In a big city such as New York, it can be pretty overwhelming to choose your favorite spot to eat, especially with all the restaurant choices.

But thanks to Instagram, our favorite food accounts make this process a lot easier for us. By posting pictures of their favorite restaurants, recipes, and dishes we are able to easily navigate through the Big Apple, and choose the food we really want to eat.

And not to mention, spend a good amount of time salivating over some yummy looking photos.

Just be sure to not scroll on an empty stomach.

Check out the 7 Tasty Instagram Accounts Every New York Foodie Should Follow:

1. Hungry Grls

Food-tographers Olivia McCurdy McGee and Jennie Synder a.k.a. @hungrygrls represent thousands of girls that love food and aren’t afraid to admit it. The girls say: “We go out of our way to incorporate our personalities and style into photos as well, so that people feel that [they] can relate to us, and ultimately be inspired by us!” 

2. Gillie Houston

Gillie Houston a.k.a. @gilliehouston is one Instagram account to really salivate over. She posts colorful and lively photos of food that make you want to eat at every single place she goes too. Gillie allows her personality to shine in her Instagram saying: “I like that people know who I am and what I’m about from my account.”

3. The Whole Tara

Posting some of the healthiest and delicious foods out there, Tara Milhem a.k.a. @thewholetara has one delicious Instagram. From smoothie bowls, to parfaits, to everything avocado, you will want to eat everything you see!

4. Mister Krisp

Jessica Siskin a.k.a. @mister_krisp is a food artist that does wonders with Rice Krispie treats. She recreates basically everything imaginable with these sweet treats, and they are almost too pretty to eat! You can order your own customizable treat on her website.

5. Grilled Cheese Social

Calling all cheese lovers. This is the ultimate Instagram account for all things cheese, with some other yummy options as well. MacKenzie Smith a.k.a. @grilledcheesesocial is also a spokesperson for Wisconsin Cheese. 

6. Once Upon a Bite

Through Diana Arizpe’s Instagram account @onceuponabite, she opens the doors the doors of her kitchen to share her cooking journey. Most of the food posted are recipes she has made. Diana says: “I never want to lose that familial feeling. Food brings us all together; we’re just a tap, like, and follow away.“

7. No Leftovers

Specializing in the best under-radar eats, and promising trusted recommendations for New Yorkers, Jackie Gebel established @noleftovers. Her Instagram is “taste-tested, friend-approved dining discovery done right.” 

[Featured Image Credit: instagram.com- thewholetara]

Yotube account Rahul keshri posted a video of a kitten meeting two lizards for the first time. Grant it, for a tiny kitten who’s never seen a reptile before, these critters were rather terrifying. The cat, when encountering one of the lizards, has a meltdown of epic proportions and throughly freaks out. She doesn’t just freak out though. She backs flips and catapults into the lizard. She screeches and runs away, all while her tiny humans film her demise.

It’s the most precious freak-out we’ve ever seen:

But wait, it gets better:

Blackhawk, a very clever person with an account on Youtube and minor video-editing skills, improved the quality of this video, and what an improvement it was. Rather than the cat simply jumping around in horror at the sight of the lizard, the lizard now blasts the cat into outer space. I assure you it is certainly as entertaining (and stupid) as it sounds.

We can only conclude after watching this, that the lizards have “broken the cat.” We do not know how to fix the cat, only that every attempt so far has failed.

Watch as the mere mortals fight for life, limb, and likes:

[Featured Image Credt: Horia Varlan via Flickr]

Meow meow meow meow meoooow! Are any humans looking over your shoulder?

I’m assured no bipedal creatures have uncovered what I am trying to convey to you my fellow feline friends. God forbid the dog get his hands on this. He’s too dumb to read, but he’s certainly loyal enough to turn it over to his human master. For those of you who are new to the cat society, I’d just like to take a minute to go over the handbook of the unwritten (well, not anymore) rules of cat behavior. If in doubt, always refer to this handbook.

