When trying to gain the faith and hope of a skeptical nation, it's best not to target the most diverse, most celebrated show currently on Broadway. Unfortunately, Trump didn't seem to get the memo. Either that or he doesn't care, because the president-elect didn't have any problem calling the Hamilton cast's heartfelt message to Mike Pence "harassment."
Vice President-elect Pence attended the smash hit on Friday night and, at the end of the performance, the cast had some words for him.
According to the New York Times, actor Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Aaron Burr, took the stage to read a statement written by show creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail and lead producer Jeffrey Seller, with input from the cast members.
"We, sir - we - are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights," Dixon read. "We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us."
Hamilton message to mike pence twitter
Hamilton message to mike pence twitter
The statement was met with applause and cheers from the audience. It's important to note that the cast of Hamilton very vocally supported Hillary Clinton, even hosting a special performance to raise money for her.
While Pence did not respond to the statement, Trump voiced his unhappiness.
Donald Trump Hamilton response tweet 1
Donald Trump Hamilton response tweet 1
Donald Trump Hamilton response tweet 2
Donald Trump Hamilton response tweet 2
Dixon quickly responded to Trump with a message of his own.
Brandon Dixon response to Donald Trump twitter
Brandon Dixon response to Donald Trump twitter
I am personally horrified that our president-elect isn't more willing to hear the voice of the people. People are nervous about his presidency. People are scared that a man who has insulted minorities and women without a filter is about to run our nation. And, rather than assuaging their concerns, Trump is criticizing those who would let their voices be heard. A leader should not turn a blind eye to cries for equality. He shouldn't demand an apology from those admitting they fear for this nation. A president should understand that a house divided cannot stand, and he should work to mend the fractures.
Unfortunately, I have yet to see that from Trump. And it makes me sad. It makes me nervous.
All Trump and Pence had to do was respond with something like, "We know you're scared. We know you're nervous. We're committed to bringing the country together again."
I wasn't a Trump supporter during the election, but after he was elected, I was open-minded about giving him a chance. I'm still trying to be, but incidents like this are becoming a pattern and are slowly but surely crushing my hope.
Trump needs to learn how to be an inspiring leader, and he needs to learn it fast.
Do you think Donald Trump made the wrong move in responding to the Hamilton cast's message for Mike Pence?
Sister Wives star Kody Brown is learning the hard way that maybe one wife is better than four. As the future of his reality show remains uncertain, the father and husband is reportedly on the outs with all of his wives, including his legal wife, Robyn Brown, who is rumored to be seeking a divorce.
"She's quietly consulting with attorneys," family friend Kendra Pollard told Life & Style magazine. Robyn's reportedly waiting until she's "financially secure" to leave the marriage and move to Northern California.
Robyn never wanted to be in a polygamist marriage, according to the source, adding that her goal was for Kody to eventually part ways with his spiritual wives, Janelle, Meri and Christine. Unfortunately, Robyn apparently missed the memo that you can't change people. If you don't love someone for who they already are and their lifestyle, then they're probably not the person for you.
However, Kody's relationships with the other women reportedly aren't the only things driving Robyn towards a divroce. A comment he said to her after the birth of their latest daughter was reportedly the final nail in the coffin.
"He told her, 'You used to be considered the hot wife. Unfortunately, we can't really sell that anymore,'" according to Pollard.
While it sounds like Kody continues to worry about his future on television, Pollard says Robyn would be open to a spinoff series following the spilt.
"She's seeking a spinoff," the inside source told the magazine. "She's pretty close to the team that oversees Sister Wives production and she's told them, 'You can follow me anywhere I go.' She's very open about it."
Rumors that the family was falling apart surfaced back in September when a source revealed to Life & Style that Kody was contemplating bringing two new wives onto the show and into the family as a way to stay relevant to the network and keep his television show on-air. Without Sister Wives, Kody has no income to feed his wives and 18 children.
However, three out of Kody's four wives threatened to leave him if he brought any new women into the mix.
"TLC knows [Kody's] not well-liked by viewers," the source told Life & Style. "[He's] done so many messed-up things that it serves him right to be pushed aside."
Cornelius Ortiz is arguably the least-liked guy on the current season of Project Runway, and for good reason: He's abrasive, he's overly confident and he has a tendency to trash talk his fellow contestants. It's hard to cheer for somebody who throws that much shade, which is perhaps why, when both Mah-Jing Wong and Ortiz were mistreated by their respective teams during tonight's episode, viewers really only spoke out in Wong's favor.
Believe it or not, we're here to defend Ortiz. He was on top of this week's team challenge, which involved creating a collection for a pop-up street display, all while abiding by a specific color scheme. Ortiz was grouped with Dexter Simmons and Erin Robertson, and once again, it was obvious that he was the odd one out. His vision did not match the vision of his fellow contestants, who were way too into the head-to-toe red look.
Image: Lifetime
Ortiz voiced his concerns, but his opinion was disregarded. Not only did his fellow teammates fail to give his viewpoint the consideration it deserved, they were willing to sit back and let him do the bulk of the work while they goofed off together.
Despite all of Ortiz's hard work, the red group performed poorly both among pedestrians viewing the pop-up booth and with the judges. The judges didn't think the red group's looks were terrible; they just didn't live up to the other groups. The teammates were then given the opportunity to share who they thought should go home, and of course, both Simmons and Robertson threw Ortiz under the bus. Not cool - Ortiz's instincts were on point and he was clearly not responsible for the team's loss.
Image: Lifetime
Thank God for Tim Gunn, who came through with the save. Gunn can see past Ortiz's abrasiveness to the natural fashion instinct that he has consistently demonstrated. He delivered the good news backstage and put a stop to what could have been this season's most dramatic stand-off.
