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Bob Odenkirk shares the history of writing Chris Farley's most famous SNL sketch

"God, he was hilarious. So fun to watch from the second he stepped on stage."

Bob Odenkirk, Chris Farley, SNL, David Spade, writing

Photo Credit: Canva

Bob Odenkirk looks into the distance. Chris Farley stars in 'Van down by the river' on SNL.

Before Bob Odenkirk was an a--kicking action star in the Nobody films, or TV's funniest and most brilliant attorney Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad, he was helping to prop up other comedians in their climb to stardom.

Obviously, Odenkirk is known in his own right as a gifted comic and actor. Having co-created Mr. Show with David Cross, he has steadily built a fan base who adore and support his exploding talent and career. But before he was even hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live (on which he wrote for many seasons), he was a member of the reputable Second City improv group in Chicago, where he worked with the late great Chris Farley.

A friend of mine happened to be at one of the Second City performances as a sixth grader when Farley debuted a version of the now incredibly popular sketch "Van down by the river." Of the show, he said, "It was like nothing anyone had ever seen before. The minute Farley walked on stage, the audience couldn't stop laughing."

breaking bad, bob odenkirk, television, comedian Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman Giphy, Breaking Bad

In an exclusive conversation with Upworthy, Odenkirk, who wrote the sketch, explains, "Chris had done a version of the Matt Foley character in an improv scene. A high school football coach, and we were improvising faculty giving kids a 'don't do drugs' talk."

Of Farley's performance, Odenkirk shares, "God, he was hilarious. So fun to watch from the second he stepped onstage. I took the energy of that character in, and that night gave it the structure of 'Matt Foley; The Motivational Speaker.' I was thinking about Tony Robbins and someone like that using themselves, as Matt does, to be a negative example. It was the perfect marriage of performance and writing structure for a great sketch."

Odenkirk theorizes where he believes Farley may have drawn inspiration. "In real life, I am sure Chris had been on the receiving end of many 'get up and go' lectures. He felt like a loser and called himself that and even worse, all day long. His negative inner monologue played out in public constantly...and it was hard to witness. We all have to deal with the negative inner voice, his was super-charged by hectoring lectures he'd received all his life. In the end, that negativity aimed at himself by himself (by his experience of getting lectured and berated), made it hard for him to overcome his indulgences."

He offers this lovely advice. "Like everyone, I loved the guy and I felt for his struggle, so openly on display. It's important to find positive pulls to get you to a better place, instead of negative ones that degrade your inner strength."

@gq
"Is that Bill Shakespeare over there?" Watch #BobOdenkirk reply to fans online at the link in bio.

In a clip posted by GQ on TikTok, Odenkirk is shown that someone posted a clip from the sketch, asking, "I need to know what line Bob is most proud of in this." Odenkirk laughs and answers, "So I wrote the motivational speaker sketch for Chris Farley when we were at Second City together."

He adds, "In the course of rehearsal, I got to know Chris. And one night I went home and I wrote that sketch, the way it's done. I've written hundreds of sketches—a couple thousand, maybe? That's one of the few that IS in its final form, pretty much exactly what I wrote in my apartment alone one night in Chicago. Which is cool and weird and rare.

So my favorite line—'Is that Bill Shakespeare over there?' The clip then flashes back to the actual SNL sketch, wherein Farley, his bright green tie hanging way too low, leans onto Phil Hartman and points, 'I can't see real good. Is that Bill Shakespeare over there?' You see everyone on the couch trying desperately not to break character. We cut back to Odenkirk who laughs. "Just kills me. I mean, I'm a Midwestern guy and I'm always gonna call William Shakespeare, Bill Shakespeare."

Chris Farley in 'Van Down By the River' sketch for SNL www.youtube.com, SNL, NBC Universal

He explains, "We did the sketch at Second City first and I was in the cast. And I played the dad, the part that Phil Hartman played on SNL. Chris would not leave that stage until he made every other performer laugh. Every single time he did the sketch."

He shares, "My daughter, when she was six, asked me, 'what's the most fun you ever had in show business?' I said to her, 'I did a sketch with a guy named Chris Farley once at Second City. And every night that I did that sketch, every single time I did it was the most fun I ever had in show business.'"

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Craveable snacks. Quality organic ingredients. Positive community impact.

5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, here are five ways people across the internet are giving it their all.

