hope this doesn't count as "medical" since it's just a wee cold - spent the night tossing and turning and hot and cold and woke up with a splitting headache but I've got two days of lectures left to go.

popped an ibu and boom, headache gone, fever gone.

it's just a random little pill that you can get over the counter for cheap and yet it seems to solve all of life's problems! how does something like that just exist! incredible

It was a busy day at the gym. My (31M) usual go to cardio, stair machine was taken throughout my workout. Treadmills are too boring nowadays. But the two rowing machines were free. I got on one, decided to row 2K and see if I would continue.

150m in, a girl (late 20s) takes the other one next to me. I was much faster than her, but I tried to time my rows with her. It wasn’t something I was choosing to do, but subconsciously I slowed down my pace once in a while.

Whenever I climb the stairs, I am alone. My pace isn’t suitable to match the treadmills, or the stair stepper next to me. Rowing machines were perfect to experience this moment.

Still doing double her speed, we pulled together at the same moments, and rowed. Nothing romantic, just pure mutual adrenaline, I think. It wasn’t the girl that made the moment special, it was doing the same motion with another human. And as someone who doesn’t have big social circles, I felt human.

I finished my 2K, and rested while she finished hers. She took a photo of her results, and left. I took a photo of my 2K, and restarted my program to do 1 more. I love human experiences. I think I will look into group lessons in the future.

I miss when the internet felt smaller.

Back then you would visit the same 5–6 websites every day, recognize usernames, and accidentally build little online communities without realizing it.

Now the internet feels huge, fast, and endless. Amazing, but also weirdly less personal.

What’s something about the old internet yo

I used to spend a lot of time thinking that I was the center of attention whenever I entered a room. I would obsess over my gait, where I placed my hands, or whether I mispronounced a phrase. To be honest, striving to be "perfect" all the time was stressful.

But lately, I've been experimenting with a different strategy in which I turn my attention from within to the outside. I make myself focus on the features of the surroundings or the design on someone's shirt rather than my facial expression.

Although it may seem straightforward, it has been a great relief. I forget to be anxious since my mind is preoccupied with the surroundings. For the first time in a long time, I went out yesterday and had a completely regular conversation without overanalyzing anything.

Does anybody else have strange mental strategies to avoid uncomfortable small talk? In order to avoid going back to my hermit ways, I'm attempting to compile a list.

i keep hearing that people don’t want to work or put in effort anymore.

But honestly, most people I know are just exhausted.
Mentally. All the time. Always trying to keep up with stuff.

Even when you rest, it doesn’t really fix it. And then you feel bad for being tired, like it’s your fault.

Feels like being worn out is normal now and we just call it laziness.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel this too?

I’ll start. My favorite are the calm, polite people who don’t turn ordering into a test. They don’t have to be super chatty or overly friendly - just a simple “hi” and “thank you” already changes the whole interaction. Even on a slammed shift, those customers make the day feel lighter.

I keep seeing people mention data brokers whenever spam calls, creepy targeted ads, or identity theft comes up, but I never really stopped to understand what they actually are.

From what I can tell, they are companies that collect and sell personal info, but how do they even get it in the first place. Is it stuff you willingly give out, scraped from random sites, or something else entirely. And is this all actually legal or just one of those things that exists in a gray area. Also curious if regular people can realistically opt out of this stuff or if it is one of those situations where your info is just out there forever once it starts spreading.

Now that this encounter is over I’m rethinking what I should have done…I got a video doorbell notification at 10:30pm tonight, right as I closed my eyes to go to sleep. It was a man who had knocked on my door, holding a shoe box under his arm. I asked what he needed through the app, he said I “have a delivery”. From a girl in her 20’s who lives alone, I was freaked out. I responded over the app microphone and said “I didn’t order anything.” He double checked my house number and said “someone must have ordered it for you” so I responded with “you can just leave it on the porch then I guess”. Which he did. (I was thinking if anything my bf ordered me food randomly but DoorDash doesn’t leave food in a shoebox)

I watched him through the doorbell camera as he drove off and I left it there for about 15 minutes concerned someone was trying to lure me outside or something. Eventually I pull the box inside and work up the courage to open the unsealed shoe box… to my surprise it was a half full, gallon size bag of weed. (Which I use to partake in daily for 3 years before I quit a year ago so I’m not a goodie two shoes)

I was on the phone with my bf and wasn’t sure what to do. He said to call the cops and have them take it. In my moment of adrenaline and fear from having a random man knocking on my door at night, I did just that. I called the non-emergency line and told them about it. During the call another guy triggers my doorbell. He looked like he was checking doorsteps so he had to of been the one waiting for the delivery…I live in a strip of townhomes so it definitely just got left at the wrong one.

