Michelle Obama Opens Up About Struggling With ‘Low-Grade Depression’

As we all know, Michelle Obama literally could do no wrong – she is strong as hell, brilliant, and basically America’s mom. On top of all of that (and in spite of it), she’s relatable as f*ck. From her giving Trump side-eye at his inauguration to starting a podcast in quarantine, America’s favorite first lady is truly one of us.

In the latest episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast, Obama opened up about something that many of us are feeling (at least I am) these days. During a conversation with journalist Michele Norris, Obama talks about how she has found herself “dealing with some form of low-grade depression” over the last few months. “Not just because of the quarantine, but because of the racial strife, and just seeing this administration, watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting.” 

Michelle specifically cited the heightened racial tensions as a factor of her depression, “I have to say, that waking up to the news, waking up to how this administration has or has not responded, waking up to, yet another, story of a Black man or a Black person somehow being dehumanized, or hurt or killed, or, falsely accused of something, it is exhausting. And it, it has led to a weight that I haven’t felt in my life, in, in a while.” 

In describing her symptoms, the first lady talked about having difficulty sleeping or waking up in the middle of the night. She said, “you know, I’ve gone through those emotional highs and lows that I think everybody feels, where you just don’t feel yourself.” She said, “there’s been, uh, a week or so where I had to surrender to that, and not be so hard on myself. And say, you know what, you’re just not feeling that treadmill right now.” 

All of this is not only normal but increasingly widespread. A recent CDC pulse survey reported that one out of three Americans is experiencing some level of depression or anxiety, up from one out of ten last year. Feeling dread and concern about the state of America and our government is not a new thing either. Last year Michelle Goldberg wrote an op-ed for the New York Times about democracy grief. In it, she discussed how watching the institutions that we trust to protect us fail to do so can impact psychological health. 

In difficult times, I like to ask myself: WWMOD (obviously that stands for what would Michelle Obama do). Because she always comes through, Michelle gave us some insight into how she deals with her low-grade depression during the quarantine.

“For Barack and I, we’ve lived outside of the norm of regular life for quite some time,” Michelle said, “what we’ve learned early on in the White House is that in order to stay sane and to feel like the human you once were is that you have to have a schedule and a routine.” 

In addition to establishing a routine, the Obama family has been working on puzzles together and having card game tournaments. They’re also spending some time outside and trying to eat dinner together as a family. Stars: they’re just like us. 

While I highly recommend listening to the whole podcast episode yourself, finding a sense of positivity boils down to self-awareness and focusing on what brings you to a good place. As Michelle said, “make sure that you all are listening to your spirits and to your bodies through this period. And when you need a moment to recharge, take it and do not feel guilty about needing to take that break.” 



The Best Celebrity Mother’s Day Posts

Like any other holiday in 2019, Mother’s Day is 25% about what you’re doing in real life, and 75% about what you post on social media. Maybe you took your mom out to a nice brunch, or at least gave a her a nice phone call, but I’m willing to bet that no matter what, but either way you definitely posted 47 photos of her on your Instagram story, despite the fact that she couldn’t figure out how to use Instagram if her life depended on it.

Celebrities are no different than us when it comes to holidays on the internet, and nearly every famous person who is/has a mom posted something to mark Mother’s Day. Obviously, all moms are great, and without them we literally wouldn’t be here, but I still managed to pick some favorite Mother’s Day posts from this year. A couple of them may or may not have made me cry, but please don’t tell anyone, because I have an image of being a bitch to uphold.

Chrissy Teigen

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the best thing I’ve ever made are my babies. thank you for making me a mommy and changing my life forever.

A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on

Chrissy Teigen pretty much always manages to kill it on social media, and her Mother’s Day post was no different. Her caption is simple and heartfelt, and the photo of her naked during one of her pregnancies is gorgeous. We already said we want Chrissy to adopt us, and now I really need her to teach me how to take bomb mirror selfies.

Gwyneth Paltrow

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Thank you to my two beauties for the best morning, and for my entire life. I love you both so much. I love all you mamas out there! Happy Mother’s Day!!

A post shared by Gwyneth Paltrow (@gwynethpaltrow) on

Why am I just now figuring out that Gwyneth Paltrow’s children are beautiful? Not that it’s a surprise, but when I saw a photo of her daughter Apple last week looking grown-up and stunning, I almost fell out of my chair. We are so old! Gwyneth looks totally natural in this photo with her kids, and they all look great.

