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35 “It Can’t Be That Easy” Things That Turned Out To Actually Be Easy When People Tried Them
Interview With Author
Sometimes, we get in our own way far too much. We overthink. We overcomplicate things. We procrastinate. We think of a dozen little reasons why we can’t succeed. But finally taking action (and adding a dash of patience and persistence!) can make us realize that a task was far simpler than we ever thought it could be. Relatable? You have no idea!
Redditor u/UnoAboveAll recently went viral after starting up an interesting thread on r/AskReddit about some of the most memorable ‘it can’t be that easy/it was that easy’ moments people ever had. We’ve collected some of their best stories to motivate and energize you to get started on all of those tasks you’ve been avoiding. Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview with u/UnoAboveAll on dealing with overthinking and learning to embrace potential failure!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Changing my bathroom faucet. I'm a 56-year-old woman that's never done any plumbing before. Turns out YouTube is a wealth of knowledge. It really wasn't that hard! I get joy every time I wash my hands knowing I did that.
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
Recently I learned how to run vinegar through the pipes to clean the awful limescale build-up throughout the plumbing system AND took apart and fixed my bathroom shower, following some instructions over the phone from my partner!! I was ridiculously proud of myself!
Robert T 2 years ago
My issue with plumbing is not so much that it is hard, but that if you get it wrong, it makes such a mess, and it might not do it straight away, it might be when you are out at work and it floods the house before you get back! I tend to draw the line at changing a tap washer.
Loren Pechtel 2 years ago
This. Working with the permanently-pressurized part of the system isn't really where you should start on plumbing, mistakes can be so messy.
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BoredPandaSucks 2 years ago
the back contortion required to get under the cabinet of most sinks is the only hard part of kitchen faucet installation.... well assuming the water supply and shut off valves are already there that is.
Christof Irran 2 years ago
Changed brake rotors and brake pads on all four wheels of a 2002 BMW with the help of a YouTube video. You'd be surprised how easy it is.
Just like many of us, redditor u/UnoAboveAll, the author of the thread, is an overthinker. They told Bored Panda that most of the time, they don’t have a solution on how to deal with overthinking as a whole. However, what does help is actively taking breaks.
“I try to help myself by breathing and occupying my mind with other things. Filling my mind with anxiety and focusing too much on the harder things of life will only take away my sleep. Having time to organize my thoughts, one at a time, and deciding what to do later would be my best option,” they said.
“I know it’s hard. I have been there. Most of us have been there. But we all have our own way of relaxing. Choose your best hobby. Take your time, drink coffee, tea, or your favorite drink. And don’t forget that break time is important. Even if life it’s difficult, don’t forget to stay healthy, both physically and mentally,” they advised all the overthinkers out there to be kind to themselves and slow down.
RELATED:
#2
The day I left my abusive ex husband. I was so scared to leave but scared to stay. But once I broke free other felt so easy looking back in hindsight.
Caro Caro 2 years ago
Congratulations!! That took a lot of guts and I hope you are happy now. My friend was in an abusive relationship (and she had a baby) and I just told her to grab her baby, jump in the car and leave. She could come to my house and stay here or whatever. She was scared... One day she did just that. Picked her child up from MIL and put him in the car and just drove to a big city - to the cops. My advice was to save the nasty text messages and she did. Showed them to the cops, called him and put him on speaker and oh boy, the foul and aggressive things he said got her all the help she needed. She and her son (my godson) are now healthy, safe and happy. Hooray :)
Kelsie Marx 2 years ago
My first husband was very verbally abusive, and I too was too scared to throw in the towel. But what a blessing it was, for now I’m married to an amazing man for almost 10 years and I have a beautiful son. See, there is a rainbow after a storm 😊!
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
💜 That’s great. Its hard to believe it while in the abusive relationship, but life can get much better!
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Mimi M 2 years ago
This person is very fortunate. Sometimes the price of leaving is very, very high.
Becca Kuehn 2 years ago
That's very true. The most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is usually when the person who is being abused tries to leave. The day that my former abuser found out that I was planning to leave he broke my spine. Luckily my two young children were never physically hurt. After 18 months of using a wheelchair, I was able to walk again. Unfortunately even after over 25 years, my children still remember seeing and hearing me being beaten by that monster. They were both under 3 years old at the time.
Load More Replies... Jane Cortez 2 years ago
It should be court mandated that abusers need to disclose their offences against others as well as counselling with assessments to track progress, ( if any).
Jes.the.Mess 2 years ago
It took 2 years to pry myself away, and lots of help from my family. They loved him at first because he's a real charmer. But when he started stealing everything that wasn't nailed to the floor to feed his meth habit? The illusion finally fell away
Becca Kuehn 2 years ago
I'm so happy that you had the strength to leave. Some people who haven't experienced domestic violence will never understand why it's so hard to get out of that situation. Unfortunately, I know how very terrifying it is. I did it over 25 years ago. I hope you find peace and happiness.
rs_adahl1971 2 years ago
You go girl! I know how hard that choice is. I went through it and now my adult daughter is going through the same. You are brave and courageous.
#3
Got a salary request when applying for a job, accidentally wrote double what I meant to write since the number keys were right next to each other. They accepted anyway.
BoredPandaSucks 2 years ago
My idea of salary negotiation. Them : "So what are your salary requirements?" Me: "Yes please!"
Son of Philosoraptor 2 years ago (edited)
As a hiring manager, I'll tell you guys to know beforehand the range of salaries of whatever you are going for. Like if an average is $70k, you don't want to ask for $50k (you're hired!) or for $100k. $75-$80k ask, no problem. We will consider, based on your skills and experience!
Crystal Spencer 2 years ago
Yeah, except, on what keyboard would you accidentally double the salary because the keys are "next to each other"? None of my keyboards are set up that way...unless it was 33 to 66 which I highly doubt.
As we’ve previously covered on Bored Panda, people generally tend to spend a lot of time thinking and ruminating on the negative aspects of life. In short, we’re all pretty anxious about making mistakes in the future. Somewhat ironically, the more we think about the errors we might have made in the past, the more likely we can be to repeat them.
And while you’re busy overthinking every single detail, opportunities are passing you by. For some individuals, the fear of making a decision and eliminating all other possible choices is what’s scary. However, not making a decision is actually a choice in itself. A passive one. The antidote to overthinking is taking action and committing to a decision. It won’t come easy at first, but we can train ourselves to be more proactive and to trust our first impressions in any given situation. The longer we wait, the more lost we might feel.
#4
Going back to school.
I've been toying with the idea for years telling myself it was too far, too expensive, too time consuming etc and that because I had a home, job and child to maintain I couldn't do it.
Something in me finally cracked recently and I thought f**k it and made a call to a tech school nearby. 3 days later I'm on a tour. The tour is maybe an hour or 2 total. Papers were all done online annnnd I start Monday! They also threw a TON of financial aid at me. I'm only gonna pay about 50$ a month until I've graduated and those payments go up to about 95$. Still very manageable.
My classes are only four hours long, they're at night, and I only have to be in class 2 days a week. The rest of my studies are done at home with a tablet they provide me so I don't even have to buy a computer or anything.
Couldn't believe how easy and affordable it actually was. They estimate I finish my program in about 8-10 months.
Ernesto Foglio 2 years ago
I went back to university at 28. I enjoyed it so much. I was the proper nerd. You understand everything they throw at you
Glen Ellyn 2 years ago
I went back to school at age 58 and completed an Associate Degree at the local community college at age 60. I was nervous at first, but soon realized that I was not the only "mature" student there. I was probably the oldest in my classes, but still, it was fine. I originally thought I'd rather do it all online, but realized that I actually preferred to be in the classroom. Luckily, I ended up with a nice mix of both online and in-person classes.
Frazzled Mama 2 years ago
I swear this photo is the exact room where I took Intro to Astronomy in college.
#5
Found a 60” tv by the dumpster. Plugged it in, didn’t turn on. Looked up common problems with the model number, bought a part on eBay for $20, replaced part, had a huge TV.
Michael Haueter 2 years ago
As a repair technician, I've done this several times when a client declines a repair (I have to use vender certified parts for repair which run $300+). Parts on ebay are cheap.
Vasana Phong 2 years ago
My BIL told me when he worked at an electronics department at a store, people would return items, some due to faulty parts, instead is scrapping it the management would sell it to the employees if they wanted it for real cheap, he said lots of times it’s just a small part that needs to be changed, I guess no one on either end didn’t want to bother fixing it
Quentin ingulfumble 2 years ago
same. my roomba was in a skip and just needed a battery. the kids also have an electric car and a trike we found in a bin area that we spent a few quid on bits, upgraded them to run on drill batteries and now they wheelspin whe they take off, to the squeals of delight of two fearless children!
Vanessa Richardson 2 years ago
We did the same with our tv! One day the color just went out—all we could see was magenta—so we googled, ordered the motherboard or whatever for like $10 and fixed it! So happy we didn’t have to buy a new one.
#6
when i started my add medication - i never knew how life could be and how easy it was to just get up and do stuff
changed my life for the better and i’ve managed to turn so many things around, cant believe it took me 18 years to get diagnosed
Dan Padgett 2 years ago
Man, you get so used to your normal. So when you get on meds, you're like "hang on, crippling anxiety isn't the norm?".
Panda Boi 2 years ago
IKR "So THIS is how people normaly feel" is an amazing realization.
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MrsFettesVette 2 years ago
Medication can save people's lives (I know it saved mine). We should all talk about it loud enough to drown out folks who think we just need to exercise more or cut out gluten.
Vasana Phong 2 years ago
It’s sad how in some cultures mental health doesn’t exist “just be happy “ is the answer for everything
Susan Harrie 2 years ago
My daughter had the same problem, but not for want of a diagnosis. She couldn't find anyone where she lives that could see her. There is a huge shortage of mental health professionals that is impacting people getting help. She finally got the diagnosis, but has to wait two more months to see someone to prescribe medication. At least she's on her way!
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
This is me 3w into bupropion. It’s like, wait…Edgy and pissed off and short tempered aren’t the norm???
Tim Douglass 2 years ago
Funny how meds work. Bupropion made me angry and aggressive. Every med I've tried has had unacceptable side effects. I finally decided my depression isn't that bad, I can live with it.
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SarahBee 2 years ago
I was diagnosed w/ adult ADHD and put on a medication. I clearly remember seeing a pile of laundry and telling myself I needed to fold them. So I did. It was a revelation. All I could think was - is it this easy for most people to get things done? Life can be so unfair.
SarahBee 2 years ago
The really unfair thing is that I have Tourette's Syndrome, and the meds made my tics worse. No more meds for me. At least I gained some perspective on why it's so hard to get things done. I once saw an ADHD book called "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Crazy, or Stupid?" Having ADHD can be so frustrating.
Load More Replies...Now, failure isn’t something that many people actively enjoy. We’re all social animals, so our reputation and whether we’re respected both carry a lot of weight. However, focusing on your reputation alone and being scared of making mistakes can make you miss out on lots of opportunities in life, including solving apparent problems and trying potentially fun new things. Hardly any success in life is simply handed to us. We have to make mistakes, readjust our approach, and try again. It’s the way that learning works. None of us were born ‘perfect.
In redditor u/UnoAboveAll’s opinion, trying new things may be hard for many. “Most people make monsters out of small things, and it’s understandable. I have been overseas for 5 years right now, studying college in a different country. It was a hard adaptation, it was hard trying to figure out what to do,” they opened up to Bored Panda that they’ve dealt with failure many times, not just once or twice. They’ve had thoughts about giving up cross their minds plenty of times. However, they persevered.
