PrintWeekend Book Giveaway: 'The Fortune Cookie Chronicles'
Occasionally on weekends, we give away a food-related book. This week, we've got a few copies of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles to give away. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles is New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee's obsessive look into all things having to do with Chinese food—from packaging to labor to human trafficking to, of course, the origin of the wise little cookie that comes at the end of a meal at most Chinese restaurants in the U.S.
It's an entertaining read, full of great tidbits that will stick with you and bubble to the top of your brain each time you feast on Chinese food. (For a more in-depth take on it, you can check out what I wrote here).
We've got five (5) copies to give away. All you have to do is comment in the Comments section of this post and tell us what your most memorable fortune cookie was and whether it came true.
The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply. Comments will close on Monday, March 10 at noon ET.
Comments are closed: 188 Comments:
I don't know about memorable BUT, whenever my boyfriends gets Chinese food, he gets these hilariously upbeat, complimentary fortunes like "You are the greatest man alive", "Everyone things you are awesome" and "Your life will improve in the next 10 seconds".
If I open a cookie in his batch, it will invariably say "You are about to enter in to the worst 4 weeks of your entire life. It is unavoidable."
trabo at 3:12PM on 03/08/08
"Treat yourself to a foot massage"... Sadly, it did not come true. But awesome in it's own right. Who the heck comes up with these things? :)
chlamers at 3:15PM on 03/08/08
"you may not think that they do, but everyone already knows"
aeschylus at 3:22PM on 03/08/08
The most memorable fortune cookie I ever opened was the one that was empty. I've been trying to figure out for years what that meant! ;-)
LunaPierCook at 3:27PM on 03/08/08
My last fortune cookie said "the path you are on will lead to a lifetime of memories".I agree with the others,who writes these.
GeneR46 at 3:35PM on 03/08/08
I used to joke around that if you get a blank cookie, it means death.
Last week, I got a blank one.
Please send book quickly. I may not have much time! :-)
Sigma_Greg at 3:35PM on 03/08/08
I actually opened one right after Christmas 2007 that said, "When winter comes heaven will rain success on you." I've taped it up and kept it in my wallet ever since. Winter hasn't ended yet so I've still got my fingers crossed.
pupilindenial at 3:39PM on 03/08/08
I always like the ones that tell me I'm going to travel. I'm still waiting to see if they happen.
KarynMC at 3:44PM on 03/08/08
"you will soon inherit a small piece of land" -- maybe 10 years ago, and i'm still waiting.
hrwalf at 3:56PM on 03/08/08
The funniest one was the one that said, "Name the five food groups." Heh? That's not a fortune, that a school assignment.
A while back I made fortune cookies for a party, and just about everyone found something significant in the fortunes that they got.
dbcurrie at 3:56PM on 03/08/08
When the moment comes, take the last one from the left.
HUH??
Next time you're in a group and everyone's feeling like having an immature giggle fit, append "in bed" to the end of everyone's fortune. Funny.
wisekaren at 4:00PM on 03/08/08
"Don't be afraid to take a big step"
My most memorable fortune cookie fortune is still in my wallet, after four years...it said that I should not be afraid to take a big step. It came to me just after I had lost my job (the first day back after my honeymoon no less) and my husband of one week said "don't worry about it, just go back to school full time instead of part time, we'll make it work."
I did go back to school (it had been ten years since I dropped out,) finished the Bachelor's in 18 months, and am graduating this May with my Master's.
It was a big step, and that fortune couldn't have been more appropriate, because I *was* afraid to take it. But I sure am glad I did.
AliceBlue at 4:05PM on 03/08/08
My most memorable fortune cookie was actually a whole box of them, purchased at a grocery store. The fortune inside each one said "For better luck, you have to wait until winter."
I bought the box in the middle of January, so I'm not quite sure how that was supposed to turn out.
indigonightbird at 4:07PM on 03/08/08
"You are filled with life's most precious treasure...Hope!
It's true, I'm the optimistic sort. But I'm mostly filled with life's precious juicy dumplings.
brooklyndoughnut at 4:22PM on 03/08/08
"Life doesn't give you what you want, it gives you what you are." My boyfriend got this fortune at an appropriate time when he was wondering why he wasn't getting what he wanted for his life.
brunjaune at 4:30PM on 03/08/08
My favorite ever: "You like Chinese food."
