. Having more children is “a life-changing decision and one that cannot be changed down the road,” says Durvasula. “There are also practical considerations like money, housing and time.” Your partner may have these arguments as a reason for not wanting to have more kids, or they might be different. Either way, it’s important to also try to understand their point of view.
It’s tough to put aside your feelings in the midst of such an emotionally charged topic, but it’s incredibly important to listen to each other without judgment or interruption. Licensed marriage and family therapist David Klow, owner of Skylight Counseling Center in Chicago, says couples need to have an in-depth conversation about what having more kids (or not) means to them and actually listen to what their partner says.
“Perhaps there's strong meaning associated for each partner on what it would mean to grow their family,” he says. Some people worry about losing a sense of freedom, feel like their dreams will have to be put on hold or are concerned about losing out on something that can come with having a larger family, he says, and those are real concerns. “Making sense of the roots of the desire can deepen the conversation and make it easier to potentially problem-solve and move forward,” he says.
Consider talking to a therapist
There's a lot of opportunity for resentment and bitterness to build up in this situation, Durvasula says, and that can be a tough thing to deal with for the rest of your life. That’s why she recommends bringing in a professional to help you both navigate the issue in a loving way. Of course, a therapist might not be your go-to solution, or your partner may be hesitant about the idea of bringing someone else into such a private decision-making process, but Klow says it can be especially helpful when you feel “stuck” in the conversation. A mediator can do wonders in helping you execute the rest of these steps (having empathy, hearing each other out and more).
Plan for the aftermath
There's often work to be done to process the final decision, Charnas says. If you want more kids and you ultimately decide as a couple that you’re done, it’s a loss and should be treated as one. “A loss takes time to process,” she says. But if you decide as a couple to have more children, it’s important to give your partner reassurance and allow them time to process that too. “There's a lot of emotional work that can be done before and after the decision is made to help you and your partner get through this intact and possibly even stronger,” Charnas says.
As for me, I’m not sure if we'll have a third baby or not. Chris and I have an open dialogue and talk about the issue when it feels right. While I feel deeply that our family would be even more wonderful with another child, I’m grateful that I have a partner who will hear me out and two amazing, healthy sons — that's a lot to be thankful for, whether or not we bring another child into the world or not.
Four years ago, a widow in her 70s scheduled an appointment with urologist Dr. Jennifer R. Berman. Since her husband passed away, she had been on a journey to reclaim her sexuality. Berman worked with her over time on different treatments, such as hormonal treatments and certain types of vaginal lubrication.
However, during one appointment, her patient brought in a Cosmopolitan article that talked about a company called Foria, which has since become a supplier of the leading personal lubricant for women within the cannabis industry. At the time, she'd never heard of using cannabis to treat sexual dysfunction, but was receptive to learning and researching how.
A big obstacle in Berman’s research was the lack of information out there about cannabis, especially in relation to sexual health, particularly women’s reproductive health. However, she was able to overcome that challenge by consulting research conducted on nonhumans.
“There’s a lot of preclinical and clinical studies with cannabis in animals,” Berman explains. “Through that, I was able to understand how and why THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] and CBD [cannabidiol] are beneficial in terms of sexual responses in women.”
Ever since, Berman has been a vocal advocate for cannabis and Foria products, which has landed her an appearance on Conan. On his show, she explains how the lubricant doesn’t have any psychoactive effects because the product is applied topically and not ingested or smoked compared to traditional methods of cannabis consumption. Instead, consider it a buzz just for your clitoris.
Sex Expert Dr. Jennifer Berman Praises FORIA on Conan
Sex Expert Dr. Jennifer Berman Praises FORIA on Conan
Although one of the most common complaints women express when it comes to sex is low libido, cannabis isn’t just a solution for those experiencing sexual problems. The plant can help everyone have better sex in general. In fact, Business Insider reported a recent study that confirmed cannabis enhances sexual pleasure. The research revealed 70 percent of participants experienced “enhancement in pleasure and satisfaction.”
Berman isn’t the only advocate out there in the medical industry advocating for cannabis for sexual pleasure. According to Broadly, there’s a growing trend of prescribing cannabis to patients among sex therapists.
Plus, cannabis can help sexual health beyond penis-in-vagina intercourse. In addition to two types of lubricant, Foria offers anal suppositories to enhance anal sex and vaginal suppositories to treat menstrual cramps.
We all want the best for our children. We want them to grow up to be well-rounded adults who are kind and have an appetite for learning and take the world head on. We also want them to grow to be healthy adults who make the right choices with the foods they eat and know how to maintain a balanced diet, and much of those skills start from a very young age.
There was a recent study published by McMaster University urging parents not to delay food introductions during the first year of life, as they were found to be nearly four times as likely to be sensitized to things like cow's milk, egg and peanut butter — developing allergies later on. Only you and your doctor know what’s best for your little one, but if you’re interested in encouraging your baby to eat the rainbow, here’s what I found helps the most.
1. Don't push solids before they’re ready
I would say that hands down, this is the most important tip of all. There is a reason that doctors recommend an age range of 4 to 6 months for starting solids, because you have to make sure your little one is ready. Your baby will have no interest in eating the rainbow if you start too early.
You want to take notice of things like when they show an explorative personality, can hold their head up and master tongue movement. Also take note of their hunger. If they are getting enough breast milk or formula each day but still seem hungry, it might be time for solids. You’ll know best, and don’t be hesitant to just ease into it, as you definitely don’t need to start with three solid meals per day.
2. Make your own purées
Making your own food not only gives you control over what's going into your baby’s food, but it also gives your little one the opportunity to see different fruits and veggies when they are the colors they’re actually supposed to be. I know it’s gross to think about, but shelf-stable baby food is able to sit for years at stores or on your shelves at home, is filled with preservatives and is rarely the actual color of the fruit or vegetable it contains. Your baby’s palate will already be brightened just by making it on your own. Just some food for thought.
