Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

I am 51 years old and I feel kind of silly writing this, but here I am, because my head is full and my heart is acting like it is 16 again. I been divorced for 10 years, and in all that time I saw nobody. Not one date, not one dinner, not even coffee with a man where I think maybe this could be something. I just worked, paid bills, watched shows, talked to my daughter sometimes, fed my old cat, and told myself love was for other people now. Then a few weeks ago I met this man online. He is not in the USA like me, he lives far away, and still somehow he feels closer than people in my own town.

He is so nice, maybe too nice, but I like it. He asks me how I slept, he calls me beautiful even when I look like a tired potato, he talks about projects and plans for us. He says one day he wants to come here, or I can visit him, and we can cook together, walk by the water, maybe start something small like a little business, I don’t know. It sounds crazy when I write it. We only know each other weeks. But he makes me laugh and he listens. After 10 years of being invisible, being seen feels like sunshine on my face;

Can you fall in love with someone online? I keep asking myself that. Have any of you done it and it was real? I know people will say be careful, and I am trying. I did not send money, I did not give private things, I still got my brain even if my heart is running around like a dog with the door open. But I also think, why not me? Why can’t a 51 year old divorced woman have a sweet surprise? Life already took enough from me, maybe this is a gift. Maybe he really means it. Maybe people can meet in strange ways and still be honest.

I feel lost, yes, but not in a bad way. More like when you drive somewhere new and the road is pretty, even if you don’t know the signs yet. I am trying to go slow, but every morning I want to see his message. I smile at my phone like an idiot. My cat looks at me like I lost my mind, and maybe I did a little. But I feel awake again. I don’t know if this will be love, or a lesson, or both. I just know I was closed for 10 years, and now a little door opened, and I want to believe something good can still come in.

i've always loved being on the field, pushing myself to the limits! but now i'm stuck on the sidelines!! got this injury and it's like my world is turned upside down?? kinda sucks, you know? can't even join my team for the next game. i'm sitting here feeling all this physical pain from not moving, plus there's this emotional stuff too; had no idea how much i'd miss it. you think you're unbreakable then bam! life says nope.

but here's the thing... with all this time off, i'm starting to see some things differently? like, there's more than just physical resilience??? adapting to new realities really tests your patience! realizing that sometimes accepting what you can't control is part of growing stronger. it's strange because you'd think being active means you're resilient, but turns out, sitting quietly and processing what's happening requires a different kind of strength entirely. maybe i needed this reminder... who knows?

I'm 21 and i lived a reverently hard life with an alcoholic father and drug addict mother, life wasn't easy but my older sister made it work. When I was 12 my oldest sister hung herself and my best friend shot herself 2 months later. i know death, and death knows me too. I've done all stages and moved past my emotions. but a few months ago, an 17 year old girl who i knew, lived with, helped her father raise her and love her was hit by a car at 5 in the morning because she rode her bike with no lights or reflectors. for a while i told her to use a light. i couldn't get her off the streets. i tried so so so fucking hard but i couldn't. so i showed her how to survive the streets. who to trust, who too watch for, what to watch for, how to watch your back without looking suspicious. she loved boxing, so me and her would practice for hours in the driveway leaving bruises on each other and laughing. right before she died i moved away 2 hours away from my home, my people, my village, everything i knew to move in with my boyfriend as i wanted out from under my father and in a life of my own. but she died. that 2 hour drive felt like 2000 years. everyone says i spoke a beautiful speech at her funeral but i barely remember it. i just remember her being so cold, telling her ill see her again one day and crying into her fathers chest [he's my uncle just not blood uncle] i came back with my boyfriend and helped move his family into a new home, i started a new job and have been struggling so so much. me and my boyfriend went through a period where we were fighting a lot. the moment things were getting better i found out he was on a fetish app talking to multiple girls and sending dick picks. he lied to my face and act like he didn't know i knew. things have finally started moving past that. but I'm stuck. i want my riley back, my fighter, my smoke buddy, my soul snatcher, my hot headed, spicy beautiful little girl back... i was only 4 years older then her but i felt like her mother. i loved her like i was her mother. i showered her when she was depressed and couldn't. i hand feed her right after and brushed her hair, dressed her and took her out. i want those days. id take seeing her severely depressed then in that casket because at least with one she's alive even if its barely. I almost got fired and on the edge of being fired. i feel like I'm not enough. i wasn't enough for my sister and best friend. i wasn't enough to keep her alive and smarter with her decisions, i wasn't enough to have him not cheat on me. I'm not enough to do good at work. I'm not enough. I'm never enough. I'm always too much or never enough. how can i move past something that turned my whole world upside down and across the galaxy. I'm so tired. and not in a "i wanna go to sleep" way but in a "see them all once again for eternity" kind of way. what do i do.......