It's crazy how quickly contestant perception can shift on this show. Robertson was the darling just a few weeks ago, and Ortiz was the villain. Now, we're cautiously rooting for Ortiz, if only because he was so clearly wronged by his teammates and by the judges.
Do you think Cornelius Ortiz should have been on the chopping block? Did Tim Gunn use his save wisely? Comment and share your opinion below.
In 2012, there were over 20 million REGISTERED voters in the United States who did not vote - many of these people are probably your readers and followers.
Image: Letta Page via Flickr, Creative Commons license
With less than a week to Election Day, over 22 million Americans have already voted. In over 30 states, you can vote early as of October 31. In some states, you can even register to vote at the same time.
We're asking all blogs and tech companies to help your users vote.
Over the past few weeks, we've built a few tools to make it as easy as possible to get out and vote, and we could really use your help in getting them into your followers' hands.
This is personally my first presidential election, as it is for millions of young Americans. It is imperative that we work together and provide tools to make voting seem as easy as calling an Uber.
Please share these tools with your followers, and let's get out the vote!
'Tis officially the season to get down to business in the kitchen! It seems like the whole world has gone crazy with gourmet versions of old school favorites - which can be fun - but when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, there really is nothing like traditional candied yams (sometimes referred to as sweet potato casserole).
This recipe for candied yams from Kidsumers will remind you of being a child and the magical feeling you got when the whole family was gathered in a warm home, eager to go to town on the delicious meal grandma made. The best part? Candied yams are a cinch to master.
Love that Mexican skull face paint you see every Halloween? You may love the holiday and rituals that go with it even more once you learn about them. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated across the U.S., Mexico and Latin America on Nov. 1 and 2. The 3,000-year-old Aztec ritual is a time to honor loved ones who have passed in the most beautifully life-affirming way.
During this holiday, souls are welcomed to visit the families they left behind. Families decorate colorful altars with fresh flowers and bright tapestries. And of course, food is central.
That's why we've put together a full collection of our favorite traditional and modern recipes by Latina cookbook writers and bloggers just in time for the big day. You don't have to be Mexican to celebrate Día de los Muertos. We all have people in our lives who have passed on - people we miss very much. Welcome them back in spirit with your own Day of the Dead feast.
Image: Liz Smith/SheKnows
1. Pumpkin and ancho chili mole/mole de chile ancho y calabaza
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt (or more to taste)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (or more to taste)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
Directions:
Place the onion and garlic in a baking sheet under the broiler. Char for 9 to 10 minutes, flipping once in between. Once they are soft and charred, remove from the heat. When the garlic is cool, peel.
In an already hot skillet or comal set over medium-low heat, toast the ancho chilies for about 15 to 20 seconds per side until they're brown and crisp but not burned. Place the toasted ancho chilies in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes until they are plumped up and rehydrated.
In the same skillet or comal, toast the cloves and allspice until aromatic, about a minute. Remove from the heat. Toast the almonds and cinnamon, stirring often, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Place the onion, garlic, chilies, 1/2 cup of chili soaking liquid, almonds, cloves, cinnamon and allspice in the blender and purée until smooth.
In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil and pour in the puréed mixture. Add the salt and sugar. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to help prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The color will darken considerably.
Add the pumpkin purée and chicken broth to the sauce. Stir well until the pumpkin purée has dissolved. It will have a silky consistency. Continue to cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use the mole sauce to pour over grilled, broiled or boiled chicken, meat or fish. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds for some added flavor and crunch.
Mexican hot chocolate, also known as "champurrado," is famous for its thick consistency thanks to Mexican chocolate and "piloncillo" sugar, or really dark brown cane sugar. Muy Bueno cookbook writer and blogger Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack has a growing collection of Día de los Muertos recipes on her website.
Another version of "atole," the corn-based drink, is this atole de vainilla that is brightened up with the inclusion of Mexican vanilla beans - some of the best vanilla in the world.
Taking the classic and traditional sugar skulls, these sugar skull cake pops are a modern twist and fun way of presenting skulls to young ones in the family.
Make these Día de los Muertos empanadas in specialty skull molds that can easily be found online, and stuff them with traditional ingredients like cotija cheese.
Slice into this skull chocolate cake, and explain how you're celebrating your loved ones, guiding them and sharing great stories from when they were alive.
I like my job. I want to get ahead and I work hard and fast.
This irritates two of my coworkers. When I pass their desks, I overhear them make comments like, “Don't get in the way of the speed demon.” I don't understand why they resent the fact that I work fast. I'm not doing it to make them look bad. I pretend I don't hear their comments.
Although I'm the youngest in the department, I thought doing a good job would be my route to a promotion to team lead. Two months ago, my supervisor told me that I was a front runner for the next opportunity since our current team lead is planning to move out of state in two months.
This morning, I heard through the grapevine that my supervisor is uneasy about promoting me because these coworkers dislike me, and team leads have to have good relationships with coworkers. I plan to go talk to my supervisor about this. What should I say?
If you go to your supervisor with this issue as a problem, you present him with an unresolved problem. If you instead try to first solve it or come to him with a potential solution, you increase your chances of gaining the promotion you seek.
Start by learning what you're up against. Do you irritate your coworkers with your speed or do they snipe at you because they dislike you for another reason? Do you threaten them with your youth or brains? Could part of the problem be you act superior because you speed through projects and thus infuriate coworkers who work more slowly?
In short, you need more information which these two coworkers possess. The next time you hear a comment, stop dead in your tracks and say, “OK, what am I doing that irritates you? Just tell me, so I can fix it.”
The good news, you have a month to figure this out as your current team lead is in place for the next two months. Also, you're learning two valuable lessons. First, while pretending to not hear comments works temporarily, it doesn't resolve anything. Second, it takes good relationships with coworkers as well as hard work to get ahead.
