Category: Social

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A Woman Wrote a Heartfelt Post to the Nurse Who Helped Her Brother After His Tragic Accident

These days, there is so much hate and overall unpleasantness being spread around on social media so often that it’s refreshing to see a story like this, even though it is based around a terrible tragedy.

A woman named Lydia Graham reached out on Facebook to try to find an off-duty nurse who showed incredible bravery when her brother Ian M. Graham died in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Here is Lydia Graham’s Facebook post in its entirety:

“Hi you guys/strangers who see this….

I feel funny writing this, and have debated writing it for a while now. I’ve decided I want to go for it, and the only way I can really think to get it out there is on facebook. I’d really appreciate if you’d share.

I’m trying to find the woman who witnessed and responded to an accident on September 10, 2014 around 6:30 PM on Route 147 between Chapel Hill St and Swift Ave in Durham, North Carolina.

What I know about this woman is this:

-she is (or was at the time) a nurse at Duke Hospital
-I *believe* she told the police she had just finished her shift at the hospital and was driving home, but that is not 100% verifiable
-She performed an emergency airway procedure on a stranger, in the middle of a busy road, shielding his body from oncoming traffic
-I was told she called the police the following week to ask about his progress, and was informed that he had passed away

I’m asking that you share this, especially if you are in North Carolina/the Durham area. If you know any medical staff at Duke Hospital, I ask especially that you share with them.

I’d like to find her, because I’d like to send her the following message.

Thank you.

——

You don’t know me; you don’t know I exist. I feel like I know you. I know you exist. I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now.

In September 2014, you witnessed a gruesome accident. I am so sorry that that happened to you. I can imagine that it has probably haunted you at least a little ever since.

Your reaction was to get out of your car and put yourself into a dangerous and scary situation in order to shield and keep alive a complete stranger, in the middle of a busy road. I know that that was scary and traumatic for you. I know you saw things nobody wants to see. I’m sure you feared for your own safety, and I’m sure it was really difficult for you to find out that the man you threw yourself into helping and saving did not survive despite it all.

His name was Ian M. Graham. He was my brother.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The post continues…

Because of you, he reached the hospital alive. He received the best medical attention and care any person could possibly receive.

I want you to know there is nothing- truly nothing- you could have done better or differently. I want you to know you did everything perfectly.

I want you to know that you did not save Ian’s life only because Ian’s life could not be saved.

But more importantly, I want you to know that that day, your courage and your humanity and your selflessness actually saved many lives.

Ian was an organ donor, and because he made it to the hospital and onto a ventilator alive, his organs were viable.

taken by Carter Smith at the wedding of Tina Patterson-Marcinkevich and Aaron Patterson-Marcinkevich

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Monday, July 28, 2014

Ian’s life actually helped save others, as the post reveals…

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 60 year old man with a wife of 36 years, a daughter and 2 grandchildren. He received a kidney from Ian.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 66 year old man with 3 children and 7 grandchildren. He received Ian’s other kidney.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a man in his 50s, who had already penned his own obituary when he received the call letting him know that he was going to get Ian’s liver. His obituary can wait; because of you, his story is not done.

I want you to know that you are the reason a newborn child received a desperately needed heart valve the day Ian left this world.

I want you to know that you’re the reason a young child will not go blind after all. Because of you, she received Ian’s corneas.

Ian may have died days after the accident but I want to make sure you know that it was the accident that killed Ian, full stop. And because of you, multiple lives were saved and/or dramatically improved.

Also because of you, my brother didn’t die alone on the side of a road, scared or in pain. Because of you, my brother died with me holding his hand, whispering how it was OK for him to go now. He was in no pain. He was surrounded by pure love. Because of you, I got to say goodbye.

If my brother were still here he would have long ago tried to track you down, and had you been receptive he would have gone to any lengths to buy you a beer and give you the warmest, most amazing hug you’ve ever received. That’s the kind of guy he was. I owe it to him and to you to try to do the same.

Here my Halloween costume, Charlottesville. My name is "your ass on November 9th."

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Thursday, October 31, 2013

And get ready to get the tissues…

On a personal note, I want you to know that for a long time following the accident, you are the reason I woke up every morning and decided that on that particular day, I still wanted to be alive too. Because on so many days, the faith and love you gave me in and for humanity were the only things stronger than the devastation of what happened to me. And on those days I got up and I got through it. Because of you.

I’ve long thought it was unfair that you only knew Ian died, and nothing else. I’m sorry it took me this long to decide to write this and try and see if it could reach you. You deserve to know that you are a hero.

