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Mother’s viral story of taking her baby to a job interview hits a nerve with moms everywhere

A mother’s experience job hunting with a one-year-old child highlights the reality many parents face and how employers can be part of the solution. Mother-of-two Maggie Mundwiller, 38, was laid-off six weeks after her one-year-old Mylo was born in the middle of the pandemic. Finding a job over the past year has been hard enough,…

By

Tod Perry

Array
Array – Photo credit: via 314Handcrafted / TikTok

A mother’s experience job hunting with a one-year-old child highlights the reality many parents face and how employers can be part of the solution.

Mother-of-two Maggie Mundwiller, 38, was laid-off six weeks after her one-year-old Mylo was born in the middle of the pandemic. Finding a job over the past year has been hard enough, let alone with a newborn baby.

“A lot of people are not able to pay for the childcare if they’re unemployed even if there is one parent that is employed,” she told WMUR. “You have so many other bills that you have to pay for.”

She recently interviewed for a marketing position at a senior living facility and received a last-minute call from the company to come in for a follow-up. However, her family had prior commitments they couldn’t get out of to watch the baby.

Mundwiller asked the company if they could reschedule the interview because she had no one to look after her child. The company told her not to worry, because it’s child-friendly. “So, I just let them know, OK we’ll be there in a few hours and Mylo will be interview ready,” Mundwiller said.


@314handcrafted

Ever been to a toddler friendly interview? #companyculture #toddler #fyp #foryourpage #PrimeDayDealsDance #toddler #covidbaby #job #interview #cute ♬ –


Mudwiller dressed little Mylo up in a dapper suit, gave him his first resume, and cleaned up his stroller so they could make the best impression possible. She hoped to “make a good impression and make light out of a situation that’s a little bit different than what we’re used to,” she said.

The interview went well because she felt she had nothing to hide. “The interview certainly felt more laid back than a traditional one. I could be my authentic self without hiding parts of my personal life,” she told Buzzfeed.

The video of her and Mylo getting prepped for the interview went viral on TikTok earning over nine million views. It even caught the attention of Senator Elizabeth Warren.

“I remember what it was like as a young mom trying to juggle a big new job—standing in the driveway, bouncing my baby on my hip, panic mounting because the babysitter hadn’t come yet,” Warren wrote on Facebook. “That’s why I’m in this fight for quality, affordable child care.”

Mudwiller was completely shocked that her video was seen by the Senator.


@314handcrafted

OMG FRIENDS, @senatorlizziewarren, knows my name? #momsoftiktok #momsover30 #toddlersoftiktok #unemployed #how #childcarecrisis #mom #greenscreen ♬ OMG – White Gangster


In a follow-up video, Mudwiller revealed that she had got the job and that all she and Mylo had to do was make sure they were the right fit for the company.


@314handcrafted

Part 2! #interview #roadtrip #momsoftiktok #parentsoftiktok @#momsoftiktok #toddlersoftiktok #MyColoredHair #interview #job #toddler #mom #work ♬ Summer – Instrumental – Devinney


The mother-of-two is happy that she was able to highlight an issue that so many parents face and to give them a voice. “You can tell that there’s just so many people that relate and there hasn’t been a voice for them, and so I feel like finally there’s a voice for people who are struggling in the same way that I have been,” she said.

Mudwiller’s interview made her realize how important it is for companies to cater to employees with children so she’s working on a website for parents that lets them know which employers are child-friendly.

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  • Ethan Hawke shares why he didn’t get along with Robin Williams filming ‘Dead Poets Society’
    Ethan Hawke and Robin Williams acted together in "Dead Poets Society." – Photo credit: Nicolas Genin (left), John Mathew Smith (right)
    ,

    Ethan Hawke shares why he didn’t get along with Robin Williams filming ‘Dead Poets Society’

    “I thought he hated me.”

    Annie Reneau

    Dead Poets Society was one of the most popular coming-of-age films of the late ’80s, showcasing Robin Williams’ acting range and launching several young actors into their Hollywood careers. But according to Ethan Hawke, who played the timid Todd Anderson (the student who stands on his desk first) in the film, the famous comedian didn’t make his own job easy.

    Hawke shared on The Graham Norton Show what working with Williams was like after Norton said he understood their on-set relationship to be “a bit fractious.”

    “Well, he was incredibly funny, right?” said Hawke. “And he was very relaxed and very inventive…and he would just improv constantly, all day long, and the more the crew laughed, the more he would go.”

    Despite Williams’ hilarious antics, the film wasn’t a comedy. Hawke struggled with the constant improv in light of his own acting work.

    “I really wanted to be a serious actor,” he said. “You know, I had read Stanislavski, and I had what was supposed to be in my pockets, and I really, really wanted to be in character, and I really didn’t want to laugh. And the more I didn’t laugh, the more insane he got. And he’d make fun, ‘Oh, this one doesn’t want to laugh,’ and the more smoke would come out of my ears. He didn’t understand I was trying to do a good job…so I thought he hated me, because he just constantly would lay into me.”

