We’re going through a very difficult time right now and a lot of people are feeling isolated and disconnected from their fellow human beings.

And since we don’t know how long this whole fiasco is going to last, the uncertainty really makes everything that much harder.

That’s why it’s important to appreciate the positive, little things in life right now, even if they only give us a temporary reprieve from the madness of the world.

A Facebook group called View From My Window encourages people to share tiny snapshots from their lives and the photos can really take you to different places around the world and take your mind off the craziness.

Enjoy these photos and remember to keep your spirit up!

1. Norway looks pretty peaceful.

And quite beautiful.

2. Wow. Greece!

Look at that view!

3. The perfect Parisian porch.

I’d love to sit out there with a cup of coffee.

4. That is stunning.

On the lake in Italy.

5. From South Africa.

Some friends stopped by to say hello.

6. I could get used to these living arrangements.

Mexico is a great place.

7. Watch them from a distance.

The animals are taking over!

8. That’s quite a view.

Brooklyn, New York, USA.

9. The harshness of Moscow.

This picture just screams “Russia” to me.

10. A snowy sunset in Finland.

Looks like a nice place to relax.

11. Meet my friends.

This photo comes to us from Uganda.

12. You don’t see this very often.

A fascinating scene from Egypt.

13. The stars at night are big and bright…

Deep in the heart of Texas!

This group is really a lot of fun and I encourage all of you to join it on Facebook.

Now we want to hear from all the readers out there!

How are you holding up during all of this?

And please share a photo from your window in the comments with us!

The post Interesting Photos From the “View From My Window” Online Group appeared first on UberFacts.

Even though I look back on my twenties with rose-colored glasses, the truth is that it was a really tough decade for me.

Lots of uncertainty, not knowing where I was headed, and in a constant state of anxiety about what was coming next.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of great times and made lifelong friends, but it was a very unpredictable time for me and I definitely made my share of mistakes. But, I supposed that most people do at that age.

Do you wish you would’ve gotten some tips from older folks when you were in your twenties?

Here is some good life advice from folks on AskReddit.

1. I like this one.

“Don’t fall for the trap that your life needs to be one long narrative that you should be building. Life is best when it’s a bunch of happy moments that just happen to be connected.

Don’t try to make your life into a novel, make it a book of poems.”

2. It’s never too late.

“It’s never too late to start again.

All in my 20’s I thought I couldn’t just restart my career or dump a useless boyfriend or go back to school because I was already on a certain trajectory. Made my choices now I gotta make the best of it. That’s total bullshit. You have no idea how incredibly young you are and how much time you have to do whatever you want to do.

When I figured this out, I found the man of my dreams, had a kid in my late late 30’s, dropped my entire career in my late 40’s and starting a new one at 50 and it’s awesome.

And if you are sad or upset or frustrated with life that’s ok too. You have time and it will pass. You have no idea what comes next and you have so much time to explore! I am still figuring things out….”

3. Take some chances.

“When I was in college, I had the chance to go to Europe but I passed because I had to work at a warehouse. I picked staying at a part time warehouse job over seeing the world.

When I finally went abroad in my 30s, it changed my perspective about everything and everyone. Go to another country that is far away and different than your own.”

4. Go get it!

“I’m 46, and here’s what I know:

Money is important but it’s not the end all be all. It will not listen to your problems or hug you when you need it

Watch your weight, your blood pressure, and do not smoke. 75% of my patients that have the most serious diagnoses have at least one of these factors.

Comparison will rob you of joy. Be happy for others, but don’t feel you need to be like them.

Let go of the little things. Stress will kill you

Chase your dreams! Life goes by SO fast. You don’t want to be 80 yrs old and regretting not traveling, pursuing your passion, etc.

You cannot change someone. Whether a friend or a partner, their faults will not “get better” and you cannot rescue them. Don’t waste your life on toxic people.

Make a point of performing kind acts for others. It will greatly enrich your life.

Now… go get your life!!!”

5. Relax!

“Relax and don’t get overly angry

While others talk about material things or experiences the real lesson is to accept that things won’t always go the way you want them to and that’s ok.

