FitBits and Apple Watches have made it cool for people to wear their bad habits on their wrists. Dads swear by having the socially acceptable accessory encourage them to get their steps in. Now, the latest innovation in self-improvement fashion is here to literally SHOCK you into looking after yourself.

For only $199.99 on Amazon, the Pavlok shock bracelet will shock you out of bad habits.

The bracelet "uses beep, vibration, and zap to help you break bad habits and build good ones," the company boasts.

Does existential dread make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning? Well, the Shock Clock feature will make sure you move...or else!

Their site features testimonials from people with such bad habits as smoking, unhealthy eating, negative thoughts, and nail biting.

Pavlok's name and science is clearly inspired by physiologist Ivan Pavlov, who famously trained dogs to drool every time they hear a bell. Pavlok users are to shock themselves every time they have a craving, and before long, they'll associate donuts with electrocution and stop wanting to eat snacks.

Meet Tasha, who claims to have bullied herself into quitting sugar and working out five times per week.

"I didn’t want to shock myself so I wouldn’t eat the food in the first place," Tasha says. "I haven’t had any refined sugar, which is awesome...I feel like I’m back in control of my relationship with food. I feel like I have a much healthier relationship with food."

Pavlok says that 20,000 people have shocked themselves out of bad habits.

"If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman."

-Margaret Thatcher

And if you want to laugh at memes, look at this hilarious list. Let's go girls!

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is squaring up against one of the biggest corporations in the world, and some workers are helping her out.

AOC has been vocal in her distaste of multi-billionaires like Jeff Bezos. In an interview with ABC News this weekend, she likened Amazon's lowest salaries to "starvation wages," adding that it's unfair for taxpayers to have to subsidize the lives of workers who need food stamps to survive — all while the owner of the company is raking in cash as the richest man alive.

Amazon responded to these comments by calling AOC "just wrong."

And AOC fired back, adding a link to a Daily Beast story that proved her point:

Amazon got pushback almost immediately.

CNN fact-checked the whole brouhaha, and declared that $15 and hour is not, in fact, a livable wage in all parts of America. Amazon also is not "a leader on pay," CNN reports, mostly because that phrase doesn't actually mean anything. They concede that Amazon does offer medical benefits for full-time workers, but not part-time workers or contractors.

And then the Amazon workers started to weigh in. They reminded Amazon that the company's minimum wage didn't rise to $15 an hour until after progressives demanded it.

And some pointed out that Amazon slashed benefits at the same time that it bumped salaries up to $15 an hour, leading some employees to feel like the raise itself was a wash — and in some cases, a pay decrease.

Prior employees lamented how the company treated people before it was cajoled into paying $15 an hour.

Others pointed out that part-timers find it even harder to find hours and make a living.

Also, some pointed out that contract workers, who sometimes have the hardest jobs of all, aren't entitled to any of these benefits or pay guarantees.

Very few tweets can be found defending Amazon's compensation practices — despite the fact that the company allegedly awards workers who defend them online with gift cards and time off.

“We don’t laugh because we are happy, we’re happy because we laugh.”

-William James

Get ready to laugh out loud, or at least laugh until you breathe a tiny bit harder out of your nose.

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In case you missed it, a few weeks back Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk officially split up after four years of being a couple and co-parenting their daughter.

While their break up is obviously their own business, and likely fueled by personal reasons the public cannot and should not be privy to, it caused many people to speculate about the Lady Gaga and Cooper's intense screen chemistry in A Star Is Born.

Many fans have been vigilantly tracking both Cooper and Gaga for any possible signs that they are in fact a new couple in love, whose flames of passion were stoked by their artistic relationship.

Obviously, all fan theories aside, breaking up with a long-term partner is an incredibly painful ordeal regardless of how mutual or civil it is. Since Cooper and Shayk have a daughter together, they will be forced to continue to see each other to share parenting duties, and pictures of their latest rendezvous have sparked conspiracy theory levels of speculation.

On Monday, both Cooper and Shayk stepped out in matching Burberry.

Cooper wore a black Burberry polo with khakis and sneakers, while Shayk and their daughter Lea De Seine wore matching plaid ensembles that coincidentally, perfectly match Cooper's outfit.

Now, one could obviously attribute the matching outfits to the fact that Shayk is an international supermodel who has likely received plenty of free Burberry samples for the entire family. Most people don't get ride of all their favorite outfits just because of a breakup.

However, the fact that they all matched on a day where the three were briefly reunited has caused voyeurs to wonder: is there a chance Shayk and Cooper may be working things out?!

The question of whether there is a romantic message buried into Cooper's polo and Shayk's plaid ensemble is truly one for the ages. This is the type of question that Shakespeare pondered while writing his plays, the type of question that historians will hopefully look back on with a 20/20 hindsight knowledge we don't possess.

For now, we can only hope that they are all doing okay amidst the great Burberry speculation.

LGBTQ Pride Month is about more than partying, parades, and Taylor Swift co-opting your movement—though it is also about those things! The tradition originated in 1970 as a way to commemorate the Stonewall Riots in NYC, which would serve as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S. and around the world. Today, the month is about highlighting the struggles faced by the LGBTQ community, as well as celebrating pride and progress. Though significant progress has been made, LGBTQ people in the U.S. still face significant oppression and bigotry, with the current homophobic administration is only making things worse.

Unfortunately Pride Month is also a time when bigots and homophobes tend to resurface with their own thoughts on why the month shouldn't exist (or why they need their own parade, lmfao). Often, this bigotry is clumsily hidden behind "moral" arguments. For example, someone posted this homophobic meme on Facebook which suggests that Pride Month poses a threat to people who have served in the military, since they only get "one day" (Veteran's Day) while LGBTQ people who get a "whole month."

