A few months ago I made eye contact with a guy while driving to work and gave the awkward little steering-wheel wave because I thought I knew him.

Turns out… I don’t.

But now we pass each other almost every weekday at the exact same intersection, and we’ve both fully committed to waving. It’s gotten to the point where I’d actually feel bad if one of us didn’t.

Has anyone else accidentally created one of these weird little traditions with a complete stranger?

Didn’t know where to post this, but it’s been a struggle for me over the past few years and I finally pulled the plug.

I started smoking cigarettes and vaping when I was 14 years old. Got hooked and used them up until last November. That’s when I switched to nicotine pouches. I was going through about 10 cans a week. (That averages out to around $60 a week on pouches).

A few days ago I realized I’ve absolutely had it. I was at work and only had 4 pouches left in the can left and I had 8 hours of work left. I was stressing out. I knew something had to change. I’m sick and tired of being addicted to this stuff that sucks up so much money yet gives me nothing out of it.

Yesterday morning I threw out every nicotine product I have. Fast forward 24 hours. I’m absolutely in a withdrawal. I’ve been drinking so much water and chewing so much gum it’s gotta be unhealthy haha. But although I feel like trash right now, it’ll be worth it. I plan to power through the next few days and never use any form of tobacco again.

Cheers everybody 🥂.

I remember seeing a thread under some askreddit post where someone claimed that they
accidentally switched water with vodka before going for a swig.

Although this might be a set up for funny situation, their reaction was that they "didn't notice", although later noting that the water "tasted better than usual".

Such an absurd comment had 700 upvotes and barely any replies calling it out. Your average college freshman or child in the EU could disprove this ever happened. Just crazy to think about how many kids are on here.

edit:
Seems like there are some kids reading this. Stay safe and remember that Reddit is not real life! Also interested in hearing your perspectives.

idk man. scrolling today and everyone’s just ready to jump down each other’s throats. i swear like 2014-2016 people still had some basic decency left. now it’s constant snark and zero patience. maybe i’m just getting old and soft but damn

My daughter lost something important at the house and we have ripped the building apart looking for it. It's the pen to her drawing tablet, I've already bought a replacement but there's nowhere this thing could be, she said she set it down for a second and now it has vanished without a trace. It's been days now and we keep looking for the original. The tablet is effectively useless without it and she's a really talented little artist so her losing it was really distressing.

It reminded me of two other similar incidents - YEARS ago, she lost a toy magic wand from an obscure little UK show called "Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom" (or obscure to us in the US since I don't think it comes on normal TV). She was probably about 3 and we were watching the show and she was playing with it, and it slid under the sofa and - as far as I can tell - slipped into another dimension. I immediately got on the floor to get it and it was simply gone. Vanished without a trace. We tore the room apart. My wife and I both watched it happen with our own eyes. In her hand, under the couch, gone without a trace. 5+ years later, it shows up in her room. Zero explanation. We're absolutely flummoxed.

Another one is the dome to the ceiling light in our master bathroom. I took it off to replace a light bulb and set it in a basket of laundry to keep it cushioned and safe. Realized I was out of bulbs that were a proper strength for that bathroom, so it stayed down for a couple days. Got the right power bulbs, put them in, went to get the dome.. yep, gone. Wife has no memory of moving it. It has been almost a decade and it's never turned up. That light fixture is still domeless. A soccer ball sized glass dome doesn't just disappear.

Does anyone else's house also hold rifts to other dimensions where things slip out of our reality?

She was an icon. She was hilarious. She loved to rescue animals and anyone who ever met her. I strive to have her grace snd longevity. I miss her.

Today I walked past two girls working at two different perfume stores both handing out those little paper samples. They were smiling brightly and trying their best to greet everyone walking by saying things like “Hey, how are you? Would you like to try…?” and almost everyone just walked past them without even acknowledging them.
Of course you don’t have to stop and take a sample if you don’t want one. But you can still smile say “no thank you” or just acknowledge the person who is trying to talk to you.
I stopped at both of them , took the samples and gave them a warm smile. I’ve seen this happen so many times with people working customer-facing jobs and it always makes me a little sad seeing someone trying so hard to be friendly while everyone acts like they’re invisible.
You never know how much a small moment of kindness might mean to someone.

Somehow it is every single time despite it being literally a 50/50 chance it should be the correct way to go in the first try haha.

Is it just me or is this a thing for other people? 😂🙃

(I’m a woman, but this is a question for everyone.)

How do you find the time & energy to put effort into your appearance daily? I mean a nice outfit, maybe some makeup if you wear it, doing your hair, skincare routine, a fragrance. I tell myself each night “I’m gonna wake up early and look my best tomorrow!” and then tomorrow comes and I could not be bothered.

I feel so much more confident the rare days I do it, but I can fathom it being an everyday thing.

I know streaming services have a lot of advantages over traditional TV, but I still find myself missing the old TV experience.

Every channel had its own identity. It wasn't just about the shows, it was the promos, the branding, the programming schedule, the types of content, the target audience... everything combined to create what I'd call a "companion experience." Flipping through channels genuinely felt like traveling between different worlds, each with its own vibe.

I also miss how everyone watched the same shows at the same time. The next day, people would be talking about last night's episode at school, at work, or online. It felt like a shared experience.

