The universe hates us equally. (I hope.) Even the people who see the glass half-full have bad days. But sometimes it's easy to forget that. Our own problems seem the biggest. So what do you say we give ourselves a healthy reminder?
Those who have been around our website for long enough might remember that Bored Panda has a soft spot for life's unlucky moments. But not to kick someone while they're down, of course. Rather, to gain perspective and reassure ourselves that nobody has conspired against us and it's completely normal to lose it every once in a while.
Continue scrolling to check out who got the wrong end of the stick this time, and fire up our earlier publications to catch up with the series here, here, and here.
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His Face Says It All
My Dad Left His Window Down In His Truck While He Stepped Away For A Few Minutes And A Feral Cat Got In And Ate All Of His Tacos
As you can see (and know), mistakes happen and things don't work out as they should. But former clinical psychologist and researcher turned writer Alice Boyes, Ph.D., thinks we can learn to roll with the punches.
"Don't expect life to go smoothly," Boyes wrote in Psychology Today. "If we reserve a hotel room, we expect it will be available when we arrive. We expect clean water to come out of the tap. We expect that if we buy a product and it's faulty or not as described, we'll be able to return it. We expect the product we order will be the product that arrives and not some other random item."
"But the more you think of discomfort (of all kinds) as something to be expected periodically, the easier it can be to handle when it arises," she explained. "It's helpful to think of these experiences as universal rather than personalizing them."
Just Trying To Ride A Bike Near A Nesting Magpie
For A Month, I Thought I Lost My Wedding Ring On A Cross Country Road Trip. Finally, I Gave Up Ever Seeing It Again When We Realized It Was Under My Husband's Deodorant
I called gas stations, pawn shops, searched lost and found posts.
Just Bought Our Dream Home Less Than 2 Months Ago. Tonight I Watched It Burn To The Ground In A Massive Wildfire
"We often criticize ourselves that we should be able to handle blips, frustrations, disappointments, sadness, etc., better. You might think, 'Other people wouldn't be rocked by this. Other people would take this in stride.' Self-compassion skills should help a great deal if you're doing this type of criticism," Boyes said.
Also, try to understand what pushes your buttons. It can be really helpful to identify that not every piece of bad news or every inconvenience rattles you greatly, but just specific types.
Got Off The Train At The Wrong Station. Now I'm In The Middle Of Nowhere Without Food, It's Raining, It's Cold, I'm Hungry And Next Train Is In 7 Hours
Many many years ago, when I was studying in England, I went to Nottingham to visit a friend of mine for the weekend. When it was time to return to Coventry, I went to the bus station and they announced the departure for "Covent Green" in London. It was late, I was tired and I misheard. Guess who won a free trip to London! (which was twice the distance from Coventry :/)
Puppy Accidentally Ate A Bee. Everything Turned Out Fine
Here Is My Favorite Picture Of My Grandma. She Was Having A Hard Time With The Mixer
However, don't attempt to predict further bad news. "When unexpected issues come up, don't automatically [assume] they'll be difficult to address," Boyes said. "Don't expect a string of bad luck, e.g., 'bad luck comes in threes.'"
And as cliché as it sounds, problems can be opportunities. So when you end up in one, ask what you can learn from it. "Consider your strengths. Cars might be foreign to me, but in general, getting things done and not getting ripped off are strengths for me," Boyes said. "You can also consider your weaknesses. I'm not great at asking for help because I'm socially anxious. This was an opportunity to overcome that and ask my neighbor for help (although, to be honest, it was my spouse who asked)."
Yes, bad news sucks. But we still have to cope with it.
First Time Trying To Grow Carrots From Seeds. 6 Months Later
Learn From My Mistakes
yes both me and my uncle have done this and had the bruising 😣
Welp. There Goes Her New Bed
That Smile Though
Guess It's Toast For Breakfast Today
A Moose Broke Through A Window And Entered A School In Saskatoon Today
4 Days After Moving To Chicago
My Commute Is 45 Minutes. Just Pulled Up To The Office, Reached For My Bags And
This Flooded Parking Garage, Containing Roughly 150 Cars
Student Handed This In Today
I had to write a letter stating that my oldest son's project will not be in on due date because the day before his little brother assumed that it is an unfinished art project which he can finish on his brother's behalf....
