In a year that somehow managed to fly by and drag on eternally (scientist, please prove that time did not move more slowly during all the Brexit chat), we had plenty of time for some strange and wonderful beauty trends.
To be clear, when we say beauty trends we do not mean things that everyone started doing to look more beautiful.
Instead we’re talking about the weird stuff beauty influencer types did to their faces or hair and then shared on Instagram for us all the marvel at.
Some of these trends are actually quite nice, and we’d consider trying them ourselves.
Others are nails that look like teeth.
Here’s our recap of the most weird and wonderful beauty trends of the past year.
Speaking of dental beauty, remember the rainbow teeth trend?
Shockingly, sticking polish on our pearly whites didn’t quite take off. Some Instagram types tried out sparkling gold accent teeth, but painting their teeth green didn’t seem as appealing.
Maybe 2019 will be the year colourful teeth go big.
If one thing is clear, it’s that we as a society love sparkly things.
Just look at our obsession with glitter and gemstones.
It’s no surprise that diamantes would make their way into our hair this year, but what’s lovely is the method in which they’ve been applied.
The crystal parting trend encourages you to cover your parting with an accent of gems. It’s really pretty, and requires much less clean-up than trying to apply a line of glitter to your head.
Here’s another reason to get up from that rubbish office chair and have a wander.
According to new research, sitting for more than eight hours a day could increase your chances of developing prostate cancer by a fifth.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked at cancer rates among 38,000 adults over a 16 year period, and found that those who reported sitting for long periods each day were 20% more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who spend more of the day on their feet.
Dr Vegar Rangul also found a link between sitting down for hours and lung and colorectal cancer, but he saw the biggest increase in prostate cancer risk.
He suggests that moderate physical activity every day could reduce men’s likelihood of developing prostate cancer.
‘The main findings were that prolonged sitting time is independently associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer while moderate to high leisure-time physical activity may reduce the risk of specific cancer types, particularly colorectal and lung cancer,’ says Dr Rangul.
‘In the present study, only prostate cancer risk was independently increased associated with sitting more than eight hours per day.
‘Further, we noted that moderate physical activity significantly decreased the risk – the findings emphasising the importance of reducing sitting time and increasing physical activity.’
Of course, more research is needed to clarify a direct cause and effect link between sitting for longer periods of time and increased chances of prostate cancer.
The increase could also be down to the type of work the men studied were doing – perhaps those who were sitting for longer periods of time were in more stressful careers – or other health factors, such as their diet and lifestyle choices.
But what we can take from this study is yet another nudge to spend less time sitting at our desks and on our sofas, and more time getting out and about.
Tips to reduce the damage of sitting at your desk:
Break up long periods of sitting with one or two minutes of physical activity every half an hour, such as walking, doing star jumps, or stretching
Exercise for between half an hour and an hour each day to offset the negative effects of sitting down at work
Stand on public transport rather than grabbing a seat
Get a standing desk or make do by popping your laptop on some boxes so you can stand and type
Take the stairs instead of the lift
Walk up escalators
Walk around when you’re on the phone
Every time you go for tea or coffee, do a lap around the office
Walk over to talk to a coworker instead of sending them a Slack message
Do gentle exercise while watching TV
That’s scary stuff, considering a survey from AXA PPP last year found that the average UK worker spends nine hours a day sitting down.
‘The exact nature and mechanism of the association between prolonged sitting and prostate cancer warrants further investigation,’ explains Dr Rangul.
‘Our results reaffirm physical activity as a key component of population-wide cancer prevention, and we need to consider recommendations about decreasing time spent sitting.’
European oncologist Dr Jiri Kubes, a specialist in treating prostate cancer at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague, Czech Republic, said: ‘Maintaining an active lifestyle and healthy diet are really important for overall health. Studies have shown how these can reduce the overall risk of cancer, too.
‘No-one really knows precisely what causes prostate cancer and what can make some men more susceptible than others.
‘But spending less time at your desk, and more time moving around, should clearly be encouraged. Employers should also start to think more about how to get their staff moving, or to invest in so-called ‘standing desks’.
‘Any man over the age of 45 who is concerned about prostate cancer, or anyone with a family history of the disease, should speak to their GP.
‘If caught early enough the survival rates for prostate cancer are good.’
Signs of prostate cancer:
Needing to urinate more frequently, often during the night
Tesco, Michael Aukett Architects, Orpington, Uk, 2009, Street Level Elevation At Dusk
New Year’s Eve is coming up and that means there will be plenty of party food, drink and accessories to stock up on.
Whether you are hosting, heading round to a party or going out on the town, you will probably have to nip down to the shops for supplies to see in 2019.
This year, New Year’s Eve falls on a Monday and 1 January 2019 comes round on a Tuesday, so most people will have New Year’s Day off work due to that being the bank holiday.
However, some supermarkets will be open, so here are the opening times you need to know.
Tesco
(Picture: Getty)
Tesco stores will generally be operating Sunday opening times on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (although most Metros will be closed on New Year’s Day).
Many stores are also likely to open slightly later on New Year’s Day but it is worth checking with your local store as they do vary based on size and location.
For the most accurate opening times for your local Tesco it is recommended that you use Tesco’s store locator and have a look at their Christmas page for all related information.
Asda
(Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
Many Asda stores will open at their normal time but then close early at 7pm ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Asda stores will be opening later on New Year’s Day at 10am and then many will close at 5pm.
To get the most accurate opening hours for you local store you should use the Asda store locator which has the latest information on their Christmas opening times.
Morrisons
(Picture: Getty)
On New Year’s Eve most stores will be opening at 6am but they will then close early ahead of the celebrations at 4pm, so make sure to shop early if you need some supplies for the evening.
Most Morrisons stores will then open later on New Year’s Day at 9am and then close at 6pm.
