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!
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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
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"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/
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
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"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
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"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
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"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
Every now and then, a friend of ours might say something, or we might overhear a complete stranger say something that makes us stop in our tracks.
More often than not, what we can't believe we just heard is something so ridiculous, we can't help but put the person who said it in their place.
Other times, however, what we just heard might have stunned us silent because of how shockingly clever it was.
Resulting in our not wanting to scold or yell at someone, but rather give them a handshake.
Redditor SubmergingOriginal was curious to hear the sharpest and wittiest things they've ever heard, from friends and strangers alike, leading them to ask:
"Enough with the dumbest; what is the wittiest thing you've ever heard someone say?"
Don't Give Me So Much Credit...
'I was on a team at work that was on a project working insane overtime."
"One night after an 80-90 hour week, we were all sitting around the table trying to finish up so we could go home."
"Around 11, my buddy's wife called, dubious about the hours he'd been keeping."
"We heard her through the line - 'are you cheating on me?'"
"Exasperated, he looked at our boss, then replied 'honey, if I was cheating on you, I would have been home by now'."- lionbatcher
Eternal Optimism...
"Asked a blind guy if he'd been blind his whole life."
"He said 'Not yet'."- Feeling_Mode_6465
Free time Isn't The Only Thing He Has On His Hands...
"My brother got a vasectomy and when the doctor was releasing him and giving him instructions (with the nurse listening in), one of the orders was to 'come back and have a follow-up appointment after you’ve ejaculated 30 times'.”
"Without missing a beat my brother asked 'what time do you open tomorrow?'”
"The nurse couldn’t keep it together after hearing that."- UtahUtopia
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Double Whammy!
"My pal uses the phrase 'he doesn’t look strong enough to carry information' and it cracks me up every time."
"Calling someone stupid and weak in one fell swoop."- JennyW93
Can't Hide Your DNA...
'Whenever I jokingly insult my mum, she says 'that must be where you get it from'."
"She cracked the code."
"I can never offend her without offending myself."- JennyW93
Self-Sufficient!
"My brother was a line cook at a New Orleans restaurant."
"My mom was in town, staying at a fancy hotel, and he stopped by after work, still wearing his kitchen whites."
"He was reading a newspaper in the lobby waiting for her to come down when the shocked lobby manager sputtered at him, 'MAY I HELP YOU!?!?'
"He answered, 'thanks, but I know how to read',” and went back to his paper."- jobrody
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A Miracle!
"My brother-in-law’s comment."
"The entire family went out for my mother’s 80th birthday and after the meal we all went to a local park, largely occupied by the elderly, to rest."
"My mother needed crutches at this point, and they were resting against her bench."
"My 10-year-old niece, who looked like every starving waif image from Dickens, grabbed the crutches and started hobbling round the park."
"All the OAPs were following her progress with looks of pity until my brother ran up behind her, and kicked away the crutches."
"There was an audible gasp from round the park and then my niece picked the crutches back up and started chasing my brother, clearly intending to hit him."
"In the confused silence my brother-in-law’s voice rang out 'Praise be! She can walk again!'"
"We still think this was the highlight of the birthday celebrations."- DdraigGwyn
Still Legal, Whichever Way You Cut It...
"I picked up my pleasantly tipsy boyfriend from a nightclub."
"We were stopped by the Police for a random breath test."
"They asked me my age, and I said, 33."
"My bf blurted out '33? You told me you were 22'."
"Police just laughed and let me go."- Aggravating-Corgi379
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A Bit Too On The Nose?
"Business law class in college years ago, talking about the issues that black Americans had before the Civil Rights."
"Amendment, trying to travel through the south with the discrimination so rampant, trying to find restaurants to serve them and decent lodgings."
"My instructor was posing a hypothetical: 'So you pull up out front of this place, you're exhausted from driving for hours, and you see the sign out front says 'Ku Klux Klan Motel'."
"'What would you expect to find there?'"
"Without missing a beat, from the back of the room came this gem: "'Extra sheets in every room?'"- NedsAtomicDB
Not Yet, Anyway...
"I was working with my friend and his dad."
"My friend (26) heard an ice cream truck near where we were working."
"He asked his dad if he could have a couple dollars."
"His dad asked, 'what for?'"
"My friend told his dad that there was an ice cream truck in the neighborhood, and that they were playing music."
"My friends dad told him "'They don't charge anything to listen to the music'."- tatersalad1234567890
Words Escape You In The Literal "Heat" Of The Moment...
"A friend of mine is a teacher and her husband is known for his wit."
"She told this story to him:"
"One day at school a kid took the hall pass and returned reeking like smoke."
"She asked the kid if he’d been smoking and he denied it over and over."
"She was about to send him to the office when she noticed smoke coming from somewhere."
"She told the kid and he realized that he didn’t put his cig out completely and it was burning in his pants pocket."
"The kid noticed and frantically tried to put it out and someone finally poured water on it."
"Her husband sat listening to this with a weird look on his face."
"She asked him what was wrong."
“'What’s wrong???'"
"'This was probably the only chance you’ll have in your life to say literally, ‘liar,liar, pants on fire’ and you missed your chance'."- Luder714
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Amazing What You Might Say A Few Drinks In...
"When I went to a renaissance faire once, I went to a beer tent and ordered a Newcastle Brown Ale (seemed the most fitting for the surroundings)."
"The beer wench, without skipping a beat, said, 'Everyone wants a Newcastle - no one wants to remodel!'"- jayhof52
Read The Room People!
"My dad wiped out when skiing down a mountain and lost a ski."
"After a few minutes of hunting for it, he gives up, slings the one remaining ski over a shoulder and starts walking down the mountain in his ski boots."
"About half-way down, another skier stops and goes 'Gee! Did you lose a ski?'"
"My dad instantly replied 'No, I was out for a walk and found one!'"- PeterJoAl
There's a reason your mother always told you to "use your words".
As clever remarks can have a much more lasting effect on people than a push or shove.