Headlines, Helpers & Happy Things
We’re serious newsies, checking our inbox, Twitter feed and favorite sources for the latest headlines. But there are moments when we need a serious infusion of good news. Where has it all gone? We went on a search to find some and thought we’d share. Pass it on. 
How Do You Define Yourself? Called the ‘world’s ugliest woman’ by online bullies, Lizzie Velasquez turned an incurable syndrome, physical challenges and often cruel commentary from others into a legacy of hope and inspiration. Her Ted Talk has been viewed by more than eight million people and her challenge to create your own criteria for defining yourself and what makes you valuable and happy made us stop in our tracks. In March of 2015, ‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story’ debuted at SXSW and is coming soon to theaters around the country. 
The LifeStraw. How are we just finding out about this 2005 Time Magazine Invention of the Year winner? The LifeStraw is ‘the most advanced, compact, ultralight personal water filter.’ In other words, if you’re a camper, hunter, hiker, overseas traveler or closet survivalist, this is for you. You can safely drink from streams, even puddles! The filter uses no chemicals, no batteries and has no moving part, plus it filters 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria. The best part? A portion of domestic sales support the LifeStraw disaster aid program to Africa, Pakistan, Haiti and South America. Words to Live By: 5 Timeless Commencement Addresses. Compliments of Brain Pickings weekly Interestingness digest comes this compilation of 5 timeless commencement addresses that somehow manage to transcend cliché and stick with us in the very best ways. 
Snackeez Believers. OK, we’ll admit it. We were doubters when our kids first saw these on TV and started asking for one of their own. But then they started showing up at birthday parties, in stroller cup holders, at the park and on the sidelines. So we gave one a try and truth be told, these things are a little slice of happy. We love them in the car, at the beach or pool and because they nip the she-got-more argument in the bud. We say stock up! Something Good. We’re going to kick it old school for a second here, but stick with us. Because this clip of a Rodgers and Hammerstein number from The Sound of Music is definitely something good. Good news is everywhere and it often disguises itself in unlikely ways. Look beyond appearances and first impressions and find things that make the world a better place. Or just a little bit happier.
How Do You Define Yourself? Called the ‘world’s ugliest woman’ by online bullies, Lizzie Velasquez turned an incurable syndrome, physical challenges and often cruel commentary from others into a legacy of hope and inspiration. Her Ted Talk has been viewed by more than eight million people and her challenge to create your own criteria for defining yourself and what makes you valuable and happy made us stop in our tracks. In March of 2015, ‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story’ debuted at SXSW and is coming soon to theaters around the country. The LifeStraw. How are we just finding out about this 2005 Time Magazine Invention of the Year winner? The LifeStraw is ‘the most advanced, compact, ultralight personal water filter.’ In other words, if you’re a camper, hunter, hiker, overseas traveler or closet survivalist, this is for you. You can safely drink from streams, even puddles! The filter uses no chemicals, no batteries and has no moving part, plus it filters 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria. The best part? A portion of domestic sales support the LifeStraw disaster aid program to Africa, Pakistan, Haiti and South America. Words to Live By: 5 Timeless Commencement Addresses. Compliments of Brain Pickings weekly Interestingness digest comes this compilation of 5 timeless commencement addresses that somehow manage to transcend cliché and stick with us in the very best ways. Snackeez Believers. OK, we’ll admit it. We were doubters when our kids first saw these on TV and started asking for one of their own. But then they started showing up at birthday parties, in stroller cup holders, at the park and on the sidelines. So we gave one a try and truth be told, these things are a little slice of happy. We love them in the car, at the beach or pool and because they nip the she-got-more argument in the bud. We say stock up! Something Good. We’re going to kick it old school for a second here, but stick with us. Because this clip of a Rodgers and Hammerstein number from The Sound of Music is definitely something good. Good news is everywhere and it often disguises itself in unlikely ways. Look beyond appearances and first impressions and find things that make the world a better place. Or just a little bit happier.