Finally, if you try to diplomatically figure out and resolve this problem, when you present the situation to your supervisor, he may realize the problem isn't with you, and it lies with your coworkers – and thus it is his issue to solve.
Welsh is a language spoken in Wales, which is part of the U.K., and a few other locales around the world. Although it is situated right next to England geographically, Welsh is not very similar to English at all. As a Celtic language, it's closer to languages like Irish and Gaelic than to what many of us speak, which lends an unusual flair to those of us who are not familiar with it.
Unsurprisingly, there are a ton of gorgeous, unique baby names that spring from the Welsh language that would make an awesome name for your little girl. You'll note that many of the following 32 names include "wen" or "wyn" as part of the name - that translates to "white," "blessed" or "fair." We've included the meanings of these great Welsh girl names, which might help steer you toward a future favorite.
Last week, one of my husband's and my marital tripwires was set off when one of our sons got sent home from day care with a fever. My husband and I both work from home, which can be convenient, but also makes it difficult to drop everything and stay home for the day with a child. We have a fairly predictable fight when this happens - one borne of stress and concern that stems from a very tricky topic: Whose time and work is worth more?
As we quarreled, my 4-year-old put his hands over his ears and said, “Stop it!” Then he made us apologize to each other. You might think that would have slowed us down, but with the fight not yet over, we still bickered until our little arbiter was dropped off at preschool and we could get on with our days.
My son's chiding made me wonder, though - were we causing him emotional harm by arguing in front of him? Or is it actually healthy and normal to show your kids what a marriage really looks like? For answers, I turned to parenting expert Joani Geltman, author of A Survival Guide to Parenting Teens.
SheKnows: Is there any upside to fighting in front of your kids?
Joani Geltman: Four year olds are very sensitive to their parents; they're just starting to recognize emotions in themselves and others. They're just starting to see another person's perspective, so there is a positive side not just to seeing that people aren't always nice to each other, but modeling forgiveness. Make sure they see you kiss and make up. But otherwise, it's not helpful to hide arguments from your kids - otherwise when they argue with people, they're going to feel like something's wrong with them. Conflict is a natural part of being human. If you feel in control enough to say, “I think we need to take this into another room,” do that, but not when it's about emptying the dishwasher. Otherwise, hiding arguments is not real life. If there's never any conflict in a family, there's no roadmap for what to do when there's conflict in their own lives.
SK: But surely some arguments are not meant for kids to overhear.
JG: You wouldn't want to talk about sex in front of them. You wouldn't want to brawl in front of them. I don't like to see parents degrading each other - that is a nonstarter. Calling names, very overt aggression, saying things like, “You did something to me,” - that shouldn't be in front of the kids because that becomes more personal to the kids than just being mad at each other... They need their parents to be secure. Plus, as they get older, if that's how kids are observing how people speak to each other, it gives them permission to be bullies. Just remember that there's a difference between a personal argument and one between two people who have had a long and frustrating day. And nobody wants to sit in on anybody's fight when it's personal - and it's very scary for a child.
SK: Should parents apologize to their children for arguing in front of them?
JG: I don't like parents to apologize for it. Then that takes away permission for their kids to express their anger when they feel it. I think it's more understanding their feelings and then showing them a positive resolution. If a child is upset about an argument instead of apologizing, you can say, “I see that made you feel uncomfortable and it was scary to see Mommy and Daddy fight, but we love each other and we made up. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy disagree just the same way you disagree with the way I told you to pick up your toys and you yelled at me. Sometimes we lose our tempers.”
SK: My 4-year-old tried to get us to stop arguing even though we weren't done with our fight yet. Should we have taken his lead?
JG: Kids are very bossy at that age. You can say, “We see that you're feeling upset,” but it's not really his role to order you to hug each other. Say, “I love Daddy and he loves me” and kiss and make up, but not at [your son's] request.
Halloween inspires a lot of cocktails that look creepy but don't taste like anything you'd go near the rest of the year. Skip the sticky-sweet liqueurs and food coloring. This punch is not only on theme for the holiday, but it's also a sophisticated and seasonal drink for grown-ups.
An ice ring or ice block will keep the punch cold, but you could serve it in ice-filled punch cups instead. For an even spookier punch, soak the lemon slices in grenadine to dye them. I like the rich flavor of pure pomegranate juice, but this recipe could also work with a pomegranate juice blend, such as pomegranate-cranberry. "Juice cocktails" are cheaper because they have added sugar and water, but they also have less flavor.
Fill a Bundt or loaf pan 3/4-full of water and freeze. Once it's solid, arrange the lemon slices on top of the ice. Carefully add more water until the pan is full and then freeze.
Combine all ingredients except sparkling cider in a punch bowl. Before serving, add the sparkling cider and ice ring or ice block.
PSL fans, we have an important announcement. As of today, Starbucks is serving Pumpkin Spice Whip as a free topping from now through the weekend to celebrate the PSL's 13th birthday.
Yes, it's made with real pumpkin.
Yes, it has the requisite cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove spices.
Yes, they'll put it on anything, not just PSLs. All you have to do is ask.
From Oct. 6 through 10, you can pick up a free happy birthday, PSL pin while supplies last. Are you basic enough for this pin? And the Pumpkin Spice Whip? Do you have your autumn sweater, scarf and seasonal boyfriend ready? Well then, you know what to do.
I love social media. It was literally designed for someone like me: a creative type who enjoys sharing, storytelling and expressing themselves. But as the years have gone by, we're only getting more apps, more sites, and more tools to do all of that stuff and well... it's overwhelming. How can one keep up?
Even though this is a bit unorthodox for me since I rarely posts tips of any kind, I wanted to share some social media hacks I've learned in hopes that I can help some people to navigate their social media usage in a more streamlined and less-stressful or time-consuming way. Some of you may know all of these or only a few. Either way, I hope you find them helpful.