These times could vary depending on your local store, so you are advised to check when your shop will be open on the Morrisons store finder.
It’s possible that you’re only now getting out of your Bailey’s and chocolate fuelled Christmas coma.
As much as it’s a thankless task, it’s now time to get rid of all the tat that’s been littering the house ever since you unwrapped your pressies on the big day.
Mounds of wrapping paper and stacks of cards are part and parcel when it comes to the festive season, but waste needs not be.
You can recycle or reuse instead.
(Picture: Getty)
Wrapping paper
According to Recycle Now, the test of whether your wrapping paper can be recycled is all in the scrunch. If you can scrunch up the paper, you can pop it in with the recycling.
Some additives to wrapping paper – such as glitter and foil – makes it un-recyclable, so if you’ve made that mistake this year, try something more eco-friendly next time around.
Do check with your local council before sorting your recycling just in case, as although most will allow it in your paper recycling bin, some will ask that wrapping paper is taken to a centre. Also make sure to get rid of any ribbons or sellotape.
Even if the paper you have this year can’t be recycled in the traditional way, you could re-use it if it’s in good condition. It could still wrap future gifts, or be used in any art and craft projects.
Christmas cards
Cards can – by and large – be recycled along with the rest of your cardboard.
Like wrapping paper, however, you want to make sure there is no glitter or ribbon on them. Simply rip these accoutrements off and pop in your bin or drop off at the recycling centre.
Ensure any batteries are removed from musical cards, too.
Scratch that – they rule the world. We are just their faithful servants, providing them with toys to destroy and treats to devour.
All cats are wonderful, but there are certain cats who completely captured our hearts in 2018, whether because of their love for humans, their work to help other living beings, or simply providing great entertainment.
Let’s look back on the best part of 2018: the cats. Here are our favourites from the last twelve months, in no order (they’re all equally glorious).
Mitzi before her weight loss (Picture: Woodside Animal Sanctuary/ SWNS)
Mitzi first came into our lives back in 2017, when she arrived at Woodside Animal Welfare Trust in Devon weighing 1st 3lbs, making her one of the fattest cats in Britain.
She found a home last year, but was returned to the shelter in 2018 after her owner passed away.
This year she embarked on a journey of wellbeing and managed to safely lose five and a half pounds. She’s still overweight for a cat, but is making brilliant progress.
We understand why Saul was a bit pissed off after being hit by a car, but did he have to give staff at RSPCA’s London hospital evils when they tried to sort out his injuries?
Bruno’s picture was shared more than 28,000 times thanks to his excellent bio. You should read it.
‘I am a 7 year-old polydactyl cat who is 25 pounds,’ said Wright Way Rescue’s Facebook post.
‘There’s a lot of me to love! I am perfectly healthy other than being overweight. I am on a diet, though. I am walking, playing, and doing tricks like this to lose some weight.
‘When I am in a normal home, most of my day is spent laying around, but never far from my family. I usually prefer to lay on the floor or right next to you, but occasionally I like to be a lap-cat.
‘I also really like playing with my feather wand toy. Not so much my other toys or scratchers, though. I do like to sleep with my foster parents, but at the end of the bed so you still have room.
‘I like when you scratch the sides of my face and neck. I like to be pet on the top of my head and spine only. I know my tummy is so tempting to touch, but I would prefer if you didn’t. I may swat my hand and pretend to bite if you do.
(Picture: Facebook/Wright Way Rescue)
‘I like to talk to you….a LOT. Be prepared for a chatty kitty!
‘I have a couple quirky traits too….For one, I like to stand on my hind legs! This usually happens when I want food. No, my foster parents did not teach me this. They are not sure how I learned.
‘Second, I love to be pet while I eat. It took my foster mom a little time to realize what I was meowing about, since she had just put food in my bowl. Soon she found out it’s because I want pets while I eats!
‘I will still eat if you don’t pet me, but I will meow more and stare at you for a while…
‘I also drink a lot of water. I never drink the water in the kitchen where my food is. I only drink the water that was put in a completely different room. If you have a larger house, perhaps put multiple bowls of water around for me and be sure to give me fresh water at least once day? Yes, I know I am EXTRA.
‘Overall, I am a pretty laid back, lazy cat who just wants to be in the presence of my owners. I hear I make them laugh and smile every single day, so I hope I can do the same for you!’
After being adopted from a shelter, little kitten Donut was recruited by the Troy Police Department, who hired her as the force’s first official pawfficer.
She spends her days bringing attention to community issues such as drink driving, as well as visiting schools and supporting the town’s cheerleading squad.
It’s hoped that next she’ll train as a therapy cat.
Hoonie’s story isn’t a happy one. After his owner died, Hoonie was distraught and lonely, and had to be taken to a shelter.
Thankfully he had his favourite stuffed animal, a grey and white cat. Following the loss of his owner, Hoonie became more attached to his toy, and now refuses to go anywhere without it by his side.
Toby shattered our hearts into a million pieces this year when he walked twelve miles to return to the family who abandoned him, only for them to reject him again.
The family asked for Toby to be put down, but thankfully the people at the SPCA of West County weren’t ready to give up on the cat just yet.
They found him new owners who treat him with the love and affection he always deserved.
The weather is going to be pleasant for New Year’s Eve fireworks (Picture: Getty Images)
New Year is upon us, and it’s worth getting planning now to stave off the blues after Christmas.
If you want to do something wholesome, fireworks are your best bet, and the capital always has a great display.
The official display begins at 8pm on New Year’s Eve, and finishes at 12.45am on New Year’s Day.
Although there are ways to watch it for free (which we’ll tell you in a minute) to get the best view, you will need a ticket.
Unfortunately, these have now sold out, so unless you and your mates have them already, you won’t be able to get in to the viewing areas.
This encompasses Embankment, Waterloo, Westminster, and that general region.
Given the size and scale of the fireworks, however, you could still catch a glimpse from further out.
