In Manicure News: Tropical Fruit… Nails

This summer, your nails might be looking… snackable?

A new trend is sweeping nail salons (and search queries): fruit-inspired nail colors. From cherry red to kiwi green, these juicy shades are turning fingertips into miniature fruit bowls. It’s fun, it’s fresh… and according to a new Google Trends map, every state has a fruity favorite.

Topping the list is cherry red, the go-to color in nearly half the country. It’s bold, and clearly the queen of the nail polish aisle.

A slightly softer watermelon shade takes over much of the South, while the pinker strawberry is the top pick in Ohio and Georgia.

Peach rules in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana, and Massachusetts.

In sunnier palettes, pineapple yellow stands out in New York, Florida, Louisiana, and Wyoming. A lighter lemon tone leads in Michigan, Colorado, Tennessee, Hawaii, and Delaware.

Heading north, greens take over. Dark lime is hot in Maine, Minnesota, and North Carolina, while a more mellow kiwi tone is popular in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and North Dakota.

And then there’s Nebraska, the one and only state to go blue with its top pick: blueberry.

The fruit-nail craze fits right in with other seasonal beauty trends, including sheer jelly finishes, “fruit water” manicures, and translucent colors that give off the look of hard candy or stained glass. The overall vibe? Playful, low-key nostalgic, and good enough to eat (though please don’t).

It’s Official: Coffee Isn’t Optional

If you can’t think straight before your first cup of coffee, you’re not alone. And now a report has confirmed it: coffee isn’t optional.

Coffee is the #1 beverage Americans “can’t live without.”

In its first-ever State of Beverages report, Keurig Dr Pepper (yes, the company behind your morning and afternoon caffeine fixes) surveyed Americans to find out which drinks they love the most, and which ones they need the most.

Unsurprisingly, coffee reigns supreme when it comes to daily survival. It topped the list of the drinks people “can’t live without.”

Coffee is our “happy place.”

According to the report, 62% of Americans agree with the statement, “My day doesn’t start until I’ve had a cup of coffee,” and 69% call their morning coffee their “happy place.”

In other words, coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s therapy in a mug.

Coffee isn’t our “favorite” drink though.

Plot twist! While coffee might power our mornings (and sometimes our afternoons), it’s not actually our favorite beverage when it comes to taste.

That title goes to soda! (If you’re from the Midwest, that’s “pop.” If you’re from the South, we mean “Coke,” but not the brand.)

53% of Americans say carbonated soft drinks are their favorite beverage based solely on taste. So while coffee is the MVP of mornings, soda takes the crown when it comes to pure enjoyment.

The data also reflects how different drinks serve different purposes in our lives. Coffee is how we survive Monday mornings, back-to-back meetings, and groggy commutes. Soda is for backyard barbecues, movie nights, and let’s be real, any meal that just tastes better with some carbonation.

Coffee vs. Breakfast vs. Booze

The report has plenty of other fun stats too. We poured through it so you didn’t have to. Here are the highlights…

59% would rather skip breakfast than skip their morning cup of joe, while 41% would rather chow down and drink something else.
73% of people 21+ would rather quit drinking alcohol than quit drinking coffee.
Late night coffee? Los Angeles does it the most. Dallas, Atlanta, and Boston don’t want it to keep them up at night.
65% customize their beverage in some way. 52% add sugar or sweeteners, 51% add creamer or milk, and 44% add flavor syrups (especially when ordering at chains like Starbucks).
58% find soda the most “refreshing” beverage out there.
74% of Gen Z’ers use social media to learn about new beverage trends.
56% of Americans say they’ve cut back on alcohol for “wellness or lifestyle” reasons, and 58% now prefer non-alcoholic drinks when hanging out with friends.

@blahgergirl
#coffee #coffeelovers #workdays #everyday #ineedcoffee #funny #funnyvideos Original Video Credit: @tiffanyrudy
♬ original sound – Blahgergirl

America’s Favorite Fast-Food Fries? Not McDonald’s

If you had to pick one fast food fry to eat for the rest of your life, who would you ride or die for? McDonald’s? Chick-fil-A? Dairy Queen? (Sorry… “Dairy Queen” was a joke, obviously.)

