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It’s amazing to consider just how quickly the world has changed over the past 11 months. If you were to have told someone in February 2020 that the entire country would be on some form of lockdown, nearly everyone would be wearing a mask, and half a million people were going to die due to a virus, no one would have believed you.

Yet, here we are.

PPE masks were the last thing on Leah Holland of Georgetown, Kentucky’s mind on March 4, 2020, when she got a tattoo inspired by the words of a close friend.

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“We were just talking about things we admire about each other and he said, ‘You courageously and radically refuse to wear a mask,’ like meaning that I’m undeniably myself. I thought that was a really poetic way of saying that,” Holland told Fox 13.

So, she had “courageously & radically refuse to wear a mask” tattooed on her left forearm. It’s a beautiful sentiment about Leah’s dedication to being her true self. It’s also a reminder for Leah to remain true to herself throughout her life.

However, the tattoo would come to have a very different meaning just two days later when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Kentucky.

“It basically looked like I’m totally, you know, anti-mask or whatever, which is not the case,” said Holland.

Now, she was embarrassed to be seen with the tattoo for fear she’d be associated with the anti-maskers who either deny the existence of the virus or refuse to wear a mask to protect others. Either way, it’s a bad look.

So Leah started wearing long-sleeve shirts and cardigan sweaters whenever in public to cover up the tattoo.

On Monday, TikTok users asked each other to share their “dumbest tattoo” and she was pretty sure she had the winner.

@wakaflockafloccar #stitch with @hannanicbic I could NOT have had worse timing. #fyp #foryoupage #tattoo #worsttattoo #winner ♬ original sound – wakaflockafloccare

In her video, she talks about how her tattoo was about “not pretending to be something you’re not,” but then revealed it to show how — after a historical twist — it made her out to be someone she isn’t.

“I just kind of wanted people to laugh with me because I think it’s funny now, too,” said Holland.

Plenty of people on TikTok laughed along with her with one user suggesting she update the tattoo with the phrase: “Hindsight is 2020.”

“I was dying laughing. I’m like, I’m glad there are people that find this as funny as I think it is,” said Holland.

“It will be a funny story to tell years from now,” she said. “I don’t think it will ever not be a funny story.”

Unfortunately, even when the pandemic is over, Leah will still probably have to explain her tattoo. Because most won’t soon forget the COVID-19 era in America and there’s no doubt many will still feel passionate about those who refused to wear a mask.

This article originally appeared on 02.24.21

Have you ever ridden in an Uber or a Lyft and had the driver talk a lot when you felt like being quiet? Or not say a word when you tried to make conversation? Or play music you found annoying?

When you hop into a driver’s car, it’s a crapshoot what kind of ride you’re going to have. But at least one Lyft driver is removing the mystery a bit by letting passengers choose.

Facebook user Eric Alper shared a post that showed a photo of a piece of paper stuck on the back of a car’s headrest that read:

“Welcome to Cameron’s car!!!”

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“To ensure the best ride possible for you, I have prepared a menu of the various types of rides I offer. Just choose one (or don’t, that’s an option too) then sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. :)”

Then it listed the 10 ride options Cameron offers:

1. The Awkward Ride – You ignore this menu completely, then we will sit in silence for the remainder of the ride.

2. The Funny Ride – I tell you jokes or entertaining stories from my life.

3. The Silent Ride –

4. The Creepy Ride – I don’t say anything but I keep staring at you in the rearview mirror.

5. The Karaoke Ride – We rock out to hits from the 80s, early 2000s or literally whatever you want.

6. The Bubbles Ride – We blow bubbles the whole time.

7. The Small Talk Ride – We talk about how crazy the weather’s been lately and I ask if you caught the game last night.

8. The Therapy Ride – You vent to me about your problems and I listen.

9. The Drunk Ride – You throw up in my car.

10. The Cliche Ride – You ask me how long I’ve been driving for Lyft.”

OK, the Bubbles Ride sounds fun, but also maybe a little dangerous. And the Drunk Ride is the main reason I’ve never wanted to be a Lyft or Uber driver. I may have unintentionally taken a both a Therapy Ride and a Creepy Ride before.

