A Young Man With Autism Opened His Own Coffee Shop After No One Would Hire Him

This is a perfect example of persevering in life despite all the odds stacked against you.

Michael Coyne has struggled with many things in his life, including autism, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Despite these challenges, Coyne has accomplished a lot, including competing in the Special Olympics. When he turned 21, he decided he wanted to join the workforce in the food service industry. But there was one major roadblock: no one was willing to hire Coyne because he is autistic.

He said, “I applied to multiple places. None of them would hire me.”

Come on by for muffins and coffees, Michael's here until 6! ☕

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Friday, November 22, 2019

So Coyne, ever the fighter, decided he would take his life into his own hands and opened up his own coffee shop in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, called Red, White & Brew. Coyne said he will hire people with and without special needs to help run his business because he wants to help people who are autistic to integrate into regular jobs.

Can the days get any better here at Red White and Brew?? I am honestly not sure they can! Not only was our day VERY…

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Monday, November 25, 2019

Red, White & Brew’s Facebook page spells out the coffee shop’s mission very clearly: “We are a family-owned coffee shop serving up more than a cup of coffee. We employ people with developmental disabilities, encourage community engagement, and change the way the world sees those with disabilities.”

What a weekend here at Red White and Brew!! Wow! You all brought it!! We are so humbled by the outpouring of support….

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Sunday, November 24, 2019

Coyne’s mother Sheila helped her son get his business off the ground. She said,  “As parents, we look at our kids and see the value,” Michael’s mother Sheila Coyne said. “We see what they are capable of, instead of the system that’s consistently labeling them and putting barriers.”

Congratulations, Michael!

And, reader, if you happen to be in the area, stop by and have a visit and a coffee.

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Samuel L. Jackson’s Voice Has Arrived on Alexa. With Profanity and All…

I live in an Alexa household, even though we’re well aware we’ve invited the government and big business and probably more eyes and ears into our homes. It just makes it so easy to add things to the grocery list, turn the lights off and on (because who wants to stand up?), play music, and on and on.

Even so, I’ll be the first person to say that Alexa’s voice can quickly go from pleasant to annoying, depending on one’s mood.

Do you know whose melodious voice is always welcome, though?

One Samuel L. Jackson.

And now, he can be the voice turning your lights on and adding stuff to your shopping list.

The Guardian is reporting that Amazon has confirmed they will be using neural text-to-speech technology to mimic Jackson’s voice, so it won’t just be pre-recorded phrases – Jackson can do anything from read you the weather to sing you Happy Birthday.

He won’t be able to help with your shopping, reminders, lists, or other Alexa Skills. Womp-womp.

This is all with Samuel L. Jackson’s approval, of course, and you’re certainly aware that the award-winning actor is as famous for his blue language as his performance skills – which is why Alexa is going to allow you to set your device to allow him to swear appropriately in his responses.

Which you know, is just a win for everyone involved, really.

You’ll be able to download the technology for just $.99 to start, but if you want to keep it forever, eventually you’ll have to pay $4.99.

If you’re someone like my sister, who gets prissy about profanity, don’t worry – Amazon promises that deals with other celebrities are in the works, and before long “Alexa” could be just about anyone you like.

Which is a little terrifying.

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You Can Now Buy a Stat-Tracking Smart Condom

In my mind, being intimate with a partner is something that should maintain some level of mystery.

Or at the very least, you should just be able to cuddle afterward instead of comparing stats like you’re trying to make the playoffs.

So, this might fall under the category of Nobody Asked For This, but British Condoms is giving it to you anyway: a penis ring that measures all of your stats during sex.

Meet the i.Con (seriously?), a penis ring that holds condoms in place, gathers information during the act, and then texts you or updates your app with all of the deets so you can (not) enjoy the afterglow.

It’s sort of like a Fitbit for your penis, and, honestly, it seems like a terrible idea. Frankly, one of the worst ideas I’ve heard in the last year, which is incredible because 2019 has been filled with disasters.

