Exclusive Stories!
Celebrate National Girlfriends Day With These Memes
Today is National Girlfriends Day, a day for celebrating those amazing female friendships that hold your life together. As much as you love your partner, there are certain things you need your girlfriends for. Whether your having your monthly struggles (if you know what I mean), needing someone to vent to, or talk about problems with your partner. We all need that friend who understands and loves us, even if we eat a whole pack of Oreos in one sitting. So celebrate your friendships old and new.
What better way to celebrate than to send your friends some memes.
The Squad
How you and your squad will be rocking it 50 years from now. You know who those friends are.
Mrs. DiCaprio
What friends send each other at 2 am. Thought this was a great idea but who knows?
Being A Good Friend
Is it annoying? Yes but you do it because you love them. And you hope they’ll do it for you too.
Pizza Please
Food is the way to my heart and the way to my friendship. So, let’s get some pizza ok?
Looking At Babies
Who doesn’t love LOVE cute baby photos? Especially when they’re wearing glasses and wigs.
Real Talk
When you’ve had your children names picked out since you were 14. I know I have a few picks.
Appreciate Your Friends
Sending a meme is a fun way to show appreciation for your friends this National Girlfriends Day. But make sure to tell your besties just how much you value them for listening to all your problems over coffee or staying on the phone with you on those difficult nights. And be sure to look out for them by checking the criminal records of their partners. In a world that can be tough and cruel, we need women to support each other in life, work, and friendships.
You May Also Like: Make New Friends Without Leaving Home
5 Shows Like Game of Thrones
Let’s be honest, its been a rough summer without Game of Thrones. Even though Netflix (Orange Is The New Black) and Amazon (The Handmaid's Tale) have been releasing shows left and right, nothing can replace Jon Snow. Don't lose hope just yet, there are other handsome male leads out there. These honorable mentions will fill your void of politics, drama, violence and sexual intrigue. If you're looking to see plenty of backstabbing with some incredible acting, these 5 shows have got you covered (to get you through the long winter).
1. Reign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7e0IlLucs
My personal favorite has to be Reign, think of it as the PG-13 version of Game of Thrones. Reign is a historical drama of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542), which may sound boring but trust me, it is not. While mostly historically accurate, it does have some added storylines featuring love triangles and drama. The series shows her rise to power and all the men and enemies that complicate that. Especially Queen Elizabeth the daughter of Henry VIII. Just like Game of Thrones, all the characters have motives to gain power and will do anything to get it. The show also has some magic and prophecies, but I won’t spoil that for you.
Watch On: Netflix
2. Vikings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWBDosdLhoY
If you’ve ever had an interest in Vikings or Norse Mythology, than this is the show for you. Set at the beginning of the Viking Era (793), when Vikings loved exploring new civilizations and finding adventures. In the series, we follow farmer Ragnar Lothbrok and his journey to becoming king of Denmark. Ragnar along with his brother Rollo and wife Lagertha head west, crossing the ocean to discover new lands. Between the drama, war scenes, and incredible acting, you will be hooked. The only thing missing are the dragons, then you basically have Game of Thrones.
Watch On: Amazon Prime, Hulu
3. Outlander
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAS01FFj1fQ
Unlike the other shows, Outlander's storyline centers around a woman. Specifically, World War II British Army nurse, Claire Randall. Who becomes mysteriously swept back in time to Scotland in 1740 by time travel. If you love shows based on romance and heartache, then watch Outlander, based on Diana Gabaldon's book series. Like many great love stories, Claire's heart is torn between two very different men, who she is equally in love with, in different time periods. Besides the steamy romance, she is believed to be an English spy by the Scottish people. So this isn't your average tale of romance.
Watch On: Amazon Prime
4. Black Sails
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvxpv_fycl8
Love pirates? Well, this isn't Disney's Pirates of The Carribean, but it's really good. Set as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island, Black Sails takes you on a journey through what it was like to be a pirate. Taking place in the Golden Age of Piracy in the late 1600s/early 1700s, Captain Flint is one of the most feared pirates (Besides Jack Sparrow). This series is the equivalent of Game of Thrones on sea instead of land. On an island overrun with thieves and pirates, what can go wrong? I can't imagine the criminal records on these guys.
