#539 When you open a book to the exact page you were looking for

Neil Pasricha

You cracked the case.

Seriously, when you pop open that textbook, flip open the yellow pages, or split the spine of that beach novel right to the spot you’re looking for it’s a beautiful moment.

Suddenly you transform into a gloomy trenchcoat-wearing detective who solves the case just by glancing at the crime scene. Yes, the street’s been taped off, someone’s crying under a blanket on the curb, and the city police are filling out witness statements on their notepads.

That’s when you peel up in a navy blue squad card, calmly light up a cigarette, and then stare at the surrounding buildings for a few minutes with furrowed eyebrows.

Then you calmly walk back to your cruiser, smile softly, and roll your window down at the local police before screaming away down the wet roads.

“Page 127.”

AWESOME!

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1,354 thoughts to “#539 When you open a book to the exact page you were looking for”

    1. ha ha, yeah. I remember when I first heard about some of the things in those movies and I was like, No Way!! So i had to watch them all again

  2. Digging the almond / chocolate chunk / cookie bit / mint piece out of the ice cream, and enjoying! :)

    1. yummmmm loveeee itt :).. especially the cookie in cookies and cream ..
      definatley my favourite :)

      1. The perfect ice cream for this? Ben and Jerry’s “Everything but the…”

        Full of chocolate covered chunks to dig out!

  3. Seeing your teacher at the grocery store.
    Because apparently, they’re real people too..

    2. This is double funny because I once felt that way as a student, and now as a teacher, I get to experience students’ expressions when THEY see ME out! Little ones (up to like 3rd grade or so) still get excited about it and want to tell everyone that they saw you at Target over the weekend.

      Along those same lines, it’s funny what little kids think about teachers in general. When I told the class that I was going home for the weekend to see my parents, they were astonished that I had parents. I’m only 23! I’m young enough to have parents! Haha. It’s fun to help them put it into perspective (also fitting with the little-kids-guessing-your-age thing).

      Love it :)

      1. I remember once in high school, I saw my Chemistry teacher out at a neighborhood block party when I was staying at a friend’s house. He was WASTED. When I first saw him, he was lying down on the pavement in the middle of the road and having his friends do chalk outline around him to look like a crime scene. We mostly tried to avoid each other for the remainder of the night.

        Needless to say, that next Monday was a little bit awkward.

        1. OMG … that is HILARIOUS! Well luckily, I’m usually pretty well-behaved ;)

          Along those lines, our health teacher in 9th grade was basically just a teacher so that he could coach football … and cared nothing about whether or not he presented himself as a role model. There’s a rodeo (yeah, yeah .. anyway) in my hometown every year and it’s basically a drunk-fest. One day in class, when we were learning about alcohol and alcohol-abuse, a kid totally called our teacher out for being belligerently drunk at the rodeo … he was NOT. HAPPY.

          Awkward.

          1. Yeah – you need to be careful out there. Especially now that kids have camera phones.

            Next time you’re out getting a little tipsy at the rodeo (seriously? rodeo? seriously?) the kids might get it all on camera.. Yikes!

            So, be responsible at the local rodeo! Don’t drink and try to catch the greased pig!

  4. Another!

    Animals doing things they shouldn’t be doing.

    It always can bring a smile to my face seeing an animal do something a person usually does.

  5. Realizing that you’ve met your current boyfriend/girlfriend/best friend in the past without knowing it…

  7. Finding a crazy baby/mutant green pepper growing inside a normal sized green pepper.

    Also pertains to oranges.

  8. Overhearing someone say something really nice about you without them knowing that you heard.

    1. I have found a lot of lost film over the years. I got really into photography in the 8th grade and always had a camera in my hand. Now whenever I go through boxes I find film and I get little surprises as to what’s on them. Old friends, good times, ex boyfriends, houses I used to live in, an pet that died 5 years ago, my brothers when they were little….

  10. Those weird red marks on your body after you take a really great nap, like on your cheek from your pillow. it’s imprinted on your body like a little reminder about the awesome sleep you just had- if only for 15 minutes..

    1. That’s how my boss knows that I have been napping at work! I gotta big hand print on the side of my face. LOL!!!

    2. In the middle of the summer you take a nap on the net hammock and you have all the marks! That’s childhood in a bag right there. Haha.

