This app lets seniors(ˈsēnyər) book “grandkids on demand(dəˈmand)”

A new app called Papa(ˈpäpə) adds a little convenience(kənˈvēnyəns) to the caring economy(əˈkänəmē), letting the elderly(ˈeldərlē) book time with a college(ˈkälij) student to help with errands(ˈerənd)–or just hang(haNG) out.

By Adele(ə) Peters

When an octogenarian(ˌäktəjəˈne(ə)rēən) in Florida(ˈflär-,ˈflôridə) uses a new “grandkids on demand” app called Papa, the service will send a carefully vetted(vet) college student to help with whatever the senior needs–someone to drive to the grocery(ˈgrōs(ə)rē) store and help shop, help with chores(CHôr), or give them a simple training in how to use Instagram or an iPad. But unlike Uber(ˈo͞obər) or Taskrabbit, the app aims to address a larger problem: loneliness(ˈlōnlēnəs).

“We believe [the problem of loneliness] is a big portion(ˈpôrSHən) of what we’re solving,” says Andrew Parker, Papa’s founder. “I think this is going to be a bigger problem over time, even more so than we realize now.”

Parker first started the company because his own family had a need for help with tasks. His grandfather was diagnosed(ˌdīəgˈnōs) with dementia(dəˈmen(t)SH(ē)ə) that progressed into Alzheimer’s(ˈältsˌhīmərz), and his grandmother was struggling to take care of him. “I tried traditional home care, but it wasn’t what he needed,” he says. “I just thought there was a huge gap.” He decided to try hiring a college student. When that worked well, he decided to build an app that others could use. He called the app “Papa” after his family’s nickname for his grandfather.

Seniors pay a $15 or $30 monthly service fee–the higher fee lets them request a particular student–and then $15 an hour for visits. An average visit is three hours, but they sometimes last as long as 10 hours. The college student pay varies(ˈve(ə)rē) based on the tasks they’re performing and the time they spend, but the minimum(ˈminəməm) visit nets them $10 and they get about 70% of the fee for a visit. It’s a way to get on-demand help when other family members aren’t available(əˈvāləbəl), or when the senior doesn’t want to bother someone else. But it’s also a way for someone on their own to have some company. The startup screens students to find those who are particularly empathetic(ˌempəˈTHedik), patient, and skilled conversationalists; many are working toward a career(kəˈri(ə)r) in health care or social work (only 4% of applicants(ˈapləkənt) are accepted and become “Papa Pals,” Parker says; there are now 500).

https://www.fastcompany.com/90227821/the-papa-app-lets-seniors-book-grandkids-on-demand

Persistence(pərˈsistəns) is polite(pəˈlīt).

By Derek Sivers

As teenagers(ˈtēnˌājər), we learned the hard way that if you contact someone and they don’t reply, they’re just not into you. If you keep trying, you must be a total(ˈtōtl) loser(ˈlo͞ozər).

But in the business world, it’s the opposite(ˈäpəzit). If you don’t keep trying, you’re a loser!

If someone doesn’t get back to you, it probably wasn’t intentional(inˈtenCHənl). Everyone is busy, and their situation(ˌsiCHəˈwāSH(ə)n) has nothing to do with you.

Imagine two different scenarios(-ˈnär-,səˈne(ə)rēˌō):

Someone doesn’t reply, so you get upset and decide they’re evil(ˈēvəl) and clearly meant to insult you. You resent them for life, and speak poorly of them forever.

Someone doesn’t reply, so you assume they must be swamped in work. You wait a week, and contact them again. If still no reply, you feel sympathy(ˈsimpəTHē) that they must be really overwhelmed. You wait a week, and try again. If still no reply, you try to reach them a different way.

Now, which one was rude(ro͞od), and which one was polite?

https://sivers.org/persistence

The Atlantic(at-,ətˈlantik): A 160-YEAR TRADITION(trəˈdiSHən)

Since 1857, The Atlantic has been challenging assumptions(əˈsəm(p)SHən) and pursuing truth.