    After filming, Hawke went back to school thinking Williams “hated” him. Then one day, he got a phone call.

    “It was from a big Hollywood agent. This guy says, ‘I’m Robin Williams’ agent, and he says that you’re gonna be somebody, and that I should sign you.’ And I was like, really? And so he got me my first agent, who’s still my agent now.”

    Many stories of Williams’ behind-the-scenes acts of kindness have come to light after his passing, so the fact he recommended Hawke unasked isn’t too surprising. Knowing the context from Hawke’s perspective, however, makes it all the more delightful.

    Hawke spoke to Vanity Fair about his experience observing Williams and director Peter Weir interact on the Dead Poets Society set:

    “I’m watching [Weir] direct Robin Williams, not an easy thing to do, ’cause Robin was a comic genius,” Hawke said. “But dramatic acting was still new to Robin at that time. And watching that relationship like, in the room—I was four feet away while they’re talking about performance—and that was something you don’t unsee.”

    Williams taught Hawke that a script isn’t always set in stone.

    “Robin Williams didn’t do the script, and I didn’t know you could do that,” Hawke recalled. “If he had an idea, he just did it. He didn’t ask permission. And that was a new door that was opened to my brain, that you could play like that. And Peter liked it, as long as we still achieved the same goals that the script had.”

    “They had a very different way of working, but they didn’t judge one another or resist one another,” Hawke continued. “They worked with each other. That’s exciting. That’s when you get at the stuff of what great collaboration can do. You don’t have to be the same, but you don’t have to hate somebody for being different than you are. And then the collective imagination can become very, very powerful, because the movie becomes bigger than one person’s point of view. It’s containing multiple perspectives.”

    The lessons Hawke learned from watching and working with Robin Williams have followed him through more than three decades in film. It’s delightful to see how Williams’ influence lives on in many small ways the world may not be aware of. His is an incredible legacy.

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  • Woman on a mission to bring back lost Black American recipes has people gasping at vinegar pie
    Woman on a mission to bring back lost recipes has people gasping at vinegar pie. – Photo credit: Canva
    ,

    Woman on a mission to bring back lost Black American recipes has people gasping at vinegar pie

    Most of the recipes were created out of poverty to provide families with a sweet treat.

    Jacalyn Wetzel

    People get very creative when it comes to cooking with limited ingredients and no budget. This combination is something people who lived through the Great Depression were very familiar with. It’s also something Black Americans experienced frequently in the 1800s, but time has stolen many of the ingenious recipes. Until now.

    One woman is on a mission to dig up these lost recipes for Black History Month. All February, Sonja Norwood, who runs the social media page for Wick’d Confections and owns Sonja Norwood Custom Cookies, has been baking up long-lost Black American recipes. Though the ingredients have folks scratching their heads, her videos clear things up by sharing each dish’s history.

    @wickdconfections

    Peanuts became a major Southern crop after the Civil War, and at Tuskegee Institute, George Washington Carver helped popularize peanuts as an affordable, soil-restoring crop with hundreds of uses. In Black Southern kitchens, that peanut power turned into breads, cookies, cakes, candy… and survival baking. During the Great Depression and WWII rationing, butter, eggs, and milk were often scarce. Peanut butter became the substitute for fat and protein, and peanut butter bread became a school-lunch staple and family recipe passed down through generations. Serve warm with a nostalgic molasses glaze and you’ll understand why this deserves a comeback 🤎 🥜 Peanut Butter Bread (One-bowl, no eggs, no butter) Ingredients 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 g) ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g) ¼ cup brown sugar (50 g) 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 cup milk (240 ml) ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (190 g) 1 tsp vanilla extract Optional topping: 2 tbsp sugar Instructions 1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. 2️⃣ Whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, salt. 3️⃣ Add milk, peanut butter, vanilla. Mix until just combined. 4️⃣ Spread into pan, sprinkle sugar if using. 5️⃣ Bake 50–60 min until toothpick comes out clean. 6️⃣ Cool 15 min, remove, slice. ✨ Molasses Glaze 2 tbsp butter (28 g) 3 tbsp molasses (45 ml) 2 tbsp milk (30 ml) 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g) ¼ tsp vanilla + pinch salt Optional: pinch cinnamon or ginger Melt butter, whisk in molasses + milk until warm. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt. #BlackHistory BlackHistoryn#TikTokLearningCampaignFoodHistorye#VintageRecipes

    ♬ original sound – Wick’d Confections

    One particular recipe caused the former Food Network contestant to give a disclaimer before tasting it, saying, “Before I try this, we understand that there’s a reason this pie exists, right? It’s genius. Very creative. That does not mean I have to like it.”

    A unique recipe

    Norwood tried her hand at vinegar pie, and just like viewers of the video, the baker was unsure how the dessert would turn out:

    “Vinegar pie, also known as desperation pie, is classified as a pantry or make-do pie. As you can tell, this pie was born out of necessity, when fruit or citrus lemons were hard to come by. Home cooks used what they had on hand. Simple pantry staples to make something sweet, like sugar, eggs, butter, flour, and salt. A lot of people associate vinegar pie with the Great Depression, when fresh fruit was super expensive and scarce, but recipes go back much further. As early as 1855.”