Walked To Work In A Thunderstorm, But My Boss Forgot To Tell Me We All Have Today Off
It's Always A Pleasure To Realize That Your Coworkers Don't Know How To Close A Box Properly. Right When You're Ready To Go Home
Now you kick it on the ground and leave the mess for the one that didn't close it properly.
How Does This Happen?
Just Got Stung By A Wasp And I Have A Job Interview Later Today… Can’t Even Talk Right
6 College Bros And One Brain Cell Between All Of Us
Doordashed Food And In The 5 Minutes It Took Me To Get To The Door, The Neighbor's Cat Ate Through The Box And Stole Some Chicken
Family Vacation To The Grand Canyon. What A View
Are You Kidding Me?
He Picked A Bad Day To Block The Fire Hydrant
I Heard Gunshots Outside Right Before Heading To Work, I Waited About 10 Minutes Before I Went Out To My Car And Found This. Glad I Wasn’t In The Car
My Grandma’s Lunch At Her New Senior Living Residence That’s $3k A Month. Wtf Is This?
Residents can’t go to the dining room to eat because they don’t have enough staff so it’s deliveries only.
I Wore A Mesh Hat On A 30 Mile Hike. Feeling Like Aang Today
So I Had A Sneezing Fit While Driving Yesterday
Well
So Finally After A Year I Was Able To Get A Ps5. My Dog Was Excited Too
I Got Stuck Behind A Draw Bridge Today. And So Did An Ambulance
Both Things Happened To Me Today
This Kid Dropping Pizza
Just Took This Little Guy A Bath 20 Minutes Ago
First Halloween In My New Neighborhood And Didn’t Get A Single Trick Or Treater
the trick or treaters loss cuz they didn't get candy. nice decors btw
Toddler Learned How To Use The Microwave
Apparently Someone Has Been Munching My Donuts And It Was Supposed To Be For My Kids After Work
Owner Used The Wrong Shampoo (It's Hair Dye)
Why would you shampoo so close to the dog's eyes? Why wouldn't you stop the moment you see it's blue dye? That dog is perfectly coloured all over: I suggest this was intentional.
Thanks To Windows, I Never Saw My Card Again
My Back Veranda After The Neighbour Next Door, With Which I Share A Septic System, Flushed Paper Towels Down Their Toilet
Someone Parked Underground With Their Sunroof Open And A Pipe Burst Above Them
Yesterday I Asked A Homeless Man With A Sign "Hungry, Anything Helps" If He Wanted A Freshly Baked, Warm Bagel. Today At The Same Intersection Something Caught My Eye
At the time he was super thankful and nice, and I felt great about it as I drove off.
Most corner-dwelling sign holders are not homeless or desperate. Some of the ones in my city work in teams of two to six people, standing at all points of egress from a freeway or a business. They can make between $2000-$4000 a day from begging.
Even if I was a fake homeless person, I'd be super excited about a free freshly baked warm bagel...
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I offered a granola bar to a person asking for money. They kindly declined and told me they didn't have enough teeth to chew it. They smiled. They did not have good teeth.
I love all you enlightened people who think you know everything about homelessness because you saw a homeless person one time. Most of what you hear is pure bullshit. How do I know? My profile picture was taken in 2019 when I was homeless. I never asked anyone for anything, and because of that people would leave me money, cigarettes, and bring me food occasionally. I was grateful for all of it. I didn't use the money for drugs or alcohol. I used it for water so I could stay hydrated. Food so I had energy. Soap so I could shower every day in the woods with a gallon of water. I also used money for laundry. Most people I met in my position did the same thing. There was no shelter where I was at. I wasn't homeless by choice, I was out of state working and my job shut down. It was an 850 mile trip home and I never got my last check. My car eventually ran out of gas and was towed. I didn't burn bridges, I just had no way to get ahold of anybody and knew plenty of people who would've helped. Bottom line, don't go making inaccurate blanket statements when you don't know s**t since you never lived it.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I sincerely hope you are doing well now. And I hope it helps others have more compassion. My mom worked with the homeless for years. Most of the people were there due to circumstances out of their control.
