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 April 10, 2021

We've probably all gotten a little weird during the pandemic. That's what happens when people are left alone too long with the pleasure of their own company. They get more comfortable with their own tics, the little habits they indulge in when no one else is looking. In fact, for some people, the prospect of going back to "normal" socializing is scary. Yes, we're all looking forward to hugs and parties and socializing. But … what did we use to talk about with strangers? What should we do with our hands? Are we making that open-mouthed concentrating face we always make when we're alone? We're all going to come out of this a little more vulnerable and a little more human. And personally, I think we owe it to ourselves to embrace the weird.

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Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

Across the sea 
Eddie Fong's unlikely journey to the United States from Hong Kong began on a similarly unlikely vessel: A traditional Chinese junk boat named the "Little Duck." The boat belonged to an American traveler named Arthur Treadwell, who met Fong by chance at a Hong Kong hotel in 1965. Treadwell was planning to sail to California on it, and Fong jokingly said he'd like to be part of the crew. He was shocked when, a year later, Treadwell returned, ready to go. Treadwell, Fong and three others set out on the Little Duck, but after days of illness, engine failure and rough waters, they had to return to shore. Still, Treadwell was set on getting back to the US, so he and Fong arranged passage on another ship — with the Little Duck in tow. And so, with $21 to his name, Fong crossed the Pacific Ocean to a new life. Fong and Treadwell remained good friends over the years, often sailing the Little Duck out from the San Francisco Bay, waving proudly to curious onlookers enthralled with the unusual vessel. Treadwell has passed away, but a model of the Little Duck still sits in the living room of Fong's California home. Now 81, Fong says it's a reminder of the adventure — and the friendship — of a lifetime. You really should read CNN Travel's whole story on these two. It will make your day.

Taking care of each other
A groomer and animal control officer in Omaha, Nebraska, helped save a pet owner's life, thanks to their instincts and basic human concern. When a regular customer didn't show to pick their dog Lola up from an appointment, the PetSmart employee sensed something was wrong. The groomer attempted to contact him, but had no luck. PetSmart called Animal Control Officer Kisha Witherspoon, who also felt uneasy about the situation. She contacted an investigator, who went to the owner's house and got no response. Police were finally able to enter the home, and found the man lying in distress, suffering a medical episode. The man is now getting medical care, and Lola is freshly groomed and safe with family members. The Nebraska Humane Society thanked the people involved for their quick thinking. It's also a great reminder that just a little extra care could save someone's life.

Good eating 
Airplane food gets a bad rap. I once had a heavenly blueberry cheesecake on a KLM Flight that I still think about, years later. Nik Sennhauser must feel the same way, because he's spent his lockdown recreating some of his favorite in-flight meals. A frequent traveler and aviation enthusiast, Sennhauser used to fly every three weeks or so, documenting his journeys on YouTube. He hasn't been on a plane since February of last year, when the pandemic forced him to stay grounded in his home city of Glasgow, Scotland. But every weekend, he scrolls through his photos of past flights, picks a meal he enjoyed on board, and recreates it from scratch — complete with genuine airline crockery. So far, he's made everything from tamagoyaki (a Japanese omelet) to Austrian spaetzle and Thai curries, recreating dishes from the likes of Lufthansa, Thai Airways, Austrian and ANA. Does it look a little more appetizing than the real deal? Sure. But Sennhauser says it helps bring back great travel memories, and that's the reason he got so into airline food in the first place.

Raise a glass to...

Aminat Idrees, who clinched a gold medal in Taekwondo at Nigeria's National Sports Festival … while eight months pregnant! At the event, the Nigerian athlete demonstrated different techniques and even picked up other medals in a separate Taekwondo category. People have been inspired by her expertise, and frankly, the sheer mettle it takes to do anything while heavily pregnant. For those who have criticized her, she points out that the type of Taekwondo she participated in, Poomsae, isn't combat-based. Plus, her doctor and the games' organizing body both cleared her to participate. "It's such a privilege for me," Idrees said of her victory. "It feels really good."

A bright idea

Is there anything more precious than a family recipe, passed down through generations on a fingerprint-smudged card or the mere power of memory? A new cookbook, "Grand Dishes," profiles 61 talented grandmothers around the world, and the timeless dishes they create. The collection was the idea of Anastasia Miari, who came up with it after enjoying a meal of succulent sea bream with skordalia (garlic dip) while visiting her own grandmother in Greece. Miari and her friend Iska Lupton traveled around the world, visiting matriarchs in 10 countries and three continents. The result is a smorgasbord of stories, flavors and cultures, from Croatian fish stew cooked over an open flame to "pig's ears," a hard-to-find dessert from deep in Louisiana. They also listened to the stories of these remarkable women, of fleeing war and famine, making new lives for their families, and nourishing themselves with whatever ingredients life gave them.

You gotta see this

Photo courtesy the City of Winston-Salem

A round of applause for the river otter! This beautifully-painted water tank in Winston-Salem, North Carolina just won the Knope National Championship, a competition for municipal services hosted by the group Engaging Local Government Leaders. This year, the ELGL focused on water facilities. Though the competition was tough (essential government services have their own beauty, after all), the giant mural of an indigenous American River Otter, painted by artist Daas in 2018, took top honors. The animals can be found in the nearby Yadkin River, which is part of the local watershed, and this colorful depiction, entitled "Daybreak Along the River," serves as a reminder of the region's natural beauty and resources. The ELGL says this year's winner shows the "powerful connection between public services and public art." And yes, the award is named after Leslie Knope, the fictional "Parks and Recreation" character with a singular enthusiasm for local government (and, as it so happens, murals). 

Thank you to reader Terry Lefler, who recommended this story! 

Wanna get away?

Mars may be the Red Planet, but Earth can do a pretty good impression of it. The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is so remote, and so like Martian terrain, NASA has been testing rovers regularly there since 1997. While large stretches of the desert have literally nothing around, it still bursts with color around its spectacular salt flats, known as salares, whose briny waters support a wide array of life, including flamingos. The region also boasts some of the clearest skies in the world, perfect for observation from one otherworldly territory to another.

Hear, hear!

It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Who knew?

What do stamp collecting, woodworking and the game of bridge have in common? They were all hobbies that saw a huge rise in popularity during the Great Depression. High rates of unemployment during the Great Depression led to the formation of hobby clubs and organized enjoyment of bird watching and other diversions. Simply put, people needed things to do that made them happy. And since those hobbies have endured through the years, historians think the little pleasures we've picked up during the pandemic, like baking and doing puzzles, are likely to stick around too.

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