    @wickdconfections

    Navy Bean Pie 🥧✨ A true heritage dessert with deep roots in Black American food culture. This traditional navy bean pie has a smooth, firm custard texture — rich, lightly spiced, and beautifully sliceable without hours of chilling. Simple ingredients, timeless flavor, and a recipe shaped by community and history. 🥧 Classic Navy Bean Pie (9-inch) Texture: traditional • smooth • firm custard • faster set Crust
• 1 (9-inch) pie crust (homemade or store-bought) Filling
• 1½ cups cooked navy beans (300 g) OR 1 (15-oz) can, drained & rinsed
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted (170 g)
• 1 cup evaporated milk (240 ml)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (15 g)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (8 g)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt ⭐ If using canned beans (flavor boost)
• Rinse well
• Simmer in fresh water 5–10 minutes
• Drain completely Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C
2️⃣ Blend beans until completely smooth and creamy
3️⃣ Whisk butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, spices, flour, and cornstarch
4️⃣ Stir in blended beans until smooth
5️⃣ Pour into crust and smooth top
6️⃣ Bake 45–55 minutes (edges set, center barely jiggles)
7️⃣ Cool 1 hour at room temp, chill 1 hour for clean slices Slice, serve, and enjoy ✨ BlackHiBlackHistorynLearnOnTikTokeBeanPiesFoodHistoryalCooking

    ♬ original sound – Wick’d Confections

    For the recipe, the custom cookie maker used vanilla, honey, and apple cider vinegar in the runny mixture. At first glance, it’s hard to see how this could turn into a pie meant to be cut and eaten with a fork, as it has the consistency of French toast batter. But once it’s poured into a pie pan and popped into the oven, it begins to look like a pie.

    “Black cooks in the South and the Midwest adapted pantry-based dishes like this into their family food culture,” Norwood shares while mixing ingredients. “So you were going to see this pie at Sunday dinner and on special occasions, and it doesn’t taste the way you think a vinegar pie would taste. The acidity cuts through the sweetness and mimics lemon pie without the fruit.”

    @wickdconfections

    Lost Black American Recipes: Vinegar Pie 🥧 To kick off Black History Month, I’m starting a series honoring lost and forgotten Black American recipes—beginning with vinegar pie. Also known as desperation pie or pantry pie, this dessert was born from necessity. When fruit and citrus were scarce, home cooks used simple pantry staples to create something sweet, comforting, and joyful. Made with sugar, eggs, butter, and a splash of apple cider vinegar, vinegar pie has a flaky crust and a rich custard filling. The vinegar doesn’t make it sour—it adds brightness, mimicking the tang of fruit and balancing the sweetness. It’s a reminder of how Black foodways transform struggle into creativity and care. 🖤 Vinegar Pie Recipe (9-inch pie): 4 eggs ½ cup sugar ½ cup brown sugar ½ tsp vanilla 6 tbsp butter, melted 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp flour ¾ tsp salt Unbaked 9-inch pie crust Blind bake crust at 350°F (175°C). Whisk remaining ingredients until smooth, pour into crust, and bake 35–45 minutes. The center should still wobble slightly when gently shaken. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar. Follow along as we honor Black history through food—one lost recipe at a time. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackAmericanFood #LostRecipes #BlackFoodHistory #FoodReels

    ♬ original sound – Wick’d Confections

    Viewers were shocked at how good the pie looked when it was done. Some even plan to give the Black American recipe a try. One person writes, “I[t] looks good and it was way less vinegar than my mind thought lol.”

    Another says, “This looks so good! My grandma is 93 born & raised in Georgia and she swears by this pie & buttermilk pie. She watched this & just kept saying ‘yup, yup’ so I know it’s good.”

    This person appreciates the history: “I appreciated acknowledging that it came out of necessity and that you don’t have to like it. Sometimes people have to make due with what they have and it’s not always what you necessarily want.”

    @wickdconfections

    Lost Black American Recipes: Blackberries & Dumplings 🍇🥟 Blackberries and dumplings is a sweet summertime dish rooted in Black American food culture. When sugar and money were scarce, the land provided. Black families relied on foraging, gathering blackberries that grew freely along fence lines, woods, and roadsides across the South. What began as necessity became tradition — turning simple ingredients into a communal, nourishing meal. Passed down orally and cooked intuitively, this dish was rarely written into cookbooks. Flour stretched what little was available, dumplings absorbed the berry juices, and one pot could feed many for very little. Though we still see cobblers today, blackberries and dumplings remain a largely forgotten seasonal treat — one deeply connected to land, resilience, and care. Blackberries & Dumplings Recipe Blackberry Syrup: 4 cups blackberries 1 cup sugar 2 cups water 1 tbsp lemon juice Lemon zest Dumplings: 2 cups flour ¼ cup sugar 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp nutmeg ¾ cup milk 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla Simmer blackberries with sugar, water, lemon juice, and zest until juicy. Mix dumpling dough until it feels right. Drop spoonfuls into simmering berries, don’t stir, cover and cook 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve warm with plenty of syrup. Follow along as I honor Black history through lost recipes — one pot at a time. #BlackHistory #TikTokLearningCampaign #BlackAmericanFood #LostRecipes #FoodHistory

