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Owner of Porsche 911 sees man taking photo of it, gives him once-in-a-lifetime surprise

"He told me I was taking it a little bit too easy, and he wanted me to try the turbo out."

Image via Canva

Car enthusiasts speak the same language and connect through their love of all things auto, especially Porsche owners. And for Instagrammer Jacob Zander's (@jacobzander_) love for the car brand, in particular the Porsche 911, found him striking up a new friendship with a total stranger.

In a touching video shared on Instagram, Jacobs shares the story of how he met Lyman, a fellow Porsche 911 owner. Although the two are complete strangers, this car created a connection that both will remember forever.

"So this morning I was walking around the Carmel farmer's market, and you're not going to believe what happened. So I saw this cool (Porsche) 911, and I was like, 'Oh I should take a picture of it. So I take a picture and this guy was walking towards it and he opened the door, and I was like, 'Cool car!' and he said, 'Thank you,'" as Jacob shared that he just got himself one as well. "Then he asked if I want to get lunch tomorrow," he shares, before adding that Lyman had a few other Porsche's he had in storage that he wanted to show him.

The video pans to Jacob grabbing lunch with Lyman, before the two head to a large garage to check out Lyman's Porsche collection. "I'm excited," he says, before Lyman adds, "I'll be the star of your show," to the camera. Jacob explains that their connection is special because he is currently on a road trip from Eugene, Oregon, to Los Angeles, and he only stopped in Carmel for a few days.

The video then shows the two men checking out Lyman's cars, lifting up the hood to check out engines and admiring interiors. "After that, he was like, 'Hey Jacob, do you wanna drive?' So we took a drive, and he let me drive all around Carmel. He told me I was taking it a little bit too easy, and he wanted me to try the turbo out. He said let's get on the freeway so you can test it out," he says.

The next clip is of Jacob putting the car into turbo and really working the engine, as he simply says, "Wow!" The video ends with the two continuing to cruise to the coast, taking in a gorgeous sunset.

In the comments, Jacob added, "You never know where something might lead if you say hi to someone you don’t know!! My favorite part: 'I’ll be the star of your show'."

PorscheCar Drifting GIFGiphy

And viewers love the new friendship between Lyman and Jacob. "This made me cry, if someone did this to my dad, it would literally make him the happiest man. My dad has so many cool old school cars in his storage that he wants to show off but you just can’t trust people. He’s been taken advantage of before and he’s very timid. Thank you for being so kind to this man and allowing him to have this moment," one wrote. Another shared, "He found someone who appreciates his passion, sweet." And another viewer added, "Love this!! When you’re open to strangers being nice, you start to see true human connection 🥹."

Family

One couple's perfect response to people asking when they're going to have kids

Choosing to have kids or not have kids is no one else's decision but yours.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

She’s giving birth to a puppy.


"When are you guys going to start having kids?"

Like many couples, Carrie Jansen and her husband Nic had heard this question a million different ways, a million different times.

The pressure really started to mount when the pair, who've been together for eight years, got married three years ago. While Carrie loves kids (she's an elementary school teacher, after all), she and Nic simply aren't interested in having kids of their own. Now or ever.

"It's not what I was meant for," explains Carrie in a Facebook message. "It's like, I love flowers, and everyone loves flowers. But that doesn't mean I want to grow my own. I'm perfectly happy admiring other people's gardens."

Carrie wanted to tell her family that they don't plan on having kids but knew if she did, they'd say something like, "Oh you'll change your mind one day!" and that pesky question would keep rearing its ugly head.

marriage, adults, children, social pressure, pregnancy

Dressed to the nines on their wedding day.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

Rather than continue to deflect the question over and over, Carrie decided to do something a little bit different.

Since the couple was adding another mouth to feed to the family, they decided to announce it with a series of maternity-style photos, revealing the twist: The new addition was a puppy named Leelu, not a baby.

pets, viral, moms, dads, maternity, babies

Look at my newborn baby... puppy.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

"My husband and I have been married 3 years and everyone is bugging us about having a baby. Close enough right?" she captioned the photos.

