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Donald Trump's worst nightmare is running for governor of Maryland.

Krishanti Vignarajah is a force to be reckoned with.

"I hope Marylanders will agree the best man for the job is a woman," Krishanti Vignarajah announced, officially declaring her entry into Maryland's gubernatorial race.

"I am running for Governor because I am worried my daughter will not have the same opportunities my parents gave me when they brought our family here when I was a baby girl."

Vignarajah has never held elected office before, but she was policy director for former first lady Michelle Obama and senior adviser to Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. On Aug. 9, she announced that her name would indeed be on the ballot in Maryland's 2018 election.

Vignarajah, who helped launch Obama's Let Girls Learn initiative in 2015, wants to bring her passion for improved access to education to the people of Maryland.

In her campaign announcement, she lists education, the economy, drug addiction, infrastructure, and the environment among her priorities. Just as important, she says, "We need a new generation of leadership that will make progress at home, while standing up to a White House that threatens the very values that unite and define us."

A woman, an immigrant, and a new mother, Vignarajah embodies both the American Dream and the current president's worst nightmare.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Vignarajah discussed her family's journey (they fled Sri Lanka on the brink of civil war when she was nine months old for the U.S. with $200 in their pockets) and reflected on whether they would even be allowed to enter the country had their trip happened in 2017 instead of 1980.

"President Trump, he can demonize immigrants to our country, but the truth for me is there's a family just like mine out there who applied, and they waited their turn, and they want to work hard and pay their taxes and raise a family and live a decent and safe life here," Vignarajah told Cosmo. "Just as immigrants before them have for generations. I know that that story is not only personal to my family, but it’s fundamental to the American experience."

2018 is shaping up to be a big year for women in politics.

It turns out that electing a sleazy, misogynistic, accused sexual predator president led a record number of women to take matters into their own hands and consider running for office. Go figure.

EMILY's List, a group dedicated to helping elect pro-choice Democratic women, saw a huge jump in the number of women showing interest in running for office around the country. According to Vogue, 920 women expressed interest to EMILY's List from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2016; more than 16,000 have done so in 2017 alone. That's massive.

On Jan. 21, women around the country took to the streets in protest of President Trump. The enthusiasm doesn't seem to have let up. Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.

Vignarajah's advice to other women thinking about running for office? Just do it.

Though she did tell Cosmo that it's important to "think long and hard about whether [running for office] makes sense," she cautioned prospective candidates against becoming paralyzed by indecision or overwhelmed by negativity.

"Don't doubt yourself," she said. "As I was making the decision, there were a lot of considerations. But you have to listen to your heart. And for me, I know that I should run because I’m worried that my baby girl and all of our children would not have the same opportunities that I had growing up in Maryland."

Joy

Teen with a fishing magnet found a safe full of cash. And then he returned it all to its owner.

The safe was stolen 22 years ago.

via Wikimedia Commons

It's incredible what a double-sided magnet can do.


A new trend in treasure hunting called magnet fishing has blown up over the past two years, evidenced by an explosion of YouTube channels covering the hobby. Magnet fishing is a pretty simple activity. Hobbyists attach high-powered magnets to strong ropes, drop them into waterways and see what they attract.

The hobby has caught the attention of law enforcement and government agencies because urban waterways are a popular place for criminals to drop weapons and stolen items after committing a crime. In 2019, a magnet fisherman in Michigan pulled up an antique World War I mortar grenade and the bomb squad had to be called out to investigate.



Fifteen-year-old George Tindale and his dad, Kevin, 52, of Grantham, Lincolnshire in the U.K., made an incredible find earlier this month when they used two magnets to pull up a safe that had been submerged in the River Witham.

George has a popular magnet fishing YouTube channel called “Magnetic G.”

After the father-and-son duo pulled the safe out of the murky depths, they cracked it open with a crowbar and found about $2,500 Australian dollars (US$1,800), a shotgun certificate and credit cards that expired in 2004. The Tindales used the name found on the cards to find the safe’s owner, Rob Everett.

Everett’s safe was stolen during an office robbery in 2000 and then dumped into the river. “I remember at the time, they smashed into a cabinet to get to the safe,” Everett said, according to The Daily Mail. “I was just upset that there was a nice pen on my desk, a Montblanc that was never recovered.”

The robber, who was a teenage boy, was apprehended soon after the crime because he left behind a cap with his name stitched inside.