Generally speaking, any big park will give you a great view but here are some prime locations if you missed out on a ticket:
Greenwich Park
Hampstead Heath
Primrose Hill
Vauxhall Bridge, Cannon Street, or Lambeth Bridge (all of which, sit outside of the ticketed boundaries)
To get to and from these locations, TFL is offering free public transport throughout much of London between 11.45pm and 4.30am on January 1st.
You can also watch live on BBC One.
Another alternative is to book a ticket for a nearby party, which will get you close to the fireworks without being in one of the designated zones.
Thames boat parties are a popular choice for this time of year but a little pricey, also on the more expensive end of the scale are locations like the shard which will offer a great view… at a cost.
If it comes down to it, there’s nothing wrong with a rowdy bar or pub to bring in the New Year. If you can handle being out in the smoking area, you might catch a glimpse of the famous fireworks display after all.
If you’re like us, and like to use the new year as a reason to give your home a proper clean, you might want to move cleaning your oven to the top of your to-do list.
Turns out cleaning your oven isn’t just for overzealous mums and Kim and Aggie – left dirty, your oven could pose some serious health risks.
If your oven is coated with grease and grime, it can interfere with the natural travel of hot air around the interior, meaning that food may not be cooked as it should be.
Think about it: A filthy oven is not a healthy oven, and it’s tough for your oven to do its job as normal if it’s coated in grease and dirt.
If your oven isn’t working properly, you may not be properly cooking your food, even if you’re sticking to temperature guidelines and cooking times.
And, as you well know, eating undercooked food can put you at risk of food poisoning and infections such as e. coli.
Ralitsa Prodanova, of UK household sanitation firm Fantastic Services, says: ‘Grease and grime will alter the efficiency of an oven.
‘And when there’s too much grime, your food will not cook properly in the allotted time.
‘That puts you and your loved ones at risk of potentially-deadly bacteria, like salmonella and E.coli, particularly if you’re reheating festive leftovers.
‘It can turn a family dinner into a nightmare.’
Ralitsa adds that small amounts of grease can lead to smoke in your oven, which can affect the taste of your food.
‘If your oven’s slightly smokey when you turn it on, that’s a sign it’s dirty,’ she notes.
‘The smoke itself can be bad for you if breathed in – and clearly extremely dirty ovens are also a fire hazard because old food spillages can set it alight.
‘Continuous burning of oven dirt and grime also creates carbon-based fumes which alter the flavour of baked food.
(Picture: Getty)
‘Any food or grease that has been burnt on the inside of the oven continuers to burn whenever it’s switched on.’
Dirty cookers could also release pollutants into the home, throwing carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide into the air you breathe. That’s not good.
The British Lung Foundation warns that dirty cookers can release two kinds of pollutants in the home; microscopic particles of dust and dirt, and gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.
That all sounds pretty scary. So what can you do, beyond adopting a raw diet?
It’s simple: Give your oven a proper clean. You don’t need to pay for a cleaner or buy anything fancy, just standard kitchen cleaning products will do the trick.
‘All you need is some baking soda, vinegar, water, rubber gloves, spray bottle and cloths,’ advises Ralitsa.
‘To get started remove oven racks. These racks can be washed in the sink using regular soap and water. They come up cleaner if left to soak for some time.
‘Make a paste with soda and water, mix it together until it becomes spreadable. You’re going to coat the whole oven with this so ensure you make plenty.
‘Spread the paste all throughout the interior of the oven but steer clear of the heating elements. Give the greasy spots a good going over.
‘You will see it start to turn brown as it comes into contact with the grease, this means the paste is lifting the dirt.
‘The next step is a waiting game. Let the paste stay on overnight, giving it 12 hours at least to work its magic.
‘The following day wipe off the paste using a damp cloth. For any stubborn areas you can use a spatula to loosen the grime. Don’t use a solid utensil like a knife, this will scratch your oven.
‘Next put some white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the oven interior. The vinegar will cause any lingering baking soda to loosen and foam up. Use a clean wipe to give the oven a once over. Put the racks back in and let the oven dry.
‘You can speed up oven drying time by turning it on to a low setting for a few minutes.’
If you can’t be bothered with mixing your own products and giving your oven a proper scrub, you’ll find plenty of cleaning products specifically designed for cleaning caked on grime in your local supermarket. Easy.
Once you’ve done one big clean, you can keep your oven in good condition by giving it a wipe down after each use, thus swiping away any grime and preventing it from building up.
It’s an extra step in the existing faff of cooking and cleaning, but if you’re bothered about your health or the time you need to keep cookies in the oven, it’s worth doing.
Christmas may already be a dim memory, with the January blues looming over our sense of wellbeing like an unsteady wardrobe, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost.
It’s just that time of year when thoughts turn to the next briefly snatched respite from the drudge of work and winter.
Thankfully then, easyJet have launched their mammoth winter sale, with 20% off over 20,000 flights and 400,000 holidays from now until July 2019.
You’ll have to mobilise that credit card fairly soon, as the offers expire on 10 January, though you can get browsing here and now.
You’d also do well to remember that it’s limited availability, so it’s best to get on it now, before all that’s left is a smattering of flights to Inverness.
The generous window of travel is a blessing for those relying on the school holidays, or limited annual leave – with packages and flights suited to every budget.
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a quick weekend citybreak, or something more bespoke and ‘luxury’ focused: there’s plenty for everyone, no matter how laid back or demanding.
Handily, holiday prices include flights and accommodation and are based on two sharing unless otherwise stated but exclude transfers and baggage.
Garry Wilson CEO of easyJet holidays said: ‘easyJet Holidays prides itself on offering value for money holidays all year round, but during our annual Christmas sale we are offering some additional discounts to customers booking over the next few weeks.
