The Apple series Shrinking centers around actor Jason Segel, who plays a therapist juggling grief, fatherhood, and experimenting with unconventional therapy practices with his patients. It also stars Harrison Ford, who plays Segel’s mentor and boss and happens to be in the first chapters of living with Parkinson’s disease. Actor Michael J. Fox, who notably has Parkinson’s in real life, was so moved by Ford’s “human” and “accessible” portrayal of the condition that he called up Bill Lawrence, his former Spin City boss, who also co-created Shrinking. And, as he shared in an interview with the LA Times, Fox didn’t mince words: “Bill, why the f*** am I not on the show?” Truly, only Fox could deliver such a line in a way that immediately feels charming and friendly. Pretty soon, plans were set in motion to have Fox guest star, marking his first return to acting since 2020. The reunion nobody expected to see In the Season 3 premiere, which aired on January 28, Ford’s character comes in for a doctor’s visit. While waiting to be seen, he encounters a fellow patient with Parkinson’s, played by Fox. It’s clear that Fox’s character will serve as a mentor and friend throughout the season. As to be expected, the Back to the Future star does not fall short on comedic expectations. For instance, during the scene (which you can see in the video above), Fox asks Ford what he’s in for. Ford responds, “Parkinson’s. You?” Without missing a beat, Fox replies, “Just a haircut.” He follows with the quip, “I fall three times a day. I’m thinking of taking up stunt work.” Why the whole cast was buzzing Castmates instantly knew that seeing two icons, Marty McFly and Indiana Jones, acting together for the first time was something special. As Shrinking co-star Michael Urie noted, “Everyone’s hearts grew” in anticipation and nostalgia once Fox showed up to set. How the scene hit Fox the hardest But perhaps no one was more affected than Fox himself. Speaking with Vanity Fair, he shared, “I wasn’t prepared for how much of [Ford’s] own understanding of the disease he brought to it. I mean, I recognized Parkinson’s in his eyes. The things I was feeling, I recognized in the way he was expressing himself.” It was such a powerful performance that Fox told the outlet, “I was just brought to tears by it.” “I should say he’s an underrated actor because everybody knows how great he is, but the subtlety of his work, so brilliant and so fun to work with,” Fox continued. Ford’s sentiment, it seems, was the same. In the same interview, he called Fox “an extraordinarily powerful person.” New episodes of Shrinking drop Wednesdays on Apple TV. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post Michael J. Fox saw Harrison Ford’s Parkinson’s acting on ‘Shrinking,’ and immediately reached out appeared first on Upworthy.

When an older employee was asked to train a 25-year-old to do the same job she’d been doing for as long as the young recruit had been alive, she had some choice words. And it became a vital lesson in not getting exploited. The TikTok creator, who goes by The Unobsolete (@theunobsolete) centers her content around helping people “fight age bias” in the workplace. She explained how she had been “passed over” for a promotion that she had rightfully earned over the past two-and-a-half decades and was instead expected to train someone “fresh out of grad school” who presumably would then do the job for a fraction of the price. “They expected me to teach her the job they said I wasn’t good enough for.” The Unobsolete didn’t entertain pleasantries as she flat-out said “no.” @theunobsolete watched 25-year-old get my promotion then ask me to train her. I said no. Not sorry. Not maybe. Just no. She shocked. Manager furious. HR email about team player. Don’t care. They passed me over for promotion I earned. Gave it to someone with zero experience. Expected me to teach her job they said I wasn’t good enough for. Train my replacement? Pay me. Want 25 years knowledge? Triple salary consulting rates. Want me to smile while you humiliate me? Wrong person. Not your free training program. Not making cheap hire look competent. Not handing over everything so you can pay her half. They said unprofessional. I said appropriately compensated or not sharing. They said not supporting team. I said team didn’t support me. Silence. Second you stop being useful they stop caring. Stop pretending you owe them anything.#promotions #over50 #notateamplayer #genx #isaidno ♬ original sound – Jennifer Schroeder “I’m not your free training program,” she explained. “Want me to smile while you humiliate me? Wrong person.” Furthermore, she noted that if she were going to move forward with the training, she would be expecting “triple salary consulting rates” as payment. The line that shut HR down cold While she got reprimanded by HR for not “being a team player,” she maintained her stance that she deserved to be “fairly compensated for her expertise” or she wasn’t sharing it. “They said [I was] not supporting [the] team. I said [the] team didn’t support me.” She then concluded the video with a word of caution to other folks who might find themselves in similar situations: “The second you stop being useful, they stop pretending to care. So stop pretending you owe them anything.” With over four million views, the video certainly resonated. People flooded the comments agreeing how real ageism is in the workplace, and commended The Unobsolete for standing her ground. “Can’t be a team player for a team that played you,” one person said. Quite a few shared their own horror stories. One person recalled, “They hired 6 people to replace me and the work I was doing & wanted me to train them. Nope.” Another said, “I was laid off from a job and they said they’d be fine, because I wrote a literal manual on how to do everything for when I was on vacation. First thing I threw in the trash cleaning out my office. They emailed a few days later, asking where it was. I told them.” How the company tried to push her out In subsequent videos, The Unobsolete shared that while she didn’t get fired outright (for obvious legal reasons), the company had less direct ways of phasing her out. First, a meeting was held to discuss her “attitude.” Then, she was excluded from company functions and given less work. Eventually, she was called into another meeting and told the company’s culture might not be a “good fit” for her. @theunobsolete UPDATE PART 3: Refused train replacement. How it ended. Three weeks managed out documented retaliation. Manager and HR called me in. Don’t think right fit anymore. Best we part ways.