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We Photoshopped an alternate cast of Avengers who almost got the roles
Avengers stans know the end is near, which means it's time to go back to the beginning. The very beginning.
In honor of the highly anticipated film, Avengers: Endgame, Marvel fans are reminiscing over just how much our heroes have grown since their first appearances on-screen. But we want to take you back even further that that — to the casting decisions.
We've come to know and love characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so deeply that they feel almost irreplaceable. Chris Evans is Captain America, Chris Hemsworth perfectly embodies Thor, and Scarlett Johansson brings Black Widow to life. But the MCU group could have looked totally different today if casting directors had decided to go with some of the other talented actors who were up for the roles.
SEE ALSO: 'Avengers: Endgame' dazzles with epic and emotional world premiere
Here's a wild glimpse at what our Marvel Cinematic Universe could have looked like, had 12 crucial casting choices been different.
John Krasinski as Captain America / Steve Rogers
Blond, buff, and beardless Captain Krasinski.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Since the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger, the adorably charming Chris Evans and his beard have truly mastered the role of Cap. But the patriotic, shield-wielding hero could have been played by my ultimate crush, John Krasinski.
In 2016, The Office star told Conan O'Brien he auditioned to play Steve Rogers back in the day. He even tried on the freaking suit, but ultimately took himself out of the running after seeing a jacked Chris Hemsworth walk by and losing confidence. Since 2011, Krasinski's bulked up for roles in 13 Hours and Jack Ryan. He also grew a great beard, so we have no doubt he could have played a buff, bearded, and perhaps funnier, MCU hero.
Other rumored names considered for Cap include Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter, Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Magic Mike's Channing Tatum, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Cassidy, and Wilson Bethel. Even Sebastian Stan, who was eventually cast as Bucky Barnes, tried out for the part.
Tom Hiddleston as Thor
"Hey can someone help me with this hammer?" - This Thor, probably
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Karwai Tang/WireImage
Chris Hemsworth has a build, a voice, and a gorgeous head of hair that all scream "Thor." And yet, some other people still had the audacity to try out for the role.
One of the most surprising was Tom Hiddleston, who I simply can't picture as our king of Asgard and God of Thunder. Hiddleston was instead cast as Thor's brother, Loki, which suits him marvelously. But let us take a moment to imagine what he would have looked like as the mighty hero.
Other actors almost worthy of holding Thor's hammer were Alexander Skarsgård, Charlie Hunnam, and Joel Kinnaman. Not to mention, Hemsworth's very own brother, Liam, auditioned to play Thor, which, I will admit would have been pretty interesting.
Emily Blunt as Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff
"No. Shan't!" — Black Widow to the bad guys
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Steve Granitz/WireImage
Scarlett Johansson plays the character Natasha Romanoff remarkably, but it turns out Emily Blunt was the original choice for the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2.
Sadly, Blunt was under a contractual obligation with 20th Century Fox to star in the movie Gulliver’s Travels, so she couldn't sign on to the Marvel film at the time. And though Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Eliza Dushku also showed a serious interest in the part, Johansson ultimately stepped in.
A (super) power couple.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Noam Galai/WireImage
Rather than starring alongside each other in Marvel films, Blunt and Krasinski went on to co-star in Krasinski's hit horror film, A Quiet Place, so everything worked out. Even so, our trusty Senior Illustrator, Bob, created this couple composite to emotionally torture me and also give you all a look at what could have been.
David Duchovny as Hulk / Bruce Banner
"The truth is out there."
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Fans may recall Edward Norton played Bruce Banner in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, but he wasn't Marvel's final pick for the Avengers films. A lot of drama surrounding Norton's relationship with Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier and his negotiations with Marvel were reported, but Mark Ruffalo was ultimately signed.
Since we already know what Norton looks like as The Hulk, we decided to Photoshop David Duchovny, who was also rumored for the role at one point in time.
Timothée Chalamet as Spider-Man / Peter Parker
Oh will wonders ever cease?
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Turner
Forget Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland is our Spider-Man now and we adore him. But Spider-Man also could have been played by Call Me By Your Name cutie Timothée Chalamet, who auditioned for the part along with others like Josh Hutcherson, Nat Wolff, Liam James, and Asa Butterfield.
My initial thought was that Chalamet wouldn't be dorky enough to play Spider-Man, but now WHO KNOWS, because he really pulls off the suit.
Zachary Levi as Star-Lord / Peter Quill
"Forget Fandral, I'm Star-Lord now." — Zachary Levi in a spaceship
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Victor Chavez/Getty Images
We know Chris Pratt completes the MCU Chris Trinity as Star-Lord, but Chuck and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Zachary Levi was interested in the role back in the day, and honestly? He might've been great.
Actors like Jim Sturgess, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lee Pace, Joel Edgerton, Jack Huston, and even Eddie Redmayne were also associated with the role early on, but Pratt joined the Guardians of the Galaxy family, while Levi went on to star in Shazam! and play Fandral in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
Olivia Wilde as Gamora
It ain't easy being green.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
We all know Gamora as the brilliant Zoe Saldana, who memorably stood up to her adopted father, Thanos, in Avengers: Infinity War. However, the green Guardians of the Galaxy character was reportedly offered to House star Olivia Wilde.
Nicolas Cage as Iron Man / Tony Stark
Iron Man and Star-Lord plotting to steal the Declaration of Independence.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
Since Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark in the 2008 film Iron Man, we couldn't envision anyone else in the maroon and gold suit. Perhaps least of all, Nicolas Cage. And yet, he was one of the names rumored to be in the running.
Sam Rockwell and Tom Cruise were also on the list, but, I mean, we really had no choice but to Photoshop Cage.
Saoirse Ronan as Scarlet Witch / Wanda Maximoff
"Call me Scarlet Witch like you said you would" — Saoirse as Wanda Maximoff, channeling Lady Bird
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty
If Elizabeth Olsen hadn't been cast as Scarlet Witch we might have seen Lady Bird star Saoirse Ronan join the MCU family... maybe.
Rumor has it that Joss Whedon had Ronan in mind when scripting Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the young star appeared to show interest in a role, saying, "I love Joss and I love those films, and I love his handle on them and how he portrayed these kinds of superheroes. So yeah, I’d love to be in it."
Later, Ronan reportedly passed on the film, which is when Marvel decided to cast Olsen.
Morris Chestnut as Black Panther / T'Challa
Could've been king.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Chadwick Boseman absolutely slayed as T'Challa in Marvel's hit film Black Panther, and we can imagine no one better suited to rule as king of Wakanda. But in the name of Photoshop, here is Black Panther reimagined as Morris Chestnut, since he was among the names associated with the role.
Josh Hartnett as Loki
Whatever.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Tom Hiddleston, who thankfully was not cast as Thor, was cast as Loki. But if Hiddleston didn't snag the role, it seems Josh Hartnett could have stepped up and took the villain's greasy black wig for a spin. Hmm...
Joaquin Phoenix as Doctor Strange
Why so serious?
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Isiah Trickey/FilmMagic
Benedict Cumberbatch has nailed the art of portraying strange on-screen, so it's no surprise he shines as Marvel's Doctor Strange. But the casting list for Stephen Strange was ridiculously stacked.
Joaquin Phoenix was one of the top contenders for the part, but explained in an interview with Little White Lies that he felt he made the right move in turning it down, explaining, "I think everybody was really happy with how things turned out. All parties were satisfied."
In addition to Phoenix, Jared Leto, Ewan McGregor, Oscar Isaac, Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, and Jake Gyllenhaal were also reportedly considered.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Ant Man / Scott Lang
Honey, I shrunk the JGL.
Image: Mashable composite; Marvel Studios, Steve Granitz/WIreImage via Getty
Finally, there's Ant Man. We know the shrinking superhero as the ageless Paul Rudd, but word has it that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a front-runner for the part, too. If we're judging by our Photoshop, then JGL looks hilarious in the Ant Man suit. But who knows, maybe he could've been great.
It's fun to look back at this hilariously random group of superheroes who we could've been watching on the screen for the past decade, but really makes us appreciate the team of Avengers we ended up with.
WATCH: 'Avengers: Endgame' is smashing pre-sale box office records
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How SparkNotes' social media accounts mastered the art of meme-ing literature
Most millennials know SparkNotes as the ultimate no-nonsense study buddy, but today’s students not only receive help with schoolwork from the website, they get high-quality entertainment, too.
SparkNotes remains a crucial tool for text comprehension — full of study guides and supplemental resources on english literature, philosophy, poetry, and more. But over the past two years it’s also become a source of some of the internet’s most quick-witted, thought-provoking, and ambitious memes.
SparkNotes' Twitter and Instagram accounts have carved a unique niche for themselves online by posting literary memes that find perfect parallels between classic works like Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, and Frankenstein, and present-day pop culture favorites like The Office, Parks and Rec, and more.
It may come as a surprise to those who once frequented the site for the sole purpose of better understanding Shakespeare plays before a final exam or catching up on assigned chapters of The Catcher in the Rye before the bell rang, but SparkNotes is cool now, and absolutely killing the social media game.
SEE ALSO: The magic of Book Fairies
As someone who spends the majority of her workday on the internet and splits her leisure time almost exclusively between reading books and re-watching episodes of The Office, I fell in love with the account's near-perfect meme execution after mere minutes of scrolling through posts.
In a world with so many bad brand tweets and tone-deaf memes, I felt compelled to seek out the well-read meme masters behind SparkNotes' social media to learn how it is they manage to make each and every post so good.
How SparkNotes' social media became LIT ✨📚
Chelsea Aaron, a 31-year-old senior editor for SparkNotes, is a huge part of the success. She started managing the site's Instagram in September 2017, and her meme approach has helped the account grow from 5,000 to 134,000 followers.
"When I first started managing the account, I tried a bunch of different things," Aaron explained in an email. "I ran illustrations and original content from our blog, and I also borrowed memes from our Twitter ... The memes seemed to get the most likes, so I started making and posting those on a regular basis, and now I try to do four to five per week."