“Failure is part of our lives. Many of us fail once or twice, but that’s what makes us human. It’s in failure that we are thoughts lessons. I don’t think that failure makes us wrong or worse than others. I do think that failure can lead us to better thinking: I can be better than my past self. And it’s what drives me further,” they pointed out that it’s this constant evolution that helps humanity progress as a whole.
#7
One of the kids I babysit was going through a phase of “I want to be a baby again”. Jealous of her sister. Weeks of gentle parenting and such.
You know what worked? I was eating ice cream and she wanted some. I said babies don’t get ice cream.
That was it. She was done.
October 2 years ago (edited)
My niece works with developmentally challenged teens. One of them had been refusing to poop for years. They had to negociate for hours and promise him he could use the iPad after he was done. My niece decided to only give him the iPad while he was pooping. Problem solved.
Corvus 2 years ago
How does refusing to poop even work? He couldn't have possibly been holding it in for years.
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Gregory McCombs 2 years ago
When my son was 6 he told me he had a headache (his mother was always a having headaches). I replied, buy honey, children can't get headaches. His eyes got wide and his headache disappeared. Later in his life when he was about 30, we were arguing about something, and when he was done he looked at me and said: "And children CAN get headaches, so there!"
#8
I was at a locally well known, upscale restaurant one time. I had ordered sweet potato fries, and it came with the most amazing dipping sauce I had ever had. Tangy, spicy, the whole package. So I figured I didn’t have anything to lose, and asked the waitress if I could have the recipe. She said she’d ask the chef, but of course I figured they’d say no.
A short time later, she came out and handed me a photocopy of the recipe. And that was that. I’ve made the sauce a few times since, and it’s still just as amazing.
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I wish it was this easy all the time. There's a restaurant where I live called Mirasol's Cafe and they are known for this iced coffee drink called a 'Chippie'. There are literally lines every single day and traffic jams because it's a tiny restaurant and this drink is so awesome. It's not like a regular coffee...it tastes more like melted coffee ice cream. It's hyper caffeinated. You feel almost high after drinking it, lol. I've tried for years, every combination, every preparation, ingredients both easy and hard to get, spent a bit of money experimenting...I just can't figure it out. I could open a restuarant with all the coffees I've created over the years, lol. Nothing is quite right. I was told by someone the boss is the only one who knows the recipe and he comes in before everyone else to make it for the day. I live far away now and can't get it. I'd literally pay to get the recipe. I'm not trying to open a shop to compete with him, I just want a chippie!
The President 2 years ago
The recipe "Grilled Corn Salad with Honey Lime Dressing 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced 1 ripe avocado, diced 2 ears of fresh sweet corn, grilled 1 cucumber, diced 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime Dressing Juice of 2 limes 3 tbsp olive oil/avacado oil 1 tbsp honey Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cayenne pepper Dash of cumin Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Once cool, gently mix with other vegetables. Mix in lime juice from 1 lime to prevent browning of the avacado. Whisk dressing ingredients together, reserve until serving then drizzle over. Flavors will develop complexity if made 24-48 hours in advance. Last time I made it I also added some cotija cheese and that went over a treat."
Jennifer Norton 2 years ago
Always ask, the worst they can say is no. And if you are really nice about it most will give you the recipe because most of those people are cooking other people's stuff not their own!
DeoManus Argentem 2 years ago
My mom used to do this all the time when I was a kid, lol! Not really a thing with the internet everywhere now, but what's the harm in asking? May seem tacky, but it's the ultimate compliment!
#9
Honestly, after being incredibly broke, I remember how easy everything suddenly seemed when I had money. Car broken? Get it fixed. Sick? Go to the doctor. Need a babysitter? Hire one. Money makes everything so much easier and less disruptive to life. I knew I'd made it when I put my bills on auto-pay.
EmBree 2 years ago
For me, it was the day I no longer had to do the math while grocery shopping that stood out. Going into a store and buying everything I needed was a wild experience.
Blackstone 2 years ago
Money may not be able to buy happiness, but not having it can cause depression and chronic health and mental health issues.
Load More Replies... Fat Harry 2 years ago
That "Sick? Go to the doctor" is on a list of things you can't do when broke is worrying. How to spot an American 101.
Ki Li 2 years ago
My concerns aren't with paying for the medical care. It's having to take off of work to get to the doctor.
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alwaysMispelled 2 years ago
I've gotten used to always having a positive balance over the past 2.5 years. Definitely feel the same as OP now that I've got my bills on autopay now. It's like I Leveled Up.
“Don’t fear failure. Ironically, when you fail, embrace it. And use it as a subject to drive you further. Of course, it can also mean you shouldn’t try to fix your own sink without a manual,” they quipped that embracing failure is a wonderful and mature approach, but that we should also fail in a smart way, not just doing random things.
The most mature thing you can do is embrace your feelings of embarrassment if you happen to make a mistake. These are very uncomfortable feelings, but you should do your best to not run away from them: you’ll become more resilient when dealing with embarrassment in the future.
Some things that can help you deal with them include laughter and considering the consequences of your past failures: oftentimes, things were never as bad as we’d previously imagined they would be. We survived. Now it’s up to us to turn all of our past failures into learning experiences.
#10
Every couple of months, after staring at a pile of important-looking mail with dread, I grit my teeth, suppress further procrastination, and start working through the pile. Ten minutes later, I’m done, and pissed at myself for worrying about it for so long instead of just doing it. *Every* damn time.
Brocken Blue 2 years ago
I wish sometimes that people with ADD could take a doctors note to the post office that says “important mail only” to avoid the brain drain of the daily slog of sorting through a dozen advertising fliers to find the one doctor bill I need to pay or else. 🤦
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Robert T 2 years ago (edited)
Yeah, don't do this. My MIL struggled with her post and left a lot of it unopened unless she knew what it was. When I finally got through to the bank statements, I found that the electricity company had been overcharging her for years (they were estimating bills) and she had accrued over £4k in credit on her account, which I managed to get returned to her. I now regularly check her post with her and she is not afraid to open things any more.
Yayheterogeneity 2 years ago
I too, had this crippling anxiety. It's so hard to push through time and time again. Well done, OP! I got over it, too. Hope it never comes back!
Beruthiel45 2 years ago
I feel this so much. Story of my life. Last minute studying for exams and doing papers and assignments, to today, catching up on anything, and I'm almost 80 now. I feel !Ike a fool every time.
#11
When I was a kid in the 80’s, my family was broke. We were two pay checks away from living in our car. We did have to live in our car for a few months before my mom landed her job. Anyway, imagine a single mother of three,who works 3 jobs just to make ends meat. I was just attending jr high school. 8th grade. And I was playing in the back of our house. I noticed something in the dumpster that I haven’t seen before. I fished it out and brought it home. It was a computer. A monitor, keyboard, and tower thing. At that time monitors sat on top of the box. And they were HUGE! Not to mention expensive. I managed to set it up and it was already booting into windows 3.1. When my mom got home, she was LIVID! She thought I stole it. We cant afford anything close to that. No way! But once she saw the grass stains on the side, she knew. We had that computer for 4 years. It helped me in ways I can’t even believe. Because of that computer, my love of electronics and my curiosity flourished. No, I am not a computer tech now, but I am the resident computer nerd for my family. I make a living online, and I attribute most of my knowledge to what I can google. So yeah! It WAS that easy!
N Miller 2 years ago
Not the point of the story, but the typo always makes me giggle - "making both ends meat" sounds like a hotdog vendor.
Kharyss 2 years ago
Pretty sure hotdogs have both snouts and a$$es in, so definitely appropriate.
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kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
Dumpster diving can bring rich rewards. (Disclaimer: always check local ordinances and make friends with the raccoons before dumpster diving.)
#12
I've hated every job I've ever had, at 18 I joined the military for 6 years....that sucked the whole time, then went into customer service at Walmart, and they were a bunch of a******s to everyone. Tried security and they were just degrading. Job after job doing what I thought was the right thing. I decided to apply for a local HVAC company just working call center, nothing big, I think there a total of 9 of us on phones. Honestly it's the best job I've ever had, we all get along, spend hours a day on our group chat sharing memes, our management has one on one meetings every two weeks with the goal of "this meeting is not work related but we want to know just how your doing, how's life treating you, what do you need?"
There's constant communication about expectations and how we can better meet them and how they can help us perform better. The majority of the companies profits are used to better employee lives (I get monthly commission and residuals, and $30 a month healthcare with BCBS) along with monthly pot lucks, paid lunches, competitive pay starting at $17 an hour. I haven't seen any turnover...literally none, my position was only hiring because too many people got promoted.
James016 2 years ago
It's amazing what happens when you look after your staff and treat them like actual human beings.
Amber Laplante 2 years ago
I fine this story funny because normally people hate call center work! Lol ....but yes when a company treats their employees right any job can be a happy fun job.....even call centers :)
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karen snyder 2 years ago
I want to support and promote this posting more!!! I had to start working full time at 15, (long story,) by my mid twenties, I just assumed everyone hated their jobs and wished for catastrophe to strike on their morning commute. I seriously would have preferred death to working, most days. The only reason I survived was how much I loved my partner. Last year, at the age of 42, I got my first good job. They appreciate me, don't abuse me and pay a living wage. Not being afraid of waking up in the morning has changed my life. I feel like I was, low key, held hostage for 27 years. Capitalism is a f***ing sickness
Susan Harrie 2 years ago
If only more employers treated their employees the way they'd like to be treated, they'd have better work environments, better retention, and save money to boot.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
Yep. I love call center work because you’re done at the end of the day and spend a ton of time just posting memes and dad jokes and chatting with friends. It’s usually busy work, no meetings, and mostly brainless. Too bad it doesn’t pay. And, in IT, when it’s busy…it’s busy and people are horrible!
The Darkest Timeline 2 years ago
Sounds like a great place to work. They must not have shareholders nipping at their heels for every last penny of profit.
Doug the Special one 2 years ago
I am an equal opportunities employer and take good care o all my workforce and pay them all that I can. Oh hang on I'm self-employed so this probably doesn't count.
According to the author of the thread, they never expected that their question would get that much attention online. At the time of writing, their post had 36.5k upvotes. We were curious about the inspiration behind the question.
“What I had in mind was thinking about a very interactive question, where people would be willing to share their experiences,” they told Bored Panda that they wanted other internet users to share their own stories.
#13
One time I tightened my gas cap and the check engine light went off.
Robert T 2 years ago (edited)
Interesting. Too little pressure in the fuel tank and the system thinks it has a leak. I had a hire car with the opposite problem - the vent in the fuel cap was blocked and it built up a vacuum in the tank whilst you were driving it. It would start to lose power and would have eventually just cut out. Open the fuel cap to fill it up and there was a sucking sound. Problem located! :D
3 Owls In A Coat 2 years ago
Same! My old one was warped and causing evap codes.
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DeoManus Argentem 2 years ago
This was the bane of my existence, especially with Chryslers, while working in car rental! You couldn't just tighten the cap, either, you had to tighten it and then cycle the engine on/off X number of times and drive X miles to clear it! Had to buy an OBD II scanner out of pocket because company rules stated any caution lights required a visit to a union mechanic - saved the company countless thousands of $$$$ in labor and loss of revenue (I'd say nearly 1/3 of Chrysler and Mercedes returns suffered this!) - they never cared/recognized this, but at least my location had far fewer customer waits!
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 2 years ago
A $20 OBD scan tool is a great investment. Majority of the time it's something simple that a Google and YouTube search can solve.
R. H. 2 years ago
True but you'll want a better tool. Inexpensive tools are sketchy, run hot, fry themselves. Mine cost $130 (was $80, chip thing) , scans more deeper doesn't melt and turns itself off.