The i.Con’s nano-chips and sensors track your girth, velocity, calories burned, and so much more – it can even detect proteins or antigens associated with STIs (seems dubious to me…).

Everyone wants that text right after they finish enjoying themselves. Not.

If you’re some kind of masochist and dying to purchase this thing, you can preorder it for $73.58 (if you live outside the U.K. you’re going to need to ask someone to order it for you, though).

So. There you go.

Another technology win?

I guess you decide!

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Here Are 10 Banned Baby Names From Around the World

We all have that one friend who named their baby something ridiculous (not naming any names here, but yikes), but if you’re like me, you probably just shrug it off. After all, people have the right to name their baby what they’d like (as long as they’re saving an appropriate amount of cash for therapy).

Actually, we would be wrong, my friends, because there are some names that are genuinely off-limits – at least, depending where on you are.

Here are 10 that might (or might not) surprise you!

10. Ikea (Australia)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Australia’s rules on naming boil down to the name not being “obscene or offensive or contrary to the public interest,” nor can they be “established by repute or usage.”

The last bit prohibited an Aussie couple from naming their daughter Ikea (which you also can’t do in Sweden).

9. Messiah (USA)

The States have very lenient naming laws, with only some states legally preventing people from naming their children obscenities or numbers. However a judge did rule in 2013 that a Tennessee couple couldn’t name their baby “Messiah.”

8. @ (China)

Image Credit: Pixabay

You can’t name your kid after a computer keyboard symbol, says China, not even if you try to say it’s short for ai-ta (love him) in Chinese.

7. Nutella (France)

A French judge ruled that the name – chosen because they hoped their daughter would be sweet and popular – was “contrary to the child’s interest,” and would “only lead to mockery and disobliging remarks.”

She’s called Ella instead, at the insistence of the court.

6. . (New Zealand)

Image Credit: Pixabay

No, not even if you plan to call him “Full Stop.”

5. Robocop (Mexico)

Sonora, a northwestern states, keeps a long and ever-changing list of forbidden names in the hopes that their diligence might “protect children from being bullied because of their name.”

And because the names on the list come straight from recent registries of newborns, we can assume some poor kiddo out there is running around named after a fictional cyborg police officer.

Bless.

4. Monkey (Denmark)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Denmark has a list of 7000 approved baby names, and if you want to choose something that’s not on it, you’re required to seek approval before naming your kiddo.

Sadly for the Danish parents, Monkey doesn’t make the cut.

3. Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii (New Zealand)

I have to agree with the judge who, in 2008, ruled the ridiculous name was basically child abuse and removed the girl from her parents’ custody. At 9, she was going by an initial at school to avoid teasing.

2. Sarah (Morocco)

Image Credit: Pixabay

In Morocco, names must reflect the national identity, and Sarah with an ‘H’ is the Hebrew spelling of the name.

You can choose Sara, the Arabic spelling, no problem.

1. Cyanide (England)

The judge who ruled that the name was out of bounds noted that in England, the court would only step in “in only the most extreme circumstances.”

It sounds like a name for one of James Bonds’ girls

 

Weird, right?

I guess if you wanted to live by yourself on a homestead or in the Canadian tundra or somewhere you could do what you’d like – but I say, just choose a better name.

Sorry.

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Tom Hanks Reading Nice Tweets Aloud Might Make You Like Him Even More

There’s a lot of bad things going on in the world today, and it’s not often that the internet is someplace we can go to take a break from all of that – but today, it is!

Because Tom Hanks (in the spirit of Mr. Rogers, whom he recently played on the big screen) is reading some of the nicest tweets he could find.

Image Credit: Twitter

He sat down to do the thing with Twitter Movies, and each tweet he read had a sweet, quirky story to go along with it.

It began with a tweet from a former McDonald’s employee who regularly gave people 1 more chicken nugget than they asked for – a small but appreciated surprise.

Image Credit: Twitter

“That is a man who’s not only being nice, but he’s feeing the world a little bit better,” said Hanks. “And he’s bucking the corporate strategy. Bravo! That’s a nice thing to do!”