    ♬ original sound – Wick’d Confections

    “This is brilliantly done,” someone else writes. “Showing the ingenuity and innovation of Black folks is beautiful! This video is information and funny! I’m glad you actually liked the pie. Def going to ask my 90 year old granny about this recipe. Thanks for posting this.”

    Vinegar Pie Recipe (9-inch pie):

    4 eggs
    ½ cup sugar
    ½ cup brown sugar
    ½ tsp vanilla
    6 tbsp butter, melted
    2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    2 tbsp honey
    2 tbsp flour
    ¾ tsp salt
    Unbaked 9-inch pie crust

    Blind bake crust at 350°F (175°C). Whisk remaining ingredients until smooth, pour into crust, and bake 35–45 minutes. The center should still wobble slightly when gently shaken. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

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  • Costco customers are overjoyed by news that the store’s ‘archaic’ cake ordering system is finally modernizing
    Costco announces new app for custom cake orders. – Photo credit: Canva/Wikipedia
    ,

    Costco customers are overjoyed by news that the store’s ‘archaic’ cake ordering system is finally modernizing

    “This is GREAT!”

    Emily Shiffer

    Loyal Costco fans are lauding their favorite big-box store for a long-awaited change to its custom cake ordering system. In a company memo, Costco announced that it will be launching an app for customers to order customized cakes at the touch of their fingers without having to enter a Costco store.

    “We’ve got ordering cakes and deli trays online coming,” said Costco CEO Ron Vachris. “Many of the things that we’ve heard from our members that could be a little bit clunky are now moving to a digital state, and we’re seeing great adoption right out of the chute.”

    It’s a massive change from the previous custom cake process. Costco lovers have long complained about the old-school ordering system that required customers to physically go to the store’s bakery, where they would fill out a slip of paper with their order requests and simply drop it in the order box.

    @eatsbyrachel

    Anyone else feel like the @Costco Wholesale custom cake ordering system is a bit antiquated? 🤔 Regardless, their analog process somehow always works 💯 #costco #costcobakery #cake #customcake #costcodoesitagain #costcocake #costcofinds #costcodeals #costcofind #costcofinds #eatsbyrachel

    ♬ Poke Mart (From “Pokemon Diamond and Pearl”) – Jazz Version – Chippy Bits

    Costco’s “1800s” custom cake ordering

    Back in 2023, writer Lucy Huber humorously poked fun at Costco’s seemingly outdated custom cake ordering system that resonated with fellow Costco shoppers. And her words went viral:

    “Ordered a cake from Costco and their system is from the 1800s, you write what you want on a piece of paper & put it in a box then nobody follows up and you just show up and hope they made it? I tried to call to confirm & they were like ‘if you put it in the box, it will be there’,” she wrote.

    Lucy Huber’s infamous Costco cake tweet. Credit: Reddit/breathfromanother

    It was a system that also caused Costco members on Reddit a lot of anxiety.

    “We did our wedding cakes from Costco, talk about a nerve-racking experience hoping everything worked out,” one wrote.

    Another shared, “Drop a paper in a hole and cross your fingers 🤣🤣.”

    Costco customers have mixed feelings

    Many Costco customers and Redditors expressed their positive reactions to the updated ordering system news:

    “As someone who lives 1.5 hours away from three different Costcos I LOVE this. I’m rarely in the market for a custom cake, but when I am I’m not driving an hour and a half to fill out the request form in store.”

    “This is GREAT! But will I also be able to order chocolate cake with white icing and vice-versa? Because currently I can’t do that at my Costco.”

    “While the box system worked, it was archaic. With anything, the new system will take time to implement.”

    “Jumping from the 19th century to the 21st century. Bravo Costco!”

    Others weren’t as happy:

    “Kind of sad in a way. There are not too many interactions like this in the digital age.”

    “But the Paper & Pencil worked.”

    “Coming in 2027: I didn’t get my cake at Costco because Amazon-East-1 is down :(.”

    “I have ordered many cakes with this low tech. Never an issue.”

    Costco bakery workers react

    Workers in Costco bakeries also chimed in, many with negative opinions:

    “As someone who works in the bakery this is going to be a disaster. Half the people don’t even know the name on the order or what the cake says when they come to pick up. Like 2 times a week we get someone trying to pick up at the wrong Costco.”

    “As a bakery employee, this is going to be a nightmare. The whole point of keeping the order form in warehouse only was to not overwhelm our staff AND (this one being the real reason I was given), is it makes people come in and ‘grab a few items while their there, and then again when they come pick up the cake.’ I am not looking forward to this. People are going to order at the wrong Costco, not do it right and then get mad at us. I’m terrified of this change 🫣.”

