
It feels like life never goes the way you want it.
Hopefully.
Reddit user, u/calllmejz, wanted to hear when nothing was ever the same again when they asked:
What was that specific moment that completely altered the course of your life?
Sometimes the change comes from elsewhere, a place you couldn't see coming. That can be good, as the unfamiliar leads to strong, explosive choices, shaping your entire life.
What Are You Doing With Yourself?
"A conversation with my girlfriend at the time after a date talking about school. She came from a difficult background and told me about how she had managed to pay her way though college by working multiple jobs and pull a near perfect GPA. I had been a mediocre student in high school and It made me think "I really have no excuse." she inspired me to be a good student and set high goals and now, 4 years later, I graduated summa cum laude and got accepted into MIT for my masters. Oh and by the way, we got married and she still inspires me :)."
Someone Lied To You
"The day i took some cocaine that was clearly not cocaine. It was awful I didn't sleep for 3 days was incredibly ill and depressed, only one eye dilated so I was convinced I'd given myself brain injury. It was terrifying but i never took hard drugs again and I [believe] that day is the reason I'm not a junkie now. Instead I have a great boyfriend, lovely house and job I enjoy."
The Right Book Can Solve Everything
"As a kid, I was really into reading books and writing stories. Whenever I'd think of high school or college, it always involved me taking Eng Lit or something and being one of those literary types."
"So one day when I was 12, I was looking for something to read in my dad's study. After a lot of searching, I decided on this book called The Music of the Primes. And oh man, that book changed the direction of my life completely. As soon as I finished it, the spark had been ignited. All of a sudden, math made SENSE."
"In my free time, I started to research math formulas and experiment with them. I read about famous mathematicians and important problems in mathematics. I also got extremely interested with engineering as a whole, with my math skills powering me through subjects that I didn't like (e.g. chemistry). My good grades in math later on got me accepted into colleges, and here I am now, about to go for a math major in college."
"So yeah, I often wonder how different my life would've been if that fateful day, I'd just decided to pick up a different book."
A Supportive Comment Can Change A Life
"When I was 14 years old and just started making Minecraft videos on YouTube, someone randomly left a supportive comment. As a result I subscribed to their channel, joined their server, and met people I'm still friends with 9 years later. Our group began to meet regularly at a gaming festival which defined my teenage years and gave me my first taste of independence. Someone I met in that group encouraged me to get into programming, which led to me studying computer science at university, where I met all of my current best friends, along with culminating in my current job and my current house."
Oh Yeah. The Worldwide Pandemic.
"University pulling me out of practice because of Covid when I was due to qualify in summer 2020"
"Still waiting to qualify rn which has of course altered a lot of where I thought I'd be rn :')"
Best Excuses For Late Assignments That Were Actually True | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Don't Let Any Teacher Tell You Anything Otherwise
"Mine's definitely not as grand as a lot of the others, but when I was going into third grade, I changed schools. My new teacher, while being good in a lot of ways, had very clear favorites. She had "Explorer's Club", which was basically the kids she had picked as the smart kids getting special attention and doing extra projects - except it was only the kids who had already been at the school and thus had a good reputation. None of the new kids (myself included) were invited to join. She had no idea I existed - I would frequently not turn in assignments and major projects, and she wouldn't even notice. I felt so frustrated that no one seemed to notice me."
"Through the rest of elementary school, I was pretty average, but when middle/high school rolled around, I realized that I, along with everyone in my class, had a fresh start, as none of our elementary school reputations carried over to our new teachers. I took as many hard classes as I could, tried new clubs and sports, got involved in student government, etc. If I hadn't been so desperate to be seen as one of the "smart" kids, there's no way I would've tried the stuff I did, and I really loved it. To any middle/high schoolers reading - try new things! You have no idea what you might end up loving!"
Obviously, the easiest change to pinpoint comes from the romantic side of things, where we can see how our partners have shaped and changed us over time. Typically, the change began the moment you started talking but sometimes it can come a lot sooner than that.
Was The Chest Waxing Not Long After?
"I went to see the movie 40 year old virgin at the theater."
"That movie was about me. I worked at circuit city, he worked at circuit city. I rode my bike to work, he rode his bike to work. I collected action figures and painted models, he did too. I had never had a girlfriend, neither had he. I was awkward around girls and he was too. I wasn't 40 but I didn't want to be like him."
"I went home and immediately packed up most action figures and sold them. I ripped the dragon posters off the wall and trashed them. I made it a goal to at least talk to some girls and try to ask them out. Within 2-3 weeks I had gone on a date or two. It still took a few years but after about 3-4 years I ended up with the woman I'd go on to marry and have kids with."
He Got That Good Hair
"The guy who walked into my psych class in college and sat in front of me. I liked everything about him but I fell in love with his hair first. Sadly his hair did not last as long as our relationship - 43 years and counting!!"
