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One person has crowdsourced the very best life advice from over 20 million people online

Keep this list handy. It could change your life.

By

Heather Wake

By

Upworthy Staff

A tweet from X user @chrishlad
Photo credit: Twitter – Chris Hladczuk on Twitter

Advice. It rarely comes when needed, often arrives unsolicited, and—when found on the Internet—is almost always pointless. If only there were a way to carefully curate those ultimate life hacks so that we could forgo the endless scrolling. But seriously, who has the time?

Luckily, one person did. And we can all benefit from his efforts.

Chris Hladczuk (aka @chrishlad) regularly shares helpful and interesting X (formerly Twitter) posts, but this one takes the social media cake. Hladczuk’s now viral thread began with:

“Most advice sucks. So I crowdsourced the best from 20 million people on Reddit. Here are 10 life tips you wish you knew yesterday.”

Whether you’re looking for sound mindset tips or simply wondering how to covertly exit from a troublesome phone call, Chris’ list has some useful (not to mention entertaining) pointers.

Family Treasure

Even if the advice doesn’t stand the test of time, it’s definitely a keepsake that would last. And could maybe even create a few laughs.

Airplane Mode Hack

No more more pretending to be driving through a tunnel.

Reframing Your Day

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed doesn’t have to negatively impact the rest of the day.

Keeping Your Cool

Conflict resolution in a matter of minutes.

Venting at Work

Venting can be healthy, when given the right outlet. Perhaps there’s a better choice than the water cooler.

If You Ever Want Software Online for Free, Don’t Search for “Free.”

Per usual, if something is labeled “free” online, it usually isn’t.

“e.g.” and “i.e.” Are Not the Same

Now you can impress all your friends with your etymology prowess.

Email Address Hack

Note: This only works on Gmail.

On Arguments

This goes for online forums as well.

Anger and Mistakes

Mistakes should lead us forward, not keep us stuck in place.

If you’re itching to know what the other millions of people had to say, you can check out the original Reddit post here, and perhaps glean some gems for your own list.


This article originally appeared four years ago.

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  • Street vendor filmed money getting stolen from his tip jar. Then the thief’s mom stepped up with kindness.
    Photo credit: CAnva – Image of a food truck at night
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    Street vendor filmed money getting stolen from his tip jar. Then the thief’s mom stepped up with kindness.

    “My son had no right to go in and take anything from him. He deserved to be made whole.”

    Heather Wake

    Late one evening in Baltimore, Twitch streamer-slash-food truck owner Muhsin Sarac was doing what he always does: grilling and chatting with viewers during a livestream. Known online as @Musa_usa, Sarac often shares the rhythm of his workday with a growing audience. 

    On March 27, that routine was interrupted by something both frustrating and all too familiar for small business owners.

    As reported by The Baltimore Sun, a customer approached Sarac’s truck, placed an order, and lingered for a moment. With Sarac’s back turned, the man reached into the tip jar and took cash. The act was subtle…but not invisible. Viewers watching the stream quickly realized what had happened. And Sarac, trying to piece it together in real time, asked aloud whether the money had actually been taken.

    Unfortunately, by the time Sarac turned around, the man was already walking away, claiming he was heading to his car for payment. He never returned.

    A disappointing moment, shared in real time

    The incident left Sarac shaken. Around $30 was missing, and the situation felt both brazen and disheartening. Police were called, and when officers arrived, they reportedly recognized the suspect. Sarac couldn’t hide his confusion, wondering why someone who seemed polite would make that choice.

    For viewers, it was another example of how quickly trust can be broken, especially for people working long hours to serve their communities.

    But the story didn’t end there.

    A mother steps forward

    Four days later, something remarkable happened: a woman approached Sarac’s truck and introduced herself in a way he never expected.

    “A little while ago, a young man came to your stand and took money out of your tip jar. I’m his mother,” she said.

    The woman, later identified as Pastor Tonya Gray, asked how much her son had taken. When Sarac told her it was about $30, she immediately reached into her purse.

    “No, I want to pay, because my son wasn’t raised like that,” she said. “My son drinks, and when he drinks, he does stupid stuff. I want to pay you back because you don’t deserve to be stolen from.”

    She placed the money back into the tip jar, making it clear that accountability mattered just as much as compassion.

