Month: March 2024

One the more mysterious aspects of being human is our sense of intuition. This “sixth sense” isn’t something we can see or measure, but many people have experienced it in some form or fashion. Maybe it comes as a strong feeling that something isn’t right, or that we or someone else should or shouldn’t do something. It can be hard to read—not every feeling we get is truly our intuition—but there are plenty of examples of people trusting their instincts and being glad they did.

One such story has gone viral on TikTok. Jessica Higgs, a mom who works as an Instacart grocery delivery person, shared a story in an emotional video that illustrates the importance of listening to that inner voice when it prompts you to make sure someone is OK.

“I just want to start this off by saying if you see something, say something,” Higgs said.

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She explained how she had done an Instacart order the previous day for a daughter who was ordering for her older dad who couldn’t shop for himself. She said she was going the extra mile like she always does for her customers, and that the daughter told her to just drop the groceries on the porch and he’d get them. That’s what Higgs would usually do.

“I get there and something was telling me no, you gotta help this man out,” she said. “He came out, and I was like OK let me help you, and I got the groceries. You’re not supposed to go into someone’s house, but I used my judgment and I brought the groceries inside and put them down wherever he wanted me to put them down. You’re not supposed to, but I did. And you’re supposed to just take a picture and leave, and I could not just leave.”

@jessicahiggs3

@Instacart #28DaysOfEucerin #fyp

Higgs noticed that the man looked really sick and she was really concerned. A voice in her head said, “You gotta say something. You gotta say something, Jess.” Rather than mark the order as complete, she messaged the man’s daughter and told her that it was really unprofessional to say something like this, but she felt like her dad wasn’t doing well. “There’s a propane tank in there,” she told the woman. “I was in there maybe five feet and I got dizzy. There’s got to be a leak. He might not be doing good because of this leak.”

The woman said she would send her son over to check it out and Higgs left. The woman changed her tip from $14 to $100, which Higgs appreciated, but the message she sent her the next morning was a much greater reward for her going the extra mile.

“Thank you so much, once my son went to check on my dad it turned out it was definitely leaking,” she wrote. “You definitely saved my dad and my younger son’s life!!!”

Through tears, Higgs said, “I’m just an Instacart worker, but if you see something, say something. I did and I’m so happy I did.”

Higgs’ TikTok has been viewed more than 15 million times and has been shared widely on social media. It has also attracted the attention of big companies.

Royal Caribbean Cruises shared a TikTok video of its own praising Higgs for her heroic act and offering her and her family a seven-day cruise anywhere in the world. “Cause even heroes need a vacation,” the company wrote.

@royalcaribbean

Stitch with @jessicahiggs3 – cause even heroes need a vacation. Thanks @captaincruiseguy

Old Navy connected with her and arranged a shopping spree where she got to model several new outfits. People Magazine commented, “You’re literally a HERO! Good job trusting your instincts. 💕” Even TikTok itself wrote, “You are amazing ❤️thank you for sharing this with all of us.”

Lots of commenters also pointed out that she’s not “just an Instacart worker.” Her work is important, she’s providing a needed service and any job done in a spirit of helping others should not be minimized. If she hadn’t been there doing her job well, that man may not be here. Never underestimate the difference each of us can make by the simple act of looking out for one another, friend and stranger alike.

Higgs’ heartfelt story touched millions, and she’s being rightly rewarded for listening to her heart and going out of her way to help someone. Gotta love seeing good things come to people doing good. Well done, Jessica Higgs.

This article originally appeared on 02.08.22

Many people don’t like small talk because it forces them to have conversations about trivial topics such as the weather, what they saw on TV the night before, or their weekend plans. Other people don’t like it because it causes them anxiety to talk with someone they may not know well.

Either way, research shows that small talk actually is a big deal. Julia Korn at Forbes says that small talk enables us to find common ground and shared interests, build muscles to overcome social discomfort, and lays the groundwork for transitioning into more serious, deeper topics.

It also makes us feel good. Studies show that a quick exchange with a barista while getting coffee can result in feelings of belonging and increased happiness.

