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Childless people over 50 are honestly reflecting on whether they made the right decision

Spoiler alert: They’re totally fine with it.

childless couples, kid-free life, regrets of seniors

via Pexels

Childless people over 50 discuss their decision.

People who decide not to have children are often unfairly judged by those who chose a different life path. People with children can be especially judgmental to women who’ve decided to opt out of motherhood.

“You will regret it!” is one of the most common phrases lobbed at those who choose to remain childless. Why do people think they’ll have such awful regrets? Because they often say they’ll wind up “lonely and sad” when they’re older.

They also say that life without children is without purpose and that when the childless get older they’ll have no one to take care of them. One of the most patronizing critiques thrown at childless women is that they will never “feel complete” unless they have a child.

However, a lot of these critiques say more about the person doling them out than the person who decides to remain childless.

Maybe, just maybe, their life is fulfilling enough without having to reproduce. Maybe, just maybe, they can have a life full of purpose without caring for any offspring.

Maybe the question should be: What’s lacking in your life that you need a child to feel complete?

Studies show that some people regret being childless when they get older, but they’re in the minority.

An Australian researcher found that a quarter of child-free women came to regret the decision once they were past child-bearing age and began contemplating old age alone.

People revealed the reasons they’ve decided to be childless in an article by The Upshot. The top answers were the desire for more leisure time, the need to find a partner and the inability to afford child care. A big reason that many women decide not to have children is that motherhood feels like more of a choice these days, instead of a foregone conclusion as it was in previous decades.

Reddit user u/ADreamyNightOwl asked a “serious” question about being childless to the AskReddit subforum and received a lot of honest answers. They asked “People over 50 that chose to be childfree, do you regret your decision? Why or why not?”

The people who responded are overwhelmingly happy with their decision not to have children.

A surprising number said they felt positive about their decision because they thought they’d be a lousy parent. Others said they were happy to have been able to enjoy more free time than their friends and family members who had kids.

Here are some of the best responses to the Askreddit question.

1. Never had any desire.

"I explain it to people like this - you know that feeling you get where you just can't wait to teach your kid how to play baseball? or whatever it is you want to share with them? I don't have that. Its basically a lack of parental instinct. Having children was never something I aspired to. My SO is the same way.

"Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against children. And I get really angry at people who harm them or mistreat them. I just never wanted my own." — IBeTrippin

2. No desire. No regrets.

"Nope. It was never something I wanted. No regrets." — BornaCrone

3. Mixed feelings.

"I have mixed feelings. I don't care much for children and I think it would have been disastrous for us to have them. I was also able to retire at 52. Pretty sure that wouldn't have happened with kids. So yeah, absolutely the right decision.
But I love my family and I do wonder what it would be like to have my own, to teach my child the things I know and not to be without someone who cares about me at the time of my death.

"But again, absolutely the right decision and at 55 I'm very happy NOT to have them. This is reinforced every time I'm exposed to other people's kids." — ProfessorOzone

4. They never visit.

"My wife worked at a nursing home for years. Imagine seeing for years that over 95% of old people never have family visit. Till they die and people want a piece of the pie. This when I learned that the whole 'well who is gonna visit you or take care of you when you're older' line is complete bullshit. We decided to not have kids ever after that. Made great friends and saw the world. No regrets." — joevilla1369

5. It wasn't an option.

"I don't necessarily regret not having them, but I regret the fact that I wasn't in a healthy enough relationship where I felt I COULD have children. I regret not being stronger to leave the abuse earlier, if I had been stronger, I think maybe I could have had the choice at least. So yeah... I have regrets." — MaerakiStudioMe

6. Grandkids are cooler.

"No. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to marry my husband. He had two sons from his first marriage and a vasectomy. He was worried because I was so young (comparatively, he's 10 years older). I did think it over seriously and concluded that a life with him compared to a life without him but (perhaps!) with a baby I didn't even have yet was what I wanted. It worked out for us, we've been together for 26 years. As a bonus I have 9 grandchildren. All the fun without the work of the raising!" — Zublor

7. I'd be a bad parent.

"Not one bit. I have never believed that I would be a good parent. I have a short temper, and while I don't think I would have been physically abusive, my words and tone of voice would be harsh in a very similar way to my own father. I wasn't happy growing up with that kind parent and I wouldn't want to subject any child to that kind of parenting." — Videoman7189

