Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

Growing up, I always sensed a strange tension in my family, but I never quite understood it until I pieced together old memories and stories told by relatives. My mother, who had always dreamed of having a household bustling with daughters, was disheartened at my birth purely because of my gender. I am a 16-year-old male, the unintentional foil to her fantasies. It was evident from day one; she wept in the hospital when she learned I was a boy, even momentarily resisted holding me. All of this was inadvertently recorded and it's painful to watch. During those first crucial days, it was my paternal grandmother who stepped up to nurture me, featured in most of my early baby pictures cradling me in her arms.

My grandmother essentially raised me until she tragically passed away from a brain bleed when I was eight. After that, I was left in the care of a mother who had finally received her wish—a daughter, my younger sister Lily, born two years after me. The difference in treatment between us was like night and day. Lily became the center of my mother's world: the bigger room, elaborate birthday celebrations, and a mountain of Christmas presents exclusively for her—sometimes as many as 25 gifts sourced from my mom alone, while I would receive a solitary, often lackluster, present.

Interaction between my mom and myself dwindled to the bare minimum and often flared into arguments fueled by years of pent-up frustration and neglect. My father, who played the traditional role of the aloof provider, rarely intervened or even noticed the palpable disparity in affection and attention.

During a recent family gathering at my maternal grandparents' home, Mom couldn't stop lauding Lily for a school project and bragging about the new scooter she bought her, along with a custom helmet and a personalized lock. Unable to hold it in any longer, I let my feelings be heard. I openly criticized her for her blatant favoritism, which only led to a scolding from my grandparents. They described my issues with my mom as "little troubles" stemming from her initial gender disappointment and labeled my outburst as a lack of compassion.

Imagine if my situation was played out on a reality show. Cameras capturing my mother's enthusiastic pampering of Lily contrasted sharply with her mechanical interactions with me. Would the audience empathize with my feelings of exclusion and neglect, or would they criticize me for antagonizing a clearly biased mother? How dramatic and telling those episodes would be, highlighting the raw emotions and complex dynamics of our family life.

Would viewers at home understand the strain of being less favored merely because of gender, or would they side with my mother, assuming I should simply get over it and show more understanding?

I have always been more of a quiet person. I used to have a really tough time speaking up. I have gotten better about it though these last few years. I don't always have something to say, but I'm not afraid of talking anymore. because of this i have been able to make more friends and feel a little bit less out of place. but lately I can't stop feeling like nobody really cares about me. they would never really notice if I was gone. people forget to invite me to events, they never think about me as an option for activities or relationships. no one has ever asked me out or for my number or anything. I realize that most of this i have done to myself by being more of a reserved person. but it still hurts. I have my friends, but nobody ever texts me or asks me to hang out. I just feel like nobody cares about me and it really hurts.

Okay, moral dilemma here. I have two friends, Friend A and Friend B. Friend A came to me a while ago and confessed in confidence that they had feelings for Friend B, and told me not to tell anyone, especially Friend B, because they knew that it wouldn’t work out and that they were trying to save themself the heartbreak by trying to get over them. MEANWHILE, a few weeks after Friend A tells me they like Friend B and are trying to get over them, Friend B comes to me and confesses feelings for FRIEND A, also in confidence. However, Friend B also tells me, pretty distraughtly, that they have been trying to get Friend A’s attention, but have been turned down or ignored each time (remember, Friend A is trying to get over Friend B; they think the best way to do that is by avoiding them) and now Friend B thinks that Friend A hates them. I want to tell Friend B about Friend A’s feelings so that they know that Friend A actually doesn’t hate them, but that would go against Friend A’s wishes. I could also tell Friend A about Friend B’s feelings for them, but that could go badly because 1) it would go against Friend B’s wishes and 2) Friend A is actively avoiding and trying to get over their feelings for Friend B. WHAT DO I DO.