Didn’t marry your perfect spouse? That person doesn’t exist – align expectations to reality and appreciate those who love you for who they are. Or find new people

Didn’t buy the perfect car? Oh, well, it still gets you where youre going. Define your criteria for the next one and work towards it

Didn’t get the perfect house? Probably not. But it’s yours and you can fix it

Didn’t get that promotion? Don’t be so sure it would have worked out the way you think it would have.

Vacation wasn’t perfect? Are you sure about that, or were your expectations too high?

Point is, relax, enjoy the ride, work to your goals but remember none of it matters if you can’t enjoy it along the way.”

6. My parents always said this.

“Take care of your teeth. This is the only set you’re ever going to have and you don’t want to neglect them and mess them up like I did. I’ve got crap tons of fillings which don’t last forever and need replacement.

A filling isn’t as good as the real thing and filled teeth can break, requiring crowns. I have two and it sucks.

Brush and floss thoroughly every single day without exception. Hell, get an electric toothbrush. See the dentist regularly. Ditch the sugary drinks.”

7. You can turn it around.

“I was a raging alcoholic in my twenties and thought I would never recover from it. I never found a real job using my first degree or my masters. Part of it was because I was always drunk, part of it was the job market at the time.

I went back to school in my thirties and found something I like a whole lot more. Now, I’m married, nearly ten years sober, and have a great job.

My point is, if you end up on the wrong path or don’t like where you are, there’s always time to turn around and change it. Too many people just assume they’re stuck where they are and stuck with the issues they have.”

8. Don’t compare yourself.

“It’s not a race! Stop comparing yourself to others. Just because they did things sooner than you, doesn’t mean they’re happier or better.

Try to start good habits. It is a little rough at first, but in a few years it will be second nature. Do this with things like cooking, cleaning, saving money and self-care.

It is okay to not like someone. It is also okay to have someone not like you (people are going to not like you for no reason. That is okay. It’s a “them” issue and not a “you” issue). Don’t be an ass to everyone and give them reason to dislike you, but also know that you are under no obligation to put up with someone else’s bad friendship.

There is no shame in seeing a mental health professional.”

9. Words to live by.

“Everything you “get” becomes something you “have”

Learn how to be happy “having” things instead of “getting” them.”

10. Be smart with your money.

“Don’t put yourself in ridiculous amounts of debt trying to portray a certain image. You’ll spend your entire life trying to get out of the hole you dug or you’ll have to declare bankruptcy.

Set aside enough money to cover 3-6 months of expenses for emergencies just like now. Moreover, save now for your retirement years. It doesn’t require much and if you have it taken directly from your paycheck you won’t be inclined to not pay yourself first.

Take care of your body. Exercise to maintain a healthy weight and good cardiovascular health. As you get older, it’s much harder to maintain these.

Enjoy the days of your youth without going overboard. There is nothing wrong with having a good time, yet if you are always waking up wondering what happened last night, why you can’t remember how you spent so much money or you always have a hangover; you should tone it down a bit.

Don’t take advice or criticism as a personal attack. Most times the people who care about you have observed behavior in you which is off putting, doesn’t reflect who you really are or could be or would make you a more rounded person.”

11. Quality of life.

“Get a regular exercise routine going and stick to it like your quality of life depends on it, because it does.”

12. What’s important to you?

“Figure out what is important to you in life. A shocking amount of people never do this. The sooner you do, the better off you will be.

It is important to me to be able to take care of myself and have enough left over to support those I love. If I’m doing that, it is hard to get down, or be worried, or care what other people think of me, etc. I’m still going to pursue my career, and other interests, I just dont have anything emotionally riding on their successes, at least not in relation to my own sense of self worth.

I’m not doing a fun job, or an inspiring job, I’m doing on that pays the most for the least work. For me, that’s okay, because with the excess time, I can spend it with people I love. With the excess money I can help pay for my friends who didnt get to go to college to do it now. I can take time off at a drop of a hat to fly across country and help in a family emergency. etc.

There is the phrase ‘live so God can use you’. I’m not religious, but I do value the idea of setting your life up so when an opportunity to do something that you care about, that matters, arises, you’re in a position to do it.

Figure out what you want for yourself, and what you want for others. It will make planning and achieving it easier.”

