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The Institute of Museum and Library Services is reinstating all grants that were previously terminated by the Trump administration. A short statement posted on the agency's website Wednesday reads, "this action supersedes any prior notices which may have been received related to grant termination."

Wendi Shaw, from New Jersey, has a unique hobby. She calls herself an "heirloom hunter." Every couple of months, she goes hunting through thrift stores, Goodwill, and online marketplaces for long-lost letters from a bygone era, and sometimes for diaries, photo albums and other personal effects. Mostly, she finds love letters sent home by soldiers during the war, sometimes dozens of them bunched together. They may have been donated by accident, lost, or accidentally sold at an estate sale before they wound up for sale as an antique. Reading them, she said, is incredibly enjoyable."The longing, the love, the descriptions of [overseas], and military life, war stories, the culture," Shaw said. "Taking the train, boats and buses. I get to read the stories from the [people] who actually wrote them. To me, it’s better than any book. I’m reading a story 1st hand."Not only does Shaw find the letters, but she also preserves them in plastic sleeves and binders to keep them organized and prevent any further damage. And then she gets to work researching the original owners so she can return these incredible heirlooms to their rightful family.Recently, Shaw made headlines after finding a stack of letters from 1944. The letters were written by a WWII Army veteran named David Cox, who was writing to his wife, Mary, from overseas.Shaw posted in a Facebook group called All Things Greenville, where her plea got a huge response. Shaw finds bunches of old love letters at thrift stores and online antique marketplaces.Photo Credit: Wendi Shaw"Hi, I’m looking for the family of WW2 Vet David Cox -wife Mary Cox.... I just won/purchased this huge lot of letters from ShopGoodwill," the post read. "They are from 1944 WW2. I will be receiving them in about a week. I will be putting them in a binder w/plastic sleeves, reading them and try to find the family to return them. I’m guessing these were donated by accident. If they do not want them-which is their right- I will likely donate,make into a book-Something nice. Thank you for your time."Dozens of people from the area chimed in with leads, advice, and well-wishes. Nearly 200 people shared the post with their own local network, and more leads poured in. Eventually, with the community's help, Shaw was able to return the letters. Shaw organizes and preserves the letters in plastic sleeves.Photo Credit: Wendi Shaw"I just assumed they were gone forever," said Cox's granddaughter, Victoria Golson, in an interview with Fox Carolina. "All the sudden on Facebook, they came back."The letters, she said, had been stolen years ago from her grandparents' home. Shockingly, the thief had the decency not to destroy the letters, but to pass them on somehow, where they eventually found their way to Shaw.Having the letters in her possession again meant everything. "It kind of helps bring [my grandparents] alive again," Golson said. "We'll have to celebrate them again." - YouTube www.youtube.com In another viral case, Shaw teamed up with NBC Bay Area to locate descendants of a San Francisco man named Arthur Olsen and his wife, Leota. After tips from NBC's audience, the letters made it home safely."They were so happy," Shaw told NBC Bay Area. "They said, 'Tell everybody thank you so much.' They couldn’t believe something this special from so long ago had come back to them."Most of Shaw's efforts don't make national or even local news. She does the work because she enjoys the thrill of a good find and the rewarding feeling she gets when she's able to reunite a family with a piece of its history."Most families don't know these items even exist," she said. "They’re so happy to get them back. I get to give back family history."Just recently, Shaw said she returned a WWI-era photo album from 1919 to an Australian soldier's family. Shaw gets Thank You notes and letters from families grateful to have a piece of their history back.Photo Credit: Wendi ShawOld love letters continue to fascinate us, and they deserve to be preserved at all costs.There’s no more intimate form of expression than the handwritten letter, especially one sent by a soldier during a war, unsure if he’d even live to see his love again. As Shaw noted, the passion and longing in old letters are unmatched by more modern forms of communication. It's one reason she loves reading them so much."Part of that mystique ... lay in the waiting," writes Barbara Newman, professor of Latin Language and Literature at Northwestern University. "Weeks might pass as a letter flitted slowly across land or sea, and the anxiety of anticipation heightened the joy of a longed-for reply."It's a good reminder for all of us living in a modern culture that demands and rewards instant gratification.For people who want to preserve the memory and legacy of their ancestors, what better heirloom could there possibly be? Letters like the ones Shaw finds and returns are not just documented history; they’re a glimpse inside the hearts and souls of people's grandmothers and grandfathers. But they get lost sometimes, as all physical things do. That's why the work Shaw does in her amazing little side hobby is so important and wonderful. The thank-you letters she gets from grateful families are proof of how much it matters.

