I was pretty tired after work yesterday and got on the wrong bus without realizing it. I had my headphones in and only noticed when I looked up about 20 minutes later and didn’t recognize a single street. I got off and checked maps, and the next bus back wasn’t coming for almost 40 minutes. There was a little park across the street, so I figured I’d just sit there and wait. There was a guy playing guitar, a bunch of people walking their dogs, and this older couple sharing what looked like an enormous bag of fries. I ended up getting some food from a place nearby and just sitting there for a while doing absolutely nothing. No scrolling, no rushing home, nowhere I needed to be. I caught the bus back and realized I’d enjoyed those 40 minutes more than most of the evenings I actually plan.

I am a complete idiot.

There's this convenience store that I've been going to for years. It's literally only a short walk from my apartment. 99% of the time I do in fact walk there just because it's so convenient to. Well, this time I decided, without really thinking about it, to drive my car there instead so I can pick up some beef jerky and a Ghost.

And then I walked home, like I do 99% of the time.

Later, when I wanted to get McDonalds, I panicked when I saw my car wasn't there, so I called the police, told them what happened, and ended up pacing back and forth in front of my apartment building for like 30 minutes, only for them to politely inform me that they found my car at the convenience store...

So, yeah....If you're ever feeling dumb, read this post to feel better about yourself. Not my finest moment.

I am really getting sick of all the brain rot channels on youtube and social media in general. I saw an actual science channel on YouTube and it opened my eyes to another world. There was no AI, no gimmicks and cheap effects, none of that loud noise. Just really simple and grounded, educational, and you can learn a thing or two in a few minutes. I work now but I do miss school. Seeing this stuff is refreshing because I can engage with content I don't normally

Looking for more of this. Any subjects. Science, history, philosophy, math, etc. Even just having it on in the background makes me feel better.

I’m a big fan of Rocky Road ice cream, which is pretty unfortunate given it’s almost entirely absent from ice cream stores. I feel like I can remember it being a pretty core flavor in most rotations, but nowadays I feel like I don’t see it anywhere. Is the flavor just aging out? I wouldn’t think so it’s a pretty good combo but curious what other people think.. I live in the Midwestern United States

I would like to ask you few questions regarding the heightened state of my sense of smell following nose surgery. I'm looking for scientific and medical opinions as well as personal experiences and reactions. I'm very excited, so please excuse the length of the post. I just want to share this completely unexpected experience exactly as it happened.

I recently underwent surgery for a relatively minor displaced nasal bone fracture. The fracture, caused by accidental contact during sports wasn't very painful. Mostly bleeding and a visible bump.

The recovery was far more complicated: under anesthesia, the surgeon reset the bone and placed (unbearable) nasal packing and a splint. Aside from the severe pain (managed with strong painkillers) and my whole head feeling swollen, the sleep deprivation caused by the reflex to breathe through my nose just as I was falling asleep was by far the most unbearable part for 5 entire endless days.

After the packing was removed (sweet relief), I walked into my brewery a few hours later and was hit by a very strong smell of grains. It was completely different from before, slightly less malty, and leaning more toward bread or flour. I actually thought a grain bag had burst because the intensity of the aromas was 10 times stronger than ever before my accident, borderline overwhelming. I called my partner, and she told me it smelled exactly the same as usual, no more, no less. I've literally taken naps in this cold room before without any issue, just enjoying a mild, pleasant malty background scent. The bags are relatively airtight (clear plastic). Our garage also had a smell of damp paper or cardboard, not necessarily pleasant, but not awful either, that I had never noticed before.

When I walked into the kitchen, my partner was cooking a classic meal. She burst out laughing when she saw my dilated pupils and wide eyes, which instantly started tearing up. An almost unbearable, but incredibly amazing, smell of smoked chicken hit my nose. I had to step outside for a few seconds. Imagine my surprise when, picking at her dish, I discovered intensely flavorful plain rice, rich and fragrant chicken, and subtle little vegetables. I never eat plain rice without sauce (usually too bland), and most vegetables leave me indifferent at best. She pointed out that since I had eaten almost nothing for days, my stomach was probably playing tricks on me. But no, this dish was far tastier than any meal I had ever had.

