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In life, there are things we can control and things we can’t. But the humbling part is, it only takes one moment of the second to completely cancel out all the effort of the first. That’s just the unfair, unavoidable nature of bad luck.

Sadly, these poor souls had to learn that lesson the hard way. What they went through is so absurdly unfortunate that it’s hard not to feel for them—even if you can’t help but laugh a little too. Scroll down and give them some sympathy, because they’ve well and truly earned it.

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

Karma, The Non-Reddit Kind

Karma, The Non-Reddit Kind

Dude tries to get around a line of stopped cars and drivers right into fresh cement.

GhostalMedia Report

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    #2

    My Submission For Dumbest Way To Injure Yourself

    My Submission For Dumbest Way To Injure Yourself

    I burnt my hand taking tomato soup out of the microwave. The toast I was making popped up and it scared me.

    missouriprincess Report

    #3

    Have Cats They Said, It’ll Be Fun They Said (No Cats Were Harmed And No Plants Were Seriously Injured)

    Have Cats They Said, It’ll Be Fun They Said (No Cats Were Harmed And No Plants Were Seriously Injured)

    allahash Report

    Truly, it seems luck wasn’t on these people’s side. Whatever you want to call it—getting the short end of the stick, waking up on the wrong side of the bed, having a dark cloud hanging over your head—these folks managed to experience it all in one go. After everything they went through, the universe really does owe them a good day.

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    #4

    This Feels Like A Metaphor For Something

    This Feels Like A Metaphor For Something

    Gleeemonex Report

    #5

    Came Home Late From Work, Drop My Open Sandwhich In The Parking Lot

    Came Home Late From Work, Drop My Open Sandwhich In The Parking Lot

    Go to make pasta, the first pot slips and I pour it all on the ground. Make a second pot and the handle straight up breaks and my pasta goes everywhere. Didn't eat; had a lil cry.

    SuitsAndStripes Report

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    #6

    I Made Coffee While I Was Still Half-Asleep

    I Made Coffee While I Was Still Half-Asleep

    Silverback55 Report

    Luck, in general, is a fascinating concept. It seems to be something that every culture, across every corner of the world, has some kind of relationship with. We have lucky charms, lucky numbers, lucky days. Some people even believe that luck is simply a trait, something certain people are just born with more of.

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    #7

    I've Heard Of "Painting Yourself Into A Corner" But My Wife Took It A Step Further. I Don't Even Know

    I've Heard Of "Painting Yourself Into A Corner" But My Wife Took It A Step Further. I Don't Even Know

    power-cube Report

    #8

    Came Home To A Car In My Pool

    Came Home To A Car In My Pool

    Ok a little more context: I am not the owner so I really don’t know the cost, but I will try to find that out.

    Driver was a man in maybe his 30s-ish?

    There are apartments across the alley. We think he was parked in front of the apartments, and then tried to peel out, but backed up way too hard and way too fast.

    The pool is being drained. It’s full of glass and car chemicals so I assume it will need to be professionally cleaned.

    The tow truck driver went on top of the car and had to break the side windows to hook up the cables through the sunroof and side windows. The pool is COLD. I made him some tea.

    The driver was able to climb out the sunroof before it fully went under.

    I really don’t know any specifics as to why/how this happened. Doesn’t sound like any drugs or alcohol were involved but really, only the cops know.

    Car went in around 9:30pm, the whole process of towing it out went until about 3:30am.

    bippyboop Report

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    #9

    Yesterday My Pen Exploded In My Dryer. Today, This When I Get Home After Another 13 Hour Work Day

    Yesterday My Pen Exploded In My Dryer. Today, This When I Get Home After Another 13 Hour Work Day

    Blotzkrieg Report

    We also have no shortage of superstitions to keep bad luck at bay. Knocking on wood is one of the most well-known, but some cultures take it even further. In China, for example, the number 4 is considered so unlucky that many buildings skip the fourth floor entirely, labelling it 3A instead. 

    On the flip side, the number 8 is considered deeply fortunate—so much so that eighth-floor apartments in China have been known to fetch a noticeably higher price on the market.

    #10

    Got Home From Work Today

    Got Home From Work Today

    Realized I’ve been walking around meeting clients with a giant 6-7 in rip in my pants that no one said anything about. So I figured the internet should also know.

    reddit.com Report

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    #11

    At A Family Birthday Party, I Thought I Would Do The Fatherly Thing And Play A Little Soccer With My Daughter

    At A Family Birthday Party, I Thought I Would Do The Fatherly Thing And Play A Little Soccer With My Daughter

    As I approached her to try to steal the ball, she sent a rocket in my direction. We switched to football for the rest of the afternoon.

    awkwardfamilyphotos Report

    #12

    WCGW When You Put The Biggest Paint Containers On The Highest Shelf?