Well, brace yourself: A new study just dropped the fry equivalent of a mic… and these results feel like a joke.

A restaurant supply company analyzed over 40,000 Yelp reviews across 21 major fast food chains, looking specifically at what people were saying about the fries. And the winner is… In-N-Out.

Yep. We’re not saying it’s wrong, but we are saying that’s a bold choice.

Here’s the Top 10 Best Fast Food Fries, according to the Yelp hive mind:

In-N-Out
Shake Shack
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Bojangles
Chick-fil-A
Raising Cane’s
Zaxbys
Arby’s
Hardee’s
Checkers / Rally’s

Now for the real chaos: McDonald’s — yes, THE McDonald’s, purveyor of the fry so iconic it has its own scent — came in 20th out of 21. Second. To. Last.

Only KFC fared worse, possibly because nobody’s ever voluntarily ordered fries there on purpose.

Here are the Bottom 5:

KFC
McDonald’s
Burger King
Church’s Chicken
Popeyes

Notably missing from either list? Sonic. Wendy’s. Probably because their fries fall somewhere in the middle, in that mysterious category of “technically edible, but no one’s writing home about it.”

At the end of the day, fry rankings are subjective, emotional, and borderline religious. But this list proves one thing: Yelp reviews are apparently the new democracy. And in this one, even the mighty can fall.

Most People Only Get 20 Minutes a Day to Themselves

Remember “me time”? It’s that magical stretch of peace where no one’s asking you to find a missing sock, answer an email, or attend a Zoom meeting. For most Americans, that concept now lives in the same fantasy realm as flying cars and affordable rent.

A new report from Talker Research finds that the average American gets just 9.5 hours of alone time per month.

That’s about 20 minutes per day, or roughly enough time to scroll through your phone, realize you’re out of snacks, and question all your life choices.

What’s eating up all our time? The usual suspects: family obligations, work demands, financial stress, social responsibilities, and the ever-persistent feeling of guilt. Apparently, setting boundaries is hard when your to-do list includes making dinner, paying bills, and pretending you didn’t see that group text.

But here’s how badly people want a break. On average, Americans say they’d pay $2,521 for one completely uninterrupted day to themselves. Parents say they’d pay even more, $3,668. And let’s be honest, if you’ve ever hidden in the bathroom just to breathe, this sounds like a bargain.

Sleep is also a hot commodity. The average person would pay $340 for just one extra hour of shut-eye.

In total, 53% of people say they aren’t getting enough time to themselves. And nearly 38% admit they’ve lied to their partners, friends, or family just to get some space.

Classic excuses include “I’m not feeling well,” “I’ve got a lot of work,” “I have an appointment,” and the old reliable: “My phone’s about to die.”

So if someone tells you they’re taking a personal day, don’t judge… they’re probably just trying to reclaim their precious 20 minutes of peace.

These Everyday Pet Peeves Are Driving Us Nuts—Which Ones Are on Your List?

What’s something small that totally wrecks your mood? If you’ve ever snapped because someone chewed too loudly or your phone buzzed during a meeting, you’re not alone.

A poll commissioned by the brand CBDfx reveals even the tiniest disruptions can seriously stress us out.

You’ll probably encounter at least one of them today, and here’s the through line: if there’s one thing that consistently annoys the hell out of us, it’s… other people. (Yeah, I’m lookin’ at you! 🫵)

Here are the Top 10 minor annoyances that disproportionately get under our skin:

1. Running into someone you’d rather avoid. Whether it’s an ex, an enemy, or just someone you don’t exactly enjoy–it’s never fun when you have to go into “fake friend” mode.

2. A surprise knock at the door. In this day and age, they didn’t at least call first? Or better yet, text? (See #6 below)

3. People talking to you when you need some peace and quiet. Like when you’re in the middle of a work project, and your cubicle mate Todd chimes in with, “If a tomato is a fruit, does that mean ketchup counts as a smoothie??” (Sure, Todd. Now STFU!)

