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Here's What Black People Deal With On Halloween. How Is This OK?
This PSA about what it's like to be a person of color on Halloween is painfully funny 'cause it's so damned true.
10.30.14
What will you create on your social media break? Share it at #MyVisionMySight.
If you’ve always lived in a world with social media, it can be tough to truly understand how it affects your life. One of the best ways to grasp its impact is to take a break to see what life is like without being tethered to your phone and distracted by a constant stream of notifications.
Knowing when to disconnect is becoming increasingly important as younger people are becoming aware of the adverse effects screen time can have on their eyes. According to Eyesafe Nielsen, adults are now spending 13-plus hours a day on their digital devices, a 35% increase from 2019.1. Many of us now spend more time staring at screens on a given day than we do sleeping which can impact our eye health.
Normally, you blink around 15 times per minute, however, focusing your eyes on computer screens or other digital displays have been shown to reduce your blink rate by up to 60%.2 Reduced blinking can destabilize your eyes’ tear film, causing dry, tired eyes and blurred vision.3
ACUVUEhas been encouraging people to take time off social media and use their newfound time to see their vision, whether that's becoming a makeup influencer, focusing on athletics or embracing their unique talents.
Upworthy caught up with influencer, YouTube star and contact lens wearer Amber Alexander to talk about how she balances her social media use. Recently, she took a social media break while visiting her sister.
“I was able to slow down time and take in each moment,” she told Upworthy. “Being on social media 24/7 always puts me in a very overwhelmed and anxious state of mind, so it was so refreshing to put my phone down and see life from a clearer perspective. Every moment felt more meaningful.”
“As soon as I put my phone away, I was able to really connect with my family and cherish our time together. I saw how my peace of mind improved when I took a break from social media,” she continued.
Alexander understands how social media can have a huge effect on her self-esteem and productivity.
“Scrolling through social media often leads people to compare their own lives, achievements, and physical appearance to people they see online,” she told Upworthy. “It is unrealistic and discouraging to see so many attractive, successful people online 24/7. Also, being on social media takes up so much time from our day that could be used socializing with real people, going outside, and working towards meaningful goals.”
ACUVUE is challenging young people to take social media breaks to pursue their purposes, visions, missions, and dreams through its Where Vision Meets Sight campaign. But the campaign from ACUVUE is about a lot more than just personal development. They’d like you to inspire others by sharing what you’ve done during your social media break by using #MyVisionMySight.
Get inspired and learn more on ACUVUE’s Where Vision Meets Sight page.
1COVID-19: Screen Time spikes to over 13 hours per day according to Eyesafe Nielsen estimates, published 3/28/20, https://eyesafe.com/covid-19-screen-time-spike-to-....
2Tsubota K, Nakamori K. Dry eyes and video display terminals. N Engl J Med. 1993;328(8):584. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199302253280817.
3Patel S, Henderson R, Bradley L, et al. Effect of visual display unit use on blink rate and tear stability. Optom Vis Sci 1991;68(11):888-892. doi: 10.1097/00006324-199111000-00010.
Samantha Frye, the newest owner of Rosalie's restaurant, is proving there's more than one way to invest in your future.
There are many way to invest in your future
Eighteen year old Samantha Frye has traded college life for entrepreneurship, and she has no regrets.
Frye began working at Rosalie's Restaurant in Strasburg, Ohio at 16 as a dishwasher, working up the ranks as a kitchen prep, server, then line cook. All while working a second job, sometimes third job.
After graduating high school, Frye started college at Ohio State with plans of studying business or environmental engineering. But when she came back to work a shift at Rosalie’s for winter break, an opportunity arose—the owners had planned to sell the restaurant."I was thinking that maybe [buying] was something I wanted to do," she told News 5 Cleveland. "I had savings because I was saving for college, so I had quite a bit of money saved away. And I was like, I could possibly do this."
Frye acted on that gut feeling, and used her college funds to buy Rosalie’s. Now she spends every day at her new business, either in the kitchen, on the floor or in the office meeting with sales reps.
This Ohio diner is under new ownership: an 18-year-old who started out as a dishwasher and is carrying on a legacy of the past. https://t.co/7VShD0O6n0
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 13, 2023
Though Fyre's mother, Brandi Beitzel, confessed to USA Today that she wasn’t initially “on board” with her daughter abandoning college plans, over time she became very “proud” of her for forging her own path, and applauded her “drive and ambition.”