‘We know our customers want both the frequency and flexibility offered by easyJet’s extensive network alongside good quality accommodation, which is why we have included a number of our four and five star hotels in our sale’.
Too many plans, too much pressure and the nagging feeling that whatever you do choose could have been easily improved by simply staying in.
But still, there are still plenty of exciting events for any reveler willing to scratch under the surface and see in 2019 with something a bit more adventurous than the local boozer.
If you’re based south of the water, try the New Year’s Eve Gala Ball at the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley.
It’s one for 1950s enthusiasts, families and twenty-somethings alike – with the grand old ballroom opened out to contain two bars and the strain of party classics, as well as an emphasis on sparkled outfits. Tickets will set you back £25, though it’s half that for children. It’s doubtful there’s a better choice, when it comes to pure aesthetics.
(Picture: Alex Hickson)
And as dancing until the small hours isn’t everyone’s idea of unbridled joy, there’s also a few exciting foody options that won’t necessitate a super surge fare Uber home.
Dishoom’s Bombay Vintage Glam is one of the best of a vibrant bunch, which is set to run across their restaurants throughout the city.
They’re offering a range of unique dishes (think jackfruit biryani and paneer bemisal), as well as the chance to win free booze, with proceedings set to kick off around 6:30. You can scope out more details here.
(Picture: Dishoom)
Sure, the very mention of a ‘pop-up’ might trigger a Pavlovian flash-back to literally every weekend event you attended in 2018 – but give us a chance.
After all, it’s not every day that London’s ‘wildest ceilidh band’ unleash their full repertoire in south west London. Fiddle Paradiddle will be hitting Balham with a mixture of incredibly sweaty dancing, locally sourced booze and a sonic backdrop they’re terming ‘nu-folk’.
Tickets can be snaffled up here, for between £45-50 per head.
There’s even a circus in Shepherd’s Bush- though not your bog standard Zippo variety. Twisted Circus offers a fairly exhausting sounding array of DJs, daredevils and pulse raising hi-jinks, as well as the possibility of booze and garish confectionery. You can snaffle tickets this way if you’re so inclined.
Now, that’s by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s enough to get you started. And maybe even enough to get you out of the house, come the 31st.
It’s a classic situation – you run out of bread/milk/wine/stock cubes on New Year’s Day, and have a big tantrum because nothing is open.
When it comes to supermarket shopping, though, failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Lidl, are some of the supermarkets growing in popularity at the moment, either because of low prices or different offerings to others.
If they’re your faves, check out when they’ll be open over the party season.
Sainsbury’s
(Picture: Getty)
Most Sainsbury’s stores will then open at 7am on New Year’s Eve but then close at 9pm or 10pm.
On New Year’s Day many of the shops will open slightly later at 9am until 9pm and then normal opening hours will resume the following day on Wednesday 2 January.
These are only guidelines, so it is advised to check using the Sainsburys Store Locator to find out the exact opening for your local shop.
Lidl
(Picture: Getty)
On New Year’s Eve Lidl stores will open at 8am and close at 6pm and the shops will then close for New Year’s Day, except for stores within the M25 as they will be open from 10am to 6pm.
They will then return to their normal opening hours from Wednesday 2 January.
Aldi
(Picture: Getty)
On New Year’s Eve Aldi stores will open at 8am but then close early at 6pm and then all stores will be closed on New Year’s Day.
Sure, you might get some glimmers of joy and lust. Perhaps you met someone who strikes the perfect balance between actually responding to your messages and not seeming too keen. Maybe you had some excellent sex with someone who was perfectly fine with never talking again.
But the bad bits of dating are just so, so bad.
They’re upsetting, heartbreaking, and all too often very boring.
What’s handy is that the past few years have seen people coming up with catchy terms for the sh*t bits of dating, so we at least have a shorthand to describe people’s terrible romantic behaviour.
Like 2017, 2018 has been packed to the brim with terrible dating trends. Here’s a recap so you can read up and go into the New Year with all the depressing dating lingo you need.
Mosting is the act of coming on really strong before ghosting (disappearing without a trace).
A moster will talk about the future, call you the person of their dreams, and make a load of romantic gestures, only to ditch the relationship entirely.
It’s annoying because you weren’t even that into them to begin with, but their disappearing act still stings. Also, it’s such a waste of time and effort. Agh.
Shadowing is when someone poses with a hot friend who takes up the majority of their profile photos on a dating app. So essentially, these people are their hot friend’s shadow, and know full well that you’ll be lured into conversation because you falsely believe they’re the hot one in the picture.
It’s not full-on catfishing, but it’s still manipulative and a massive waste of time.
Check someone has at least one solo pic before you swipe right.
This dating trend is bad because it’s a miserable truth for many of us.
Obligaswiping describes the act of endlessly swiping on dating apps with no real intention of meeting it up. It’s not for fun, but because you want to feel like you’re doing something.
Orbiting is a weird inbetween stop on the path to ghosting.
You’re no longer chatting or dating, but they look at your Instagram stories and like your tweets, as if they want to remind you that they still exist.
Annoyingly, it’s not enough interaction for you to call them out, but it’s visible enough to keep them in your general radar… or orbit.
R-bombing is when someone reads messages you’ve sent, but deliberately ignores them, so all you see is ‘read’ or those evil blue ticks on Whatsapp.
Taking time to respond is fine (aren’t we all trying to be less dependent on our phones?), but consistently failing to reply to messages, while letting the person know full well you’ve read them, is just rude.
Fishing refers to sending out a generic message to a bunch of people to see who’d be interested in hooking up, waiting to see who bites, and then taking their pick.
You may never be aware that you’re being fished, unless you regularly get invited to hang out, only to respond and get nothing back.
Mountaineering describes the act of reaching for people way out of your league.
This isn’t particularly awful, but if you’re mountaineering it’s worth considering whether you really like your potential date, or if you’re just interested in the confidence boost that comes with dating someone defined as hot.