I then decided to smell and taste everything: meals, desserts, fruits, beers, hops. While all the flavors were somewhat familiar, they now seem different. Sometimes more floral, meatier, toastier, fruitier, and more nuanced, but above all 10 times more intense. My own beers, which I thought I knew perfectly well, were very different, not all necessarily better, but more intense and distinct. The hibiscus seems less fruity and round, but more floral. Definitely sharper and more intense. The hops bring tears to my eyes in seconds because I can't handle the intensity for very long. Floral, fruity, grassy, delicious. I rediscovered the pleasure of eating meat (which I had stopped doing): smelling the aromas of the flesh, its tenderness, the caramelization, and the delicate roasted flavor (which I used to just call a "burnt smell").

To give a specific example, I had a homemade dessert: crumble, lemon curd, and torched Swiss meringue. Usually, I ate each layer separately, otherwise the flavors seemed a bit muddled, or at least less pleasant. For the first time in my life, I smelled and savored the delicate toasted aroma of the meringue (which I thought was purely aesthetic and barely there), the sweet subtlety of a complex crumble (which I used to just call "the cake part on the bottom"), and above all, the combination of the three layers, which seemed so sharp and precise that it multiplied the flavors tenfold.

I always thought I had an average sense of smell. I even felt I could identify odors better than some of my friends and family. I'm quite afraid this might just be temporary and that I'll wake up without all these new sensations. I haven't found much information on the subject. I think I read that a deviated septum/nasal structure could prevent aromas from being captured at the top of the nose? Do you have any leads where I could look into this?

The questions I am asking myself now: (1) Have I been missing out on this my entire life? (2) Is this a consequence of the surgery, the painful removal of the packing, my mucous membranes being completely raw right now? (3) Am I going to keep this incredible sense of smell? How can I best preserve it?

And finally (4) Has anyone else gone through this?

(Goes back to the pantry to open spice jars one after the other)

I'd just shut down the house and settled into bed. Heavy eyelids, warm and cozy... And I hear my cat howl loudly for attention: a cat siren. That's a sound that signals human required, so I investigated. Sir Cat was seated at the end of the hall looking irked. I'd forgotten to close the gate to the kitchen. I closed it, and he walked away with a satisfied swish of his tail.

My dog is a counter surfer. There are countless stories of his shenanigans, including the mysterious disappearance of a whole roast, empty packages of items purchased earlier that day, and on one occasion, a half-eaten cake with frosting evidence found on said dog's nose. This same dog has also been to the emergency vet for a chocolate incident. Putting food away wasn't enough. Watching the dog wasn't enough; he wised up enough to notice when we were distracted and seized every opportunity. The Gate is required.

Cat did a great service to his family. He prevented the potential poisioning of his canine companion.

This is also the very same cat who is allowed on the patio and waits at the door for his dog to join him outside.

How smart are our pets? They know our routines and they know how to communicate with us to get their needs met. Do you have any interesting or funny stories about your pets?

I met a coworker a few years ago who was old enough to be my mom, and somewhere along the way our relationship became much more than just coworkers.

About two years ago, I asked her what I was to her, and she told me I was her “work daughter” and that she loved and cared about me. Since then, we've stayed close outside of work, our partners have gotten to know each other, and I've started calling her my “Second Mom.”

She recently retired, but if anything, that has made me realize our relationship was never dependent on work. She recently came to visit my fiancé and I at our new home, she's coming to our wedding with her husband, and we're already talking about seeing each other afterward.

Her mom has even started referring to herself as “Abuela” (grandmother in Spanish) to me and recently told me, “You're one of us.” 🥹

I know chosen family can mean different things to different people, but I'm incredibly grateful that life gave me this relationship. I love her to pieces. ❤️

Hey everyone! I’m really curious about real American home cooking. Not what people get at restaurants, but the actual everyday comfort food that almost every family eats during the week.What’s that one dish or food item that you’ll practically always find in a normal American household? Thanks!