Here’s another one: it was from a person who shared a story from – of all places – dental school.

Image Credit: Twitter

“Told this guy who sits next to me in dental class about how I skip lunch just to get to class on time and the next day he pulls out a hot chicken shawarma out of his bag for me saying he doesn’t want me to be hungry is he in love with me yes or no.”

Twitter loved the video, already clamoring for more.

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Fred Rogers would have approved.

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10 Facts About “Clue” the Movie

Clue is having a resurgence with a new movie and tie-in novels, and I, for one, am happy to see this cult classic return for new audiences and a new generation.

That said, even if you’ve loved it since you were a kid (*raises hand*) there are probably a few things you don’t know about the original.

And you’d be sorry if you missed these 10 facts.

10. The characters’ cars match their names.

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Last night we had dinner early, and watched the movie Clue. It is such an 80’s classic – 1985 even, halfway through, peak 80’s, – – My son had never seen the movie before, by our choice, because there is some annoying sexual content. He absolutely loved the surreal humour in Clue, and was, as predicted, annoyed by the sexism, but overall he really enjoyed it. It was fun to watch, I used to watch it all the time as a kid! “Let us in! Let us in!” – “Let us out! Let us out!” – – – We used up a bunch of leftovers and had a Frankenstein dinner, as usual about once a week. Son said that he’d never look at the board game, that he’s played for years, the same again! It was a fun night ? Also, yesterday I went 9 hours, pain free, which was great reason for us to celebrate! – – #familylife #avm #avmsurvivor #cluethemovie

A post shared by Erin Summers Rosen Norman (@rosequeen3_) on

If you’re super observant, you’ve probably already noticed that as the motorists are stranded at the beginning next to cars the same color as their names. Neat tidbit!

9. Carrie Fisher was the original Miss Scarlet.

She entered rehab the day filming was supposed to begin and was unable to work out a schedule that worked with her treatment schedule.

8. Lesley Ann Warren couldn’t sit down in her costume.

Miss Scarlet’s dress required boned corsets, which meant Warren had trouble sitting or really even moving. If you watch her on screen, you’ll notice her leaning on the sets instead of sitting – it makes you appreciate her acting ability even more!

7. Tim Curry was their third choice.

Curry’s iconic role as the butler almost wasn’t – Leonard Rossiter was the first choice (he died) followed by Rowan Atkinson.

6. Madeline Kahn improvised one of the film’s best-known scenes.

All that was written in the scene where Mrs. White talks about how she hates Yvette is “I hated her so much that I wanted to kill her,” so the famous riff involving the “flames on the side of my face” gem was all Madeline Kahn.

5. Colleen Camp really wanted the role of the Maid.

Everyone from Jennifer Jason Leigh to Madonna was interested, so Camp went the extra mile and showed up for her audition in costume.

4. You should recognize the Singing Telegram Girl.

She’s the guitarist for the Go-Gos – Jane Wiedlin – in her first film role.

3. The writers expanded Mrs. White’s role once Madeline Kahn was cast.

She was already a comedy legend, thanks to Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, so they were smart enough not to waste her talents.

2. There was originally a 4th alternate ending.

The director claims he doesn’t remember what the 4th ending was, only that it wasn’t working no matter how they tweaked it, but it involved a scheme by Wadsworth to poison everyone.

1. The pacing was inspired by the success of His Girl Friday.

The director screened the film for the cast before they began shooting, hoping the rapid-fire dialogue would inform their own creative choices. The actors complied, doing their best to copy the clipped, quick delivery.

 

I just can’t wait to take in all things Clue!

What’s your favorite alternate ending? I know you have one!

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People Who Disappeared to Start a New Life Share Their Stories

You might think this only happens in the movies: a person realizes that in order to save themselves (or someone else) they have no choice but to disappear from their lives and begin again as someone new.

It turns out that people actually do this in real life, though, and here are 15 of their stories.