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Daman dan 2 years ago
It's not always easy but it is worth investing in a cheap code reader. They're like 20 bucks on amazon and can save you hundreds on unnecessary diagnoses. Run the reaser and google the code. Youll usually find a simple diy fix or at least get an idea of how urgent the issue is (TIL how to spell the plural of diagnosis)
#14
I actually have an relevant answer. So I'm a disabled guy. And a little person. Lived my entire life in my parents house that wasn't at all accessible and was looking to move out into my own apt. I never understook anything by myself much less something so huge. I got into the waiting list of an accessible apt for "poor" folk. I got it in THREE MONTHS. It literally changed my life. I now live on my own and no one limits how many gummy 🐻 I eat.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
Hopefully the kind you buy from the special store.
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Florence O'Grady 2 years ago
Look up Peet Montzingo. Yes, that is how to spell his name. He's a normal sized person. His mom, dad, brother, and sister are shorter than normal sized people. His shenanigans might be a good place to see that life is wonderful. All I know is I'm glad I found him on the internet.
clist414 2 years ago
I think the preferred term is average height. Just sayin
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pink_panda 2 years ago
So excited for you having an environment that supports your independence! That's awesome to hear.
New Everywhere 2 years ago
Three months for those waiting lists is a miracle! It was meant to be and I'm so happy you got your apartment
#15
Dancing in my wheelchair. I don’t have legs so I never hit the dance floor, but once you’re there, you just move and let go
GoGoPDX 2 years ago
I Didn't know this was a thing! sounds amazing! I am going to look it up!
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Synsepalum 2 years ago
Wheelchair or not, that's dancing. It doesn't matter if you're a "good" dancer or not. It's all about feeling the music while moving.
Ozymandias73 2 years ago
Music feeds the soul. If the rhythms hit you, you can't help but move. Even if it's just a head bob, the effects are still the same. Let the music move you.
A. Starhawk Hunt 2 years ago
There’s a photo I treasure of my daughter dancing with my wheelchair bound 2nd husband. She knew and loved him; that wedding reception photo is my favorite.
The OP pointed out that plenty of people are scared to go for truly hard tasks like getting a degree or starting a business. So they wanted to take a peek at some opposite situations. They wanted to find out what people have tried that seemed hard at first, but with a bit of courage, they realized that they had it all backward!
“That would be not only inspiring to me but to other people as well, as seen in the replies. I’m very proud of many people in the replies and how they weren’t scared of trying out new things.”
#16
I had accepted a new job but was anxious about giving my notice at my old job (I had been there for 8 years and really loved my team). I had also been stressed out that I was taking a week off between jobs because it was a stretch financially. I finally set up a meeting with my boss. I couldn't even sleep the night before. An hour before I was going to give my notice, my boss's boss called me into a meeting. With HR. I was being laid off (along with a large number of other employees). They were so sorry, my boss's boss was in tears. She promised they would "take care of me". Anyway, I got 20 weeks of severance and a full three weeks of between jobs. Unfuckingbelievable. The best thing that's ever happened to me. I was so shocked that I almost started laughing during the meeting and had to pretend I was trying not to cry.
Vinchenski 2 years ago
That is exceptional timing. Had the OP have given their notice, the employer wouldn't have given severance, so good on you for procrastinating on this one!
Asterisk 2 years ago
This happened to me! Sick of being treated c**p, found another job, was going to give my notice on the Monday. The Friday before got called into the owner and mangers office, I'm being made redundant. I said ok, can I go now? Puzzled looks all round. If only they waited until Monday...
A. Starhawk Hunt 2 years ago
I’ve only gotten severance once, and we knew it was coming. Unusually for a large retail company, they gave my two months pay. It saved us, just totally saved us.
#17
Drinking water.
Went from having issues getting to sleep and then waking up grumpy and tired. Water has changed my life. Thought it would be super difficult to kick soda, but once I tried and didn’t give in the benefits out weight the taste.
Just_for_this 2 years ago
So glad to live in a place i can drink straight from the tap. Travelled a lot and it amazes me how much places rely on bottled water (some needed, some not) and one of the the biggest cons that something that is so essential to life is monetised in such a way.
Ace 2 years ago
We have some of the best drinking water you'll find anywhere, in the Swiss alps, but still some of our rental guests, mainly French, insist on bringing their own plastic-bottled 'mineral' water. Irony being that one of the best-known brands comes from just 20km away, essentially using the same water as we get out of the tap.
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Phandom Apostolis 2 years ago
What do you mean "to kick soda"? You've been drinking sugared drinks instead of water? Like that film "Idiocracy"?
Marie Dahme 2 years ago
You know it has electrolytes….it’s what plants crave !
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Guðrún Sveinsdóttir 2 years ago
I'm from Iceland and you should try the water here which is everywhere both indoors and outdoors. It has a special taste which is difficult to describe but it tastes sweeter than anywhere in the world 🌎
JayWantsACat 2 years ago
My ex never drank water because she "didnt like the taste." She also had constant migraines. While she took medication for that, ive always felt not drinking water was probably a factor.
Your average Mom 2 years ago
My son (11) recently asked me: "why does water taste so good?" We drink it straight from the tab and it is my and my kids favourite drink. I love the taste of tab water, bottled water not so much (but still drinkable if thirsty). Water is just magic!
N. 2 years ago
I hate water. The flavor, the way it lands in my stomach, the way it makes my mouth feel even MORE dry. I drink lots of low calorie, mostly caffeine free drinks though and at 42, my Dr says my kidneys are impeccable and my esthetician says my skin is beautiful. So stay hydrated, just don't drink your calories.
Ace 2 years ago
There must be something wrong with your tap water, perhaps like much I've found in the US it has too much chlorine and other chemical treatments added. When visiting the US for a few days I'd always find a supermarket to buy some Poland Spring, just to make vaguely drinkable coffee in my room.
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CHRIS DOMRES 2 years ago
We hate the taste and odor of chlorine. We installed a two stage filter on the sink and have a water spigot there just for drinking water. Best tasting water ever. I cannot tolerate spring water because all the minerals in it upset my stomach. So municipal water filtered through the two stages is perfect.
Jennifer Norton 2 years ago
I was the same years ago. Thought I could never give up soda. Only took a couple of weeks and now 8 years later I almost never drink soda. It's a game changer!
#18
Worked on an almost 5 million dollar lighting rig for a concert as a junior guy on the job. We get it all plugged in and patched but none of it would turn on. All the guys were freaking out trying to figure out why. The team collectively had about 150 years of experience.
No one checked to see if the generators were turned on.
I was like no way this is why but I'll just go check if the generators are good. Flipped stuff on and viola.
General Anaesthesia 2 years ago
"The viola is a string instrument that is bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound." Voila!
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Sander 2 years ago
It's a pretty common phenomenon where highly trained and highly experienced people tend to forget or overlook the basics.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
There have been many times I have walked into a dark room. I can’t see anything. I flip the light switch and BAM I can see.
Anagram margana 2 years ago
Hey, at least “viola” can be chalked up to a typo… it’s not like the cringeworthy “Walla!” so many people say. Or when someone calls “Eloise” illustrator Hilary Knight “she.” Or says “chase lounge” instead of the correct “chaise longue.” OK, I’ll stop now.
#19
I bought a Dyson V7 Vacuum that wasn't working for 55 Euros on eBay. I thought I'd try to replace the battery with a knockoff and if it didn't work, send the battery back and sell the dyson for the same money. It didn't work but I noticed I could register it for warranty. I called the support and (because I like to be honest) told the guy It's a used device and I didn't have a receipt. The guy said it doesn't matter if it's used as long as the serial number is still eligible for warranty. They sent me a new battery twice and when that didn't work as well, they told me to send the motor in. A week or so later I received a package with a brand new Dyson V8. Edit: Forgot to mention: Dyson is really expensive but their support is first class as well. The guy on the phone really did know a lot and was very nice and helpful.
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
Wow, that Is good support! I have a robot vacuum, that at a little over a year old, started having problems with the battery. The company refuses to fix it, saying the whole thing has a 2-year guarantee, but the battery only one. Cheap f*****s!
Mjskywalk 2 years ago
Try resetting the unit. I was having battery issues with my Roomba and I did a reset thru the app and I haven’t had any problems since.
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Cee Sparrow 2 years ago
I did this with a Bona mop that I found for free by the trash bins. Ejector button wouldn't work so I emailed Bona, gave them the serial number and sent photos. Bona sent me a brand new mop within a week. Gave the old mop to a friend and she fixed it. Love this kind of customer service.
Jane Cortez 2 years ago
We have a Dyson also. Purchased a Miele a couple of years ago but found there was still dust- even with a charcoal hepa filter in addition to being very thorough, starting in the foyer before working in towards the house. Wanted something quick, portable, without having to drag out the central vac, ( it’s truly dust free except for nominal dust created by vacuuming itself but the actual motor/canister is in the garage, therefore far cleaner than anything else). Bought a Dyson and there is a world of difference! Initially was skeptical but it has proven to be a great little machine! I wash out the dirt trap after it has been emptied, diligent about asking the filters every couple of weeks.
Whitefox 2 years ago
When we moved into our house, we got a home warranty at the suggestion of our realtor. My husband bought a fridge from Craigslist for $200. It would have been about $2k brand new. Abour a month in, the AI and the Ice maker gave out. for a $75 service fee, we got a new/ upgraded ice maker and a brand new AI unit. The fridge was just like new! Did the same with the washer and dryer. Love our home warranty!
#20
Solving a decade of disability with an over-the-counter iron supplement.
Edit: I seem to have convinced a number of people they're iron deficient and that they should start taking iron pills. While iron is unlikely to be harmful in over-the-counter doses over the short-term, in the long-term it can literally kill you. *If at all possible,* get medical supervision for doing this. I'm doing it on my own because I can't convince my doctor I'm deficient when I definitely am, but this carries risks with it.
K W 2 years ago
My experience is that a lot of docs will not check actual iron store levels but instead just trust standard lab tests that check for anemia. I was so exhausted for years that some times I felt like I was dying. I also would feel freezing and bone tired for days around my period. Some of the last part was hormonal but when I started taking over the counter iron biglycinate (which is also non constipating) it was like a revelation. Once I caught my iron stores up I only need to take it occasionally and around my period. No more feeling freezing during my period and my period and general fatigue is more manageable. I've always had very heavy periods but as I get older I also tend to forgo red meat and common plant food sources of iron do not help. i I wish I had been taking iron starting as a teen. It is very dangerous to take long term unsupervised though so I'm lucky enough to have a current doc who listens and did the testing.
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majandess 2 years ago
I was diagnosed with MS about a decade ago - I was having a ton of nerve problems, CAT scans MRIs, etc. My neurologist saw that I was totally hesitant about all of the medical procedures he was telling me about (spinal tap, daily injections, etc), and he said he had seen some recent studies, and there was a simple thing we could try first: Vitamin D. We had me tested to see if I needed it, and it turns out I was horribly low. For whatever reason, my body doesn't want to hold onto it, and I need a daily dose of 10,000 IU to maintain a normal blood level, but I have not had any neurological symptoms since. My current doc keeps up on it and orders an annual blood test to make sure I'm staying where I'm supposed to, but it was so nice to see something so small solve the problem.
M Calad 2 years ago
I had/have a similar problem with vit D. I had a period when I was suffering with crippling fatigue. It was pretty bad and nearly becoming chronic. I saw a video about vit D deficiency symptoms and how our bodies may need higher levels for different reasons: poor absorption in the body, not enough consumption via food, lack of sun, etc. I increased my vit D dose slowly to see how my body reacted. When I got to 4 times the dose I noticed the energy surge. It felt like I was in a different body. And fatigue disappeared in a matter of days. It was that simple.
Load More Replies... Mike Beck 2 years ago
My step-daughter. Convinced her to take iron supplements and her skin warmed up and she stopped being exhausted. Then her doctor said she doesn't need iron, just Gatorade. ??? Now her skin's like ice again and she has no energy.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
I took Raw iron when pregnant. Great! Didn’t get pica that pregnancy, but man pregnancy + iron + high protein diet makes digestion oh so much fun.