After your baby has gone through all the Stage 1 foods (basically everything by itself), Stage 2 is where you get to have a little bit of fun and add more colors to their diets. Don’t be afraid to add (often overlooked) herbs like mint, rosemary and parsley to help expand their palate at a young age. One of my little one's favorite mixtures is pea, pear and mint, and it’s so refreshing!
As a little extra tip here: Don’t be afraid to dip your finger in and give these combinations a taste too. If you happen to come across something that you and the rest of your family loves, freeze the purée in ice trays to use as smoothie boosters later on.
4. Mix fruits & veggies together
An additional way to help your little one develop a more explorative palate and truly eat the rainbow all day long is to mix veggies and fruits together. Too often, we group only fruits with fruits and vegetables with vegetables when there are so many great combinations of the two for your little one to love their whole life long. One of our favorites ended up being a completely unlikely duo: beets and bananas.
Too often, we forget that as baby grows, so does their need for texture and variety in what they’re eating. Adding things like small pieces of pasta and quinoa are a great way to add texture or simply keep some small chunks of whichever food you are making so they learn to chew them as they grow.
I’m going to leave you with one last little bit of advice. Try to stay away from food pouches as much as possible. We use them when we’re on the go or on vacation because it’s just easier (believe me, I get the ease of the food pouches), but they do nothing developmentally for babies as they learn to chew and swallow and they aren’t able to see the food they’re eating. If possible, make sure food is visible to your baby and it will help them develop the healthiest possible relationship with food.
It can be easy to take for granted that foods we're accustomed to cooking with (especially healthy ones) are safe, but it turns out that's not always true. While most of these foods won't make you keel over within minutes of ingestion, they could make you feel sick temporarily or the negative effects can build up in your system over time like a cancer — quite literally in some cases, actually.
The good news is that you don't necessarily need to flip out if you've cooked with and eaten these foods. The bad news is that some of them are really, really tasty — but for your health's sake, now that you know their toxic potential, you should limit your intake.
I know what you're thinking. "Prithee tell, what are these dastardly delights?" Here are the 11 you should know about:
1. Microwave popcorn
Say it ain't so! Microwave popcorn bags are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid. This nonstick lining, when heated, might cause cancer with consistent exposure over time. Instead, make your own DIY microwave popcorn using paper lunch bags or buy a microwave air popper (Walmart, $15.97).
2. Burned toast (and burned food in general)
The European Union's health advisors give us all a good excuse to chuck that burned toast — the chemical reaction that occurs when it's burned results in the production of acrylamide, which might cause severe nerve damage and cancer over time.
Sadly, while the chemical reactions may be slightly different, the risk of cancer also applies to burned meats and even beloved campfire staple the humble marshmallow. So if you burn your din-din, it might be best to throw it out — with zero guilt thanks to those unnamed EU experts.
3. High-nitrate veggies
The minute you chomp down on a hummus-dipped baby carrot, special bacteria ninjas in your mouth go straight to work turning those nitrates into nitrites, and what a difference a letter makes. Nitrites are a natural anti-inflammatory your body stores to increase your blood flow when it's needed. This is good for your heart, of course, but some experts believe nitrites (or at least too much of them) can be carcinogenic. So what may be good for your heart could build up to levels high enough to eventually cause cancer.
The thing is, if you cook high-nitrate veggies first, that conversion happens before you eat them, and again each time you reheat them, so it might be best to stick to eating these veggies raw or at least limiting the number of times they're heated (make only what you can eat and if you do have leftovers, reheat them only once).
Other high-nitrate veggies include celery, turnips, beets, leafy greens, leeks, endive, cabbage, fennel and more.
4. Egg-free cookie dough
A lot of people, myself included, have long been on the hunt for the perfect egg-free cookie dough recipe so we can indulge without fear of salmonella. Bad news, guys. Flour is also at high risk of salmonella contamination, so egg-free doesn't equal salmonella-free. Flour can also be contaminated with E. coli. If you're going to indulge in raw dough, know that you're always doing it at your own risk.
5. Lobster
Bet you didn't realize there's a very good reason why you generally buy chicken that's slaughtered and lobsters that are still alive. The moment lobsters die, the naturally occurring bacteria they contain throw a house party, and the toxins that bacteria releases while doing so isn't always destroyed during cooking. The most humane cooking method is to put lobsters on ice for 15 minutes to anesthetize them before dropping them into boiling water. Or, you know… there's always veganism.
If you have a tendency to let cooked rice hang out at room temp after it's done thinking it's totally fine (it needs to cool off, right?), you might be in for a surprise. Cooked rice can actually be susceptible to rapid bacterial spore development, which can cause anything from mild digestive issues to poisoning. So make sure you store that leftover rice in an airtight container and refrigerate it quickly after eating.
7. Oils
As long as you don't exceed an oil's smoke point, it's safe, right? Not so fast. While this isn't likely to happen at home unless you use (and reuse) less delicate oils like grapeseed or flaxseed, constantly reheating oils can make them turn rancid, increasing the toxin 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal. That may sound like it was invented by an uncreative sci-fi writer, but it's actually a chemical that has been linked to heart disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease and cancer.
Why should you care? Because when you eat fried food at restaurants, the oils they use are typically being used over and over to cook a succession of meals throughout the day. Yet another reason grilled foods are a better option when you're eating out.
8. Potatoes
Cooked potatoes left at room temperature for too long, reheated incorrectly or stored for more than a couple of days can cause a form of food poisoning called botulism. Not only that, but raw potatoes can develop solanine, a naturally occurring poison that can develop when they're exposed to sunlight. When this happens, potatoes can develop a green color just under the skin. Eating those green parts can cause issues including nausea, headache and fatigue. The good news is you can just cut off the green parts and everything should be fine — or you could just store your potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place and avoid it altogether.