In the final season of Stranger Things, we are introduced to a warm, compassionate teacher named Miss Harris.Turns out, the woman playing Miss Harris, Hope Hynes Love, is an actual teacher. Not just any teacher, either, but series creators Matt and Ross Duffer’s high school drama teacher.In a touching Instagram post, Ross Duffer shared how Hynes helped both brothers get through a “rough time” in high school by acting as their creative champion. Without her kindness, Netflix might have never received its greatest hit.“Hope saw something in us we didn’t see in ourselves — and she helped give us the confidence to not only survive those four years, but to move to LA and chase our dreams.” See on Instagram Ross ended the post by saying, “Shoutout to all the teachers out there making a difference. And please… let’s prioritize the arts in schools.”The heartfelt casting decision left fans moved, calling it a “beautiful full circle moment,” and agreeing on the importance of arts programs. “Talk about planting seeds of genius … Harris saw the spark and the Duffer brothers have turned it into a phenomenon,” one person wrote. “Imagine inspiring two kids in school and accidentally launching a global Netflix empire. Teachers really don’t get paid enough,” quipped another. Stranger Things logo media0.giphy.com Still another said, “ Perfect reminder why cutting arts programs is so short-sighted.”And in case you were wondering, Hynes still teaches, and is still just as amazing. “I currently have Ms Hynes as a teacher at East Chapel Hill High. She is such a ray of light in the community and I know she is still guiding and loving all of her students no matter what. Love you Ms Hynes ❤️”“Hope is still a teacher, and I take her class currently. She is a very engaging person, amazing to be around. She helped me through something I went through last year, no questions asked, and this was her first impression of me. I asked her a few weeks ago how she was able to do that and not have her perspective of me changed. She said ‘Because you are an amazing person.’ That sums up my view of Ms. Hope Hynes Love. She is one of the sweetest teachers I have ever met.”Speaking with Netflix directly, Hynes shared that biggest hope for all teachers is to know their work served their students long after they left the classroom. “You always want your students to look back on their time with you as a valuable use of their youth. That the things that they invested in you and your program have served them well. It’s lovely when they reach back and go, “I’m doing this cool thing. Do you want to come see if you think it’s cool?”…Yes, I want to come see your cool thing. Isn’t that the deal between us?” See on Instagram For many of us, there is that one teacher who changed the way we see the world, and ourselves, for the better. We might not all be able to repay them just like this, but we carry them in our hearts nonetheless. Vol. 2 of Stranger Things season 5 drops Dec. 25 with three episodes, and the epic finale drops Dec. 31 on Netflix and in select theaters. If we end up seeing more of Miss Harris, we’ll now have that extra layer of joy while watching.

