Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

I share an apartment with two roommates, Mia and Nora. Living in our city is incredibly costly, and the only way we could afford to stay here was by splitting the rent for a three-bedroom apartment. None of us could manage on our own, and even a two-bedroom would have been too much.

Mia and I were both single when we moved in, while Nora was dating a guy named Max. He's the quiet, tidy type who even chips in for utilities since he's over quite often.

Recently, Mia began seeing Leo, who is a mutual friend of Nora and Max. Leo has made some uncomfortable comments towards me including remarks about my weight and inappropriate sexual questions. When I brought it up to Mia, she brushed it off saying he was just trying to be friendly. Nora and Max echoed her sentiment, attributing it to his bizarre sense of humor.

The tension escalated last week when I overheard Mia and Leo in the apartment's only bathroom, which happens to share a wall with my bedroom. It was clear they were intimate, and they left the shower in a mess. Nora was away visiting her parents, so the responsibility of cleaning fell on me.

I tried discussing my discomfort with Nora upon her return, hoping she’d understand. However, she's not one to confront issues, and she casually mentioned that now Mia knows how I feel, she probably wouldn't repeat her actions. Despite her reassurance, I felt she didn't grasp the seriousness of the situation. Since then, I've been distancing myself from Mia and Leo.

My relationship with Mia has deteriorated, and Nora’s neutrality seems to inadvertently support Mia, which makes me feel isolated. Considering all this, I thought about moving out. We had renewed our lease for another year right before I met Leo, and according to our estate agent, I couldn't break the lease unless there was a contract violation.

Feeling trapped, I revisited our lease agreement and found a clause stating that only registered tenants could reside in the flat for extended periods. I used this to argue that Mia’s boyfriend staying over was a breach, citing a corresponding increase in our utility bills as proof.

This move allowed me to legally exit the lease. However, it led to an unexpected outcome: the landlord decided to evict Mia and Nora for violating the lease terms. They were upset, claiming I had blindsided them and left them scrambling to find new accommodation by month's end. Fortunately, I can move back with my parents who live about an hour and a half away, but Mia and Nora don't have that option since they're from another city.

I never wanted them to be evicted; all I wanted was to remove myself from an uncomfortable living situation. But when ongoing issues are dismissed, and there’s a clear lack of communication, drastic measures sometimes become the only solution.

Imagine if this whole ordeal was captured on a reality TV show. The drama, the confrontations, and these pivotal decisions would certainly make for riveting television. Viewers might sympathize with the unbearable living conditions I had to endure or vilify me for my actions leading to my roommates' eviction. The dynamic and responses would be unpredictable yet intensely engaging.

Growing up, my mother had little understanding of nutrition. The rule of thumb in our household seemed to be that anything labeled as "diet" was automatically considered healthy, regardless of its actual nutritional content. Mornings usually started with a bowl of cereal, and by dinner, we leaned heavily on fast food or microwave-ready meals. Snacks were no better: an endless parade of cookies and sugary treats from brands like Little Debbie. By the time I finished high school, I weighed nearly 300 lbs.

My wife, Laura, grew up under the complete opposite regime. Her family avoided processed foods, maintaining a diet rooted in whole foods. Inspired by her, our family has adopted a similar approach to eating, focusing on natural, unprocessed meals.

It wasn't until a series of health crises that my mother began to see the impact of her dietary decisions. After suffering her third heart attack and peaking at nearly 400 lbs, Mom couldn't afford her rent and had to move in with us to recuperate. Despite visiting nutritionists several times, she still seems either perplexed by their advice or convinced that their recommendations aren't realistic, sometimes even suggesting the professionals were body-shaming her.

Recently, the situation has escalated. Mom has been secretly ordering unhealthy food through delivery apps like Instacart and Uber Eats. Worse still, she's been giving the same unhealthy foods to my kids. This week alone, she's bought them fast food from McDonald's three times.