I haven’t finished a book in over two decades. I got halfway through “American gods” during Covid but got discouraged when my friend finished it before I could even get half way through it.

Then, right before a long flight out of the country, I decided I should try again. I picked up “the road” by Cormac McCarthy and I gobbled it down in a week. I just finished “I am Legend” and picked up my 3rd book this month. I’m actually really excited to read now. And I’m really enjoying what I’m reading. I can’t tell if it’s what I’m reading or just where I am in life. But I’m not complaining!

like, my eyes are literally closing, I'm yawning, I know I have to wake up early tomorrow... but I just keep scrolling. tiktok, ig, reddit for what?? I'm not even enjoying it anymore. is this considered some kind addiction or just self-sabotage or something?

I started writing letters to strangers a little over a year ago.

At first I replied to almost everyone. I think I was just excited that someone, somewhere, had taken the time to write something longer than a message.

Eventually I got pickier 😹

Some conversations lasted two or three letters. Some just quietly disappeared. One has lasted more than a year.

The funny thing is, I don't think it has much to do with having the same hobbies or similar lives.

I think I keep writing when someone makes me curious. When they notice things. When I'm halfway through their letter and I already know there's something I want to tell them back.

I mostly write about very ordinary things myself - a café, a piece of fruit, something I saw from the boat, a weird little moment that probably wouldn't matter to anyone else.

Somehow that has been enough to know people surprisingly well.

Has anyone else had a conversation with a stranger last much longer than you expected? What made you keep coming back to it?

Every time I gain something new, it never makes me fulfilled. It makes me chuckle at myself a bit, because I keep forgetting. All of the stuff I own is in the way of the feeling of peace, and I've finally come to understand that thoroughly. The only problem is that I now feel like a bunch of crap I don't need and don't get any fulfillment from.

I have a feeling my life will be easier from now on.

Just moved out of a small room to a bigger one in a peaceful but lively town. The landlord is super kind and community minded. My previous one once attacked me midnight in the house we live in, for no given reason.

I quit vaping one week ago. I’ve been smoking (cigs/vapes) for six years exactly, started consistently sep 2020. Anyways, I’ve been messing w myself, deluding myself to believe I had no symptoms, but I have been excruciatingly grumpy and irritable- helps that I just moved to a different country so no one to be irritable towards which is good. A few days ago, I ordered my favorite meal, finally found crazy rich asian after searching for it every week to see if it arrived on Netflix, great day at work too left early suns out. When the starting credits rolled in I started crying, then I get freaked out I’m crying so I start laughing then eating then crying, I feel insane

I've been thinking lately about how much money people spend just for a brand name. Have you ever bought or encountered a high-end product or premium service that turned out to be absolute garbage? What was it, and what made it a total letdown?

I once met someone in an airport in another state. I spotted him across the airport with his guitar and smiled. He continued to walk closer, and it turned out we were on the same flight. I approached him to talk as we were waiting at the gate, and we started singing together while he played the guitar. A few people even approached us and asked for our band name. On the flight I scribbled my number and asked the flight attendant to bring it to the cute guy in the back of the plane. She was thrilled to and continued to pass notes between the two of us for the whole flight. It was like something out of a movie. The rest wasn’t, but nevertheless, I love the story. What’s your Meet Cute moment?

I was randomly thinking back on this the other day.

Back in seventh grade, I once had a mishap when I was changing clothes after gym class. I had been the last boy to return to the locker room after running track, and so there was only one set of clothes remaining. I remember I put on what I assumed was my shirt and pants, except the pants were WAY too small for me (I was one of the tallest guys in my grade, and those pants were NOT going to cover all my private areas).

However, I knew that every problem could be solved by a reliable adult, so I simply kept my gym shorts on, and I marched down to the cafeteria and told my coach the story.

Well, it turns out the coach didn’t know what to do. So he sent me to the principal. And the principal, well, he figured the best approach would be a direct one. So he had me accompany him to every single classroom, where we both stood at the front of the room, and he asked the class “has anyone seen [OP’s] pants?”

