1 . Repeatedly hitting the alarm’s snooze (小睡) button isn’t always the best way to start the day. Check out these tips for building an effective morning routine — one that you may actually stick with!

How to wake up feeling refreshed depends on you being well rested and ready to go. Research has shown that for many adults, getting 7—8 hours of sleep is ideal. Make sure your room is quiet and there aren’t any bright lights that could affect your ability to sleep.     1    . If your room isn’t dark enough, you might consider getting room darkening curtains or wearing an eye mask so your body can rest better.

Many of us hit that snooze button until the last possible second and then race through getting ready as fast as possible. However, waking up when the alarm goes off the first time can actually be a great way to get your body up and running. Once you’re up, stay up!     3    .

You’ve just gone approximately eight hours without eating or drinking, so your body could use a pick-me-up.     4    . Many experts suggest that you might try drinking some water to jump start your metabolism first. Starting with water in the morning will even help you stay hydrated all day long.

    5    . Relaxing, letting the worries of the day go, and focusing on the positives in your life can help you feel uplifted and inspired to take on even the most challenging day.

A big gathering of friends sat around our living room making music. “Get up there, Roberty Bob!” my mum Mary encouraged me. It was 1996, and aged five, I’d recently started Irish dance lessons with my two older sisters. I showed off some of the steps I’d learned in a shy and nervous way as the friends cheered.

We lived on an apple orchard (苹果园) in the Huon Valley, which had been in my dad’s family for generations. Mum had left her own family’s farm in Ireland after she met my father, Robert, while he was travelling around Europe. She vowed to never forget the culture of her homeland.

On nights like this one, friends and family would gather for a jam session (即兴演奏会). Many would bring instruments—tin whistles, Celtic drums, piano accordions — and produce a noisy Irish symphony (交响乐). Music was as much a part of my childhood as the country air I breathed.

When I turned 14, my parents gave me a guitar, and I began to suspect life would take me far beyond the bush. After school, I got into the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) which led to a career in musical theatre. I had a ball performing in shows across Australia, like Disney’s Aladdin and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. During this period, I met a beautiful actress named Chloé Zuel and in 2019 we married. After COVID, I found it hard to get back to the former routine. Then, in April this year, I was sent an audition (试音) notice for a new musical about Elvis Presley set to tour Australia. We grew up with Irish and classical music, I thought. I knew nothing about Elvis. I figured they’d give the role to some Elvis fan and resolved to audition for smaller parts. Chloé disagreed and encouraged me to go for it though she was pregnant and needed company.

Amazingly, a few weeks later I learned that out of 700 applicants, I’d got the lead.

In the finally show, Elvis sang Can’t Help Falling in Love to his new baby, and so did I.

4 . Best Family Vacations in the Caribbean

Choosing a Caribbean vacation that meets the needs of young children, preteens and adults might seem like a challenging task. The following introduction may provide you with some choices.

With three islands to choose from, U. S. Virgin Islands appeal to families who like to combine beach time with a bit of exploration. Virgin Islands National Park on St. John offers this combination — and more — with 20-plus trails and access to popular Trunk Bay beach. Kids will also enjoy Coral World Ocean Park on St. Thomas, where they can swim with dolphins and sea lions.

Beautiful beaches, magnificent reefs and opportunities for horseback riding and surfing lessons make the Bahamas a family favorite. Plus, this string of 700 islands boasts plenty of budget- and family-friendly resorts. One of the most famous resorts — Atlantis Paradise Island — even has its own 141-acre water park and the world’s largest open-air marine habitat for the young to enjoy. At the marine habitat, travelers can enjoy watching various aquatic animals swim by.

Grand Cayman, the largest and most popular of this three-island chain, offers families tons of ways to enjoy their time together. Adults and kids can sunbathe, build sandcastles and float in the Caribbean Sea at Seven Mile Beach, or swim with stingrays (刺魟) in the shallow water of Stingray City. To get up close and personal with more sea life, head to the Cayman Turtle Centre to interact with turtles of all shapes and sizes.

