Molly Bloom, the author of "Molly's Game," became famous in celebrity circles for running the most exclusive underground poker game. The stakes were so high she witnessed one man lose $100 million in one night. Following is a transcript of the video.

This game was populated by some of the world's most famous, wealthiest, and most powerful men. My regular game in New York City was a $250,000 buy-in, no limit. So people were burning through that, a lot of times in the first 30 minutes. I saw someone lose $100 million in one night.

Hi, I'm Molly Bloom. I am the author of "Molly's Game." And, I'm here to talk about, I guess, why my life got made into a movie.

So, I moved to Los Angeles. My parents were not on board with that and so I had to get a lot of different jobs. One of them was working for a man in Hollywood who had a weekly poker game. And he said that he was going to — it was going to be part of my responsibilities to help him out at the game. And the first night I was there I recognized a really interesting opportunity to build a network and access to incredible information because this game was populated by some of the world's most famous, wealthiest, and most powerful men.

I think what set this game apart was, I wasn't a gambler and I wasn't running a game because I wanted to play in it. I looked at it as a business. I looked at it as a startup and I wanted to be able to expand my business and so I started seeking out players. I started kind of looking in different corners of the country, of the world, and finding these whales, finding these big gamblers, that would contribute to this very compelling, larger-than-life environment.

You know, I recognize that these men had massive privilege. They weren't interested in acquiring things. They wanted experiences and I think I was able to create an experience that was very exciting, there was an adrenaline component to it, there was a bloodsport component to it. Ultimately, I recognized that there was certainly an addiction component to it.

I saw someone lose $100 million in one night. When you watch that, as an owner-operator of a game, you realize that these numbers are incredibly unsustainable, incredibly unhealthy. So, I was not happy about this loss. It brought me no joy or adrenaline. I recognized it as really unhealthy and unsustainable.

There were millions and millions and millions of dollars changing hands sometimes in a night. It just kept growing bigger.

I kept these games pretty intimate. You know, with this much money on the table, with this much risk, you wanted to make people feel safe. They don't want to feel like they're part of a spectator's sport — well the winners do, but the losers do not.

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Like most travelers, I loathe airports.

After avoiding United Airlines for years due to bad reviews, I jumped at a cheap fare this holiday, and the commute to New Jersey's Newark Airport that it required.

Last year, United's Terminal C reopened after a $120 million renovation spearheaded by airport restaurateur OTG. The transformation ditched the usual drab airport food options for an architecturally beautiful selection of 55 celebrity-chef inflected eateries ranging from ramen to Neapolitan-style pizza. 

The ultimate airport skeptic, I came away from Newark's terminal-of-the-future absolutely delighted — both by the cuisines, and some thoughtful touches that make any travelers' lives easier.

Take a look inside to see how it taught me to stop hating, and begin loving the bright future of airports.

SEE ALSO: We ate lunch at United Airlines' secret invitation-only restaurant — and it takes airport food to a whole new level

The new terminal was designed by architect David Rockwell, who has designed numerous high-end restaurants. The Global Bazaar, which has a number of rotating fast-casual eateries and a few fancier sit-down restaurants, is at the heart of the terminal.

It all feels very high-tech. There are no cashiers for any of the fast-casual eateries or convenience stores. Instead, everyone pays at self-check-out kiosks spread across the floor.

There are a lot of options, but some are only open at certain times. While Casciano's Deli serves up fresh Italian sandwiches at dinner time, the signage rotates in the morning to serve breakfast sandwiches at Poppy's Bagels.

• I got a $9.95 a month MoviePass subscription in October.
• Over the past two months, I've saved more than $100 on the cost of movie tickets.
• My favorite part about the subscription is that I can see both new releases and indie film screenings.

Going to the movies is one of my favorite pastimes.

But it's not a frugal outing in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. Where I live in Hollywood, a basic, no-frills evening ticket for a new release costs $18.75.

Thankfully, movie-going was rendered affordable when I signed up for MoviePass, the startup that offers $9.95 a month subscriptions to see one film a day in theaters.

The company previously offered the same subscription for $50 a month, but slashed the price back in August, causing a frenzy among movie-goers and theater operators alike. More than 150,000 people signed up for MoviePass in two days, the company said, and it has since struggled to keep up with demand.

In fact, I signed up on September 20 and didn't get my MoviePass debit card in the mail until exactly a month later. It was frustrating, no doubt, but that feeling quickly faded after the thrill of seeing my first "free movie."

I've been a MoviePass member for two months now, and I've seen at least eight movies, ranging from small screenings of indie films to packed, blockbuster showings.

In total, I've saved over $100 on the cost of movie tickets, minus the $20 in fees for two months.

The best part

Not only is the cost savings fun to brag about, but I love being able to see so many different types of movies in the film capital of the world. It's mine and my boyfriend's favorite free date night activity.

MoviePass says it works at 91% of theaters in the country, including big chains like Regal and AMC, as well as independent theaters. It doesn't work for 3D showings, but I'm not a fan of those anyway.

In November, we caught an epic screening of the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" at the iconic Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

On Halloween weekend, we went to a midnight screening of the horror flick "It Follows" complete with a director's Q&A (and an unsuspecting Quentin Tarantino sighting).

The MoviePass app works just like any other movie-ticket app, in that it lists all nearby theaters and available showtimes.

The fact that it's "free" to see any of the showings on the MoviePass app draws my attention toward ones I likely wouldn't have paid full price to see. 

The worst part

I'm a MoviePass evangelist, but I would be remiss not to mention its shortcomings.

For starters, the app is buggy and not very user-friendly. In order to see a movie, you have to "check-in" to your desired showtime on the app once you're less than 100 yards from the theater. It's usually in your best interest to arrive early, especially for popular screenings.

A few times I've checked-in and been met with a never-ending loading wheel. When that happens, I usually quit out of the app and start over. It's not a world-ending flaw, but certainly an annoyance.

Lastly, MoviePass added some fine print to its terms of service in November that's fear-inducing for its most avid members. In short, MoviePass reserves the right to change the monthly price or number of movies a member can see at any time. The company hasn't shared data on the average number of movies its members see each month, so it's hard to know what would be considered over-usage by their standards.

My advice? Sign up for MoviePass now while it's still cheap, and use the heck out of it. Or make it a thoughtful holiday gift for the movie-lover in your life.

SEE ALSO: 25 perfect gifts for teens in 2017

DON'T MISS: Best places to celebrate New Year's 2018 that don't cost a fortune

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NOW WATCH: We tried the app that's like Netflix for movie theaters — and it's totally worth it

• Narcissists make stellar first impressions on potential romantic partners.
• But as time goes on, the relationship may get harder to maintain. 
• The saddest parts of dating a narcissist are below, including that they're self-absorbed, impatient, and think in black-and-white terms.

Narcissists are notorious for making stellar first impressions. They may sweep you off your feet, make you laugh, convince you that you're soul mates.

At some point though, the relationship may come to a screeching halt as their self-centeredness, impatience, and black-and-white thinking seep through their charming veneer.

