The Laughing Otter

Topic hub

Community

The people part. Community posts, upcoming events, the hosts who run them, and how membership fits in.

Community stories

Fresh reads and watches on this topic.

A cheerful digital illustration of a middle-aged person relaxing in an armchair wearing socks with Crocs while holding a warm mug next to a futuristic sleep machine.

Forget Sports Cars: The Ultimate Gen X Flex Is Now a Heated CPAP Machine

Remember when VIP passes and sports cars were the ultimate dream? Gen X has officially swapped high-life drama for ergonomic footwear and immaculate sleep.

People paddling giant hollowed-out pumpkins across a pond while a crowd cheers

The Annual Pumpkin Boat Race Was Pure Chaos

Hollowed-out pumpkins, homemade paddles, and one very confused duck. 10/10 event.

A colorful digital illustration of a young child pointing excitedly at a 90s television set playing an interactive animated kids show.

Remember Yelling at Steve? Here's Why 'Blue's Clues' Ran the Same Episode Five Days Straight

It wasn't laziness or budget cuts—it was brilliant child psychology that turned 90s toddlers into hyper-confident detective masterminds.

A long outdoor table covered in homemade desserts with neighbours laughing together

The potluck where everyone brought dessert and nobody regretted it

A catering accident became the street's most beloved annual event.

A warm illustration of five smiling senior men in Texas assembling wooden furniture and toys together with tools.

Five Texas Seniors Started a Furniture Assembly Crew, and the Internet Is Obsessed

Five residents at a Texas senior facility formed the Builder's Club to assemble boxed furniture for free, earning millions of views and serious fans.

A colourful early-2000s styled illustration of a person holding a digital camera and making a duckface pose.

Why Did We All Pucker Up? Millennials Finally Unpack the Great Duckface Era

A nostalgic look back at early social media awkwardness and the irresistible urge to pucker your lips.

A cheerful group of adults laughing while practising ukuleles in a garage

Learning ukulele badly, together, on purpose

Eight beginners, one garage, zero shame — and it is working.

Whimsical illustration of an elderly person happily using a tablet with letter envelopes floating out from the screen.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Charming Way Older Generations Use Social Media

From signing public comments with full names to treating status updates like family newsletters, digital etiquette is getting a delightfully polite makeover.

A whimsical illustration showing cotton underwear buried in dark garden soil surrounded by worms and plant roots.

Scientists Asked 1,000 People to Bury Their Undies—Here's Why

Inside the bizarre Swiss experiment that proved messy, chaotic gardens are full of subterranean life while perfect lawns are practically ghost towns.

Retro illustration featuring a 1970s typewriter, office coffee pot, and newsletters symbolizing the birth of the 9to5 movement.

Before It Was an Anthem, "9 to 5" Was a Real-Life Office Rebellion

Long before Dolly Parton clicked her acrylic nails together to create a classic anthem, two Boston clerical workers started a full-blown workplace movement.

A group of adults in swim caps laughing in the ocean shallows at sunrise

The 6am swim club that is mostly about the chatting

Cold water, warm people, and a thermos of tea on the sand.

This is what the future of media looks like | Hamish McKenzie10:58

This is what the future of media looks like | Hamish McKenzie

What if the polarizing mess of social media, clickbait headlines and addictive algorithms isn't a breakdown of media but a transition to something better?

Questions about this hub

How do I host an event?

Apply through the Host an Event page. Approved hosts get a dashboard, marketing materials and recognition points.

Is membership required to attend events?

Most events are open to everyone. A few member-only events are marked on the event page.