There's a lot wrong with this meme and the argument it makes, but don't take it from me. Someone who actually served in the army flawlessly shut down the homophobic meme with this comment:

**APPLAUSE**

The comment perfectly highlights why Pride Month is so important and necessary, while also addressing the obvious hypocrisy, homophobia and ignorance behind the original post and whoever created it. The meme and the response were shared on the sub-Reddit "Murdered By Words," where it went viral. Probably because it's legendary.

Commenters are continuing to pile on criticism of the awful meme and the response, many of them veterans themselves. Here are a few responses worth reading:

YoichiLD writes:

Veteran here, I really wish that people would understand that celebrating ones identity doesn’t have to exclude another’s. There’s always more to a person or a groups back story than you’re aware of. If we approached life with more compassion we could eliminate a lot of these unnecessary conflicts.

code_mage writes:

I wrote this before today, and I'll write it again. I used to be a closeted lesbian in the military. My job was literally based in the fact that I was a straight woman, and if I ever revealed otherwise, I would be asked to go home. Multiple people have basically refused me entry into a public place ever since I became an LGBT activist. The same people used to offer me discounts for my service.

Gay pride is important because every one basically gets that serving your country is a matter of pride. That you are allowed to serve your country without being ostracized. The same is not true for LGBT people.

BoinkBoinkEtAliae writes:

And I'm also a veteran supportive of pride month and hate when we're used as scapegoats for this sort of nonsense.

These same people don't give a fuck about us when their Congress members defund our support programs, when they try to pass laws to kick our trans members out and have them barred them from enlisting, or when Trump let's his big business buddies control the VA...but they sure love us when it's time to justify their hatred of something else.

padmoosen writes:

Many don’t know about the national military month, but the service men and woman are almost constantly being recognized; at professional sports, at schools, military discounts etc. If someone wears a military uniform in public somebody is going to approach them to thank them for their service. We may have a problem with veteran mental health and homelessness, but it’s not like American society as a whole doesn’t have “pride” in our military.

GenericUname writes:

Right. The big extant problems LGBTQ people face are still related (even where the solutions are potentially legislative) to discrimination and lack of social acceptance, which various events/movements like Pride could arguably help to address.

Military veterans are, by most of the population and in almost all mainstream media either side of the political spectrum, already lionized and almost fetishized (frankly to an often excessive degree). Their problem is not lack of acceptance and respect, it's that the same people yelling about how some guys taking a knee during the national anthem is somehow an insult to their service also have no interest in actually doing anything to look after them (unless you consider tritely and performatively running over to say "thank you for your service" to be "helpful" as opposed to actually providing for medical and psychological care).

Thanks to these people for their service to our country AND our comments sections. And to everyone but the bigots: have a happy pride!!!!!!!!!! May Taylor Swift not hijack your moment.

There are a lot of conflicting opinions about what the "right" way to spend your twenties is.

Some people argue that it's a decade solely for you, meant to be spent exploring, having fun, and enjoying being young and alive. Others argue that it is the most defining decade of your adult life and it should be spent heavily investing in your future. If you don't work hard and plan ahead in your twenties, you could be headed down a dark road in your thirties and beyond. However, if all you do is work, you might feel like your youth was wasted.

Where is the balance? How can we all live our care-free Kardashian lives of leisure while also setting up a 401K, having health insurance, finding a stable partner, and possibly building a family?

While hindsight is 20/20, older people love to give twenty-somethings advice. Remember though, most of the typical "twenty-something" advice is based on the mistakes whoever is giving the advice made in their twenties. If someone tells you to just relax and have fun, it's probably because they spent their twenties chained to a drab cubicle while their friends backpacked Europe. If someone tells you to save money and get your act together, they probably took one too many backpacking trips. Take all advice with a grain of salt (and tequila!) of course, and remember it's never too late to completely change your life.

When a recent Reddit user asked, "Redditors over 30, what's the most significant thing individuals should do in their 20s?' the internet was ready to share their most profound and impactful words of wisdom. Financial tips seem to take the lead here, but don't forget to wear sunscreen too!

1. Yup, "_fiddle-sticks_"

Look after your body. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. You will appreciate it when you're older.

2. Aw man, "mysisterbetougholms."

smoking cigarettes and alcohol = wrinkles

3. Wear sunscreen! "HankMoodyMaddafakaaa."

I was on a small «cruise boat» in Croatia where we met two asian female tourists who always used sunblock all over their body. We thought they were like 35 years old, turns out they were like 55-60. No fucking wrinkles

4. Work to live don't live to work! "Nolsoth."

Add in quit smoking and enjoy your 20s, don't spend them working 80 hour weeks. Learn to say no, and tell your partner's what you want out of your relationships, be honest with yourself and don't be afraid to fuck up its how you learn.

5. But saving is hard! "SharkOnGames."

Also, save/invest all of your money and stop spending on stupid shit.

You can do plenty of stupid spending in your 30's after you've first got a little nest egg growing for yourself.

Don't worry, you are fully capable of partying/gaming/traveling well into your 30's and beyond. And it'll be way easier to do if you've already got money in the bank, investments setup for retirement, money to pay off your vehicle, large down payment for a house to lower your mortgage payment, etc. All things you can prepare for in your 20's that are much harder to do in your 30's (at least for me, I got my family and house first, then the career/money/investments and I'm always chasing the retirement fund).

Also, brush and floss your teeth every day.