One of the hardest things to build for your blog is reach. Coming up with new material has generally not been as issue for me, but once I find the time to actually write and publish a post I am NOWHERE NEAR done. I have to share the link online and cross my fingers that people will actually see it and read the damn thing.
Think about your Facebook experience: you're usually aimlessly scrolling from your phone in myriad locations: in a line at the grocery store, in church during a boring wedding ceremony (whatever, it's fine... we all do it), or on the couch while half-watching a movie.
In those scenarios, it's not always the best time to read an article or blog post, so you skip over it. You might make a mental note that you want to read it at some point, but chances are you'll forget and won't ever get the chance. So, what's the solution?
Facebook gives you the option to save a link. You can select that from the drop-down arrow on the top right of the post, save it, and not only will Facebook remind you to read it, but it will also show up in the "Saved" section on the left side of your home Facebook screen. Do you ever find yourself missing good stuff on the Internet (*cough* - like my posts)? Problem solved.
Feedly
A wonderful tool called "Google Reader" existed back in the day. It was a place where you could drop links to all your favorite blogs, and it would curate them all into one spot for easy viewing. Then on one terribly dark and sad day, Google announced they were getting rid of it.
Nooooo!
I quickly did some research and found out that Feedly essentially did the exact same thing, so off I went to join. Feedly is a literal lifesaver for me as a blogger who wants to stay in touch with all my Blogging Buddies who work their behinds off on this little craft.
I have EVERY single blog I read on there – along with my favorite popular websites – so I do not miss an update. And if you're totally overwhelmed after being at work all day and unable to read ANYTHING? Prioritize the most important first and read in the order that you can; saving others for later.
Or, if you're like me, read only your friends/fellow bloggers' stuff and then delete everything from the Buzzfeeds of the world. That "What Disney Princess Are You?" quiz ain't that important.
Turn On Notifications
Do you follow a ton of people on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter? I do, and if I have one of those days where I can't check the apps for a long period of time I feel like I miss EVERYTHING. And yes, I know what you're thinking: who cares?
For the most part, I agree with you – but it makes me super sad when I visit my brother's Instagram one day and realize he posted a picture or video of my niece days ago that I never saw. #SadFaceEmoji.
That said, I now have post notifications on for all the VIPs in my life: the people whose stuff I don't want to miss, the people who consistently post really great content, and the people who are always super supportive of me and I want to be sure to reciprocate. I do it on both Twitter and Instagram, but you can do it on Facebook, too. Don't turn on notifications for EVERYONE, though, guys. That's just silly.
Turn Off Notications
Ever sign on to Facebook and see a grandiose announcement? A pregnancy, an engagement, a new home purchased? Or maybe it's really sad news like a death in the family. Admit it: you've wanted to write something in the comments but you *know* you're about to get inundated with notifications after everyone else in the universe posts after you. I get it.
But here's my little trick: when Jack and Jill post that over-the-top cheeseball "WE'RE ENGAGEDDDDDDDD!" status update, I write my obligatory "ZOMG CONGRATS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!" and then IMMEDIATELY do this:
Turn off notifications from that drop down menu for the single post. You're welcome.
Twitter Lists
Last one! If you're on Twitter(I gotta say, it's one of my favorites) I'm really not sure you can fully enjoy it if you don't separate the users you follow into lists. Twitter allows you to create a list, give it a name (a few examples of mine: Friends, Blog Faves, Dating/Single Life, NYC, Celebs I Love) and drop in certain Twitter uses based on what category they fall into.
Why is this so great? Again, if you're pressed for time and hop on Twitter and ONLY want to see what your friends – the people you know in actual real life – are posting, you can check them first. Or maybe you're feeling down and want read some funny tweets: head on over to the list you created of your favorite comedians or just downright hilarious regular folks. I VERY rarely go on Twitter and start viewing my timeline chronologically... ain't nobody got time for that.
Well, those are my favorite social media tricks. I know you guys must have some for me – let me know in the comments!
Kanye West has been causing controversy on Twitter again, and while you'd usually brush that off as old news, the reason for the latest backlash is interesting.
Over the weekend, West took to Twitter to share the casting call for his Yeezy Season 4 fashion show - and judging by the reactions to it, it's not winning him any friends.
The rapper has come under fire for what many believe to be an inappropriate casting call. It reads, "Multiracial women only … No makeup please come as you are."
Kanye West Twitter
Kanye West Twitter
People have been quick to share their views on what the term "multiracial" implies, and how West is going to verify it.
West has yet to respond to the controversy, but we doubt he minds the publicity it's generating as his line is set to debut in just two days' time on Sept. 7 at the opening of New York Fashion Week. And according to Daily Mail, despite the backlash, there were still a lot of people who went to the audition, as lines were seen around the block from the studio in Manhattan.
What do you think of Kanye West's casting call? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
If you're a kid, it's always enjoyable to think up the perfect gift for grandma. Her unconditional kindness is absolutely lovable. When you hear stories about grandma being strict and angry, it is hard to believe. She's always neutral and sometimes even on your side when you fight with your parents.
She is always so happy to see you and the rest of the gang! She deserves to smile, and that's why hunting for a gift for grandma is an extra special one!
Let's stray away from the tacky shirts and merchandise that say #1 Grandma, and let's get thoughtful with this one. No matter what gift grandma receives, she will be overjoyed and grateful. Her appreciation for any gift gives more of a reason to make sure she receives the best of the best! Here I have put together some perfect ideas and gifts for the perfect grandma!
Image: Steven DePolo via Flickr via Creative Commons license
Appetizer Set
Grandma absolutely loves visits at her house from all the family! And, she definitely worships her fancy expensive china set that she has. But truth be told, she does cringe when she has to use it worrying that one of the younger ones may accidently drop it or knock it down.
