Written by: Angelica Monk

She’s a four-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and actor.

She was part of one of the biggest groups in entertainment history, her sultry-voiced graced our ears with hits such as “No, No, No,” “Say My Name,” “Dilemma,” and “Motivation.” And on top of it all, she’s a mommy. I was thrilled to get the chance to chat with the one and only — Kelly Rowland.

Kelly has teamed up with Honey Nut Cheerios to support their Happy Hearts initiative, a program aimed at inspiring people to adopt simple, enjoyable behaviors that make their heart happy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 in 3 American adults have high cholesterol. People with high cholesterol have about twice the risk of heart disease as people with lower levels. To help keep hearts healthy, medical experts recommend practicing healthy living habits, like maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough physical activity and eating a heart-healthy diet which can include foods made with whole grain oats, like Honey Nut Cheerios. (2015; cdc.gov)

Kelly Rowland discussed how she incorporates the Happy Hearts initiative into her life, how she balances motherhood with everything else, and, of course, her music.

You are multifaceted; you are a singer, songwriter, entertainer, businesswoman, mother, and wife. How do you incorporate the core of your Happy Hearts campaign, finding the balance and doing the simple things that you love?

I am learning how to balance it all. You learn as the days go by. I remember when I first had Titan, I asked someone, “How do you balance it all?” and they’re like, “Honey, you learn every single day.” Because, of course, every woman’s journey in life is so different from the next. You basically learn what works for you.

It was easy to team up with Honey Nut Cheerios because they’re on a mission to inspire happy hearts. Having a happy, healthy heart should be joyful. It shouldn’t be thought of as, “Oh, my God, I have to go work out,” or “I need to meal prep.” Sometimes we think [of being healthy] as a chore, and I didn’t want to think about it like that. I want to encourage other people not to think about it like that. It’s your heart, you know what I mean? It controls everything that you do in life. Whether that’s exercising, having proper nutrition, or even keeping stress levels down, all of that has to do with [your heart]. You have to make sure that you really pay attention to that.

It’s really about encouraging people to adopt easy ways and activities to get them moving, get them outside playing with their kids or grandkids, or walking their dog. Just last week me and some friends went skating, and it completely put me out. That day, I actually didn’t exercise. I was like, “Oh, I just exercised.” We were there for an hour, and I definitely felt I had gotten my hours’ worth of exercise, burned some calories, and got my heart pumping. So you can find what works for you. That’s what I’ve done in my life: finding what works for me and my schedule and making it work.

What was it like transitioning from being in this supergroup [Destiny’s Child], on the road and touring to becoming a mother and a wife? How was that adjustment?

When I got pregnant, I remember starting the whole “cool out.” I called it the “cool out” zone. I had my last show, when I was about six months pregnant. I was still able to hide it, but I was out by that time. After that, I definitely sat down and started nesting and had a really, really good time in that process. I started with my doula, who taught me how to breathe, and I embraced the whole venture into motherhood. I had a great time doing it. I felt like my life was just so fast, it was easy for me to slow down. [Laughs.]

You have the most amazing skin, it literally glows. What is your skincare routine?

Well, first I have to give honor to my grandmother, Ella Mae, who started this whole skincare process. Her skin was amazing, and my mother’s skin was amazing. I definitely think that I got it from them. My mom was a skincare fanatic. She absolutely has to have the new, best facial wash, and serum, and cream and mask, and this, and that. We would do that together — I remember that fondly. We would have masks on together. I got it from her. She’s the one who made me a little excited about skincare. I do love it.

I also drink a lot of water. I do think that what I’m eating helps. I’ve recently been eating vegetables and not a whole bunch of meat, but I’m still a meat girl at heart. I eat meat, maybe once a week, and I see a complete difference in my skin. I think that you have to figure out what works for you. When you do figure it out, it is the best thing because you can actually see what you’re giving your body on the inside basically radiating out.

You’re a such great shape, and you’re a mom on top of it all. What is your workout regimen?

I am definitely in the gym at least four to five times a week. I enjoy it. It’s a part of self-care. It’s time that I get to myself where I get everything out and burn it all off. You know what I mean? It’s break time for myself. I also meditate. My meditation has changed my life

Is there any music on the way? Any new projects? What can we look forward to in the future from Kelly?

