Just after Christmas, my future sister-in-law sent me a message that contained the following phrase:
"Hopefully we've all met our quota for bad sh*t and the good sh*t begins."
Obviously, the universe took that as a challenge and snatched Betty White (gee thanks, sis!) so that didn't quite work out ... but she was onto something with the thought.
I spent 2021 writing about 2021 stuff ... which, let's be honest, was pretty intense.
From a news and current events standpoint, the year was like... like if a flaming dumpster was somehow swept up in a flash flood. Then that flash flood deposited the aforementioned dumpster into a toxic waste dump.
Dumpster-flames then ignited the dump itself; so now it's a whooooole site full of nuclear flames and toxic runoff - which triggers a swarm of murder-butterflies who use their wings to give you little papercuts in the webbing between your fingers.
Intense. 2021 was intense - but it wasn't ALL BAD.
We met our negativity quota, so let's start the year with an article that takes a different angle on things.
Reddit user UKnowWhat_UrAwesome asked:
"What is the most positive thing that happened to you this year?"
Cheers to these folks. And To Betty, who was always a positive thing happening to people.
To Health!
In Love Reaction GIFGiphy"Lost 107 pounds through diet, got my heart condition mostly under control, got only mild COVID."
"I have a genetic heart condition that really needed to be controlled. I was going through old pictures and was shocked."
"I started counting calories and going to the gym 3 days a week to lift weights with a personal trainer. I went from 290 down to 183."
- PoetBakerSlut
"This makes my cardiac nurse heart happy! Best wishes on continuing with your healthy lifestyle!"
- proximitysensor
Permission
propose the mindy project GIF by HULUGiphy"Asked my girlfriend's dad for permission to marry his daughter."
"He not only said yes; he said he could not imagine a man who could be better suited to marry his daughter, and to be called his son."
"He's a wood worker, and made the most beautiful ring box for us."
"Asking him was stressful, but for me asking her brother for permission to ask her out, was scarier than asking her dad for permission to marry her."
"So background, me and her brother are good friends, so I wanted to make sure he was okay with it. His words left me about speechless too 'Yeah, go for it, I've been waiting for a gentleman to take interest in her.' "
"It's been incredibly humbling how her family treats me, to them I was never the boyfriend or fiancée. To them I'm already part of the family, even the extended family treats me like kin."
- CaptnRiggen
Getting Out
Sad Alyssa GIF by Big BrotherGiphy"I got out of a relationship that was destroying my mental health."
"If I had stayed I can 100% say for certain that I would not be here today. I hate saying that because you shouldn’t blame suicidal thoughts on anyone - but my ex was emotionally manipulative and I’m still figuring out everything he did to me."
"It's the way that they make you think that everything happening is your fault somehow. I don’t understand why people feel the need to mentally destroy others."
"Honestly I think a lot of his issues stem from not getting enough attention from his mom as a child as well as major health problems. So dependency issues were a major problem for sure."
"I was in that relationship for 4.5 years and didn’t realize what he was doing to me until the last year and a half. By the time I was finally able to leave him I was a shell of who I was."
"I do hope he gets whatever help he needs, but I couldn't keep being his whipping post. I had to free me."
"I’m definitely getting counseling. I signed up for therapy legit right before I left my ex."
- Cheeserblaster
"As someone who is trying to walk away from an emotionally abusive person, I know that it’s not easy to leave. I’m glad you found the strength within yourself to save yourself."
- the_catw0man
Silver Linings
gilmore girls netflix GIFGiphy"A tree crushed my car, but I had insurance and I got a nicer car out of it."
- staggere
"And that’s big 2021 energy!"
- ifindmyselfinthepast
"Silver linings!"
"Love it - and love your outlook! Always best to focus on the positive side"
- UKnowWhat_UrAwesome
"Did you get a new tree though?"
- PoetBakerSlut
"I have two trees and that's about all I have room for, apparently."
- staggere
Like A Recent Parolee
Dave Chappelle GIFGiphy"I got fired from my job 2 weeks ago. For sending a resume’ to another restaurant."
"It was so toxic. I’m pretty broke but I feel like I’m a recent parolee!!"