    WCGW When You Put The Biggest Paint Containers On The Highest Shelf?

    copacetic51 Report

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    As comforting as it is to believe in some cosmic force called luck, scientists tend to see it differently. “Luck is a really interesting aspect of risk and chance,” Cambridge University psychologist Dr Mike Aitken told the BBC.

    “We can all remember days when good things happened to us, and days when less-good things happened, and we attribute the difference to a lucky day and an unlucky day. You could argue that luck exists in that sense.”

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    Where it gets more complicated is when people believe luck can actually influence outcomes. “That’s a much harder belief to justify, because there’s no way the day you buy your lottery ticket can influence the likelihood that you’re going to win,” said Aitken.

    #13

    Slipped In The Shower, Landed On The Toilet

    Slipped In The Shower, Landed On The Toilet

    Bonsonoptic Report

    #14

    Mowing The Lawn For The First Time This Season And The Mower Picked Up A Rock And Shot It Through My Front Door

    Mowing The Lawn For The First Time This Season And The Mower Picked Up A Rock And Shot It Through My Front Door

    MAGNIF1CNT Report

    #15

    Found At 7am Monday Morning

    Found At 7am Monday Morning

    While trying to head to work no less. Do I cry or laugh? both? The car is likely totaled, first time for everything!

    moon783 Report

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    But what about those people who just seem to have all the luck? We all know at least one—someone for whom everything appears to work out almost effortlessly, no matter the circumstances. How does science even begin to explain that kind of magic?

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    As it turns out, there may actually be a practical reason behind their good fortune, and it’s one you can apply to your own life too.

    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Follow on Google News

    #16

    My Mom Forgot That She Was Making Syrup. She Left It At Medium Heat For 2 Hours

    My Mom Forgot That She Was Making Syrup. She Left It At Medium Heat For 2 Hours

    historyhoneybee Report

    #17

    The Service Of This Maybach Didn’t Go As Planned

    The Service Of This Maybach Didn’t Go As Planned

    ma-nem-jeff Report

    #18

    I Just Spent Over An Hour In Traffic On My Way To Work. Only Then I Looked Down

    I Just Spent Over An Hour In Traffic On My Way To Work. Only Then I Looked Down

    ghmatos Report

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    Richard Wiseman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, has spent decades studying what separates lucky people from unlucky ones. According to his research, lucky people tend to follow four key principles.

    The first is maximising chance opportunities. Lucky people are naturally skilled at creating and noticing opportunities, whether through networking, staying open to new experiences, or simply approaching life with a more relaxed attitude.

    As the saying goes, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”—and this principle is pretty much exactly that.

    #19

    I Came Out Of My Hotel To This

    I Came Out Of My Hotel To This

    a-hipster-doofus Report

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    #20

    My Mom Washed My Favorite Sweater… Is This The Lewk?!

    My Mom Washed My Favorite Sweater… Is This The Lewk?!

    PhilEshaDeLox Report

    #21

    So My Brother Decided To Take His Anger Out On Something Of Mine

    So My Brother Decided To Take His Anger Out On Something Of Mine

    Salty_Ninja_ Report

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    The second is listening to their instincts. Lucky people trust their gut and make decisions based on intuition. Many of them also actively work to sharpen that intuition through practices like meditation.

    The third is expecting good fortune. Lucky people genuinely believe that good things are coming their way, and that belief tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It helps them push through setbacks and show up more positively in their relationships.

    #22

    What Are The Odds?

    What Are The Odds?

    BraveButterscotch582 Report

    #23

    Dropped My Cologne In My Sink

    Dropped My Cologne In My Sink

    BobbySevenKnuckles Report

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    #24

    We Paint Roads, Here’s An Unlucky Individual Who Couldn’t Stay Off Our Fresh Line And Drove Down The Line For About 1/4 Of A Mile

    We Paint Roads, Here’s An Unlucky Individual Who Couldn’t Stay Off Our Fresh Line And Drove Down The Line For About 1/4 Of A Mile

    It was so bad that it was still dripping when we caught up with them.

    josh8far Report

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    The fourth and last one is turning bad luck around. When things do go wrong, lucky people find ways to reframe the situation. They remind themselves it could have been worse, avoid dwelling on what happened, and work on regaining a sense of control.