WHO WE ARE

As we reflect on our past and look toward the future—in a world where ideologically(ˈˌīdēəˈläjək(ə)lē, ˈˌidēəˈläjək(ə)lē) narrow(ˈnarō) or simple answers(ˈansər) are less adequate(ˈadikwit), and can even be more destructive(diˈstrəktiv), than ever—we decided to put to words a handful of ideas we thought represented(ˌrepriˈzent) authentic(ôˈTHentik) guiding commitments for us and to our audience(ˈôdēəns).

Look for the truth above looking for a story.
We know great storytelling(ˈstôrēˌteliNG) is part of great journalism(ˈjərnlˌizəm). But honest(ˈänist) reporting and analysis(əˈnaləsis), and the integrity(inˈteɡrədē) they represent, are what matter most to us, even if their pursuit requires giving up on an alluring(əˈlo͝oriNG) narrative(ˈnarətiv).

Continue to explore rather than imagining(iˈmajən) we’ve arrived.
Certainty can be comforting, but it can also get in the way of understanding. For us, the end of every story or argument should be the beginning of a conversation(ˌkänvərˈsāSHən), and the end of every conversation the beginning of another—or even another story or argument.

Go beyond what happens to what matters.
We see it as part of our job to help keep our audience up-to-date on the most important news and current(ˈkə-rənt,ˈkərənt) events across the United(yo͞oˈnīt) States and around the world. But the bigger part of our job is to work out—through reporting, argument, and debate(diˈbāt)—what that news means now, and what it could mean for the future.

Embrace(emˈbrās) a diversity(dəˈvərsədē, dīˈvərsədē) of perspectives(pərˈspektiv).
No story is ever complete(kəmˈplēt), no argument is ever perfect, and debates worth having tend to shift and turn more than they end. So we can never rely(riˈlī) on a single point of view, or even on a “balance” of two. Important ideas, observations(ˌäbzərˈvāSHən), points, and counterpoints can come from anywhere—from across the political(pəˈlitikəl) spectrum(ˈspektrəm)—so we have to look everywhere for them.

Immerse(iˈmərs) ourselves, and our audience, in the world—instead(inˈsted) of escaping(əˈskāp) from it.
People are connected today in ways they’ve never been before, through established(əˈstabliSHt) media, new media, social media, or otherwise. But these kinds of connection have also balkanized(ˈbôlkəˌnīz), filtered, alienated(ˈālyə-,ˈālēəˌnāt), and inspired(inˈspīrd) retreat(riˈtrēt)—into private(ˈprīvit) concerns, into entertainment(ˌentərˈtānmənt), into ideological comfort zones, and so on. We want to connect with the world by fully engaging(enˈgājiNG) with it, and with people who see it differently from how others see it.

Our hope is that these commitments orient(ˈôrēˌənt) us in a way that not only is genuine(ˈjenyo͞oin) for The Atlantic, but that helps us be as meaningful as possible to you in your life, and as good a force as possible for the world around us.

…
https://www.theatlantic.com/history/

I’m single, and not looking to change that. Why should I?

By Rachel Jansen

I can always sense the question coming. It’s preceded(priˈsēd) by a look of curiosity(ˌkyo͝orēˈäsitē), a thoughtful tilt(tilt) of the head: “How is it you’re single?”

The question used to make my body warm with flattery(ˈflatərē); it implied(imˈplīd) I was interesting enough, or conventionally(kənˈvenCHənl) attractive(əˈtraktiv) enough, or both, to deserve(dəˈzərv) a romantic partner. It implied that I didn’t belong to that category(ˈkatəˌgôrē): to the perpetually(pərˈpeCHo͞oəl) single, the lacking. The question meant I was an outlier(ˈoutˌlīər) in an equation(əˈkwāZHən) the asker thought they’d understood, and I was grateful to be considered anomalous(əˈnämələs). But not so long ago, the question started to make me uneasy, even a little irritated(ˈiriˌtātid). You tell me, I’d reply, and turn to another friend.