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I once bought a spare filled bagel at the bakery and offered it a homeless man and he growled at me that he didnt want it and if I had a cigarette. I guess you can not just decide how someone wants your help, homeless people have a will of their own.
Of course they have, but then they shouldn't carry a sign reading "hungry - anything helps", should they?
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I would have blessed that bagel and counted it as a blessing when through no fault of our own we were hungry.
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I haven't seen anyone else stating this. But some homeless people stay away from eating food because hateful people poison and tamper with it. I imagine if you were truly hungry it'd be hard to resist though. But just a thought
They'd have every right to feel paranoid after reading this thread.
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A fresh bagel sat in that spot for 24 hrs and not a single bird, dog, trash panda or the like came by to snatch it?.................Fake News.
Now I feel stupid for giving a begger the biggest change possible today...
Aw, you shouldn't feel stupid. An act of kindness is a good thing.
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Most of them are scammers working in teams. Look around for the fancy motor home.
Most homeless folks on street corners are NOT homeless and make a great daily living raking in tons of money from unsuspecting folks in cars....
I'm sure he was touched by the sentiment, but the fact is that bread is literally the one food they can always find. I'm poor and have been homeless before. The food banks literally give you multiple different kinds of bread (wheat, white, cinnamon bread, tortillas, bagels, pastries) each visit (breads outnumber other foods by 5 to 1, at least). He'd probably just finished a breakfast of bread when you kindly offered your warm bagel. So I hope you don't take it personally and don't stop offering delicious bagels, but if you can, a dollar or two on top of it is even better. Let the downvotes commence.
Sorry to hear you have experienced homelessness, hope you have a home and are better now. People need to hear more about what it means and feels to be homeless I think, thanks for sharing.
Load More Replies... The other day I found several packaged food items outside a store that homeless people usually beg for money. nothing else, just the clean, unopened food items that some good Samaritan had paid good money for.
You have to understand that homeless people also find access to food. That in no way obligates them to scarf it down in front of you to show what a good deed you've done. Maybe they had just eaten when they were given the food and were saving it for dinner or to give to a friend who hadn't eaten yet. Y'all just got life all figured out, don't you?
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Good hearted people like the op mean well, but most of these people are con artists. They might even chew out someone who gives them food or doesn't give them enough money.
There are asshole homeless just like there are asshole billionaires. Quit painting people with the same brush.
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All homeless people are not the same. I've seen people out side supermarkets very very happy when a shopper had picked up a buy one get one free for them - unfortunately what is useful when you have no kitchen equipment is limited.
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This happened to my boss, but he gave some money to a "homeless" pan handler....later that day he saw the same homeless man in the bank he was at, in nice clothes, doing some business transaction. This is why I don't give anyone money anymore....if they truly need help, there are many resources and organizations out there who are ready to help.
This is exactly why I don't give my money or food to random so called homeless people.
In all fairness, would you eat something that a total stranger pulled up and handed to you? There's a lot of sickos out there doing horrible things to the homeless, including setting them on fire and putting poison in food.
Also those who are homeless often get a lot of food offered to them and don't feel able to decline it. They would prefer money for other things like toiletries etc.
He found out he couldn't smoke it & couldn't inject it in his arm.
thats why i never give them cash, i'll buy you a meal, but wont give u money.
In Tucson Arizona, people are assigned corners by the unemployment agency. They change shifts on a regular schedule. Most of them drive really ritzy cars but just don’t have a home to live in. Some have nice homes and nice cars and then dirty them selves up to big money. The average homeless person can make $100 or more a day and it’s completely tax-free. I’ve never found a homeless person that would except food. Most of them just want money to either support the drug habit or alcohol habit which made them homeless in the first place. The veteran homeless will not except shelter at all. When I worked at the VA we have a homeless section that offers apartments to vets at low or no cost, But the majority of vets don’t want to get back into a structured lifestyle, They like the freedom of not having bills.