Billie Lourd

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✨❤️✨♓️?️?️?️? ♏️?️✝️♓️?®️???️?❗️✨❤️✨ But Mother’s Day can be more than just one adjective❤️ I’ve come to realize it’s also okay to have a Sad Mother’s Day, Weird Mother’s Day, Funny Mother’s Day, Angry Mother’s Day, Frustrated Mother’s Day or all of the above….sending my love to anyone who needs it ❤️

A post shared by Billie Lourd (@praisethelourd) on

I’m not crying, I just have something in my eye. If you’re not aware, Billie Lourd is an actress who just happens to be Carrie Fisher’s daughter. Her family has obviously had a tough couple of years, but her Mother’s Day tribute was all about spreading the love to whoever needs it.

Michelle Obama

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Growing up, every time I’d come home from school with a story to share, my mother was there with a snack and a listening ear to hear about what was on my mind. When I came home with a tale about my disastrous second-grade classroom, she marched into the school to figure out what was going on. And as I grew older, including up through my years as First Lady, she was always there for me as a guiding light through whatever fog was clouding my path. She’s always listened more than she lectured; observed more than she demonstrated. In doing so, she allowed me to think for myself and develop my own voice. From an early age, she saw that I had a flame inside me, and she never tempered it. She made sure that I could keep it lit. Mom, thank you for kindling that fire within me, and for your example as a mother and a grandmother to our girls. We would never be who we are today without you. #HappyMothersDay, Mom. Love you. ❤️

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on

The Obamas are still my first family, and they look damn good!!! Michelle’s caption is a lovely tribute to her mom, and the portrait of three generations of women together is incredible. I feel like I haven’t seen a photo of Sasha in a while, and she is like, stunningly beautiful.

Justin Timberlake

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Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful wife @JessicaBiel and all the Moms out there CRUSHING this thing called life. Jess, you are the glue that holds our family together and I’m so grateful to be your Huz… I LOVE YOU! Every day should be Mother’s Day!!

A post shared by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake) on

Is it weird that I want to print out this photo and have it framed for myself? Just kidding, that would be like sooooo crazy! Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel keep their relationship pretty low-key these days, but this post is gorgeous.

Khloé Kardashian

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It’s Mothers Day!!! Happy Mother’s Day ??

A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on

Choosing which Kardashian child is the cutest would literally be impossible for me, but True is really making a strong case for herself. Khloé has gone through a lot in the year since she gave birth, but photos like these show why it was all worth it. Honestly someone stop me from stealing this baby.

Gisele Bündchen

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My kids have expanded my heart in so many ways. They have given my life new meaning. Thru them, I got to experience the deepest and purest love. Everyday I learn so much with them and they inspire me to be the best that I can be. They are truly the most precious gifts! I am so grateful they chose me to be their mummy. Happy mother’s day to all the mothers out there! I know sometimes we can be hard on ourselves, but all we can do is our best. Sending so much love to all of you! Enjoy your special day! ❤ Meus filhos expandiram meu coração de muitas maneiras. Eles deram à minha vida um novo significado. Através deles, eu pude sentir o amor mais profundo e puro. Todos os dias eu aprendo muito com eles e eles me inspiram a ser o melhor que eu posso ser. Eles são os meus presentes mais preciosos! Sou grata por eles terem me escolhido como mãe. Feliz dia das mães para todas as mães! Sei que às vezes podemos ser muito duras conosco, mas tudo o que podemos fazer é o nosso melhor. Enviando muito amor para todas vocês super mães! Aproveitem seu dia especial!

A post shared by Gisele Bündchen (@gisele) on

I love a bilingual caption moment, but I have to give Gisele a hard time for just a second. I truly don’t understand the whole “they chose me to be their mummy” thing. Like, I guess it sounds sweet, but it is so factually incorrect!! Do I need to give Gisele a quick lesson on biology, or like, how sex works? Where does Tom Brady think babies come from? Cute photo tho.

Ava Phillippe

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My mom always reminds me, “pretty is as pretty does,” and truth be told she is the prettiest woman I know. Happy mother’s day to my built-in best friend. Your drive to pursue your passions, your curiosity and willingness to learn, your care and compassion for others, and your strength to fight for what and who you care about all make me immensely proud to be your daughter. Love you always, Ava ?

A post shared by Ava (@avaphillippe) on

Ava Phillippe is one of my favorite up-and-coming celeb kids, and her post for Reese Witherspoon is perfection. Idk when this photo is from, but it doesn’t really matter because Reese is stunning and does not age. Reese Witherspoon is a treasure, and this just makes me so happy.