9. Chicken
You already know consuming raw or undercooked chicken is dangerous because of salmonella, but did you know that cooked chicken can cause issues too? Chicken has more protein than red meat, and that's not always a good thing. When you go through the cook-refrigerate-reheat cycle with chicken, it breaks down the protein and might wreak havoc on your digestive system (think tummy aches, nausea, etc.). The best way to use leftover chicken is in a cold preparation like chicken salad, but if you do reheat it, only reheat what you'll eat immediately, make sure it's totally heated through and don't reheat it after more than two days. The good news here is that if you properly defrost, cook (to the correct temperature) and immediately cool your chicken, then follow proper reheating instructions, as well, one reheating should be perfectly safe.
10. High-protein foods (like eggs and mushrooms)
Eggs were bound to make an appearance on this list, and this time, it doesn't come from their salmonella potential. Beyond that, cooked eggs are a breeding ground for microorganisms, so only make what you can eat and store and reheat them similarly to chicken.
Surprisingly, mushrooms fall into this category as well. They have a very complex protein structure (so complex you only need to add broccoli and corn to make a complete protein), which may account for their meatiness and ready substitutability for animal proteins, but it also makes them susceptible to develop microorganisms similar to those eggs do. And don't even get me started on "wild" mushrooms, which can easily be toxic if not cooked or prepared properly (or even if they are for some). For example, the ink cap mushroom is poisonous when it it's cooked or consumed with alcohol.
To most Americans, it's known as tapioca (which is made from a starchy tuberous root called cassava). But cassava can be more deadly than people realize. While it won't kill you immediately, long-term exposure to improperly cooked cassava is already causing health disorders and death in countries where people consume it regularly. Cassava should always be dried, soaked, rinsed and cooked soon after being harvested. Fortunately, that's exactly how mass-produced tapioca is handled in the U.S. But... maybe don't try to make your own tapioca from raw cassava.
SheKnows wanted to get to the bottom of Alec Baldwin's family life, but we got a lot more than we bargained for. And by that, I mean we got the whole Baldwin crew in for our interview, including Hilaria Baldwin and the couple's two babies, Leonardo and Rafael. But it was their 3-year-old daughter, Carmen, who really stole the interview.
As soon as the whole pack entered the room, Carmen made her way comfortably into her dad's lap, cameras be damned.
From there, Carmen sang her family song with Alec (which you can watch above in all its adorable glory) and even helped him primp by adding some colorful red lipstick to his lips when she thought he needed a touch-up.
Image: SheKnows
We did manage to get in a few questions during the interview, but who needs them when you have Alec Baldwin being doted on by his 3-year-old daughter?
"Everyone gets their own mini muffin," Alec said when asked how he encourages sibling bonding, a topic that is the central theme of his recent animated movie Boss Baby.
Of course, Hilaria chimed in with the real strategy: "Lots of equal love and attention."
But mini muffins never hurt.
"Carmen knows she is the girl in the house. She and Mommy are the two girls," Alec said as Carmen smeared some lip gloss over his lips. He has an older daughter, model Ireland Baldwin, but she is 21 and no longer living under her dad's roof.
Alec also praised his wife's mothering skills: "My father used to say, he said, 'Parenthood is a competition between two people where the father always wins the bronze medal.' Mother wins first and second prize."
Though Alec clearly dotes on his family, the same way they dote on him.
Image: SheKnows
At the end of the video, you can see Alec in all his baby-voiced glory saying "Hi Leo!" to his son. What you don't see is Leo's reaction, but trust me, that little baby was all goo-goo smiles as he received attention from his father. It was a beautiful thing. And yeah, OK, it gave me a bit of baby fever. So sue me.
Boss Baby in Digital HD is available now on Amazon Video and iTunes. The DVD and Blu-ray are scheduled to hit shelves July 25.
Of course, it's sad the whole thing had to come to cheating and abuse allegations considering the two have a child together.
Chyna didn't waste any time retaining a lawyer after Kardashian posted nude pics of her on Instagram. The whole thing is just an absolute mess, but considering who Kardashian's siblings are, you think he'd have a better idea of the laws of the Internet world. Dude, you cannot, cannot post naked photos of someone without their permission. I mean... Come. On.
But post nude photos he did, and now Chyna has herself a lawyer, who has big plans to use this whole case as a way to galavant for women everywhere.
"Mr. Kardashian, you are now on notice: revenge porn is illegal," Chyna's lawyer Lisa Bloom wrote in a public statement on Twitter. "Cyberbullying your ex is harassment. Chyna ended your relationship months ago and she has the right to live as she chooses, work as she chooses, date who she chooses, and be intimate with who she chooses. Chyna and I both believe that this is an important women's rights issue, as too many women and girls have been slut-shammed by exes."
blac chyna lawyer tweet statement
blac chyna lawyer tweet statement
I completely agree with everything Bloom is saying here. Rob better watch his back. We all know what happens when you upset Chyna.
Kardashian's move to post naked photos was so in the wrong that even the Kardashian fortune might not be able to save him from some serious legal consequences.
"She was married and had a baby and left her husband to be with Ben," a source told the outlet.
Second rumor, the two have been dating for nearly three years not three months, meaning they were having a scandalous affair while still married to their significant others. According to this rumor, Jennifer Garner, Affleck's ex, found out about the affair all the way back in 2015.
"They were not casually dating — they were having a full-blown affair," a source alleged to Us Weekly. "They were sleeping together, sending each other cute texts and meeting up whenever they could."