Annie 1973 2 years ago
I don't eat red meat, or anything that has iron in it or supplements, same with vitamin d (rarely leave my apartment that has blackout curtains that I use 24/7 as I'm very light sensitive) but blood tests show i have high levels of iron and vitamin d. My doctor doesn't understand how it's possible and I don't either.
Marcellus II 2 years ago (edited)
Vegetables. There's many people who can't take up iron from them, but you're efficient at it so good for you.
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Sonia Ward 2 years ago (edited)
Lots of comments here about 'lab work ' which I assume are blood tests. Correct me if I'm wrong fellow Brits, but isn't this the norm if you go to your GP with symptoms similar to these? I know there's the whole ' you can't get an appointment ' thing going on, but if you do see GP this is the first step is it not? My GP diagnosed a friend's B12 deficiency and my iron deficiency and underactive thyroid within a week. Oh and I was referred for scans etc to make sure I wasn't losing blood through internal bleeding. This may not be the norm but I'm immensely lucky to have an amazing surgery in my area.
Cathelijne Van 2 years ago
Same in the EU you go to your gp and discuss. Blood tests are fairly easy, not too expensive and readily available. I did one for eating vegan and discovered only me D3 being low. Taking supplements now and I think I have more energy this winter.
Load More Replies... Beruthiel45 2 years ago
I've been iron deficient all my adult life, the usual female reasons, and my doc wants me on supplements but I don't tolerate them well digestively so in my old age I don't take anything. I just try to eat the right stuff, but if there are any otc products that work, I'm in.
K W 2 years ago (edited)
Have you tried gentle iron? It's easy on the stomach and non constipating. I use Solgar brand. It's available from Iherb or amazon in the US. Edit: it's also fairly cheap
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Dawnieangel76 2 years ago
I've had pernicious anemia since childhood, but wasn't diagnosed until my mid-30's. Years of exhaustion, weakness, pallor, oversleeping finally explained with an in-depth, full & complete blood workup. I have to alternate between iron infusions & B12 injections, but I'm finally functioning mostly normal in that regard, at least.
#21
Cleaning my toilet and sink after months of depression.
Lantana Howell 2 years ago
I feel this on evergy level possible. Depression is one of those silent conditions and it's hard to explain to others why you "can't" do something. Good for you
Tim Crowhurst 2 years ago
Especially since for many sufferers, no-one ever sees you on the bad days (how can they when you're too ill to leave home, perhaps even too ill to get out of bed?) so they have no idea how bad it gets.
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Raumpfleger 2 years ago
The one rule I set up for myself when I was in a very dark place was to leave the house at least once a day, even if its just for 5 minutes to buy cigarettes. Was a huge thing for me back then, to expose myself to the public but it helped a lot.
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago (edited)
This is why having a dog is so beneficial to so many people - looking after it and walking it twice a day can really help. I'm not saying it will somehow cure depression, but if your aim is to get out of the house daily, a dog will make you go out even when you don't feel like it! Plus all the love your dog gives you isn't nothing.
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Sherry Moore 2 years ago
Try looking at your white tile floors with huge black patches in the high traffic areas and being depressed it just makes it worse on all levels
Brenda Greene 2 years ago
I have a garage full of laundry to wash because my depression has gotten to heavy and now I just go to work and then home to bed.
Norah Reilly 2 years ago
I hear and feel you on this one. Folks who don't live with depression don't get how hard it is to take (even minimal) care of yourself, much less the joy you feel when you can do some of these things for yourself.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
For me it was the kitchen. Instead of looking at the cabinets with dread, I got out the Dawn Powerwash and cleaned them, the baseboards, the dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, sink, and pantry. It felt great.
#22
Actually doing the chore you put off for a few days.
Blackstone 2 years ago (edited)
As someone with ADHD, I don't feel this. It never feels good or like I accomplished something to finish a task I've been dreading, I just feel a little less of the constant crippling pressure and guilt. Negative reinforcement I guess - the taking away of a stressor? It's probably a big reason why I have a lot of undone stuff. I get more of a reward by putting it off and doing something I enjoy than by actually accomplishing the thing. It's only when it absolutely has to be done that I finally can force myself to finish it.
My O My 2 years ago
I don't have ADHD but depression and it's the same for me
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A Jones 2 years ago
Setting a day for big chores like vacuum, dusting, etc has really helped me out. Typically it's Sunday. Also setting an egg timer (if remembered) for like every 30-40 minutes to do a small task have helped me. That all being if I remember. Just getting home after a long day at work can be demotivating.
Blackstone 2 years ago (edited)
Lol. I, too, have set this cleaning day. The day arrives and my brain is like, lol no.
Load More Replies... Cee Sparrow 2 years ago
Really, just do it. Check it off your list. Then enjoy the rest of your day.
one-arm-crab 2 years ago
i wish it was that easy as i am lazy and unmotivated it a problem tho
Load More Replies... #23
Standing up for myself, and no longer being afraid to "upset" others by simply existing lol
Dawn Marie 2 years ago
I had to turn in a coworker who had been bullying me for over a year this week. The final straw was when he said "I'm sad every time I hear your voice.". I am still scared to go to work and having to face him.
C Lawson 2 years ago
Well now he can be sad that he opened his mouth. I know its easy to say "don't be scared" but its not so easy to do. Flip the script and tell yourself that he should be scared or at the very least ashamed to have to face you after finally being held accountable for being an immature bully.
Load More Replies... Kelsie Marx 2 years ago (edited)
I need to do this with one of my sister-in-laws. She is always telling me what to do when we do family gatherings, and treats me like a child. I am so grateful that she’s not my mother for the way she treats her daughter. She has her on the tightest leash possible making it so the poor thing can’t do anything. And she wears the pants extremely tight in the relationship. If I was her husband, I’d grab the kid and leave! 🫤
LinkTheHylian 2 years ago
It took me a fairly long time to realise that I need to make myself happy before I make others happy. Although this has sort of backfired as I now have a habit of crossing many lines without thinking. Basically, if you were upset by Tiger Woods' so-called "prank" that has been in the news recently, that's nothing compared to what I say/do.
Samara Messer 2 years ago
I need to work on this along with boundaries. I was brought up to be ladylike, polite and accommodating. A lady shouldn't be assertive and set boundaries. Saying no is selfish. It put me in so many situations gtowing up where I felt helpless. I still struggle as an adult because of it.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 2 years ago
I stopped giving a cr@p what other think about me when I turned 30. Waited too long for that
#24
Stopped eating out and started making meals (real food) at home, then started doing the dishes before bed every night so the kitchen isn't messy. Life is a million percent better and I have way more money.
Bunzilla 2 years ago
When we travelled across Canada via car, we found ourselves getting tired of eating out, plus it was getting very expensive... so we went to the supermarket, bought a bunch sandwich stuff and revelled in those sandwiches; Croissants, aged cheddar, cured meat, lettuce, etc. Way cheaper than eating out, and we got exactly what we wanted. And much nicer. For the cost of one meal at a restaurant, we got several sandwich meals. The picnic dishes I'd insisted on taking came in real handy.
Mike Beck 2 years ago
Not always. But the mistakes can usually be turned into a casserole.
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#25
I started looking for a job last year and got three offers within two months, two of which were significantly higher pay. Made me realize I’ve been sitting around way too long.
Peppy 2 years ago
I know how you feel, trying not to let it get me down. Good luck, hope you get lucky soon
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Heather Talma 2 years ago
Must be nice to be you, took me nine months of looking to get my current job.
Mandy Delaforce (PC Girl) 2 years ago
I got head hunted and ended up with a 30% pay rise! Now I sit around all day waiting for work that hasn't happened for 7 months.
#26
I had a hard crush on a boy in my class in highschool, and decided (with a bit of insistence of my friend) to ask him out. I said I liked him. He said "Me too, but about you"
We've been married for 7 years. I got very lucky.
General Anaesthesia 2 years ago
"Me too" on its own sounds like "I like myself too", so he added the "about you".
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pat martin 2 years ago
Me, too, but about you. I say that a lot to the people I love. Wife, kids, mom, and we all say it now
Little L 2 years ago
It has a whole different meaning if you skip the "what"
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Iffydust 2 years ago
All my relationships have started by my telling the other person I liked them. The ball is in their court then and they can decide what to do with that information.
Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago (edited)
I wish I was as ballsy, lol. I anxiously wait to see if they say something.
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Stacy Jones 2 years ago
That's the last line of Romy & Michele's High School Reunion. It was about best friends, though, not romance.
#27
I was drunk at a party and saw a cute girl. Stumbled over to her and literally said, "You're cute, can I have your number?"
Nearly a decade later, she's next to me with our child asleep on her lap.
Sometimes, getting the date is just that easy.
(To shame her even further, she was *sober!* I was blitzed enough to silence all my normal second-guessing and internal thoughts that get in my own way, but she had a drunken nerd just straight-up ask her out, no small talk or anything, and decided that it was a good idea!)
#28
Getting a job working for the US Department of Defense. I'd always thought that those kind of jobs required prior military service, and a whole host of various degrees or such to actually get a job with them. Saw a job opening for one site near where I lived, and thought "what the hell?" So I applied. I honestly didn't expect to even get a call back, or anything. I not only get a call back, but get hired for the job. The requirements were far more lenient than I expected. All it really required was a clean criminal record, and a willingness to learn. Ended up working as a waste water treatment tech for them, and eventually got an environmental engineering degree with their help.
François Carré 2 years ago
Job requirements in public administration can be less demanding or downright unrealistic than they have become in private companies. I was kind of desperate when I applied for a librarian positio - took it as a joke, went to the interview without too much stress or ulterior motive, had a nice small talk with the recruiting board... and got completely baffled when I answered the call the next morning, still in my bed and half asleep : "congrats, you're hired and start on Monday". It couldn't be that easy, especially after 3 years of being ironically and repeatedly told I had too many degrees for the jobs I was applying for.
Florence O'Grady 2 years ago
I would like to know when they started working for the DOD, how long they have worked for the DOD, and would they recommend other people try to get jobs there?
#29
Lived in Jersey and a friend invited me to a commercial audition at an NYC bar. Went because of bar. Auditioned after 2 beers. Left thinking it was a waste of time. A month later, I get a call that they want to use me for the commercial. Director was the guy who directed the original Space Jam. I got lines and ended up in two of their commercials and got a 40k payday where I thought someone made a clerical error. Started my acting career and now a writer/director/flight attendant.
Crystal Spencer 2 years ago
I'm a 44 year old white mom rapper/night auditor for a hotel/ I work the front desk...harharhar
Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago
The job that pays the bills and the other two ones ;)
Load More Replies... Fish Fingers 2 years ago
When it said Jersey I thought it meant Jersey. Then NY turned up and I realised it was NEW Jersey. Funny how they never just call it York, though 🤔
Ace 2 years ago
Very true, although TBF there _is_ a city of Jersey in NJ. I think they should officially change the spelling to Joisey to avoid confusion.
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El Dee 2 years ago
I had to google this. It's 3432 miles from Jersey to New York. Why would anyone go that far for an audition they thought they wouldn't get??
loranthippus 2 years ago
Ah, not sure if this is serious, but most likely OP is referencing New Jersey, which is adjacent to New York.
Load More Replies... #30
I wanted to meet my favorite band, so I just… quietly didn’t leave the venue once security started showing people out. I guess they thought I must’ve been a roadie, because they never got on my case. Anyway, I met them, yadda yadda, now I’m a professional concert lighting designer
Riley Quinn 2 years ago
Don't know how things are now, but back in the day, being a temp roadie was the best way to meet the bands and have a fun night out for very little effort.
