Heavy Handed Advice is exactly what it sounds like — opinions you didn’t ask for but probably need. This is the corner of the internet where I tell you what I’d tell my best friend, which is sometimes “you’re right” and sometimes “you’re being ridiculous.”
What kind of advice is on TTB?
Life stuff. Money stuff. Relationship stuff. Parenting stuff. The kind of advice that doesn’t come with a 17-step plan or a $99 download. Just honest takes from someone who’s made every mistake worth making and lived to write about it.
Who writes the advice posts?
I do. Jamie Slack — blogger since the AOL days, currently raising one kid and several houseplants. If I write it, I mean it.
Got a question that isn’t covered here?
If it’s the kind of question you’d ask at midnight when nobody else is awake — love, work, the weird dreams — that’s exactly what I built Elementually for. No scripts, no judgment, just answers.
In a statement made to fans via social media, Brendon Urie said:
Well, it’s been a hell of a journey… Growing up in Vegas I could’ve never imagined where this life would take me. So many places all over the world, and all the friends we’ve made along the way.
But sometimes a journey must end for a new one to begin. We’ve been trying to keep it to ourselves, though some of you may have heard.. Sarah and I are expecting a baby very soon! The prospect of being a father and getting to watch my wife become a mother is both humbling and exciting. I look forward to this next adventure.
That said, I am going to bring this chapter of my life to an end and put my focus and energy on my family, and with that Panic! At The Disco will be no more.
Thank you all for your immense support over the years. I’ve sat here trying to come up with the perfect way to say this and I truly can’t put into words how much it has meant to us. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or are just finding us, it has been a pleasure to not only share the stage with so many talented people but also share our time with you. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Europe and the UK for one last run together.
I love you. I appreciate you. Thank you for existing.
The breakfast staple of tables everywhere has gone from a slight inconvenience on the grocery budget front, to now a major player in the monthly grocery bill.
According to CBS News, the price of eggs has gone up 60% in one year, and we are all feeling it.
But, WHY? What is going on to make egg prices so out of control?
Turns out, there are a couple factors at play in the great egg debacle of 2023.
First, more people are turning to eggs as a protein source than in previous years.
People used to gravitate toward beef, pork, venison, etc. But, now they reach for the egg.
Supply and demand at its finest.
Each of us eats about as many eggs as one hen can lay a year.
If you live in the U.S. chances are, you are very aware of tip culture and if you don’t live here, you are probably confused why it’s even a thing…
In many countries, tipping is unheard of but in the U.S. not tipping is basically frowned upon.
With that being said, people are noticing just how much tipping has gotten out of control and honestly, I agree.
In fact, just today, I went through the drive-thru at a local establishment I’ve been going to for years and was asked to tip. I looked at my husband and was like, do I really need to? He replied, “I don’t know”.
I completely felt obligated to tip and just felt weird about the entire interaction.
Honestly, I never remember being asked to tip at a fast food restaurant until recent.
And let me be clear – I do not have a problem tipping.
In fact, I feel like I am a very generous and fair tipper and I always tried to give the person the benefit of the doubt if I have poor service. I know we all have bad days.
However, I do feel like we are now beginning to see tips for everything especially now that most businesses are moving to digital currency.
You know, those iPads where it asks you to leave a tip then sign? Yeah those.
They feel so pushy especially when the person on the other side is just standing there staring at you while you complete it.
According to AP, etiquette expert Thomas Farley considers the whole thing somewhat of “an invasion” and said:
“Suddenly, these screens are at every establishment we encounter. They’re popping up online as well for online orders. And I fear that there is no end,”
AP also reported that “Clarissa Moore, a 35-year-old who works as a supervisor at a utility company in Pennsylvania, said even her mortgage company has been asking for tips lately.”
Wait, what? I’m sorry, but that is just insane. I’d never tip my mortgage company. For what? Taking my money?
And that’s where so many people are having a hard time with this tip culture.
Screenshot Twitter
Things are already more expensive than ever and more stressful too. Adding in the pressure of feeling obligated to tip on goods and services we normally wouldn’t tip on, is just strange and unnecessary.
Screenshot Twitter
So, where does the line get drawn for tipping? Do you feel like tip culture has gotten out of control?
If you’re looking to take your morning coffee to the next level, look no further!! Introducing Cafecito!
‘Cafecito’ is the hottest new way to drink your morning coffee and count me in. Seriously, it sounds delicious!
Now, when I say “new”, I really mean, it’s been around for a long time but thanks to viral TikTok recipe videos, many of us are just now finding out about this.
What is Cafecito?
Cafecito is a strong, sweet drink that is also known as Cuban coffee and is a popular drink in Cuba, Florida and many Cuban American communities.
How to Make Cafecito
Thanks to TikToker @nicwritesbookss, you can make this viral coffee recipe at home with just a few simple ingredients!
Once some of the coffee is done, you are going to pour a tiny amount into the metal cup with sugar and beat the two mixtures together. You want a frothy, light, airy texture.