When I noticed another delivery arriving at our house, that was the final straw. I intercepted the Happy Meals intended for my children and threw them straight into the trash, making sure to cover them with cleaner to prevent any second thoughts. When I confronted her, emotions ran high. Mom insisted she didn't understand the harm, pleading that one meal wouldn’t cause any damage. My response was stern: this lifestyle wouldn't continue under my roof, especially not with my children's health on the line. The argument ended with me seriously considering moving her into a nursing home, a decision she didn't take well, branding me a bully.

Reflecting on the confrontation, it’s difficult not to wonder how such a moment would unfold under the scrutinizing eyes of the public, say, on a reality show. Would viewers see me as an overreactive villain, or would they empathize with a desperate attempt to safeguard my family's health? The nature of reality TV, with its penchant for drama, could paint the encounter in extremes, potentially escalating the tension for ratings.

Was I wrong to react the way I did?

I woke up last weekend to a rude awakening. My parents decided to downsize to a smaller place—a choice I can somewhat understand for practicality’s sake—but they took it a step too far. They threw away every single one of my childhood toys. I’m 31 years old; I thought I had grown past the sentimental value of plastic action figures and stuffed animals. Apparently, I was wrong. The moment I found out, an overwhelming wave of nostalgia crashed over me.

I remember the first time I got my LEGO set. I spent hours constructing castles and spaceships, imagining epic battles and adventures. Those toys were more than just plastic; they were the building blocks of my imagination. The G.I. Joe figures had more strategic battles than most war movies, while my Hot Wheels collection was my first foray into competitive racing. I’m angry because my childhood was ripped away just like that. The toys were relics of a simpler time, encapsulating joy and creativity. Did they even consider the emotional ROI before discarding my collection?

It’s frustrating, really. How could they make such a decision without consulting me? "They don’t understand," I told one of my friends. "Parents think their kids just grow up and forget, but that’s not true." Those toys were symbols of my youth, representing treasured memories, laughter, and sometimes even solitude. I don’t think many adults really grasp that; the importance of childhood possessions often gets dismissed. It's usually just "junk" to them. I was in a state of absolute disarray when I found out; my emotional response was uncharacteristic for someone my age, and for a moment, I felt completely irrational. 🤬

Now, I find myself in a void, a vacuum devoid of those precious artifacts that sculpted my early years. I can't help but wonder if any of you have endured a similar fate. Have you lost your treasured childhood items too? What was it like for you when you realized your memories had vanished? Somewhere in all this, I'm left questioning what truly matters in life; is it the memories formed through interaction or the objects themselves? Just like that, my childhood toys were gone, and with them, a part of my identity seemed to vanish as well.

Hello, right now i’m in a very difficult period of my life. There’s a lot going on and if you’re willing to listen, i want to thank you for your time. Please note: I will talk about mental illness, sexual assault, divorce and

I’m a woman, turning 25 next month.

In 2015 my mother cheated on my father, I was 14 at the time. To this day, I regret telling my father what happened, but I thought and still think he deserved to know.

They wanted to divorce but stayed together, my father begged my mother to stay because I was depressed and he didn’t want to make it worse. That is why I regret my decision back in the day. But honestly, I think that was just an excuse, because when they tried again. I was left alone most of the time while they went clubbing, dinner, anything really. I’m an only child so it gets really lonely. Luckily my attempts failed because I’m still alive.

After that in 2023 my father cheated on my mother. They’ve been fighting a lot lately and I’ve been their “love therapist” they are fighting constantly and honestly, I don’t think it will ever work out now. They both fumbled.

At my previous job, I’ve been sexually assaulted. Unfortunately this is not the first time—that happened when I was 20.

So at my previous job I’ve been sexually assaulted twice. I’ve been called racial slurs which is also not okay, definitely not okay, but for me it’s bearable. But after being sexually assaulted, I’ve been afraid. At that time I had a boyfriend, and I felt really guilty because I couldn’t be intimate with him anymore and I knew it bothered him.

Since then I’ve been unemployed, I’ve been actively searching for jobs, yet I keep getting rejected. I know I should keep going and don’t lose hope, but getting rejected over and over really did something to my self esteem. Even jobs I’ve done before and have 3+ experience of, didn’t want me. I’ve applied for almost anything from restaurants to warehouse to office jobs to opticians and more. Right now I’m at that point where my social anxiety is really bad, picking up the phone has been very tough after I applied to jobs—resulting in me sabotaging my opportunities.