#refusedtotrain #notateamplayer #isaidno #over50 #corporatetiktok What’s severance? HR slid paper two weeks. I slid back. Six months severance. Full benefits. Neutral reference. Won’t contest unemployment. Unreasonable? So was train replacement free. Retaliate when I had boundaries. Document after 15 years stellar reviews. Pulled folder. Every email meeting note project. Three weeks proof timestamped. Easy way or expensive. End of business today or documentation goes to attorney. Three hours later. Deal. Six months paid. Built what I wanted. Three months later girl they promoted quit. Couldn’t handle it. No training support. Lasted four months. Scrambling. I’m unavailable. Wasn’t obsolete. Undervalued. Difference. Teaching professionals land on feet negotiate exit build income doesn’t depend on HR. ♬ original sound – Jennifer Schroeder “I agree,” The Unobsolete apparently said in the meeting. “A culture that exploits experience isn’t a fit for me.” Negotiating her way to a win Still, she didn’t back down and asked what the severance package she would receive for leaving. Unsurprisingly, that offer started off low with two weeks’ worth of pay. The Unobsolete told them she expected six months of pay with full benefits through the end of the year, plus a neutral reference letter, and a release stating that they wouldn’t contest her unemployment. When the manager said her demands were “unreasonable,” The Unobsolete replied, “So is asking me to train my replacement for free.” “I’ve never been prouder of someone I don’t know,” one viewer wrote. Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. The Unobsolete got her demands met, and with that six months of pay, she was able to build what she “actually wanted.” Furthermore, she learned that not long after she left, the 25-year-old quit the job and the company was left scrambling to fill the position. Talk about karmic justice. “Turns out, I wasn’t obsolete after all. I was just undervalued. There’s a difference.” Now, she’s taking what she’s learned to help other experienced professionals protect themselves against being taken advantage of. “They’re counting on you being afraid…stop being what they’re counting on.” The takeaway for anyone feeling undervalued At the end of the day, The Unobsolete’s story isn’t really about one company or one bad promotion decision. It’s about knowing your worth and refusing to let fear keep you quiet, even when speaking up feels risky. She didn’t get her old job back, and she didn’t need to. She walked away with six months of pay, her dignity intact, and a new mission helping others do the same. For anyone who’s ever been asked to do more for less, her story is proof that boundaries aren’t just allowed, they’re often exactly what it takes to be seen. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post People rally behind an older woman who refused to train her 25-year-old replacement appeared first on Upworthy.

In the 1960s, Norman Roth and his band, The Glass Cage, were Canadian indie rockers who played small local shows and built enough of a following to land gigs in bigger cities. When Roth was 18, the band recorded a live performance that was never officially released and was eventually lost after they broke up shortly afterward. Now, thanks to a four-dollar thrift store purchase, the band’s music is reaching a wider audience, 58 years later. In 2016, veteran rock music promoter Marcus Pollard bought an unlabeled vinyl record at a thrift store on a whim, despite the album being physically damaged. He fell in love with the six songs recorded on it and spent the next two years trying to track down any band members connected to the record. “I searched in vain for two years trying to get any clue as to who was on the record, but to no avail,” Pollard wrote on Facebook. “Then, in a last ditch effort I posted a clip on the Canadian Artists Records Appreciation FB page and… I got a hit!” The reply that solved the mystery Pollard eventually received a reply that read, “Hey, that’s my record!” from Roth, now 77 and working as a warehouse manager. Roth was floored that his band’s long-lost recording had resurfaced, and he was able to listen to songs he hadn’t heard in more than 50 years. Turning a lost record into a real album After reuniting Roth with his lost music, Pollard went a step further. After consulting with the other band members, he set out to bring The Glass Cage’s music back to life after remaining dormant for generations. Pollard spent the next eight years using his industry connections and expertise to officially release the album. Working with a team of professionals, he refurbished the damaged record, digitally remastered the songs, designed elaborate packaging, and developed a booklet detailing the band’s impact on the Vancouver indie rock scene of the 1960s before they broke up. The finished vinyl album, titled Where Did the Sunshine Go?, is scheduled for release on February 24, 2026. View this post on Instagram “I feel like everyone has done something in their life that was dismissed,” Pollard told CTV News. “And I wanted them to feel like what they created was actually important.” What this all means to the band now While Roth and his former bandmates are excited about the album’s release, they aren’t trying to relive their youth or chase the rock star dreams they once had. They’re just happy that others will now have access to their music and are enjoying the ride. “I’m not looking for accolades or super stardom, that’s long gone,” Roth told CTV News. “It’s just saying to the world, ‘I was here.’ And I hope they enjoy it.” If you’d like to hear Roth’s music, you can stream tracks by The Glass Cage on Bandcamp and purchase the vinyl when it’s released. This article originally appeared in January. It has been updated. The post Guy finds long-forgotten album in a thrift shop, reunites the band, and is sharing their music with the world appeared first on Upworthy.