"The whole thing was really sh*tty."
"The restaurant I worked at was sold. I’ve been there for over two years. The new manager didn’t like me and stop seating me tables. So my money dropped in half."
"It was a great place till this lady took over. Of course I was struggling gleefully having to jump on board with her insane ideas. So she wanted me gone."
"After a few weeks of this I could no longer sustain myself. I was forced into sending a résumé."
"The owner of that restaurant called up the owner of my restaurant and they called me up and fired me together."
"I relish kicking back now and reading all the terrible reviews about the place. LOL"
- palmveach1972
You need to contact a lawyer."
"You can’t be fired for sending out CVs and anything that is on a CV is with discretion so that other prick that rang your boss needs to be nailed to a f*cking tree, the scumbag!"
- The-Angry-Paddy
"Check with a lawyer; that may be grounds for unjust termination."
"Even if it's an 'at will' state. 'At will' doesn't mean you can be fired at any time for any reason; it just means it's easier for the employer to fire you."
"There's still (sh*tty) labor laws that restrict what you can be fired for."
- EmeraldN
This Amazing Adventure
Adventure Going GIFGiphy"I started a business with a few co-workers from my previous job."
"2020 was horrible. We had to take awful jobs and clients and still were in debt."
"2021 we landed our first big client. Not only were we in the green, but all the partners have salary and profit dist. that was above what we were making at our old job!"
"Our last meeting before the holiday break were spent talking about hiring employees, medical and benefits, etc. It's like I'm on this amazing adventure."
- shaka_sulu
People Share Dark Secrets From Their Profession The Public Doesn't Know | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Sometimes secrets are an integral part in making magic. Though many professions withhold truth from the public, some things we'd prefer to know. Do we really...A Real Hero
supergirl GIFGiphy"I am a single mother of 3, with a full time job, no child support or alimony."
"I bought a house on my own."
"It's not the most modern or upgraded home, but it's clean, safe, and has plenty of room for us. It's all mine."
"I bought the house with my own money and didn't need a cosigner."
- cinnamonbagel82
"That is awesome!"
- fire_fairy_
"You're a real life hero!"
- [Reddit]
Reunited
Giphy"I was trying to immigrate when the pandemic hit, so I got stuck in a different country away from my wife and kids for over a year."
"After a very long wait with almost no updates, the consulate opened back up and I was able to get my visa and cross the border as a landed immigrant!"
"We sold our old house and now have a bigger house with no mortgage."
"I also lost 60 lbs."
- Ljudet-Innan
"Fantastic news! I’m happy things are looking up for you & your family!"
- anna_bananas56
25 Again
happy reno 911 GIF by Comedy CentralGiphy"Had spine surgery to correct the injuries from a car crash back in 2017."
"For the past 4 years my legs and bladder would give out randomly. However, since I didn't have the terrible back pain the rest of the world is obsessed with no 'expert' or surgeon would even bother trying to help me."
"Finally found a surgeon who had seen my symptomology before and he said he could help me. Wow was he right lol!"
"Now my legs work again and so does 'everything else' haha!"
"I'll be 40 in Feb and I feel like my gift is feeling 25 again!"
- madg0dsrage0n
Alien Lizard Upgrades
alien high kick GIFGiphy"My kid was born at the end of 2020."
"I thought my kid looked normal when she was born, but old pictures make me realize it was mom hormones and she actually looked like an alien, so 2021 has been all about watching her grow from alien lizard to a walking talking toddler."
"The birth was super extra traumatic for me because she did gymnastics in the womb and got tied up in the umbilical cord and couldn't come out. They had to cut her out (after 36 hours of labor), and the doctor said it was like fighting Cthulu because she had got her arms, feet, torso and everything wrapped up in the cord."
"So 2021 was me healing from all the trauma. I could barely walk for two weeks after the birth, and now I'm finally back to exercising. I used to get panic attacks from the nurse taking my blood pressure, and now I'm back to normal."
"Also I read a book that made me rethink my approach to work and life, and found a new therapist for my adhd, and things have been a lot better!"