    Accountability rooted in love

    Gray later explained that holding her son responsible didn’t mean turning her back on him. In fact, it meant the opposite. She shared that she had placed him in treatment and was focused on helping him heal while still addressing his actions.

    “My son had no right to go in and take anything from him,” she told WJZ News.  “He deserved to be made whole.”

    Her message to other parents was direct and rooted in care. She encouraged them to face difficult moments head-on and support their children without ignoring harmful behavior.

    “We have to care about them enough to check them,” she said. “No matter what he did, at the end of the day, that’s my son.”

    A moment of grace that resonated

    @baltimoresun

    Twitch streamer and street vendor Muhsin sarac is robbed live on stream. Later, the robber’s mother comes to pay him back. 🎥: musa_usa1981 on Instagram

    ♬ original sound – Baltimore Sun

    Sarac was deeply moved by the interaction. After accepting the money, he stepped out of his truck and embraced Gray. The exchange struck a chord far beyond that street corner.

    “She almost made me cry,” he later said to WJZ.

    As the video spread online, viewers responded to more than just the act of repayment. They connected with a mother willing to step forward, a business owner open to forgiveness, and a moment where responsibility met compassion in a very human way.

    It goes to show that a little accountability, honesty, and empathy can turn even the most disheartening moments into hopeful ones. 

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  • ‘I’ve never seen this before.’ Vet saves ‘inflated’ kitten with bizarre balloon-like condition
    Photo credit: @drphil_thevet/Instagram – Zoe the kitten before getting treated by Dr. Caldwell.
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    ‘I’ve never seen this before.’ Vet saves ‘inflated’ kitten with bizarre balloon-like condition

    People have affectionately named her “Puff Kitty.”

    Heather Wake

    Palm Springs veterinarian Dr. Phil Caldwell has undoubtedly seen many animal emergencies. But an inflated kitten? That was a career first. 

    Earlier this year, a baby stray cat named Zoe showed up at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Caldwell’s facility, looking more like a balloon than anything feline, her tiny body swollen to an absurd degree. The poor thing had been suffering from subcutaneous emphysema. Due to some damage to her windpipe, air (and lots of it) was trapped underneath her skin. 

    Caldwell told Upworthy, “My guess is that she was bitten by another cat, possibly even her mother?  I don’t think the trauma was anything malicious … just one of those accidents that happened.”

    Regardless of its cause, the medical condition was rare enough in grown cats, let alone kittens. Caldwell told KVUE, “This is the craziest veterinarian case I’ve seen in quite some time.”

    The antidote to this bizarre dilemma was surprisingly straightforward. Caldwell carefully “poked” Zoe in various parts of her body with a needle and syringe, slowly releasing the trapped air. With each deflation, she became less balloon and more kitten, appetite and all. After only a week of treatment, she already weighed a healthy two pounds. 

    “She’s eating like a champ,” Caldwell wrote on Instagram. “She loves to eat, and she’s gaining weight every single day.”

    Zoe, affectionately known online as “Puff Kitty,” “Mrs. Puff,” and “Marshmallow,” instantly captured hearts with her unusual and harrowing story. Her videos have not only gone viral, they have been picked up by national outlets like ABC. Suffice it to say, people were invested. 

    “I’m obsessed with Zoe…My cats think I’m cheating when I talk about her!” one fan wrote. 

    “I would die for Zoe,” echoed another.

    “Protect Zoey at all costs,” added a third. 

    Zoe’s now-famous face (the puffed-up version, of course) is even featured on a T-shirt with all proceeds going to the Palm Springs Animal Shelter’s “Love Fund,” so other animals can have more access to specialized care. In other words, she is making sure other fur babies can have their own happy ending. 

    “Zoe, our Puff Kitty warrior — a tiny but mighty kitten — has touched the hearts of so many with her story of resilience,” the shelter wrote in an Instagram and Facebook post. 

    Of course, all this high praise has apparently “gone to her head,” Caldwell joked. Now she even has a “publicist, an agent, and a stylist!”

    As of March 13, Zoe has been recovering well in foster care and is preparing to find her forever home. Caldwell assures that from here on out, “she’ll be normal but will demand copious amounts of love.” But hey, after all that…she deserves it! 

