I remember my first run-in with an gnarly ingrown hair clearly. I was studying abroad in France, and thanks to a particularly tight pair of stockings and a whole lot of walking, a tiny bump developed into a nub so angry and inflamed, I had to name it. (Also, to amuse my friends.) Its très chic moniker was Claudette. I picked and prodded at Claudette, the trapped hair from hell, with absolutely zero success. After a few days, my skin calmed down and the lump shrank to a smaller, more manageable size before disappearing. Luckily, I was able to forget about the incident... until recently.
Last week, I found myself laying half-naked on a massage table at Haven Spa in New York City. Only I wasn't getting a massage; I was getting the spa's Peach Smoothie treatment, colloquially known as a "vajacial." As you might've guessed, the treatment is a facial designed specifically to treat the skin around your vagina. It aims to free your bikini line of ingrown hairs, prevent future ones from forming, and brighten up the area that never sees the sun (unless your name is Shailene Woodley).
The idea isn't new, but seeing as I've tried everything from high-frequency facials to a bite massage, I figured I needed to have this kooky treatment under my belt (sorry, I had to).
The experience itself was shockingly efficient — it took less than 30 minutes, and was hands-down one of the most practical — and surprisingly fun — beauty services I've ever tried. All I had to do was trim my pubic hair, take off my underwear, and sit back.
My aesthetician, Marta, made the entire experience 100% painless and comfortable — and she also made me laugh, a lot. The treatment began with a gentle cleanse (Marta wore gloves the entire time) followed by hot towel. Not going to lie: It felt really good (and not in a sexual way — get your head out of the gutter). She then slicked on an exfoliating mask to prep my skin for the fun part: extractions.
Extractions, in my opinion, are the best part of any facial. Having a professional remove all the gunk and dirt from your pores is glorious — whether it's on your nose or your vagina (yes, technically, it's the vulva, we know). After removing all of the ingrown hairs she could get, Marta finished off with a soothing clay mask and layer of toner. Because I had picked so hard at Claudette two years ago, a thin layer of scar tissue had formed and the result was a hard, encased ingrown that Marta was unable to remove. The lesson here? Never. Pick. Your. Ingrowns.
Instead, slather on an exfoliating ingrown hair serum like Whish's Ingrown Hair Serum or PFB's Vanish Serum — both of which have Marta's stamp of approval. I'm also a huge fan of Fur's Fur Oil, which not only hydrates your pubic area and coarse hair, but contains antimicrobial tea tree oil and inflammation-reducing clary sage oil to prevent ingrown hairs in the first place (it's the perfect product to slap on post-shave). For $55, I'd say the Peach Smoothie is well worth 30 minutes of semi-awkwardness. The vagina steam, though? I'm going to hold off for now...
Haven Spa Peach Smoothie, $55, available at Haven Spa.
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Melissa Mark-Viverito isn't your typical politician.
In 2014, after serving on the City Council in New York City for eight years, she was elected City Council Speaker, making her the first Latina (and the first Puerto Rican) ever to hold a citywide office.
Fierce and outspoken like so many Puerto Rican mujeres before her, Mark-Viverito is a staunch progressive whose mission has been to defend the rights of women, immigrants, and city workers. And now, in the era of the Trump administration, she isn't holding back when it comes to the causes that matter most to her.
Term limits dictate that she must step down from her current post after this year, but Refinery29 attended Mark-Viverito's final State of the City address last week. In it, she spoke defiantly — in English and Spanish — about women's reproductive rights, the contributions of immigrants, and why we need to fix the criminal justice system.
We also had the chance to talk to Mark-Viverito about some of the policies she plans to enact this year, what advice she has for women interested in running for office, and why we shouldn't be afraid to fight back. Here's what she had to say.
You're pushing to make birth control free for all New York City women, and for the State Legislature to pass the Reproductive Health Act. Why are these proposals important?
"Women's reproductive rights have always been under attack. Even when we have a Supreme Court decision upholding them, there's still always attempts to try to take away some of them. The national conversation is about taking away the Affordable Care Act (and specifically, the ability for women to get access to birth control), the attacks on Planned Parenthood, and what exactly does that mean for women's health care and reproductive health care.
"We have taken steps here in the city and continue to affirm a woman's right and access to birth control if she chooses to."
How does your proposal to modify sex ed classes in public schools play into affirming women's reproductive rights and empowering them?
"Sexual health education is important for both men and women. And I hope we can stop stigmatizing the issues.
"If young women have access to the right information, they make healthier decisions for themselves... hat will impact their body, their lifestyles. They'll know about access to birth control, how to look for birth control. This is important stuff and we want women to know about STDs. We want young women to know, and also young men to know, about the issue of sexual [assault.] Make sure there's safe spaces for them to look for help and resources, to know what is right and know what is wrong.
"We continue to stigmatize that, we continue to stigmatize information about our bodies. And all that does is really make it more difficult for women to lead healthier lives. I feel very strongly about improving our curriculum."
"That's what we're trying to do, is to create a network, locally. There are some organizations at the national level, like EMILY's List and others, but we wanted to create a network at the local, grassroots level. [We want] women who are interested in running to know there's a place for them to go. We want to encourage women to consider this as an option. A lot of times one of the reasons women run for office is because they've been asked. It's not something that comes naturally to them. We wanted them to know this is a legitimate career opportunity and we want them to see this is a way for them to contribute [and give] back to their communities.
"[If they want to run for office,] women should be interested in this. They need to look for support from other women, who can encourage them to move forward. That can give them advice, counsel them.
"You need strong role models that can really give you direction and who will know how to best help you. For me, I was approached. Strong women in my life told me, 'Melissa, you should look at this as an option and we want to help you.' We want to create that for other women."
You mentioned in your speech that you read all of the tweets you receive, even the mean ones. We know that women in particular are subject to a lot of abuse online. What would you tell a woman who wants to run for office, but is scared of being exposed like that on social media?
"That this may be scary, but it's part of the job. The more we challenge the people that try to put us down, the more we challenge the sexism and misogyny, that's the way we uproot sexism and misogyny. We can't let it overtake us, we have to push back against it. There's going to be those who don't want to see me in this position because I'm a woman, because I'm a Latina in particular. I experienced that when I was running for Speaker. So we have stop saying, 'Okay, you win.' Some of us have to take the risk and be willing to take the hit, and be willing to push back.
"This isn't easy. But if you're interested in fighting back and improving the quality of life for people who have been marginalized, people that have been discarded, for women... Then you have to be a pioneer. You have to put yourself on the front lines."
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You know a trend has caught on when you start seeing it everywhere. But with so many options comes the question: Which one is actually Worth It? Every Tuesday, we're looking at a different fashion girl favorite and the varying price points it comes in, and letting you know — straight up — how much you should really be spending. You work hard for your money; why not put it towards pieces that matter?
