Toby Knapp

Toby Knapp

Dive into the captivating universe of Toby Knapp! Experience his authentic life story, engage on social media, revel in exclusive interviews,...Full Bio

 

#ReadThisNOW: The MLK DAY edition...

One of the things I'm trying to do in this new year... is taking the opportunity to have more moments in this life. Moments that I didn't always appreciate as much along the way previously in this life and career I'm in. 

That photo, from my Instagram, is a snapshot of me, having one of those moments... last night. With Kyla... my daughter, 14, a freshman in High School... Pray for me. :-) 

Thanks for being here. And for choosing to #ReadThisNOW: The MLK day edition. 

I'm on holiday time... which means, depending when you are reading this, it's probably not something I published in the wee hours of the morning. Nonetheless, here are the things you'll hear me talking about on an iHeartRadio platform near you... on air, through a smart speaker, or your computer... or in your car... or on your cable console... or via your smartwatch... 

Let's get into what I'm seeing on the InternetOfThings® today...

Is doing something like this to shame a homewrecker ever okay? Yes? No?

Here comes the COPY-AND-PASTE ROUNDUP®... the stuff we see that we copy-and-paste but end up talking about anyway! 

Are you feeling a little down today? It might be because it’s Blue Monday. Today, the third Monday of January, has been dubbed Blue Monday, because it's supposed to be "the most depressing day of the year." Why? Apparently for a lot of people, the winter blues are sinking in. The holidays are over, the days are shorter and colder, and there’s a LOT of winter ahead.  Also, most people have ditched their resolutions, so they are feeling unmotivated. (Best Life)

How much online shopping do you do? According to a new survey, 27 percent of people buy things online at least once a week. 

Time to up your downtime … An unsurprising new survey found that people are happiest when they have the right balance of work and relaxation every day. So how much downtime do you need in order to be happy? For most people, four to five hours a day. The survey also found that most people would rather have more free time than more money. And the time you get home from work also has an effect on your happiness. Getting home after 6 p.m. made people twice as likely to feel unhappy than getting home by 5 p.m. (The Ladders)  

Do you have a name for your car? You’re not alone. A survey found that 56 percent of drivers name their car. And 60 percent consider their cars to be a member of the family. The survey also found that drivers speak to their cars approximately 13 times a week, and 18 percent talk to their cars on every drive. What do they “talk” about? 63 percent of car owners say they encourage their vehicle to go faster or make it up a hill. (SWNS

LIVING IN TOTAL DARKNESS FOR A MONTH

A pro poker player bet one of his buddies that he couldn’t last 30 days in an isolated room. No light. No TV. No radio, phone or access to the outside world.

He was allowed access to a few comforts, though… a yoga mat, a resistance band, a massage ball – along with some lavender essential oils and a sugar-and-salt scrub.If this guy could last a month, he’d win $100,000. But if he tapped out sooner, he’d have to pay.

In the end, both this guy and his buddy stuck a deal. He was able to leave the room after 20 days – and his buddy agreed to pay him $62,400. (The Guardian)

MOTOROLA BRINGING BACK THE RAZR FLIP-PHONE

Motorola is working on an up-to-date smartphone version of the iconic Razr flip-phone that debuted way back in 2004.

The company is expected to release a brand new Razr in the very near future. But, it’s expected to have a hefty price tag of $1,500.

Only 200,000 of the new Razr phones are going to be produced, which is driving up the price. We’ll see how many people are really interested in going back in time when the thing is available next month. (Maxim

BEER DELIVERY ROBOT UNVEILED

A company in France has developed a robot named “Fresh Geoffrey” that’s programmed to deliver beer to you anywhere in your house.

Just like a Roomba, Geoffrey learns his way around the home after an initial tour – and then responds to an app or voice commands, pouring a pint of draft beer from a keg.

In addition, Geoffrey has two refrigerated slots to chill wine or champagne bottles, as well as several spots for snack dishes and two glasses. (ETFM)

MOM PRAISES DANCIN' DUNKIN' WORKER

A New York mother is praising a Dunkin' Donuts employee for going out of his way to make her autistic son happy.

Donald Simon, a non-verbal 26-year-old man with autism, visited the store with his aid to get a drink and a bite to eat. While he was there, he was approached by a worker named Bryan Lara who came over to talk to him.

After Donald's aid informed him that he doesn't speak, Bryan decided to use another means of communicating with him -- music.

Bryan turned up Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" and started dancing with Donald and giving him high fives.

The aid took video of the sweet encounter and Donald's mother shared it on Instagram. She added, "Most people would not pay attention to Donald as soon as they realize he is unable to communicate, but Bryan figured out a way to communicate without words and it is very touching to me that he made my son so happy." (People

SHERIFF’S OFFICE DONATES BIKES TO KIDS AFFECTED BY WILDFIRES

Last November was a terrible time for many families in California as wildfires destroyed thousands of homes. Since then, these families have been working to put their lives back together again – and recently got a boost from the San Luis Obispo [san LOO-is o-BIS-po] Sheriff’s Office, which donated a bunch of bikes to those who lost everything.

Thanks to a charity drive, 125 bikes were given to kids affected by the fire. While they continue to recover from the destruction, having a bike is giving the kids freedom once again to get around and get their lives back to normal. (KEYT-TV

COUPLE ADOPTS SIX CHILDREN

When Andrew and Sabrina Rodgers were married, they dreamed of having a big family – which is why they were heartbroken after many failed attempts to have children.

But they didn’t let their medical challenges stop them from achieving their dreams. Instead, they turned their attention to children who didn’t have a home – and focused their efforts on adoption.

Amazingly, they opened their home and adopted six kids.

They started in 2012 by adopting a nine-month-old girl named Nevaeha.

They followed that up by bringing two brothers -- five-year-old Dillen and six-year-old Landen – into the fold.

There was still room in their hearts – and in their home – so they brought in three siblings… four-year-old Indyia, her older brother Andrew and 13-year-old Ka’Liyah.

With three boys and three girls, Andrew and Sabrina believe their family is complete, as their exciting journey led to them having that big family after all. (KXTV-TV)

The Top 5 movies this weekend:

1. Glass - $40.6 million

2. The Upside - $15.7 million

3. Dragon Ball Super: Broly $10.7 million

4. Aquaman - $10.3 million

5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - $7.3 million

While Spider-Man and Aquaman continue to prove their super powers by hanging on in the Top 5 for the sixth and fifth weeks, respectively, two newcomers have joined them. Glass, the latest scary film from M. Night Shyamalan, grabbed more than $40 million to win the weekend. 

The Upside, a Kevin Hart - Bryan Cranston remake of a well-regarded French film, only lost one place in its second week, wheeling into number-two with ticket sales of nearly $16 million. That's better than three-fourths of the business it did in its opening weekend, which suggests that word of mouth is good.

The other new film to reach the Top 5 is Dragon Ball Super: Broly, the 20th entry in a long-running Japanese sci-fi cartoon franchise.

And because you've made it this far... a couple of feel-good stories which will inspire... and will just make you feel all cute about life!


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