TBT: A Photographic History of Men in Love
TBT: Super Awesome People™ in History. In the United States*, it is a scary time to be in the LGBTQ+ community. Although advances in LGBTQ+… Read More »TBT: A Photographic History of Men in Love
Artists & Creators
Super Awesome Cats™: Because Photoshop Is Pretty Great.
Some days, being optimistic about the future can be tough. On days like this, it feels like the Super NOT-Awesome People outnumber the Super Awesome™… Read More »Super Awesome Cats™: Because Photoshop Is Pretty Great.
Singer-Songwriter Tom Leher Releases Lyrics to the Public Domain
Copyright law—in the United States, especially—is complicated. The rules for when intellectual property enters the public domain has changed over time, and on several occasions,… Read More »Singer-Songwriter Tom Leher Releases Lyrics to the Public Domain
More Ways to Spend Your Days at Sleepathome Camp
Back in July, I first wrote about Sleepathome Camp, a daily newsletter designed to inspire kids and adults to partake in arts and crafts, cooking,… Read More »More Ways to Spend Your Days at Sleepathome Camp
The Amazing Creators of Pandemic Art Recreations
In the spring of 2020 when the world went on lockdown, two glorious Instagram challenges were launched. The #gettymuseumchallenge (alt: #gettychallenge) and #tussenkunstenquarantaine (alt: #betweenartandquarantine)… Read More »The Amazing Creators of Pandemic Art Recreations
TBT: Historical Halloween Costume Ideas (Without Cultural Appropriation)
TBT: Super Awesome People™ in History. The CDC may have warned against traditional Halloween celebrations this year, but whether you’re hosting a virtual Halloween party… Read More »TBT: Historical Halloween Costume Ideas (Without Cultural Appropriation)
Super Awesome Kids™ Volume IV
And now for Volume IV of our Super Awesome Kids™ series which celebrates incredible young people who are making a positive difference in their communities!… Read More »Super Awesome Kids™ Volume IV
Be Super Awesome™—Support Local Bookstores!
If you weren’t buying books online before 2020, you probably are now! When quarantining became all the rage, lots of people turned to the comforts… Read More »Be Super Awesome™—Support Local Bookstores!
The World’s Most Literary Cat
Cat-related issues have me very distracted/concerned/exhausted lately, and I needed some happy cat news as a pick-me-up. Thus I present: Horatio, Centre County Library’s unofficial(?)… Read More »The World’s Most Literary Cat
Super Awesome Dogs™ and the People Who Love Them
I’m a cat person, but even cold-hearted feline lovers like me can appreciate a heartwarming dog story. Here are several stories to brighten up your… Read More »Super Awesome Dogs™ and the People Who Love Them
Jon Henry’s Stranger Fruit
Michelangelo’s Pietà is one of the most famous artworks of the Renaissance era. The marble sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding the body of her… Read More »Jon Henry’s Stranger Fruit
TBT: Marian Anderson, Famed Singer and Defiant Trailblazer
TBT: Super Awesome People™ in History. Recently, the University of Pennsylvania Libraries launched the newly-digitized (and publicly accessible) archives of Marian Anderson, the famed contralto… Read More »TBT: Marian Anderson, Famed Singer and Defiant Trailblazer
My New Obsession: The Holderness Family
I recently discovered something that more than 560,000 YouTube subscribers (and 3.4 million on Facebook) already knew: the Holderness Family is Super Awesome™. The family… Read More »My New Obsession: The Holderness Family
Superheroes Are Literally Everywhere
Superheroes are everywhere these days. They fight villains on our screens (big and the small), they roam theme parks year-round, they trick-or-treat at Halloween, and… Read More »Superheroes Are Literally Everywhere
More “Deep Breath” Moments From Around the World
When Governor Andrew Cuomo began his daily NYS Coronavirus Update emails in the spring, there was little that New Yorkers could find to celebrate. (If… Read More »More “Deep Breath” Moments From Around the World
You’re Never Too Old to Be Super Awesome™
It’s fun writing about Super Awesome Kids™ because it’s exciting to see how “the youths” are making the world a better place—and it gives me… Read More »You’re Never Too Old to Be Super Awesome™
TBT: Famous Bessies in American History
TBT: Super Awesome People™ in History. The first Bessie I read about was famed aviator Bessie Coleman. Then I discovered motorcyclist Bessie Stringfield and blues… Read More »TBT: Famous Bessies in American History
Super Awesome Kids™ Volume III
Super Awesome Kids™ Even More Super Awesome Kids™ Woodworking for Food It’s time for another round of Super Awesome Kids™ and the super awesome things… Read More »Super Awesome Kids™ Volume III
Trumpets Are Better Than Guns
New Orleans, Louisiana, has been plagued by gun violence for decades. Murders in the city have trended downward in recent years, with 2019 seeing the… Read More »Trumpets Are Better Than Guns
Black Lives Matter: Art Worth Sharing
NYC local news site Gothamist just shared a beautiful drone video created by @mingomatic. In the video, a drone captures the eight Black Lives Matter… Read More »Black Lives Matter: Art Worth Sharing
Animals Who Create Amazing Artwork
While researching amazing animal artists, I came across amazing animal artists…who are actually animals. Clearly this justified an entire post dedicated to animal artists—of the… Read More »Animals Who Create Amazing Artwork
Artists Who Create Amazing Animal Artwork
