Top Stories

People Break Down The Clear Signs That Someone Is Attracted To You

People Break Down The Clear Signs That Someone Is Attracted To You
Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash

Clueless in love?

Grab a pen and get ready to get a clue because we're breaking it down today.

Firstly, don't feel bad.

Lots of us are completely and totally oblivious. You're among friends here.


Reddit user IsellKidneys2356 asked:

"What screams 'I'm attracted to you?' "

If you're reading this article with a particular someone in mind, hoping this article will help you figure out if they're into you or not, keep reading til the end and we'll give you a sure-fire way to know.

You're Not That Funny

"Laughing at your worst jokes."

- scrimmybingus3

"I told my friend when he was nervous on his first date 'if she laughs, you got a shot' to which he replied 'why?' ”

"I said 'cause you ain’t f*cking funny and she’s catering to your frail ego just like all girls do when they like a guy' he said it was great advice lol 😂"

- thelastride23

"My girlfriend was so giggly when we first met and it was so precious."

"I have a good sense of humor but I know I’m not THAT funny. It gave me peace of mind early on knowing she probably had the same butterfly feeling in her stomach as me."

- lanman33

Marvel Studios Reaction GIF by Disney+Giphy

​Terrified Silence

"I worked alongside this guy for several months, and he never said a word to me."

"For the longest time, I thought he hated me, as he would actively go out of his way to avoid speaking to me at all, or even make any kind of eye contact."

"I thought he was super cute, but I'm also pretty shy and introverted, which is why I just let it go for several months."

"It eventually got to the point where it was just uncomfortable, and I asked him what the deal was, and what I could have possibly done to make him dislike me so much."

"It took him a minute or so to respond, and then he said 'I'm really sorry. I'm incredibly shy, and have been since I was a kid. But I think you are the most flawlessly beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I am terrified to talk to you.' "

"We've been together for over three years, and married for four months."

- littletinylotus

Big Hints

"Apparently my fiancee dropped a whole lot of hints before we got together."

"A big standout was complaining that she didn't have any plans for our Junior prom, and then asking me what my plans for that night were."

"My dumb@ss responded with something to the effect of 'F*ck prom, I'll be home playing Mario.' "

- uwu-lmao-xD

"My girlfriend did the same thing, to the point she kissed me and I managed to convince myself that she wasn't interested."

"I ignored it for another month before I got told by multiple people that she was into me and I asked her out. In conclusion, I am a f*cking idiot."

- original__pickles

"When my son was about 16 he went off on a camping weekend with a heap of friends. There was one girl who’d he’d been getting kind of close with for ages, and I had a fair idea that something would happen while they were away."

"So when I picked him up, I asked him how it had gone."

"He said it was so weird, they’d had a great night, it was almost bedtime and she hasn’t set up her tent yet. He asked her about it and she said she didn’t know how to put it up so she was just going to have to sleep on the ground by the fire."

"Ever the gentleman, he sprung to his feet and recruited a friend to help set it up for her in the dark and the cold. Damsel saved."

"Fast forward an hour or so and everyone’s asleep. He hears a rustle at his tent door and there she is, complaining that she’s so cold all on her own in her big scary tent."

"Bless that sweet ignorant boy, he said 'oh. Well here you go, take my sleeping bag' and held it out to her. He remembers she looked sad and confused and he didn’t understand; he’d done a nice thing and now she wouldn’t be cold. Damsel saved."

"He shivered and froze all night and ended up climbing into another tent and going top to toe with his buddy."

"I said to him 'Mate, do you reckon maybe she wanted to sleep in your tent with you?' and the look on that poor kid’s face when the penny dropped…"

- Kristyyyyyyy

The Looks

"When you're in a group and the person consistently looks at you whenever something funny or interesting happens."

- take-a-ride

"I had a meeting yesterday afternoon. It was the first time for most of us meeting in person."

"The last person to arrive was this stunning girl and when we looked at each other I swear to God there might as well have been lightning shooting out both our eyes."

"At first I thought 'nah I imagined that.' As she sat down close to me we looked at each other for a solid second and smiled at the same time for no particular reason other than it just feeling right."

"She started making conversation with me specifically. We had to split up into groups to interview people, and she and I were paired by the supervisor (best supervisor ever)."

