Screens are back on planes, Harry and Meghan are back in England (sort of), and I'm still not over Noah Kahan

American Airlines rediscovered seat back screens, Harry and Meghan rediscovered England (allegedly, temporarily, we'll see), and I rediscovered my voice at the Noah Kahan concert… and then lost it again after screaming all night.

Let's get into it.

American Airlines is bringing back seatback screens after a decade of pretending we didn't want them.

Call me bougie, but doesn’t it seem like flying with your own personal screen should be standard? That’s usually true, until you board an American Airlines flight. About a decade ago, American started pulling out all the seatback screens because they figured we'd all just use our phones on flights. Spoiler: we do, but we also want our second screens, thank you very much. Well, looks like AA got the message because starting in 2028, the airline is adding seatback screens to every plane in its fleet. They're also adding Bluetooth, USB-C ports, more first class seats, and Starlink wifi on 500 planes, basically admitting that Delta and United have been flexing on them this whole time. No surprise that they're also planning to use the screens to sell us ads while we're trapped at 30,000 feet, but I'll take the tradeoff.

There's a dangerous new social media trend taking over the roads and it is no joy ride.

File this under the worst possible way to go viral on social media: Groups of mostly young men across the UK and Ireland have been filming themselves driving the wrong way down major roads. Seriously. This “trend” has already led to multiple fatal crashes, including one in Ireland that killed five teenagers. The UK government is now pressuring platforms to pull the videos down, as they should. An expert explained it about as clearly as I've heard: filming it creates distance from the danger, so it starts to feel like a game or a performance instead of, you know, an actual hazardous highway. If getting views takes priority over people’s safety, we have clearly lost the plot, my friends. So if you see these videos popping up on your FYP, make sure to report them and spread the word to stay safe on the roads.

Harry and Meghan are coming back to the UK, but only kind of, maybe? We'll see.

In lighter news from across the pond, The Sussexes are moving back to England. Meghan and Harry’s rep confirmed the royals are returning to the UK this month with Archie and Lilibet starting school there in September. But that same rep is now walking it back to just for 'the autumn,’ while separate insiders are floating six months, a year, or "actually we might just try Canada again." Nobody, including apparently Meghan and Harry themselves, seems to know how long this will last. Regardless, it’s clearly not a permanent move. They're keeping the Montecito house and the Portugal house too, so let's not act like anyone's hurting for real estate here. The conflicting timelines and different sources have me wondering if it’s all a purposeful misdirection to give them a little privacy during this transition. If so, I respect a good PR strategy.

Quick life update: I went to a Noah Kahan concert this weekend and have not been the same since. I have zero voice and zero regrets. We all sobbed collectively during Orbiter (20,000 strangers, no shame) and sang every word we half-remembered. My throat currently sounds like I run a smoky jazz bar and not like someone who has back-to-back Zoom calls. My calendar does not care, unfortunately.

Just call me Safari Natalie because I'm fully cosplaying as someone who tracks wildlife for a living. Sometimes your fit has to commit to the bit. And I have a working theory on utility wear: the second you add a chest pocket, you're contractually obligated to look like you're either herding cattle or reporting for duty, no in-between. Luckily the leopard flats are chic enough to cancel out both alternative career paths. I’m a corporate girl, after all.  

I know you don’t want to hear it, but Labor Day weekend is the last "real" long weekend of summer. That means this next week is also your last chance to wrap your head around what we all know is right around the corner: a jam-packed fall and a winter holiday rush that goes right into a nonstop new year. 

I know that sounds a little alarmist, but as someone who’s lived through a few fiscal EOYs, I can confirm that the last few months are always the craziest. So before September calendar planning turns to 2027 goal setting, use this little window of time to be intentional about how you’d like to spend these final months, both personally and professionally. 

Step 1: Open your calendar right now and block off any personal non-negotiables for September through December. I’m talking birthdays, trips, that fall wedding, even those blissful slow mornings you know help you start your day off right. Safeguard your time (and your sanity) before meetings and last-minute asks take over every open slot. Most importantly, have the "who's hosting what and when" holiday conversation with family and friends now, while everyone's still relaxed and tan, instead of in a tizzy in the group chat a week before Thanksgiving.

This little exercise also helps you look at your professional progress with a bird’s-eye view. Zoom out and pick one thing you actually want to achieve that advances your personal career goals. It should be one thing that is going to make a visible, noticeable impact. Big emphasis on one thing because, let’s be real: you still have other work responsibilities that will be vying for your attention. Focusing on one major win beats a wish list you only get halfway through.

Speaking of other responsibilities, this is a great moment to show that you're thinking big picture and taking the lead on keeping tasks on track. Schedule a Q4 priorities meeting with your manager and wider team. Set an agenda that takes account of all the big initiatives. Then use the time to discuss how to prioritize and execute each over the next three months. Timelines, roles and responsibilities – you’ll have them all covered from every angle. So when the chaos hits (it will), your forward-thinking leadership will be the guiding light that leads you and your team through the inevitable swirl.

Thanks for reading!