We had some cloudy and rainy days this week that were a bit of a downer, but the sun poked back out yesterday and it made such a difference. I got in some more outdoor reading and finished another book!

I’m going to get right to the favorites this week, because one of my favorites really did make my week. Sometimes you just have to let yourself get excited over something relatively inconsequential!

• Drake’s video for I’m Upset
  I used to be OBSESSED with Degrassi. Liz (of the nutrition posts!) actually brought the season 1 DVD over one year that she was joining our family on a summer vacation, and she, my sister, and I stayed up way too late because we just wanted to watch “one more episode.” Every episode was so dramatic, and they really covered so many issues that other TV shows weren’t touching. And Drake played Jimmy in the show – before he was a famous rapper, he played a character who got shot at school and was paralyzed. Now, in his latest music video, he staged a Degrassi High School reunion. If you ever watched the show, you need to check out this video!

• The Bold Type is back!
  I mentioned my love of the The Bold Type last summer, when it was in it’s first season. I’m so glad that it’s back this summer! This interview shows how close the actresses are in real life – read the interview and then watch the show if you don’t already!

• Suicide as a public health crisis
  I know this isn’t an uplifting article, but it’s an important one. Because there’s so much stigma around mental health and suicide and depression, a lot of people may not realize that it’s become such an important public health issue. It’s certainly not a simple one – we talked about it a bit in my classes that focused on the opioid epidemic, because there seems to be a relation between the two. Opioids numb the pain and despair that many seem to be feeling, but lead to many hundreds of thousands addicted. This article goes into the many facets of the issue, showing how complex it really is.

• The Parkland choir at the Tony Awards
  I’m obviously a huge musical fan, so I love watching the Tony’s each year. Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban were amazing hosts, but by far, the most standout and touching moment was when the Parkland choir sang “Seasons of Love.” I read on Twitter that it was a surprise performance – they hadn’t done it during rehearsals – and I can’t imagine there were many dry eyes in the room while they sang.