4. Slow or spotty Wi-Fi. In an age where everything’s online, even a 10-second Wi-Fi hiccup can feel like you’re being suffocated.

5. Loud chewing. I hate to keep picking on Todd, but…

6. Getting a phone call from someone out of the blue. It wasn’t that long ago when random phone calls were seen as a nice surprise. But now it’s like a personal affront. (And God help you if you FaceTime me out of nowhere.)

7. Heavy breathing. (See #5)

8. Alarms going off. It doesn’t matter what the alarm sound is, you’ll learn to hate it. It’s why you should never use a favorite song as your morning alarm sound–it’ll be your least favorite in under a week.

9. A flood of text notifications. If you add me to a group text with more than 5 people, we might not be friends anymore.

10. Phone dings during work meetings. Honestly, that one’s on me. I should have had it on vibrate.

Each thing on the list might be no big deal as a one-off, but they do add up fast–especially in a world that’s already overstimulated and constantly connected.

Whether it’s the awkwardness of a surprise visit or the rage-inducing crunch crunch crunch of nearby snacking, these everyday annoyances can trigger an outsized emotional response.

How to calm down after these little disruptions?

According to the same survey, the top method for de-stressing is simple: listening to some music. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by minor irritations, maybe it’s time to reach for your headphones.

The poll found other go-to options include deep breathing, or snuggling your pet. (Please, just don’t do those deep breathing exercises if I’m within earshot!)

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: June 8-14

It’s time for another nostalgic look back at the good, the bad, and the just plain weird. Here are 10 things that happened 10 years ago this week.

1. American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. He was the 12th horse to do it, and the first since 1978. It happened again three years later when Justify won the Triple Crown in 2018. No other horse has done it since.

@worldhorseracing
10 years ago, Triple Crown 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 was made… 🇺🇸👑 @thenyra #belmontstakes #americanpharoah #triplecrown
♬ original sound – WHR – WHR

2. The most popular wedding song was “All of Me” by John Legend. According to Spotify, the #1 first dance song was “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.

3. Pizza Hut announced their Hot Dog Bites Pizza was coming to the U.S. They’d already offered it in the U.K., Australia, Canada, and several countries in Asia. Unfortunately (or thankfully), it was only a limited-time thing. It came with a side of French’s mustard for dipping.

4. The Warriors and Cavs were in the NBA Finals. Golden State won it in six games even though the Cavs had LeBron James. It was the second time they had him – he’d just rejoined Cleveland after four seasons with the Miami Heat.

5. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were still together. They were spotted flying coach to France with their six kids. They announced their divorce about a year later in 2016, but it wasn’t finalized until 2024.

6. “Best,” was becoming the go-to word for ending an email. A report found “best” and “thanks” were the top two words people used. In the early 2000s, only around 5% were using the word “best.”

7. Kim Kardashian rented out the Staples Center. It was so her then hubby Kanye West could play basketball on his 38th birthday. Other players included Justin Bieber, Tyga, Pusha T, and Russell Westbrook.

8. Florence and the Machine scored their first #1 album. “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” shot to #1, beating Taylor Swift’s “1989” album at #2.

9. Raven-Symoné replaced Rosie O’Donnell on “The View.” She’d guest hosted dozens of times already, but only ended up being a full-time host for two seasons. The other hosts back then were Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie Perez, and Nicolle Wallace.

10. We found out the “Brady Bunch” kids were all hooking up behind the scenes. Susan Olsen (Cindy) told an Australian news outlet there were lots of make-out sessions on set. Cindy and Bobby, Jan and Peter, Marcia and Greg. (It’s fitting that Cindy was the one to spill the beans. She was always such a tattle-tale!!)

Ranking the Best Pixar Movies of All Time

The new Pixar movie “Elio” comes out on Friday, June 20th. So, it got us thinking. What’s the best Pixar movie ever made?

But making a list of your favorite Pixar movies is impossible. There’s no right or wrong answer.