- sensitiveinfomax
Actual Possibilities
Happy Brandy Norwood GIF by Disney+Giphy"I started anti-depressants!"
"I didn't think they were working until I realized I wasn't just sitting around staring at the wall every day like I used to. I have hobbies again, and my thoughts aren't constantly about self harm!"
"It's been an incredible change, and even though I know I now have to make other changes in my life, it all actually feels possible now."
- Sea-Biscotti
Bringing Life Back
House Reaction GIF by MOODMANGiphy"We (fiancé and I, 32m and 30m) moved into our forever house on top of the hill in our village."
"It had been empty for 2 years and not shown much sign of life for a few years before that."
"Together we brought the house back to life and everyone we've spoken to in the village has been so excited to see the house lived in!"
- Consistent_Welcome_6
A Second Impression
The Office Hug GIFGiphy"I actually got to know someone I really despised when I first met them through online learning in person, and now he’s one of my best friends and I’m proud to say my first judgement of him was horribly wrong."
"He’s definitely made my year just a little bit brighter especially because I’m someone who didn’t have any close guy friends before (I’m a dude too so felt very insecure about that) so I think that’s been my highlight of the year and I’m always grateful for how it all turned out in the end"
- DarthConceirge
Multiple Streams Of Income
Make It Rain Money GIF by A Little Late With Lilly SinghGiphy"So last year we had a salary drop that evened out at 50%."
"In August this year, I started a new job in a completely different industry (with a 4x increase) that I am thriving in; and I got to keep my old job (because as much as the pay sucks I love it)."
"Having multiple streams of income has meant that I can start much needed maintenance on my house, pay school fees, have a full freezer, and put away a little for savings that will be more once the house is fixed up."
- DawnWillowBean
Watching Him Ring That Bell
seth rogen cancer GIFGiphy"My best friend beat cancer!"
"I was crying of happiness more than he was. I have known this guy since kindergarten, so finding out he beat cancer was the biggest relief ever."
"Watching him ring that bell made me so happy that I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. Glad to say I wasn’t!"
- Theboym88
Making The Dog Possible
Happy Butler Bulldogs GIF by Butler UniversityGiphy"I bought a house and adopted my dog!"
"Last November I left the job that was slowly killing me and started something new with better hours, better pay and better long term prospects. It made the house buying possible, which made the dog adoption possible."
"I've had the best 12 months of my life, which feels really weird to say with how the world has been."
- so_original27
That Mopey Cynical Boy Is Gone
Trans Day Of Visibility GIF by PlumeGiphy"I realized I was trans this year!"
"It was like having an explanation for why I was so unhappy and angry for so long. The day I realized it I was finally...happy.
I'm much happier mentally, now that I know who I truly am!"
"That mopey cynical boy is gone and a cute happy gal has taken the boy's place!"
- PowerOfL
Starting A Career
acting patrick stewart GIFGiphy"I got my career started."
"I graduated with my BFA in Performing Arts in May and immediately got a summer internship at a nationally renowned children’s theatre, got a fall acting job with a touring children’s theatre, and joined a professional murder mystery company that I have a few shows a month with."
"As one could guess, times are NOT great for live entertainment right now, so to have paying opportunities right out of the gate felt really good. I hope I keep up that momentum with audition season coming up."
- groundhogseatclover
Now that we know what went right for Reddit, it's your turn at the mic. Tell us what went right for you in 2021 so we can celebrate your wins.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
Most restaurant menus have caught up with the times to offer plenty of options to patrons with various dietary restrictions.
Vegan dishes tend to be a top priority, with gluten-free options being a close second.
Thanks to these options, groups of family and friends can dine together and not be limited by restaurant choices.
But when there's a sudden break in routine on the next outing, it can be jarring when the vegan in your group suddenly orders prime rib or a juicy burger that is not a plant-based patty.
What the whaaat?
Curious to hear from those who did a dietary 180 after routinely nourishing themselves with food grown from the earth's soil, Capital_Brain2676 asked:
"Vegans that started eating meat again, what happened?"
Some people were told what's good for them.