Cloutlighting is the combo of gaslighting and chasing social media clout.
Someone will bait the person they’re dating on camera with the intention of getting them upset or angry, or making them look stupid, then share the video for everyone to laugh at.
Be warned, clearing season happens in January. It’s when we’re so miserable thanks to Christmas being over, the cold weather, and general seasonal dreariness, that we will hook up with anyone just so we don’t feel completely unattractive.
You might bang an ex, or give that creepy guy who you don’t really fancy a chance, or put up with truly awful sex just so you can feel human touch.
It’s a tough time. Stay strong.
16. Hatfishing
When a guy wears a hat in all of his pics to trick you into believing he’s hotter than he is.
His hat may hide a receding hairline or a weirdly shaped skull.
There’s nothing wrong with losing hair, but making concerted attempts to hide what you actually look like isn’t okay. Be upfront so people can know they’re actually attracted to you before committing to a date.
Shaveducking is a nasty consequence of the rise of facial hair.
Is that guy actually hot, or is his beard covering up a weak chin?
Shaveducking describes the lingering unease that emerges when you realise that you’re not quite sure if you’re attracted to a man, or just his facial hair. Shaveducking, because you’d do anything to dodge that guy getting a shave and trimming off your affections in the process.
The horrible bit comes when the man actually does shave and you realise you are completely repulsed by his bare face.
Whether you’re near or far from your loved ones this New Year, it’s always nice to let people know you’re thinking of them.
Some people might go the Scottish way and offer a ‘first foot’, while others might just try an old-fashioned New Year’s Eve kiss.
If you’re not going to have the option of either of these as 2018 comes to as close, why not send them a sweet message?
Check these ones out – they’ve got to be better than a sloppy peck on the cheek.
Quotes
Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one. – Brad Paisley
There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind – CS Lewis
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. – Albert Einstein
He who breaks a resolution is a weakling; He who makes one is a fool. – F.M. Knowles
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. – Walt Disney
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. – Oprah Winfrey
(Picture: Getty)
‘No one can go back and back a brand new start. But anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.’ – Carl Bard
You’ll never get bored when you try something new. There’s really no limit to what you can do. – Dr Seuss
New Year’s most glorious light is sweet hope! – Mehmet Murat ildan
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day – Edith Lovejoy Pierce
‘In the New Year, never forget to thank to your past years because they enabled you to reach today! Without the stairs of the past, you cannot arrive at the future!’ – Mehmet Murat ildan
‘I resolve to write a new chapter of my life every new day in the New Year.’ – Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind
Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day. – Michael Josephson
Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. – Helen Keller
(Picture: Getty)
Messages and wishes
New year, new feels, new chances. Same dreams, fresh starts.
We are all stories in the end – let’s make ours a good one
365 new days. 365 new chances
You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream
This is your year to sparkle
Believe you can and you’re halfway there
This is the beginning of anything you want.
It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings
This is your year to sparkle. Happy new year!
Page 1 of 365. Happy new year!
The best is yet to come. Happy new year!
This is the beginning of anything you want. Happy new year!
At the beginning of 2013, I had a massive lump on my neck.
Well, if I’m honest, I’d actually had a massive lump on my neck for most of 2012 too, I’d just pretended that I didn’t.
‘This is fine! My neck is meant to look like this!’, I would cheerfully exclaim to my friends.
Eventually I accepted that I wasn’t a doctor, and should probably double-check that my neck wasn’t going to explode. After multiple biopsies and scans, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
I furiously googled ‘what is a thyroid?’ and found many things – including the fact that thyroid cancer is ‘one of the best cancers to have’, as if someone had compiled Top Trumps: Cancer Edition.
To be honest, they weren’t wrong. My treatment was swift and, thanks to the incredible team at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, stress-free.
It felt almost like I was cheating at cancer; I was never in any pain, and my somewhat naïve optimism protected me from worrying about what would happen if the treatment didn’t work.
My parents must have been petrified but I never saw their fear, I only felt their love and support. And so many friends got in touch – sending texts, emails or chocolates – that I never felt alone. I was in safe hands.
As I started to get better, something happened to my mum. She was more tired than usual. She was having trouble breathing. Her joints hurt.
Even now I’m baffled by our totally different experiences of the same disease.
She was, I have since realised, in extraordinary pain for days, weeks or months, but had never complained because she was looking after me.
We soon found out that she had lung and bone cancer, and that it was terminal.
The doctors suggested she may have a year left. She died just two weeks later, on the same day I had a scan that tentatively showed I was about to get the all-clear.
Even now I’m baffled by our totally different experiences of the same disease. Sometimes I forget I actually had cancer, because it was just a footnote in a bigger chapter of my life – the death of my mum.
As anyone who’s lost a loved one will know, grief is a painful process.
It’s punctuated by tears (when we had to sort through mum’s clothes) and laughter (remembering when she made me an advent calendar with hazelnut sweets, inexplicably forgetting my severe nut allergy).
Dad and I are terrible at keeping in touch with family and it would have been easy to retreat into our sadness, but my aunts developed tracking skills to rival Bear Grylls that brought us closer together than ever before.
And while at first I found it difficult to talk about mum, they shared stories that reminded me to celebrate how wonderful, loving, and silly she was.
Slowly we adapted to this new normal, a life without mum. Then my dad got ill too.
Positive: it wasn’t cancer this time. Negative: genuinely saying ‘at least it’s not cancer!’ is a positive.
‘I worried about looking after dad, I worried about how dialysis would impact his life.’ (Photo: Bex Lindsay)
His kidneys stopped working, and he was placed on dialysis.
I worried about looking after dad, I worried about how this would impact his life, I worried about whether our family had some kind of ancient curse I didn’t know about.
Then I figured – the last few years had been tough, but we’d made it. And I knew we could do it again.