Image: screengrab / Instagram
Aaron discovered the account's recipe for success by not only making memes about some of SparkNotes' most popular, highly searched guides — which include Shakespeare's plays, The Great Gatsby, and Pride and Prejudice — but by mashing them together with a few modern television shows that she's personally passionate about, such as The Office, Parks and Rec, Arrested Development, and John Mulaney's comedy specials. She's also known for hilariously retelling entire works (SparkNotes style, so, abridged versions) using the account's Highlight feature.
Image: screengrab / instagram
The brilliantly sharp, comical posts seem effortless, but Aaron explained the process takes some serious concentration. Essentially, she stares at a large collection of collected screenshots "in a state of panic" until an idea strikes. "It's wildly inefficient and incredibly stressful, but I haven't figured out another way to do it," she admitted.
Luckily, Aaron always has the SparkNotes Twitter account to turn to for inspiration, which is managed by Courtney Gorter, a 26-year-old consulting writer for SparkNotes who Aaron calls "a comedic genius."
Gorter has been managing the Twitter account for about a year and a half now, and joined the SparkNotes team because she utilized its resources growing up and wanted to help "make classic literature feel accessible" to others.
"I wanted this stuff to seem slightly more fun (or, at the very least, less intimidating) to the average stressed-out student who's just trying to read fifty pages by tomorrow and also has a quiz on Friday," she said. The memes definitely help her achieve that goal.
Scrolling through the SparkNotes Instagram account, you notice it generally uses a recurring but reliably satisfying meme format. Most of the posts consist of a white block filled with introductory text and a screenshot from a television show, like so.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by SparkNotes Official (@sparknotes_) on Apr 16, 2019 at 10:25am PDT
Gorter, on the other hand, ensures the Twitter account showcases a far more widespread representation of the internet. She posts everything from out-of-context screenshots, GIFs, and videos, to altered headlines from The Onion and trending meme formats of the moment, like "in this house" memes, "nobody vs me" memes, and more. The account is full of variety and gloriously unpredictable.
Hades: Orpheus I’ll let you bring your wife back from the Underworld, but if you turn and look behind you she’ll be lost to you forever.
Orpheus: pic.twitter.com/FWD9P2nO0m
— SparkNotes (@SparkNotes) April 16, 2019
Normal heart rate:
/\⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ /\
_ / \ __/\__ / \ _
\/⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ \/
The old man you just killed, whose heart lies hidden beneath the floorboards yet continues to beat:
⠀/\⠀ /\⠀ /\
_/ \ /\_/ \ /\_/ \ /\_
⠀ \/⠀⠀ \/⠀⠀ \/
— SparkNotes (@SparkNotes) April 12, 2019
Gorter, who describes herself as "constantly on the internet" feels a lot of her ideas are the result of "cultural osmosis ... our collective tendency to consume references and jokes without realizing it just by being on the internet a lot."
"Sometimes I’ll be reading a book, and I’ll remember a joke I saw earlier that fits. Sometimes a new meme format will crop up over the weekend, and I’ll think, 'That could work for Macbeth,'" she said.
Though the two accounts are clearly distinct from one another, they both give off the same hip English teacher energy and running them has become a truly collaborative effort. "I constantly send her [Gorter] emails asking stuff like, 'Can I still say 'big mood' or is that over?' and 'What's the deal with this whole 'wired vs tired' thing?'" Aaron said.
Together, the two women spend their days discussing iconic works of literature, making pop culture references, and keeping up with the latest memes. (A dream job.) Their separate styles fuse together to make each other's posts the best they can be.
The meme approach works wonders
One might not initially think that Boo Radley and John Mulaney have much in common, or that Michael Scott could effortlessly embody Romeo, Julius Caesar, and Holden Caulfield if you simply alter your perspective. I certainly did not.
But Aaron and Gorter's work will convince you. Once you start merging the worlds of classic literature and modern television series, you won't want to stop.
The SparkNotes instagram is my favorite thing pic.twitter.com/FCc6sXjJly
— Jessie Martin (@jessie_martin97) March 29, 2019
Fun fact, the official Sparknotes Instagram account is probably the best one: pic.twitter.com/sIR6tsw7ZP
— Tommy (@tommy_jacobs92) February 28, 2019
When describing why the posts work so well, Aaron explained that Hamlet, Mr. Darcy, and Gatsby — three of her favorite characters to meme — have super relatable personalities, which makes the process so simple.
"They're dramatic, and awkward, and obsessive, which makes them identical to about 97% of the people on The Office," she said. "I've learned that you can use Michael Scott as a stand-in for pretty much any classic lit character, and it isn't even hard. (That's what she said)."
What wow the @SparkNotes Twitter is extremely good???? It all appears to be this good!!! https://t.co/PyEqTdQ3Ly
— Rachel Kelly 🥛 (@wholemilk) May 2, 2019
Why is @SparkNotes's Twitter so good it has no right to be this good https://t.co/eFBQpLMpe3
— Kelsey [Version 2019.05] (@flusteredkels) May 2, 2019
Gorter thinks the accounts are so appealing because they create a deep sense of community — an online space that isn't so isolating, rather a place where where bibliophiles, television enthusiasts, and meme lovers can all come together and geek the hell out. There's really something for everyone.
"When Steve Rogers said, 'I understood that reference,' I felt that deeply. I think people enjoy being in on a joke, especially when the source material (classic literature, for instance) isn’t particularly hilarious," Gorter said. "There’s a delicious juxtaposition there. I know that I personally get a secret little thrill when I understand something as contextually layered as a really niche meme, and a slight sense of frustration when I don’t."
Engaging followers and changing with the times
SparkNotes as a whole has come a long way since it was launched as TheSpark.com by a group of Harvard students in 1999.
What started out as a budding web-based dating service quickly transformed into a trusted library of online study materials, and over the years, as the publishing industry, technology, and the internet evolved, so did SparkNotes.
Like the social media accounts, SparkNotes' SparkLife blog — full of quizzes, artwork, rankings, advice, and trendy posts like "How To Break Up With Someone, According To Shakespeare" and "Snapchats From Every Literary Movement" — perfectly encapsulates the site's commitment to catering to its audience.
Whoever runs the Sparknotes twitter and Instagram pages deserves a raise
— louise🌻 (@_Fallxn_) February 21, 2019
SparkNotes does a remarkable job of shifting with the times to stay relevant and interesting in the eyes of its readers — and the quest to balance fun and education really seems to be paying off. Recently, the Instagram account tested out a post that called upon students and teachers to request custom-made memes by reaching out via email with the title of a book or subject they want meme'd, along with a message for the intended recipient.
"The response was amazing!" Aaron said. "We got almost 250 emails, and it's so great to see the genuine affection and admiration that teachers have for their students, and vice versa."
Thanks to the social media accounts, SparkNotes is not only helping students learn, but helping entire classrooms bond with their teachers. (And hopefully teaching educators who follow a thing or two about good memes.)
Print isn't dead, it's just getting some help from the internet
Aaron and Gorter are having a blast running the accounts, but ultimately, they hope their lighthearted posts will inspire people to pick up a book and read.
"I hope what our followers take away from this is that classic literature doesn’t have to be totally dry," Gorter said. "If our memes encourage our followers to engage with classic literature and be excited about reading, that's so rewarding," Aaron added.
The present-day approach to selling classic literature is undeniably unconventional, and the crossovers are absurdly ambitious, but they work so damn well. What's great about the memes is they're created in a way that doesn't diminish the literature plots, because in reality, one would have to have such a comprehensive understanding of the text to make such good jokes.
The memes are actually pretty high-brow when you think about it, sure to delight intellectuals with great taste in pop culture. I have no idea how the legendary writers would feel about their greatest works getting the meme treatment, but people online are definitely loving it.
It's refreshing to see a brand account succeed at such a genuinely funny level, but perhaps even nicer to see it thriving off of wholesome content that doesn't drag other accounts or get its laughs at the expense of tearing others down, as we've seen accounts do in the past.
SparkNotes social media accounts are genuinely just nice corners of the internet dedicated to making people laugh and hopefully igniting a love of literature.
WATCH: Steve Carell to reunite with 'The Office' creator for Netflix's 'Space Force'
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Redacted Mueller report has unleashed a flurry of great redaction memes
At long last, the day has come. A copy of the Mueller report is expected to be released to the general public shortly, and while the American people wait they've decided to pass the time by making comfort memes.
Attorney General William Barr is set to release some 400-pages of findings from Mueller's Special Counsel investigation into Donald Trump and his administration's involvement with Russia, but there's a catch: parts of the report will be redacted.
The report is said to be "lightly redacted," but having seen the massive redacted portions in the Special Counsel's sentencing memo on Michael Flynn last year, people are rightfully skeptical. As they wonder whether or not the report will be presented with an absurd amount of blacked out text, people are preparing for a potential let down with some jokes.
SEE ALSO: Trump said he 'won' the Mueller report, Stephen Colbert isn't so sure
While you wait for the highly anticipated report to drop, please enjoy some memes.
Ladies, if he:
-███████
-███████
-███████
He's not your man. He's Attorney General Bill Barr.
— marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) April 17, 2019
just █████ ██ ███████ ████. ███ ███ remember
██████ that ████████
today ███ is ████████
probably ████ going to ███ suck ██ on ███ ███ here
— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) April 18, 2019
EXCLUSIVE!! A page of the redacted #MuellerReport has been LEAKED! Have a sneak peek below pic.twitter.com/WzcwioUZb5
— Joseph Burke (@jf_burke) April 18, 2019
The redacted #MuellerReport is out! And this is what it reveals...
# pic.twitter.com/2C9djnIPZ3
— MackMajor (@MrMackMajor) April 18, 2019
Got my hands on an exclusive preview of Thursday's Mueller Report release pic.twitter.com/YYA1X92emo
— Adir Hu Farted?🔥 (@Pale_0ntologist) April 15, 2019
Preview of the #MuellerReport 👀 pic.twitter.com/E7nkisDXkF
— Corina Garcia (@Bellarinaa) April 18, 2019
More from Barr's lightly redacted Mueller Report: ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️M⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️A⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️G⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️A⬛️⬛️
— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) April 18, 2019
Preview of the incoming #Mueller report... pic.twitter.com/Y690e5IWhk
— Adam Endale (@adamendale) April 18, 2019
Barr's redacted version of Sonnet 18.... pic.twitter.com/0YeFQ8KYJX
— Michael Bazzett (@MikhailBazharov) April 18, 2019
The (redacted) report.