I’ve been married for five years, and for most of that time, it truly felt like I was living in a dream. We rarely fought, shared the same values, and were building a life together that felt stable, even joyful. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love her.

But everything changed last year when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was aggressive. We tried everything — surgery, chemo, second opinions — but none of it helped. Now we’ve moved into palliative care. The focus is no longer on saving her, just on easing the pain.

A few weeks ago, she sat me down and told me something I wasn’t expecting. She said she had reconnected with her ex-boyfriend after her diagnosis. That at first, it was just talking — reminiscing, catching up — but over time, she realized she still had feelings for him. She told me she still loved me, but that she also loved him. And now, in what may be the final months of her life, she wanted to explore that connection again — not instead of me, but alongside me. She asked me to support her in it.

I asked if she had cheated, and she swore she hadn’t. She said it’s just been emotional, not physical. But I couldn’t shake what it meant. I tried to understand. I told her she was free to do what she wanted — I wouldn't make this any harder by talking about separation or divorce — but I also told her that I couldn’t keep pretending we were still the same couple. I couldn’t hold onto the version of us I thought was real, not with this hanging between us. Something had broken.

She was hurt, and I get why. She ended up going to stay with her parents. Since then, most of the people around me have turned cold. They see me as the one who walked away, the one who abandoned her when she needed support most. And maybe that’s true. Maybe I should’ve found a way to just accept it — to be there, unconditionally, knowing this is the end. But I couldn’t. I still can’t.

It's all coming apart, and it is my fault.

I’m 13, female and I went on a website looking for someone to talk to so I could vent about my issues with my family. My family, while I love them, has flaws. My parents, even though they’re divorced, still live together in my Mom’s apartment with me and my sister. It had been a rough divorce and I’m not sure if I’m fully over it but I still have lasting things going on. My mom and dad mutter bad things about each other, mostly my dad though. Living in an apartment it’s easy to hear through the paper thin walls and his loud voice doesn’t help. I don’t know if my little sister notices or not but I hope she doesn’t. Anyway, I went on a website that was 18+ where you could talk to strangers anonymously. As expected there were a lot of weird people on there but I skipped past them and found a few good ones. I matched up with this one German guy. I live in New Jersey, USA so we’re nowhere near each other. I found it cool I could talk with someone across the world and we talked about the different countries and our lives. He told me he was 22 and I said I was 19 since the age was 18+. I probably shouldn’t have ever gone on in the first place but I was desperate for someone to listen to me. So we talked and talked. He was really nice and sweet and he listened to me and gave feedback. I told him my insecurities and he said that I was perfect the way I was and not to worry about it and let it drag me down, despite not even seeing a picture of me or anything! I felt so seen and heard. We both had cats. I had one and he had too so we talked about that and made jokes. He was funny and made me smile. So, when I started picking up on him flirting with me I was flattered but dread started to pile up. I liked the flirting, I never felt so nice like I had nothing to change or worry about. Not to mention I’m fairly socially awkward and not on the popular side in my school so while everyone started to date and experiment I lagged behind. Maybe a bit ridiculous I know but I always wanted something like true love. Or even just someone to cherish me like the guys in the books and shows.. and he gave me that. I told him I was part French but only by blood and I didn’t really know French but we still joked about it. I’m in French class so I knew a few French words and sentences so I showed him just as fun, things like how to order from a restaurant and whatnot. He said he had a thing for French girls and I couldn’t help but feel happy and the flutter in my stomach I never really felt before. The time difference was major and he had to go to sleep soon as it was very late at night, or rather early in the morning for him. I never flirted back but I did pick up on all of his. How he wished me goodnight in French, he called me hun, said specific things about comments I made that I knew he did intentionally. That problem is, I’m 13, not 19. It’s wrong and nothing will ever come of it but he doesn’t know that. I’m cat fishing him and I didn’t even mean to! I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been a genuine connection like that for so long and I feel so good around him, he said I make him smile by talking with him. But he doesn’t know I’m 13. I don’t want to let go of what we have, I’m afraid I’ll never find something like that again. I know it can never happen though. And even if I could manage to just stay on a friendly level I’m sure the feelings wouldn’t go away and it wouldn’t change the fact that I have to keep pretending to be 19. He’d find out eventually or at least get suspicious right? I couldn’t tell him, he’d be furious of course and I don’t want to lose the friendship and connection I have. I don’t know what to do now.