Her pictures went insanely viral, with many of the commenters giving her props for hilariously addressing the dreaded "kids " question.

kids, choices, population, survey

The adorable pup.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

"If you don't want kids, don't have kids. Seriously. Have fun with each other. I had three kids early and it's all about them now," wrote one user. "I wish people would just mind their business raising a kid ain't easy and cheap," wrote another.

"I got my husband a vasectomy for his birthday this year. Best gift ever," chimed in a third.

Carrie was overwhelmed and inspired by the viral response. "Having children is definitely a hot topic, and one that is evolving in this generation like so many other social issues," she says. "It's exciting to find others that feel the same way I do.”

Carrie is hardly alone in not wanting to have kids — in fact, a record number of women are choosing not to have kids today.

In 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey found 47.6% of women between age 15 and 44 had never had children, which is the highest percentage on record. Despite the numbers, however, because we still live in a patriarchally-driven society, women regularly face the expectation that they should be mothers, and they often are judged if they decide not to be.

Whether you want to have one kid, five kids, no kids, or a puppy, the choice should be yours and no one else's.

holidays, gifts, woman\u2019s rights, gender equality,

The holiday photo in front of the Christmas tree.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

No one else has the right to put pressure on you to change your body and life in a drastic way. Thankfully, because of women like Carrie — and partners like Nic — who aren't afraid to bring the subject out in the open, the expectations are slowly but surely changing.


This article originally appeared nine years ago.


Barbara and Anne have known each other since grammar school.

Friendships often come and go in life as we move to new places, enter different life phases, or grow and change as people. But some friendships last through it all, weaving threads of connection and support throughout the decades. These treasured relationships give us countless shared memories—experiences, joys, and challenges—and sometimes they end up lasting longer than any other relationship a person has.

Take Barbara and Anne, for example. These two 87-year-olds went to grammar school and high school together and have been friends for 75 years. They're now both widowed and live next door to one another, and they shared with Kalina Silverman of Make Big Talk the key to seeing their friendship flourish over the years.

"We both lost our husbands. and that even brought us even closer together," shared Anne. "Now Barbara lives right next door to me, so we're hooked into each other every day, which is a good thing because in old age? Nice to have friends around you."

When asked what key is to sustaining a friendship, the women cited two things: travel and lots of laughter.

"You know, the true test of a friendship or any relationship is: Can you travel together?" said Anne.

"We laugh at the same things," said Barbara. "For instance that car right there that doesn't have a driver that's going by. I mean, we can never get over that. We just laugh so much, you know? We just do. We get a kick out of each other. We get a kick out of the people we meet, and we have met quite a few people, too, with our walks."

The women said that people will honk their horns and wave at them when they're out walking, and they'll look at each other and ask if the other knew who it was, and they have no idea.

"We can laugh about all of this," said Anne. "And we do," added Barbara.

Barbara and Anne are two of the strangers that Kalina Silverman has spoken to as the creator of Make Big Talk. So often, we engage with people only on a surface level—making small talk—but most of us yearn to engage on a deeper level. Big Talk is a way to do that.

"Big Talk is a communication approach for skipping small talk to make genuine, meaningful connections with those around you – loved ones, colleagues, classmates, teammates, community members, or even total strangers," Silverman writes on her website. "By prompting deep, open-ended questions, Big Talk conversations allow people to share life stories, lessons, and experiences, enriching relationships profoundly."

The Big Talk journey started with Silverman's desire to connect with people on a deeper level. She started experimenting conversing with strangers, which led to a TED Talk, a Fulbright scholarship, the Big Talk Question Card Game and app, workshops, an Instagram page and now an upcoming book slated to come out in the spring of 2026.

Silverman points out that Big Talk can help combat the epidemic of loneliness that so many people feel. "While technology connects us globally, it often hinders our ability to engage meaningfully in face-to-face conversations. Learning to make Big Talk not only combats feelings of isolation but also boosts communication skills, strengthens relationships, and fosters a greater sense of belonging within our communities at work, home, and school – and in the broader world."

