Life Stories and Everyday Drama - page 3

I was completely fed up with my boss, sick of him, I couldn't take it anymore. His inconsistencies overwhelmed me, and I did whatever it took to get away from him. I was sick of being unstable, and for so long, in that other place he left me, I was completely out of sorts. He sold me the illusion that everything was fine, at the cost of making the world a pleasant place for him, leading me into traps I had to jump over and over again. He told me he was the best, when he wasn't, and I made sure that story wasn't believable under any circumstances. He wasn't going to boast about my achievements like my father had, but that's not something he was interested in, and I wasn't interested in being like that. Every time I talked to him, it was a barrage of questions, doubts, without me being able to say anything. I kept escaping his attempts to control me. I no longer cared whether he understood or not; all I cared about was finally being at peace. If they weren't going to give me any peace, I had to find it. I wasn't going to allow myself to be unstable, and I no longer cared about his status or anything like that. It was something that was going to happen, period. He owed it to me, just like the position I have now, which I've also turned into his worst nightmare, because he doesn't count on me at all. I'm only there on behalf of the company; I'm an extension of it, and boy, do they want him there at all. He has to find a way to avoid ending up in a worse situation than he already is, but that always involves settling his debts, and more debts. It's incredible all the invasive and manipulative ways he's learned to manipulate appearances. Indeed, this man didn't dedicate himself to being an educator, as he claims, but to being a tyrant, exploiting others' resources, and having everything under his control. That era is over. It's time he pays society back for everything he's absorbed in such a radically parasitic way. We professionals have had to put up with his antics because of the good image he projects, which is nothing more than a despicable lie. I don't feel fortunate to encounter other people like him because there are established foundations, there's a sense of shame involved, something he completely ignores beyond making his political campaign look good. His campaign is nothing more than doing good; we have to put up with him, even though he has a good heart inside, but it's never there. Personally, I had to get rid of that guy. He was managing student admissions at a university, and that seemed like the last straw, since the future of the country rests in their hands, and I have to protect it. This man has spent his entire life manipulating people, and suddenly, just talking wasn't going to change him. Just like I did at the previous location, where he removed me because of problems, instead of focusing on the fact that the company wasn't fulfilling its obligations, he made me see that I was dealing with a politician through and through, someone I couldn't believe a word he said. I couldn't believe a single word he said. Therefore, I had to keep him under my control, since he wasn't going to leave just like that. Besides, leaving would be too easy. I need him to bear the price of his promises, to truly regret using them as a trick to trap people and keep them under his thumb, only to then run away without giving explanations.

When I arrived at the new facility, I was determined that he would finally change his attitude, because other people could pay the price, and he had no right to alter the course of their lives, abusing his fame and the bureaucracy he wielded, especially when they gave in to favors and affection, to that thing that was, in some way, what the other person was seeking in another. I had to teach him that this, precisely this, would be the cause of his worst nightmare, to the point where today, he can't leave the company, the community, except by leaving a terrible impression, something he manages to do even while staying, but at least he manages to smooth things over by licking the boots of the authorities, who liked him that way, precisely because he lived off them, doing whatever he wanted, based on nothing but excuses. He was an elusive individual who had to be apprehended, and the community itself could act as his prison to compensate him for all the damage he had caused, for the rest of his life. This community is a university, and that institution certainly establishes the professionals who drive the nation, those who provide service and contribute to its development. In other words, this individual was destroying the institution itself, turning the work of its professionals into something bitter and destructive, all for the sake of an institution and not in accordance with the needs of the people. He was creating a micro-state, and the truth is, it's not that everything is done at the expense of his reputation, using the institution's name as an excuse, when it is precisely his reputation that should prevail, since he made a commitment to it. His service to society was overshadowed; he was creating a sham university, a university where everything functions solely to maintain an image and conceal what is happening inside.