The worst thing is, I know what I have to do, yet I can’t make myself do it. I’ve been trying really hard.

My grandma has breast cancer, my aunt has two tumors in her head, and my now ex boyfriend was an alcoholic. My other ex cheated and used my money to gamble and the one before gaslighted me telling he would kill himself if I would break up with him.

I’ve been thinking of ending it, but I won’t. Because I can’t bring my parents more sadness than they’re already going through.

Just now, my recent ex and I had a fight. He was drunk and said a lot of things that hurt me. And since I’ve had a bad day already, that really pushed me over the edge—I relapsed. I feel guilty towards myself for giving in. I feel guilty by thinking of suicide. But I won’t give up yet, I want my last memories to be happy, before it’s time for me to leave.

Thank you for listening about what happened, these were moments that have scarred me the most and I struggle with the most. I wish I could go to therapy to work on myself, but it’s too expensive since I’m still unemployed.

Please don’t be mean to me, because I’m really not that strong. Thank you.

—S

i can't believe another year has come and gone, and here i am, 54 years old, sitting back and reflecting on the events of the past year. it's been a ride full of ups and downs, hasn't it? sometimes it feels like time just slips through my fingers, like sand in an hourglass. but guess what? i survived another one, and I have my health, my family, and somehow the world feels new again. seriously though, how good is it to be surrounded by your loved ones on new year's eve, right? we were all huddled up in the living room, telling stories and laughing like a pack of hyenas. you know those moments when you're just so happy you could burst? that's what it was like. everyone was in high spirits, and looking around, i couldn't help but feel incredibly blessed. and all of them were healthy, thank God! if i'm being honest, it's challenging at times not to worry about the future. there seems to be so much uncertainty, especially with everything happening around the world. you watch the news, and it's hard not to digest all the negativity that gets thrown at you. how many times have you caught yourself thinking, "what's next?" but then i remember the quote from that one song, "life's what you make it," and i think, if i focus on the positive, maybe, just maybe, things will turn out alright. 🙂 i'm sure you can relate. sure, i've got my fair share of regrets and wish i could hit rewind on a few decisions, but that's life, isn't it? you live and you learn. i remember my parents always saying, "don't sweat the small stuff," and i'm really starting to get that now. it's like, what's the point in stressing over things you can’t change? honestly, it's been eye-opening for me to just let things be and, as the classic beatles song goes, "let it be." there's a comfort in knowing that i'm not alone in my worries and thoughts. we’re all just trying to navigate this crazy world we live in, doing our best to put one foot in front of the other. and when you take a moment to step back and look at the bigger picture, you see the beauty in the chaos. speaking of beauty, i can’t help but gush about nature and how it's been my saving grace through all of this. you ever just go outside, take a deep breath, and remind yourself of all the things you're thankful for? i try to do it as often as possible. maybe i'm just getting sappy with age, but every time i hear the birds chirping or feel the breeze against my face, i can't help but thank the earth for its never-ending wonder. there's something so grounding about connecting with nature. it puts everything into perspective for me. you ever notice how everything just feels right when you're sitting under a starlit sky, lost in your thoughts? it’s like the universe is telling you, "hey, don’t worry too much." i guess what i'm trying to say is that, through all the uncertainties, I’m grateful for what I have. i’ve been blessed with a supportive family who lights up even my darkest days and friends who are like family, who always have my back. you can't buy that kind of love, you know? it’s priceless. when you strip away everything else, isn't that what life’s about? creating memories with the people who matter the most is what makes it all worthwhile. sure, i might not have all the riches in the world, and my bank account is nothing to brag about, but feeling this deep sense of gratitude is richer than any treasure could ever make me. the question now is, as we move forward, how do we keep this mindset? how do we keep reminding ourselves of what's truly important when life throws us a curveball? i know i’ll try my best, even if it means slipping up here and there. so, yeah, thank you, earth, for everything you've given me – more than I could ever ask for. here's to another year of figuring things out, loving the people close to us, and appreciating the small joys day by day. let's keep reminding ourselves to breathe and take life as it comes because it's the only way we’re truly going to make the most of what we have. what are your thoughts? looking forward to hearing your take!