I’m 26 and have been single now for five years. And while I’ve had romantic interests during that time, a few electric(əˈlektrik) beginnings, all eventually(əˈven(t)SH(o͞o)əlē) petered(ˈpētər) out for the standard reasons: differing values, long distances, an imbalance(imˈbaləns) of interest. Of course I mourned(môrn) those almost-relationships but, once I moved on, I wasn’t particularly(pə(r)ˈtikyələrlē) bothered; I was completing my master’s degree and had enough friends that if I said “yes” to every invitation(ˌinviˈtāSHən) I would have been busy nearly every night of the week. Nights in were accompanied(əˈkəmp(ə)nē) by cinnamon(ˈsinəmən) tea and trashy(ˈtraSHē) reality TV. I wasn’t exactly what you’d refer to as lacking. Except, as society(səˈsīətē) would point out through the mouths of my well-intentioned friends, I didn’t have a partner.

The longer I stayed single, the more frequent the question (“How is it you’re still single?”) became, and the more hounding(hound) the asker. They were confused. They wanted to know why it hadn’t worked out for me yet. “Was I trying to find someone?” they’d ask. “Sometimes,” I’d reply, shrugging(SHrəg). Their pained(pānd) looks at my indifference made me wonder whether I should pity(ˈpitē) myself, too.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-im-single-and-not-looking-to-change-that-why-should-i/

Life Purpose(ˈpərpəs) and Values

By Steve Pavlina

It’s been years since I last updated my life purpose statement and list of values. The last time was around 2005. My life has changed tremendously(trəˈmendəslē) since then, and I’ve fallen out of sync(siNGk) with the old versions, so I invested(inˈvest) some time this week in soul(sōl) searching and introspecting(ˌintrəˈspekt) to update these items.

The new life purpose statement I created is:

to care deeply, connect playfully, love intensely(inˈtenslē), and share generously(ˈjen(ə)rəslē);
to joyfully(ˈjoifəlē) explore(ikˈsplôr), learn, grow, and prosper(ˈpräspər);
and to creatively, brilliantly(ˈbrilēəntlē), and honorably(ˈänər(ə)blē, ˈänrəblē) serve the highest good of all.
I may continue to tweak(twēk) this over time, but overall I feel it does a good job of encapsulating(enˈkaps(y)əˌlāt) what’s important to me in life.

A life purpose statement is a very personal thing, so when you read someone else’s life purpose, it won’t necessarily mean much to you, but it has a special significance(sigˈnifikəns) to the person who created it.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2010/12/life-purpose-and-values/

A Case Against Optimizing(ˈäptəˌmīz) Your Life

By Leo Babauta

Many people I know are on a quest(kwest) to optimize their lives — some of my favorite people in the world will spend days trying to perfect a productivity system, get things automated(ˈôtəˌmāt), or find the perfect software for anything they’re doing. They are on a continual(kənˈtinyo͞oəl) search for the perfect diet(ˈdī-it), the perfect work routine(ro͞oˈtēn), the perfect travel(ˈtravəl) setup(ˈsedˌəp).

Optimizing can take quite a bit of time and energy(ˈenərjē).

What would happen if we let go of optimizing? Who would we be without the idea that we should optimize everything?

One idea is that if we decided not to optimize everything, we’d stop caring(ˈke(ə)riNG), stop trying to make things better, and live suboptimal(səbˈäptəməl) lives. But I know myself pretty(ˈpritē) well — I will always care, even if I am not trying to optimize. I will always do my best, which is different than optimizing — it’s taking care and giving love, even if things aren’t optimized. I believe(bəˈlēv) most of you are this way, pouring(pôr) your hearts into something with pure(pyo͝or) love, without needing to make everything perfect.

So why shouldn’t we optimize? And what would it be like if we didn’t?

Give me a few moments to make the case against optimizing, and present(ˈprezənt) an alternative(ôlˈtərnətiv) way.