True

When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture a color-coordinated, fairy-themed surprise proposal that took months to create, or maybe you think of a singer who went on stage and nailed the perfect high note in front of everyone (like this girl). Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Going “all in” means doing something with total commitment—literally giving it your “all” and going completely over the top. No second guessing, no holding back—just full-throttle enthusiasm with some creativity and flair thrown in. That’s how we get those viral internet moments we can’t stop watching.

This week, we've found a handful of hilarious and heart-warming videos that perfectly capture what it's like to go "all in"—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage and something truly special happens as a result. Here are five of our favorite examples.

1. This "Sports Car" singalong

@_julianabba Replying to @courtney_azbell I’m okay @tate mcrae @t8 hq #tate #tatemcrae #tatemcraetour #sportscar #soclosetowhat #misspossesive #misspossesivetour #tatemcrae1 ♬ original sound - jules

The viral song “Sports Car” by Tate McRae has become an absolute viral hit, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is the song super catchy, but her performance is show-stopping (you might even say she and her backup dancers go all in). Everyone is singing and dancing along—although this content creator’s rendition of the song might be the most passionate one. He gets a little too caught up, as you’ll see at the end of this video—and, well, his reenactment becomes "show stopping" in a different way. (Don't worry, though, he's totally fine.)

2. A little bit of everything, according to Reddit (but especially personal growth)

This week, the team at All In asked Reddit users what they go “all in” on in their own lives, and the responses were entertaining and inspiring (and sometimes both). One commenter shared that they go all in on blue cheese dressing when they’re eating buffalo wings (respect), while another shared that they go all in on saving up their retirement (we love to see people reaching for big goals). Turns out you can go “all in” on everything from maintaining a healthy marriage to putting salt on your cucumbers. Our favorite responses, though, were people who went in on personal growth and learning. Click here to see what they had to say (and click here to snag a box of All In bars—for free!).

3. Pursuing a life-long dream

@kynder.jpg that's my mom! 💙⛸️ #iceskating #followyourdreams #figureskating #lifeover50 ♬ No One - Aly & AJ

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking you’re “too old” to follow your dreams, watch this video, because this midlife mom will prove you wrong. This video shows a woman skating in her first figure skating competition—and she’s about to turn 50. The daughter, who filmed and posted the video to TikTok, says that ice skating has always been her mother’s lifelong dream, and recently she just decided to go for it. The costume, the composition, and the passion are all first-rate, but the best part is that the commenters are going crazy for her, too. One of them wrote, “As a former competitive figure skater, nothing makes me tear up like videos of people getting into skating later in life. The ice was my first love, it was home. Welcome home.”

4. These infectious dance moves

@itz_sokizzy
♬ Some Nights - Fun.

Okay, so unlike the figure skating mom, there’s nothing technically impressive about this woman dancing—as in, she’s not a professional dancer. She doesn’t use choreography or sparkly costumes—but what’s great about these videos is that her passion and enthusiasm just can’t be denied. It’s just her in her bonnet, dancing along to upbeat classics like “Some Nights,” by Fun, and somehow you can’t help but be completely mesmerized—and maybe start dancing along yourself. We watched a bunch of her videos—there are tons, and they’re all equally enthusiastic—and we couldn’t help but laugh and groove right along with her. That’s what’s great about going “all in”—it inspires other people, too.

Song re-enactments...with a surprising guest star

@animallover.zx123 if you're done with your ex move on#just move on#ex #move on with your life #fyp #fyp #fyp #fyp ♬ Gladdest Done with your ex - GLAD FAMILY

People can sometimes be “extra” when it comes to their pets (like dressing up their dog as a cowboy or a mailman for Halloween). But there’s being “extra” with your pet, and then there’s going “all in,” which this TikTok creator undoubtedly does. King Guinea Adventures (@animallover.zx123) has built a platform on staging re-enactments of popular songs, but with a twist: the star of the show is a guinea pig. These hilarious videos show the guinea pig acting out the lyrics of popular songs such as “Video Games” by Lana Del Ray and “Whiskey Lullaby” by Braid Paisley and Alison Kraus. The literalism of these videos is what makes them actually hilarious, and it shows how much thought the creator put into making them (In “Video Games,” for example, when Lana sings “Swinging in the backyard / pull up in your fast car,” you see a literal toy car appear in the swing next to him. When she gets to the lyric “video games,” you see a Nintendo Switch pop up.) It’s creative, it’s funny, it’s fun—and best of all, this creator takes their love of pop culture (and the love of her pet guinea pig) and truly goes “all in.”