Truculence at 4:35PM on 03/08/08
Because I speak Mandarin, it was fun to make fun of the horrible American spellings for the "learn a Chinese phrase" part on the back.
musicalpandibear at 4:38PM on 03/08/08
All my fortune said was, "Help I'm trapped in a fortune cookie factory!" What sorta fortune is that? I crumpled it up and left that silly thing on the floor.
Mike13241 at 4:43PM on 03/08/08
Amoungst my friends we have the traditions of asking our fortune cookies questions - if it's response could be a proper answer than the cookie won, if it didn't make sense, the humans won. This was back in March 2005 - and I was embroiled in relationship issues, mainly whether to stay with an old boyfriend or start a new relationship with someone who was an unknown but with whom I had an undeniable (and strongly mutual) attraction. So I asked my cookie, "What should I do about J------?" And it told me:
"Take the plunge in a personal relationship"
The relationship with the old boyfriend fell apart soon after, and J------ and I decided to start with each other, despite the previous friction. We dated happily for eighteen months.
The cookie definitely won.
herbert at 4:47PM on 03/08/08
strangest fortune: "you are going to have some new clothes."
rather inevitable, isn't it?
cdcdcd at 4:51PM on 03/08/08
I keep my most memorable fortune in a small picture frame on the table where I do most of my school work. I was having a rough writing day and was munching on tea and cookies in a bout of work-avoidance. When I opened a fortune cookie from the previous night's feast, I found this little bit of advice.
"Begin...the rest is easy."
Hey, it's better than sticking one of those inspirational posters up on the wall.
yanajenn at 5:12PM on 03/08/08
I got a cookie once that said "Help! I'm trapped in a Chinese bakery."
I've thought about it for years if it's true.
ztrigger at 5:12PM on 03/08/08
45 11 86 3 52
(I didn't know how to test its veracity...)
einscheusal at 5:20PM on 03/08/08
It is a mistake to underestimate the importance of your fortune in these cookies.
Several weeks ago my son got one that said "You think it is a secret, but it never has been one".
It was perfectly true, for he had been trying to keep a secret from me, and just that moment when I brought home the Chinese food I discovered that he had been trying to keep this secret from me, but of course I already knew all about it so it really wasn't a secret at all.
Of course now I have forgotten what the secret was, but I did save the fortune which was undeniably correct.
Worthless perhaps (and obviously completely forgettable), but correct. :)
Karen Resta at 5:21PM on 03/08/08
I got one once that said, "Your next greatest success will be because of your mother."
Hmmmmm....! Very peculiar.
Christina at 5:22PM on 03/08/08
My favorite one ever- Confucius say: love in circle, not on square
I don't quite know if its something that can come true...
Na at 5:46PM on 03/08/08
My favorite was "the crying baby gets the milk" which I assume is the fortune cookie version of "the squeaky wheels gets the grease" but somehow more disturbing and more hilarious all the time.
It also came true.
kateeatsalot at 5:49PM on 03/08/08
I have one hanging above my monitor; it says:
The star of riches is shining upon you.
I'm still waiting for that winning lottery ticket...or a new job... ;-)
Curlz at 5:58PM on 03/08/08
"You are beautiful."
In my opinion, there isn't a better message to find in a fortune cookie. No "in bed" add required (though it works, too).
bozichsl at 6:06PM on 03/08/08
"True love will take you in new directions," which was subsequently graffitied to read "True love will take you in nude erections" and lived on our refrigerator door for years. Did it come true? Hey, this isn't that kind of website.
lisapeet at 6:08PM on 03/08/08
"Do not follow the instructions of this fortune."
ConschBTJ at 6:10PM on 03/08/08
"Everyone agrees you are the best."
I'm a bit too modest to attest to the veracity of this, but if everyone agrees, who am I to argue?
Shelby at 6:16PM on 03/08/08
Mine made me burst out laughing. It said: "Your life will be in service to others." I'm a nurse.