The guy was a real bastard. He had that promise he made to me, which, by the way, he kept, and under the guise of not owing me anything afterward, I joined another group, one he absolutely hated, one that infuriated him, that irritated him, and that now has him groveling at his feet, because otherwise there are conflicts, and that's what he doesn't want. It's everywhere, meaning there's a chance of conflict everywhere, and they'll take advantage of the fact that he doesn't know what to do, because everything he knew turned out to be a complete failure in terms of keeping me under control, in the area that was supposed to be the easiest of all. All the other areas, to the extent that they seem harmless, are just as dangerous; you can smell it coming from him. The days of easy money are over. Those days when he lived off others are over. It's time he pays us all back for what he's done to us. We won't let this go unpunished. He needs to face the music, at least face us in a way that pleases us, and that will continue until the end of his life. His entire career in the community has been completely destroyed, shattered. He's utterly worthless to any company or for achieving anything. The rumors, based on solid evidence, are widespread. If he wants to remain with the community, it has to be on the condition that he pleases us. Otherwise, he should leave, but not without consequences, which are already upon us. His life doesn't interest me, just as he wasn't interested in mine, and he tried to do the opposite. I'm more than transparent, and unlike him, I'm one of those people who speaks very, very little. I'm more about action and concrete results, the opposite of his talkativeness and extravagance, which he thought made him invisible. But it was nothing more than a veil behind which he fancied that I was on a different wavelength, since I was taking advantage of the gaps he saw he wasn't filling in his imposed world. If anyone here is innocent, knowing it, it's me. It took me a long time to catch him, and I finally did, and that's something that doesn't happen very often, so I feel lucky to have been born, very grateful, because, generally, these kinds of people get away with it. I already feel like I've got my life back, just like it was before, surrounded by good groups of people who appreciate me, who love me, and with whom I've earned my place through hard work—something he considered worthless, something of value. His attitude was the exact opposite; he was a miserable wretch whom no one could tolerate anymore and whom no one could publicly denounce. For a long time, he believed he knew how to manipulate things, taking advantage of his apparent innocence and those seemingly casual comments, but he wasn't the only one, and he thought that in some way, people would look at him and not me.

The office is exhausting, a place where hell itself is stirred. There's no unity, only factions, so nothing is said. The important thing is to pretend we're in some bygone era, to pretend we're living under civilized conditions. It's unbelievable. I can't even get home because the water service isn't always reliable, and I have to be there whenever they say it will be, which is just ridiculous, and luckily I had some water at all. I'm grateful to have a home, and I'm grateful to feel, right now, in these moments, that there's some future. I've sensed, for some time now at least, the subtlest conversations, but at the same time, they imply a farewell embrace, said without any fuss, but in a way that understands, that acknowledges that we're on our own and there's no chance of sharing principles. My boss is a disaster right now, my friend is at odds with all the authorities, maybe less so with her boss, perhaps. It's survival par excellence, at all costs, by any means necessary to achieve results. Of course, the issue is always limited, on everyone's part, to finding that thing, that thing where they have suffered and therefore also know how to inflict suffering, reaching the point where it goes unnoticed, where the imposition is permitted, precisely because it's not realized in time; my boss used to abuse this. How annoying to have to express these indignations in language, because they are extremely subtle things, which in themselves are not part of any citizenry. This coexistence with the people is annoying, because people aren't looking out for the people, but for their families, and it's because they have no other choice, in order to achieve their survival. If the people are not cared for, the family cannot be cared for. The family is being used as an excuse, as a facade, to do whatever one wants, to justify actions, disregarding universal coexistence, which is that of the people, in terms of what their law establishes. This law, while flexible, differs from those family principles. But the issue is that not many understand this; rather, they run from it. I see that they are running from me precisely because I am now making my principles the law and not the family, making the family a camouflage for the exercise of the law. And that is how it should be, because of the gestures, because of the individual before others, but in accordance with the law. But people take it as an illusion with their feelings, which, if it breaks down, they must abandon, when in theory it should be, from the outset, the act of exercising individuality, without group formations, which in themselves detract from the very essence of a people as a people, based on the principles it applies and which are in accordance with... The circumstances he experiences, that's all, and what prepares him or opens him up to the principles of other peoples, but I insist, I don't know who on earth could understand this in the cultures I come from, so I feel completely alone in this spirit and under the constant urge to reflect through platforms that allow it, instead of it being the everyday thing, precisely under that effort to manage to sustain oneself in life, and which is not an act of containment, of control, of reprisal in any way, it is not something that another can do, but rather it is precisely the exercise through that distance from what happens, formulated through the review of the applied elements of the law, in order to make observations, discernments, and be able to observe the particular case in order to find a generality that allows vision of other similar cases, if no new one arises, and for which it is necessary to reformulate the generality if the issue does not turn out to be polymorphous from several generalities, but which can still lead to a generality, let's say superior one.