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So, how can we get more out of small talk and make it more comfortable? Stanford lecturer, podcast host, and communication expert Matt Abrahams told CNBC that one small phrase does both, “Tell me more.” He learned the phrase’s value by listening to his mother, who had “impressive interpersonal skills.”

“Her favorite phrase was ‘Tell me more,’ and it happens to be one that people who are good at small talk always use,” Abrahams wrote.

The Stanford expert says that the simple phrase works because it is a “support response” that encourages what the speaker is saying instead of being a “shift response” that brings the conversation back to you.

Suppose you’re talking to someone at a party who’s complaining about a lousy dinner they had at a local steakhouse. “The steak was overcooked, and the service was terrible,” they tell you. A proper support response could be, “Tell me more about the service” or “What else didn’t you like about the dinner?”

“Comments like these give your partner permission to expand on what they said or provide deeper insight,” Abrahams wrote.

On the other hand, a shift response that brings the conversation back to you would be something like, “I once had a bad dinner at a steakhouse…” and then you told that story. People who overuse the shift response are often seen as self-centered or the type of folks who have to make everything about themselves.

That’s a rather annoying personality trait that doesn’t make people a lot of friends or an enjoyable person to work with in the office.

Support responses such as “Tell me more” or “What happened next” are a great way to guarantee that you follow another proven conversation strategy, the 43:57 rule. A marketing whiz over at Gong.io took a deep dive into 25,537 sales calls with the help of AI and discovered a cool tidbit: sales went through the roof when the salesperson chatted 43% of the time and lent an ear for 57%. They’ve dubbed it the “43:57 rule.”

Now, while this gem of wisdom came from business calls, think about our daily chats with friends. It’s all about tuning in and showing you care about what the other person has to say. Everyone loves to feel heard and valued.

In the end, the trick to being a great conversationalist isn’t all about being witty, charming, or informed but simply knowing how to listen.

This article originally appeared on 10.5.23

Over the past 40 years, a sea change has occurred in how kids get to school. Throughout most Western countries, an increasing number of children are driven to school instead of walking or taking a bike. In a new video called “Why did kids stop walking to school?” About Here’s founder, Uytae Lee, cites the U.S. Department of Transportation statistic that in 1969, 48% of kids walked or biked to school, and that number has plummeted to just 11%.

Uytae Lee is an urban planner and videographer passionate about sharing stories about our cities. The video was produced in partnership with TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s regional transportation authority.

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The video makes a compelling case that more children should walk to school. It’s better for children’s health and reduces congestion and pollution from car exhaust. In a world where we are pushing for people to be greener, flooding the road with cars every morning to take kids on a short drive seems counter-productive.

Some parents drive their kids to school because they fear they could be abducted or hit by a car while walking to school. But Lee doesn’t believe that those fears should be a reason for parents to change their behavior over the past few decades. “As terrible as [kidnappings and car accidents] are, the statistics behind those risks haven’t changed significantly over the decades,” Lee says.

The video is a great reminder that reevaluating how kids get to school may be a good idea. When they take a bike or walk, it’s better for their health and that of the planet as well.

This article originally appeared on 5.9.23

Veterinarians strongly urge people to avoid feeding chocolate to dogs. Cocoa beans are toxic to them because they contain two methylxanthines, theobromine and caffeine. Dogs are unable to metabolize theobromine, which can lead to chocolate toxicity.

Caffeine raises blood the dog’s blood pressure and causes dangerous cardiac arrhythmias. If a dog consumes too much chocolate, they can suffer from gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, tremors, seizures, heart failure and even slip into a coma.

Given that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, there is one time when vets will allow them to enjoy the sweet treat. Sadly, that’s before they are put to sleep. Recently, an animal hospital in Smiths Station, Alabama, made headlines for its jar of Hershey’s Kisses that says, “Goodbye Kisses: This jar is reserved for our euthanasia appointments... because no dog should go to Heaven without tasting chocolate.”

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​A touching video posted to TikTok by Mackenzie Seton has over 59 million views because it shows a tender moment when her dog is able to enjoy the taste of chocolate before going to the vet to be put to sleep.

“I miss my best friend,” she captioned the video.

