Likely Normal

There’s a special kind of irony that happens when someone comes up with a perfectly reasonable idea—only to overlook the one glaring flaw that renders the whole thing absurd. It’s like opening a pet salon for fish and forgetting to install water tanks, or launching a fire safety seminar and holding it in a fireworks factory. The road to good intentions is paved with these hilarious oversights, and the best part? The people behind them are often so close to brilliance—just one crucial step away from total disaster.

Take, for example, the infamous case of the wheelchair support group that met in a second-floor walk-up. The organizer probably thought, “This is a great way to build community!”—right up until the first attendee rolled up to the building and realized they’d need a jetpack to get inside. Or consider the “Quiet Study Zone” in the library that was placed directly next to the toddler story hour. Sure, the sign said “Silence, Please,” but good luck concentrating over the sound of 20 preschoolers screaming “If You’re Happy and You Know It” at full volume.

Then there’s the classic “Employee Wellness Program” that offers free yoga classes—scheduled during the busiest work hours, ensuring that anyone who attends will immediately fall behind and stress-eat a whole pizza afterward. Or the “Eco-Friendly Office Initiative” that proudly banned plastic water bottles… while still providing Styrofoam cups at every coffee station. The disconnect isn’t just funny—it’s almost poetic in its obliviousness.

The real beauty of these mishaps is that they’re rarely malicious. No one tries to create a “Sunscreen Appreciation Day” and then holds it indoors. No one intentionally designs a “Nap Pod” for the office and puts it right under the flickering fluorescent light that buzzes like an angry hornet. These things happen because, in the rush to do something good (or at least well-meaning), someone misses the forest for the trees—or, in this case, the ramp for the stairs.

So here’s to the big thinkers who forget the small details, the visionaries who don’t check the fine print, and the well-intentioned planners who accidentally create comedy gold. May your ideas always be bold, your execution always questionable, and your failures always this entertaining. Because really, what’s life without a few facepalms along the way?