But seriously, the concept is fabulous. People often want something different in a ride depending on their mood, so the idea of having options to choose from is brilliant. The list also directly addresses the awkwardness that is often present when you’re getting a ride from someone, so it makes a natural icebreaker and conversation starter—particularly helpful for folks who struggle with social anxiety.

People in the comments loved it.

“I’m sure this wasn’t the intention but this is a great example of disability accommodations that everyone can enjoy,” wrote one person. “Being able to choose how much energy I expend is so helpful.”

“There should be a feature on both Uber and Lyft indicating what type of ride a rider wants or expects,” wrote another. “I usually don’t talk, but sometimes the driver keeps persisting and I feel awkward at times.”

“It clears the air, takes the awkwardness out of it, and establishes expectations for the ride, on both sides,” wrote another. “Great idea.”

There are some more options I’d love to see added, though:

The Pep Talk Ride – You need encouragement? I’ll give you everything I’ve got to pump you up.

The Tour Guide Ride – I share interesting details about places we pass and offer advice on cool things to do around the area.

The Life Story Ride – We estimate how long your ride will be, set a timer, and each of us shares our life story for half the ride. (No questions, unless the ride goes longer.)

The Deep Questions Ride – We skip the small talk and get right to the big stuff—meaning of life, existence of God, our place in the universe, etc.

The High School Debate Ride – We pick a controversy, flip a coin to decide who will take which side, and debate regardless of our own personal views.

The Pretend Persona Ride – We each make up totally fake names and personas and converse as them so we can chat without actually getting personal at all.

So many possibilities. What kind of ride would you want to take?

This article originally appeared on 04.21.22

Have you ever ridden in an Uber or a Lyft and had the driver talk a lot when you felt like being quiet? Or not say a word when you tried to make conversation? Or play music you found annoying?

When you hop into a driver’s car, it’s a crapshoot what kind of ride you’re going to have. But at least one Lyft driver is removing the mystery a bit by letting passengers choose.

Facebook user Eric Alper shared a post that showed a photo of a piece of paper stuck on the back of a car’s headrest that read:

“Welcome to Cameron’s car!!!”

---

“To ensure the best ride possible for you, I have prepared a menu of the various types of rides I offer. Just choose one (or don’t, that’s an option too) then sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. :)”

Then it listed the 10 ride options Cameron offers:

1. The Awkward Ride – You ignore this menu completely, then we will sit in silence for the remainder of the ride.

2. The Funny Ride – I tell you jokes or entertaining stories from my life.

3. The Silent Ride –

4. The Creepy Ride – I don’t say anything but I keep staring at you in the rearview mirror.

5. The Karaoke Ride – We rock out to hits from the 80s, early 2000s or literally whatever you want.

6. The Bubbles Ride – We blow bubbles the whole time.

7. The Small Talk Ride – We talk about how crazy the weather’s been lately and I ask if you caught the game last night.

8. The Therapy Ride – You vent to me about your problems and I listen.

9. The Drunk Ride – You throw up in my car.

10. The Cliche Ride – You ask me how long I’ve been driving for Lyft.”

OK, the Bubbles Ride sounds fun, but also maybe a little dangerous. And the Drunk Ride is the main reason I’ve never wanted to be a Lyft or Uber driver. I may have unintentionally taken a both a Therapy Ride and a Creepy Ride before.

But seriously, the concept is fabulous. People often want something different in a ride depending on their mood, so the idea of having options to choose from is brilliant. The list also directly addresses the awkwardness that is often present when you’re getting a ride from someone, so it makes a natural icebreaker and conversation starter—particularly helpful for folks who struggle with social anxiety.

People in the comments loved it.

“I’m sure this wasn’t the intention but this is a great example of disability accommodations that everyone can enjoy,” wrote one person. “Being able to choose how much energy I expend is so helpful.”

“There should be a feature on both Uber and Lyft indicating what type of ride a rider wants or expects,” wrote another. “I usually don’t talk, but sometimes the driver keeps persisting and I feel awkward at times.”