Rule #1: Use hairballs for artistic expression.

You’re human probably decorates his or her home with nice, expensive sofas and rugs. When you have the urge to cough up a hairball, run quickly to the most expensive (preferably cloth-covered) surface in the house. If you can’t find a couch, a rug will suffice. Whatever happens, avoid hacking up your hairball on any wooden or marble floors. The humans enjoy scraping your vomit out of their fabrics and will appreciate your artistic flair.

Rule #2: Establish dominance

When your human has to go to the bathroom, make sure you follow them in. If they live alone and are comfortable with their surroundings, they probably won’t close the bathroom door all the way. Use this opportunity to sit and stare them down while they are in their most uncomfortable state. If they try to shoo you away, rub up against their leg. Whatever you do, remain in the bathroom until they are finished. It reassures your position over them.

Rule #3: Play hard to get

Humans love it when you keep them on the edge. First you have to caress their hand affectionately, and once you’ve lured them into a false sense of security and gotten them to rub your ears, turn around and swat at or bite the hand that feeds you. It’s okay, the hand will not stop feeding you. After you’ve sunk your teeth in deep enough to draw blood, caress the hand again and beg for affection. This teaches your human that you are in control, not vice versa.

Rule #4: Teach your human about the importance of play

While your human may want to play with you at times that are convenient for them, refuse during these hours. Instead, wait until your person has settled into a state of work, begun taking care of bills, or is simply trying to watch Netflix, and then situate yourself directly on the keyboard. If your human happens to be using a pen and paper, attack the pen and try to shred the paper. This teaches your person the value of play. After all, too much work can lead to anxiety and aggression.

Rule #5: Early to bed, early to rise

You know the importance of sleep (after all, you sleep 16 hours a day). Make sure you get plenty of rest during daylight hours, especially when your human is at school or work. Spend your afternoon sunning yourself in the bedroom so you’ll be ready to play during the peak hours of 2-5am. Make sure during those peak hours you tiptoe across your human’s dresser and night table, knocking things over and breaking anything fragile. (Bonus: if your human has a piano, it is vital that you run across the keys at 4am and give your human a heart attack).

This is the complete list of the secret cat handbook. Refer to it whenever necessary and share it with no one. We trust you will succeed. And whatever happens, do not let those humans over at Life Daily get their hands on this handbook. They’ll probably do something stupid, like post it online so all their silly human friends can chuckle at us superior felines.

[Featured Image Credit: Takashi Hososhima via Flickr]

Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could ride a skateboard that did all the work for you, that you could then fit in your backpack?

Well, a Japanese engineer just invented the newest form of travel, and it’s a nifty little device. Be prepared to see these things on every college campus in about two years. Creator Kuniako Saito and his team at Cocoa Motors invented the WalkCar, a transporter the size of a laptop, that’s easy to maneuver. While the aluminum platform looks rather weak, the board is capable of holding up to 265 lbs. According to Fortune, WalkCar takes three hours to charge, but once it’s ready you can travel 7 miles on it maintaining a speed of roughly 6 mph.

The WalkCar is like a cheaper, more convenient Segway.

A segway is an expensive way to get around. They can run over $2,000 and they aren’t the most convenient thing to park outside a classroom (also they’re generally reserved for mall cops). However, according to Saito, customers can start ordering their WalkCars in Fall 2015 and orders are expected to ship sometime in Spring 2016. The price will cost American customers roughly $800, though over time that price will certainly drop, giving it the potential to be the next big thing.

Look how cool the WalkCar is at getting you around:

[Featured Image Credit: cocoa motors.Inc via YouTube]

We normally take our ability to hear for granted, but this touching video will make you appreciate your sense of sound.

This adorable little girl’s name is Kai.

She is 4-years-old and was born with 50% hearing loss in one ear and 65% in the other. What she could hear sounded like hearing something underwater.

The video below shows Kai getting her first hearing aids. It was also the first time that she would be able to hear her own voice, and luckily for us it was caught on camera.

