#popsugar interviews

Author Holly Whitaker Launches a Sobriety Program to Support You While Socially Isolating Is it Wine O'Clock yet? Are you counting down the time until cocktail hour? No matter how you cut it, society has an…

When Ben Adelman was growing up, he had one major dream: to be a school bus driver. And despite being born with cerebral palsy, the Riverside, IL, native never doubted he could get there. While his dream eventually changed thanks to one standout moment in high school, he was always determined to succeed. And he's had a great support system to lean on over the years, including his family and the people at Aspire, the nonprofit organization that's helped him learn social and professional skills since he was young. But it's been Ben and Ben alone who's made things happen. The 36-year-old works as a dispatcher at Superior Ambulance Services, is a volunteer firefighter in his spare time, and lives independently in his community. He also founded Ben-A-Fit, an annual charitable event that raises money for Aspire, because he wanted to give back to the organization for all the help and support they've given him over the years. And it seems like the sky's the limit for Ben, who still has the same mentality that no dream is too big for people with disabilities: "I basically just prove people wrong. Sometimes, I shock people with the way I do things." To learn more about what made his career goals change and his advice for employers when hiring people with disabilities, keep reading. Related: Haben Girma: Why I Never Tell People With Disabilities to "Just Work Harder" POPSUGAR: When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? Ben Adelman: I wanted to be everything, but the main thing I wanted to be was a school bus driver. PS: Can you tell me about your journey to Superior Ambulance Service and how you came to want that job? BA: When I was in high school, they thought I had seizures, so they put me in a class with a similar group of kids. We got transported to and from school in a medi-car, and that's when I found out they had an ambulance. We saw one at a stoplight, and I said to my friend next to me, "What's that service called?" It was Superior Ambulance. I asked him, "How would I apply? How would I go about getting a job at Superior Ambulance?" And you know what he said to me? He said, "What are you going to do at Superior Ambulance in a wheelchair? You can't pick people up, and you can't use a computer." And so when I got out of high school, I came to Aspire, and I was looking for a job. I was going to apply for student bus companies and be a dispatcher there, but then my case manager at the time got me an application for Superior. My dad and I went on the interview, and I got hired that same day! PS: Can you tell me about what you do there? BA: I started out as a customer service representative. Then I wanted to become a dispatcher real bad, so they moved me down to dispatch. And now I'm one of the head dispatchers over there. PS: What's your favorite part about your job? BA: Seeing all the different crews and listening to what they have to say. And if I'm not there, they get really mad, and they say, "Where's Ben? We want Ben!" PS: I know you're also a volunteer firefighter. Can you tell me what that's like? BA: It's fun! Not only do I like it as a hobby, but I treat it as a job. It's really exciting. I mainly stay around the fire station, but it's still fun being there and being able to do things similar to what an actual paid firefighter does. PS: How has Aspire helped you achieve some of your career goals? BA: I have volunteer jobs, and the staff at Aspire has been helping me a lot. When I first came here, they partnered me with a job coach, and that really helped me. Then a couple of years after that, I was able to work on my own. PS: What does a typical workday look like for you? BA: I take two buses to get to work. And when I get to work, I punch in and get my assignments for the day. For a while, I was a floater and went wherever they needed me. We have different sides that we dispatch on, and right now, I'm on the west side. PS: Is there one obstacle that you've overcome in your career that you're really proud of? BA: I've had two really tough problems that I've overcome. When I was in customer service, I sometimes had trouble getting my words out on the phone. So they had to work with me a little bit on that. And they also helped me try and understand the company a little better. I have help with that right now. I get really upset sometimes about things that happen at work, and I'm getting help to overcome that. PS: When you have those moments when you're not sure you can do it, how do push through? BA: I basically just prove people wrong. Sometimes, I shock people with the way I do things. PS: Do you have any advice for someone else who is differently abled who wants to have a career and chase their dreams? BA: I go out to schools and I talk to people about what it's like to have a job and a disability and live on your own, and my theory is this: no matter what disability you have, you can do it. Anybody that's blind, deaf, can't talk, or can talk, there's no such word as "no." PS: What advice would you give to your younger self when you were just starting out in your career? BA: Don't be afraid. PS: What do you want other employers to know about hiring differently abled people? BA: I want them to know that they shouldn't be afraid to hire us because we're just people. No matter what disability we have, we're just people. PS: Who's your biggest role model? BA: My mom, my dad, and my brother. My family. http://bit.ly/2Ptwd4v