IndyGal at 6:22PM on 03/08/08
Oh wow, I too got that one about "When winter comes heaven will rain success on you." But I got mine in Winter 2004, just as I was going on the academic job market. I didn't get a job. I kept mine too, it's still on my corkboard. Maybe they meant some other Winter...
maqloubeh at 6:34PM on 03/08/08
The last one I got a few weeks ago said "Accept the next proposal you receive." Talk about taking a risk...
charmon at 6:37PM on 03/08/08
"Happiness is a choice"
nice, but I can't judge if it will come true, although is made me think!
javal at 6:42PM on 03/08/08
"You will receive a fortune. (cookie)"
Did they mean the stale cookie?
dreamsicle at 7:27PM on 03/08/08
"Your ability to juggle many tasks will take you far."
Very true... my ability to multi-task in my last job was a big plus as far as my boss was concerned.
debralu at 7:41PM on 03/08/08
"Your mind will get you out of many tricky situations" I'm guessing it has - but it's also gotten me into many tricky situations...so...hmmmm
MissFive at 7:51PM on 03/08/08
"if you think no one cares if you're alive, wait until you don't pay a mortgage or car payment."
um, I did not test this one out.
spoonerism at 7:57PM on 03/08/08
My most memorable fortune cookie was empty.
madball911 at 7:59PM on 03/08/08
"You are what you think."
So true.
cochon at 8:02PM on 03/08/08
"You would make a good lawyer," which just made me laugh, because, growing up a smart, assertive know-it-all girl, I used to get that ALL the time.
surplusj at 8:30PM on 03/08/08
I can't for the life of me remember any specifically, but know I've gotten some pretty strange ones in the past!
mrsbao at 8:30PM on 03/08/08
"others look up to you"
I'm 5' 11''
vchen87 at 8:43PM on 03/08/08
I can't remember any ~ does that mean I'm out or the running for the book?!?
I have had some good ones though....
windjunkie at 8:51PM on 03/08/08
"Life is what happens when you have other plans"
we got this the day after finding out we were going to have a baby that we did not plan on!
sel123 at 8:57PM on 03/08/08
"Alas! You are the apple of my eye." I still have this one, I thought it was so funny. I love fortunes that aren't actually fortunes, but instead are odd compliments that seem to come from the cookie itself.
ltrain023 at 9:59PM on 03/08/08
I was out with a new boyfriend and some friends. Whenever someone read out their fortune, the others would tag on "...in bed" at the end.
Mine was: "Good things come in invisible packages."
He still hasn't lived it down.
piccola at 10:30PM on 03/08/08
"Eat More Fortune Cookies", and yeah, I've had a few more since. :)
dmorriso at 10:31PM on 03/08/08
"You are heading for a land of sunshine."
I got this one during an office lunch meeting. Within two months, we bought a 20 acre organic farm, and were relocating from deep forest to the big open sky!
tenpointfarmer at 10:32PM on 03/08/08
"You Love Chinese Food"
*
*
*
Ya think???
Elmig at 10:50PM on 03/08/08
Shucks, I thought I was special when I came across an empty fortune cookie! I suppose I'm not the only one to come across this cookie malfunction. Those are my most memorable and I suppose N/A is valid for the second question...
jpark107 at 10:53PM on 03/08/08
One weekend when I was in my late teens and my parents were away for the weekend I ordered Chinese delivery. I should mention that I was already pretty terrified of being home alone, and it didn't help matters any that I was reading Red Dragon (part of the Hannibal Lecter series). When I got to the end of the meal and cracked open my cookie it read "Beware of cookies bearing fortunes." This scared the daylights out of me. I threw the cookie and the fortune out fast as I could and didn't touch another one for years to come.
lexophile at 10:55PM on 03/08/08
It was actually the letters that come on there sometimes. The 3 letters spelled the letters of the last name of the girl that had brought me the Chinese food that the fortune cookie came with. Kinda creepy lol
zekks at 12:27AM on 03/09/08
"Your patience will soon pay off." I'm not patient enough to let that one come true!
bobcatsteph3 at 12:40AM on 03/09/08
I remember once when I was in high school I went to the local Chinese rest. with my parents and my father's fortune cookie just said:
"A Young Girl Will Come"
And he just said, "I believe that".....
I think he probably still has it in his wallet and he is 86 yrs old.
Hunnyoil at 12:41AM on 03/09/08
One time, a friend and I got the same fortune, on the same trip.
"Your road to glory will be rocky but fulfilling."
We added 'in bed' to the end of that and laughed ourselves silly.