Below, we've highlighted some of the saddest parts of dating someone who's more into themselves than they're into you.

SEE ALSO: 5 ways narcissism makes people stronger, smarter, and more successful

DON'T MISS: How to know if you're dating a narcissist

They make you feel incredibly special — then you inevitably disappoint them

Business Insider's Lindsay Dodgson highlights one key way to know you're dating a narcissist: First they suck you in; then they abandon you.

As psychologist Neil J. Lavender writes in a blog post for Psychology Today, narcissists often put their partners on pedestals, then subsequently decide they're worthless and cut off all contact. Psychologists call this process "splitting."

As Lavender writes: "It means experiencing life in black and white with no in between. So they either love you or hate you."

They're always thinking about other people they could be with instead

A 2002 paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology looked at narcissists' "game-playing" tendency in romantic relationships, meaning they get what they want and avoid what they don't want from the relationship.

One potential outcome of the game-playing approach is that narcissists believe they have alternatives to their current partner and may even actively pursue those alternatives. And as Business Insider has previously reported, thinking seriously about other people you could be dating doesn't bode well for the strength of your partnership.

They try to make you the center of attention, until they're more interested in assuming the spotlight themselves

In his 2015 book, "Rethinking Narcissism," Harvard Medical School psychologist Craig Malkin highlights research that suggests one key to a successful relationship is holding positive illusions. That means you see your partner as smarter, more attractive, and generally more appealing than they really are, by objective standards.

Moderate narcissism encourages people to hold these positive illusions about their partner. But Malkin writes (emphasis added):

"When people grow dependent on feeling special, they become grandiose or arrogant. They stop thinking that their partners are the best or most important people in the room because they need to claim that distinction for themselves."

• Author Maggie Fuller flew from Oakland to Burbank on the semi-private airline JetSuiteX.
• The cost of the 30-set flight was $129 one-way, and there was no wait time to check in or board the plane.
• While the flight didn't have leather couches and buckets of champagne, they did offer complimentary Perrier and coconut chips, as well as a yoga card for in-flight stretches.

There will always be a certain thrill that comes from scoring an incredible deal on a flight. But double that thrill, add in the elation of a magically line-free security checkpoint, and subtract traffic-and-parking-induced stress, and you'll start to get an idea of what it's like to fly a public charter air carrier. Essentially, you're getting the perks of private air travel, but at astonishingly accessible prices.

The concept of a public charter air carrier isn't new; business travelers have been using them for years. Some carriers, like JetSmarter, provide a range of long- and short-haul flights and an array of charter options, from single seats on a shared jet to a full-plane charter. Some, including Surf Air, are membership-based services that offer unlimited flights for a monthly fee and focus on regional commuter travel.

And then there's JetSuiteX, the new kid on the block. Launched in 2016, the carrier is a subsidiary of private jet charter company JetSuite and a distant cousin of JetBlue Airways. (JetSuite cofounder Alex Wilcox was also a founding executive at JetBlue). While JetSuiteX certainly caters to business travelers, with current routes connecting Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Las Vegas, it's not a membership service and prices are comparable with those of commercial flights, which makes it a viable option for leisure travelers, too.

Specifically, leisure travelers who hate lines and want to feel very fancy indeed. Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy the full JetSuiteX experience on one of its flights from Oakland to Burbank. As a Bay Area denizen with friends and family in Los Angeles, I'd been excited about the company for a while. Yes, they promised truly hassle-free travel, free parking, and prices that even a recovering budget traveler could stomach (starting from $129 one-way).

But really, the concept of turning an eight-hour drive or a four-hour airport ordeal into a two-hour excursion was what won me over. That, and my daydreams of glamorous old-school air travel: me, sashaying across the tarmac in carefully-applied red lipstick, pausing dramatically on the mobile staircase to peer around from behind dark sunglasses.

I cannot stress this enough: The best thing about semi-private air travel is the lack of wait time. JetSuiteX recommends you arrive at their private hangar (conveniently close to the Oakland airport) 20 to 30 minutes before your flight is scheduled to take off. Add three minutes for parking: The Oakland parking lot is across the street from the hangar; in Burbank, it's right outside the hangar. I am chronically late, so I showed up for my 8:30 flight at about 8:23.

There's a huge difference between sprinting for your flight at a hangar and sprinting for your flight through an entire terminal. Chances are, you're only going to catch one of those flights. The other passengers on my 30-seat flight had gotten to the terminal on time, which meant there wasn't a single person in line to check in. The entire process took maybe a minute, leaving me another two to grab a complimentary coffee and glance around the plush lounge before it was time to board. We shook hands with the pilot as we passed through the doors and out onto the tarmac. By the time I sat down and buckled up, it was 8:32.

Don't expect white leather couches and buckets of iced champagne. On a flight like this, the difference is in the details, but those little things make a big impact. You'll still have to bring your seat backs and tray tables to their full upright positions for takeoff, but those seatbacks are cushy leather and those tray tables are a respectable distance away from your knees. The safety procedures card is in the seat back pocket, but so is a yoga card, outlining some easy stretches to help you get through your quick flight ache-free.

A flight attendant still walks up the 10 rows of seats, offering complimentary snacks and drinks, but this isn't your ordinary peanuts-and-water fare. Sip a Perrier or maybe a local craft beer, and munch on Dang toasted coconut chips. You'll cruise along at a casual elevation of 24,000 feet, which means you're close enough to study every detail of the California coast as it speeds by below at 465 mph. And while there may be no personal masseuse on the plane, the JetSuiteX hanger at the Burbank airport brings in a few masseuses once a week during busy hours.

On my return flight, I struck up a conversation with a business traveler across the aisle. An architect based in Los Angeles with a few Bay Area projects, he explained to me that he flies JetSuiteX once a week or so. "It's just so easy," he said. "You just get on the plane, the service is great, and when you get to your destination, they have your rental car waiting for you right at the door." (In Burbank, Concord, and Las Vegas, JetSuiteX provides Go Rentals car services on site.)

When he found out that I work with a travel publication, the architect shook his head. "Hey, don't tell anyone about this, will you? We like it when there are only six or eight people on the plane." My apologies, sir.

SEE ALSO: The city with the most high-net worth individuals per square foot has no income tax — and it's estimated every one in 3 people is a millionaire

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• Matt Damon explained why his new movie, "Downsizing," is such a rarity to be made in the Hollywood system.
• The actor defended the other movie he was in this year, George Clooney's "Suburbicon," and why he believes the critics were too harsh on Clooney.
• Damon also said that in this watershed moment of sexual misconduct allegations coming to light, we're not talking enough about the men in Hollywood who don't abuse their position.

If you haven’t noticed recently, Matt Damon has a lot of opinions.

The actor and Oscar-winning screenwriter is never shy about giving his thoughts on a range of topics, and when Business Insider met with him in New York City in mid-December, it was no different.