Calm waters and pollution-free beaches attract travelers of all ages to the British Virgin Islands. While the destination can be pricey, families can save money by splashing around Smuggler’s Cove, a free beach known for its sea turtles and relaxing atmosphere. Visitors will also enjoy themselves in the Baths National Park.

6 . At three years old, I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (神经纤维瘤), a condition that causes tumors (肿瘤) to form in the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Although I struggled to play sport like my friends, I still had a(n) ________ childhood with my younger siblings’ company. But by age 15, I needed surgery to ________ all the tumors in my hand that were causing ________ when I moved.

In the years that followed, I had many more ________, though I got on well with life and studied at university, ________ my mum’s footsteps in education field. I loved children but I’d made a decision of not having children ________, because the chances of passing on NF to them were too ________. Instead, having cared for 40 kids in a foster care, along with getting a job in childcare, gave me such ________ and I wanted to make each moment ________.

But in 2020, an aggressive tumor was found in my brain and while doctors could remove some of it, they couldn’t take out the most aggressive part. After the surgery, I had to learn to get around with the ________ of a wheelie walker, and teach myself to do basic tasks left-handed. Working in childcare was no longer ________, but I remained determined. Even though my treatment for the tumor remains ongoing, I also have lots to ________. I’ve bought a house, I do volunteer work at a shop, and have ________ Lottie into my life. My plan is to train her to be my service dog in case my condition ________.

I hope by sharing my story, it ________ others that your life is there to be lived — and that’s what I plan to keep doing.

7 . The Beatles will release what is said to be their last ever song this week, pieced together from recordings spanning more than four decades and it would not have been possible without AI.

Now and Then has been edited together from a recording of the late John Lennon playing the piano and singing at his home in New York in 1979. Now, artificial intelligence has been used to extract usable sections from that noisy tape. These have been combined with guitar tracks from the late George Harrison, recorded in 1995 when efforts were made to finish the song. The endeavour was called off due to poor sound quality, which AI has now been able to solve.

Finally, new recordings made earlier this year from Paul McCartney and Ringo Start were added. McCartney has teased the existence of the song in interview s and said in a statement: “There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”

When creating Now and Then, AI is used to separate the dialogue from other noises to help editor s create a workable documentary. Ultimately, the engineers were able to develop bespoke AI powerful enough to remove all background noise and isolate not only speech but even the sound of each instrument played in a band.

Jess Aslan at University of London, says The Beatles’ track is an interesting experiment because it was done transparently with the blessing of the living members of the band, but adds that AI is a double-edged sword that also presents risks to artists. “One significant issue is that generative AI is squeezing the already extremely narrow creative job market,” she says. “Another is that of ownership, as these large-scale models are in fact bypassing copyright laws and using artists’ data without permission.”

8 . It was in 2019, when I first arrived at Donghua University in Shanghai, that I discovered a local park filled with elderly people dancing in the early morning. It quickly became my favorite spot. I’d bring my coffee, and relax while watching them enjoy the rhythm of the music. Occasionally, I’d also join them. There, no one judges you for a misstep or for not keeping up with the rhythm. You simply enjoy the moment. It’s fascinating to see experienced dancers leading, while newcomers observe, learn, and eventually join in, just like me.

However, I’m not exactly new when it comes to dancing. My love for dance began at a very young age in my hometown, Uzbekistan. My mother would fondly recall how, as a child, I’d effortlessly move to the rhythm of music. At around 3 or 4, I gave my first performance just a week after being sent to learn in a dancing studio. The large stage and the vast audience made me nervous, but it was a defining moment that light my passion for dancing. Throughout my school years and later in college, I actively participated in various performances, exploring a wide range of dances, including traditional Uzbek dances and various other cultural dances.

When I first arrived in China, I had the privilege of showing the traditional Uzbek dance at a cultural event, introducing my culture to others. Later, at Donghua University, we established a dance club where students from around the world taught various dance styles. There I learned new dance forms and participated in university events.

However, outside of campus, I often found myself wandering into the park, watching people dancing or even dancing along on the square. The dance transcends age and background, offering an antidote to the loneliness and physical inactivity that often accompanies aging.

These two worlds — the vibrant public dancing in China and the rich Uzbek dance tradition — have profoundly shaped my life and brought me boundless joy.