Another source who spoke with People echoed this sentiment, "Both of them were married at the time. They were having secret rendezvous every time he came in to New York City and other places, too. Both of them were cheating on their spouses so they were very careful about it. Jen and [Shookus’] husband both found out about it around the same time” a few years later.
On the more plausible side of the rumor mill, a source close to Affleck reportedly denies the affair claims, maintaining that the two have only been dating for a few months.
The two just started going out in public together last week when she joined him on a work trip to London. They reportedly dined at a swanky restaurant called Gymkhana and saw The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre.
My cheeks are sprinkled with sweat and salt — I smash my face into my partner’s shoulder and weep. Welcome to my all-encompassing and most intense orgasm reaction.
We may scoff at the partner who immediately nods off to sleep. One of us may slink our way to the bathroom. We may encourage afterplay. Some of us may light a cigarette. Postcoital responses vary and most often are pretty expected by all parties. However, for some individuals, postcoital tears are the response that unwillingly douse their bedsheets and pillowcase. While this may not be what either party expects from an out-of-this-world orgasm, it’s 100 percent normal for many individuals.
I, a common postcoital weeper, am one of those individuals. For me, crying never seemed embarrassing or out of the ordinary. I assumed everyone experienced a similar reaction to an orgasm. Only recently did I realize that this behavior may seem a little unusual or even alarming. I decided to investigate further into my reasoning for crymaxing.
Little research has been done into crying after sex, and the results mostly dismiss it as a negative connotation to sex — labeled as postcoital dysphoria. A recent study found that 46 percent of people experience PCD at least once in their life.
While I do agree that feeling blue after sex is a reality, intense emotional responses such as crying should not always be deemed as feelings of sadness. Intense feelings, deep connections and an overwhelming flush of endorphins can induce tears. For me, crying after sex or during an orgasm represents my intense emotions for my partner. I also find myself crying because I don’t want this euphoria to cease — but I know it has to. The heightened feelings that occur during a climax aren’t everyday emotions. Thoughts like, "When will I be this close my partner again?" or "I want to live in my orgasm forever," swell on my tongue and develop into a flush of salty, wet tears.
It’s surprising that sadness or crying isn’t discussed more thoroughly in popular culture. Throughout history, this phenomenon has been mentioned in literature and poetry. Philosopher Baruch Spinoza wrote in Tractatus de Intellectus Emendatione, “For as far as sensual pleasure is concerned, the mind is so caught up in it, as if at peace in a [true] good, that it is quite prevented from thinking of anything else. But after the enjoyment of sensual pleasure is past, the greatest sadness follows. If this does not completely engross, still it thoroughly confuses and dulls the mind.”
After the high comes the low. Letting go of all thoughts, stresses, responsibilities and fully embracing an orgasm can lead to an incredible release. Postcoital dysphoria isn’t always linked to sadness after sex. In fact, the opposite can occur. While tears may be falling, it doesn’t necessarily mean a partner is feeling blue.
Neurohormones create elevated levels of endorphins, oxytocin and prolactin. With all of these hormones shaking up in our brain, it’s no surprise for any number of responses to occur.
Dr. Marie Tudor, a medical sexologist told Broadly, “I just look at it in basic terms. It’s understandable that one release could trip over into another.”
The release of oxytocin, which magnifies emotions, promotes “good feelings,” trust and empathy. Because of this, you feel safe with your partner and can find it much easier to release any repressed feelings. The intensity of an orgasm mixed with hormonal alterations is bound to create some sort of response, whether it’s laughter, cuddling or weeping.
Expressing emotion can take on various forms, and it isn’t always synonymous to unhappiness or pain.
This isn’t to say that postcoital dysphoria can’t be more serious in some situations. Panic attacks, intense anxiety or depression for the following days can be a result of sexual intercourse. Moreover, men experience PCD more than women.
Dr. Eamonn McKeown says, “It’s down to the hormone prolactin, which women need to make milk but is present in men as well, and levels of prolactin massively increase in the body after orgasm. Studies have shown that when this occurs, it acts like a thermostat to shut off sexual desire and therefore the drive to satisfy them. All that revved up energy to satisfy your sexual cravings suddenly go away, and this can leave you feeling really empty, sad and, yes, tearful.”
If the tears are induced because of a past sexual trauma, conversational therapy may be effective in terms of recovery. If intense, deep sadness that lasts longer than a few days follows intercourse, seek out a professional to look into possible solutions.
For me, crying after sex isn’t linked to any particular abuse. At first, my partner was worried that they hurt me, or that I was upset (my past with vaginismus is loud and always lurking). Instead, it’s the overwhelming joy and ecstasy that I devour when I orgasm. My response results in a salty, watery mix. Hugging ensues, closeness is encountered.
I don’t always weep after sex, but when I do, it’s because I just came four times.
The pop star-turned-actress-turned-fashion mogul recently Instagrammed a picture of a Time article titled “Whole Foods Discovered Its Chicken Salad Actually Had Tuna.” Simpson’s Instagram caption, which was too perfect, simply said, “It happens to the best of us @wholefoods.”
Jessica Simpson Chicken
Jessica Simpson Chicken
Now, if you're thinking what I'm thinking, then you'll know that any time Simpson and tuna come together, there's going to be a reference to her infamous 2003 Newlyweds TV moment. I mean, where have you been in the world of pop culture if you don't see this coming?
In 2003, Simpson and her then-husband, Nick Lachey, starred in their own reality show, Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. In a now-legendary episode, Simpson is sitting on the couch eating mystery meat out of a bowl. Then she asks, “Is this chicken, what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says, ‘Chicken of the Sea.’ Is that stupid?”
So, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a statement that a poultry farm had to recall about 440 pounds of mislabeled buffalo chicken salad products from Whole Foods, Simpson had to jump in as the resident expert on people who mistake one kind of meat for another kind of meat and console them. See? It comes full circle, baby.
