Author: Alan Herrera

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People Explain Which Items They Would Rescue First If Their House Was On Fire

Few things are as frightening as the prospect of burning to death in a fire. Many people live in fear of something like that happening.

Now suppose you wake up to find that your home is on fire. You’re terrified. What do you do? What do you grab, if anything at all?

Do you just try to get outside as quickly as possible? Or do you happen to have a plan in place?

People shared their stories with us after Redditor T3ermin8or asked the online community:

“If your house was about to burn down, what would you try and save first?”

“I truly had to think about this…”

“I truly had to think about this last night as the Colorado fires were just a few miles away. It was devastating looking around the house and realizing so much in your house doesn’t matter.” ~ BatmanandMe123

“We both went into robot mode…”

“We had to evacuate last night and it was the craziest feeling. Luckily our house is okay. We both went into robot mode just efficiently getting what we need, popping the dogs in the hatchback, and off we went.”

“We were in traffic on 287 when I realized that my wife and I forgot our winter coats, she was wearing slippers, and I’d left my wallet and every important document we have in my office. Glad I remembered the almond milk though…” ~ gregmaddux

“As time went on…”

“Retired Firefighter here. When I was a kid our house burned down. As time went on, it was the family photos we missed the most. I always grabbed photo albums when I saw them. The owners often cried when they realized the photos were saved.” ~ Skyist

“I guess I’m supposed to say…”

“I guess I’m supposed to say my children, but I’ve got a chocolate orange I’ve not started yet. So it’ll be a tough one.” ~ Good-Helicopter-9303

“You don’t have time…”

“This is gonna sound outrageous, but in a fire emergency, this will save your cats’ lives… Put the cat in a pillowcase. Carry them out that way. You don’t have time to get their crates, and you definitely don’t have time to fight with them about going in them.”

“Put the cat in a pillowcase, and you’ll be able to safely and quickly transport them to safety and hold them securely. If you carry them out in your arms, they may jump down and sprint away, or claw at you in fright.”

“But a cat in a pillowcase, no matter how angry and traumatized they might be, is staying in the pillowcase. If it’s a life or death, burning house emergency? Put your cat in your pillowcase.” ~ PotassiumArsenic

“Assuming my family…”

“Assuming my family and dogs are safe and my important documents are in the safe where they belong I have a couple guitars that have sentimental value to me. I’d grab those.” ~ GuntherPonz

“I have a bag of documents…”

“I have a bag of documents that are a pain in the ass to get. Birth certificate, taxes, diplomas. Thats an easy grab, once i have that, i grab my pets, and, if i have time, my box of MTG rares, including my Unlimited Dual Lands, which I’ll offload to offset the costs of recovery.” ~ WanderingGenesis

“In the hallway closet…”

“In the hallway closet there is a box containing all of my family’s photos. I would grab that and get it out as soon as possible. Any photos on the walls are copies.”

“If I had time the next thing would be my home server. It has a s**t load of important files and about 10 TB of movies and TV shows which would help pass time in the hotel or wherever after the fire.”

“I also have a bunch of ammo that’s not in a fireproof safe so I would want to get that out so it doesnt go off and hurt anyone. But the pictures are #1 priority. I plan on digitizing all of them but it’s a lot of work.” ~ immacannibal

“There’s really nothing sentimental…”

“My lungs. Instead of saving material items, I would much prefer to leave as quickly as possible to avoid exposure to the incredibly toxic smoke.”

“There’s really nothing sentimental in the apartment (all old photos have been backed up on a cloud service) and everything else is covered by insurance (video going through all the possessions is also on the cloud).”

“Sure it will be a burden to deal with insurance, but stuff is just stuff and is all replaceable. Other than that, I don’t know if it counts, but I do keep a set of pajamas and slippers on the window sill. It is placed here intentionally so that it can be grabbed in the event of an emergency.”

“If I’m sleeping (always naked), I would grab them on my way out. Doing so should hopefully spare my neighbors the immediate vomiting associated with seeing the grotesque sight of my naked body.” ~ SandwichFries

“We do our best…”

“Firefighter here. We do our best to conduct salvage operations during a structure fire when possible. We try to cover furniture with tarps and shove pictures inside of drawers and even save some to take out with us.”

“Your insurance can pay for the lost materialistic things but it can’t replace the only good photo you have of your loved one, and as a firefighter I do my best to prevent unnecessary damage from not only fire and smoke but water damage.” ~ Okfeeling9598

“Sometimes it feels like…”

“This has unfortunately happened to me twice in my life.”

“The first time it was in my 20s and my upstairs apartment neighbors burned the place down with a candle. I was home at the time and I went back in to grab my very valuable musical instruments. It wasn’t the safest thing to do, but I never really felt terribly in danger.”

“The second time I was/am in my 40s and an arsonist attacked one of my neighbors in my nice little quiet condominium complex at 3 a.m.. They never found the culprit. I nearly died as I slept right through all of the smoke alarms and woke up to a place on fire and full of smoke.”

“My neighbors were calling my phone over and over but it too didn’t wake me up. Fortunately for me and him, my cat was sitting right on the bed with me looking at me like, ‘Help?’ I wrapped him in a blanket off the bed and crawled my way out of the acrid smokefilled condo, touching doorknobs and hoping we both wouldn’t die.”

“Ugh, even typing it up makes me nervous. I now sleep with a smoke alarm attached to the headboard of my bed in an effort to wake me if it happens again.”

“No humans were hurt in the blaze, it burned down three families’ condos and several of my neighbor’s pets died. I live alone, so my cat was all I had to save at that point.”

“Sometimes it feels like I got struck by lightning twice. I can’t imagine the mathematical odds of having your place and stuff burn down twice.” ~ Reddit

Now that you’ve heard people’s suggestions, you hopefully feel a bit more prepared.

And if you’re not, it’s time to make a plan of some kind. Most importantly, there are things you can do to avoid fire in your home.

You can use surge protectors. You can unplug items that are not in use. Never leave flames unattended while you are cooking in your kitchen (where many fires start).

Just some things to think about… but fingers crossed that you never have to make the decision to flee your home!

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People Share The Best ‘You Have No Power Here’ Moment They’ve Ever Witnessed

There’s something really wonderful, thrilling even, when you subvert the expectations of others and remind them of your own power and authority.

Let’s face it – in the working world (and certainly elsewhere) there are people who will attempt to trod all over you. It is ultimately up to you to advocate and assert yourself.

And sometimes it helps to teach those other people a lesson, too. You know… so they don’t act so foolish again.

We heard people share their stories about power differentials after Redditor sormatador asked the online community:

“What was the best ‘you have no power here’ moment you have ever seen?”

“The first time I had dinner…”

“The first time I had dinner at my parents house after I got my own apartment. My dad was giving me grief as usual. Finally, I stood up and said, ‘I don’t live here anymore. I don’t have to put up with you this way any longer. I’m going home.’”

“And walked out. Most liberating moment of my life.” ~ sunshine2632

“I told my ex…”

“I told my ex I was getting remarried. He told me he was going to stop me and put a lien on my house (which I bought with my money six years after the divorce). My son would come home from visitations telling me how his dad was going to stop the wedding and I’d have to pay him all of this money, la di da.”

“Get to court. His attorney goes blah blah blah for what felt like forever. My lawyer (yes, I had to freaking get one) stands up and simply hands the judge the divorce papers showing the disbursement of funds and how my ex isn’t owed anything.”

“Judge looks at ex’s lawyer and basically asks, ‘Did you even ask for this document before filing?’ and dismisses the case.” ~ NeverCallMeFifi

“So my biological grandmother…”

“Not me, but a story my dad used to tell me all the time.”

“So my biological grandmother was very emotionally abusive. She was very controlling and tried to keep people within her sphere of influence. There’s a reason why my grandfather divorced her.”