Her reaction will bring you to tears, because she looked so genuinely happy, like it was the best moment in her life thus far.

Kai’s parents filmed the video, and her mother Chantile Wells says that change has been remarkable!

Imagine hearing your voice for the first time when you’ve never heard a word clearly before?

Watch this little girl’s amazing reaction below: 

Share this miracle.

[Featured Image Credit: recklesstv.com]

Many people have different beliefs and ideas of what they think a soulmate is.

I happen to believe that a soulmate is one who awakens your soul- but not in just blissful, kind, tender, and loving way. Rather in a way where your soulmate acts as a mirror to yourself, revealing all of your flaws, and reflecting them back to you, so that you are so exposed, that you literally feel like your entire mind, body, and soul is standing there naked. It is only then that you have no choice than to deal with your imperfections, and work on becoming the best version of yourself, because you are learning that there are better ways to live.

Here are some interesting quotes on soul mates:

Elizabeth Gilbert

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.”

Kenny Loggins

“A soulmate is the one person whose love is powerful enough to motivate you to meet your soul, to do the emotional work of self-discovery, of awakening.”

Edgar Cayce

“A soulmate is an ongoing connection with another individual that the soul picks up again in various times and places over lifetimes. We are attracted to another person at a soul level not because that person is our unique complement, but because by being with that individual, we are somehow provided with an impetus to become whole ourselves.”

Coco J. Ginger

“Soul mates are muses. The people in your life you despise, disrespect and desire the most.”

Tarryn Fisher, Mud Vein

“What’s the difference?” I asked him. “Between the love of your life, and your soulmate?”  “One is a choice, and one is not.”

Dianne Rosena Jones

“Soul mates aren’t perfect people. They can come into your life and provide polar emotional experiences from intense love to intense pain. Growth comes from both. And a soul mate helps you grow. It isn’t just “…and they lived happily ever after” but “…and they lived!” ~ From my mentor ~ Lori Chidori Phillips

Donna Lynn Hope

“Soul mates may be linked, but fight to separate, causing wounds and confusion. They teach what no one else can.”

[Featured Image Credit: telusers.com]

Everyone knows that Coca Cola and sugar-filled drinks aren’t doing their waistline any favors, but we often convince ourselves that just one can’t hurt. Well thanks to Niraj Naik, a UK pharmacist who runs The Renegade Pharmacist blog, we can see exactly how quickly the potent soft-drink affects our bodies.

Accoding to Naik, regularly consuming the drink, which stimulates the brain the same way as heroin, can lead to higher blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Take a look at what happens one hour after drinking a can of Coke:

“1. In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid and other flavorings cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.

2. 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There’s plenty of that at this particular moment)

3. 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.

4. 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.

5. >60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

6. >60 Minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.

7. >60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.“

And if you think that reaching for a Diet Coke would be a healthier choice, think again. Diet Coke is full of chemicals, is highly addictive, and like regular Coke, makes insulin levels skyrocket. Take a look at what happens to the body in the 60 minutes after drinking just one can of Diet Coke:

“First 10 Minutes – Tricks Your Taste Buds And Attacks Your Teeth

The phosphoric acid attacks the enamel in your teeth, while the artificial sweeteners like aspartame hit your system. Aspartame may trigger taste receptors and trick your body into thinking it has just processed sugar.

20 Minutes –  May Switch On Fat Storage Mode

Like regular Coke this can trigger insulin, which sends your body into fat storage mode.

40 Minutes – Can Cause Addiction

The potentially deadly combination of caffeine and aspartame creates a short addictive high similar in the way cocaine works. Excitotoxins are released which may exhaust your brain by overstimulating it’s neuroreceptors, especially if consumed on a regular basis.

60 Minutes – Depletes Nutrients, Makes You Hungry & Thirsty For More

Unlike the small amount of satisfaction you get from regular coke your body may still crave sweets. This makes you likely to reach for another soda, or worse, some other junk food you consider to be safe and the cycle continues.