You are my hero.

I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know if we have anything in common. But I want you to know, finally, that I love you.”

Graham added an update to her Facebook post:

“**I’m editing this to say: I found her and we’re in touch. Thank you. I’m beyond grateful and humbled that all of these people helped me so quickly and so effectively. I love you all, too. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.**”

A very sad story, but a timely reminder that there are still a lot of great people out there willing to put themselves in danger to help others in times of need.

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This Is How You Can Use Awkward Silences to Get a Salary Increase

No one likes negotiating a salary. Whether you are interviewing for a new job or looking to increase your salary at a current one, they are nerve-wracking! But don’t fret. There are ways that you can prepare for a salary negotiation that can up your odds for getting what you want.

Awkward silences are…awkward.

When asking for a salary raise uncomfortable silences are the best tool in your toolbox. You’ll need to be comfortable leaning into the silence after you speak. Trust me, it can work.

As people adapt to “adulting,” it’s important to learn the art of accepting cringe-worthy moments and embracing discomfort.

Photo Credit: Unsplash, Tim Gouw

So what do you do in this situation?

Katie Donovan, founder of the consultancy firm Equal Pay Negotiations, explains: “The first step is to be silent, hush up, or SHUT UP!” That is, after you’ve asked for more.

Even that statement might make you squeamish, but hear me out. Let’s say you were offered $35,000 as a starting salary. You were expecting $42,000 (the median amount), because based on your research, a role like the one you interviewed for would pay that. So what do you do?

Phrase your answer like, “Thank you for the offer. I truly appreciate it. I am a little surprised about the salary. Based on my research and my skills, I would have expected it to be $45,000.”

Yes, go in a touch higher than the median.

Photo Credit: Raw Pixel

The next step: Sit back and close your mouth. Allow the employer to mull over that.

“Remember,” Donovan says, “rarely is an initial job offer made at the maximum salary budgeted. The hiring manager most likely will have the authority to increase the salary during the meeting.”

I spent many years negotiating salaries as an HR Recruiter in the employment field. My experience taught me that most employers will go in low at the first offer. And guess what? They would expect you as a candidate to ask for more. So why not try? The ball is in your court.

Think of it this way: the company likes you, they want you on their team, and they have chosen you out of hundreds of candidates.

That’s the confidence you need to go into that salary negotiation. My advice is never to leave dollars on the table but be humble about it. Don’t ask for $60,000 for a $35,000 job. Be reasonable.

Now go out there, do your research, and be ready to tackle your next salary negotiation!

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This New Floating Tent Looks like It Might Be a Recipe for Disaster

A company invented a “floating tent,” then promptly got roasted by the people of the Internet, which they tend to do.

The Shoal Tent is an inflatable tent that allows you to camp on water instead of on land — an objectively terrible and dangerous idea. This contraption is somewhere between a raft and a boat, both of which already exist. Unlike a raft, this tent is huge and very expensive. And unlike a boat, you can’t steer it away from a waterfall.

Fun!

Photo Credit: Twitter

Mashable published a video showcasing the Shoal Tent on Twitter, where users tore it to shreds.

“Why camp by a river when you can camp on one?” the tweet read.

In addition to waterfalls, there’s also the danger of puncturing the raft and taking on water, leading to a watery death. Or running into predators, such as bears or alligators.

Or simply waking up 100 miles away from where you parked. Hilariously, the Shoal Tent boasts that it can “stand up to heavy winds” (by… being pushed around by them?).

Plus, how do you get out of the tent and back onto land? What happens if you have to pee?

Truly, it seems like the inventors of the floating tent are not at all concerned about what happens after you push off from shore. But even they understand that it could invite emergency scenarios. On the website, there is the somewhat disconcerting disclaimer that you can “get in and out easily through the sides if the need arises suddenly.”

Photo Credit: Twitter

As with all crappy inventions, some people will actually buy and use this product. In fact, it’s currently back-ordered due to popular demand, and there’s a wait time of at least six weeks. It’s available from SmithFly for the hefty price of $1999.

Or you could just “camp on water” in, y’know, ANY other way. Like on a boat.

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Enjoy These Magical Twitter Clapbacks from Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling

When you’ve written a series of books that will live into eternity, there’s not much to lose – and not much random people can say on the internet that can bring you down.

For her part, J.K. Rowling has been out of f*cks to give for quite a while, and her responses to these 28 tweets proves my point.