Between raising a 10-year-old daughter and being a celebrity chef and Food Network star, Alex Guarnaschelli has a heck of a lot on her plate. And after a long day as a judge on Chopped, sometimes the last thing she wants to do is come straight home and make dinner. But rather than blocking out an entire weekend afternoon to meal prep, she resorts to her secret weapons: sauces and dressings. "I'm a really big sauce person," Alex told POPSUGAR. "And that's just the chef in me but I think it's something other people can do, too, obviously. I have a few sauces and vinaigrettes in the fridge at all times." Related: The 1 Lesson Chopped Chef Alex Guarnaschelli Wants to "Hammer Home" With Her Daughter And we're not talking about sauces with dozens of ingredients. Busy parents can go the easy route with simple options that won't eat up a ton of time or just buy some of their favorites at the grocery store. "My go-tos are a basic mustard vinaigrette, a caesary variation, and a lemon-yogurt dressing," she explained. "Generally, those are probably my three favorites. I also always have some marinara of some kind, which is the Italian-American in me, as well as something with capers and pickles or olive oil in it." She also said that there's nothing wrong with changing things up and experimenting, explaining that some weeks she'll opt for a salsa, a chimichurri, or even a mole sauce instead if she's in the mood. "Then I can just cook a piece of chicken or sear a pork chop and throw a dollop of sauce on there." After you stock up on a few of your favorites, all you need to do is pick a protein and go from there. "Then I can just cook a piece of chicken or sear a pork chop and throw a dollop of sauce on there," Alex said. "Sometimes I just make pasta. Sometimes I make a salad and just throw the dressing on it . . . I'll pretty much put [dressing] on anything, like a piece of fish, some cauliflower steak, a giant hunk of broccoli, even cabbage slaw." And although whipping up a few of her favorite dressings is what works for Alex in a pinch, she realizes it might not be the perfect solution for every family. "I read a lot in the magazines about moms having go-to meals and menus. I can understand the search for that . . . I do think that a lot of people like planning a full meal," she said. "I'm not discouraging that either, by the way. I have friends who make a chart and they have the week planned out. They like doing that because then they don't have to think about it. That works, too!" If your household is anything like ours (read: chaotic), what your squad is craving can change in a pinch - even as far as Mom and Dad are concerned. Alex said that as a working mom, she's found herself in a similar situation. "You know what, I planned chicken, pork chops, and zoodles this week, but I accidentally ate pork carnitas for lunch and I don't want to eat pork again for dinner," she said. "There has to be a little breathing room. If you have those bases, then you get these bursts of flavor you can throw on anything." Related: 80 of the Best Kid-Friendly Recipes Alex's biggest meal prep takeaway? Just do what's best for your family and don't ever be too hard on yourself. "People are always confessing to chefs, saying things like, 'I don't cook' or 'I'm not a cook.' And I'm like, 'It's OK, nobody is arresting you,'" she said with a laugh. "Forgive yourself, forgive your flaws, and do what you like!" http://bit.ly/2LbCpbB

Tully tackles the many highs and lows that come with motherhood - including postpartum depression. It's a topic we rarely see depicted honestly, if at all, in movies and on TV. We sat down with Charlize Theron, who stars in the movie as mother of three Marlo, and director Jason Reitman to talk about parenthood taboos and why it's time to shatter the stigmas. Tully is in theaters on May 4. http://bit.ly/2Idy9e1

2 Experts Explain Why You Must Eat After a Workout (and What Happens If You Don’t) If you've just worked out, don't even think about skipping out on food. "During a workout, especially one involving strength training, you are breaking down muscle and creating small micro tears," Rebecca Gahan, certified personal trainer and owner and founder of…

7 Acne Products That Actually Work Acne can be frustrating, exhausting, demoralizing, and downright mean. One thing people don't bring up on the regular?

Surprising Things That Might Make Birth Control Pills Less Effective When it comes to avoiding an unwanted pregnancy, you need to use protection - because the…

7 Foods That Seem Healthy but Actually Aren’t at All When it comes to eating better and losing weight, most people make the effort to choose healthier foods: an apple instead of potato chips, a salad instead of chicken wings, or sparkling water over soda.