The response to the (redacted) report.
The response to the response to the (redacted) report.
The distraction from the (redacted) report.
Today is going to be quite a day.
Listen *carefully* to what is —and isn’t — said. Be wise word consumers.
— Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755) April 18, 2019
After the report was published, the redactions were a'plenty. So the meme trend, of course, continued.
█ █ T █ █ █ H █ █ I █ S █
█ █ █ I █ █ S █ █ █ █ █
█ B █ █ U █ █ L █ █ █ L █
█ █ █ S █ █ H █ █ █ █ █ █ T https://t.co/gxFtkHDtjh
— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) April 18, 2019
pic.twitter.com/UE3ErX1wUv
— Rep Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) April 18, 2019
███women███████████will█████████████████████defeat█████████Trump███████████████████in█████the█████streets██and████████at█████████the████████polls██
— Women's March (@womensmarch) April 18, 2019
This investigation has been ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ exhausting.
WATCH: Trump wants astronauts back on the moon by 2024
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23 things on 'The Office' you've never noticed before
The Office is truly the show that keeps on giving.
Though the NBC comedy has been off the air since 2013, the discussion surrounding it is still very much alive. To this day, fans keep finding new, hilarious Easter eggs in the show.
The more than 750,000 diehards who come together on r/DunderMifflin to chat about the program are experts at pointing out the hidden details they pick up mid-rewatch.
We've compiled 23 of the best. Find out how well you really know your stuff.
SEE ALSO: The 65 absolute best moments from 'The Office'
1. David Wallace *also* has a world's best boss mug
If you thought Michael Scott was the sole best boss in the world, you're wrong! At least according to the desk mugs ...
Turns out David Wallace, chief financial officer of Dunder Mifflin, has a World's Best Boss mug on his desk, too. It's visible in the Season 2 episode, "Valentine's Day." It's black and has a more obnoxious font than Michael's. It's unclear whether David Wallace bought his own mug.
Will the real World's Best Boss please stand up? Oh look, it's Michael!
Image: the office/netflix
2. Michael uses his own brand of salad dressing
In the second episode of Season 4, Michael and Jan are chatting about ageism in his office while eating salads. Everything seems normal until you look closely: The salad dressing on the table is Michael Scott's own personal brand, "Great Scott."
Great Scott!
Image: the office/netflix
The jar is adorned with a homemade label featuring Michael's face and a bowl of salad. Thanks to a deleted scene from the previous episode, "Fun Run," we know all about it.
"What do I look like to you, Paul Newman? That's actually not a good example, because I have been compared to a young Paul Newman, my eyes and my face. And I make my own salad dressing," Michael says in the deleted scene, which starts around 4:10. "I mix Newman's Ranch with Newman's Italian. Sell it at flea markets for a slight loss. I could make ... I could make a profit if I changed one of the ingredients to Wishbone, but I won't do it."
3. That Dunder Mifflin Newsletter was trolling us
In Season 1, Episode 4, viewers get a glimpse of an old Dunder Mifflin Employee Newsletter. The Easter egg lies within the text.
In a classic move, the people writing the words didn't take the time to crank out a full article. Rather, they wrote a bit of sensical information followed by absolutely anything.
"A lot of useless information"
Image: the office/netflix
"Welcome to yet another exciting edition of the Dunder Mifflin Employee Newsletter," the article begins quite reasonably. But by the second paragraph, things get meta.
"As anybody can easily tell, this newsletter doesn't really have a lot to say. It's really just a prop to fill some space and sort of look like a newsletter without really being much of a newsletter at all ... In fact, at times we can probably get away with not using real English words, such as kjgavbiwiwpo..."
This isn't even the only time The Office writers did this. Now you know!
4. Jim signs Meredith's pelvis cast "John Krasinski"
Remember when Michael hit Meredith with his car and she had to get a cast on her pelvis? John Krasinski does! Because in Season 4, Episode 3, he signed it ... as himself, not his character Jim Halpert! Whoops.
Hmm ...
Image: the office/netflix
5. Stanley's resolution was, um, telling
In "Gossip," the first episode of Season 6, Dunder Mifflin Scranton learns Stanley's been cheating on his wife, Teri, with some woman named Cynthia. In Season 7, Episode 13, it's crystal clear that hasn't changed. Stanley's resolution card literally says, "To be a better husband and boyfriend." Boy, have you lost your damn mind?
To be fair, everyone's resolutions are a lot.
Image: the office/netflix
6. Oscar's drinkin' prop wine
Oscar was so excited to drink the wine in Season 8, Episode 12, no one realized the prop label was still on the bottom of the bottle. If you pause the episode you can clearly see a piece of tape with the word "Oscar" on that bottle of, um, Chateau Galmon?
"I am Bacchus, God of wine!"
Image: the office/netflix
7. Michael keeps his broken plasma on the wall for a while
Michael and Jan broke up after all hell broke lose in the Season 4 episode, "Dinner Party," but he held onto a key reminder of his ex well into Season 5.
In "Dream Team," Pam visits Michael's place to start the Michael Scott Paper Company, and his pride and joy — the mini plasma TV Jan shattered by throwing a Dundie Award at it — is still mounted on the wall. The most hilarious part of the situation? Michael clearly got a new television, which he placed directly under the broken flatscreen, neglecting to trash the old one.
Could it be he wasn't ready to let go — or that Jan mounted it on the wall and he had no idea how to take it down? We may never know.
Two TVs ...
Image: the office/netflix
8. He then attempts to sell the broken plasma
Finally, in "Garage Sale," Episode 19, of Season 7, Michael is finally ready to part with his tiny broken plasma. But rather than throw it out, he attempts to SELL IT at the warehouse garage sale. Come on, dude.
Nope.
Image: the office/netflix
9. Return of the clown art
Speaking of that warehouse garage sale, another familiar object was for being sold: That creepy clown painting that used to be stuck to the walls of Jim and Pam's house (aka, Jim's parent's old house). Wonder how they finally got it off the wall ...
No one will buy that clown painting.
Image: the office/netflix
10. Bob Vance was possibly a marketing genius
Any fan of The Office knows that Phyllis' husband, Bob Vance (of Vance Refrigeration), loves to plug his business whenever he gets the chance.
But one theory considers the idea that Bob Vance wasn't simply trying to market Vance Refrigeration to Dunder Mifflin employees — instead, perhaps he was constantly repeating his company name for the cameras filming the Dunder Mifflin documentary in hopes that if the footage ever aired it'd be free advertising. Genius.
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11. Michael ate tiramisu from the trash
This one's kind of a long story, but in Season 5, Episode 10, Jim gives Pam a piece of tiramisu as a peace offering after going out to lunch with Michael.
Pam rejects the offering and throws the tiramisu away, but in a later scene we see Michael eating a piece of tiramisu at his desk. Though some speculate Michael also brought tiramisu back from the restaurant, he's seen walking into the office alongside from Jim empty-handed and even claps at a joke.
Michael later takes a shot at Pam, scolding her for throwing away "perfectly good tiramisu" just because it has a hair on it, so all signs point to him digging Pam's dessert out of the trash.
12. This extremely deep paper clip find
In Season 5, Episode 1, Michael introduces Pam to the office's replacement receptionist, Ronnie, via video chat, explaining that Ronnie is unable to find "those little colored paper clips" he likes so much.
Somehow, an Easter egg mastermind discovered that Jim and Pam's license plate, CHD-0032, is the model number for those clips Michael likes. (If you Google the plate number, they come up.)
13. Jim's title in Stamford was "Assistant Regional Manager"
Dwight spent season after season begging for the title "Assistant Regional Manager" instead of "Assistant to the Regional Manager," and all Jim had to do to get it was transfer to the Stamford branch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In Season 3, Episode 6, Jim falls asleep at his desk, and we get a peek at that nameplate, baby!
The real deal
Image: the office/netflix
14. Creed's fake name is the actor's real name
In Season 4, Episode 4, Creed Bratton — the character on The Office played by actor Creed Bratton — explained that whenever he gets into financial trouble, he transfers his debt to a man named "William Charles Schneider." Turns out William Charles Schneider is actor Creed's real name, and there's a good chance that's his real passport.
15. Michael's wallet looks like a '90s DIY project
Does Michael Gary Scott carry around a bedazzled wallet? That's absolutely what it looks like...
16. Jim wears a wig in Season 3
John Krasinski's received some feedback on Jim's floppy hair over the years, but if things looked a little off in Season 3, it wasn't his fault.
Krasinski had to cut his hair short for his role in the film Leatherheads, which gave him no choice but to wear a wig during the last six episodes of The Office's third season. Krasinski further explains his hair challenges in this interview starting at around 2:15.
Wig Tuna
Image: the office/netflix
17. St. Patrick's Day celebrations were lit
Season 6, Episode 19 is dedicated to St. Patrick's Day, and the office really goes all out. For example, did you notice Michael has an Italian flag on his desk instead of an Irish one, or that they dyed the water in the community water cooler green? LOL.
The closest the Irish get to Christmas
Image: the office/netflix
Image: the office/netflix
18. Andy's Call of Duty username is extremely Andy
Viewers get a glimpse of Andy playing Call of Duty in Season 3, Episode 5 of the show. If you look closely you'll see his username is a very fitting "Here Comes Treble" — named after his college a cappella group, who we later hear about in the Season 9 episode, "Here Comes Treble."
Image: the office/netflix
19. Creed possibly has a mugshot hanging at his desk
Does Creed casually have his mugshot hanging above his desk? Honestly, we wouldn't put it past him.
20. Jim's last name is misspelled on his wedding sign
Congrats to Pam Beesly and Jim HalpRET on their wedding. Was this a typo or an intentional joke? We can't keep track anymore.
Hmm...