Damon was there to talk about his new movie, “Downsizing,” his first time working with acclaimed Oscar-winning writer-director Alexander Payne (“Election,” “Sideways,” “The Descendants”). Damon plays a man who undergoes a shrinking experiment that a growing number of others in the world are choosing. By shrinking to five inches in size, the procedure is billed as being a better way to protect the environment, with the added perk of micro-sized surroundings and possessions that allow the middle class to live like millionaires. The satire explores issues of class, economics, and the things we convince ourselves make up the American Dream. It’s the sort of movie a Hollywood studio never makes anymore.

Below, Damon explained why that’s the case. He also defended the other movie he was in this year, George Clooney’s “Suburbicon,” which he felt the critics were too harsh on. Damon also gave his thoughts on the countless sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood, which we published earlier this week.

Jason Guerrasio: Did you know about the "Downsizing" script? Because Alexander and his cowriter Jim Taylor had written it a while ago.

Matt Damon: I hadn't heard about it. I guess they started it after “Sideways” and originally Alexander wanted Paul Giamatti for the part. Thankfully for me, he didn't get it made for ten years so I got the chance. So he called me and asked and I've wanted to work with him for a while. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not because it's such an absurd premise. But he gave me a script. 

Guerrasio: The movie on the outside has a save-the-world-vibe, and you've always been big on the environment, like your efforts with the world's water crisis —

Damon: But this isn't a message film.

Guerrasio: Not at all. Is it what was beyond the surface of the movie that grabbed you?

Damon: Yeah. There's so much stuff in there — America today, class conflict. But really I thought it's an optimistic movie, though it focuses on the apocalypse. But in the face of the apocalypse it's these human kindnesses that are in it. 

Guerrasio: The big thing for me was that a studio got behind a movie like this. 

Damon: Tell me about it. 

Guerrasio: They don't do that for these kind of movies anymore. 

Damon: Right. And we were supposed to make this a year earlier and didn't because the funding fell apart. So it was really hard to find a way to make it. It's just a challenging movie but also it's just a challenging time. The margins are so narrow now that executives are just risk averse. If you're going to make a movie that doesn't have superheroes or sequel potential it's just very hard to get that made now. 

Guerrasio: But I would think your name involved opens some check books.

Damon: Less than you would think. When we did “Behind the Candelabra,” for instance, that had Steven [Soderbergh] directing it and Michael [Douglas] and me, we couldn't get a studio to give us $25 million (HBO ended up buying the movie). 

Guerrasio: Because they don't see anything worth their time that's in that $20 million - $30 million range?

Damon: Well, if you look at $25 million, you're going to have to put at least that amount into P&A (prints and advertising) and you're going to split it with the exhibitor, so you're in for $50 million, so it's going to have to make $100 million before you even start seeing any profit. So a movie like “Behind the Candelabra,” these studio chiefs had to go, "Well, is it going to make $100 million? And is it going to make $130 million so I can get something back?" These are very real dollar and cents conversations. 

I have a first look deal with Ben [Affleck] for our company at Warner Bros., and there are movies that we bring to them and we like them they are great about it, but when we pitch they go "Okay, we'll run the numbers." It's not personal, they have to look at their slate of titles coming up and their business model and it just becomes really challenging to find way to get these kind of movies made. 

Guerrasio: Now that's what makes what you put out this year quite a feat. Both "Downsizing" and "Suburbicon" are very challenging movies, but a big studio, Paramount, released both of them.

Damon: Yeah. And I hope this one does better than "Suburbicon." I mean, I wouldn’t change a frame of "Suburbicon."

Guerrasio: I’ll be 100% honest with you, I wasn't totally into "Suburbicon" —

Damon: Many felt the same way.

Guerrasio: But what I will say is I love it when you do the off-the-rail roles. 

Damon: I did back-to-back-to-back "The Martian," "The Great Wall," "Jason Bourne," and George called in the middle of making "Jason Bourne" and it really was a chance to work with George that interested me. But I love the concept of the movie. As you say, it was really something different. I had never been able to do something like that. 

Guerrasio: When the movie comes out and isn't the reaction you guys obviously were hoping for, can you just move on? Or are you a person that at 2 AM has to go online and read the reviews?

Damon: In that situation it's easier for me than George. He spent two years on it and it does sting. It was made for a price. It's a calculated miss, but it sucks. And nowadays, when the reviews come out, it's almost like the reviewers are trying to one-up each other to see how creatively they can abuse a movie. And when movies are made in good faith you can tell. You can tell when one is a cash grab and one is not. And you may not like the movie, but you can see when it's crafted at a certain level. I think it deserves a different level of review. 

Guerrasio: Well, we do live in a world where the headline rules all.

Damon: Yes! Exactly. And I thought the reviews were oddly personal in terms of how they attacked George. Julianne [Moore] and I, we were kind of let off the hook, but they really went after George. 

Guerrasio: And I think some of that is people respect his work as a director, so when they see something like this movie they are kind of in shock how much of a swing and miss it was.

Damon: Yeah, but then say that! I get that. But you also want people to take big swings because sometimes they connect. 

Guerrasio: Projects for you coming up: I’ve heard in the past you're developing a Bobby Kennedy movie, is that something that's still hanging out there?

Damon: It's still in the ether. Hopefully we're going to get it made soon, we got to get it set up somewhere. That's one of the ones we went to Warner Bros. with and they ran their numbers and said this isn't a Warner Bros. movie. And I agree, it's not. I mean, we were having this meeting and I'm sitting there with [Warner Bros. head] Toby [Emmerich] and he's got the "Wonder Woman" poster behind him. [Laughs.]
 
Guerrasio: My last question. How much does the sexual misconduct allegations that are constantly coming out in Hollywood affect how you choose a project going forward? Do you really have to think now if you want to be on a project if an actor, producer, or director has allegations against them? Because as we saw with Kevin Spacey, Netflix won’t release the Gore Vidal movie they made with Spacey starring because of the allegations against him. 

Damon: That always went into my thinking. I mean, I wouldn't want to work with somebody who — life's too short for that. But the question of if somebody had allegations against them, you know, it would be a case-by-case basis. You go, “What's the story here?”

But, we're in this watershed moment, and it's great, but I think one thing that's not being talked about is there are a whole s---load of guys — the preponderance of men I've worked with — who don't do this kind of thing and whose lives aren't going to be affected. If I have to sign a sexual-harassment thing, I don't care, I'll sign it. I would have signed it before. I don't do that, and most of the people I know don't do that. So I think it's important that powerful people aren't abusing their stations and they are held to account. To whatever degree they do.

But besides that, I always think about who I'm going to work with and if it's going to be a good experience, if it's going to be a positive experience. We're making movies, nobody should be getting hurt.   

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson reacts to the backlash and addresses the movie's most shocking moments

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NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly reveals why she left Fox News

In a slice of San Francisco known as the Gold Coast, a residential enclave that has long housed the city's old-money families, blue bloods and tech oligarchs now live as neighbors.

Members of the high-tech elite, including Oracle's Larry Ellison, Apple's Jony Ives, and Zynga's Mark Pincus, have left Silicon Valley for the tony mansions, sweeping views, and exclusivity of the Pacific Heights neighborhood. The area boasts a median home sale price of $2.09 million.

We spent an afternoon in Pacific Heights to see why it attracts the technorati, and how it's changed over time.