hello you can adress me as LLWS i have a crush on a girl as a girl and my parents dont know well they are not really my parents ust my grandma who has taken care of me since birth because my parents dont care about me but the girl i like is my best friend ut she is dating my other best friend but ive liked her since 5th grade and the girl shes dating ust came this year and they keep leaving me out and so does my friend group and my parents never see me i dont even know what my mom or dad looks like and it really hurts that they dont care and suddenly all my friends are starting to turn against me and we are about to be in high school and im scared that they are going to leave me and i dont know what to do

As someone who captures weddings through the lens of a camera, I've encountered my first situation where I’m seriously considering declining to cover an event. I secured a wedding booking back in February and had a preliminary chat with the couple, where they mentioned a broad destination without pinning down the exact location. I agreed on the condition that they would update me accordingly. Similarly, they didn't provide a specific time for the event.

Over the following months, I attempted to reach out for details but my messages were left unanswered. By mid-June, with the wedding fast approaching on the 30th, there was still radio silence from their side.

Driven to find answers, I contacted another vendor involved in the wedding. Shockingly, I learned that the couple had shifted their wedding site to a spot three hours away, now planning to start the event at 5 AM, followed by a two-mile trek to the venue. All this, and still no word directly from the couple themselves. Additionally, the vendor hinted that these plans might not even be final.

Despite having received payment upfront, we had never formalized a contract detailing the agreement's specifics. Now, just five days away from the event, I find myself in a dilemma whether I should cancel. The thought of traveling all that distance only to possibly find the venue changed again is daunting.

If I cancel, I think it would be fair to offer a full or at least partial refund due to the circumstances. However, I’m open to suggestions on how to handle this professionally. I was hesitating for the category between the one I chose and the Bridezilla category... hard to choose :)

Imagine how this scenario would unfold if it were part of a reality TV show. Cameras following every tense moment as I struggle with the decision, juxtaposed with the intrigue of the wedding couple’s erratic planning. The drama of it could captivate viewers, showing the real challenges faced by wedding vendors, often hidden behind the glamour of the big day. But would the public sympathize with my predicament or see it as an overreaction? The suspense and possible conflict might make for riveting television but would certainly add another layer of stress in reality.

I am a 48 year old male, married to a 64 year old female. We haven't made love in 5 years due to her vaginal inching on the outer side of her vaginal lips. She's been to several doctors and nurse practitioners over all this time, and they just keep telling her to use creams on it like Replenish or KY Jelly. She won't even have a shower with me anymore.......keeps saying we will, we will, but it never happens. I can't even put my arm around her at night because she complains i'm too heavy. I'm just a small figured guy with some muscle, not a lot, like a Wil Wheaton type build. Am I crazy for thinking she just doesn't want to touch me anymore? There's other things too...........................

So I'm at school right now and this week is my last full week of not only 8th grade or middle school but also my last full week at the school I've been at my whole life (past information: I moved to my state I'm in when I was 6 and been here more than most my life) Note: My school is Elementary and middle school (kindergarten-4th, 5th-8th) It's weird that I'm about to be at the end of a chapter in my life. am I even ready for this? I'm also scared to go into high-school cuz I'm worried I have to start fresh and make new friends which I struggled with when I first moved here. I don't want to lose the friends I've gained. but I'm excited because the people in the area are really nice and I love the high school. its like..I'm finally starting my life. for real this time......win or lose.