Image: the office/netflix
21. Wait, who is that?
You know when TV shows like actors so much they bring them back to play other roles in the future? How about when they replace a character with a different actor and expect viewers not to notice or to be totally fine with it? The Office is guilty of doing both of those things.
Image: the office/netflix
Dwight's nephew in the show's final season was also an extra in Season 7's "WUPHF.com" episode. Elizabeth, the stripper hired throughout the course of the show, appeared in the "Ben Franklin," "Fun Run," and "Finale" episodes, yet not everyone seemed to remember her. Andy's parents and Pam's mom were recast throughout the series. And Dwight hired Devon, the employee Michael fired in Season 2, back in the finale.
22. John Krasinski shot the opening Scranton footage
This one's less of a "did you notice?" and more of a "did you know?" but John Krasinski, the man you know and love as Jim Halpert, is semi-responsible for the iconic Office intro. According to TV Guide, Krasinski shot scenes from the opening credits sequence while on a research trip.
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23. There's a nod to the UK version of the show
What would the U.S. version of The Office be without a reference to the UK version of the series?
The address of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton office is 1725 Slough Avenue, Scranton, PA, which is special because there's a town in the UK called Slough, where the UK version of the show just so happens to take place.
Image: screengrab/google maps
And that's not all. When you search in the Scranton branch's address in Google maps it shows Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Company, the building that's featured in the intro footage, and Poor Richards Pub, the Dunder Mifflin employees' go-to place for Happy Hour.
So there you have it, fans. The writers, cast members, and show runners of your favorite comedy were even more clever than you realized. Now it's time to re-watch the show and see if you can spot any other hidden treasures.
WATCH: What is the cast of ‘The Office’ doing now?
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Kim Kardashian's bizarre Yeezy photo shoot was made for memes
Kim Kardashian's no stranger to photo shoots, but her latest didn't go over so well with fans.
On Monday, Kim shared a bizarre photo of herself reclining on a bed and wearing a pair of Yeezy sneakers. But it was her uncomfortable-looking position and the blank look on her face that inspired tons and tons of memes.
SEE ALSO: Beyoncé reveals the covers of her mysterious 'Vogue' September issue
Like butter. #Butter350’s #Yeezy pic.twitter.com/xOf0CU0hTC
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) August 6, 2018
Twitter users compared Kim's photo to a still from the infamous Life Support commercials, the opening credits of Mad Men, and a chalk outline of a dead body, to name a few. They also imagined her dancing, running a marathon, and playing Twister.
pic.twitter.com/LW5DG7eePW
— Alice Tew (@BuckinghamAlice) August 6, 2018
pic.twitter.com/HO2DmebSYL
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) August 7, 2018
pic.twitter.com/YJWUnOlNHF
— Fabrizio🤘 (@breezy_y00) August 7, 2018
pic.twitter.com/hqOx0EQzPv
— Adam Markajani✏️ (@ADAMATION) August 6, 2018
pic.twitter.com/sQUqQpfi9y
— light skin jesus (@BlvdeBrown) August 6, 2018
Looks like Gamora after Thanos threw her off a cliff 😂#AwkwardAF https://t.co/lVnTN5ALbG
— Small Screen Girl (@KiraJW) August 7, 2018
pic.twitter.com/34zxnUSxvN
— valpal.jpg (@Valpalbetch) August 6, 2018
But while others were memeing, some simply called Kim out for the timing of her post, which came just a few hours after photos from Beyoncé's Vogue September issue were released.
*Everyone talking about Rihanna and Beyoncé and their Vogue covers*
Kim K: "Like butter." pic.twitter.com/yaSNvtLXEs
— Quenchi (@MrQuenchiAdams) August 6, 2018
Kim sweetie just log off for the day. Today is about BEYONCE and Vogue. We can promote your husband another days. Thanx hun
— VogueChild (@Mavura123) August 6, 2018
Get VOGUE magazine’s September 2018 issue featuring Beyoncé: https://t.co/2jAZaI8V9q pic.twitter.com/9XWLPNdgyG
— Yanga Ndamasé (@yanga_nm) August 6, 2018
This isnt the first time Kim's been accused — fairly or not — of crowding Bey's spotlight. Knowing the internet's love of celebrity feuds, it probably won't be the last.
WATCH: Twitter stans turned Beyoncé and Jay-Z's new video into a meme
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas seniors attended prom, and the photos are beautiful
Prom is an important night in every teen's life, but for seniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the event served as an immensely hopeful celebration and a night to remember those lost.
On Saturday, months after a mass shooting killed 17 members of the Parkland, Florida school community on Feb 14., students came together to attend their senior prom, and honor the four seniors killed in the attack.
Many students, including well-known activists like Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg, and Delaney Tarr, shared photos of the big night, creative promposals, and touching tributes to fallen friends. Get some tissues, because the celebration was utterly beautiful.
SEE ALSO: Barack Obama pens heartfelt 'Time 100' profile for Parkland teens
Using the hashtag #msdprom18, students gave the world a look at their night of togetherness and displays of immense strength.
Gonzalez, who recently joined Instagram, shared photos of herself with her parents and close friends like David Hogg.
I’m late w pics as always but prom was Incredible the DJ was Amazing and everyone looked so Beautiful
A post shared by Emma González (@emmawise18) on May 7, 2018 at 4:33am PDT
Delaney Tarr also shared snapshots from the night, captioning one post, "Last night was the only (and best) way to say goodbye to MSD. Love y’all."
A post shared by Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) on May 6, 2018 at 9:04am PDT
And another student, Dillon McCooty, reportedly escorted the girlfriend of his best friend Joaquin Oliver — who was killed in the shooting — to the prom in his honor.
Parkland students are off to Stoneman Douglas prom tonight! Joaquin Oliver’s best friend, Dillon McCooty, is taking Joaquin’s girlfriend Victoria Gonzalez to prom, in honor of his friend. ❤️
RIP Guac#ParklandStrong #MSDStrong #ChangeTheRef pic.twitter.com/Fgh1R2t9fx
— 𝕊𝕥𝕖𝕡𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙 (@WashNews) May 5, 2018
The social media hashtags were filled with photographs of creative promposals, as well as photos and videos from the prom.
A post shared by Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) on May 4, 2018 at 1:51pm PDT
@saraedwards_ is going to have a s(mashing) time with her date‼️
A post shared by MSD Promposals (@msdpromposals2018) on Apr 4, 2018 at 2:38pm PDT
IHOP everyone has a great time at #msdprom18 ! 🥞
A post shared by MSD Promposals (@msdpromposals2018) on May 2, 2018 at 7:05am PDT
Cheesin’ for #msdprom18 🍕💛
A post shared by MSD Promposals (@msdpromposals2018) on Apr 21, 2018 at 2:59pm PDT
Therapy dog Junior supports #msdprom18 #therapydog #humanebroward #prom2018 #msdstudentsstrong #msdstrong #parklandstrong #douglasstrong #showyourlove #dogsofmsd #msdpromposals2018 #happiness @msdpromposals2018 @dogsofmsd
A post shared by Animal Assisted Therapy - HSBC (@aathsbroward) on Apr 23, 2018 at 1:43pm PDT
#msdprom18
A post shared by Alexandra🌬 (@charlie_vx) on May 5, 2018 at 7:15pm PDT
Prom: The Sequel #msdprom18
A post shared by Lauren Newman (@lauren_newman1) on May 6, 2018 at 2:55pm PDT
The setup at #msdprom18 was simply amazing, it looks like a paradise!
A post shared by Monica Molina Photography (@monicamolinaphotography) on May 5, 2018 at 11:17pm PDT
Could upload the full clip but here’s the best part from the whole night! #msdprom18 #msdprom #msdstrong #prom #promnight #ivanconation
A post shared by Dj Ivanco (@ivancoofficial) on May 6, 2018 at 2:57pm PDT
#msdprom18 pic.twitter.com/ZiIY2EOTHe
— Principal Thompson (@PrincipalMSD) May 6, 2018
The prom was held at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, which covered the cost of the event. Decorations, food, and DJ services were also donated by vendors, according to NBC News. A "Beautifully Strong Douglas Prom Makeover Event" was also held prior to the prom, so students could get their hair and makeup done for free by a team of professionals.
So proud to be a part of an amazing team of artists with the biggest hearts #beautifullystrong #msdstrong #msdprom18 #maccosmetics #thesouthbeast
A post shared by Gina G. (@msginamac) on May 5, 2018 at 6:35pm PDT
Principal Thompson tweeted throughout the night, sharing photos of the venue where decorations like an inspiring "MSD STRONG" ice sculpture can be seen.
Great job by the Senior Class Board to putting on a great Prom! pic.twitter.com/phU2wkNiUK
— Principal Thompson (@PrincipalMSD) May 6, 2018
Thank you to Jupiter Donuts for providing donut walls at Prom. Delicious. pic.twitter.com/sn2WbSTU51
— Principal Thompson (@PrincipalMSD) May 5, 2018
NBC also reports that a memorial room was set up with pictures of the six missing seniors. (In addition to the four seniors killed in the shooting, two others also died by suicide and illness.) Journals were dedicated to each student, giving prom-goers who visited the rooms an opportunity write heartfelt messages.
Keeping our Seniors who couldn’t be here in our hearts, we will always remember. #msdprom18 pic.twitter.com/4Ze1ZzJhgs
— Principal Thompson (@PrincipalMSD) May 6, 2018
The celebration reportedly included 17 seconds of silence to honor the 17 lives lost in the shooting, and symbolic butterflies were released into the sky later that night.
After a heartbreaking year filled with terrible loss and brave protesting, these students deserved a fun night with friends to celebrate their perseverance.
WATCH: These celebs brought their star power to March for Our Lives
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Elizabeth Warren has a plan to fix everything, even our sad love lives
Elizabeth Warren is all about making plans, and she's bringing her expert policy-making skills to social media.
The 2020 presidential candidate has plans to forgive student debt, rebuild the middle class, and even end the opioid crisis. But she's also open to helping people navigate their tricky love lives.