Point Made
"I know someone who was a vegetarian for 13 years simply because someone told them they couldn't do it. I guess he figured 13 years was enough to prove a point and went back to eating meat after."
– ottersandgoats
"I feel like 2-3 years would be enough though??"
– WebBorn2622
On A Dare
"I knew a girl in college who did that. She was dared in middle school to become a vegetarian and... she just stuck with it. More power to them."
– ComplexWest8790
Some people were left with no choice but to ditch veganism.
Thanks, Mickey Ds
"Got cancer. Ate whatever my body would take without throwing up and that just happened to be chicken nuggets."
– BratS94
When Choices Are Limited
"Homeless and pregnant = eat what I was given."
– anon
"I’ve always wondered this actually. If a homeless vegan eats what they’re given. I’ve given homeless people subs in the past because of veggies, protein, and carbs (all necessary things) and wondered if they would eat it if they’re vegan. I’m sorry you’ve been on that road. I hope things are better for you now."
– Saltwater_Heart
The Saying Goes
"There is a reason for the saying 'beggars can’t be choosers,' you give what you can/have and you can’t always accommodate the person you are giving it to, don’t think too hard about it. Also, hope OP is doing better."
– Reikotsu
Certain medical conditions prevented these Redditors from sticking to their restrictive diets.
Cooking For Two
"I still eat mostly vegetarian food and have done all my life. However my husband was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and coeliac which means that a high fibre/lower iron diet is not an option and a lot of the substitutes aren’t gluten free. More often than not when he has meat I’ll leave it or have the veggie equivalent but there are just not enough hours in the day to make 2 separate lasagnes and sauce etc."
– Chanel-Chic
Troublesome Ailment
"As someone who has UC, that's very cool of you to cook a more UC friendly diet. I dated a woman for 6 months who was a pescatarian. Every time I cooked, it was something we both liked and could eat. Every time she cooked, she focused on what she wanted and it didn't seem to matter whether I could eat it or not. She was nuero divergent and had it in her head that veggies = good regardless of what it did to my insides. For anyone who doesn't know, UC is inflammation due to my immune system attacking the lining of my colon. So it's inflamed (unless you're in remission, which a fair amount of people aren't). Large amounts of fiber makes the food sit there longer and get more packed, which hurts like all hell being tight up against inflamed tissue. And certain ones create gas of an unimaginable magnitude and strength."
"Anyway, a fair amount of the time, I had to order delivery or takeout because otherwise, I would have been farting or sh*tting my brains out overnight. So I appreciate what you've done like you wouldn't believe."
– Wishilikedhugs
Bye Bye Veggies
"My gastroparesis diet led me off my vegan diet as well. I can’t handle legumes, leafy greens, and most vegetables. Hard to be a healthy vegan without any of those."
– Jefauver
When Vegan Ingredients Turn On You
"Yup. Crohn’s Disease ended my 17 year vegetarian stretch. I’m in remission now and don’t eat red meat but I am sensitive to several vegan friendly ingredients like garlic, onions, cauliflower family and now I can avoid them without starving."
–friscodayone
Cooking For A Full House
"Back when COVID had everyone in lockedown, myself and my roommate's family would take turns cooking dinner and it was fine. Then my roommate went on the NOOM diet, her daughter was diagnosed with GERD and couldn't have anything acidic, and her husband was diagnosed with celiac. Oh, and another family member disliked potatoes. I finally had to bow out. It was way too much of a pain in the @ss to cook a meal that met all of those restrictions."
– panda388
Sometimes, you just gotta have meat.
Costco Chicken
"Not my story, but a good friend of mine was vegetarian, very nearly vegan for over 10 years. One day she was in Costco and walked past the rotisserie chickens. Without thinking she put it in her cart. When she got home she stood over the sink and ate it with her bare hands. She had no idea what came over her. Her telling me this story is still one of the funniest things I've ever heard. She is still very plant forward in her eating, but she won't hesitate to order a burger or a steak when she wants it now."
– NotAlwaysGifs
Ravenous
"I went on a weekend backpacking trip with a girl who had been religiously vegan for a few years. It was a pretty physically intense trip, and the last day heading back was in pouring rain the whole way, so by the time we got back to our car, we were absolutely exhausted, filthy, and starving."