A can of diet coke provides no nourishment and would replace a more nutritious drink you could have drunk while potentially depleting your body of essential minerals

It will never quench your thirst as it dehydrates rather than hydrates your body. A lack of vital water can lead to brain fog, poor concentration, fatigue and feeling irritable.“

Are you shocked by how much Coke actually affects your body in just one hour? Let us know in the comments.

[Featured image credit: www.coca-colacompany.com]

Everyone can agree that cancer sucks, and dogs are awesome. So what do you get when you record a dog receiving a negative cancer test result? Basically the best video ever.

The video shows an adorable Golden Retriever named Lily receiving a benign Hemangiosarcoma result, which is a rapidly growing, invasive form of cancer that occurs almost exclusively in dogs.

According to Lily’s owners, the vet told them that more than half of Golden Retievers die from this form of cancer. “There was only a 10% chance that it was the benign kind, and they said in 20 years it’s never happened. But we didn’t want to give up. We emptied our savings account and did the surgery,” Youtube user Mrs Makai said. Doctors removed the six pound tumor, and a week later they got the results.

Watch the entire video to see this golden retriever struggle to contain its excitement.

Did this video warm your heart? (If it didn’t, I don’t know what will!) Share your reaction with us in the comments below.

[Featured image credit: Mrs Makai]

Man’s best friend? More like man’s most mischievous friend.

Whoever said dogs are dumb clearly never met Lucy the beagle. Youtuber Rodd Scheinerman posted a video of Lucy getting into an oven to cause trouble and eat some chicken nuggets. And this dog is certainly not a dummy. First, she pushes a chair over to the counter top. Then she jumps on top of it, paces around a few times, and finally paws open the toaster oven. After knocking the tray to the floor, the victorious Lucy hops down for her treat.

Her owner probably noticed the furniture being moved around the house when Lucy was alone and decided to film the dog (or potential poltergeist). While Lucy is certainly one smart cookie, her wits are no match for a man and his video camera. We’re onto you now Lucy. We’re onto you now.

Watch Lucy’s mischievous behavior below:

[Featured Image Credit: Rodd Scheinerman via Youtube]

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”

Soren Kierkegaard said this lovely quote about the truth of life and our misinterpretations of it. Often, we find ourselves approaching life like a puzzle. We can solve it if we could just figure out the right combination. All I need is a little more time and a little less stress. Liberally apply as much money as possible, bake in the oven at 350° for eighty years and voilà, we have the recipe for a perfect life. Or do we? I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but there is no recipe for a perfect life. Instead, it’s more of a smattering of ingredients thrown together everyday, and each day you find out what works and what doesn’t (more often than not you find out what doesn’t work). Here are a few things a wise person once told me to make my life recipe a little easier:

Wake up two hours earlier

People always say, “there’s never enough hours in the day.” To those who feel this way I say, “that’s because you’re sleeping the extra hours away.” Waking up early is awful for the first 15 minutes, and as soon as you shower it becomes immensely better. Then, you have two whole hours to do whatever you want. I use it to take a walk to get my coffee and read/write. Sometimes, I’ll use it to get a jump on my work for the day, but using those two hours for myself is immensely better than devoting them to work.

Drink more water

This is actually one of the most underrated beauty secrets in the industry (probably because beauty companies can’t make any money from it). It keeps your skin hydrated and healthy, and aids the digestive system. Water also helps sick bodies heal faster and contributes to weight loss. (and since I’ve started drinking more water, my hands have never been softer).

Detox from technology daily

It’s no secret we’re too “plugged in.” The average American spends 7.4 hours a day staring at a screen. We work in front of them, entertain ourselves with them, ignore our children for them, socialize with them, and even turn to them for sex when nobody else is around. Surely, this can’t be healthy. Take an hour each day to consciously focus on the real world, and I assure you your life will improve.