    While Zoe’s next chapter will likely be far less dramatic than her first, she will certainly have no trouble earning that love, even without the balloon-like condition. That is thanks in no small part to Dr. Caldwell and other professionals like him who fight for an animal’s second chance. 

    By the way, Caldwell has even more crazy stories found in his book, The Pet Doctor’s Shoes: True Tales from the Trenches of Veterinary Medicine, which you can find here.

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  • The Bee Gees’ perfect harmonies on Johnny Carson in 1973 left him completely speechless
    Photo credit: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson/YouTube – The Bee Gees perform on "The Tonight Show" in 1973.
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    The Bee Gees’ perfect harmonies on Johnny Carson in 1973 left him completely speechless

    When family members harmonize, there’s nothing quite like it.

    Tod Perry

    Upworthy Staff

    The Bee Gees were one of the most popular pop groups in the world from the late ‘60s to the late ‘70s. In the early years, they had big hits such as “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” “I Started a Joke,” and “To Love Somebody.” In the late ‘70s, they found a new sound, disco music and made massive hits for the dance floor, including “Staying Alive” and “More Than a Woman.”

    However, between those booming Bee Gee eras, their career seemed to be on the way down. By 1973, their most recent album, “Life in a Tin Can,” and single, “Saw a New Morning,” had flopped, and they began to play smaller clubs. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t win people over with their incredible harmonies. Case in point was their March 23, 1973 performance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

    Carson introduced the band by touting its history as songwriters. “My next guests have had quite a career. Their compositions have been recorded by people like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Tom Jones and hundreds of others,” Carson said.

    The band opened their set on stage performing “Wouldn’t I Be Someone” and “Saw A New Morning” and then sat down for a chat with Carson, discussing why they don’t like playing large arenas and how they got started performing together as children. After the break, they returned with an acoustic guitar and performed their first number 1 hit, “Massachusetts,” from 1967, with Robin Gibb on lead with his brothers Barry and Maurice chiming in perfect harmony. 

    If you look closely in the background, Maurice is having fun goofing off when he’s not on vocal duties. At the end of the performance, Carson appears to be a bit choked up as he adjusts his tie.

    “Massachusetts” was written about the great migration of young people to San Franciso in 1967, as the hippie movement began to take off in the mid-to-late ‘60s. Interestingly, the Bee Gees had never been to the state.

    Tried to hitch a ride to San Francisco

    Gotta do the things I wanna do

    And the lights all went out in Massachusetts

    They brought me back to see my way with you

    “There are two different memories, Robin remembers us doing it in a boat going around New York City. And I remember us checking in at the St. Regis with Robert, going to the suite, and while the bags were being brought in we were so high on being in New York, that’s how ‘Massachusetts’ began,” Barry recalled the song’s creation in the “Horizontal” liner notes. “I think we were strumming basically the whole thing, and then I think we went on a boat round New York. I don’t know if we finished it, but I think that’s where the memories collide. Everybody wrote it. All three of us were there when the song was born.”

    The song was initially written by the band for The Seekers, but they were unsuccessful in getting it to the band, so they recorded it themselves.

    The Bee Gees would have a career turnaround in 1975 when they experimented with a new, more soulful sound with the song “Jive Talkin.” This became a big hit and propelled them into the world of disco, where they would become one of the era’s most popular acts.

    The Bee Gees’ historic career ended when Maurice passed away in 2003 at age 53. Robin followed in 2009 at age 62. Barry, 79, is the final surviving member of the band.

    This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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  • Employee says goodbye to his coworkers with an over-the-top ABBA performance
    Photo credit: Mati Baran (used with permission) – Mati Baran says goodbye with an ABBA lip-sync.
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    Employee says goodbye to his coworkers with an over-the-top ABBA performance

    Drag performers are the ultimate personality hire.

    Tod Perry

    Anyone who has ever had a job has fantasized about going out in style on their last day. Some dream of telling off their superiors; others hope their coworkers will open up and tell them how much they’ll be missed.

    Mati Baran said goodbye in the most original way possible by delivering an over-the-top lip-sync performance, complete with video accompaniment, to “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA.