Robert Johnson and Madeline Stone contributed reporting to this article.

SEE ALSO: Inside the most expensive zip code in America, where tech moguls like Eric Schmidt and Paul Allen have their mansions

I started my journey with a hearty breakfast at an unpretentious-looking restaurant called Sweet Maple in Lower Pacific Heights. The menu cannot claim the same modesty.

The restaurant is known for its "millionaire's bacon," a thick-cut, sweet-and-spicy version of the breakfast staple that costs $4 a slice. Its decadence at least made me feel rich.

Learn more about the breakfast craze sweeping San Francisco »

After breakfast, I headed north on Fillmore Street into the den of luxury.

• A list from the American Institute for Economic Research ranked top college towns.
• It looked to economic, demographic, and quality-of-life factors.
• Boulder, Colorado was the top-ranked town.

Boulder, Colorado, is the top-ranked college town in the US, according to a list from the American Institute for Economic Research.

The city of roughly 200,000 (for its metro area population) earned the top spot thanks to its accessibility — more than 20% of commuters take public transportation or cycle around Boulder Creek Corridor — and diverse and educated population. Boulder also has an active bar-and-restaurant scene, with plenty of coffee shops and microbreweries.

AIER compiled its list using nine economic, demographic, and quality-of-life factors. It defines college towns as having fewer than 250,000 residents.

Aside from the overall ranking, we included cities' individual scores for noteworthy metrics including rent, earnings, and bars and restaurants. We chose the one metric where the city scored the highest out of the nine.

Scroll through to find out the 20 best college towns.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best colleges for business majors

20. Bellingham, Washington — home of Western Washington University

Metro area population: 208,832

College student population in the metro area: 24,926

No. 4 in arts and entertainment

19. La Crosse, Wisconsin — home of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse

Metro area population: 136,824

College student population in the metro area: 16,081

No. 1 in youth unemployment

18. Jacksonville, North Carolina — home of the University of Mount Olive

Metro area population: 186,684

College student population in the metro area: 15,297

No. 3 in rent

• Hollie Grant is a personal trainer, pilates instructor, owner of the PilatesPT studio in London, and founder of "The Model Method."
• Her clients have included Jourdan Dunn, Ella Mills, and Melissa Hemsley.
• During Christmas season she said the most important thing is to "start the day on the right note" with a breakfast full of fibre and vegetables.
• However, she believes people shouldn't see food or alcohol "as the enemy" and shouldn't restrict themselves over the holidays.

Festive food and drink is one of the best parts of the season, but if we approach indulgence the wrong way, we could end up overdoing it and feeling unnecessarily guilty — or bloated and hungover.

Hollie Grant — personal trainer, pilates instructor, owner of London studio PilatesPT, and founder of "The Model Method" — reminded Business Insider that part of the holiday period is about being realistic.

"It's the Christmas period, there will be work drinks and having the family over, and [it's about] not beating yourself up over it, being allowed to have cake and have a few drinks," she said.

"It’s okay to not see food or alcohol as the enemy and just see it as part of a balanced diet. If people have too rigid a structure, it’s too easy to binge and purge, and then binge and restrict."

A former pastry chef herself, Grant says she would never tell a client to completely avoid eating a food they love.

"We don't believe in the diet approach," she said, instead adding that people should "think about putting as many good things into your body as you can."

However, she did have a few suggestions for setting your body and digestive system up for success over the holidays.

Fuel up for the day — then enjoy it

"Always start the day — if you're having breakfast — on the right note," Grant said.

"Make sure you’re getting lots of vegetables and fibre in the the beginning. Then even if you're going out in the evening and it’s greasy food and alcohol, you’ve got some fibre and some vegetables."

Some of Grant's go-to breakfasts include black beans with coriander guacamole and poached eggs....

...as well as corn and lime fritters with avocado, rocket, and sriracha sauce; or smoked salmon, egg, and turmeric muffins.

When it comes to alcohol, Grant suggests going "like-for-like," having one drink, then one glass of water, and not "mindlessly downing pints" — instead, make sure you drink something you really enjoy.

'The Model Method' is an effort to 'change perceptions'

Grant is, of course, also a proponent of pilates, which she says is "all about function and form, not about aesthetics and losing weight."

However, she believes that pilates on its own is not enough, and her "Model Method" — a plan available for online clients as well as clients she trains in person — incorporates HIIT (high-intensity interval training) as well.

She says the program — which has clients including the likes of "Deliciously Ella" Ella Mills, Melissa Hemsley, and Jourdan Dunn — is 50/50 HIIT and pilates/biometrics (using your body weight to jump).

"I started to introduce it into my client sessions with the pilates, and it seemed like the perfect fit," she said. "All sessions are based around that."

Grant's book — also titled "The Model Method" — is due for release on December 28. Grant describes it as an effort to "try to change perceptions of what people should be doing."

The book is divided into three sections: Nourish, which compares what people in the UK are eating to government recommendations, and provides recipes based around that; Strength, which explains what pilates is and why it's good for the body; and Sweat, which talks about the benefits of cardio exercise and HIIT.

Still, while maintaining a bit of exercise over the Christmas period is certainly the goal — and Grant's Method might be a good place to start — don't beat yourself up if you don't make it to the gym every day.

"A healthy relationship with food and exercise is where you don't see it as the enemy, [but as] something that's vital and enjoyable," Grant said. "Dieting and choosing to over-exercise because you hate your body doesn't work."

SEE ALSO: Instagram food star Deliciously Ella tells us the one kitchen staple she couldn't live without

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• We don't all have good excuses to get out of exercising.
• But some people are actually "allergic" to working out.
• It is called "exercise-induced anaphylaxis," and affects about 2% of people.
• Doctors think having an intolerance to certain foods combined with physical exertion causes an allergic reaction.

Sometimes when I exercise, I get hives on my arms or the back of my legs. It's a bit like when I go near a horse and get an allergic reaction, but without the itchiness and inability to breathe.

This puts me on the lower end of the spectrum of having "exercise-induced anaphylaxis," or EIA. It's basically an allergy to exercise, and it affects about 2% of the population.

It most often happens after vigorous physical activity like jogging, tennis, dancing, and bicycling. But lower levels of exercise such as walking can also cause a reaction.

My EIA isn't severe enough to make me stop running, but for other people it can be. In some rare cases, it can even be deadly.

It's quite similar to other allergies, which differ in severity from person to person. During an allergic reaction, your immune system makes antibodies — proteins in the blood that fight bacteria and foreign bodies. When someone with EIA exercises, antibodies are produced to fight against something, even though they aren't needed.

Antibodies release several different immune system chemicals, such as histamine, which cause allergy symptoms like a runny nose and inflamed skin.

EIA symptoms include hives, flushing, wheezing, and sometimes digestion problems. If you keep exercising when it occurs, your reaction could get more severe, such as throat closing, or low blood pressure, which can lead to circulatory failure.

That all sounds pretty scary. And it's the main reason I still take my inhaler to the gym, even though I haven't really needed it for several years.