“It clears the air, takes the awkwardness out of it, and establishes expectations for the ride, on both sides,” wrote another. “Great idea.”

There are some more options I’d love to see added, though:

The Pep Talk Ride – You need encouragement? I’ll give you everything I’ve got to pump you up.

The Tour Guide Ride – I share interesting details about places we pass and offer advice on cool things to do around the area.

The Life Story Ride – We estimate how long your ride will be, set a timer, and each of us shares our life story for half the ride. (No questions, unless the ride goes longer.)

The Deep Questions Ride – We skip the small talk and get right to the big stuff—meaning of life, existence of God, our place in the universe, etc.

The High School Debate Ride – We pick a controversy, flip a coin to decide who will take which side, and debate regardless of our own personal views.

The Pretend Persona Ride – We each make up totally fake names and personas and converse as them so we can chat without actually getting personal at all.

So many possibilities. What kind of ride would you want to take?

This article originally appeared on 04.21.22

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

Apple ran into a bit of trouble this fall in regards to its Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 devices. It dates back to October when the US International Trade Commission ruled that Apple violated Masimo’s patent in its Apple Watch products. The exact violation is with Masimo’s pulse oximeter patent, which uses light-based technology to read blood oxygen levels. The ruling left 60 days for President Biden to review it before the ban went into place. Biden did not object to the ruling, and it was expected that the ban would go into place on December 26. That is, until the US Appeals Court stepped in.

Are Apple Watches Banned In The US?

The ban has now been paused just one day after it went into effect. According to The Verge, a federal appeals court called for a halt on the ban on December 27. It comes after Apple requested that the ban be paused until US Customs determines whether or not changes the company is making to the Apple Watch line are enough to end the patent issue that caused the ban in the first place. The Verge adds that Customs is expected to make a decision on January 12.

Until then, Apple will be allowed to sell the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 which were both removed from store shelves ahead of the US International Trade Commission issued-ban. The Verge reported that Apple did not respond to comment on whether or not they would resume sales for the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Over the past few weeks, Cardi B has not been holding back from making it clear that she and Offset split up. Not only has she been out twerking to a song titled “F My Baby Daddy,” but she also didn’t hesitate to call him out on social media either.

However, given the two have had an on-again-off-again relationship throughout the years, some have speculated if they have got back together.

Here’s what to know.

Are Cardi B And Offset Back Together?

The speculation that Cardi B and Offset got back together started after the two spent Christmas together, decorating the trees and giving nice presents to their two children, Kulture and Wave. Because of this, many wondered if the tension between the two had been put aside for the holiday, or entirely altogether.

Since then, Cardi B has seemingly shut down any rumors of a reconciliation. In a post claiming that the two were spotted at Travis Scott’s concert, Cardi liked a comment that had a gif pointing out that it was made up.

“I want to start 2024 fresh, open,” she also shared during a recent Instagram live broadcast. “I’m curious for a new life, for a new beginning. And yeah, I’m excited! New look, new life, new everything… I’ve been going so hard for 2024 to go directly as I want it to. I feel like in 2017 I was single, and that’s when I worked the hardest.”

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Before he became Reacher, the hulking behemoth on the hit Amazon series of the same name, Alan Ritchson was a young model with aspirations of pursuing a different career: Professional singer.

In 2003, the Florida native made the trek to Atlanta where American Idol was holding auditions for Season 3. While Ritchson wasn’t a solid wall of muscles like he is now, the then-2o-year-old was still pretty jacked and tall to boot, which had Paula Abdul immediately hot and bothered right out of the gate. She didn’t even try to hide it and the producers obliged by literally kicking Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson out of the room so Ritchson could personally serenade Abdul, which he did.

After Paula had to be physically separated from the future Reacher star, he made it to the live taping of the episode in Los Angeles. However, Ritchson got way too cocky during the second round. Even Paula was weirded out, and just like that, his American Idol days were over.

You can watch Alan Ritchson’s American Idol audition over here at this link, which autoplays when you try to embed it in an article like this, which is stupid.

Despite washing out on American Idol, Ritchson credits the audition with bringing him to L.A. and kickstarting his acting career.