Therefore, get her a nice ceramic appetizer set! Let her host her favorite guest visits and enjoy it without a worry. The most important part of the gift is the message. With an adorable ceramic appetizer dish set, you are letting her know that you are looking forward to the many more upcoming visits with grandma. She will definitely love that.
Handmade Pillow
Make it extra personal by spending more time on your gifts to grandma! With grandma being so mindful and absolutely grateful, she will definitely appreciate all the effort you put into your special gift.
Try sewing a little pillow for grandma with some embroidery of something special to her. Do you know where grandma met grandpa? Do you know grandma's favorite place? Did you go on a trip just the two of you? Embroider an iconic structure or map of the location on the front of your pillow.
You can practically stitch anything, so don't restrict yourself to a place. If she loves gardening or nature, decorate your pillow with a flower or tree! Grandma will definitely hold this gift close.
Coupon Book
Grandma is in love with so many things around her, but her favorite things cannot be bought and are absolutely priceless. Grandma holds the love and time with others very close to her heart. After many years of wisdom, she knows the most important things in life are the things money can't buy.
How do we put this in a gift form? Try out handmade coupons. Make them on the computer or by hand, and make it everlasting by laminating it at a retail store.
Grandma may have trouble calling you and redeeming her coupons because she may feel that she is a burden and a bother. After some time, give her a call and express that you are upset she hasn't redeemed any of her coupons. She will definitely love to hear that you are waiting and immediately want to call you. Here are some ideas for coupons:
1 hug for Grandma
20 minute Walk with Grandma
An immediate visit with Grandma
Afternoon tea hour with Grandma
Shopping for grandma is not difficult at all. She is grateful and happy for all the gifts she receives. But, the best gifts don't require much shopping. Grandma is at her happiest when she receives love from the people she loves the most: her family.
All of the gifts listed above have a deeper priceless emotion attached. The ceramic dish set shows her that there will be many more visits with grandma from you and the rest of the family. The time taken to sew a pillow just for grandma is priceless and, to top it all off, to embroider something special to her on it makes your gift absolutely incredible.
Lastly, each and every coupon gives grandma special bonding time with her favorite grandchild. To send such a deep emotion to grandma is priceless and she deserves nothing but the best.
My friendship love affair with the so-called "brazen hussies" of the world began in kindergarten. My teacher assigned me a seat next to a pocket-sized blonde who looked like Tinker Bell but had the mouth of a pirate. While my plan was to pretend I didn't have a bladder that first week of school, she'd stand up in the middle of story time and announce to 23 5-year-olds that she had to pee.
Before our teacher gave her permission to go, she's be halfway out the door with a bathroom pass attached to a string dragging on the floor behind her. If the boys required a verbal ass-kicking, she could slay them in three words and win back the toys they stole from us. One day, while coloring pictures in our phonics books, I looked over and noticed Tinker Bell had taken a purple crayon to all of our perfectly nice, beige two-dimensional phonics people. After that, I made it my mission to become her best friend.
Tink now lives in Massachusetts with her wife and three children, where she continues to defy stereotypes and pee whenever the hell she damn well pleases. The world needs Tink - and quiet introverts like me need bold, nervy and, yes, vocal women like Tink. You are the peanut butter to our chocolate. We're both delicious enough on our own, but put us together and we become the most mind-blowing of combinations.
Tink eventually moved from our neighborhood and changed schools. Over the years, we grew apart. But other Tink-types would replace her and it didn't take long for me to realize I mesh well with vocal women. While I refused to settle my gaze within 10 feet of my junior high school crush, my daring BFF was moseying up to hers every morning in the gymnasium and slipping him love letters. She couldn't have cared less whether he felt the same way about her.
The important thing was that she felt the love and she was going to make him know she was the best thing to ever walk in Doc Martens. I didn't understand how she could be so bold and she couldn't fathom why I'd waste precious time pining in secret and penning poetry about this boy when I could find out, that very afternoon, where I stand and simply move on if my love was unrequited.
In the years that followed, other strong, but totally not silent types, would enter my universe and fill it with adventure and life lessons. People would always label me the "quiet one" and call my friends the "crazy ones" or the ones with "big mouths." Most couldn't understand why we chose each other at all. Each time I brought a new friend home and my mother heard that laugh - the uninhibited, throaty, gorgeous laugh all "wild" girls share - she would raise her eyebrows and tell me in private that they were going to get me in trouble. Their moms, on the other hand, loved me, which pissed off my friends to no end. "It's because you're quiet. She has no idea how you really are."
I sometimes wonder what my brazen friends got out of our friendship deal. Loyalty, maybe, and trust. The knowledge that whatever they confided in me was never repeated. I gave them a white room where they could paint their thoughts in bold, squiggly streaks of crimson and, when I contributed my own, they appeared in straight lines of China blue. Neither style nor shade is better than the other and we both purged in ways that were comforting to us, without judgment and without competing for the brighter color.
And I love them - their madness, their ability to live on 11 and shout "fuck you!" and throw their arms around someone without wondering if there will be a consequence.
But I can't help but feel they've given me so much more.
The co-worker-turned-friend who realized I admired her lax attitude toward casual sex and her amazing stories, but encouraged me to honor myself and not aim to be a person I'm not.
The friend who told me I'd be crazy not to wear that short red dress on my first date with my husband.
The friend who pointed me in the direction of therapy when she noticed I was running away from past issues. Being the "quiet one" isn't the same thing as being the "emotionally bottled-up quiet one" and she was honest enough with me to not allow me to become a shadow of myself.
The bold sister-in-law who wouldn't let me stoically suffer in silence in the hallway of a hospital when I was in labor - who told my doctor to get his F-ing act together.
Brazen, outgoing women, we love you, we need you, we honor you. Never change.