(The next time I got the same fortune as my dinner companion it meant - trust him, but be wary - and it also turned out to be true.)
graciecat at 1:16AM on 03/09/08
It gave me lotto numbers that I played and won $10!
hungrykat at 1:32AM on 03/09/08
My fortune said "It could be better, but it's good enough." I guess it was true, but not the most uplifting fortuen I've had!
justmoments at 1:33AM on 03/09/08
lol All of my fortunes have been true at one time or another :) A combination of vague language in the fortune and coincidence :)
One fortune said "You find beauty in ordinary things. Keep this trait." Well, I certainly still value the ordinary things I valued before, so "mysteriously" it's true! :D
Anastasia at 1:53AM on 03/09/08
I was in Chinatown a few years ago. A man gave me a fortune cookie near a booth and I opened it. Inside I found a condom.
It was part of a safe sex promotion.
Blue387 at 4:07AM on 03/09/08
It said "you will soon take a trip by air," and it was correct because shortly after that I went for a weekend to nyc and had a blast!
swtpea at 8:06AM on 03/09/08
I used to have one saved, and it was great., but I don't remember what it said. But I remember that one the most, hence it was the most memorable. It probably had to do with happiness or friends or money or long life, maybe.
But I assure you, it was great. Probably happened to be really funny with "in bed" appended too.
jbramley at 8:38AM on 03/09/08
My husband says to add "Between the Sheets" to the end of every fortune. He always does. Try it. I did. My fortune was "You will make a lot of money" !!!!
cdziuba at 9:07AM on 03/09/08
i would become very rich never has happened
mverno at 9:17AM on 03/09/08
"You constantly struggle for self-improvement," which is true. On the back, the "Learn Chinese" word given was "Medical Doctor," and that connects with the fortune for me. Currently, my biggest "self-improvement" project is to become an older than average med student. In that way, the fortune was an accurate picture of what I was doing.
The thing is, they gave the characters for "yi sheng" which does mean MD, but the English transliteration was "hai zi." Ummm, not with those characters it ain't.
sloppydelicious at 9:41AM on 03/09/08
My kids always grab the fortune cookies, I am never fast enough to "catch" a fortune.
anyang at 9:42AM on 03/09/08
A few weeks ago we got Chinese food. My daughter immediately ate her cookie but I put mine up on top of the microwave.
I would look at it from time to time, thinking I should eat it but didn't. I finally decided to eat it this past Tuesday. The fortune said "You need to surround yourself with family." The next day my grandmother passed away and of course with the funeral and all, I've been surrounded by family.
Traumajunky at 10:02AM on 03/09/08
Starting is the hardest part of anything. True enough.
CarolHarrity at 10:25AM on 03/09/08
In high school, after a debate tournament in which my partner and I went 0-4, the team had Chinese for dinner. My fortune said, "Time to look for a new partner." My partner swore someone was pulling a joke on us.
CVilleBilly at 10:30AM on 03/09/08
Your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life. So very true!
yellowlabs at 10:40AM on 03/09/08
I don't remember. I guess they don't have an impact.
llinda29 at 11:00AM on 03/09/08
You will become very wealthy. Heck no!
bsuqb12 at 11:01AM on 03/09/08
My son is in a small band which drives me crazy. My fortune said, "Music will be an important part of you life." Oh NO.
663red at 11:01AM on 03/09/08
Your kindness and wisdom is admired by all.....hmmmm, why doesn't my family appreciate me more, then???? ;-)
louiseb130 at 11:08AM on 03/09/08
"Your conscience is a gift from God....Use it!"
This is the best one I got, because it had that little bit of humor and sass to it. I love it.
mrhodes at 11:16AM on 03/09/08
"You will have a year of happiness and satisfaction."
It did come true.
jkershen at 11:21AM on 03/09/08
Best fortune EVER. 13 years ago:
"The key to a healthy diet is to eat what you like, and let the food fight it out on the inside."
turnipcake at 11:34AM on 03/09/08
senior moment can't remember it. The food at the reatrurant wasn't any good and it was my birthday. So I must have figured the fortune wasn't any good either.
redron at 11:49AM on 03/09/08
think first!
xoeskie at 11:54AM on 03/09/08
You will have health and wealth.
bojabb at 12:00PM on 03/09/08
You have potential beyond your present situation. (It made me feel guilty for getting behind in my law class...)