My girlfriend, Emily, and I have been sharing an apartment for about half a year. As someone swamped with work and life's incessant demands, I was genuinely excited about the prospect of spending an evening cooking and relaxing just with her. We had planned this since the weekend. Being the social butterfly she is, Emily had plans to go for brunch with her friends on Sunday morning at 11. I had everything timed to serve dinner by 6:30 PM, expecting her to be back in time, perhaps a bit tipsy from a mimosa or two, maybe even taking a short nap before dinner.

However, what was supposed to be a simple brunch morphed into a day-long bar-hopping event. Initially, Emily assured me via texts that she would be back in time for dinner. However, as the day progressed and her messages became increasingly slurred, my doubts grew. By 5 PM, I was getting the pasta ready; at 5:30, her Snapchat story revealed she was nowhere near home but taking shots at a bar in a different part of Chicago. I didn't want to be the nagging boyfriend, so I chose not to comment on it. Yet, annoyance was building up within me, especially since our special evening seemed to be slipping away.

By 6:30 PM, Emily hadn't returned. Checking her location, I found she was at yet another bar. Left to dine alone, I simply ate by myself and decided to spend the night playing PlayStation with my friends, storing the rest of the food in the fridge.

Emily stumbled in around 7:15 PM, visibly inebriated, and seemed puzzled at my gaming. When she inquired about dinner, I pointed out her tardiness and mentioned that although dinner was ready, it was now in the fridge and she could help herself if she felt like eating. Her response was a mix of a tipsy apology and a dismissive laugh, joking about the unpredictability of a "girl gang" brunch. After I told her I had made other plans, she called me rude and went off to sleep. To add insult to injury, she critiqued the look of the dinner I had prepared and ended up ordering Taco Bell.

The next day was marked by a tangible sense of passive aggressiveness from both sides.

In a reality show setting, the drama from this story would likely escalate dramatically. Cameras would amplify our facial expressions and reactions, capturing every detail of the emotional tension. The moment Emily walked through the door to find me not waiting with dinner but rather engaged in a video game could spark an on-camera blow-up. Confessionals would feature each of our perspectives, adding layers to the narrative. The audience would likely be divided; some might sympathize with my need to move on with the night after being stood up, while others could argue for more patience and flexibility in relationships.

Help me... am I wrong here? :)

i dont even like looking in the mirror anymore. like fr, every time i do, i just find something else to hate. my nose looks weird, my face is too round, my skin is never clear, and dont even get me started on my hair. it’s like the more i grow up, the uglier i get. when i was a kid i didn’t care, i used to smile at my reflection and not think twice. now i just stare at it and feel worse. everyone says “ur beautiful in ur own way” but i dont see it. all i see is someone who’s never gonna be that pretty girl, the one everyone looks at, the one people say wow she’s gorgeous about. and what scares me is that if i already feel this bad about how i look at 16, what am i gonna look like when i’m older? what if it gets worse? what if im one of those ppl who peak in middle school and then just get uglier and older until no one even notices them anymore??

i see girls at school and on insta and they’re all so perfect. like seriously, how do they do it?? their skin glows, their makeup is flawless, even their “casual” outfits look like they came outta a magazine. meanwhile, i look like a potato most days. even when i try to get ready and look nice, i still feel like i dont compare. i’ll take a bunch of selfies and delete all of them. nd then i look at old pics of me from like a year or two ago and i already look diff—and not in a good way. like my face changed and not the way i wanted. nd then i start thinkin like, what if this keeps happening? what if every year i just keep lookin less and less like someone worth looking at? it’s not just about being pretty. it’s about feelin confident. nd i dont feel that at all. i feel like i’m slowly turning into someone invisible.