Trying to measure Finding Nemo against The Incredibles or Up against Toy Story is like arguing whether a sunrise is better than a sunset. They’re beautiful for different reasons.

Maybe you connect with the emotions in Inside Out. Maybe Brave was the first time you saw a female lead who didn’t need romance to define her story. Or maybe Monsters, Inc. just makes you smile.

And think of all the amazing characters! Whether it’s a cowboy doll, a rat chef, or a sentient trash compactor, Pixar has created so many… how do you pick a favorite?

But we’re going to try anyway.

We asked two “Disney Adults”, one male and one female, to give us their rankings, and then we combined the two for our SUPER NERD RANKING.

And here’s a friendly reminder, it’s Pixar–– There is no right or wrong list.

Here are the BEST Pixar movies (and their individual ranking):

1. Toy Story (4, 2)

2. The Incredibles (3, 6)

3. Toy Story 2 (9, 1)

4. Finding Nemo (6, 5)

5. WALL-E (1, 12)

6. Monsters, Inc. (10, 4)

7. Up (5, 14)

8. Coco (18, 3)

9. Inside Out (2, 20)

10. A Bug’s Life (14, 9)

And here are the rest of the movies, in order:

11. Ratatouille

12. Toy Story 3

13. Cars

14. Inside Out 2

15. Incredibles 2

16. Toy Story 4

17. Brave

18. Soul

19. Finding Dory

20. Onward

21. Turning Red

22. The Good Dinosaur

23. Luca

24. Monsters University

25. Cars 2

26. Cars 3

27. Elemental

28. Lightyear (Sorry, Buzz!)

What did we get wrong? LET US KNOW.

Why You Shouldn’t Use the Bathroom “Just in Case”

You’ve done it. You’ve maybe even told your kids to do it before walking out the door. But according to health experts, the precautionary act of going to the bathroom “just in case” might be doing more harm than good.

The term for it is “proactive voiding.”

A recent article in The New York Times dove into the science behind a habit called proactive voiding—that is, going to the bathroom before you actually feel the need. While it may seem harmless, urologists say it could mess with your body’s natural signals if done too often.

Your bladder is a muscle. And just like any other muscle, it adapts to routines. If you consistently go before your bladder is full, it may start telling your brain you need to pee sooner than you really do. And over time, this can condition your body to feel like it’s constantly time for a bathroom break, even when your bladder is only half full or less.

How much pee can my bladder hold?

To put it in perspective, a healthy adult bladder typically holds about two to three cups of urine—closer to two for women and three for men. But even under normal conditioning, we feel the urge to go at just half that volume.

Add habitual “just in case” trips to the mix, and you might find yourself sprinting to the restroom way more often than necessary.

Another reason to not do it: incontinence

Sure, using the bathroom 20 times a day would be annoying in and of itself. But peeing when you don’t need to can also cause some real physical consequences. Namely, you might eventually not be able to hold it.

Trying to pee when there’s not much in there can cause straining, which may weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time. And that, ironically, can lead to even more urinary issues.

What if I’ve already trained by bladder to pee too often?

The good news is if you’ve developed a “go now just in case” reflex, it’s not too late to undo it. Experts say retraining your brain is possible, and cognitive techniques can help.

Think things like simple distractions, deep breathing, and self-talk. (Yes, literally talk to your bladder and say, “I’m the one in control here, not you!”) As one expert put it, it’s not just mind over matter, it’s “mind over bladder.”

TL;DR

In short: go ahead and take that preemptive pee before your next road trip. You’ll probably be fine as long as you don’t make it a daily habit.

But unless you’re dealing with limited bathroom access, or a medical issue, it’s better to wait until you actually have to go.

Dads Are Important Mentors, in Life and Body Odor

With Father’s Day just around the corner, many people are gearing up to celebrate the father figures in their lives. And for a lot of us, that appreciation goes far beyond the classic necktie or grill set.

A new poll reveals that 70% of adults who grew up with a father figure consider their dad to be one of the most important mentors in their life. While “one of” may leave room for others, the sentiment is clear: Dad’s advice still carries weight.