Watch On: Amazon Prime
5. The Tudors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXNf9dxnQrM
The Tudors tells the story of the infamous Henry VIII’s reign and many marriages (6 marriages to be clear). Ruling over England in the 1500s, a time of beheadings and other medieval acts. The importance of court and political power take center stage in this show, just like on Game of Thrones. And the characters, including King Henry, will do anything to get it. Even killing their wives for political gain. While not entirely accurate, this series is incredibly interesting to watch. Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of scheming Anne Boleyn may be the best acting in the show. The actress also stars as Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones.
Watch On: Netflix
You May Also Like: OITNB Releases Season 6
Adulthood Is For Grown-Ups
I was married once before—to a girl I met in college. In fact, I married her during college. We divorced a few years later. I don’t like to talk too much about it. It’s way in the past. But it’s the reason for this article. Marrying young was, for me, a big mistake. Being in a committed relationship takes work. Real work. It takes a lot of maturity, selflessness, and trust—something we both lacked.
The early 20s are all about transitioning from teenager to young adulthood. It’s a period of incredible selfishness—and there’s nothing wrong with that. Really. It’s part of life. Part of growing up. The thing is that 20-somethings don’t know they’re still growing up. They think that because they’re no longer kids and don’t live under their parents’ roofs, they’re now adults. But they’re not. Neither was I.
Not Yet An "Adult"
The cold, hard truth is that you are definitely not an “adult” in your 20s—no matter how much you think you are. Not yet. Trust me on this. I’ve lived long enough to learn this and so have the people around me who I know, love, and talk to about the subject. It’s one of the things we all agree on. Marriage. Living together. Home owning. Raising children (properly). Relationships really are a roller coaster. Even remaining faithful. They are all really, really difficult. No one is ready for that type of commitment and stress in their 20s.
I found out the hard way how not ready we were for marriage. I wasn’t prepared for the...intensity of it, back then. The 24/7 of it. Neither was she. We didn’t know how to deal with our emotions or the stress of paying bills or having to be at each other’s disposal. We didn't know to run a background check before getting an apartment. And we weren't selfless enough to benefit each other and be mature. Eventually, I found out my wife cheated on me. Needless to say, that was the end of us. Thankfully we ended our marriage before we had any kids—so no collateral damage.
In A Better Place
Nowadays, I’m in a much happier place. I've married again (to an incredible woman) and I have two amazing children. Who I did a criminal records check on to be safe. I’d like to think it’s my reward for those bad years, but really it’s because I grew up and did everything as right as possible. I know I’m a better father than I would have been because I didn’t rush into every grown-up pursuit I thought needed to be accomplished. And I know that I’m a much better husband because I allowed myself to mature naturally in adulthood before trying to do these grown-up things again.
You May Also Like: How Do You Define Cheating?
OITNB Releases Season 6 *Spoilers*
Your favorite inmates are back! Orange Is The New Black returns for its 6th season today on Netflix. And it has been renewed for Season 7 (yay). Netflix purposely released the new season today so that fans can spend their whole weekend binge-watching the show. I don’t know if they can top the last season, but I sure hope they do. Like the other seasons, there are 13 episodes which means many hours of streaming ahead.
Netflix Describes The New Season:
"Picking up one week after the emergency response team stormed Litchfield Penitentiary, the ladies of Litch have been torn apart, literally and figuratively, as they enter a new facility in the sixth season of Orange Is The New Black. Now newbies they must navigate new rules and power dynamics, starting at the bottom, and getting hazed by inmates and tortured by guards. Friendships will be tested and new allegiances formed -- some by choice and others by circumstance -- as the women face a slew of charges from the riot. Will they take plea deals and turn on each other or band together and keep their bonds intact?"
Season 5 was the three-day riot and now Season 6 shows the consequences of it.
