WEIRD STUFF

Woman buried with noodles

A Pot Noodle-addicted gran had her favourite snack in her coffin in a one-of-a-kind send-off.

Sandra Burnell, 72, of Newport, Wales, was so devoted to the quick meals that her family organised a themed funeral in her honour.

Her daughter Tracy Sharpe, 53, said Sandra ate the noodles every single day - but only ever stuck to Beef and Tomato.

She told The Sun newspaper: "If she was looking down she'd have loved it. She'd been ill for a long time and couldn't eat a lot of foods.

"She started having them two years ago. She'd have to have one every night at 9 p.m. She loved the flavour and didn't eat any of the others.

"We even put a couple in the coffin with her, because we couldn't let her go without her Pot Noodles."

The quirky tribute extended to the order of service, which featured an image of her favourite meal and was coloured bright red to match the iconic packaging, and loved ones received a Pot Noodle to take home as a keepsake.

One attendee said: "It was a brilliant send-off. You did an awesome job. It was a pleasure and privilege to be part of it!"

And another added: "I haven't had this flavour in years. I'll have one in memory of Sandra. RIP. Such a nice touch."

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Pokemon cards to fund teacher's wedding

A teacher who stumbled across a stash of rare Pokemon cards in his attic hopes they will fund his wedding after learning they may be worth a staggering PS25,000 (approximately J$5.3 million).

Andrew Braund, 37, found the cards as he cleared out his childhood home in Wimborne, Dorset - more than 20 years after collecting them.

The groom-to-be initially believed his entire collection may fetch "PS500 or so" (approximately J$1 million) - until a pal, who owns a trading card shop, spotted three incredibly valuable Charizard cards.

The prized trio - which had been tucked away separately in a tin rather than his binder - are now tipped to fetch thousands at Ewbank's Auctions on April 16.

A mint-condition Skyridge Charizard Holo card could go under the hammer for between PS8,000 (approximately J$1.7 million) and PS12,000 (approximately J$2.5 million), while another near-mint version may be sold at PS10,000 (approximately J$2.1 million).

A third Reverse-Holo card is estimated to generate between PS1,600 (approximately J$340,400) and PS2,200 (approximately J$468,050).

Andrew is preparing to marry his fiancee, Rachel Moseley, in August after proposing at the Chalke Valley History Festival, Salisbury, in 2025.

He said: "I'm hoping the sale of these cards might contribute towards the cost of my wedding."

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Study reveals shocking truth about boring conversations

Boring conversations are far more enjoyable than we expect.

Researchers found that people who avoid chats about everyday topics, like the weather or commuting, may risk losing out on mood-boosting and health benefits, as well as valuable connections.

The study, based on 1,800 volunteers, revealed that even the dullest discussions often turned out to be surprisingly engaging.

Elizabeth Trinh, a PhD candidate in management and organisations at the University of Michigan, said: "A lot of people, myself included, cancel small talk, we dread networking events, and we assume that certain topics like the weather or commuting or our daily routines won't be interesting.

"But people underestimate how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics will actually be."

Participants were asked to predict how much they would enjoy discussing topics they considered dull - from onions to the stock market - before actually taking part in short conversations.

Afterwards, they consistently reported enjoying the chats more than expected, even when both people had agreed the topic was boring.

Experts say this is because people focus too much on the subject itself, rather than the connection that forms during a conversation.

Trinh said: "What's really more important is the engagement, that sense of connection, that you're feeling heard, you're responding to one another, and maybe you're self-disclosing, or discovering details about someone else's life."

The findings - published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology - suggest that people should rethink how they approach everyday interactions.

She added: "We avoid talking to that co-worker at the coffee machine or that stranger at the event or a neighbour in the elevator.

"But I think people benefit from lowering the bar for what makes a conversation worth having.

"And one approach is to reframe conversational goals. Instead of thinking, 'Will I enjoy this?' Maybe think, 'What will I learn?'"