Shop Lighter Side.com for the perfect inexpensive gift. Lighter Side offers funny T-shirts, famous brand collectibles, plus holiday decorations and personalized gifts.
Disney's much anticipated Finding Dory premiered last week. I've already seen it three times - with and without the kids.
Ellen DeGeneres is delightful again in her role as Dory, the lovable, forgetful tang fish who was Nemo's best friend in the first film in the series. And the story is adorable, too. It's another fish rescue tale much like Nemo's but with a couple of little twists (I won't spoil it for you.)
You'd think with 'grown up' kids, I'd be past my Disney days, but...I can't help it...I love animated films. So maybe the kids are growing up, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop watching cartoons. Besides, they're not that grown up. Because - let's face it - nobody ever outgrows Disney movies.
Last year I told you about how coffee might protect you against skin cancer by acting as a natural sunscreen. But it seems no matter how much good news we hear about our morning joe, researchers are always looking for evidence that coffee must be 'bad for us'.
The latest study from the World Health Organization (WHO) again failed to make the case for the danger of the beany beverage. In fact, researchers now say that coffee should "no longer be considered a carcinogen". Instead, they say it's super hot beverages that cause the carcinogenic effect, no matter what you're drinking — even water!
So, go ahead and enjoy java jumpstart in the morning, but test with your tongue first. If it's too hot for your taste buds, it's too hot for your throat, too.
Your "Carefree Coffee Connoisseur" Gift Guru
Linda
The Purple One. His Purpleness. The Artist. The Artist Formerly Known As...born Prince Rogers Nelson, he had many names.
But did you know that Prince used pseudonyms on some of the music he was involved in writing, producing and recording? “I was just getting tired of seeing my name,” he said once. “If you give away an idea, you still own that idea. In fact, giving it away strengthens it. Why do people feel they have to take credit for everything they do? Ego—that’s the only reason.”
Names he used to 'give away' his art include: Joey Coco (Kenny Rogers, Sheena Easton, unreleased Prince songs), Jamie Starr (The Time and others from 1981-1984), Alexander Nevermind (Sheena Easton) and Christopher (The Bangles). People who knew him well also knew him by his childhood nickname, Skipper.
Prince never felt that he had to 'take credit' for his charitable works, either. Most of his philanthropy and activism was only publicized after his untimely death from an accidental opioid overdose on April 21. Here are a few things you might not have known about the Purple One:
When drummer Clyde Stubblefield (James Brown) was undergoing cancer treatment, Prince anonymously paid off his medical bills.
He saved the the country's first full service library for African Americans from closing - with an anonymous $12,000 donation.
He conceived and launched YesWeCode to help kids from 'low-opportunity backgrounds find success in the tech sector.' He paid for many of their 'hackathons' out of his own pocket and even performed at some of them.
The sudden loss of Prince just weeks before his 58th birthday (June 7) shocked us. But I don't believe he'd want us to mope around crying our eyes out. After all, he once said, "Life is just a party & parties weren't meant to last." I think Prince would like us to party - one last time - like it's 1999.
Your "Celebrating the Prince of Purple" Gift Guru,
Linda
If anyone could 'break the Internet', it's Harry Potter. The tantalizing, excruciatingly slow reveal of the three families who will be featured in the upcoming West End (London) stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child nearly did just that — each release of costumed character photos went viral within minutes of hitting the 'Net.
The latest to joined the Potters and the Granger-Weasleys are the villains we love to hate, Draco Malfoy and his son, Scorpius of Slytherin infamy. If you somehow managed to miss the first two photo releases, get your first look at the Granger-Weasleys here and the Potters here.
The play picks up 19 years after Deathly Hallows and follows Harry Potter's son, Albus Severus as he enters his first year at Hogwarts. While Albus contends with being the youngest son of the now super famous Harry Potter, his dad struggles with his own troubles as a Ministry of Magic employee.
Because massive crowds are expected and security will be tight, West End theatre goers have been advised to arrive at least one hour before curtain time. So far no word about whether the play will come to the U.S. But I'm guessing if it does, it will 'break' Broadway, too.
Black cats have a bad reputation. Hanging out with witches. Giving you bad luck just by crossing your path. Or just sitting around looking spooky. Maybe that's why black cats are the least likely to be adopted from animal shelters. Our friends over at Furball Fables are on a mission to change the black cat's luck, so they made this delightful video to dispel some of the myths surrounding the coolest cats on the planet.
In addition to facts found by Fur Fables, I dug up a few more reasons to love our much-maligned and misunderstood charcoal-colored feline friends.
In Britain a black cat crossing your path signifies good luck.
The Egyptians worshipped the black cat god Bastet. They believed that hosting black cats in their households would bring Bastet's favor.
The arrival of a strange black cat to a Scottish home predicts prosperity to come.
Sailors chose black "ship's cats" because they would bring good luck. Sailors' wives often kept black cats as a way to keep their husbands safe while at sea.
Upon the death of Charles I's beloved black cat, he sadly declared that his "luck was gone". The next day, he was arrested and charged with high treason.
So the next time you see a black cat, befriend it. Or, if you're at a shelter, adopt it. And you might just change your luck — for the better.
Summer is almost here and you know what that means - sandal season! It's prime time for showing off your toes no matter where you go. Which means it's time to peel off the socks and boots and whip those toes into summertime shape.
We all love a pro pedicure, but the expense can really add up as summer wears on. With all the sun, surf and sand, you can easily wear out your pedicure in just a few days. But here's some good news: a few home remedies can keep your toes picture perfect all summer long - without the steep price tag.
Get rid of calluses. Soak your feet in warm (not hot) water for about twenty minutes and then use a pumice stone to remove loosened dead skin from heels and toes. But be gentle. If you scrub too much, you'll expose the tender skin underneath, which can be painful. Massage your feet with a Neem or Karanja oil-based moisturizer and then slip into some cotton socks to seal in the healing.
Eat healthy for healthy cuticles. You are what you eat and so are your feet. Vitamins A through E and biotin help keep cuticles healthy. Add brewer's yeast to smoothies and munch on walnuts for healthy cuticles and nails.
Exfoliate with every wash. Add a tiny amount of ground apricot seed to liquid soap for a super effective and non-toxic exfoliating wash. Use every day in the shower and don't forget to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
If you follow this simple, inexpensive routine, your toes will be beach-ready in no time!
Some people are just naturally charismatic. And so are some dogs. That's why so many pet parents set up personal social media accounts for their best friends. They post pictures of their cute canines doing adorable things. Like sleeping.
But those candid canine pics could pay off in a big way. Marketers are now combing through social media looking for the perfect pooches for their advertising clients. Which has entrepreneurial dog owners rushing to create the perfect viral Instagram and Facebook posts to catch the eyes of agents.
Now there's even an app for that: Waggle. Post pics of your photogenic pup and you might end up with a five-figure payday from advertisers like PetSmart, Heinz or Nikon, among others. So if you have a good dog who's also good looking, fire up the social media. Maybe you and your pretty pooch can put some extra bones in the bank!