13. Take these to heart.

“I’m 40. This is my input.

Everyone is focused on themselves to care too much about their opinion of you. So fuck what they think.

Social media is only an illusion.

Zero debt is an amazing feeling. Think twice before dropping that down payment on that fully loaded 2020 dream mobile that offers nothing but looks and depreciates value quickly.

Falling out of love is perhaps more powerful than falling in love.

Use up ALL of your vacation time / sick time at work.

Don’t lose sight of the hobbies you enjoyed as a child. They will help you live as you grow older.

Family is not necessarily blood, but instead who you would bleed for.

There are just as much benefits to being a night owl as there are to being an early bird.

Forgive yourself first before forgiving others.

Do not be a doormat in submission, but hold the door open in kindness.”

14. Things to think about.

“Here are some points that may or may not be worthy of consideration.

Time is very short, and as you get older it speeds up more and more.

Time is more important than money. In theory, you could end up a billionaire. But nobody is ever a “time billionaire.” Rich or poor, you’re gonna get maybe 100 years at the absolute max, and probably not that much.

There will be several versions of You as you walk your path, but one version that kind of colors all the other versions. This version you could call “the real you.” It pays to spend time figuring out who that real you is.

You will have to deal with people. Learn how to leave them happy to have been in your presence, and you will not lack for friends and loved ones.

Speaking of loved ones: just because someone is a blood relative, it doesn’t mean they’re worth a shit. If your parent, sibling, or child is a complete asshole unworthy of your attention, don’t waste further time on them.

Find something you love to do, and do that. Do it every day. It doesn’t matter if you make money at it, or get recognition because of it. Do it like Henry Darger did his writing and drawing, and like Vivian Maier did her photography. Do good work. It is its own reward.

I am a geezer, 64 years old. It does not have to suck being old. (I think it’s fucking great, for many reasons.)

If you’re ever in my town, drop by and get ON my lawn.”

15. Make good choices.

“Chris Rock said it best:

“Now, people tell you life is short. No, it’s not. Life is loooong. Especially if you make the wrong decisions!”

I think there are a lot of good tips in there, don’t you?

Now we want to hear from the readers out there.

In the comments, please share some life advice that you think younger folks could definitely benefit from.

We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The post People Who Are 40+ and Happy Offer Advice to Folks in Their 20s appeared first on UberFacts.

I was kind of a dumbass in high school…but weren’t all of us, for the most part?

And when you act like a dumbass, you get in trouble for stupid stuff. But a lot of these kids got in trouble for stuff that wasn’t really their fault or when they really weren’t doing anything wrong…

It’s just the way the world works, people.

What’s the stupidest reason you got in trouble in school?

Let’s see what folks on AskReddit had to say…

1. Not cool at all.

“For using my asthma medication in class. I was told to keep my inhaler in the office, and to use it in there only. I was told it was ‘distracting.’

Know what else is distracting? The sounds of someone gasping for air and having to be removed from class.”

2. In grad school?!?!

“Grad school.

As in, full grown adult. One of my patients was a chill guy. We had one of those relaxed relationships. He would fist bump me after treatment was completed. The dean of academic affairs did not like that.

Got a 45 minute lecture on doctor patient relationship and how dare I violate that trust with a fist bump.”

3. Off to detention you go.

“For saying my school picture sucked. I had no idea “sucked” was considered a bad word until I was put in detention for it.”

4. It wasn’t me.

“Someone once poked a wasp nest in the school forest, and the whole swarm came out upon the school. The entire school sat detention for an hour. Understandable if you don’t know who did it, but that’s not the problem.

We were sitting detention because the principal’s son got stung. As it eventually turned out, it was actually his fault the swarm came down on us.

I have cursed his name since the day I found out.”

5. Inappropriate!

“I got in trouble for hugging a male friend in the hallway in middle school. We saw each other in the hall and was like “hey!” quick hug (it was like 1 second) in front of a teacher’s door, which was open.

She calls us into her class to yell at us in front of her class. She said hugging between boys and girls is inappropriate. I asked if it’d be inappropriate if I was hugging a girl and she said no.

Then I asked if it’d be inappropriate if I was a lesbian, she yelled at me again.”