I needn’t have worried, really. Because if I ever panic, I just look around.
And I see all of those amazing people who’ve been with us every step of the way – the friends who sent gifts when I was in hospital, the neighbours who invited us for Christmas after mum died, and the aunts who relentlessly stalked me via social media (you know who you are).
They’ve all stepped up again. My dad will soon be on the transplant waiting list, and when it happens I know we have dozens of people to help us cope.
The last bit of advice Mum gave me was to keep smiling, and at the time – sat in a cancer ward – it felt pretty impossible.
But now, knowing that I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by such a kind and supportive community, it’s actually pretty easy advice to follow.
Snuggling on bae’s butt might be one of life’s simple pleasures but you can’t exactly do it every night.
If you’re someone who enjoys resting your head on your partner’s bum then you might want to invest in a pillow that’s shaped like an arse.
That’s right, one company is selling what they’re calling the Buttress Pillow so you can simulate the experience of getting comfortable on someone’s booty.
The U.S start-up began a Kickstarter campaign to build the cushion last year and is now selling it online for those who would rather be sleeping on a butt.
Why not sleep on a thicc butt? (Picture: The Buttress Pillow/Facebook)
‘Since the beginning of time man has desired the butt. So round, so soft, so bootylicious,’ it says on the website.
‘The ancient human mission has always been to claim that booty. However, this mission takes time, well-tailoured texts, and Netflix, and so the eternal struggle goes on…until today.
‘Introducing the Buttress Pillow. Scientists have created a butt without the extra expensive maintenance, the incomprehensible mood changes, or the gas.
‘Soft, comfortable, all natural, it has surpassed 90% of all human butts in both shape and function. On this historical day, we mark the dawn of a new age, a time when everyone can feel the peace and happiness of butts – butts for all. Claim your booty.’
And you can claim that booty for a hefty sum of $69.00 (£54) (down from $89).
(Picture: The Buttress Pillow/Facebook)
But you get what you pay for as the product claims to be 100% biodegradable, environmentally friendly and ethically made. Plus it comes in three different colours.
If that’s not enough to make you add to cart, the product description also states it is ‘the “sweet spot” between the thighs and cheeks (which) will gently cradle your head and support the neck. Great for side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers.’
Two years ago, Katie Musgrave made a pledge to go a whole year without buying anything new for her and her children.
And she has succeeded – for the second year in a row.
Katie, 34, made the pledge on December 1, 2016, after becoming sick of the amount of barely-used equipment, clothing and toys that were being stored in her home.
She banned herself from purchasing anything new for herself or her three kids Eliza, five, and Ariadne, three, and Daniel, 11 months – apart from food, nappies and essentials.
In 2017, Katie managed to survive the whole year by buying every item ‘preloved’ except for buying her daughters a pair of shoes in summer.
Caption: Large dolls house – £10 from eBay (Picture:Tom Wren/SWNS) Source: SWNS
This year, she has managed to go the whole year without buying anything – except for a school uniform for her daughter, Ariadne when she started school.
The mum has even had a frugal festive period, and has gifted family and friends with home made food hampers.
Although she admits she did splurge on one item – a pair of socks for her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Musgrave, 56, which cost £6.
Katie, a GP registrar from Loddiswell, Devon, said: ‘We’ve had another year of not buying anything new for the children.
‘This Christmas we’ve been making presents which we will give to family members and friends.
Interactive walker – £5 from eBay (Picture:Tom Wren/SWNS)
‘The children have been making gifts and things for their bedrooms, things don’t have to cost a lot to have meaning.
‘For Christmas I bought both daughters a puzzle, and one of them got a microscope and the other has a spirograph.
‘They’ve also got clothes and shoes, all preloved. My newborn has got a push walker – a little dog with a jumper on.’
Katie, who has this year had her third child with GP husband Chris, 37, managed the whole year with only one blip.
She bought a new school uniform for her youngest daughter, who started education this year.
Wooden kitchen sink – £25 from eBay (Picture:Tom Wren/SWNS)
She continued: ‘We’ve mostly stuck to nothing new, my daughter started school so we had to buy a uniform.
‘I’d say we’ve spent maybe £50 in the whole year, I’m sure I have saved at least £1000 over the course of the year.
‘We’ve still bought food and everyday essentials, but we use charity shops mostly.
‘It’s a habit that we’ve gotten into, you can find pretty much anything in charity shops or on eBay, you don’t need to buy things new.
This year Katie has bought
– a little dolls house for her daughter’s birthday
– Victorian sleigh twin beds for my daughters
– vintage chairs for the lounge
– a set of plates and bowls for the kitchen
– coats for all three children
– kitchen chairs
– paint
– fabric for curtains
– clothes including a skirt, two pairs of jeans, four jumpers, and a leather jacket
– a Christmas jumper
– some pottery pieces by local artist Tony Bristow
– a rug
– bedding
– tea towels
-cushions
– a second-hand oven from eBay (nearly new and saved £400 from new cost)
– bedroom storage boxes for the girls’ room
– a wardrobe
‘The children are always excited when I come home, I bought my daughter a jumper with alpacas on it and she loves it.
‘It doesn’t have to cost much for it to matter to them.’
Katie said that with just a little effort they were able to live a life better than when they were more frivolously spending money.
Rocking horse – £7.50 from a charity shop (Picture:Tom Wren/SWNS)
Katie changed her lifestyle and became compelled to act after she was shocked at how expensive it was raising small children.
She realised that her children were getting through clothes at a lightning pace, and that her garage and attic were quickly filling with discarded items that had barely being worn.
But then it dawned on Katie that other mothers were likely experiencing the same thing, and that there must be a treasure-trove of barely-worn children’s clothes out there.