It might be caused by your diet

Doctors don't always know what causes it.

In many cases, people experience a subset of EIA called food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA). This is when you exercise soon after eating a specific food, and it causes a reaction.

You might not usually have any allergic symptoms when you eat the food normally, but something about the combination of physical exertion and the food sets off your immune system.

According to Medscape, the most common foods linked to FDEIA are wheat, shellfish, tomatoes, peanuts, and corn. But other foods have been reported to have an impact too, like meat, fruit, seeds, milk, soy, lettuce, peas, beans, and rice.

It might not be as simple as avoiding these foods, though, as there is also a nonspecific form of FDEIA, where eating any food before exercise can kick off a reaction.

There's also a chance it is something you're breathing in, such as dust mite debris, or mould spores.

It probably won't go away

Unfortunately, the only way to prevent EIA is by exercising at a lower intensity. Or, you can change the type of exercise you do, as swimming hasn't been associated with EIA.

If you suspect food is inducing the reaction, the medical recommendation is to stop eating six to eight hours before exercising. Very hot or cold weather can also worsen the reaction, so avoid working out during those times.

Depending on the severity of your reaction, it might also be a good idea to see a doctor and get an Epipen, which is filled with emergency injectable adrenaline (epinephrine) that stops the reaction.

SEE ALSO: If your music appears to slow down when you exercise, this is what could be happening in your brain

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This year has been a huge one in the royal calendar — there has been a pregnancy, a proposal, Prince Philip leaving full-time royal duties, Prince William taking them on, and foreign trips and state visits galore.

For people constantly in the public eye, the royals are unsurprisingly great at shaking the right hands, smiling at the right moments, and generally keeping it all together to make sure they get things done.

But every now and again, even watching from a distance, we get a bit more than that. Away from the setpiece events, these are photos of the royals laughing, gawping, eye-rolling, and generally acting like normal folk. Here are the best from 2017.

In January Prince William made a solo venture to Centre Point, a homelessness charity in London. Here he plays a game with a young woman being helped by the charity (he has to guess the name on the note — which says "David Beckham").

It's not all relaxed though — here's all three royals making a run for it at a sports event in east London in February.

Prince William had more fun and games trying to put up a tent blindfolded in Abergevenny, Wales, while launching a children's award scheme.

Wake up. Snooze. Coffee. Rinse, repeat.

Most of our daily routines are so ingrained that we rarely think of changing them. But many of our morning habits aren't helping us to be the most productive, joyful versions of ourselves.

A spate of research on everything from our breakfast to our workout routines is helping to illuminate a handful of opportunities to change things up for the better.

Read on to learn when you should time your coffee to get the most of your buzz, what kinds of workouts to prioritize in the morning, and even whether popping that daily multivitamin is worth the money.

SEE ALSO: What your daily routine should look like, according to science

Skip the shower.

If you showered yesterday, you should probably skip it today. A growing body of evidence suggests that showering too much can mess with your skin and dry out your hair, since it can wash away many of the naturally occurring but beneficial bacteria and oil that keep skin and hair healthy.

"It's paradoxical, but people who wash their hair a lot to get rid of oil are drying out their scalp and producing more oil," Lynne Goldberg, a dermatologist and the director of Boston Medical Center's hair clinic, told Business Insider.

When it comes to setting up your own regimen, consider two things: the average dryness of your skin and scalp, and the texture of your hair. If they are neither very oily nor very dry, you likely only need to bathe once or twice a week. If your hair is curly and thick, you may need to wash it even less frequently, since coarse hair slows down the spread of oil from your roots through the length of your hair.

Brew your coffee — but don't drink it yet.

Many things naturally happen to our bodies when we wake up. We start pumping out the hormone cortisol, a sort of natural caffeine. Most people's cortisol levels peak sometime between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning.

Instead of hopping aboard this wakefulness train, however, coffee consumed at this time may actually blunt cortisol's natural effects, according to Stephen Miller, a Ph.D. candidate at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Instead of caffeinating during this window, Miller recommends holding off for an hour after you awaken.

Hit the track.

Research suggests that an early-morning workout on an empty stomach helps speed weight loss and boost energy levels by priming the body for an all-day fat burn. Exercising first thing in the morning may push the body to tap into its fat reserves for fuel instead of simply "burning off" the most recent snack or meal.

Plus, working out early could mean you get more sunlight, which is key to properly setting your body's internal circadian rhythm. In one study, people who basked in bright sunlight within two hours after waking were thinner and better able to manage their weight than those who didn't get any natural light, regardless of what they ate throughout the day. A morning walk or run outside can also help fight the winter blues during dark, cold days.

2018 is almost here.

However, if you're going to start off on the right foot, you've got to have a good strategy and mindset.

Business Insider spoke with Ryan Kahn, career coach and founder of The Hired Group and creator of the "How To Get Hired" online course, about what not to do come January.

Here are eight mistakes that unsuccessful people make in the New Year — along with some advice on how to turn things around:

SEE ALSO: 7 things unsuccessful people do over holiday breaks

1. They don't reflect on their accomplishments

Many companies have performance reviews around this time, but even if yours doesn't, take the time to think about all that you've accomplished. Don't take your success for granted. "Take the time to think back on the year critically before heading out to holiday," Kahn said.

2. They forget to set goals

Kahn said it's important to think about your long-term goals and short-term steps around the New Year. You're not setting yourself up for success if you fail to sketch out some sort of path forward.

3. They leave loose ends

Unsuccessful people allow work to spill into their free time over the holidays. Try to celebrate the New Year by treating yourself to a much-deserved break. "Spend the extra time now to make sure you can enjoy worry-free time off," Kahn said.

• "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" continues to dominate at the box office.
• It will be the third-best domestic box office earner of 2017 by Christmas day.
• "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" has an impressive start to its theatrical run.

Despite the movie not being as universally praised by the hardcore "Star Wars" fans as "The Force Awakens," Disney/Lucasfilm's "The Last Jedi" will easily win the Christmas holiday weekend at the box office.

The movie took in an estimated $68.4 million by Sunday, and will have earned $100.6 million by Monday, according to BoxOfficePro.

That continues to keep pace behind "The Force Awakens" (around a 25%-30%) and ahead of last year's "Star Wars" release, "Rogue One" (20%-25%). Though it's a steep (for "Star Wars" standards) 69% drop from the movie's opening weekend last week, it won't make a difference for the movie's box office power as "The Last Jedi" closes in on a $1 billion worldwide gross.

On Saturday, "Last Jedi" passed the $300 million mark at the domestic box office and $600 worldwide. The milestones were met with the movie being in theaters for just eight days. With the movie's total at $397 million domestically by Christmas day, that will put the movie in third place for the best box office of the year (passing Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" with $389.8 million).

This is all being done in a time of year when interest to go to the multiplex is extremely high and there are a lot of options for audiences.

Sony has out "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," combining the comedic chemistry of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin Hart (which worked so well with last year's, "Central Intelligence") with an update to the 1995 fantasy movie starring Robin Williams.