Simpson's no stranger to referencing this infamous TV moment at her own expense. She also made fun of herself last November when a popular meme showed a chicken swimming in the sea with no explanation. The caption says, “Maybe Jessica Simpson was on to something?” Simpson tweeted the picture with the hashtag #ChickenOfTheSea. It seems like Simpson has moved on to a more humble sense of humor, making fun of herself at any turn.
Hopefully, the recall hasn’t caused too much harm, since all cans of tuna that were originally thought to be chicken were taken from Whole Foods supermarkets in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. We know for sure that Jessica Simpson hasn’t been harmed, but she sure is getting mileage out of that amazing moment in reality TV.
Food is so much more than nourishment; it’s inextricable from our emotional lives — that cool rush of comfort from a scoop of half-melted rocky road that we enjoy on the boardwalk during a much-earned summer vacation; that savory fullness from the fresh-baked bread that warms our bodies after our partners leave us; and at its core, it’s that chicken soup our grandfathers made us when we stayed home with a fever.
So, it’s understandable that when the mood moves us, we might overindulge. Though the cultural static around food — which is quick to categorize anything from eggs to avocado toast as “bad” or “good” or best of all, a “superfood” within a single news cycle — would have us believe that any overindulgence or emotional attachment to food is tantamount to binge eating.
“Just about everyone has overeaten at some point,” Dr. Adrienne Youdim, associate professor of medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and assistant professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center tells SheKnows.
Youdim says that overeating doesn’t really have a clear medical definition. It’s “when you simply eat to the point of feeling full.” For context, think Thanksgiving dinner — when the siren song of cornbread and stuffing seduces us into loosening our belts.
“On the other hand, binge eating disorder is a clinical diagnosis,” she says. Youdim adds that there are clear criteria for a BED diagnosis, which includes eating to an uncomfortable, sick-feeling fullness in a truncated period.
“Usually, this [behavior] is associated with feelings of guilt, discomfort or lack of control,” she says. Often, people in the midst of a binge will experience a kind of fugue state — they’re not fully present or aware of all that they are eating.
Though it’s certainly not common to stress-eat away that impending presentation (after all, Double Stuf Oreos will not criticize the margins of our PowerPoints) or the pain of a lost love, people who have BED don’t just “eat away the pain” every now and again. Instead, they use food as a kind of self-mollifying force against conditions like depression, anxiety or PTSD — often overeating in sustained patterns when they aren’t even hungry, glutting the body to quiet the mind.
According to registered dietitian Libby Parker, owner of Not Your Average Nutritionist LLC and a nutritionist who specializes in counseling patients with eating disorders, “To be diagnosed with BED, one must binge eat at least once per week for at least three months and show ‘marked distress regarding [the] binge,’” without taking compensatory measures like purging or overexercising. Parker likens the BED sufferer’s use of food to the alcoholic’s zeal for drink; it will quell a momentary ache, but leave a greater hurt come morning.
Recovering from BED is a long road, one best traveled in the company of a professional treatment team like a therapist, medical doctor and nutritionist who are well-equipped to help people sort through the underlying emotional issues without opening the refrigerator door. Working with a registered dietitian can help anyone with BED appreciate a mindful, balanced approach to food that doesn’t hinge on shame.
It was a big weekend for former cast members of Dancing with the Stars to get hitched. Not only did Julianne Hough tie the knot with Brooks Laich, but standout stars Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd also got married over the weekend. The ceremony looked absolutely magical, with fairy tale details like the wedding venue (it was in a castle) and Murgatroyd's dress (she basically looked like a Disney princess). You have to see the photos to believe the magic was real.
The pair were married at Oheka Castle in Long Island, New York. The estate has been a popular wedding venue for decades now and provided some of the most gorgeous views for wedding photos (more on this in a moment). Among the 300 people in attendance were Murgatroyd's former DWTS partner, Nyle DiMarco, Sharna Burgess, Rumer Willis and Candace Cameron Bure. Us Weekly was able to get one reaction from Chmerkovskiy on the record: "It was everything we ever dreamt of." In addition, Murgatroyd commented that it was "the party of the year!"
The reason this wedding was so magical is quite evident from the photos coming from the wedding.
Murgatroyd walked down the aisle to the music of the Nutcracker Suite — "I danced ballet for 16 years, so it’s my favorite album," she explained. It definitely had everything you need for one of the most luxurious weddings of 2017. I mean, there was even a rainbow, people. It doesn't get more magical than that.
Peta Murgatroyd Wedding Dress
Peta Murgatroyd Wedding Dress
Can you even believe this dress? The setting? The rainbow? It's too perfect.
You don’t need to be a professional manicurist to do a great job painting your nails, but you do need to watch out for some common nail polish mistakes, from using old polish to doing your nails right before bedtime. We all make these mistakes (and yeah, knowing how long it takes for nail polish to dry is half the battle), so rest assured that you’re not alone.
We’ve rounded up the 10 most common nail polish mistakes and how to prevent them.
1. Taking a hot shower right after applying polish
Never shower immediately after a manicure, as you probably haven’t given the polish enough time to set in, but a hot shower? That’s even worse.
“Exposing the nail polish to the heat and steam of the shower can cause it to bubble or smudge,” says Danielle Candido, manicure expert for Gelish. “It’s best to wait a full hour after the manicure is done before showering.”
2. Going to bed right after applying polish
Although nails will appear dry within 20 to 30 minutes, it actually takes a full 24 hours for nail polish to fully dry.
“A super-easy trick to help the drying process along is to wait a minute or two for your polish to start setting up, then run very cold water over your hands for about three minutes,” says Candido. “The cold water helps the polish set up faster.” However, she warns, “Be careful to not to run the water directly on the nails, as the force of the water may cause the polish to smudge.”
