Man surprises partner by performing haka alone as she walks across the stage at graduation
Grab a tissue!
Graduations can be emotional no matter if it's preschool, high school or college. Something about watching a loved one close one chapter to open a new one just does something to you. But sometimes people have a few more challenges getting across the stage that make it feel even sweeter.
One new mom, Kisha Rose Woodhouse, who goes by @kiisha.rose on TikTok, became pregnant and gave birth while finishing up her college degree. Clearly, determined to finish, Woodhouse walked across the stage at graduation with her baby on her hip. But that wasn't what got people all choked up while seeing her video, it was Woodhouse's partner who stood alone in the auditorium.
The man was visibly filled with pride from Woodhouse's accomplishments when he began doing the Tautoko, also known as the haka. Immediately the auditorium fell silent as the man's words and sharp movements filled the air. Seeing him perform such an emotional dance alone to honor his partner is enough to get just about anyone's eyes to water.
Woodhouse was visibly overcome with emotion when she heard her partner start the traditional Maori dance. While originally the haka was performed as a war dance, it has become a dance performed for major occasions, celebrations and funerals.
"Honestly that moment felt so surreal, it was completely unexpected and the way he expressed himself through his haka really summed up the respect and love we had for each other throughout all the challenges we faced to finally get me up on the stage and earn my diploma. And on that note, our son came with me as he deserved the diploma just as much as I did (he did attend every class while being in my tummy!)," Woodhouse tells Upworthy.
With everything the couple has been through up until that moment, it's no wonder they were both emotional. Their emotions and love can be felt through the video and it seems like just about everyone has something in their eye.
"I will never not cry when I see the haka. I think it's inside us as humans to know that outward display of passion, emotion and strength moves our souls. Imagine releasing that energy in celebration, in mourning or in the face of fear. You would never know what it meant to not face your emotions," one person writes.
"Performing haka alone, for her and their son, ALONE, in front of thousands. This is an existential form of love," another says.
@kiisha.rose One of the greatest moments 👩🎓 being able to walk across the stage with son and a surprise tautoko from my love ❤️ #maori #graduation ♬ original sound - kiisha.rose
"Whoa, that haka gave me goose bumps. You could hear a pin drop. Definitely felt the wairua [soul] in that one. Well done mama bear ka pai [good]. Good on you, someone writes, complete with heart emojis.
One commenter had a front row seat, "I was there graduating that day too and this made my eyes water! So beautiful."
It's nearly impossible to watch someone perform the haka without something getting into both of your eyes as you feel their passion move through you. If you've never seen the haka performed, you may want to grab a tissue because this is one of the most beautiful acts of love people get to witness.
This company makes cardboard tanks to help your cat conquer the world
What cat doesn't need a cardboard tank?
You may think the Illuminati secretly rules the world, but it's actually cats. Cats have been treated like gods since the start of human civilization, whether it was the ancient Egyptians or those of us in the modern world who would do anything for our furry friends.
And to conquer the world, cats need cutting-edge military technology. That's why Suck UK creates awesome cardboard gadgets you can buy for your cats.
"These fun and playful toy houses for your cats are designed to add a sense of adventure to their daily lives about the house. Why spend an afternoon relaxing in a boring, plain old box, when there's the opportunity to become a life saving fireman, thrilling tank driver or LA socialite?!"
"Sit back and have a giggle at your cat 'doing human things' and help keep them away from clawing your favorite sofa!"
"These cardboard playhouses come in various humorous designs; the Tank, the Catillac, the Fire Engine, Plane, and for those kitties with a bit more style, the Cabin and Tepee."
"There's no need to glue or tape and they easily fold away if you need a bit more space around the house."
Just look at these guys having so much fun...
Pieces of a puzzle to put together.
Macy in the tank.
Kiddie might be more deadly than the tank.
Ready for take off.
As you can probably imagine, people are loving the vehicles, though their cats are still turning them down for plain cardboard boxes. One customer writes:
"A few weeks down the line, they both play with it but not as much as the huge cardboard box I got for free from a supermarket... But I like it, so maybe that's what counts! It does look impressive, with color printing on the inside and outside."
Kitty in a firetruck.
And they don't only do vehicles. Your cat could be a superstar DJ, too.
1956 commercial shows that refrigerators back then were more advanced than they are today
We "modern" folks don't even have all of these luxuries.