The movie came in second place with a solid $34 million by Sunday and will get to a $64 million by Monday since its Wednesday opening. Not bad for a $90 million movie that has to compete with the latest "Star Wars" title.

Universal's "Pitch Perfect 3" had a strong ttart in what will be the final chapter in the surprisingly successful a cappella comedy franchise. Taking in $20.5 million by Sunday, $27 million projected for its four-day to put it in third place, Universal saw this as the option for female audiences who aren't into "Star Wars."

But underperforming is 20th Century Fox's "The Greatest Showman." Starring Hugh Jackman as circus impresario, P.T. Barnum, the $84 million musical only took in $8.6 million over the three-day weekend on 3,006 screens. It has $18.19 million since opening on Wednesday.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 11 best movies of 2017

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• It's easy to let your workout habits slide during the holidays and cold months, but taking one to three months off can cause you to lose almost all of your fitness gains.
• Experts have a number of recommended ways to stay motivated and in shape during winter months.
• Most importantly, pick something you like to do enough that you'll keep it up consistently.

It's one thing to go for a run outside or play in a pick-up soccer game on a warm summer day. But it's quite another to get outside in the winter, when the wind chill makes you gasp and it's dark long before you leave the office.

It's tempting to stop working out sometime in November as the holiday season sets in. Then before you know it, it's February, and no one wants to go outside after they've been cozy and lazy for the past few months. It's hard to motivate yourself to even walk to the gym by then.

The thing is, this lapse has a serious detrimental effect on fitness. Within one to three months, you can lose all the endurance or strength you spent the spring, summer, and early fall developing.

"You’re not going to lose a ton of fitness in a week or two, but three or four weeks, it gets bad," John Honerkamp, a coach with the New York Road Runners, previously told Business Insider.

Whether you just want to stay in shape, or are thinking of picking up a new fitness habit for the New Year, know this: It's worth it. Exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug — its wide-ranging benefits include heart health, lower cancer risk, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

So here's how to make this the winter you stay fit.

First, pick what works for you

The best workout is the one you enjoy enough to keep doing consistently. Some people love running, others hate it. Some prefer weight lifting, soccer, or rock climbing. According to generally recommended guidelines, you should ideally do both aerobic activity and strength training, with a mix of vigorous and moderate exertion. But a number of fitness experts say the best path is to simply choose whatever activity you can realistically stick with.

Once you choose your workout, pick a goal. Maybe it's training for a marathon or triathlon, or learning to climb to a certain degree of difficulty. Setting goals and working to accomplish them sets you up for a life-long fitness habit, according to Dr. Steve Graef, a sports psychologist at Ohio State University.

"If people engage in these types of challenges, doing something they never thought was possible, [they] continue to do that, continue to have check ins over the course of a year, over the course of their life," said Graef. That's how you turn fitness into a lifestyle.

Hack your motivation

If working toward a goal isn't the right motivation for you, there are other things that help get you up and moving on those cold, dark mornings.

Arranging meetups with a friend helps ensure you won't skip your workout.

"I used to meet a buddy of mine at 4:30 [in the morning] in Central Park," Honerkamp said. You don't want to leave a friend waiting alone in the cold.

Getting competitive can help, too. According to a study of almost 800 people conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, competition is far more effective than social support or individual motivation at getting people to work out more. So when you set your goal, consider recruiting a friend and challenging each other to push harder.

Embrace the cold

There's nothing wrong with working out indoors. But winter offers another opportunity for getting fit through the cold itself.

Focusing on diet and exercise alone may not be enough to achieve true fitness, according to a a theory investigated (and experienced) by journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney in his book "What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength."

This theory suggests that along with diet and exercise, our bodies might need some environmental stress — like exposure to cold and hot temperatures — to reach our full potential.

Carney embarked on a journey to see if "environmental conditioning"— guided by Wim Hof, a Dutchman who goes by the nickname "Iceman" — could help him unlock new levels of fitness.

On an individual level, he found that a regular routine of immersion in cold water and winter running (along with some breathing exercises) led to measurable physiological improvements, documented by a sports performance scientist. Some scientific studies indicate that cold exposure could play a role in weight loss and help counteract the effects of type 2 diabetes.

Push yourself — but go easy sometimes, too

Working out involves pushing yourself, but that doesn't mean everything has to be hard.

Little things can make it easier to get yourself out the door. If you're trying to work out in the morning, put your clothes and shoes out beforehand, and even sleep in your base layer if that'll help, Honerkamp said.

And if you feel like you aren't getting anywhere, it's okay to switch up your training plan. For a while, researchers thought some people were "nonresponders," meaning their bodies didn't respond to certain types of exercise. But a recent study found that while some people don't respond to some types of training, switching up their plan (from endurance training to high intensity training or vice-versa) helped them improve.

Finally, listen to your body to avoid injuries.

It can be easy to push yourself too hard and tear something when you're trying a new routine, Jason Barone, regional clinical director of Professional Physical Therapy, previously told Business Insider.

"It's good to push the body, but you need to listen to it as well," Barone said. "Be aware of warning signs ... don't push through pain, that might mean you need to take it easy."

SEE ALSO: 8 surprising ways exercise affects your brain

Join the conversation about this story »

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• "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" writer-director Rian Johnson addressed the backlash from fans who say his movie isn't like the original trilogy.
• He explained how the fan theories of where the story would go after "The Force Awakens" didn't affect writing the script.
• He said he hoped a female director would soon make one of the "Star Wars" movies — perhaps in the new trilogy he's creating.

WARNING: Spoilers below if you haven't seen "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."

It's getting into the evening hours in Los Angeles on the first full day "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is in theaters. Rian Johnson, the director of the biggest movie of the year, has not stopped moving for a week.

First Los Angeles for the press junket. Then Japan. Back to LA for the flashy world premiere. Followed by a jump to London. Now back again to LA for a final round of press — for now.

When Johnson, 43, gets on the phone, he sounds weary from jetting around the globe. But he perks up when it's time to talk about "The Last Jedi." It's not just a movie he spent the past four years of his life writing and then directing. It's more than that.

Johnson has been a lifelong fan of the franchise, and he even chose to go to film school at the University of Southern California because the creator of "Star Wars," George Lucas, went there. In many ways, his entire career has been leading up to this point.

You can see many traces of Johnson's filmography in "The Last Jedi" — risk-taking ("Brick"), lighthearted moments ("The Brothers Bloom"), and world-building ("Looper"). But it's his love of the "Star Wars" franchise and his drive to tell a story that builds on "The Force Awakens" with something new and challenging that shines through.

It's that newness that has divided "Star Wars" fans about "The Last Jedi." Though many appreciated a movie that didn't just feed off the hallmarks of the original trilogy, others have voiced their disappointment with Johnson for breaking fresh ground.

That's where we began our wide-ranging conversation with Johnson. The director also touched on not being distracted by fan expectations, the challenge of bringing Luke Skywalker back into the saga, why Captain Phasma isn't featured more prominently in the movie, and what he hopes to accomplish with the new "Star Wars" trilogy he's creating.