3. Skipping topcoat
“Skipping a topcoat not only cuts down on the shiny finish of the manicure, but it also shortens the longevity of the manicure,” Candido says. She also recommends applying an additional layer of topcoat every other day for an even longer lifespan.
Who hasn’t thought they could get away with skipping the base coat once or twice? You live and you learn. Candido explains that base coat smooths the surface of the nail for a flawless finish, improves adhesion of the polish to the nail plate and prevents the pigments in the nail polish from staining the natural nail, which means avoiding the yellow nail struggle altogether. It’s an extra step, but totally worth it — for more reasons than one.
5. Applying thick coats of color
To compensate for the color looking lighter and sheerer on nails than in the bottle, we tend to paint on thick coats of color. In this case, though, patience really is key.
“When we apply color in thick layers, the polish takes much longer to dry, and the longer it takes to dry, the more likely we are to smudge the manicure,” Candido says. Instead, apply thin, even coats and wait two minutes in between. The polish will actually dry faster. Also, Candido adds, “If you apply a heavy coat of polish, it’s much more likely to flow into the cuticle area, which means you’ll have to clean up the mess with an orangewood stick and remover.”
6. Using one stroke to apply polish
If there is one technique you should take with you from the salon, it’s that manicurists use three to four strokes to apply polish to the nail. With one single stroke, it’s difficult to get the sidewalls (left and right edge of the nail) and cuticle area, making the nails look unfinished. Plus, the color will grow out in mere days.
“Apply color to the nail in three or four strokes,” Candido advises. Her approach? “Start in the center near the cuticle, swipe down the nail to the right side, return to the starting point and swipe down the nail to the left, then return to the center and swipe down the middle. If there is any uncovered area, swipe down the whole nail one more time.”
7. Starting with greasy nails
“If there’s oil on the surface of the nail before the polish is applied, it’s much easier for polish to peel — nothing sticks to an oily surface,” Candido says. Instead, wait to apply cuticle oil after the polish, and go easy with the lotion. “It’s best to use a product like Gelish pH Prep to ensure all surface oil and moisture are eliminated before applying your basecoat.”
This kind of product works by neutralizing the pH level in the nail to better accept the base coat. Basically, it’s like a primer for your nails.
8. Using old nail polish
There’s nothing more depressing than saying goodbye to a favorite nail polish that’s looking a little worse for the wear, but it’s gotta be done.
“As polish ages, the solvents evaporate, causing it to thicken and get stringy. This makes applying polish quite difficult,” Candido explains. “Old polish [also] doesn’t adhere to the nail as well as fresh polish does. As a rule of thumb, go through your polishes every year and replace anything you didn’t buy in the last 12 months.”
If you’re not super-diligent about keeping your cuticles in check, your manicure will look messy.
“You only need to leave a hairs’ width between the polish and the cuticle,” says Candido. “To get as close as possible without touching the cuticle, plant the brush on the nail plate near the cuticle and apply light pressure to spread the brush out. Then, lift slightly and push towards the cuticle, stopping at the cuticle without touching it. Then swipe down the nail, turning the brush slightly in your fingers to the left or the right to get along the sidewall (left or right edge of the nail plate).”
10. Using acetone remover
Nail polish removers high in acetone dehydrate the nail and surrounding cuticle.
“Repetitive use can cause white spots on the nail as well as splitting at the free edge and drying of the cuticle,” Candido warns. “Non-acetone remover is a much kinder and gentler choice.”
Parenting is hard. Really, really hard. There’s no rulebook, no how-to guide and certainly no way of knowing if you’re messing up. (Spoiler alert: You can’t really mess up if you’re doing everything with love.)
To help parents — especially new ones — on the battlefield, we’ve compiled a pretty stellar list of brilliant hacks you should consider trying out. Shoutout to all the moms who contributed!
Whether breastfed or formula-fed, the task of warming up a bottle can be annoying when you’re traveling, out for the day or doing night feeds. Getting your baby used to room-temperature liquids will save you time and worry.
2. Break out the water hose
Don’t have a pool? No problem! During the hot summer months, just hand your kids a hose and let them go to town on your lawn. It really is the best toy.
3. Make a pitcher of formula
By making a day’s worth of formula in the morning, you don’t have to make bottles on demand for a hungry baby. It also gives time for the bubbles to settle and helps with gas.
4. Have treasure hunts when you’re out
Let’s say you’re going to the museum. Stop at the gift shop first and have the kids pick out some postcards. Then walk around and locate the art from the postcards like a real treasure hunt. Fun + no whining = winning!
5. Fake ‘em out
Use a Tylenol syringe filled with water — aka medicine — for a toddler faking a nighttime illness. (Make sure he’s really faking, of course!) If there’s a real illness, consider letting your toddler take a spoonful of honey (or something sweet) first so it coats the tongue and they can’t taste the medicine as much.
6. Layer bedding
In a crib or bed, layer mattress pad then sheet, then second mattress pad and second sheet. In the middle of the night, if they have any accidents, you only have to strip off the top sheet and mattress pad to reveal the clean duo underneath.
7. Another use for a breast pump cylinder
The mini-size cylinders are perfect formula holders. They fit exactly two scoops of powdered formula and can easily be taken on the go and while traveling. Just pour the powder into water that’s already in your bottle and you’re good!
8. Changing table shortcut
Instead of constantly changing the sheet cover, use under-pads as an extra level of protection. When you’re done with the diaper change, simply throw out the under-pad and your changing pad cover remains clean.