"For the next two hours, we just joked and talked with each other and every time something funny happened we just looked at each other automatically."

"I've been with a lot of people but never had this sort of easy chemistry happen before, certainly not so quickly. I'm excited to talk to her some more, regardless of where it leads. I asked her out to lunch sometime and she said yes!"

"It might be a bit because we're noth busy but it's a good development :)"

- RomanRodriBR

Full Of Excuses

"Excuses to be near them. 'Lets study together - we'll get more work done ; 'Oh, you're going that way? me too, lets walk together.' "

- pronouns-r-they-them

"My sophomore year of college a friend of mine said we should skip a formal to get more studying done."

"These formals were a big deal campus-wide and everyone went. Also, we didn’t take a single class together."

"She showed up at my dorm wearing knee-high stockings and a men’s dress shirt that was unbuttoned to her cleavage. She was not wearing a bra."

"I…studied. Hurts to think about to this day."

- m4gnum_89

"I’m guilty of that second one lol."

"There was a girl in one of my college classes that I got to know really well that I started to get a huge crush on her. We would always walk out of class together and I had always said that her spot was on the way to my spot when in reality it was way off."

"But I just enjoyed those walks every day. I looked forward to that."

- yeezyfan23

Distraction

"Losing their train of thought when you walk by, while they are talking to someone else."

- buck-status-BROKEN

"Yup."

"I work with my spouse. We've been married 14 years. I still lose my train of thought when he walks by."

- take-a-ride

"This happened to me once."

"It was absurd how I trailed off when she went by in a summer dress. Good lord, 100% embarrassing."

- mynameisbp

"Omg this is true."

"I was giving a mock presentation to my group mate and that guy suddenly joined and spectated. I tripped up so many time in that presentation."

- andrew_hihi

Surprised Pixar GIF by DisneyGiphy

This Classic Move

"Finding any reason to touch each other."

"Whether is play fighting, feeling up muscles, poking someone's bruise, comparing hand sizes of they actively try to find a reason to touch you, they probably like you."

- biggaylikewoman

"Comparing hand sizes is a CLASSIC move."

- WinterBird01

"Comparing hand sizes is like my go to :/ I’m ashamed."

- Aldroe

Food = Love

"If they know you like a certain food and buy it for you."

"The guy I liked loved this one dumpling place near uni. He’d constantly stop and get some on the way home."

"One day when we where walking together, beforehand he said he felt like some but didn’t have his card so no money. So even though I knew he wanted some, when I asked if he wanted me to buy it for him he politely declined."

"So I pretended to buy some for myself (since I sometimes would). Then I ate like 3 to make it believable and said I was suddenly full and he could have the rest."

"I just wanted him to be happy with his dumplings."

- JackSparrowscompass

Absentmindedly

"When you catch them absentmindedly looking at you."

"Even if they’re doing something/talking to someone else but they’re still in tune with you and mindful of where you are in the room. Because, even subconsciously, they’re thinking about you."

"Also, going out of their way to make you smile/laugh is a good one. Same with keeping notes on your interests."

- NinjaCakies

"Most of the girls that I knew were interested in me were girls who I kept catching staring at me."

"Initially I never made any effort go further, but then I did and found out they were actually interested in me. I have figured out the 'I like you' gaze now and it's easy to know who likes me."

- garlic_bread_thief

"Finding reasons to touch you, wanting to see you, hear your voice and most important - their gaze."

"You can just tell by the way someone looks at you. When you’re in a group or a party, you look at them and find them already looking at you from across the room."

- Skinnylicious3

"Its in the way they watch you from across the room when they think you are not noticing."

"The easy smile when you are talking to them. They really listen to what you have to say without talking too. much because they are cataloging and filing it into their brain for future reference."

"But it starts with the look..."

- Melesa-rdwudforst

Third Person

"A tendency to end sentences by looking at each other even if there's other people around."

"Also, making frequent side comments to each other in group settings. They just want to talk to each other more."

"It can be hard to notice if it's happening to you, but is super obvious from a third person view when people are into each other."

- Nightthunder

make up lol GIF by LifetimeGiphy

Talk Talk Talk

"Always trying to find ways to talk to you."

- rottingrodents

"Walking up to you and finding an excuse to start a conversation with you is usually a good sign, in my experience."