6. I have to cook? "crispysardine."

1. Stop worrying about finding a life-long career. You might have an interest you want to pursue now. It's ok to switch paths later in life, and the sooner you realize this the less stress and pressure you'll feel.

2. Learn how to cook. Even a few staple dishes that you can cook for yourself and a few others will take you far.

3. Take care of yourself, but also recognize that exercising once a week is better than exercising 0 times per week.

4. Save something. Anything! Have options for a 401k at work?? Do it!! Have $10, $20, $30, $100 dollars you can set aside every month to build up an emergency fund? Do it!! You will be so thankful.

7. Is 30 the new 40? "nahbroski."

Nothing will fuck up your 20’s more than thinking you’re supposed to have your shit together !!!!

Remember this one guys .

8. Shed what is useless! "ReplicatedPenguin."

Take your carefully crafted self-image, and ram your forehead into it until it breaks.

You're not the person you think you are as a teen, and despite feeling smug about figuring that out, you're also not the person you think you are as a twenty-something. The earlier you learn that you will keep changing as a person, the better.

Get your pride hurt, ask yourself questions, shed what is useless, and emerge stronger and more confident.

9. Stretch! "DarMoclan."

Along with all the other good financial advice,

Stretch every day. When you’re sitting watching tv, stretch. Every. Day.

Losing flexibility means losing range of motion and balance. I was super flexible when I was in my teens and twenties. But I didn’t stay on top of things. It gradually creeps in until you finally notice that your balance is shot and it’s hard to reach your toes. Then you break your foot taking the garbage to the curb because your balance is shot.

Stretch. It’s relaxing. It’s meditative. It will improve your future life.

10. 100%, "SamuraiWisdom."

Spend time with your older family members and loved ones. Not only could they be gone really any time, but even if they get old, they'll start to decline and be less capable of engaging with you. It's easy in your 20s to think that you'll have a long time to spend with your family members.

11. Solid, "adjust_the_sails."

• Save for retirement.

• Always use a condom.

Neither are fun, but both of those things are in your long term interest.

12. Booze IS expensive, "Maximiliaaan."

Don't spend all your money and time on booze. Also, buy things used. Saving money in your 20s helps keep you from getting behind in your 30s.

13. Dental health is key, "RodeoBob."

Habits you form in your 20's will stick around for a while, so get good habits...

Take care of your teeth! Brush. Floss. Use mouthwash. Get regular cleanings. If something hurts, go see the dentist right away. Tooth problems never get better or cheaper on their own, and fixing stuff early is always better than fixing it late.

Take care of your ears. Yeah, I know, earplugs at concerts look lame. Use the soft foam ones. You'll still have a blast, and you'll be able to go to a lot more concerts, a lot longer.

A lot of this stuff falls under the heading of "be nice to Future You", so I guess I'll add: learn to think of "Future You" as a real person that you can be nice to, or be mean to, and practice being nice to Future You.

14. Damn, "sonia72quebec."

Have some fun! I was way too serious in my 20's. I bought a house, did renovations and got in a serious relationship before my 25th birthday. Between a mortgage and car payments I didn't have a lot left for other things.

I wish I had taken time to travel, tried lots of different jobs and had a lot more sex when I was at my physical peak. I didn't realize how gorgeous I was back then.

Now I'm still cute but as an overweight (working on it!) single 46F I feel invisible.

15. SLEEP, "hellsangel31."

Sleep! It’s so vital to our well-being, physically and emotionally, and it rarely seems to be a priority.

16. Cherish your boob years! "Shorse_rider."

prioritise fun and don't waste your best boob years on a guy that doesn't deserve you/them

17. Never look better? Ever again? "Elly_higgenbottom."

Your 20's are for you. You'll never look better or have more energy. Enjoy them to the fullest! If you want kids, wait until your 30's.

18. Too real, "polyscifail."

• If you spend your 20s backpacking around world, staying in hostels, and sleeping with random people, you'll probably have a ton of fun. But odds are, you'll also spend your 30s, 40s, and 50s paying off student loans, dealing with a crippling mortgage, and desperately saving for your retirement and kid's college. A typical American life.

• If you work your ass off in your 20s, build your career fast, settle down, and save money. You might feel like you wasted your 20s. But, you'll spend your 30s, 40s, and 50s, traveling the world, sleeping in luxury hotels, and doing it with the people you love. Do it right and you'll be on easy street for the rest of your life.

The take away is that your 20s aren't your only time to live, love, or travel. But, they are the time you have the most energy and opportunity to impact your future. But, if you just coast though your 20s, and don't build your career, don't developer yourself, don't travel, and don't do anything of note, then you'll end up with the worst of both worlds. You'll wake up in your 30s with a lot of catching up to do, but w/o anything to show for it.

Donald Trump kicked off his re-election campaign with a cult ritual rally in Orlando, Florida, and it was both a 2016 flashback and terrifying omen for the next 18 months of our lives.

Proud Boys and other white supremacists were pumped to see their president, flashing white power signs on the streets of Orlando, an insult to Mickey Mouse, who lives just a few miles away.

The president's 76-minute ramble included fear, lies, threats, and more lies, and was preceded by his family of warm up acts doing their best impressions of him.

With the swagger of a bully from the rich kids camp across the lake and the cadence of a comic at a Comedy Central roast, Don Jr. mocked Biden for having not cured cancer yet.

Biden's son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015. In President Obama's final State of the Union address, he announced that his VP would be leading a new government effort to eradicate cancer, known as the "Cancer Moonshot." Biden reiterated his commitment to the goal at a campaign stop in Iowa.