There are very few things that would make people nostalgic for the 1950s. Sure, they had cool cars and pearl necklaces were a staple, but that time frame had its fair share of problems, even if "Grease" made it look dreamy. Whether you believe your life would've been way more interesting if you were Danny Zuko or not, most would agree their technology was...lacking.
All eras are "advanced" for their time, but imagine being dropped off in the 50s as someone from the year 2023. A recent post by Historic Vids on Twitter of a 1956 commercial advertising a refrigerator, however, has some people thinking that when it came to fridges, maybe they were living in the year 2056. I don't typically swoon over appliances, yet this one has me wondering where I can purchase a refrigerator like this.
Of course, there's no fancy touch screen that tells you the weather and asks how you'd like your ice cubed. It's got more important features that are actually practical.
Like a fruit drawer that not only pulls down so you can quickly check your inventory, but also pulls completely out.
"A big picture window hydrator for fruits and vegetables," the actress says while demonstrating. "It tilts down to show you your supply at a glance, and it also lifts out, so you can take it over to the sink when there's a fresh supply to be washed and put away."
Yeah, that could be helpful and reduce the clutter in your fridge from all those clear storage bins companies designed to essentially do the same thing but maybe in a more cumbersome way. But the cool factor of the vintage refrigerator didn't stop there. You know how sometimes it's like playing Jenga removing leftovers? Well, this fridge has shelves that slide out nearly completely. Oh, the amount of reduced stress that would give folks sneaking a late snack after a holiday meal.
Watch the fascinating video below:
\u201cThis refrigerator from 1956 has more features than modern day fridges\u201d— Historic Vids (@Historic Vids) 1682958373
One commenter said, "Can we vote to bring this back?" and I have to agree. Take my money.
For a little extra fun, check out the full commercial below and marvel not only at the refrigerator but at how our attention spans for advertisements have diminished over the decades.
This story originally appeared on 5.3.23
5 years' worth of photos show how testosterone affected one person's life.
A journey as a trans person in photographs.
Even though he was born "Katherine Elizabeth," Skylar lived like a regular little boy for most of his childhood.
He was happy.
This is Skylar.
A photo collection of a young Skylar.
Photo from YouTube video.
Little Skylar.
Photo from YouTube video.
But when puberty hit, he started feeling intense pressure to be "normal" and fit in. So he tried to present as more traditionally "feminine."
Puberty happens.
Photo from YouTube video.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was denying a huge part of himself. Late in high school, he started taking testosterone.
Eating and feeling more comfortable.
Photo from YouTube video.
Skylar started feeling more comfortable immediately. And before he knew it, he was at his "dream school," having the time of his life. And taking lots and lots of pictures of himself.
A person and their dog.
Photo from YouTube video.
Access to medical care played a big part in Skylar becoming the person he is today, but that wasn't all.
Check out his story and walk five years in his shoes. It's definitely a perspective we don't see often enough:
This article originally appeared on 08.30.14
Mom shares why having her first kid after 30 was the best decision she could have made
"I have zero FOMO."
With all the miraculous blessings that a baby brings, the life you had before it came into the world is gone forever. No more spontaneous outings, putting your own preferences first, being reckless and carefree. Of course these sacrifices are well worth it, most parents would agree. But that doesn’t mean they don’t feel some grief over their former selves.
And it’s this fear of missing out, aka FOMO, that has one mom thanking her lucky stars that she didn’t have her first child until the ripe old age of 33.
Style content creator and new mom Kristie shared in a TikTok video how having a childfree 20s helped her going into her pregnancy at 33 with zero worries of missing out.“Becoming a first-time mom at 33, 10 out of 10, hear me out,” she said in the clip, acknowledging that pregnancies later in life aren’t without potential risks.
But, at least in her experience, having “15 years to be selfish” allowed her the opportunity to really become ready to be a mom on an emotional, mental and financial level.
So now that she is pregnant, she feels like she has “been there, done that” with the pre-mom activities, and can completely appreciate the new chapter of her life.
“This has been such an amazing time. I haven't done a lot in the past three and a half months. I'm just kind of soaked in the time with my daughter. Not watching everybody's Instagram stories, traveling or going out to dinner or going out on the weekends. And I'm not like, ‘I wish I was doing that.’ I'm like, ‘I've already done that. I've already done that a lot.’”
Nowadays, she’s perfectly content to “just enjoy the little things,” like the cup of coffee she’s about to have as her daughter takes a nap.
@astylechild but also somehow simultaneously feeling like a teen mom
♬ original sound - Kristie
Kristie’s video clearly struck a chord with other moms who had their first kids later in life, and had similar positive experiences.
