samhexum

It all started because his 9-year-old son wanted a pet. Not just any pet. An octopus. Specifically, a California two-spot octopus, also known as a bimac. So, Cameron Clifford, a 36-year-old dentist in rural Oklahoma, did what many dads would do. He made a call to a local aquarium store inquiring about getting an octopus. Little did he know, that call would eventually spawn 50 surprise octopus babies in his home, thousands of dollars in water damage and other fees as well as an epic father-son TikTok saga that has warmed the hearts of nearly 400 thousand followers. "I think there's a lot of people out there that had this crazy pipe dream when they were a kid, and then it just kind of fizzled away as they got older," he says. "I think they also really empathize with kind of this stereotypical story of a father who decides to give his child a pet, and then, of course, turns into the father almost taking exclusive care of that pet, except to the nines in this case." Clifford says his son Cal has always had deep, inexplicable love for octopuses. Since he was 2, Cal has asked for a pet octopus at every birthday, Christmas and major holiday. Clifford and his wife always thought it was a funny and adorable request − and they happily gifted him toy octopuses as presents. Never, however, did they think owning a pet octopus was a dream they could make a reality. "His ultimate dream, his cloud nine, the greatest thing that could ever possibly happen in one's life had just become a possibility, and he just broke down," Clifford recalls. "My friends and family, of course, all, as you probably imagine, said to me, 'Well, now you have to get it for him. You can't just dangle that in front of him and then turn around and just flatline that dream.' " So Clifford spent the next several weeks documenting his and his son's preparation for their pet octopus, whom they named Terrance. That meant researching, ordering and installing a proper saltwater tank and water cycling system in their home, as well as making sure they had access to an octopus' food supply. Clifford says he bought most of the materials secondhand on Facebook Marketplace and expected the whole ordeal to cost around $600 to $700. He was wrong. Terrance arrived and was bigger than expected − which meant they needed a bigger tank. When Terrance's 50 surprise babies arrived, "all bets were off," Clifford says, and he spent $300 a week to overnight food for the hatchlings. Not to mention the water damage to his house, which he says is still under repair. All in all, Clifford estimates he's spent around $3,000 to $4,000 on octopuses over the past year. "Do not get a pet octopus unless you're ready to lose sleep and your kids' college fund simultaneously," he jokes. About two months after her arrival, Terrance laid eggs, signaling the end of her lifespan. As Clifford notes on TikTok, female bimac octopuses usually live one-to-two years. When they lay eggs, they stop eating or taking care of themselves, devoting the rest of their lives to protecting their den until their eggs hatch. Experts assured Clifford that Terrence's eggs couldn't be fertilized, meaning they'd never hatch. Clifford and his family handfed Terrence as she protected her perceived young, letting her live out her final purpose according to nature, even if it was all in vain. But then to Clifford's shock, all 50 of Terrence's eggs hatched. Clifford called local aquariums and research facilities begging them to take the babies. They all declined. So he did the next logical thing: He resorted to TikTok, sharing the videos he'd only previously posted for friends and family on his private Instagram. His account exploded in popularity, and now he's in communication with major aquariums, universities and research facilities across the country interested in taking the octopuses off his hands. He's also solicited the internet for names for the babies − the punnier, the better. His favorite? InverteBrett. The experience has had its fair share of challenges, he says, but seeing the joy it's brought to Cal, as well as his 6-year-old son Lyle, has been worth it. It's also been special to see the internet − a notoriously divisive space − rally in near unanimous support for him and his family as they navigate the ups and downs of their octopus journey. "As far as regrets, there's so many," he says. "I wish I wouldn't have opened that valve that way and dumped all that dirty seawater onto my kids' white carpet. That's certainly a regret. But overall, no, it's been an absolutely fun experience, not just for me, but also for my kids." Clifford says the baby octopuses haven't been rehomed yet and are staying with "Dr. Tim," a family friend and reptile scientist. Usually only 1-5% of bimac babies survive into adulthood, Clifford says; two months out from hatching, a staggering 50% of Terrance's babies are still alive: "Every scientist I speak to is always kind of astonished by that fact that we were able to get such a high yield in a kid's bathroom." Clifford says his ultimate goal is for his TikTok followers across the country to be able to visit Terrance's offspring at their local aquariums once the babies find their new homes. "I think it would just be such a cool experience, if you had followed along with the account, (to) go to your state aquarium and see one of the babies − JaySea or BeyonSea or Swim Shady or Squid Cudi − in person," he says. He also intends to go back to his normal life, which has been disrupted by going viral. Clifford and his wife have taken strides to shield their children from knowing just how famous their family has become online. But that's become more difficult now that news cameras have entered their house. For Clifford, the wellbeing of his kids will always come first. It's something he and Terrance have in common. "Of course, with this whole social media thing, it's like I'm now missing bedtime because I'm doing some interview. And that of course then becomes counterproductive if you're like, 'OK, well, I'm documenting how great of a dad I am, and now here I am not putting my kids to bed.' So I have to be careful with it as well," he says. "It's just been a little wilder than most of the experiences we have, but my son has absolutely loved this experience." And for those wondering: Yes, Terrence is, somehow, still alive. "She's doing good. She is just living out the rest of her life in her tank by herself," Clifford says. "She will probably die in the next several weeks, although my assumptions of her have been wrong consistently." https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/04/12/tiktok-dad-viral-octopus-50-eggs-babies/73294427007/