I felt that this person had absolutely no shame, none whatsoever. She truly didn't care what others said about her, not in any way. She didn't feel it; she embraced the pain, the sorrow if necessary, something that I, personally, find deeply pleasing because I live to escape it. This person, to me, is a beautiful being because she has the ability to be immersed in things that I don't, I don't earn a deep understanding of them. I wish I had no shame at all, to assert myself, to withdraw, thinking only of myself and not even thinking about what I do behind the scenes, to be able to say something to others. This person, on the other hand, is hidden, but I'm not, and that's what's beautiful about her. However, I also observe too many limitations. This person lives for the present, completely present, hoping that something will happen in the future that she expects others to do, leaving everything in the hands of others. The more someone tries to control their life, at the expense of others, isolating themselves, the more they are shaped by their actions, without any awareness of them. It's as if they don't care how their life impacts the world. This is something I do care about; it interests me completely. I care about how everything impacts my life and how I act accordingly, not just seeking what's necessary to survive, because I care about the whole picture, I care about my complete self. Seen this way, I don't find this person attractive at all. They may be restrictive, but their life is one of false freedom because it's not earned. It's a drift, unaware of it, ignoring it, and therefore acting in ways that benefit it. Meanwhile, I, like everyone else, am adrift, but I formulate actions to gradually steer myself in the direction I want, and I ensure that this is my path, that my path is my own drift. I don't know what's wrong with this person; it seems they have absolutely no limits. They're capable of staying like this until the very end, just like that. It's as if it reinforces their way of being, their spirit in front of others, and it's that of living isolated in the clouds, somehow pleasing their original group, so that they don't go anywhere, yes, at the cost of their suffering, at the cost of being rejected by the outside world, just as, I think, their original group wants. In some way, this person must be proud of who she is, but something throws me off, and it's precisely the way things unfolded. I fought for her until the very end, even going against authority, which I believe is what she sees as a true friend—someone who genuinely cares for her, someone who, of course, doesn't dare to be herself. This is precisely because she's incapable of defying authority, of disobeying an order, no matter what it was. I did what I did, and I consider it honorable, which is why she sees me as different from others—someone who is truly there, who isn't bad, but quite the opposite, genuinely good, who doesn't come with lies of any kind. This person's perspective must be quite strange. Naturally, she's incapable of taking responsibility for what she's done, because that would imply an obvious preference for someone else, and that's something she can't do, because in her mind it would mean she doesn't care about others, and therefore she might miss out on opportunities. This is something she keeps to herself. The more she withdraws into her own world, the more elusive she becomes. I think it's crucial to conduct these assessments to know who I'm going to encounter later on and not be swayed by mere appearances. She's a strange person, and indeed, she must love me, she must feel that she loves me, precisely because there's someone who truly loves her, and not just anyone is willing to take the same risks, not even herself, for someone else, at least not usually. I feel she loves me, but at the same time, she's waiting for the right moment to express it, for us to ultimately be more than friends. For her, a friend, as we've discussed, is someone who exists outside the relationship, someone who doesn't commit to her, someone who isn't capable of taking risks. They only share common feelings, but neither takes the risk of going further, which is what happened in this case. We both exposed ourselves, and indeed, she had to take care of me, make sure I was okay, to keep me there. In my opinion, she has a completely twisted mindset: for her, taking care of me is maintaining my status, because she knows that this is the only way she can go to him and have the same benefit as always, of someone who loves her. And for that, she takes risks, she falls apart in front of others, in order to preserve that affection, to keep it a secret, and to speak about our relationship at her discretion. She already considers me hers, precisely because I am who I am because of her, and vice versa.

I feel like I belong to her, as if I couldn't belong to anyone else, because she perceives me as someone outside her own world, because she understands that not everyone is capable of doing for her what I've done, not at all. Most likely, everything she does will take a turn, all in accordance with the fact that everything fits together in the moment, because that's what her world is based on: fitting things together to navigate it.

I am a 20 year old man in university. I was raised in a religious household and wasn't allowed to date. Despite leaving my religion I have remained single due to the fact that I want to put my life together before getting into a relationship and also I have been struggling with my mental health for the past 2-3 years.

My mental health has improved in some areas however I am struggling with a huge insecurity related to women and it's caused me to become very depressed and suicidal. Just to clarify I don't hate women I just feel really confused and depressed.