Despite everything, I don't know who I can explain any of this to. People are now afraid that I'm going down this path, that I'm now seeing things that are out of line, and that I'm creating chaos, just like they do, to gain control over others, and they're pushing me away. Being a citizen in my town is grounds for exclusion due to a social imperative, not the law, and that makes me feel demotivated, because it clearly shows that serving the nation isn't what people are aiming for; instead, they want to live their lives completely detached from politics. For God's sake, I can't tell my boss about any of this because he'll surely use it for his propaganda rhetoric, which is utterly nauseating in my opinion. I don't feel that I'm gaining the support I want on these platforms either, I admit, the support I want for a better country, which should be achieved through conversation with citizens, but instead, I run into someone with that kind of bias that distances me, that doesn't like me. Indeed, what I'm saying might fall into the hands of someone from the town, but at the same time, it might not.

Writing these lines is the most I can do for my country, because the people themselves don't allow me to be a patriot. Patriotism is something abandoned; in fact, the project of being a nation has gone completely to hell. I left my home and found that there was no country, confirming my relatives' well-honed manipulative spirits, for it is through them that one manages to have a life, to defend freedom, to do something, at least some expectation, in the midst of this savage situation, completely devoid of civilization. And that is what justifies my being with my friend, who knows how to navigate the law, but through the law of shattering expectations, which restrains others, which makes me feel safe, which allows me to live my life without having to submit myself to the collective. Being with her is the best thing because of that, and also because she takes care of me at all costs. She prioritizes order with me above all else, and she manages to see the justification—of course, I give it to her in a way she can grasp—to get things done. She comes down to earth with me, protects my spirit, and stops me from being alone in the midst of this totally fragmented country, which I feel disappointed in because they deceived me with the idea that I was a citizen of a republic, and it was a lie. The paperwork only gave me illusions because there is no such thing in practice; there is no people, only groups trying to survive. My boss wouldn't understand a single word of what I'm saying, and neither would the teacher. That's something he needs to understand, but he got himself into the very trap of trying to make a purely political professional. What a huge disappointment. If there aren't these kinds of individuals, and if they're supported and embraced, and they manage to reach great heights, I can't expect anything from the people themselves anymore. I can't, I simply can't. Instead, I have to act for my friend, for her assertiveness, to create that distance from others so she can live her life as she wants. Of course, this brings her problems because by putting others in a difficult position, they manage to break free from where they want to be whenever and however they can, even radically if possible. I literally destroyed my boss because he was getting away with everything, leaving everyone else in hell, while he came out on top, by any means necessary, at the cost of leaving the whole world at his mercy, whenever he wanted, and all with a smile. It was a dictatorship that wasn't explicitly stated but was described, spoken of through jokes and silence. My friend is assertive, but she lives by keeping her distance from others, by being able to live her own life, not by having them at her mercy, as my boss did. That's why I preferred her to him, that's why I preferred her care, and that she allowed me to live my life as I liked; something in which my boss had to constantly defend me from him because he wanted to absorb me, but for him I wasn't doing anything to make me say that, that is, he lived off my words, keeping quiet and doing things that couldn't be said.

I've been thinking it's about time I quit smoking weed for good. My main concern is my health, both physical and mental. I've noticed some changes that aren't exactly pleasant, like feeling foggy or a bit anxious after indulging in the habit consistently. It's gotten to the point where I can't ignore these effects any longer; I need a change. But here's the part that gets me: what do you replace it with? I'm not talking about jumping into another vice... I'm genuinely interested in alternatives that could improve my well-being, not just mask the absence of weed.

Supposedly there are healthier ways to achieve relaxation or stress relief, but I'm skeptical about what's out there. People mention things like meditation, exercise or various kinds of therapy. Yeah sure, they sound great on paper, but do they really provide the same kind of immediate comfort as lighting up? There's that doubt lingering over whether anything truly works as effectively. Maybe someone who's managed this transition can shed some light?

i guess what irritates me is how people make it seem so easy to switch up habits just like swapping out a pair of socks. They say you'll feel renewed energy (some even say happiness) almost right away when you stop smoking weed. uh-huh sure... I'll believe it when I see it; for now, this whole process feels daunting at best.