#31
Previous owners left a "broken" fridge in the kitchen when we moved in. Like literally put it in the paperwork that the fridge was broken and that they weren't going to dispose of it. Made plans to get a new one the week we moved in, but just for sh**s and giggles decided to plug the old one in to see what was wrong. 4 years later and we're still using it without issue. We did find that the push to connect plastic water line for the ice maker was leaking a bit so we replaced that for about $2.
WindySwede 2 years ago
But also check how much electricity the old appliances uses. Compared to new ones. And then sell/give away the old one. If possible.
Christian Weller 2 years ago
Our upright freezer died, a neighbor came over and laid it flat and stood it up again and it worked. He told me, that sometimes you just need to "burp" the refrigerant to fix the problem.
#32
In my late teens/early 20s I landed several good admin jobs that required a degree I didn’t have. Turns out when they say “bachelors degree” they just meant “sound middle class on the phone”.
Edit: There seems to be some confusion with people thinking I faked credentials. I didn't lie, I don't know why so many people are assuming that. I just sent in my resume that listed my previous work experience with a professional cover letter, then made sure to call after hours and leave a followup voicemail. All they really needed for the job was someone who can write a professional email and sound good on the phone, so they'd call me back for an interview.
N Miller 2 years ago
So, tip for job seekers. Many job adverts have a hidden list of "must haves" and "nice to have". Unless the job genuinely requires a specific set of knowledge you can only get from a qualification, a lot of what they list as "must haves" really belong in the other column. Having a Bachelor's degree in the essentials column is really hoping self-selecting out will do a lot of the filtering for them. Many jobs only require that you are clean, well presented, can count and can spell (starting with your own *name* and that of the company - I really wish I was joking about this). And yes, this is classist and other ists too. Note - this is primarily entry level jobs.
Adam Zad 2 years ago
At one point in my life, I was updating my resume and I noticed that I had misspelled MY OWN FIRST NAME in 14 point, boldface type, at the very top of the page! I sat there, staring at it and wondering... how long has it been like that? How many times have I sent out a resume claiming "attention to detail" with my own first name misspelled at the top of the page in nice, big, bold print?
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Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
I agree, don't let the "requirements" stop you from applying for a job. The worst they can say is no. Although like OP said, don't lie about it either.
Doodles1983 2 years ago
Sometimes “post-qualification experience” can be ignored too. My friend said “but I don’t have 2 years post-qualification experience.” I said “no, but you have 10 years overall experience.” Be upfront about it asap. She got the job.
Cee Sparrow 2 years ago
You'd be surprised how many applicants today cannot speak/type without slang, acronyms, abbreviations and/or emojis. Oh, and forget punctuation. Periods and commas don't exist. 🤦🏽♀️
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
So, fun fact, you pretty much never need a degree for a typical job. Apply anyway. What’s the worst that will happen? You won’t hear from them.
Ace 2 years ago (edited)
I had a successful and lucrative career in IT across several industries. Anywhere absolutely insisting on a degree I would rule out immediately - if they're that a**l that they prefer some >20-y-o qualification over real current experience then I don't want to work for them. I once got graded (i.e. given a job level/title which defined higher salary and benefits) as having a higher degree having completed just a couple of postgrad modules of an Open University masters course, they knew it wasn't actually a formal qualification but it showed a post-grad education level, in a relevant field, so they were happy with it.
Kat Min 2 years ago
If you cover 60-70% of the must have' -> apply. But call in first to check whose name needs to be on the cover letter and do a follow up call to check it the application arrived. Yes, calling is unpleasant and you might not get through to the relveant person, but not doing it lets you disappear in the anonymous masses. Do not call on Mondays or Tuesdays, noone will have time for you. Thursday is best.
Chris Hooley 2 years ago
I've said it before, I'll say it again: The manager says "we need an on-staff electrician." HR writes an ad for doctor of electrical engineering with 40yrs experience in one unique specialisation.
#33
Self improvement and reflection. Stopped looking at outside factors in my life and started looking at what I could control. Weight, time, who I spent time with, etc. I didnt need to change my whole life in one day. I needed to make small progress. Spending one day less a week on gaming and one day a week on improving myself is better then not improving at all. Allowing myself to fail *with intent* to improve is so much easier now that I dont spend time with negative people that demand perfection.
Jax 2 years ago
I run a support group for women that are coming out of domestic violence situations, homelessness, incarceration, rehab, etc. The main thing I tell them all is if you relapse and let it define you and use it as an excuse to continue the negative behavior then you’re not ever going to make any improvements. If you relapse and learn from it, and use it as a reminder as to why you want to stay sober the next time you think about relapsing, then you’re moving forward and making progress. It doesn’t matter if it’s an inch, or a mile, forward is forward…not everyone had the ability to travel at the same pace.
ISeeWendiGo 2 years ago
Thank you for your dedication to women in need!👏👏👏
Load More Replies... Luna Crow 2 years ago
Wish I could upvote this multiple times. Any increment of progress is still progress, and most of the time getting that momentum moving forward instead of being still is the hardest part. Celebrate your wins! Accept your fails too, and try to learn from them. Being too hard on yourself will not help you get better
#34
Building a pc. With so many sophisticated videos on youtube that doesn't explain/teach very well makes me think it's hard to build a pc. I tried it once and apparently it was just an adult lego, but easier.
Robert T 2 years ago
The assembly is the easy part. Knowing what components will work together to get the best performance requires research and knowledge.
Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
PCPartPicker.com was a huge help last time I upgraded my computer. It identifies compatibility issues between components.
Load More Replies... Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
I agree, most Lego sets take way longer than assembling a computer. Though Lego sets come with instructions that are way more clear than any motherboard manual I've ever seen.
M O'Connell 2 years ago
Front-panel headers are the absolute worst, or at least they were the last few times I used a new motherboard.
Load More Replies... El Howard 2 years ago
One thing they don't tell you is that most metal cases have some really sharp edges inside that you need to avoid. But I'd get some advice on which parts work together, i.e. there are several different versions of PCI and you need a video card that has the same PCI connector as the mother board. But that is usually just a problem when mixing old and new parts.
RedCorvette 2 years ago
I love the Henry Cavill vid where he built his own gaming pc. Who knew he’s a huge nerd.
Mat Hall 2 years ago
Sadly it can be a very expensive hobby; I've had "the same" PC for over a decade, but in a philosopher's axe kind of way: I've never bought an entirely new computer but every component has gradually been swapped out several times and nothing of the original machine is left - the oldest component in there is probably the power supply which is only 2 or 3 years old. I don't even want to guess what it's cost me so far, and I know it's never going to be "finished" - I just bought a new GPU so now I have a CPU bottleneck, but upgrading that will also require a new motherboard and RAM, and so the cycle of madness continues!
#35
In college the professor advertised an internship and wrote the info on the board. Out of a class of 150 students, I was the only one to apply and I fulfilled my internship requirement for graduation.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
The photo guy’s knee looks like a random potato just hanging out on that chair.
Dennis Stanley 2 years ago
This photo is going to show up in a completely unrelated BP thread two months from now. 2/16/23
Berdarien Brown 2 years ago
I haven't signed in for awhile, but I see a lot of posting hiw good things are when fill in the blank. I am just finishing a book called Atomic Habits and it's already changing my life. Reading it might help a lot of folks. Good luck
When tackling challenges that seem overwhelming, it can be helpful to consider strategies for working smarter rather than harder.
This mindset, similar to tips shared in finding easier ways to accomplish tasks, encourages breaking down tasks and discovering simpler paths to success.
#36
Calling people on the phone is the best way to force a decision. In the age of chat and email, a five minute phone call usually solves problems that hour long meetings can’t.
#37
Lost 25 pounds and all I had to do was stop eating before bed.
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 2 years ago
I always stop eating before bed, otherwise the sheets get all crumby.
Angela Mccar 2 years ago
Imagine the possibility that if you cut out most sugar the weight will come right off. 12 grams or less for every meal and snack. Lost 50 and counting.
#38
All the students pretty much bombed a networking final. Teacher said we could retake it but we would be alone (no group). Which worked out perfectly for me; they wouldnt get in my way and i wouldnt have to coordinate them i was also the only person who showed up to retake. brought my final grade up to a 90
#39
I had a loose hinge on my door. It kind of drove me crazy for three years, but I had no idea how to fix the wood that had been stripped. Then I found a product on Amazon for $10 where you shove on a sleeve, break it off and then screw in the new screws. Bought two new hinges that don’t squeak. Took about 10 minutes and cost $20 and it’s no longer a problem! Edit: Product is called Screw-It-Again. About $10 for 10 of them on Amazon.
Francesa Miller 2 years ago
Toothpicks and glue shoved into the too-large hole also solve the problem of loose screws.
#40
The power steering failed on my Acura. My local Acura dealership wanted to charge me well over $1000 to fix it. I bought a power steering pump off Amazon for $70 and found a You Tube video that explained how to fit it. I don't have any car maintenance experience bit it only took a couple of hours to do the job myself and it worked like a charm.
Nilsen 2 years ago
To be honest it can be woth it to pay a couple of hundred dollars for a skilled mechanic to do the job, both because you are sure they did it corectly and because you don't have to spend those hours doing it yourself. And the Amazon-part was probably no-brand or pirated (though they _can_ be just as good, they can also be s**t. Are you competent to tell the difference?) while the dealership sells the parts specifically made for your car. More expensive but safer, and then they add a bit for having it on shelf so you don't have to wait a week for it to arrive. Another bit for paying rent and electricity, salaries, taxes, etc. And then $1000 is still a lot of money, but absolutely not an unreasonable price.
Nora Petricien 2 years ago
$1000 for a part worth $70 and a work that only takes a couple hours is unreasonable in my opinion. Changing your parts yourself is not that big of a deal and you can still look in specialised shops to find your parts as well as tons of advice if you're worried about the authenticity of your parts. Some mechanics are good and it might be a good idea to get them to do the job if you can afford it but some are just dishonest and from the sound of it this one might be
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#41
Negotiating a pay rise. Rumour got around work that I could use a computer. They tried me out on the CNC machine. Turns out my hobby of playing with computer programming for the past 20 years meant I was absolutely fantastic at it. Turns out fixing the edge banding machine isn't that hard if you learn how it works. Suddenly I was the most valuable person in the place. I expected to just get a pay rise because I have the stupid belief that people should get what they deserve. No pay rise was forthcoming after 18 months. I am a fairly anxious person but I with some encouragement from my friends and family, I worked myself up to asking. The first time I asked, my boss just chuckled. I don't think he was being condescending, I just think the way I framed it sounded like a joke. The second time I asked, my boss said he'd think about it. I immediately started looking for a new job... Turns out, I am a highly desirable employee. Within 2 weeks, I'd had 3 job offers. I resigned. Everyone was sad. My bosses panicked. Asked what I wanted to stay. I demanded a fairly high wage for my trade to stay. They didn't even hesitate to give it to me. Now I'm the highest paid person in the place.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
And the moral of the story, children, is that our bosses don’t have our best interests at heart. (Except for that person at the HVAC call center who loves their job…)
Terry Tobias 2 years ago
I did this when I worked in a department store. The manager of the department I worked in quit and I was the only other daytime employee so I had to take over his responsibilities. I was also working alone so I had to take care of the customers. After doing it successfully for awhile, I decided to go to the store manager and ask for a promotion and a raise since I was already doing the work of the head of department. He agreed with me and gave me what I asked for. It doesn't hurt to ask.
The Darkest Timeline 2 years ago
People pretty frequently do not get what they “deserve.” The “Just World Fallacy” is just that, a fallacy. It’s good you took matters into your own hands and improved your situation.