Detox from people daily

Before I got hired as a full-time writer, I used to spending morning, noon, and night surrounded by people. I’d be in class all day, work in the afternoon, and then hang out with friends or roommates at night. On average, I didn’t spend more than 20 minutes a day alone. When you start prioritizing your time so you can be alone with yourself, you grow to love yourself, enjoy yourself, and you strive to improve yourself. You will never spend more time with somebody in this life than you do with yourself, so you might as well learn to enjoy that person.

Clean things up before they get out of control

I try exercising this in my home, but also my life. Being an adult means you take responsibility for your actions and clean up your mess before it gets out of control. If you do the dishes immediately, that’s a stress you don’t have to worry about later. Likewise, your home is immediately cleaner. Likewise, when your social life or relationships get messy, clean up any altercations or confrontations immediately. Waiting until New Years months to discuss an issue that happened in July will certainly do more harm than good.

[Featured Image Credit: lolla li via Flickr]

Need to take a breather and go some place where you can just float?

Short of taking a trip to the International Space Station, the Dead Sea (which is actually a lake bordering Israel, the West Bank and Jordan) is the best place in the world (but not outside it) to float. Youtuber Samara Benezra demonstrates just how easy it is to chill in the Dead Sea when she demonstrates the effects of the sea’s saltiness. Because the Dead Sea has a salinity that fluctuates around 31.5% and is made up of a complicated chemical concoction of naturally-occurring elements, it holds your body weight without you even having to try.

As a result, the Dead Sea has unparalleled buoyancy, which means floating in it is barely a challenge. You could easily sit up fairly straight in the Dead Sea while reading a newspaper or even watching a movie on your tablet (though I recommend you don’t tempt fate).
However, it’s often been said the Dead Sea is like death for any orifices on your body. Signs litter the surrounding area warning bathers to avoid dunking their heads or going in the water with cuts because that much salt sure does sting.

And it tastes like death too:

Watch just how easy it is to swim in the world’s most buoyant body of water:

[Featured Image Credit: L Church via Flickr]

Learning is the most valuable thing in the world.

To be constantly learning is to be constantly alive. There is always more to know, and learning never ends…

LifeDaily brings you 14 Inspiring Quotes About the Power of Learning from some of the most influential people in the world.

Albert Einstein:

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

Benjamin Franklin:

Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

Brian Herbert:

The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.

Bruce Lee:

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

Confucius:

He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.

Don Herold:

The brighter you are, the more you have to learn.

Euripides:

Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.

Jack Nicholson:

The minute that you’re not learning believe you’re dead.

Leonardo da Vinci:

Learning never exhausts the mind.

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.

Lou Holtz:

I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.

Mahatma Gandhi:

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Pablo Picasso:

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.

[Featured Image Credit: trainingzone.co.uk]

When thinking about style, a few things may come to mind for you.

First you may think about what’s in trend, then what looks good on your body, and then what you can afford.

While there may be some people who truly do not care about what’s in style or what’s trending, the majority of us do.

We follow our favorite fashion bloggers on Instagram, and we scroll through online shopping sites to find the things that we like.

It can be hard to keep up with all the madness, and all the trends and styles constantly coming and going. It can feel overwhelming at times, as there is always something new being pushed in our faces.

All the cheaper clothing companies mimic the designer style’s and manufacturer them in cheaper materials. Low-end stores such as Forever21, H&M and Zara also introduce new merchandise everyday. They make us feel like the things we just bought one week ago are already out of trend.

The fashion bloggers either get the clothing for free or get paid by the company to promote it. Celebrities as well get clothes for free, as they are walking advertisements for designers.

How do we sift through all the madness??

Most of the things we like we probably can’t afford, and we’d probably go broke trying.

How do we love how we look and what we have is everything we DON’T have is being shoved in our faces?

Well the best advice I have (and I am far from perfect) and in a battle with the things I want and the things I need everyday, is to think that the money you DON’T give to these companies, you could be spending on investing in yourself by learning, traveling, and pursuing your passions. You can be enriching your life in so many ways by keeping your money in your pocket.