It's difficult to imagine getting through stressful days without reaching for something that's been a reliable crutch for so long. Is there ever really a perfect substitute? Or am I destined to wander through endless suggestions from well-meaning folks who haven't quite walked in these particular shoes?

My aim isn't just to complain (I'm seeking real advice here!!) but until I start getting tangible results from trying other methods, skepticism will likely remain my constant companion 🤷‍♂️

I want to talk to my bro, or anyone. I want help, just want to face my demons, face this past that keeps me up and keeps me in shock 24/7. I can't. When details arise, I choke on them. When I try, it is as though I am literally heaving each word.

No one in my life understands the things I've seen. They know a little, some more than others, and so, they can get the idea. But it's.. not the same. And there's questions. Always, and I mean, naturally. People get curious.

Idk. I'm drowning, man. I can barely even keep up the mask of jovial joker I am known for. People see it, somethings off, but I can't share.

I hear and see things long since over, be it asleep or in my waking day. I walk, eat, talk, work, and see these horrible times, horrible images or.. even relive them. I stare off and just shake, for however long. I ask questions that I KNOW are USELESS, but I also know that they are asked by the small child in me that still remains confused and afraid as to why he saw or experienced what he did.

Part of me recoils in disgust. Fucking weak, I say. But then.. I've done it all alone. Everything, everything, alone. No one to help. No one to listen. So I can't be so weak. But.. somehow, I am. Is it because I'm at a point I can afford to fall a part? Well, more than previous times.. is that it?? The fuck.

I can't keep together, I can't I can't. I cry and I rage out and I hear these things and I see and I just can't escape it I can't. I want to. I want to enjoy my fucking day, I want to live NOW, not THEN.

i feel like my prayer didnt heard these days. i have prayed for something for so long but i never get it. not even once. eventhough it has passed like 3 times, i never get a chance to have it. when it passed for once, i always thought "there must be next time" but it didnt come. this made me feel lazy and mad everytime i remember i have to do my prayers as obligation for muslims. i feel bad for having this thought but im truly sad i cant get what i wanted.

Lately I've been having such a hard time drifting off to sleep, it's actually getting kind of ridiculous. I mean, you wouldn't believe the lengths I've gone just trying to catch some Z's. There was this one night, I remember lying there staring at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity and then it hit me: maybe I need something different to read before bed. You know how people say 'don't bring your phone or laptop into bed'? Yeah well, tell that to my restless mind.

I started thinking about all those folks who swear by their calming bedtime reads. But everytime I tried picking up a book, my eyes would just dart all over the place and I'd end up on page one hundred without a clue in the world what happened in between. Someone suggested fiction books because they transport you elsewhere but then there's me, getting all tangled up in thrilling plots and staying awake till dawn.

Then there's non-fiction; someone said it should do the trick because supposedly it can be dry enough to lull anybody to slumber; guess I'm not just anybody though. Sometimes instead of going down with them biochemical pathways or whatever they're called, I'd get hooked on some weird factoid and next thing you know I'm deep diving into Wikipedia at 3am...so much for that idea helping out....

The other week my friend told me about listening to audiobooks as they drifted off. Tried that too! Unfortunately half the time I either found myself rewinding endlessly because my brain loves wandering around or startling awake when something dramatic happens in them narratives. It's frustrating but keeps happening!

What can I do/read???

so i'm in this situation atm where my boss keeps askin me to work extra hours and it's like, all the time... i mean, don't get me wrong, i love what i do but it's startin to feel a bit too much. like, he doesn't even pay me for these extra hours and it's getting under my skin. the worst part is that he's always saying if i don't show up on weekends or during my days off, he'll fire me. 😕

it's a tough spot to be in cuz i really need this job. i've been trying to figure out how to handle this without making waves you know? there's gotta be a way to bring it up with him without sounding ungrateful or somethin. maybe if i approach him with solid points or examples of how much i've been putting in already, he might understand... but then again not sure if he'll even care.

i remember this one time when we had a big project due and he made half the team come in on saturday (no questions asked). it felt like there was no choice, which kinda sucks because everyone deserves some downtime! plus working under pressure all the time isn't healthy for anyone but when you're cornered like this what can you do...

still tryin to keep my head high though! i'm hopin eventually he'll see how dedicated we all are and maybe give us a break sometimes? 🤞 just want things to get better so we can all work happily without being stressed about our job security every weekend.