#42
I never slept well, ever. There’s an over the counter magnesium supplement called “calm”. I drink a cup every night and sleep like a hibernating bear. It was that easy.
leendadll 2 years ago
Thx for the post! I've tried literally everything else buy never heard of this for sleep. I just ordered some to try.
K W 2 years ago
Hope it works for you! Just be aware that magnesium draws water to the bowel. For some that can help with constipation but if you take excessive amounts it can lead to loose stool or.diarrhea. If that happens just reduce the dosage. I know several people that swear by Calm.
Load More Replies... Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
Also look at Celestial Seasons Tension Tamer. There is an Asian dragon on the box. It contains catnip, which works as a mild sedative in humans. Also safe for breastfeeding.
#43
Learning to drive. First time around failed the written test by one question and it made me really anxious about the whole thing. Tried again a little while later and it was surprisingly easy, and the behind the wheel test was even easier.
I eventually ended up retrying and getting my license because I was sick of being the one 16 (almost 17 at that point) year old in my friend group who needed to be picked up whenever we went anywhere.
Mia Black 2 years ago
phew I'm so glad I don't really need a driver's license where I live. I didn't want to drive a car even as a child (I also always vomited) - it always scared me because there is so much potential danger in a car. After my sister almost died when she was hit by a car, I couldn't even walk across the street without fear for years. A driver's license would actually be important for my job, which is why I finally went to a driving school. According to the driving instructor, I was pretty good too, but when the exam came closer, I broke down. I just know that I can't drive a car on my own. without someone at my side to brake or swerve in an emergency. I would not react fast enough or even just freeze. I've done martial arts for years and I know my bad reflexes. and I know that if someone was harmed through my fault, I couldn't live with it. My depression makes everyday life difficult enough as it is. A huge weight lifted from my heart after making the decision to never drive. it
Jill Bussey 2 years ago
As a child I suffered terribly with motion sickness. Travelling in the front seat made a lot of difference, but learning to drive and to be in control cured me completely. The only time I might be unwell is travelling in a coach/bus type vehicle.
Load More Replies... kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
Tiny bit confusing. It sounds like they got their driver’s license on the second try, but went ahead for a third try anyway. 🤔
Angela Mccar 2 years ago
I was seventeen with a driver's license for a year before my mom got her driver's license.
#44
My entire life is this moment. My parents and grandparents all had this really annoying habit of making anything and everything sound way harder or more requiring of great discipline than it actually is. And whenever I'd perform the feat, and realize how insultingly easy it was, I'd be left a little offended while my family would cheer me on. I never could tell if I was offended because I expected a harder challenge or offended because my own family thought I couldn't handle something so simple. Maybe it's an ego thing, maybe it's maybelline. I don't fuggin' know. After I started turning 18, I started treating everything like it's easier than it looks so I didn't let my mind get caught up thinking I couldn't do it at all. The result of this was that I became one of the handiest and most skilled people in my group. But now when I'm alone at my desk, I start hesitating to begin tasks for my personal projects because I still have the bodily anxiety of disappointing others or falling flat on my face because of this particular "moment."
BenyA. 2 years ago
My mother has this habit of making me wary of trying anything new, noticed it in my grandmother too. Both lovely women but tend to have an apprehensive approach to life. I catch myself veering this way more often than I like to admit and have to manually steer my mind to be positive or daring. I understand the need for caution in one's life but jeez
#45
Was so ill for years and years Literally so sick I thought I had stomach cancer or something Naw my gallbladder was just slowly killing me, got that b***h removed and I’m like a new person
Ari (they/them) 2 years ago
I used to feel sick every day for years. I just got used to it and thought it was normal. But then, I noticed that I wasn't growing. Apparently, I had a gluten, egg, and dairy allergy. So I had been feeding my body allergens for years, prompting an immune response. Instead of using the food to grow, it was fighting it off. Now that I'm on a new diet, I feel much better! :)
Jill Bussey 2 years ago
Me too! Bye bye gallbladder that literally was so stuffed with stones, it identified as a bone.
ROSESARERED 2 years ago
Had the same thing...and then something new, turned out I was allergic to dairy. So glad, and privileged to be somewhere there are doctors, so relieved I wasn't dying of some mysterious illness
#46
For months, I had been applying for tons of jobs on every platform I could find. Talking to friends to get critiques on my resume/cover letter. Updating my online portfolio. Etc. Then one day a recruiter messaged me out of the blue on LinkedIn and basically handed me a dream job. It was one interview and then a call to say hey you're hired. I legitimately thought it was a scam right up until my first day of work.
John Wolter 2 years ago
Sometimes it is that easy. Sometimes the recruiter is dishonest and promises you things they can't deliver and you end up in a s****y job. Glad you came out on top with this one, OP.
#47
Deciding to stop dealing with my life going in no direction after leaving a career that I went to college for a decade prior. I had something in the back of my mind for a long time that I wanted to do. I finally couldn’t take the feeling of being stuck so I applied to a local community college to take some prerequisites and started class less than 2 weeks later. I am pretty sure I cried once I did it because the relief of finally having some direction again and felt like a weight lifted off of me. I could literally feel the change in my body once I registered.
Shawn Matalino 2 years ago
As a 47 year old graduating in 8 months with my first bachelor's... I completely understand how this feels
Terry Tobias 2 years ago
Congratulations! I got my degree when I was 39 and it was the best thing I ever did for myself!
Load More Replies... #48
Raising my teenager. I was regaled with horror stories about teens, but he was so easy. All it took was mutual respect and a genuine liking of one another. Fwiw, he's now a very well-adjusted adult.
ISeeWendiGo 2 years ago
Same with my son. We've never had any problems, no teenage rebellion, no drugs/drinking/smoking/vaping, etc. Good kid, good student, good worker, good person and friend. Hugs and tells his poor old momma here that he loves her in front of other people/friends (gasp!). He enjoys staying at home, building WWI & WWII dioramas, plays drums and guitar, loves reading historical nonfiction. His friends are all good kids with same interests and they all enjoy hanging at our place. I feel like I hit the kid jackpot with how easy it's been raising this terrific person! If I had been able to have another kid it probably would have been the devil, lol! Thanks buddy, I love you!!!
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
Same. I recalled how awful and horrible I was. Turns out by being less authoritative, more understanding, and more trusting (not to be confused with permissive), your kids will actually like you and usually not be total demons in their teens. My daughter graduated #11 in a class of 650, and got a full ride to several good, well known schools.
The Short Lady 2 years ago
I assume my kids were just easy. I'm going to be one of those obnoxious old people who tell everyone how they're doing it wrong when they have problems with their kids. Mine are genuinely good people and we enjoy spending time together.
#49
The bar exam. I thought I must have missed something or fallen into a bunch of traps because I finished early and everyone talked about how hard it was after. Turns out I just prepared well. I got a score way above passing and only 50 percent of takers passed that session overall.
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
For the state nursing boards, the test can either tell you know your stuff or not right away and cut off or continue until you've shown that you know enough. I was told to expect the test to be several hours. I got to the testing center and I was very nervous. I was not confident in any of my answers. I just did the best I could. The test cut me off after 30 minutes. I was so positive that I failed and failed badly. I had many tearful nights waiting almost a month for my results. I passed! It's all multiple choice and graded by computer. WTF could they not just give us the results when the test ended?
#50
I'm a 24f who knows absolutely nothing about cars. Well I bought myself a nice front/rear dash cam without considering how to safely wire it, and found out I would have to remove parts of my car to wire it behind airbags and stuff (so it wouldn't prevent an airbag from deploying properly). I thought I was gonna have to pay someone to install for me, but turns out a simple YouTube video walked me through the whole thing! Now my dashcams look professionally installed. I also learned how to change a blown fuse on the same day because my USB adapter wasn't working. I was high on the achievement of something new and had a brief hyper-fixation on learning to mod my car but thankfully got over it lol.
#51
In a bar on a work night just for a couple of drinks with a mate.
Briefly talked to a girl at the bar when I was ordering a drink. I left an hour later and said goodbye to her as I was walking out.
She asked if she ‘could come with me’ I was like ‘oh I’m just going home’ and she said ‘yes I know’. Completely hit me out of the blue, I was like ‘oh right…. Ah.. yeah sure, you can absolutely come with me’.
I was sus and confused about it. But all went well. Turns out she had been stood up for a date and sat there for an hour or so by herself. And I was just in the right place and the right time.
Edit due to the questions in the comments:
We had a good time and good banter that night and the next morning. But no we never saw each other again.
She was mortified by the age difference. She was 28 years old and I was 21 year old 1st year graduate at a finance firm. ‘I knew you were young, but what kind of f*k’n 21 year old wears a suit to a bar on a Thursday night’ was about the line.
I think she clicked that things were off when she saw the super market shopping trolley in the living room (flatmates doing who was still at uni).
It was all in good faith though, good times were had.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
nice to see something wholesome and that she felt she could trust you.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
My bff is 7 years older than her husband. They’ve been together since he was 21. It’s been almost 20 years.
AndThenICommented 2 years ago
Maybe not 31 to 38, but definitely feels huge from 21 to 28.
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#52
Reigniting a friendship. My current best friend lived abroad for a year and we hadn't really met in person much if at all for a while before then either, only texting every now and then. When she moved back I asked if she wanted to meet up, and now we're really close.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
a year isnt that long dude. I didn't speak to a friend for about 10 years and one day he just dropped into my facebook messenger.
SadieCat17 2 years ago
Oh please 10 years? One of my buddies got hit by a car in 1920 and recently contacted me while I was playing with a ouija board. We've never been closer since.
Load More Replies... #53
Currently have an outrageously well paying job of over €200k+ as a software developer. I am not particularly intelligent nor enthusiastic about programming in any way. I have just kinda stumbled into better after better paying jobs through the years. I'm just a friendly and dependable person who gets s**t done with zero fuss, it has all come so easily that I often wonder how the genuinely talented developers I know aren't on absolutely silly money.
Kat Min 2 years ago
They might not have the people skills or they might have low self-esteem and/or not be good at negotiating. They might just be ugly - I know, I know that sounds super harsh but there have been a gazillion studies that show that we mentally endow handsome people with even faces with more intelligence and skill than someone with a face only a mother can love. There are many factors.
#54
Got a job that required full time field work for minimal pay...in AZ. On my first day they asked about other skills. I saw other people using Autocad so I said I used it in college but I was really rusty..... This was a lie. I had only ever used it once to draw some circles. They were excited and got me a 4 day refresher class. I learned AutoCAD and haven't been in the field in over a year. I later asked for more pay since I wasn't a field tech anymore. They said no. I got another job using autoCAD for double salary. Pro tip: learn AutoCAD C3D. It's not that hard, and boomers will think you're a tech god.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago (edited)
Displaying AutoCAD skills to a boomer is like waving a cigarette lighter in front of Stone Age tribesmen. Edit: I was just continuing the joke from the last line of this list entry. My apologies to everyone who was offended. I thought Baby B**mers was the accepted designation for that generation. My understanding was that B**mer was just a shortened form of that designation, and not a slur. I was under the impression it was all good-natured generational ribbing… “You young people don’t want to work!” “OK B**mer.” Now that I know it has turned truly nasty I will no longer participate.
Mat Hall 2 years ago
You do realise boomers (well mostly just one boomer, Michael Riddle) created AutoCAD, right? As much as they've ruined the world, don't forget that they're the generation that invented a great deal of the technology we use today.
Load More Replies... K W 2 years ago
Yes because there have been times in history when boomers were legally segregated from other populations, not allowed to marry their loves, or beaten to death because of how they were born 😐. Also Boomer is literally a generation term like Generation X or Millennials.
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#55
No longer caring about what other people thought about me. One day I cared, then the next day, I was just so emotionally exhausted that I just said f**k it. Never really cared since.
