Entertainment
Who Are the Unexpected Friends in Your Life?
When my husband, our baby, and I first pulled into the driveway of our new house in our new neighborhood, we knew exactly two people…
Our next-door neighbor, who went to our church. Also, our realtor. Other than that? Zip.
For the first few months, I wasn’t too worried about not having close friends around. My mother-in-law came over twice a week to spend time with my daughter, Ella. She’d fill me in on all the latest family chisme. She also gave me space to talk about the highs and lows of being a new mom. When she pulled her Jeep out of the driveway and rolled down our dusty road, my heart and socialization tank would feel full.
But as time passed, I found myself wishing I knew someone else nearby. Someone who was around to chat over a cup of coffee. Or could come over to hang out in our garden. Or was free (and game) for us to stop by on the way home from the park.
Little did I know that I would find this kind of friendship with my 70-something neighbor, Jesse.
Jesse is over six feet tall, has kind eye crinkles, and lives in a uniform of gray tank tops, worn-in jeans, and work boots. He lives five houses down and is almost always working on something in his driveway. Our friendship began four years ago, when Ella and I were taking a walk. As we neared his house, we spotted him fixing up a lawn mower. We gave him a friendly wave and quick “hello!” — then repeated this whenever we passed by over the next few weeks. Then one day, when he saw us walking towards him, he quickly popped inside his garage, then came back out holding a box of fresh strawberries. “I figured the baby might like them,” he said.
One box of strawberries was all it took for this kind man to transition from a neighbor to a friend that our whole family cherishes. These days, Ella and Emiliano will yell “JESSEEEEE!!!” as soon as his house comes into view. They’ll run up for hugs and unapologetically ask for Ritz Crackers, which he picks up in bulk at Costco, specifically for them.
Over the years, Jesse and his wife Beverly have shown up for us many times, in such generous ways. Like surprising us with homemade strawberry tarts, or handing down a restored red Radio Flyer wagon to our kids. They invite us into their home and tell us tales of growing up in San Diego in the ’60s and visiting their family in Mexico. They’ve watched our family grow from having one sleepy baby to three busy kids — and they spoil them like their own grandkids. And when our weekly walks are interrupted by colds or hectic schedules, without fail, Jesse calls to check up on us.
One Christmas, Jesse surprised the kids with a homemade sleigh!
I’ve now also made friends with moms at the park, parents from Ella’s preschool, and friends of friends that we’ve met at get-togethers. Of course, I’m grateful for those relationships. But being Jesse’s friend reminds me that some of life’s warmest, longest-lasting friendships are forged with the people we least expect.
Now, I’d love to know, which unexpected but treasured friendships have you made? Please share in the comments!
P.S. A funny conversation starter for all ages and how to make friends as an adult.
(Photo by Ryan Tuttle/Stocksy.)
Entertainment
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, walk away with an extra $200 — how to claim this free offer
TL;DR: Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB, unlocked) for $1,199.99 at Amazon and a free $200 gift card bundled in — no trade-in required.
Samsung didn’t ease into its Unpacked event — phones, watches, and smartglasses were all unveiled in one go, which means there’s a lot to sort through if you’re trying to find the one deal that’s actually worth your money.
And here’s one worth grabbing: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a free $200 gift card — no trade-in, no discount code, just the phone at $1,199.99 with a $200 gift card to use later.
The whole point of a flip phone is the cover screen, and Samsung’s built around that here — FlexWindow lets you handle a range of AI tasks without opening the phone, so quick checks don’t require unfolding it. When you’re shooting photos, you can go hands-free for creative angles, or hold it steady and rely on Super Steady Video to keep the footage smooth.
The Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip powering the Fold8, which means gaming and multitasking should hold up even on this smaller form factor.
Battery life is built to last through a full day, and when it runs low, Super Fast Charging gets you back up quickly. If you’re switching from an iPhone, Samsung’s made that transfer easier, too — your photos, contacts, alarms, and passwords come with you, and your messages stay encrypted the whole way.
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The gift card isn’t an instant perk, though — Samsung sends an email once it’s ready to claim, and that only happens after the phone ships. The offer ends Aug. 6, so the earlier you pre-order, the safer you are before that window shuts.
Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 before Aug. 6, and the $200 gift card is on its way to you.
Topics
Samsung
Samsung Unpacked
Entertainment
Owalas Back-to-School Sale is live — 20% off bottles, bags, accessories, and more
SAVE 20%: From Aug. 2-8, Owala’s Back-to-School Sale takes 20% off sitewide, including bottles, bags, and accessories.
20% off bottles, bags, and accessories until Aug. 8
Owala’s Back-to-School Sale isn’t just about the bottles you already own — the whole lineup is included, so it’s worth looking beyond the FreeSip.
The sale covers everything from hydration essentials like water bottles and tumblers to insulated bags, totes, and crossbodies, plus accessories like lids, straws, and other add-ons. The original FreeSip is still the bestseller for a reason, and the FreeSip Sway is a solid pick if you want something more cupholder-friendly for the car. If coffee’s more your thing, the SmoothSip Slider is built specifically for hot drinks on the go.
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And if you need something bigger than a bottle, the Sun-Day Tote is a collapsible bag that packs flat yet holds a lot, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag during the actual back-to-school rush. They’ve also got a few small essentials — a Bottle Boot, cleaning accessories, stickers, and matching pet bowls.
With 20% off sitewide, this is a good time to stock up across categories rather than just grabbing one bottle — especially if you’ve got a household that goes through water bottles, lunch bags, or travel mugs regularly.
Shop Owala’s Back-to-School Sale until Aug. 8 — stock is bound to run out.
Entertainment
Final days to lock in your favorite Microsoft Office apps for life for just $33
TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $32.97 through Aug. 9 and enjoy Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, and Teams with a one-time purchase.
$32.97
$219.99
Save $187.02
This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Through Aug. 9, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.
We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.
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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.
No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.
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Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) until Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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