“In high school my dad had a job washing airplanes at an airport in our area, which he absolutely loved (he’s a huge fan of aircraft in general). He had classes until roughly 10 a.m. and then he’d be off to work until around 10 p.m. (it was what he loved, he didn’t mind long hours being around aircraft all day).”

“But one day he came home a little too late for his mom’s liking. She said she’d take his keys to his motorcycle and that he’d lost privileges to it. The fact of the matter is that he bought the motorcycle himself and he needed it to get to school as well as work.”

“He laughed in her face and she didn’t do anything. She couldn’t do anything.” ~ ITriedMyBestMan

“My boss calling me…”

“My boss calling me at 7 a.m. on a Saturday to ask if I could lay some flooring for a friend of his at nearly half my normal rate. Yeah, hard pass Andy.” ~ CapuccinoBoy

“This is a bit silly…”

“This is a bit silly, but gave me a great feeling of satisfaction.”

“Due to the bad economy and poor money management, my parents have moved into the spare room of the house my husband and I bought a year ago. Things are mostly smooth, tho I’m not the closest to them for several reasons I won’t go into here.”

“The other evening I was out gardening (because it’s hot during the day and we have the luck of having a streetlight right next to our front yard, keeping it pretty well illuminated even after sundown as I mostly garden at night), and I thought I had gotten the hose twisted, as it kept getting stuck.”

“This went on for a bit until I realized that it wasn’t stuck, but being pulled. I looked into the dim area just past the illumination of the street light and spied my father, crouched over and tugging the hose. Well I did the only reasonable thing to do, and I sprayed him.”

“He yelled and ran inside with me chasing. Once he got inside he made a face and goes, ‘You can’t get me now! I’m inside!!’ in that father-to-daughter-don’t-you-make-a-mess tone of voice.”

“I readied my hose, looked him in the eye and said, ‘It’s my house,’ and just let loose with the hose. He was soaked. Worth cleaning up the mess for that moment of true fear in his eyes.” ~ pumpkinspicepiggy

“A couple of days ago…”

“I grew up with my parents having screaming arguments over every little thing (they do love each other – over 50 years of marriage so far testifies to that) and it always upset me.”

“A couple of days ago, they popped into my house to visit for a coffee on their way to stay with friends a few miles away. Within minutes, they were yelling at each other.”

“I took great pleasure in telling them that I would not stand for such behaviour in MY house and, if they didn’t lower their voices, they could stand outside until they learned some manners. The meek apologies tasted so sweet. As did the coffee.” ~ Mangosta007

“Bye, Felicia.”

“I once had a boss try to discipline me (three months later I may add) for my behaviour as it was noted I was ‘rude to her’ by several of the group’s CEOs in a board meeting.”

“On the disciplinary forms, you both have to write your version of the events and it goes to HR for an adjudication. She did her part and I casually filled in something to the effect of ‘Manager continually pressured me into deleting files from our client management system prior to a regulatory audit which is against the ethical code of our profession and not aligned with my moral standards, I accept I was short with her but she was trying to force me into performing an illegal activity.’”

“I watched her collect up the paper and the colour drained from her face. I never did hear from HR. She got fired not long after when I casually mentioned to the CEO in a bar if she remembered the encounter and explained why I may have appeared a little frustrated and upset. Bye Felicia.” ~Noknox87

“He drives me home…”

“The guy that I’d gone on a few dates with introduced me to his parents, things went well, or so i thought. He drives me home, we end up talking and drinking a few beers, I didn’t want him on the road with any alcohol in his system, and i enjoyed his company, so we end up hanging out until 3 a.m.”

“His mom starts blowing up his phone demanding that he come home, so he drives himself home to find that he’s been locked out of his house. His mom said that he can sleep outside, he shouldn’t be spending time with someone like me (still don’t know what she meant by that), and that i’m ‘just another stop on the pussy train.’”

“He tells her not to talk about me like that, to which she says ‘When you’re under my roof, I’ll say whatever I want about whoever i want!’ so he picks up his phone, calls me, asks if he can stay at my place for a little while.”

“It’s been seven years, we’re engaged, have a dog, a cat, and a happy life. I also plan on throwing some subtle train themes into the wedding/celebration after the end of the plague.” ~ bootylikepoww

“If the concession counter was slammed…”

“I worked in management at a theatre for a while. If the concession counter was slammed and I was able, I’d leave my post and help them sling popcorn.”

“One night while helping out, a particularly belligerent man started cussing out a 16-year-old girl on a cash register for being too slow, even suggesting she quit since she clearly couldn’t handle pushing buttons or scooping popcorn.”

“It was pretty disgusting and I felt so bad for the girl, I stepped in and told the guy that our employees have the right to refuse service to customers who harass them as part of our anti-harassment/discrimination policy, empathized that the lines were longer than usual, and suggested he should apologize and move on.”

“He was PISSED. Left half his order on the counter and started fuming. Anticipating his next move, I went back to my original post that night – as manager of the customer service kiosk.”

“Oh boy, the look on his face when he saw me. (Didn’t want a refund of his tickets though so I assume he watched the movie, without popcorn.) ~ dendriticbranch

“Fast forward twenty years…”

“I wasn’t good at returning library books when I was a kid. I got lectured by my school librarian about it a lot. Fast forward twenty years and I’m a supervisor at the local public library and my former now-retired school librarian goes there.”

“One day I see her sneaking around the front desk instead of coming back to say hi to me and I immediately figure something’s up. I go up to say hi and she acts exasperated and tells me she was trying to avoid me because she had overdue books.”

“So I put on my reading glasses, pulled them down over my nose, and delivered the same lecture she’d given me countless times about being responsible and turning in books on time.” ~ daecrist

There’s something so empowering about these stories.

It makes you feel good to stand up for yourself, doesn’t it?

Good.

You should remember to do it more often.

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Doctors Confess How They Behave When They Are The Patient

Something funny that I’ve always wondered… who’s the doctor for my doctor? Does that doctor have a doctor? And what about THAT doctor?

Wouldn’t there be an imbalance of some kind eventually? Does every doctor have a doctor in some never-ending loop? This has to be one of life’s greatest mysteries, right?

Here’s another question: What do doctors talk about when they go for their own medical checkups and yearly physical exams? Do they correct each other? Argue over results?

Oh, to be a fly on the wall…

As humorous as this is, remember: Doctors are people, too! They have to go to the doctor just like the rest of us (even if they refuse to answer my question about this seemingly never-ending loop of doctors).

But there might, in fact, be an answer!

Doctors were candid about their own experiences at the well, doctor after Redditor Still-Tangerine2782 asked the online community:

“Doctors of Reddit, what’s it like when you go in for a doctor’s appointment?”

“Do you and your doctor discuss what’s wrong with you like it’s a group project? Do you not go at all because you’re your own doctor?”

“It depends on what I’m going in for.”

“It depends on what I’m going in for. As a background, I’m an oncologist so I’ve trained in internal medicine before. For most internal medicine-type stuff, I don’t bother going in unless I need something that I can’t easily get for myself (e.g. labs or images).

“For specialty stuff I wasn’t trained in, I go in and try to give them the best history I can, but let them do their own thing.” ~ alkahdia

“Fastest consultations ever.”

I don’t get involved in the management. I let the doctor seeing me lead that unless they missed something huge and I would just double-check.”

“The main difference is I can present the whole history and relevant info in about 30 seconds flat and the doctor with that info can just give me the management plan in about the same time.”

“Fastest consultations ever. Very methodical.” ~ triple_threatt

“I don’t go often but when I do…”

“Doctor here (neurologist) I’m not good at going to the doctor. I don’t go often but when I do I usually just STFU, especially if it’s a field of medicine I have no idea about (like say…derm).”

“That being said, the doctor usually knows I’m a physician as well, and so the language tends to be more technical.”

“I also find that we practice less defensively with each other since we can be more open (“We could do ABC tests but honestly what you probably have is X so take this and if it doesn’t get better then we can do ABC”).” ~ Telamir

“Academically minded people tend to ask lots of questions…”

“The pace and density of the conversations is different, I’m sure.”