15. I need more details!

My experience is more recent. I left about a month ago.

No real responsibilities or debts and meagre savings, packed a bag one night and hit the road the next morning!

Life is good so far. I’ve met some great people, I’ve stepped way outside of my comfort zone, I’ve got a new job and (finally) a place to live, and I’ve never been happier.

There are people I miss, of course, but I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s kind of a scary time in my life right now, but I know I’ll be a happier and healthier person in the long run.

14. WHY, THOUGH.

Know I’m jumping in a bit late, but this has been pretty much my way of living for the past 10 years.

Every few years I pack up, move countries and start new.

Burner phones, changing emails, and no social network accounts.

I don’t really have a reason for it, I just enjoy being a vagabound and seeing places.

I grew up moving country to country as a child, and when I turned 16-17 it just seemed a natural way of living. I’ve hit around 150 countries so far, and lived in over 20.

I’m still young, and I work in all these places. (surf instructor, running hostels, bartender, teacher, etc.)

ok!

edit:

holy hell, this blew up a bit. I don’t even have internet at where I’m staying right now so I tend to leech it from where I work. I honestly didn’t think anybody would even see this. I’ll scroll through a bit and answer some questions if I can.

Cheers!

13. Sometimes you want to go where nobody knows your name.

When I was 17 I up and moved a few states away. Didn’t tell a single soul.

I was sick of being picked on and harrased. I had a drug problem, my friends were all dying, my mom died when I was young, and my dad left me after she died, so I was taken into foster care. After I was taken into foster care I was homeschooled, and never got the social integration that I so badly needed. I was isolated to the foster family. They refused to let me hang out with anyone, have friends, girlfriends, etc. I started acting out at like 14/15 years old, doing drugs and shit to feel like a person. My lack of social skills got me beat up and stepped over every day. I just wanted a friend though. Anyone I would hang out with would steal my money, or talk shit behind my back…this, that….I guess the teenage experience.

So one day, I decided to just leave.

I had a lot of people that knew me, I had family, not a real mom or dad, but I do have blood relatives. And…yeah….

The story is fucked up to actually.

I took some acid, had a realization that anyone I cared about was dead, and I would be too, if I didn’t destroy myself, id kill myself. So, tripping sack, I decided to grab a bag of clothes and hop on the next train out. No money, not even a wallet. Just a small duffell with a blanket and about two days worth of clothes. I snuck on the train, went 4 hours, and got off when I felt like it. I begged for bus money, and slept on the street and random strangers couches for about a year.

The rest of the story is kind of boring, just a lot of struggling. I will say, it was the best choice I ever made. I was going nowhere, and it took a damn lot of work, but I made myself into something.

I have my own place, a car made last year, I got my GED, go to college, work as an EMT, and also work at MIT. None of that would have been possible without leaving. It was refreshing. Nobody knew me. I wasn’t a failure to people up here. I wasn’t that weird kid. I wasn’t being bullied to the point of suicide. Nobody really knew my situation, well, anyone I was talking to as friends anyways. But that doesn’t matter now. People don’t matter to me. I concentrate on my own life, my own well being.

I left because I had no one. Now I realize that people aren’t worth it. They’re selfish, and out for their own well being. Most of them anyways. Now I’m content with nobody. I’m content with reaching my goals, and being the person I aim to be, on a daily basis. Someone who is there for whoever needs it, as a shoulder to cry on, a door to be opened, a person to vent to, a couch to crash on. I guess I’m rambling now. Hope at least someone gets to read my experience.

12. A fresh outlook on life.

I moved from the United States to Taiwan. And, while I will likely only be here for a couple of years, it’s amazing how much it helped. It cured the depression I never even realized I had.

EDIT: Never expected people to be interested in my story. Unfortunately I am at work on a break, so I have to be brief. But, basically, I never realized I was “depressed” in the United States. I mean, I wasn’t sad all the time. I had friends. I did well at a top tier university. None of that characterizes a depressed person, right?! But, I never felt very excited about anything. I just felt as if though I was going from box to box, looking for happiness. Wake up, get in my car. Drive to class. Leave class, go to a restaurant. Go home. Want to have some fun? Meet friends in a bar. It was all driving in a box to another box and convincing myself it all mattered. I just thought that’s what life was, and the fact that I was always sorta “meh” was what being human was.