28. Perfection.

27. He’s certainly being mean enough.

26. Oh, man.

25. All shouty and everything!

24. Tried and failed to not spit out my coffee.

23. Laterz.

22. A mantle worn with pride.

21. Is pasty bad?

20. That’s quite a mental picture.

19. Savage.

18. What a deal!

17. Rookie mistake.

16. “Anonymous hate frogs.” HAHAHA.

15. The sarcasm is strong.

14. Never going to happen.

13. When even Voldemort doesn’t want to be associated with you.

12. Quite possibly.

11. Standard author nightmare.

10. As if there was ever any doubt.

9. *spitake*

8. There it is.

7. That’s funny, I don’t care who you are.

6. Burrrnn.

5. She’s got an answer for everything.

4. Very reliable.

3. I mean that’s helpful.

2. A calling, really.

1. Savage

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A Teenager Made a Tiktok Video of Her Cat and It Went Mega-Viral

Once in a while, videos that go viral in huge ways just can’t be explained. Chalk it up to the right place, the right time, the perfect content. Even if it seems incredibly silly, sometimes it just works.

And that perfectly sums up the funny video that 17-year-old Jade Taylor-Ryan created of her cat, Ed (named after Ed Sheeran).

Taylor-Ryan set her 12-second video to the 1954 song “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes and it features Ed the cat clapping his paws, looking into the camera, and doing a little dance to the tune. She said she was inspired after seeing another person use the nine-camera filter on TikTok.

Taylor-Ryan said…

“I put my phone on the floor and set a timer on it so I didn’t have to use my hands to film. I then timed when my cat would pop up in the frame based on the beat of the music.”

As of this writing, the video has 1.8 million likes on TikTok, and the hype bled over onto Twitter as well.

Because IT IS PERFECT!

After the success of Taylor-Ryan’s video, other folks were inspired to make their own similar clips with their own feline friends.

Almost there…

Not quite…

The lesson here: if you get a little bit of inspiration, even if it seems pretty silly, just GO WITH IT. You never know when you (and your pet) might become a viral sensation.

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People Share the Best Weaknesses You Should Share in a Job Interview

Job interviews are pretty rough for interviewees. The nerves are palpable, and the back-and-forth between employer and job prospect can often be rife with landmines.

Then there’s the dreaded question: “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Ugh, now what? Well, we’re all in luck. These AskReddit users shared their opinions on how you should answer the most infamously difficult question to get “right.”

1. Awareness

“When I was graduating college I got interview tips from my dad who was heavily involved in the hiring process at his company for his department. His advice on this one, which I’ve used ever since and has gone great, was:

The whole “say a weakness that’s actually a positive” has been done to death and is such common knowledge that it’s no longer a clever “trick” and is now seen as avoiding the question. People want to see some self awareness, obviously don’t bring something absolutely terrible up, but mention a real flaw and most importantly what you’ve done to address or work with it.

For example the one I tend to use is that I can be forgetful so I now keep multiple sets of calendars, reminders, notes, etc to cover as much as possible.”

2. Nervous excitement

“One of my actual weaknesses: when I get nervous/excited, I tend to speak really fast and breathlessly. This can actually have a negative influence on my job as I work in healthcare and have to respond/communicate during emergencies.

For my next interview, I will bring this up, and say I have discovered that taking a second to collect myself and take a deep breath seems to calm my nerves and allow me to do/say what is needed in a more collected manner.”

3. Might work?

“What’s your greatest-”

“Weakness? Finishing other peoples’ sentences.” Calan_adan

“That’s what I was gonna’ say!”

4. Sharing

“For my current job, I said that I had a hard time sharing my ideas with new groups.”

5. Controlling

“Actual weakness: Taking on jobs by myself, not taking time to train other people to do them. In the end, I’m usually “the guy” and find myself feeling burnt out.

Probably could be worded better at an interview, but this could sound like you’re a “go-getter.” It might also encourage your employer to find opportunities for you to train other people to do things you particularly don’t like doing.”

6. Dedicated

“I said “I don’t like letting go of unfinished projects” during my interviews. I feel like it shows that I’m dedicated to the work I take on.”

7. Brutal honesty

“Show enough self awareness to know your actual weaknesses and mention how you’re working to reduce their impact on your life. For example, I have an issue with speaking compassionately. For a long time, I believed brutal honesty was the best way to go about things, but it often backfired and made people less willing to work with me because they respected me less and they thought I respected them less.