6. That’s a little harsh.

“I checked out a book on African tribes from the library in the fourth grade.

I told the teacher about how the book had topless women in it thinking I was helping, she confiscated the book and had me suspended from school.”

7. Blame it on the band.

“In 1993 the Flaming Lips Song “She Don’t Use Jelly” came out. I was in third grade and I really liked that song. And started signing it with my friends during a double handed jump roping session.

“She don’t use jeeeelllly orrrr any of theeeseee… she uses Vaaassssseeline”. Boom. Written up. 3 day Suspension for saying sexually suggestive things. I had NO idea that was meant sexually.

Worse even, no one would explain why that song was sexually suggestive. It was very confusing.”

8. All that for nothing.

“I got in trouble for “cheating” on one of my math exams. The teacher found a piece of paper in my pencil case. I got sent to the principal’s office.

When the principal asked me about what I wanted to say in my defense, I simply told him to take a look at the note. It turned out to be a shopping list. I was alowed to re-take the exam the following week.”

9. Still not over it.

“I tripped on a loose tile and bumped into a teacher causing her to spill her coffee on herself. I apologized and showed her the tile.

She went on for months about how I did it on purpose. Even got the principal and my folks involved. For the rest of the year she told me I couldn’t come back to her class unless I apologized for doing it on purpose.

Never went back to her class. Though I initially apologized for the incident, I never once apologized for doing it “on purpose”. Fuck you Ms. Helm.”

10. The dark side.

“I once got in trouble for reading Stephen King. They were like “you’re reading dark books it’s the reason your behavior is bad””

11. Not your fault.

“For “fighting.”

The school asshole sucker punched me and I didn’t retaliate. It was even caught on tape. The zero tolerance policy is one of the stupidest things ever.”

12. Dismissed!

“In middle school, the bell to send us home didn’t go off on time. We were all standing by the door waiting to leave when all the other classrooms started leaving to go home.

The hallways were filled and teachers were telling people goodbye, so my classroom started to leave too.

I was one of the first ones out but apparently our teacher caught the end half of the class and made them sit down and tell them everyone who walked out the door because “I dismiss you, not the bell.”

So all of us who left like the rest of the school got detention.”

13. Get your facts straight.

“I was sent to the principal in sixth grade for arguing with my teacher when she insisted that Hitler was a communist.

The principal literally did a facepalm, but then pulled himself together and lectured me on being more respectful.”

14. Not bullying…

“In seventh grade English class, a classmate looked pretty sad so I asked her how she was doing. No malicious intent, just wondering what was making her so upset but she started sobbing. I apologized and moved on.

Later that day, I get pulled from a different class by a math teacher that I’ve never met before who yelled at me in the hallway making snide remarks about my parents and their parenting capacity.

She made me sit in front of the principal’s office to “wait for the principal to talk to me” for four hours, long after the school day has ended.

When the principal finally did show up, he had no idea why I was sitting there. Middle school me was too shy to make a fuss about it but in hindsight I should’ve made a complaint against her. To this day, the girl that I supposedly “bullied” has no idea why the math teacher flipped out at me.”

Ahhhhh, the memories…

Good times, right?

Now let’s hear your story.

In the comments, share the absolute dumbest thing you ever did that caused you to get into trouble at school. Let’s see what you got!

The post People Share the Dumbest Reasons They Got in Trouble in School appeared first on UberFacts.

I’ve been in this situation many times: I get cornered at a bar or a party by someone and they NEVER stop talking and I feel like my brain is gonna explode.

What to do?

I usually just say I have to go to the bathroom and then I try to avoid that person for the rest of the night.

But there are many other ways you can get out of this conundrum that we all know too well.

Pay attention to these responses from AskReddit users, they might help you out someday.

1. Get outta there!

“Worst case I’ve ever had, I basically gave every verbal cue I knew of, eventually stood up, then stood in the doorway, then backed out of the doorway…. and this dude was still talking.

In the end I just said ‘I’ll be back’ and closed the door on him mid-sentence.”

2. A smooth move.

“I once said I needed to go to the bathroom and left the party, literally went home. He sucked down all my evening, didnt let me talk to anyone else, so I decided to go home, since I couldn’t enjoy the party anyway..