But since cancer has yet to be cured, Don Jr. is wondering just how effective a leader Biden would be.

"Joe Biden comes out. 'Well, if you elect me president, I'm going to cure cancer.' Wow. Why the hell didn't you do that over the last 50 years, Joe?" he said.

People criticized the riff as obnoxious and insensitive.

Senator Angus King (I-ME), himself a cancer survivor, said of Don Jr.'s attack, "That’s outrageous. You know, for Joe Biden this is a deeply personal issue. . . . To criticize him for it is just ridiculous."

It's also hypocritical.

Don Jr. hitting Biden for promising something as big as a cure for cancer would be an interesting burn...if Donald Trump Sr. didn't do the exact same thing three hours later.

Between blurbs about Hillary Clinton and her emails, President Trump announced that he's going to make curing cancer his thing, too.

"We will push onward with new medical frontiers," he said. "We will come up with the cures to many, many problems, to many, many diseases — including cancer and others, and we’re getting closer all the time."

It's hard to imagine that a Trump administration will cure cancer, considering that his budgets cut science funding. Even if the cure is found, who's to say that people will have access to the treatment under his (so far non-existent) healthcare plan?

The administration does have experience with AIDS, however. As Governor of Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence oversaw an HIV outbreak and failed to intervene.

Anyway, congrats to cancer on being the latest political football.

It may be 2019, but sexism is very much alive, flirty and thriving. If you're a woman, you know this already. And if you don't, you might be Denise McAllister, in which case, you're probably a lost cause.

Anyway, I digress. Sexism is everywhere and is bad and most women know this. But not all men do, which is why it's pretty damn refreshing when a guy not only notices and acknowledges this rampant problem, but calls it out. Shout out to Sawyer, a guy who recently posted a Twitter thread calling out his boss for being a sexist D-bag in the office. Unfortunately, this is probably all-too-common, which is why we give props to Swayer for calling his boss out—first to his face, and later in a Twitter thread.

The story begins, as so many do, with a bunch of guys gathered around a woman's LinkedIn profile:

Sawyer continues:

As women, we know the word "slutty" can get thrown around for literally any reason—but Sawyer was dumfounded.

Luckily, our pal-ly (pal/ally, feel free to use this at your next co-ed mixer!) Sawyer decided not to let this go, and demanded his boss explain how the photo was "slutty."

That's when the boss finally admitted what he really meant by "slutty."

Most women know that a guy calling a woman "slutty" often just means he wants to sleep with us, and that's somehow our fault. But good on Sawyer for recognizing this extremely dumb, sexist behavior and calling it out—even when the perpetrator was his boss. He continues:

Sawyer topped off his thread with this important conclusion:

**APPLAUSE**

In brighter news, Sawyer's thread generated a thoughtful discussion on sexism in and out of the workplace. Both men and women are sharing their thoughts:

This thread is a powerful reminder that it's especially helpful (and necessary) for men to call out other men for sexist behavior. They unfortunately might not listen to women—we're too "slutty" what with our business casual pantsuits and our smiling LinkedIn profiles. Thank you for listening to my slutty TED talk.

Bella Hadid posted an official apology on her Twitter after coming under fire for a photo many perceived as a racist slight.

The photo itself was posted on her Instagram stories, and showed her shoe facing a Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates aircraft.

While a picture of a shoe in itself normally wouldn't be accused of racist connotations, in many Arab cultures showing the sole of a shoe is considered an insult, and shoes themselves are considered symbols of dirtiness.

So, given that cultural context, some people on Twitter took that photo of her shoe pointed at UAE and Saudi Arabian aircraft as an intentional statement, and the hashtag #BellaHadidIsRacist was born.

While the hashtag was raging, plenty of people defended Hadid, claiming the assumption of disrespect and racism was a deep reach.

Upon receiving the backlash, Hadid took to her Twitter to apologize and assure her followers the photo was not meant as a slight towards UAE or Saudi Arabia.

She then posted a full statement expressing her love for the Middle East and how sad she felt at the notion of hurting anyone.

People were mixed on accepting her apology, some followers felt she shouldn't have apologized in the first place, while others didn't believe it was sincere.

At the end of the day, all Hadid could do was apologize for the misunderstanding and move along. Being famous on the internet truly seems exhausting.

Before you completely snap and quit your job, take a look at these hilarious workplace memes. You'll see you're not alone in your struggle to make it to 5 pm.

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Teachers really put up with a lot.

While kids are known for saying whatever is on their mind, they can also write anything. Creative writing classes or "free write" exercises are usually good icebreakers for any English class, but giving a bunch of students free range to turn in anything they want is definitely a risk.

What is considered "fiction" can quickly switch to a very obvious personal and autobiographical essay, and if it's inappropriate, teachers are put in an awkward position.

Do you tell the parents? Or, depending on how old the student is, do you confront the student? Can you give someone a bad grade just because their content is truly bizarre?

When a recent Reddit user asked, "English teachers, what topic on a 'write about anything' essay made you lose hope in humanity?" teachers and professors were ready to share.

1. NOPE, "monroestahr."

I teach literature at a college and mostly deal with freshmen and sophomores. For our free writing unit, one of the assignments asked the students to write any original story based on your favorite fictional genre. So, one of my students wanted to do horror. I said great! That's also a favorite of mine. Go nuts.

Eventually, the assignments are turned in and I'm grading them at home. I get to the kid with the horror story and it's about a serial killer who stalks women. Okay, whatever. Nothing I haven't seen before.

But then the story goes into long, excruciating detail about the next victim this killer plans on stalking/raping/murdering: a petite blonde in her early 30s who teaches English. And it just so happens I'm a petite blonde in her early 30s who, well-- yeah.