  12. Finding your way without asking for directions or being in possession of a GPS.

    …maps are fair ground.

    1. I was thinking of this the other day… my friend and I were in Chicago and trying to get to a restaurant. We knew the address, so I was looking at the numbers on the buildings to figure out where we needed to go, but she pulled out her GPS and argued that we were going the wrong way. To spare a fight, I followed her, and it turned out I was right!

      Such a good feeling… I love when I beat technology with good ‘ole fashioned logic :)

      1. Love this one! I’ve always had a really good sense of direction, so it’s hard for me to believe that someone really can’t get down the street a few miles to Walmart without needing a GPS or directions from their phone. It’s so awesome to be able to do it yourself (or, like Sarina said, even with a map … hey, a girl can’t know EVERYTHING!).

        I believe that GPS systems have their place, though, like on a really long and involved road trip or something. However, like Laura mentioned, they don’t know everything! I have been with people using a GPS when we knew where we were going, just to try it out, only to find out that we were told to go the wrong way down a one-way street and took a not-so-efficient route.

        :)

  13. When you’re walking down the sidewalk/hallway/corridor, and there’s a person coming down the opposite way towards you.. and when you step one way to dodge them, they step the same way, then you do it again, and again, and then you bond through your mutual sillyness.

    1. There was one guy actually here at work that grabbed me while this was happening and started dancing with me. we took a few steps together, we spun, he let go and we went our separate ways. Was very odd and awesome.

  15. Take a long walk in the middle of the night.

    Always makes those nights when you just can’t sleep a bit better. Gazing at the stars, feeling the nice night air, hearing the dead quiet.

  17. When you get a drink from a fast food place, don’t finish it, come home and put it in the fridge overnight, and discover in the morning it’s still perfect.

    I personally love Strawberry Fruit Slushes from Sonic. They’re sweet, but I can get away with lying to myself that it isn’t completely bad because it has fruit. I always get a large because it’s so good, but I never finish it. That feeling you get when you come back the next day to find it still perfectly slushy? Awesome.

  18. Holidays where it’s acceptable to drink.
    Whether it’s a seder for passover, a wedding, or new year’s, it’s basically expected.

    And the best part is if you’re a kid. When I was little my parents would let me taste wine by dipping my finger in their glass and barely getting a taste. But if it was a holiday, I’d get to try my own mini glass of champagne.

    Parent sanctioned drinking of alcohol especially when you’re under 21 is definitely AWESOME.

    1. Let’s take an informal poll: What are the biggest “drinking holidays”. My buddy was recently telling me that St. Patty’s day is one of the top 3 drinking focused holidays (obviously). I asked what the other two were, and he said 1) New Year’s Eve.. *check.. that makes sense*.. and 2) Thanksgiving’s Eve *che… wait.. WHAT?!?*

      I’d never heard that before. Is that even a big drinking day at all? Does anyone know what he’s talking about?

      1. I’ve never heard that before, either. It seems like being hungover on Pigout Day isn’t the best idea! Or do you mean the night OF Thanksgiving? Either way, that’s no good either — you JUST pigged out, don’t wanna upchuck all that hard work. Also, if you’re one of those Black Friday fools, you’re not gonna want a pounding headache and upset tummy when you go on your all-day-shopping-extravaganza!

        I would definitely agree with St. Patty’s and New Year’s. I would maybe say Mardi Gras, and possibly the patriotic holidays that people have off work: Labor Day and Memorial Day. A lot of people turn those into like, barbeque weekends.

        1. And, though it’s not a holiday, Super Bowl. I know that’s just an event, but some people treat it like a holiday!

          1. Ok – good. I’m not the only one that found that really weird. (And yes, he was referring to the night before pigout day). How am I supposed to get seconds (and thirds) if I’m still green and nauseous from the night before?

            However, if I ever was to turn into one of those black friday fools, I think I might take up heavy drinking. The only thing that would convince me to camp outside a Best Buy for a cheap flat screen is a bottle of bourbon.