Ari (they/them) 2 years ago
I don't really care what people think of me. I dress/look a certain way to make myself happy, not to chase someone's approval.
#56
Tying shoe laces.
When I was a kid, no one ever managed to teach me how to tie my shoes. I remember never being able to get that last step that ties it all together and in general I suck with knots. I would have been garbage in the boy scouts. I got into my early 20's relying mostly on velcro shoes.
But one day I sat down with a pair of new shoes determined to figure it out. I put one on and tied it correctly on the first try. I just sat there dumbfounded for a few minutes wondering how it had been that easy all along.
ISeeWendiGo 2 years ago
My ex told our son who was 5 at the time he would give him $10 if he tied his shoes as we were getting ready to leave for a movie night. Took about 5 minutes but shoes were tied correctly! Ex was sure he wouldn't have to pay out, I made sure our son got his $10. Also, I forgot to mention that the previous day I had worked off and on helping our son learn to tie shoes, oops!🤫😄
Stephanie Did It 2 years ago
I recall a post by an army NCO who had a recruit in his unit who couldn't tie his shoes. The soldier came from a poor, rural background. Sometimes people are too shy or embarrassed to ask for help with things nobody ever taught them.
Shyla Bouche 2 years ago
For OP, it was. We all have things we can't do. For me, it's driving, because I can't get what I'm doing together with what I'm seeing.
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#57
My divorce. No lawyers, no fighting. I gave her the house, she makes more than me so no alimony/child support, just filled out the paperwork, paid the nominal court fees, and it's all good. I see my kids every few days and we have both moved on and get along.
#58
I was recently looking for an apartment and rent in my city, like most cities currently, is outrageous
So after three days of looking I found this 2 bedroom apartment with a price that normally would get you a roach infested one bedroom/studio shithole in a bad part of town
But these apartments look nice, they're in a good part of town, the reviews online are all positive, I can't figure out the catch-- then I see there is a year long wait list for this place, but I decide to go to the leasing office and after talking to the property manager, I get bumped to the top of the list for an apartment that becomes available next month
I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out. Most people spend months looking for places in my city and they'd be paying a third more than I'm paying at a minimum for a similar place. I looked for 3 days and found this place but I think I just got lucky and it was just that easy
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
In a different BP list will be someone posting about how life is hard because the wait list for their apartment got inexplicably longer.
Kat Min 2 years ago
It really helps to not just put your name on a list but show up in person and/or occasionally call to let them know you are still itnerested.
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#59
Fixing clogged drains. Started out because my sink drain plug wouldn't stay up. Poked around under the sink and found the pop-up rod had rusted completely through and broken. Cost me $5 for a new one at the plumbing supply store next to where I worked at the time. Took 5 minutes to figure out how to swap, and now I know how sink and shower drains come apart, which makes unclogging them simple. Maybe it's just me, but in my brain it seemed like that was something I'd have to call a plumber to come unclog, but it's all remarkably simple.
Angela Mccar 2 years ago
My husband is a plumber and you can not always unclog a drain by taking it apart because the clog is not always in the drain part that you see but farther down the line in the wall or through the floor. You shouldn't put stuff like acid or draino down your lines either because it eats pipes from the inside out. As a maintenance he tells people boil large pot of water and pour it down all drains. Kitchen I do weekly, bathroom monthly, laundry tub weekly.
#60
I made a 13th century "pirate" style shirt by hand no machine with a YouTube video I like sewing but I'm not the best at it so it made me feel good about doing things that seem hard
manchaos 2 2 years ago
Yes, it says that more than one question mark is unnecessary.
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#61
I learned how to ride a bike later (at 14, now I’m 24). At the time, I thought it would be impossible, but it literally was one foot after the other.
The only Plueschopossum 2 years ago (edited)
Hey, I learned it in my late 20ies. It's never too late. Though my bike and me had a bad start together... After one month of learning it got stuck in a streetcar rail. I fell off and broke my left leg ^^" After a few months - as soon as I was able to bend my knee juuust enough - I hopped on my bike again. Sweating and nervous for the first days but that feeling subsided and now nothing could tear us apart. It's my main vehicle :D
Freya the Wanderer 2 years ago
When I was little I was nervous about getting on a bike - even with training wheels! My father all but threatened to glue my ar$e to the seat. Once I got going, though, it was smooth sailing, so to speak.
#62
Telling a barber that you do no want your hair to be cut that short. He actually did not mind me saying it and noted it.
Ari (they/them) 2 years ago
I used to get my hair cut at sports clips but they only know how to do masculine haircuts. So now, I get to go to a salon because my parents noticed how much I hated my new haircuts.
#64
Stop drinking alcohol.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
I hate booze, dated an alcoholic and had one as an inlaw. Nightmare, because they are having fun and think they're funny but they're falling around being an a*****e and not letting anyone sleep/have a normal conversation. I used to do it a lot but have cut right down.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
I am glow in the dark White, but have the Asian Glow. It made me so uncomfortable. Took me years before I realized this wasn’t normal. Stopped drinking entirely. Can’t stand the stuff now.
Taru Pöysä 2 years ago
That's not easy if you're an addict. But what it takes to anyone to become an addict is keep using that stuff. Nobody is safe from that.
#65
Getting my pilot license. To be fair, I did study a lot but it was one of those things I wasn't sure I was gonna do well on. My instructor said I'm ready but I wasn't sure. Day of the checkride, I answered every question correctly and without hesitation and did every maneuver correctly. We parked and my examiner said "so how's it feel to be a private pilot" I thought in my head "there's no way" even though I did everything right with relative ease
#66
Spent a year thinking my bathroom electrical outlet was broken and needed a repair. One day someone suggested flipping the breaker. It was that easy.
#67
Breaking up with someone who isn't good for me. I stayed wayyyyyy too long in relationships that I didn't want to be in. Once I learned to like myself, I realized I don't have to settle-i didn't mind being alone in between. And because I liked myself, I started to draw the type of people I actually wanted to be around, and who made me want to keep challenging myself to be better. If you're in a relationship where your heart aches all the time, where you're accepting less than love and respect and kindness, and if you're in a position to leave and still be safe, just do it. Even if you don't like yourself yet, you will. (And you certainly won't if you stay in a relationship that's toxic, so... Just do it!!!) This is true for all relationships, not just romantic. Surround yourself with people you like to be around, and who like to be around you. Time is all we have, invest wisely
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
You know that whole Airline thing about put your own mask on first before you assist someone else? This applies to EVERY aspect of your life. You need to love yourself first before you can really love someone else. And, as a parent, you can’t take care of your kids if you can’t take care of yourself.
#68
Losing weight. It is the first few days that are the toughest and most people cant get through those. Once I was able to get through the first week I was able to lose 40lbs in 3 months with much ease.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
I’d say the first month is the hardest. After that, turns out all that c**p you were eating just doesn’t sound good anymore
#69
Getting involved in the music industry behind the scenes. * Attended a music festival I really liked * At the end, went to the organizer and said I had a great time and would be willing to help in the future * Get asked to help at the same event next year * Keep working the event, getting tons of experience, and getting on a first name basis with a bunch of bands I loved
#70
Getting friends. Just talk to people.
K- THULU 2 years ago
Wow... Why didn't I think of that?.... Oh, that's it... I have chronic anxiety and don't like leaving my house...
Ari (they/them) 2 years ago
Same! I wear a mask at school because it makes me feel safer and it "protects" me from other people (apparently it's a sign of social anxiety). But I feel you. Making friends is hard.
Load More Replies... censorshipsucks 2 years ago
I had this problem and was lucky enough to overcome it with behaviorism. Just kept pushing myself into public spaces. I now have too many friends.
#71
Getting physically fit. Just 20 minutes of strength exercises maybe 4-6 days a week. It just shocked me how little effort it really took, and how much of a positive effect it had on me in basically every single way.
Mia Black 2 years ago
For me, to be honest, 20 minutes 4-6 days a week sounds like a lot of time.... But I walk 5 kilometres every weekday as part of my commute. Does this count? I think not because I am not fit anymore
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
5km walk definitely counts, but you need to get the pace up (not foot dragging).
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#72
Applying for my Irish passport. My dad was born there, so I’m a naturalized citizen. I hate paperwork, so avoided ever filling out my application. Turns out it takes 10 minutes online.
#73
I was trying to activate windows XP and 7 on an old computer a few years ago for giggles and software compatibility. I couldn't get them to accept my key because the servers were shut down. I tried calling the phone number they had listed and it gave me a code for my windows one I entered my key. It was super easy. Best of all, I didn't have to talk to a person, a robot took care of it all.
#74
When I applied to college I applied for an Irish American scholarship. Turns out they had so few applicants they just gave me $40k towards my tuition. I am not even remotely Irish.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
This one seems a little dishonest. I would think being part Irish was a requirement. Irish GoatGirl we need your expertise on this one.
John Wolter 2 years ago
I wouldn't be surprised if it was a scholarship that was meant for an Irish American but because of anti-discrimination laws, they can't require it. Anyway, if they selected OP and especially if OP was the only applicant, then they couldn't be too upset. Most of these organizations just want to give the money to someone who really needs it.
Load More Replies... Brenda 2 years ago
I got one similar to this back in 96. Had to show I'm half Irish, wasn't difficult (mom had a family tree with documents). Very few applied, so I got more than expected. Was also eligible for having Cherokee ancestors, but didn't apply since I don't really know much about that
#75
Suing someone in Small Claims. It was surprisingly easy because my case was rock solid and I had a professionally printed document of evidence, witness statements, and precise records sent over to the court while the Defendant did literally nothing but send unlabeled loose printouts of *my* Facebook page as her so-called evidence.
It was a very quick judgment for plaintiff!
Terry Tobias 2 years ago
I learned about the importance of good evidence from Judge Judy. She doesn't pull any punches!
#76
Made a career transition at 34 to what I've always wanted to do.
BenyA. 2 years ago
May I ask what that may be? I'm in need of motivation to do the same, 31 years here
Kat Min 2 years ago
Not sure about the OP, but I had to change careers at the age of 40 due to a deterioated ankle. I was a camera woman and became a tour guide. Tourguiding was really meant as a side income but I have the gift of gap and my career just took off like crazy (self-employed) Ten years later, the pandemic came, I retrained and am now a Job-coach (which is a proper job in Germany) Now, I will not get rich with this. Changing careers this late in a country as conservative and degree-obssessed as mine means you will be stuck at an okay-ish level of pay. (Unless you manage to become an IT wizard) But in the first case I really had no choice and in the second I quite enjoy the new challenges. 31 is still young in terms of working careers. Pick your next career carefully, based on what you are good at AND what you enjoy doing, talk to people who do it, make sure you find a licence/degree that comes with a really good reputation, map out your goals and GO! :-)
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Richard Whitehead 2 years ago
About to do it at 44. Make the change. At least you won't die wondering if you should have tried it out.
#77
Building muscle. I still struggle to shift fat but whatever way I’m wired, it’s incredibly easy to pack on muscle in the gym.
It’s totally still newbie gains but there was a lot of change for not very much effort.
#78
Designing and building two beautiful leaded glass window panes for our bathroom window. It’s pretty much like putting together a puzzle but you get to decide what shape the pieces are.
#79
Went to the bar one night with some friends, ran into a girl that had worked for me a few years earlier. Said hi, chatted for a minute, she asks me where my girlfriend is. I let her know we broke up a couple months earlier. She is like "oh cool, well I'm here with my friends and I'm going to go hang out with them but if you want to hook up after the bar closes, I've always wanted you." I blink about 10 times in a row, "uh, that sounds awesome". And we did.