“I’m an emergency physician who has, over time, treated various physicians in my community including internists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, some from my hospital and some not. Keep in mind that each specialty is quite different from the others.”

“The Rad Onc, for example, thinks and speaks differently than the Ortho Surgeon, and I felt like my treatment of each of them was really quite similar to treating a professor of engineering.”

“Academically minded people tend to ask lots of questions and research stuff while you’re out of the room, as compared to populations that request a more paternalistic bent and just want you to tell them what to do so they can get on with their day.”

“I’m careful to credit that the number of hours that went into my family physician’s training is the same as mine; simply a different topic.”

“She knows tons of stuff about management and screening for chronic disease that I don’t, and I … well I know how to intubate people, manage a bad LSD trip, or use a jar of bubbles to distinguish between kids that are scared and kids that are head injured.” ~ procast1natrix

“For the most part…”

“I’m an ER doctor, and sometimes I have other doctors as patients. For the most part, they’re pretty good patients because they can give a good description of their symptoms in a way that’s useful to me.”

“They usually ask good questions and are well equipped to have an informed discussion about their diagnosis and treatment.

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to dial back my ‘patient talk’ where I simplify medical terms for laypeople. Sometimes it’s challenging if their area of expertise is totally unrelated to the issue at hand and they don’t recognize their limited understanding.”

“The worst patients are those who have just a little medical knowledge and think they know everything. Some version of: ‘My aunt is a nurse, and she said a need a whole-body MRI for this runny nose…’”

“As far as self-diagnosing, I usually deal with my own minor medical issues. If I noticed signs of something more serious, I would go to someone else.” ~ Yeti_MD

“It’s actually a strategy I’ve adopted…”

“Doctor here (family medicine).”

“I self diagnose most things, but for my 1-year-old daughter I decided a while ago that I don’t want to do that for her. So her pediatrician doesn’t know I’m a doctor – I never told her. I want her to treat me like any other parent, and explain everything to me like I’m 5 years old.”

“I’m afraid of being too nonchalant with my daughter’s health that I’ll miss something (or the doctor assuming I know more than I really do).”

“It’s actually a strategy I’ve adopted since on myself; if I go to a doctor (say a gynecologist for a routine check-up) I sometimes just don’t say what I do so I can legitimacy ask dumb questions about things that I should really know – or so that the other doctor won’t leave out important info that they assume I know for fear of insulting me.”

“On the other hand, my regular doctors do know, such as the gynecologist who saw me through my pregnancies, and that enables more complex and nuanced discussions about health decisions, as in debating questions and giving me options that he wouldn’t necessarily do with it he patients, because he can be sure I understand the medical pros and cons well once I’m given a basic explanation.” ~ HermioneGranger8888

“It is a bit dependent…”

“Doctor here – it is a bit dependent on the field of medicine involved.”

“For example, I don’t know much about neurological issues so if I went to see a neurologist I certainly wouldn’t be chipping in.”

“For more generic conditions I have previously offered my thoughts to my doctor about what it could be. Ultimately I still go to the doctor as they can prescribe drugs/order tests for me that would be difficult/questionable for me to do myself.” ~ drbigmac69

“When we do go in…”

“Doctor here. In general, we are not good about going to the doctor. For me, it’s physicals about half as often as recommended and that time I had strep a year and a half ago that didn’t resolve with whatever antibiotics I had in my medicine cabinet.”

“When we do go in, it is like a group project. We usually hash things out together but ultimately I am going to defer to someone with more expertise than me in that area who can make an objective decision.” ~ nellyann

“I always go to someone who doesn’t know me…”

“I always go to someone who doesn’t know me, and I wouldn’t say that I’m a doctor as well. On the other hand, my significant other is a doctor too, and whenever we feel something we do discuss it like a group project in which he always refuses any treatment until his symptoms get to the very worst.” ~ eatfart420

“It can be weirdly stressful…”

“I try to act like any other patient. Medical people can very much sabotage their own care by taking shortcuts or perhaps declining to approach their own problems the way other patients do.”

“It’s a mistake. I have seen harm done that way. I don’t come in for trivial things like self-limiting infections or things that are harmless because I know that they are. But I do go see my regular doctor for problems that really bother me or for routine exams like anyone else.”

“It can be weirdly stressful to be the doctor or the patient in this kind of interaction. I’ve learned to not let it bother me when I am the doctor seeing other doctors. It can be harmful to the doctor as a patient if you let that kind of interaction get to you.”

“I try not to generate stress for other doctors who see me and know what I am. That could be detrimental to me.” ~ Zapranotho777

“I keep my mouth shut…”

“Forensic pathologist here: I keep my mouth shut and let my doctor be a doctor. I have a pulse, so I am not the expert here. Doctors that self-doctor are scary and arrogant, in my honest opinion.” ~ TheresNoIinAutopsy

Well, it’s safe to say I learned a lot.

These answers are remarkably insightful. Next time you go to the doctor, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for them and what they do.

Doctors are people just like you, with concerns about their own health. Given their experience and knowledge, it also takes a lot of humility to just let other professionals do their jobs.

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People Debate Which Movies Should Be Retold From A Different Perspective

I’m a big fan of The Truman Show (1998).

It’s a prophetic, moving, philosophical journey of a film and it never fails to get my thoughts whirring.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The film is perfect as it is.

But I’ve always wondered… what would the film be like if it had been told from Sylvia’s perspective?

Getting a better view of what would have been going on outside the dome would have been pretty great. Additionally, I imagine a lot of actors on the “show” would have gone crazy having to commit to their roles 24/7.

Just a thought. Don’t get any ideas, Hollywood.

Others have also had thoughts about the films they’d want to see. After all, studios often remake older films but what would it be like if other films could be reworked and told from other points of view?

We heard all about them after Redditor porcupineapplepieces asked the online community:

“If instead of rebooting movies, retelling them from a different point of view became popular, which movie would you like retold?”

The Game (1997)

“The Game, starring Michael Douglas. I want to see it from the point of view of Consumer Recreation Services. I want to see how they manage all the actors and situations to make sure everything goes the way they want it.” ~ _hardliner_

My take:

Imagine the contingency plans that would have to be in play!

The original film is already pretty damn good (and very much an underappreciated entry in David Fincher’s filmography). If there’s anyone who could do this and make it interesting, it’d be Fincher himself… in some parallel universe, that is.

Cloverfield (2008)

“How about Cloverfield from the view of a professional camera crew?” ~ slothxaxmatic

My take:

Funny how quickly Hollywood studios beat the found footage-style of filmmaking to death after the unprecedented success of The Blair Witch Project, huh?

Interestingly, last year Paramount announced plans to produce a fourth Cloverfield film, which would be a direct sequel to the original. You just might get your wish, unless they pull the rug out from under us again.

Do you remember The Cloverfield Paradox? No? Yeah, me neither. I think most people like to forget it even exists.

Aliens (1986)

“I would think Aliens from Newt’s perspective would be pretty substantial. How a girl survived all that and the loss of her family alone on a foreign planet.” ~ Reddit

My take:

Believe it or not, there is a comic that has done this. It’s called: Aliens: Newt’s Tale, and it’s two issues!

As for seeing this on screen: This is one I, too, have wondered about, but I hesitate to say I’d even like to see this film get made, and I would hate it to see it fall into the same traps of the “nostalgia trend” in Hollywood films and television shows of the last few years.

While these projects don’t harm the integrity of the originals necessarily, they could prove a disappointment to fans, especially if a studio makes something strictly for cash and refuses to respect series continuity.

Consider the Terminator series, which has suffered completely without James Cameron’s vision.

Groundhog Day (1993)

“Groundhog Day from everybody else’s perspective on the last day/repeat. Just a movie about a small town and some weather guy who shows up at random points in peoples’ day to make their lives better, for no apparent reason.” ~ Reddit

My take:

This would probably be the cutest film ever made if it ever came to fruition. The film itself is a charming story about personal growth.