    “As someone who has worked in the bakery at Costco, the prevailing thought has been ‘the system we have works fairly well, so they’re probably not gonna change it.’ It’s the same reason that the major sales department still uses paper slips for computers. Well, except for the apple tables. Those have a little iPad kiosk that will print out your slip for you, but literally none of the members ever use it and instead ask us to do it for them.”

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  • Seniors ranting about their friend Barbara cheating at Mahjong is the Internet’s best new reality show
    A woman named Debbie helps explain Mahjong-gate. – Photo credit: Allison Novak
    ,

    Seniors ranting about their friend Barbara cheating at Mahjong is the Internet’s best new reality show

    “The Barbara Chronicles are giving me life.”

    Cecily Knobler

    If you’ve ever watched seniors play Mahjong, you know they’re not messing around. Some might find it complicated. A player’s guide explains, “Mahjong is a 4-person game of skill and chance that originated in China.” It involves numbered tiles, winds, dragons, flowers, and jokers. It’s serious business that, while fun and an excellent way to stretch the mind, can lead to actual fights.

    No fight has been more dramatic than what happened between Allison Novak (@allisonnovak) and her family. While visiting her parents in Florida (an escape from the cold Minnesota winter where they all usually reside), Novak, alongside her brother, sister, husband, and son, piled into the car en route to the airport. From there, we get the full rundown on “Mahjong-gate.”

    @alllisonnovak

    My mom telling me about the mahjong drama at her retirement community. #mahjong #mahjongtable #drama #retirement #florida

    ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator

    According to Allison’s mother, Cynthia, a woman named Barbara allegedly cheats at this game—and the other players aren’t having it. She shared, “We’re done with her. We’re not playing with a cheater anymore.”

    Cynthia goes on to explain an “incident” regarding tapping tiles. “They tapped it. They put it down. And I said, ‘Oh damn. I wanted that tile.’ And Sharon goes, ‘Just take it.’ And Barbara said, ‘No, I tapped it already.’”

    From there, it takes a dramatic turn: “Last night, Barbara did some stuff that was outright…I mean really bad.” She explains another tapping incident before explaining the etiquette of Mahjong: “So when you Mahjong, meaning you won, you have to show all your tiles to prove it. Kinda like bingo. But she takes her tiles and flips them over so no one really knows what she really had.”

    These videos have become a massive hit online. On TikTok alone, the first in the series was so popular it has nearly 5,000 comments.

    “Barbara is mentioned thousands of times in the Mahjong Files,” jokes one TikToker, a comment itself garnering over 7,000 likes.

    “The secret lives of Mahjong Wives,” another comments, putting a spin on the popular reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Lives.

    The Mahjong saga was so popular it has now become a series, with each video clip more exciting and dramatic than the last. (Novak has put menacing music underneath the dialogue, adding to the already terrifying tension.)

    @alllisonnovak

    The Real Housewives of Mahjong Mannor update!!! 🚨🚨🚨 #mahjong #mahjongtable #drama #retirement #florida

    ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator

    In Part Two of the series, Cynthia’s friend Debbie (while chatting with their other friends Bud, Diane, and Ralph) says, “Oh, she looks like this innocent little lady. She goes to church. Like I told them, I don’t go to Mahjong to see how well I can cheat. You want to play the game.”

    She complains that Barbara never bothers to change her game up, which the others find frustrating. From there, the conversation goes left, escalating into a possible murder accusation. (They’re joking, of course, but you’ll have to watch the video to see for yourself.)

    Commenters from Instagram and Threads are also getting in on the fun by treating the saga like the soap opera/reality show it is. Many point out the pronunciation of Mahjong as “Mar-Jawn,” which adds an extra element of delight.

    “The Barbara Chronicles are giving me life,” reads one of the comments. Another points out how quickly it all escalated, saying, “The jump from cheating to murdering your own husband…LOVE IT.”

    In Part Five, Allison summarizes the whole affair, which leads to Barbara’s banishment from the game. At one point, Barbara runs away, and they chase after her with a camera. We then see a black screen with a chyron reading, “As of this recording, Barbara has declined all interview requests. Sources close to Barbara declined to comment. Some questions remain unanswered.”

    On Threads, one person noted that not everything is always as it seems. “This is one of those documentaries where Barb walks in for her talking head interview in the last ten minutes and blows it all up.”

    @alllisonnovak

    And that’s Mahjong 🀄️ #finalscene #barbaramahjong #mahjong #mahjongdrama #secretlives

    ♬ Suspenseful and tense orchestra(1318015) – SoLaTiDo

    Novak told Upworthy how it all began:

    “My brother, sister, and I (and my husband and son) visit them every year. My mom and dad picked us up from the airport and immediately started telling me about the drama regarding Barbara. I couldn’t help but laugh, and I was like, ‘I need to record this!’”