sometimes i’ll be scrolling and see those “glow up” videos and they just make me wanna cry. like good for them but what if that never happens to me? what if i stay the weird lookin girl with the awkward smile and the body i dont even understand? i feel like people just expect us to grow up and magically turn into these beautiful women, but what if i never do? what if i just stay this unsure, insecure mess forever? i try to tell myself that beauty isn't everything, that what matters is inside, blah blah—but it’s hard when literally everyone is judging everyone based on looks, even if they dont say it out loud. boys don’t talk to me unless it’s for help with homework. girls don’t compliment me the way they do each other. no one says “u look pretty today” to me. so how am i supposed to believe i’m beautiful in the future when i don’t even feel it now?

i kno people change and grow nd maybe i’ll feel better about myself one day, but right now? i’m scared. scared of what i’ll look like when im 20, 25, 30. scared that nothing will change or that it’ll change the wrong way. scared that everyone around me will glow up and move on and be admired while i’m just… there. the girl who could’ve been cute but wasn’t. nd maybe that sounds dumb, but it’s real to me. i just wanna feel pretty one day, like actually believe it without doubting every second. i want to wake up, look in the mirror, and smile for once. maybe that’s too much to ask. but it’s what i want. and i hope, more than anything, that future me isn’t still feeling this way. cuz that would hurt more than anything.

For the past 6 years I’ve been fighting to be noticed and seen by my family, I have 6 siblings, and that counting the half siblings on my mom AND my dad’s side. So, it was hard to get attention. It was hard to get anything, when my dad came back from prison. I was 7 or 8, and at the time me and my family were living with my grandparents (except for my mom, she left us)

So needless to say I missed him, like any child would. But, he barely payed attention to me. When I had problems he would brush them off, when my older brother was physically abusing he didn’t stop him either. Sure, they “talked” but that didn’t make it stop. Years go by…. I try and try and try to tell him that I’m depressed, that I NEED help. And you know what he does? He sits me down and helps me smoke a joint, I was 13. And when I was high out of my mind, that’s when I realized. He didn’t care, he didn’t care if my brother was hurting me. He didn’t care if I was suicidal, he didn’t give a fuck. So i stopped caring, I stopped talking. I stopped leaving my room and only talked to people online because at least THEY noticed me, I felt invisible. It’s funny, it’s not even my dad. It was EVERYONE in my family, my twin and my older sister were quiet about it all and my two younger brothers were KIDS. They didn’t know what was going on, my stepmom didn’t say much either. But everything changed when we moved to Colorado, you see. My Older brother SA my sister for years (she was 9 when it started) the reason why I know is that my dad told me. Because he thought I would be nicer too her after I heard about it, what it really did is fuck me up for 6 months. That wasn’t the only thing that happened though, he basically blamed me for “not being a good sister”

Ever since then, everything got better. I lived in a apartment with my stepmom and my sister and that was probably the best thing that could happen, my stepmom told me that she was sorry for everything and now tells my dad that it wasn’t JUST my sister who got hurt by him, my sister and I have a good relationship and my brother and I are still chill. My dad still blames me for like 75% of what my older brother did to me… idk anymore, I’m still mad that he didn’t give a fuck until my “darling” of a sister told him what happened to her. I know I’m a bad person for saying this but, I’m envious of my sister. Because she at least gets taken seriously

Ps: sorry for all of the typos I KNOW I’m gonna make

My life is not going well. I feel like I'm fat but I can't tell others because otherwise others will think I just want attention. Then my best friend (s) likes the same guy as me and everyone says that "S and T are perfect together, they should be girlfriend and boyfriend" and I just have to be there and agree with everyone else. It's hard when I hate S but at the same time I want to be his bff. I scolded myself a few days ago because my siblings keep suggesting that I'm fat, especially my older brother (E). The worst thing is that I'm being shipped with my crush's best friend (K). I feel like I'm just a side character in S's life. If I told others that I had a crush on T, others wouldn't take it well. 5.12.2024. I've tried to show my friends that I'm not feeling well. My real best friend (p) had seen my wounds on my arm but hadn't realized anything. We were talking about how some people cut themselves yesterday at dinner and I said "you shouldn't cut yourself, it feels painful." But I guess it never occurred to anyone at that table to think how I would know what it feels like. I'm happy it's Christmas. Now I can wear long shirts all the time to hide my wounds. I don't WANT to be s's best friend but if I wasn't his friend I would lose p because p wants to be both of our bffs

After dating for three years and facing financial difficulties that forced us to live separately with roommates, my partner (32F) and I (27F) are thrilled to finally move in together. This marks the first time both of us will create a living space that's entirely our own, without having to share it with others.