Patent everything has been one of the strongest trends we've seen on both the runway and the streets this fashion month thus far. Even though it's bold (and squeaks a bit when you walk), the street cred of patent pieces make them impossible to resist. And the patent jacket in particular has become a fashion-crowd favorite for looking super cool with minimal effort. But, how much should you really be spending on this shiny, statement-making goodness?
On the low end, you can find your statement piece of patent outerwear for under $40, and on the high end, believe it or not, they can exceed $1,000. But, with a sick sale (or just a good eye) you can find one that suits your budget and taste. Click on to see which patent jacket is really #WorthIt.
What You're Spending: $58 $34.50
What You're Getting: This material can admittedly look cheap quick, so while it's not the most expensive-looking jacket in the bunch, it's an easy way to tackle the trend without breaking the bank.
ASOS First & I Cropped Patent Leather Look Jacket, $58 $34.50, available at ASOS.
What You're Spending: $450 $157.50
What You're Getting: You're actually getting more than what meets the eye with this one. It's fully reversible, and you can even zip off the sleeves to turn it into a vest (plus it's currently on steep discount).
Tory Burch Fae Faux Patent-Leather Jacket, $450 $157.50, available at The Outnet.
What You're Spending: $348
What You're Getting: This moto definitely looks extra glossy and expensive, but at less than a designer price point. Reformation knows how to make cool-girl staples, and this one is made from surplus fabric, so it saves 32,952 gallons of water compared to the industry standard in the process of being produced (no joke).
The Reformation Soto Jacket, $348, available at The Reformation.
What You're Spending: $1,049 $567
What You're Getting: Wait, why is this almost 50% off? It feels almost too good too be true. This cropped style from Courrèges equally mod and futuristic, and it's the perfect transitional topper for many a miniskirt-and-tights outfit.
Courrèges Faux Patent-Leather Bomber Jacket, $1,049 $567, available at MatchesFashion.com.
What You're Spending: $592.51
What You're Getting: First of all, you're getting this amazing pink-fur collar, which only adds to the jacket's statement-making potential. It's also 100% leather (and the collar is 100% lambswool), so you're getting the real deal, which justifies the higher price a bit more.
Charlotte Simone Va-Va Varsity, $592.51, available at Charlotte Simone.
The Verdict: Go For The Designer Deal
We feel that Courrèges does this trend best: It's classic, flattering, and generally badass, plus it's majorly on sale at the moment. What's not to love? But, if this still feels like too much of a splurge, we'd probably go a step below with the eco-friendly Reformation version. Whichever you add to cart, you'll be entering the transitional-weather season in style.
Courrèges Faux Patent-Leather Bomber Jacket, $1,049 $567, available at MatchesFashion.com.
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Natalie Portman has acted in a whopping 54 films since her Hollywood debut in 1994. She's played intergalactic royalty, an elite ballet dancer, and most recently, a certain first lady. As you might expect for a thrice-nominated, Oscar winning actress, Portman transforms emotionally for each role. What we never realized, however, is just how many times the star has transformed physically.
To celebrate Portman's third Oscar nomination for her performance in Jackie, we recreated some of Portman's most iconic movie looks. Looking to recreate the dramatic stage makeup of Black Swan? Or, perhaps you'd rather don a Padmé Amidala-inspired 'do? Then this video will be right up your alley. Press play to watch it all go down — and be sure to let us know if you try any of these looks in the comments below.
Iceland's President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson made waves today when he called for a ban on pineapple on pizza, according to Iceland Magazine.
Jóhannesson was answering questions while visiting a North Iceland high school when he dropped the bombshell. A student asked him if he liked pineapple and he correctly said that he didn't, and then took things to an awesome place when he suggested that he would ban the vile topping entirely.
Let's be perfectly clear: Pineapple on pizza is a war crime. You do not ruin two perfectly good things by putting them together. This isn't peanut butter and chocolate. This is fire and gasoline. Pineapple is good. Pizza is good. Putting them together is like putting lipstick on a pig, then allowing that pig to beat you to death.
This is literally the only time I have agreed with unchecked executive power. Like Father's Office in Los Angeles, a restaurant which will just about kick you out if you ask for ketchup. (Ketchup, like pineapple on pizza, is gross.)
Jóhannesson, unfortunately, would not stick to his guns. He backtracked in a Facebook post that suggests that people try seafood on pizza instead. That's all well and good, but I prefer my image of him (formed five minutes ago) of a maniac dictator that believed in the rule of law except in matters of pizza.
"I like pineapples, just not on pizza," he wrote. "I do not have the power to make laws which forbid people to put pineapples on their pizza. I am glad that I do not hold such power. Presidents should not have unlimited power. I would not want to hold this position if I could pass laws forbidding that which I don´t like. I would not want to live in such a country. For pizzas, I recommend seafood."
We've all seen the Futurama episode where Fry hunts for anchovies to put on pizza, but this is taking things a little far. We don't believe cartoons should be signposts for national policy. We do believe in a far-reaching pineapple pizza ban. We further believe that such a ban would be Constitutional, and would hold up in a court of law.
Read his cowardly statement below.
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There's no question that Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) deserves a trophy for being the best new dad on TV. Whether he's cheering the loudest at his sons' football game or giving his daughter a much-needed pep talk, we don't deserve a human being as warm and lovely as Jack. That's why the reveal that our favorite mustached man didn't survive to see his kids turn 36 was so damn heartbreaking. Why must the good die young?!
While fans took Jack's mysterious death hard, no one seems to have a harder time with it than Kate (Chrissy Metz). Her father's death is a deep emotional wound and it's making some fans wonder if it's more than just his untimely passing that makes it such a hard thing for Kate to discuss. Could Kate have been the one to find Jack's body?
Reddit thinks so. A thread started by user south_chi_guy about the Pearson kids' different reactions to Jack's passing points brings up some interesting points about Kate. While Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) revealed pain surrounding their father's death (Kevin, for example, mentions that he destroyed all of the model airplanes he built with his dad) it's Kate who practically shuts down when how Jack died is discussed. Kate is comfortable mentioning her dad in terms of happy memories, but she's incapable of talking about how he died with anyone — even her fiancé Toby (Chris Sullivan).
In the episode "Jack Pearson's Son," Toby asks Kate to discuss Jack's death with him, because while he knows how he died, he doesn't know the specifics. Kate completely clams up, even stating that she can't "get the words out." That tracks with her behavior at the Pound Fitness class during her wellness retreat — she literally screams when she thinks about her dad's funeral, indicating that it's something she rarely thinks about. Could the reason for that be because she was the one who found Jack's body?
It would make sense. Some people believe that Jack died while Rebecca (Mandy Moore) was on tour with her band — making it far more likely that Kate is the one who finds Jack's body, as opposed to her mother. Then there's the theory that Jack drank himself to death in some way: We saw him fall of the wagon at his lonely Valentine's Day dinner, which may have been indicating trouble to come.
Kate's issues certainly seem, in part, to be wrapped up in Jack's death — and this heartbreaking theory might clear up some of our bigger questions.
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It looks like Michigan State University students are missing out on one major aspect of the college experience: dorm room whiteboards.