    The performance was fitting for Baran. When he’s not working as a graphic designer, he performs as Rabba Cadabra at drag shows and lip-syncing competitions in the London area. The video was a huge hit on TikTok, earning more than 4 million views.

    @matiibaran

    My proudest moment…

    ♬ oryginalny dźwięk – Matiibaran

    The video begins with Baran standing in front of a large office monitor, while another version of himself sings the ABBA tune on the screen. Hilarity ensues as Baran begins interacting with the recording, staging a tug-of-war for the audience’s attention. The two Barans even come to blows, slapping each other across the face before eventually reconciling. “This is amazing,” one coworker shouts in the video. “This is so good!” another adds.

    The performance was unforgettable

    Baran’s coworkers were blown away by his performance.

    “They were ecstatic. I couldn’t have asked for a louder audience, to the point where I was getting worried they couldn’t even hear the music,” Baran told Upworthy. “Even the surrounding workplaces situated next to us came to watch because of the noise they were making. The whole day was quite emotional for my closest friends at work and me, and I was surprised to see that some of them even started crying during the bridge of the song. I’m always happy when silly things somehow bring deeper emotions in people.”

    Commenters on TikTok loved the video, too.

    “I’m sorry, my dear, but you’re not leaving, shantay, you stay!” KatKat wrote. Others said Baran was the perfect personality hire. “Personality hire award goes to:” Olenka wrote. “Personality hire final boss,” Em added.

    The ABBA song was a great choice for his goodbye

    Baran said that ABBA was the perfect choice for the emotional moment.

    “I knew I wanted something dramatic and a bit over the top emotionally,” he said. “This song just came to mind one morning, and right away I knew it had to be it. It just felt right, and everyone loves ABBA!”

    The song’s opening lyrics were perfect for the moment:

    I don’t wanna talk
    About things we’ve gone through
    Though it’s hurting me
    Now, it’s history

    I’ve played all my cards
    And that’s what you’ve done too
    Nothing more to say
    No more ace to play

    In a world where workplace goodbyes can be awkward and easily forgotten, Baran’s performance ensured his coworkers will remember him forever. It shows that with a bit of courage and attitude, a sad goodbye can become an unforgettable celebration.

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  • Māori singer wows all four judges on ‘The Voice,’ then she teaches them how to do the haka
    Photo credit: Talent Snacks/Youtube – Aunty Ora teaches the haka on The Voice Australia
    ,

    Māori singer wows all four judges on ‘The Voice,’ then she teaches them how to do the haka

    Moments like this show how culture can be shared with care and enthusiasm.

    Heather Wake

    Back in 2017, Māori singer Ora Taukamo, known as “Aunty Ora,” wowed judges on The Voice: Australia with her rendition of Adele’s “One and Only,” somehow making it even more soulful than the original. 

    It was then that judge Delta Goodrem asked Taukamo what she did outside of singing.

    Taukamo answered, “I teach the haka.”

    Intrigued, judge Kelly Rowland asked, “Can I learn the haka?” Taukamo giggled while saying, “Sure!” Then, Rowland, Goodrem, and the two other Voice judges, Boy George and Joe Jonas, stepped up on stage for an impromptu lesson. 

    The group put their hands on their hips, bent their legs into a squat position, and began stomping on their right foot in unison while hitting both hands on their thighs. As their percussion began setting, Taukamo began leading them through a chant. 

    The moment was cool enough on its own, but made even more heartening by the way it instilled pride among fellow New Zealanders. 

    “You make me feel proud to be a Kiwi you lovely woman!”

    “I aroha ahau ki taua haka.  (I loved that haka.)  Really nice how the panel joined in. Beautiful voice.”

    “Taahua… making Aotearoa proud.”

    “Adore you !!! Aroha (Luv) your whanau (family- all of the 5 million) in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

    Taukamo would eventually end up going home on the show after singing these showstoppers: “Circle of Life” from The Lion King,  “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston, a ”Love Me Tender” cover by Norah Jones,  “Open Arms” by Journey, “All of Me” by John Legend, “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly, a “With A Little Help From My Friends” cover by Joe Cocker, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John, and “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler.

    Aside from her powerhouse vocals and her impressive haka teaching abilities, Taukamo is remembered for her infectiously positive energy, which che clearly infuses into her craft in order to lift others’ spirits up. This can clearly be seen on her Facebook bio, where she writes, “Your voice is a tool to help heal others.🎙️Sing from your heart at all times and just be yourself, most of all be natural.”