Gabrielle Union

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I've cried so many times today for so many reasons, mainly because I'd gotten accustomed to heartbreak and disappointment. I think alot of us live in that space. I set up shop there. This moment reminded me that miracles do happen. You cant age out of joy. You are worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy. Sending so much love today to all the mamas, stepmamas, grandmas, aunties real and play, daddies, friends and anyone who has taken the time to nurture another living soul. I see you, I gotchu. And to those who have lost their mamas, grandmas, mother figures, sending extra love and light and hugs your way. ??????????

A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion) on

Okay, and now we’re at the crying portion of the article. Gabrielle Union struggled with miscarriages and difficulty getting pregnant for years, until she finally had a baby via surrogate last fall. It clearly was a dream come true for her to get to be a mother, and this photo is sheer joy. The caption is a beautiful message for mothers and mother figures everywhere, and Gabrielle is someone who obviously knows how much this means. I’m! Not! Crying!

Who else had Mother’s Day posts that made you laugh or cry? Did anyone make you cringe? Usually holidays on social media are a bit much for me, but this year Mother’s Day really delivered. My mom is probably reading this, so I love you, and please don’t ever get Instagram!

Images: chrissyteigen, gwynethpaltrow, praisethelourd, michelleobama, justintimberlake, khloekardashian, gisele, avaphillippe, gabunion / Instagram

Michelle Obama Got Roasted By Her Own Mom

Moms – they refill your debit card comfort you in times of need, feed you in times of hunger, and roast you when it’s time to stay humble. This goes for teachers, coal miners, billionaires, and apparently even first ladies. We all remember Michelle Obama’s iconic Grammys appearance this week, but one person who was less than impressed was Michelle’s own mother, Marian Robinson. Like the true GOAT, Michelle shared a screenshot of her and Mrs. Robinson’s post-Grammys text exchange, and her mom definitely seemed less than impressed.

 

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When your mom doesn’t think you’re a “real” celebrity…Tonight in Phoenix, I shared this text thread from my mom from #Grammys night, and I just had to share it with all of you. #TextsFromMom ?

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on

Damn. The savagery. First of all, if Michelle Obama isn’t a “real star” then who the f*ck is? Second of all, I’m legitimately impressed at Michelle and anyone over the age of fifty for knowing how to post a screenshot, and I’m doubly impressed at Michelle’s mom for knowing how to text at all. These people really are exceptional. (For context I once sent my dad a screenshot of my flight information and he thought it was a website and got pissed off when the links didn’t work.)

Michelle has talked a lot about her mother in her memoir Becoming (aka the #1 Christmas gifts for moms this year), who initially passed on living at the White House, but eventually agreed “for the sake of her granddaughters.” Yep, that’s right, Marian Robinson couldn’t be bothered to move to the White House unless her duties as grandmother were called upon. Once she moved into the 1600 Pennsylvania ave, Mrs. Robinson “insisted on doing her own chores” and “declined invitations to swanky parties.” Umm…has Marian Robinson been the low-key best member of the Obama fam this whole time?

In the end, this text exchange has the perfect mom energy, with a thin layer of roasting covering a deep well of obvious pride. And as an added bonus, now we know how Michelle stays humble even while wearing $4,000 Balenciaga boots.

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Michelle Obama’s $4k Balenciaga Boots Will Heal America

Boots. That is the sole subject (pun intended) of this article. Everything else is put on hold so that we can sit at our desks, slack jawed, thinking about the boots. If you don’t have any idea what I am talking about, you haven’t been on Instagram, and that is bragging, which is rude. We are talking about Michelle Obama’s boots. These are the boots.

Can we discuss @MichelleObama‘s boots last night?!

WILD pic.twitter.com/3Tb1sb5Flu

— Lauren Dudley???? (@Lauren9Dudley) December 20, 2018

Upon second thought, these aren’t boots, they are a religion. Michelle is the high priestess and we are but unworthy worshippers.

Okay, some fast facts about the boots:

  1. They are Balenciaga
  2. They cost $4,000
  3. Because I cannot see the end of the boots, I can only assume they are not only thigh-high, but actually extend all the way to heaven.

Here is another angle of the boots.

Well, I have never seen boots like this before. Have you? Love that ⁦@MichelleObama⁩ chose these for her last stop on her 2018 #IAmBecoming book tour in Brooklyn, NY. pic.twitter.com/GrN99KXIPU

— Valerie Jarrett (@ValerieJarrett) December 20, 2018

Here is a link to purchase the boots from Saks Fifth Avenue which I cannot stop you from doing. But know that you will simply be unable to reach the heights Michelle Obama can reach in these boots. You will be a mere imitator of greatness.