    It’s easy to see why this works. If you’re constantly zeroing in on everything going wrong, that mindset tends to become a cycle that’s hard to break out of. But if you’re able to approach setbacks more positively, you start noticing the good in situations more naturally, and that shift in perspective can actually change the outcomes you experience.

    #25

    When You Thought You Hit 1:00 On The Microwave, But It Was 10:00

    When You Thought You Hit 1:00 On The Microwave, But It Was 10:00

    It was a blueberry muffin with a small pat of butter.

    XROOR Report

    #26

    Came Home From Vacation To Find Our Fish Tank Leaked Into My Floor While We Were Gone

    Came Home From Vacation To Find Our Fish Tank Leaked Into My Floor While We Were Gone

    nicolishna:
    did the fish survive?

    Metroid413:
    Axolotl! And yes, luckily he’s chill. We lost about 40 of 55 gallons through a slower leak. EDIT: Hijacking this top-comment to add that this picture is AFTER I DRILLED DRAIN HOLES. It was not dripping like this the whole time.

    Metroid413 Report

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    #27

    Somebody Left A Car Under A Leaking Pipe

    Somebody Left A Car Under A Leaking Pipe

    StephenKingSize Report

    If something unlucky has happened to you recently, it’s worth remembering that it wasn’t your fault. According to science, it was simply a matter of chance, and on that particular day, chance just wasn’t on your side. But if you do want to be luckier in life, apparently genuinely believing that you are a lucky person can go a long way—so maybe give that a try.

    #28

    Got Stuck In An Elevator In My Apartment Building, Was Told About 40 Minutes Until The Tech Arrives And I Have To Go To The Bathroom

    Got Stuck In An Elevator In My Apartment Building, Was Told About 40 Minutes Until The Tech Arrives And I Have To Go To The Bathroom

    c4boos3 Report

    #29

    Hope Your Thursday Is Going Better

    Hope Your Thursday Is Going Better

    Cooked lunch -> open cupboard to get plates and voila.

    StickyBamboo_ Report

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    #30

    Bottom Of My Mug Fell Off, Full Mug Of Tea Everywhere

    Bottom Of My Mug Fell Off, Full Mug Of Tea Everywhere

    I noticed that there was tea pooling around the bottom of my mug, and I picked it up and bam. The bottom of the mug just fell off, and tea went everywhere. I've never seen this happen before.

    heatherlarson035 Report

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    #31

    My Car This Morning

    My Car This Morning

    _n3ll_ Report

    #32

    I Mean, I Didn’t Want To Eat It Anyway

    I Mean, I Didn’t Want To Eat It Anyway

    alico127 Report

    #33

    On The Second Shovel Full My Trusty Shovel Called It Quits Today

    On The Second Shovel Full My Trusty Shovel Called It Quits Today

    We got about a foot and I only got enough to open the front door. Luckily my wife and I can work from home. There’s at least 20 inches plowed in front of our driveway as well. Good times.

    Got_Sig Report

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    #34

    My Cola Exploaded Inside The Freezer

    My Cola Exploaded Inside The Freezer

    ReformedShady Report

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    #35

    My Basement Flooded With Shin Deep Water

    My Basement Flooded With Shin Deep Water

    I spent about 6 hours throwing everything away. My water heater exploded, and there was a simultaneous failure in the floor drain so none of the water drained. I didn't find the flooding for about 30 minutes and came down to water streaming out of my water heater like a pressure washer. I'm just glad I was home.

    Arrogantcactus0 Report

    #36

    Last Food In The Fridge. Made Feta, Tomato And Leek. Bottom Glass Part Just Blew Up From Temperature…

    Last Food In The Fridge. Made Feta, Tomato And Leek. Bottom Glass Part Just Blew Up From Temperature…

    dieSocke Report

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    #37

    Loaded The Heavy Stuff First, Tipped Over The Trailer

    Loaded The Heavy Stuff First, Tipped Over The Trailer

    Moving day went wrong in Florida today. Had to climb out onto the roof. Nobody was seriously hurt.

    GuardBoxCCTV Report

    #38

    Anyone Else Having This Kind Of Day?

    Anyone Else Having This Kind Of Day?

    Sashakita Report

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    #39

    I’ll Just Do My Makeup In The Car Like A Stupid Idiot

    I’ll Just Do My Makeup In The Car Like A Stupid Idiot

    peperoni_dog_farts Report

    #40

    Can You Guess What Scared The Heck Out Of My Wife And I At 2 Am

    Can You Guess What Scared The Heck Out Of My Wife And I At 2 Am

    This mirror was like 10 ft and came with the house when we bought it. I thought someone shattered our window in the bathroom and was breaking in or the shower glass shattered… 2 hours later I’m still cleaning glass off the floor lol.