- in_the_comatorium

The Reflex

"This might come off as egotistical, but it's something I noticed and haven't been able to tell anyone ..."

"At the gym I have a 'friendly acquaintance' who I see all the time. We generally just exchange pleasantries, but in December I ruptured the triceps tendon in my right arm."

"She happens to be a physical therapist, so there has been a lot more chit-chat since then."

"A few days ago I entered the gym, and went to stow my jacket in a cubby. She was nearby, so I said 'Good morning' and when she turned I saw her pupils dilate to like 11."

"Since then I've seen the same thing twice."

"Ocular reflexes don't lie."

- SurlyJason

This List

"Men to women:"

"Driving. He takes you home or picks you up without being asked."

"Killing things. He drops whatever he is doing when you need him to help you smash a bug or trap a mouse."

"Paying attention. He notices changes in your grooming and dress and remembers things you say."

"Ponying up. He pays for meals, coffee, movie tickets, etc. even if you aren't dating."

"Showing off. He subtly or not so subtly mentions how much he can bench press or how much his last client paid him."

"Spending time. He seems not to mind hanging around you for no apparent reason."

"Telling you in so many words. He voluntarily admits that he did all these things because he was attracted to you."

- Loud_Ad_5518

Some people aren't just oblivious - they're almost impossible to convince.

Even if you tell them flat-out that you're attracted to them.

Even if you have sex with them.

Even if you marry them!

Yeah ... there may be no hope for these folks.

I Do. For Real.

"It took a while of being literally married for me to be convinced my husband was into me."

"I’m not always the smartest lol, no matter how much he told me or kissed me or did sweet, thoughtful gestures, my own insecurity fought me every step of the way."

"I do understand now that I’m truly loved just as much as I love him."

- carsandtelephones37

"For me it’s the intrusive thought that my wife believes she loves me but doesn’t realize she’s actually just tolerating me and when someone better comes around she’ll be like 'oh damn I was wrong.' ”

- A_Doormat

"Married 5 years, that's how it feels to me."

"I'm slowly realizing that she didn't just marry me because I was the best option at the time."

"She has a hard time expressing love because she grew up in a very suppressed household. Her parents never kissed, showed much affection in front of the kids beyond saying I love you."

"Most of the extent of her showing love is just flat out telling me."

"She's brutally honest with her words and words mean a lot to her so, that's good, but I'm just not a words guy, I need physical touch, quality time, etc."

"But over the past 5 years, I've slowly been noticing the subconscious things she does that tell me she loves me. Some of the signs that people have posted here are actually what she does and it shows that even though she has a hard time expressing it, that adorable heart of hers yearns after me."

"A year ago, we were in a really rough spot, mostly fueled by me not feeling loved by her, so the fact that I can acknowledge this is huge for us."

- [Reddit]

Living Single Kiss GIFGiphy

Sis Dropped The Ball

"A girl that had a locker beside mine in high school asked if I was going to prom and who I was going with."

"I replied, 'Nah, I’m not going I don’t want to pay for that sh*t.' Even more, one of her friends also pushed even further by asserting that we should go to prom together and I held my ground by, once again, stating that I wouldn’t even be going."

"I later found out that this girl had asked my sister if I had someone to go to prom with and made it clear that she wanted to go with me."

"Why my sister didn’t let me know of this information I will never know."

"I was definitely very attracted to this girl but my dumbass couldn’t comprehend that she would actually want to go with me."

"Oops."

- Mironium

I Cringe

"Close contact, especially the unconventional ones."

"Went out with workmates and a colleague (slightly tipsy) started rubbing my leg with her foot while at table."

"Never been flirted with like that and didn't know how to respond appropriately, so I panicked and just gently pushed her away. I cringe at how I handled the situation to this day."

- someguywithdiabetes

Cherry Stem Saga

"What screams 'I'm attacted to you?' I wouldn't know because I'm an idiot."

"My wife tied a cherry stem in her mouth for me the night we started dating. Tied a cherry stem - it's such a cliche but I still missed it."

"She had to 'scream louder' and hold my hand and press into me hard later on because I was f*cking hopeless taking the hint."

- Threndsa

Don't worry, we didn't forget out promise - you're here for that sure-fire way to find out if someone is attracted to you.

You ready?

ASK THEM.

Yes, it's awkward - but it really is the only way to know for sure. Sorry. Thems the breaks, fam.