The View secured another official co-host today. Sara Haines is set to join Whoopi Goldberg, Candace Cameron Bure, Joy Behar, Raven-Symoné and Paula Faris for the 20th season of the show's run. Haines isn't as much of a household name as some of her other co-hosts, so we thought we'd take a second to introduce you to the newest member of the Hot Topics table.
She's sorta great at everything
Haines is an all-around talent. She was born in Iowa and moved to Massachusetts to attend Smith College. While she was there, she played basketball and volleyball for the school. She obviously didn't pursue a career in pro sports, but she still participates in triathlons regularly. The girl cares a lot about being active!
Haines comes to The View from ABC News and Good Morning America. She started her career on The Today Show, playing around with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb during their fourth hour. She was there for four years before she moved over to lifestyle reporting for ABC News and became a pop news anchor for Good Morning America. This morning show routine is second nature to her by now.
You've probably seen her on The View before
If she looks familiar to you, it's because Haines has actually been a guest host at the Hot Topics table more than 30 times. That experience may be her most valuable because the women of The View aren't known for backing down from their opinions. We have a feeling she won't have any problem getting her voice out there.
Haines' Instagram is full of two things - her awesome times on set and her adorable Chihuahua puppy. She's not shy about how much she loves her dog and wants to take him everywhere she goes. For any dog lovers in the audience, this is a sign she can be trusted completely.
She's part of an adorable family
Sara Haines family
Sara Haines family
Haines lives in Brooklyn with her handsome husband, Max Shifrin, and her adorable baby son, Alec. Honestly, there might not be a cuter baby than Alec.
Back in 2014, Haines wrote an article for Cosmopolitan telling everyone how she managed to land her spot on Good Morning America, and this girl doesn't stop working. She talks about having total hustle and making sure not to waste a single opportunity.
She wrote, “The biggest thing I learned while I was a page is that you have to be a sponge and soak in everything because new things, people, lessons are all around you if you are open to letting them in. The problem many people have is that they are so busy worrying about what they are working toward, or the 'next' in their life, that they miss out on the 'right now.'”
It sounds like The View picked an incredible co-host to add to the team. It'll be fun to watch her add her point of view to the show in the fall.
Writing is a compulsion, a necessity, for me. A voice, from somewhere deep within, keeps telling me that I need to write to be happy, to make sense of everything that goes on around me.
Basically, it tells me that to live I need to write. This nagging voice somehow perceives my innermost feelings, even desires. It knows too well that I love to write. And I must admit, the voice is right. I may not be a great writer, but writing gives me perspective, solace and helps me go on in life. So, write I must.
But wanting to write and actually being able to write, on any given day, are entirely different things. Trust me, I know.
If juggling work and writing weren't hard enough before, it has become more so with an eight-month-old at home. Well, what can I say, a baby takes precedence over everything else! So, no matter how well I plan my day, words refuse to form when I finally get a chance to write.
Truth be told, most of my days are filled with activities carefully planned, one after the other. Everything needs to fit into a tight schedule, writing being no different. Of course, the problem with that is, you never know if you are actually going to be able to write at that given point in time. It just doesn't offer the cushion that spontaneity does. But you have got to work with what you got, don't you?
Going through a period of not being able to write spells discomfort for me; more so if the reasons are the lack of time or fatigue. Going too many days without being able to hit that publish button on my blog is never good for my sanity either.
Hence, with that in mind, here's what I do to enable myself to write even on the longest of days. Here's what I do to create an atmosphere to write within my crazy schedule. These are just simple things that I do to forget the fatigue, the mental block and basically just shut off the outside world to get lost in the written word.
Get my writing groove on, so to speak. These are things which help me concentrate and bring about spontaneity, even in a planned schedule.
Music
Everything is somehow better with music in the background. I always knew that music was therapeutic, but I've learned that writing is more enjoyable and spontaneous when done while listening. So, music is what I turn to for writing at the end of a long hard day.
Just like the body swaying to the melody while dancing, my pace slowly picks up, my fingers type almost in tune, my mind sways to the symphony and word after word start forming in front of my eyes. It is especially satisfying when the music is instrumental mixed with sounds of nature. I may be exhausted but somehow all that vanishes when my fingers type in sync with a song. Words and music really do form the perfect harmony!
Books
I have seen that every time I read a good book or even a good piece of writing somewhere, I'm filled with an eagerness to put pen to paper. A drive engulfs me, and then it's just a matter of typing the words. So, all you need is to spend some time on a good piece of writing -- books, blogs, newspaper articles, anything -- for the desire to create something compelling take over you. Once that happens, a good post is just a few keystrokes away.
Tranquility
To write is to listen to your innermost whispers. And the best way to listen to yourself is to be away from the noise that everyday life is full of. Of course, it is not possible to find this invigorating silence when you have a baby at home or when you are running from one task to the other at colliding speeds.
But look for it, you must. I find my quota of calm when everyone at home is asleep. I just go to my corner and give time to my thoughts. And most times, those few moments of peace and quiet are my stimulus to write. After that, it flows with the force of a mountain spring.
Meditation
If I can be honest with you, meditating is not really my cup of tea. Well, the day just doesn't have enough hours in it for me to make it a steady companion. But some days the office work gets too hectic or the little one gets too cranky, writing threatens to become a chore rather than an enjoyable activity.
It is during those trying moments that a few minutes of deep breathing to still my nerves comes to the rescue. If only I could include it in my daily schedule! Once you quieten the upheaval within you, writing goes back to being a joy.
Reading Old posts
One of the best ways to push yourself to write, and write better, too, is to go through your old posts. I often do this. You not only get the pleasure of seeing how you have grown as a writer, but you also sometimes realize how much your thinking has changed. It fills you with the zeal to create something new again. And voila, there you have a new blog post. All you need to do is translate those thoughts into words.