I'm about to choke. It's 4:20 am right now. I'm doing homework for tomorrow and some assigments i had to turn in ages ago. I'm trying to take my mind off things because i swear i'm so close to throwing up. I'm too scared to sleep. I'm so scared of what tomorrow will be like. There are so many tests coming up all at once, and my grades are only getting worse. I'm ruining everything i've worked for and now i feel like a failure. Two years ago i was actually doing well. i though things were getting better, that i was making progress but i ruined everything. I'm trying to be better. More productive, more polite, more present, more responsible, smarter, nicer, Better. But i can't. I keep on failing. I keep on messing up. And i'm so tired. I'm always so tired recently. It's so hard to do anything. Even things i used to love doing now feel like a chore. I'm stuck. I feel like a i'm falling behind while everyone else Is moving foward and i don't know what to do.

Tonight, I ordered food from a local pizzeria through Grubhub. The place is only a 10-minute drive from my home. Grubhub estimated the delivery time to be 45-50 minutes.

After waiting for 1.5 hours, my food still hadn't arrived. I called the pizzeria to check if the order had left. I was worried I might have missed the driver since my doorbell is broken and he might not have a phone. The guy who answered said the driver was on his way.

Another half hour went by (2 hours after ordering), and I called again. This time, a woman answered. She mentioned they were very busy and that the driver had left with three orders, but she didn't apologize.

I waited another half hour (2.5 hours after ordering) and called again. By now, the pizzeria was closing in 20 minutes. I called 16 times with no answer. At one point, someone picked up and immediately hung up, probably because the phone was ringing nonstop and there was no answering machine. Eventually, they must have taken the phone off the hook because I got a busy signal until 11 p.m. when they closed.

I felt they owed me an explanation. If you know there's a late order still undelivered, you shouldn't close up shop. They should have at least reassured me that my food was coming, maybe by having the driver call me.

Finally, I gave up hope and canceled my order through Grubhub. I ordered food from another place.

Three hours after I placed the original order, and after I had already canceled and ordered elsewhere, the driver called to say he was outside. I told him I didn't want it because it was late and probably cold (plus, I had already ordered elsewhere and canceled this order).

I'm really mad at this pizzeria and won't go there again. I get they might have been busy because of the holiday, but 3 hours is just ridiculous (especially when they said the driver had left after 1.5 hours). Are they wrong, or am I?

Imagine if this happened on a reality show! How do you think people would react to such a situation? Would they side with me, or would they think I was overreacting? Reality shows always bring out strong opinions, and I wonder what the audience would say about this ordeal.

Four months back, I found myself jobless after an unexpected layoff from a tech company. Having always taken pride in my work, this was a major blow to my self-esteem, and I've been grappling with a sort of identity crisis, discussing these issues with my therapist. However, I've always disliked idleness and yearned for the structure my routine job provided, which pushed me to start applying for new roles diligently. After several interviews that didn't result in job offers, I finally had a promising opportunity with a company I admired.

About a week ago, I received an invitation to participate in a time-sensitive written test as part of the job application process. Knowing my tendency to get nervous under pressure, I prepared intensively. I also emphasized to my husband, Henry, the importance of complete solitude during the hour-long test—I needed that duration uninterrupted. He seemed to have understood the crucial nature of my request.

On the day of the test, I secluded myself in our home office, the door firmly shut, hoping to ward off any disruptions. As the test progressed and the final fifteen minutes loomed, my anxiety peaked. Despite the intense preparation, I was under immense pressure to perform well. That's when Henry burst into the room muttering, "sorry ignore me ignore me." Panic set in as I tried to focus on my work, and I immediately asked him to leave. Instead, he began rummaging through the desk drawers, further invading my already frazzled concentration. Overwhelmed, I finally snapped, raising my voice to demand he leave immediately, which he did with a dramatic door slam.

After completing the test, I sought him out to apologize, explaining the stress I was under and reminding him of our agreement. However, Henry felt I had overreacted and couldn't grasp why I was making "such a big deal" out of his brief interruption. Now, over a day has passed, and he hasn’t let it go, still simmering with resentment.