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  • Jim Henson interviewing with Muppets is a delightful reminder of his magical genius
    Jim Henson with some of his Muppets – Photo credit: Public domain
    ,

    Jim Henson interviewing with Muppets is a delightful reminder of his magical genius

    Even adults would forget that his characters weren’t actually alive.

    Kathryn Ross

    Few individuals have had an impact on the childhoods of millions and the imaginations of people of all ages like Jim Henson. From Sesame Street to The Muppet Show to The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, ​Gen Xers grew up with Henson’s magic being a familiar and comforting presence. And to this day, over three decades after his death, the characters he created are still household names.

    For those of us who were raised on Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Kermit, and Miss Piggy, Henson’s creatures feel as real as any living, breathing performer from our childhoods. But it’s not just because we were kids when we were introduced to them. Even adults who met the Muppets found themselves transported into Henson’s imaginary world, and after seeing interviews of the puppeteer with his creatures, it’s easy to see why. 

    Watch:

    Henson didn’t even pretend to not be controlling Kermit. He didn’t bother with ventriloquism. And yet, Kermit feels truly alive and separate from the person animating him. It almost feels surreal. Or perhaps just…real. 

    Henson’s characters even convinced film crew members

    Both guests and crew members alike found themselves pulled into Henson’s world, even while fully understanding that the puppets were being controlled by people. The crew would sometimes move the boom mic to a puppet instead of the puppeteer. Directors would sometimes give stage directions directly to the Muppet instead of the human animating it. Dick Cavett, who interviewed Henson with his Muppets, said, “No matter how much you know about this, it’s completely convincing.”

    Even when a Muppet would explain the fact that the person was speaking to a puppet, it still seemed like a sentient being. Case in point:

    (This may be the one time you see Henson swear, but in context, it’s brilliantly wholesome.)

    @guygilchrist

    My old boss’s last public performance as Rowlf.🐶🙏🏻 . . #jimhenson #jimhensonscartoonist #themuppets #fyp #foryoupage

    ♬ original sound – Guy Gilchrist

    Frank Oz shared what it was like to work with Henson

    Of course, Henson didn’t work alone. Bringing his characters to life in all the ways he envisioned took the work of many people, but none were more aligned with Henson himself than his partner-in-puppetry, Frank Oz. Oz was the Miss Piggy to Henson’s Kermit, the Bert to his Ernie, the Animal to his Dr. Teeth.

    Oz started working with Henson when he was just 19 years old, and for 27 years the duo created unforgettable magic together. It wasn’t just the puppets. It was the voices, the comedic timing, the way they could make you laugh in one moment and well up with tears in the next. Their creatures entertained us but also taught us about being human, which was a truly remarkable feat. 

    Oz shared what it was like to work with Henson with Gene Shalit after Henson’s death in 1990:

    Like Fred Rogers, Jim Henson is remembered for being a distinctly decent person in addition to his creative work. He brought the ancient art of puppetry into the modern world, touching every generation in his lifetime and after in a way that remains unmatched. As the tribute song “A Boy and His Frog” by Tom Smith says:

    “They say, ‘Oh that’s foam and a wire, attached to a green velvet sleeve. Anyone can do that.’ Well, that’s true, I suppose, but who else can make them believe?” ​(Grab a tissue before listening to this song, Henson lovers. It’s a doozy.)

    How his legacy lives on

    Henson’s children, Lisa, Cheryl, Brian, John, and Heather, have carried on his work by running the Jim Henson Company and Jim Henson Foundation, performing themselves, and continuing to advocate for the art of puppetry. They’ve also kept Jim Henson’s Creature Shop running, creating puppets, animatronics, and even digital puppetry. The shop designed and built the full-size animatronic puppets for the 2023 Five Nights at Freddy’s movie and works on television, commercial, and themed projects as well.

    In 2024, renowned director Ron Howard released a documentary about Henson’s life and work, Jim Henson: Idea Man, which can be found on Disney +. 

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  • Lawyer explains why everyone should do ‘mandatory hospice volunteering’ when they turn 18
    An older women side by side with a younger woman (left) A young male hospice worker and a male patient (right) – Photo credit: Canva
    , , ,

    Lawyer explains why everyone should do ‘mandatory hospice volunteering’ when they turn 18

    “It would change their entire way of viewing the world.”

    Heather Wake

    In a recent, thought-provoking episode of the Impact Theory podcast with Tom Bilyeu, renowned divorce attorney and author James Sexton shared how being a hospice volunteer changed his perspective on life so drastically that he thinks it should be “mandatory” at the age of 18.

    “I think it would change your entire way of viewing the world. It did mine,” he told Bilyeu.

    Sexton recalled that while death itself wasn’t necessarily the prime source of conversation—most of his volunteer work involved doing little odds and ends for folks— its presence was still palpable. And because of that, he walked out of each visit “feeling like a samurai” as all the things he thought were “so important five minutes ago” fell to the wayside.