Also, Happy Thanksgiving everybody, count your blessings you don't need help bc clearly 80% of this thread doesn't give a damn.
I'd also just like to point out that not all homeless people are beggars. I had two jobs and a car and was still homeless.
Well as long as you felt great about it and had no expectations of an innocent party that's the important part.
In a city close to where I live, people pretend to panhandle, but when you stop to give them money, food, etc... they try to steal your car. I have no hope in humanity.
Not all of them, only the assholes. I wish humanity could remember that people are divided out pretty evenly across all spectrums of race, gender, religion, rich, poor etc. There will be heroes, there will be thieves, there will be scammers, louts, angels, comedians, villains amongst us all. To miss this crucial fact is naive and makes you vulnerable to political parties.
Load More Replies... I saw a young lady out with a sign asking for money a few months ago. I only had $3 on me. Told her I was sorry, that was all the cash I had on me. She told me I should Cashapp her.....Bye, Felicia!
Cell phones are cheaper than rent and are helpful at finding jobs and resources. Who knew.
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I'm poor right now and I can actually give you a real world example from yesterday. I went to the local food pantry and since it's Thanksgiving they were giving out turkeys. I live alone in an RV and not only is my fridge too small, but my oven is broken so I figured the easiest, most graceful way to turn that beautiful bird down was to say "no, thank you, but I don't have room for it" to which they very enthusiastically replied "we have whole chickens!" and the volunteer looked so happy that she found a way to put a bird on my table for Thanksgiving that I just couldn't say no, couldn't take that joy from her (and I was joyful to receive it, her gift, as it were, I just can't cook it). I took it gratefully knowing I had no way of cooking it. It does fit in my freezer however so in a few days, after everyone has run out of turkey, I plan on giving it to a neighbor.
Load More Replies... "Hungry, anything helps" must be read as "Slightly peckish, need money for my daily dose."
I had a friend of a friend have some kind of idea of trying to live as a homeless person to see what it was like. He found out that many of them were in this thing where they would pan handle for a while then take all their money and go on cruises for months---bed to sleep in, food, drinks, entertainment etc all in one place :/
People who have addictions aren't lowlifes. Sure, some of them can do some pretty terrible things, but it's still a mental illness nonetheless.
Load More Replies... So basically he's not hungry enough to beg I assume....
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Woke Up Last Night To A Huge Crashing Sound Only To Find My Only Car Outside Completely Totaled By A Pos Driver. Nobody Else On The Road, 1 Am
Technically they are liable, but you will likely have to sue to get them to pay out. Its likely such a moron does not have insurance.
Some Non-Municipal Company Started Digging Up My And My Neighbor's Lawn With No Disclosure To Put Some Internet Service In, Broke All The Sprinkler Systems
Here in Ohio, US, you call 811 (or www.call811.com) a week or 2 before digging, they will send people out to mark all of underground stuff. Many companies won’t dig unless your yard is marked or that you can prove that they were out & didn’t find anything. And it’s free.
Someone Drilled A Hole In My Gas Tank. They Got Away With Roughly $12 Worth Of Fuel
I Was Stung Twice, Once On My Forehead And Once On The Top Of My Ear
My Dad’s Phone. Left It To Charge Overnight, Woke Up And Saw This
Note: this post originally had 109 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Today I was hopping down the stairs on my right leg because I've hurt my knee on my left leg and I misstepped and sprained my ankle and both legs are stuffed and every step is painful. I also have a multi hour cadets thing that i have to be standing for on the weekend .
I had pretty bad week this year in February. I had covid and heating in my house stopped working. I couldn't fix it, no one else could go to my house, it was -20 °C outside. I had little portable heater, but it wasn't enough.