If you’ve ever tried to make a cat do something it doesn’t want to do, you’ve likely experienced the terror that a cat’s wrath can invoke. Our cute, cuddly feline friends may be small, but the razor blades on their feet are no joke when they decide to utilize them. Even cats who love us can get spicy if we try to manhandle them, so we can imagine how things will go with cats who don’t know us well. But sometimes it’s necessary to handle a cat even if it’s resistant to the idea. This is where Vancouver veterinarian Dr. Uri Burstyn comes in. His “How to pick up a cat like a pro” video, in which he demonstrates a few ways of picking up and handling a cat, has been viewed over 23 million times since he shared it in 2018. Unlike many viral videos, it’s not humorous and nothing outrageous happens, but the combo of Burstyn’s calm demeanor and his repeated instructions to “squish that cat” has endeared him to the masses.  The video truly is helpful; he shows the ways to pick up a cat that make them feel the most secure using his cats, one-year-old Claudia and 14-year-old Mr. Pirate. He explains that cats spook very easily and it’s best to introduce yourself to them gently. Let them sniff your fingers, keeping your fingers curled in, and once they’ve sniffed you, you can often give them a light rub on the cheek or under the chin. Why cats scratch when you pick them up Picking them up is a different story. The reason many cats will claw or scratch you when you try to pick them up is because they feel unsupported or unsafe, so they’ll scramble around trying to get some footing. Burstyn shows how he picks up Claudia with one hand under the chest and one hand under her abdomen. If he needs to carry her around, he squishes her into his body so she feels “nice and supported.” He may even put a hand under her front paws. Cats can be finicky about how they’re held. Photo credit: Canva Then came the best part of the video: “Squish That Cat” “Now if we do have a cat who’s trying to get away from us?” Burstyn said. “We always squish that cat. If you’re trying to hold the cat down, whether it’s to trim their nails or to give them a pill, or whether you just want to have a cat not run off for a moment, squish that cat. All you need to know about cat restraint is to squish that cat.” Burstyn explains that cats generally feel very secure being squished, even if they’re really scared. “Sometimes cats come to me in the clinic, and they’re quite afraid,” he said. “And you just gently squish them, and they’ll sit there and kind of not hurt themselves, not hurt us. Just hang out and let us do our thing.” He demonstrated putting a towel over the cat, explaining, “If you have a towel handy, this is one of the best cat restraint tools around. You can just throw a towel on the catty and squish her with the towel, that way they won’t get a claw into you if they are scrambling about a bit. Very safe and gentle, and generally cats are very, very happy to be squished like that.” The fastest way to carry a cat safely Dr. Burstyn also showed how to do a “football hold,” tucking the cat under your arm with them facing backwards. “So this is kind of an emergency way if you really need to carry a cat somewhere in a hurry,” he said. Scooping up Claudia, he explained, “Little head’s under your arm, butt in your hand, and you squish her tight to your body. And with that little football carry, you can basically hold a cat very securely and very safely, because it’s really hard for them to rake you with their hind legs.” If you’re worried about over-squishing your cat, Dr. Burstyn says don’t. “You don’t have to worry about hurting a cat,” he said. “They’re very, very tough little beasts. You know, just squishing them against your body’s never going to do them any harm. In fact, they tend to feel more safe and secure when they’re being held tightly.” Dr. Burstyn also demonstrated how to pick up and set down a “shoulder cat” who insists on climbing onto people’s shoulders and hanging out there, as Mr. Pirate does. It’s highly entertaining, as Mr. Pirate is a big ol’ chonky kitty. The internet couldn’t get enough People in the comments loved Dr. Burstyn’s demonstration, with several dubbing him the Bob Ross of veterinary medicine. Even people who don’t have cats said they watched the whole video, and many loved Claudia and Mr. Pirate as well. “This is just proof that cats are liquid.” “12/10 cat. Excellent squishability.” “So essentially, cats love hugs? That’s the most wonderful thing i’ve heard all day.” “This cat is so well mannered and looks educated.” “Mr Pirate is an absolute unit.” “S q u i s h . T h a t . C a t .” “I need ‘Squish that cat’ shirt. “Dang, that actually helped with my female cat. She has been through at least two owners before me and had some bad experiences which obviously resulted in trust issues. She has now been with me for two years and it had gotten loads better, but she still did not want me to hold her. Normally I simply would have let her be, but for vet visits and such it was not an ideal situation. But then I saw this video and tried to squish the cat. And she loves it! She is turning into quite the snuggly bug. Thank you!” So there you go. When all else fails, squish that cat and see what happens. You can follow Dr. Burstyn on YouTube at Helpful Vancouver Vet.   This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post Vet demonstrates ‘squish the cat’ method of safe cat handling in delightfully helpful video appeared first on Upworthy.