It’d be interesting to see the outcome of the main character’s actions from a more intimate perspective.

Air Bud (1997)

“Air Bud, but told from the POV of the kid who was pulled out of a basketball game to be replaced by a dog.” ~ Nnnnnick

My take:

Hey, hey, that dog was quite literally a circus dog with unusual abilities—surely that kid would understand.

And if they didn’t, then this would be the surprise revenge tale of the year.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory from Willy Wonka’s point of view. I want to hear his wicked thoughts.” ~ cwbybbp

My take:

Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) already does this to a degree (and it’s already not a great film).

But you might get your wish if Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet and Olivia Colman and slated for release in March 2023, is a success.

It’ll tell the story of how Wonka met the Oompa-Loompas… but truth be told, I think I’d want to see a dark and gritty tale from the Oompa-Loompas’ point of view.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

“The Shawshank Redemption told from The Warden’s point of view. I don’t know, that may be too dark of a story.” ~ guillermo-shwanky

My take:

Dark? It’s literally a Stephen King adaptation.

He would probably welcome it. Would be interesting to see his thought process right as things go south, though.

The Sandlot (1993)

“The Sandlot from the perspective of James Earl Jones. How he grew up in the pre-Depression, pre-civil rights era (assuming he was born in the 1890s or 1900s).”

“How he fell in love with baseball, went blind, what his life was like, and more details on how The Beast came into his life and why rumors ran rampant about the pup.” ~ FudgySlippers

My take:

Well, if it’s better than Coming 2 America, then go right ahead, make it. James Earl Jones would probably be up for it.

The Shining (1980, 1997)

“The Shining, employing the perspective of Tony, the ‘imaginary friend’ of Danny. Focusing on how Tony reckons the situation, start to finish, from inside Danny.” ~ JSanzi

My take:

It’s worth noting that in the book, Tony is thought of as an imaginary friend by Danny’s parents but is, in fact, Danny himself from the future psychically trying to help Danny survive the ordeal at The Overlook.

How this would work, I do not know, but it would be pretty interesting to see.

Ferris Beuller’s Day Off (1986)

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off told from Cameron’s point of view is something I’ve always wanted to see.” ~ pharohilly7

My take:

I’ve always appreciated the short scene where Cameron and Sloane are talking about their future. It’s a nice break from Ferris’ overwhelming presence and I like hearing their take on him as well.

Just imagine if any of these were actually made.

Would you watch any of them? Would any of them be worth it?

It’s fun to entertain these ideas… but perhaps they should remain ideas.

Hollywood should probably stop redoing every single old film on the promise of a guaranteed return and try to actually greenlight new projects for once.

Trust, we’d all be better off for it.

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People Explain Which Historical Events Seem Altered By A Time Traveler From The Future

Ever wonder about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand?

Somebody throws a grenade at his car. It blows up behind him.

That’s the first incident of time travel, stopping the assassination.

Later, as he goes back, the driver realizes he’s on the same route where the grenade was thrown and they try to turn around.

The whole procession of cars stalls and a guy who just happened to be sitting there goes over and shoots the Archduke setting off the events that lead to the first World War.

Did a time traveler meddle then? Wouldn’t surprise us.

It turns out that there are quite a few historical events out there that seem stranger than fiction.

We heard about them after Redditor Heterozygoats asked the online community:

“What historical event 100% reads like a time traveler went back in time to alter history?”

“Basically, Poe writes about…”

“Edgar Allan Poe wrote about an event 40+ years in the future.”

“Basically, Poe writes about four people who are starving at sea, draw straws, and kill and eat the loser, cabin boy Richard Parker. 40 odd years later four people are adrift at sea in a lifeboat, one drinks seawater and goes into a coma.”

“When they draw straws for who will be eaten, the coma guy gets the short straw in a development that surprises no one. And so the three other men kill and eat the cabin boy. Richard Parker. Seriously.” ~ TuckerMouse

“There was a shipwreck…”

“There was a shipwreck in 1664, a shipwreck in 1785, and a shipwreck in 1820. Each had 1 survivor. Each survivor was named Hugh Wiliams.” ~ pm_me_genius

“The Fire Department and some clowns…”

“The Toronto Circus Riot of 1855.”

“The Fire Department and some clowns get into a disagreement at a whorehouse, and get into a punch-up. The clowns win, but the firemen return to the circus later and start attacking in revenge.”

“The firemen win the day but violence is stopped when the militia come in. The police do nothing, so the city fires all the police (and I mean everyone) and starts a new police force.” ~ splitdipless

“When Andrew Jackson’s assassin…”

“When Andrew Jackson’s assassin attempted to shoot him, both of his flintlock pistols misfired. Andrew Jackson had to be restrained after almost beating the assassin to death with his cane. The two flintlocks were examined after the incident and found to be in good condition.” ~TwoBearsHighFiving

“20,000 people could have died…”

“Cyanide Gas Attack Thwarted in Tokyo Subway.”

“20,000 people could have died but a worker found a burning gasbag in a toilet just before it mixed with another poisonous gas bag – just in time – and put them out. That was in Shinjuku station. I was in that station that day, and that person might have saved my life.” ~ Idkeepplaying

“It was so much happenstance…”

“Franz Ferdinand’s assassination. It was so much happenstance, shenanigans, and tomfoolery that it’s like a special achievement in a hitman game.” RigasTuring

“Survived both of the bombings…”

“Tsutomu Yamaguchi.”

“Survived both of the bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Reads like a satirical time-traveler story where the protagonist screws up his dates.” ~ OlympusJCook

“The number of times…”

“The number of times we DIDN’T go to nuclear war because of a false positive of a launch. Honestly, Stanislav Petrov should have statues in every country.” ~ AustinJG

“Jack Ruby clearly was sent…”

“Jack Ruby clearly was sent to kill Lee Harvey Oswald so no one would ever discover it wasn’t him who killed Kennedy.” ~ possiblyhysterical

“Fidel Castro’s assassination attempts…”

“Fidel Castro’s assassination attempts being dodged is so unrealistic (really, he dodged about 600) that it feels like a time traveler went back and foiled every single one of them.” ~ AttentionSome

“If you read up on his life…”

“If you read up on his life, you’ll find there are so many times Adolf Hitler almost died, but somehow survived, that makes me think there was/is a time traveler war going on.”

“A faction trying to kill Hitler, because it’s Hitler, and a faction preventing his death because the guy who would replace him was even worse than Hitler.” ~ Lichruler

“The Germans spent a lot of time…”

“The Germans spent a lot of time and money developing a magnetic sea mine that probably would have significantly reduced England’s ability to stay in the war, except they dropped a single one of the mines accidentally on an English beach, and also failed to arm it so none of the booby traps were active and the British basically found out straight away how it worked and we’re able to cheaply build magnetic minesweepers.” ~ pezzz4525

“It wouldn’t be surprising…”

“It wouldn’t be surprising if Nancy Wake was a time traveler. She was just too damn good at special ops against the Nazis.” ~ doublestitch

“That time in the 1700s…”

“Battle of Karansebes.”

“That time in the 1700s when the Austrian army got confused, waged a huge battle against itself within its own lines, and lost an estimated several hundred to few thousand men (and a lot of equipment and money) in the process. They then retreated.”

“The Ottomans, whom they were originally intending to fight, showed up two days later.” ~ HyvalTheEmolga

“The last known kill…”

“The last known kill by bow and arrow in combat was actually during the battle of Dunkirk, 1940. Jack Churchill landed a well-placed arrow into a German soldier’s chest.”

“He also chose to carry bagpipes and a Scottish longsword.” ~ WasteNot2532

“The Russian writer…”

“The Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky was sentenced to death by firing squad and just as they were preparing the groups to be shot, a messenger came with a letter from the Tsar ‘forgiving’ them and the sentence was changed to prison labor.”