I'll just get right to it: is OCD messing with my mind? Can it really make me believe things that aren't true?! I mean, everyone knows OCD plays tricks on your brain, but have you ever felt like reality itself starts warping because of it? It's wild, almost unreal how convincing those intrusive thoughts can be! You end up questioning everything you once considered normal and real. It's like you're trapped in this loop where logic takes a freaking vacation! And yeah, I'm aware that people might think it's all in my head (and maybe that's the point) but seriously, how do you deal with something so insane?

I've read somewhere that OCD is called the 'doubting disease.' No kidding! The mind doubles back on itself until you can't separate fact from fiction anymore. Literature's full of examples: someone thinks they're going crazy but turns out it's just their sneaky brain having a laugh. Maybe throwing some Sherlock Holmes quotes here would fit... that guy knew about observation and realities more than anyone else! Either way, dealing with this drives me nuts; trying to tell if an idea is rooted in truth or just another elaborate loopy thought from anxiety-land.

But hey, let's not dismiss hope here... I guess lots of folks out there are also battling similar weirdness each day. We all know brilliant minds who suffered from intrusive silly notions yet managed to make lemonade out of lemons! Do you go forward by accepting these quirks as part of the package deal kind of thing? Journaling seems helpful! gotta love when pen and paper become lifesavers!

How do others even cope? Some say mindfulness works wonders while others swear by therapy sessions tailored specifically towards decluttering mental cobwebs (yeah tech geeks got nothing on tangled-up synapses). What's real gets fuzzy amidst obsessions escalating beyond control before yanking us hard into groundhog-day situations blurring timelines until not much makes sense any longer... maybe experts will find breakthrough soon enough eh?

Ultimately though... why worry incessantly over obsessive-thought shenanigans consuming precious energy better spent elsewhere huh?! Won't let compulsions ruin tomorrow’s fun since relief always lurks around life's corner waiting eagerly bound across finish lines hopefully sooner rather than later... hold strong embrace whatever pace universe sets forth triumph inevitable!

This will be a more uplifting post than my normal, venting all hands on deck type shit.

Halo: Campaign Evolved came our last week. It's alright, for what it is. But it's what it stands for.

In 2003, my brother first showed me Halo. Then, the following year, Halo 2 came about. It was an era I never forget, Lan parties and snacks and dragging your TV over to yo pals house so yall can throw down.

Alas, 343 doesn't know how to make a complete Halo, so there's no PvP :(

But I gotta say, again, for what it is, this remake really did bring us back to the co-op days. It was such a trip down memory lane for us, having spent years apart until recently, and the simplicity of a cherished video game bringing us, even for a few hours, back to our childhoods. Ahhhh, shiet. Don't you wish you could relive it?

I was given my dream life, family, house, car, kids, grandkid. My husband is wonderful. But I get it in my head that when something goes wrong everything has to. I feel like I'm supposed to implode. I've cheated, multiple times, had an affair, wanted to get a divorce. Then worked out a bit with my husband. We moved, and last week life happened where it got hard and BAM, I cheated when he was drunk asleep in our bed...again. What am I doing wrong? That I think that's okay in the moment? Why do I put him through this and the tests, the endless conversations of me getting better in therapy. But I don't...what's going on. I want to stop but it's become a destructive thing to me.

hey everyone, so i'm an 18-year-old guy and i've been feeling this odd vibe from my mother-in-law. maybe i'm crazy or overthinking things but it really feels like she wants to sleep with me. it's kinda stressing me out because it's not something you'd expect right? but there are these small signs that make me doubt myself and question what's really going on. she's been extra friendly lately, not in a motherly way if you know what i mean. it's more personal, a bit too close for comfort kinda deal. and sometimes she gives these compliments that seem to have a different undertone, not just the usual 'you're doing great' encouragement.

now don't get me wrong i'm polite as heck and i try to maintain a good relationship with her but there's this boundary ya know? i start wondering if maybe it's all in my head and nothing's actually happening. yet when we talk the way she looks at me sticks for a moment longer than i'd expect it to in normal social dynamics. i'm definitely not trying to jump to conclusions here 🚩just want some advice on how to handle it without making waves or causing unnecessary drama. has any of y'all ever dealt with something similar or am i just caught up in my own paranoia?