Raised in a staunchly Catholic household, I was exposed to rigorous religious practices from a very young age, which included church every Sunday and frequent prayers. Despite resisting confirmation and enduring my mother's disapproval of my bisexuality—strangely enough, she seems more accepting of homosexuality generally—I eventually moved out at 18 and maintained a cautious relationship with her. She has somewhat softened over the years but still persists in inviting me to church weekly, even though I've expressly asked her not to.

She's polite to my girlfriend largely because she knows I would prioritize my partner over her, especially after my girlfriend was unjustly labeled as a predator due to our age difference. My girlfriend herself has had a painful history with religion, having suffered abuse at the hands of her family after being outed at a young age, all justified by religious beliefs. Her faith in a higher power remains, although she rejects organized religion and worship.

Our collective experiences have led us to establish our new home as a sanctuary free from religious influences. This includes prohibitions on praying, displaying religious symbols, proselytizing, and even discussing religion-related topics. This decision is particularly irksome to my mother, who finds it difficult to abstain from sharing church-related stories with us, and bristles at our rule to conceal her cross necklace while visiting. She accuses us of hypocrisy, but I've stood firm, reminding her of her fortunate position in my life despite our strained relations. Even some friends suggest we might be acting excessively, twisting our traumas into a form of retribution.

Imagining if our life was a part of a reality TV show, I wonder how viewers would perceive our strict no-religion policy in our home. Likely, it would polarize opinions, with some sympathizing with our need to create a safe, secular space due to our past traumas, while others might view us as overbearing or intolerant towards my mother's expressions of faith.

Is the no-religion rule in our home too strict?

Hi folks!

Ok, here is my story... I feel like I can't be right in this situation but I don't feel guilty either...

That evening, I went to pick up my three-year-old and five-year-old from daycare, as my wife had to accompany our eldest, who's 12, to a sports practice. Realizing the kids were probably hungry, and thinking a little treat would be nice, I decided to skip heading straight home and instead went to a nearby restaurant. While settling in, I glanced at my phone and noticed a message from my wife, revealing she had prepared dinner for the kids before leaving. Unfortunately, we were already at the restaurant, and it felt too disruptive to reverse course, so we went ahead with our meal out.

Upon returning home and when my wife arrived, I mentioned my late discovery of her text, and that we ended up dining out. This revelation didn't sit well with her. She was quite upset, accusing me of wasting the effort she'd put into making dinner. Despite my attempts to explain the misunderstanding and assure her there was no disregard intended for her efforts, she labeled my actions as inconsiderate.

Was my decision truly inconsiderate? Is it wrong to miss a text and make a decision based on what seemed best at the moment? I feel stuck no matter what I choose.

Imagine this scenario playing out on a reality show. How might the audience react? Would they sympathize with the spontaneity of dining out with young kids, or critique it as a lack of communication and respect towards the effort of meal preparation? Reality TV thrives on such disputes, often magnifying normal day-to-day disagreements for dramatic effect. Viewers might be divided, with some appreciating the father's desire to do something nice for his kids, while others side with the mother, feeling her efforts were disrespected.

what the title says. i was over the fact that she had a boyfriend, but having this memory adds a whole new layer and reignites the fire. it's a very very deep emptiness in my chest and i feel like a total manchild reacting so much to this. please don't give me advice on this it's totally just me venting and coping with the feeling