Katie Musgrave with her children Daniel, one, Eliza (left), five and Ariadne, three and a selection of second hand toys (Picture:Tom Wren/SWNS)
Katie launched her web project called One Baby Owner as a place for parents to sell nearly-new items that their young ones have outgrown.
But now Katie has had to put the website on hold as she focuses on raising her own three children.
She said: ‘I’ve had to put that aside for now, I’m too busy raising my children. I hope to pick it up again sometime soon.’
Do you love giraffes? Or perhaps you love all animals? If so then you’ll want to put your neck out to save some of the majestic creatures becoming endangered.
You’ll be sad to know that giraffes have now been added to the endangered species list after declining at an alarming rate.
Two specifies of the tall mammals are now said to be critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
That means we have to do something to save them now.
(Picture: 2010 Getty Images)
The numbers of giraffes have gone down by 40% in the past 31 years as a result of their habitats being taken up by humans.
Giraffe habitats have been taken up by human development which uses large spaces for agriculture, mining, and construction.
Poaching has also had an effect on the number of mammals as they are used for meat and a report in 2010 from the Rothschild’s Giraffe Project said that ‘freshly severed heads and giraffe bones’ can bring in up to $140 (£110) each.
Two out of the nine giraffe species are dwindling while some are growing at a stable rate.
(Picture:: iStockphoto)
They are disappearing specifically from the wild in Eritrea, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Malawi, Mauritania, and Senegal.
‘Some giraffe populations are stable or increasing, while others are declining, and each population is subject to pressure by threats specific to their local country or region,’ said the ICUN’s Red List report.
‘The populations of giraffes are scattered and fragmented with different growth trajectories and threats, but the species trend reveals an overall large decline in numbers across their range in Africa.’
The ICUN’s Red List states the population of animals of a scale from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’ and then ‘critically endangered’.
Once it goes past critically endangered, it will pass to ‘extinct in the wild’ before becoming totally ‘extinct’.
(Picture: Istockphoto/SASIMOTO)
If you want to help save the numbers of giraffes, there are things you can do.
You can adopt a giraffe to save them, paying as little as £3 a month. A symbolic adoption can mean monthly donations go to protecting their habitat and ensuring they are free to roam and procreate.
Supporting giraffe conservation groups is another way to make sure their needs are being met.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, for example, is an NGO that re-introduces the species to reserves that giraffes have not been able to roam in for 50 years due to illegal hunting, habitat loss, and climate change.
You can stay informed on other animals too that are in danger of extinction and speak up for wildlife, sending a message to government leaders.
A man who thought he had a hangover after last New Year’s Eve but discovered it was heart failure will celebrate December 31 with a brand new one – after a transplant.
Ian Wilson, 21, spent the festive season at home in Glasgow after nearly a year of medical treatment down south.
Fiancee Lyn McQuade, 21, had to make a 300-mile round trip every weekend so they could see each other.
The couple went to primary school together and started dating aged 17 – but at the start of this year Ian struggled to recover from their NYE celebrations and dismissed it as being under the weather.
Doctors quickly assessed that the symptoms were more than January blues, and that he was suffering heart failure.
Ian was rushed into Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, that day, where he was treated for a month before being transferred to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and faced an agonising wait on the ‘urgent’ heart transplant list.
Lyn McQuade,21, graduating from her nursing degree, with fiance Ian Wilson,21, who had a life-saving heart transplant (Picture: Ian Wilson /SWNS.COM)
By the summer, he was so ill that the couple began to fear the longed-for transplant would never happen – and two false starts raised and dashed their hopes.
After seeing other transplant patients lose their lives while on the waiting list, Ian began to wonder if he would ever see outside of the hospital again.
He even considered whether he would discharge himself so he could spend Christmas at home – as he knew other people had done.
And in June he popped the question to Lyn, who immediately said yes.
Now back at home in Glasgow since being discharged on 8 November, Ian is looking forward to celebrating a day he feared he might never see.
Ian said: ‘I thought I was going to be in hospital for Christmas.
‘My medication stopped working for a while and my heart started to fail.
Ian Wilson,21, who had a life-saving heart transplant, in hospital in Newcastle (Picture: Ian Wilson /SWNS.COM)
‘We were told that there might not be anything they could do.
‘They were looking at bringing a heart from Europe but it’s a big risk.’
Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Ian underwent three major operations as a child – and recalls being one of ten children on a ward in 1998 who survived, following surgery.
Only one person older than Ian has the rare condition in the UK.
In the summer, Ian was told that two hearts had been found – but began to lose hope when he later learnt that they would not be a good enough match.
Ian said: ‘Sometimes you think “why am I spending the time here when it could all be for nothing?”
‘It just got to that point where I was thinking “why am I spending my time away from the people I love, when it could be my last hours?”
‘If I hadn’t had the transplant I might have made that decision, especially coming up to Christmas.’
Trainee nurse Lyn added: ‘We’ve spent every Christmas together in previous years.
‘This would have been the first Christmas Ian would have missed, and there was a point where they didn’t have much that they could do.’
The couple got engaged in June, and plan to marry next year – when Ian will also return to his studies.
Lyn McQuade, 21, and fiance Ian Wilson,21, who had a life-saving heart transplant (Picture: Ian Wilson/SWNS.COM)
He said: ‘I’ve got a lot more energy than I used to.
‘I’ve not had this much energy since I was about six or eight.’
Lyn, who graduated from her nursing degree in December, said: ‘Ever since Ian has come home it has been celebration after celebration.
‘It’s good to be able to salvage this year – we’re looking forward to a new start in 2019.’
Ian plans to write to the family of the heart donor, who was a man aged between 20 and 30, to say thank you for the priceless gift.
Both he and Lyn believe the UK should adopt the French system of all citizens being automatic organ donors, unless they join a ‘refusal register’.
Ian said: ‘They want the best possible match.
‘Before that, they had only done the operation on two people in hospital with that condition.
‘One had survived, and one had passed away.