It only feels appropriate that Michelle wore them while being interviewed by Sarah Jessica Parker aka Carrie Bradshaw aka the inventor of shoes.It’s been a long and a tough year but seeing our former  forever First Lady in these boots almost makes it all worth it. My only request is that we replace the American flag with this image printed on fabric and fly it high above this great nation. Melania could never.

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

Michelle Obama Accidentally Curses In Public, Is All Of Us

For a former First Lady of the United States with incredible arms who actually likes salad, Michelle Obama is pretty relatable. During an appearance at the Barclays Center on Saturday (side note: Michelle you were in NYC and didn’t call me? Rude.) to promote her new book Becoming, Michelle Obama accidentally got too heated and cursed in front of everyone, just like you at any minor inconvenience.

So what was it that annoyed Michelle so much she dropped an s-bomb? The concept of “having it all.” See? She really is just like us. Mrs. Obama used her book as an opportunity to call out all the bullsh*t career women are fed about being perfect wives, mothers, friends, lovers, influencers, CEOs, and whatever else women are expected to be these days.

“That whole ‘so you can have it all’ – nope! Not at the same time,” Michelle explained. “That’s a lie. And it’s not always easy to lean in, because that sh*t doesn’t work all the time.”

Ouch. I guess now we know how Michelle Obama feels about Sheryl Sandberg’s book. (And the fact that her company may have low-key allowed Russia to influence the 2016 election, but whatever…) The crowd obviously flipped the f*ck out hearing Michelle curse, at which point she apologized, saying “I forgot where I was for a moment!”

I said the same thing when I accidentally said f*ck in church. People were still mad, for some reason.

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

All The Tea Michelle Obama Spills In Her New Memoir

Get the book club ready because Michelle Obama’s new book is coming out, and she’s spilling all the tea. “Becoming Michelle Obama” covers Michelle’s life from childhood to White House. It details her struggles with pregnancy, her thoughts on the 2016 Presidential Election, and even some personal quarrels Trump (he once addressed her lack of smiling during a meeting—the audacity). This book is already Oprah’s obsession, so obviously it’s ours too. Michelle even treated us to a few spoilers before the book launches on Tuesday. Just another reason to love her.

1. Why She’ll “Never Forgive” Trump

You better know Michelle isn’t holding back. She openly criticizes Trump for making a false claim that Barack was not a U.S. citizen. The birther rumor originated as a way to disqualify Obama from being a presidential candidate (and it didn’t work soooo…), but the thing that really disturbed Michelle was Trump’s disregard for her family’s safety. She says the birther conspiracy was designed specifically to rile up “wingnuts and kooks” (go off, queen!) and that it put her family in danger. Considering the Obamas low-key received a bomb in the mail like, two weeks ago, this seems like an accurate assessment.

2. Why She Didn’t Smile At The Inauguration

Michelle even admits that she legit won’t even smile in Trump’s presence, saying she “stopped even trying to smile” at Trump’s inauguration. She says, “Someone from Barack’s administration might have said that the optics were bad, that what the public saw didn’t reflect the president’s reality or ideals, but in this case maybe it did.” I aspire to be this level of petty. Got to love seeing her stick by her man and not take any sh*t from America’s number one bully. Looking les mis at VIP events may not be the best look for everyone, but not everyone is Michelle Obama. Besides, if we were that close to Trump we’d have one hell of an RBF t00.

3. Her Fertility Journey

While Michelle has plenty of White House related tales, this book covers more than just her life as First Lady. This is the first time Michelle has opened up about her fertility struggles. As per usual, badass Michelle took it this on “like a mission” and went through IVF to have their two daughters. Obvs we know she’s driven AF and can legit do anything, but hearing even a queen such as herself has had trouble with fertility is not only relatable but super reassuring for tons of women who have struggled or are currently struggling with fertility (like her BFF Beyoncé).

4. Her Childhood In Chicago

Michelle also details other personal experiences throughout the book. She talks about how her childhood influenced who she is today (so basically how to raise a badass 101). As well as sharing her struggle of being a woman of color and minority at an Ivy League school.

5. She’s Not Running For President

Unfortunately, the book doesn’t mention anything about a Michelle 2020 campaign (we can dream though). However, she does talk about her shock that women didn’t turn out for Hilary in 2016. She wrote, “I will always wonder about what led so many, women in particular, to reject an exceptionally qualified female candidate and instead choose a misogynist as their president.” Okay, same.

Hopefully, this recent election’s flood of female candidates restored Michelle’s faith in humanity. Michelle has been and will continue to be an important figure in shaping our nation’s politics (probably only from the outside, ugh) for years to come. Finally, the world gets to learn how Michelle became the strong, intelligent, and vivacious woman that basically everyone loves. This book is sure to take the world by storm, so pre-order your copy while you still can.