Absolutely, new music, movies. A movie that I’m really excited about I can’t talk too much about. Also, I’m really excited about my new Fabletics campaign. I’m actually getting ready to release that in September. Great things happening.

Awesome, so new music is on the way. Just for fun, what’s on your current playlist?

A Tribe Called Quest, Sade, and Lucky Daye are on my playlist.

New music is on the way, a new movie is in the works, more Fabletics, and of course more Happy Hearts. We are definitely looking forward to any and everything that comes our way from Kelly Rowland.

The Honey Nut Cheerios brand is encouraging people to adopt simple, fun behaviors that get them active like gardening with a loved one, or parking further away from the entrance to get your steps in. And of course, eating three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Honey Nut Cheerios, which can help lower cholesterol as part of a heart-healthy diet.  Honey Nut Cheerios provides 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving.

Join the Cheerios Whole Heart Challenge on MyFitnessPal! From now through August, consumers can participate in the challenge by tracking their food and fitness for a chance to win badges, points, and prizes worth up to $5,000!  for the chance to win prizes and participate in fun challenges that will help your entire lifestyle. For more information, visit www.cheerios.com/hearts-matter.com

The post Kelly Rowland on her New Happy Hearts Initiative, New Music and More appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York state on Monday decriminalized recreational marijuana use, meaning possession of small amounts of the drug will be punished with fines rather than jail time, a step short of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s goal of legalizing pot.

Cuomo said the measure would also allow a mechanism for clearing the records of people who had been criminally convicted of possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Eleven U.S. states plus the District of Columbia have fully legalized recreational marijuana use since Colorado first did so in 2014, according to the Marijuana Policy Project lobbying group. Another 15 states including New York have decriminalized it.

“By providing individuals who have suffered the consequences of an unfair marijuana conviction with a path to have their records expunged and by reducing draconian penalties, we are taking a critical step forward in addressing a broken and discriminatory criminal justice process,” said Cuomo.

Over 360,000 people were arrested for possession of marijuana in the state of New York from 2008 to 2017, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Democratic governor said in December that legalizing recreational marijuana use was one of his top legislative priorities for 2019, a reverse from his position on the issue during his previous two terms. He argued that revenue from taxing the drug could help address a number of needs, including New York City’s troubled subway system, which is desperately in need of major repairs and upgrades. A state report at the time estimated the legal market for marijuana at between $1.7 billion and $3.5 billion annually.

New York lawmakers’ efforts to legalize marijuana collapsed in June amid disagreement among Democrats on how to regulate the industry, prompting the introduction of the decriminalization bill.

The failure to legalize marijuana fully highlights a split among New York Democrats, who control both of the state‘s legislative chambers after capturing the state senate in November’s elections.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. During the administration of former President Barack Obama, the U.S. government largely permitted states to determine how to handle the issue on their own, but the Justice Department under President Donald Trump has allowed prosecutors to enforce federal law even in states where marijuana is legal.

(Reporting by Matthew Lavietes; Editing by Scott Malone, David Gregorio, and Dan Grebler)

I am a fan of Domestic Tony Stark. Call me a sucker for a good father/daughter relationship, but the minute that Morgan H. Stark appeared in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, I was a goner. So now, Marvel has decided it’s time to drive the knife in deeper and continue to give us content that we want and need in our lives: Tony Stark just existing with Pepper Potts and Morgan.

In this scene, there’s just, like, a deer outside, they have an alpaca somewhere, and Morgan Stark is running around in this farmland dream with her Rescue mask on. Is this the world I’m going to pretend Tony Stark still exists in? You betcha!

The thing about this family dynamic is that it was a shock for many fans, because Tony Stark’s idea of “domestic” life had been buying Pepper a giant stuffed animal and nearly killing her. So to see him suddenly a doting father who figured out time travel and then went to have a juice pop with his kid? A great change of pace.

The scene is simple: Pepper and Tony are making lunch together while Morgan is outside playing; they’re talking about Tony’s alpaca and how he keeps getting Pepper’s gojis. When the time comes, Tony goes outside to get Morgan for her lunch. (So, assume this takes place right before the Avengers show up.)

