Denzel Washington is a generational talent, beloved by both critics and fans, and has starred in some of the most important movies of the past 40 years, including Glory, American Gangster, Training Day, Malcom X, and Flight. But his success didn’t come overnight. Like most actors who weren’t born into Hollywood royalty, he endured countless failed auditions until he finally made it.The actor shared his life-changing advice on failure in 2011 during a commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania, and the insight remains as relevant today as it was then. Recently, it was reshared on Twitter by Blake Burge and received 2.5 million views. In his speech, Washington warns the graduates who are clinging to the idea of having something to fall back on if their dreams work out. Instead, he believes they should position themselves to “fall forward.”Washington shared a positive example of the power of persistence by juxtaposing a failed audition at the Cort Theater on Broadway when he was younger with a recent performance at the theater where he played the lead. However, he also warns against being afraid of failure, which can lead to an eternity of regret.Denzel Washington's advice on failure — (@) Last year, I did a play called Fences on Broadway. Someone talked about it. Won the Tony Award. And I didn't have to sing, by the way. But here's the kicker. It was at the Cort Theatre. It was at the same theater that I failed that first audition, 30 years prior… The point is every graduate here today has the training and the talent to succeed. But do you have the guts to fail?Here's my second point about failure. If you don't fail, you're not even trying. I'll say it again. If you don't fail, you're not even trying. My wife told me this great expression. To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. Les Brown's a motivational speaker. He made an analogy about this. He says, "Imagine you're on your deathbed, and standing around your deathbed are the ghosts representing your unfulfilled potential, the ghost of the ideas you never acted on, the ghost of the talents you didn't use. And they're standing around your bed, angry, disappointed, and upset. They say, 'We came to you because you could have brought us to life,' they say. 'And now we have to go to the grave together.'"So I ask you today, how many ghosts are going to be around your bed when your time comes? You've invested a lot in your education, and people have invested in you. And let me tell you, the world needs your talents.Washington’s speech teaches people a bittersweet lesson by providing a window into seeing all the possibilities that their lives can hold. But also, like a visit from the ghosts of Christmas future, it gives people a dark glimpse into what their life can look and feel like if they don’t pursue their dreams. In the speech, he shares a great piece of actionable advice: “To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” This is an invasion to everyone who hears it: What do you really want in life, and what can you change to get it?Here is the entire speech. - YouTube www.youtube.com

Friends are one of life's most valuable treasures, and if you're fortunate enough to find a close group of friends, it's like hitting the jackpot. This is especially true during certain big life milestones, which is why a video of three women sharing a key life moment with a mutual friend has people celebrating the beauty of true friendship.Alyana South shared the video with the caption, "This was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever had. Being in the room with my best friends during this beautiful moment was everything. I love you guys so much! Thank you @lexigelz for allowing us to be a part of your big day!! I love him soooo much!!!" Getting to witness a baby come into the world is a gift.Photo credit: CanvaIt's a genuinely powerful birth video, despite the fact that it doesn't show even one iota of the birth, the birthing mom, or the baby. All we see is the friends' reactions during the final pushes and the wee one's arrival, but that part of the story is beautiful in its own right. The first thing we see are the friends huddled together on a sofa along the wall of a dim room. We hear voices coaching the mom, but the friends stay totally silent. Their body language, however, says it all. First, they lean over and pile on top of one another to be able to see. As the baby starts to come out, the women slap each other's legs in excitement and hold one another's hands in anticipation, and their excitement is palpable. The hands over the mouths. The smiles. The tears. They're so clearly proud of their friend, and when the baby's first cry hits, the joy is just too much. Watch: @alyanaksouth This was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever had. Being in the room with my best friends during this beautiful moment was everything. I love you guys so much! Thank you @lexigelz for allowing us to be a part of your big day!! I love him soooo much!!! The comments did not disappoint."The way they silently watched and let mommy and daddy have their time while supporting….so beautiful!!!!!""The way you all were quiet but so supportive was absolutely amazing. That’s true friendship ?"""They were dying but remained quiet and did not take away from the moment for their