    That philosophy came through in that brief, joyful exchange on stage.

    The haka is more than choreography. It carries history, identity, and connection, and Taukamo shared it in a way that welcomed others while honoring where it comes from. Watching the judges laugh while trying to follow her lead created a sense of togetherness that reached far beyond the studio audience.

    moari, the voice, the voice australia
    Four different colored figurines on a globe Photo credit: Canva

    Moments like this show how culture can be shared with care and enthusiasm. A few minutes of music and movement turned into something people across the world could feel a part of. Taukamo may not have taken home the top prize, but in this way, her impact was all the more meaningful. She left behind a performance that people still talk about, one that celebrates voice in every sense of the word.

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  • Gay man learning how to say goodbye ‘like a straight man’ is pure comedy gold
    Photo credit: Canva Photos – A gay man's 30-day challenge to learn how to do things "straight" is going super viral.
    ,

    Gay man learning how to say goodbye ‘like a straight man’ is pure comedy gold

    “No whimsy, no enthusiasm, nothing”

    Evan Porter

    It’s no secret that there are certain mannerisms and speech patterns we often associate with being gay. The phenomenon of so-called “gay mannerisms” and voice has actually been the subject of quite a bit of scientific research. One study from 2002 found that people were able to accurately predict the sexual orientation of a speaker just by hearing their voice about 62% of the time. Researchers theorize that some, but certainly not all, gay men may adopt more feminine mannerisms and voice patterns as a form of subconscious social signaling.

    It’s much more complicated than that, though. The way gay men speak and behave is as diverse and varied as the community itself: which is to say, very.

    But one more pressing question remains: If “gay mannerisms” can be categorized and studied, can those of the heterosexual male be quantified? And, more importantly, can they be learned?

    Comedic experiment ensues

    Content creator Kai Cameron was up to the challenge. The openly gay TikTok star recently launched a tongue-in-cheek 30-day challenge where he attempts to learn how to do and say things “like a straight man.”

    On Day 1, Cameron’s brother teaches him how to sit down like a straight man. On Day 4, they move onto answering the phone. Day 7 features more advanced material: entering a party the way a straight man would. Cameron learns to sway his hips less, talk in a deeper tone of voice, and suppress any hint of enthusiasm.

    On Day 11, Cameron was ready to tackle the simple but crucial task of saying “Goodbye,” to a friend. His instructor in the clip, this time actor and filmmaker Peter Falls, demonstrates a textbook, nonchalant “Alright, see ya later,” with a barely perceptible hand-gesture-wave-kind-of-thing. Straight guys will instantly recognize it and notice Falls’ impeccable form.

    The words come easily enough for Cameron, but he gets stuck on the hand movements. “Can you do the finger thing again?” he asks, before trying it with a dramatic wave. “That’s way too much,” Falls says.

    After a little more practice, though, Cameron’s mostly got it. He confidently walks forward, chest puffed out, body stiff, and drops his voice a few octaves before muttering “See ya, man,” with a small (for him) flick of the wrist.

    Close enough!

    Viewers find the videos hilarious but revealing

    Does the video series mine humor at the expense of people who exhibit “gay mannerisms?” On the contrary: thousands of commenters say that it’s rare to see such a brilliant dissection of the straight man.

    Many noticed that so much of the demeanor comes from the eyes:

    “U just have to lose the light in your eyes,” one commenter wrote.

    “I love how the light leaves your eyes everytime and then comes right back,” said another.

    “It’s the dead eyes when channeling straight man,” another echoed.

    Other viewers went even deeper and more philosophical:

    “No whimsy, no enthusiasm, nothing,” someone said.

    “Watching [your] content has taught me a lot about what it looks like from the outside to be a straight guy. Just beat up by life. Body language which clearly indicates no one cares about you, so you stay reserved,” one commenter noted.

    “I think some cultures have done a ton of damage by brainwashing boys and men into hiding vulnerability, sensitivity or even just being themselves. That takes a psychological toll. A lot of men don’t stay reserved because no one cares but because society (other men) teach them that tough men have to keep it all in. It is not healthy for you,” another said.