#80
My job. Big news for fanboys of rich people telling you that you're as rich as the effort you put in: the hardest fu***ing jobs i had were the ones that paid the least. Get into the below-the-minimum-wage category and it will most likely be the kind of a job that physically deteriorates your body over time. Get to the minimum wage and it's the kind of job that sucks so much energy out of you that you can only lay in bed mindlessly and let the rest of your life rot. Get yourself a job that pays twice as much as the minimum wage and after a full day of work you still have enough energy to enjoy life. Three times as much - you technically work 8 hours a day but in practice they hired you to do this one thing that no-one else knows how to do and it only has to be done on rare occasions, so they pretty much pay you to be around just in case you're needed.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
yep. Find a job that requires an obscure skill and you'll never work a day in your life.
#81
Getting over the fear of doing something routine you never imagined doing. It took me a while but it is both fun and can save money. Simple car maintenance from oil changes, seasonal tire changes, air filters, battery change, to replacing rotors and brake pads (never did do drums because lack of cars having drums anymore). I learned it from watching others and asking questions. I do it for my family and the in-laws because the money saved turns out to be significant when you have 6 cars to do. However, I'm too old to fight the -10 C cold outside, so if something happens in the winter months -- straight into the mechanics. That lead to servicing my snow thrower in the spring and prepping in the fall (the belt is a huge pain in the butt though). I do the lawn mowers for the neighbours I like because damn, service just seems disproportionately more expensive for a small engine than a car. And now thanks to the internet (r/battlestations and pcpartpicker's website), I am also always helping and building desktop battlestations for gaming for my kids and their friends (I teach them to get over their initial fears of breaking something and now, most are fearless).
#82
For me it was getting pregnant. I was scared because I was an older first time mom (34) and really wanted to start trying for a baby and had read the older you get the harder it could be. I was scared it would take many months or years as it does for many women. Then we got pregnant the very first try. I didn’t believe the little pink line at first and took like three tests that night. Then it was just as easy with the second pregnancy.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago (edited)
43 and breastfeeding a 6 month old. I was shocked as all hades when I became pregnant again. My husband thought I was kidding. Even after I sent the US pic to my BFF, she’s like THATS #3. No!!! Look at the date! #4 ended up being oblique so I had a C-section…and promptly had my tubes removed.
#83
Solving a recurring leg pain that had been troubling me for over a year by getting a deep tissue massage. The masseur said he’d never felt a leg with as many knotted muscles as mine before.
Freya the Wanderer 2 years ago
I had a muscular knot in my bottom that bugged me for a month. Then I got a deep tissue massage, and the lady who did it told me to sit on a tennis ball and move it around. Worked like a charm!
#84
Making bread, and moving across the country, was much easier than expected.
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
Did this person move across the country, making bread as they went? Behind the wheel, or at stop-offs? So many questions!
#85
A professor in our university had a drug composition problem in an exam..it stated "add 200 ml of water to the formulation" The question was "how much water is in the drug formulation?" We busted our a**es trying to find a solution..multiply by how many..add how much After the exam we asked her.. The b***h simply replied "I told you to add 200ml of water.. and asked how much water is there.. the answer is 200ml"
ISeeWendiGo 2 years ago
So the professor is called a b¡tch because they couldn't see the answer in front of them? Playing the sore loser, huh?
Mat Hall 2 years ago
It may have been a trick question of sorts; depending on what it's mixed with some of the water may no longer have been water - e.g. adding water to lithium results in the lithium becoming ionised and the water turning into hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions, and how much water is left depends on how much lithium there was.
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Aboredpanda 2 years ago
Honestly this sounds like a Basic nursing math question, for giving the right amount of medication. And it was super easy. Calling the professor a b***h makes you seem really unintelligent.
Jill Bussey 2 years ago
The fault was yours, not the professor's. Next time read the question!
#86
Learning to cook with raw ingredients. Turns out throwing random b******t that tastes good together usually works as long as you understand what you like.
#87
coding, people make it out to be so hard but in reality you just end up copy pasting from stack overflow even if you have years of experience under your belt. Now if it doesnt work, debugging the code requires 5 PHDs, and 3 Masters Degrees.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
debugging usually boils down to finding where you forgot a }, ) or ;
Andrei Caldararu 2 years ago
This is blatantly untrue. Many times you copy-paste from your previous work because you've already debugged it to find the missing ;
Load More Replies... John Wolter 2 years ago
Yeah. Coding used to be a lot harder before the Internet. Now if my job requires me to program in a language I don't know, I just start Googling.
#88
I applied for a seasonal job cooking in Alaska when I was 18 after only working a position as a line cook at a local restaurant for a year. It was just to support a friend of mine that was applying for jobs at the library, a couple days later I got an email requesting a phone interview and I got an all expense paid 5 month job cooking for a lodge in Alaska. The website at the time was cooljobs.com
#89
Confidence. As soon as I tried to be more confident, people around me treated me differently, which gave me more confidence. It really is no witchcraft folks
Terry Tobias 2 years ago
I'm very shy but you wouldn't know it. I had friends in school and we had fun, but it took joining chorus and participating in the school musical for me to really come out of myself. My first job was working the counter at a bakery. I knew that I wouldn't survive if I was shy, so I starting "acting" like I was confident and outgoing. Once i got into that mindset it became second nature. I can now interact with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, and I actually enjoy it.
#90
Taking care of a newborn :) we were prepared to have the hardest time of our life, but turned out amazing!
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
The first three months are hard, but it’s the toddler years that suck out your soul!
#91
Sophomore year of college my buddies were throwing a party at their house. One of them was a moderately successful DJ in the local college scene. We’re have a good time and the DJ was doing his thing when he had to pee or something so he taps me on the shoulder and asks me to just stand at his turntables to make sure no drunk idiots f**k it up. He had songs queued up so I literally just had to stand there. About 30 seconds later two women walk up to me and are saying how much they love the music. I tell them it’s just a playlist and I’m just keeping it running. But they’re still super impressed. A few minutes later the actual DJ comes back and I give up my post then one of the girls comes up and tells me to dance with her. One thing leads to another and we ended up having a FWB relationship for a few months after that. At one point I told my friend about his girl I’d met while covering him at the DJ booth. And he laughed and said, “yeah sometimes it’s really that easy” It was the only time in my life I’ve had a glimpse of the rockstar life.
#92
Buying a house. As long as you qualify for the loan it is crazy easy to sign some papers and now you own something that might go up in value or completely destroy your finances.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
hmm this requires a good credit score, and a job/salary/income where I am. If you are not able to provide a salary slip and have a lousy credit score, you can't.
The Short Lady 2 years ago
Also, a sufficient amount in savings for a down payment.
Load More Replies... Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
If you qualify for the loan, it's unlikely it will destroy your finances. Where I live, banks now only loan you 80% of the value of the property,so you need that other 20%, plus they check ALL your financials so you aren't paying out more than a certain percentage of your income (I think it's 30% but I could be wrong). Plus there are a lot of expenses upfront that you have to pay for. So no, this one is not as easy as they make it sound.
Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
Depends. VA Loans are 100% covered and 45% of discretionary income for payments.
Load More Replies... Icecream Sarang 2 years ago
If you’ve ever considered joining the military, here is a reason why… you get better loan rates, and require no down payment, and no mortgage insurance. If you’re DV, you get even more breaks.
#93
This one sounds made up but I swear it's true. Backpacking through India, I arrived in a town for a big festival (Holi) and couldn't find accommodation because everything was booked out. A voice behind me says "excuse me?". I turn around. It's an absolutely gorgeous blonde girl. She has, uh, ample bosom. "hi, sorry to bother you, but I had a get more expensive room than I wanted because everything is booked out. There's a spare bed. Would you be interested in sharing it with me?". My brain just about short circuited. No WAY can it be this easy! It was that easy. Said yes. Enjoyed the festival together. Had sex. I'll never get that lucky again.
Temporary Dork 2 years ago
To make the sex part even better and more incredible? I think this was functional generosity :)
Load More Replies... #94
Get into a bar fight. Some guy didn’t like the way I looked. Never had said a word to the guy all night, he was about 15 feet away from me most of the night.
Stephanie Did It 2 years ago
That arm makes it look like Mr Purple Shirt has a really weird leg sticking out of his shorts and now I can't unsee it.
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
I never would have thought this was that easy. I think I’m going to go get in a bar fight tonight. (Bucket list…)
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
Never happened to me and I hung round in clubs and bars for like 20 years. Not even exaggerating.
#95
Operating an electric pallet jack. (One of my coworkers literally just showed me one day how to work it. No training required, just learn how it works.)
#96
A great job interview after 9 years as a SAHM. Been with them 6 years now.
James016 2 years ago
My wife went back to work after 7 years as a SAHM. She is a learning support assistant in a local school looking after a disabled child. She got into it despite having no formal training, experience or qualifications. She did however have life experience, she was her late little brother's guardian (her parents are both deceased), he needed 24 hour care due to his disabilities and our son is autistic as is the child she looks after.
#97
In an attempt to sleep with a girl, I told her she was on my To Do List. We had sex that night.
What do you think ?
NatalieC 2 years ago
I spent my youth and young adult years focused on food. I was always hungry and events were judged by the food they had. Obviously, I was huge. I finally found a doctor who prescribed natural thyroid supplement and just like that, the food obsession ended. It was eye-opening that this was how regular people lived, unbothered by thoughts of food. Finding that doctor changed my life.
A Jones 2 years ago
This may sound weird, but touch typing was easy to get into as a skill set. You just need a class and it gets easier each day (I took one in HS). One of those block things to cover the keyboard help with memorizing. Kind of like how you get used to a video game control, it's like that. My comfortable level is like 65wpm, if I'm in a fun chat it can get up to 75wpm. Those typing games are great too!
TheReader19 2 years ago
A Jones, one of the best things I ever did was learn to touch type 👍🏾
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Beruthiel45 2 years ago
These were very positive and heart warming and made me happy reading them. Thanks BP. People being lucky, helping themselves do better, having positive life changes and such, are all good to read. 👍
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
Going to a sleep lab (or whatever this is called). I way always sleepy in my youth. Driving in a car (as passanger) I always fell asleep. No matter the distance. Meetings were a hassle to stay awake at. Until my then boyfriend noticed I stopped breathing at night. Turned out I did that a lot. My doc explained that is for my body like doing a marathon at night instead of sleeping so no wonder I was always sleepy. I got a mask to keep myself breathing at night and I never fall asleep at day anymore.
NatalieC 2 years ago
I spent my youth and young adult years focused on food. I was always hungry and events were judged by the food they had. Obviously, I was huge. I finally found a doctor who prescribed natural thyroid supplement and just like that, the food obsession ended. It was eye-opening that this was how regular people lived, unbothered by thoughts of food. Finding that doctor changed my life.
A Jones 2 years ago
This may sound weird, but touch typing was easy to get into as a skill set. You just need a class and it gets easier each day (I took one in HS). One of those block things to cover the keyboard help with memorizing. Kind of like how you get used to a video game control, it's like that. My comfortable level is like 65wpm, if I'm in a fun chat it can get up to 75wpm. Those typing games are great too!
TheReader19 2 years ago
A Jones, one of the best things I ever did was learn to touch type 👍🏾
Load More Replies... Beruthiel45 2 years ago
These were very positive and heart warming and made me happy reading them. Thanks BP. People being lucky, helping themselves do better, having positive life changes and such, are all good to read. 👍
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
Going to a sleep lab (or whatever this is called). I way always sleepy in my youth. Driving in a car (as passanger) I always fell asleep. No matter the distance. Meetings were a hassle to stay awake at. Until my then boyfriend noticed I stopped breathing at night. Turned out I did that a lot. My doc explained that is for my body like doing a marathon at night instead of sleeping so no wonder I was always sleepy. I got a mask to keep myself breathing at night and I never fall asleep at day anymore.
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