Waiting One More Day
"For me, it was deciding not to delete Tinder for one more day back in 2018. If I had deleted it the day I planned to, I never would have received the message from the man who is now my husband. I wouldn't even know he existed. Because of that decision, I am the happiest I have ever been in my life."
These are the big ones, the moments that radically shifted everything we thought we knew forever. Big budget movies only wish they could have life-altering ramifications like these.
Sounds Like Two Big Events
"The day I got expelled for something I didn't do. Not only did it mess up my future college plans, but it destroyed my trust in the people in power around me."
"Also the day I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I now have an amazing family and couldn't be happier."
Witnessing What's Waiting For You If You Just Try
"I'd had a huge fight with an abusive mother that had a mental breakdown (throwing stuff, calling family to say I'd attacked her, screaming, hitting me etc) went to a friends house and stayed there for a month. Experiencing that freedom and independence and seeing his life pushed me to find a way to obtain my own freedom. I'm now moving in to my own place next year after living in a hostel."
"I distinctly remember standing on his balcony and realising I would either die or get to where he was and I refused to go back. I regret nothing."
Cash Or Life?
"When Pennsylvania raised the cigarette tax by almost $3 a pack. I quit that day after smoking a pack a day for over 10 years, haven't had one since. Only decent thing the state of Pennsylvania has ever done for me lol."
The Choice Is Made For You
"I was diagnosed with cancer at 19; I was pursuing a career in the culinary arts, loving life and all that. Now, I'm 37, I've had 8 different instances of cancer thanks to a genetic mutation that makes me randomly develop melanoma tumors."
"I'm on disability, and cooking a single meal is exhausting most days. I've spent my entire adult life focused on this battle. I gave up having children, a job, a business—but I'm alive, so…yay?"
Be aware, keep your ears open, and look for the signs. Change is always coming so long as you can be aware of the shifting tides. Don't be afraid of it, as any specific moment can lead you to that next great thing.
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Have you ever heard of a certain job that people call a career and thought... "PEOPLE PAY YOU FOR THAT?!?!"
All hard, honest work is good work.
And then there is just trash work.
And I don't mean garbage collection, that is honest work.
I don't know how some people live with themselves.
Redditor MrTuxedo1 wanted to discuss the careers they don't believe people should chase. They asked:
"What job do you have no respect for?"
Ticket scalpers. How do you the audacity to say that's a job?
Actual burglars have more empathy.
Disrespectful
"There are debt collectors who call relatives of the deceased to pay off their debts when they are not legally obligated to."
Top_Gun_2021
Shady. Shady.
"Australian Real Estate Agents. Laws don't seem to apply to them. Just as dodgy in sales and rentals alike. Never seen anything like it overseas."
snave_
"I'm in the US, it can vary state by state but my state is pretty strict on realtor laws. Some states require attorney review and there are definitely penalties for being reported for shady sh*t. It does require consumer reporting though."
ilostmytaco
Etransfer
"Where I live, tax info was leaked and now scammers are targeting low income individuals/families (people earning under 30,000 per year) with etransfer scams. I got one the other day that was an etransfer warning that 240$ 'a family member sent me' was about to expire."
SnowyInuk
"That’s disgusting. The scammers know what they’re doing, they know the harm they cause people and yet they don’t care."
surelysandwitch
Should be illegal...
"MLM managers. Not the low level idiots that get suckered into it, they suck too for trying to bring new people into that sh*tshow, but the people who create them know exactly what they are doing and are pretty much the only ones who profit off of it. Should be illegal. Pyramid schemes are illegal. None of them ever get the just desserts except occasionally by vigilantes I assume."
Wereno
I hate debt collectors. Yeah, you calling me one hundred times a week is going to miraculously make money appear.
Animals
"Paparazzi."
VictorBlimpmuscle
"I met Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey from Game of Thrones) at a bus stop in Dublin. Really nice guy but he said he quit acting due to people being nasty online and constant hounding from paparrazi. He's happier now but it sucks that he was pushed away from a career he was quite good at."
goobi94
Scumbags
"The pastors at mega churches whom ask their followers for money for private jets. Absolute scum to abuse others faith for your own greed."
ichancho
"Brian Tamaki is a greedy freaking pig, he takes advantage of so many people who are already struggling. Every time he’s in the local news (which btw is often) I get more and more pissed off at him and his wife. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Tamaki "
surelysandwitch
it’s a thing???
“'Dating Expert.' Sadly it’s a thing. It’s basically a self appointed title that requires no training or qualifications. What’s worse, is that I have a female friend who uses one. It’s very much a blind leading the blind situation."