So, of course, I fell in love with Gerald. An alpaca that we don’t actually see, he’s just there, eating their things, and making Pepper’s life that much more difficult, because when is being with Tony Stark anything easy? Gerald is a great character—just an alpaca, living his life, wanting to be part of the family and get his gojis.

More importantly, though, this scene gave us this little tidbit:

Who runs the Stark household? Not Anthony Edward Stark or Virginia Pepper Potts. No, that title goes to Morgan Stark, whose parents call her “Madam Secretary” and who clearly gets to be a spoiled kid because Tony Stark wants to shower her with the love that he never really got from his father.

I understand why this is a deleted scene. Part of me agrees with the decision to cut it, but now that I have knowledge of Gerald the alpaca, I want nothing more than to see Tony Stark tending to his pets and letting Morgan run around with them. (Also, did you know that Robert Downey Jr. actually owns alpacas?)

There’s going to be a lot more Avengers: Endgame content coming our way with the home release, and honestly, give it to me. Let me cry some more about these superheroes and live in my fanfiction dream that Tony Stark ended up fine and is watching Peter Parker and Morgan Stark try to feed his alpacas. You can’t take that away from me!

(image: Marvel Entertainment)

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Words: David Andry / Art: Alejandro Aragon / Colors: Jason Wordie / Letters: Deron Bennett / Vault Comics

I will always have room in my heart, and on my reading list, for apocalyptic stories. There is this fascination with the human experience in settings where the world has gone to proverbial and literal feces. This first issue of Resonant opens on Paxton in just such a situation. He’s father to three kids — Bec, Stef and Ty — and they’ve made their home out somewhere in the woods. It’s been some ten years since the “big crisis” that has reshaped the world.

Resonant centers on a phenomenon called “The Waves” which bring out the worse of humanity’s impulses. That could explain why Paxton and his family are out here in the sticks, safely away from large crowds of people. It is hinted that these Waves have different impacts on different people, causing some to turn to self harm. So a heads up, that may be a trigger warning for later issues.

Writer Andry has his work cut out for him as he’s telling an apocalyptic story with a family, and children, involved. Within this issue he sets up the family dynamic of Paxton, a man, a protector, a father who is on a mission in a unforgiving world, ever hopeful. The youngest of his children, Ty, is coming to the end of his supply of medicine that he needs to survive. Paxton must venture out and leave his beloved children alone. They will have to fend for themselves and protect themselves while he’s gone.

I’m most interested in Bec, the oldest of the crew. She’s not only featured on the cover, she’s the first person in the opening pages and one of the last persons we see on the last page. Paxton has left her in charge. She’s a bit of a pessimist to her father’s optimism: she doesn’t think he’ll find what he’s looking for out there and wishes he’d be more real with the younger, more frail member of their family. She’s easy to spot and follow along the pages with her brown skin, mass of curly hair, and forearm crutches. It’s not often we get a disabled little Black girl in a comic so she’s piqued my interest. I’m especially loving the opening pages of young Bec outdoors planting a seed of some kind, promising to return. There’s a few more sequences that take your breath away, detailing the most mundane things.

Artist Aragon sketches out this new world left in a bad way with ease: Paxton and his family eek out their lives in a secluded place. The scenery is beautiful. The artwork turns frantic when “The Waves” hit. It’s a glorious mess of art that fills the pages with a red tinge. It is terrifying. Shout out to colorist Wordie for complimenting the art along with letterer Bennett. Their skills make the moments when the Waves hit more impactful with their skills. The moments get more intense and it is more visually jarring and horrifying as it plays out — this is art that is benefiting of the narrative.

Issue #1 of Resonant gives us a taste of a family separated in a world cruel and disparate and it has crawled under my skin with an uneasy, creepy feeling that there’s more horror to come. Pick this one up if you like apocalyptic stories and comics that speak to something dark and creepy in all the worst ways, even in the light.

8.9 Tension Filled Moments Upon Meeting Another Person On A Highway When The World’s Gone to Shit Out of 10

See our other reviews of Vault Comics here.

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The post Resonant #1 Is Right For Fans of Post-Apoc Comics appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.