That's right, Spartans won't get to tell their roommates that they're in the cafeteria or let their fellow dorm dwellers know that they're looking for a road trip buddy for spring break. Because after someone wrote a racial slur on a whiteboard, the school decided to do away with them entirely.
According to MLive, The Lansing NAACP wrote on its Facebook page that "a young African-American honors student" had the "N-word" written on her whiteboard. After the incident, the school and the Michigan State University Police decided that the whiteboards had to go.
"It had become more of a distraction that a helpful tool," MSU Residential Services Communications Director Kat Cooper told WLNS. "Once in a while someone will write something that isn’t very nice."
Cooper added that whiteboards have been declining in popularity anyway, since students are more likely to use social media to ask questions and text their roommates directly. She also said that removing the whiteboards would be a way to stop bullying in the real world and encourage students to interact online, where we all know bullying never, ever happens.
Students disagreed, saying that the whiteboards were a lighthearted way to communicate and are useful for more than leaving messages: They're a way to boost morale and build a sense of community.
"People are going to say things no matter what, whether it's to their faces or on a whiteboard, it's just something you can’t always control," Sofia Sokansanj, a freshman at MSU, told WLNS. "Mostly I leave it up there for people to write [stuff] it's just kind of funny, it's like an anonymous thing you can put whatever you want, I just do it for fun."
The ban will go into effect this coming fall, so MSU students have the rest of the semester to leave inspirational quotes on each others' doors and ask about the location of the communal vacuum cleaner.
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If you've got wads of cash to drop and wear a men's size 7.5, there's a pair of sneakers with your name on it.
Not literally, because they were designed for Kobe Bryant, but you can fetch the limited-edition kicks for the cool price of $30,000.
Footwear News reports that an Air Jordan sneaker two-pack has hit sneaker consignment site Stadium Goods. Why does this particular pair of shoes command such a high price? For starters, you're getting a pair of Jordan 3s and a pair of 8s. Second, the shoes never went into production for the general public. Forget Yeezys. These make copping a pair of those seem like child's play.
Photo: Stadium Goods.
Originally designed for Bryant's 2002-2003 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, the shoes feature the team's gold, purple, and white colors. During that particular season, Bryant had ended his endorsement deal with Adidas, so he was a free agent when it came to shoes. Nike designed this set in an effort to convince Bryant to join the brand. Created just for him, the shoes never made it to your local Foot Locker. The flattery worked, because Bryant would go on to sign with Nike for the rest of his career, producing plenty of covetable sneakers in the process.
In 2016, the shoes resurfaced. Air Jordan decided to re-release the two-pack to commemorate Bryant's career. But here's the catch: They were only given to friends and family. The shoes missed the open market once again. Now, it appears some friend (or family) decided to part with their gift, because that's the only way a pair could up on the resale market.
With a story like that, a $30,000 price tag may not seem far-fetched. After over a decade in the Nike archives and a run so small that only Bryant and Nike BFFs can count themselves as owners, we're sure there's a collector out there willing to throw down the dough to own a piece of sneaker history.
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As much as I oooh and ahhh over weddings that look like they were ripped from Lauren Conrad's inspiration board, the actual act of planning a wedding seems completely and utterly exhausting. While it makes plenty of sense for the bride or groom to be fussing over flowers and centerpieces, it's often the people in the wedding party who are on the receiving end of a number of wedding-related tasks.
While it's obviously a huge honor to be asked to join your loved one in their matrimony celebration, I understand why it's oh-so-tempting to pass it up. (Especially when you're four stores in and still can't find that perfect peony dress.)
One person who gets it? Anna Kendrick.
While the Pitch Perfect actress might seem like exactly the celebrity you'd want at your wedding — she's charming, would give a funny speech, and even her drunk singing wouldn't be the worst — her interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers revealed that she's not so into the wedding thing. In fact, the Table 19 star would pretty much do anything to make sure she's never asked to be a bridesmaid, and that includes avoiding friendships.
"It's like watching your friends put on a little pageant...I feel like I've potentially avoided making very close female friends 'cause I don't want to be a bridesmaid. If you put me on an email chain, and tell me I have to wear ballet pink nail polish, I will kill you where you stand. It's a deal-breaker."
(Side note: The cast of Pitch Perfect seems pretty tight, no? Did Kendrick just reveal that she's not actually as close with her co-stars? Going to put back the pieces of my fractured heart, BRB.)
To be fair to Kendrick, this lady is busy: With the threequel to Pitch Perfect on its way and a slew of other movies on the horizon, she doesn't exactly have the time to dedicate to bridal showers and dress fittings. So while she may be your celebrity BFF, but don't count on her to hold your train as you walk down the aisle: Kendrick is not about that life.
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Someone needs to come and scrape this man's reputation up, because it's been pulverized and burnt to a crisp by his humiliating flub on Jeopardy.
We'll set the scene: Alex Trebek once again rapped. This time, there was a whole category about it. Everything was going relatively smoothly until Trebek rapped a fairly softball answer.
When we say softball, we mean that the name of the rapper was literally in the answer. This is beyond softball. This is tee-ball. This is tee-ball with a softball on it. The contestant did not answer correctly.
Good lord. We can't even begin to say how humiliating this is. Frankly, we'd like a doctor to go check on all of this man's friends, to be sure that they didn't injure themselves shaking their heads too hard. Also, CalTech should require at least a basic cultural proficiency requirement before they sell a sweatshirt to someone. You don't want to get put out there on national TV like that.
We think that the error may have to do with confusing Weezy for Yeezy. But Kanye doesn't have an "F" anywhere in any of his nicknames. Also, he doesn't really threaten people or use sports metaphors like in this rap. Also, "6 Foot 7 Foot" is a really famous song. And really you should know your Yeezys from your Weezys if you're going to take part in Jeopardy. So there's really no excuse.
Things weren't all bad. A group of online heroes has gathered together to praise Trebek's rapping. People called attention to his flawless rapping of multiple songs. He's got bars, what can we say.
I took Alex Trebek rapping on Jeopardy and did the only thing that felt right: Edit it to the music he was quoting. (🎥: @KennyDucey) pic.twitter.com/Tg8mxONBAj
The beauty and diet industries might make us believe cellulite is a problem to be fixed, or at least concealed. But in fact, 90% of women have it at some point, osteopathic physician Lionel Bissoon told Scientific American. And in a recent Instagram post, fitness trainer and blogger Anna Victoria calls out how ridiculous it is that we still fear it.
Two photos show Victoria with and without the cellulite on her arm visible, People reports. “Lighting. Is. Everything. 99% of pictures you see on social media are taken in the best possible lighting and that ain’t no accident,” she wrote.
"Yes, cellulite on your arms is a thing! I've had it since the beginning of my journey and while it's lightened up since then, it's still not totally gone...because I'm human. Seriously, girls, stop thinking you're the only one with cellulite and that it's some kind of disease!" Unfortunately, she then gives advice on how to reduce cellulite, which contradicts her original message: There's (seriously!) nothing unhealthy or unsightly about it. According to WebMD, it doesn't indicate a weight problem or any other medical problem, and the only reason to get rid of it is personal aesthetic preference.