Hope things are better for you. Currently waiting for insurance adjuster because... well... my heater went out and my portable unit set fire to the electrical socket. Fortunately it's not -20°C! I applaud your stamina, friend. That's a rough temp to endure without heat.
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I sleepwalk when I’m stressed and ever since the start of covid I wake up at least twice a week outside or crammed in a tight space. ( my neighbor once woke me up when I fell asleep in her garden..)
We had a couple of bad months a year ago when pretty much every single appliance in the house broke… it started with the refrigerator, the same one that’s broken like six times before but unless it breaks three times in the exact same way the warranty doesn’t cover a replacement, just fixes it. This time it broke completely and wasn’t fixable, we ordered a new one but warranty compensation wasn’t working very smoothly so we had to pay out of pocket at first, fortunately they also paid for a rental (which had the same compensation headache), we put it in the garage because it was supposed to be only a month or so. And then it was delayed, and delayed, and delayed, and eventually we got a bigger rental and put it in the house, because apparently the new fridge wasn’t going to come for months. It was on the slow boat from China. And the US didn’t really like China at that point. And that whole clogged ports/Suez Canal/pandemic thing. So we didn’t get a new fridge for about six months.
During which time the toilet broke, we fixed it and it broke again, several printers broke, the other toilet broke, the vacuum broke a few times, the heater broke, I think the water heater broke too, the washing machine started leaking once or twice, and I was placing my bets on the kitchen sink going next. (Of course it’s still holding on while everything else collapses.) Oh, and to top it all off, our septic tank started leaching into our chicken coop. Not fun. But the best part is, it just started up again, and this time it’s not leaking slowly, it’s bubbling up and we think there’s actually a broken pipe underground. Oh, and our grill broke. So I wouldn’t say it’s been a bad day, but fall has not been a good season for our house.
Load More Replies... Today I was hopping down the stairs on my right leg because I've hurt my knee on my left leg and I misstepped and sprained my ankle and both legs are stuffed and every step is painful. I also have a multi hour cadets thing that i have to be standing for on the weekend .
I had pretty bad week this year in February. I had covid and heating in my house stopped working. I couldn't fix it, no one else could go to my house, it was -20 °C outside. I had little portable heater, but it wasn't enough.
Hope things are better for you. Currently waiting for insurance adjuster because... well... my heater went out and my portable unit set fire to the electrical socket. Fortunately it's not -20°C! I applaud your stamina, friend. That's a rough temp to endure without heat.
Load More Replies... I sleepwalk when I’m stressed and ever since the start of covid I wake up at least twice a week outside or crammed in a tight space. ( my neighbor once woke me up when I fell asleep in her garden..)
We had a couple of bad months a year ago when pretty much every single appliance in the house broke… it started with the refrigerator, the same one that’s broken like six times before but unless it breaks three times in the exact same way the warranty doesn’t cover a replacement, just fixes it. This time it broke completely and wasn’t fixable, we ordered a new one but warranty compensation wasn’t working very smoothly so we had to pay out of pocket at first, fortunately they also paid for a rental (which had the same compensation headache), we put it in the garage because it was supposed to be only a month or so. And then it was delayed, and delayed, and delayed, and eventually we got a bigger rental and put it in the house, because apparently the new fridge wasn’t going to come for months. It was on the slow boat from China. And the US didn’t really like China at that point. And that whole clogged ports/Suez Canal/pandemic thing. So we didn’t get a new fridge for about six months.
During which time the toilet broke, we fixed it and it broke again, several printers broke, the other toilet broke, the vacuum broke a few times, the heater broke, I think the water heater broke too, the washing machine started leaking once or twice, and I was placing my bets on the kitchen sink going next. (Of course it’s still holding on while everything else collapses.) Oh, and to top it all off, our septic tank started leaching into our chicken coop. Not fun. But the best part is, it just started up again, and this time it’s not leaking slowly, it’s bubbling up and we think there’s actually a broken pipe underground. Oh, and our grill broke. So I wouldn’t say it’s been a bad day, but fall has not been a good season for our house.
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