It’s cold and flu season, and this one is rough. You want to do everything you can to prevent the spread.
That includes washing and disinfecting your bed things — pillows, blankets, sheets — to get rid of those pesky sick germs.
Cleaning your blankets and sheets is easy, but how the heck do you even go about cleaning a pillow without ruining it?
It’s possible, and we’re going to tell you how!
How To Wash And Disinfect Your Pillows
First of all, you want to check the label on your pillow to make sure it is okay to wash and dry.
Some pillows can’t take super high heat or bleach. You want to take that into consideration when cleaning and sanitizing your pillows.
Next, you need to gather a few items. You probably already have these items in your cleaning arsenal at home.
Vinegar
Baking Soda
Bleach
Regular Laundry Detergent
Optional: Natural Dryer Balls
1) Now, you want to pre-disinfect your pillows before you go throwing them into the washing machine.
Lightly spritz each pillow (both sides) with a mist of vinegar. You don’t need to soak the pillow in the vinegar.
2) Give a little sprinkle baking soda to each pillow (both sides). This will not only help clean it, but will take the vinegar smell out of the pillow.
3) Take the pillows, and place them outside in the sun. Don’t lay them directly on the ground, as this will obviously make the pillows dirty.
Let them sit in the sun for about 2 hours, and then flip the pillows. Let the other side of the pillows soak up those rays for another 2 hours.
4) Now, you want to put your pillows, preferably 2 at a time (to balance the washer) into the washing machine.
You don’t want to wash them with other clothes. Just the pillows.
Use regular detergent, and — if the tags on your pillows say it’s okay — throw a capful of bleach into the water.
Wash the pillows in the hottest water the tag permits, and spin them twice if your machine does that. You want as little water as possible in the pillows when you toss them into the dryer.
5) Dry them on hot — depending on your pillow. The heat is what really kills those germs.
6) You can throw Natural Dryer Balls into the dryer while drying the pillows. This will really help fluff them up.
That ’90s Show had the potential to ruin both in my mind.
BUT, it’s so good!!
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Did you catch all the Easter Eggs from That ’70s Show in the first season of That ’90s Show?
That ’70s Show Easter Eggs Found in That ’90s Show
That Basement
Okay. Was anyone else oddly comforted that Red and Kitty’s basement looked just about exactly the same as in That ’70s Show?!? It made our transition to meeting a new group of kids just a little bit easier.
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Candy Land
The game that was almost an obsession in the ’70s was the weed stash of choice for our favorite ’70s gang. It’s also where the ’90s kids find the old weed that was left by their parents, when Kitty unknowingly gives the kids the box.
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The Packers Helmet
It was the helmet of shame for Kelso back in the ’70s. He wore it whenever he did something stupid, and had to be punished by the group. The helmet can still be seen in Red and Kitty’s basement in the ’90s.
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Glass Grapes
These grapes, which I’m pretty positive everyone owned in the ’70s, moved from the Foreman front room to the basement in the 2 decades since the ’70s. You can see them on the table during the basement shots.
Perhaps my favorite Easter Egg in the show is the Vista Cruiser. Of course, it was Eric’s car in the ’70s. It was also the spot for the many heart-to-heart talks had by Eric and Donna. This same Vista Cruiser still holds its place in the Foreman driveway during the ’90s.
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“Tell Me Something Good”
Bow-chicka-wow-wow. This song became a running theme in the ’70s whenever Red and Kitty were going to have — shall we say — relations. Eric even caught his parents doing it to the song at one point. It is apparently still their song, because it plays when Red and Kitty head upstairs in the ’90s.
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The Foreman Family Photos
It simply wouldn’t be the Foreman house without family photos. Check out the living room, and look closely for the family photos. You just may see a few pictures you know and love from the OG That ’70s Show.
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The Kitchen Owls
During the ’70s, the Foreman kitchen was decorated in owl wallpaper. Even though they have updated the space to include fruit, you can see the old owl wallpaper in the front room by the photos. You have to look closely, but it’s there.
Of course, they brought back the circle sequence. You remember it from the 70s whenever they would sit in a circle and smoke. We first see it when the “upstairs people” are enjoying a game of cards. Then, the ’90s kids inherit the sequence when they smoke in the basement.
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Bob’s Jewelry
Bob wouldn’t be Bob without his signature chunky gold jewelry. While he’s jumped into a whole new aesthetic — a behind-the-times Miami Vice look — he still sports that gold jewelry.
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The Water Tower
Just like in the ’70s, the ’90s kids like going to the water tower. I mean, I kinda wish I were there with them. The signature graffiti can still be seen on the water tower — it’s like an old friend.
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“Horny” Pastor Dave
In the ’70s, he had a very inappropriate obsession with the eldest Foreman sibling, Laurie. In the ’90s, Kitty finds him in the Adult Video section of the local video store doing “very unholy” things.
Tommy Chong was a total staple of Point Place in the ’70s. He is back in the ’90s, living down the street from the Foremans and holding the video “Clerks.”
