
If you're looking for some snippets of delight, we've got you covered.
It's December! How did that happen? As the days get shorter and we head full-speed into the busiest holiday season of the year—yet again in the middle of a still-raging pandemic (weeeee!)—we could all use some glimmers of hope and snippets of joy to perk us up.
From laughing babies to dancing grandpas to creative Christmas carol commas (you'll see), here are 10 things that made us smile this week. We hope they'll do the same for you.
Watch a bunch of good doggos plunging in to play in the pool.
pool time at the doggy daycare\n(Bubble Puppy Playhouse FB)pic.twitter.com/ZdCAgdp0VA— theworldofdog (@theworldofdog) 1638472615
Living their best life at doggy day care. Look at all that joy.
Little girl dances like a pro to a street marching band.
LOOK AT HOW SHE ATE THATpic.twitter.com/sjPicA3hsA— Detective Drip (@Detective Drip) 1638025644
Seriously, that little one can move, and in her little puffer jacket no less! That is called feelin' it.
Guy creates the most hilariously creative rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" ever.
I couldn't figure out where the comma(s) in "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" should go, so I hit myself in the face.pic.twitter.com/BNaglwpzYt— Ramses the Pigeon (@Ramses the Pigeon) 1638396679
Absolutely incredible. It makes nerdy wordsmith hearts everywhere so happy. (I'd put the comma after "ye," but I'm not in charge.)
Watch a cat trying to catch snowflakes with its bare paws.
Cat trying to catch snowflakes.pic.twitter.com/fBs5R45BAM— \ud835\udd50o\u0334g\u0334 (@\ud835\udd50o\u0334g\u0334) 1638327601
Cats are gonna cat, and you can't put a bunch of little things flying through the air in front of a cat and not expect them to pounce. Cuteness.
Speaking of cuteness in the snow, this older couple frolicking like children in the snow is just so wholesome.
They're not that old, but seeing them skipping and jumping like little kids is just adorable. Simple love, simple joy—it's really all we want.
Broadway actors sing a gorgeously moving tribute to Stephen Sondheim.
Broadway musical composer extraordinaire Stephen Sondheim passed away at age 91 this week, leaving a wealth of creative beauty behind. A group of Broadway actors and singers gathered in New York to sing a tribute to him with the opening song of his musical "Sunday in the Park with George." So beautiful. Read the full story here.
Baby gets the giggles because apparently coughing is downright hilarious.
The only thing better than the sound of baby laughter is the sound of that laughter when they find something random side-splittingly funny.
Old man dances along with a street musician and he's got serious moves.
He may use a cane to get around, but he certainly doesn't need it to get down. How joyful.
We get to watch the birth of iconic Beatles songs right before our eyes
The Peter Jackson documentary series "Get Back," consisting of candid footage of the Beatles that had been locked in a vault for five decades, came out last weekend on Disney+. Holy moly, does it contain some gems. If you ever wanted to see Paul McCartney literally pull a song out of thin air, here you go. Read the full story here.
A son heading back to college had the sweetest exchange with his baby brother.
@iammarilynmm My oldest is headed back to college and his younger brother had to let him know how much he loves him. Volume up ⬆️ #brothers #myboys #momof4 #momsoft
If this doesn't warm your heart, are you sure you even have one? "I LUB YOU!!!!" And that "Mmmmm" at the end. Too dang cute. (Go ahead and watch this one a dozen more times for good measure. Indulge in that delight.)
Hope that brought some joy to your heart and a smile to your face! Come back again next week for another round-up of happiness.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.