  20. Being the only one to know the correct answer.

    Maybe you’re at a party, or just hanging out with a group of friends, and someone asks “where did peanuts come from?” For some reason or another, your brain reaches back to a sixth grade science project your little brother did in ’86, and your eyes twinkle as you say “South America.” As your friends rush to Google or Wikipedia to confirm your statement, you sit back and smile, knowing you knew something they didn’t know.

    Awesome.

  22. When your mom goes to the store and puts food away without you knowing and next time you look for a snack, you’re surprised by the new aromas and brightness of new food!
    It’s almost overwhelming when you look through the fridge, freezer, and cabinents. You wonder what all of the new foods taste like and which ones will mix to make a fantastic lunch.

  23. Pillow scent: the sweet musky scent of you partner on his/her pillow! and how you can never detect your own scent on your pillow.

    2. Whenever hubby is out late, I sleep on his pillow so I can go to sleep when he isn’t there. I told him its cuz his pillow smells like him, but he just thinks I’m weird.

  24. Awesome: making an arts-n-crafts gift for someone

    Not only do you get to pull out your crayons, gluestick, glitter, sewing gear, and construction paper, but you get to make something SUPER FUN for someone else!

    Spending hours cutting pipe cleaners to JUST THE RIGHT LENGTH and using magic markers to say the cutest little note to your friend is a blast! Gifts always end up way more embellished than the original idea and you just know your friend will love it.

    And even if they don’t, heck it sure was fun making it!

  25. In a couple of days, the US will be celebrating April Fool’s Day where it is tradition to pull pranks and practical jokes on each other. The “perfect” prank makes the day! Also applies to all other days of the year too!

    1. I’m horrible at coming up with pranks, but my mom is legendary! I always look forward to what she’s going to come up with!

  26. Using the sugar gum and blowing the biggest bubble you ever have done. I still try to get them bigger than my head.

  27. Going out to eat for charity. Hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill from some boys, churches with buckets of chili, and pancake feeds at schools. It’s wonderful to know that the money from that meal is actually helping somewhere, instead of a franchise’s corporate pockets. They also tend to get some good cooks who fix “soul food”. That’s food that sticks on your body to keep your soul warm.

    Yee-haw!

  28. Whistling in songs.
    Whether it’s the Andy Griffith theme song or The Bangles- Walk Like An Egyptian, whistling makes every song just that much better. You don’t have to worry about messing up tricky lyrics or being able to sing well. And once you’ve mastered it, you get a sense of satisfaction for being able to whistle like your favorite musician.

      1. Andrew Bird is actually the reason I thought of this. I was listening to Fitz & Dizzyspells.

  29. That point in the song when the lyrics start getting too fast for anyone to sing along anymore, but everyone still tries regardless. Classic example- It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – R.E.M.

  30. Windcatchers and windsocks are great. So is the other forms of yard art. The little gnome by the garden, the scarecrow in the garden, the lady and man bending over made of wood, the concrete squirrel that just won’t move, and the face on the tree.

      1. Wooden wind chimes are really awesome. My grandma has a set, too, they’re about as tall as a door and they sound so deep and pretty.

  31. My nephew wanted me to tell you that the most awesome thing to him, is when you feed fish in an aquarium, and you watch all the little fish come to the surface to grab the food. He says he like’s watching the little mouths break the surface, and he feels like a God, raining food on his fish.

    1. We used to have some albino water frogs that would also eat the fish food. The only thing that ever stopped them from the food rush was when Johnny Carson was on the television. Then they would sit in the corner of the aquarium, watch until the show was over, then back to normal.

  32. Modern medicine. It’s constantly evolving, but now we have cures and treatments that we never thought possible. No more leeches and drinking urine.

  33. Planning your lotto win….

    The 30 Million Oz Lotto is tonight, and i have oh so many plans for that bad boy!

    1. If you win, buy me a true luxury item, just because you could please! I like fancy cars. *wink wink*

      Good luck!

    2. I agree – the daydreams of what I would do with the money are definitely worth the money I flush down the drain buying my ticket :-)

    3. I think everyone does this.
      A house, a car, a boat, college for the kids, pay off the debt…..yep

      1. Everytime my fiance plays we go over what we would get. We would come up with different scenarios every week!

  34. Losing something and then realizing you’re holding it/it’s hiding somewhere on your body. a.k.a A pair of glasses on the top of your keppe or a pen perfectly stuck behind your ear so that you lose the feeling of it being there at all. The sense of relief that indeed you are NOT a loser (jaja in more than one sense) fills you with new self-esteem and renewal. This renewal may even encourage you to start looking for your cat that you lost a few years ago….maybe it’s lurking somewhere in your hair….