The video has moved countless people to tears, as evidenced by the comments. “For us, dogs are just a chapter, but for them, we’re their whole story. It’s sad,” the most popular commenter wrote. I read this quote many years ago that said, ‘I have loved you your whole life and will miss you the rest of mine,’ and I’m just not ready to lose my baby,” Taasha120 added.

Of course, racism and hatred are very real issues, and ones that we must discuss in order to make progress. But with all the coverage of people behaving badly flooding our awareness through the media and online, it can be easy to write-off humanity entirely. To believe that the world is inherently a divisive, dangerous and ultimately declining place to live. When in reality, not everything is so bleak.

That’s what makes sharing this story so important.

A Black woman named Jo’lee Shine was stuck in her overheated car in front of a stranger’s house, waiting for a tow truck to arrive.

When a white man, the homeowner, began approaching her, Jo’lee immediately started recording the interaction. And thank goodness she did, because this was a moment worth immortalizing.

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“I’m so sorry, my car ran hot,” she says in the clip, and begins trying to start the car to prove her situation.

And then, in the sweetest southern accent you ever heard, we hear “don’t try to crank it baby.”

When then hear him offer to put water in the car, made sure Jo’lee had coming to pick her up, and then…wait for it…asked if she wanted lunch.

“We’ll be eating lunch shortly. While we wait on [the tow truck] if we get everything set up I’ll come get you and we’ll have dinner,” he says.

This brings Jo’lee to instant tears. “That was so sweet,” she whimpers.

With a chuckle, the man replies, “that’s the way we are.” he then shared how he just had 22 people over at his house the night before for “a family gathering.”

Jo’lee declines the lunch offer, but profusely thanks the kind stranger as she wipes the tears that continue to fall. Just before he goes, the man says that he’ll check back in, joking that the tow truck “might be delayed” and she might change her mind.

In her caption, Jo’lee wrote, “I wasn’t going to post this, but I wanted people to know that they’re still good people in this world.”

See on Instagram

Seems like that mission was accomplished. The video, which has gotten over 176,000 likes on Instagram, gave everyone a little dose of hope. Just take a look at some of these lovely comments:

“This is who we are…it sucks that movies have put fear in people to that level. That makes me sad that there’s fear and division keeping us all from sharing love that I KNOW is in all of us.”

“The media works to divide us, don’t believe their lies. We love all people.. God Bless.”

“I’ll come get you when we get dinner on the table?!!” ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌”

“The way he called you baby without a mean tone in his soul.”

“This renews my faith in humanity. He tried to help her without any thought of race.”

“Just when we think humanity has died, this happens ♥️. Human kindness for the win.”

Indeed, the world has its’ Karens…and even worse characters. But it also has people who invite strangers to dinner, just because it’s a nice thing to do…because it’s the “way they are.” It’s the way a lot of us are, when we let ourselves be.

People say having children is like having your heart walk around outside of your body. You send them off to school, practices or playdates and hope that the world treats them kindly because when they hurt, you hurt. Inevitably there will be times when your child’s feelings are hurt so you do your best to prepare for that day.

But what prepares you for when the child you love so much winds up accidentally healing your inner child. A mom on TikTok, who goes by Soogia posted a video explaining a phone call she received from a parent in her daughter’s classroom. The mom called to inform Soogia that their kids had been sharing lunch with each other.

Soogia wasn’t prepared for what came next. The classmate’s mother informed her that her son loves the food Soogia’s daughter brings to school and wanted to learn how to cook it too.

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That may seem like a small thing to some, but the small gesture healed a little bit of Soogia’s inner child. Growing up as a Korean kid in California, Soogia’s experience was a bit different than what her children are now experiencing.

“I guess I just never thought that my kids would be the generation of kids that could go to school and not only just proudly eat, but share their food with other kids that were just so open and accepting to it,” Soogia says through tears. “Knowing that they don’t sit there eating their food, feeling ashamed and wishing that their fried rice was a bagel instead or something like that. And I know, it sounds so small and it sounds so stupid, but knowing their experience at school is so different from mine in such a positive way is just so hopeful.”

Soogia’s tearful video pulled on the heartstrings of her viewers who shared their thoughts in the comments.