Then, I got a grant to move to Taiwan, and I did it. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I suddenly feel like a person for the first time. There is a large, large, LARGE sense of community here. I feel like things matter. I don’t just drive from place to place, eating at identical restaurants. I realize I am perhaps being a bit cryptic here, but it just feels like things “matter” more here. Go out to eat? It’s not always going to be a chain restaurant that looks like all the other chain restaurants, due to all the building codes and ADA regulations. I might find myself in a bit of a shack, run by a family for decades, where people pour their heart and soul into the food. I know I am being general here, and I KNOW that “real” restaurants exist in the US, too. But, in general, I feel like Americans have traded variety for security. We like the security of knowing we can travel to another state and find the same 10 restaurants. We like the security of strict building codes, knowing that all the door handles are the same design in case of an emergency. And, of course, there are merits to all of this.

For example, in Taiwan, people will park all over the sidewalks, and you often find yourself dodging around parked cars when walking, into the street. As an American, I sometimes freak out and think, “WHY ARE THEY MAKING PEDESTRIANS WALK IN THE ROAD?! ASSHOLES. THIS IS A SIDEWALK! AAARGH!” And, this isn’t about sidewalks. But this draws to a larger metaphor. In America, you’ll get a ticket in a second for parking on a sidewalk, and pedestrians never have to worry about walking around cars on a sidewalk. To me, that is trading variety for security – we want to make sure every road is safe and “up to code,” and as a result, all you ever see are empty sidewalks. In Taiwan, just walking down a block can be a fascinating experience, as you never quite know what you’ll see. I worked in an un-air-conditioned building in Taiwan’s 100 degree summer, and I was sweating all the time. As an American, it bothered me so much, and I took several showers a day. Then you realize, “I’m human, it’s hot, I’m sweating… so what?” It’s that overall mindset and general ideology that “freed” me in Taiwan, and made me feel like a person again. I’d rather just live, rather than attempting to set up a utopia of safety and comfort.

So, me? Personally? Hopping on my scooter, driving through slightly-un-okay-level dangerous streets, not knowing if I can always find “that restaurant I like,” and knowing that every street will bring something completely new (good or bad)…. It changed my life, honestly.

I am pre-preemptively worried that someone will misunderstand this as a Taiwan vs. America argument, which it isn’t. If you can be as happy as I am right now in America, then more power to you. I am legitimately happy for you. But me? I can’t. I needed a change. And, it wasn’t until I made the change that I realized how badly I needed it. If you feel like you need a change, maybe you should just do it. Something like moving to the other side of the planet may seem insane and almost impossible. Well, it is. And that is exactly why you should probably be doing it.

EDIT 2: Wow, I am overwhelmed by the positive feedback here! It honestly warms my god damned soul to think that I maybe nudged even one person out of a rut, let alone dozens or more. I have been getting some negative feedback as well about my generalizations of America, which I expected. I didn’t really “plan out” my post as much as I just wrote it on the fly based on what I was feeling, so some of my examples (building codes, restaurants, etc) aren’t perfect. They were only intended to capture what I feel is the overarching ideology of Taiwanese life, but they definitely ain’t perfect. Also, I in no way “hate” America, as it made me who I am today. I attempted to explain this in my last paragraph, but I didn’t do a great job. Anyway, whether you liked my post or not, I fucking love you guys – keep on keepin’ on. And remember, though it almost always seems like there is, there rarely exists a good reason to not do something big if you think it might be just what you need.

11. People can still be toxic even if they’re related to you.

I am assuming you cut ties with your family as well. What do you think about the countless movie and TV series references to “family is the most important thing in the world” and some ideas in psychology that put your relationship with your parents above everything else? I am asking because I moved away from my family and I don’t miss them a bit, and most people think I am a monster for doing so. I wonder if we might have emotional problems in the long run.