Community
There are times when none of the above work. None at all. That's when I turn to my blogging community which has been with me for the better part of my writing journey. Whenever I'm stuck or can't find time, this very community somehow helps in overcoming that deadlock.
A community which shares your love for writing is indispensable. While your family might know about your love for it, they might not necessarily understand it like a fellow writer.
So, these were some of the things I try to do or turn to when my writing needs rescuing. Or, when I need to warm up to write on a busy day. Tell me about you. What do you do?
PS: A version of this post was published on Write Tribe.
What's the correct number? If they've slept with “too few” people, you'll look at them as some kind of chaste prude; but if they've slept with a number you deem “too high,” something must be wrong with them.
In my short lifetime, I feel like we've made a lot of developments in regards to relationships, sex, and sexuality.
While homophobia is by no means a thing of the past, marriage equality is law in the United States and is becoming more normalized. Sex doesn't immediately frighten us the way it used to. While most of our other social issues are still wildly out of control (see: racism, police brutality, transphobia, fatphobia, sizeism, classism, xenophobia, etc. etc. etc.), we're slowly cultivating a society in which we're capable of discussing these topics openly and free of judgment.
Though that isn't perfect, it's an important first step.
That being said, I'd like to open the floor to a discussion I think is long overdue, but somehow still manages to rear its ugly head in our casual conversation as well as our pop culture.
Can we please stop asking our partners how many people they've had sex with?
I'm trying to find a way to explain the importance of this without simply typing “It's fucking 2016, c'mon already” over and over again.
Let's take a moment to address the obvious sexist connotations that come with this idea. While disparaging someone based on their number of sexual partners is something I've definitely heard from men and women, this idea is heavily skewed towards degrading and slut shaming women.
Growing up as a cis dude among mostly straight cis dudes, I've heard a lot of men make comments about how sleeping with a woman who's “been around” would lack any pleasure because she'd be “stretched out.” I've heard (and made, in my shittier days) a lot of bad jokes about sex with a woman being like “throwing a pencil into the Grand Canyon.”
See all the sarcastic quotation marks I'm using? I hope it properly signifies what bullshit that is.
I'm not going to give you a detailed lesson on how the vagina works. I'm far from an expert on vaginas (ask my ex - ba-dum-TSH!).
But here's something you should know, Shitty Dude making Shitty Comments: The vagina actually loosens up during arousal to allow for successful penetration.
If all the women you're sleeping with are super-tight, it's possibly because none of them are aroused by you, your backwards fitted cap, your pinky rings, or your soul patch.
As long as you are using any appropriate protection (and getting tested every 3-6 months -I know, it sucks, but better safe than sorry), let's stop feeling the need to treat your significant other like you're saving them from a life of debauchery and bar bathroom quickies.
Now that the awkward Sex-Ed lesson is over, let's talk about the underlying issue with asking your partner how many people they've slept with: Why the fuck does anybody care?
I'm not writing this in order to get defensive about my number of partners, by the way. I've had sex with around 25 people since the end of 2012, and I'm perfectly proud of and comfortable with that number.
However, asking someone you're dating about how many people they've slept with is a question meant to make them feel ashamed.
What's the correct number? If they've slept with “too few” people, you'll look at them as some kind of chaste prude; but if they've slept with a number you deem “too high,” something must be wrong with them. This idea is a trap, made to shame and guilt people with different sexual experiences and ideologies than you into feeling as though they've done something bad.
When I've asked people I'm sleeping with why they care how many people I've slept with, they often respond with, “If you've been with a lot of people, I wouldn't feel as special.”
First of all, no.
What you're doing is equating sex with intimacy, and though there's often a crossover between the two, one doesn't inherently mean the other. I'll discuss that in another piece later this week, so let's focus on another aspect of this problematic idea.
You don't feel special, just because I've slept with other people in the past?
I mean, I don't want to be all there's enough Matt Diaz to go around, but there's at least enough Matt Diaz to sleep with multiple people years apart and still have a romantically and emotionally fulfilling experience every time.
One of my favorite writers, John Green, once described this ridiculous idea using a metaphor that I love but will almost certainly misquote. Here's the general idea:
Let's say I start eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream. As I go along, I try different flavors I come across and think I might be interested: Cherry Garcia, Americone Dream, Chubby Hubby.
Over time I come across Chunky Monkey and decide that this is it - this is the flavor I want for the rest of my life.
However, Chunky Monkey says to me, “You've tried 28 other flavors before me - I don't feel special!”
Well damn, Chunky Monkey. I can't go back and un-eat all of those ice creams, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate your banana-flavored goodness.
(Shit. Now I want ice cream.)
Your sexual history does not increase or decrease your worth.
You aren't a napkin that's used up and deserves to be tossed aside; you're a human being, and no number of trips to the boneyard can take that away from you.
As long as you are using any appropriate protection (and getting tested every 3-6 months -I know, it sucks, but better safe than sorry), let's stop feeling the need to treat your significant other like you're saving them from a life of debauchery and bar bathroom quickies.
If you and I are in a monogamous relationship, our number of current sexual partners is the same: one. That should be all that matters, because regardless of how many one night stands or prior relationships I've had, those experiences do not detract from my ability to love you.
If anything, those experiences have granted me the perspective and knowledge to care for you more thoroughly.
My compassion for you is not a fuel gauge that starts at the beginning of my life and dissipates as the wrong people come into and walk out of my life. My compassion for you is a wick, a flame ignited each time you come into the room and demand to be seen in the light. I am not at risk of running out of love to give just because I've given love to others before you.
We shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of our pasts, just because they're different from what we want in the present.
As a writer, you always kind of hate to take a fellow writer to task. We're an eclectic bunch with opinions as sharp and varied as shards of glass, yet there's an inherent solidarity in the way we lay our voices (and souls) bare for the world through our words.
