People Break Down Which Topics They Could Talk About For 30 Minutes With No Preparation
Everyone has their own areas of expertise.
Not necessarily something related to their professional field, but more one of their great interests or passions, which they almost unknowingly learned about over time.
And as a result, should said topic arise during a group gathering or dinner party, they'll be able to talk about it for hours.
Much to the delight, or dismay, of their friends and family.
Redditor NikonDexter was curious to learn people's hidden knowledge on which they could provide an impromptu lecture, leading them to ask:
"What topic could you talk about for 30 minutes with no preparation?"
People believe anything I say.
"Anything, as long as nobody’s fact-checking me."- Left_Complaint1604
You think the werewolves in Twilight are scary?...
"Why most modern interpretations of classic folklore creatures, werewolves, faeries, vampires, etc., are less scary than the original stories."- Applesintheorchard
Don't even get me started...
"Why people who don't use turn signals are f*ck heads."- scotsworth
Red Car Headlights GIF by 7-LightsGiphyWhenever I need to vent...
"All the stupid sh*t my coworkers do."- DerpWilson
Tell me it's just a game...
"Video games most likely."
"I could easily talk about one of the Ace Attorney cases for 30 minutes."- zettasyntax
"Warhammer 40000."
"It won't be a quick 30 minutes."- Son_of_steven19
Video Games Game GIF by For Better or for WorseGiphyThe force is strong...
"How f*cking incompetent the Jedi order are."- species-baby
Just listen
"Music."- Love-In-Veinz
Varied interests...
"Metal."
"Both the fabrication material and the music."- Faythlessly
Everyone has a passion that they will never tire of learning.
But, don't be surprised or offended if your friends and family don't seem as interested.
That just means you don't have to pretend to be interested in what they start talking about...
People Share The Best Tips And Tricks For Young Adults Living On Their Own For The First Time
Living on your own for the first time can seem like a walk in the park—you're finally free to do what you want, when you want. But it's not all sunshine and roses, since living by yourself means you have to handle any unforseen crises that come up, and you have to do your own laundry.
Reddit user nebair asked:
"What are some tips and tricks for young adults living alone for the first time?"
Be Prepared
"Plunger and a fire extinguisher are better to have before you need them."
"While you're at it, get a fireproof blanket too. And make sure you have a working fire alarm (there's usually a test button)."
"And a Carbon Monoxide alarm, especially if you have gas anywhere in your place."
"There are different types of plungers for different uses. Learn them and find a store that sells the one you will most likely need."
"Most stores, especially dollar stores, will likely sell only one type. Make sure you know which one you're grabbing."
"Fire extinguishers should have different types, too. Learn what each one is good for what fire. Grease fire from cooking? Candles tipped over?"
"Class A: Solid fires"
"Class B: Liquid Fires"
"Class C: Electrical fires"
"Class D: Chemical fires (think a galaxy note 7)"
"Generally, you should have a few class ABC extinguishers around, as well as a class BC just outside of the kitchen (not in the kitchen or it's not of much use if the whole kitchen catches fire)."
Treat Yourself Right
"Think you're having a relationship with future you. You do nice things to your SO, right? Do the same with future you."
You Really Won't
"You're not going to clean it up later. Just do it now and get it over with."
"Same thing with laundry. If you are thinking about doing it, you have free time to do it. Trust me. You never think of it when there is no time for it. Best to do it then."
"And set a timer so you don't forget about those clothes you put in the washer."
"No one likes coming back the next day to find out your clothes all smell of mildew and you have to start again."
$$$
"Everything is more expensive than you think it is and will only ever get more expensive."
"It's all the little things you don't always think of: paper goods, soap, common food staples, garbage bags, etc. You won't buy them every time you go to the store, but you'll feel the impact when you run out."
Rent First
"Budget wisely, pay the roof down. Rent first, then utilities, then phone, internet etc. But always the roof first."
"There are some great budgeting apps out there that can help with this - they really let you see where your funds are going."
