Situation Normal

Situation Normal is a Substack featuring narratives that blend humor, humanity, and insight across a range of everyday and eccentric experiences. The author navigates through personal anecdotes, societal observations, and cultural moments, offering reflections on technology, relationships, aging, societal quirks, and the unexpected humor in mundane situations.

Human Behavior Technology Personal Growth Societal Commentary Humor in Everyday Life Interpersonal Relationships Cultural Observations

The hottest Substack posts of Situation Normal

And their main takeaways

My stubborn gardener, who probably isn't an assassin

80 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
  1. Gardeners would make good assassins due to their inconspicuous nature and access to weapons. The theory was discussed with a gardener who found it amusing.
  2. Family dynamics and relationships can be complex, requiring compromise and understanding. Communication and empathy play crucial roles.
  3. Parenting involves enduring tests from children, while child-free choices are made through thoughtful consideration of personal preferences and responsibilities.

We're doomed, says the barista

193 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture News Personal Stories Opinion Entertainment
  1. The barista expressed a sense of overwhelming doom about the state of human civilization.
  2. The conversation highlights the despair and concerns about the erosion of civilization, impacting human life and the world.
  3. Despite the pessimism, small acts of kindness like a free coffee and cookie can offer a brief reprieve from the sense of doom.

The one-day work week

128 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Opinion Humor Workplace Life Society
  1. Three-day weekends can be great, but the following week can feel off. Short weeks can lead to longer workdays to get things done.
  2. The idea of a one-day work week, or a six-day weekend, was proposed. The concept involved focusing on productivity and getting stuff done.
  3. The discussion around work weeks highlighted challenges with traditional work schedules like Mondays being unproductive and weekends throwing off productivity.

Telemarketer-in-chief

87 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
😂 Humor Comedy
  1. Having fun with telemarketers by pretending to be someone else can lead to amusing conversations.
  2. Presidential themed discounts can be a quirky and engaging way to promote special offers.
  3. Offering personalized writing and storytelling services can be a unique and creative business approach to engage potential clients.
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24 Predictions for 2024

115 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
😂 Humor Predictions
  1. Predictions made for 2024 include fun and relatable scenarios.
  2. The predictions range from daily life experiences to societal trends.
  3. The author humorously forecasts events like excessive cream cheese on bagels and ongoing struggles with technology.

According to Facebook, I served in 'Nam?

71 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Social media Entertainment History Books
  1. The author humorously explores how Facebook algorithmically suggested Vietnam War content in his feed despite having no personal connection to it.
  2. Data mining, music preferences, and watching war movies contributed to the inaccurate content in the author's social media feed.
  3. The author reflects on the impact of targeted advertising and the evolving nature of social media platforms like Facebook.

Our Racist Neighbor Has a Tech Question

177 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
😂 Humor Satire Comedy
  1. The author encountered a racist neighbor with a tech question about email security.
  2. The author felt conflicted about giving tech advice to the racist neighbor.
  3. The author decided to mislead the neighbor in order to prevent potential misuse of technology.

The internet lost its shit over Wendy's 'surge pricing'

12 HN points • 03 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Food & Drink Social media Humor
  1. Wendy's 'surge pricing' sparked a huge internet backlash, with many criticizing the concept of changing hamburger prices based on market demand.
  2. Other fast food chains like Chili's and Burger King took advantage of the situation by using empathy and snark in their responses.
  3. The confusion around Wendy's 'surge pricing' led to a humorous encounter at a Wendy's restaurant, where a customer tried to 'price lock' a chicken sandwich combo meal.

You can have my cake and eat it too

128 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🍲 Food & Drink
  1. Words matter in conversations, even seemingly insignificant ones.
  2. Sometimes strangers offer food, sparking curiosity and speculation.
  3. The mystery of human behavior can lead to intriguing and amusing interactions.

Did I just meet the Persian Chuck Norris?

77 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
😂 Humor Satire Comedy
  1. The story narrates a wild encounter at a gas station involving a man named Pj and two attackers, with dramatic and unbelievable events unfolding.
  2. Pj's storytelling style makes him come across as an unreliable narrator, leaving doubt about the authenticity of his heroic actions.
  3. The Persian Chuck Norris-like character, Pj, captivates the audience with his extraordinary tale, blurring the line between fact and fiction.

Is this how my catalytic convertor saga ends?

87 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Stories Automotive Crime Community Technology
  1. The author faced a dilemma about what to do with their car after multiple catalytic converter thefts.
  2. The options included getting a better parking spot, selling the car and relying on Lyft, or selling and buying a new car.
  3. Ultimately, the author found a solution through a mechanic who had spare catalytic converters and offered to install a shield to protect the car.

Yoga dad bod

111 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Yoga Fitness Body Image Fashion
  1. Sometimes, awkward interactions can lead to funny stories and laughter.
  2. In yoga, focus on the journey of moving and breathing rather than just the destination.
  3. Embrace the concept of 'dad bods' and appreciate different standards of attractiveness.

Meshuga / Loco

90 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
😂 Humor
  1. Writing slice-of-life humor allows for covering a wide range of topics from serious to silly.
  2. Consider supporting content creators you enjoy by upgrading to a paid subscription.
  3. Sometimes humor can be found in unexpected places, like a humorous interaction at a Jewish deli.

Twitter-Quitter | Secret Sauce | Teen love

86 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Writing AI Personal Stories Entertainment
  1. The author quit Twitter due to changes and frustrations, emphasizing the importance of finding new ways to reach and connect with the audience.
  2. Writing newsletters through email can be a good interactive platform, promoting engagement and feedback from readers.
  3. There is no secret sauce to writing well, just keep practicing, experimenting with new styles and forms, and reading critically for improvement.

Clever driver

86 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Humor Travel Business Family
  1. The narrator opted for a Lyft ride instead of asking their mom for a lift to the airport.
  2. The Lyft driver turned a car ride into a business opportunity to sell his car with high mileage.
  3. The conversation highlights the creative business mindset of the Lyft driver named Clever.

Big Tabasco

79 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Food & Drink Humor Social media Friendship
  1. Calling friends for a chat without texting first can make the conversation more genuine and meaningful.
  2. Sometimes feeling like you're not making progress in life as expected is a common sentiment, but having friends to talk to can provide comfort and perspective.
  3. Even simple errands like a trip to the store with a friend can turn into a memorable experience, highlighting the importance of human connection.

Mother Troll's Best

92 implied HN points • 05 Feb 23
  1. Linda, the mom in the story, had a unique way of trolling her son in the comments section of his newsletter
  2. The son, the author, realized his mom was the troll after forgetting to mention her subscription in his newsletter
  3. The story showcases the humorous and relatable dynamic between a mom and her son online