Snag a free (!!) box of All In snack bars here while this deal lasts. Just pick up a box at Sprouts and text a pic of your receipt to get it for free. Enoy!

Episcopal priest beautifully explains patriotism vs. nationalism and what sets them apart

One is love, the other idolatry.

Photo credit: Canva

What's the difference between patriotism and nationalism?

Patriotism can feel like a loaded term sometimes, as the meaning can range in people's minds from a basic love of country to a fierce loyalty one is willing to die for. What constitutes "country" can also impact how we perceive of patriotism, as there's a difference between the land, the people, the ideals, and the current government.

And then there's nationalism, which may sound like the same thing but isn't. So what's the difference? Episcopal priest Joseph Yoo shared his thoughts on what separates patriotism from nationalism, and people are appreciating having the key differences laid out so clearly.

@joseph.yoo
Nationalism vs. Patriotism #yourEpiscoPal #YourKoreanFather #nationalism #patriotism #LanguageLearning

"Patriotism is love," Yoo begins. "It's gratitude. It's saying, 'I care about my country enough to tell the truth about it, to celebrate what's good and work to fix what's broken."

"Nationalism, that's idolatry," he continues. "It says my nation is the nation above critique, above others, God's favorite. And once you slap God's seal of approval on your own flag, congratulations, you've just made your country a 'golden calf.'"

He explained the patriotism results in activism like that of John Lewis crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge to demand that the country live up to its professed ideals. Nationalism results in tragedies like the January 6th invasion of the Capitol, where Confederate flags and crosses were seen in the same mob.

— (@)

"Patriotism says, 'I love my family enough to admit when we've messed up, and I will help us grow," Yoo says." Nationalism says, 'My family is perfect, everyone else is trash, and if you disagree you are out."

"One is honest love. The other is toxic possession," he says. "One builds. One bullies."

Yoo concluded with a biblical point: "Jesus never called us to worship a flag, only to love our neighbor."

It's important to differentiate between patriotism and nationalism because the latter has become a bit of a lightning rod in the political discourse. Some use it as a pejorative term, while others have embraced it as something totally acceptable or even positive. When the definitions are muddied, it causes confusion.

American flags, united states, america, patriotism, nationalism Flags can be a symbol of both patriotism and nationalism.Photo credit: Canva

Of course, Yoo is not the sole authority on what these words mean, but his thoughts are aligned with what the neutral arbiters of definitions say they mean.

Dictionary.com has an entire page discussing the terms, defining patriotism as "devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty,” and nationalism as "the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations," ultimately leading to how the two words are used:

"Patriotism generally has a positive connotation. It’s used for various positive sentiments, attitudes, and actions involving loving one’s country and serving the great good of all its people.

Nationalism generally has a negative connotation. It’s used for political ideologies and movements that a more extreme and exclusionary love of one’s country—at the expense of foreigners, immigrants, and even people in a country who aren’t believed to belong in some way, often racial and religious grounds."

flags, countries, world, patriotism, nationalism Love of one's country is nice. But there's a difference between patriotism and nationalism. Photo credit: Canva

Britannica also has a whole page about the two words, with this basic synopsis of the differences:

"Patriotism is a feeling of attachment and commitment to a country, nation, or political community, and its conception has roots tracing back to Greek and Roman antiquity. It is associated with the love of law and common liberty, the search for the common good, and the duty to behave justly toward one’s country. Nationalism, on the other hand, is a more modern ideology that emerged in the 18th century, focusing on the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state, often surpassing other individual or group interests."

And then there are some famous takes on patriotism:

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”
― James Baldwin

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”
― Mark Twain

mark twain, author, patriotism, nationalism, democracy Mark Twain had quite a bit to say about patriotism. Giphy

“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”
― Theodore Roosevelt

“The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of his country for what it does, and the nationalist is proud of his country no matter what it does; the first attitude creates a feeling of responsibility, but the second a feeling of blind arrogance that leads to war.”