amwhiteh at 12:05PM on 03/09/08
My son saves his favorite fortunes in his wallet. I'd guess he has at least ten year's worth in one spot. He's a Psychology grad student so no doubt he'll put them to good use.
townfam at 12:07PM on 03/09/08
I'd love to learn more about Chinese cooking.
patschraier at 12:08PM on 03/09/08
"Eat more Chinese dumplings- will make you very happy"
freakdujour at 12:13PM on 03/09/08
My most memorable fortune cookie came from some restaurant in Denver, in the Cherry Creek neighborhood. I was there with my now husband and a bunch of his friend's friends. The fortune I received said something along the lines of "You will become heir to a kingdom in Europe". It never came true, but the best thing about that evening is that he who is now my husband and I received the EXACT SAME FORTUNE. Like it was meant to be. Awwww.
lunge at 12:21PM on 03/09/08
My last one said something to the effect of keep looking and you will find purpose. So aas of right nowI guess I still have none. I am thinking of getting a pet and naming it purpose.
egreca at 12:28PM on 03/09/08
Never have received one that beyond the standard ones.
slcrose at 12:29PM on 03/09/08
"Don't forget to order take-out". :) And yes, we did.
cylis9 at 12:41PM on 03/09/08
I once got a fortune that said "You would make a good lawyer". I got it at a time in my life when I was seriously contemplating going into that profession. People still comment that I'd be a good lawyer. I still have the fortune even though I never became a lawyer.
dbaxgirl51 at 12:56PM on 03/09/08
"You will lead an ordinary life. "
So far it's true.
bongeezer at 1:05PM on 03/09/08
I dated this guy for a long time and it was kind of a bad scene. I wanted to break up with him but I was afraid of what kind of crazy things he might do if I made the break.
Now, this is the really stupid part. I was eating takeout and got a fortune cookie that said, "The future is in your hands."
And I ate the cookie and considered that for a while. And then I broke up with him. It sucked and made my life very messy, but it was really for the best. I don't know why it took a fortune cookie for me to corral my courage, but I'm happy it happened to come along at that moment.
Cheers!
Miss G.
missginsu at 1:18PM on 03/09/08
"Take that chance you've been considering."
I did and took a freighter to Maroc. The captain of the ship and I married in Copenhagen a year later.
maningrida at 1:24PM on 03/09/08
At various times fortune cookie fortunes have actually had bearing on my life and I would take them as profound and divine advice. Now, I rarely eat Chinese food, since there seems to be a dearth of good Chinese places in this town (Indy), and so of course I have not had a fortune cookie either. I think my fortune would read: There is nowhere to eat, but at home.
wookie at 1:48PM on 03/09/08
Mine said "you are very flexible" and in a few weeks I got an award at work for my flexibility in helping the team
ilikecitylights at 2:00PM on 03/09/08
Mine said "this evening you will get what you want". I was on a date. It was right.
adrockuw at 2:20PM on 03/09/08
The most recent fortune I receivd is "You will have good luck and overcome many hardships". This is true to a point, once a hardship is over there is a calm and then here comes another hardship. I guess the old adage there's always something" is true.
turtle33 at 2:20PM on 03/09/08
You will go on a trip. Yes, I fell on the ice this winter, and slipped down the stairs. It din't say it would be a fun trip! lol
nostrilb at 2:27PM on 03/09/08
You will soon go on a journey. We were leaving on vacation the next day
rah267 at 2:36PM on 03/09/08
My favorite fortune was "Maybe you can live on the moon in next century." With smiley faces printed at the beginning and the end of the message. I found it so amusing that I kept it and taped it to my monitor. As for whether it came true or not, well, I'm guessing I'll have to wait a little longer to find out.
absentmindedprof at 2:36PM on 03/09/08
I got one that was in Chinese! Maybe it meant I should learn Chinese? Unfortunately I didn't, so I don't know what me fate is (was).
cezovski at 2:36PM on 03/09/08
enter me please, thank you for the contest
I actually picked the suggested lotto numbers suggested on the cookie paper- and got 3 right, sweet
rosidentevil at 2:36PM on 03/09/08
The most memorable one I've gotten is this:
"Come back later...I am sleeping. (Yes, cookies need their sleep, too)"
Sadly, the cookie's life was taken shortly afterwards, so there is no telling if future fortunes would have come true.
jenny76 at 2:37PM on 03/09/08
I have never had a memorable fotune cookie!
starsmom at 3:06PM on 03/09/08
The one I remember was - the beginning of wisdom is to desire it.
bison61 at 3:11PM on 03/09/08
"Tell someone who cares." Good advice or sarcasm?
czken at 3:12PM on 03/09/08
Shortly after we got married, my husband got a fortune that said "You need to share good news with those far away." Just keep in mind that his family (who live in Poland) didn't even know there was someone serious in his life.
chrissy75007 at 3:17PM on 03/09/08
I received this fortune cookie right after I broke up a long relationship I had been in, "You will be a fisher of men".