    Death gives us perspective on what really matters

    “Spend time with people that are dying. They don’t really…all their stuff is a great big pile of nothing. Like, all that they can talk about is the people that they love, the connections that they made, and the experiences that they had that were beautiful or painful,” he said.

    That realization became even more apparent when he learned that his own mother was terminally ill with cancer, and past the point that any doctor could help her.

    “In that moment, all of the other things that I was stressed about and worried about, the volume was turned so far down on all those things because my mom was gonna die. All that became important was how I could spend a little more time with her. How can I make sure she knows that I love her? How can I savor these wonderful things?”

    Hospice volunteering could help us navigate anti-death culture

    Developing an awareness of death during early adulthood, Sexton argued, would help people not get “distracted” by a society that constantly tries make you forget that death is inevitable. Therefore, they wouldn’t pay attention to the “meaningless shit that keeps the machine moving,” and instead focus on what really matters.

    And what really matters? Important things like kissing our spouse, for example, which Sexton reminded Bilyeu (and, conversely, all of us) is a finite number of times. You won’t know what that finite number is “until you’ve passed it,” he warned.

    hospice, hospice volunteer, impact theory, impact theory podcast, tom bilyeu, apple podcast, james sexton, death
    Photo credit: Canva

    “If you don’t keep that in your line of sight, then you’re a fool. You’re gonna think you’re gonna get to do that forever. You don’t. That’s the most beautiful thing in the world. It’s what makes that so special.”

    For Sexton, being a hospice volunteer cemented this perspective, and since then, “nothing has been the same.” It didn’t mean suddenly “living life like a monk,” but it did mean sharing his love a little more freely, and appreciating that “things have to end.”

    Between hospice volunteering and working as a divorce lawyer, Sexton has become an expert of sorts with “endings,” he noted with Bilyeu. And he argues that we must look at life through this lens because the one constant is that “everything is ending all the time,” and ignoring that fact “does a great disservice.”

    A death ritual for the modern day

    American culture generally treats death with avoidance, viewing it as a taboo topic or a medical failure rather than a natural life stage. It is highly clinical and sanitized, with many dying in hospitals away from family and loved ones. While shifting toward more home-based hospice care, US society remains heavily influenced by “death-denying” attitudes, emphasizing quick, efficient mourning. Compare that to other cultures that have consistent mourning rituals, like Mexico’s Dios De Los Muertos and Japan’s Obon. Perhaps Sexton’s hospice volunteering concept could act as something similar to these traditions…a rite of passage that doesn’t have us avoiding death, but walking alongside it.

    You can watch the full Impact Theory episode here:

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  • Canadians tickled at Bad Bunny’s halftime show inclusion revel in their ‘snow Latinos’ identity
    Canadians are feeling their broader connection to the Americas. – Photo credit: Canva
    ,

    Canadians tickled at Bad Bunny’s halftime show inclusion revel in their ‘snow Latinos’ identity

    “It’s Canadá until further notice!”

    Annie Reneau

    The Super Bowl LX halftime show was one for the ages, both for its record-breaking four billion social media views after the first 24 hours and for the chatter and debate it sparked. Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny performing the official halftime show entirely in Spanish highlighted the complexities of defining “American identity,” a reality the artist addressed directly as he paraded flags from countries across North, Central, and South America and shouted out their names in a call for unity.

    While heated controversy around the show swirled in the United States, our neighbors to the north had a hilarious reaction to it. Like the sweet, unassuming kid who stays out of middle school drama but still yearns to be included, some Canadian viewers found themselves tickled by Bad Bunny’s shoutout and embraced their Latinized identity.

    “It’s Canadá until further notice!” one TikToker wrote.

    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThuKMuKK/

    Social media users are sharing where they’re from in “Canadá,” using Bad Bunny’s Spanish accent with a sense of pride to name their country, province, city, and sometimes even their neighborhood. Some add “mi gente latino,” meaning “my people,” in reference to the broader Latino community, which is particularly endearing as commenters from Spanish-speaking countries refer to their Canadian brothers and sisters as “snow Latinos.”

    It’s all in good fun, of course. One of the remarkable things about Bad Bunny’s show is how distinctly and deliberately it broke down barriers while still honoring individual countries as part of a greater whole. Canadians putting on a Spanish accent and referring to themselves as Latinos might normally raise some eyebrows, but in the context of the current moment, it reads simply as a celebration of cross-cultural and cross-continental connection.

    @n4ll.y.xxo

    Next stop- VanCuba ?? ? #badbunny #superbowl #canadians

    ♬ Bilbao – Studio Pro Sound

    Canadians are sharing that they’re from British Colommmbiaaaaa, Juancouver (or Van-Cuba), Saskatchejuan, Montreyál, Alberto, and other Latinized versions of their homeland. Some have dubbed themselves “Sorta Ricans,” while Peruvians are calling Canadians their cousins because the two countries’ flags are so similar. In the comments, Canada is being embraced by the broader Americas with open arms, with messages like “Welcome winter latinas,” “Canadá is invited to the Quinceañera,” and “Welcome to La Familia.”