8. I'd rather be the cool aunt and uncle.

"No and I found a partner who feels the same. We are the cool aunt and uncle." — laudinum

9. Loneliness is underrated.

"54 yrs.old. I've lived the past 30 years alone. Presently my dog and I are chillin' in a nice hotel on a spur of the moment vacation. I'd maybe be a grandfather by now?! I can't imagine what it would be like to have family. I picture a life lived more "normally" sometimes. All sunshine and roses, white picket fence, etc. but I realize real life isn't like that. No I don't regret being childfree or wifefree for that matter. My life can be boring at times but then I look back at all the drama that comes with relationships and think I've dodged a bullet. I spent 20 years trying to find a wife to start a family. Then I realized the clock had run out, so fuck it, all the money I'd saved for my future family would be spent on myself. Hmmmmm...what do I want to buy myself for Christmas?" — Hermits_Truth

10. No diaper changes and no regrets.

"Nope. I never had the urge to change diapers or lose sleep, free time and most of my earnings. Other people's kids are great. Mostly because they are other people's. When people ask 'Who will take care of you when you're old' I tell them that when I'm 75 I will adopt a 40-year-old." — fwubglubbel

11. Zero desire.

"I’m 55 (F) and never wanted children. I just don’t much like them, and 20+ years of motherhood sounded (and still sounds) like a prison sentence. Maternal af when it comes to cats and dogs, but small humans? No chance.

"And I’m very happy to be childless. Cannot imagine my life any other way." — GrowlKitty

12. D.I.N.K.

"Dual income no kids = great lifestyle!" — EggOntheRun

13. Some regrets

"Over 50 and child free. My only regret is that my wife would have been a great mother, and sometimes I feel like I deprived her of that, even though we both agreed we didn’t want kids. Sometimes I wonder if I pushed her into that decision. She works with the elderly every day and sees a lot of lonely folks so it gets to her sometimes. I was always afraid I’d screw up the parenting thing, so I was never really interested in the idea. I’m a loner by nature though." — Johnny-Virgil

This article originally appeared on 02.08.22

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National Geographic Documentary Films

Family

Nat Geo's 'Blink' tracks a family finding beauty while facing blindness as they travel the globe

“Let's go all in and fill their visual memory with as much beauty as we can."

via Edith Lemay/NatGeo

Mia, Leo, Colin, and Laurent Pelletier pose on top of their camper van in front of adouble rainbow while in Mongolia.

True

“Blink,” a new film by National Geographic Documentary Films shows how a family with four children, three of whom are going blind, embraces life in the face of an uncertain future. It’s a testament to the resilience of the Lemay-Pelletier family but also a reminder for all of us to seize the day because all our futures are uncertain.

Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier are the parents of Mia, a 13-year-old girl, and three boys: Léo, 11, Colin, 9, and Laurent, 7. Over the last six years, they’ve learned that Mia and the two youngest boys have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease in which the cells of the retina slowly die. As the disease progresses, the person develops “tunnel vision” that shrinks until very little vision remains.

The diagnosis devastated the parents. "The hardest part with the diagnosis was inaction. There's nothing they can do about it. There's no treatment,” Edith says in the film.

However, even though the parents couldn’t affect the progress of the disease, they could give their children’s senses an epic experience that would benefit them for a lifetime.

“We don’t know how fast it’s going to go, but we expect them to be completely blind by mid-life,” said the parents. Mia’s impairment advisor suggested they fill her visual memory with pictures from books. “I thought, I’m not going to show her an elephant in a book; I’m going to take her to see a real elephant,” Edith explains in the film. “And I’m going to fill her visual memory with the best, most beautiful images I can.”

The Pelletier family (from left): Mia, Sebastien, Colin, Edith Lemay, Laurent and Leo inKuujjuaq, Canada.via National Geographic/Katie Orlinsky

This realization led to an inspiring year-long journey across 24 countries, during which every family member experienced something on their bucket list. Mia swam with dolphins, Edith rode a hot-air balloon in Cappadocia, and Léo saw elephants on safari.