friend. This was so sweet. Made me cry.""So quiet and respectful. What an honor// and those aunties gonna be saying for the rest of baby’s life, 'I was there when you were born…'??""And these are your three fairy godmothers my sweet! ✨✨✨" Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, the three fairy godmothers in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty." Giphy "Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather at the birth of Aurora like…""The way they all pile up on each other is so sweet to me. You can tell they’ve all known each other for a very long time. This is the final phase of, “we were girls together.” Now they’re all women and their friend is a mother.""It’s the way they silently celebrate. They slap each others leg, hold each other, don’t take from the moment from their bestie. And they’re SO proud too I love it, literally gives me goosebumps ?❤️""Women are such magic! I love the adult version of girl hood. What a beautiful moment of women celebrating women!""Womanhood and girlhood in one video." Friends that are there for the big milestones carry a special place in your heart forever.Photo credit: CanvaAnd that's really the crux of what makes this video so viscerally beautiful. The giddiness over what they're seeing and their expression of friendship is reminiscent of girlhood, but what's they're actually experiencing is sheer womanhood. Women have supported one another through childbirth for millennia. Friends we are close to in one season of life we may not be as close to in another, but the ones who see us through big life milestones always hold a special place in our memories and hearts. Wherever life takes these friends, this is a moment none of them will ever forget.

In a sea of unsavory stories featuring toxic, uninvolved grandparents out there on the interwebs, stories like this feel all the more uplifting and wholesome. Enter Paula, or “Oma,” as she’s affectionately known as by her grandkids. In a clip posted to TikTok, we learn that she and her husband, “Papa”, not only agreed to watch the grandchildren—aged 5, 4 and 2— for nine days while their adult children celebrated their anniversary, they fill the stay with fun activities in a project they aptly named “Camp OmaPapa.”Seriously, no stone was left unturned while dreaming up this next-level camp. To stoke some excitement, Paula had mailed the kiddos an official invitation to Camp Oma Papa, telling them what to bring and what type of activities to look forward to. @pbev12 Camp OmaPapa begins✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #papa #grandkids #welcomecampers ♬ Soft and minimal instrumental music(1259336) - MaxRecStudio The carefully curated list of activities (ice cream on Sunday, zoo on Wednesday, scooter ride on Monday, etc.) lived on one wall, while another hall had a single blue frame out of painter’s tape that would feature that day’s schedule—providing a perfect balance of structure and free play that all kids need, even in the summertime. They even created official Camp OmaPapa shirts for their little campers, along with a ”Welcome to Camp OmaPapa” ushering them in. How cute is that?! Talk about going all out. Needless to say, viewers were impressed…if not a little jealous. “They don’t make grandparents like this anymore, ” noted one person“As a mom with no village this is amazing, our kids and grandkids are lucky to have you,” lamented another. Still a third wrote, “My parents have never even taken my kids out for an ice cream cone. This is so awesome.” In a response to the aforementioned comment, Paula reveals that her own kids had grandparents that “didn’t want anything to do with them,“ which taught her what kind of grandparent she didn’t want to be. However, several others chimed in with similar “camps” created by other similarly awesome grandparents. “Yes! My mom and I do this every year but it’s ‘cousin camp.’ We all look forward to it every year!"“My mom has a ‘bidi bootcamp.’ Originally it was because every time the grands went to bidi’s house they learned something new. Potty training, paci withdrawal, bottle to cup, etc…The name ‘bidi’s bootcamp’ is just for fun now.”And of course, several were asking if Camp OmaPapa would be accepting new campers next year—kids and adults alike. For those next-level grandparents wanting to create something like this for their own grandkids, Paula has more detailed videos breaking down what the kids did each day. Here are a few samples: @pbev12 Day 1 of Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #kazoo #pinkponyclub #babyshark #scooter #artsandcrafts #pacman ♬ Ambient Music 1 - Instrumental @pbev12 Water Day at Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #oma #papa #artsandcrafts #waterday #gamenight ♬ Inspirational - neozilla @pbev12 Day 3 in the books! Stay tuned for Day 4 of Camp OmaPapa✨ #summercamp #campomapapa #columbuszoo #jerseymikes #artsandcrafts #smores #oma #papa @jerseymikes @Columbus Zoo and Aquarium ♬ Soft - The Pianist & D'Michel leb One important thing to note: it’s pretty evident that Camp OmaPapa isn’t just creating core memories for the kiddos, but for Oma and Papa as well. All while giving parents the village they so desperately need. All in all, it’s a pretty beautiful thing to see.Check out more things OmaPapa-related by giving Paula a follow on TikTok.