    2. There have been so many times where I look around for my phone a few seconds (to check the time or see if anyone has texted me) before I realize: I’M TALKING ON IT.

  35. When the number of letters in the name of your vacation destination matches the number of days you’ll be there on the calendar. You can put one big, fat letter in each day: F – L – O – R – E – N – C – E . It’s a cosmic sign that everything about your trip is going to fall right into place. AWESOME!

  36. When your work colleagues do something awesome!

    I share an office with about 20 people, and yesterday when I came to work, my desk had been cleared of all my ‘stuff’ all my little Minimates and Lego had all been taken. All that was left in there place was a RANSOM NOTE! They demanded bags of sweets, or they would be flushed.

    I tried to do some ‘sleuthing’ but everyone was playing dumb. Whenever I left my desk when I returned there was a postit note with legs/torsos/head on it saying ‘the clock is ticking’.

    Some in the office even made ‘missing’ posters and pasted them up on the walls!

    At lunch I went out and bought the requested sweets and put them on my desk, opened, as requested by the note.

    Everytime someone walked past my desk and took some sweets they left one of my figures. By the end of the day I had them all back, and had a most awesome day!

    2. This is amazing!! :D Anything to make the work day more fun is awesome in my opinion! Sounds like you have the privilege of working with some pretty awesome people.

  37. Happy meals….
    They really are meals that make ya happy. You get a little burger or chicken nuggets, little bit of fries (or side of your choice) and a little drink. On top of all of that you get a toy.

  38. Kethup packets.
    Sometimes they hold just the right amount of ketchup, but when in need, just add another.

    1. What’s even better is saving the ketchup packets if the restaurant gave you too much. That way if you run out of ketchup unexpectedly you have backup!

  39. What is better than honesty?
    My bff is the best person to tell me how it is.
    “Do I look fat in these jean?”
    “Yeah, actually you do.”
    Now I don’t buy them…saves me the embarrassment.

  40. Making pictures out of clouds.
    “That one looks like a boat. There’s on that’s a bird. ”
    So awesome.

  41. Getting your ‘second wind’
    You had a long restless night last night. You are so tired, can’t keep your eyes open, but you are still at work and its only noon. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you feel energized and awake. You can now make it through the rest of the day.
    Or
    It been a very long day out with the kids. You had to get up early to make breakfast while everyone slept in. And now you are making your rounds with playgrounds, grandma’s house, shopping… your kids go to sleep in the car on the way home and you wish you could too. Just then, your eyes fly wide open and you are so awake and ready to finish the day.

  42. Stepping stools. Where would I be without them. I am short and can’t reach the top cabinets in the house, so whenever hubby isn’t home or I just don’t want to bother him, I break out the step stool and reach it.
    Without these things, I would be holding my daughter up to the sink everytime she had to brush her teeth or wash her hands. Love them!!

  43. When you lose grip on something and drop it, but you catch it at the last second.
    Or
    When you knock something over, but catch it before it completely falls over or spills.

    1. I once almost dropped a whole carton of eggs and then a half second later I caught it with my arm.

      Love not having to clean up the mess.

  44. Morning radio DJ’s. Yeah, sometimes they get kind of stupid, but they are funny. Helps that drive to work be a little less stressful.

  45. When your significant other thinks that you are asleep, but you aren’t and they whisper something extrememly sweet in your ear. Try not to smile, just take it in and love that moment.

  46. Going on long trips in the car with my parents as a kid….we were quite loud. After a while Dad would say that he didn’t want to hear a peep out of us…and what did we do…”PEEP!!”

  47. Holiday candy.
    Hearts shaped gummies, shamrock cookies, marshmellow peeps, eyeball jawbreakers, Santa suckers.
    Love them all.

  50. Successful all-nighters.

    The hours upon hours of staying up with 3am sundaes, coffee, ridiculous amounts of candy, laughing so hard you cry, insert other shenanigans here…

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