Gen Xers grew up eating a number of staple dishes: sloppy joes, tuna casserole, and Fluffernutter sandwiches. But one meal that was loved by latchkey kids was the Swanson frozen dinner, also known as the "TV dinner."According to Smithsonian Magazine, Swanson invented the TV dinner in 1953. By 1954, the product hit the market and sold over 10 million meals. In 1972, Swanson launched its Hungry-Man line with bigger meals for hungrier customers. And by 1987, 150 million Swanson frozen dinners were sold each year. By the late 90s, it rose to 160 million sold each year, per Daily Meal. - YouTube www.youtube.com Swanson went through a number of different owners over the years, the first it was sold to being Campbell Soup Company in 1955. With sales dipping, the company created a new company where Swanson frozen dinners would live called Vlasic Foods International. However, the company went bankrupt in 2001 and was sold to Pinnacle Foods Corporation. Frozen TV dinners began to fall out of favor with American consumers, and Pinnacle Foods Corporation stopped selling Swanson frozen dinners in 2010. According to Chowhound, ConAgra acquired Pinnacle Foods in 2018, and continues to carry on Hungry-Man meals. @yourmomshouse Swanson meals were fine dining. #YMH 703 with @areyougarbage #swanson #frozenmeals #comedy However, many Gen Xers miss the original Swanson meals they grew up eating during their childhoods. They discussed their TV dinner memories on Reddit. "As a Latchkey Kid this delight from Swanson fed me, many a times after school, while watching reruns of The Little Rascals, waiting for my parents to come home from work. Did you have a freezer full of these teachers of independent cooking? Fried Chicken was the favorite. What was yours?" one Gen Xer asked."I didn’t eat them after school but they were my dinner when my parents went out for the evening (had a sitter when I was really little and then on my own when I was an adolescent). Mom would let me pick which one I wanted when we had our grocery trip, and the whole thing felt like SUCH a treat!" one commented.Another added, "Teachers of independent cooking! Pre microwave even! Took like 40 minutes to make my Hungry Man for dinner while my parents were out doing god knows what. I still buy a Hungry Man now and then. Like once a year. Just because. :)" @throwbacknesss 1980 Swanson Frozen Dinner commercial #Swanson #80s #80scommercials #throwbackcommercials #throwback #80sthrowback #80sretro #fyp Other Gen Xers discussed their favorite meals. "We got those twice a year...Salisbury Steak was my go to," one shared, while another added, "Always the Salisbury steak one with the chocolate cake that would always somehow have a couple kernels of corn in there."Some preferred meatloaf or turkey. "I liked the meatloaf version - there was something so good about that tomato sauce it was in - plus the tater tots, green beans and that brownie. The turkey and dressing one could also always be counted on," one Gen Xer wrote. Another shared, "Mmm late 70s era Swanson Turkey TV dinner was so bomb. They even had an 'entree' version without the vegetables with extra mashed potatoes that my mom would get me. So starchy and unhealthy but so yummy."And dessert was always a highlight."I ate everything as fast as possible to get to the apple cobbler," another commented, while a fellow Gen Xer added, "Pretty sure I still have scars in my mouth from scalding it with those cobblers. Hottest substance on earth."And one Gen Xer commented, "Made my choice based solely on the dessert offering."

Dorothea Taylor, the 75-year-old "Godmother of Drumming," has been playing for over six decades. She first went viral in 2020 with her thoughtful drum lessons and rock-solid covers, including Disturbed’s 2000 nu-metal hit "Down With the Sickness." She’s since become a social media legend: racking up over a million followers on both Instagram and TikTok, and even playing in a "drum-off" against The Roots’ Questlove on The Tonight Show. Now Taylor’s reached the national news with another incredible video after playing with a young bucket drummer in downtown Nashville. People are really responding to the footage, charmed by its musicality and intimate vibe. As one commenter replied, "Different generations, completely different lives. But in this moment, they spoke the same language. Just without words." - YouTube www.youtube.com "The Godmother of Drumming" sits down with a drum-bucket prodigyThe clip opens with Taylor sitting behind a bucket, armed with her drum sticks and soaking in her counterpart’s funky, complex beat. (While the footage doesn’t mention the other musician by name, Taylor tagged the account @Kk on TikTok.) After a bit of a false start, she locks in and the young drummer looks impressed by her skills, shouting to someone out of view, "She’s better than you!""This young bucket drummer is great and let me sit down and play before he even knew if I could," Taylor wrote in a TikTok caption. "Broadway in Nashville is an awesome place to find great drummers." When asked about their interaction in the Instagram comments, she added, "He def had a great groove going on. I wish I had time to figure it out before someone started recording."The TikTok and Instagram reactions are excellent:"That young kid has no idea who he’s sitting next