‘The surgeons said it was a coin flip whether I got through this or not.
‘It is very rare that anyone with this condition makes it through to the transplant stage.’
There’s no shortage of bad takes on social media. If you peruse on Twitter for a mere few minutes, you’re bound to find something to get under your skin.
Though it’s basically impossible to convince a stranger on the internet with a bad opinion why they’re wrong, sometimes it’s just easier to mock them.
That’s what happened to one Twitter user who said women should keep periods – a natural monthly occurrence that occupies large parts of their lived experience – to themselves.
And naturally, women responded by being beautifully honest about their periods.
It’s so disgusting the way some girls complain about period pain on social media. Yes we know that you guys go through a lot during period but is it that too difficult to keep it yourselves or what?
The man wrote: ‘It’s so disgusting the way some girls complain about period pain on social media. Yes, we know that you guys go through a lot during period but is it that too difficult to keep it yourselves or what?’
And he still stands by his words. He told Metro.co.uk: ‘I’ll still stick to my words that it’s totally not right for a lady to complain about her period experience on social media.’
One woman replied to him with pure sass and humour, saying: ‘My last period I had the biggest blood clot ever. It was thick enough to spread around a slice of bread. Remind me next time to send you a period sandwich.’
While another wrote: ‘My last period was a bit hectic, I sneezed and gave birth to a jellyfish.’
‘Don’t get me started on the horniness that one has during the period, you just want to smash constantly!’ informed another woman.’Then diarrhoea, then constant nausea and you’re happy and sad you can’t even drink alcohol because you just don’t want to be in public just in case the flow decides to overflow.’
‘Yesterday my flow was so heavy I got blood on my damn foot. Very pleased you’ve pinned this tweet so I can easily update you on future horrors,’ mocked another.
But while some people explained in great detail what they go through during their periods, others highlighted just how serious and debilitating menstruation can be.
‘I once had a period that lasted six months of heavy flow non-stop, made me so sick that I couldn’t walk, and required surgery to stop. So, talking about menstruation is really important.’ advised one woman.
While another woman explained what happens: ‘Yes, our inner organs linings are literally falling out because contractions that have been proven to be as painful as heart attacks, every 28 days or more and yet you are the one annoyed about it.’
The original poster has yet to reply to any of the near 2,000 comments about periods but doesn’t seem to be too phased by the comments, having pinned it to his Twitter profile.
All that eating and drinking throughout the Christmas period is enough to make anyone go sober for a long, long time.
Okay, maybe not a long time but a month at least. Good thing then that Dry January is only around the corner.
Those giving up the booze will be happy to know then that the effects on your body during the period of sobriety last for months afterward, according to a study.
That means you have official bragging rights over your mates who can’t go without drinking.
(Picture: Getty)
Research by the University of Sussex showed that taking part in Dry January sees people regaining control of their drinking, have more energy, better skin and lose weight.
Doing it for a month might also curb your drinking habits for the rest of the year as the study showed Dry Jan participants also reported drinking less months later.
Previous research (and probably from anecdotal evidence) has shown that abstaining from alcohol has health benefits such as sleeping better, losing weight, having more energy but they’re usually thought to be short-term effects.
Dr. Richard de Visser who carried out the research on 800 people who did Dry January in 2018 found that their drinking days went down from 4.3 to 3.3 per week, the units they consumed a day dropped from 8.6 to 7.1 and the frequency of being drunk went from 3.4 times per month to 2.1.
‘The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week,’ said Dr de Visser.
But even if you don’t manage to do the whole month, you can still see its benefits for a while after.
‘Interestingly, these changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn’t manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month – although they are a bit smaller,’ added Dr de Visser.
‘This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January.’
Other effects of Dry January
The University of Sussex research showed that:
93% of participants had a sense of achievement;
88% saved money;
82% think more deeply about their relationship with drink;
80% feel more in control of their drinking;
76% learned more about when and why they drink;
71% realised they don’t need a drink to enjoy themselves;
Her house was filled with a chlorine gas cloud that led to her whole street being evacuated.
Although each drain cleaner can be made up slightly differently, when Sodium Hypochlorite, the main component in most household bleach, is mixed with acid, which is common in many toilet bowl cleaners, it creates the gas.
And it’s not the only dangerous combination hiding under your sink.
(Picture: Getty)
Mixing bleach with anything other than water, really is a bad idea.
Warnings on the back of the bottle state ‘Do not mix with other products’.
When it is mixed with products containing ammonia, including window cleaners, floor polishing waxes, furniture polish, multi-surface cleaners, glass cleaners and oven cleansers, it can produce Chloramine Vapour, which can cause coughing, nausea, shortness of breath, chest pain, pneumonia and irritation to the throat, nose and eyes.
Mixing bleach with rubbing alcohol could also cause a few problems as the two chemicals react together to produce toxic chloroform gas as well as hydrochloric acid.
Too much chloroform can cause you to pass out or even kill you while the acid can give you a chemical burn.
And even things like vinegar and bleach can be dangerous.
(Picture: Getty)
You might be tempted to try the old vinegar and bicarbonate of soda trick to clean a sink but don’t add bleach if that doesn’t work.
The acidic vinegar can react to produce chlorine gas, like in Dominque’s case.
It can attack the skin and respiratory systems and irritate your eyes. It can even be deadly if it is in a high concentration and you don’t get enough fresh air.
If you want to use another cleaning product, make sure it had drained away and flush it thoroughly with water.
Vinegar is also dangerous if it’s mixed with peroxide as it produces peracetic acid, which is corrosive.
And be careful, even mixing drain cleaner with another drain cleaner can be harmful. As mentioned before, these products can be made up differently and can react together.
So whatever you are cleaning, make sure you read and follow the instructions carefully.
And if you do think you have created a dangerous chemical reaction, get medical attention immediately.