Colin realized his dream of sleeping on a moving train while Sébastien saw the historic site of Angkor Wat.

“We were focusing on sights,” explains Pelletier. “We were also focusing a lot on fauna and flora. We’ve seen incredible animals in Africa but also elsewhere. So we were really trying to make them see things that they wouldn’t have seen at home and have the most incredible experiences.”

Cameras followed the family for 76 days as they traveled to far-flung locales, including Namibia, Mongolia, Egypt, Laos, Nepal and Turkey. Along the way, the family made friends with local people and wildlife. In a heartbreaking scene, the boys wept as the family had to leave behind a dog named Bella he befriended in the mountains of Nepal.

But the film isn't just about the wonders of nature and family camaraderie. The family's trip becomes a “nightmare” when they are trapped in a cable car suspended hundreds of feet above the Ecuadorian forest for over 10 hours.

annapurna range, blink, nat geo Leo, Laurent, Edith, Colin, Mia, and Sebastien look out at the mountains in the Annapurna range.via MRC/Jean-Sébastien Francoeur

As expected, NatGeo’s cinematographers beautifully capture the family's journey, and in the case of “Blink,” this majestic vision is of even greater importance. In some of the film's quietest moments, we see the children taking in the world's wonders, from the vast White Desert in Egypt to a fearless butterfly in Nepal, with the full knowledge that their sight will fail one day.

Along the way, the family took as many pictures as possible to reinforce the memories they made on their adventure. “Maybe they’ll be able to look at the photographs and the pictures and they will bring back those stories, those memories, of the family together,” Edith says.

But the film is about more than travel adventures and the pain of grief; ultimately, it’s about family.

“By balancing [the parents’ grief] with a more innocent and joyous tale of childlike wonder and discovery, we felt we could go beyond a mere catalog of locations and capture something universal,” the directors Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher, said in a statement. “Keeping our camera at kid-height and intimately close to the family, we aimed to immerse the audience in the observational realities of their daily life, as well as the subtle relationships between each of them. This is a film built on looks, gestures and tiny details—the very fabric of our relationships with one another.”

Ultimately, “Blink” is a great film to see with your loved ones because it’s a beautiful reminder to appreciate the wonders of our world, the gift of our senses and the beauty of family.

The film will open in over 150 theaters in the U.S. and Canada beginning Oct. 4 and will debut on National Geographic Channel and stream on Disney+ and Hulu later this year. Visit the “Blink” website for more information.

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national geographic

Joy

She asked an older neighbor to watch her pets. His letter of gratitude is everything.

"They gave me the motivation to restart my life again."

u/SnooCupcakes8607/Reddit

When older people get lonely, interacting with pets can be a game-changer.

Sometimes when we're in the younger, busier time of our lives it's easy to forget—or not even realize—that our elderly friends and neighbors might be lonely. But very often, people who have long been retired, who may have already said goodbye to many of their friends or who have physical limitations that make it difficult to get out to visit people can find themselves alone most of the time. Feelings of loneliness can lead to depression and other health risks, in addition to simply being not very enjoyable.

A viral Reddit post offers a good reminder of this fact, but in the most heartwarming way.

Reddit user u/SnooCupcakes8607 shared a photo of a typed letter with the caption: "I went on a vacation 2 weeks ago, and let my neighbor babysit my pets. Shortly after I got back home, I received this letter from him in the mail that made me smile and cry. I’d like to share it here."

"Good afternoon," the letter begins. "This letter is regarding your vacation two weeks ago, and how you let me babysit Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer. I'd just like to give you a letter of thanks."

(The letter doesn't specify what kind of pets Smokey, Oreo and Jennifer are, but the original poster later shared that they are a German shepherd, "the crankiest little beagle you’ve seen in your life," and a cat named Oreo.)

Then he continued:

from MadeMeSmile

"As you know, I'm an old man. You don't see me outside often anymore, as these joints aren't as lively as they used to be. To add to that, two years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, my dad got diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. After his death, I was left alone in my home. I don't have a wife or kids. I could go to sleep one day and never wake up again. Every day is just sitting around and wondering what I have done for this world.

Until I met Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer.