to""bro is in the presence of absolute greatness""This is what drumming is all about ??""So when is the album dropping""I love the obvious respect she has for him! ?""The way he stopped immediately to watch her was so cute. Real recognize real""Yh she’s a legend, no doubt. But look at how she respected the drumming of that little boy. She was testing him, and she saw something in him. A new legend was standing right there, but everyone keeps focusing only on the already-made legend. It’s funny how we forget to appreciate the new ones coming up ⭐ That boy played with confidence, even telling his friends how good she is. But no one sees him. And if he doesn’t get support now, he might lose that spark as he grows older. Let’s start supporting the new generation of legends too ??"Responding to the latter comment, Taylor noted that she ended up talking to the young drummer on FaceTime. "He has been playing for 3 yrs and going to play in school band next yr," she said. "I told him to keep learning and playing. He is a great little drummer full of rhythm. ??" @taylor.dorothea Had so much fun on my trip last week end. Stay tuned for the videos of what I was doing and where I was. ?? @Kk #bucketdrumming #streetdrummer #drummers #fyp "I told him to keep learning and playing"Good Morning America shared the video and explored Taylor’s musical background. As journalist Will Ganss explains, "She wanted to play the drums back in high school. But back then, they didn’t even want girls playing drums, so she just joined the local drum and bugle corps as a kid." On the website of cymbal company Paiste, one of her sponsors, Taylor wrote further about her journey—from selling drums and teaching music to playing professionally in musical theater productions and even adding auxiliary percussion on stage with Ray Charles.Taylor ended the segment with a pre-filmed message to her Nashville acquaintance. "I want you to continue enjoying playing the drums and maybe take some classes on drum set if you haven’t already," she said. "But continue the good work and spread the sunshine for all of the tourists that are traveling though Nashville…If you are born to be a drummer and you’re a real drummer, you can’t stop. My husband thought that when we got married, I would never play drums again. He was fooled. And here I am—I’m [75]." - YouTube www.youtube.com

When it comes to cost effective, inexpensive Christmas gifts for your neighbors (that also benefit the giver as well) mom and content creator Ashley Rose Reeves says she has the “ultimate hack.” And honestly? She might be right. Her suggestion? A dumpster. It might not sound as immediately festive as a basket of holiday cookies, but read on. In an Instagram video, Reeves explained how, for the past decade, her family has rented a dumpster, which costs “about $150 to $200, depending on where you're at,” from December 23rd to January 1st. During that time, her neighbors can throw out any trees, boxes, general end-of-year clutter, etc. To make it more cheerful, you can wrap a bow around it, Reeves suggested. Her kids have even decorated theirs before. See on Instagram “It will decrease your stress load, I promise it's so easy,” she concluded. “I love being known as the neighbor who rents a dumpster for everyone.”Down in the comments, people were calling it a “genius” idea. A few even shared that they did something similar each year. “I’ve been doing this for years because of your brilliant idea! My next door neighbor and I split the cost and everyone loves it!,” one person wrote. People also brought up some other things to consider. Some mentioned that in their area, costs are more towards $400-500, which is considerably more expensive. Others noted that some areas have hefty restrictions as to what can be thrown into a dumpster. For some dumpster companies, cardboard and trees must be recycled, for example. But then again, some folks had equally cool ideas for neighbor bonding gifts, no dumpster required: “Every year for new years we cut up our Christmas tree and have a mini bonfire! One of my fave traditions and it keeps it out of the landfill and we get a fire without buying wood.” The Grinch. media1.giphy.com “Our neighborhood has an evening where we visit around a fire pit and have dessert and cocoa. We collect donations in lieu of neighbor gifts and donate all money to Road Home, our local homeless. shelter. It’s so fun to get to visit with my neighbors and we don’t give/receive so many little gifts throughout the month.”Ideas like this resonate especially well with those who love practical kindness: simple gestures that make daily life easier, reduce stress, and strengthen community bonds. It’s the same reason neighborhood libraries, lawn-mowing circles, and shared garden projects have become more popular: they turn everyday resources into something communal rather than individual.Not every neighborhood will need or want a dumpster, but the principle behind it is universal. The holidays tend to be hectic, expensive, and emotionally loaded. Anything that lowers the burden (and gives the gift of more mental space) is a welcome reminder that giving doesn’t have to mean shopping.

E.T. is back. The post The only time that Gene Simmons ever got high: “Does my head look funny?” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.