Friends later told me that the talker kept asking where I went and eventually when someone told him I went home, he got quite upset and made a bit of a scene.

A couple years later, just by coincidence, when we were going to work in the same project, someone told me “oh btw so and so said he doesn’t like you very much but didn’t say why”. He kept resenting me for that for years! Some people are incredible.”

3. This is great.

“I’m an Uber driver, I was once summoned to pick up two people for just this reason. They had me drive four blocks/.25 miles/1.5 minutes to another bar just to get out of a conversation with someone.

Minimum fare ($3.75) and $10 tip on the app.”

4. Get it over with.

“I don’t mean to interrupt but–

It’s got to be done, so just do it. They need a break anyway.”

5. Nice and polite.

“I read one of those mildly interesting newspaper features recently with an ‘etiquette expert.

Their advice was rather than make an excuse, you should be more direct that you are ending the conversation and say something like “I’ve really enjoyed talking with you, I’m going to circulate around the room now” as it’s less likely to create an expectation you might come back. It does work too!”

6. Take it from a professional.

“Mental health worker here. I see patients every day who will talk forever if you don’t stop them. You simply have to interrupt and redirect or end the conversation.

I always politely tell them, “Let me stop you there” or “Let me jump in there”. Sometimes you have to be abrupt or else you will be held hostage by the one-sided conversation.”

7. A good approach.

“We have a great line that we use in Ireland. I haven’t heard it used abroad but it could well be used all over for all I know.

The person is rabbiting on and is showing no sign of stopping. You clearly and firmly say “I’ll let you go”. Then with the confidence of a person doing them a favour you turn on your heel and stride away.

This has the effect of making them think you are the one wanting to avoid wasting their time. If they figure it out they can’t call you out on it because to do so would be to admit (at least to themselves) that they are wasting your time.

In fact most people never allow themselves to think it might be them who is holding you up so they accept the “offer” of your leaving in order for them to get on with their important work.

In general if someone says “I’ll let you go” to me (rare but it has happened), I smile and say bye and end the conversation. It is a social convention and I abide by it. They want out. No ego. Let them go and the best of luck to them. People appreciate that I imagine.”

8. Not fun when people are drunk.

“I have a friend who does this and he tends to drink alot. It gets to the point where he literally will talk over you. I once sat on my phone while he talked to me for 5 hours straight.

No joke, didn’t even pause. I was going to sleep on his couch once and he kept talking. I was wrapped up in a blanket while he stood over me… talking. I had to drive away and sleep in my car. This is a typical workday for him.

On the weekends he’ll stay up 2 days straight, drinking and talking. Sometimes he uses an app that’ll connect him with random people to talk to. I think he needs a therapist.”

9. I’m late…

“If you know them well enough, a hand on the arm or shoulder will get someone to stop talking long enough for you to make your exit.

Not needed though. “It’s been so great talking to you but I’m late for something””

10. Might as well just fake it.

“Oh! Someone wants you over there.” gestures across the room “Oh, who?” “Me.”

11. It’s all about the situation.

“It depends on the context, like most things. Who is the person to you?

Random person on the street? Just tell them you’re busy and walk away.

Coworker? Politely explain that they need to stop talking so you can work.

Dude at the gym? Tell him you’re going to do your set. If he still doesn’t stop talking, just put your headphones on and start lifting.

Generally if it’s someone you aren’t going to see often, whether they think you’re rude or not isn’t really important. Just tell them you’re busy and just walk away or continue what it is you were doing.

If it’s someone you see often/can’t avoid (friend, coworker, classmate etc) tell them that they need to stop talking so you can do what you’re meant to be doing. They probably aren’t aware that they could be annoying people. They’d probably appreciate the wake up call.”

12. I’ve done this before.

“Fake a phone call.

First, pm someone to call you. Then as your phone rings, just politely apologize and make your exit.”

13. Time to step outside.

“This is where my bad habit of smoking comes in handy.

I just say I’m going to go smoke a cigarette.”

We hope you can use those techniques at some point in the future!

Do you have any tips of your own in this department?

Please share them with us in the comments!

The post People Share How to Politely End Conversations With Folks Who Won’t Stop Talking appeared first on UberFacts.