“Even though I was cut, I was enamored of the passion people had there for their art. I decided to stay, and landed TV commercials and auditions,” Ritchson told the Wall Street Journal. “My first break was in 2005, when I was cast in ‘The Butcher,’ a cheap horror film. Then came ‘Smallville,’ which ran until 2010. The series opened the door for me.”

Ritchson played a young Aquaman on The CW series and almost landed his own series, which never made it past the pilot. Now, he’s on the shortlist to be the new Batman in James Gunn’s DC Universe all thanks to an extremely thirsty encounter with Paula Abdul.

(Via Wall Street Journal)

In the 1985 version of The Color Purple, Whoopi Goldberg portrayed Cellie, a role which secured her an Oscar nom. For the 2023 remake, the crew wanted Goldberg to be a part of the production, though they didn’t know exactly how to incorporate her into the story, and they very well couldn’t just have an episode of The View playing on some TV in the background.

Originally, screenwriter Marcus Gardley considered having Goldberg star as Cellie’s mother, but that would have been “too on the nose.” Gardley told The Los Angeles Times that the role of the midwife was created specifically for Goldberg.

“Symbolically, that felt like the perfect part, because she’s the one to not only encourage her during the birth, but it’s like she herself gave birth to the role and now we see her passing it down,” Gardley said. “It’s one of the most beautiful scenes because you see [Goldberg] looking upon [Mpasi] with pride and telling her, ‘You can do it.’” Goldberg’s cameo appears towards the beginning of the film.

Director Blitz Bazawule also confirmed that Goldberg did what she does best: make people laugh at inopportune moments. “We had to stop and laugh because of everything [Goldberg] did, and you forget that she comes from stand-up [comedy],” the director explained. How could anyone possibly forget how funny Whoopi is?

The Color Purple is now in theaters.

(Via EW)

At long last, Ariana Grande‘s new musical era is finally upon us. Today (December 27), the singer took to social media to tease her upcoming seventh album.

On Instagram, Grande shared a carousel of photos and video clips, signaling the beginning of a new era. In the carousel are pictures of Grande in studio sessions with collaborators, a muted video of her mother, Joan, dancing to what may be new music, a lip kit from her R.E.M. beauty collection, featuring a picture of her own lips, and a handwritten note reading “see you next year.”

At the end of the carousel is a video featuring Grande laying on a couch, with a collaborator asking her how she feels. The person then notes that at the time of shooting the clip, that it’s “almost the last day of this album.”

Grande responds, saying, “I’m so tired. But so happy and grateful. I also feel like I weigh 3,000 tons.”

On her story, Grande reposted pictures from fans who had received a package of the R.E.M. lip kit, as well as the handwritten note. She also shared a screenshot of a FaceTime session with a friend, captioned “the two moods of the album.”

You can see the carousel above.

If there’s a Mount Rushmore of bad Wheel of Fortune guesses (there really should be), “The British Ogre” is on it.

During a recent episode of the long-running game show, contestant Gishma Tabari attempted to solve the following puzzle: “TH_ _RITI_S _GR_E.” The correct answer was “The Critics Agree,” but for whatever reason (maybe because she was thinking about a Mr. Bean/Shrek crossver?), Tabari instead went with “The British Ogre.” Twice! Even host Pat Sajak was taken aback.

Tabari discussed her viral fame in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Right before I went on, I went to my husband, Saman,” she said, “and I was like, ‘My fear is that I’m gonna go on the show and I’m gonna say or do something stupid that everyone’s gonna laugh.’ That’s exactly what happened.”

“I think it was just from my imagination,” she explained of its origin story. “From the moment I was up there, and I saw the board, that’s what I saw. Now I look at it and I’m like… it doesn’t make sense.”

Tabari said she saw “some hurtful comments” about her “worst guess ever,” but “honestly, I wasn’t upset by it… People don’t know who I am in general. I have a degree, I’m working… I feel like I just had a hard moment that was on national TV.” She added, “If I could redo it, the only thing I would do is just have more fun and be less anxious.” And maybe not guess “The British Ogre.”

(Via Fox News Digital)