"There was only one restaurant anywhere nearby, one of those highway diners. We get there and I notice she's got this kind of crazy look in her eyes. I ask if she's okay, and she just says 'I need a steak.' I laugh, but she goes 'I'm serious. I can't help it. I need a big greasy piece of meat right now or I'm going to die.""
"Sure enough, she orders the biggest steak on the menu, and wolfs it down in minutes, and the crazed look goes away. After that, she went right back to being vegan like nothing had happened. The look in her eyes was a little scary to be honest."
– AxelShoes
Unless it's a matter of life or death, there's no way I can survive being a vegan.
I don't have a strong enough will power to avoid eating meat.
So if that day ever comes when I'm forced to make a major change in my diet that won't include red meat and you're around me all the time, apologies in advance for my perpetual state of being hangry.
People's Wildest 'WTF Is Wrong With You?' Experiences
Reddit user nekorei2023 asked: 'What did the person do/say that made you go "what the f**k is wrong with you?"'
We all have that moment where someone we know says something so completely absurd, the only response we think of is 'WTF is wrong with you?'
Sometimes, it's something woefully inaccurate that you can't wrap your head around the fact that someone believes that.
Othertimes, it's something completely offensive and you regret your association with that person.
My college roommate was a girl I knew from my high school. I didn't know her too well, but we had some big things in common, so I figured it'd be fun to live with her.
This girl was half-Korean and talked a lot about racist people. At first, I let her rant, figuring maybe she or someone in her family faced some racism. I faced some myself, and I agreed with most of the things she said about racists. Eventually, however, I realized she was equating the word 'racist' with the word 'white.'
I spoke to her once, telling her she can't use 'racist' and 'white' interchangeably. She agreed to stop doing that, but within a few days, she started doing it again. She was a very bright girl, so I was a little concerned about this, especially since her own dad was white and was possibly the nicest man in the world. Not to mention, this made her and her siblings half-white too. Did that mean they were all half-racist?
I stuck by her for a while, but when she started saying things about what she wanted to do to racist people (once again using the word 'white' instead of 'racist'), I realized I couldn't be around her anymore. She couldn't talk about anything else after a while, and every time she spoke, I wanted to say, 'WTF is wrong with you?'
We did not room together the next year.
Redditors have stories similar to mine (and some even crazier), and they are eager to share.
It all started when a Redditorasked:
How To End A Friendship
"In college I used to kill time between classes hanging out with a guy who was from the same redneck county as myself. We didn’t really have much else in common, but he was nice enough and seemed eager to socialize so I figured why not. I wasn’t overly social myself and didn’t know a whole lot of people."
"One day we decided to go somewhere off-campus, and he drove us. While driving, on an interstate mind you, he proceeds to show me his handgun that he kept in his truck - not in a menacing way, but in a “Ain’t that cool?” way."
"I was not immediately frightened, but I respect firearms enough to recognize we are going like 60-70mph on an interstate in daylight, and nothing good can happen in this scenario. I calmly asked him to put it away because I was not comfortable in this situation at all. He then tells me “Oh it’s not loaded” and presses the gun to his head before pulling the trigger."
"Thank f**k he was right, but still it was a wild and frightening display of reckless disregard for his own life and mine for that matter in the event that he’d accidentally killed himself while driving us. I didn’t hang out with him much after that, certainly didn’t get in a car with him."
– omjf23
"“It’s not loaded” famous last words of many an idiot."
– GloInTheDarkUnicorn
The Worst Kind Of People
"When my dad was in the nursing home, they weren't running certain expenses, like ambulance rides, through his insurance. When I took over his financials, he was tens of thousands in medical debt that shouldn't have ever been charged to him in the first place. He was in numerous collections, and his credit score was tanked."
"When I complained to the nursing home director, he said, "Well, it's not like he's going to be buying a house or a car!" Then he laughed."
"My dad was paralyzed from the waist down and needed lifelong care, so he was never going to leave the nursing home. Even though he was technically correct, I gave him the "WTF is wrong with you look." Then I complained to HIS boss and he got canned a couple a weeks later. My dad's insurance was fixed pretty quick, too."