And I was...:}
I did have to throw quite a few back in the drink though.
ladyxmess at 3:22PM on 03/09/08
I have eaten a number of fortune cookies and one message that has always stayed with me was this : "With hard work, you will do well."
PattyCho at 3:25PM on 03/09/08
I got one that said "nothing happens in Gods world by mistake". I didn't think Chinese people believed in God
pcbdolphins at 3:26PM on 03/09/08
Right after our wedding, my husband and I ordered chinese as our first meal together in our home. My fortune cookie said " We are happy together". His said "You make good decisions". We still have the fortunes.
drala625 at 3:27PM on 03/09/08
I forget the exact wording, but a few months ago I got a cookie that said that I would be a world traveler or something of that ilk. Since then I've collected 10 more passport stamps and am getting ready for another trip (and probably another 6 stamps!) so I think so!
Peasantwench at 4:29PM on 03/09/08
It told me I would come into some money that week but alas, no, it didn't happen.
blueviolet at 4:33PM on 03/09/08
I once got a fortune that said "You will do well in basketball today". Well, I don't even play basketball so, suffice it to say, it did not come true! ;-)
maryte at 4:35PM on 03/09/08
'you will receive a fortune cookie.'
hedgehog at 4:38PM on 03/09/08
I had just met a guy I really liked. We were eating Chinese - sitting on opposite sides of the table.
My fortune said: Look no further, love is right across from you.
We have been together for 11 1/2 years and married for 5.
susitravl at 4:59PM on 03/09/08
"Out of fortunes!"
saturdaynightfever at 5:14PM on 03/09/08
that I would win some money, which never happened
agordon10 at 5:16PM on 03/09/08
Although I've never had a fortune cookie that altered reality as I know it, I do love the ones that promise money, romance, and success.
elysek at 5:22PM on 03/09/08
Fortune will shine upon you. Hasn't happened yet.
susan1215 at 5:27PM on 03/09/08
I've gotten some pretty odd fortunes. Once I got one that said "You Would Make a Good Lawyer". Well, I considered law school, but chose a different career.
fangirl at 5:29PM on 03/09/08
i think it said something like "you will overcome a great feat" and then you add the phrase "in bed" and it becomes confusing and interesting, hmmmm
samanthapayntr at 5:59PM on 03/09/08
i tried using the lotto numbers that it has on the back, it didn't work :{
anniehall4000 at 6:01PM on 03/09/08
"things are okay"
but they weren't, fortune cookie lie?
somewheres in Atlanta, GA
intheyearofthepig at 6:06PM on 03/09/08
"You're going to meet someone special." Not true.
deedleweedle at 6:24PM on 03/09/08
I had one that I kept in my desk for years and it gave me great satisfaction. I retired and moved and now, several years later, I can't remember what it was. Not good.
toastworthy at 6:37PM on 03/09/08
My most memorable fortune cookie was one that told me I would get a great new job. I did. the fortune came true!
fshapiro at 6:46PM on 03/09/08
my most memorable fortune cookie contained the winning lotto numbers. Unfortunately I didn't play them. If I had I would have won the pick five that day.
Oh well.
teechbiz at 7:12PM on 03/09/08
It was something about getting rich. I'm still poor so I guess it didn't come true. YET!
LINDALSHOT at 7:15PM on 03/09/08
you will have a great day and i did!
jmahurin40 at 7:20PM on 03/09/08
"Everyone agrees you are the best" - did it come true? do i even have to tell you?
chromiumman at 7:37PM on 03/09/08
come on guys - they're fun to read but rather like astrology!
gorzd at 8:24PM on 03/09/08
When I was a kid, the fortune cookies were a mixture of good and bad fortunes. I miss that - I had one that said something like, "Peril lurks around the corner". I was scared %&^*less, but i was like 9 years old. I wish they'd bring that back, they're all too nicey-nice now.
ky2here at 8:44PM on 03/09/08
you will be rich........not yet!
mousitch at 8:46PM on 03/09/08
"Make your decision now." I didn't.
mcnerd at 9:07PM on 03/09/08
"Pleasures await you by the seashore." Not yet.