I thought Serge Ibaka had retired. Years ago Griffin dated a Kardashian and there were rumors he was a terrible kisser.

She had an amazing voice, but I didn't always love her material.

Personal trainer dies from suspected mushroom poisoning from juice consumed at wellness retreat i·ro·ny /ˈīrənē/ noun the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. "“Don't go overboard with the gratitude,” he rejoined with heavy irony" a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. plural noun: ironies "the irony is that I thought he could help me" a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character's words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. noun: tragic irony

Chrissy Teigen defends Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, after Keith McNally calls her ‘revolting’ Why should I care that John Legend's wife 'defended' a former candidate for a co-host position on THE VIEW regarding something somebody I never heard of said about her?

White Sox tie 1907 Brooklyn Superbas for most shutouts through 16 games who'd a-thunk they'd be relevant twice in three months?

PATRIOT MISSILE: Patriots receiver appears to post explicit photo on Snapchat

Patriots receiver appears to post explicit photo on Snapchat

You mean commuter vans to facilitate pub crawls? Interesting idea!

You have a problem with people who speak Italian?

Djokovic tells fan in Monte Carlo to ‘shut the f–k up’ in wild meltdown

you don't say!

One Iowa high school student thought of a moo-ving way to ask her boyfriend to prom. Late last month, Emma Lihs, a junior at Bondurant-Farrar, asked her boyfriend Wyatt Carlson, a senior at Dowling Catholic, to the annual event by writing "prom?" on the side of her pet cow. "It was awesome," Carlson tells PEOPLE of Lihs' creative promposal. "I live in the city but have always loved agriculture and livestock, and she knew that." "I was shocked to say the least. It was awesome and of course I said yes," he adds. "Having a cow in your front yard is pretty uncommon, but always welcome." According to Lihs, coming up with the idea to write "prom?" in white chalk on the side of her beloved pet cow — named Fern — was a no-brainer. "You can say Fern and I share Wyatt. I’m pretty convinced she likes him more than me. She was totally on board to get dressed up to surprise our boyfriend," Lihs jokingly adds. Carlson later returned the favor to his girlfriend not long after when he brought a horse to her house to ask her to prom at his school, holding up a sign that read: "I am not horsin' around this time, join this cowboy at prom!" Carlson tells PEOPLE that he and girlfriend Lihs met through the National FFA Organization, which is a nonprofit career and technical student organization that teaches agricultural education to middle and high schoolers. "He was a 2023-2024 officer, and I am now a 2024-2025 district officer," Lihs says, noting: "Wyatt and I honestly just clicked right off the bat and have been loving every moment since." "We have a common love for agriculture and growing the community," Carlson adds. "We both are outgoing and love to try new things." As for their future plans, Carlson says he and Lihs will be continuing to focus on all things animal-related. "We will be showing cow calf together at the county fair," he tells PEOPLE.