― Sydney J. Harris

There's nothing wrong with loving your country, but anything taken to excess and exclusion isn't healthy. Nationalism is excessive and exclusive in its very nature, and while patriotism can be weaponized, when kept in check it's what keeps people striving to make their homelands the best that they can be for everyone who lives there.

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The biggest takeaway from Jimmy Kimmel's return monologue that we can all take a lesson from

It wasn't just about freedom of speech.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!/YouTube

Jimmy Kimmel returns after having his show suspended for several days.

Millions of people have watched Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue upon his return to the airwaves, but before we get into that, let's briefly go over how we got here. On September 17, 2025, the late night talk show host had his show suspended over commentary he made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder. In case you missed it, here’s what Kimmel said that led to his suspension:

“We had some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving. On Friday, the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism. But on a human level, you can see how hard the president is taking this. [Plays clip of video of President Trump on the White House lawn being asked how he’s personally holding up after the death of his friend, to which Trump responds, “I think very good, and by the way, over there you see all the trucks. They’ve just started construction of the new ballroom…”] Yes. He's at the fourth stage of grief. Construction. Demolition. Construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend.”

— (@)

That comment resulted in an uproar, primarily from folks who interpreted it as Kimmel saying the shooter was part of the MAGA movement (which wasn’t actually what he said). The day Kimmel was suspended, FCC chairman Brendan Carr went on a podcast and made what Senator Ted Cruz characterized as a “mafia boss” style threat to ABC and Disney, which resulted in an outcry over government interference with free speech.

After consulting with Kimmel and receiving a wave of backlash from people across the political spectrum, Disney announced Kimmel's show would return on September 23. While we have no numbers for how many people tuned in live, Kimmel’s return opening monologue has garnered 12 million views on YouTube alone less than 24 hours after it aired. A person who was in the room (who asked not to be named) tells Upworthy that Kimmel's parents and in-laws were in the audience, and that, "the crowd was particularly charged. Everyone was moved and emotional."

— (@)

It's worth watching the whole monologue, as there are multiple noteworthy moments in it, but one part in particular stands out as an example we can all learn from. While some people were looking for Kimmel to say he was sorry for his words, Kimmel took a more honest and nuanced approach, one that is actually more meaningful than a rote, forced apology. He put himself in his critics' shoes and saw what he said through their lens.

"I do want to make something clear because it’s important to me as a human. And that is you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t, I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.

"I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion and I meant it and I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what … was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.

“But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way. I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution, and it isn’t it, ever.”

This part: "I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way." That's is exactly what is missing from far too much of our public discourse.

— (@)

It’s no secret that the U.S. is steeped in a seemingly intractable political divide, to the point where Americans—sometimes even those in power—refer to entire groups of Americans as “the enemy.” Both sides blame the other for divisive rhetoric, and those who try to bridge the divide are often derided by people on the extremes (who often have the loudest voices and get the most engagement).

But Kimmel’s example of understanding how people felt looking at his words through their perspective is something we desperately need more of. “I don’t agree with your stance, but I can see where you’re coming from and understand how you got there” is a powerful statement in polarized times.

In short, it’s empathy—a concept a lot of people seem to struggle with. Charlie Kirk said he didn’t believe in empathy, stating that it’s impossible to feel what someone feels if you haven’t experienced what they’ve experienced. But that’s simply not true. Humans have imaginations that give us the ability to put ourselves into other people’s shoes if we choose to. It requires detaching ourselves from our own perspective and purposefully taking on another temporarily, which can sometimes be hard, but not impossible. If we didn’t have that ability, fiction stories wouldn’t exist, we wouldn’t feel for characters in books we wouldn’t cry when we watch certain movies.

— (@)

Kimmel’s emotional praise of Erika Kirk’s example of forgiveness also struck a chord. We can vehemently disagree with someone’s entire worldview and still acknowledge when they do or say something praiseworthy.

Even if people didn’t agree with everything Kimmel said, let’s celebrate that he didn’t capitulate to pressure and picked right back up being the comedian he’s always been. Late night comedy shows have long been outlets for political satire, and even if we don’t like it personally, the freedom to joke about government officials and political matters is a hallmark of a healthy democracy. Kimmel demonstrated in his monologue that we are capable of empathizing with those we disagree with and that freedom of speech is not negotiable.