Your pets are the cutest, funniest, and most troublesome (In a good way, don't worry, they didn't mess up my house too much!) individuals. They gave me the motivation to restart my life again. I started waking up early in the mornings. I began to take walks outside with your pets for the first time in years. Every 10 minutes, whenever I felt sad for a second, they would bark or rub against my leg and make me laugh.

The highlight of their stay was when I took them to the park. It was the longest time I've spend outside in a while. It didn't just bring back pet interaction, I also met other people, started talking, and made friends with a handful of fellow human beings. I was so happy to finally be able to talk with friends again, interact with others, and feel like I'm part of the human race.

I realize I sound very existential right now, but I'm telling the truth. It's nice knowing that I'm doing something for someone, even if it's my neighbor.

I adopted two dogs soon after. (You may have been hearing noise from my home, pardon them!) I now take regular walks to the park with them and talk with friends I made there. Anyways, I'd just like to say: thank you so much. You brought back meaning to my life. And that's all that matters.

Sincerely,

Robert (P.S. I think it's time for you to mow the lawn, haha!)"

People absolutely loved Robert's letter—and Robert himself, judging from some of the comments:

"Robert is a national treasure and I take anything less to be an insult!"

"I wouldn’t just mow my lawn, but Robert’s too. Forever."

"Robert really is the good in all of us. He must be protected at all costs."

Some people related to Robert, having found a new zest for life after getting pets of their own. Others joked that the whole letter was just an elaborate, "Midwest-nice" way to tell the poster their lawn needed attention. Some doubted the veracity of the letter, but even if it's not real, the comments from people sharing how their elderly loved ones had been helped by neighbors sharing their pets with them show that animals really can help people who are lonely find more connection and purpose in their lives.

It's a good reminder to check in with older folks around us and to share the joy of our pets with people who might be lonely. You never know whose life you might touch with your furry friends.

This article originally appeared on 4.6.22

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People are sharing unforgettable things their parents did for them and we're taking notes

If your kids hold their nose at your cooking, there may still be hope.

CDC/Unsplash

As a dad of two young girls, I'm always wondering what they'll remember about me when they're older.

Of course, our relationship will evolve and change a lot over the years, and hopefully I'll be around for a long time! But I wonder how much they'll recall from the early days. Will they remember the little games we used to play? Will they forever hold a grudge about the time I raised my voice? Will they even vaguely recall the vacations my wife and I meticulously planned?

A heartwarming Reddit thread proves that people actually remember a lot about their parents from when they were young... and it's often the littlest memories that last the longest.

User u/flirtyxfairy kicked off a great discussion with the prompt: What is something good that your parent(s) did for you that you will never forget?

The thread racked up hundreds and hundreds of comments, but most of the incredible responses boiled down to just a small handful of impactful things.

Showing love through food

woman in black and white striped long sleeve shirt holding stainless steel bowl Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Whether it's mom or dad cooking up some comfort food, or just the run-of-the-mill tastes of home, people had powerful and emotional memories of their parents' food.

"My mom waiting at home with a cup of tea and cookies everyday coming home from school. That’s how I’d describe “home” - natashamerczak

"When I was struggling with my first breakup, my mom showed up with a tub of ice cream and a playlist of all my favorite sad songs. We had a mini dance party in the living room—moved from tears to laughter in no time. That little gesture made me feel like I could survive anything." - Ok-Ring-1710

"My mom made the best pancakes every Sunday. like a legit pancake heaven." - blissnifty

"When I was eight, my Mom would take me to TCBY( a frozen yogurt restaurant) every day after school. We would talk and get to know each other." - Elizabeth74G

"Mom made me spaghetti for my birthday. We was on a really tight budget but she still provided me one of the best birthdays I've ever had." - AylenInspiresU

"My parents always made sure we had family dinners every night. Looking back, those moments kept us connected even when life got busy, and it’s something I want to continue with my own family one day." - bimbocutie

Nurturing and encouragement

Encouraging your kids to be who they are was a big hit with many users in the thread. When moms and dads just listened and offered support no matter what, their kids never forgot it.