Victoria and WebMD do agree on one thing: If you really want to get rid of cellulite, creams and other products created for that purpose don't work in the long run, so don't waste your money.
Other celebs including Ashley Graham and Lena Dunham have spoken out against cellulite shaming. Dunham recently posed on the cover of Glamour with the cellulite on her legs unphotoshopped, writing on Instagram, "Thank you to the women in Hollywood (and on Instagram!) leading the way, inspiring and normalizing the female form in EVERY form, and thank you to @glamourmag for letting my cellulite do the damn thing on news stands everywhere today."
Amen to that. No more stigmatizing the way women look, please.
For all the talk about #OscarsSoWhite, you would think that the Academy Awards had no examples of what acknowledging Black people’s work in film looks like. But they do. They modeled it in 2002. Denzel Washington became the second Black person to ever win Best Actor in a leading role for playing the crooked cop in Training Day. It was the same year they honored Sidney Poitier, Washington’s predecessor as the first Black man to win Best Actor in a leading role, with an honorary award. Halle Berry became the first Black actor to win Best Actress in a leading role for her part in Monster’s Ball. Even though she has a committed way too much of her time to defending the horrible actions of white people, Whoopi Goldberg hosted the event, which still counts towards their diversity extravaganza.
When Berry accepted her award, she held back tears as the weight of the moment was upon her. In her speech she said:
“This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge. Lena Horne. Diane Carol. It’s for the women that stand beside me. Jada Pinkett. Angela Bassett. Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless, faceless women of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.”
But no one has walked through it. Despite the successes of the 74th Academy Awards, Berry remains the only Black woman to have won the award. And 14 years later the Oscar’s were being boycotted by actors and viewers alike for a blatant lack of diversity. Things reached a fever pitch after April Reign created #OscarsSoWhite in order to bring attention to the fact that people of color were not being acknowledged for their work in film by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
After being put on blast, the Academy made drastic changes to its membership that have contributed to the changes we’re seeing in nominees of color. But diversity in Hollywood does not rest solely on the shoulders of the Oscars. Critically engaging with the question of who is being trained and hired to work both behind and in from of the camera? What resources and pipelines are being created so that Hollywood is no longer a good ol’ boys club? In ignoring these questions, diversity of the 2002 Oscars was merely a facade. And until these questions are at the forefront of conversations about diversity, I’m not sure how inclined I am to trust that these changes are here to stay.
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Brook Soso (Kimiko Glenn) and Poussey Washington (Samira Wiley) were an unlikely pairing on Orange Is The New Black. They came from incredibly different backgrounds and didn't always see eye to eye. But they cared deeply about each other, right up until (spoiler!) Poussey's dying breath.
The show's fourth season dove into Brook and Poussey's relationship, which touched on a myriad of issues. There was the heartbreaking moment when Brook told Judy King (Blair Brown) that Poussey suffered a rough life of poverty, with a mom addicted to crack. Of course, Poussey's life was quite the opposite — her family frequently moved, as her father was in the military. And if she hadn't been arrested for drug possession, Poussey would likely have graduated from West Point.
Making such a racially-charged claim, even in an attempt to help Poussey meet her idol, might have been the end of the road. But Brook and Poussey's bond was stronger than that of most inmates, and the moment became a learning opportunity in their relationship. It forced the two of them to learn a lot more about each others' backgrounds — and it led to Brook creating a Say Anything -inspired gesture to win Poussey back. It's impossible to hate Brook while she's holding an Eminem-playing radio so earnestly.
When Brook was first introduced on OITNB, we weren't sure exactly where her character would go. We saw her fight with former friend Leanne (Emma Myles) after mocking her Amish past. We saw flashbacks of Brook's desperate attempts to make a change through activism efforts, even when no one seemed to be listening. But her relationship with Poussey grounded Brook's character in the present. And when Poussey died, we all cried along with Brook.
The other reason the couple's relationship was so noteworthy is the fact that Brook didn't want to identify as gay — and Poussey was completely supportive of her decisions. Poussey didn't ever pressure Brook to label herself, or their relationship, instead encouraging her to focus on their happiness. She taught Brook to be less self-involved, and their relationship humanized Brook's character.
We'll miss Poussey next season, but it's safe to say Brook is definitely a different person than she was when she arrived at Litchfield. Check out some of Brook and Poussey's best moments in the video above.
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We all need money to survive, yet schools don't really teach us how to handle our finances. Money is still a pretty taboo topic of conversation in many circles. This is one reason so many people develop money problems as young adults. I was one of them.
I never learned how to spend within my limits, and I frequently spent on things I definitely didn’t need. I often felt fraught over the state of my spending habits, like I was out of control. While I never really got myself into deep debt, my mismanaged money was taking a toll on my emotions. I bought clothes whenever I felt like it, said yes every time someone invited me to dinner or drinks, and didn’t put much thought into saving for the future. I had no real understanding of what my spending should look like, and I was also scared that people would look down on me if I used money as an excuse not to hang out. I tied my worth to my bank account — and to the things I bought with that money.
However, I’ve learned that this way of living is not sustainable. These days, I’m living in Brooklyn (which is an expensive place to live, especially if you’re bad with money), I’m in the process of planning a wedding, and I’m a freelance writer (which means that I need to be on top of my income taxes, because they’re not taken out for me). It was time to get my finances in order.
I wanted to know how much I was currently spending, and on what — to sort of shame myself into financial responsibility. My brother recommended an app called Income OK, which allows users to input their income and expenses into customizable categories (for example: freelance, salary, and gifts versus rent, bills, medical expenses, beauty, transportation). I decided I’d track every single dollar I earned and spent for a month to see where, exactly, all my money was going.
I tied my worth to my bank account — and to the things I bought with that money.
At first, it was actually really fun. It almost felt like a game; the app has a widget for iPhones, complete with cute little icons for food, drinks, and other spending. But then, as the numbers started to go up (it keeps a running count of how much you’ve spent, which can look VERY intimidating), I started to sweat whenever I went to pay for something. I began to ask myself, Do I really need this? which I suppose is a thing most responsible people do, so perhaps the app was starting to work.
I also began to realize that there was a connection between my spending habits and my emotions — it was much more likely that I’d spend (and be embarrassed about it) when I was feeling anxious or sad, and it was much easier to go without when I was feeling secure with myself and happier.
For instance, I found myself buying a $48 sweater and refusing to log it in the app. I was feeling anxious — about money, about my body, about something I couldn’t put a name to. And for some reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to log that purchase. That’s how I knew it was an irresponsible buy: I couldn’t justify it, and so I didn’t want to see it in the app's neat little pie chart. I didn’t want to admit to myself what I’d bought.