I didn't report it or anything since it was a creative exercise. I didn't grade him unfairly, either. But I seriously couldn't look that kid in the eye ever again.

2. Oh my god, "GiGABYTEME90."

My HS English teacher had to state, due to a submission the year before, that writing about your foot fetish and pleasuring your SO with your feet would not be read or graded.

3. Woah, "shane1108."

Here's one I can actually answer. I was teaching an IELTS test prep class to high school aged students in China. One of my students is planning on being a nutritionist, and when I gave her a topic about what she would change if she could be the president for a day. She said that she would imprison everyone who was over a certain BMI until they were thin, and if they were repeat offenders they should spend life in prison for wasting public resources and making healthcare more expensive for everyone else.

4. Yikes, "Penya23."

When a 16 year old male student wrote about the fine world of webcamming and how easy it is to make (a lot of) money off "attention-hungry old people"

5. WTF, "Phileselphy."

We had to write short stories in high school English. My best friend was struggling for inspiration so me, self absorbed teenager, told her to write about me, when I'm a beautiful successful professional ballerina. She took the idea and ran with it but took a dark turn, and had me raped backstage by the director of the ballet company. She showed it to me proudly before class, and when she saw my face as I read it, started backpedalling hard about how it definitely wasn't about me me, she just got inspired.

6. Oh boy, "FourEyesore."

He had written something to the effect of, "Heaps of people have heaps of hobbies..." So we had a conversation about using more academic language and employing a wider range of vocabulary.

I come back ten minutes later and he'd used the thesaurus function in Word so it now read, "Piles of people have mounds of hobbies..."

Just. Wow.

7. This is amazing, "Iskippedfaceday."

Well... It wasn't the topic itself, but a student literally cited TheOnion as one of his main sources.

8. Uh oh, "thereallilith."

It wasn’t “write about anything” it was more like “create a story”. My student (9 years old - Female) wrote about two best friends, they were at the mall when one of them got kidnapped by a villain, who put her in a suit case and took her to London. Everyone searched for her and she was found dead, the villain had murdered her. The police arrested and imprisoned him for 10 years and them killed him. The girl’s best friend was really sad and killed herself and then they lived happy ever after.

SHE IS NINE! NINE!! AND WROTE ABOUT KIDNAP, MURDER, POLICE VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE AND ROMANTICIZED SUICIDE

9. Swamp ass ruins lives, "ficklefire."

This guy wrote me a paper about how swamp ass ruined his marriage; describing it initially as an "unexpected rash," he wrote at length about how this "rash" caused his wife to stop having sex with him and refuse him any intimacy. After some time, he and his wife got a divorce, and he promptly blames the rash for it.

It isn't much later in the paper (at this point a good six pages long) that he details his struggles with proper hygiene due to cheap toilet paper causing this rash.

So, because this guy couldn't wipe his ass properly, he lost his wife, his kids, and his sanity... to the point where he decided to come tell me about it.

10. You suffered for art, "part_house_part_dog."

I had a poetry unit my first year of teaching. Learned very quickly that they could write about anything but teenage love. God, I read so much bad love poetry that year.

11. Thick is in, "Eternal_Nexus."

I had a college buddy who graduated a couple years back take a writing class, in which they were allowed to write whatever fictional story they desired. For this assignment, he wanted an accredited professor to read erotica. He sat down and wrote 10 pages of porn, detailing the discovery of sex from the perspective of a young (thick) female.

He got an A.

12. Damn, "Schmidttea."

Former English adjunct here. One time a student wrote about a first date that went horribly wrong, including running over a cat and having it stuck to his truck tires, and then vomiting at dinner.

13. Dear God, "MondayLasagna."

“Why Hitler Did It”

I’ll leave it at that other than saying it was a university-level writing course.

14. Aw man, "scarlova."

I work in the Middle East. A student wrote a paper on why women shouldn't drive. Oof.

15. Solid point though, "MadWhiskeyGrin."

I was teaching a University 101 class. Study habits, how to write essays, time management. How to get by at college for kids who honestly aren't really ready for college. The assignment: "1 paragraph about something that interests you." One of those "essays" read, "I am interest in blueberry muffin. Like how they round on the top and ripped on the sides. That what I like " I kept that on my fridge for a year.

16. Oh NO, "DTownForever."

A student who wrote an essay about how Rosa Parks ended slavery.

17. You can buy anything online! "phoenix-corn."

A student in my class right now is writing a paper about buying sperm online, so probably that.

In case you missed it, Taylor Swift dropped another single from her upcoming album Lover, as well as a music video to go with it. In honor of Pride Month, the "You Need to Calm Down" video is very gay. Tay Tay incorporated various aspects of queer culture, such as sipping tea, dressing in drag, and proudly sporting rainbow colors. She also hired a plethora of queer icons to be featured in the video, including Ru Paul, Adam Rippon, Billy Porter, Ellen Degeneres, and the cast of Queer Eye. Even the song reads as a sort of Gay Anthem, with a central message telling homophobes to chill out. Don't worry, Tay Tay still manages to incorporate her own haters into the song, as is her trademark.

Like pretty much anything Taylor Swifts puts out, people have THOUGHTS, OPINIONS, and straight up CONSPIRACY THEORIES on the matter. These vary from absolute praise, to astute accusations, to savage call outs. We did a deep dive on the most popular takes on this video, so you don't have to. Here they are.

Did Taylor Swift Come out as Bisexual?