“He later went on to write some of the most influential novels of all time.” ~ smokeyman992

Whoa.

History is fascinating–and full of odd incidents like these, because life is crazy.

Just think—you’ll be the star of your next dinner party as soon as you whip these facts out.

So why don’t you?

You’ll be the envy of everyone!

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Desert Dwellers Break Down The Daily Facts Of Life They Face

Some months ago I found myself in El Paso, Texas. It was a fun enough time.

But let me tell you something—as a child of the Northeast, I don’t think I would enjoy living in the desert.

Nothing about the desert seems fun to me.

The idea of having the sun beating down on me all the time? I’m good, thanks.

Oh, there were no natural windbreaks out there, so sand just got everywhere whenever the wind picked up. That wasn’t great.

I mustn’t forget to mention the random lizards and scorpions that I’d see on the side of the road.

Or the spiders. Dear God, the spiders.

I guess I’m just accustomed to not having to think about animals all up in my space living in a Northeastern city. And I think I like it that way.

But there are plenty of people out there who live in these environments and would think I’m crazy for feeling the way I do!

They told us all about what it’s like living out there after Redditor Casual_WWE_Reference asked the online community:

“People who live in desert towns or cities, what are some everyday ‘facts of life’ about living in the desert that people who live in other places wouldn’t know?”

“And they are really freaking annoying.”

“Tumbleweed is not just in the cartoons. And they are really freaking annoying. Roadrunners are also around and are pretty cute. Coyotes party and sing in groups at night, and sound creepy as hell.” ~ sonictower

“Every now and then…”

“Every now and then we get a big wind storm that piles up the tumbleweeds in people’s yards. Imagine coming home from work and having tumbleweeds piled up to your roofline.” ~ elWattully

“Always wear a wide-brimmed hat.”

“Always wear a wide-brimmed hat. Long-sleeve T-shirts are underrated. Sunscreen. Lots of sunscreen.”

“Always have water on hand. Watch for snakes. Learn about heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and their respective symptoms.” ~ ClickBang911

“In the summer…”

“It’s dangerous.”

“In the summer we are often unable to go outside because 110-120 degree temps with little vegetation to absorb it will lead to heatstroke, and quickly.”

“Animals do not seek out the midday heat, and humans who think we’re somehow exempt from that will get sick.” 

“Adobe walls keep the heat out well but are hard to put nails into. Use 3M strips? Well, they melt. In my office, I usually have to replace broken frames every time the A/C shuts off because everything falls off the wall.” ~ [deleted]

“After a few days…”

“A couple of years after college, my friends and I spent a week in Big Bend National Park. It’s a large park in southwest Texas on the Mexican border, mostly desert with mountains, and the Rio Grande.”

“To give you an idea of the size of the park, our campsite was 70 miles from the park entrance.”

“After a few days driving around out there, we noticed that people were on another wavelength from what we were used to in the city and suburbs.”

“Folks you met at a store would give you a five-minute conversation. People driving by would wave. We would wave back because you could go half an hour without seeing another soul. People are wired to be social, and being completely isolated changes how you see others.”

“The loneliest I have ever felt was in downtown Tokyo on the streets of Shibuya, surrounded by thousands. Alone in the desert, people start to see each other.” ~ Thompson_S_Sweetback

“The entire reason…”

“It gets cold at night. The entire reason the desert is tolerable once you can provide shelter and water is almost exclusively because no matter how hot it gets, it’s usually around 50, 60 at night. Sand, dust, and dirt get everywhere.” ~ BigGoose478

“Big scorpions…”

“Big scorpions are scary, little scorpions will put you in the hospital. Incidentally, Fallout: New Vegas lied to you – the bark scorpion is actually both the smallest common scorpion in Arizona, and it’s also the most dangerous.”

“Learn to identify your spiders; the most dangerous spiders are not particularly predatory and will leave you alone, but you need to be able to ID your southern black widow, your Arizona brown spiders, and brown recluse spiders.”

“A brown recluse spider can cause organ failure, but a hobo spider, which looks really similar is harmless to the point that scientists are now assuming incidents attributed to the hobo spider are actually just misidentified brown recluse spiders.”

“There’s no hard, fast rule with snakes. Rattlesnakes want you to eff off. They tend to avoid humans for obvious reasons but that doesn’t mean you can’t stumble across one taking a nap.”

“There’s no cardinal rule with the danger of snakes at large, but on the off chance, a snake with black, red and white striping decides to taste test you, go to a hospital pronto.”

“The Arizona coral snake isn’t actually that dangerous – relative to rattlesnakes – but it’s also the one that’s really easy to identify.”

“Despite the cutesy name, Gila Monsters are dangerous. They’re not terribly fast but they’re pretty chompy and it’s the one case where a native lizard in the United States is also venomous.”

Other bugs: Arizona gets killer bees, and a particularly large eight-inch centipede called the Desert Centipede can also give a painful bite.” ~ BigGoose478

“When you’re choosing…”

“When you’re choosing where to place your garden, remember that ‘plant in full sun’ means full sun in the Midwest. That’s really not the same in southern New Mexico, where opening the front door is like checking if the lasagna is ready.”

“I have shade cloth over everything in our vegetable garden.” ~ DanYHKim

“Logistically…”

“Logistically, unless you have cloth seats in your car or seat covers of some kind, you need a towel to sit on your car seats or you’ll burn your legs. Using oven mitts to drive is not needed now but was crucial where we were in Arizona in the 70s.”

“Wild burros would walk through your yard at night, and sometimes would let you hand feed them. Carrot tops were especially liked!” ~ ReadOnTheCrapper

“I grew up…”

“I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and now live between Death Valley and Las Vegas in a rural low-elevation area. I can’t really safely go outside for what feels like half of the year.

“The temperatures where I live are insane, and they’re getting worse every year. I lost count of how many days we had over 120°F this past summer.”

“I have to physically pick up my dog to take her to the potty area. Some very cheap shoes will melt on the pavement on particularly bad days, so you can only imagine what that must be like for dogs’ feet.”

“Ground temperature is always much higher, especially asphalt. My rule of thumb is to usually take my foot out of my shoe and test it if I’m not too sure, if I wouldn’t walk on it then I won’t make my dog walk on it.” ~ Almadenn

Okay, after reading these, it seems clear to me that we shouldn’t be living out in the desert.

Why?

Why are we doing this to ourselves?

Safe to say I can’t handle it.

I don’t think I’d want to worry about my shoes melting… the humidity in the Northeast is enough!

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People Divulge Which Movies Actually Teach A Bad Lesson

There’s something that really irks me about The Little Mermaid to this day. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun movie and a modern Disney classic.

But doesn’t anyone think it’s a little odd that the film celebrates the fact 16-year-old Ariel abandons her family and everyone she knows for a man she just looked at once?

Seriously, she looked at him once, decided she was in love with him–LOVE–and then made a deal with a literal sea witch to get her man.

Oh, did I add that she didn’t even bother to read the contract she signed?

Read the contracts you sign, people. You’ll avoid a lot of uncomfortable circumstances later. Actually, you should make a habit of reading the contracts you don’t sign, too.

But that’s not Ariel! No, sir.

The Little Mermaid isn’t the only film out there bound to raise your eyebrows.

I mean, have you seen most Disney films?

We heard all about other movies with questionable morals after Redditor sakurachan asked the online community:

“What’s a movie that teaches a really bad lesson?”

Limitless (2011)

“Limitless basically ends with the protagonist winning and succeeding in everything he ever pursued in life while getting back together with the woman who previously wanted nothing to do with him because he did enough super Adderall to be high all the time.” ~ zilde

My take:

Yeah… what was up with that. I remember when this came out. I saw it on a bootleg DVD. I didn’t think the film was all that great to begin with, let’s be real, but the writing was all over the place.