These Actors Seemed Miscast But Absolutely Nailed The Role | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
The Actors Who Seemed Miscast But Absolutely Nailed The RoleFew people bought into the idea of Bryan Cranston in the role of Walter White before Breaking Bad...Meal Prep Is Your Friend
"Meal prep and meal planning are your friends. Not only will this save you money because you won't be wasting food you get at the store but you'll be less likely to order takeout."
"Be prepared for expenses. Try to sock a few bucks away each month for emergencies. Even if all you can afford to squeeze out of the budget is $10/month ... DO IT! And don't touch that money unless it's a legit emergency. Needing pizza/beer money/new video game/new clothes/etc is not an emergency."
"The library is your friend. Borrow books - like cookbooks - to learn new skills and pass the time. Borrow cds and dvds and possibly even video games depending on your local library's stock. It can save you a few bucks here and there and gets you in the habit of being thrifty and socking more money away in that emergency account."
Buying In Bulk Really Helps
"Buy non persihable foods in bulk. Rice and beans go quite far, for example."
"Get a good quality kitchen knife, it makes a world of difference in prep work for cooking. It doesn't need to be exorbitantly expensive, just not some cheapo crap from Walmart or Amazon."
"Set schedules for yourself. It is very easy to get used to lounging around with no one telling you to do laundry or house chores. Keep yourself disciplined, but don't forget to reward yourself too!"
Not Optional
"Cleaning is not optional."
"I found that it helps to create a cleaning schedule--ex. dishes every day, laundry every week, bathrooms every other week, vacuum once or twice a month, etc. And then you ignore the schedule and have to clean like crazy ten minutes before company arrives."
"'Don't put it down, put it away' is a mantra I chant to myself often."
You Never Know
"Get your locks changed in case anyone out there has a key."
"And if you have a garage, reprogram your remote. You don't have to buy anything, just press some buttons."
"You'll need to check with your landlord first as a lot of apartment complexes don't allow you to change locks."
Peace Of Mind Is Priceless
"Get a light by your bed. For some reason, every now and then, I get this crippling anxiety that there's someone in the room when I wake up. It could just be a creak from the wind but once the lights on and you can see there's nothing you can go back to sleep without any worry"
"Get a blinding light pointed toward your bedroom door you can turn on from the bed."
You Never Know When You'll Make A Mess
"Get cleaning supplies before you need them."
"At the very minimum, have scouring powder and dish soap. Most household cleaning can be done with a dilute solution of vinegar and water."
"And there is NO substitute for Formula 409."
Cooking Is Actually Fun, Too
"It's way cheaper to cook at home and get food containers for leftovers than it is to order in all the time."
"And also that you should not tell your neighbors too much personal sh*t unless they become your close friends."
"Oh and don't forget to forward your mail from Amazon, eBay, and the post office, or it's going to take a very long time."
"Same goes for drinking at home. Spend one night's bar tab on a box of wine and a cute set of wine glasses instead, and you're set for a while!"
Bulk TP Is A Good Idea Too
"If you have the space, buy nonperishable items like toilet paper or detergent in bulk."
"I remember the first time I had to buy toilet paper my self I was so bewildered like 'why the f**k is this so expensive'"
"Develop some hobbies and passions if you don't have any yet so that you don't go f**king crazy from the loneliness"
"Yep. Got into piano. Musical instruments make good hobbies. Easy to make both shorter and longer term goals since that's basically just pieces you'd like to play."
"What's super nice is a keyboard/digital piano typically allows you to use headphones so you don't have to worry about bothering the neighbors even if you have thin walls or happen to want to play at 3am."
"Also some sort of media consumption hobby you can partake in while doing boring stuff like cleaning is useful. Podcasts, audiobooks, music etc are great to listen to while cleaning or cooking etc."
Don't Be Afraid To Buy Secondhand
"There's tons of good quality furniture available on Facebook marketplace. Second hand furniture of good quality is way better than some Ikea stuff. And it's usually cheaper too, sometimes free"
"Plus, always search for it in the richer part of towns. You'd be surprised what amazing furniture people throw out."
"Garage and estate sales can have some real bargains. The latter are great if you're looking for hardware and tools."
"Secondhand furniture can have bedbugs. Be wary."