One of the biggest battles of healthy aging is staying mentally sharp. Having a healthy brain is important for mental and physical longevity. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 6.7 million older adults in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. The CDC notes that by 2060, that number will double.However, being proactive about brain health can help keep aging brains thriving. In an online forum of Boomers and older Gen Xers, they opened up on how they keep their brains sharp and memory strong. These are 40 surprising (and simple) ways they've maintained healthy brains as they've aged. Aging Old Man GIF by A&E Giphy "I take on-line college courses. Pick one out that piques my interest and sign up. The advantage at my age is I can study whatever I want, I'm not really concerned with advancing my career. Ancient Mediterranean History? Sure why not? History of Beer? Why not? Psychology of Evil? Sounds interesting. All on-line, all cheap. Keeps my brain active." - mike11172"I'm way into fitness and still work out with weights. Also walk a lot and do fun things outdoors. I make sure that I get outside at least an hour every day. I'm careful to eat good foods that meet nutritional requirements, especially since I work out. I drink plenty of fresh filtered water. Taking care of your health in these three ways really makes a difference in one's mental sharpness and attitude. I belong to a religion that encourages me to treat others kindly and to be thankful for the life I have. Participate in activities that involve helping others. That really makes anybody feel good, have a purpose, and be glad they have the means to give of themselves. My husband and I make a point to always treat each other like we're newlyweds. Keeping the stress in your home to a minimum improves your mental state. In my down time, I've gotten into paper art. It's fun and an easy way for anyone to stay creative. I make cute things and greeting cards for others." - Bebe_Bleau Learn The More You Know GIF by @InvestInAccess Giphy "I write novels and memoir essays. The novels require a lot of research about settings and history. Unexpectedly, even the memoirs require research, because I took for granted behaviors and ideas that need to be explained for modern readers since nobody takes them for granted anymore. I volunteer for a local organization that helps provide food and medicine to households who have run out of money before the next paycheck. I work with recent immigrants who speak little English and am constantly learning new things about what it's like to struggle for survival in lives of utter poverty." - Building_a_life"Just use it. The brain works a lot like muscles in the sense that it will degrade quickly if you don't use it but can maintain its abilities for a long ass time if you do use it. I've met so many older people who basically just stop doing anything that requires a lot of thought when they get older because thinking is a lot of work. And you can definitely tell that kind of person when interacting with them. Conversations with them feel more like talking with a bunch of pre-recorded responses. Just do stuff that requires a lot of thought. Learn new skills. Read about complex, interesting ideas. Do puzzles. Play chess." - Yak-5000"Started flying a small airplane a few years ago at 64. Mentally challenging." - slick62 New York Times Running GIF by PERFECTL00P Giphy "All the many word puzzles: Wordle, Quordle, Octordle, Connections, Squaredl, Blossom, etc. Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, hour + walks per day. Writing, reading, cooking. Day trips and quick trips of 1-3 nights. Working really got in my way!" - Conscious-Reserve-48"Counseling. It is important to keep processing your feelings, otherwise they pile up." - arkofjoy"I quit smoking and started juggling. I'm no performer, but it keeps the nervous system active and it's fun for the whole family. Learning new tricks that are counterintuitive is the hardest, especially with new devices. I mostly stick to 3 balls, as I prefer to get good with simple things." - Tempus_Fuggit"I'm fixing up an old sailboat when I'm not doing house maintenance /upgrades." - darkcave-dweller Nick Kroll Fx GIF by Adults Giphy "I have in-depth conversations with my GenZ kids. No restrictions on topics. They are phenomenally smart, well-informed, and engaged." - CommissarCiaphisCain"Crossword puzzles. More importantly I work with teens who teach me the latest jargon among other things. I adore them all." - Kissoflife1"I've spent most of my life living in foreign countries and really don't know any other life. My budget in old age allows me to annually travel solo to third world countries. I'm keeping my mind active by always trying to figure things out like communicating in some foreign language, organizing my own hotel reservations, traveling arrangements etc. Things frequently get off the rails, so I have lots of practice figuring out the answer to the questions like, what the heck should I