My wife has helped me with this by, for example when I say something and it’s phrased badly, she’ll say “stop. Try it again.” And I’ll rephrase it to be more empathetic and kinder while still getting across the information I want to communicate.”

8. …Yet

“If you are changing industries, your biggest weakness is not knowing the industry… yet.

If you are younger, say inexperience. Anything to show your willingness to learn and develop.”

9. Good move

“I work in healthcare and always say “Not speaking Spanish” and odds are the interviewer is also not fluent in Spanish so it comes across as not really a weakness. WIN-WIN!”

10. How will you respond?

“Frame it in terms of something you’re looking to improve. “Well, at my last performance evaluation I received some constructive criticism regarding X, so since then I’ve been doing Y and Z to focus on improving in that regard.”

Honestly though, if an interviewer asks you that ridiculous cliched question either they have no idea what they’re doing and/or don’t give a crap, or they aren’t looking for an answer but just want to see how you respond to being pushed.”

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Oscar Meyer Has a Hot Dog Flavored Ice Cream Sandwich

Isn’t it really something when companies take two good things, like hot dogs and ice cream, and combine them into one horrific thing? Introducing the “ice dog sandwich,” a new dessert from none other than Oscar Mayer.

The brand collaborated with Il Laboratorio Del Gelato to create the ice dog sandwich, which consists of hot dog-flavored ice cream, candied hot dog bits (!!!), and spicy dijon mustard gelato, all sandwiched between two cookie “buns.”

Sound disgusting?

Yeah.

Oscar Mayer announced the sandwich on Twitter alongside a poll, and the results were a resounding “no thank you.”

“Please tell me this is a joke,” one user tweeted.

“We don’t joke about hot dogs…or ice cream! It’s artisan crafted in small batches made with candied bits of Oscar Mayer Angus Beef Hot Dogs,” the brand replied. They insist that the sandwich is delicious and “will NOT disappoint,” and to be fair, it’s not entirely unprecedented. Just one day before they announced the ice dog sandwich, French’s debuted yellow mustard ice cream.

Anyway, despite everyone’s protests, Oscar Mayer began selling the sandwiches out of their iconic Wienermobile (a 27-foot hot dog on wheels) in New York City on August 12. They handed out free samples; the sandwich is not available for sale.

For a limited time, those not in New York could slide into Oscar Mayer’s DMs for a sample, but they were flooded with DMs and had to close them.

For most of us, hot dog flavored ice cream will have to remain a distant nightmare.

Luckily.

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Here’s Another Reason to Embrace Being Lazy: It’s Good for the Earth

Now this is good news!

In 2019, it’s not so unusual to have days where you only have to leave the sofa for pee breaks because entertainment, food, and social interaction all come to us via the internet. There are downsides to the new normal for many, but there’s also one big upside: it’s reducing our energy usage.

A new study by University of Texas researchers and published in Joule examined Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data and found that, between 2003 and 2012, people started to spend more time at home than time traveling to and from stores, restaurants, and work.

That means people weren’t burning fossil fuels tootling around town. And if they were working from home, office buildings were using less energy several days a year, too – in total, around 1.8% less energy in 2012 than in 2003 due to Americans embracing a more home-centric lifestyle.

Considering they used data from 2012, and all of the companies that have jumped on board for home delivery since then, those numbers have likely increased even more.

Only time will tell whether the gas required to deliver all of the essentials (and no-so-essential) goodies to your door causes fewer carbon emissions than everyone driving around getting goods themselves. Right now there isn’t enough data to say, though one study suggested whether you live in an urban or rural environment definitely plays a role.

We do know, though, that delivery trucks and ride-sharing apps are taking a toll on infrastructure, as they have added so many vehicles onto the road that cities are scrambling to keep pace. Drone delivery still presents an interesting alternative to using traditional fuels and existing roads, so perhaps if that idea comes to fruition, the scales will tip fully toward living the life of the hermit.

For now, maybe a good balance is the answer. After all, you still need sunlight and exercise, so you’ll have to go out occasionally.

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Here Are Some Tweets About Spiderman Leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe

You were probably as shell-shocked as the rest of us were to learn that Disney’s rift with Sony meant that Tom Holland’s Spiderman (arguably the best iteration) would be getting the boot.

In order to make everyone laugh (to keep from crying), the internet has come through with some pitch-perfect tweets and memes.

13. Meme perfection.

12. Basically.

11. A common enemy is a powerful thing.

10. It’s extra rough when you can’t even drink.

9. The web-rope isn’t that strong.

8. I mean, if Stan Lee said it…

7. Chump change.

6. Just do it.

5. You’d think they’d learn.

4. I can see it.

3. Kids, man.

2. I can’t.

1. This made me laugh so hard.

It doesn’t take the hurt away, but it does help a little bit!

