Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote […] The post Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny appeared first on Good News Network.

Getting a first job is undoubtedly one of the most drastic steps that teenagers make into full-blown adulthood. It can be a shock to the system doing hard work outside of a school environment, having a boss instead of a teacher, and having real money on the line. However, one thing all adults remember fondly is the time they opened their very first paycheck, and all that hard work (at least for a moment) felt worth it.One mom recently captured one of those moments on video as her teen son opened his first paycheck from his job at McDonald's. The video shared on Reddit shows a teen in a McDonald's hat sitting in the passenger seat of a car opening an envelope that contained his paycheck. Everyone loves payday.Photo credit: CanvaHis mom said it should be "200-and something" dollars, and after a hilariously long struggle to open the envelope (Gen Z have rarely, if ever, snail mailed, so no judgment), he looks over the check stub to get the full picture."That's $283," he says in astonishment. To his credit, he asks "After tax, what's that?" not realizing that the amount of the check is the after-tax take home amount. It may not sound like much to adults, but it's likely the most money this teenager has ever truly been able to call his. And he earned every penny. His smile and laughter says it all.Watch: from MadeMeSmile "Let's take it to the bank, then!" Heck yeah, kid.People in the comments are fondly remembering their own first paychecksMany viral videos of first paycheck reveals include complaints about how much is taken out in taxes, so it's refreshing to see this young man's joy at his after-tax pay. It was a beautiful moment to capture on film, as most of us remember that feeling of empowerment that came with our own first real paychecks.People in the comments are feeling the nostalgia:"I remember that feeling - pretty sweet to see money you earned yourself. Feels good earning your own cash.""God that first paycheck felt so unreal. I will never forget you ace hardware.""I remember my first paycheck was for like $300 after two weeks of being a counselor and I felt RICH. I immediately spent it all on a guitar that I still have 20 years later.""I remember mine - from my first proper job. £64.29 in a little brown packet with holes in it to see the cash inside. 1980.

We can all be sure that as society evolves, many things that seem normal today will be cringeworthy to people in the future, whether it’s our fashion, politics, civility, or our treatment of the environment.If we look back just 30 years ago, same-sex marriage was illegal, people routinely smoked in bars and restaurants, and it was fashionable and cool to vogue.So, when we look back on the world of the 2020s, there are bound to be many things that we’ll be embarrassed about in 30 years, especially when we are forced to live with the repercussions of the decisions we make today. On a lighter note, we’ll all also have clouds full of photos of ourselves wearing hairstyles and clothes that look utterly ridiculous in hindsight.In the summer of 2024, we asked the Upworthy community to share their thoughts by asking a big question on Facebook: "What's something that's accepted now that we'll be embarrassed about in the future?" Our readers responded with funny takes on current fashion and concerns about technology use and how we treat our fellow human beings.Here are 21 things we accept today that we’ll probably be embarrassed about in the futureMore than a few current fashion trends will look silly in the coming years Socks and sandals.Canva Photos. "Yoga pants. I love them to death, but I can easily see them as the parachute pants of tomorrow." — Deborah"Barn doors in your house." — Joyce"Tattoos all over the body." — Vicki"People wearing socks and sandals." — Jeremy"Wearing pajamas in public." — Ivy"Huge, over-sized false eyelashes." — PatriciaHopefully, people in the future will be more considerate when using technology than we are today."Walking around with your eyes locked on your phone. Or eating at a table with 4 people looking at their phone. One day, we will either fall off a cliff or realize life is what is happening off the screen." — Elise."Texting in the presence of another person." — Kate Three women on their phones not paying attention to each other. Canva Photos We can also hope that in the near future, we will be able to solve many of today’s pressing public policy issues so that the next generation will live happier and healthier lives."Lack of healthcare for everyone." — Sharon"Making the planet unlivable for human beings." — Karen"Spending hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer's money to build a sports arena for a billionaire. Then charging the taxpayers outrageous amounts to attend events there." — Stacy"How the US is systematically clawing back women's rights to decide what they do with their