On Saturday, comedian Ashley Nicole Black asked her 88,000 followers if they thought Warren had a plan to fix her love life. On Sunday, Warren, queen of policies, unexpectedly replied to the tweet directly.
"DM me and let's figure this out," Warren tweeted. Simply iconic.
DM me and let’s figure this out.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 19, 2019
SEE ALSO: Elizabeth Warren takes a ‘hard pass’ on Fox News town hall
Black was absolutely shook upon receiving Warren's response, and she tweeted a screenshot of the exchange, along with the words, "I am deceased. And ready to welcome new love in my life. And then get our new pres elected. #shehasaplan"
We stan a Queen. Nay, a PRESIDENT. https://t.co/WIPCbUzWNJ
— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) May 19, 2019
Other Twitter users were equally impressed by Warren's hilarious tweet, and digitally bowed down to the Democratic candidate by showering her with praise.
Welp, she did it. Elizabeth Warren just won the presidency. Give her the White House, the Iron Throne, a Nobel prize, a pony, whatever she wants. pic.twitter.com/AlKOC9oFDy
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) May 19, 2019
This is the most magical thing I’ve ever seen happen on this website or anywhere
— Katie MacBride (@msmacb) May 19, 2019
How effin' awesome is this?! A POTUS with a heart, a mind, a sense of humor and two X chromosomes. Yes! We are so ready for this! #ElizabethWarren #Warren2020
— Annie Fox (@Annie_Fox) May 19, 2019
All hail.... pic.twitter.com/RCNOy0SzMp
— Isaac Butler (@parabasis) May 19, 2019
This is the kind of leadership I want for this nation pic.twitter.com/3aVFYd88ki
— Karen Kilgariff (@KarenKilgariff) May 19, 2019
First, this is hilarious. Second, if you give folks student loan debt relief, some help with higher wages and access to affordable housing and daycare, all those things give space to actually wanna go on dates and make it possible to build a family. So she kinda does have a plan! https://t.co/Nrs0w74xiJ
— Brittney Cooper (@ProfessorCrunk) May 19, 2019
She has a plan for EVERYTHING! https://t.co/0fsaqJAuQD
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) May 19, 2019
Whoever says women candidates aren't relatable or likeable or funny is nuts. I adore this woman. https://t.co/AJtlEhbRiR
— Belle 🌹 Resists (@BelleResist) May 19, 2019
Many were well aware Warren has established herself as the 2020 election's Sam from Holes by saying "I can fix that" in the face of any challenge. But to see her keeping things light, acknowledging, and extending her own strong policy plans to social media was a delight.
Warren, the American people stan you giving relationship advice, but can you please make it public next time so we can all benefit? Thanks.
WATCH: Beto O'Rourke announces $5 trillion climate crisis plan
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This masturbation playlist of sexy songs will really have you feeling yourself
May is National Masturbation Month, and we're celebrating with Feeling Yourself, a series exploring the finer points of self-pleasure.
Anyone who's masturbated knows it can be a ridiculously pleasurable experience, but it can be challenging to find ways to turn yourself on at times.
Many people use music to set the mood while they're at their party for one, but if you have yet to find your go-to masturbation jams, we've got you covered.
We've created a playlist of 31 tracks that are sure to have you feeling yourself. Some are clearly about masturbation and self-love, while others simply sound sexy as hell. But they're all genuinely good songs, trust us.
SEE ALSO: 13 household items you definitely shouldn't use to masturbate
From newer tunes like Carly Rae Jepsen's "Party for One" and the "Flawless / Feeling Myself" mix from Beyoncé's Homecoming soundtrack, to classics like Billy Joel's "Captain Jack" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," the playlist has something for everyone.
So next time you're looking for a sexy soundtrack to masturbate to, let the "Feeling Yourself 💓💦" playlist give you a (figurative) hand.
And if you're in the mood for a masturbation-themed music video to get you pumped up, check out Macy Gray's anthem to her vibrator, "B.O.B," which quite literally stands for "battery-operated better."
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Happy jammin', folks.
WATCH: This device could help men be better in bed
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10 times Grumpy Cat was gloriously grumpy
Grumpy Cat — one of the most beloved viral pets online — has died at age 7, and the internet will never be the same.
Grumpy's humans posted the news on social media Friday morning, and fans of the the unimpressed-looking feline, whose real name is Tardar Sauce, have been paying tribute ever since.
As internet lovers remember the joy this cat's grumpy little face brought to their lives, Mashable decided to dive into the archives and reminisce on all the memories we shared with Grumpy Cat over the years. There are A LOT.
Here are 10 times Grumpy Cat was gloriously and unapologetically grumpy.
1. The time she did the "Harlem Shake" (almost)
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2. The time she wore a stylish wig
Slay, girl.
Image: Live Box Photography / mashable
3. The time she met Oscar the Grouch
A grouch and a grump.
Image: mashable
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4. The time she ran the town
Image: Live Box Photography / mashable
5. The time she auditioned to replace David Letterman
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6. The time she tried to be a hipster
"Get me my book" - Grumpy Cat, probably
Image: Live Box Photography / mashable
7. The time she gave off some serious Star Wars vibes
Image: Live Box Photography / mashable
8. The time she celebrated hated Valentine's Day
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9. The time when... mustache
Hmm?
Image: Live Box Photography / mashable
10. The time when she tolerated the holiday season. Barely.
Wrapping? No thanks.
Image: mashable
This is fine.
Image: mashable
We'll miss you dearly, Grumpy Cat. Thanks for making the internet a better place.
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Naming all 22 Democrats running in 2020 is now a meme
Have you heard the news? Everyone's running for president in 2020! Well, sort of.
It's still early, but 22 whole Democrats have already announced their plans to campaign, and boy does it feel like a lot of people.
On Tuesday, Twitter user @MorganJerkins posed quite the challenge to followers by asking if anyone was able to name all 22 Democratic presidential candidates.
Can YOU name all 22 democrats running for President?
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) May 14, 2019
Jerkins' question was "very serious." She swears. But alas, unable to resist the opportunity to joke, the unhinged people of social media used the question as fuel for a new political meme.
SEE ALSO: Chrissy Teigen's daughter is now a meme, of course
To poke fun at the ridiculously large pool of Democratic candidates, people quote-tweeted Jerkins' question and each offered their own creative responses.
Biden
Bernie
Harris
Warren
Booker
Gillibrand
Beto
Buttigieg
Klobuchar
Tinky Winky
Dipsy
La La
Po https://t.co/um2o32Z5GM
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) May 14, 2019
There was Brenda, LaTisha, Linda, Felicia, Dawn, LeShaun, Ines, and Alicia, Teresa, Monica, Sharron, Nicki
Lisa, Veronica, Karen, Vicky
Cookie, well, I met her in a ice cream parlor, Tonya, Diane, Lori, and Carla
Marina, Selena, Katrina, Sabrina
About three Kims, LaToya, and Tina https://t.co/vryJJVBTrY
— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) May 14, 2019
Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Natasha, Clint, Carol, Bucky, Scott, Hope, Stephen, Wong, Peter, T'Challa, Okoye, Wanda, Peter (again), Nebula, James, Rocket, Groot, and Shuri.
nailed it https://t.co/WSdKi8Aiu1
— kevin (@kevlncastro) May 14, 2019
Dasher
Dancer
Prancer
Vixen
Comet
Cupid
Donner
Blitzen https://t.co/PWBIYUf1f4
— Ashley Hupfl (@AshleyHupfl) May 14, 2019
Bulbasaur
Charmander
Squirtle
Caterpie
Weedle
Pidgie
Poliwag
Pikachu
Nidoran
Clefairy
Jigglypuff
Zubat
Diglett
Magnamite
Krabby
Jub Jub https://t.co/mII6ugmVay
— Amy Schellenbaum (@acsbaum) May 14, 2019
2 all-beef patties (HUBBA HUBBA)
"special" sauce
lettuce
soooo much cheese
pickles
onions
& a sesame seed bun https://t.co/838Xkfa7kf
— tracy the emotional support penguin (@brokeymcpoverty) May 14, 2019
2 all-beef patties (HUBBA HUBBA)
"special" sauce
lettuce
soooo much cheese
pickles
onions
& a sesame seed bun https://t.co/838Xkfa7kf
— tracy the emotional support penguin (@brokeymcpoverty) May 14, 2019
A little bit of Monica in my life
A little bit of Erica by my side
A little bit of Rita is all I need
A little bit of Tina is what I see
A little bit of Sandra in the sun
A little bit of Mary all night long
A little bit of Jessica, here I am https://t.co/b43nVCiZ5h
— e.b. bartels (@eb_bartels) May 14, 2019
Mario Mario, Luigi Mario, Princess Toadstool, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong...I think there's more. https://t.co/us09yKo96J
— Manuel Aragon (@Spacejunc) May 14, 2019
Clarkson, Guarini, Studdard, Aiken, Barrino, Underwood, Hicks, Sparks, Cook, Lambert, Allen, DeWyze, McCreary, Lambert, Phillips, Glover, Johnson, Fradiana, Harmon, Poppe, Abdul, Jackson, Lopez. https://t.co/m6AZB3Pz9c
— Alana Massey (@AlanaMassey) May 14, 2019
Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Thor
Captain America
Avengers
Iron Man 3
Thor 2
Captain America 2
GotG
Age of Ultron
Ant-Man
Captain America Civil War
Dr. Strange
GotG 2
Spider-Man Homecoming
Thor Ragnarok
Black Panther
Infinity War
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Captain Marvel
Endgame https://t.co/DJZtFXBaBD
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 14, 2019
Perhaps this joke is foreshadowing something about the upcoming election cycle, but we can't possibly think about that just yet.
I asked a very serious question and everybody took it as a joke because this upcoming election cycle is about to be a joke.
I love us for real.
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) May 14, 2019
For now, let us enjoy simply laughing at this joke. Because knowing politics, our genuine giggles will probably turn to nervous laughter very soon.
WATCH: Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke’s teenage hacker life
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Teen decorates grad cap with QR code that honors those killed in school shootings
Graduation season has arrived, which means it's time for seniors to personalize their caps.
