1. #Redrawthebalance. “When a real-life firefighter, surgeon, and fighter pilot drop in on a classroom, these kids have their assumptions turned around.”

2. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about basic human decency.” “Michelle Obama took to the campaign trail to call out the Republican nominee for President of the United States on his disgusting behavior.” Such a great speech from an amazing woman. In related news, Physically Attacked by Donald Trump – a PEOPLE Writer’s Own Harrowing Story, which reminds me of what Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” In other related news, Grab Her — “We are done.” And, It’s Not Okay, and The Thing All Women Do That You Don’t Know About, and 6 Steps To Calming Yourself From Incessant Attacks Until The Election.

3. Penguin Bloom: how a scruffy magpie saved a family. I follow this Instagram account but didn’t know the whole story. Postscript: they recently rescued two more babies who fell 100 feet out of their nest.

4. Black Women Physicians Are Coming Together to Defy Stereotypes with #WhatADoctorLooksLike. In related news, Discrimination 30,000 Feet Above and Plane Crew Nearly Lets Passenger Die Because They Couldn’t Believe A Black Woman Was A Doctor.

5. The Italian cycling champion who used his hero status to save Jews during WW2.

6. Famed Ringling circus elephants arrive in Florida for retirement. Yay!

7. Students expelled after Facebook group calls for ‘execution’ of Jews, black people. This happened in Boulder, Colorado, “an ultra-liberal city known for its ‘hippy culture’ and tolerance.”

8. I’ve Experienced Fat Shaming And Thin Shaming And I Can Tell You Which Is Worse.

9. Excuse me. Having a puppy meltdown. From Meghan Tonjes. Welcome to my life: Every. Damn. Day.

10. Recipes I want to try: spinach and chickpeas and Slow Cooker Hasselback Apple Pork Loin.

11. Meet Emilia and her otter half, Olivia. “The 5-month-old otters are receiving treatment from our Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital veterinarians.” So cute!

12. You need to read what this woman has to say. It will better your life. from Yes Yes Marsha.

13. This portable robot can print your documents at any time. Cool.

14. This farm grows 50,000 lbs of fruits and vegetables – on top of a building.

15. This 10-year-old boy donated his hair to create wigs for young cancer patients.

16. Do What You Love For A Living Before You DIE!! from KevOn Stage.

17. this cup is already broken. A beautiful meditation on death, or rather: life.

18. Unhappy At Work: Why Midlife Makes Us Cranky. Seriously, y’all — I’m having a mid-life crisis.

19. You can rest.

20. Why I’m Voting for Trump, an interesting collection of the various whys.

21. The well of goodwill, great advice from Jamie Greenwood.

22. A Method for Dealing with Feeling Stressed & Overwhelmed from Zen Habits.

23. Amy Goodman Is Facing Prison for Reporting on the Dakota Access Pipeline. That Should Scare Us All. What the fuckity fuck?!

24. Rescue dogs see their new four acre enclosure for the first time.

25. #wearemanystoriesproject with Sas Petherick. She posted to Instagram, starting this hastag with a post that made me say a “hell yes,”

Do you ever get readers block? I read A LOT of fiction and self-help (blergh, I know) and 99% of the authors are white. Most are women, most are just like me. And it just feels samey and dull as shit. I’ve decided to shake things up a bit and I’m embarking on a mission to read 100 books by humans not like me. I’m starting with Julia Ostuka’s The Buddha in the Attic – it’s about Japanese brides who immigrated to the US in the 1920s. It’s a prose poem and it’s made me cry twice. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before. This is going to be fun!

26. Cool art: Watercolor Cherry Blossom Animals and Floral Anatomy Embroideries.

1. Wisdom from Susan Piver,

Meditation is not a life-hack intended for self-improvement nor is it about stress-reduction. It is a discipline. There are no short cuts. It is the opposite of an escape. Practice leads, not to peace, but to clarity, fierceness, and gentleness.(These are not necessarily synonymous with ease. However, they are awesome.) PS I’m still not very good at it. Fortunately, being good at it is not the objective.

2. Funny Husky videos. This made me laugh, and miss my Obi, (our first dog, a Husky mix).

3. A Bank Wouldn’t Cash This Woman’s Paycheck Because They Didn’t Believe She Was An Architect. Seriously?! Blergh.

4. Elizabeth Plank on the latest from Donald Trump. “After more than a year of the Donald J. Trump campaign, should the recent audio leaks of Trump describing boorish behavior towards women really surprise anyone?” In related news, Women Across America Respond To Trump’s Groping Comments (TWEETS).

5. 7 Surprising Reasons Your Dog Should Sleep On Your Bed Every Night. As someone who has had a dog in her bed almost every night for the past 15 years, I am not surprised at all.

6. This musician helps NYC’s homeless get enough money to eat just by playing next to them.

7. Teachers Tell Individual Students How Special They Are, Tears Ensue.

8. An amazing Dad builds an incredible backyard Ninja Warrior course for his daughter.

10. Recipes I want to try: Slow Cooker Corn Chowder and Roasted Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts.

11. Renegade Healing with Dr. Vickie. “A modern day medicine woman for women who are in spiritual and health transitions.” A beautiful thing offered by a beautiful human.

12. Self-Doubt Is A Jerk, So You Should Stop Listening To It, wisdom from Chuck Wendig.

13. Don’t Fall For the New H&M Campaign. In what seems like related news to me, Looks Like “No Excuses” Mom, Maria Kang, Found Some Excuses.

14. The Birds of Fear from Jena Schwartz. There’s a particular magic to Jena’s writing — the detail, stuck to the present moment, tiny moments that call in the power of larger ones, reality that feels like the ordinary magic of a dream, the weaving together of multiple voices but so clearly her own.

15. Humans of New York and the Cavalier Consumption of Others. This makes me sad, because Humans of New York is one of my favorite things, and Stories is one of my “go to” gifts, a book I have given to so many people. I can’t figure out if this article means I’m stupid or confused, or if it’s just another perspective.

16. Changing Beliefs vs. Changing Ideologies (the core of the Non-Diet Approach).

17. A Letter to the Doctors and Nurses Who Cared for My Wife.

18. Why Black lives matter from Ben & Jerry.

19. 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

20. How Libraries Save Lives. “One woman’s story of how a bookmobile transported her away from a deadly life and toward her human potential.”

21. Wisdom from Brave Girls Club,

You are a human being with a body and a mind and a soul…and all parts of us need rest just like we need food and water. It’s not a luxury…it’s not selfish. And it’s not something you can deprive yourself of day after day and week after week without becoming a tired and diluted version of yourself who has too much to do to ever do her best at ANYTHING. When you don’t stop to rest, to think, to recharge, to remember, to restore…you end up grouchy, tired, uncreative, angry, and numb to lots of life. And that’s not who you are, is it? Don’t lose yourself while you are trying to be everything to everyone. So STOP today and make a list, prioritize it, be realistic. Say no to at least three things today.

22. The Science of Meditation, another great (FREE!) offering from Shambhala Mountain Center. This is an amazing group of teachers, and the videos are available for 48 hours after their initial airing.

22. Guy offers to help strangers with anything.

23. Our future doesn’t have to be dismal. “Scientists analyzed sustainability projects around the world and identified overarching trends that can potentially help create a more sustainable future.”

24. How To Help Haiti Recover From Hurricane Matthew.

25. Female Chief Terminates 850 Child Marriages in Malawi and Sends Girls Back to School.