The father and son met up with Everett to return his stolen money and the businessman gave George a small reward for his honesty. He also offered him an internship because of the math skills he displayed in the YouTube video when he counted the Australian dollars. “What’s good about it is, I run a wealth management company and… I’d love him to work for us," Everett said.

Although the safe saga began with a robbery 22 years ago, its conclusion has left Everett with more faith in humanity.

“I was just amazed that they’d been able to track me down,” he said. “There are some really nice and good people in this world. They could have kept the money, they could have said they attempted to get hold of me.”

“There’s a big lesson there. It teaches George that doing good and being honest and giving back is actually more rewarding than taking,” Everett added.

Treasure hunting isn’t the only allure of the hobby for George. His mother says the hobby has taught him a lot about water pollution and its effects on local wildlife. “George is very environmentally conscious. He always has been since primary school,” she said. “When he first started to do this, he was after treasure. Everything ends up in the rivers and canals.”


This article originally appeared on 04.25.22

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Internet

Mom sparks debate when she reveals entire family shares the same deodorant stick

"Why would he have his own? I'm not paying for another stick of deodorant."

Photo credit: Canva

Does your household share deodorant? Mom sparks debate.

Personal hygiene is, well...personal. Everyone has their own hygiene routine that is personalized to them, their needs and abilities. Typically no matter who you are personal hygiene includes soap, water, toothbrush, toothpaste, sometimes razors, hair care products and deodorant.

Generally, very few things that touch your body are shared with other people in your household. Many family members will share shampoo, body wash and toothpaste but that is usually where the sharing of hygiene supplies end. At least according to a lot of confused people on the internet.

The debate started after a mom took to the internet in an effort to prove her husband wrong in his way of thinking. Missusmom, complained to her 89.7K followers that her husband wants her to buy their son his own deodorant after the deodorant disappeared.

This request from her husband left the mom of three flabbergasted because the idea of buy their son his own deodorant seemed like a ridiculous request.

That's when she decides to ask the internet, "do all of the people in your house share deodorant or does each member that wears deodorant have their own stick of deodorant?"

After giving the back story to why she's asking the question, she explains what she feels the "right answer" is leaving viewers confused and some a little grossed out.

Faint Fainting GIF by DrSquatchSoapCoGiphy

"I'm not buying five to eight sticks of deodorant every month. I would need to put extra money into our budget but we all use clinical strength deodorant. That's like $10 to $12 a thing. I'm not spending $60 to $80 on deodorant just so everybody can have their own stick. Am I crazy and wrong or is he delusional, because personally I think he's delusional," Missusmom pleads her case.

Unfortunately, the results of her plea did not turn out the way in which she expected resulting in nearly 50k comments and numerous video replies explaining that it's not normal for families to share the same stick of deodorant.

Some people were very passionate about not sharing hygiene products including deodorant, toothbrushes, razors and wash cloths.

woman holding blue and white bottle Photo by Ana Essentiels on Unsplash

"Never in my life have I heard of ANYONE sharing deodorant unless they were in dire need," one person shares.

"I'm sorry but I have never known anyone who HAS shared deodorant. In fact, we all have multiple sticks. The kids have one for home, one for their gym locker, sports bag, ect.," another commenter explains to the mom.

"I have been poor, I mean poor poor but I have never shared a deodorant," someone else says.

@missusmom♬ original sound - missusmom

A few people pointed out the risk of cross contamination of skin conditions like this commenter, "toothbrushes, razors, hairbrushes, and deodorant are not a shared product. What if someone had a staph infection or impetigo?"

"I was 15 when I got a blocked duct it swelled up with puss and I had to have it lanced and drained. The suspected cause?? My brother stealing and using my deodorant and then me using it after I shaved transferring bacteria," someone warns.

Work Sweating GIFGiphy

This is something that has clearly struck a chord with people giving the mom something to think about but she's not completely alone in her thought process.

There were several comments that mentioned sharing deodorant with their significant other, though they didn't share the hygiene product with their children.

Others confessed confusion as they didn't understand why the mom's reasoning on the cost increase, "I'm confused. Aren't you finishing deodorant twice as fast by sharing anyway? So buying everyone their own stick would just make you have to replace it less frequently."

@amaramunroe #stitch with @missusmom ♬ original sound - missusmom

Is the mom onto something with sharing deodorant or should everyone have their own stick? Put your thoughts in the comments.