bodies. It's beyond shameful." — Jason.Some people are concerned about the way students and their parents behave in modern-day America."Parents trying to run schools: yelling at teachers for their child’s poor performance, yelling at principals when their child gets in trouble, book banning based on an individual’s religious ideologies, etc." — Beth."Entitled children talking back to their parents and teachers." — Connie"Cry rooms at universities where students can go and work out their anxiety and cry and be upset if their professor uses words that are too difficult for them. Universities are institutes of higher learning, not institutes of babysitting. That will be an embarrassment in the future, as it is an embarrassment to me and many others now." — Della Young woman crying.Canva PhotosIn 30 years, we may be embarrassed to look back on the level of general civility in 2024."Panic buying of toilet paper during the pandemic." — Tony"Ageism. It’s everywhere, all the time, and no one seems to mind. No one is defined by the amount of time they’ve spent on the planet but it’s used as an identity and as a weapon (ask any teenager, 40-year-old woman, or retiree…). I can only hope that one day it will be a source of embarrassment that we were all so dismissive and judgmental." — Rosy."Human beings living on the street." — Andrea"Torturous killing of animals for food." — Mae An older woman looking stern.Canva PhotosWhile this list may seem like a litany of complaints people have about living in the modern world, it should give us hope. If we’ve overcome past embarrassments, today’s can be fixed as well.This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

There are a lot of nail salons out there, and without word-of-mouth recommendations from people you trust, it can be impossible to know which salon to visit. Thanks to social media, many businesses can advertise their services without spending much on traditional marketing like television, billboards, and radio. Using pictures and videos of their amazing work to market can help maintain a steady flow of customers, but one Canadian nail salon is taking a slightly different approach.Henry Pro Nails which started in Toronto, Canada, is leaving the Internet in stitches after creating a viral ad for his nail salon. The video uses the beginnings of several viral clips, but instead of the expected ending, Henry pops in to complete the viral moment in hilarious, unexpected ways.HenryProNails takes viral videos and turns them into funny marketingIt opens with a familiar viral video of a man on a stretcher being pulled by EMS when the stretcher overturns, flopping the man onto the ground. But instead of it ending with the injured man on the ground, Henry seamlessly appears, lying out on the floor of his salon and delivers his first line, "Come to my nail salon. Your nails will look beautiful." A woman getting her nails painted.via Canva/Photos In another clip, a man holds his leg straight up and somehow flips himself into a split. When the camera cuts back to Henry, he's in the splits on the floor of his nail salon promoting loyalty discounts. The ad is insanely creative, and people in the comments can't get enough. Some are even planning a trip to Toronto just to get their nails done by the now Internet-famous top nail artist in Canada. This isn't Henry's first rodeo making creative ads, but this one is, without a doubt, his most popular—and effective.People love Henry's videos"I will fly to Canada to get my nails done here just because of this hilarious video. You win this trend for sure," one woman says."Get yourself a passport and make a road trip! My bf and I are legit getting ours, and it's only a 4 hr drive from where we are in Pennsylvania. Their prices are a lot better than other places I've been too," another person says while convincing a fellow American citizen to make the trip."Omg, where are you located? I would fly to get my nails done by you," one person writes."The pedicure I had at Henry’s was the best I have ever had. Unfortunately, it made all other places disappointing, and I don’t live close enough for Henry’s to be my regular spot," someone else shares. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nguyễn Thành Nghĩa (@henryqueen_nails)In another hilarious video, Henry urges a woman not to divorce her husband for not cooking her dinner, but instead to come get her nails done so she'll feel a lot better. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nguyễn Thành Nghĩa (@henryqueen_nails)Henry also jumped onto the "very demure, very mindful" trend on TikTok with his own take on the phrase. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nguyễn Thành Nghĩa (@henryqueen_nails)It just goes to show that creative advertising can get people to go just about anywhere, but great service is what keeps them coming back. If you're ever in Canada and find yourself needing an emergency manicure, Henry's Pro Nails is apparently the place to be.This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