During one part of the video, Taylor sports a wig that resembles the Bisexual Pride flag, and people are not remaining calm about it. Many think this is her subtle way of coming out as bisexual, which is an exciting theory for many of her LGBTQIA fans.

And Is She In Love With Karlie Kloss ?

As I learned while navigating the deep, dark rabit-hole that is Taylor Swift fan theories, many of her followers have long believed that she is in a secret relationship with model and former Victoria's Secret Angel,Karlie Kloss. Kloss is currently dating Joshua Kushner, AKA Jared Kushner's brother (ew), but Swifties are convinced her one true love is Taylor Swift. People who believe this theory refer to themselves as Kaylor, the couples name they have assigned to Karlie and Taylor.

In the music video, Taylor is seen walking away with a daisy in her drink as a trailer goes up in flames behind her. Well, apparently one time Karlie and Taylor took a road trip together, and afterwards Karlie posted a picture of a daisy with a sentimental caption, and tagged Taylor as the daisy.

The theory here is that this image symbolizes Taylor coming out as gay for Karlie Kloss. The burning trailer is the closet going up in flames behind her, as she boldly steps out with her daisy, AKA Karlie Kloss.

But is Tay Tay Just Queer-baiting?

Okay, now let's really get into it. This whole video feels like an advertisement for gay pride, put together by a woman who has never come out as gay. She's utilizing gay culture, gay icons, and gay themes in order to pull in her LGBTQIA fans, while getting a lot buzz for herself. She gives us just enough hope that she might be coming out as bisexual with subtle signs like her wig, but she never actually comes out. This way, Taylor Swift can start trending on gay Twitter, without the actual Taylor Swift having to come out as gay. This is called queer-baiting, a marketing technique for fiction and entertainment in which creators hint at, but then not actually depict, same-sex romance.

Sure, no one has to come out if they don't want to, but taking advantage of your fans' enthusiasm is another thing. In this sense, she's essentially the human embodiment of brands like H&M and Bank of America who are using Pride Month as a way to market themselves by simply adding rainbows to their aesthetic.

As a bisexual woman, I find it frustrating to see a woman go as far to align herself with the LGBTQIA community for what looks like a PR stunt. It doesn't feel like a coincidence that Taylor is cashing in on this during Pride Month, the perfect time for a straight white woman to make gay pride all about her.

Or is Taylor Swift Simply an Ally?

Not everyone thinks Taylor is either coming out or simply queer-bating. Some think she is simply being a good ally. To be fair, her video celebrate queerness and gives queer culture representation they often lack. The video also ends with information about the Equality Act, a piece of legislation being considered in Congress that would create federal protections for LGBTQIA Americans against discrimination on the basis of “sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.” So, perhaps her efforts here are sincere?

For Good Measure, Here are the Funniest Takes

And now, for the hottest of takes.

While social media and the internet—namely, endless news notifications—are detrimental to one's mental health, Twitter could also be a helpful place to share coping strategies. There's no place like Twitter to be reminded of the fact there are millions of people in the world with depression, fighting their genetic predispositions and chemical imbalances as not to fall into a bottomless pit of despair. Millions!

As is the case with any illness, it's crucial to see a doctor and begin treatment, but here are some other tips that mostly don't require insurance coverage.

1. Keep calm and watch cat videos.

2. Take a walk.

3. Find the goofiness in the everyday.

4. Hang out with a four-legged friend.

5. Create.

6. Remind yourself that you've through it before, and you'll get through it again.

7. Cake puns.

8. Every dog is a therapy dog.

9. Set small goals and work towards them.

10. Meditate.

11. Cat cosplay.

12. Going on Twitter.

13. Logging off Twitter.

14. One meal at a time.

15. Retail therapy.

16. Therapy-therapy.

17. Medication

Watching a loved one feel bad about themselves really truly hurts, especially if its a partner you find wildly attractive and lovable.

Sadly, a lot of people are less likely to believe kind and encouraging words from those closest to them, because they're aware you view them through rose-colored glasses and don't take it as seriously.

In these cases, the main thing you can do is continue to offer love and encouragement and hope your partner finds their confidence again. Meddling in their affairs further, however well intentioned, is more likely to end up backfiring than putting a spring in their step.

In a recent post on the subreddit Am I The Asshole a concerned husband shared how he cut the size tags out of his wife's clothing and told her they were a size smaller in order to make her feel better.

"AITA for changing my wife’s clothing sizes without telling her?"

"My wife has gained some weight over the last year, and keeps beating herself up over it. She’s always sadly talking about her sizes and calling herself too big. She lost her excitement with shopping and a few months ago I guess I made a step to change that."

At first, the wife didn't notice the missing tags, and believed him about the sizing since they would go shopping together. She immediately felt encouraged because she was misled to believe she lost weight.

"She’s always asking me to get things for her while she’s in the dressing room, new sizes etc. She told me to get a pair of jean shorts for her in a size 6 (this size is too small for her now by a lot. She’s kind of in denial about this and always asks for a size 6 and then gets very upset when it won’t fit at all. She’s more of a size 10 or 12 now. )"

"I don’t know... I got a bigger size and changed the sticker on the jeans so it said size 6. When it fit she was so happy and kept showing me and saying she’s so proud. She said she must have lost weight but doesn’t know what she did. She bought them feeling very confident with herself. When we got home, I cut the tag off the shorts."

While the husband knew it was shady to lie, he continued to lie and cut the tags during their next few shopping escapades because he loved seeing her happy.