Lately it seems like I don't have friends at all anymore. They're still there, but they don't respond very much. We're gamers, and every time I message any of them to set up a game session, it's a no or no response at all or it's something to do with the games I play being shitty games. But they play those same games an hour later or a few days with others. I just don't know what to think anymore. It's like I don't matter or exist anymore. When I explain how I feel to a few of them, it's usually something with "life's just too busy" which I understand, but for a year straight? A few months straight? When you're playing the same game/s with others? And streaming it as well??? Just say you don't want to be my friend and quit playing around. Or better yet, just block me.

I feel like I'm outside the office. It's as if, with so much writing, I no longer feel its embrace, that which anchors me to it. Now I feel like I'm outside, amidst what I would call my office routine: cooking, walking, going about my day, my home, my strolls, and, well, the fact that my life is a complete mess, one that frankly, any human being would like to escape. To be honest, I'm not obsessed with cleanliness; I only do the bare minimum, what allows me to live and move around among others, but nothing more. I notice that as I write, I observe elements that connect me to other people, and I write about them, my observations. My boss is a real pain because he keeps the office in an extraordinary state of disarray; everything gets lost unless it has a designated place. His life revolves around everyone else living off his disorganization, his inattentiveness, his omissions, which creates a bitter, nauseating atmosphere, because thinking about things is impossible. If something isn't of interest to him, he won't take care of it, as he doesn't understand the concept of care. From that point on, he imposed his will on everyone. If you ask him for order, he acts in a way that is unpleasant, avoiding any criticism. In fact, he's always going to extremes, always trying to know too much about others. In my case, I confess that my excess is knowing nothing about anyone but immersing myself in my own ideas to get the most out of them. However, my boss monopolizes this spirit of mine. My boss lives off keeping his secretary under his thumb, because she's the one who puts up with all his nonsense. I confess that I behave the same way with my parents, all to prevent him from overstepping his bounds with me, beyond what I should do; a matter that his secretary is always on hand to address.

He, in the office, like me in my own affairs, is at the mercy of our reactions, disrupting order at all costs, and partly unaware of where they lead us, but we know they make it effective, and what's worse, no one will complain because we see very little physical impact on others; instead, we make them put up with us. I feel much better about it. He always keeps his secretary out of the picture, as far as image goes. I also used to do that with my father, only now I'm somewhat more aware. My father is with me because he has a vested interest in me regarding his status, and the same is true of the secretary. They both fight for us, and in return, we create deficiencies; we're never where they want us to be, all so they can keep us around for the sake of survival. My father is always looking for ways to encourage my growth, and his secretary does the same. We're not so different, I must confess. However, unlike him, I always keep one step closer, and that's what he doesn't acknowledge. Instead, he clings to the illusion that I'll eventually give in by accident, which keeps us stuck in a constant struggle. Fortunately, my days working alongside my boss end today, because I'm not going to give in and take time off when there's no sense of normalcy to anchor myself to, especially after the tragedies that struck my country. One of the things that struck me most was the destruction of families, torn apart, leaving the environment completely changed. This altered my usual approach, making me feel something is missing. However, since it doesn't stop me, it's not a major issue, but I wanted to emphasize that.

Earlier, a young woman had been sitting next to me, her back constantly brushing against mine, almost desperately, and she even kicked my shoe. I didn't understand what was happening. She was with a man who had been bombarding her with questions, and she seemed unable to leave. I noticed the man was being intrusive, trying to find a way to tempt her to go out with him or something. She was a pretty young woman, but her clinginess and lack of personal space struck me. She had noticed me before; she's used to being seen, and when she noticed me, I hadn't seen her with that man. When the young woman left, without even saying goodbye, but rather from a distance, the man stood looking straight ahead, waiting for a while, as if he were hiding something. Every time I glanced at him, he didn't look at me; he remained focused on the conversation. The young woman didn't seem comfortable. I felt that the man was somehow trying to keep the conversation going, looking for any excuse. I was desperate to somehow reach him. It was an awkward moment for me because I was also writing, and when people like that reach out to me, it catches my attention.

