Human Stuff
Little-known stories, not dates
The pattern-hunting glitch that convinces us there’s meaning where there isn’t
A brain that keeps spotting shapes People notice patterns in clouds, in stock charts, and in the way a few coincidences line up in a single day.
Why people cling to ‘lucky’ routines long after they stop working
How “lucky” routines get planted This isn’t one single story tied to one place or year.
How forcing a smile can shift your mood in minutes
A weird thing you notice in real life This isn’t one single story with a single place attached to it. It shows up everywhere.
The tiny mental skip that makes a face feel strangely familiar
That odd flicker of recognition It’s not one single incident or place.
That strange moment when your hand feels like it’s not yours
When the hand stops feeling like it belongs Sometimes it happens in the middle of nothing.
Why we say sorry for things that don’t need apologizing
The tiny “sorry” that slips out It isn’t one single place or moment. It shows up everywhere. In the UK, people joke that “sorry” means almost anything.
Why video calls make us miss tiny facial cues
The weirdly flat feeling of a “normal” call On a Zoom call, someone can say “sounds good” and you still aren’t fully sure they mean it.
Why some people whisper instructions to themselves
It shows up in ordinary places You hear it at the self-checkout at Target, in a hospital hallway, or at a stoplight with the window cracked: a low, barely.
Why a tune loops in your head and refuses to leave
A normal moment, then the loop starts You hear a few seconds of a song and it keeps replaying.
The mental habit behind checking the stove twice
A small loop almost everyone recognizes You lock the front door, walk away, and then your mind throws up a picture of the stove knob.
