Toddler Loves Telling Stories, So Music-Teacher Dad Turns Them Into the Catchiest Tunes Ever

Stephen Spencer’s songs are born inside the imagination of his 3-year-old daughter. Thanks to Spencer, who is a music lecturer at Hunter College in New York City, songs like "Purple Bear Princess" are enjoying long life on social media, becoming viral sensations when he transforms his daughter’s musings into full-blown melodies. “I’m always inspired by the strange and beautiful things my 3-year-old daughter comes up with,” he said. The collaboration began soon after his daughter could talk. Spencer would express his musical whimsy by singing things back to her, making impromptu songs about whatever she just said. Eventually, he turned these musical moments into real songs, sitting at his piano to mix his daughter’s words with notes and chords and catchy beats. Spencer’s social media followers surged from 34 to 340,000, with more than 30 million people playing his songs. A lot of fans have asked Spencer to make an album, but his response is: “For now, I’m just enjoying sharing the joy that comes with making music together.”

 

 

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Pieces of Advice That Most People Ignore

We all look for advice from others from time to time, but that can be a slippery slope. Taking advice effectively involves being highly selective of the course, choosing mentors who align with your values and goals, and viewing counsel as an objective, adaptable tool rather than a directive to blindly follow. Here are some good pieces of advice that most people will ignore.

Ignore most advice. If you ask for advice, most people tell you what they would do, but you aren’t them. Learn to trust yourself, and check your thinking with the rare people who will take the time to step into your shoes.

No one knows what they’re doing. People come up with fancy stories about their lives, but no one has life figured out. If you’re confused or uncertain about your life, that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Speak with people older than you. Older people may not be up with the times, but they can teach you a lot about what actually matters in life. Just one day with older people can prevent years of wasted time on meaningless pursuits.

Say no to almost everything. Very few things matter on a 10-year time horizon. Get used to saying no to things that you don’t want to do. Life’s too short to please everyone.

Try new things. Challenge yourself. Stop obsessing about what other people think. Just do it; but know your limits.

Most decisions are reversible. Don’t obsess about making the “right” decision. Define the problem, list out the potential solutions, and choose a path forward. Some decisions are one-way doors, but most are not.

Slow down. Life passes quickly. Learn to slow down and enjoy what you have today, especially if you’re ambitious and driven. You can always get more done tomorrow.

Be around people who want the best for you. Be ruthless about removing negative and toxic people from your life. Especially during hard times, you need people who want the best for you.

Pay it forward. If someone helps you, pay it forward by helping someone else. Don’t underestimate the power of a small act of kindness.

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Clever Bike Bell Penetrates Noise-Canceling Headphones

People wearing headphones using active noise cancellation (ANC) are often left in a perceptive bubble where they fail to react — or simply react too late — to imminent dangers they can’t hear coming. Now, the Czech brand Škoda DuoBell bicycle bell is a solution to that problem. Researchers at the company have figured out how to make the bell’s ringing sound bypass the ANC capabilities of modern headphones. Something they call the “safety gap” — which is located in the frequency range between 750 and 780 Hz — can reach the ears of people using noise-cancelling headphones. The structure of the bell is completely mechanical, but it also includes an additional resonator tuned to a higher frequency to improve the bell’s overall efficiency. The hammer mechanism also generates rapid blows. This is ideal for city environments when more than one ding is often necessary to get someone's attention, but it's also integral to the design because the rapid, irregular dings are harder for ANC systems to cancel out. There’s currently no information about pricing or availability, but when released it’s likely to become a powerful new early warning device.

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How a NYC Woman’s Handwritten Sign Brings Out the Best in Strangers

When Megan Keaveny didn’t get a great response to the flyers she posted asking strangers to share their good news using a QR code, the New York City transplant opted for a more direct approach. She took a black marker to some poster board and wrote “Tell Me Something Good.” Then she stood on the sidewalk with her phone ready to record, held up the sign, and hoped for the best. The 34-year-old, originally from Dallas, said she wanted to build spaces for people to take a deep breath and learn to celebrate each other as human beings. “I think there’s a collective craving for belonging in the times we’re in,” she said. Megan is finally beginning to get some responses, with one man sharing, “My good news is I just got out of rehab and I’m 42 days clean,” while another said, “My good news is that I’m cancer-free.” Megan’s endearing enthusiasm about the good news she receives is about as heartwarming as the news itself. “The most meaningful interactions are when people share vulnerable stories about health issues or struggles with mental health,” she said. Of course, not everyone rushes up to talk to her when she stands outside with her sign, but she’s okay with being ignored because the overall payoff is worth it. "I feel pretty vulnerable putting myself out there some days, but I just love humans so much and I’m willing to slightly embarrass myself in an effort to bring us all back together again,” Megan shared. “We all need each other more than we realize.”

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