You're gonna have to just ask.

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny or heartbreaking moment again.

People Share Their Very Specific Dating Restrictions

Reddit user AceofSpadesYT asked: 'What is your most specific restriction when it comes to dating?'

silhouette photography of couple
Sean Stratton on Unsplash

When it comes to dating, I have my mental checklist. The guy must be kind, intelligent, funny, and a movie buff. He must be adventurous but also doesn't mind a Netflix and Chill date night.

Most of this is similar to the mental checklists other people have. Of course, I can be flexible. If someone is nice and I'm having fun with them, they don't necessarily have to check all the boxes.

However, I have one specific dating restriction that is a dealbreaker regardless of how many boxes the person checks, and that's religion. I've never been a fan, and now I'm an atheist, and I would want my partner to be as well. That's because I want kids, and the last thing I want is for us to argue about how to raise the kids when it comes to religion.

I'm not the only person who has one specific dating restriction. Everyone has that one thing that is a dealbreaker when it comes to a romantic relationship. Redditors certainly do, and they are ready to share.

It all started when Redditor AceofSpadesYT asked:

"What is your most specific restriction when it comes to dating?"

It's Just A Joke!

"No cruel or rude pranks."

– detective_kiara

"I saw a post by someone whose boyfriend "pranked" her by pretending to be dead on the kitchen floor. That is exactly how she had found her previous partner, dead on the kitchen floor, which her current boyfriend knew. He was surprised she dumped him and didn't think it was funny."

– innocuousspeculation

We're (Not) Gonna Party!

"No party people. Nothing wrong with it, I just ain't dealing with that sh*t."

– PlantBasedStangl

"True. I like planning weekend stuff, but it has to be something meaningful - visiting a different city, movie marathon, mountain hike, fancy lunch, all okay. But... clubbing and drinking? How f**king old are we, 19? No thank you, I'm old and have no energy for listening to music I don't like while being surrounded by 50 people that I don't give a single half of a sh*t about."

– PlantBasedStangl

LOL

"Same sense of humor. I have 0 interest sharing physical space with someone who doesn't laugh with me."

– Legendary_Lamb2020

My Ears Are Bleeding!

"I'm a light sleeper. I cannot date a snorer. I can hear snores through ear plugs AND a fan blowing. It's not you, it's me."

– YourLocalOrca

At that point, it does sound like them 😂

– CuriousRedditor98

Funemployed

"Have a f**king job."

– Cuss-Mustard

"Found this difficult when I was funemployed. Was fortunate enough to be able to live off savings for a bit."

"People reacted oddly to it. “But what do you do???”"

"Was dating at the same time and some girls had the same sentiment. “You don’t have a job?”"

"I had a good enough job that I didn’t need one anymore. And one lined up 8 months from then. But there were two girls specifically who treated it as a deal breaker."

– DigNitty

"I had a similar situation. I worked a high-paying job for a few years that demanded a ton of my time and had crazy hours. It burnt me out badly and I lived off of the savings from that job for a while and tried to date now that I actually had free time. I had more money in my bank account during that time than at any other point in my life but so many people were put off by me being funemployed and assumed I was looking to leech. But I guess there’s really no way to know someone's history and hard not to assume. Now I work full-time and have way less money overall but it looks better..."

– Pinsit

Just Breathe

"No smoking. Ever. I'm not kissing an ashtray, or smelling an ashtray. Instant turn off."

–fishfood19

"100% I broke up with an old gf because she started smoking behind my back knowing I’ve got asthma and it was always a hard pass. She thought I was joking but it showed me that she was also untrustworthy."

– Jonowl89

That'll Do It

"I guess my husband restricts my dating."

– HeinousEncephalon

"My wife has the same rule. But the jokes on her, I get around it by dating her!"

– AuralRapist

Prehistoric Love

"Must like dinosaurs."

– Grungeceratops

"That goes without saying."

– Plain_Chacalaca

What's In A Name?

"Cannot have the same name as any of my relatives."

– Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

"My last ex had the same name as my Dad and I reeeeeeaally didn't like it. So, fair."

– severaltalkingducks

Be Polite

"If they’re rude to people they’ll never see again (Waitstaff, cashiers, etc) I’m out."

"I can’t respect anyone who doesn’t respect themselves, and when you’re not polite to people you’re disrespecting yourself."