That sentiment is echoed both by Rosalie’s regulars and staff, who are amazing at the young woman’s drive and confidence.
“I just really think she's a great example of a young lady that is following her dreams and doing what she loves,” said Leanna Gardner, an employee.
It’s no secret that there are significantly less students attending college—down by about a million since the start of the pandemic. And while there are no doubt potential long term collective consequences to that, with exorbitantly high student loan rates, it’s easy to see why young adults would avoid massive debt for careers that don’t require a college degree.
Luckily, there are more efforts to make college an affordable option being made nationwide, like offering a free two years worth of college to graduating students.
And as Frye is proving by example—not going to college is certainly not a death sentence for one’s future. There are many ways to plant seeds for success. Honestly, college or no college, no matter which path is taken, there will likely be more uncertainty than there are guarantees. Perhaps the best bet then is trust those pings of intuition.
"You don't need college to make a decent living, and I think that's what a lot of people think nowadays," Frye attests. "Follow your instinct, honestly. If it feels right, just do it."
The boyfriend’s laugh is incredible.
Mac proposes to their boyfriend Alex at Disney World in Florida.
There’s something undeniably romantic about proposing to someone at Disney World. The park is filled with wonder and built on the belief that big dreams can come true. That’s probably why after three and a half years of dating, Mac, 31, and their then-boyfriend, Alex, 29, got the same idea when they took a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom.
The couple arrived at the park in the morning and met with Mac's aunt and cousin. Mac’s real reason for inviting them on the trip was to film their surprise proposal. However, Mac didn’t know Alex had already told them he planned to propose during the fireworks show that night.
This put Mac’s cousin and aunt in a funny place because they had to hide two secrets.
In the viral video seen over 13 million times on TikTok, Alex and Mac appear to be posing for a photo in front of Cinderella Castle when Mac gets down on one knee to propose. This sets Alex into a fit of laughter, and he gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring to propose as well.
@herecomemac what can i say? we share one brain cell 😂 now we share more! (and have a partner reveal! he's a fairly private person, which is why he hasn't popped up in my tiktoks yet. I can no longer call him my boyfriend 🥰) huge shoutout to @Generic Millennial NPC and @littlestinkah for filming ❤️ #justengaged #proposal #proposalvideo #waltdisneyworld #magickingdompark
"What can I say? We share one brain cell, now we share more," Mac chuckled in the caption of the viral clip. "And have a partner reveal! I can no longer call him my boyfriend. Hit me with that Uno Reverse card."
The couple received over 20,000 comments on the video. Most of them were people wishing them well on a new life together.
“They are truly meant for each other,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Tell us you’re soulmates, without telling us you’re soulmates.”
“So adorable. They were both on exactly the same page,” shared a third.
“You get a ring, you get a ring, we all get a ring. Congrats,” another wrote.
How often do you see both parties in a proposal get down on one knee? The good news is that they both said yes.
“Both of us said yes,” Mac said in a follow-up TikTok. “Our rings match, mine is white gold, and then his is sterling silver."
@herecomemac update to the proposal video! also, Alex is 5'8", so not too much of a short king, I'm just 6'2" 😂😂😂 this was just off the cuff while we're sitting for a snack and overwhelmed by all the love 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Mac thinks it would have been funny if Alex jokingly said no before pulling out his ring.
“Yes, it would have been the funniest thing on Earth if that laughter was like a 'No, no of course not,' and then he pulled out the ring. But no, he had planned to do it at the fireworks that night. So, just funny happenstance,” Mac said in a video.
However, the couple never made it to the fireworks show that night because Alex was too tired. But the next day they continued their vacation with a trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Mac later revealed that the two had met while working at a job they no longer have in December of 2019 and began dating a month after meeting. Currently, they live in Central Florida about two hours from Disney World. The couple plans to get married in October 2024 with a Halloween-themed “spooky” wedding.
It's not for everybody.
Seth Rogen on stage during the opening night of Collision 2019 at Enercare Center in Toronto, Canada.