    DaBestaTesta Report

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    #41

    Guess I’m Fueling Up Elsewhere

    Guess I’m Fueling Up Elsewhere

    bdx22 Report

    #42

    I Made A Lasagna For Lunch. Here's The Result

    I Made A Lasagna For Lunch. Here's The Result

    sloubi_ Report

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    #43

    Attempted To Take $60 Out. Got Stuck And I Couldn’t Get It Out. Then It Came Back In And Still Took $60 Out Of My Account!

    Attempted To Take $60 Out. Got Stuck And I Couldn’t Get It Out. Then It Came Back In And Still Took $60 Out Of My Account!

    Peppeperoni Report

    #44

    A Drunk Driver Drove Right Through My Garage!

    A Drunk Driver Drove Right Through My Garage!

    Plus he crashed into my neighbor's garage, taking out his fence and finally stopped when he crashed into my backyard fence. He didn't have insurance either.

    MouseAmbitious5975 Report

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    #45

    Bottom Part Came Off

    Bottom Part Came Off

    KokoJumbi Report

    #46

    Dropped My Airpod

    Dropped My Airpod

    boarshead12 Report

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    #47

    Overripe Bananers

    Overripe Bananers

    ArtistPersonThing Report

    #48

    My Mom Was Just Finishing Cleaning The Kitchen And Then Spilled A Bag Of Chia Seeds On The Ground

    My Mom Was Just Finishing Cleaning The Kitchen And Then Spilled A Bag Of Chia Seeds On The Ground

    Streetcar21 Report

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    #49

    I Dropped A Pot Through My Parents' Stove Top While Putting Dishes Away

    I Dropped A Pot Through My Parents' Stove Top While Putting Dishes Away

    laughableInflection Report

    #50

    It’s 3:00am. Everyone’s Asleep And I’ve Been Trying To Get Out Of My Room For 30 Minutes

    It’s 3:00am. Everyone’s Asleep And I’ve Been Trying To Get Out Of My Room For 30 Minutes

    PhaseKoko Report

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    #51

    Dropped My Freshly Baked Sourdough Loaf In A Cleaning Bucket

    Dropped My Freshly Baked Sourdough Loaf In A Cleaning Bucket

    foukehi Report

    #52

    Looks Like I Need To Buy Some More Laundry Detergent

    Looks Like I Need To Buy Some More Laundry Detergent

    Freddynightowl Report

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    #53

    I Thought This Plastic On My New Washer Was A Protective Film

    I Thought This Plastic On My New Washer Was A Protective Film

    Charming-Passion-178 Report

    #54

    I Was Looking Forward To Eating That. The Top Of The Pepper Came Off And Went Everywhere. I Was Sneezing For An Hour Afterwards

    I Was Looking Forward To Eating That. The Top Of The Pepper Came Off And Went Everywhere. I Was Sneezing For An Hour Afterwards

    Sea-Acanthisitta6791 Report

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    #55

    I Didn't Export My Pictures Before Reformatting My SD Card. Everything Is Gone

    I Didn't Export My Pictures Before Reformatting My SD Card. Everything Is Gone

    wakeupnot Report

    #56

    Well, That’s What I Get For Trying To Tidy Up My Pantry

    Well, That’s What I Get For Trying To Tidy Up My Pantry

    Was just trying to clean off some items from my countertop including a COSTCO size bottle of red wine. Accidentally hit it against a bottle of champagne, mind you I don’t even drink it’s just what I keep on hand for entertaining. And yes, the shelves are permanently stained. But at least they’re pink.

    unwritten_writter Report

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    #57

    Forgetting About Your Pizza For 8 Hours. Burnt So Bad It Looks Like A Double-Chocolate Brownie

    Forgetting About Your Pizza For 8 Hours. Burnt So Bad It Looks Like A Double-Chocolate Brownie

    daddysnakeboi Report

    #58

    Apparently, My Scissors Couldn't Handle A Koolaid Bursts Bottle

    Apparently, My Scissors Couldn't Handle A Koolaid Bursts Bottle

    SimonTVesper Report

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    #59

    Somebody Rearranged The Keys In Computer Class

    Somebody Rearranged The Keys In Computer Class

    55Bulldozer55 Report

    #60

    Forced To Gate Check Guitar, Got It Back Split In Half

    Forced To Gate Check Guitar, Got It Back Split In Half

    Long story short, I’m never flying with a soft shell guitar case anymore. Definitely at least partially my fault to not have had it better protected, but this hadn’t been an issue for the past 3 years until my latest delta flight… Was told to gate check my $1000+ guitar in its soft shell case (i know, stupid, but much easier to carry it as a backpack than haul around a hard shell case when you have suitcases) by flight crew on my 6 hour flight across the US. Even with strings almost fully loosened, and two thick sweatshirts wrapped around it, I guess the handling was too much for her.