– OctopusCandleCompany

God Only Knows

"When I was dating, you had to be an atheist. I don't mess with religion. And I genuinely just don't think atheists + religious people work out."

"And I know... There's going to be someone who comments (assuming there are enough upvotes) who says "I worked out with my spouse who's religious and I'm not!" but you're the exception. When it comes to making decisions long-term, how to spend your money, where you think you'll go after you die, not to mention basic morality (!), and if you have children - that's a huge hurdle."

– Lulu_42

"We worked it out. It's absolutely an exception and not the rule. Don't do it if you can avoid it."

– Alcoraiden

Let's Move Tonight (Literally)

"They need to be ok with cold weather."

"I grew up in the north, live in the south, and I'm tolerating it until I can move back north. If someone says they hate the cold it's an instant turn-off because I don't want to drag someone into a climate they hate."

"The same thing also applies to walkability. I want to move somewhere walkable, and I hope to meet someone with that same goal rather than try to talk them into it."

– ThePresidentCantSwim

"Let me know when you find this mythical northern walkable community."

– Partner-Elijah

My Purr-fect Match

"Cat has to approve."

– Possible-Source-2454

Non-Negotiable

"They need to be male. Kind of important."

– RMHaney

"So weird, I want the complete opposite."

– eightvo

Yeah, the male thing is kind of important for me too!

Do you have anything to add? Let us know in the comments.

Life is full of shock and surprise.

Apparently, that is part of the fun.

Who hasn't been left stunned by life events?

We always think we're immune to way too many things.

Anything and everything is possible.

It's important to be ready.

Redditor Bob_the_peasant wanted to hear about the things that have left people SHOOK, so they asked:

"What 'That can’t happen to me' thing happened to you?'"

I haven't been left that shocked that often.

I'm always expecting the worst, so I'm prepared.

But you never know.

I'm Dead

Snakes Imacelebau GIF by I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! AustraliaGiphy

"A snake fell out of a tree and bit me on the head."

"ETA: I have always been more scared of snakes than anyone I know, so it’s just so ironic that this happened to me of all people."

amanitachill

Crash Into Me

"A car crashed through my kitchen last year."

aster636

"I woke up to a truck parking in my bathtub 2 weeks before Christmas a few years ago. I watched my sink roll past my bedroom door followed by a hubcap. The driver managed to cross a median, 3-lane road, up an embankment, through an iron fence and between trees. He'd been involved in an altercation nearby and was fleeing the scene."

anjie59k

Hot Air

Swinging Hot Air Balloon GIF by Red BullGiphy

"My family and I were in a hot air balloon crash."

GymDoll2000

"My friend had one crash into her pool when she was a kid."

Environmental-Car481

This is why hot air balloons and skydiving are just a HELL no for me.

Always have. Always will.

Tragic

Cat No GIF by Looney TunesGiphy

"My wife cheated on me with my best friend. They’re moving in together next month. I’m in a new city thousands of miles away. I found out a month ago."

Tssodie

Bad Penguin

"Everyone else’s stories are very sad so here’s something a bit lighter. I’ve mentioned this story before but I got bitten on the neck by a penguin."

"I was at an event where the local zoo had a penguin and owl sitting on tables with handlers so you could take a picture next to them. The penguin went for my glass of wine, I moved the wine, and it bit me on the neck hard enough to bruise. They removed the penguin after that. 😂."

archaeologistbarbie

All Gone

"Our house burned in a wildfire, we lost absolutely everything we owned and only salvaged a single coffee 3 cup."

"On the good side: There was a boy I crushed on all through high school. We went to summer camp together and I adored him. We ended up getting together in our 20s after reconnecting, and have now been together more than 20 years, married almost 17. We’re as madly in love as ever."

toomuchisjustenough

Good Luck

"Homelessness. It came swiftly and out of nowhere. had no savings and the landlord sold the house I was in. couldn’t afford a new place so lived in my car with my dog for a few months. ended up finding community assistance and got into an apartment."

jumbospicyslimjim

"I can’t even imagine being in that situation. Hopefully, this is just the start of things turning around for you. Sending you good energy!"

frappbarqueen

Early Michael Myers

"About 10 years ago, I was stabbed in the arm with a flathead screwdriver. It was a coworker whom I had previously gotten along well with. He had stopped taking benzos and smoking weed a few days before and was on a hair trigger. I said something sarcastic, and he just snapped."