10. Not so far, but far enough.

Faked a big move and cut ties with family and friends. I live about 20miles from my old home and kept my job. It has been 2 years and my anonymity remains intact. Happy life without the drugs, drama and abuse. Still keep in contact with my little brother, but that’s it. Everybody thinks I now live in Russia. Edit: details.

9. When you can totally reinvent yourself from scratch.

I dropped everything and left without telling anyone where I was going. I hardly packed anything, just grabbed what I needed and left the state. I go by a different name now and I have no regrets. I was in a terrible place and now I’m so much happier.

I think the only difficult thing is how to figure out who I am now. I spent so much time living for the people around me that I didn’t even know who I was. Do I even really like to bowl? Is this really how I want to dress? But I get to re-learn and re-explore myself slowly and it’s a wonderful journey.

8. No regrets is an awesome place to be.

I didn’t do anything drastic like change a name or fake a death; I merely chose to cut out the terrible people in my life. My father abused me growing up, including sexually molesting me. While coming to terms with this as a young adult, I tried to kill myself. After leaving the mental hospital he mocked me. That was when I saw the light and decided to cut him out. A year or two after that my mom decided to a) uninvite me to christmas, and b) kicked me out the day before the holiday when she realized i didn’t intend to go. i left, she changed the locks. i decided to leave totally, and merely left town, blocking everyone there on my fb (didn’t want my wherabouts getting back to my family.) i live within an hour’s distance, never had a run in since. nor egrets.

7. Leave the toxic people behind.

I didn’t fake my death to start over, I just moved. Unless you’ve done something illegal or owe a shitton of money, just moving across the country will be drastic enough to ensure that 90% of people you’d want to avoid never contact you again.

A few months ago, I threw my hands in the air, said “Fuck it,” and moved several states away. The fresh start is awesome, and I’m so much happier now. I have just about everything I’ve ever wanted here, and I love the fact that I don’t have to relive ancient history every time I pass a landmark that reminds me of something.

Just cut ties with whoever is causing you grief, regardless of who they are or what their impact on your life is. Excise the tumor, and then pick up and go. Don’t ever let them back in, either…because cancer spreads.

EDIT: Wow, this blew up overnight. I’m more than happy to answer any questions that anybody has. And also, thank ye kindly strangers for the gold.

6. Very good advice.

I have an uncle who attempted suicide four times and failed. For his fifth, people were pleading with him to try anything else. I went to a park with him and smoked a joint and he told me he was planning on killing himself again. We sat in silence and jokingly, I suggested he just start over. If his life was bad enough to end, then he could end his life that he’s living and just starting a new one, in maybe Arizona or some far away shit.

Two months later I heard he left out of state and got a new phone and maybe a new name. I found an M&M container with a thank you note and three perfect joints a couple weeks after that.

I’m sure he’s doing ok.

5. This honestly sounds like a dream.

My story is definitely less extreme than some on here, but it is probably more realistic for those of you considering a big change. And I didn’t have to completely restart my life.

I got married about 15 years ago, and was on track for medical school. We were excited about our prospects but we wanted our lives to be an adventure. The expectation was that we would move to Boston and work 80 hours a week. It would have given us both strong careers, but…

So I went to medical school in Ireland. She got a job in Dublin. I worked hard through medical school, but our weekends were in Paris, Rome, Budapest, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice, Porto, Tunis, Athens, Oslo, Berlin, and so many more. We could NEVER have afforded even two of these trips from the States, but from Dublin they were dirt cheap. Our target airfare was £15 each way.

We lost a lot of friends in those 6 years but not the good ones. And goddamn it was an adventure.

4. Sometimes you just need a fresh start.

I didn’t have to fake my death, but I was an active heroin addict in my old life so I guess it’s possible that people think I’m dead or in jail. Shit I got lucky not to be.