Season 6 Synopsis
From looking at the trailers and spoilers, Season 6 will include a lot of changes and of course, drama. Litchfield's inmates will be separated and moved to different prisons (this worries me) in the wake of the riot. But how can we be surprised after the destruction they caused. With this change, a lot of characters won’t be seen or will have short appearances. Big Boo and Skinhead Helen will only have short cameos at a prison in Cleveland, Ohio. So fans of Big Boo will not be happy this season. Uzo Aduba’s character Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” seems to have a strong presence in the season. Considering Aduba has won Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress on OITNB, I am happy about this.
Characters Who Won’t Appear This Season:
- Maritza Ramos
- Janae Watson
- Alison Abdullah
- Maureen Kukudio
- Brook Soso
- Mei Chang
- Norma Romano
- Angie Rice
- Leanne Taylor
Season 5 Recap
The death of Poussey Washington in Season 4 rocked the world of Orange Is The New Black fans. This was one of the most unexpected exits of a character on the show so far. Considering her character was such a fan favorite, it’s no surprise that this lead to the massive prison riot among the inmates. Lasting about three days and killing some prison guards, this riot was disastrous. After Officer Piscatella’s death, there will definitely be consequences and background checks being done.
The season finale left the audience with a cliffhanger, as this show loves to do. The final scene showed the main characters, Piper, Alex, and Nicky hiding in Frieda's bunker just as it was being broken into by CERT officers. The other inmates were being loaded onto buses, a crazy way to end the episode. With so many fans invested in the characters, emotions will be running high as their characters face new destinies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtW-WNfM3r8
I sense a binge-watching marathon coming!
For more entertainment related posts check out The Grapevine Gossip.
Trending Story
How Do You Define Cheating?
Have you heard the phrase, “cheating means different things to different people?" Well, that is actually true. If you ask a group of people how they define cheating, you’ll get different responses. After reading Women’s Health, I too was thinking about what behaviors cross the line. My definition is doing something you wouldn’t want your partner to be doing. From texting an ex to flirting with a bartender, what counts as cheating? First, let's discuss the gray area where cheating tends to start.
“All cheating is not created equal” - Women's Health Magazine
The Gray Area
In relationships, there is always a gray area. Maybe it’s things you and your partner have never discussed before like harmless flirting with a bartender. But is that really ok? I don't know, you'll have to ask your partner. What really matters is the intent behind the flirting or texting. Harmless flirting can turn into something more devious, which falls into unknown territory.
Physical Cheating
We all know what physical cheating is. Touching, kissing, sex, and whatever comes into your mind. Physical infidelity can happen to anyone, even those who are married or in serious relationships. What is actually surprising is how people react to the infidelity. Match revealed that men and women are both bothered by physical infidelity (which isn't surprising) but it impacts women more. Guys feel emasculated when thinking about their partner cheating while women are concerned that their partner will fall in love with another.
Emotional Cheating
Emotional cheating can be even more damaging than physical infidelity. Are you imagining a life with another? Do you wish you were with them instead of your partner? Questions like that are what leads to emotional infidelity. While you aren’t being physically involved with another, your mind is elsewhere. If you don't think your partner can tell when you've emotionally checked out of the relationship, think again. From being distant to lacking interest in your significant other's day, the signs are there.
Text Message Cheating
Any form of cheating is deceptive, but especially when you’re secretly texting an ex or someone you just met. Sometimes it's okay to stay in touch with an ex, but usually, it's a red flag. Be honest with your partner about who you're texting. Remember, there are always ways to catch a cheater with today's technology. Innocent texting can lead to developing emotions for another. And before you know it, you're committing infidelity.
Cheating is cheating, whether it's physical, emotional, or through text messaging. Usually, your gut instinct will inform you if your partner is having an affair. And with celebrity cheating scandals happening all the time, cheating is becoming the new norm. If Beyonce was cheated on, then it seems like it could happen to anyone (my world would end if this really did happen). Let us know in the comments how you define cheating.
You May Also Like: Why Sexual Compatibility Matters In A Relationship