Not only that, but you could also either invest your money or save it.

Think of all that is wasted on clothing trends that you know you will throw away eventually as soon as something new comes out. Which something new just came out in the time you read this article.

FORGET about everything that is TRENDING and being dangled in front of your face like a carrot to a rabbit. And just focus on CLASSIC styles as well as timeless ones. Buy less items that are better quality, because you know you are just going to throw out cheaper ones eventually anyway. Look at material always, and pay attention to where the garment was made.

To answer my own question: Do you own your style or do the clothing companies own you? I believe the decision is yours, but STUFF doesn’t make you happy and it never will.

You will always want more, and better. There is no fulfillment in stuff.

[Featured Image Credit: howaboutorange.blogspot.com]

They came across this hamster in the Russian wilderness, and while it looks cute, it’s a complete psychopath.

You would think running into this cute little fella would be a piece of cake, but these men were bit by this innocent looking killer.

It drew blood! And then proceeded to jump up and down like it was ready for more.

The men even gave this hamster their shoe so that he would have something other than their hands to play with.

What’s surprising about this video is that I always imagined hamsters to be really adorable playful animals just spinning around in their little hamster wheels. But I guess it’s different when you encounter them in the wilderness.

This hamster was a ferocious little monster, and I doubt think he’d be content spinning around in a hamster wheel.

Check him out in action below: 

[Featured Image Credit: viralnova]

Even though every other person in your life teases you for your affliction, being an arachnophobe makes even the most simple things like walking in a room difficult.

They also think that your very real fear is you being dramatic, and will even suggest you simply decide to not let it scare you. If that was possible, don’t you think we would have done that years ago? Trust us, we don’t like that  we’re so afraid of these creatures because if you’re an arachnophobe, the struggle is real.

Take a look at the top ten biggest struggles of being an arachnophobe:

10. Having to completely strip the sheets when you find one in bed.

9. When you need to stair at a spider to make sure it doesn’t get away despite being terrified at the mere sight of one.

The only thing worse than looking at a spider, is having it disappear before you can get someone to get rid of it.

8. You can never comfortably sit on grass.

7. When you wake up with a spider directly above you

6. Browsing the Internet and mistakenly opening a picture or video of the vile creature.

And then having to build up the courage to close the tab.

5. You will never trust a person who had a pet tarantula (or any other kind of spider, for that matter).

4. Almost getting into a car accident because there was a spider in the car.

3. When you have to karate chop the air at night to break stray spider webs.

2. When you obsessively check the walls, ceiling, floor, and corners for spiders in any room you step into.

1. Being teased by people who just don’t understand that the struggle is real.

Can you relate to any of these problems? Share with us in the comments below.

[Featured image credit: ]

To my dear Jim M. Bishop,

I never thought I’d write one of these but I guess here we are. Jim, I just can’t do this anymore. I think we’re going to have to call off our relationship. I can’t seem to exercise the same strength in the relationship that I used to. Surely, you can’t be surprised with this decision I’ve made either, given recent events.

Our relationship was really terrific when I first met you. It was my freshman year of college, and we got to know each other through a mutual friend. Things were a little shaky at first (mostly my arms) but as time wore on, we got better. We spent a lot of quality time together those first 6 months. I mean, it was so convenient between the two of us. You lived right there on my college campus and you were always open to me (but you were also open to everybody else).

Man, we went through a lot together and we had some killer times. Things were really hot (and increasingly more heavy) between us at first, but unfortunately, we’ve had an on-again-off-again relationship. I know this is mostly my fault, as you were always there simply waiting for me, but it’s partially your fault too.
For years, I fell into the trap that if I just hung in long enough I’d be happy. You’d dangle that carrot in front of me and have me running (also jogging and biking) toward it for weeks. When I got too tired of playing your games, I’d give up and pursue something else, for a short time. But then, you’d be there again, whispering those thoughts into my head and I’d come crawling back to you all over again with the delusions of being skinny. But Jim, we’re just not working out anymore.