“Soogia! It will never be small. Your culture is beautiful & the littles are seeing that every day. You’ve even taught me so much. I’m grateful for you,” one person says.

“Beautiful! I can see your inner child healing in so many ways,” another writes.

“Welp. Now I’m sobbing at the airport. This is beautiful,” someone reveals.

“These Gen Alpha babies really are a different, kinder generation. I love them so much,” one commenter gushes.

You can hear the entire story below. You may want to grab a tissue.

@soogia1

These kids, man. They’re really something else. #culturalappreciation #breakingbread #sharing #

According to sales guru and business expert Mike Manzi, there is a subtle but powerful difference between the attitudes of people he deems “high” or “low” performers, whether in academics or their professional lives.

He shared the observation in a video he recently posted to TikTok. “I just overheard someone and, even in a 10-second conversation, I knew they were a high performer,” Manzi started his video.

“They were some kid in college and they just were like, ‘You know, I don’t get it. As long as you just go to class, study, listen to what they’re talking about, and then try to apply it to your own personal life, how do you not get an A?’” he continued.

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How to spot a high performer by eavesdropping 

@officialsalesleadertips

How to spot a high performer by eavesdropping #highperformer #highperformancehabits #salesleader #sales

Manzi believes the underlying message is to “Do every single thing and do it well.” The high performer sees operating on a high level as “normal,” whereas the low performer sees doing the basics, such as studying or going to class, as a chore. It’s the difference between having a genuine interest in success and being satisfied with doing the bare minimum.

Just about everyone in the comments agreed with Manzi.

“Yes, and when you inevitably run into a roadblock, you don’t say ‘It’s hard, I can’t do it’; you figure out what key part you misunderstood, get help if you need it, then move on,” Messnabout wrote. “Truly!! Bc then you’re in the workforce and everyone acts like doing the bare min is pulling teeth. Just do the bare min and then a little extra and managers stay off your back…easy,” Sherri added.

If you ever find yourself ini Pennsylvania in need of auto repair and self care, look no further than Girls Auto Clinic.

At GAC, customers can not only get the usual car services—like oil changes, tire rotations, figuring out the reason behind a check engine light, etc.—they can enjoy free WiFi, snacks and beverages, countless books, and even a mani-pedi at the “Clutch Beauty Clinic” nail salon while they wait.

Plus, their services are done by an all-female repair team, aka “shecanics.” Honestly, what’s not to like?

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The auto shop-beauty parlor hybrid is the brainchild of Patrice Banks, who began taking mechanic classes to protect herself from getting ripped off. Her feelings are not unfounded—men are statistically more likely than men to be condescended to or get overcharged. Shocking, I know.

See on Instagram

“I was tired of feeling helpless and having to go talk to a guy,” she told the Int. Business Times. “I was afraid I was going to be taken advantage of.”

Having no luck in finding a female mechanic, she decided to become one herself. So she enrolled in night classes that would allow her to continue working as an engineer at DuPont.

Eventually, Banks would leave that job behind to start her own business to make auto repair less of a “chore.”

And that’s where the mani-pedis come in. Banks explained to NPR that “me and my girlfriend that I worked with at DuPont would go to this specific Jiffy Lube on our lunch break because there was a nail salon next to it. We’d drop our cars off and we’d walk next door and get our nails done while we waited.” And thus, the idea to combine the two was born.

See on Instagram

But GAC also offers women more than a safe place to get a tune up and some pampering. It also offers car care memberships, car care education classes, and hands-on mechanic workshops for women looking to learn the skills for themselves. That way no one has to feel helpless.

For Banks, the biggest priority is making sure her customers feel safe. And her primary strategy for this is simple, transparent communication, knowing that if a mechanic can “hear, see, feel and smell” what’s going on under the hood, the customer can too.

See on Instagram

“People are coming in, especially women, with that guard up. In order to get them to trust you, you have to let that guard down. So No. 1 is just listening to them and respecting their opinion. Looking at them when they’re talking to you. … Stand in front of them and talk to them, and I make sure they don’t leave without feeling comfortable about spending their money,” she told NPR.