do now?" - nonsense39 spanish gif Giphy "I learned to play a musical instrument and I’m taking Spanish lessons. These activities really challenge the brain." - ClawhammerJo"I consume very little mainstream news. The more mainstream news you watch, the less you understand about the world--it's not meant to inform, it's meant to divide us and manipulate our prejudices. Finally, I've adopted the idea that pessimists are pessimistic because they imagine they can predict the future. I know and accept that I can't predict the future, so I'm optimistic. The possibilities are, as they've always been, infinite. I don't dwell on the past, and I don't worry about the future." - crackeddryice Country Music Old Town Road GIF by Lil Nas X Giphy "Line dancing. It uses the brain and the body, and in my area I’ve found I can dance several times a week." - littleoldlady71"I read a lot of books. I listen to a lot of music. I hike as much as I can. I meditate daily. All seem to be important for my brain." - WingZombie"A good brain takes regular practice. Think like a young person by talking to young people…asking them about their thoughts and ideas…they aren’t interested in my opinions much. Read about technological advances, social studies, philosophy and art. Learn and practice languages. And ride a motorcycle on and off road. My wife and I go somewhere or do something new once a week. I like getting strangers to laugh. I also smile and share joy wherever possible." - gorongo"My Amazon deliveries are made to a set of lockers onsite. I will never walk up to the lockers and THEN pull out my phone to look for the code. I will look at the message with the code and force myself to remember it before I ever enter the building so I can just walk up to the lockers, enter my code and get my stuff without anyone having to wait on me. I find that my brain will spontaneously make all sorts of associations to the numbers that help me remember them. Whether this helps in the long run, who knows? I just know it kind of makes those trips to the locker like a game for me." - chonnes

You would think the line between creative and absolute cringey baby names would be distinct enough for any person to tell the difference, but time and time again we have seen that is not the case. Even when laws are put in place to protect future kiddos from being on the receiving end of incredibly questionable moniker choices, there will always be some that slip through the cracks. Luckily…this is a bit of a near miss baby name story. Sort of. Over on the infamous tragedeigh Subreddit, home to all sorts of crazy baby name conversations, someone shared how their cousin, a mom-to-be, had originally planned for their unborn child to be named Serena, but told them via text that she instead wanted to go with something “more elegant.”one of my older cousins sent this to me…im sorry but Vaselinea?? byu/__misaki__ intragedeighThe “more elegant” name in question? Vaselinea. Pronounced “vah-suh-lee-nia” because mom wanted a “nia” sound at the end.“Im sorry, what? “Like this thing?” the OP responded, along with a picture of Vaseline petroleum jelly.Understandably, the cousin rushed online to get tips on how to convince her to “go back to choosing the name Serena.” Folks in the comments were (obviously) unanimously on the OP’s side…and many gave a quick, slightly NSFW glimpse into baby Vasalinea’s future should the name stick…“High school is gonna be real rough lol.”“The only place you should have difficulty choosing between Vaseline and Nivea is in your shopping basket. Not your child’s name. Yikes!” “Vaselinea sounds like dollar store brand Vaseline.”“Remind her what Vaseline is used for by many, many men and then remind her that her child will be surrounded by teenage boys at some point in their life.”“This is true abuse. Naming a child a lubricant??? What is wrong with people?”“At least she’s lubed up for all the bullying she will encounter thanks to her mom.”“Honestly, this Subreddit continues to reinforce my belief that a decent percentage of the population should not reproduce, not until they gain some wisdom at least. If this is what you are considering naming your child, you have no business having one.”It would be interesting to know whether this soon-to-be mom is a Gen Zer, since their relationship with the product is a little more deeply ingrained than other generations. Thanks to the “slugging” craze brought on by many Gen Z skincare influencers, the product is a beauty mainstay. But still…to name a child after it…that’s a bit much. Thankfully, in an update the OP revealed that they had been able to talk some sense into their cousin. Although, rather than going back to Serena, the mom will be going with Sorelle, which she explained was "Italian for ‘sisters.’” update on “Vaselinea”, what do u guys think? byu/__misaki__ intragedeighAlthough she would also be pronouncing it “Suh-rell,” wish is…not the way the name should be pronounced? - YouTube www.youtube.com But hey, we’ll take what we can get at this point.