In a scenario like this, had it been captured on a reality TV show, the scene might have been dramatically amplified. The cameras would have focused on the tension in the room, possibly even replaying the moment of my outburst multiple times. Viewers might have seen confessionals where each of us explained our side, adding to the drama. Reality shows thrive on these moments of intense emotion and misunderstanding, often blowing them up to entertain the audience. One might wonder if the audience would sympathize with my need for professional calm or lambaste me for my reaction under stress...

if i was your daughter, what would you say so that she doesn't keep on thinking of self-harming more than she has so far and give up on life? i'm starving for someone's love and it doesn't matter if i sound overly desperate anymore. pls?

Recently, I embarked on a journey from Melbourne to Dubai. Anticipating the long, fourteen-hour flight, I opted for a premium economy seat to ensure some degree of comfort during the travel. Little did I know that this decision would involve me in an unexpected dilemma.

As I settled into my seat, the passenger beside me struck up a conversation. It turned out he had just been upgraded and was traveling with his new wife, as they were on their honeymoon. He put forth a request; if I could possibly switch seats with his wife, who was seated in the standard economy section towards the rear of the aircraft.

I expressed my congratulations on their marriage and inquired about her seating location. When he pointed out her economy seat, I found myself in a tough spot. I politely declined to switch seats, given the significant difference in comfort and amenities between our seating classes.

He persisted, asking if there was any incentive that might persuade me to change my decision. In response, I suggested that I might consider swapping seats if he compensated me for the price difference, an additional $1,000 AU$. Upon hearing this, he mentioned they were traveling on a budget for their honeymoon, and I congratulated them again while resuming to my own world of music and solitude with my earbuds. His parting words, under his breath, were not too kindly, as he labeled me selfish. My retort was that he, too, was not being considerate by opting for the upgrade alone rather than with his wife.

Later, sharing the incident with my wife, she opined that perhaps I should have been more gracious. Yet, I know well her own disdain for economy class, and I doubt she would have made the switch either.

If this encounter were part of a reality show, one can only imagine the varied reactions of an audience watching the dilemma play out on screen. Viewers might align with my desire to retain a seat I paid extra for, or they might sympathize with the newlywed couple, seeing my decision as unsympathetic. Reality TV thrives on such conflicts, compelling the audience to ponder what they would do in a similar situation, possibly provoking debates and discussions long after the episode airs.

What's your take on switching seats on a plane?

“supposed to be an adult, but fuck it, i need a minute” — tate mcrae, revolving door

if there’s one think i’ve learned from being a synthographer (or ai artist, as many would call it) for 4 years and counting, it’s to ignore the mean comments that people throw at me. but honestly, it feels like i’m not learning my lessons here. especially the case of sora 2.

seriously, when sora 2 came out, i feel so ecstatic about it. anime now actually looks like anime. videos feel more lifelike. some people even share japanese commercials on youtube. it’s amazing honestly.

problem is, i can’t go to youtube or reddit or pretty much any social media without someone ranting about how sora 2 videos are soulless slops that shouldn’t have existed in the first place. i’m so sick and tired of it, especially that i have to summarize it because why bother going thru it when all they’re saying is toxic and abhorrent?

i can’t even open the comments too for the same reasons. i can’t bear all the words and topics they’re throwing around, not just criticizing sora 2, but pretty much any ai-generated work in general. “ai art isn’t art”, “ai is bad for the environment”, “ai slop”, “clanker”, “we should kill the ai artist”, my god the list goes on. i could even build a receipt or a poster series from all this if i want to. this made me hate people a little bit, even if ironically i make anime portraits with character descriptions in them.

all this constant doomscroll of anti-ai comments and posts left me wondering: am i back to square one? there are times where i work on myself so that i can create again without judgement from the peanut gallery, but i kept coming back like a revolving door. it’s so fucking exhausting. i can’t enjoy anything i like without someone criticizing bc it’s “ai-generated.” i’m living in a constant battle as a synthographer where i always tell myself: fuck all this man, i need a minute.

it made me think about quitting something that i love over the years too. it’s like they’d be happier if i just don’t share my works or erase myself from existence. i can’t take this anymore.