In fact, nearly one in five (17%) say their father is the person they most often turn to when they need guidance. A quarter of respondents (25%) also said they’re most likely to call Dad first in a stressful moment, whether it’s for practical help or emotional support.

Beyond moral and life advice, fathers are also getting credit for setting examples in self-care and personal grooming.

Between 25% and 40% of respondents said their dads helped shape habits related to physical and mental well-being—everything from healthy routines to simply looking put-together.

For many, those lessons started early. Among men who grew up with a father, 32% say they learned to tie a tie from their dad. 29% admit to borrowing their father’s shaving cream as kids.

Another 26% report that it was Dad who bought them their very first stick of deodorant. Nice of him to not force you to buy your own with that lawn-mowing money. It’s those small things that make a Dad special. 🙃

Nearly a third (29%) of those polled said they had reached out to their father for help in just the past week.

Which means that hands-on parenting doesn’t fade with time.

These numbers underscore a broader trend: while modern parenting roles continue to evolve, the influence of fathers remains deeply personal and long-lasting. From emotional resilience to body odor tips, the lessons stick—and so does the appreciation.

The Most Common High School Experiences We Shared

With graduation season in full swing, a YouGov poll asked thousands of Americans a nostalgic question: If you could go back and do high school all over again, would you?

For many of us, the answer is HELL NO!! But that’s not actually how the majority of Americans feel about it.

Most Americans would like to revisit their high school years—but maybe with a few do-overs.

55% say they’d go back and relive their teenage years, while 40% say absolutely not. (The other 5% are still on the fence.)

The vast majority of that “yes” crowd would do things a little differently though. Only 12% overall said they’d want to have the exact same high school experience if they went back and did it all over again.

Even across generations, we shared a lot of the same high school moments.

The poll also dove into shared high school experiences, ranking how common certain milestones and memories were. Unsurprisingly, having a crush took the top spot—87% of respondents admitted to pining for someone in high school.

50 High School Moments We Shared

Had a crush on someone: 87%

Had a group of friends or a clique: 83%

Took a class you loved: 79%

Took a class you hated: 79%

Attended a school football game: 68%

Kissed someone: 68%

Lied to your parents: 67%

Took the SAT or ACT: 66%

Went on a date: 65%

Had a boyfriend or girlfriend: 64%

Got your driver’s license: 64%

Went to a school dance: 63%

Had a part-time or full-time job: 62%

Made a close friend you still talk to: 62%

Failed a test: 60%

Had a curfew: 55%

Filled out a college application: 54%

Showed up late to class: 53%

Experienced anxiety or depression: 53%

Went to a house party: 53%

Got grounded by your parents: 52%

Went to prom: 52%

Participated in a school club: 51%

Skipped class without permission: 50%

Drank alcohol: 49%

Hung out at a mall: 49%

Volunteered: 48%

Made the honor roll: 47%

Got bullied by someone: 47%

Drove to school: 45%

Got sent to the principal’s office: 43%

Pulled an all-nighter: 40%

Took an AP or honors class: 40%

Played on a sports team: 39%

Got detention: 37%

Smoked a cigarette: 37%

Had sex: 36%

Got into a physical fight: 35%

Had a cellphone: 35%

Cheated on a test or assignment: 32%

Snuck out of the house at night: 31%

Joined the school band or choir: 31%

Participated in a school play: 30%

Smoked pot: 28%

Had a social media account: 28%

Became close to a teacher you still talk to: 22%

Had braces: 19%

Participated in student government: 16%

Participated in political activism: 11%

Bullied someone: 10%

So, yeah. We went through a lot of the same stuff.

If you experienced all 50 things on that list, you really packed it in! If you experienced none of them… you were probably homeschooled. (But c’mon, your mom must have at least bullied you once!)

What the poll reveals?

While everyone’s high school journey is unique, the poll shows just how many of our experiences—good, bad, and awkward—were shared. And if most of us could go back, we probably wouldn’t change everything, but maybe we’d study a little harder, party a little smarter, or say “hi” to that crush just once.