"Agreed. I'd steer away from couches and things like that, but it's great for dining tables/chairs, cabinets, tv units, bookshelves, coffee/side tables, bedframes, etc."
Make Sure To Keep In Touch
"Don't forget to call your mom now and then (or another trusted adult, if you don't have a mom or if your mom is not helpful.)"
Crying Can Be Self Care
"If you want to cry then you need to cry, 9/10 times you'll feel much better afterward."
Always Sleep On It If You Can
"Don't spend more than you can pay off each month on a credit card. Debt is suffocating. Also, if you get the itch for a new car but yours is running fine, rent one for a couple of days and then go back to old faithful."
"If you're unsure about something, sleep on it. Not all decisions have to be made immediately."
Living on your own for the first time is usually equal parts exciting and anxiety-inducing. Hopefully these tips will help you prepare for when things don't go quite to plan, and keep you living comfortably in your new digs.
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People Share Their Best Examples Of 'Buy It Before You Actually Need It'
Some things are fine to buy when you need them, but a lot of things are a lot handier to already have on hand—and some are practically essential.
Anyone who has had to trudge to the pharmacy for cold medicine when they have the flu will tell you they wished they'd had some at home already.
Reddit user IHaveGotQuestions asked:
"What is your best example of 'buy it before you need it'?"
Epi Pen
"Epi pen"
"(Pharmacist here) One of the most obscene things about the recent price-gouging is that this is an item that people purchase because they hope they never need it."
"What's worse is that they expire within a year. Then you can't find anywhere that will dispose of the expired, unused ones-at least in my area. My mom has tried and tried to find a way to get rid of her old ones."
Fire Extinguisher
"fire extinguisher"
"The only annoying this is they expire… usually before you need them!"
"you also have to shake them once a year I shake mine every July 4th"
Plunger
"Toilet plunger"
"Back in college my roommate lent his plunger to the girls next door. It was more than an hour later till they came back back with a brand new plunger. We asked what happened and she said they broke the plunger. We were surprised at the idea of breaking a plunger but we happily took the new plunger they bought for us."
"They also told us that the cashier was very confused when they were at checkout with 2 plungers."
"First thing I thought of. I've had friends who don't own a plunger and I'm like WTF?"
"Maybe you never use it, but that's one thing you do not want to have to go purchase in the moment of need."
"Also had a roommate who didn't want to keep the plunger in the bathroom (we didn't have a cabinet or closet in the room, she thought it was an eyesore to have it visible) and I was insistent because if you have a guest over who ends up needing it, the last thing they are going to want to do is come ask you where the plunger is.
"Best to have it accessible for anyone who might need it."
Jumper Cables
"Car emergency kit. Jumper cables, fix a flat, spare tire, Jack, basic first aid kit, road reflectors.
"Edit: fire extinguisher us a good idea to add, as well as the rechargeable "jump start yourself" pack."
"And a plug kit vs fix-a-flat is a good idea. I've never done a plug, so I'd have to catch up there myself. Air compressor for refilling the tire also."
"Some food/heat if you live somewhere where it could logically be a problem. A box of protein bars and some way to make a fire, blankets, etc..."
"I'm never that far off the beaten path that it would be an issue for me, but for anyone who is, makes sense."
"And, damn, how many people have had dad's who used jumper cables as a belt?"
CO Detector
"Carbon Monoxide detector"
"And a good one. I was in a small two-floor apartment building during a major early snow storm in which we lost power for days."
"My neighbors, being dumb as a box of rocks and cold from 0 degree temps, brought their charcoal grill inside. With the windows closed."
"Next thing I know I've got firemen in my bedroom with a detection device that's flipping out and a headache. The apartment the furthest away from this dude's place had their detector go off."
"Saddest thing is the main tenant was out cold. His daughter, who had stayed over, thought he was dead."
"I was evacuated and watched them take her kicking and screaming out of the building: 'LET ME SEE HIM!!!'"
"Feel bad for my parents when I called at 2am very, very distraught."
"Good news is everyone lived. Bad news is my detector was a piece of sh*t."
Cold Medicine
"Cold/flu medicine. Not fun stumbling to the drugstore when you feel like death."