“34 with a 2 month old! PhD, JD done and more secure and no fomo! We lived and ate well!” one person wrote.
“100%. Had my first baby at 33 and I cannot imagine having one in my 20’s!! I’m glad I had my selfish time pre baby ❤️” another added.
Others simply agreed that just because our biology tends to favor getting pregnant in our 20s and even younger, life doesn’t often accommodate for that kind of timeline.
“I just turned 30 and the thought of having children anytime soon is WILD to me,” one person wrote.
As the Mayo Clinic explains, “The biological clock is a fact of life. But there's nothing magical about age 35. It's simply an age at which risks become more discussion worthy.” And that’s a great way of framing it. Sure, there are things to be aware of, like fertility issues, health risks, and potential complications—but that doesn't mean it’s unwise to hold off on starting a family until you’re fully ready.
Frankly, the societal pressure to have a baby before 30 might be due in part to the medical risks, but let’s be honest: it’s also another way women are taught to feel "past their prime" after the first quarter of their entire life. Luckily, women like Kristie sharing their stories helps break through that kind of stigma.
Women are trying out Free People's new 'micro shorts' and the results are something to behold
"This may not be for the faint of heart."
Summer is just around the corner, that means it's time to break out those razors and put on some shorts. That means retailers are starting to advertise their their summer collections to prime people for the newest trends. But there are some trends that may need to be retired before they catch on if you take the reviews of women online.
Free People, a specialty lifestyle brand for bohemian styled fashion, have released a new style of shorts. The internet seems to be slightly confused on if the material they received from the retail brand is supposed to be shorts or something else entirely. They're supposedly shorts, but they're "micro shorts," which are similar to shorts you'd see in the wild.
They have two leg holes, a hole for your body and less material than pants. Checks off all the requirements for a pair of shorts...except, they appear to be about the length of underwear. That's not an exaggeration and to prove that point a couple of women bought some to try on so you don't have to. The videos are not only honest but hilarious.
In one video Nicole Walters, a New York Times best selling author and mom to three girls decided to order the shorts to see how they looked on someone with, "thigh meat." She wears a size 12 and often jokes about being a curvier on the bottom. When she pulled the shorts out, it looked as if she was going to have to perform a magic trick to get them on. They looked to be the size a small child would wear, but they seemed to have gone on easily even though they looked extremely uncomfortable. She looked uncomfortable. The viewers likely looked uncomfortable.
"Oh wow. They're in there and by in there I mean everywhere. There's a lot of thigh meat happening right now in the, this region," Walters says as she gestures at her upper thighs. "There's some thigh meat, um...uh...I feel like they're definitely in some places that I didn't know I had."
Walter's review of the shorts has people in stitches as she jokes about her Christianity falling out of the shorts.
"It’s the Barbie walk for me lol!!! Thank you for your service," one person says.
"The way you warn us that you’re going to turn around almost made me scream with laughter," someone writes.
"I'm just going to go ahead and dial 911 for help bc looks like you may need the jaws of life to come out them shorts...lol!! Your commentary had me dying laughing..lol," another commenter jokes.
In another Free People "micro shorts" try on video, Nicole Story Dent braved the itty bitty shorts to show her audience the summer trend they can look forward to seeing. The first pair of shorts has multiple flaps that appear to be large pockets which inspires Dent to pretend to fly in them before the discomfort sinks in.
"It's kinda giving waitress...if they ever want to make a Waffle House-Hooters hybrid, we have their uniform, she says. "We have been asking for more pockets so they delivered. Speaking of delivered, you could deliver a baby without having to take these shorts off."
Dent guesses that the shorts would be more like "jundies" or "janties" than jorts, the shorthand term for jean shorts. Commenters couldn't stop laughing at her description of the shorts while others provided her with words of wisdom.
"Do NOT drop it low in these jundies, that kind of contact with the club floor is NOT hygienic," someone writes.
"'There is nothing vegan about these. There is absolutely a cat being harmed!' I’m cackling! You really should win something from Free People for this! @freepeople we found your next model," another person jokes.
"This is the kind of content the internet was made for, it’s just so good. However my thighs started getting chafed just watching this," someone laughs.
Surely these shorts were made for someone and they will look fabulous on whoever that person may be. But right now, there are a lot of confused, thoroughly tickled ladies on the internet who know they are not the target audience. If you're brave enough to give these micro shorts a try, go ahead and stock up on some baby powder for all the chaffing.