…
https://zenhabits.net/unoptimizing/

what makes me me

I am from…

By Henry H. Walker

I am from mountains(ˈmountn)
who escape(əˈskāp) the lowlands,
I am from the harsh(härSH) quiet of my brooding(ˈbro͞odiNG) father(ˈfäT͟Hər),
from the soft arms of my grandmother,
from the Rice(rīs) Krispie candy(ˈkandē) we would make together,
I am from the smile, the laugh, the giving of my mother,
I am the allure(əˈlo͝or) of an angel(ˈānjəl) biscuit(ˈbiskit), summer transparency(tranˈsparənsē) applesauce(ˈapəlˌsôs),
one more slice(slīs) of cake to make it even,

I am from classrooms of enforced(enˈfôrst) quiet
and the desperation(ˌdespəˈrāSHən) in a paperclip on the desk,

I am from the conflict(ˈkänˌflikt) of Matthew(ˈmaTHyo͞o) and John(jän),
the action of the Sermon(ˈsərmən) on the Mount(mount)
and the simple key of John 3.16,

I am from doors opening in the mind, in the heart,
I am from doors closing in the mind, in the heart,

I am from dreams of an immigrant(ˈimigrənt) who sought(sôt) “the city on a hill,”
and could not see the native peoples and yet saw witches(wiCH) in the woods,
I am dreams of a better future of another immigrant,
I am also from the nightmares(ˈnītˌme(ə)r) that build that future upon slavery(ˈslāvərē),
I am the pestilential(ˌpestəˈlenCHəl) swamp(swämp) that still pulls at us,
I am also the mountains that call us to rise(rīz) above,

my genes are solely(ˈsōl(l)ē) from the northwest of Europe
and then from the huddled(ˈhədl) tribalism(ˈtrībəˌlizəm)
of the male(māl), the white, Anglo(ˈaNGglō)-Saxon(ˈsaksən), and Protestant(ˈprätəstənt),

my soul(sōl) is pulled to the glory(ˈglôrē) that is God
that also manifests(ˈmanəˌfest) in difference from the narrowness(ˈnarō)
of what seeks to hold me,
for God is so much larger than gender, than color, than religion,

we can only hope to get a glimpse(glimps) of God
if we open ourselves to grow
toward the infinity(inˈfinitē) of God’s manifestation.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2018/08/what-makes-me-me.html

Business is creative.

By Derek Sivers

A famous record label executive(iɡˈzekyədiv) was confronted(kənˈfrənt) by a musician who said, “You don’t value creativity!” The executive said, “Oh please! I’ve got accountants(əˈkount(ə)nt) more creative than you!”

It’s meant as an insult(inˈsəlt), but it has a point. Don’t think of music as creative but business as not. Business is definitely(ˈdefənitlē) just as creative as music.

Most musicians are wildly creative when writing(ˈrīdiNG), playing, performing, and recording. But as soon as it’s time to do business, they stiffen(ˈstifən) up and lose(lo͞oz) their confidence(ˈkänfədəns). They follow advice that tells them exactly(igˈzak(t)lē) how to promote(prəˈmōt).

But turning off your creativity — trying to play it safe — is the worst thing you could do. Just like with music.

So loosen up! Get confident, creative, playful, and experimental(ikˌsperəˈmen(t)l). Break(brāk) the rules. Try some things that nobody else has done.

Think of how comfortable you are on your instrument — improvising(ˈimprəˌvīz), experimenting, and having fun with it.

Now be that comfortable when marketing. Improvise. Experiment. And have fun with it!

https://sivers.org/bizriff

When We Eat, or Don’t Eat, May Be Critical for Health

A growing body of research suggests that our bodies function optimally(ˈäptəm(ə)lē) when we align(əˈlīn) our eating patterns with our circadian(sərˈkādēən) rhythms(ˈriT͟Həm).

By Anahad O’Connor

Nutrition(n(y)o͞oˈtriSHən) scientists have long debated(diˈbāt) the best diet(ˈdī-it) for optimal health. But now some experts believe that it’s not just what we eat that’s critical for good health, but when we eat it.

A growing body of research suggests that our bodies function optimally when we align our eating patterns with our circadian rhythms, the innate(iˈnāt) 24-hour cycles(ˈsīkəl) that tell our bodies when to wake up, when to eat and when to fall asleep. Studies show that chronically(ˈkräniklē) disrupting(disˈrəpt) this rhythm — by eating late meals(mēl) or nibbling(ˈnibəl) on midnight snacks(snak), for example — could be a recipe(ˈresəˌpē
) for weight gain and metabolic(ˈmetəˈbälik) trouble(ˈtrəbəl).