"I've also found out the hard way that when your whole body aches and you just want some hot soup, that is NOT the time to find out that you don't have soup in the pantry."
"If you're planning ahead by having cough syrup and cough drops when you get sick, I also recommend having a few cans of your favorite soups so you can just put it into a bowl and heat up. (Personally, I like a nice can of chicken noodle soup or split pea soup)"
"Especially for all of us who are adults, not living at home, but also don't have a significant other. If I get sick, I gotta be the one to take care of me."
Dash Cam
"Dashcam, can easily prove you innocent in an auto collision - some insurance even offer discounted rates if the insured vehicle has a dash cam. I personally recommend a front & rear cam setup."
"Ordered mine after one day of browsing IdiotsInCars"
"I worked as a claim rep for an auto insurer for a mercifully brief period of my life, and I second this recommendation whole-heartedly. Human recall is atrocious, especially after a stressful or traumatic event."
"I also learned that 3/4 of people involved in accidents vehemently do not believe they are responsible for the accident, even if they very clearly are."
"As part of our training, we read the actual "facts of loss" collected by claim reps from both the insured and the claimant. We made our own assessments of liability as part of this."
"Then, we were shown footage from surveillance cameras that caught the accident. Neither party was even remotely correct as to what happened."
"As a result of that experience I have a dash camera, which is seemingly rare in the US. At the very least, it gives the opportunity to share videos of the crazy sh*t you occasionally see on the road."
"Maybe it'll burn you in the end if you're responsible for an accident, but it could very well save you if you find yourself in a he said/she said dispute over who had a green light and who had the red."
Heating And Cooking
"Backup means of heating and cooking that don't require electricity."
"I live in Texas. Not going through that again."
"Solar chargers for USB devices are really good to keep on hand for events like this. Make sure they are recharged every few months."
Condoms
"Condom"
"Just be sure to replace the ones you have stored after a few years."
"Finding your stash of condoms all expired a year ago is a depressing and sobering discovery."
Generator
"Generator. Ex GF said it was a stupid purchase and waste of money. Ended up using it for two days straight after a wind storm."
"Had the fridges, fish tank a few lights, TV and internet going the whole time."
Nonperishables
"Anything that doesn't have an expiry date, that gets used with regularity, I stock up on. Toilet paper, kitchen roll, dish soap, shower gel, hand soap, bleach etc"
It's good to be prepared.
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People Share Which Foods They Can't Believe Their Ancestors Discovered Were Edible
People eat a lot of different foods, and some are a bit stranger than others. There are some that really make you question the wisdom of the first person to have tried eating them, though.
Most fermented foods, for example. They often have quite a pungent odor and seem like they are spoiled, but fermentation is actually an excellent way to preserve foods so they last longer.
Reddit user The_True_John_Doe asked:
"What food made you think how the frick did our ancestors found out this was edible?"
Honey.
"Honey. When something is guarded by swarms of easily pissed off insects with poisoned ass darts, you would think that would be enough of a deterrent that nobody would mess with it."
Drinks
"Not even 'ancestors' - how did drinks like guinness or coke become a thing?"
"Bro try this" "uh, no. That drink is black." "Yeah good call"
"Vegemite is the same principle but in that case it was literally created as a prank from brewery waste products but then the prankee went "it's not bad tho".
"Actually, I think I just answered the question."
"They did it on accident or were tricked/goaded into trying it, they did, and when it didn't kill them the consumable caught on."
Bread
Giphy"Bread! Like how did someone put all the ingredients together to make the bread!! I think about it all the time."
Cheese
"Cheese. like did someone leave milk out,and when it turned into nasty looking cheese and then they were like: Im gonna eat that?"
Cactus
"Nopales, a kind of cactus, and it's fruit have been a staple in Mexico for millennia. I've always wondered what went through our ancestors' heads. "That plant and it's fruit is covered in thorns...I bet they're delicious".
Mushrooms
"Some mushrooms that require special preparation. Eat it raw or cook it like most other shrooms and you end up dead. Boil it 3-5 times however, and it's fine."