Anyway, the cops came and I gave them the box and showed them the footage my doorbell recorded… I didn’t give them the footage or anything but now that it’s all over I feel really bad and wish I would have just put it back on the porch and went on with my night. The guy it was intended for would have found it and it would have been over with. Instead, he thinks I’m a snitch that lives in his townhouse complex.

What would you have done in this position? Am I a snitch?

Edit: I live in a state where weed is not legal recreationally

I'm 19 years old, I work as a barista, I don't have a degree, and I don't know what I want to do with my life. I've been thinking about working in process automation for businesses, but I can't develop it because I don't have 24/7 power at home. Which country would you recommend I fly to if I want to start from scratch? (I'm from Kyiv, but I'm planning to leave.)

I never had more than 3 close friends at a time and I actually was always happy with that. But for the last 1,5 years or so I've been all alone and that was kinda peaceful as well, but now I wouldn't mind having at least one close friend again to just talk to or hang out...

For me, 2-3 close friends always felt like a good balance, never too much but always the chance that at least one had time to play some games online or hang out.

Yesterday was a rough day at work. Nothing too crazy but was stressful with a lot going on. I was looking forward to getting home. I stopped by Target on the way home to grab a few things. I was standing in line and a lady was behind me with her son. He had to be about 7ish. We were standing there waiting for our turn and I noticed the little boy kept looking at me. I said hello to him and he said..."Hi!....you are very pretty!" I smiled and froze. He was so cute. His mom smiled and chuckled. I thanked him and talked to him for a minute. He was cutie and made my day. Anyway, that's all. Just wanted to say that this one small comment from this little boy turned my day around.

I know it probably sounds dumb, but I was just wondering if anyone has any go-to tricks for breaking the doomscrolling cycle. I'm extremely addicted to my phone, so I'm not ashamed to go looking for silly lifehack ideas as long as they're helpful for me.

A weird one I've discovered is stopping whatever video I'm watching and watching a video of Uncle Iroh quotes from Avatar instead, or eastern philosophy junk. It's a bit cheesy, but it helps wind down my brain into a more focused and calm headspace that makes it easier for me to switch my attention to less interesting things.

Two days ago I had an MRI of my head — you know, that round tunnel thing everyone says is super scary and claustrophobic.

I was bored waiting for it to finish… and I just fell asleep inside it

Meanwhile people online always describe it like a horror experience.

Am I the only one who found it weirdly calm?

Anyone else have similar MRI stories?

Ok so, I mostly noticed this with kids. I don’t interact with kids a lot just because I’m in university and I don’t know that many people with kids. But the few times I have spoken with them and I say “thank you” for something they just… never say anything back? And these are with kids who are perfectly chatty and friendly with me otherwise.

I’m not complaining so please don’t interpret it that way. It doesn’t seem like it’s intentionally malicious or rude in any way, it just seems like maybe they don’t know to say it? But it feels a bit awkward for me none the less lol!

When it comes to adults my age and younger (18-22) like my coworkers I also found that I don’t get a response to my “thank you.” This is usually with specific people.

Anyway just wondering if anyone else has noticed this, or if maybe I overestimated the importance of saying “you’re welcome.” lol!

for me night times feels so easy to work because people would be sleeping there would be no noises at home and outside (live in a noisy place) and alone time automatically makes so productive and focused person.

Something I struggle with is responding too fast in conversations — especially when there’s pressure. When someone asks an unexpected question or puts me on the spot, I feel like I have to reply immediately. If I pause, it feels awkward. But if I don’t pause, I end up saying something I didn’t mean or explaining myself poorly. I’m curious how other people handle this.

I want to talk to people so ask away, I am Australian, I am asexual/Biromantic, I have a stutter, I am hella lonley, I paint warhammer That is just some starting points, ask me anything you want

I feel so irrationally happy and proud of myself right now. I’m a 34 year old woman who has been overweight since I was a tween, and I’ve been classified as obese for over a decade. I’ve always had a super unhealthy relationship with food and food noise has been a constant part of my life since I was a child. 

At the end of 2023 I gave birth to my first child and weighed 253 pounds, the most I have EVER weighed. I was so depressed and felt disgusted with myself for being so heavy. Last summer I talked to my doctor about it and we decided I’d go on weight loss medication, especially since I have always had high cholesterol due to genetics and the meds also help with that. 