Similarly, at the end of the second week, I was feeling bad about working so much and being away from my dogs, so I bought them some toys. I knew the purchase was driven by guilt. The dogs didn't need those toys; really, they’re content with me just snuggling with them or taking them on an extra walk. It was me who "needed" to buy them, just to reassure myself that I'm a good dog-mom. I didn’t log that spending, either — and these un-logged, guilt-driven purchases just kept happening.
Toward the end of the month, I had drinks with some friends, and the conversation turned to money. We were all stressed out about it, but we also didn’t want to deny ourselves the things that make us feel good; there’s so much talk these days about how much money you can save by just skipping your daily coffee or some similar comfort item. But if buying a daily cup of coffee is bringing you joy, is that really worth cutting out?
As we all talked — over an assortment of cheap beers and fancy cocktails, ranging from $5-$14 each — we realized there is no one answer to the problem of being in our mid-to-late-20s and trying to save money while still having a social life. It’s a complicated question that calls for a tenuous balance that many of us are still struggling to find. And while I’m not sure if tracking all my expenses made me feel more balanced, it certainly did make me feel more aware.
Moving forward, I’ll use that awareness to help me decide when to skip a purchase. But for the most part, I want to keep living my life — saving when I can, yes, but not at the expense of that life. I don’t want to be unhappy now while saving for later.
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If you were to visit any of the Kardashian women's social media today, you may notice a more somber tone to their posts. Today is Robert Kardashian's birthday.
The late father and husband, who was recently immortalized by David Schwimmer on Ryan Murphy's The People V. O.J. Simpson, but will always first be remembered as the patriarchal figure of the now über-famous Kardashian family. Robert is the father to Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Robert Jr., but divorced Kris Jenner, his first wife, in 1991. He was married twice more before his death. He passed away in 2003 from esophageal cancer, but his family, including his ex-wife Kris Jenner, has celebrated him as an important figure in their lives ever since. Today would have been his 73rd birthday.
First, Kris shared an adorable her and Robert with the kids.
Then Kim reshared the photo on her Twitter, writing "Happy Birthday dad! I love this family photo. I love our family. Thank you for EVERYTHING. I'm so grateful you are my dad!"
Happy Birthday dad! I love this family photo. I love our family. Thank you for EVERYTHING. I'm so grateful you are my dad! pic.twitter.com/0AAyqCu0nM
Kim also revealed a new tradition inspired by her father. She is writing letters to Saint and North each year, presumably about their lives and lessons she's learned in the past 12 months (which surely have been... a lot) which she will give them on their 21st birthdays.
I found a 3 page letter my dad wrote me right after high school about life and it's so special to have. I re-read it last night ❤️
Every morning, a woman who goes by the name Mrs_Gault on Reddit wakes up in the dark of her Chicago home around 6 a.m. She slips out of bed, careful not to disturb her husband, or wake her children who are sleeping in nearby rooms. She walks quietly to her closet, where she takes off her clothes. Some days, she’ll slide on some lingerie — a lacy black thong, perhaps, or a see-through camisole — and others, she’ll sit on the floor, completely nude. She snaps a few photos with her phone: cupping her bare breasts, sliding off that same lingerie, or inserting colorful toys between her legs. And then? She posts them on the internet.
Once a post goes up, Gault (whose name is a nod to a literary character she won’t reveal) will get her kids ready for school, and then run off to her full time job. By her lunch break, she will have received hundreds of views and more than 100 comments on her photos, which are either taken from the chin down or with her face blacked out. She ignores some, sends flirty smiley faces in response to others; a lucky few launch full-on sext conversations or receive promises for more photos soon.
“I used to be so much more shy, but now that I’ve anonymously opened myself up on the internet, in real life I’m much more in touch with who I am,” she says. “I’m more secure with myself, which means I'm willing to let other people in on who I am, too.”
Gault is a member of the growing NSFW community on Reddit, the news aggregation and message board site founded in 2005. The self-proclaimed “front page of the internet” has since become known as a black hole of discussion boards, also known as “subreddits,” where users endlessly discuss everything from Donald Trump (on “The_Donald ”) to ShowerThoughts.
But of the tens of thousands of active Reddit subs (as of press time, there were more than 45,000), the 57th most popular — with 1,009,487 subscribers and counting — is GoneWild, home to users like Gault who post nude photos, videos, porn GIFs, erotica, and more (all of which are allowed within Reddit’s content policy as long as they include the “NSFW” tag). This small corner of the internet is where people go to anonymously share images and videos of themselves in a variety of sexual situations, then respond and converse with commenters. While it's an equal-opportunity situation, the porn posters are overwhelmingly women.
Photos: Courtesy of Reddit user Mrs_Gault.
The result is an interactive porn experience where the women are in charge, reminding the world that a porn star doesn’t have to be an exaggerated, overly orgasmic caricature of a sexual being with a Barbie-like figure. They represent myriad body types, races, and sexual identities, and an expression of sexuality that's for their own enjoyment as much as anyone else's. Of course, this isn’t a new concept; popular performers like Stoya and April Flores have already brought this ethos into the mainstream porn industry in recent years, and camgirls (women who upload their own self-taken porn videos) have been at the forefront of self-documented porn by women since 2001.
“Indie porn sites have been challenging the notion of who gets to be in porn for years,” says Lux Alptraum, sex educator and former editor in chief of Fleshbot. “Non-traditional porn performers have existed for a very long time. The only thing that doesn’t change is our belief as a society that women who don’t fall into that old ‘porn-y’ blonde stereotype are somehow novel or different.”
She adds: “Is the mainstream porn industry male led? Yes. But so is the mainstream film industry. It doesn’t mean that there haven’t been women of all gender and sexual identities, shapes, sizes, and races, challenging the norms for a very long time.”
But in addition to running counter to the (false) assumption that all online porn is degrading to women, what makes Reddit’s NSFW community unique versus those longstanding indie sites is that it has transformed a mainstream website intended for people to exchange ideas into a safe, protected platform for women to express their sexuality and fulfill sexual urges while simultaneously exploring and finding confidence in their bodies. Just by posting photos or videos of their naked bodies, the women of GoneWild are both asserting their sexuality and continuing to expand the cultural acceptance and democratization of porn.
Beyond Reddit, women are the primary authors of erotica blogs like DarkGracie.com and Literotica.com, and many of the 12% of Tumblr blogs that feature NSFW content are curated by women. There’s a growing number of porn stars on Snapchat, where users like OneDaisyMarie and RebelleFleurXX snap sexy stories daily (and are able to easily monetize their content). And then there's MakeLoveNotPorn, a crowd-sourced site that features real people having sex while seeking to shed labels like “amateur” and even "porn," period — since porn implies it's a performance.
But while posters from the above sites can direct message their Snapchat viewers or log on to Twitter to interact with fans, Reddit’s discussion board format lets all that happen centrally and immediately in one place, creating an instant, intimate community. These are women who are filming themselves in their own homes, sometimes with clothing or children’s toys or their own toys in the background; they are quite literally inviting other Reddit users into both their homes and themselves, and allowing them to openly discuss what they see.