Many take the tradition of decorating grad caps as an opportunity to showcase a witty quote about student debt or reference a beloved television show, but Gina Warren, an 18-year-old from Ashville, Ohio, used her cap to send a serious message about gun violence in schools.
Warren placed a large QR code atop her graduation cap that sends anyone who scans it to a list of high school students in the U.S. who were killed in school shootings.
"I graduated. These high school students couldn’t. Protect our students. Protect our kids. Protect our neighbors. Protect our families. Protect our friends. Protect our nation," the website reads. It also includes the names of dozens of students killed in shootings over the years at STEM School Highlands Ranch, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Columbine High School, and more.
SEE ALSO: Mass shootings leave us feeling defeated, but it's possible to stop feeling numb
"I was inspired by the orange price tag caps that many students did last year after the Parkland shooting," Warren, currently a senior at Teays Valley High School, told CNN. "Their caps were a message to the NRA and lawmakers. I wanted to do something just as powerful but send a message to everyone who saw it."
Warren was referring to the caps of several Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who graduated in 2018. After 17 members of the school community were killed in a mass shooting, student activists like David Hogg painted their caps orange to symbolize gun control advocacy, and added price tags to their caps to call out Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Rubio had accepted donations from the National Rifle Association, so the tags were meant to represent how much he thought each Florida student's life would be worth based on the amount of money he took.
Thanks for the tassel @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/xZPFBhgFOm
— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) June 3, 2018
"This is mostly about honoring these kids," Warren told CNN about why she decided to make the statement with her hat. "I want more than anything to keep their memory alive. But looking at that list, I'm hoping that everyone is touched and sees that there is a serious, serious problem in our country."
She's also encouraging other students who are interested in raising awareness about gun violence to follow her lead.
i would love for you to! pic.twitter.com/2bo1SayfPd
— Gina (@Gi10eight) May 13, 2019
After a graduating senior reached out to Warren, she provided an image of the QR code for anyone who wants to download it and add it to their cap.
WATCH: 'We're being used': Rapper Vic Mensa pleads for gun control legislation.
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35 things to inspire you during your 2019 self-love sessions
May is National Masturbation Month, and we're celebrating with Feeling Yourself, a series exploring the finer points of self-pleasure.
So far, 2019 hasn't been a particularly sexy year.
When you think about, we've all had to watch a lot of straight-up nonsense go down. Green Book won the Oscar for Best Picture, Jeff Bezos' "sexts" leaked, and Sonic the Hedgehog got a full set of human teeth, for goodness sake. Gross!
A bunch of this year's pop culture moments have been genuinely disappointing, but we're not going to let that harsh our self-love vibes. From sexy fashion statements and television characters, to memes and music, 2019 has definitely given us some glorious moments worthy of recalling during the act of self-pleasure.
If you find yourself in need of some masturbation inspiration, here are 35 ~very 2019~ things to think about.
1. Chris Evans' teal velvet pants: Christopher Robert Evans had the absolute audacity to show up to an Avengers: Endgame press event in April wearing teal velvet pants. The trousers looked as though they were hand-crafted by an angelic seamstresses in the clouds and came with the equally stunning teal velvet suit jacket Evans wore to the Oscars earlier this year. We're all blessed that his stylist, Ilaria Urbinati, firmly believes you should "never let a great pair of trousers go to waste."
Chris Evans inventing pants.
Image: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES FOR DISNEY
2. America's ass: While we're on the topic of Chris Evans' pants, let's get another inevitable Chris-related 2019 thirst trap out of the way. Feel free to think of the real star of Avengers: Endgame — America's ass — whenever you need a dose of dayummmm. 🇺🇸🍑
3. "Old Town Road": There are many subject-appropriate songs out there to get off to, but if you're looking to switch things up a bit, consider listening to the 2019 anthems, "Old Town Road" and the remix, for inspiration.
4. The possibility of eliminating student debt: This year, Elizabeth Warren announced her plans to cancel student debt and eliminate college tuition for future students, and honestly? Just the thought of having your ridiculously high student debt forgiven is *tingles* exciting.
5. The new Staples logo: People got seriously amped when that little staple unfolded. So... strong.
SEE ALSO: 7 ridiculously large sex toys to help you go big in the bedroom
6. The Jonas Brothers reunion AND the introduction of the Jonas Sisters: One of the world's most popular boy bands — a band of literal biological brothers — reunited in 2019, and that alone is reason enough for everyone to be "Burnin' Up." But with the reunion also came the introduction of the fierce female trio, the Jonas Sisters (aka Sophie Turner, Priyanka Chopra, and Danielle Jonas). 🔥
7. The black hole: The world saw the first recorded image of a black hole in 2019, and I guess it's kind of hot, right? It is described as "supermassive," so. Hey.
8. The possible return of Wendy's Spicy Chicken Nuggets: Can you think of a thought spicer than imagining the possible return of Wendy's Spicy Chicken Nuggets? There aren't many.
9. The thought of the L train being functional: Governor Andrew Cuomo is confident that limiting service of the extraordinarily popular L train for a year will be in the city's best interest, but in the mean time New Yorkers are living a fresh new subway hell. Stay strong, people. And if necessary, after a long-ass day of commuting, feel free to envision a beautiful, fully functioning L train in the sack.
10. Jauz's "Baby Shark" remix: I think the Coachella track really speaks for itself doo doo doo doo doo doo.
11. KFC's hot new Colonel Sanders: KFC isn't simply in the business of making people hungry for chicken anymore. Now they're interested in making people thirst for their hot new Colonel Sanders. (It's working?)
12. The thought of sexting with a robot: Mashable Staff Writer Jess Joho sexted with a bot, and you can too. Turns out it's surprisingly hot.
13. The Night King: Listen, he wasn't very nice. He's also dead now. But in his glory days the Night King could get it.
14. The Hulk's junk: Ever wonder if the Hulk can have sex? There's a lot to unpack. Consider doing so next time you get down with yourself, because, why not?
15. David's dance on Schitt's Creek: David and Patrick's relationship is one of the best on television, and while David's dance to Tina Turner's "The Best" is sweet enough to make you ugly cry, it's also sexy as hell and impossible to watch without getting chills. (The same argument can be made for the scene where Patrick sings "The Best" to David.)
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16. Literally any moment from the 2 hours and 17 minutes of Beyoncé's Homecoming: The performance is the definition of flawless and we are barely worthy of such brilliance.
17. The Burn This poster: The poster for the Broadway revival of Lanford Wilson's Burn This is haaaaawt. It features Adam Driver and Keri Russell lookin' gorg, just chillin' horizontal on a couch all dreamy and idyllic and shit. See for yourself.
18. This sand art replica of Dwayne Johnson's face: You might not initially think a video of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's head being assembled from sand is the stuff to inspire hot thoughts, which is understandable, but if you never try you'll never know, right?
19. Bowsette: The fan-created character that mashes Bowser and Princess Peach together was dismissed by Nintendo this year, but that doesn't stop people from lusting over NSFW Bowsette art online.
20. This extremely long dongle: Major BDE (Big Dongle Energy) coming from this one. Who can ignore?
This is one long dongle #io19 pic.twitter.com/OtNf1fsdDK
— Raymond Wong📱💾📼 (@raywongy) May 7, 2019
21. The moment Captain America wielded Thor's hammer: Yes, we've already gave a nod to Chris Evans/Captain America twice on this list, but how could we not acknowledge the ⚡electric⚡ moment Cap summoned Mjolnir? A real shock to the heart.
22. 500 Intel drones performing a choreographed light show set to Phish: Get jammin', folks.
23. Golf balls cut in half: These artsy halved golf balls with tantalizingly scrumptious interiors are forbidden snacks, but we can still drool.
24. Demon Beto O'Rourke: When the skateboarding, burger-loving, Beyoncé-endorsed musician Beto O'Rourke ran for Texas Senator against Ted Cruz, he was one of the most crush-worthy men on the planet. Now, O'Rourke is running for president, though, and the American people can't afford to let their thirst distract them from focusing on policy issues. Rather than thinking of Beto to get yourself all hot and bothered consider, focusing on this comedian's parody version, Demon Beto.
25. Animations of a baguette on the move: We are not suggesting you think about just any old loaf of bread while masturbating. Animated baguettes are special.
26. Villanelle and Eve: The relationship between the two Killing Eve characters may be complicated, but their chemistry is clear as day. Scenes like this are simply too intense to just watch.
27. Crocs and shaving cream: In case you haven't seen, putting large dollops of shaving cream in Crocs and then inserting feet forces the shaving cream to escape out of the signature shoe holes. It's quite the satisfying sight.
28. Basically every Met Gala outfit: The 2019 Met Gala theme was "Camp" — inspired by Susan Sontag's 1964 essay — and everyone's outfits were S T U N N I N G. Here is a list of some greats.
29. The Rihanna birthday outfit challenge: Everyone knows Rihanna slays the Met Gala when she attends, but since the singer didn't make it this year we have to get our fix another way. Try searching "Rihanna" and your birthday on Google and see one of her iconic outfits will appear. You're welcome.
30. Balenciaga Crocs: Speaking of Crocs and the Met... I like those Balenciagas. The ones that look like Crocs. 😏
of course the balenciaga crocs are here pic.twitter.com/34ZWXYXAKD
— rachel syme (@rachsyme) May 6, 2019
31. Jake Gyllenhaal in Spider-Man Far From Home trailer: HeLLO, Mysterio. We see that beard and shaggy Jim Halpert hair, boy.
32. What if we kissed memes: A perfect meme for those who want to imagine kissing people in super bizarre places — like near a high voltage box — but are in need of inspiration.
33. The gray streak in Richard Madden's hair: 50 strands of gray = bae.
34. The Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaing Donald Trump Jr. to testify over the Russia Investigation: Perhaps some people will take pleasure from imagining Trump's son testifying in hopes it will shed some light on this long, national, election hacking nightmare. IDK!
35. Samsung's foldable phone: The wide, glossy screen folds in half for goodness sake.
Digital hot dog bun.
Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE
Have fun, everyone!