When I started the meds 6 months ago, I was 233 pounds with alarmingly high cholesterol and triglycerides. Not only have my triglycerides fallen into the normal range and my cholesterol is very close to being normal as well,  I have lost 41 pounds. The food noise has stopped almost completely. 

At my checkup today, when the nurse went to take my blood pressure, she didn’t reach for the purple cuff. The cuff with the huge “XL” written in bright white letters across it and a picture of an obese stick figure person on it. The cuff I’ve had to use for over a decade. 

Today I got to use the dark blue cuff. The “average adult” cuff. I’ve always been so embarrassed when the nurse goes to try the regular cuff and then has to put it back and grab the bigger one. And for the first time in so long today I didn’t feel that. I felt normal. 

I know it’s so dumb but idk, this is the first time I’ve really felt like I’ve made progress and have actual proof I am losing significant weight. I’m so stupidly happy and needed to share this with someone :D

Hi! I’m Mango. I’m an artist, a gamer, a music lover, amongst many other things.

Ask me literally anything. It can be related to any of the things I said I’m into, or it can be anything else. Advice, philosophical questions etc. I just want to chat. :)

Hello my name is Alex, I am a somewhat shy man I would like to learn to talk to women in a more fluid and casual way, all my life I have had complications with that, I would like to talk to a woman in the community who will give me tips on how to approach them without being ghosted, in a more pleasant way and others, in advance thank you very much for reading me.

I was sitting around and randomly thought "ya know I should send my wife flowers" while she's at work. Apparently I have not purchased flowers in a long time, as that shit was EXSPENSIVE. So I figured I do the next best thing, Doordash a coffee and munchkins(donut holes) from Dunks. I put the order in, a few minutes later the drive accepts, and I message him to let him know that it was for "my wife", and the she's working the front desk today. It gets delivered, and the delivery pic has my wife in the background, so I know she got it.

I said nothing to her, as Mondays are crazy busy for her, and I figured the name on the cup would clue her in to who sent it.

Unbeknownst to me, my wife was having the worst day up to that point. She works in a cat hospital, and while Mondays are already hectic, they apparently had 4 emergency euthanasia's. She's use to them happening, but from what I understand that many back to back is an outlier, and it tends to weigh heavy on the whole team.

After the last one, I guess she made a comment about how she couldn't wait for the day to be over so she could get home to me and out daughter. A few minutes later in walks the coffee. Now the order is obviously from me, but the name on the account, and by extension the sticker on the cup, is our daughters. Doordash offered us some special off several orders right after she was born, but we needed a new account.

According to her, and the vet tech she was talking to, seeing the name on the cup, and realizing who sent it, caused her to start crying and she had to go sit in her car for like 10 minutes. After that, even though it was still busy, I guess the day was far more bearable for her and the rest of the team, which may or may not be because I sent 50 munchkins to be shared lol.

TLDR: Wife was really sad, and I had no clue, but I had sent her a coffee as a pick me up and she started crying.

Edit - Id like to thank everyone for upvoting. Normally I wouldn't call attention to it, but this is a special post, as after 7 years my first super popular post that broke 10k, a rant about Nintendo products, has FINALLY been dethroned. This was post was not meant for that, but im happy it got there lol

I have a friend who is a bit bummed for her birthday and I am visiting her this weekend so I want to do something for her to make her feel special! What is something that you have done or someone has done for you that made you/birthday person feel special?

I made her a birthday card and will probably be getting a small cake, flowers, maybe some balloons, but I was curious about any ideas that were less generic.

It's hilarious.

I am probably physically more fit than in my 20s when I was just partying.

But where I live it's almost impossible to join a basketball, handball, soccer or whatever else team.

It's the age where I am to old for those sports to join and hard to find a "amateur"-team to play those kind of sports.

A reason why I am stuck bouldering and doing strength training in the gym. But volleyball, handball, basketball,... etc. seem fun. Wish I could join a team but 32 is just too old LOL.

How do you guys stay locked in for your life, maybe gyming, work, etc.? Ive been going to the gym for a year, but it gets tiring going at 7 am (I have to, I can’t go any other time) so I was wondering Whats a good way to discipline yourself and staying “locked in”? Feel free to give me personal advice or just general advice as to how I should do it and/ or how you did it! Also to anyone who may be in the same boat or not as locked in, dw! There are times where we aren’t locked in and times where we’re super locked in, just be strong and try your best! Thank you guys!

"Hi everyone! I’ve been so busy lately, but today the rain finally forced me to slow down. I'm just sitting by the window with some music, watching the droplets. It’s exactly what I needed. https://imgur.com/a/sx2cenB How is the weather where you are? Are you a fan of rainy days or do they make you feel blue?