What are some examples of Big Talk questions? Here's a handful:

What is your greatest strength?

How do you show love?

What is your next great adventure?

What idea has intrigued you lately?

What are the most beautiful sights you've seen?

If you had the freedom to do anything right now, what would you do?

Big Talk questions are open-ended (not yes/no) and designed to be answerable by anyone of any age or background. Questions like these often inspire people to share their personal stories and help build more authentic relationships. In a world where people are more technologically connected than ever but where many still feel disconnected and lonely, Big Talk questions might help bring people together in meaningful ways, forming bonds that lead to a greater sense of community.

You can see these questions in action on the Make Big Talk Instagram page and learn more about making conversations more meaningful at makebigtalk.com.

Looks real, doesn't it?

There truly is no limit to the amount of creative brilliance in the world. And sometimes seeing the works of talented humans is all you need to have your faith restored, or at least to brighten your day a bit.

Los Angeles based artist Bridget McCarty creates incredibly tiny, lifelike rooms with remarkable craftsmanship.

Her Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are chock-full of these intricate, elaborate mini-masterpieces, and even some amazing how-to videos that can help get your own creative juices flowing.

Taking a look at these creations, it’s easy to forget that these models are in fact only inches tall.

@bridgetmccartyminis

A work year at a glance. #january #december #diy


…that is, until you notice a “giant” hand in the frame.

The amount of serenity I received from seeing this tiny sushi restaurant cannot be expressed by mere words.

@bridgetmccartyminis

One of my top selling tiktok shop products for those of you that want to try and build something cute. 💙 #sushi

McCarty also takes iconic sets from well-known movies and televisions shows, and recreates them—with exact detail—as miniature models.

When I say exact detail, I mean it.

Seinfeld, but make it small. Like, really small.

@bridgetmccartyminis

Making Seinfeld’s apartment in miniature. #seinfeld #tiny #sitcom #fyp #diy #crafts

In this recreation of Jerry’s apartment from Seinfeld, McCarty offers a little hack for making teeny tiny potato chips…by using bell pepper seeds! How genius is that?

The not so "Big Bang Theory."

@bridgetmccartyminis

I think all I’m missing is the side table on the left where the keys go? #bigbangtheory

I think even cynical Sheldon would approve of this recreation of his apartment.

Enter a fun-sized "Friends."

@bridgetmccartyminis

Replying to @aesthetic..christmas.22 Monica’s apartment in miniature. #friends #friendsreunion

Behold, a 1:12 scale model of Monica’s kitchen. Could this BE any cooler?

Harry Potter and the magical miniscule model.

@bridgetmccartyminis

Making my own #floatingcandles effect from #harrypotter #greathall #candlehack #fyp

Looking at McCarty’s handcrafted Great Hall in Hogwarts is making me wish I got my letter even more.

Joyce Byers living room from Stranger Things...a tiny Demogorgon is just as threatening!

@bridgetmccartyminis

Celebrating #strangerthingsday #strangerthings #fyp @Netflix

Everything down to the Eggos.

@bridgetmccartyminis Who has been baking in my kitchen?! #ShowYourGlow #36SecondsOfLightWork #fyp #halloween #baking #wow #amazing #lol #foryoupage ♬ Who Ya Gonna Call (From "Ghostbusters") - Karaoke Version - Urock Karaoke

And I mean, who you gonna call when you need some compact Ghostbusters nostalgia? McCarty, clearly.

If Coraline's doll had a doll, she could live here.

@bridgetmccartyminis

My Hamster goes to Coralines house. #fyp #cute #mouse #coraline #fantasy

McCarty’s designs might be small, but they’re certainly making a big splash on social media. On TikTok alone, she has 1.3 million followers. Yeah, you read that right. Her art is already so clever and creative, but seeing someone authentically live their passion makes it all the more inspiring.


This article originally appeared three years ago.