Mr_Spaghetti_Hands

Bad Landing

Bad Day Seagull GIF by Sound FXGiphy

"I was lying on the beach and a seagull flying very high took a poop and it went straight in my mouth."

Competitive_Show6205

This is why I say... "Never trust a seagull!"

They are minions of the devil.

Person cooking in home kitchen
Conscious Design on Unsplash

We've all heard the phrase, "You can't eat at everybody's house," but some of us have a few examples of our own to live by.

From not properly cleaning the environment to questionable hygiene ourselves, there are countless reasons why a person may not want to eat what you've cooked after watching you prepare it.

Bracing themselves, Redditor 195901 asked:

"What is your 'you can't eat at everybody's house' horror story?"

Fly Spray Sandwiches

"I told my dad my sandwich tasted like fly spray at my grandma's house. He didn’t believe me."

"Two days later, I caught my grandma spraying the benches 'clean' with the two-dollar fly spray you find at the cheap store."

"Dad figured it was safe to make sandwiches straight on the countertop because they looked clean. I dragged him over to see and he apologized and took my sister and me for fish and chips for lunch."

- littlehungrygiraffe

Special Seasoning Deviled Eggs

"My crackpot aunt served us a lovely tray of deviled eggs, complete with very old paprika sprinkled on top. So old, in fact, the many weevils mixed in it were dead."

- PhoneboothLynn

A Disturbing Surprise

"I visited a friend's house who was living with his mother, and she asked if I wanted a coffee and I said I would."

"Upon getting to the bottom of the cup and taking the last few gulps, I found there was a used bandaid stuck to the bottom… I never ate or drank there again."

- MrRailton

In Need of Child Protective Services

"I was babysitting a kid in a pretty dirty house. I was told to wake him up, supervise bathing and changing clothes, and feed him. I was welcome to whatever was in the fridge. Okay. The house and his clothes were filthy."

"Then, when I opened the cabinets, floods of roaches poured out. There were roaches in every opened box and container."

"I took him back to my house and returned him later that day. I hope the boy ended up in a better situation. I found out CPS (Child Protective Services) got involved shortly after."

- Alltheprettydresses

Traumatized by Raisins

"I was gonna complain about raisins in the potato salad but the other comments on here are scary. Oh my god."

- tcumber

"When I was a young kid, I stayed over at a friend's place, and his mom made veal or something with godd**n raisins INSIDE the meat somehow. It was so nasty, I never forgot it."

- User2716057

You WISH That Was Vinegar

"My MIL fished around in the green bin (compost bin) with her bare hands, didn't wash them, WIPED her GARBAGE JUICE HANDS on the tea towel, and then WENT BACK TO PREPPING THE SALAD."

"She also got horrifically offended if I didn't want to eat at her house."

- 116843189

Poor Home Hygiene

"My first boyfriend’s parents invited me for Thanksgiving. I came over a few days before Christmas and all the same dirty dishes from Thanksgiving were still in the kitchen. I passed on coming over for Christmas dinner."

- MinimalistHomestead

Every Surface Covered

"I went to a friend's house after school, he was going to teach a group of us to play D&D (Dungeons and Dragons)."

"We got there and his house was disgusting. I'm not the neatest person but the carpet hadn't been vacuumed in forever, clothes were all over the place, and dirty dishes were stacked everywhere."

"I tried to be polite even though the place reeked, but at some point, he was like, 'Who wants snacks!'"

"He picked up a bowl that was crusted with stuff, splashed in some water, wiped it with a towel that clearly hadn't been washed that decade, and poured chips into it. Then he asked if we wanted to stay for dinner. We did not."

- KnittinAndB***hin

O Holy Expiration Dates

"When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was always celebrated at Grandma's. I always got sick afterward. Like, Merry Christmas, you're going to puke now."

"It wasn't until I was all grown up and helping her out in the last weeks of her life that I learned why. She did not believe in expiration dates on anything!"

- SundayMorningTrisha

An Immune System to Remember

"My grandma made me a food phobic from a young age. Whether it was ramen with moths floating on top, or chunky milk in my cereal, it just scarred me for life."