The worst part is that you made me pay money to come see you. I willingly handed over portions of my paycheck, just for us to spend quality time together. Am I not good enough to be with regardless of financial factors?

And can we talk about your friends? Listen, I know mine aren’t perfect, but I rarely bring them around to see you. Why must you always hang out with those sweaty muscle-heads? They stare at me all the time and make me feel so uncomfortable, like I’m a piece of meat.

And this brings me to my next point, my dear Jim: I’ve met somebody else. His name is yoga and I really think he’s the one. While me and you were in a codependent-whirlwind relationship of tension and endorphin-highs, yoga has mellowed me out in ways I didn’t know were possible. Yoga respects me and tells me I’m a child of the universe. All you ever did was mock me and say, “95 calories: is that really the best you can do?”

And while I must admit, yoga has not given me the heart-pounding, sweaty 45-minute sessions you used to, he has given my the mental stimulation you never could. I will miss some things about you old friend, and I’m sure we’ll continue to have our occasional flirtation, but I can’t go on like this.
I’m sorry, Jim, but I have nothing left to say to you. I’ve accepted you for who you are, and now I must decide whether or not I want you in my life. I choose to grow elsewhere on my path, and I must bid you farewell.

So in conclusion:

[Featured Image Credit: greg westfall via Flickr]

 This is Brian Delaurenti:

Brian is a painter and photographer, and this is his best friend, Johnathan Dahl, a musician:

These best friends have the cutest Instagram account together:

They go to the beach together:

They go to thrift shops together:

Oh, and they decorate their beards with knick-knacks to take artsy pictures together:

Yeah, they do that a lot, actually:

The pair said they were bored one day, so they decided to take pictures of their beards together, and the project grew from there:

Their artistic style has really grown since they began in 2014:

The duo is even working on a children’s book:

The quirky project has really grown since they first began and The Gay Beards now have almost 30,000 followers.

You can follow them here!

[Featured Image Credit: TheGayBeards via Instagram]

Yes, an anesthesiologist with a name fit for a bad Bond villain wants to ban balloons.

However, before you let that deflate you, bear in mind helium is an essential element used for cooling MRI machines. It is also used by medical professionals as a breathing aid when helium is mixed with oxygen to create Heliox. Helium is the by-product of oil and gas drilling and it takes millions of years to form. Therefore, if we continue to frivolously waste it for the purpose of entertaining children (or talking like Spongebob) the medical community is going to run into a few problems that go further than lacking floating balloons at your birthday party.

Dr. Tom Dolphin spoke recently at the British Medical Association’s annual conference in Liverpool, saying that the use of helium in party balloons is a “colossal waste” of the element, according to Daily Mail. “This invaluable, irreplaceable gas is being literally handed to children in balloons so they can be entertained for a few minutes until they get bored and let go,” Dolphin told the conference.

Dr. Dolphin was backed by Dr. Mark Porter who told the conference, “it is central to a number of industries, a number of pursuits, but as doctors we know it is absolutely central to our ability to diagnose a number of patients which cannot be done in any other way by using current technology.”

Helium is the second lightest element in the Universe, and also one of the most abundant…in space. Without sounding like a party pooper, there really isn’t much of this terrific element here on the Earth.

The BMA supported the campaigns of restricting helium by a “very large majority,” according to representative’s body chair Dr Ian Wilson.

And in case this story about a lightweight element is a little too heavy for you, here’s a video of Morgan Freeman sucking on helium with Jimmy Fallon:

[Featured Image Credit: Nathan via Flickr]

Ellen DeGeneres is one of my favorite comedians and talk show hosts.

I’ve watched her show The Ellen DeGeneres Show many times and she has always engaged her audience and myself and made us laugh.

I stumbled across an Ellen DeGeneres quote by accident, and I couldn’t help but search for more.