    A third summed it up: “Basically just act depressed while doing all things and you got it!

    The fascinating origins of voice, body language, and mannerisms

    Cameron’s social media video series is incredible comedy and entertainment, but it’s also a brilliant educational demonstration.

    “Straight voice” isn’t just the absence of the more feminine qualities of “gay voice.” It is, itself, a learned and socially constructed behavior.

    “When men enjoy doing things that are typically associated with women or femininity such as shopping, grooming their nails, giggling, etc., they are often quickly labeled as gay or soft and are negatively evaluated by many members of society,” Ayana Ali, a clinical social worker and therapist, told AskMen.

    Even many gay men feel self-conscious about their voice and mannerisms, and may even mask them to adopt more traditionally masculine qualities in certain situations.

    It’s an incredibly complex web of social conditioning, how we’re raised, biology, sociology, culture, gender norms, and more.

    But it’s never been more hilariously deconstructed than in Cameron’s 30-day challenge.

    Keep Reading →
  • 13 years ago, an astronaut sang live from space with singers on Earth. It’s a must-watch.
    Photo credit: NASA – Chris Hadfield playing guitar in space.
    ,

    13 years ago, an astronaut sang live from space with singers on Earth. It’s a must-watch.

    People are revisiting Chris Hadfield’s performance with Barenaked Ladies and the Wexford Gleeks choir.

    Annie Reneau

    Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield hasn’t seen Earth from as far away as the Artemis II astronauts who circled the Moon, but after completing three space missions, including a six-month stint as commander of the International Space Station (ISS), he is familiar with the “overview effect” in a way few humans ever experience.

    In 2013, Hadfield captured what it feels like to see our home from space in a song he performed with Barenaked Ladies. While he played guitar and sang from the ISS, the band and the Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts Glee Club (aka “Wexford Gleeks”) performed alongside him from Earth.

    The song is called “(I.S.S.) Is Somebody Singing,” and it’s all the more moving in light of the images from Artemis II.

    Here’s a sampling of the lyrics:

    Pushed back in my seat

    Look out my window

    There goes home

    That ball of shiny blue

    Houses everybody anybody ever knew

    The song takes us on a journey: we fly out to space, around the Earth, and return home again, all while looking out the window at our beautiful planet. The visual of people singing from Earth, their “voices bouncing off the Moon,” takes on even greater significance now that we’ve returned there.

    NASA image of the surface of the moon with the Earth lit up in a crescent in the distance
    A view of Earth from near the Moon, taken during the Artemis II mission. Photo credit: NASA

    Even though the video is 13 years old, people are revisiting it now with new appreciation:

    “I keep coming back to this everytime there’s a significant step forward in space exploration! and it’s the perfect time to watch this for Artemis II!”

    “Coming back to this after watching the Artemis II launch, and it feels so magical knowing they’re going back to the moon for all of us. These launches really make me feel connected to all of humanity.”

    “Cried to this as the Artemis crew returned to earth. Watching the earth grow larger through the window, seeing the glow of reentry, the clouds passing by and the big red and white parachutes.”

    Artemiss II commander Reid Wiseman looks out the window at Earth from the Orion spacecraft
    Commander Reid Wiseman looks out at Earth from the Orion spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

    Some people have asked how it was possible for the musicians to play live together without a delay. In interviews with astronauts on the ISS, there is often a lag in communications. But that’s less of an issue for a song like this than one might expect. Most likely, Hadfield played and sang live from the ISS, while the band and choir followed along with the transmission as they heard it.

    As someone explained in a Quora inquiry:

    “I actually know some performers who have performed with Chris Hadfield (not Hatfield) while he was on the ISS—Trent-Severn, three women from Ontario. It’s actually quite easy. He plays his guitar and sings. It’s beamed down from the ISS to a ground station, then transmitted by whatever method works (internet, phone lines, satellite link) to get to the destination, where it goes into the sound board. The sound man or woman sends it to the main PA speakers and to the stage monitors so that the performers can hear it. And they just play along with it as they hear it. It doesn’t matter that he actually played it a second or two before. They just play in time with it as it arrives where they are.”

    What is challenging, apparently, is the singing itself in space. Hadfield explained that it’s “like singing with a head cold” because of the way the fluids in your body drain—or rather don’t drain—without the assistance of gravity.