"Dinner at her house was always a fight. Not eating her food was not an option. I'm not sure why that was the hill she would always choose to die on, because she was an amazing grandma other than this."

"Expiration dates aren't a thing. If the cheese was moldy, you cut it off... I think living through the great depression and raising kids in poverty changed her mindset on food."

"I mean obviously, she's doing something right because she's 91. She must have the immunity of a superhero."

- tha_stormin_mormon

Neighborly Love

"I used to help an old neighbor out with grocery shopping, I’d drop the bags at her door and she’d give me a check for the amount of groceries. She’d give me homemade cookies once in a while, chocolate chips."

"I didn’t ever eat them because one time I caught sight of her apartment. It was a large studio, a small kitchen, and tv, and a bed/couch. And there were about 20 cans of cat food, half-eaten, and one million flies and small maggots in different stages of growth, dishes with crusty food stuck to them, and a wall of empty beer cans."

"After I saw that, and got a whiff of her apartment, I started helping her with taking garbage out and putting groceries away, cleaning out her fridge, and making sure her cat was healthy."

"A couple of months later, she got the virus, ended up at a rehab facility, and passed within two weeks."

"Some people need help and a little company…"

- SnooPeripherals6557

No Longer Rice

"A girl I was interested in at the time had cats. I came to her house one day to pick her up for a date and he had a large sack of rice open in her pantry with the pantry door open."

"One of the cats hopped out of the sack of rice and she just casually laughed at it like, 'Oh, they are always getting into things.'"

"I came over the following weekend that SAME sack of rice was in the pantry and I could hear one of them tussling around in it again, we stopped dating sometime after that but anytime she offered to cook for me I immediately pivoted to taking her out to eat instead."

- justad**nfool

"Those cats probably used it as litter."

- Anonymanx

"Yeah, that was my fear."

- justad**nfool

Could Have Warned Her

"My mom told me one about going over to her aunt Virginia's house. She, her parents, and her siblings were sat around the kitchen while her aunt cooked, and my mom could not figure out why no one else was having ANY of this incredibly delicious bread that was on the table."

"She was on her third slice when her aunt stepped out to do something else, and my mom was told by her brother to go look in the flour bin."

"It was absolutely filled with miller moth larvae. Aunt Virginia had been losing her eyesight for years."

- smoothiefruit

"It's f**ked of her parents not to warn her not to eat the bread... like, what the f**k, you KNOW the bread isn't safe, so you're not eating it, but you're fine with letting your daughter have three slices?"

- whydontthissitework

Bad to the Point of Malnutrition

"I graduated high school at 6' 10" tall, but weighing only 120 pounds."

"That's not skinny, that's emaciated."

"The food prepared by my bio-mom was so bad that it wasn't providing me with the nutrients or calories I needed to survive. I went off to college where I had to cook for myself (I wasn't allowed to cook at home because my father insisted that "cooking was women's work")."

"Not only did I discover that food didn't have to be burnt to a crisp, flavorless, or boiled until everything was grey. I also discovered that food can be made to taste good, and using things like salt, or pepper, spices, or various condiments can make it taste amazing."

"The "freshman 15" likely saved my life."

"The thing is, I don't think that my biomom was even aware that her food was that disgusting. Whenever we went out for dinner (which was more often than what my father wanted, but he was the one who insisted on going), she did nothing but complain about how the food was undercooked, 'practically raw,' or 'too spicy,' to eat."

"When she went to other people's houses (including her own extended family) she would criticize them for 'doing it wrong' when she watched them cook anything. She would often end up refusing to eat their food because she 'watched them ruin it,' when they cooked it. We never had guests over to eat her cooking. Ever."

- Galaxy_Ranger_Bob

Clean Hands

"We have a chili contest every year at work around Thanksgiving and I've stopped participating in voting for it because I want to know whose I'm eating before taking any. I work with some great people, but I wouldn't eat at or anything from their house. Strangely enough, the guy I absolutely despise I'll gladly eat his chili because he is clean and well kept and I know his house is."

"I also work with a bunch of people who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom in any capacity and we've secretly kept a list so to avoid any potlucks where they take food or to get food before they do."

- SafewordisJohnCandy

We're left with chills after reading these stories.

Where some people might make some mistakes in the kitchen out of just not knowing, like not properly washing rice before cooking it, most of these are just careless mistakes that have disgusting, if not dangerous, results.