When I got clean I also moved a few hundred miles and cut ties with everyone except my family. It’s much easier to stay clean living somewhere without a ton of history of drug use, no reminders. I also am in a new college.

Overall it’s pretty good; I have a quiet and productive life, not much socially but I have people I can call if I feel the urge to not be alone. Loneliness is an issue but I try to remember that it’s better than living like I used to and isolating myself with erratic behavior.

So overall I’m pretty content with the whole “fresh start” deal.

3. Sometimes rearview mirrors are no good.

I don’t plan to fake my death or anything, but i am planning a move in the coming weeks. I have a bit of cash saved up and I’m actively seeking employment at the new location. Once I have a few nibbles there I’m buying a one way bus ticket and I’m not looking back. 400 miles away and no former friends or family members to bother me. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Edited to add:

For those of you who are curious I have moved. I had about $3500 in the bank to spend. I posted an ad on craigslist, believe it or not, seeking temporary housing and was contacted by a local who agreed to let me stay for a couple of weeks just as long as I paid the agreed on amount up front. Once I had that ironed out after emails and phone calls I packed a bag with the stuff I wanted to take and I walked to the bus station. I went in blind but I knew that if worse came to worse I could find someplace for a couple of days if everything fell through.

My original estimation was incorrect, my new home ended up being 600 miles away from my old home. I arrived, paid my rent for the agreed upon two weeks, and visited four other longer term places for rent.

As of right now I am away from my old life, I have a longer term place to live, my rent has been paid for two more months, and I have a couple of job prospects. I am still unemployed, but the only thing I have to pay for in the coming months is food and I have enough for that.

2. Fill up your own clean slate.

I’m about to do this, I live in a fairly small city in Southern California, and I’m constantly running into people I didn’t want to see again from high school, ex-girlfriends, girls I regret never asking out, douchenozzles that are more successful than me, people younger than me having babies, etc. and friends who are just stuck,

Basically reminders of things I don’t want to be reminded of, and things like getting stuck in life and never progressing. Also high school, this is a big high school town, you can’t fucking escape it.

So I’m finishing up my associates at community college and using that as an excuse to transfer to a college in Hawaii. I have no family there, no friends, no acquaintances. Nothing. I am really looking forward to the clean slate.

1. Whatever keeps you alive.

My brother in law did this, essentially. He tried twice to kill himself, and was just living day to day on meds, trying not to feels.

There was a girl in high school who he had a crush on, but she moved to Texas(we live in Florida.) About a year she contacted him on facebook, and they started talking, and it really seemed to help him.

So, one day, we get a call from his work asking where he was(they knew he had problems before), so we start freaking out. Luckily he answered the first time we tried to call him. He had been on the road for about 6 hours already heading out there to see her. He initially was just gonna see her for a week or so and come back, but his engine died when he got out there, so he decided to stay. 5 months later, and they are together, hes slowly getting off his meds, and hes happy.

I’m fascinated and could read these all day!

I’m going to assume nothing like this has ever happened to you, but if it has, we need details!

The post People Who Disappeared to Start a New Life Share Their Stories appeared first on UberFacts.

This Is How to Tell the Difference Between Stars and Planets Just by Looking

This seems like it would be difficult – until, that is, you remember that classic lullaby that put us all to sleep.

Remember “Twinkle, twinkle little star”?

Yep. Stars twinkle, and planets don’t.

With the exception of our solar system’s sun, stars are all so far away that astronomers talk about their distance from Earth in terms of lightyears, or the distance light can go in one Earth year.

Considering light moves at about 186,000 miles per second, a lightyear is pretty freaking far.

The closest star to our sun is called the Alpha Centauri, and it’s 4 lightyears away from our planet. Because it takes a star’s light several lightyears to get to Earth, we see it as a small point in space.

But before we can see it from the surface of Earth, starlight is refracted. This refraction is influenced by every change in density and temperature in every media that the light passes through.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Planets are much closer to us than stars. A planet’s light (which is really sunlight reflected back to us) gets refracted to a much lesser degree because it travel a much shorter distance. Planets usually appear bigger (because they’re closer), and their light twinkles significantly less.