    As one person wrote, “The whole point of this performance was to UNITE people and that’s exactly what happened.”

    Indeed, to come out and boldly assert that American identity can be viewed in a broader sense, accompanied by the message “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE” displayed in plain English, was a powerful statement. Holding up a football that read “GOD BLESS AMERICA” while defining America not only as the U.S. but as the collective lands and nations of the Americas was a bold choice, and one clearly intended to be unifying and inclusive.

    Even a Brazilian comedian shared how much it meant for his home country to be included in that collective, saying that Brazil sometimes feels a bit on the outside in South America because it speaks Portuguese rather than Spanish:

    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHVQ5FF/


    The celebration of every nation in the comments is beautiful to see. The feeling of being connected to one another through our shared humanity and proximity, despite geographical and cultural differences, was felt by people of all ages, races, and nationalities.

    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHs9pvT/

    So many people from around the world felt the message loud and clear: we are one human family, and diversity doesn’t have to mean disunity. Questions of geopolitics and immigration policy remain and will, of course, continue to be debated, but they often overshadow the bigger-picture reality that lines on a map, political ideologies, and cultural prejudices are all things humans made up.

    International relations may not be that simple, but what the Super Bowl halftime show demonstrated, in a powerfully creative way, is that we as individuals can choose to see ourselves differently by expanding our circle of “we” until we see “them” as “us.”

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  • Gen Zer tries to dub Gen X ‘the worst generation.’ A Millennial hilariously shut them down.
    , ,

    Gen Zer tries to dub Gen X ‘the worst generation.’ A Millennial hilariously shut them down.

    “Gen X is Boomers if they knew how to turn a document into a PDF.”

    dannyreaktiv

    It’s a tale as old as time: tension caused by generational differences. From Baby Boomers to the up-and-coming Gen Alpha, every generation seems to have a little bit of beef with the others—especially Gen Z.

    Gen Z has claimed that Boomers are “angry”. And Gen Zers are no longer subscribing to work burnout culture that Millennials did. And now, Gen Z has decided to come for Gen X.

    One brave…or naive Gen Zer decided to declare that Gen X is “the worst generation” seemingly unprompted. But a Millennial quickly put them in their place.

    @laurahigh5

    Do you also like pissing off beelzebub for funzies? #genx #millennial #genz #generations #lol #joke #80s #vhs #movie #foryou #foryoupage #fyp #fypシ゚viral #fypage

    ♬ Wes Anderson-esque Cute Acoustic – Kenji Ueda

    In a stitched video, Millennial Laura High gave a succinct cliff’s notes version of why it’s best to not speak negative thoughts on Gen X aloud.

    “I love Gen X. We all love Gen X…we all love Gen X,” she said before bringing the camera close enough to whisper. “Okay here’s the thing, you do not seem to understand who Gen X is, okay? Gen X is Boomers if they knew how to turn a document into a PDF, okay. They do not Karen out. They get quiet and they get revenge.”

    High then shared the secret kept by her generation: “we do not summon the latchkey kids unless it’s our literal only last resort.” She advised the unknowing Gen Zer to go to the edge of the woods to leave offerings to appease any Gen Xers that would likely be offended by the video.

    Gen Z and Millennials respond

    Commenters agreed with her sentiment.

    “There is a reason millennials leave Gen X alone, and they learned it the hard way. My fellow Gen Z’s will learn soon… very soon,” one commenter said..

    “Elder Gen Z raised by two Gen X parents. I do NOT back the younger half of Gen Z on this. I’m running into the woods on their behalf and leaving Ferris Bueller for my dad and a DQ blizzard for my mom,” another echoed.

    “Last thing she will hear from the woods, Red Rover Red Rover, we call Karen Hashtag over,” said a third.

    “If you’ve never played Red Rover with Gen Xers, just know you were lucky to have your head still attached to your shoulders after the game was over. There were no tears allowed and no telling your parents, they were gone anyway. In short: Gen Xers are ruthless, and it’s best not to cross them. Seriously.”

    Gen X responds

    gen x, generation x, gen x couple, gen xers, gen x life
    A happyu00a0Gen X couple have patience for younger generations, like Gen Z. Photo credit: Canva

    Thankfully, Gen Xers are also open to peace offerings (and humor). Here are a few of their suggestions:

    “I will accept ding dongs (in original foil) and a VHS of ‘the last star fighter’ I will also except a mix tape if it include at mix of metal, new wave, and Yaz.”

    “We will also accept any of the original Star Wars trilogy, Star Trek 2, Raiders, or Die Hard…though John Hughes films will likely will be the safest choice.”

    “As an Elder Gen X (1971) I accept offerings of ice cold Boone’s Farm and those little chocolate donuts in the plastic sleeve. Laura, you’re safe. Gen Z? Run.”

    “We will also allow The Neverending Story .”

    Moral of the story: tread lightly Gen Z. Tread very lightly. If you hear someone clinking together empty glass Coke bottles outside your door, do not come out and play. It’s a trap.

    This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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