Collection of VHS tapes
Bruno Guerrero/Unsplash

What makes us all unique is our passions and the things we love, whether it's singing in the shower, reading books, or listening to specific music artists.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are judged for our various tastes and interests thanks to social media, and it makes us consciously selective about sharing the things we love on the internet.

Curious to hear about people's personal desires under anonymity, Redditor sweet_chick283 asked:

"What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?"

These aren't really chores for the following Redditors.

Good Clean Fun

"Mopping, im a janitor and generally hate my work... but damn mopping is so good."

– MrDDog06

"When you have a great rhythm going it is something special. I get the same feeling while I vacuum, but won’t let my wife know I enjoy it."

– Bogus_34

Act Of Unwrinkling

"Ironing clothes. A dozen of them. Can’t explain how it relaxes me. I told one person and they looked at me like I’m crazy."

– eerie_white_glow

"My mum misses the days when dad would be out on a Friday night, my brother out with friends and me upstairs quietly playing PS1. She would pour herself a Bacardi & Coke and do the ironing while watching her TV shows."

"I'm sure she doesn't really miss it now that we've moved out and they've retired but it was her wind-down after a busy working week so I can see how people can find it relaxing."

– xdq

Our solo actions can spark joy.

Big Brother Is Watching

"pretending to be on the Truman show and whenever im in my house i act all inconspicuous so they dont know that i know that they’re watching me."

– Bec_121

"C’mon man, you’re not supposed to let him know. You signed a contract when signing up for live views. I’m reporting you."

– doeswaspsmakehoney

The Multi-Tasker

"Playing video games naked at home while eating cheese."

– thickening_agent

Releasing The Kraken

"I love the feeling when you've eaten good fibre and let out a solid long train log in the toilet. That feeling is heavenly."

– therapoootic

"Even better when it’s a clean wipe and not a poo crayon."

– TheWarmestHugz

Ultimate Comfort

"My (male 41) weekend routine is coming home from work, make hot chocolate, start a fire, dress in a ugly pink nightgown made for old ladies and watch forensic files."

– crazyloomis

Some people are obsessed with collecting things.

So Kawai

"Sanrio stationery stores. All those different multicolor pens, a thousand kinds of erasers, spiral bound notebooks galore... my kids sadly have absolutely no appreciation for this wonderland..."

– HavingNotAttained

It's A Staple

"Office supplies have a weird, special place in my heart ever since I was a kid. They don't even have to be 'cute' necessarily."

"Japan's legendary stationery stores is unironically a reason I want to go."

– _CozyLavender_

Not Caring Anymore

"The older I get the shorter that list gets. Not because I love less things, but because I don't care about hiding it."

– Bi-Beast

"YES!! I'm 53 now. I'm working my first job in public since 2006. Today is Halloween and we're allowed to dress up so I am sitting here waiting to go to work dressed as a VERY bad Wednesday Addams. My bf said I'd 'look stupid' because no one else will probably dress up and I'm like, 'WHO CARES!' My makeup looks horrible and not like I practiced, but I DO NOT CARE! I'm having fun with it anyhow and I don't care if my coworkers dress up or not. I'm bein' ME! :)"

– deanie1970

Honorable mentions start here.

The Savior

"Picking up worms from the street and sidewalks when it rains and moving them into the dirt so they don’t burn in the sun, every time it rains I do this."

– sky_kitten89

Hero Of The Moment

"Yoooo I scoot SO many snails and worms. I work as a tech/mechanic at an automotive shop, I had a peoject car towed to my house the other day and it was covered in snails. I saw them when the tow guy/coworker was unloading and I was like, 'oh! It comes with free snails!' and began moving them. He laughed then realized and said, '... Oh, you're serious. Uh... Okay.'"

"I don't care who knows it. These little things barely can look out for themselves, why shouldn't we if we can take a moment to help? I don't care what happens next, it probably doesn't matter overall but I can help this moment."

– chris14020

Why should some of the hidden desires mentioned above have to be secret?

Redditors opening up about some of these would make them a hit at parties–no shaming.

As a matter of fact, I'll totally be down for a Forensic Files viewing party where we all make hot chocolate, light the fireplace, and cozy up together in our respective pink ugly nightgowns for old ladies.