How to get better at small talk

Police move in at UCLA. Jenna's book pick for May. Our latest Start TODAY workout plan.   THIS IS TODAY May 1, 2024 [VIEW IN BROWSER]( THIS IS TODAY The LAPD responded to clashes between pro-Palestinian supporters and counter-protesters overnight at UCLA, while at Columbia, dozens were arrested as police cleared an occupied campus building. Plus, the six steps that helped one woman get better at small talk, and a new 31-day workout plan for May.   The Latest   [Live now: Police respond to violent clashes at UCLA after nearly 100 were arrested at Columbia](. The LAPD said it was responding early this morning due to "[multiple acts of violence](" within the large protest encampment on the UCLA campus. Clashes took place between members of a [pro-Palestinian group and counter-protesters](, the mayor's office said. The scene at UCLA came hours after police in New York used a truck and ramp to [breach a building at Columbia University occupied by protesters](. Officers cleared the area and arrested almost 100 people. [Here's the latest](. [💰 Trump was fined and threatened with jail for violating a gag order in his hush money trial.]( Former President Donald Trump was fined $9,000 by New York state judge Juan Merchan yesterday for [violating a gag order]( by attacking witnesses and jurors on social media. Merchan said in his ruling that "[jail may be a necessary punishment](" because his ability to fine Trump is limited under state law. Here are the other [big moments from yesterday's trial](, including a former attorney for Stormy Daniels taking the stand. [💬 I’m no good at small talk. So I went on a mission to get better at it.]( Writer Samantha Mann often found people slinking away from her at parties or shuffling off at the park when she [tried to make small talk](. She turned to the book "The Art of Small Talk” and decided to change her approach by using [6 simple steps to get better at it](. "I had assumed small talk was for me, when according to our experts, small talk is most effectively deployed when you think about it as a 'lift' for another person," she wrote. [See the tips she learned](. [📚 Read With Jenna's May selection is a book you’ll ‘fall madly in love with.']( Jenna Bush Hager's book club pick for this month is [“Real Americans” by Rachel Khong](, which is set in 2000 and follows three generations of the Chen family from Beijing to New York City to a small town in the Pacific Northwest. "It's a story of family and what we carry, what we pass down, secrets, and how they can divide us, and then bring us back together again," Jenna said. [Get your copy here](.       Start TODAY   Achieve your life and health goals with easy tips. Feel your best heading into summer with this [31-day, full body strength and cardio workout]( for May. The routine mixes in [three 20-minute strength routines a week]( using either dumbbells or resistance bands. We've also brought back the 100-mile walking challenge, which was a hit with Start TODAY members in January. [Get the plan here](.   What's for dinner?   Allow us to do the meal-planning for you Skip the heavy sauce for something lighter with this [creamy avocado pesto pasta]( from cookbook author and host Samah Dada. Roasted tomatoes add some fresh spring flavor, while red pepper flakes gives the dish some nice kick. [Get the recipe](.   Daily Delight   A little pick-me-up before you go. Three days before Christmas in 2000, police lieutenant Gene Eyster got a call about a [baby abandoned in a box]( at an Indiana apartment complex. He later learned that the boy, who he nicknamed Baby Jesus, had been adopted, and always wondered how his life turned out. Twenty-three years later, the retired cop received a call from a fellow officer who told him, "You’re not going to believe this, but Baby Jesus is sitting next to me right now. He’s my rookie." Matthew Hegedus-Stewart, 23, is [now a police officer himself in the same area](, and he [reunited with Eyster]( all these years later. “I’ve spoken to several of Matt’s supervisors and they have all said the same thing: He’s a kind officer, he’s a good kid,” Eyster told us. [Read more](.   Thanks for letting us in your inbox! See you tomorrow. Written by Scott Stump | Edited by Philip Caulfield Enjoying This is TODAY? Invite a friend to[subscribe here.]( Send us Feedback Follow us on Facebook More TODAY Newsletters 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_today) | [Privacy]( | [Contact]( [MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE](listvar=sub_today) | [PRIVACY]( | [CONTACT](