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15 People Respond to the Burning Question: How Do You Handle a Person Who Cuts in Line?

When people cut in line, it always seems as if there should be something pithy to say that would put them in their place.

If you’ve always come up as empty as I have when you’re put on the spot, then this list of best practices could be right up your alley!

15. So it’s just you then.

— From the old television show “Dead Like Me” —

[A woman cuts in line at the post office]
Rube:: Afternoon, ladies. Are you two old friends?
Woman: Eh, her daughter is in my son’s class.
Rube:: I have a question for you. Is everyone in this line an asshole?
Woman: Excuse me?
Rube:: Is everyone you just cut in front of an asshole?
Woman: Uhm. No?
Rube:: So it’s just you then.
Woman: I have children in the car.
Rube:: I have a cake in the oven. He’s got three minutes left on the meter. She’s got a lunch meeting. We all have a finite amount of time. Now get in the back of the line. And don’t use your children like that — it’s shameful.

14. Try being polite.

I prefer to pretend they didn’t see the line, which can occasionally happen with a bunch of long lines especially if they leave a space for people to get by, I just politely point out the line.

13. Queueing is the national pastime.

Cutting in line – The one crime the UK retains the death penalty for.

12. I mean it would probably work.

“Oi Cunt get the fuck back to your place before I drop ya”

11. Excuse me, sir, do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Squidward?

Start trying to convert them to something.

10. Yasss queen.

I used to work at a coffee shop at a university. During the transitions we would get a line 4 to 8 people deep. I was pretty quick and could serve people in less than about 10 seconds each. They usually just wanted coffee and the occasional muffin.

On one occasion with 6 people in line a 30ish year old guy steps in right behind the girl I’m currently serving. You could hear the other 5 people grumble but nobody said anything. He comes up and orders a coffee. I pretend like I didn’t hear him and serve the next in line. He gets pissed and says “I’m in a hurry!” “And they aren’t?” He huffs and walks off.

I got lots of tips for the next few minutes.

9. Act like it’s totally normal.

Just go cut back Infront of them, like, walk up, “sorry excuse me” like it’s totally normal.

8. This feels right.

As Finnish person i can’t think better way than keep your mouth shut and look at them furiously while thinking all the things you could say, but then notice that you missed your ‘ opportunity ‘.

7. Take your chicken seriously.

If someone cut directly in front of me I say nothing and cut in front of them. If they complain about it I just say if they are allowed to cut surely I am too. I need this KFC more then u buddy.

6. Every time.

Guys clear the way! We have a VIP coming through!

I use this one every time

5. Being straight-forward works.

“There’s a line. The back is over there.”

I found being straight forward works. Usually they just don’t know.

4. The line is behind me.

People cutting in line is probably my biggest pet peeve and it’s happened to me several times over the years. I always say the same thing: “The line is behind me”. Only once did a young girl ignore me and cut in front of not just me but the person who was in front of me. I said something to her but it was of no use. The cashier did nothing at all about it.

The best one wasn’t the woman cutting in front of me but a woman with a cart full of groceries in the express lane. Ten items or less. I had seven items. I let her put a bunch of stuff on the conveyor belt and then I told her she was in the wrong lane. She looked at me and I pointed to the sign. Ten items or less. Her response was: “I do this all the time”. I said “not today you won’t”. She continued putting her stuff on the belt and that’s when the cashier leaned over to her and told her to go to another lane. She did. When I was about to head out of the store the woman was still checking out. She said, “you must be having a bad day”. I said, “I was having a great day until I ran into you!”

3. Shame them into submission.

Excuse me, sorry, you probably didn’t realise, the start of the queue is back there” point

Is usually enough to shame them, and if not it makes it obvious to others that they’re aware of what they’ve done.

2. IS THERE?

No words need be said.

Whoever is directly behind the cutter cuts in front. Then the next person behind that person cuts the cutter. Then the next, then the next, and so on until the asshole is in the back where they belong.

What’re they going to say? Here’s how that conversation goes:

“Hey, there’s a line here…”

“Oh? IS THERE?” Furious stare

1. I’m sure it’s fine.

Start coughing as harshly as possible, right towards the back of their neck.

Then say “Damn, I knew that trip to west Africa was a mistake”.

Now you’re well-armed the next time it happens to you!

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