I feel they are both inspiring and comical, so I had to share:

On herself:

“I’m a godmother, that’s a great thing to be, a godmother. She calls me god for short, that’s cute, I taught her that.”

On working out:

“You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 today and we don’t know where the hell she is.”

On society:

“If you want to test cosmetics, why do it on some poor animal who hasn’t done anything? They should use prisoners who have been convicted of murder or rape instead. So, rather than seeing if perfume irritates a bunny rabbit’s eyes, they should throw it in Charles Manson’s eyes and ask him if it hurts.”

“You should never assume. You know what happens when you assume. You make an ass out of you and me because that’s how it’s spelled.”

On singing:

“Have you ever heard somebody sing some lyrics that you’ve never sung before, and you realize you’ve never sung the right words in that song? You hear them and all of a sudden you say to yourself, ‘Life in the Fast Lane?’ That’s what they’re saying right there? You think, ‘why have I been singing ‘wipe in the vaseline?’ how many people have heard me sing ‘wipe in the vaseline?’ I am an idiot.”

On technology:

“What’s not so great is that all this technology is destroying our social skills. Not only have we given up on writing letters to each other, we barely even talk to each other. People have become so accustomed to texting that they’re actually startled when the phone rings. It’s like we suddenly all have Batphones. If it rings, there must be danger.”

Now we answer, “What happened? Is someone tied up in the old sawmill?”

“No, it’s Becky. I just called to say hi.”

“Well you scared me half to death. You can’t just pick up the phone and try to talk to me like that. Don’t the tips of your fingers work?”

On our brains:

“Our attention span is shot. We’ve all got Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD or OCD or one of these disorders with three letters because we don’t have the time or patience to pronounce the entire disorder. That should be a disorder right there, TBD – Too Busy Disorder.”

On Tweeting:

“Way, way back in the day, like in the 1990s, if you wanted to tell everyone you ate waffles for breakfast, you couldn’t just go on the Internet and tweet it out. There was only one way to do it. You had to go outside and scream at the top of your lungs, ‘I ate waffles for breakfast!’ That’s why so many people ended up in institutions. They seemed crazy, but when you think about it, they were just ahead of their time.”

Ellen’s advice:

“Accept who you are. Unless you’re a serial killer.”

“Laugh. Laugh as much as you can. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Keep doing it even if people are passing you on the street saying, “I can’t tell if that person is laughing or crying, but either way they seem crazy, let’s walk faster.” Emote. It’s okay. It shows you are thinking and feeling.”

“My point is, life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The pina and the colada.”

“Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.”

“Contribute to the world. Help people. Help one person. Help someone cross the street today. Help someone with directions unless you have a terrible sense of direction. Help someone who is trying to help you. Just help. Make an impact. Show someone you care. Say yes instead of no. Say something nice. Smile. Make eye contact. Hug. Kiss. Get naked.”

“Things will get easier, people’s minds will change, and you should be alive to see it.”

 Share Ellen’s awesome quotes!

[Featured Image Credit: lifehack.org]

These animals are the subject of myths and legends.

For many years, they have been studied to determine what it is that makes them so large.

Their existence has always been speculated, but now thanks to the internet, people can confirm these animals are real.

There is the Great Dane named Zeus:

He is the world’s tallest dog. He stands at about 44 inches tall, and on an average day he would eat about 12 cups of food.

The tallest bunny named Darius:

Every month Darius can eat through 360 carrots, 30 apples and 15 cabbages. He is about 6 years old and holds the record for being the tallest rabbit in existence.

Ludo the Maine Coon housecat:

He weighs about 24.5 pounds and is 45 inches long. Here Ludo is only 17 months and he hasn’t stopped growing yet.

Big Jake holds the record as being the tallest horse:

He stands at over 210 centimeters all, and he weighs over 2,600 pounds.

Blosom is the tallest cow:

She is 13 years old, and 6’4 inches tall and weighs about 2,000 pounds!

Watch the video below to see all these animals and many more:

[Featured Image Credit: Youtube- TheRichest]