A while back I came across many articles and studies that claim that straight women watch lesbian porn. So my question is why do so many "straight" women watch lesbian porn? None of the explanations I've heard make any sense at all and seem like excuses. As a straight man I don't get aroused by watching men kissing or sucking each other's cocks. If women don’t like straight porn because it’s too violent why don’t they watch straight porn that focuses on the woman’s pleasure? It’s not hard to find at all. I looked it up and there are plenty of sensual straight porn that focuses on the woman’s pleasure yet women choose to watch lesbian porn. Again I think the women who say they watch it because “it’s sensual and I like to imagine myself in the woman’s place” are just making excuses and are bisexuals or lesbians in denial. If I as a man said “I get turned on by watching two men kissing and sucking each other’s cocks but I’m 100% straight I just imagine myself in the man’s place” everyone would look at me like I’m crazy and rightfully so. As a straight man I don’t like to watch gay porn and I’m disgusted by it. I watch porn that only has women in it because I am 100% straight and I am not attracted to men at all. Yet women seem to prefer getting off to other women and make excuses that people believe.

I believe that little to no women on this planet are straight and the vast majority if not all are either lesbian, bisexual, or comphet (conditioned by society to be straight but deep down lesbian or bisexual).

I’m a straight man and I just want to be with a real straight woman who will love me the same way I love her and as much as I love her. I feel like this is not possible and it’s made me really depressed and suicidal.

Someone please help. If there are any truly straight women out there tell me this isn’t true and it’s just the internet. Or if not explain to me why so many “straight" women watch lesbian porn because I'm honestly confused.

People always say kindess is the most important thing, like if you be nice to people, good things come back to you. But honestly, I don’t know if that’s true anymore. I used to think it was, used to try real hard to always be the "good" person, the one who helps, the one who listens, the one who puts others first. And what do I get for it? Nothing. People just take what they want from you and then leave when they don’t need you no more. Like, I lost count of how many times I’ve been there for someone, helped them through something, only for them to forget I even exist once their life gets better. And it’s not like I expect a prize or anything, but damn, would it kill people to actually appreciate it? To remember?

I had this friend, right? She was going through a real bad time, like everything in her life was a mess. I was there for her every day, texting, calling, going over to her place, making sure she was okay. I did everything I could to help her. And she always said, "I don’t know what I’d do without you," "You’re the only one who actually cares." Made me think, yeah, maybe this time it’s different. Maybe this time someone actually values me. But guess what? The second things got better for her, she found new friends, started dating someone, got her life together, and just… forgot about me. Like I was just a tool she needed for that one chapter of her life. And that’s not even the first time it happened.

So what’s the point? Why should I keep trying to be nice, keep showing up for people when it never gets me anywhere? Sometimes I think maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m too stupid to see that the world doesn’t work like that. People don’t actually care about kindess, they just take what they need from whoever’s willing to give it. And then I look around, and I see all these selfish people, the ones who don’t care about anyone but themselves, and they’re the ones who actually seem happy. They do whatever they want, say whatever they want, and people still like them. Meanwhile, the ones who actually try to be good just end up getting used.

And don’t even get me started on how people treat kindness like weakness. If you’re too nice, too giving, people just assume they can walk all over you. At work, I tried to be the person who helped everyone, covered shifts, did favors, always said yes. And you know what happened? People just started expecting it. No one actually asked me anymore, they just assumed I’d do it. The second I said no to something, they acted all shocked, like I was suddenly a different person. And it made me realize, people don’t respect kindess. They use it.

Maybe I sound bitter, maybe I am. But I’m just tired of always being the one who cares more. Of always giving and never getting. Of always being the backup plan, the emotional support, the nice one. Because at the end of the day, kindess don’t get you love. It don’t get you respect. It just gets you taken for granted. And honestly? I don’t wanna live like that anymore.

I should start by saying I have kids. I am extremely grateful for that. Tonight I’m just thinking about all the stuff I’ve sat on for 3+ years from my babies because I pictured myself so actively watching other peoples kids and raising them with my own. But no one asks me to babysit or brings their kids here. Just makes me sad. I have a bottle & sippy, snack cups, a high chair, a play chair, a bouncer, a play pen, a changing mattress, a bassinet, an extra car seat even. Literally “just in case” and there’s never an “in case” from the people in my circle. I’ve always been the “lady that’s good with kids” my entire adult life.. I worked with kids for years before changing careers. People used to ask me to babysit constantly before I had my own. It’s just weird being at this point and always picturing myself being the mom with all the kids at her house but all the kids are just mine. I know it’s probably something stupid to be sad about, but I can’t help it when I see the stuff in the back of the cabinet. I know people probably just assume I don't want more kids here on top of my 3. I have twins in preschool and my oldest is less than 2 years older… but I wish they would just ask anyway.