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Popular

Couple in their 30s live permanently on cruise ships for a little over $10K a year

“I’m not a millionaire ... I just live full-time on cruise ships.”

via Matthew Barra/Pexels

A magnificent cruise ship on the ocean.

Giving it all up and retiring to live on a cruise ship at 32 seems like a lifestyle choice only available to the ultra-wealthy. However, two financially savvy retired school teachers from Tennessee have managed to do just that, spending under $10,000 for the first eight months at sea.

Monica Brzoska, 32, and Jorrell Conley, 36, met in 2015 while teaching in Memphis, Tennessee. The following year, they booked a week-long cruise to Mexico, Belize, and Grand Cayman. After that, they were hooked on cruising together.

Eight years later, in March 2023, they booked a week-long Caribbean cruise. When it was over, instead of returning home to Memphis, they had a wild idea: Why not continue to book consecutive cruises? So, they did just that.

Monica was inspired to start living the life she always wanted after her father fell ill and her mother told her: "Don't wait for retirement. Follow your dreams."



The couple crunched the numbers and found that if they chose the cheapest cabins and used the deals they’ve received from Carnival Cruises, they could book the first 8 months for just under $10,000. “It sounds mad, but the numbers made sense. Accommodation, food and entertainment would be included – we’d only need spending money,” Brzoska told The Sun. “And because we’d been on so many Carnival cruises, we’d earned access to some amazing offers.”

Hopping from ship to ship isn’t difficult for the couple because many disembark from the same ports. But they sometimes have to fly when they can’t walk to the next ocean liner.

The couple then quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and started a new life on the high seas. They rent out their 3-bedroom home in Memphis to maintain steady cash flow. The average 3-bedroom home in the area rents somewhere between $1200 to $1900 a month.



Over the first year of their new life, the couple completed 36 consecutive cruises. They have already visited countless destinations across the globe, but they can’t choose a favorite. "For a cultural experience, we loved Japan," Brzoska told a Carnival Cruise director on Instagram. The couple also loved Greece for its “history” and Iceland because it was the "closest to being on Mars."

One of the most incredible benefits of loving on a cruise ship is that so many things are taken care of for you. The couple never has to cook any meals, do any laundry or drive. Every night, there is something to do, whether it’s checking out a comedy show or enjoying drinks and dancing in the nightclub.



Plus, on cruises, just about all the costs are covered, so you rarely have to open your wallet. It’s a stress-free, all-inclusive lifestyle. Brzoska says that when you remove the everyday stresses from life, it’s great for your marriage. “Without the daily stresses of life, we rarely argued, but always told each other if we needed space or more time together,” she said.

The couple also makes sure to have one date night a week, during which they dress up and have a nice meal together.

Most people may be unable to give it all up and live their lives hopping from ocean liner to ocean liner. But there’s a great lesson in the story of Brzoska and Conley: You never know how much time you have left, so don’t wait for retirement to live the life of your dreams.

Upworthy has reached out to Brzoska for comment and is still awaiting a response.









Pop Culture

Watch an 11-year-old shred 'Master of Puppets' and give it a sitar-like riff on 'AGT'

This might be even better than the one from Stranger Things.

America's Got Talent/Youtube

Listen, Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” has always been cool. But ever since Eddie Munson played it to save his friends and become a heavy metal hero in “Stranger Things,” the song has had a resurgence.

But while tons of people have put their own spins on this badass tune, you’ve never heard a cover quite like this.

Maya Neelakantan, an 11-year-old guitar prodigy from India, previously wowed “America’s Got Talent” audiences with her rendition of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort” back in June.

But for her quarterfinals performance, she took things to the next level with this notoriously complicated thrash track. Surprisingly, this song had never been attempted before in the show’s history.

Not only did Neelakantan nail all the song’s technical aspects like a guitar virtuoso, she also added in a nod to her own culture with a raga-esque guitar riff reminiscent of a sitar.

Watch Maya Neelakantan blow “AGT” audiences away with her epic cover of “Master of Puppets” below:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Unsurprisingly, judges were blown away.

“I think you’re just one of these people that had a god given talent,” gushed Simon Cowell, who called this performance a real “step up” from her audition.

Meanwhile, Howie Mandel dubbed her “Eddie Van Halen, reincarnated.”