One Iowa high school student thought of a moo-ving way to ask her boyfriend to prom. Late last month, Emma Lihs, a junior at Bondurant-Farrar, asked her boyfriend Wyatt Carlson, a senior at Dowling Catholic, to the annual event by writing "prom?" on the side of her pet cow. "It was awesome," Carlson tells PEOPLE of Lihs' creative promposal. "I live in the city but have always loved agriculture and livestock, and she knew that." "I was shocked to say the least. It was awesome and of course I said yes," he adds. "Having a cow in your front yard is pretty uncommon, but always welcome." According to Lihs, coming up with the idea to write "prom?" in white chalk on the side of her beloved pet cow — named Fern — was a no-brainer. "You can say Fern and I share Wyatt. I’m pretty convinced she likes him more than me. She was totally on board to get dressed up to surprise our boyfriend," Lihs jokingly adds. Carlson later returned the favor to his girlfriend not long after when he brought a horse to her house to ask her to prom at his school, holding up a sign that read: "I am not horsin' around this time, join this cowboy at prom!" When the couple's events take place later this month, Carlson tells PEOPLE that he will be wearing a dark navy tuxedo with black accents and a bow tie to Lihs' prom, while she will wear a red sparkly dress with black heels. During Lihs' prom, she will then wear a black sparkly dress and cheetah-print heels, while Carlson will be wearing all black with a cheetah-print sport coat. Carlson tells PEOPLE that he and girlfriend Lihs met through the National FFA Organization, which is a nonprofit career and technical student organization that teaches agricultural education to middle and high schoolers. "He was a 2023-2024 officer, and I am now a 2024-2025 district officer," Lihs says, noting: "Wyatt and I honestly just clicked right off the bat and have been loving every moment since." "We have a common love for agriculture and growing the community," Carlson adds. "We both are outgoing and love to try new things." As for their future plans, Carlson says he and Lihs will be continuing to focus on all things animal-related. "We will be showing cow calf together at the county fair," he tells PEOPLE. WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A LINK TO A SITE ABOUT NAKED ASSES (OR DRUGS), BUT ISN'T? https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/simgad/11494351241788440782?sqp=4sqPyQQrQikqJwhfEAEdAAC0QiABKAEwCTgDQPCTCUgAUAFYAWBfcAJ4AcUBLbKdPg&rs=AOga4qlx_7Q2kZBf5XxHrC47I4J67-LK5Q

DEAR ABBY: I’m a professional, well-educated adult who moved back home because of concerns about my father’s health as well as having landed a much better job. As an extra perk, I’ve been able to save money to pay toward my student loans, as well as spoil my parents a bit as they grow older. I recently gifted my parents (for the second time) their dream vacation. They loved it the first time and never imagined they’d be able to do it twice. Because my parents still have a minor child who cannot remain alone, I am choosing, as I did last time, to use my personal vacation time to babysit. My mother has been planning the details of her upcoming trip and has now asked me to take more time off work so they can have a road trip after their vacation. Abby, I am already draining every bit of my time off for their weeklong vacation and will not be able to have a vacation myself until later in the year when I accrue more time. I know she’s requesting this to make the trip more fun for my father. Although I am a generous and patient person, this has left me feeling almost speechless, a bit unappreciated and frustrated. Am I overreacting? Should I find a way to extend their trip? — LIMITED IN OHIO DEAR LIMITED SUCKER: The answer to both of your questions is NO. Your mother apparently doesn’t appreciate how generous you have been in providing these vacations for her and your father IS A BITCH. If she wants to extend their holiday, she should make her own arrangements for your sibling to be supervised if she and your dad won’t be available to do it themselves. Shame on her for trying to foist that responsibility onto you. EARN THE MONEY FOR A BABYSITTER ON HER BACK OR ON ONLYFANS