Jackass: The Movie (2002)

“Didn’t want to let the kids see Jackass. Gave in. Ńext day, the very next day, they were sliding down a staircase in a laundry basket.” ~ mediaman54

My take:

I think I was definitely the opposite. I saw this movie as an impressionable kid and thought that all of those stunts looked like they would hurt.

Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was pretty hilarious at the time, but I had no desire to do anything the crew did in the film.

Cats (2019)

“Cats. It teaches impressionable Hollywood producers that it’s a good idea to make a movie like Cats.” ~ flychinook

My take:

Cats isn’t even funny to watch. I tried to watch it with some friends some months after it was initially released and we ended up turning it off about halfway through. It merely succeeded at making us angry.

Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

“Christmas with the Kranks teaches us that adults should not be allowed to spend Christmas however they like, and they must bow to peer pressure and do what other people want them to do.” ~ QuietlySmirking

My take:

Does anyone actually LIKE Christmas with the Kranks? I remember reading the John Grisham–yes, THAT John Grisham–novel that it was based on and thinking the story was woefully thin.

Oh, and the characters were morons. Each and every single one of them was a total moron.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

“Fifty Shades of Grey.“

“It’s a movie about a guy who was abused perpetuating the cycle of abuse with the thin veneer of “it’s okay because he’s rich and this is how BDSM works.” The f*ck it does; almost all the characters are all s****y people. Period.” ~ Lentra888

My take:

This film–and the subsequent series–are probably single-handedly responsible for a lot of misinformation out there about the BDSM community.

Ask anyone in the scene and they’ll tell you that aftercare is essential. Christian Grey is just an abuser, it’s really that simple.

Love Story (1970)

“Love Story. ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry!’ What the hell were they thinking?” ~ NutsAndOrBerries

My take:

This film continues to baffle me. Even for the time, it was ridiculous. Nothing about it has aged particularly well. And who can stand the wooden Ryan O’Neal outside of Barry Lyndon, especially?

The Intern (2015)

“The Intern – It teaches that if your boyfriend cheats on you because he can’t stand how successful you are, it’s your fault and you should forgive him.” ~ misskitten1313

My take:

A part of me feels like this film came and went. Maybe it was the lazy screenwriting. Audiences, especially these days, aren’t going to be so kind to behavior like that on screen.

Sierra Burgess is a Loser (2018)

“Sierra Burgess is a Loser It’s ok to catfish a guy because you’re not cool and he seems to really like you anyway. He’ll fall for your true self so it’s all good.” ~ JackiewiththeO

My take:

Nothing about this plot made sense. In reality, Sierra Burgess would be more than just a loser – she’d be run out of town for that sick stunt.

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

“Raya and the Last Dragon made no sense!”

“The story ‘teaches’ that you should learn to trust people. Literally everyone they meet gives them a reason not to trust them. Makes absolutely no sense.” ~ Reddit

My take:

Yeah… none of that particularly worked, did it?

No one thought that script through all that well. Want to write a movie but are interested in how to undermine your own premise? Just watch Raya and the Last Dragon.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

“Sweet Home Alabama’s lesson is that you’ll always be trash no matter how good your new guy treats you so go back to your trash ex and trash town.” ~ Razor1834

My take:

How true! There was a huge push for this film, too. The trailers were everywhere at the time.

It’s rather funny to watch this movie nowadays knowing how Reese Witherspoon’s career has developed. She’s made a career as a producer bringing stories of strong women to the screen.

it’s safe to say that Sweet Home Alabama would not fall under this umbrella.

We could go on, obviously.

But just to beat a dead horse… have any of you ever watched any Disney Channel original movie aimed at teen girls?

All of the protagonists are mean and do whatever they want–to hell with everyone else–in the name of “empowerment.”

I remember I used to watch everything that came out on the channel as a kid and I don’t think I could stomach a single minute now.

The lesson here, people?

Your tastes will change. It’ll be interesting to revisit this topic in another ten years or so and hear what movies people are complaining about.

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People Share The Best Non-Christmas Movies To Watch At Christmas

Well, here we are again.

It’s the Christmas season!

And you know what that means—tons of Christmas movies on television and a slew of other Christmas content.

A lot of these films have become accepted as part of our holiday traditions.

The TBS 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story is a staple for many families out there—though I’m pretty tired of that movie myself if I’m being completely honest.

You’ve probably watched Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York many, many times by now.

How many versions of A Christmas Carol have you seen? And by that, I mean, other than Scrooged?

The Santa Clause and its sequels are a bit old-hat by now, right?

And as much as you might love It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, you’re probably wanting something new.

There’s bound to be more out there, right?

Of course there is! Even better, there’s nothing that says you need to watch the typical holiday fare this time of year anyway.

People shared their recommendations with us after Redditor samfringo asked the online community:

“What’s the best movie to watch at Christmas that isn’t a Christmas movie?”

The Shining (1980) and The Thing (1982)

“When my husband and I were newlyweds, we got snowed in together for the first time. We watched The Shining and John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing back to back. Good times.” ~ ColonelSanders_1930

My take:

If you’ve ever wondered what it must be like to be isolated in the middle of nowhere, then you can’t go wrong with either of these.

The Shining is a terrifying tale of how isolation drives a domestic abuser and alcoholic mad while snowbound with his family in a haunted hotel. The snowy environment allows for some stunning and unsettling cinematography.

The Thing, about a research team in Antarctica targeted by a shape-shifting alien, is one of the finest remakes of all time. It’s a thrilling and shocking film with excellent scares and even better practical effects.

Groundhog Day (1993)

“Groundhog Day is the perfect middle of January, snowing outside, cold as hell, movie. Especially if I’m laying around all by myself all day doing nothing.” ~ Beeks525

My take:

Groundhog Day remains one of the best films Bill Murray has ever done. Look past the gimmick–which is used to great and hilarious effect–and you’ll see a rather touching film about maturity and personal growth.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

“The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s totally a Halloween movie. Unless you need it to be a Christmas movie, in which case it’s a Christmas movie.” ~ anotherpoweruser

My take:

This reviewer says this assessment is spot on!

Right now is the perfect time of year to watch this movie, which seems only to have grown in popularity the more time passes.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is the movie we deserve, but not always the move we need right now.

Band of Brothers (2001)

“For the past six or seven years, I’ve watched the Band of Brothers miniseries with my dad over the Christmas holidays.” ~ Groundloop

My take:

This one is indeed technically a miniseries, but it’s still a great recommendation.

To this day, it remains one of HBO’s finest works–and that’s saying a lot, especially for a studio that usually knocks it out of the park.

The sixth episode of the series is actually Christmas-related, and follows a medic as he attempts to treat the many men who were wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, in Bastogne. Recommended viewing.

The Sound of Music (1965)

“The Sound of Music. I don’t think I’ve watched it outside of Christmastime, but I watch it every year.” ~ shadowley

My take:

Few films are as magical as this one.

The Sound of Music won five Academy Awards, including the coveted Best Picture prize. Featuring stellar performances from an enormous cast that includes Julie Andrews and the late Christopher Plummer, it is bound to bring a smile to your face.

It was so successful, in fact, that it enjoyed an initial four-and-a-half year theatrical release run in the United States.

My Man Godfrey (1936)

“It has nothing to do with Christmas, but I always watch the original My Man Godfrey while I decorate my tree. Hilarious movie! William Powell is at his best!” ~ TheHearseDriver

My take:

If you’re looking for a screwball comedy classic, then this is the one.

Carole Lombard and William Powell are indeed at their best. The film, about a socialite who unknowingly hires a vagrant to be her butler, is delightfully funny.

My Man Godfrey was deemed “culturally significant” by the United States Library of Congress and is preserved in the National Film Registry. A splendid transfer is available from the Criterion Collection.

Forrest Gump (1994)

“I feel like Forrest Gump is always on around the holidays. It’s a crowd-pleaser. Everyone from my older relatives to my younger ones can enjoy parts of it and everyone has seen it so much it’s easy to just watch a small part and still enjoy it.” ~ ohno807

My take:

Few films have become such a slice of Americana as Forrest Gump and that distinction is undoubtedly aided by Tom Hanks, who anchors it with total aplomb.