MajaMeza79 at 9:08PM on 03/09/08
"You are very lucky"...well, yes, as a cancer survivor I consider myself very lucky!
pancak at 9:09PM on 03/09/08
I got one once that read, "buy more fortune cookies!" uhhh ok...
nat85 at 9:21PM on 03/09/08
My most memorable fortune said: Help! I'm stuck in a Chinese factory!
verbafacio at 9:28PM on 03/09/08
today will bring a smile upon your face, and it came true just by reading it, lol.
JennVozik at 9:49PM on 03/09/08
My Korean friend and I visited a Chinese restaurant five years ago. Following lunch, we "intuitively" picked our fortune cookies and read them to one another. Mine said, "You will soon win a reward." The next day, my entry was chosen in a raffle, and I won $500 in cash -- enough to pay most of the rent I was sweating about. I still smile when I drive past the restaurant.
skytoucher
skytoucher at 10:04PM on 03/09/08
I can't recall ever getting a memorable one.
ladyvon5845 at 10:12PM on 03/09/08
I was at a Chinese New Year party this past year. My godmother's end of the meal is always highlighted by the fortune cookies. Enclosed in mine was "your job will bring new surprises!". Unbeknownest to me, I was up for a mid-year evaluation two weeks later. It was a good review. Thanks for this opportunity!
elsmarlouamrman at 10:13PM on 03/09/08
Focus on the color purple as it will bring me luck!
mrstrooper at 10:18PM on 03/09/08
Mine simply said "relax" it wasn't really a fortune so I don't know why it was in a fortune cookie but I got it on a day that I was in a very bad mood and very tense and after getting it I had a good laugh and it did remind me to relax.
annette21 at 10:42PM on 03/09/08
A couple weeks ago I opened my fortune cookie with anticipation and there was NO fortune in it! And it's come true - I've got nothing!
ScoobyPebb at 10:45PM on 03/09/08
Can't say I remember any, but I can never resist them. Whenever we get them, we go around the table and read our fourtune aloud and add to end of our fortune "...in bed" just to add some fun.
mchow at 10:53PM on 03/09/08
I had a fortune that said " He who laughs last is laughing at you." Wow...
shou2005 at 11:00PM on 03/09/08
I don't remember any specific fortunes from any cookies I had. I usually stick them in my purse and put them in my husbands lunch box the next day. I remember him calling me one day and telling me his said something about him "getting lucky tonight". Let's just say that one didn't come true. LOL
Gracie at 11:15PM on 03/09/08
I can't recall any specific fortune, but I know I am always disappointed when the cookie has a proverb written inside it instead of a fortune!
nesta67 at 11:34PM on 03/09/08
hmmm, funniest one was just in Chinese characters, so I had no idea what it said!!
haomom at 11:56PM on 03/09/08
My favorite isn't from a real cookie, it was a cartoon, probably from a magazine like the New Yorker. It showed a cracked open cookie with the fortune "Ignore previous cookie."
Lilly Tao at 1:19AM on 03/10/08
A friend asks only for your time, not your money. Enuff said on that subject. LOL Thanks for giving us the chance to win.
bndraldy at 2:37AM on 03/10/08
"You will travel far," but I'm still waiting.
clc408 at 6:39AM on 03/10/08
I have saved one that said all my dreams would come true and so far most of them have!
meredith13 at 7:38AM on 03/10/08
I keep one that says: "You will always find happiness" taped to my bathroom mirror. Seeing it makes me feel happy, so I guess it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
daisy at 8:25AM on 03/10/08
"LUCK WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU DO." and yes. It's pretty much true every day.
lotswife at 9:17AM on 03/10/08
"Your attention to detail annoys your friends" and it does ! that is my favorite fortune cookie i have kept it for years!
love2cook at 9:17AM on 03/10/08
Help, I am being held captive in a cookie factory.
idahomom at 9:26AM on 03/10/08
Your success is only limited by your imagination. I have always remembered this advice. It has helped me strive for my goals.
garrettsambo at 9:31AM on 03/10/08
I've gotten some good ones, but the one that always sticks in my mind is the one my dad got that simply said, "You have missed the boat."
sidebernie at 9:40AM on 03/10/08
Getting no fortune in my cookie happened a few times last year. It troubled me for some reason, I guess like a superstition, until my hubby said the reason you get no fortune is because you make your own destiny happen. I really liked that and now I smile when the fortune is missing from the cookie!
ladypawnbroker at 9:51AM on 03/10/08
"You will step foot on many lands!"