As the person who was there for the live monologue tells Upworthy, "I hope that what I felt in that room actually reaches across party lines, and folks can hear his actual message to humankind, and to the American people, with empathy, compassion and an open dialogue, and the opportunity to listen to one another again. And to listen to the actual message, rather than the clickbait headline versions that people seem to base their entire opinion of the world on."

You can watch his entire opening monologue here:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

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People share 36 of the most beautiful first names they've ever heard

"It just sounds so melodic."

Image via Milan Radulovic's Image

A list of the most beautiful names.

There is a lot of pressure to name a baby the absolute *perfect* name. And for many, the goal is to come up with a seriously beautiful name that is unique-sounding—a name that will stick with you forever.

Looking through baby names lists can help. But to get more ideas on beautiful names, a person posed the question on Reddit: "What’s the most beautiful first name you’ve ever heard?"

The crowd-sourced name-inspo led to a detailed and distinctive list of beautiful baby names, with many noting that the majority were for baby girls. "I love that 90% of these are women's names, meanwhile men are like this is my boy Daryl," one commenter joked.

kelly rowland 90s GIF Giphy

These are 36 of the most beautiful names people can think of:

"I saw a best guy employers name tag: Orion." - spaceshiplazer

"I used to know a woman called Isis, thought it was beautiful to be named after a goddess, now its just unfortunate." - ShireNorse

"I knew two Muslim sisters back in the 4th grade. One was Neda and her sister was Nezerine. I have always thought Nezerine was one of the prettiest names I have ever heard." - a-passing-crustacean

"When I was a kid I was obsessed with 'Swan Princess' and I thought the name Odette was beautiful lol idk if it’s even real." - messyowl

odette, name odette, swan princess, swan princess gif, odette gif Princess Odette Girl GIF by The Swan Princess Giphy

"My sister's childhood friend's grandfather's name was Diogenes. He was a very nice old bloke too, so maybe I just associate the name with a friendly face. Nonetheless, it's both a strong name, and a beautiful name." - MrSlipperyFist

"Met a guy who said his name was Levi. Eventually I noticed he had a tattoo of a sea dragon. I asked him about it, and he told me it was for his name, because Levi was short for Leviathan. Coolest name ever." - Weird-is-norm

"My therapist's name is Althea, I think it’s so lovely." - FroggySpirit

"Vivienne - I find the French spelling the prettiest, it just sounds so melodic." - Looktothecookiee

"Genevieve in French pronunciation, like Genevieve Bujold (actress) is a fantastic name." - FlamingoRare8449

"I knew a woman named Eleanora which sounds so beautiful when pronounced by Italians." - CursingWhileCrafting

"Tbh most of the flower names like: Dahlia, Iris, Rose, Jasmine, Lily, Ivy, Alyssa." - frizzyno

rose, rose name, rose gif, pretty rose, roses Rose GIF Giphy

"Violet." - garythegyarados

"Met an Italian girl named Alessandra. That was 30 years ago and it's still in my brain as the most beautiful name I've ever heard." - Mothman

"Isildur." - Few_Image7673

"Aurelia." - worstnameIeverheard

"Evelyn is so pretty to me." - 1mALittl3N0tStraight

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"'Derry Girls' made me absolutely love Orla." - sarathev

"Noelle. 'Her name is Noelle I have a dream about her she rings my bell'." - Special-Strategy7225

"'Sailor Moon' made me fall in love with Serena. I also really like Celeste, Aria and Evangeline (no one but me seems to appreciate the last one lol). They were on my short list of baby names but I went with another fav." - endoftheworldvibe

sailor moon, sailor moon gif, sailor moon name, sailor moon names, sailor moon anime sailor moon GIF Giphy

"The Māori name Anahera." - lizzietnz

"Seraphina. Heard it at coffee shop and it stopped me dead. Sounds like angels and fire rolled into one." - Twisted_Metalx

"Leilani was always pretty to me." - MathTutorAndCook

"There are so many, but I’ve always loved ‘Aurora’ ......it sounds magical and brings to mind the dawn and the northern lights." - Special_You_7103

"River Phoenix most beautiful name I heard." - Mona_Mour__

river phoenix, river phoenix, gif, river phoenix name, river, river name river phoenix 80s GIF Giphy

"Adelaide, my Mama's name." - Cantretiresoonenough

"Clementine." - iamnotasheep

"Lydia. I just love it for some reason." - Beautifulone_2

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beautiful names

Wall-mounted dish drying racks have suddenly become the new must-have item for family kitchens

Five reasons why America is falling in love with this old-school kitchen essential.

commons.wikimedia.org

Maiju Gebhard with her dish-drying racks

Just like hemlines for jeans and living room paint colors, trends come and go like the wind. But sometimes, even trends steeped in pure logic that genuinely make life easier take a while to gain traction all around the world. Such is the case for the wall-mounted dish drying racks, which are finally becoming a staple in kitchens in the globe's last outlier—America.