Standout performances by Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, and the great Sally Field make Forrest Gump a joyous experience.

The Great Escape (1963)

“Our family always watches The Great Escape. I’ve seen it so many times now but it’s still amazing.” ~ corporal_bodkin

My take:

A thrilling film if there ever was one.

The story of a group of Allied prisoners of war eager to escape a German camp during World War II, the film features a who’s who of Hollywood talent of the day, including Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn.

Believe it or not, The Great Escape received only a single Academy Award nomination after its release–for Best Film Editing–in yet another sign that the Academy doesn’t always get it right.

The Godfather (1972)

“The Godfather. Don’t know why but I always watch this movie around Christmas time.” ~ Killamagilla1989

My take:

A bonafide classic.

There was a time when Francis Ford Coppola had Hollywood eating out of the palm of his hand. Between this, the sequel, and The Conversation, he had a hell of a run so early in the game.

Believe it or not, though now highly regarded, Apocalypse Now received mixed reviews during its initial release.

Army of Darkness (1992)

“When I was a lot younger, my family somehow ended up renting Army of Darkness right after it was released. Needless to say, the entire family LOVED it and it has been a Christmas tradition ever since.”

“So, that’s my recommendation. Oh, and shop smart, shop S-Mart.” ~ [deleted]

My take:

Why not watch the entire Evil Dead series while you’re at it?

They’re fantastic and Bruce Campbell–on his third go-around as Ash Williams–carries them with such gusto!

Army of Darkness is indeed a thrill ride. More comedic than its predecessors, it features a standout performance from Embeth Davidtz as a (later) zombified love interest.

Well, there you have it, friends.

Don’t say you don’t have anything to watch for the holidays now.

There’s nothing stopping you from making these part of your holiday traditions. Pop one in, grab some popcorn and have a blast!

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Doctors Share Their Craziest ‘I’m Glad You Mentioned That Symptom’ Moments

Believe it or not, doctors are human, too. They don’t always get it right and it can be difficult to narrow down symptoms and come to conclusions.

That’s why many of them might ask you a million questions–or repeat some that you were under the impression you had already answered.

Doctors depend on you just as much as you depend on them! That’s why it’s up to patients to advocate for themselves and be as open, direct and as honest as possible about any and all of their symptoms.

As you can imagine, all doctors have crazy stories about how they were able to come to a diagnosis… and how it came down to a patient mentioning something, no matter how innocuous it might have appeared on the surface.

Doctors—and some patients—told us about medical problems eventually detected and treated after a Redditor asked:

“Doctors of Reddit, what’s your ‘I’m glad you mentioned that symptom’ moment’?”

“The oncologist decided to stage the cancer immediately…”

“Family member recently had a breast cancer diagnosis and in passing mentioned their hip hurting really badly. The oncologist decided to stage the cancer immediately and it had spread to the bones, specifically the hip and spine.”

“Was encroaching on the spinal cord…they started radiation fairly quickly and were able to control its progression on the spine before starting hormonal treatment. But it’s a good thing they did mention the hip pain as they usually don’t like to “complain” as they put it.” ~ surfinwhileworkin

“She was relatively young…”

“Absolutely lovely patient presented with low back pain. We worked together for a few weeks, she was getting better, and she mentioned she got up several times a night to urinate. She was relatively young, that isn’t super normal, so I asked how often.”

“Six to eight times a night! Not only was she exhausted from lack of sleep, she mentioned intercourse had been painful for years since the birth of her child. She thought it was normal, and just suffered through.”

“No one wants to talk about urinary or fecal incontinence or pain with intercourse, but it happens so frequently in reproductive age women I’ve started screening questions so I can direct people to pelvic floor physical therapy.”

“She caught up with me later and said the PT was life-changing.” ~ anthrologynerd

“20 minutes later…”

“I was a patient. I’d gone in to see one doctor, complaining of headaches. My eye was red and swollen, and I was sensitive to light. She said it was allergies and migraines, and told me to use eye drops and take Midol.”

“After two weeks, it was so much worse, so I saw a different doctor in the same building. I gave her all the same symptoms, but this is where I changed it.”

“I said, ‘The pain in my head is so bad, it’s only on this side, it feels like fireworks behind my eye, and I want to take a knife and cut my head right here’ – I pointed directly at my temple – ‘so the pressure can be released.’”

“Apparently the delusion of believing I’d survive that, combined with the way I described the pain, clicked something in her brain.”

“20 minutes later I was on the way to the ER with a diagnosis of orbital cellulitis which was eating its way towards my brain and had been for nearly three weeks. They were close to removing my eye and surrounding tissue but I luckily responded to the emergency antibiotics.”

“The pain was so bad that I was screaming even on morphine. Eventually, they switched me to Dilaudid when my dad mentioned that morphine didn’t help him or my grandfather. I guess we metabolize it too quickly or something?”

“So I learned two things that night: If I hadn’t mentioned how severe the pain was and the lengths I’d go to for it to stop, I don’t know if they would have caught it before there were more serious consequences.” ~ itsbadtonight

“I had stomach pains for months…”

“I had stomach pains for months and kept going back to my GP about it. We tried tons of different meds, but I still kept waking up in the night with this horrible stomach pain. Finally, probably my 7th or 8th appointment, I mentioned having shoulder pain when my stomach hurt.”

“Boom.”

“She immediately knew I had gallstones and had to have my gallbladder removed. I think because I was young and in good health, it didn’t even occur to her until I mentioned the shoulder pain. Apparently, that’s a symptom of gallstones.”

“Doctors aren’t perfect, but people have to be their biggest health advocates. If I had just given up or gotten frustrated, I might never have figured out the problem.” ~ ScarletWitch2138

“Months later I started seeing flashes…”

“Patient here. My eye doctor mentioned in passing that I needed to come in if I ever saw new flashes or floaters. I am young but very nearsighted.”

“Months later I started seeing flashes. I wasn’t worried about it but did have my doctor’s voice in my head so I made an appointment. Sure enough, my retina had detached and I needed emergency surgery to save my vision.”

“I am so thankful the eye doctor casually mentioned that and I listened to my gut.” ~ moor1238

“I had a dude come in…”

“I had a dude come in with abdominal pain and vomiting. Had been vomiting for days. Was going down the surgical route with him until he mentioned that he showered up to 20 times a day to help with the pain.”

“Turned out he had classic cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.” ~ kenhutson

“He also was extremely malnourished…”

“Doctor currently in residency here.”

“Had a patient I was taking care of in the inpatient medical ward who was admitted for seizures in the context of alcohol withdrawal.”

“He was a young guy who had become depressed due to several life stressors including divorce and losing his job which exacerbated his pre-existing alcohol use disorder.”

“He also was extremely malnourished (not uncommon in alcoholics) and had a very low BMI. Apparently, he had zero appetite due to depression. At one point he had started feeling better and his appetite improved.”

“However, his heart rate was consistently very high for no clear reason and he was experiencing palpitations. I had a hunch to check electrolytes and several had dropped to very low levels. The reason for this is something called ‘refeeding syndrome.’”

“Basically if someone has not eaten for a while and suddenly starts eating a lot, they become very insulin sensitive which can lead to electrolyte disturbances that can cause abnormal heart rhythms and even death.”

“We put him on continuous cardiac monitoring and aggressively replaced his electrolytes, but it was scary how at-risk he was to going into an arrhythmia simply for just eating food.” ~ PMME

“I had food poisoning once.”

“Google doctor.”

“I had food poisoning once. For a couple of days, I didn’t eat anything, couldn’t hold down much water. The vomiting passed, still didn’t feel like eating, could drink water though. Felt like death, really weak, on edge, like I was going to die.”