"I didn’t mean to but a few times after that I did it again. I guess it was part wanting to see my wife happy and part not knowing how to deal with the same meltdown happening every time. She looks really beautiful even if she gained some weight. I kept doing this and only recently did she realize that the tags on her clothes are missing. She asked me about it and I said I didn’t know, maybe the store doesn’t use them, but she googled the store and proved they did."

When OP's wife noticed the missing tags and straight up asked him about it, he stuck to the lie and ended up getting caught in it.

"I had to come clean and now she’s furious. She keeps saying I’m an asshole and treating her like an idiot, lied to her, stuff like that. My heart is broken too. We haven’t spoken in days.

AITA?"

When the truth was revealed, OP's wife got upset and told him she felt treated like an idiot. Since the two haven't been speaking for days, he brought the situation to Reddit for some outside opinions.

ceramicthumb thinks OP made a pretty big mistake by lying, despite his reasoning.

"First of all, size 10 or 12 is equivalent to a size medium or large. It is not fat by any means unless it’s on someone very short. Size 6 is a size small and is downright skinny on someone of average height."

"Now, I get that saying someone has increased in clothing size may be misconstrued as calling them fat. But anyone with common sense will eventually come around. I’ve been in clothing size denial before, and while it’s not fun, it doesn’t last forever, and won’t result in long lasting hard feelings. Unless, of course, you’re lied to about it. That’s just shitty."

_Ohmyfuckinggod empathizes with OP's intentions, but thinks his actions were deeply mislead.

"YTA but I feel for you. The correct course of action imo would have just been to tell her directly she's no longer those sizes and not make a fool out of her. There might have been a good chance of meltdown but it would at least have been productive. Sorry dude good luck."

"Edit: Man a whole bunch of you people have a lot of imaginary, one dimensional women you like to pretend are batshit insane about literally all topics and represent all women. I hope one day you meet and get to know a real life human lady someday."

TentaclesAndCupcakes thinks it was an a*shole move since it legitimately tricked her into thinking she lost weight.

"YTA.

I don't think that you're actually an asshole - just in this particular situation."

"Can you imagine what her sister/mom/friend/co-worker/neighbor thought when she proudly told them that she's lost some weight and fits into her size 6's again? They either thought she was nuts, stupid, delusional, or something else - we aren't talking about the difference between a 6/7/8 - but you said she is more like a 10/12 - I am a 10/12, and if I ever told someone I was a size 6 they would think I was a big fat liar...a size 10/12 liar."

"You made her feel stupid. You made her feel ashamed. You made her think about any moment she mentioned losing weight to anyone. She feels embarrassed."

Freckled_daywalker truly believes OP was coming from a place of love, and said to just give it time to smooth over.

"Apologize and then give her a little time and emotional space to process her feelings. Your intentions were good and she'll see that eventually, but she'll probably need to work through the other feelings first. Just be patient."

molliepup thinks this situation positions OP as an asshole, but in reality he is coming from a sweet place.

"YTA but your intentions were to make her feel good about herself so I’d cut you some slack. Its tough going from a size 6 to a 10. I’m dealing with this and while I know a larger size fits and looks better, 20 something me remembers when I was 110 and a size 2 and it’s just so demoralizing. Also the fashion industry doesn’t help and there isn’t standard sizing for women. So at one store you’re an 8 but another a 12. It seriously messes with your self image. Apologize, remind her she’s amazing and never do it again. Ever."

Hopefully, him and his wife are able to straighten things out, since he was coming from a place of love. Likewise, hopefully this is the last time he uses lying to express his care.

Dealing with your kids in the summer is no walk in the park. These memes perfectly nail what every stressed-out parent is going through in June, July, and August. Hang in there, parents. Back to school will be here before you know it.

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The Game of Thrones series finale was a real bummer for many, and not only because it meant that Game of Thrones was over.

There were dozens of loose ends the world of the show failed to explain, like, I don't know, the question of whether or not BRAN IS EVIL? What was the Three-Eyed Raven's role as an all-seeing, all-knowing power in the realm? Was he manipulating affairs this whole time so that he'd end up king? Why didn't he stop the dragon blitzkrieg of King's Landing? CAN HE BE TRUSTED? I digress.

Another thing that wasn't really resolved was Cersei Lannister's pregnancy. At the end of season seven, she told her brother-love Jaime Lannister that while all three of their kids have died, they had another one on the way. Fans wondered whether Cersei was indeed with child or being a manipulative liar, aka Cersei.

Lena Headey revealed at German Comic Con that Cersei was indeed pregnant, and that she filmed a scene for season seven in which Cersei had a miscarriage. It sounds like it would have been devastating to watch, but helpful for the story.

"We shot a scene that never made it into season seven which was where I lose the baby and it was a really traumatic, great moment for Cersei," she said. "And it never made it in and I kind of loved doing that because I thought it would have served her differently."

The writers opted to keep Cersei in pregnant in season eight so they could dupe Euron Greyjoy into thinking its his, keep Tyrion delusional that he could appeal to Cersei's "better angels" and prevent war, and so they could make her and Jaime's deaths extra crushing—pun intended.

Generally speaking, lying is not great. Feeding someone falsities in order to save your own ass is selfish and sometimes cruel. But, there are various types of lies, and some lies do have the potential to do some good. I'm pretty sure I just articulated the moral of the iconic film Liar, Liar starring Jim Carrey, but you get my point.

One of the less damaging and more helpful type of lies are the lies we tell ourselves. Sure, it is important to be real with ourselves eventually, but sometimes you just have to tell yourself a lil' fib in order to get through the day.

So, what're the most common lies people tell themselves? Reddit user PaTheticKeLIY asked people this exact question, and we picked out fifteen of our favorite answers. Get ready for some relatable content, folks.