Yet to come true, but I hope it does!
atreau at 10:00AM on 03/10/08
"Happier days are ahead, struggle has ended"
just got this from a FB fortune cookie.. the reassurance is much appreciated :)
economyrice at 10:12AM on 03/10/08
A few days before my wedding I received a fortune that said "A nice cake is waiting for you." That's not nearly as funny as some of the ones I've gotten, but it was very appropos.
Stufsocker at 10:33AM on 03/10/08
I always get the kind of fortune that offers advice, rather than actually predicting anything. One of my favorite has been "He who walks fast can not walk with dignity." Since I'm a bit of a klutz, and I walk very quickly, it was quite fitting.
Ancientgirl at 10:37AM on 03/10/08
Said I'd travel abroad and soon after I ended up, with no advanced planning and most unexpectedly, in China---of all places!
raspberrypicker at 10:42AM on 03/10/08
Every time my dad opened a fortune cookie, he would read it and yell out, "you're getting lucky tonight!" --- Don't know if it came true, but it was sure embarassing for me as a teenager!
kylad at 10:47AM on 03/10/08
You will met a friend today.
imjasonc at 10:50AM on 03/10/08
You will become rich....
I'm waiting
suprizeme at 10:56AM on 03/10/08
"Your personal finances will be greatly improved." Not so much.
amburke1978 at 11:04AM on 03/10/08
"You are entering a period of great luck." Yeah, it has come true, in soooo many ways. :~)
mrsesquilo at 11:17AM on 03/10/08
It wasn't a cookie that I got, but a relative proposed by inserting "Will you marry me" into a fortune cookie.
pookywookyster at 11:18AM on 03/10/08
Man with one chopstick goes hungry.
schnitzel at 11:38AM on 03/10/08
A dark haired woman will soon be giving you a gift.
salty at 11:40AM on 03/10/08
You are a leader among men.
(What about women?)
I am still stuggling to lead my family, heading off revolutions, coup's and such. :-)
hungrylikethewolf at 11:48AM on 03/10/08
It was empty. I think i was supose to make my own fate.
tisaynababae at 11:56AM on 03/10/08
Well, my parents told me about a time when I opened a cookie that said 'you will soon have a mouthful of silver' and I was actually going in that weekend to have silver caps put on my teeth. Scary? True? Hmmm.
cowleyh at 11:58AM on 03/10/08
"congratulations! you have won a weekend with warren beatty.
{offer expires january 17, 1984.}
i'll leave you to guess whether it came true or not.
cybercita at 12:20PM on 03/10/08
I once got a fortune that said "Old friends will return to you" and then a couple of weeks later my husband and I got word that our best friends were moving to the city we were living in at the time. It was the only time that I know of my fortune coming true.
psychsarah at 12:31PM on 03/10/08
"Smile if you like this fortune" - and it came true.
binlu at 12:32PM on 03/10/08
Not a memorable fortune, but I did have quite a memorable incident with an old boyfriend that began with being fed a fortune cookie..
Ravara at 12:43PM on 03/10/08
"You need not worry about your future"...
Well... we'll see.
But they could mean it's because I don't have a future. Fortune cookies are like that.
Jennalynn at 12:52PM on 03/10/08
The most memorable fortune I recieved was........."Alas, this is not a very fortunate fortune cookie." I had a flat tire waiting for me when I left the restaurant.
Boscompb at 1:19PM on 03/10/08
Here's mine................ " Soon you will be siting on top of the world."
Haven't made it there yet, but I am forever hopeful!
gregsmom at 1:25PM on 03/10/08
I don't know exact wording, but I always get wealth or money ones. Sadly they never come true, lol
momof2ballerinas at 2:06PM on 03/10/08
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roboppy at 2:46PM on 03/10/08