In my office, there was this recent case where a colleague of mine, Jessica, got married. Surprisingly, every team member (10 people excluding Jessica herself) got an invitation except for me. Jessica had personally informed me earlier that the wedding would be a small affair due to budget constraints. However, she told the rest of my colleagues that I was unavailable to attend. The truth came out during a team meeting after Jessica returned from her honeymoon. The wedding was a hot topic among my colleagues, and one of them mentioned how unfortunate it was that I couldn't make it. I couldn't help but correct him by saying that I was never invited in the first place. I noticed Jessica’s expression changing as I spoke, and since then, things between us have been rather formal.

Moreover, our department organized a dinner to celebrate Jessica's marriage, to which I contributed a gift. The date for this dinner was shifted a couple of times to accommodate everyone else's schedule, but when I mentioned my pre-planned overseas trip, no consideration was given to possibly rescheduling. It seems like another colleague, who happens to be Jessica’s close friend and the planner of the dinner, might be deliberately leaving me out, though I can't figure out why.

Was I wrong to clarify my non-invitation during the meeting, especially since everyone was under the impression I simply couldn't attend?

Imagine if this scenario played out on a reality TV show. The tension and misunderstanding in the room would be palpable, potentially making for some dramatic scenes. Viewers would likely be split, with some sympathizing with my position and others maybe feeling I could have handled it differently to avoid public confrontation. Reality show producers might even zoom in on Jessica’s changing expressions for added effect, and there could be confessionals where we both explain our sides of the story.

What should've been my approach at the meeting?

so, here's the deal, guys. i've been dating this amazing guy for a couple of months now, and everything's going great. we're both 17, figuring ourselves out, and all that jazz. the thing is, he's super plugged into the whole LGBTQ+ community. like, he's got this crew, and they use so many terms i'm just not familiar with. i'm feeling a bit lost because i keep hearing the words "gay" and "queer" being tossed around like they're interchangeable—are they??? i mean, i thought i knew the basics, but turns out, i might be missing something.

so, picture this: we're hanging out at his friend's house, right? his buddy starts talking about this "queer art show" they're planning, and someone else chimes in with, "oh, it’s so great to see spaces that celebrate queer culture!" and i'm just standing there, nodding like i get it, but inside, i'm like "wait, what?" because i thought "queer" just meant "gay," but now it seems like it’s got its vibe and everything. i'm kinda stressed out 'cause i don’t want to seem clueless or, worse, offend anyone by asking, "um, what's the difference between gay and queer?"

i remember when i first told my parents about my boyfriend—they asked if i was "coming out as gay now?" and honestly, i didn't even know how to respond. i said, "uh, i think so?" but now, i'm hearing all these terms like bisexual, pansexual, non-binary, and gender-fluid, and i'm like, okay, where do i fit in here??? does liking a guy make me gay, or am i somewhere on the queer spectrum? i'm legit confused, and part of me is worried i'm just overthinking it. like, does it even matter as long as i'm happy? but still, i'm in this kind of identity limbo, unsure of what label, if any, suits me best.

now, i did what any self-respecting teen would do; i dove into the internet rabbit hole, reading articles and forums about all these different identities. from what i gather, "gay" typically refers to someone who's attracted to the same gender, right? but when it comes to "queer," things seem way more open-ended. some folks embrace it as a blanket term for anyone not straight, others as an act of reclaiming a word that was once an insult. but it seems to have this larger-than-life, almost rebellious energy to it, embodying a broader celebration of diversity. is that how you guys see it too???

part of me wants to just sit down with my boyfriend and ask, "hey, what do these words mean to you?" or "how do you feel about them?" maybe even confess that i'm kind of at a loss for the right vocabulary here. but, i can't help but worry he might think i'm not invested or that i’m just clueless. in the end, i guess this is part of the journey, right? figuring out how i identify, what these terms mean to me personally; it's just this process of questioning and understanding, getting comfortable with being a bit of a rainbow-colored question mark for now. who else has been here too? i'd love to hear your stories or advice 'cause i'm just trying to keep my head above water in this sea of new words and identities. thanks for listening!