Wintery weather can be beautiful, but it can also be brutal when temperatures dip to frigid levels, not just for humans but for animals as well. Stray animals are generally pretty good at taking care of themselves, especially stray cats, but kind-hearted people still want to make sure they have a place to go to escape the elements when harsh conditions hit. One woman took that desire to the next level with an elaborate cat apartment she built for the many stray cats in her neighborhood. We're not just talking about a shelter; it's like luxury hotel living for her feline friends. The apartment has multiple rooms, cushy blankets that get taken out and cleaned, and even a temperature-controlled water source so they're always able to find drinking water in below-freezing temps.Check this out: from MadeMeSmile The woman who built the apartment actually lives in China and was sharing her videos on TikTok, but it seems her account has since been deactivated. This hasn't stopped people from talking about her and her impressive project, though. This thread on TikTok contains updates about the cat hotel from people finding and reposting the adorable story.Welcome to the Meowtel CatiforniaOf course, the clever hotel jokes and puns started rolling in first thing:'Welcome to the hotel catifornia.""Such a lovely place.""They can check out any time but they won't ever leave.""I prefer Hotel Calicofornia.""Meowriott.""Given my skill, mine would be more like Meowtel 6.""Pawliday Inn.'"The Fur Seasons."'"Meowne Plaza." @linette303z Building house for stray cats #fory #fyp #wild #nature #animals People loved seeing the care and ingenuity she put into the "meowtel," as well as how happy the cats seem with the arrangement. In fact, some people were sure their own house cats would move out just to go live in this kind of cat commune."My cat just looked at me and sighed…""All the neighbours be looking for their cats and they’ve bailed to live at the kitty motel.""They’d pack their little bags and move in without a second thought.""They wouldn't even wait to pack their bags.""Alright Carol it’s been real but we’re gonna head out. Found a great deal on a luxury apartment so yanno… take care."Cats live where they want, when they wantThose people may have been joking, but several others shared that their cats really did ditch them to go live with neighbors who had more desirable living situations."I’ve had two cats do this. One was annoyed at our second dog’s puppy energy so she moved in with an older lady a street over. We used to see her all the time until she passed. The other missed our kids being little so she moved next door where there’s a little girl. We talked to both neighbors and said if they get sick of them to let us know and we’ll take them back but both lived the rest of their lives with their new families." Some stray cats wander from home to home like a drifter. Photo credit: Canva"One of our cats moved next door because he loves children and wanted to be with the little girl next door. Because it’s a very small village, he goes to the school most days to wait for her and they come home together. School is 3 buildings away.""We had a cat do the same thing about 20 years ago. She hated the barks of our new puppy and would put her paw on his mouth to try and stop it. One day, she slipped outside and I found her a month later, two streets over, hanging with a couple who didn’t have a dog. They said she just showed up at the door and moved in. I gave them all her cat food and hope she had a nice quiet life."Is it a bad idea to feed and shelter stray cats?People have differing opinions about whether it's good to feed stray cats or not, as cats can cause problems for local wildlife, and it's not great to encourage an increasing stray cat population. According to Catster, in the United States alone, an estimated four billion birds and 22 billion mammals (such as mice, voles, rabbits, and shrews) are killed annually by both domestic and stray cats. In Canada, cats are the number one killer of birds, killing "between 100 and 350 million birds every year." These numbers are staggering, but the bird and small mammal populations can be protected if stray cats are cared for responsibly: namely, spaying and neutering those in your area to cut down on the population and finding homes for those who are friendly and comfortable with humans. Stray cats should be spayed and neutered. Photo credit: CanvaAccording to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, here are the best practices for feral and stray cats:- Spay/neuter to prevent additional litters- Find homes for friendly cats- Feed outdoor cats on a schedule- Remove food & dishes when they are done eating- Pick up scraps and keep the feeding area tidy- Provide fresh water- Provide a warm place for the cats to sleepSo, go ahead and care for those kitties and keep them warm through the winter, just make sure they can't make any more kittens.This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.