“‘Impending feeling of doom.’ – I Googled that phrase plus ‘food poisoning’ and came across electrolyte depletion.”

“One dose of rehydration salts and I went from ‘I feel the end is near’ to ‘F*ck, I’m starving, where’s the nearest Subway?’ in about 20 minutes.” ~ nousernameusername

“My doctors in the U.K. said I was just getting older…”

“Patient. I was getting awful brain fog, getting pretty sleepy in the day but almost insomnia at night, I’d get random heart palpitations that made me feel sick, manic states of anxiety at night, and I’d get a UTI pretty much every other month.”

“I felt like I was losing my mind. My partner at the time just said I needed to exercise and lose weight. My doctors in the U.K. said I was just getting older and the UTIs were normal for reproductive age.”

“I went to my doctor to talk about getting another set of antibiotics for a new UTI when I mentioned I had been getting some heart palpitations. Luckily he probed further and sent me for a blood test.”

“Turns out I have a lifelong autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid, essentially depriving me of hormones and sending my adrenal gland into overdrive.”

“Now I’m medicated I no longer have any of those symptoms aside from afternoon sleepiness. I hate to think what state I’d be in if I didn’t get it sorted when I did.” ~ MD564

“This lady had been seeing nothing…”

“Black stools. Folks, if you’re having black poops for f*ck’s sake, mention that sooner rather than later.”

“This lady has been seeing nothing but black for MONTHS before she thought to mention anything. We found several gastric ulcers and a hemoglobin level that circled the drain.” ~ RowanRally

These stories are wild, and if you’re currently re-evaluating your prior approach to doctor’s appointments, then good. They’re there to help you, so you might as well be honest, right?

The lesson here, and we’ll repeat it, is be your own advocate. You are your best advocate.

Speak up!

You’ll be happy you did and doctors will thank you later.

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Workers Get Poetic About Their Profession Using Only Haiku

We spend much of our time at work each day so it makes sense that people develop a sense of humor about it all. We also spend a considerable amount of time talking about what we do for our living, too.

Think about it. When was the last time you were hanging out with new people and to break the ice, they asked you, “What do you do for a living?”

It happens a lot, right?

But suppose you’re bored of launching into the same song-and-dance, the same boring explanation each time? After all, the answers you give have been committed to memory by now, haven’t they?

Imagine if someone asked you to describe what you do in the form of a poem. Things would get much more interesting then!

That was the principle of the matter here thanks to Redditor Lost_Borealin asked the online community:

“Writing only in haiku, what do you do for work?”

IT professionals definitely understand the struggle written about here:

“How can I help you?”

“Oh my god, it is blinking.”

“Try restarting it.” ~ TrafficGreat

And here’s another from someone in the same profession:

“You broke your laptop.”

“Somehow this is my problem?”

“Yelling won’t fix it.” ~ zerinsackeh1

Law school students definitely have heavy workloads, but this person is almost in the clear, hooray!

“I am in law school.”

“I do research for money.”

“Graduating soon.” ~ -MoodIndigo-

And here’s a peek into the future:

“I used to do that.”

“Now I write briefs all damn day.”

“But it pays the bills.” ~ OneFingerIn

X-ray technicians are undoubtedly busy these days!

“I see black and white.”

“Gray all over in between.”

“When X-rays hit you.” ~ -CrowWill-

Here we have a submission from someone representing Chipotle!

“Black or pinto beans?”

“You know guac is extra right?”

“Any sides with that?” ~ Noosents

And while not a job, here’s a submission from a satisfied customer:

“Whaddup cake day bro.

” “I ate Chipotle tonight.”

“It was damn good, thanks.” ~ TheMulattoMaker

Here’s a submission from someone who is not working currently—and we’re sorry to hear has been sick for some time:

“Work was years ago.”

“Unfortunately got sick.”

“On Reddit all day…” ~ GeniusEE

Here’s another person who’s unemployed—and we appreciate them being such a good sport:

“I am unemployed.”

“Guess I sit around a lot.”

“God I need a job.” ~ theEluminator

And now for a few submissions from the service industry.

Like this one:

“Put away returns.”

“Are you ready to check out?”

“Refrigerator.” ~ azemetrx

And another—this one from a store manager:

“May I speak with the-”

“Manager? That’s me, Karen.”

“Screaming then ensues.” ~ TitanCatTC

One from someone outlining the bane of every service worker’s existence:

“Is this a dollar?”

“Have you changed your prices yet?”

“Hey, do you work here?” ~ Euclybx

Another, this one from someone who has a knack for rhyming:

“Arranging produce.”

“So that customers buy it.”

“Just to deep fry it.” ~ MackeralSky

Another, this one from someone who does the same thing:

“At a grocery store.”

“I put out all the produce.”

“Throw out all the bad.” ~ ggfchi

And one more, this one from a restaurant worker:

“Service industry.”

“But I cannot stand people.”

“So I bus tables.” ~ skinnybastard

Here’s someone doing some very important work that I’m sure many people are grateful for after the hellish last year-and-a-half that we’ve had:

“Vaccine researchers.”

“Rely on me to fill studies.”

“With lots of people.” ~ bellyflop2

Hey, remember what being a college student was like?

Don’t remember?

Well, here’s a reminder:

“Nothing but schoolwork.”

“Occasionally homework.”

“Ugh anyday now.” ~ Pagalingling40

Here’s someone who’s in school and decided to be clever… we see what they did there.

“What is a haiku?

“I’m in school so I don’t know.”

“So is this a haiku?” ~FewJackfruit1432

Here’s a teacher telling us how it is.

“I help shape young minds.”

“I put up with their parents.”

“I’m not paid enough.” ~ edgarpicke

This person perfectly summed up what it’s like to work remotely—so we’re guessing their life didn’t change much when the pandemic hit:

“It’s much like before.”

“I still help people.”

“But now I’m in my PJs.” ~ slice_of_pi

This person probably has some pretty interesting stories about the people who come into their shop:

“I need some money.”

“What is your collateral?”

“Maybe this TV?” ~ Winquisitor

We’re taking an educated guess here and guessing that this person does something with… wait for it… products:

“Writing about products.”

“Creating ads for products.”

“Posting about products.” ~ snowstormspawn

Oooh… we’ve got someone special over here.

Anyone have any educated guesses of their own?

We’re thinking something with a high security clearance.

“It is very rare.”

“Can’t be too specific.”

“Don’t want to dox myself.” ~ Hlodvigovich915

Okay, you know how hard scientists have worked over the last year to get us to understand the importance of taking the COVID-19 vaccine?

Here’s a submission from an epidemiologist who just had to express their frustration:

“Poxed populations.”

“Epidemiology.”

“Revered, then ignored.” ~ annoyedgrunt

Next one is a lawyer?

Someone in publishing?

Either way, they’re keeping you out of legal trouble:

“You can’t publish that.”

“It is copyrighted art.”

“Get permission now.” ~ Frysiel

Here’s a submission from someone who works with disabled individuals in their capacity at the Social Security Administration:

“Disabled people.”

“They want to go to work soon.”

“SSA questions.” ~ trashytamboriney

And here’s another submission, this one from someone who doesn’t sound too happy with that same government agency:

“Disabled people.”

“Waiting on phone forever.”

“Then disconnected.” ~ Batfink27

Here’s one from someone who’s definitely sick and tired of working in software development:

“So sick of fixing bugs.”

“So sick of feeling dumb every day.”

“Lots of money, but crushing.” ~ bctwoPoint0

I know what you’re thinking.

You’re thinking, “Hey, Mr. Writer! Give us a haiku of your own! What’s it like being a full time writer?”

Well, sorry to disappoint you all, but writing haikus isn’t my strong suit.

If you must know what being a writer is like, then I just want you to imagine sitting in front of your screen all day, largely in solitude.

But here’s one last one from an editor:

“Your mistakes are mine,”

“words to correct and refine.”

“Your errors—my job.” ~ LakotaGrl