Childless women in the public eye are often plagued by the question: “So, why don’t you have any children?” It’s a deeply personal question that cuts right to the bone, and there can be many answers. But, if the woman doesn’t want children and says so publicly, she is bound to face some judgment.
"[I don't] like [the pressure] that people put on me, on women—that you've failed yourself as a female because you haven't procreated. I don't think it's fair," Jennifer Aniston told Allure. "You may not have a child come out of your vagina, but that doesn't mean you aren't mothering—dogs, friends, friends' children."
On the Monday, March 6 episode of “The Diary Of A CEO” podcast, host Steven Bartlett asked actor Seth Rogen about why he’s childless, and it was a rare moment where a man in the public eye was challenged on the topic. Rogen gave a thoughtful explanation for his and Lauren Miller’s decision to be child-free.
Rogen and Miller were married in 2011.
“There's a whole huge thing I'm not doing, which is raising children,” Rogen told Bartlett. The host attempted to play devil’s advocate and asked Rogen if he considered whether having children might have made him and his wife “happier.”
“I don't think it would,” Rogen responded.
Then, as if anticipating the question, the “Pineapple Express” star upended one of the arguments that people who have children often make: that people who don’t have children have no idea what it’s like.
“I've been around obviously a lot of children; I'm not ignorant to what it’s like…Everyone I know has kids. I'm 40, you know? I know,” Rogen said. “Some of my friends have had kids for decades. Some people want kids, some people don't want kids.”
He added that many people seem to have kids without considering the issue.
“I mean, a lot of people have kids before they even think about it, from what I've seen, honestly,” he said. “You just are told, you go through life, you get married, you have kids—it’s what happens.”
Rogen and his wife have only grown stronger in their decision and they believe that it has helped their relationship.
“Now, more than anything, the conversation is like, ‘Honestly, thank God we don’t have children,’” he continued. “We get to do whatever we want.”
“We are in the prime of our lives. We are smarter than we've ever been, we understand ourselves more than we ever have, we have the capacity to achieve a level of work and a level of communication and care for one another, and a lifestyle we can live with one another that we've never been able to live before. And we can just do that, and we don't have to raise a child—which the world does not need right now,” Rogen concluded.
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not to have children, and no one has the right to judge them. Rogen and Miller have thought their decision through and should be applauded for living how they see fit. It’s cool to see Rogen with such a thoughtful opinion on the matter. It’d be even cooler if celebrities never had to discuss the topic in the first place.
This article originally appeared on 3.9.23
These people stopped what they were doing to send their high school teacher off with a beautiful sound.
Retiring choir teacher invites 30 years of past students to sing
Teachers make a lasting impression on their students and that seems to be amplified when you have the same teacher for multiple years. Students that take certain classes like band and choir have more time to spend getting to know their teachers through long rehearsals, competitions and ceremonies. You build a bond with the teachers and classmates which makes goodbyes at graduation hard.
When a teacher retires, there's no coming back to visit your old teacher because you were in town and eventually you just settle for carrying them in your heart. But what happens when they call you back for one last song? You show up. Jim Stanley was retiring after teaching choir for 30 years, and instead of a typical retirement party, he decided to invite all of the alumni from the past three decades to sing one last song together.
Stanley knew his crew because they had one rehearsal together before they were due to perform with him directing the group. This mash-up of old and new alumni sound as if they've always sung together under his directorship.
@watchmaggiepaint Thank you, Mr. Stanley. When Mr. Stanley retired, he sent out an invite to all his old students, inviting us to come sing and be directed by him for one last day. I blocked it in my calendar and didn't work a wedding, specifically so I could go to my small home town and sing for one last time with all the people I grew up knowing. It was so emotional. So many memories flooded back, we had the strongest choral program of a town our size, all because of Stanley. Many of us became artists and mysicians professionally. Reuniting and seeing the life path of each former student was wild. SHOUTOUT to Lisa for the solo, she is amazing. #mrhollandsopus #choralmusic #teacher #inspiring
Maggie Smith Kühn uploaded the video of the rehearsal on TikTok where it racked up over 2.2 million views.
"When Mr. Stanley retired, he sent out an invite to all his old students, inviting us to come sing and be directed by him for one last day," Kühn wrote in the caption. "It was so emotional. So many memories flooded back, we had the strongest choral program of a town our size, all because of Stanley. Many of us became artists and musicians professionally. Reuniting and seeing the life path of each former student was wild."