Every generation has slang and phrases unique to them. From Millennial slang to Gen Alpha slang, it's always changing. And Gen Xers are noting that Gen X slang is often being met with the Gen Z stare.In an online forum of Gen Xers, member Embarrassed_Flan_869 asked fellow Gen Xers: "Ok, so we all had phrases that we used to use, colloquialisms as it were, that no one remembers but us," they wrote. "Two that popped up recently for me. 'Scrolling through the mental rolodex' and when referring to regular vs decaf coffee, leaded vs unleaded."They ended their post with a callout: "Which ones do you use/remember?"And Gen Xers had tons of funny and nostalgic phrases to share, with some calling out how they've become lost in translation with the younger generation. These are 37 of the best Gen X slang phrases and colloquialisms to reminisce on. doughnuts GIF Giphy "I said something about 'making a run for the border' referencing the old Taco Bell commercials to my 19 year olds and was given the Gen Z stare lol." - bibleeofile123"I get that a lot with my 13 year. She’s my first kid to not even be interested in 'classic' pop culture (I can’t believe our stuff is the classic now ?); my older two would generally ask or look up any reference they didn’t get, because they thought it was funny or cool. But this one just looks at me like I’m an uncool alien every time I say something like 'Homie don’t play that'." - dixiequick"Strange things are afoot at the Circle K." - Maleficent-Aside-171"Smooth move, Ex-Lax. I'm Audi 5000." - Warhammer517 Sarcastic Common Sense GIF by VeeFriends Giphy "Thank you Captain Obvious. Your perception of the obvious is only exceeded by your good looks." - nonesuchnotion"What’s your major malfunction???" - snohflake5"I still use 'What’s your damage?' ironically in a valley girl accent." - dlc741"Bitchin. As in 'that's a bitchin Camaro'." - sugarbeet13 Sassy Snap GIF Giphy "Three snaps in Z formation lol." - Klutzy_Excitement_99"'I think I need a bigger box!'" - snark_maiden"'Time to make the donuts'." - Secret-Asian-Man-76 Sean Penn Wow GIF Giphy "I still regularly use both gnarly and grody." - duck_butter"Using 'Not!' to sarcastically negate everything you just said." - FreshCords"'Did you get home in time to catch the game?' 'No, but I TAPED it and I'll watch it later.'" - Bokononfoma beef GIF Giphy "Saying 'I know nothing' in a German accent. I also edit a lot of reports, and when someone gives me a crappy report with no info, I always ask, 'where’s the beef?' I get a lot of blank stares." - hotlettucediahrrea"Accusing someone of being a 'narc'." - Accio_Diet_Coke"Cool beans!" - Wide_Neighborhood_49"Peachy keen!" - Magerimoje"Was paying a bill on the phone and told the person to hold while I go grab my billfold. The person had never heard of a billfold." - Disastrous-Duty-8020 american history drinking GIF Giphy "I walked into the coffee shop I always go to and I was greeted by them in unison calling out my name. I was like, 'that’s was like Norm from Cheers.' They just gave me polite blank stares. RIP Normy." - Cleverironicusername"Smoking or non?" - Formal-Working3189"More and more, kids these days don't know where 'Nobody puts Baby in a corner' comes from." - HLOFRND Animated GIF Giphy "Answering 'what's up?' with 'chicken butt'." - expespuella"I was born a poor black child." - seigezunt"At work, I used the phrase 'I'm gettin ' too old for this shit' and nobody got the reference. Bastards." - OriginalComputer5077 vanilla ice death row chronicles GIF by BET Giphy "Word to your mother." - silentAl1"Know what I mean, Vern?" - ands_Of_Serenity78"Bust a move." - Digitalispurpurea2"It's 10 PM, do you know where your children are?" - La_Mano_Cornuta Patience Calm Down GIF by Brat TV Giphy "Patience Grasshopper." - SDgoon"Does any body still say someone's gonna sh*t a brick?" - iwonandimstillhere"My kids still look at me strange when I say I am going to nuke something." - lazygerm"My husband said 'let’s go veg out' to my teen kids yesterday and they looked at him like he was crazy. My son was like, 'what’s that mean?'" - CarisaDaGal

We've tried some of the best frozen treats Costco has to offer. While this may come as a surprise, our favorite isn't a Kirkland Signature product.

