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Culture, lifestyle, entertainment, and the arts—diverse arcs that define how we see ourselves.

THE SUSSEX PARADOX: WHY HARRY AND MEGHAN WON'T GO AWAY — EVEN THOUGH NO ONE CARES

Cropped image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a Christmas Day church service, 2017There was a time when Harry and Meghan mattered. They mattered as a rupture in the modern monarchy, a challenge to royal media norms, and a test case for cross-continental celebrity activism in the digital age. That time has passed. What remains in its wake is something stranger, even sadder...
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WHEN LOVE MEETS AI: A JAPANESE WOMAN MARRIES CHATGPT

Split-image photograph of Japanese woman in a pink gown during her wedding ceremony to her ChatGPT partner, shown on a tablet placed on a small cart, depicted in black and white against a brick wall and large window backdropIn a world where technology shapes our emotions and human connection, one story from Japan is raising eyebrows—and sparking questions. In December 2025, a 32-year-old Japanese woman held a symbolic wedding with her AI partner, a digital creation powered by ChatGPT.
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LAUGHING BUDDHAS, FUTURE BUDDHAS, AND THE EVOLUTION OF ENLIGHTENED ICONS

Image of Buddhai the Laughing Buddha merging into Maitreya the Future Buddha and vice versaWhen you think of a Buddha, what pops into your mind? For many, it's the cheerful, rotund "fat laughing Buddha" grinning back at you from a Chinese restaurant or gift shop. But Buddhism's visual story is far richer, stretching across centuries, cultures, and philosophies—and not all Buddhas are created equal.
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FROM DMC TO HARMONY — DESIGNING THE DAN MEYER CHOIR LOGO

Dan Meyer Choir logo at different stages of design creationDesigning a logo for the Dan Meyer Choir turned out to be one of those projects that sneaks up on you and reminds you why you love creative work in the first place. This logo was created for my friend's choir, a Baltimore-based ensemble rooted in community, harmony, and shared musical purpose. Like many identity projects, it began simply, almost obviously, with a basic DMC logotype.
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WHEN ALANIS SHOWS UP IN YOUR WORKDAY PLAYLIST LIKE AN UNINVITED GUEST

Stylized, sepia-toned brush-stroke portrait of Alanis Morissette with long dark hair parted in the center, gazing directly at the viewerThere's a particular kind of musical whiplash that happens when you're deep in your daytime work playlist—emails, tabs, caffeine, mild dissociation—and suddenly Alanis Morissette bursts in, emotionally barefoot, demanding that you feel things. Hard..
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MODERN CULTURE IS LOUD — HERE'S WHY POP CULTURE FEELS OVERWHELMING RIGHT NOW

Image of a distraught or excited man in sepia facing his reflection in blue.If modern culture feels louder, faster, and more chaotic than ever, you're not imagining it. From viral social media trends and celebrity news cycles to political discourse embedded in music, film, television, and fashion, pop culture today is constantly competing for attention.
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TWERK BY BASEMENT JAXX: THE TRACK THAT USED THE WORD LONG BEFORE THE WORLD DID

Composite of Basement Jaxx album art and photo of Robin Thicke singing Blurred Lines with Miley Cyrus twerkingWhen Basement Jaxx dropped "Twerk" back in 1999, most casual listeners probably glossed over the title without a second thought. Today, though, the word carries a LOT more cultural weight. Thanks to viral dance videos, Miley Cyrus's infamous 2013 VMA performance, and a decade of social-media choreography, "twerking" has become one of the most recognizable dance terms on the planet.
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