WATCH: Gaga and Bradley set the meme-osphere and our loins ablaze this week with their Oscar's performance — All the Memes
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15 perfect graduation cap designs for fans of 'The Office'
If you're reading this article let me be the first to say congratulations — not only on your impending graduation, but on having excellent taste in television shows.
You are graduating. That means you're like, really smart now. And any really smart fan of The Office would want to finish off the school year in style — by decorating their graduation cap with references to the beloved employees of Dunder Mifflin.
From Michael Scott and Kelly Kapoor quotes, to Scott's Tots and bankruptcy jokes, the NBC comedy is full of potential graduation cap ideas.
Here are 15 Office-themed graduation caps to use as inspiration so you won't have to aimlessly wander a craft store waiting for genius to strike.
1. If you don't have your future mapped out
In honor of me graduating college about a year ago, I think @theofficenbc @jennafischer @AngelaKinsey @SteveCarell and @rainnwilson need to see my graduation cap! pic.twitter.com/IoegKHWW5o
— Lauren Capraro (@LaurenCapraro) December 8, 2017
For those who aren't sure what the future holds — aka, everyone — a graduation cap based off of that one time Michael obeyed his GPS and drove his car into a lake can serve as a major Graduation Mood.
2. If you're into alliteration
Thank you to The Office which got me through most of college.
I hope @johnkrasinski and @rainnwilson like my grad cap as much as I do! #TheOffice #rowan2018 pic.twitter.com/yAslYjsCnQ
— Samantha Lelah (@SamLelah) May 10, 2018
Sorry, Battlestar Galactica, but we're pretty sure Jim Halpert would happily change his Dwight impression to "Bears, Beets, Bachelor's degree" if he knew it was graduation day.
SEE ALSO: 23 things on 'The Office' you've never noticed before
3. If you want to remind everyone how high you set the bar
my senior quote is from the Office and so is my grad cap design and I have no regrets pic.twitter.com/8yUAkADFYV
— Brittney Martin (@brittneydmartin) June 8, 2018
Let the people know that like Michael Scott, you're not about to set the bar low for anything... except limbo, of course.
4. ...or how high you can fly
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Katy Devine (@jk.devine) on May 11, 2017 at 5:19pm PDT
You can also fly so damn high like Michael Scott, and graduation caps (but we'll get to that quote in a bit).
5. If you're more excited than Stanley on pretzel day
Still in love with my grad cap @theofficenbc pic.twitter.com/RzGeCejbNq
— Kelsie (@kelsie20walker) June 25, 2017
Any fan of the show knows how much Stanley adores pretzel day, so if you want to make a huge statement about your level of graduation day excitement, this is the hat for you.
6. If you need to make one more "that's what she said" joke
My love for @SteveCarell had to be shown at graduation yesterday. Thank you @theofficenbc for giving me the perfect grad cap. pic.twitter.com/3PkTQGDsbk
— Kaitie O’Hara (@grandma_kaitie) December 9, 2018
For those who want to make Michael Scott proud and risk disappointing their parents.
7. If you're a Scott's Tots grad
First off, I just want to say how blessed and humbled I am to be a Scott’s Tot!!!
& S/o to @ashhellis13 for my amazing grad cap 🎓 @theofficenbc pic.twitter.com/iyghI0d9Fy
— Laura Guzman (@laura_guzman88) May 1, 2019
College tuition? Oh yeah, just put it on Michael Scott's tab.
8. If you'd like to honor Kelly Kapoor
View this post on Instagram
2018 Graduation is lit. 🔥 Kelly would be proud! #TheOffice #TheMindyProject
A post shared by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on May 15, 2018 at 12:26pm PDT
These hat designs will be a no brainer for really smart business bitches.
9. If you're not stressin' about goodbyes
Nolan’s grad cap!! @theofficenbc thanks for being there when nobody else was, making bad days good and being the best TV friends ever😂🖤 pic.twitter.com/x1BD3gq95T
— Bree Gibson (@BreeGibs) May 17, 2018
Some people are in the "See you all at the five year reunion! No biggie" mindset. This hat is for them.
10. ...or you're high-key freaking out inside
Graduation Cap 🎓✔️ Thank you for the inspiration 😂 @theofficenbc @SteveCarell pic.twitter.com/GjDjM8waTv
— Bailey Willey (@bailey_willey17) May 29, 2018
For those who aren't quite ready to say goodbye, though, just know it's OK to treat graduation day like a poorly planed fire drill.
11. If you have no clue how you managed
Somehow I managed💁🏼
Finished my graduation cap 😋@jennafischer @johnkrasinski @SteveCarell @theofficenbc pic.twitter.com/2IDtOBEmK6
— kacee (@KaceeRumsey) May 8, 2017
Celebrate the fact that you made it to graduation... somehow.
12. If you're not feeling ready to go just yet
it’s graduation day, so here’s the much-anticipated cap reveal 😆 @theofficenbc #Classof2018 pic.twitter.com/FhCStk1HB2
— ✰ aaliyah ✰ (@meeceaaliyah) May 19, 2018
The perfect hat for those who have trouble recalling any information they've learned over the past few years.
13. If you have big dreams
This is amazing😍😍. I just made this one pic.twitter.com/9PrtyPqpwg
— Brittney Cash♡♡ (@bcashxo) May 1, 2019
"May your hats fly as high as your dreams" is a classically beloved Michael Scott graduation quote. I am a little biased though, since it's the one I chose for my own cap.
14. If you have big student debt
I'd like to personally thank @SteveCarell for inspiring my graduation cap. I couldn't have survived college without you pic.twitter.com/TGzn12TKT8
— Samantha Hulliberger (@samhulliberger) May 18, 2017
Oscar: "I just wanted you to know that you can't just say the word bankruptcy and expect anything to happen."
College students: "We didn't say it, we declared it."
15. If you're in the mood to complain
Can everyone please take a moment to appreciate the perfection that is @JesscaMilky's graduation cap?? pic.twitter.com/RSMjGVpczo
— Alexa (@actuallyalexa) May 7, 2016
All the studying was a pain, sure. But nothing was worse than those dementors.
Get decorating people, because in the wise words of Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott, and me, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
WATCH: Steve Carell to reunite with 'The Office' creator for Netflix's 'Space Force'
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I don't know who needs to hear this, but these memes are good
When a meme that's both funny and genuinely helpful comes along, you don't let it go.
Twitter users know this, which is why the "I don't know who needs to hear this" meme is still going strong even though it's been used on the platform since as early as 2013.
To take part in the meme that keeps on giving, simply begin your tweet with the words "I don't know who needs to hear this but" and then drop a nugget or two of advice, like so.
I don't know who needs to hear this but please do not run for president
— Haley Mlotek (@haleymlotek) May 3, 2019
SEE ALSO: Gamora putting on lipstick is the sassiest meme around
The meme recently took off again on Twitter, with people using it to give others genuinely helpful and blunt suggestions about everything from relationships and self-care, to finances and more. Others, however, are clearly created just for the laughs.
Here's a selection of some of the best "I don't know who needs to hear this" memes, a few of which I'm sure will feel like personal attacks.
i don't know who needs to hear this, but using a makeup wipe isn't the same as washing your face
— Aurora McCausland (@AuroraMccy) April 28, 2019
i don't know who needs to hear this but
the 2007 animated doctor strange movie is actually good
— england's ass (@emotionalpedant) May 6, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this but cancel that free trial.
— tiffany (@mombxtch) February 17, 2019
I don't know who needs to hear this right now but if you're in a relationship with someone who picks fights with you right before deadlines/interviews/birthdays/tests/performances etc, you are in an abusive relationship with someone who is sabotaging you. Did I do the meme right?
— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) March 14, 2019
i don’t know who needs to hear this but stop closing out of twitter and then opening it back up immediately because you forgot you were just on it
— 🤙🏼 (@dopesicktight) April 6, 2019
I don't know who needs to hear this but stop getting your hopes up the minute someone shows the slightest bit of interest in you
— Kyle (@kkunta__) April 11, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you already have six blank notebooks at home.
— beautiful screaming lady (@TraceOddity) April 13, 2019
i don't know who needs to hear this but: stop chasing emotionally unavailable people and use that time and energy to work on yourself and self image instead! xo
— muna (@Muna_Mire) April 15, 2019
i don’t know who needs to hear this but you have food at home.
— king arya (@KiissMyDimples) April 15, 2019
I don't know who needs to hear this but you can close most of those browser tabs
— Dr. Jens Foell (@fMRI_guy) April 16, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this but, put your phone down once in a while and enjoy life.
— ✭Cards Babe✭ (@CardsNCowboyz) April 18, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it’s ok and you’re doing just fine.
— Sam Sanders (@samsanders) April 23, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this but delete the paragraph.
— THE SLUMFLOWER (@theslumflower) April 24, 2019
I don’t know who needs to hear this but stop smearing the peanut butter and jelly on the same piece of bread.
Even spreads on both pieces and then put them together. I’m just here to help.
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) April 26, 2019
I don't know who needs to hear this, but congrats on making it to the end of an article.
WATCH: Nickelodeon releases official SpongeBob meme figures
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Prince Harry is 'over the moon' after Meghan Markle gives birth to a baby boy
The royal family has officially welcomed a new member.
On Monday, the @sussexroyal Instagram account announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were "overjoyed" to welcome the birth of their son, and Prince Harry later confirmed the new addition to his family to the press.
Though the name of the baby boy has yet to be revealed, Prince Harry made a public statement, assuring everyone that both his child and wife, Meghan Markle, are doing "incredibly well."
BREAKING: “It’s been the most amazing experience I can ever possibly imagine. How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.” Prince Harry speaks after birth of royal baby boy pic.twitter.com/kKaUvTp8vv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 6, 2019
SEE ALSO: Princess Charlotte looks just like the Queen in these new photos
"It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined," Prince Harry told reporters. "How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension, but we're both absolutely thrilled."
The Duke of Sussex went on to explain that he and his wife are "still thinking" about names and will offer more details in the coming days, but that he's "so incredibly proud" of her.