I’ve been needing more light-hearted content in my life, so this week it’s all animals, all the time. Today’s theme: Super Awesome Artists™ who make… Read More »Artists Who Create Amazing Animal Artwork
Super Awesome Squirrels™ and the People Who Love Them
A lot of people don’t like squirrels. They are, after all, disease-ridden rodents that destroy bird feeders, dig up gardens, dash maniacally through street traffic,… Read More »Super Awesome Squirrels™ and the People Who Love Them
Sleepathome Camp (Activities for Kids and Adults)
Are you running out of ideas to keep yourself and/or your kids occupied? Are you social distancing at home (yay!) but missing the organized activities… Read More »Sleepathome Camp (Activities for Kids and Adults)
We Continue to Mourn Needless Deaths
This is Part Two of a Four-Part Series Honoring the Lives We’ve Lost to COVID-19 Part One: Ten Awesome People We’ve Lost to COVID-19 Part… Read More »We Continue to Mourn Needless Deaths
Woodworking for Food
In Bethesda, Maryland, a Super Awesome Kid™, 16-year-old Henry Sowells, is keeping busy with a brand-new hobby that lets him donate his proceeds to charity.… Read More »Woodworking for Food
A Rainbow Connection
In early May I took a long walk in my neighborhood for the first time since the pandemic came to Brooklyn, and I saw my… Read More »A Rainbow Connection
Even More Super Awesome Kids™
Older generations love to complain about “kids these days”—they always have, and they probably always will. But even amid the hardships of a pandemic, academic… Read More »Even More Super Awesome Kids™
“Exactly Right” for What the World Needs Now
On January 23rd, 2017, the Cracked Podcast released episode #162: 9 Creepy Real Murders with special guests Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. After their Cracked… Read More »“Exactly Right” for What the World Needs Now
Italian Street Artist Transforms Hate into Food Murals
Italian street artist CIBO (Italian for “food”) is doing more than making the streets of Italy a little more colorful—and mouth-watering. Since 2008, CIBO (aka:… Read More »Italian Street Artist Transforms Hate into Food Murals
How To Support Black-Owned Businesses in the United States
The pandemic has been especially brutal for people of color who are getting sick and dying at disproportionate rates while also suffering more of the… Read More »How To Support Black-Owned Businesses in the United States
More Viral Distractions to Survive the Pandemic
Earlier this month I shared ten of the funniest and most inspired viral videos and collaborations to come out of the pandemic. Many creative folks… Read More »More Viral Distractions to Survive the Pandemic
Corny Jokes, Messages of Hope, and Wine Ninjas
The COVID-19 pandemic has kept most of us close to home, and many people have used their restricted mobility as an opportunity to connect with… Read More »Corny Jokes, Messages of Hope, and Wine Ninjas
Even More “Deep Breath Moments”
More than two months after New York went on PAUSE, the state is finally starting to reopen again. For the first time since late March,… Read More »Even More “Deep Breath Moments”
This Podcast Will [Help] You
While studying disease ecology in grad school, Super Awesome Nerds™ Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke began hosting This Podcast Will Kill You (2017) as… Read More »This Podcast Will [Help] You
B-I-N-G-Oh, Quarantine
Some Super Awesome People™ have discovered that a good way to help us regular-awesome folks get through our self-isolation/work-from-home/quarantine lives is with a little game… Read More »B-I-N-G-Oh, Quarantine
The Good Kind of Pandemic Viral Distractions
While millions of people around the world are trapped at home during the pandemic, creative folks are finding new ways to entertain the masses. Here… Read More »The Good Kind of Pandemic Viral Distractions
Sourdough Makes a Sweet Impact
Sourdough bread is totally a thing now. Some adventurous home cooks have baked sourdough bread for years, but a side effect of panic-buying during the… Read More »Sourdough Makes a Sweet Impact
“Deep Breath Moments” for Overwhelmed New Yorkers
Since mid-March, New York has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases and more than 22,000… Read More »“Deep Breath Moments” for Overwhelmed New Yorkers
I.A.T.S.E Union Builders Volunteer to Make Intubation Boxes
With film and television productions suspended around the world, I.A.T.S.E union members in NYC have been looking for a way to help out during the… Read More »I.A.T.S.E Union Builders Volunteer to Make Intubation Boxes
Art Brings Us Together, Even When We’re Apart
Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine—no matter your PAUSE, it’s a tough time to be alone. By nature, we humans are social creatures (yeah, even the Introverts),… Read More »Art Brings Us Together, Even When We’re Apart
Volunteers Work to Sew the Curve Flat
According to their mission statement, Sew The Curve Flat is a network of volunteers whose goal is to organize and aggregate the grassroots efforts of… Read More »Volunteers Work to Sew the Curve Flat
Celebrities Reach Out, Help Out
Being famous doesn’t automatically grant Super Awesome Person™ status. But being famous gives celebrities a platform from which they can impact a huge number of… Read More »Celebrities Reach Out, Help Out
Small Gestures, Big Impacts
While most of the world is self-isolating or locking down to limit the spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Super Awesome People™ everywhere are finding… Read More »Small Gestures, Big Impacts