They’re not looking for dolled up, photoshopped porn stars with huge breasts and tiny waists.
It might sound like a breeding ground for trolls and cyberbullies, but of the two dozen GoneWild porn stars who provided feedback for this story (including a law firm call-center clerk, a recovering drug addict, a few full-time students, and more than a few moms, ranging from ages 22 to 41 and all a variety of races), every single one said that the majority of the comments she receives are positive.
“People who are logging on to Reddit prefer imperfect, amateur porn,” says Gault, who first began posting after a male friend mentioned Reddit’s NSFW threads and she decided she wanted to share the nude photos she’d already been taking for herself. “They’re not looking for dolled up, photoshopped porn stars with huge breasts and tiny waists. There’s something for everyone on Reddit, but a lot of my commenters, male and female, say they appreciate that I have imperfections, or that I poke fun at my small butt.”
So while women across many platforms, from Snapchat to Tumblr, are proving that any woman can be a porn star, the comments from the primarily straight male viewership on GoneWild tell the world that the non-stereotypical porn star is actually becoming a preference, not just some porn anomaly. If a reader were to take a look at a few dozen GoneWild subreddits — from GoneWildColor, which is specifically for women of color, to GoneWild30Plus, which features women over the age of 30 — they’d see that the majority of the remarks (that were printable for this article; you’ll have to use your imagination for some of the more explicit commentary) are mostly along the lines of “Gorgeous babygirl,” and “you are perfect in every way,” or simply romantic suggestions of imaginary dates or detailed (read: very detailed) fantastical sexploits.
This tendency for male Reddit users to skew toward more realistic women is in line with the mainstream porn industry’s recent lean toward porn featuring non-cookie-cutter women, too: In the last few years, PornHub has reported spikes in search terms like virtual reality, giantess, BBW, big booty Latina, and, simply, lesbian. And the nominees at the AVN Awards (the porn industry’s Oscars) have become increasingly diverse in both body type and race over the years. (That said, it's important to recognize that racism in the world of casting in the mainstream porn industry is still pervasive.)
Photos: Courtesy of Reddit user Mrs_Gault.
Gault, who typically photographs herself in her closet in a variety of poses (“Cake Day” meant her robin’s egg blue thong was accompanied by breasts covered in vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles), adds that since she joined Reddit, she’s become more confident in and proud of her body. “Any insecurities about my body have disappeared completely. And it’s a really cool thing, because you get to be all these things you aren’t in your real life: photographer, model, and exhibitionist.”
She adds that this power is particularly important in our current political climate.
“Our president might try to institute policies, culture, or even laws that push women back down to being viewed as mere objects without independent thought or visions of their own potential,” she says. “Proudly posting my naked body online because I want to is like giving him — and everyone like him — the middle finger. Culture evolves, regardless of who sits in office.”
Many posters keep their Reddit identity completely anonymous, which often means keeping it a secret from their family, friends, and significant others. (Mrs_Gault opted not to discuss whether or not her husband knows about her Reddit use.) But while posting is an outlet for fulfillment, for some users, like 22-year-old LittleAsianWaifu (“waifu” is otaku slang for “wife"), it’s also a way to spice up their sex life offline.
“My boyfriend is the one who encouraged me to start posting,” says the Florida resident, who also usually posts in the mornings before heading to her retail job, where she checks for comments and feedback during breaks. “Now, we’ll read messages and incorporate them into our sex life; in fact, one of my posts incorporating a belt was taken during one of our real-life encounters — and that idea originally came from a lengthy message I once got from a fan.”
The perks aren’t just physical, though — they’re also mental. “I can’t lie, I also just love the attention,” she says. “Not long after I post, I’ll get, like, 60 comments, sometimes as many as 200 after a few days. I was already a kinky person before, but it's added a new element to how I view and see myself. I’m a sexy woman, and now I feel comfortable owning that.”
While Waifu’s significant other knows about her side hobby, and she says she’s open with her friends about her sexuality, she makes sure to take steps to ensure her anonymity, editing out any identifying tattoos or birthmarks and being careful about what’s pictured in the background — all tips that are suggested on Reddit’s Wiki on how to safely post nude photos.
“There’s always going to be creepy messages,” she says. “But the moderators are pretty good about removing any negative comments, and Reddit makes it really easy to block people — and then you never have to hear from them again.”
Photos: Courtesy of Reddit user Mrs_Gault.
Currently, GoneWild is Reddit's largest NSFW community, with about 40 million screen views monthly, according to the site’s PR team. That might sound small compared to PornHub’s 64 million views per day, but if GoneWild is the original, parent NSFW sub on Reddit, it’s given birth to a whole tribe of children — or “spinoffs,” if you will: GoneWildCurvy is the second most popular behind GoneWild, just another example of what viewers find sexy versus the public perception of what an idealistic porn star might be. There’s also inclusion for a variety of races and preferences — beyond GoneWildColor, there’s LatinasGW, AsiansGoneWild, BBWGW, and IndiansGoneWild, along with GWCouples, AltGoneWild, LGBTGoneWild, HairyGoneWild, LadyBonersGW, GoneWildPlus, DykesGoneWild, GayBrosGoneWild, GoneWildSmiles, GoneWildAudio, WorkoutGoneWild, MotorcyclesGoneWild…the list goes on.
For the most part, the users we spoke to said they keep their Reddit life just there — on Reddit. But there are subs intended for IRL meetups, like RandomActsofBlowJob, specifically intended for oral sex hookups. And the majority of the GoneWild posters aren’t in it for money, though there are also some who discreetly sell not just acts of sex, but items like underwear (a diversion Orange Is theNew Black fans are familiar with). For instance, in addition to sharing photos, user LegendaryLootz sells used panties to some of her nearly 40,000 subscribers.
“From time to time, I do get requests from commenters to sell things or meet up offline,” LittleAsianWaifu says. “But that’s not me. I’m a pretty normal girl. I live my life, I go to work. I’m like anyone else — I just happen to post nudes online every now and again.”
I’m a pretty normal girl. I live my life, I go to work. I’m like anyone else — I just happen to post nudes online every now and again.
While most of these women do keep their interactions digital, over time, Mrs_Gault says, it begins to feel like an actual community — a virtual sisterhood, almost, especially when you volunteer to be a comment moderator for other subreddits, helping to weed out robots or harmful, racist, or negative comments with a handful of other “mods,” as they refer to themselves. Moderators often find themselves drawn to one another, having a lot in common, which is how Gault became online BFFs with MaeByFunkeMarryMe, who happens to be the same age as her and have a similar photo aesthetic. The pair talk daily on the phone or via messenger and collaborate on a weekly invitation-only podcast about sex and relationships. (And both report that, even as moderators responsible for nipping harmful comments in the bud, they don’t see very many hate-filled responses.)