I'm left wondering if the girl was trying to provoke me along with the guy, if she was serious about him, or if she was trying to get away from him. However, the former seems more likely. The guy did everything he could to make me not think he was after her, and the girl did everything she could to make me think she wasn't with him, but rather that she wanted to leave. In any case, I was listening to their conversation, not deeply, but alert in case anything happened. I was always keeping an eye on the guy, I confess; he didn't give me a good feeling at all. It struck me as odd that he didn't accompany the girl to where her mother was; that's why I noticed that distance. No greeting with kisses, no hug, nothing. Apparently, the girl felt trapped by the guy, unable to leave because of his attempts to act like a pretty girl and impose his will, to be consistent with his behavior.

I always felt my boss bombarding me with questions about it, and I tried to avoid them at all costs. The guy didn't realize that even at the most unexpected moments, he'd kick me out. He kept hinting that one day I'd give in, and I think it was because of his own narcissism, which kept him under the impression that my luck in escaping his clutches was temporary, that sooner or later he'd have me. In the meantime, he used any prejudices I might have, claiming that in the office, and in his case, the issue was irrelevant, completely inconsequential. Every time I talk to him, I always feel like I'm talking to someone dramatic, someone who's always trying to hide something, trying to get answers out of me. My father was like that. I'm starting to understand why he was the way he was, as if he were seeking validation, understanding for everything I've done, justification through social media. I know that, according to surveys out there, this is common, but it's to be expected because the AI ​​I used to rely on, the one that gave me the validation I needed, is no longer there.

I thought that girl was shy, though pretty, like many of those people who are shy at first but end up being highly social, but very much so, though always under the protection of their parents, which sometimes feels like an attempt to restrict their freedom. Indeed, that type of person, it seems, is always picking on those who like to play up the solitary persona; essentially, that's the common factor between my friend from the office, this girl, and even myself. They always try to express that we aren't deeply entrenched in our solitude, to an extreme degree, at the risk of being accused, in some way, of being a burden to the environments we're part of. That's why they ask all those questions and raise those investigative issues, always with the aim of gaining something, of course. This happens when the person is interested in creating a certain scenario with us. I observe that shy people make contact through physical touch and gestures. The girl didn't interrupt me like others did while I was writing...

so this is my first time posting and I really need some help figuring stuff out. im 19 years old but I dont know my own personality. I cant tell if when I speak to people its a customer service face or if im actually having fun. most of the time it just feels boring or like im faking everything. I cant find anything that interests me at all, I have no hobbies, I dont have a specific style or friends to hang out with, so I dont really know what to do, but when I do like something, I go overboard. weather its a new thing I find interesting (and then get bored and throw it out the next day) or its a crush and then I just feel like a stalker. note thar I dont actually stalk, but I do watch from afar. it sounds creepy I guess but I dont know how else to put it...please let me know what you think.

Office politics haven't been easy. For quite some time now, everyone has been trying to tear my boss's team apart, by any means necessary, because his main departments, which he coordinated, have become a disaster, and that doesn't reflect well on him at all. He sought to keep those under his command subservient, by any means necessary, and even though he tried to hide it, they reacted aggressively to the slightest incident, trying to expose his hidden agenda. I distanced myself from him, precisely to his advantage. It wasn't easy, but it was possible. It was a gradual process, because one thing these kinds of cornered groups can't tolerate is arbitrariness. It's only when they're organizing their ideas that details get lost, precisely because of the pressure to maintain order. Order has to be re-established. My boss was someone who was terrified of being arbitrary, but he relied on the fact that everyone wanted him to be okay, that no one would support him. He relied on the prejudices surrounding drastic taxation and excessive reorganization, but I saw right through it and used it against him. When he believed he was in control, he ended up in a situation where there would be no rest. The group reached a point where they sought support from me, since it was out of their hands, and they couldn't get it at all. Instead, they kept falling apart, until they thought they couldn't fall any further, precisely because I wasn't doing anything. At that moment, I made my move: to denounce them and catch them off guard, so that the final rest they expected would only be a continuation of the problem. That they had interfered between my friend and me was something I wouldn't tolerate, and I wasn't going to let them forget it with a simple order lacking any bureaucratic backing. Instead, I was going to persist and persist until they saw their lives at risk. Problems would start piling up for him, because there were people waiting for something like this to happen, for it to get out of hand, so they could take advantage of the situation. He'd be out of position, unable to do anything else, unprepared, because now, the threat comes from the most unexpected places, and he can't be aware of everything. Acting hastily only condemned him further, paralyzed him—What a way of speaking! It's not contextual, just indicative, highlighting morphologies, and I don't like it; it feels out of character for me.