Mean_Manufacturer_61
"Most of the self proclaimed “dating coaches” I know are women in their late 30s or early 40s who have never been married or had a longer relationship."
ipozgaj
EVIL
"Poachers. Especially big game poachers who purposefully hunt nearly extinct animals from species they know they are on the brink."
"I know there are poachers that come from rural villages who are trying to just put food on the table, which has my sympathy but poachers who come from money and hunt down animals minding their business in most shelters or restricted areas just to put a head on their wall as a trophy are absolutely heinous."
GetterdoneObiwan
I See It All
"Psychic Mediums. Specifically those who prey on the grieving."
JamesDeadite
"I've always found it interesting how many magicians go after people like this. I think it's because they know what it takes to trick people for the art. The slight of hand and mentalism. And they abhor people who use these tactics for such sh*tty purposes."
34HoldOn
I want so bad to believe in psychics and mediums. What say we on that topic?
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The nose is constantly being attacked by odors of the world.
Going through one day without having to hold my breath during a certain point, is a miracle.
Of course, I'm a New Yorker, so I maybe exaggerating for people in the countryside.
What's funnier is odors that are pleasant, that shouldn't be.
Have you ever looked and something and thought... "yuck."
But then you smelled it and it was like... "oh lovely,"
Redditor HappQueue wanted to know what aromas are arousing to the senses that may come as a surprise to many. They asked:
"What smells good but shouldn't?"
For some odd reason I love the things burning. Anything, food, pots, pans. You name it. Weird.
Blow
"Matches/candles on a birthday cake. I remember lighting matches as a kid purely to blow them out and inhale that sweet match-y smell."
semispooked
"guilty good"
"I work at a Chemical plant. We make a highly acidic product that is dark blue, viscus, highly corrosive, and smells exactly like Fruit Loops. It is incredibly disturbing."
Turin082
"Organic chemistry has many 'guilty good' smells. Thiophosgene (sulfur derivative of a chemical weapon used extensively in WW1) apparently smells like meat. Phosgene is used to make polycarbonate, thiophosgene is used to make some sulfur-containing molecules which eventually end up in therapeutic drugs."
HammerTh_1701
I can't huff it...
"Paint, specifically house paint. I love the smell. But anytime I hear that anyone is painting a room or their house, I volunteer. I just love sitting on the floor in a room that's been freshly painted, closing my eyes and just inhaling that slightly chemically, slightly creamy aroma."
Neowza
A Hint of French...
"A fish and chips shop burnt down as couple blocks from work a few years ago. The whole neighborhood smelled amazing for days. Just the slight hint of French fries. Nothing overpowering. It was so awesome. Until I found out someone was trapped in the fire and died."
stevey_frac
Drag
"Race fuel. Instantly puts me in a good mood as it reminds me of going to the drag races with my dad when I was young."
garfnodie
Fuel and matches get me too. And they sort of go together. Interesting.
Just like the Movie...
"The water from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Mmm, bromine."
Stalkerslovemy
"This is one of my favorite scents of all time, and Disney is very aware that people enjoy it. Evidently it’s a lot harder to recreate than just adding bromine to water."
cash4panties
"black widow".
"There's a chicken wing restaurant near my house that has a challenge sauce called "black widow." The owner claims it to be around 500,000 scovilles. A few years back some buddies and I decided to try them, the sauce was a dark molasses color and smelled almost like a BBQ sauce, no hint of the danger that lurked at all. We each grabbed one wing and it went terribly. I don't know how something so spicy could smell so innocent."
Final-Chapter
Endless Weekend
"Hotel/rented rooms whenever you go on vacation. There's this particular smell that just says 'you are on vacation,' especially on a beach/swimming trips/out-of-the-town vacays."
Yummy_Llama
"Bath and Body Works has a plug-in scent called Endless Weekend that replicates that scent (to my humble nose)."
Exxcentrica
"oh no..."
"Someone you are attracted to's body odors. Anyone else who is slightly unhygienic smells repulsive."
Mini_gunslinger
"I remember back in high school a girl leaned over, sniffed me, told me that I smelled really good, and asked me what cologne I was wearing. I asked if she was joking, and she's like, no, you smell really good. When I told her I had just gotten done with gym class, she gets a small 'oh no...' look on her face and turns away. I think we both had a revelation that day."
user deleted
That Smell
"The smell inflatable things give off. I have no idea how to describe it, but it’s… nostalgic? to me."
crestfxllen
I do love the smell of plastics and inflatables. Ahh....
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At one point in time, we've misplaced things that we've considered priceless possessions.
It's hard to imagine how to go on without the lost object–whatever it may be–but over time, it becomes a distant memory and we move on.
That is until we magically find ourselves presented with this opportunity proposed by Redditor mikehotel288, who asked:
"You find yourself in a room with everything you’ve ever lost in your life. What do you look for first?"