The camaraderie and emotions that must've flowed during that rehearsal and subsequent performance had to be immense. There are few things that can top the feeling of perfecting a difficult piece of music when you're a musician. While the night was about Mr. Stanley, everyone involved will likely remember this for the rest of their lives.
Watch the final performance below, the soloist is Lisa Lowe Douglas and she clearly has maintained her vocal abilities. What a beautiful moment to share.
@watchmaggiepaint Replying to @CoffeyKaffeine Here it is! Lisa Lowe Douglas performing "City Called Heaven" directed by Jim Stanley. #choralmusic #mrhollandsopus #inspiring #lisalowedouglas
"Ask your parent questions. They might be very healing."
"Ask your parents questions. They might be very healing."
Sometimes our parents can surprise us with the most meaningful insight, heartfelt compliment or some other completely unexpected display of love. These moments might be rare to some more than others, but when they do happen, they can be profound.
A woman named Torrie just had one of those deeply impactful moments with her father, and a video telling the story of their heartwarming interaction has gone viral online.
Torrie had asked her parents who they loved more: their kids or their grandkids. Considering the well documented phenomenon of grandparents often being closer—even nicer—to their grandkids, perhaps Torrie was expecting to hear the latter. Maybe she anticipated hearing a joke about how the grandkids are less of a handful or any other number of insensitive half-jokes.
Much to her surprise, Her father gave a response that was thoughtful and comforting all at the same time.
“He said, ‘Not more, but different,’” she recalled. "‘When I look at your daughter, my grandchild, I don't see her the way you see her, I see her as a whole person.’”
Torrie was initially confused by this statement, so her father explained how seeing her go from childhood to adulthood gave him a future glimpse of what his granddaughter would eventually be like.
@finding_torrie 😩 #innerchildhealing#parenting♬ The Night We Met - Marianne Beaulieu
“And he said, ‘I've seen firsthand you go from a baby to a woman, and I've known all of the ‘yous’ in between,’” she continued. And so, "When he looks at my daughter, he not only sees this beautiful baby, he sees and loves everything she is and ever will be because he's already seen it in me.”
Getting emotional, Torrie concludes: “Ask your parents questions. their answers might be really healing.” She even captioned the clip #innerchildhealing
While several viewers noted that Torrie’s experience certainly would not be the case for their own parental interactions, everyone agreed the video was touching nonetheless.
“I can confirm that it will not be healing but I love this for you and your dad must be protected at all costs,” one person wrote.
Some even made jokes about how unfathomable it was to have a parent like Torrie’s. “Where you get parents like that? Can you get that on Amazon? 😭😭❤️❤️” one person quipped.
Still, for many who didn’t have that kind of relationship with their folks, simply seeing that kind of love in action was its own kind of soul medicine.
“What’s healing for me is knowing that there are people who have truly loving parents. Please thank your dad for me 💓,” one person shared.
In a follow-up video, Torrie clarified that her relationship with her father was far from perfect. They had also spent years “working through trauma” to achieve that level of emotional intelligence and arrive at this strong connection.
But clearly, the work has paid off. In another video, Torrie shared the text exchange with her dad talking about how her video had gone viral. She told him how lucky she felt to have him as a dad and how much she valued the conversations they’ve been able to have after those years of work.
Her dad’s response? “Me too. It would be quite an accomplishment NOT to love a daughter like you to the moon and back.”
@finding_torrie Replying to @Straw🍓 ♬ Belonging - Muted
Yeah. Suddenly the world doesn’t feel like such a cold and lonely place after all. Sometimes our parents can surprise us. But even if they can’t, sometimes seeing others heal can be healing.
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Editor's Note: Upworthy earns a percentage of revenue from products sold in this article.
In the grand scheme of things, socks seldom take center stage in our daily wardrobe decisions. They're usually tucked away, hidden under shoes and pants, quietly supporting us through our day. Yet, these unsung heroes make a considerable impact on our comfort, productivity, and overall well-being. Think about it - a poorly-fitted sock can turn a simple walk into an uncomfortable trek, while a high-quality, comfortable pair can feel like a warm, loving hug to your feet. In their own understated way, socks are the foundation of our daily attire.
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