– MNWNM
"“Sorry, what was funny about that? Could you please explain.”"
– v3n0mat3
...Seriously?
"MIL told my wife she should divorce me bc I googled whether a lasagna should be covered with foil while cooking."
– Struggle-Silent
"This is my first laugh of the thread lmao wtf."
– koreantrvp
"It actually ruined this entire trip. It was at my BIL’s wedding, which was only close family (siblings + parents) and they had the caterer make a lasagna for an evening dinner."
"Father of the bride was gonna pop it in the oven and asked if it should be covered. I googled lasagna cooking instructions and said yes it should be covered and cooked at this temp. MIL said absolutely not!"
"Me and the father of the bride kinda gave each other a look and he covered it. MIL was furious and texted my wife that I was an a hole and she should divorce me before we had kids."
– Struggle-Silent
Hostile Work Environment
"Boss at old job told the team we needed to ‘get used to a healthy level of conflict, fear and anxiety in the workplace.’ I dipped so fast after that."
– Prestigious-Energy69
"Similarly, a boss told me that I owed him my loyalty because he was paying me."
– Kylearean
How To End A Relationship
"A girl I was with while we were still together just looked at me while I was driving to her house and said.” You know I would get over you faster than you’d get over me” I was like …… Tf did you just say?"
– omega91301
"Huh. And just like that I'm over you."
– Pineapple_Spenstar
"Honestly, that would absolutely do it for me. When I was younger, I would be stupid and hurt and argue. I'm past 50 and I got no time for that nonsense."
– Terpsichorean_Wombat
There Are Other Ways To Stave Off Boredom
"I was DD for some buddies who wanted to go to a particular dance club in Baltimore. They're all hammered, it's too loud and we've been there for several hours. Casually an older woman next to me chats me up and notices my eyes are nearly crossing from boredom. I explained what I was doing there and casually (stupidly) mentioned I'm a bit bored. This psycho BITES ME on the chest! Afterward says "Well ya ain't bored now, are ya??""
– Mike7676
"Well, were you bored after that?"
– DontWannaSayMyName
"I must say, I was not!"
– Mike7676
That Goes Both Ways!
"I'm a man who works with kids, and when I started this job, I was talking to one of my old coworkers about how every once in a while I'll get weird looks for being a man working with kids and my coworker said I deserved it because some men can't be trusted with kids. I was shocked and she went on to say that I did it to myself and deserve to be questioned about it. I immediately stopped talking to her."
– Dolhedew
"What? What in the actual f**k? Doesn’t she know there are women who can’t be trusted with kids?"
– Anonymoosehead123
That Escalated Quickly
"The lady that accused my kids of cutting the line. (They hadn't, I was watching). When I went to ask her what was wrong, she told me to go back to my own country with that sh*t. (I was born in Massachusetts.)"
"The line was to pet dogs at a Renaissance Fair."
– pasafa
Everything All At Once
"While alone with a coworker, he told me that "women in the work place will lead to the decay of the fabric of society" to me. A woman. He also asked me out, got an attitude when I didn't say yes and continues to walk around with huge incel energy. He always complains that he has no one to go home to yet refuses to look at himself as a possible reason."
– Nopeferatu31
"Sounds like they should learn something from the phrase, "if you meet one a**hole, they're the a**hole. If everyone you meet is an a**hole, you're the a**hole.""
– tmpope123
Ouch!
"I told a coworker my wife had died."
"Her response: "You're one of those bald middle aged guys with a dead wife.""
"Me: "Yeah.""
– WalrusCello
"I want to think this was a wholesome thought that came out wrong. An awkward attempt at dark humor."
– ThisUsernameIsTook
*Cringing*
"Had an otherwise normal co-worker who was completely convinced windmills will cause the earth to stop spinning."
– Shadowmant
"WINDMILLS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY! GOOD NIGHT!"
– Torvaun
These are all crazy 'WTF is wrong with you' stories, but that last one blew my mind in 'how is it possible people think that could be true' sort of way!