16 Comments
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Stacey's avatar

This is amazing. The 90s are back in full force! They played The Macarena at a minor league baseball game we attended last weekend. My son has a knack for making these kinds of things happen when we are out in public. His secret? Talking to strangers. He always talks to random people about their job, if they want to play catch, etc. (He is also a rare 14 year old without a phone… coincidence?)

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Mary Austin (she/her)'s avatar

This is pure gold! What a great end to summer!

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Helen's avatar

This was such a great read! And thanks for including the actual steps at the end because I couldn't remember them either!

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Paul's avatar

I never did learn how to do the Macarena, but I love this story anyway. Thanks for sharing!

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Yael Schonbrun's avatar

OMG I love this so much! Catherine, my family and I did the non-DIY inner tube float on the Saco River two weeks ago. Also, have you read You Only Die Once? Terrific and funny read about why thinking about mortality helps you live your best life.

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Linda M Brandt's avatar

I was traveling last month and had great chats with the Lyft drivers. Whenever I do this and I'm traveling with a group someone in the car invariable speaks the drivers' first language, culture or has another connection point.

On this trip I added talking to women in bathroom lines to my list of "talking to strangers opportunities." I was honestly curious if others were excited about the US Presidential election? Many were and I could explain my ",la" shirt if they hadn't figured it out. Several had their own political shirts or stories they wanted to share.

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Catherine Price's avatar

I love this -- thanks for sharing!

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Barbara's avatar

Best story I’ve read all year

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Donna's avatar

What a great story! Made me smile just reading about it. Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing.

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Tricia Underwood's avatar

The "absurdity" element reminds me of how when my kids were pre-schoolers and in a whiny funk, I'd sometimes throw a complete curveball like, "you know what, let's continue this while pretending to be cats." And that would tend to break the spell for all of us. They are teens now and I need to remember this!

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RG she/her's avatar

I love this story!! Good work!!

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Cassie's avatar

Lovely read! Thanks for sharing, Catherine!

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Phia Exiner's avatar

This email sparked so much joy. Thank you!!

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Phia Exiner's avatar

I wanted to add that in the week after reading this email, I was at the park with my son and sister. As he was playing in the sandpit, a nearby adult party was blasting *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" on a speaker and I got my sister to reteach me the moves. Lots of fun!!

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Marcia Francois's avatar

There’s a new song (I don’t know) that uses the Macarena as part of it which we dance to in Zumba so I could have helped. Love this story!!!

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Lua(na)'s avatar

I love this! Thanks for sharing and greetings from Brasil :)

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