Dear Abby: I am a gay man who matched with another guy on a dating site two years ago this month. At first, we texted constantly. No one has ever made me feel the way he made me feel through texting alone. He displayed qualities that set him apart from anyone else I have talked to. We made a date, but he canceled at the last minute because of cold feet. He requested more time to get to know each other before meeting. For the past two years, we have continued to message each other, though not nearly as often. He says he very much wants to meet, but says he’s intimidated by my accomplishments in life and is convinced I won’t like him. (Abby, he is more accomplished than most of the guys I date.) I have tried desperately to convince him to meet me so we may both find out if we are a good match. In the meantime, I continue to date other guys because I want to find someone to share my life with. But I refuse to put my life on hold in a vain hope that we might someday meet. However, my desire to meet him overshadows most of my attempts to date others. His statements that he badly wants to meet me but is afraid to do so is incredibly frustrating. Should I block him from contacting me further so I might focus on looking for someone else? Or should I keep doing what I’ve been doing? — Frustrated in Kentucky Dear Frustrated: There may be a logical reason why this relationship has not progressed. The man with whom you are communicating may not at all be who he says he is. Because you have invested so much time and emotion in trying to meet him, offer him one more chance to meet. Tell him that if he can’t bring himself to do that, you are ending the relationship and will block him from contacting you further. Then follow through. Consider it to be taking a giant step forward in your life. You deserve better than the teasing you have been receiving. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO HAVE ANY ‘accomplishments in life’ BEING SO STUPID? CON ARTIST, CONVICT, QUASIMODO, (or even worse) A WOMAN… NONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES ARE GOOD. Dear Abby: It seems that doctors’ offices have it set up to automatically send you emails and/or text messages to confirm your appointments. It is convenient, but they send them repeatedly, starting a week or two prior to the appointment. Why? It seems like overkill to me. Once should be enough, unless they feel we’re unable to remember when we have an appointment. Before the internet, we made our next appointments, if required, at the doctor’s office upon leaving and were given a card showing date and time. That was all we got! You marked it on your calendar at home, and life went on. Abby, do you agree with my frustration? — Blunt Guy in Nevada Dear Blunt Guy: No, I do not. Sometimes folks forget to enter that information into their calendar and the result is that the medical and dental professionals get stood up. If the reminders become annoying, you can always delete them when they pop up. I AM DELETING YOUR EMAIL BECAUSE IT IS A WASTE OF MY TIME. If this is your biggest problem, consider yourself lucky. BLUNT ABBY

you should see what Angel Hernandez did in Texas last night.

LITERALLY... A golden retriever in Britain, nicknamed the "The Dogfather," is retiring after fathering more than 300 puppies. Trigger, the 9-year-old golden retriever, was the "star stud dog" of Guide Dogs', a charity that helps pair dogs with people with vision impairment in the United Kingdom. He has fathered 39 litters, including a record-breaking one with 16 puppies in 2021, according to the charity. Guide Dogs, in a news release, said that 294 of Trigger's puppies were bred by the charity itself, while another 29 pups were born "of his valuable ‘collaborations’ with other assistance dog charities and guide dog schools," bringing his total to 323. Triglets Trigger's final litter had 6 puppies, including five daughters named Jenny, Rita, Hermione, Sandy, and Indy, and one son, Billy. Trigger's puppies have been affectionately nicknamed "Triglets," by volunteers and guide dog owners. The Triglets have been helping visually impaired and partially sighted people all across Britain, including "London, Glasgow and Cardiff. Meanwhile, two of Trigger's litters were even born at guide organizations in France and the Netherlands. "Trigger’s legacy can be seen in the independence and confidence his progeny has brought to the lives of blind and partially sighted people all over Britain," Guide Dogs said. The Dogfather's final litter had 6 puppies, including five daughters named Jenny, Rita, Hermione, Sandy, and Indy, and one son, Billy. 'Perfect asset' “Trigger’s wonderful, gentle nature and excellent health have made him the perfect asset to our breeding program," Janine Dixon, Head of Breeding Operations at Guide Dogs said in a statement. "We can’t overstate the impact that Trigger has in helping us to provide so many guide dogs for people with sight loss." Dixon said the charity hopes Trigger's son Billy joins the breeding program and continues his father's legacy. "In the meantime, nine of his daughters, as well as his half-French son Pierre, are helping us to bring forward a new generation of guide dogs with Trigger’s fantastic genes," Guide Dogs said. As for Trigger's future? Guide Dogs said that he will stay in Banbury with his Breeding Dog Volunteer Sarah Byrne, who has looked after him for past seven years and will now officially adopt him. https://www.aol.com/golden-retriever-nicknamed-dogfather-retires-185657316.html

They probably eat only sprouts and tofu.