While there had been earlier patents, it wasn't until the 1940s when Finnish inventor Maiju Gebhard popularized the idea of the wall-mounted dish drying rack, known in Finland as astiankuivauskaappi. The idea is simple: instead of a drying rack in your sink or on the kitchen counter, this one is mounted directly above the sink in a closed or open cabinet with an open-ended bottom, allowing water to drip, and plates, etc. to properly air dry.

In an article about Nordic inventions for 99 Percent Invisible (99pi), writer Kurt Kohlstedt notes that Gebhard's design, "in conjunction with the Finnish Association for Work Efficiency, was a huge success. Her basic design is widely used in Finnish kitchens to this day. Over time, older versions built with wood have been replaced by ones using metal wire and/or plastic."

In David Cad's TikTok video, he illustrates what it might be like for a "foreigner to see astiankuivauskaappi" for the first time. "Who else knows about this?" he jokes. His counterpart answers, "What? This is in like every Finnish home."

@davecad
Tbh it's pretty awesome 😂 #suomitok #suomi #suomitiktok #fyp #ttsuomi #livinginfinland #finland #finnish #fypsuomi #astiankuivauskaappi

The video has garnered nearly half a million likes and has comments from all over the world.

An American writes, "I live in a New York City apartment and I would kill to have that much cabinet storage space."

One TikToker notes, "Come to Singapore. You'll find this in almost every home."

Many living in Europe also vouch for them. From Italy to Romania to Spain, people chime in to share that this has been the standard for quite some time. A person in Poland claims, "Very popular in Poland, with a tray under the cabinet to avoid drops on the counter."

In the Middle East, someone asks, "Is this a thing? It's a basic here in the Middle East." To that point, another adds, "It's in Saudi Arabia and we improved it by making it slide down so you can stack on the upper shelf and then slide it back up."

-dish-drying racks, kitchen, organization, inventions www.youtube.com, Letters from the Freezer

It has taken a while for the West to catch up on this invention, but it's finally happening and better late than never. It makes so much sense and here are a few reasons why:

More hygienic

On traditional counter or sink-based drying racks, moisture can get trapped, leading to unsanitary conditions. And you know who loves those? Bugs and bacteria. When the rack is raised up, the airflow is better, which results in a cleaner dish and all-around more hygienic kitchen.

Dries dishes faster

With more efficient airflow comes faster-drying dishes. It's just science.

Saves energy and money

If you're using a dishwasher to wash and dry your dishes, you're using (on average) about 1800 watts of energy per cycle. This isn't outrageous, but one can still save money and precious energy by skipping the appliance and washing and drying the old-fashioned way.

Looks clean and cool

Stacked plates and glasses on the countertop can make kitchens seem messy. This mounted drying system eases up the visual clutter and gives at least some illusion of organization.

Frees up space

When your kitchen countertop is littered with an old-fashioned drying rack, then it takes up much-need space for cutting limes or whisking up cake batter. Opening it up will make a lot of difference, both for your visual aesthetics and practical purposes.

If you're ready to take the leap and are looking for options, Wayfair has dishrack drainer shelves, that are sleek and useful.

Also, the Asieit over-the-sink dish drying rack seems popular and affordable. It's an alternative to actually mounting the rack, as it's placed over the sink with extra storage on top.

To take it a step further, a mounted utensil rack adds a bit of pizzazz to the kitchen and again, gives much needed extra space. While it's not a drying mechanism, per se, it could be used as one if a tray is placed underneath.

See on Instagram

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Quinceañera held same night as neighbors' anniversary party. Cultures beautifully collided.

Both neighbors had live bands competing for attention.

Photo credit: Canva

Quinceñera beautifully clashes with neighbors' 25th anniversary party.