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The Landlord
The recurring nemesis to Fez, and the landlord of the house next to the Foremans, is back in the ’90s. Fenton shows up in the finale, and the standoff with Fez continues.
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Fez Tootsie Rolls
He loved them in the ’70s, and he still loves them 2 decades later. He even offers them for free at his salon. Fez can even be seen unwrapping a Tootsie Roll in his commercial. Is he obsessed with the sticky chocolate candy rolls? Maybe.
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The Fantasy Sequence
The occasional fantasy sequence was known to pop up in the minds of the characters in the ’70s. It is no different in the ’90s. In Lelia’s Beverly Hills 90210 fantasy daydream, Brian Austin Green shows up in all his ’90s heart-throb glory.
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Red’s Flannels
They were a staple of Red in the ’70s. And, in typical ’90s grunge fashion, all the kids were wearing these recycled gems. They can also be seen on Gwen’s face during the 2nd episode, and in Nate’s car.
Our favorite Kelso saying from the ’70s has made its way into the ’90s. Leave it to Kelso and Jackie’s son, Jay, to utter the term in the last episode of the season.
Pretty much everything in the house has Kitty’s fingerprints on it. From the furniture, to the decorations, to the pictures, and even the blanket in the basement. Kitty has kept pretty much the same house, and we love her for it.
Throw pillows are something you need in every household, whether you’re dressing up your new apartment or adding more decor to your aesthetic, decorative pillows are an item you can’t skip out on.
And thanks to Etsy shop owner @KnotAnotherHippie, this creator had the genius idea to stitch together throw pillows that look like exactly like a common household snack and everybody wants one!
Dinosaur pillows that look exactly like the Dino Chicken Nuggets that you can toss in the oven from Tyson, these throw pillows are meant to be snuggled with rather than eaten!
Inspired by the famous chicken nugget snack, you can choose between a T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Pterodactyl, or a Brachiosaurus to cuddle up with on the couch.
Aside from algorithms, looks like, your chance to go viral on TikTok lies in the hands of their very own employees…
TikTok has now confirmed that employees have the ability to manually push out your videos to ensure they go viral.
This secret button is known as “Heating”.
According to internal documents obtained by Forbes, “heating” is described as:
“The heating feature refers to boosting videos into the For You feed through operation intervention to achieve a certain number of video views,” an internal TikTok document titled MINT Heating Playbook explains.
“The total video views of heated videos accounts for a large portion of the daily total video views, around 1-2%, which can have a significant impact on overall core metrics.”
So, basically, if an employee seems to like you or your content, they can make your videos go viral.
Crazy, right?
While this seems cool on some levels rather than just relying on some AI algorithm to pick up your videos, some creators are worried it causes bias and favoritism.
“I think it’s so interesting how it’s always the same types of people who blow up. Blonde, white, super thin… ya know. I don’t know, sounds like some people are a little biased.”
While we all wish it weren’t true, I could see the issue here…
Besides, sources told Forbes that:
TikTok has often used “heating” to court influencers and brands, enticing them into partnerships by inflating their videos’ view count. This suggests that heating has potentially benefitted some influencers and brands — those with whom TikTok has sought business relationships — at the expense of others with whom it has not.
There’s also word that some employees were caught using this feature to push out their spouses videos when that was apparently against company policy… So, yes, it looks as-if, there is abuse to this “heating” feature.
And if you’re wondering if TikTok has directly replied to any of this, they have.
“We promote some videos to help diversify the content experience and introduce celebrities and emerging creators to the TikTok community. Only a few people, based in the U.S., have the ability to approve content for promotion in the U.S., and that content makes up approximately .002% of videos in For You feeds.”
So, what do you think? Is this “heating” button a good or bad thing?
Baileys isn’t afraid of deep diving into exotic flavors we know this, considering their previous flavors of Red Velvet, Strawberries & Cream, and even Apple Pie.
Courtesy of Top Shelf Wine & Spirits
So with that being said, can you imagine tasting a liqueur that looks and tastes like three scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream?
Well consider that dream, finally a reality.
Courtesy of Top Shelf Wine & Spirits
Thanks to Baileys, you can now add a bottle of Vanilla Mint Shake Liqueur to your bar cart that’ll add a pretty mint green color that will stand out at home.
Featuring vanilla, mint, and notes of chocolate all combined in one liqueur bottle, the drink might just remind you of the classic mint chocolate chip ice cream flavor you had as a kid.
And let’s not forget that this liqueur can be featured in a mixed drink and cheered with friends or even poured over ice cream for an adult dairy treat at midnight.
You can find Baileys’ new Vanilla Mint Shake liqueur nationwide.
Y’all if you’re wanting a fun way to save some money (even if it’s your spare change) look no further!
These electronic coin money banks are the hottest new way to save money and I can totally see why!!
These adorable little banks look like a bank vault and allow you to save your dollars and coins electronically.
These mini vault money holders went viral on TikTok and after watching a live video of a lady that was having people guess the code for a chance to win money inside one, I can see why! I was mesmerized.