I can't self diagnose or anything but I'm 98% sure I'm autistic, the stories my family tells me about when I was younger add up to the autism symptoms I feel now. I've taken the Raads-R test or whatever it's called, I've actually take a bunch, all which lead to the general consensus that I do in fact most definitely have autism. I don't know how to tell my parents. they're asian and they told me a couple years ago that autistic people are weird and not normal or whatever and they probably dont believe anything i try to tell them. they dont believe im aromantic and that me being a tomboy is just a phase. life is becominig harder and harder and i dont know. i just cant do naything. the amount of stress increases every day and whenever i cry or say something about it theyre like oh its cause of that phone your addicted to. I barely have screentime because im so busy, i dance and im at school all day to the point where i only come home to sleep. they are. also pushing me to go to college, which I cant be bothered anymore. I dont. want to go to school anymore and I want to dance. I want to go to europe and dance or something like that. I don't know i dont thik my parents will support me. They'll probably be like u cant make a living, u have to go to college. you porblably got this idea from your phone didn't u. like idk anymore, what do i have to do to convince my parents

My boyfriend of almost a year ago emotionally cheated on me with his at the time girl best friend. I never wanted to look at his phone. I had gotten out of a toxic relationship where the last one cheated but I wanted to try things differently this time with my current boyfriend. I never questioned girls or even looked over his shoulder for my own peace of mind. After awhile week of dating he broke it off with me saying he didn’t think this would work out, when I asked him more about he began to say it was his friend who had influenced him. I can’t lie in that moment I took his phone and looked right away. When I looked at his and his girl best friends text I saw they had both been talking about personal things of me and just talking bad in general. He then proceeded to end things on and off because of this girl. He’s blocked her and now it’s just been us, however his roommates are super close friends with this girl and now it seems like I can’t stop looking through his phone for more details on what he’s lying about. I feel like I hate him sometimes. It seems like he’s trying his hardest but I feel like I can’t ever trust him again. I keep trying. We aren’t always bad but when I think about what he’s said, done, or knows it kills me. He won’t let me break up with him because he thinks we can work it out. I feel like I’m being dramatic but he also knows what he was trying to do. Along with that he’s aware I got cheated on. Obviously there’s a lot more details but this is the short version. I’m not sure what to do, I want us to work things out but I don’t even know the first step . We’ve tried talking but it doesn’t ever go good. What more can I do?

I'm a 31-year-old man, and my partner, who is 28, and I have been in a relationship for six years, sharing a home for the past two. She’s always had a passion for comedy and used to perform at open mic nights regularly after we graduated from college. Despite her love for comedy, she had a stable job in sales, which she worked at during the weekdays, earning a pretty good salary.

I work in a demanding field myself and earn quite a bit more, nearly triple, in fact, compared to what she used to make at her sales job. That changed last August when she decided to quit her job to dedicate more time to her comedy, believing it could lead to a big break within the year. Although I was unsure about this decision, I supported her because I wanted to be a supportive boyfriend.

Since resigning, she's been driving for Uber and DoorDash, which is now her only source of income. Unfortunately, her comedy pursuits haven't brought in any money. Lately, I’ve felt growing resentment as she often struggles financially yet limits her driving shifts to a few times a week. Meanwhile, I'm covering most of our living expenses, which is starting to hinder my ability to save money. She has a habit of sleeping in quite late, especially following late-night gigs, and spends considerable time on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, claiming she's seeking inspiration. Moreover, she has an expectation for me to be present at nearly all of her performances, even if it's late at night after I've already had a long 14-hour workday. This expectation has often led to tensions between us.

Things escalated last night when I suggested she consider returning to a full-time job. I tried to express that she could continue her comedy on the side, but I was finding it tough to handle all our expenses alone. She brushed off my concerns, which led me to express, perhaps too harshly, that she might never make it as a famous comedian and should face reality. This confrontation upset her greatly, leading her to tearfully leave to stay with a friend and labeling me with some choice insults. She's been unresponsive since.

If my life was a reality show, the audience might be split. Some would likely empathize with my financial burden and agree with my suggestion for more stability. Others might view me as the villain, blaming me for not supporting my girlfriend’s dreams. It’s tricky to balance dreams and reality, and under the public eye, every decision and word can be critiqued intensely.

So, am I really the unreasonable one here?