Needless to say, the other kids lost it, laughing. And I just stood there in my gym shorts, frantically analyzing each boy’s pants to see if they looked oversized.

And of course, just for good measure, the principal had me visit the 8th grade classrooms too (even though they had a different locker room).

But anyway, that’s how I spent much of high school as “the pants guy”.

And no, I never found them.

I made phở for my family dinner tonight. It was like 90% authentic, with all trimmings like Thai basil and mung beans sprouts.

I think I've never cooked a full Vietnamese dinner for my American family before. I'll have to try to do it more often!

What kind of dinners do you eat with your family?

A few years ago, my family were at an arcade playing the two-penny machines. There was an elderly couple on the machine behind us who had clearly been there for quite a while too. We’re talking quite elderly. We started making the occasional bit of small talk about the various toys and keychains we were trying to win.

Please note: the lady had a cough.

As time went on, we could hear the couple behind us laughing every time the coins fell, along with the occasional excited exclamation when they thought they were close to winning. We’d smile and laugh along with them.

Eventually, they finally won whatever it was they’d been trying to get. We all cheered, congratulated them, and had a little laugh together.

There was a brief moment of silence, before my dad looked the elderly man directly in the eyes, put a hand on his shoulder, and loudly said:
“You can both rest in peace now.”

Silence.

The couple gave a polite smile.

We all went our separate ways.

I have no idea what possessed him to choose those particular words, but I can only assume he meant it in the sense of “you can relax now that you’ve finally won.”

I think about it every time I see a two-penny machine.

I (44) cannot hear out of my left ear.

We just got two new neighbors, a lovely elderly woman, and a nice older gentleman.

Half of our conversations are, "I'm sorry, what?", "sorry, didn't catch that", or a lot of smiling and nodding while we have no idea what is going on.

The upstairs lady is my favorite, she pretty much shouts at me when she wants to chat. At least it's just us in our little block of apartments, so we can shout at each other and not bug anyone.

Yesterday I had the worst gut feeling about things going too well, surely something is gonna go bust. Well, tonight I heard mice in my freshly built house for the first time ever and also my car broke down. Anyone else having shitty day?

Looking for something new. I already cook and play a bit of chess, but I want something new.
So I’m curious about the opposite. What do you keep doing even though you’re genuinely mediocre at it, and what makes it worth it?

I feel like I’m losing touch with everything around me.

I’m at a place where I want to grow out of old habits and make changes but I don’t know where to begin. This is personality wise, where I want to be more and have a life.

I usually get told I’m a chill individual, I have moments where I act childish, behave immaturely, and irritate people just by what I do sometimes. I over complicate things so much, the basic things needs to be broken down for me to understand.

Some people characterize me as weird and socially awkward, and I’ve just stuck with that and let it stay with me up till now. I just want to make changes, to get rid of those negative perceptions about me for myself and those who I interact with.

I ask people, older and younger, what they do and what they’ve done to find themselves and know who they are, and it just leads me to acting differently or being more like them.

What are your thoughts?

Just curious. I don’t have much to say on this cause I’m unsure, all the waiting for things to happen and all the depressing things that go on in life as well as losing someone close even though I know everyone has an ending.

I’m not sure at this point I guess I’m just rambling now

I think unique details/features about cities and/or regions are cool—-local parades/festivals, sports teams and their rituals, interesting people, weird debates/rivalries that people absolutely lose their minds over, niche dialect words, monuments, statues, local parks, whatever. What’s something I wouldn’t know unless I lived in/visited your city for a while?

I’ll go first: I live near a historical water wheel that used to generate power, and the wheel still moves if you step on the…idk, pedals? Also, my high school had a funeral for a cockroach during the passing period and that made local newspaper (we…had a lot of roaches in general, especially early in the year, after they’ve had the summer to crawl freely through the building)

What is your favourite animal and why!

I have a few favourites, but I am a forever fan of orca whales. They’re stunning, unbelievably intelligent and sentient. They’re tough, and they love hard. Anddddd hello? Matriarchy, obvi!