Down in the Youtube comments, online viewers were equally floored, especially given Neelakantan’s age. (Note: Neelakantan was 10 at the time of her ‘AGT’ audition, but has since turned the ripe old age of 11).

“Wow. This child is mature beyond her years - in her talent and conduct.”

“Bro a 10 year old shredding one of the most difficult pieces to shred EVER created is mfn INSANE. Maya KEEP ON SHREDDING LIL SIS WE LOVE YOU!!”

“I literally jumped out of my seat when I heard the first few notes. I love Metallica and I love this girl! I’m currently learning to play the electric guitar and she is a huge inspiration for me.”

“HOLY CRAP!!!!! She is 10 years old!?!?!? She is fricken fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥”

“MayaTallica!!”

According to her Wikipedia bio, Neelakantan first got her love of heavy metal from her father who also has a passion for Metallica riffs. With his help, she began playing at the age of 6, with her first song being "For Whom The Bell Tolls."

Despite being an overt Metallica fan, it was Neelakantan’s cover of "7empest" by Tool that thrust her into viral fame in 2022. It was even seen by Tool guitarist Adam Jones, who not only immediately followed her Instagram account, but also gifted her a Gibson electric guitar.

Neelakantan is also well studied in the traditional Carnatic music style commonly associated with South India, which she intentionally fuses with metal music to create something new.

"When I listen to thrash metal, I become pumped and energetic. Carnatic music, on the other hand, gives me a spiritual and divine feeling. The atmosphere would immediately change the moment Carnatic music is playing. So I wanted to merge them both. I really loved how music takes you on a journey,” she said.

And that’s exactly what you get when you listen to Neelakantan’s music. Something bombastic and heart pumping…and utterly divine. That’s metal, baby.

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Family

Touching video shows dad interviewing daughter every first day of school since kindergarten

She's a senior now.

Photo credit: Canva

So much can happen in those first 18 years.

Most parents take a quick photo of their kid’s first day of school each year. It’s a great way to capture how much they’ve grown from year to year, plus in a few years time you’ll have a whole collection of memories to give you a good cry when graduation comes.

But one dad did things a little differently. Instead of a photo, he celebrated each of his daughter’s first days of school with a short record interview.

Now, she’s a senior, and this tradition has come to an end.

In a truly bittersweet video shared to his TikTok, dad Ray Petelin did a quick mash-up of all the interviews with his daughter Elizabeth, spanning from kindergarten to 12th grade.

In only a few short moments, see Elizabeth go from sweet little girl into a young woman. So much change in so little time. Including her career aspirations, which went from doctor, teacher, magician, waitress, baker and open heart surgeon before finally arriving at physical therapist.

But some things remained the same as well, including Petelin reminding his daughter that “mommy and daddy love you.”

The clip ends with present-day Elizabeth asking her dad “are you gonna cry?”

“No,” Petelin replies, saying once again, “I love you.”

Cut to kindergarten Elizabeth once more, saying in her once teeny tiny voice:

“I love you too. Is the school bus here now?”


@raypetelin I'm so proud of this young woman. #girldad #senioryear #dad ♬ Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole


Ugh! The heartstrings being pulled!

Petelin would later admit that he did, in fact, cry. But after this video, he certainly wasn't the only one.

“Man, if this doesn't make you tear up a bit!”

“We’re all crying, Elizabeth.”

“Have a 7-month old daughter at home and already hitting me in the feels.”

“I’m not a dad but totally shed a tear there, what a fantastic tradition….You should be so proud, thinking of the journey and what’s ahead for her must be emotional for a father.

“The switch from using ‘mommy’ to ‘mom hit so hard 😭😭😭”

“Why yes Elizabeth, he is going to cry, In fact, we are all crying.”

Quite a few folks shared how inspired they were to do their own version of Petelin’s idea.

“This is so perfect, a wonderful ideaI I will keep for my future kids,” one person said.

Another added, “Just in time! My kiddo starts K next week. Thanks for the idea!”

Another person, and fellow dad, wrote, “This is awesome and makes me totally want to do this for my daughter. She’s starting a daycare in a couple weeks. Should I start with that?”

Petelin himself wrote that he “highly recommended” that parents try it out, and “the earlier the better.”

He also had this nugget of insight:

“It’s sad to see them grow up, but exciting to see who they become.”

If you’ve been looking for a sign to celebrate this short sweet life by recording small moments, here it is. Side effects might include sadness, but also profound joy.

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