The Runaways featured both Joan Jett (Joan Marie Larkin) and Lita Ford. Despite being big in Japan and recording a Rock version of Martha and the Vandella’s “Nowhere To Run,” the Runaways didn’t live up to expectations. Jett fared far better fronting The Blackhearts. And while Jett was a songwriter, she also had great success with covers. Of course, the original’s groove got jacked up. Here are Jett’s Top 10: #10. Long Live The Night “Long Live the Night” was written by Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna, and Ricky Byrd. They collaborated to create a song that captured the essence of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Long Live The Night #9. Dead End Justice “Dead End Justice” is the only song on The Runaway’s debut album to feature both Jett and Currie on lead vocals. Dead End Justice #8. I Love Playing With Fire It’s a re-recording of a Runaways’ song. “I know what’s going to happen,” Jett once commented. “When we included lots of covers, people would call us on it. If we don’t they’d say, ‘Where’s the covers?'” I Love Playing With Fire #7. Fake Friends As the first single released from Jett’s third solo album (titled “Album”), the song received heavy MTV airplay but was a relative disappointment on the Billboard Hot 100 – peaking at #35,   Producer Kenny Laguna objected to “Fake Friends” being the first single because he didn’t feel it fit on Rock radio. He was overruled by the Jett’s record label. The video has ‘fans’ and hangers-on who quickly turn into cardboard cut-outs and fall over” like “fake friends.” Fake Friends #6. Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah) A cover of Gary Glitter’s U.K. monster hit, Jett’s version landed on her ’80 debut album, “Bad Reputation.”  Both the Glam Rock original and Jett’s cover peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah) #5. I Hate Myself For Loving You  Written by Jett and ace songwriter Desmond Child, the track is from Jett’s sixth album “Up Your Alley” (1988). The song was reworked into “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night” to open the NFL’s Sunday night games. It was the original theme song choice in 2006 before NBC tried out a few other tunes, finally returning to the Jett remake in 2019. I Hate Myself For Loving You #4. You Don’t Know What You’ve Got The song was written by Jett and Laguna and was featured on her album “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” (1988) – Jett’s most commercially successful album to date. The rehearsal version of “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got” was the original B-side to “I Love Rock N’ Roll” in North America.   You Don’t Know What You’ve Got #3. Cherry Bomb  Jett composed the song with Kim Fowley, the band’s then-manager. It appeared on The Runaway’s self-titled debut album. Jett re-recorded the song with The Blackhearts for the ’84 album “Glorius Results Of A Misspent Youth.” Cherry Bomb #2. I Love Rock N’ Roll Jett saw The Arrows perform the song on their weekly TV series while she was touring England with The Runaways. Her version, backed by the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook, went nowhere. But three years later Jett took another stab at the song with The Blackhearts.  “I Love Rock N’ Roll” went on to top the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the band’s only #1. I Love Rock N’ Roll #1. Bad Reputation The title track from Jett’s solo debut album references her “bad reputation” as a former member of The Runaways. Back in ’09, the song was named the 29th best Hard Rock song of all time by VH-1. It was the highest-ranked song by a woman on the list and remains one of Jett’s signature songs. Bad Reputation ### The post The Top 10: Joan Jett appeared first on RockinTown.