"I remember when I was younger, I was really into art, but it wasn’t seen as a "practical" career choice. Instead of discouraging me, my parents enrolled me in art classes and bought me supplies. Their support made me believe in myself and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams. Even though I didn't end up choosing art as a career, that unconditional support taught me the value of following my heart, and I’ll always be grateful for that." - Trone1945

"One thing my parents did for me that I’ll never forget was how they always supported my weird, nerdy interests without judgment. I went through a phase where I was super into collecting insects (yeah, jars of bugs everywhere), and instead of being grossed out or telling me to stop, they actually bought me books about entomology and helped me set up proper habitats." -
WhiteDevilMagic

boy reading a book on bed Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

"I hated school. Few friends. I didn't want to be there. And I didn't enjoy reading. Which made school that much harder. Mom came home from hitting garage sales one Saturday with a grocery bag of sci-fi books. Which I devoured! I was reading one or two books a day over the summer. This helped me in school. While I didn't thrive. Life was much easier Without that boost, I can't guess how my life would have evolved." - krichard-21

"My mom once told me I could be anything I wanted, so I told her I wanted to be a dinosaur. Instead of shutting me down, she spent a week helping me practice my roar. Not sure if that was good parenting or just her way of keeping me busy, but I'll never forget it!" - NewtHot620

(I'll admit, that one is a personal favorite.)

"One of the most memorable things my parents did for me was encouraging my passion for learning. They always supported my interests, whether it was signing me up for classes, taking me to museums, or just having long discussions about my favorite subjects. Their belief in my potential instilled a sense of confidence that has stayed with me throughout my life." - Sad_Educator_3978

"my mom always made time to listen to me, no matter how busy she was. like, i’d come home stressed about school or life, and she’d sit with me and just let me vent without judgment. it’s something that stuck with me, and i’ll never forget how much that helped. made me feel like i wasn’t alone in dealing with stuff." - SnobbbyCat

Life lessons & preparedness

It's not always the mushy, sentimental things that kids remember when they grow up. If anything, this thread was conclusive proof that one day your children WILL appreciate all those life-lessons they rolled their eyes at when they were young!

"They made me pay rent when I got my first job and I hated it. On my 18th bday they gave me access to 'my' bank account. They saved it all up for me, so I could decorate my first apartment for free… i love them." - starks8253

"Charged me rent from ages 16-18 and then gave it all back to me when I moved out into my first flat. It was honestly such a help…" - Spare-Cell1371

"Encouraged me to study foreign languages well before it was required or even a common thing to do (yeah, grew up in the U.S. in the 80's). It opened all kinds of doors career-wise and I now live in a different country." - zoeyversustheraccoon

"Strict with my education. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted (hobbies, extracurricular etc) but school always had to come first. Instilled a good work ethic in me from a young age." - thatsimsgirl

Dads setting a good example

Dads get a bad rap, and let's be real — sometimes they deserve it. But when dad steps up and shows up? It has a lifelong positive impact on kids, who will look up to their father's example for a lifetime.

man and girl sitting on brown dock near boat and two white ducks during daytime Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash

"My periods were really severe when I was a teen. I am talking heavy bleeding full 7 days and a fever. Every month my dad would get me my duvet and pillow from upstairs, make a hot water bottle, get me my favourite movie from the video (rental) store, get some ice cream and chocolate as well. Settle me on the couch and pamper me for the first 2 days that were the heaviest." - Long_Taro_9529

"My dad always apologized when he was wrong. I used to take it for granted until I grew up and realized a LOT of people had never gotten an apology from their parents before. This really helped me because I find it easy to own to my mistakes and make amends where necessary." - iusedtobepretty

"My dad drove some horrendous commutes so we never had to move throughout my childhood. It wasn't until I started driving that I realized how bad Atlanta traffic was, and that man would drive 75 minutes each way so my brother and I could grow up in one house, not have to move schools/make new friends. Many people would have moved to the new area when they changed jobs, but my dad made this choice and I've told him since how much I appreciated the stability." - altocleftattoo

Parents out there, take note. If you're like me and you spend a significant amount of time worrying about "screwing your kids up," this should make you feel optimistic — they do remember all the effort you put in.

Even if they don't appreciate your cooking or your sage wisdom now, one day they'll be glad you kept it going anyway.

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Family

Dad camping with his kids shared the handwritten note left on his car from a fellow camper

More of this, please.