9. Doggie poop bags
For whatever reason (hello, marketing!) baby diaper baggies are much more expensive than doggie poop bags, and they’re basically the same thing. Keep a roll in your bag, your car, and on your changing table. They are the sole reason I don’t believe in diaper pails. Why do you need to keep dirty diapers in your child’s room? Pack them up in a poop bag and bring them to the garbage in your home. You empty the garbage often enough, right?
When it’s laundry time, take off the crib’s fitted mattress sheet and empty out the hamper into the sheet. Fold up all the sides and carry all the dirty clothes to your laundry room like you’re Santa Claus.
11. Temporary tattoos
If you’re venturing out to a large public place, say Disney, temporary tattoos by Tottoos has a really smart thing going. The customized child-safety product increases the chances of a lost child being found. Use them for kids going on field trips, to alert others of an allergy they may have and whatever else you can think up.
When you’re enjoying the outdoors and have your baby in a Pack 'n' Play, cover the top with a fitted sheet. Since the sides are already vented, your baby can play safely without getting eaten alive by bugs.
13. Hot glue gun galore
If you’re worried about those bath toys getting moldy (and if you can't stand the squeaking any longer!), use a hot glue gun to plug in the holes.
14. Puffy paint socks
Use puffy paint to create grips for your baby’s socks. This is great for when they’re just starting to walk so they don’t slip on the floor.
15. Mini zip-close bags
Keep pacifiers clean by putting them in small zip-close bags when you’re on the go.
16. Clear their coughs
When your toddler is sick, before bed just lather vapor rub (like Maty’s Baby Chest Rub) on the bottom of their feet and cover with socks.
17. Don’t wash pump parts
Alert: You don’t have to wash all of your pump parts during the day. Stick them in a baggie and put them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them again. At the end of the day, clean thoroughly and sterilize.
18. Create a sandbox anywhere you go
Get a decent-size storage bin (with wheels would be great) and fill it with sand. Your little one can play in the "sandbox" at any time on demand.
19. Donate outgrown clothes
Keep those used Amazon boxes under the crib or in the closet and fill them with clothes that no longer fit or toys your child no longer plays with. Amazon will come and pick up the box from you, making sure everything gets donated to those in need.
20. Washcloths as teethers
Make chamomile tea and soak a brand-new washcloth in it. Wring out the washcloth, put it in a zip-close bag and place it in the freezer. When baby’s gums are achy, this gives him something to chew on, and the tea has a calming effect.
21. Onesie science
You know those flaps on the onesies? Those are there so when your precious baby has a blowout, you can simply roll down the onesie off of your baby instead of up and over his head. (Did we blow your mind?) Of course, there are those occasions when there’s just no coming back from the monstrosity that’s been created. That’s when you take a pair of scissors and cut the onesie down the middle, Hulk style, and dispose. There’s a reason onesies are sold in five-packs!
22. Those shopping bags though
Always carry a few extra plastic shopping bags in your bag. They don’t take up much room and you never know when you are going to need an emergency potty or to stash away some wet or dirty clothes. Related: Always keep an extra change of clothes and diapers in the car.
23. Clear shower liners
Once your kids are old enough to play in the bathtub themselves, supervise from the sidelines by folding your real shower curtain up over the bar, leaving a clear liner in place and tucked into the tub. Kids can play and splash and make zero mess. Bonus: Use a cheap shower liner as literal lining of your floors during flu season or when your kids are sick. Line the bedroom floors and the playroom floors. It’s easier to clean up vomit that’s in a liner you can just throw away, right?
Well, OK, maybe you’ll lose it, but hopefully people are nice enough to get it back to you. Attach luggage tags to strollers, car seats and anything else you travel with just in case you forget it somewhere. (Think: a cab.)
25. Sand off
Heading to the beach? Throw a bottle of baby powder in your bag because it’s amazing at getting sand off of your little one.
26. Forget the snaps
This is a no-brainer for trained moms, so believe us when we tell you: Do not even bother with the snap and button outfits. Sure, some designs are cute, but cute goes down the drain when you’re ridiculously inconvenienced. Zipper pajamas are key.
Ah, summertime. When the middle months of the year roll around, that familiar feeling starts to take hold — the anticipation of the sunny fun that's sure to come.
But it isn't just the warmer weather that makes summer so special. Rather, it's about a million little things that take hold of your soul and give this ephemeral season its sense of magic. Since we don't have room to list them all, here are 10 simply wonderful reasons to love summer.
It's the way you can taste the salt on your lips or how running in the shallow surf against the receding tide makes you feel like Mother Ocean is literally pulling you back into her fold. It's the beautiful breathlessness that comes from wading against the waves. And it's the way, long after your feet hit dry sand, your hair crunches and makes you feel like a mermaid.
It begins during the mystical hour of day when the sun starts to sink, bleeding her colors across the dusky sky. The air gets thick with a humming chorus of crickets and frogs and if you're lucky, tiny pinpricks of light punctuate the inky night. Is there anything that captures the wonder of childhood more than fireflies?
Life's greatest simple pleasures will always include the sweet respite that comes from a glass of iced tea on a hot summer day — preferably from a Mason jar and ideally sittin' on a porch somewhere trading stories (read: gossiping) with kindred spirits. This summer we're super-excited to be sippin' on NESTEA's Peach Flavored Tea because the only thing that could make iced tea more summery is peaches. Duh.
You may be able to buy watermelon other times of year, but nothing compares to the perfection of summer-ripened watermelon. Whether you eat it by the slice or slice it down the middle and dig right into the heart with a fork, summer watermelon just tastes better. So good, in fact, that you don't mind the sticky-sweet juice that trickles down and drips off your face.
Summer thunderstorms shift the energy in the air, making everything feel heavy with anticipation. There's even a heady, organic smell that carries in the air just before the skies let loose, isn't there? When the rain finally comes, it seems to elicit a sigh of relief as it bounces off leaves and quenches the hot earth.