The following has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Jason Guerrasio: Like making any "Star Wars" movie, the director can't win. People complained that "The Force Awakens" was too much like the original trilogy. With your movie, the knock is it's nothing like the original trilogy. What are your thoughts when you hear that take?

Rian Johnson: Having been a "Star Wars" fan my whole life, and having spent most of my life on the other side of the curb and in that fandom, it softens the blow a little bit.

I'm aware through my own experience that, first of all, the fans are so passionate, they care so deeply — sometimes they care very violently at me on Twitter. But it's because they care about these things, and it hurts when you're expecting something specific and you don't get it from something that you love. It always hurts, so I don't take it personally if a fan reacts negatively and lashes out on me on Twitter. That's fine. It's my job to be there for that. Like you said, every fan has a list of stuff they want a "Star Wars" movie to be and they don't want a "Star Wars" movie to be. You're going to find very few fans out there whose lists line up.

And I also know the same way the original movies were personal for Lucas. Lucas never made a "Star Wars" movie by sitting down and thinking, "What do the fans want to see?" And I knew if I wrote wondering what the fans would want, as tempting as that is, it wouldn't work, because people would still be shouting at me, "F--- you, you ruined 'Star Wars,'" and I would make a bad movie. And ultimately, that's the one thing nobody wants.

And let me just add that 80-90% of the reaction I've gotten from Twitter has been really lovely. There's been a lot of joy and love from fans. When I talk about the negative stuff, that's not the full picture of the fans at all.

Guerrasio: Even though the movie is the second part of a trilogy, it really feels like a standalone. Was that a goal of yours?

Johnson: Well, I wanted it to be a full meal. I wanted it to be a satisfying experience unto itself — because when you go into a theater, that's what you always want.

I did want to pick it up where the last one left off. I did want to do service to these characters in a way that felt consistent. And I wanted to leave it in a place where you felt you were excited for the potential of what could come next, and you're invested maybe a little more deeply in these characters and where they end up. In that way it is a middle chapter — it has to function like that.

But you know, it's also a movie, and I wanted to give people a full "Star Wars" experience. I wanted to give them something where they come out of the theater and feel totally satisfied.

Guerrasio: Speaking for myself, the satisfaction is that you move the trilogy someplace beyond the hot takes fans had since "The Force Awakens." And you did that by making some very shocking choices on who we will no longer see beyond this movie, theoretically. Has it been fun waiting for this movie to come out knowing "The Last Jedi" is a very different movie than what fans expected? Or was it panic that maybe your take could miss the mark?

Johnson: [Laughs.] It's been a combination of both of those things. When I was writing the movie, I was doing it while they were shooting "The Force Awakens." So it wasn't like I was reading all these theories online and being at my typewriter and going "Ha! Ha! Gotcha!" It was me coming up with a story. I was writing purely from a personal reaction to the script of "The Force Awakens" and what they were shooting. Snoke, for example, I probably would have done the same thing regardless.

Guerrasio: Oh yeah?

Johnson: Yeah. Snoke's fate came entirely out of Kylo's arc and realizing that in this movie the most interesting thing to me was for Kylo to be ascendant — to start by knocking the shaky foundation out from Kylo's feet and then building him back up into a complicated but credible villain by the end of it. And one that Rey now has a more complex relationship with than just "I hate you, I want to kill you."

And once I kind of landed on that, it quickly became evident that, OK, what is Snoke's place in this? If I build Kylo up to that point, the most interesting thing to carry into the next movie is Kylo running things, not any echo of the emperor/pupil relationship. And you realize the dramatic potential of that, and it just makes a lot of sense from the story point of view.

Guerrasio: Was coming up with how Luke Skywalker would come out of his self-imposed exile a challenge to write?

Johnson: Yeah. It's something that, early in the process, the first thing I had to crack in the movie is why Luke is on that island. I had to figure out something that made sense, and you don't know much about where's Luke's head is at coming out of "The Force Awakens."

But what you do know is his friends are out fighting the good fight, and he's taken himself out of the equation. So for me growing up, I know Luke as a hero. I know that he must think he's doing the right thing by taking himself out of the equation, and that means he thinks the best thing for the galaxy is that he's not a part of this and, by extension, that the Jedi are not a part of this. So that leads you down a certain path.

Guerrasio: And how did you come to the realization that this would be the end of Skywalker?

Johnson: As I worked out that his arc was going to be coming to a place where he does this big heroic act that is going to be spread throughout the galaxy — basically taking back the mantle of Luke Skywalker, a Jedi master, a legend — it just slowly became clear to me that it would be this big grand act. It would be an act of mythmaking. And if there was ever going to be a place in this entire trilogy to give him this emotional moment of a goodbye, this was probably going to be the most emotionally potent place to do it.

Guerrasio: In many ways, this is Luke's coda.

Johnson: Yes, exactly. But I also have to say I'm not writing the next one, and I'm not sure what J.J. [Abrams] and [screenwriter] Chris Terrio are going to do in the next one with Luke.

But setting up possibilities for the next one, honestly, it seems much like Obi-Wan going where he did after "New Hope." The possibilities seemed even more exciting in terms of what Luke's place could be in the next chapter with him entering into this other realm as opposed to him having a lightsaber and being with our heroes. It opened more possibilities as opposed to fewer.

I was holding my breath when I did it and I realized all these things, though I also thought, "S---."

Guerrasio: And how did Mark Hamill react to all of this?

Johnson: It wasn't the thing he wanted to necessarily hear. [Laughs.] Understandably so. Mark had all these years to think what Luke's triumphant return would be. Luke's the hero coming back into this story, and the fact that this character and this movie could not be that — this character in this movie was by necessity what he had to be, and also in relation to Rey, that brought its own necessity.

If he comes in as just an optimistic fighter for the good guys, that gives Rey nothing to bounce up against — that's just an older version of Rey. So it's not what Mark had in his head initially, and that's why he's spoken very openly about his being caught off guard by the script and where the character ends up. But I knew this is where it had to be. We got into the conversations, and we got into the work, and we talked, and we argued, and we discussed, and that process ended up being very good for the character and also for our working relationship. It was a very good one.

Guerrasio: Like most movies, this one was crafted in post, you guys shot a lot.

Johnson: Yes.

Guerrasio: Is the lack of Captain Phasma in the movie just simply that most of her scenes were left on the cutting room floor?

Johnson: There wasn't a ton of Phasma that we shot for this. The God's honest truth is, if you take a look at the movie, it's so full already. There are so many characters to serve already, and it's tough because Phasma really enters the movie when she needs to, and she does exactly what she needs to do in it. She's someone at the tail end of Finn's journey that represents his past for him to have this cathartic moment of being on the side of good and fighting her.

The notion of having a side plot of Phasma throughout the course of the film — look, I love Gwen [Christie]. I love Phasma. It would have been fun. But it just wasn't the story we were telling. There just wasn't a place for it. We already had quite a full plate to deal with in terms of all the other characters.

Guerrasio: So what you're saying is you've basically helped build the next Boba Fett-level fan-obsessed character for the "Star Wars" saga.