    electropicks Report

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    #61

    Two Year Old Put A T-Ball Tube Down Car Exhaust

    Two Year Old Put A T-Ball Tube Down Car Exhaust

    BigTuna0890 Report

    #62

    First Time Smoking

    First Time Smoking

    Just got a smoker, left it in a little too long. I also didn’t have the meat thermometer to that tells you what the temp is for the meat.

    reddit.com Report

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    #63

    Vending Machine Misfortune

    Vending Machine Misfortune

    WithaClue2010 Report

    #64

    Opened A Bottle Of Homemade Cherry Schnapps Inside. It Fermented. This Is My Mom's Ceiling Now

    Opened A Bottle Of Homemade Cherry Schnapps Inside. It Fermented. This Is My Mom's Ceiling Now

    Lyralex_84 Report

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    #65

    International Flight, Middle Seat, Only Person On The Entire Full Flight With A Broken TV

    International Flight, Middle Seat, Only Person On The Entire Full Flight With A Broken TV

    I was extremely excited for the new United IFE screen, I've been wanting to try it forever. I even looked up movies and shows weeks before hand so I knew what I wanted to watch.

    gibbyfrommicarly Report

    #66

    First Day Back From Holiday And Restaurant Catches Fire, Nice

    First Day Back From Holiday And Restaurant Catches Fire, Nice

    matteo-the-memer-man Report

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    #67

    Empty Mozzarella Sticks

    Empty Mozzarella Sticks

    StrawberryLonely1290 Report

    #68

    I Completely Forgot About This Bottle Of Water Standing On Balcony For Two Months (It Was -20c Outside )

    I Completely Forgot About This Bottle Of Water Standing On Balcony For Two Months (It Was -20c Outside )

    skievks Report

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    #69

    The TV Fell On My Dinner

    The TV Fell On My Dinner

    northyynorth Report

    #70

    I Didn't Even Know This Could Happen

    I Didn't Even Know This Could Happen

    Today I learnt that you can loose the keypad of your car keys. I also learnt that the car won't start with just the analog part of the key (yes, I'm *that* oblivious to how car works). The keypad is nowhere to be found and I'm stuck at work waiting for my husband to pick me up, so much for my Saturday night!

    the_V33 Report

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    #71

    Met Her On Tinder, Can’t Tell If This Was A Red Flag And I Got Out Early, Or Just Plain Unlucky

    Met Her On Tinder, Can’t Tell If This Was A Red Flag And I Got Out Early, Or Just Plain Unlucky

    WithaG_ Report

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    #72

    Some How The AirPods Landed On My Watch

    Some How The AirPods Landed On My Watch

    noode_man Report

    #73

    Car Wash Fun

    Car Wash Fun

    It was warm enough for the car wash to be open, so I brought my car through first, then went back for my truck. I was finishing up when the exit door shut on my hood, with, like, 45 seconds to go yet for drying.

    icarus1990xx Report

    #74

    My Fork's Transition To A Poorly Engineered Spork

    My Fork's Transition To A Poorly Engineered Spork

    SecretWitness8251 Report

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    #75

    Fell For The Hype... This Is What I Opened From The Blind Box

    Fell For The Hype... This Is What I Opened From The Blind Box

    Dodoo_on_the_moon Report

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    #76

    What Do I Do Now?

    What Do I Do Now?

    Fuzz_____zZz Report

    #77

    Chicken Stuck In Freezer Door

    Chicken Stuck In Freezer Door

    Wife put chicken in freezer for dinner on a later day. Now, it's frozen, and we can't get it out of the door. We've tried a hair dryer, hand warmers, and hot water. We don't necessarily want to break off the plastic piece, but I am running out of patience and ideas.

    bradkrauss2010 Report

    #78

    My 20$ Pair Of Nike Socks After Wearing Them 4 Times

    My 20$ Pair Of Nike Socks After Wearing Them 4 Times

    greatDUDE84 Report

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    #79

    Thought I Was Being Clever By Picking The Biggest Sandwich In The Case. So Much Bread

    Thought I Was Being Clever By Picking The Biggest Sandwich In The Case. So Much Bread

    garfrabble Report

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