There's a beautiful exhaustion that comes from a day spent beneath the summer sun. Whether it was spent tilling a garden, collecting seashells at the beach with your kids or simply hanging out in the backyard, time in the sun this time of year yields some of the most sound sleep any of us will ever experience.
Or if your ride has a removable roof, with the top down. Because as hot as the air outside is and as cool as your AC blows, nothing feels as good during the summer as fast cars and freedom. Crank that radio up and belt out the hits at the top of your lungs!
8. Stretching a late-afternoon BBQ into an all-evening BBQ
Perhaps no season encourages lingering longer like summer does, and no event is better suited for leisurely loitering than a summer BBQ. When you've got a fired up grill, a few refreshing beverages and some good friends, well, you've pretty much got it all.
While this might not be a welcome sound any other time of the year, there's something about waking up to the steady drone of a lawn mower that makes the day feel rife with possibility. It doesn't hurt that accompanying that sound is a quintessential summer scent: the smell of freshly cut grass.
You know, the kind of trip where you scarf down hot dogs and snow cones from a street vendor. You load up on kitschy souvenirs from an overpriced gift shop and haven't a care in the world about who thinks you're a tourist. Summer vacations are made for being in the moment, wherever those moments may be.
Blac Chyna has finally broken her silence, and this time, she is making it known that she doesn't want other women to hurt in the way that she has been hurt by ex Rob Kardashian. In the aftermath of Kardashian's Instagram rant against her, which involved allegedly posting about substance abuse, her capabilities as a mother and posting nude photos of Chyna without her consent, Chyna is pushing back and exploring legal recourse around the posting of the nude photos.
She joined her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, for an interview with ABC's Linsey Davis, part of which aired on Monday's Good Morning America. In it, Chyna described how she felt when she saw that Kardashian had posted nude photos she sent him to his public Instagram account.
"I was devastated, of course. I’m like, how could somebody, like, post these pictures of me?'" she said. "And I’m like ‘Wow, OK.’ This is a person that I trusted."
Blac Chyna calls out Rob Kardashian on GMA
Blac Chyna calls out Rob Kardashian on GMA
Chyna continued, "I just felt betrayed. He doesn't respect me. If you can't respect me, you have to respect the law."
Chyna also claimed that she broke things off with Kardashian back in December and that his behavior was rooted in jealousy over her seeing other men since their split. She said no one from the Kardashian family has contacted her since this all began last week.
Chyna's interview comes after Bloom posted an open letter to Twitter saying that she and Chyna intend to go after Kardashian for violating California's revenge porn laws.
"Mr. Kardashian, you are now on notice: revenge porn is illegal," Bloom wrote. "Cyberbullying your ex is harassment. Chyna ended your relationship months ago and she has the right to live as she chooses, work as she chooses, date who she chooses and be intimate with who she chooses. Chyna and I both believe that this is an important women's rights issue, as too many women and girls have been slut-shamed by exes."
Bloom's statement makes it clear that she and Chyna intend to send the message that behavior like Kardashian's is not acceptable. For women everywhere, this case could become notable in how it attempts to protect women from revenge porn.
Prince Harry visited a new Haribo candy factory in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England, on Friday, part of his official tour of the north of England, and experienced what I've decided is one of — if not the — best perk of royal life: Free bespoke candy.
Upon arrival at the candy factory, Haribo presented the prince with a special candy mix called Harry Mix featuring bags of gummies in the shape of the prince. I mean, who the hell cares about getting ponies and jewelry if you get custom-made candy?!
The prince even donned a lab coat for his factory tour so he could touch the candy like a real professional. He was wearing the most bizarre-looking hair net/hard hat combo that I've ever seen. It basically looks like a food-safety fedora you'd see the staff wearing at a Jason Mraz-themed restaurant. But on the prince, it somehow just works.
Sadly, the Harry Mix isn't available to the public... yet. According to Herwig Vennekens, managing director of the new Haribo factory, the mix was created because "[i]t's such a unique thing we could do to thank him for coming and spending time with employees. It was really worth the effort. He brought so many smiles to the faces of the staff."
Well, that's sweet. But part of me is still hoping that someday when the prince is hard up for some off-the-record pocket change, he'll put a bag or two of Harry's Mix up on eBay for us commoners to fight over. BRB, setting up a Google alert!
And while she's been on a little vacay in Hawaii with her family, she decided to drop some selfie action on her Instagram. Isn't that what any of us would do in Hawaii? Totally legit. Also, she looks fire in this shot. That Hawaiian sun is good for ya, girl.
Simone Biles posts selfie in Hawaii and troll hits hard
Simone Biles posts selfie in Hawaii and troll hits hard
Except that, you know, this is the internet, and nothing is allowed to be so good and pure. Biles was immediately (and unnecessarily) clapped back at by some dumb troll, who wrote in the comments, "It seems like you have partied non-stop for a year," and then added hashtags "Trash," "Unfollow" and "SuckyAssRoleModel."
You'd think this wouldn't need to be said, but apparently, it needs to be said. You bully someone as strong and confident and self-assured as Biles, and you're in for a bad time. The Olympian quickly responded with her own comment: "Talk to me when you train for 14 years and earn 5 Olympic Medals. I think kids would say otherwise. My year off is well deserved! Take a couple seats."
Take a couple seats, indeed. In fact, take all of the seats.
Biles also captured the offending comment and her response and tweeted out the screenshots, adding, "Comments like this have me shook. I really wanted to blur her name out so she doesn't get attention. but it is what it is...#BLOCK."
Simone Biles posts hater screen shots on twitter
Simone Biles posts hater screen shots on twitter
Before you lose all hope in humanity, though, know that other commenters are rallying around Biles and assuring her of something she already knows: She's an amazing role model.