1. The Plan (randomusername369)

This is a real plan that is going to pan out and not just wishful thinking.

2. Remembering Things (Blainedh)

"you'll remember that, no need to write it down"

3. Going to the Gym (yackshack)

Tomorrow I'll wake up early and go to the gym.

4. Procrastinating (Sudo_Ned)

I'm not procrastinating. I'm just waiting for the right moment.

5. The Concept of Time (Cinco1971)

"I've got time."

Not only do I have no idea how much actual time I have left, each moment that passes, I have even less.

6. Goals (CovenantofDeath)

I'm gonna start getting my shit together next week

7. Cleaning and Going to Sleep (Caoranach)

I'll clean my apartment in an hour, I swear!

Also, I'll go to bed at a reasonable time tonight.

8. Waking Up (BlastTyrant2112)

I'll wake up early tomorrow.

9. Surfing the Web (NaanKage)

Just one more video before bed...

10. Dieting (rxredhead)

I’ll start eating salads for lunch and running tomorrow.... Tomorrow always brings stress pasta and wine

11. Gaining Weight (LittleAdventurer)

"I'm just bloated"

12. Getting Over Your Ex (A_GuyThatDoesStuff)

"I'm over her, I'm good to move on"

13. Unrequited Love (Maxncheese88)

My crush likes me back

14. Everything's Fine. (rach-e-means)

that everything is okay and it’ll end up fine.

15. Netlfix Binging (ProfessorChaos47)

“Just one more episode”

We've all heard nightmarish stories about wedding guests showing up in white, and even mothers-in-law trying to upstage the bride.

Well, romance author Amy Pennza recently shared a wedding horror story that combines the two.

Yes, Pennza's mother-in-law showed up to her wedding in a white dress looking straight from David's Bridal. It has to be seen to be believed, and luckily, Pennza posted receipts:

All of Twitter ground to a halt as people awaited the deets.

It amassed thousands of retweets as Pennza's adoring public speculated about how this tale could have ended.

After a bit more begging, Pennza finally returned to Twitter to bless us all with the full story — and it's kind of surprising. Here it is, slightly condensed:

So, a couple people have asked for the story behind The Dress. Sorry for the delay! I have four kids (yes, I married him) on summer break, so my permanent state of being is "frazzled." I called my daughter "mom" the other day.

I didn't know what my mother-in-law planned to wear. I didn't think to ask.

The morning of the wedding, all the women in the bridal party cram into a tiny room in the church. You know, body glitter and hairspray everywhere. Fifteen coats of mascara. Putting napkins under your pits so you don't sweat on your dress.

She walks in. I see it.

I don't remember much about the day. Most people say their wedding is a blur, and that's true for me, too. But I know I said this: "You... You could be the bride..."

Later, my sister (matron of honor) said she didn't pull me aside and talk about it because she hoped I was too distracted to notice. My college roommate (bridesmaid) said the same thing.

But secretly, they both spent the reception looking at me, then each other, then MIL, then me, then the cop the venue made us hire—hoping I didn't go for his taser.

I'm happy to report the wedding unfolded without bloodshed, or anyone being shoved into the champagne fountain.

Then the story goes on and you realize Pennza might be the most understanding person alive:

Here's the thing: My mother-in-law is extremely frugal. And I don't mean she just enjoys a good bargain. To understand her, you have to know where she comes from.

She grew up in extreme poverty. As a child, she used to sneak into the kitchen and eat match heads. That's a pica craving, and kids do it when they're malnourished.

When you grow up with nothing, it stays with you. Forever, I think. No matter how much money you earn, there's always that little fear in the back of your mind that someone might take it all away.

But her upbringing didn't make her hard. Or cruel. Or selfish.

However, she's a bargain hunter to the bone. Her money saving strategies are legend—and often hilarious. At family gatherings, we amuse ourselves telling stories of crazy shit she's done to save money.

[...]

So when she spotted The Dress at an incredible bargain, she couldn't turn it down. If you ask her now, she says she feels terrible about it.

Although, she also told me, "I think I've still got it. We should raffle it off."

She's frugal. But she's also incredibly generous. When my twins were newborns, she drove across town every night, slept on the sofa, and did three feedings. For two babies. Every night for months.

She regularly shows up at my house with bags of new clothes for the kids. (Because she's a kick ass bargain hunter.)

When I got my first job, she hemmed all my work pants because I can't sew for shit. And because she was proud of me.

She never misses a band concert, sports event, talent show, science fair...you name it. She'd walk over hot coals for her grandchildren. She gives them everything. Because, you know, she grew up with nothing.

So, yeah, the wedding dress was a shock. But it gave me a pretty funny memory. No one who attended has ever forgotten it. And, you have to admit, weddings can be forgettable.

Sure, she wore a wedding dress to my wedding. But she has more than made up for it since. When I told her about this getting a lot of attention, and said I worried it might hurt her feelings, she waved it off. "Whatever makes me famous."

So Pennza's MIL bought the dress because it was a bargain, and Pennza accepted that. Very nice of her, as many of us might have wondered whether there were any, I don't know, non-bridal dresses on sale somewhere in the world. But sure, okay.

Twitter changed its tune after reading this wholesome backstory.

Lots of feelings were felt.

Pretty much everyone agreed Pennza is a champ for seeing things this way.

But also just FYI: if this happens to you, it's okay to be furious.

"Early morning cheerfulness can be extremely obnoxious."

~ William Feather

Early morning memes, on the other hand, are not obnoxious, they're funny as hell. Start your morning off with a laugh. You'll be glad you did.

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