Johnson: [Laughs.] Look, I'm bummed about it too. Absolutely. I wish we could have more Phasma. Just the truth of it is there wasn't room for her in this movie. She's so badass, I wish it was her story. But it isn't. Maybe there will be one eventually at some point.

Guerrasio: I like that tease.

Johnson: [Laughs.]

Guerrasio: In regards to you taking on a new "Star Wars" trilogy, do you have a notebook filled of just ideas that would be cool to plug into this universe, or are you really going into this with a blank page?

Johnson: What's exciting to me right now is the open blue sky of it and the potential of it. I wish I had a file cabinet full of "Star Wars" ideas just in case, but also it's great because I can start from the beginning and work forward.

As opposed to having stuff I think would be cool, the thing that I think is cool is to figure out what the story will be and what character we're going to follow and build it from there. It's easy to come up with cool "Star Wars" stuff. It's just like grabbing your toys and starting to play. The real question is what the story will be — how are we going to create something that's really going to be a new and inspiring "Star Wars" story.

Guerrasio: It sounds like you will direct the first movie of this trilogy and then go on and produce the other two.

Johnson: We'll see. I'm not sure yet.

Guerrasio: But if that holds, would you push to have a female director do at least one of those movies? Is that important to you?

Johnson: Hell yeah. I think that would be fantastic. Again, I don't know how it's going to go. I'm going to write and direct the first one and tell the story for the rest of them. But yeah, there are so many talented female directors that I would love to see do one of these movies. Look, I hope it happens in a "Star Wars" movie even before that! Going forward, that's something I would absolutely love to see.

Guerrasio: Give me the one scene/shot in "The Last Jedi" that, regardless of how many times you've seen it, you are pretty impressed that you pulled it off.

Johnson: [Laughs.] It was an early image that I had. I really love that slow-motion shot of Kylo and Rey back-to-back with the guards coming from all the sides in Snoke's chambers. And look, there were a lot of people whose work went into it to design the space and the guards, the stunt work, but that was a moment that I had just always held dear to me, and it's one of those very rare things where the realization of it on screen I just feel like, "Ah, we got it!" It makes me happy.

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is now in theaters.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last Jedi' is a super-sized 'Star Wars' movie that will make you laugh and cry

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• It's hard to define an emotional affair.
• Licensed marriage and family therapist Sheri Meyers wrote the book "Chatting or Cheating," in which she lists some signs that you're partner might be having an emotional affair.
• Those signs include wanting more time and space to themselves and getting defensive.

An "emotional affair" is hard to define — it can be tricky to know if you're having one, and perhaps even trickier to figure out if your partner is.

That said, there are a few red flags to look out for if you suspect that your partner has romantic feelings for someone else, even if they haven't acted on them physically. In her 2012 book, "Chatting or Cheating," licensed marriage and family therapist Sheri Meyers outlines some key indicators that your partner might be involved in an emotional affair.

Below, Business Insider has rounded up nine of those warning signs. Remember: Just because you recognize some of these behaviors in your partner doesn't necessarily mean they've been unfaithful.

But if you're really starting to get worried, it's a good idea to articulate your concerns to your partner and give them a chance to explain themselves.

SEE ALSO: The most insidious type of cheating isn't physical — here are 8 signs it could be happening to you

Your partner is spending more time on the computer and/or phone

A sudden strong attachment to digital devices could be a red flag.

Meyers writes: "Your partner may 'stiffen' when you enter the room, or put the phone away suddenly. They may have increased activity or text messaging but are more difficult to get  ahold of when out of the house."

Your partner wants more space and time to themselves

If your partner really is having an emotional affair, they may try to distance themselves from you.

"They want to do their own thing more often and become indifferent to doing things together and offer excuses about not planning or committing to future trips, vacations, and family visits," Meyers writes.

When you argue, your partner's fallback position is about your relationship ending

During conflicts, your partner may say something like, "What would you do if our relationship ended?" or perhaps something even more alarming like, "If anything ever happened to us, I would always love you like a friend."

"In general," Meyers writes, "they seem overtly negative about your relationship," as opposed to interested in trying to repair it.

Winter is right around the corner.

While there are plenty of options for affordable ski getaways in the US and Canada, sometimes you just need to splurge.

HomeToGo, a vacation rental search tool, has compiled a list of the most expensive ski resorts in North America, so you can plan a mountain weekend in the lap of luxury.

They gathered data for the 35 top-rated ski resorts in the US and Canada, and then estimated the average total cost of a one day/night stay. The final cost includes:

• Equipment rental: skis, boots, poles, and a helmet for one day.
• A one-day lift pass.
• Lunch: a burger with fries and a soda at a restaurant on the slopes.
• Accommodation: the average price per person for a four-person vacation rental found on HomeToGo in the ski resort, between December 16, 2017 and April 15, 2018.

When prices were unavailable from the resorts, HomeToGo based price forecasts for this winter on last season's prices.

Below, check out 16 of the most luxurious ski resorts in North America where a day of skiing plus an overnight stay costs between $250 and $486.

SEE ALSO: 19 of the best ski resorts to visit this winter that don't cost a fortune

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16. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Total cost (1 day/night): $253.02

Equipment rental and lift ticket: $155

Lunch: $7.75

Vacation rental: $90.28

15. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Total cost (1 day/night): $262.93

Equipment rental and lift ticket: $150 

Lunch: $16

Vacation rental: $97.43

14. Mammoth Mountain, California

Total cost (1 day/night): $264.79

Equipment rental and lift ticket: $171

Lunch: $10.74

Vacation rental: $83.05

While it may be less common these days to send a holiday greeting via snail mail, the White House has yet to let go of its 90-year tradition.

Starting with Calvin Coolidge in 1927, the long-standing practice allows each sitting US president to let their staff and supporters know they wish them a happy holiday. Each card is unique, and recipients change from year to year.

With the help of the White House Historical Association, we've pulled together 68 White House holiday cards from the past eight decades. Happy holidays!

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Donald Trump, 2017

Barack Obama, 2013

Barack Obama, 2012

Nothing truly comes to a halt when the president of the United States goes on vacation. Heavy security, White House aides, military advisers, and various experts (totaling 200 people) travel with them in case something happens, and the work doesn't stop. It's hardly a break.

President Donald Trump is spending Christmas this year at the same place he did before he entered the White House: at his Palm Beach golf resort, Mar-a-Lago.

Take a look at where US presidents since Franklin Roosevelt have gone to get a change of scenery.

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President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spent holidays and birthdays in Warm Springs, Georgia, taking advantage of the natural spring waters as a healing method for his polio. His home there, known as the "Little White House," was a humble six-room cottage. FDR left a mark on the town by creating Roosevelt Warm Springs, a foundation that aims to empower those with disabilities.

President Harry Truman often vacationed at what was also called the "Little White House"; however, this home was located in Key West, Florida. As president, you sometimes have to hold a news conference even while on vacation.

President Dwight Eisenhower enjoyed playing golf and vacationing in Colorado. Before Eisenhower took off for his late-summer vacation in 1953, The New York Times reported that he'd be taking some work, as well as several members of his staff, along with him.

Source: The New York Times