While Banks’ business idea might be one-of-a-kind, it is part of a bigger trend. More women are entering the auto repair industry than ever before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women made up only 1.4% of the industry in 1999. In 2022, it shot to 12%. Just like with all things regarding gender inequality, there is still progress to be made. But we have made some pretty great strides.

While we’re at it, enjoy Banks’ Tedx Talk about disrupting the auto industry:

Ridley Scott’s first Alien film terrified audiences in 1979, and James Cameron’s 1986 followup, Aliens, forever cemented fearsome “facehuggers” within the public lexicon. Those iconic early films made effective use of claustrophobic settings within space ships, and from what we have seen thus far, 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus will take the franchise back to those horrific roots, where atmosphere is as vital as any character in the story. The franchise also includes less well-received movies witinin the original series, along with multiple Alien Vs. Predator movies and a pair of Prometheus installments.

Additionally, FX is currently filming an Alien prequel series from Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley. That show’s cast includes Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, and Essie Davis, and the story is set in Thailand (where Xenomorphs arrive and presumably run amuck) as a prequel that begins 70 years before the 1979 film. That story stands separately from Alien: Romulus, a film arriving this year and the topic of our discussion today.

Plot

Alien: Romulus is directed by Fede Álvarez, the master of seat-handle-gripping suspense with 2016’s Don’t Breathe and a horror king in his own right with 2013’s Evil Dead (both films starring Jane Levy in scream-queen mode). That should tell everyone plenty about how well he will navigate the ship-based confines of this interquel that takes place in between the first two Alien movies. Ridley Scott is onboard as producer, and the synopsis is chilling in its brevity: “Young people on a distant world find themselves confronting the most terrifying life-form in the universe.”

Yep, a new generation beyond Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley and colleagues have become the main focus of Xenomorphs in space. Álvarez recently told Entertainment Weekly that “[t]he characters are very blue collar, like the best versions of these movies, but they’re way younger than before.” He added that this idea came to him while “watching the extended cut of Aliens, where you can see a bunch of kids running around the corridors of one of the colonies and go, ‘wow, what it would it be like for those kids when they turned 20? Growing up in a place with no future? Would they want to stay there and do what their parents did, or leave that place?’”

Álvarez also pointedly took pains, along with production designer Naaman Marshall, to take the franchise back to the cinematic feel of the original Alien movie, so get ready to be scared out of your wits, people. 20th Century Studios must have had great faith in the project, too, given that the original plan was to release this movie on Hulu before switching to theatrical mode.

Cast

Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) leads the cast with Isabela Merced, Aileen Wu, Archie Renaux, David Johnson, and Spike Feam also confined in the infested ship.

Release Date

Alien: Romulus face-hugs into theaters on August 16.

Trailer

Try not to hold your breath while watching this trailer. Not possible!

Chris Paul‘s evening came to an early end on Friday night. With six seconds left in the Golden State Warriors‘ 123-111 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Paul had a seemingly innocuous back-and-forth with referee Tony Brothers that led to him getting sent to the locker room just before everyone else. Paul didn’t protest all that much, so it’s easy to think this one was deserved.

The story behind all of this, it turns out, is pretty hilarious. Paul explained what happened after the game, and it all revolved around calling Brothers a name.

“Ah, man, old Tony,” Paul said. “He’s talking to me, I talk back. I called him a TikToker and I got a tech.”

Paul explained that this earned him the first tech, and that he didn’t do anything other than call Brothers a TikToker.

“The second one, I just said that’s too much power,” Paul continued. “Gave me another tech.”

When asked to clarify what a TikToker meant, Paul said that Brothers is “the judge, the jury, and all that.” It’s a bit of a strange thing to call a referee, but fortunately, Paul explained everything when he posted a TikTok of a podcast appearance Brothers did where he called himself this to his Instagram Story.

“I don’t even really care too much for basketball,” Brothers says in the clip. “I’m the judge, the jury, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, everybody.”

This is some absolutely hilarious behavior by Paul to not only have this clip all loaded up in the event Brothers tossed him from the game, but to do all the stuff that he did leading up to it. Paul’s not exactly known for having the friendliest relationship with referees, but this is on another level.