There are necessities people cannot do without.
No More Dry Lips Ever Again
"Gonna be a lot of chapstick in that room."
– camefromxbox
There are things that bring us comfort and are irreplaceable.
Safety Blanket
"My baby blanket. It became tattered over the years—to the point where I couldn’t reasonably wash it anymore—so I had to throw it away a little while back."
"I have heavily regretted that decision. I was really attached to it (hence it being in tatters), but I really wish that I kept what was left of it instead of throwing it away. Just knowing that I’d still have it would be a huge comfort to me."
– Uearie
Sentimental Heirloom
"The pendant my dad had made for me with my grandmother’s engagement diamond. It was 2 carats. It disappeared from a Las Vegas hotel room 20 years ago. It was hidden deep in a suitcase where it would not have been easy to find. It was just GONE. Cops didn’t do anything. Didn’t even come to take my statement. Cleaning lady said she thought she saw an elderly man enter my room. The guy I was with was not sympathetic in the least. Entire situation was f**ked. I’m still so upset about it."
– MaritimeDisaster
Lone Shark
"My plastic shark toy I lost when I was 10. Ain't no f'king way it just VANISHED."
– Guilty_As_Charged__
Not everything lost is tangible.
Tick Tock
"The time I wasted."
– shinyfennec
It Holds Value
"My private key with 6 BTC in it."
– Significant_Mirror19
"I didn't lose one, but I'll check my room for yours just in case."
– Smodphan
Finding Purpose
"The reason I walked into the room."
– Lloyd_lyle
Lost Opportunity
"That one girl i spoke to on omegle lol"
– h-amishh
If only we get to reunite with those we've lost.
The Loved Family Member
"My grandpa."
– Splatty_boi_420
Grieving Parent
"My daughter. She’ll be in my brother’s arms. So I’ll find both things I care to look for."
– SeeTheFence
Missing Mom
"My mom. She died of cancer in 2017. She never got to meet my daughter. I miss the hell out of her and wish she was still part of my family’s life."
– X-Arkturis-X
The Animals That Come Into Our Lives
"My pets that have passed: especially my horse, Blue. It's been 4 years, but it feels like just yesterday."
– Baciandrio
While many of these scenarios are unlikely, the thread gave people an opportunity to reflect on the things that made a strong impression on their lives.
Sometimes, the memories of the things we've lost–whether they are random objects or sources of love–is all we have.
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What's worse than returning home from a night out or a workday and discovering your home was broken into? Being home when the break-in happens.
Home invasions are a common trope portrayed in horror films like The Strangers and Funny Games, and they're absolutely terrifying because they are based on real-life incidents.
Redditor silentagent47 asked strangers to consider this horrifying hypothetical.
"You have 5 minutes to prepare before a guy breaks into your house with the intention to kill you. You can not exit your house. What is your strategy to survive?"
The hunter becomes the hunted, inspired by TV and movies.
Duplicating A Scene
"There was an episode of Burn Notice where Michael puts aerosol cans in the microwave with kitchen utensils and hits popcorn button. I really want to know if this works or not."
– JohnSterlingSanchez
Epic Burglar Trap
"Speed-watch Home Alone."
– pluribusduim
It's about the choice of weapon.
Jump Scare
"I get the vacuum cleaner ready in a certain room, I turn it on as hes about to enter to create a distraction, then I jump out when he's inspecting the noise and bonk the f'ker on the head with the piece of 2 inch steel tube I keep as a weapon."
– BustedBastard
Beware of Dog
"Unleash the Hounds"
– myassonreddit
Make A Weapon
"Duct tape a bunch of knives to the end of one of those tall lamps to make a spear of blinding and then proceed to go sicko mode."
– DubTheeBustocles
Preparing For A Thwack
"Turn shower on, for some reason I have a shovel behind my wardrobe?? So grab that. Wait for him to check shower, whack with shovel. Boom."
– hypersp00p
It's Just A Game
"Corner camp with a shotgun."
– Arrow3619
A Warm Welcome
"Hairspray and a lighter to his face."
– WorkingClassSheep
The effectiveness of these tactics are questionable, but points for creativity are warranted.
Stand Still
"Put a lamp shade on my head and stand in the corner of the room."
– Cannabis_Sir
Make It Erotic
"I turn on all the lights, take off all my clothes, rub butter all over myself, and start a fake conversation on the phone. As soon as he breaks in I say into the phone: 'I’ve gotta go, my next appointment is finally here…”
– FrankieTheAlchemist
Forget The Stairs
"Go to the LIVING ROOM."
– on-oath-never-again
Removing The Element Of Fun
"Draw an X on my forehead and grab a beer."
– Candycoatedmuffin3
And that's why I would opt for living in a commune or apartment complex.
People who own houses are just asking for forced entry.
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