But, as is often the case in life, sometimes you come across something you just can't let fly under the radar - and, today, that something comes by way of a specific subset of my peers: The male journalists who are spinning the sexualization and oversimplification of women into a trend.
You may know them as the dudes who write sexist think pieces about actresses, female musicians and other women in entertainment.
This think piece is for you, guys.
Last month, you - and very specifically music critic Art Tavana - penned an overtly inflammatory think piece in LA Weekly about 23-year-old musician Sky Ferreira. It started by comparing Ferreira's breasts to that of Madonna's.
"Boobs", "knockers", "killer tits", all were qualifiers you used in describing these women who, last time I checked, didn't play guitar or sing to sold out arenas with their breasts.
And just when we thought there was a sliver of a chance you were attempting to (and failing at) being satirical, you described Ferreira as being "too nasty to be anyone's schoolgirl fantasy."
Image: FayesVision/WENN
Congratulations! In one article supposedly about the promising future of an up-and-coming pop star, you managed to reduce not one, but two incredibly talented women to little more than the sum of their actual, anatomical parts.
The focus stalled out on Ferreira's perceived sexiness and never shifted into her actual craft. Because a woman's talent is, what? Contingent on her sex appeal?
For her part, Ferreira did not take kindly to being the wet dream you wordsmithed - she responded accordingly in a series of scathing tweets underscoring that she is "obviously a lot more than my 'sex appeal' or my 'knockers.'"
Sadly, though, Tavana isn't the only male journalist getting his rocks off by weighing in on how women in Hollywood look and why that's important to him.
Last week, Variety's Chief Film Critic, Owen Gleiberman, devoted an entire think piece to why he is so damn concerned about Renée Zellweger's face. In an article titled, “Renée Zellweger: If She No Longer Looks Like Herself, Has She Become a Different Actress?" the writer cited his concerns with how our "vanity-fueled image culture" is sparking an epidemic of women in Hollywood suffering from a "rejection of self."
In no uncertain terms, Gleiberman admits he feels betrayed by the fact Zellweger doesn't look exactly like she did, say, five or ten years ago. And, what's worse, he tenders this complaint under the guise of concern... a sexist, ageist insult cloaked in a compliment.
Sure, Zellweger was beautiful, he said. Just not Julia Roberts beautiful, he said. Like Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Fontaine and Bette Davis, Zellweger was never one of Hollywood's "beauty contest winners," he said.
Image: WENN
Gleiberman wrapped up his reductive observations about women by lamenting the "fascist standards of the new American beauty." Here is a man, writing an entire article devoted to devaluing a woman's professional worth based on her appearance, wondering why women in Hollywood feel so compelled to alter themselves to conform to such standards of beauty.
The irony of it is almost too much to bear.
Then, on Thursday, yet another illuminating commentary emerged from the camp of men who write about women in the entertainment industry through the lens of their looks, their sexuality.
This one comes courtesy of Rich Cohen, the co-creator of HBO's Vinyl, author of several books and a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair - the latter of which housed his ridiculous think piece on cover subject, Margot Robbie.
"America is so far gone, we have to go to Australia to find a girl next door. In case you've missed it, her name is Margot Robbie. She is 26 and beautiful, not in that otherworldly, catwalk way but in a minor knock-around key, a blue mood, a slow dance. She is blonde, but dark at the roots. She is tall but only with the help of certain shoes. She can be sexy and composed even while naked but only in character."
Wait, what? On my first pass of Cohen's first paragraph, I felt certain this was some sort of misunderstanding. Perhaps he was going to use this unabashedly sexist introduction to segue into something more meaningful. Perhaps he was going to make a point other than the one everyone was reading between the lines: Cohen was sporting a stiff one for Robbie.
But, tragically, that was pretty much the gist of it. And when - after expounding at length about how her seductiveness nearly overshadows her ambition - he asks her point blank about her graphic sex scenes in The Wolf of Wall Street and how she prepared for them, you can basically picture her "painfully blue eyes" searching for the nearest exit.
Which, for the record, she found and took with little hesitation.
"We sat for a moment in silence. She was thinking of something; I was thinking of something else," he wrote. "Then she stood, said good-bye, and went to see a friend across the room."
For the record, Cohen, we're all pretty sure we know what you were thinking about. As for Robbie? Well, aside from scanning for that exit, she was probably wondering how she just sat through such a sexist exploitation of her time.
So, here's the thing, guys - don't. Just don't. For the love of all things holy, don't. If you start to write an article and think writing about women in a way that is undeniably misogynistic is somehow avant-garde and appropriately provocative, just don't.
Women's bodies are not foddered for your entertainment; women's bodies do not exist for you. Not for your viewing pleasure, not to sensationalize your think pieces, not to sub in when you have no other original thoughts rattling around in your head.
Women's bodies and our looks are not tied to our worth.
Who told you it was a good idea to start writing about women like this? Who gave your obviously sexist article the stamp of approval and set it live? They did you a disservice, dude. Unless you grow ovaries sometime in the near future, please refrain from writing about women's bodies in a way that is marginalizing and, quite frankly, gross.
Women can do whatever they want with their bodies. You cannot do whatever you want with women's bodies, and speaking about them like this makes you seem predatory. It feels like a violation. You see how that works?
I'm not saying there aren't any male journalists who write about women with the respect they deserve and who direct the focus of their think pieces where it belongs: On women's talents and contributions to the entertainment industry.
And I'm not saying male journalists shouldn't write about women at all. The respectful ones I just described are doing a damn good job of it.
In fact, I encourage men to write about women in Hollywood from an allied perspective - we need more men taking a firm stance against pressing social issues that women struggle with like ageism and gendered double standards.
What we don't need are any more Tavanas, Gleibermans and Cohens churning out ill-conceived sexist think pieces.
Image: 