Mae, 37, is “somewhere on the East Coast” and finishing up her PhD in math. Like Gault, she snaps and posts nudes every morning before her partner wakes up: perhaps a GIF of her playing with herself, or a shot of her legs spread beneath the shadows of her bookshelf, or a side view of her in Valentine’s Day lingerie, putting on a bright red lipstick-covered pout. If it’s a Tuesday or Thursday, she’ll then head out to teach a class; the rest of the week, she works from home on her dissertation, grants, and research projects. The reward for a few straight hours of hard work? Allowing herself to check her Reddit account.
“At 27, I went through a terrible breakup, and I realized that up until then, I’d had a terrible sex life,” she says. “I’d always secretly been somewhat of an exhibitionist, so that summer I started embracing my sexuality, sleeping with and sexting different partners. I joined Reddit, but it wasn’t until a few years later that I started throwing up a few nude pics here and there anonymously… I never thought it would become a big part of my life, but now, I’m addicted. It’s a huge distraction from my work, but I love it.”
Like LittleAsianWaifu, Mae’s partner knows about her pastime — but in this case, while she does feel that it’s made their bedroom life more experimental, he isn’t as supportive. “It’s very ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” she says. “He sees it as me putting myself on display for other men, but that’s really only maybe 10% of the reason I do it. The real reason I do it is because it reminds me that I’m still a sexual person; it fulfills an urge that has existed within me long before I started posting. But I think it’s hard for some men to see us as sexual beings — they’re willing to sexualize and objectify women, but they forget that we have urges, needs, and fantasies, too.”
Photos: Courtesy of Reddit user Mrs_Gault.
Ah, yes: the Madonna-whore complex, a personal and societal conflict as old as time. Of course, Mae can’t be seen as both an intelligent married woman on her way to a PhD and a woman with desires, right? It’s a misconception Mrs_Gault says she also struggles with, as both a woman taking charge of her sexuality, as well as a wife and mother.
“Wouldn’t it be interesting if we were all more open about our sexuality, whether it was on the internet or with family and friends?” she says. “I think the perception of women would change so much if we could just casually say, ‘Oh, my daughter is a wife, mother, and career woman, and she’s also really sexual!’”
Gault says we have a long way to go before the world becomes this sex positive, but based on her Reddit experience, she believes things are getting better.
“Women are mostly taught to pretend that we're all just good girls who are innocent and non-sexual — and that we just ‘put up with’ sex,” she says. “So when you see an ‘everyday’ woman who talks about her kinks, it feels somewhat deviant. But I think that’s slowly changing. And I think outlets like Reddit and GoneWild can be an agent for that change.”
Here’s hoping that, one day, women won’t have to choose between being sexy and smart or maternal — and that maybe, with the women of Reddit helping to lead the charge, communities like this one will actually be safe for work.
While we're arguably more in control of and confident about our sexuality than ever, there's still so much we don't know about female arousal. So this month, we're exploring everything you want and need to know about how women get turned on now. Check out morehere.
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“I get a manicure every day,” she jokes. “I have so much free time, I don’t know what to do with it. It’s amazing.”
In all seriousness, Harlow says she feels incredibly blessed (“As my husband says, #blessed.”) for all she has going on. And for the opportunity to go beyond the news of the day to bring the stories of people across America to the masses.
“As much as the headlines are so important — and they are — it’s the stories of the human experience that matter, and I think we have a responsibility to bring them to light,” she says. “I don’t know if I get it perfect, or right, but I do my best to bring their stories to light in a respectful, honest way.”
Harlow spoke with Refinery29 by phone about her approach to the anchor chair, the challenges of covering the news in the age of "alternative facts," and what she’s learned from being open to opportunity — and failure — in her career.
How do you see your voice and what do you hope to bring to the air?
“Very simply, I think my voice is two things. In one respect, it is being a voice for those people who don’t have a voice or who aren’t heard. So when you sit down for an interview, asking the questions you know people sitting at home have, that they can’t ask because they don’t have access to these interviews. When I sat down with the governor of Michigan about the Flint water crisis, I spent that whole morning and day before the interview talking to people affected by the lead crisis — mothers who had children who had been drinking this water that was poisoned with lead. And I felt like it was my responsibility to ask the questions that they had of people in power.
“And the second part of bringing my voice is just facts. Facts, facts, facts. They’re stubborn things, like John Adams said so long ago, and they’re really important right now, and that’s our responsibility. I am an equal opportunity fact-checker.”
My advice would be to find that person at work who is a big advocate and a partner and supporter. It matters a lot.
We’re living in very strange times for media — a president calling networks and major publication fake news; actual fake news on social feeds; White House officials contradicting each other, putting out “alternative facts.” Has that role of fact-checker become more difficult?
“I wouldn’t say more difficult. It’s part and parcel of the job. I think an important thing to remember is that we are not the news. Too often, the journalists can become the news. We are not the news, we don’t want to be the news. We want to tell the news, and report the news to you with the facts. And when anyone says something that is not factual, it is our job and our responsibility to point that out and I think that’s what we continue to do on all sides, on all the political spectrum. So I wouldn’t say it’s harder, it’s just a more constant part of our job.”
But is there more distrust of the news and media in general? Does that affect your work?
“I can give you an anecdotal experience. I was in Kentucky just three weeks ago. Getting people to agree to talk to us on the phone, just to set up these interviews, was a real challenge. Some people were lovely and welcoming and happy to talk, but a number of people said to me or my producer, ‘We don’t want to talk to CNN.’ One person said to us, ‘We don’t trust CNN’ — they cited what the administration said. For a lot of the key interviews, I said, ‘Will you meet me? And then you can decide. If you don’t want to talk to me on camera that’s fine, but meet me.’ And they agreed. And all of them went on camera with us. I got so much feedback from them, saying ‘Thank you for telling our story the way you did, honestly giving us the time it needed.’ So that was more encouraging to me than anything.”
Harlow visits with her husband and daughter on set. Photo courtesy of CNN.
It also goes back to the importance of leaving the anchor chair to find and tell those stories.
“Yes! And it’s a struggle for me a little bit because I hate leaving my baby. It’s hard for me because as a journalist, I want to be all over the country all the time, and, as a mom, I want to be home with her and putting her to bed. And it’s just a struggle that I’m learning to cope with. I grew up with a mother who was working — my mother got her doctorate. I remember her defending her dissertation when I was 7 years old, and how cool that was for me to see my mom being a professional. So I try to remind myself of that story when I feel bad about leaving Sienna. And I try not to be gone too long if it’s not breaking news. But it’s important to be out there.”
You mentioned the importance of fact-checking. Some networks at different points have declined to book White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway over credibility issues. [ Morning Joe has reportedly banned her as a guest.] What do you think about that? If she goes on air and is saying things that aren’t true, do you continue to give her a platform?
“To be very frank with you, I think that’s a decision far above my pay grade. In general, how I view things as an anchor — and to be very clear, I’m not talking about Kellyanne Conway — is that I don’t care how high-profile a guest is, whether it’s an executive, someone in the government, a celebrity. If they are not going to answer questions, then I generally tend not to have them back. I’m not talking about [Kellyanne Conway], because I’d have her on my program.”