    The singing astronaut had another musical performance go viral in 2013. In fact, he made a whole music video from the ISS, covering “Space Oddity” by David Bowie. Hadfield said he always felt the song should be sung aboard a spaceship. (He added that if Bowie had been there, he would have done a better job.)

    Thanks to Chris Hadfield for giving us these wonderful musical connections to human space exploration.

    Keep Reading →
  • 19-year-old taco shop owner’s heartfelt plea to save his restaurant has been a huge success
    Photo credit: Dave Garcia/Pexels – Chicken tacos.
    ,

    19-year-old taco shop owner’s heartfelt plea to save his restaurant has been a huge success

    He nearly had to say goodbye to his lifelong dream. One TikTok changed everything.

    Heather Wake

    Since he was twelve years old, Alexander Quinones had a dream: to open a restaurant. At 19, he invested $5,000 of his own savings, along with graduation money and support from his mother, Julie Stevens, to bring that dream to life. Thus, Detroit Loves Tacos 2 was born.

    And yet, that dream was on the brink of fading. The fledgling restaurant struggled to attract customers, and Quinones was making just enough to cover daily expenses and pay his one employee. Closure seemed imminent.

    “We had a difficult discussion that day. We’re gonna have to close if something doesn’t give,” Stevens told WXYZ-TV.

    “I felt like I was failing in life a little bit. I put all my money into this, I put all my time into this. So it really, really hurt me,” Quinones added.

    detroit news, positive news, viral tiktok
    A plate of tacos with condiments. Photo credit: Canva

    That was when the young business owner did something vulnerable: he made a heartfelt plea on TikTok, where he got candid about his situation.

    He said his restaurant wasn’t built on “shortcuts” or “big investors,” but instead was the result of someone “working every single day, long nights with a vision.”

    “Everything is made fresh with love and ready to serve,” he added, thanking those who have already visited and urging those who haven’t to “come by and check out what we’re doing.”

    @detroitlovestacos2

    19 years old with a dream . 🌮✨ We are officially just getting started at 25750 Ecorse Rd! Come help a young entrepreneur build something special in Taylor. Every tag and visit counts! #fyp #local #taylormichigan #viral #youngentrepreneur

    ♬ sonido original – Droxxen

    Quinones’ story seemed to be the missing ingredient in his success. Not long after his video went viral, his restaurant was flooded with customers, and he has even sold out several times. As he adjusts to the increased demand, he hopes to remedy that soon. He is also now considering expanding the business, including opening additional locations and launching food trucks. Not bad, considering the restaurant was about to close its doors just days earlier.

    Of course, it wasn’t just Quinones’ virality that made him successful. People who have visited the restaurant remark on the quality of his food.

    “I just ordered catering from Detroit Loves Tacos last week for a lunch meeting at work! The corn was top notch and the beans were amazing with the big chunks of onion! We also got ground beef, chicken, and vegetarian tacos. The rice was so good too. Everyone was raving about how good it was,” one commenter wrote. 

    Another said, “10/10!! Hands down the best birria tacos we’ve ever had.”

    This is TikTok used for good. A struggling business had something real to offer, just no visibility. The platform changed that. And bam, the community showed up, because it feels good to support someone’s dream. Sometimes, it really is that simple.

    @detroitlovestacos2

    Started with a dream, a whole lot of faith, and days where I didn’t know if it would all work out… but I kept going. Seeing this on the news isn’t just a moment to it’s everything I’ve prayed and worked for. This is for everyone who believed in me, supported me, and showed love from day one. And for anyone chasing something… don’t stop. It’s coming. ❤️ More to come… this is just the beginning. 📍 25750 Ecorse Rd 🕒 Mon–Fri 11–8 | Sat 12:30–8 📲 313-633-1905 🚗 Available on DoorDash. #fyp #local #viral #taylormichigan #YoungEntrepreneur

    ♬ original sound – detroitlovestacos2

    For business owners, the thought of posting on social media can feel awkward, burdensome, and, at times, impossible to navigate in a way that feels worthwhile. But Quinones’ triumph is a welcome reminder that when it comes to finding your audience, a little authenticity really does go a long way.

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