Actually, planetary light looks basically steady.

Of course, if you catch a planet a bit lower in the sky – maybe so you’re looking at it through the horizon – you’ll have a harder time telling it apart from a star. If light is traveling through the horizon, that means it’s going through a lot more atmosphere before it reaches your eyes than if it were directly overhead. That causes more light refraction, and, thus, more twinkling.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

It’s easier to tell stars and planets apart later because there’s less light refraction when you’re looking directly up.

If this trick gives you trouble at the beginning, keep practicing and tou’ll be able to tell the planets and stars apart in no time.

Are you going to try this simple trick? Share your results with us in the comment area, if you’d like.

The post This Is How to Tell the Difference Between Stars and Planets Just by Looking appeared first on UberFacts.

This Is Why All Parents Should Teach Their Kids to Cook

A recent article in TIME magazine highlights why it’s important for parents and caregivers to bring their kids into the kitchen and teach them how to cook.

On the practical side, the article suggests waiting until the holidays to teach your young one how to cook. That way you’ll have more time at home, and your child won’t be able to play outside because of the grim weather.

Cooking with kids

Cooking and baking can be great indoor hobbies to prevent your child from spending all their time from playing on their phone. Plus, your kids will learn important skills, such as collaboration, creativity, and critical reasoning. Children will eventually go off to college or move out, so it’s important that they know how to cook at least a few dishes before they take off.

Young home cooks also have a chance to exercise their math skills by following a recipe. Maybe their new pastry must include 1/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda, or a cup and a half of flour—let them figure it out (with a little guidance).

Creating new dishes can also help children learn about science. How does heat impact our foods? What happens when food gets old? Your household chef will have the opportunity to see these scientific principles in action.

Photo Credit: YouTube

And failing in the kitchen (as all chefs do, every once in a while) will help children learn how to be resilient and perseverant. Best of all, when their food turns out great, they’ll have the satisfaction of having accomplished something delicious!

Like we said, there are plenty of good reasons to teach your kids to cook—s0 get them going!

Will you be cooking with your child? Share why or why not in the comments.

The post This Is Why All Parents Should Teach Their Kids to Cook appeared first on UberFacts.

Here’s What You Should Do If You Lose Your Passport

Losing your passport is supremely stressful, and getting it replaced is neither convenient or easy. But there are steps you can take to get another one relatively quickly.

US Passport

Once you’ve turned your home or hotel room upside down only to determine your passport’s gone forever, the first thing you should do is report it so it can be canceled. You can do this either by phone or online on the Department of State travel website. This is important because a canceled passport is no longer valid – meaning no one else can use it.

You’ll then need to apply for a replacement. In the U.S., you’ll use form DS-11 for lost or stolen passports, and it’s best if you do it in person at a passport acceptance facility. That way, the documents can be processed there and then mailed in for the replacement. If you have immediate travel plans (i.e. international travel planned within the next 14 days), you should go to a passport agency, where you can get your paperwork handled ASAP – potentially even immediately.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Already in a foreign country when your passport went missing? Don’t worry – you’re not stranded, but you may be delayed. Report the passport as missing, then find the local U.S. embassy or consulate, which, unfortunately, may be in another city. Take a passport photo, another form of government-issued identification (drivers license works), proof of U.S. citizenship (your photocopy of your passport that you bring with you all the time when you travel works), and your travel itinerary. It’s a good idea to have copies of all these things in Google docs or something similar. You will then fill out two forms: DS-11 and DS-64.

In a couple of business days, you should have your replacement. Then, you’ll have to reapply for any visas.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

You could use travel insurance to recoup your expenses in getting a replacement, but check the credit card you travel with – they may be able to reimburse you as well.

Losing your passport is a big pain, so the best way to avoid the hassle of getting a new one is just to always keep it safe.

And be sure make copies of it to help you in case you need to jump through all these hoops.

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