That is the premise(ˈpremis) of a new book, “The Circadian Code,” by Satchin Panda, a professor(prəˈfesər) at the Salk Institute and an expert on circadian rhythms research. Dr. Panda argues that people improve their metabolic health when they eat their meals in a daily 8- to 10-hour window, taking their first bite(bīt) of food in the morning and their last bite early in the evening.

This approach, known as early time-restricted(riˈstriktid) feeding, stems(stem) from the idea that human metabolism(məˈtabəˌlizəm) follows a daily rhythm, with our hormones(ˈhôrˌmōn), enzymes(ˈenzīm) and digestive(dəˈjestiv, dīˈjestiv) systems primed(prīm) for food intake in the morning and afternoon. Many people, however, snack and graze(grāz) from roughly the time they wake up until shortly before they go to bed. Dr. Panda has found in his research that the average person eats over a 15-hour or longer period each day, starting with something like milk and coffee shortly after rising(ˈrīziNG) and ending with a glass of wine(wīn), a late night meal or a handful of chips, nuts or some other snack shortly before bed.

That pattern of eating, he says, conflicts with our biological(ˌbīəˈläjikəl) rhythms.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/24/well/when-we-eat-or-dont-eat-may-be-critical-for-health.html

Career(kəˈri(ə)r) Transitions(-ˈsiSHən,tranˈziSHən)

By Steve Pavlina

I’ve been in the fortunate(ˈfôrCHənət) position(pəˈziSHən) of watching a lot of people undergo career transitions during the past several years, myself included. I’ve noticed a very simple recurring(riˈkər) pattern that I’d like to share with you. This pattern is so common you could almost call it a rule.

During the pre-commitment(pri kəˈmitmənt) phase(fāz), when people consider making a major career change, they usually focus on the problems and obstacles(ˈäbstəkəl) in front of them. How will I support myself and my family? How can I justify(ˈjəstəˌfī) abandoning my progress in my current line of work? What if I make the switch, and it doesn’t work out?

This focus on obstacles doesn’t help people transition. It only paralyzes(ˈparəˌlīz) them and keeps them stuck. But pretty(ˈpritē) much everyone has to deal with this phase.

In truth everyone who makes a career move has to deal with obstacles. The specifics(spəˈsifik) are different for everyone(ˈevrēˌwən), but the general patterns are extremely(ikˈstrēmlē) similar: attachment to the old career and its perks(pərk), concern(kənˈsərn) about the uncertainties(ˌənˈsərtntē) ahead, social and family resistance(riˈzistəns), lack of money to navigate(ˈnaviˌgāt) the transition period(ˈpi(ə)rēəd), having to take a pay cut, cascading(kasˈkād) changes like moving to a new city, etc. If you’re considering a career transition yourself, it’s unlikely your obstacles are unique.

So what determines(diˈtərmin) who actually commits to the transition vs.(-səz,ˈvərsəs) who remains stuck? I’ll tell you it has nothing to do with the size or nature of the specific obstacles. People with every advantage(ədˈvantij), including money in the bank and abundant family support, stay stuck all the time, while those who seem to have the odds(ädz) stacked(stakt) against them proceed(prō-,prəˈsēd) as if the obstacles weren’t even there.

The difference, in my opinion(əˈpinyən), is that those who successfully transition see themselves as more than capable(ˈkāpəbəl) of overcoming the obstacles in their path. Their internal resources like focus, desire(dəˈzī(ə)r), and self-discipline(ˈdisəplin) compensate(ˈkämpənˌsāt) for their lack of external resources. If they need more money than they have, they find other ways to get what they need. If their families don’t support them, they say, “Too bad, I’m doing this with or without your help.” If they have to take a pay cut, they find a way to live more cheaply(CHēp) and eat lots of rice(rīs).

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/12/career-transitions/