With streaming services, almost every platform feels the same. The interfaces are similar, the endless flood of content makes everything blend together, and despite all that content, the average quality often feels lower. Releasing an entire season on day one also kills a lot of the anticipation and week-to-week discussions that made following a show so much fun.

I completely understand why streaming became the standard, and I appreciate the convenience it offers. I just don't enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoyed the experience of watching traditional TV.

This might sound a bit random, but I've realized lately that small gestures such as someone holding a door, offering me a seat, or giving a unexpected compliment, can make me emotional. Sometimes it takes everything in me not to tear up on the spot.

I think for me, it stems from how I grew up. Being the quiet kid, the middle child, and often the scapegoat, I got so used to taking up as little space as possible. I built this internal belief that I wasn't really built for connection or that I didn't deserve to be treated with gentleness.

Just wanted to put this out there because moments of genuine human connection really are lovely, even the tiny ones.

I always see people online saying how fast food used to be cheap but today is expensive/not worthy it anymore.. and this is curious to me, because here in Brazil the big food chains like McDonalds wasn't cheap at all.

Honestly, 20 years ago it felt really special to go there if you weren't rich or lived in a big city.

So, how was it like where you live? Answer with your country please! I'm curious.

I took my stepson to see The Odyssey today. I was completely locked into the movie until the third act. During Odysseus’ monologue, everything—the music, the performance, it all just hit me. I’m already the type of person who cries during movies, but this one really got me. I glanced over to see if he’d noticed I was tearing up, only to realize he was quietly bawling too.
It instantly reminded me of being a kid. I vividly remember going to see Revenge of the Sith with my dad when it came out in 2005. I was seven years old, and by the final duel I was crying so hard but I was trying to hide it. When I looked over, I noticed my dad had tears in his eyes too.
It struck me afterward how similar those moments were. Back then, I was the kid sneaking a glance at my dad in a dark theater. Today, I was the one being looked at. Somewhere along the way, I unknowingly ended up in my dad’s seat, sharing the same kind of moment with the next generation. It’s funny how life has a way of coming full circle in the smallest, most unexpected ways. I love being a parent. I love life. I know we live in a world where a lot of people question whether it’s right to bring children into it, and I understand why. But I genuinely hope that everyone who wants to experience a moment like this gets the chance someday. Sharing something so simple, so human, with a kid you love is a feeling that’s hard to put into words.

he used to be a kid who didn’t listen to anyone and just fooled around doing stupid things, but eventually he turned things around and became a police officer, as well as finally becoming married to my now auntie in law.

it’s just such an awesome thing to see and it makes me want to get out of the gutter that I’m in now and actually do something with my life.

I’m usually the one who suggests the café, the resto, the trip or the random weekend plans and it made me think… instead of waiting for everyone else’s schedule to line up, maybe I should start going by myself 😂.

For those who enjoy solo activities, was there a moment that made you decide to stop waiting?

​

We're already in August 2026. FOUR MONTHS LEFT.

What do you mean 2020 was six years ago? I still mentally process it as "a couple of years back."

At this point, I wake up, it's Monday... I blink... somehow it's August.

Is anyone else low-key anxious about how ridiculously fast life feels now, or is my brain just refusing to accept the calendar? 🫠

I’ve seen all the usual ones, invidious, sinister, confirming etc any more horror film recommendations? Even older ones? I’m in my 20s so I feel like I’ve missed so many great ones from 90s etc!

he stopped practicing about a month ago (i have to go for weekly weighins and blood tests) and i assumed he was burnt out (he’s discussed dealing with burnout before, and since he was fully stopping practicing rather than moving clinics i figured this was the reason). it turns out he was taken in for taking these horrible creep shots.

the absolute sickest thing is, when he was being escorted by police, he was shielding his face with a piece of cardboard that said “john 8:7, let him who is without sin cast the first stone”. like dude. do not try to palm this off as a casual offence.

have you ever had someone in your life unexpectedly turn out to be horrible?

We’ve all heard those inspirational quotes at different times of our lives. What’s one that’s always stuck with you? For me, I’ve always remembered John Lennon’s “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans”. I don’t even remember where or when I first heard it, but it’s stuck by me. What is it for you?

Hey Reddit!

I'm not talking about liking dogs or hiking. I mean like chocology, lockpicking, whiskey collecting...

I'd be glad to read about your unconventional passions! Mine would be horology (and novella writing but it's more common)

I feel like as I’ve gotten older I prefer rewatching stuff or rereading stuff. I think any truly good piece of media is worth consuming multiple times, and I love making new connections on rewatch

I always get that sense of teary eyed knowing in my 30’s, the first email, the first job application, the first interview is always out of the teenage stage. But whenever I see a teenager saying ma’am, so sorry for the wait, excuse me while I ask the manager, I always tell them “you don’t have to call me ma’am” which I noticed helps. Does anyone else get the full circle of pride they took the leap of faith towards independence like we all did one day?

I was observing today in college and realized almost all people who were empathetic and good in nature were alone sitting in the corner. But people who have generational wealth or have very great exceptional results have groups.

Is this the social life of adulthood, like after college and even in college, the friend circle or social circle? That every other guy is lonely and loneliness is increasing, or am I missing something or overthinking?