"Edit: An example of a mushroom requiring this procedure is Gyromitra esculenta."
Sea Snots
"Oysters."
"Someone looked at that snotty-looking thing from a shell and thought "yeah I'm gonna put that in my mouth"
Acorns
"Acorns. How hungry one must be to figure out to pound them to powder and leach out the tannins. Three times!"
Castoreum
"Castoreum. A sweet-tasting exudation that comes from glands near a beaver's asshole. "Damn this beaver ass smells great, wonder what it tastes like?"
Cassava
"The cassava..."
"However, cassava is poisonous unless it is peeled and thoroughly cooked. If it is eaten raw or prepared incorrectly, one of its chemical constituents will be attacked by digestive enzymes and give off the deadly poison cyanide. As little as two cassava roots can contain a fatal dose."
Poke
"Poke Salad"
"The Pokeberry/Pokeweed plant that grows in the southern US has edible leaves. Sort of.
If you eat them raw they contain a nerotoxin that will make you extremely sick or more likely kill you. If you cook them the toxin will still kill you. If you boil them, the toxin will still kill you."
"So basically someone died after eating this stuff and their friends went "Well maybe if we boil it one more time" died and someone else went "Third times the charm?" However, if you boil them, discard the water, boil again, discard the water, then boil one last time and discard the water again the left over cooked plant is sort of edible."
Shark
""Hákarl
"Usually poisonous, unless prepared thus: The traditional method is by gutting and beheading a Greenland or sleeper shark and placing it in a shallow hole dug in gravelly sand, with the now cleaned cavity resting on a small mound of sand. The shark is then covered with sand and gravel, and stones are placed on top of the sand in order to press the shark. In this way the fluids are pressed out of the body. The shark ferments in this fashion for 6–12 weeks depending on the season. Following this curing period, the shark is then cut into strips and hung to dry for several months. During this drying period a brown crust will develop, which is removed prior to cutting the shark into small pieces and serving."
Artichoke
Giphy"Artichoke. Hmm, that purple thistle looks good..."
"It's prickly and completely inedible. Hmmm. Maybe if I boil it for 45 minutes, then scrape it leaf by leaf against my teeth?"
Cashews
"Cashews."
"First, they come from a drupe that grows out of a false-fruit called the cashew apple. So right off the bat, you'd never guess that it would be the part you'd eat. Cashew apples look kind of like a cross between an apple and a red bell pepper, just with a big, ugly dark-brownish cashew in place of a stem.
"Second, the shells of cashew drupes contain a substance that causes rashes and chemical burns on skin. So before you can even think of eating a cashew seed (which is what cashew "nuts" actually are) it has to go through a multi-step steaming & roasting process, just to totally burn off all the irritants.""
Lye Fish
"Lye fish. Or "Lutefisk"... Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff but man."
First you go get a fish. Then you let it hang on a stick for months to dry out. Then you put it in water for a couple days. Then you put it in water with lye for another couple days. Then you put it in pure water again and then you cook it and eat it."
Gympie-Gympie Plant
"The fruit of the gympie-gympie plant. It is also known as the suicide plant because its sting is so painful that there have been reports of people and animals killing themselves to escape the pain, which can last for days or even years. The sting is delivered by tiny hairs that cover the whole plant, yet someone was able to discover that if you painstakingly remove each hair from the fruit, it is edible."
Chili Peppers
"Chili peppers."
"Like imagine finding this pepper, taking a bite, and then feeling your entire mouth feel like it is on fire. Then you decide it's actually really good though and start including it into dishes to add spice."
Lobsters
Giphy"Lobsters. "Well this looks horrifying, i think I'll taste it. "
"Land arthropods = creepy and disgusting."
"Sea arthropods = yummy! Makes sense, right?"
Ackee
"Ackee. It's a fruit, and most of it is poisonous, though part of it is edible. In Africa, where it's most common (as far as I know) it's generally not eaten, but in Jamaica it is. It's eaten a lot."
"Our national dish is ackee and saltfish, and our national fruit is ackee."
It begs the question, how do we know ANYTHING is edible or potable!
Do you have similar stories to share? Let us know in the comments below.