“It was amazing, absolutely incredible. As I said, I’m so incredibly proud of my wife… I’m just over the moon.” –Prince Harry pic.twitter.com/cpm5jPt5Dh
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 6, 2019
The @sussexroyal Instagram account also released an announcement with additional details.
"We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019. Their Royal Highnesses’ son weighs 7lbs. 3oz." the caption read. "The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on May 6, 2019 at 6:37am PDT
The baby — who is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first child together — will be seventh in line to the throne, behind Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shatter Guinness record on Instagram
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Forest is a useful app that helps you go phone-free by inspiring you to plant trees
I'm obsessed with my phone. Addicted to it, really. It's not something I'm proud of, but alas, it's true.
I've tried my fair share of productivity apps in hopes of cutting down on screen time, and while many have helped me hone my organizational skills, apps rarely hold users like me accountable if we don't follow through. That's what makes the Forest app so refreshingly different.
With a simple mission to help users "stay focused" and "be present," Forest trains people to manage their time and become less dependent on their phones in a fun, purposeful way. By spending time away from their phones, users grow virtual trees and earn coins, which can then be saved up and used to help plant real trees in five countries in Africa — Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, and Tanzania. The app also gently shames you if you don't successfully complete your goal, which is apparently the component I've always been missing.
In an ideal world, I'd spend less time glued to my iPhone on the weekends. I'd give dining companions my full attention during meals rather than rudely checking incoming push notifications. I'd spend my commute deeply immersed in a book instead of pausing to check social media every ten minutes, and I'd drift off to sleep in the dark without having exposed my retinas to a half hour of blue light beforehand. I downloaded Forest in hopes that it would help turn my unplugged dreams into a reality, and to my great surprise, it did.
SEE ALSO: The Hear app makes trippy sounds, but it probably won't help you concentrate
Forest can be purchased on iOS devices for $1.99, and though there are several in-app purchases that help you receive more coins per virtual tree planted— $0.99 for a bottle of Sunshine Elixir, or $1.99 for a box of Sunshine Elixir — you can definitely enjoy the app without them.
To plant real trees across the world, the app partners with Trees for the Future — a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger and poverty by planting trees that help feed families in need. But understanding how the partnership and the app itself work takes a bit of explaining, so let's dive in.
Welcome to the Forest
After downloading Forest, all first-time users are welcomed with a simple set of instructions. The app explains that it will encourage users to stay focused and be more present in their daily lives by planting virtual trees. The trees planted in the app take a certain amount of time to grow — which you can customize depending on how long you want to abstain from your device — but because the trees can only grow if the app remains open, people have to put down their phones if they want to add to their virtual forests.
Before you get started, I recommend visiting the settings page in the app and creating an account so all of your data will be tracked. After that, you're ready to grow.
Image: mashable composite: forest app
To plant a virtual tree, set a timer by dragging the green button around the circular photo of a plant on the app's homepage. The app allows you to set the timer for a minimum of 10 minutes, a maximum of 120 minutes, or any 5-minute increments in between. During the set time, your virtual tree will grow provided you keep the app open, and it will die if you exit the app or attempt to use any outside feature on your phone for longer than a few seconds.
While the death of a digital tree is obviously very low-stakes, and there are no real consequences if you let it bite the dust, over the course of a week using the app I learned that just knowing a few measly minutes away from your phone is all it takes to save a life — even that of a fake tree — is a surprisingly successful motivational tactic.
Planting a virtual tree
When it came time to plant my first virtual tree I wanted to get the feel of the app, so I only set the timer for 10 minutes.
Once you hit the "plant" button, Forest graciously gives you 10 seconds to cancel your impending phone-free commitment, just in case you want to send an important text first, or realize you've made a horrible mistake and aren't ready to unplug, but don't want to put a virtual tree's life at risk.
After embarking on my first Forest experience, I noticed that after the 10-second grace period expires, the cancel countdown is replaced with a button that straight-up says, "Give Up." You can press this at any time during the run of your timer to abandon your mindfulness mission, but just know that doing so will prompt the guilt-ridden question: "Are you sure you want to give up? Your cute little tree will die." 💔
If you're not the type to admit defeat via Give Up button, you always have the option of leaving the app of your own free will — which I will admit I did several times accidentally, simply because I'm so addicted to using my phone. But before killing your tree, Forest gives you a chance to redeem yourself.
The app will send a push notification seconds after you leave, which reads, "Go back to Forest immediately to prevent the tree from dying!" You have less than a minute to return to the app and save your tree, and if you fail to do so, the next time you open Forest, an image of your sad-looking husk of a tree will appear alongside the words: "Oops! you can do better next time!"
Image: MASHABLE COMPOSITE: FOREST
Should you fail to wait out your full timer, a dead tree will show up in your virtual forest to serve as a reminder that you gave up. You won't receive any coins for the minutes you remained in the app before abandoning it, but they will be counted towards your total daily focus time, which is nice.
Planting my first tree was a delightful experience until I received a measly THREE COINS as a reward! After playing around with the app, it appears the maximum reward users can receive for a single plant (without the help of in-app purchases) is 43 coins from a 120-minute timer, which wouldn't be so disheartening if a real-life tree didn't cost a whopping 2,500 coins to plant.
Planting a real tree
If you're downloading the app with the goal of planting real trees, it can definitely be done, but it's going to take a bit of time (or additional money invested in the app) to save up the necessary coins.
The way the system works is that each time a user spends 2,500 virtual coins on a real tree, Forest donates real money to Trees for the Future, which uses that money to plant a tree in Africa.
Unfortunately, due to "budget constraint," the number of real trees each user can currently plant using the app is limited to five. Forest assures users that there will be "limited time events that will allow users to plant more real trees" in the future, though, and planting five trees is still far more productive than not planting any.
Image: forest
Features galore
While the app's teal home page presents an extremely minimalist design, Forest is full of elaborate features.
For starters, by using the notch located in the upper center of the screen, users can switch from planting solo to planting with friends or family. Enabling the app's Plant Together feature syncs several Forest accounts and raises the stakes by challenging everyone to go phone-free simultaneously. If one person in the group uses their phone, everyone's trees will die, which makes it perfect for group dinners or movie nights.
In the upper left of the app's home screen lies the main menu, which offers a trove of customizable options. It includes nine expandable features: Forest, Timeline, Tags, Friend, Achievements, Store, Real Forest, News, and Settings. Each has the potential to enhance your in-app experience, should you take advantage of them, but I want to highlight the most important.
Image: Forest
The "Forest" option in the Forest app is where you can see all the virtual trees you’ve planted so far. You can use it to track your visual progress over days, weeks, months, or years, and use more specific filters to review your historical app data.
The Tags feature allows you to search more specifically, by the labels you use to tag your plants, such as Work, Study, Social, Rest, Entertainment, and more. This is especially helpful if you’re curious about which types of activities you spend the most time on when you’re not glued to your phone screen.
Achievements allow you to keep track of all your performance awards, such as when you reach four hours of focus time. (These rewards are extra fun because they come with coins.) And the Real Forest page is where you go to turn your coins into real life trees, should you ever reach that impressive milestone. The page also reveals that many real trees have been planted as a result of the app. (At the time of writing, Forest and Trees for the Future had planted 434,459 trees around the world.)
Image: mashable composite: forest
For those of you itching to blow your coins as you earn them, however, the store is the place for you. Forest's in-app store allows users to unlock different species of virtual bushes and trees in hopes of making the virtual gardens more exciting.
Each additional plant — from virtual cacti and trees to flowers and more — takes 500 coins to unlock, and you can also use coins to unlock ambient sounds like "Café in Paris," "Rain and thunder," and "Times Square" to turn phone-free time into a more meditative experience. To listen to an ambient sound while planting a tree, simply press and hold the headphone icon in the upper righthand corner of the app screen.
The verdict
Up until a week ago, I seriously struggled to separate myself from my phone. Now, I'm free from my mobile device whenever I want to be — even if it's only 10 minutes a day.
After using Forest for just a few days, I felt transformed. I used the app at a restaurant one night and it helped me fight the temptation to periodically check my phone. I turned on timers when I wanted to watch television or read books and successfully did so distraction-free. And right before bed, I'd set a 120-minute timer to prevent me from falling into the vicious cycle of late-night social media scrolling. (The creators of Forest have another app called SleepTown that was specifically created to help build more healthy sleep patterns.)
I love that Forest lets users categorize each break they take, and add descriptions — this way I can track whether I spend more time working or binge-watching Queer Eye. And I had some fun with the personalized message feature, which lets you write your own encouraging phrases that pop up throughout your phone-free journey.
Image: forest
The app also lets you set up to five Planting Reminders during a day, so you don't forget to unplug, and I discovered that if you really need to send a timely text message in the middle of a Forest timer, you can cheat the system.
By quickly leaving and returning to the app a few times, you can manage to type and send a text without sacrificing your plant progress. It's not a loophole I abuse often, but it's one I do like knowing exists. There's also an additional "Work With Phone" option on the settings page that allows users to leave the app without killing plants, but you have to sacrifice half of the final reward and the tree will not be counted towards the leaderboard.
Ultimately, I think the app is well worth the money, and I have very few complaints, but I would like Forest's timers to show up on my lock screen when the app is in use like a regular iPhone timer does.
If there's a setting to make that happen I haven't found it yet, but when I'm in the focus zone I'd rather be able to tap my home button and see how much time I have left until my tree grows than unlock my phone and go back into the app.
Otherwise, Forest exceeded my expectations and genuinely helped me unplug during times when I desperately wanted to but didn't know how. It's an uplifting app that celebrates and rewards you for the time spent away from your phone, rather than trying to curb your phone addiction by highlighting all time you do spend using social media and other apps.
If you have a healthy conscience, the low-stakes death of a virtual tree will be enough to inspire you to focus. And the thought of working toward planting a real tree should successfully motivate you to commit the app for the long haul.
WATCH: 11 meditation apps to help you de-stress
#_category:yct:001000002#_author:Nicole Gallucci#_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL#_uuid:14345679-052c-357e-981b-d35381937a51#_revsp:news.mashable
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