Photo credit: Canva, Note image via RCampR6/Reddit

A dad got a sweet note from a fellow father after camping with his kids.

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is never being sure whether you're doing a good job or totally bombing it. If you're conscientious enough to even wonder if you're a good parent, you probably are, but parenting entails a million little choices and interactions, and there's always a lingering voice in your head saying, "What if you're really screwing this whole thing up?"

Reassurance and encouragement are always appreciated by parents, but not always received, which is why a note from one camping dad to another has people celebrating the kindness of anonymous strangers.

"You are killing it as a dad."

Someone on Yosemite Reddit thread shared a photo of a handwritten note with the caption, "To the man who left this thoughtful note on my windshield at Lower Pines Campground this weekend, I extend my heartfelt gratitude; your acknowledgment of my efforts to be a good father means a great deal to me."

Windshield Note.
byu/RCampR6 inYosemite

The note reads:

"Bro,

I camped in the spot behind you last night. Let me just say, you are killing it as a dad. First off, I watched your wife guide you in as you backed up your trailer and nailed it on the first try without any yelling. Then your kids unloaded from the truck and were mild-mannered and well behaved. You told stories around the campfire and I had the pleasure of listening to the sounds of giggles and laughter.

From one dad to another, you are killing it. Keep it up.

P.S. Whatever you cooked for dinner smelled delicious!"

How often do we share these thoughts with strangers, even if we have them? And who wouldn't love to get a surprise bit of praise with specific examples of things we did right?

Everyone needs to hear a compliment once in a while.

So many people found the note to be a breath of fresh air and a good reminder to compliment people when we feel the urge:

"That would make any daddy's eyes water."

"It’s always nice, as a guy, to get a compliment."

"I complimented a guy's glasses at work (I'm also a guy, and btw they were really cool glasses, I wasn't just being nice) and now he keeps trying to tell me where he got his glasses and how I should get some. But I'm just having to be polite because I already have glasses and I'm not in the market. I finally had to tell him I'm not going to buy them lmao I just like them on him.

Made me feel like that's the first compliment he's had in years because he can't stop talking about it. Also I mainly liked the glasses because I think he's cute but he really thinks it's just the glasses haha jokes on him that cute bastard."

via GIPHY

"I was in the store with my wife and one of our 'adopted nephews' yesterday (we’re close friends with his parents and we’ve known him and his brother since they were newborns and 2yo, respectively). A woman came up to me at checkout while my wife was running out to the car and said 'I’m not sure what your family relationship is here, but I just have to tell you how nice and refreshing it is to hear all the laughter and joy from the 3 of you. You both seem like such a good influence on him and it warms my heart.' It’s such a small thing but as a dude, I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a compliment in public and it made my freaking day."

"10/10 letter. The and not yelling part gave me a good chuckle lol."

"We need so much more of men getting such heartfelt and sincere compliments. Thanks for sharing. ❤️"

"I’ve never considered leaving a note, but when I see a harmonious family with good parenting, it’s healing for me. My childhood was awful."

"Such an awesome compliment! Even though I don't have children myself, I like to remind my friends too that they're doing great & it brings them happy tears."

via GIPHY

"This made me cry. I love that you are getting your 'flowers.' My dad sucked, I’m so glad you are one of the good ones."

"This made me cry too. It’s so hard to be a human. Let alone a parent. Getting a good job sticker every now and then really means a lot these days."

"I'm a big bearded guy and I would cry if I got this note. More people like this, please."

The best part of this story is that no one knows who the dad who wrote the note is, not even the dad who shared it. It wasn't written for clout or notoriety, it wasn't to get attention or make himself look good. No name or signature, just an anonymous act of kindness to uplift a stranger whether he needed it or not.

We all need to hear or read kind things said about us, and sometimes it means even more coming from an anonymous stranger who has nothing to gain by sharing. A good reminder to share it when you feel it—you never know how many people you may move and inspire.

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Pop Culture

Dana Carvey makes triumphant return to 'SNL' with epic Joe Biden Impression

He's still got it.

Saturday Night Live/Youtube

The GOAT is back.