Images: Giphy (3)

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This Video Of Michelle Obama Will Make You Feel Better

Former First Lady Queen of America Michelle Obama is out spreading the word about election day. This time she isn’t talking about a candidate or her BAE, she’s talking about voting in general. Last week Michelle spoke in Las Vegas at an event for her organization When We All Vote. She started off her speech stating that the first reason you should vote is because it’s your right to vote. Mic drop. She could’ve walked off the stage and been done but Michelle knows we all need a push, so here are all of the reasons you should vote.

  1. It’s your right as an American.
  2. It directly affects you and your future children’s lives (like suuuper far in the future children).
  3. Midterms have super low turnout, but it’s still important to vote for local and state leaders.
    • Sheriffs affect how your streets are patrolled.
    • Local officials take (or don’t) take care of your roads, schools, etc.
    • Members of Congress are the ones passing laws, the ones that affect us all – so you should def care about who they are.
  4. “You wouldn’t let your grandma pick out your clothes.” (Um what Michelle?) She explained that when you don’t vote you are letting someone else with very different taste from yours make all of your decisions. Love you grandma, but I don’t need you picking out my clubbing clothes.
  5. There’s a huge chance you won’t be happy with the consequences of not voting for someone who represents you.

  6. “Other people suck.” (OK, so Michelle did not say that.) She did say that there are people who hope you don’t vote so they get more influence and others that want to make it harder for you to vote. Rude! What’s better than showing those people they can’t stop you?
  7. In a lot of states once you’re registered to vote you can do so by mail. This is for all of you couch potatoes or like really busy people or worker bees that can’t get away from work during the day to vote. It’s so easy.
  8. It takes no time! Voting lines are shorter than the ones you wait in on Friday night to get into the bars. In fact, voting takes an average of 11 minutes. Michelle called us all out saying we spend plenty of time on our phones watching vids, so we can stand in line instead of watching old Vines on YouTube.
  9. Citizenship and opinions are the only two qualifications you need to vote. We all know you have opinions on everything so just vote about them!
  10. Pick just one candidate, one issue, one initiative on the ballot that matters to you and vote for that.

There is no arguing with the logic and wisdom of Michelle Obama. Your voice matters and you should use your vote to make the U.S. the place you want it to be. If you aren’t registered go to betches.co/vote and sign yourself up ASAP! If you are registered, you can still use that link to sign up for updates and reminders about elections in your area. And if all of these reasons aren’t enough, do it just because Michelle Obama would want you to, k?

>>Click Here To Get Registered With Rock The Vote<<

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

We Don’t Deserve These Pics Of Michelle Obama Partying At A Beyoncé Concert

Joke’s on all of us for thinking we had a fun weekend, because if you weren’t in Paris, then you seriously messed up. First, France won the World Cup for only the second time in twenty years which is a great victory considering the United States team didn’t even qualify this year. I guess soccer just isn’t our thing when we’re too busy watching our country’s leadership crumble into a raging dumpster fire. Maybe we’ll get ’em in 2020, boys. Much more important than sports, though, is that The World Cup of music, Queen Bey, was in town and of course, she delivered. 

Beyoncé had a concert in Paris as part of her On the Run II Tour and fellow queens Michelle Obama and her daughter Sasha were in attendance. Sasha, I know you’re 17 years old and it’s not cool to party with your mom, but I hope you’re making an exception considering your mom is literally friends with Beyoncé. 

Here’s Michelle hanging out with Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Lawson.

Michelle Obama checking out Beyoncé at #OTRII in Paris? YES! pic.twitter.com/azOsTTKIzV

— Johanna Fuentes (@jfuentes) July 15, 2018

Here’s Michelle and Sasha, having the best mother-daughter bonding sesh of all time.

And can we just reflect on how beautiful Sasha Obama is? Hair is laid, sis. #OTRII pic.twitter.com/KMv335YEE7

— Joi-Marie (@joimariewrites) July 15, 2018

The best part, though, probably has to be Michelle’s sweet moves. Even when Mama Bey Tina takes a seat during Jay-Z’s performance (good for her, considering) Michelle keeps dancing like the gracious angel she is.

.@MichelleObama & Ms. Tina dancing at Beyoncé & JAY-Z’s show in Paris tonight. #OTRII #Round2 pic.twitter.com/lQsAnmzhtg

— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) July 15, 2018

It’s good to know that the Obamas can still have fun considering the act that followed them in the White House is bombing real hard right now. Also, Michelle, if you’re looking for a third daughter, we’re all very available.

Image result for michelle obama and beyonce gif

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!