Millennials with Baby Boomer parents have not been shy about airing their complaints about the older generation. Millennials have previously noted that their parents tend to hoard food, and now Millennials are airing their grievances about Boomer “stuff avalanche.” On Reddit, Millennials discussed their frustrations about their Boomer parents and the insane amount of junk they have in their homes that (allegedly) will one day be passed down to them. Many Millennials shared that it is a source of contention for them, and that they wish their parents would just throw things out. What millennials are saying online “3 car garage…cannot fit a single car in there,” one commented. And another stated, “I am very concerned with the amount of junk my parents are holding onto.” A fellow peeved Millennial added, “The worst part is that our parents think this is all worth lots and lots of money. Don’t worry kids, these three sets of china I’m saving for you will be worth millions!” Another had laid down the law: “My mom kept joking about all the ‘stuff’ being my inheritance. After a few times I was tired of it, I looked her dead in the face and said in the most monotone I could get. ‘I will get the biggest dumpster I can, and it will all go in the trash.’ She stopped making that joke, and my parents have been slowly throwing out their junk ever since.” Why Boomers struggle to throw things away “The Boomer generation grew up in the post-war era shaped by rationing and economic rebuilding,” Daniel Glazer, clinical psychologist and co-founder of US Therapy Rooms, tells Upworthy. He adds that the Boomer inability to let stuff go is often criticized, when you look at the psychology of their attachment to objects, their behavior makes much more sense. “Not so long ago, saving things was an adaptive habit. ‘That might come in handy’ was a common refrain in households in which replacing something was not so easy, or affordable,” says Glazer. “There is also an element of emotional security that comes from the things that have surrounded us through decades of life events, or even across a lifetime.” And for many Boomers, getting rid of stuff can signify an even bigger mental battle. “As people age, there can also be an increased awareness of mortality,” says Esin Pinarli, Founder & Holistic Psychotherapist at Eternal Wellness Counseling. “Letting go of objects can feel symbolic, almost like letting go of chapters of their life. If no one is asking about those chapters anymore, those objects become the tangible proof that those experiences mattered. So it’s not stubbornness. It’s often about attachment, meaning-making, and a fear of losing relevance or erasing parts of their story.” How to help Boomers declutter Starting the conversation with Boomer parents in an empathetic and understanding way may help the process go more smoothly and deepen the relationship with them. Here are a few examples of conversation starters Millennials can use when talking to their Boomer parents about throwing things away: Conversation Starter #1: “I know these things mean something to you. I’d love to hear the story behind a few of them.” “This shifts the focus from getting rid of objects to honoring the meaning behind them,” says Pinarli. “When a parent feels seen and understood, they’re often more open to eventually letting go. It validates that the attachment is about memory and identity, not just stuff.” Conversation Starter #2: “What would feel good for you to keep, and what feels like it’s just taking up space now?” “This gives them agency,” Pinarli explains. “Instead of telling them what to throw away, it invites them to reflect on what still feels meaningful versus what might no longer serve them. That sense of control reduces defensiveness.” Conversation Starter #3: “Would it help to go through this together so we can make sure the important things are preserved?” “This frames decluttering as a collaborative and supportive process, not a demand,” Pinarli shares. “It reassures them that their memories and legacy won’t be dismissed or erased, which can lower the emotional intensity around letting go.” Letting go, one story at a time At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to bulldoze through a garage full of decades-old memories. It’s to help Boomer parents feel heard while gently making room for something lighter, for them and for the kids who’ll eventually inherit it all. Approaching the process with curiosity instead of frustration turns decluttering from a battle into a bonding moment. And who knows? Somewhere between the old china and the mystery boxes in the attic, there might be a few stories worth keeping long after the stuff is gone. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post Millennials complain that their Boomer parents won’t throw anything away. A psychologist explains why. appeared first on Upworthy.