Once upon a time, Dana Carvey was practically synonymous with Saturday Night Live, a fixture of the show not only for his iconic original characters like Garth Algar and Grumpy Old Man, but his dead-on, uncanny and laugh-out-loud funny impressions. Not least of which being his incredible George H.W. Bush during the 1992 election.

In an epic return to SNL, Carvey proved he’s still got it in his portrayal of Joe Biden.

In a sea of truly masterful impressions–Maya Rudolph, as to be expected, nailed it as Kamala Harris, right down to the laugh, Jim Gaffigan brought delightful “Big Dad Energy” as Tim Walz, even Andy Sandberg held his own as Douglas Emhoff—Carvey’s meandering, rambling and at times completely unhinged performance stood out.

It was a brilliant reminder of what makes Carvey so special as a performer in the first place. Though each perfectly mimicked mannerism certainly poked fun, there was never any underlying mean spiritedness or forced political agenda. In fact, Carvey told David Spade on his Fly on the Wallpodcast that honoring humor over any political message was the “the true north star” to bring what even this master impressionist called a “trickier” character to life.

Seems like Carvey’s instinct is as impeccable as ever though, cause he even managed to do the impossible of making Biden’s now signature ““Guess what? And by the way . . .” line funny every. single. time.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The whole thing made people fall in love with Carvey all over again.

“All impressions were great. But, Carvy’s Biden was a gut laugh and a half. He hasn’t lost it since the Church Lady (my fav) and his impression of George H.W. Bush in the 90’s.”

"’But guess what...and by the way…’ gosh Dana Carvey made that better than it was probably supposed to be”

“Dana Carvey was such a great surprise. He's a perfect Joe Biden.”

‘Awww, bringing a veteran like DANA CARVEY back to do Biden was genius!”

“I cannot believe they actually got Dana back for Biden! This cold open is the best group of impressionists they have had together in DECADES.”

“Everyone was so great here, but Dana Carvey? He is so great at just totally becoming the person he is impersonating! All of the mannerisms, the voice, the pacing, the physical traits...he is the GOAT!”

“DANA CARVEYS' STILL GOT IT!! (not that I doubted it for a minute!!)”

“Dana Carvey as always the GOAT SNL political impressionist.”

Here’s to an SNL season that’s just as delightfully entertaining as this Cold Open was.

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Mellow dude shares the life hacks he didn't learn until his 30s. Here are 11 of the best.

via @Sidneyraz / TikTok

TikTok has become a great place for finding life hacks and one of the best follows is @Sidneyraz. His hook is that he shows people the "things I wish I knew before I was in my 30s."

Most of his life hacks are simple, domestic tricks for cleaning the house or preparing food. But he also shares some financial advice and makes the personal admission that "not being hungover is better than being drunk."

That's a lesson that a lot of us wish we learned sooner.

Like a lot of folks, Sidney is learning a lot of domestic skills in his third decade and that makes sense. That's the time when people begin to settle down with a significant other and pick up more domestic skills.

The good news is that he's not going through this life change alone. He wants to share all of it with you.

Here are 11 of his best life hacks.

Baking bacon is better than frying:

@sidneyraz
baking bacon is better than frying bacon #inmy30s #bacon

How to eat a flat chicken wing:

@sidneyraz
learned this on hot ones #inmy30s #chickenwings

A tooth-brushing trick:

@sidneyraz
30+ years of being wrong #inmy30s #oralhealth

How to stop a pot from boiling over:

@sidneyraz
it has helped many times #inmy30s #cookingtips

You can vacuum more than just your floor:

@sidneyraz
vacuuming more than just floors #inmy30s #vaccum

Did you know your dishwasher has a filter?

@sidneyraz
cleaning the dishes robot is a thing #inmy30s #dishwasher

The weatherman isn't saying what you think he's saying:

@sidneyraz
but what is the forecasted area?? #weatherreport #inmy30s

How to fill a cooler:

@sidneyraz
have a great summer y’all #inmy30s #summervibes2021

The secret behind Chinese food containers:

@sidneyraz
first time trying this #chinesefood #takeout #tipsandtricks

Hire movers:

@sidneyraz
your body will thank you #inmy30s #movingday

Not being hungover is better than being drunk:

@sidneyraz
goodbye youth. #inmy30s

This article originally appeared on 8.23.21

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