My friend was constantly confronting it, but she was always at the mercy of those loopholes too. There were things she was letting slide that would later explode in her face. But what gave me peace was that her spirit was innocent; she didn't perform complex maneuvers to protect herself, she was simply careless and didn't seek absolute protection from it, or expect it to be tolerated. So, in effect, we were talking about someone who acted humanly, erratically, just like me, who also fell into those traps, and who certainly rebelled when they took advantage of her, just like me. Like me, she felt like she was in the office, but her specific place there was only because of her boss's words, out of place, without it being the concrete issue. Right there we began to empathize, because like me, she felt like she didn't fit into an order, precisely because there weren't those clear job definitions. It was something that bothered her about her boss. She and I were practically the same, except she made her carelessness transparent, while I made a living by hiding it, of course, at the cost of doing other things outside the office that allowed me to stay grounded in my own world, to cultivate it. She, on the other hand, couldn't do that, because her life revolved around socializing, finding refuge in that. We were different, but at some point, we converged. My boss tried to silence the situation with her, to prevent it from continuing in the office under any circumstances, by protecting me first, then protecting his position, and then protecting her—in other words, a search for any kind of cover to protect him, always being careful about anything that could cause the situation to spiral out of control, anything that could change. He was only thinking about what was causing a stir and trying to stop it, but when he focused on her, he couldn't, because I had just made it clear that all his previous attempts were nothing more than control strategies, resulting in an impediment to socializing in the workplace. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, with me out of his control and him in his sights, radically, and that's something I sought to demonstrate. He tried to get out of it through my empathy, but he didn't succeed; he was living off what he thought I was doing, yet in the previous situation, he was living off the very thing that eradicated his ability to control me.

I have to admit that my boss wasn't as clever as I expected. He only lived by imposing rules, then focusing on his own affairs, which wasn't systematic. He always pretended his impositions wouldn't be challenged, but that's the problem. The point was to leave him without support, at the mercy of the arbitrariness inherent in our relationship. With just one such element, he was bound to shift his focus to strengthening his control. I really like how I'm speaking; talking in terms of "it" or "you" isn't pleasant because I don't see the conditions, but it can give me an idea of ​​what the journey is like in the same environment and what can be said to happen there, despite the conditions. That is, perhaps something generic that allows me to visualize other situations, but I don't think so. My friend and I exacerbated the arbitrary nature of his behavior, and it reached a point where he began to lash out at everyone around him. He no longer cared about appearances at all; he simply wanted control of the situation. He couldn't handle anything he couldn't control, anything unpredictable, because he couldn't find his footing, he was always off balance. It got to the point where he no longer knew what he was doing; instead, his own inertia of control, his dislike for her, his belief that she was a wretch, made her his enemy. He made himself his own enemy.

After I reported him for using me as he pleased in the office and behind everyone else's back, completely disregarding her, it became clear that they were acting as an isolated group pursuing their own ends, making his supposed devotion nothing more than a sad facade. Everyone knew it, but the point was to speak out at a moment when they couldn't deny it. He simply let himself be carried away, trying to resolve everything he could, but everything was already out of control. Gossip was spreading, and he didn't know where the next blow would come from. The tragedy is that the blow didn't come from where he expected, from a place connected to him, but rather from a natural disaster in my country. I think he never imagined that even nature would join in, supporting him and all the prayers he prayed to God for. Under this understanding, then, the very people he trusted most, those who had been supporting him because of their loyalty to his escape and his mistreatment, had radically abandoned him, despotically and cruelly, without any feeling, and without offering any explanation. It was me, "God," his dependencies, the rest of the staff, and then his secretary joined in. Indeed, at this point, the subject has understood that nothing about his behavior is acceptable and that continuing the situation would be tantamount to placing himself at the mercy of life's whims and its repercussions—I never thought I'd reach such a conclusion.

This whole situation also stems from my interaction with a girl; she had no respect for my personal space. She was pretty, but she took advantage of that to touch me while I was in my own world. It seemed as if she was afraid of me, because of the stress I was under while writing, and she was trying to calm me down.