The fact that I didn’t get [into law school] was a pretty great thing for me. I wish I could’ve seen it that way instead of crying at the student union when I got all the rejection letters.
You didn’t set out wanting to be a journalist. What have you learned from your own professional journey about being open to opportunity and taking risks in your career and life?
“I was totally going to be a lawyer, and I applied to all the top law schools. I had straight As, I was a dork in college, thought I was a shoo-in, and I didn’t get in. I was devastated. I had been interning in news all through college, so I thought, alright then, if this law thing isn’t happening, I better try the news thing. And it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. So my lesson is, life never goes as planned, but oftentimes that can be the best thing in the world for you. The fact that I didn’t get [into law school] was a pretty great thing for me. I wish I could’ve seen it that way instead of crying at the student union when I got all the rejection letters.”
What career advice do you have for our readers?
“One thing I’d love to mention with the new launch of our show, is my co-anchor John Berman and how important it is to find cheerleaders and advocates at work. There’s no one smarter, there’s no one funnier, and he’s just good to the core. When you are anchoring a show, there can be very difficult moments. You need someone sitting next to you who you know has your back all the time. And that doesn’t always happen in this business, or any business. My advice would be to find that person at work who is a big advocate and a partner and supporter. It matters a lot.”
Harlow on assignment in Michigan. Photo courtesy of CNN.
Are there other advocates or mentors who have been crucial to your career development?
“A lot of my mentors have been men, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I think that a lot of women look for women as mentors and that is wonderful, but men can also be great mentors to women. Larry Kramer, who started CBS Marketwatch and gave me my first internship, has been an incredible mentor. Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News. I actually interviewed him while he was president of CBS News while I was in college for a paper I was writing on the news coverage of the California recall election, and he has been a tremendous mentor to me really throughout my career.”
That’s a great lesson in just reaching out and making those connections.
"Yes! I asked the president of CBS News, when I was a college student, for an interview. And he said yes. If you don’t ask, it will never happen."
Are there other examples of when that approach worked for you?
“The first time I ever interviewed Warren Buffett was in the middle of the [2008 financial] crisis. I was walking out the door to the Fortune Most Powerful Women conference, and my boss at the time said, ‘By the way, Warren Buffett is going to be there. Try to get an interview with him.’ And I was like, I’m going to fail. I’m losing my job. Warren Buffett has no idea who I am. Lo and behold, I went up to Warren Buffett at the conference, asked him for an interview, and he gave us an interview, and he made news during it. It was a huge deal for me professionally. It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t just asked. So I always remind myself: What’s the worst thing that can happen? And it’s just that they can say no. But if you don’t ask, you’re never gonna know.”
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you cranky; it can be downright damaging to your health. Of course, no one wants to be sleep-deprived, but unfortunately, falling asleep doesn’t always come easily.
Between trying to decompress from the frenzy of day-to-day life, agonizing over tomorrow’s meetings, and the irresistible lure of your endless Instagram feed, getting enough rest can be tough for many of us.
According to the CDC, more than 25% of the U.S. population reports occasionally not getting enough sleep, while 10% suffer from chronic insomnia.
Fortunately, however, there are a few science-backed ways to make falling asleep less frustrating. One of them? A decent playlist. A 2015 study from the Cochrane Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group found that music can improve sleep quality for adults with symptoms of insomnia. And yet another study found that listening to music (particularly classical music) at bedtime was linked to better sleep quality in students. Plus, unlike sleeping pills that can leave you drowsy long after your alarm clock has gone off, music doesn’t have any side effects.
So if you’re looking for the perfect playlist to tuck into bed with, look no further. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best songs to fall asleep to.
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Little People, Big World stars Audrey, 25, and Jeremy Roloff, 26, shared some big news with the world on Wednesday: The couple is expecting their first child together, due in September.
The pair took to Instagram to make the announcement. "We've been keeping a secret... and now the secret is finally out! WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!! Expecting our first baby this September," Audrey captioned an adorable photo of herself and her husband posing with a sonogram and baby jacket. "We are brimming with uncontainable joy, excitement and praise to God the author and creator of life!" She continued, "Baby Roloff, we are praying everyday for your protection, health, and that you would love the Lord with all your heart (oh...and have curly hair) See you in 6 months." Jeremy shared a similar sentiment on his Instagram.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2014 in a beautiful ceremony on a farm, talked to Us Weekly about the funny way they discovered they were expecting. In January, Jeremy and Audrey went to the gender reveal party for Jeremy's twin brother Zach and his wife Tori, who are also expecting. (Their baby boy is due in May.) After they got home, Audrey, a fitness instructor, felt sick and decided to take a pregnancy test. What an ironically timed revelation!
But even after seeing the positive test, the news didn't quite sink in for the mom-to-be until her first trip to the OB/GYN. "I was so surprised," she told Us. "It didn't hit me until I heard the heartbeat at our first doctor's appointment."
It sounds like the couple is just getting started, though. "We want at least four," Audrey said. Jeremy, a photographer, added, "We love the idea of a big family." So do their parents. Jeremy said that "My dad teared up and my mom screamed," when they learned there was another grandchild on the way.
There have been so many Harry Potter -themed beauty product launches over the past year that we can barely keep up. But at the end of the day, we’re Potterheads — yes, it's a thing — and if loving Harry Potter and the beauty collection the film inspires is wrong, then we don’t want to be right. Not surprising at all, another one worth trying just arrived on Etsy — and we have all the details. But first, a little background on the phenomenon.
Suffice it to say, we never knew "the boy who lived" could inspire so much in the beauty world — but he has — and now, there’s even more makeup magic to experience. That's right, Etsy seller Enchanted Lustre just revealed an entire eyeshadow line of single pans with names only a witch could love. So put down your wands, take out your wallets, and get ready to browse, because these shades are dreamy. While there are plenty to choose from, we have our eyes on a few: Hippogriff (a bronze shadow with flecks of iridescent glitter), Billywig (a rich, grey and purple hue with silver glitter), and The Chosen One (a deep purple with golden shimmer). The best part? Each eyeshadow is under $8 and made to order.
We suggest brushing up on your charms before picking a hue, as you might need a bit of help deciding between the stellar options. Click ahead to conjure a few of our favorites.
Enchanted Lustre Single Pan Eyeshadow in The Chosen One, $5.14, available at Etsy.
Photo: Courtesy of EnchantedLustre/Etsy.
Enchanted Lustre Single Pan Eyeshadow in Billywig, $7.91, available at Etsy.
Photo: Courtesy of EnchantedLustre/Etsy.
Enchanted Lustre Single Pan Eyeshadow in Hippogriff, $7.91, available at Etsy.
Photo: Courtesy of EnchantedLustre/Etsy.
Enchanted Lustre Single Pan Eyeshadow in Pigmy Puff, $7.91, available at Etsy.
Enchanted Lustre Single Pan Eyeshadow in Dragon’s Scale, $5.14, available at Etsy.
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