Quinceañera's are a big milestone in Latin American and Latino cultures. It's the party celebrating a girl's fifteenth birthday, marking her entrance into womanhood. People plan for years for their daughter's big day, often saving up thousands of dollars so their daughter can get the perfect dress and have the party of her dreams. With that being said, celebrating 25 years of marriage is also a huge milestone for people, so putting a lot of money into an event to mark the occasion is common.

While both are exceptionally special, these events taking place on the same night at the same time, only separated by a chain-link fence, could cause frustration for all parties. When a local singer, Irene's Entropy, was invited to sing at her friend's 25th wedding anniversary, she experienced this exact situation.

$Quincea\u00f1era; kindness; good in humanity; humanity; anniversary party; good neighbors; neighbors; community$ Elegance in bloom: a stunning red gown in a serene park setting.Photo credit: Canva

Her friend hired three bands to play live, and Irene was ready to sing her heart out when partygoers noticed a band beginning to set up next door. The party was just barely getting started and Irene was the next band to step onto the stage. That's when her friends, who were hosting the party, frantically explained that they didn't know their neighbors were also throwing a party. Apparently, there was a language barrier, according to Irene, which led to a misunderstanding about the details.

Irene explains in a video she uploaded to Instagram that she volunteered to speak with the neighbors since she also speaks Spanish.

$Quincea\u00f1era; kindness; good in humanity; humanity; anniversary party; good neighbors; neighbors; community$ Band jamming together in a lively performance. 🎸🎤Photo credit: Canva

"I cross through the fence and I go talk to the dad and the mom. They're like, 'Yes, we want to make this work. We're so sorry, we didn't know, but you know, here, have some tacos.' They start making me a plate of food," the woman explains.

After chatting with the other band, tacos in hand, the bands decided to alternate playing. One band would play two songs, then the other band would play two songs, and they would switch off for the rest of the night, so neither band was competing for sound. Irene started the volley between the two bands by playing Fleetwood Mac songs, which resulted in cheers from the Mexican band. The cheering from Irene's side of the fence erupted when the Mexican band finished their two songs. Eventually, things took an even more wholesome turn when Irene asked if they knew any songs in Spanish that she could sing with them.

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A post shared by Irene's Entropy (@irenes.entropy)

"They were like, 'Do you know Shania Twain, 'You're Still the One,'" she recalls before sharing the band's next question. "'Are you going to sing it in the United States or are you going to cross the border?' So I crossed the border, sorry, the fence, and then I went over and we sang Shania Twain together. My side of the fence ended up coming over, and we took this big group picture together. That is what we need more of in this country, truly."

This story moved people in the comments, with one saying, "I love this story no one complaining everyone just worked it out for everyone’s benefit."

Supermodel Christie Brinkley writes, "Beautiful story! That’s the spirit we need to cheer on !!! More music laughter joy and singing together! United we dance!!!! 💃🏾 Olé!"

$Quincea\u00f1era; kindness; good in humanity; humanity; anniversary party; good neighbors; neighbors; community$ Quinceañera celebration with a mariachi band and a dancer in a purple gown.Photo credit: Canva

Another person shares, "Thank you so much for sharing this. I, for one, needed to know that people can respect and care for one another. And imagine, both party hosts had most excellent parties!"

"OMG I SO NEEDED THIS RIGHT NOW!!! Thank you for this wonderful story!!! This is the America I love so much!!!" someone else reflects.

$Quincea\u00f1era; kindness; good in humanity; humanity; anniversary party; good neighbors; neighbors; community$ Party vibes and laughter on the dance floor! 🎉💃🕺Photo credit: Canva

Seal, the famous recording artist, also joined in on the admiration, writing, "God bless you Angel. I’ve always believed that while it would be tumultuous, eventually we’d be okay because you, the youth view the world differently and ultimately it was gonna take your generation and the next to correct this 🤬 mess we’ve selfishly left for you to clean up. Listening to your story and the wisdom with which you express it, not only do you make me proud to be a musician but you also give me hope 🥲🥲🥲. THANK you. -Seal, (recording artist now as)."

It seems that this is a story that is reminding people that love and respect can still be found in America. There's no shortage of people caring for each other, but it can feel that way. Mister Rogers once said to "look for the helpers," and in that moment, Irene was the helper, and it turned a stressful misunderstanding into a mutual celebration.

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