So I’m 31, a guy, and it feels like every family dinner or group hangout with friends ends up with the same question circling around me: “when are you going to finally meet someone?” or “why don’t you just try one of those speed dating events, it could be fun!!” — and I can’t lie, it feels like I’ve been hearing this loop for years now. I’ve been single for so long that it’s almost become like another skin I wear, comfortable but also kind of itchy when other people point it out all the time. The thing is, I’m autistic, and for me walking into a social environment that is structured around rapid-fire conversations with strangers is not just intimidating, it’s kind of like being asked to run a marathon in shoes that don’t fit right. I like plans, I like predictability, I like knowing what’s going to happen and having a rough script to work from; and speed dating is literally the opposite of that, it’s improvisation stacked on improvisation, with time pressure, overstimulation, and lots of background noise. My brain wants to plan every word in advance, but the event format makes that impossible, so I’ve been trying to find a middle ground. That’s why I got obsessed with the idea of having ice breaker questions prepared in advance. It sounds simple, maybe even silly, but to me it feels like a small safety net. If I have a set of go-to conversational openers, I might not feel like I’m drowning right away. I looked up a bunch of articles that say things like “just be yourself, ask about hobbies, ask about travel,” but that’s too vague for me. I need specifics! I want to go into the situation with like a toolkit, the same way you’d bring the right screwdrivers to fix something mechanical. Otherwise, I know I’ll freeze, I’ll say something awkward, and the whole interaction will just fall flat. Has anyone else felt like the basic advice doesn’t cut it??? Like when someone says “just relax and go with the flow,” what does that even mean for someone whose brain literally doesn’t flow the same way?

I tried to draft some questions myself, like “what’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?” or “what kind of music have you been into lately?” because I feel like those are neutral, not too invasive, but they also give the other person room to expand. I’m also curious if it’s okay to bring up stuff like “do you enjoy your work?” or “do you like cooking at home or eating out?” — but then I panic because what if that sounds too much like an interview??? What if they just think I’m weird for scripting this in my head??? And yet, not having a plan feels like setting myself up to crash and burn; so I’m stuck in this in-between zone of wanting to prep but not wanting to sound robotic. A friend told me, “you’re overthinking it, just make eye contact and smile,” but eye contact itself is exhausting for me and smiling when I’m overwhelmed feels fake. It’s not that I don’t want to meet someone, it’s that I want to do it without feeling like I’m putting on a whole act that drains me for days after. And that’s the hardest part to explain to people who aren’t autistic — they think it’s just shyness or nerves, when really it’s more like running social interactions through a constant CPU-heavy processing system. I wonder if other people prepare “conversation trees” in their heads, like almost imagining dialogue options in a video game (I literally do this — like “if she says X, then I can reply Y or Z”), and it feels logical to me, but maybe it comes off stiff in real life. I don’t want to be stiff, I want to be genuine, but with my kind of wiring, genuineness sometimes needs scaffolding. Does that make sense?? I’ve read references that therapists sometimes use “social scripts” for practice, which makes me feel less alone in this. I know other people use them in professional settings too, like sales reps have their scripts, or customer service has theirs. So why should it be so odd if I want one for dating? Still, I’m nervous about how that looks in practice. Maybe I should test them out with a friend first, but that also feels weird because friends already know me. Honestly I’m just hoping if I go in with a few good questions in my pocket, maybe I’ll survive the experience without shutting down completely. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll even find someone who appreciates that I prepared, instead of judging me for it 🙂 Do you think questions like “what’s a meal that instantly makes you feel at home?” or “have you ever had a totally random adventure that stuck with you?” would work, or are those too much for a speed dating setting where you only have like five minutes??? I really want to get this right, even though I know perfection isn’t the goal, but preparation at least gives me a fighting chance at not walking out feeling like a complete failure 🤔

I have national exam in about few days and I'm so scared. I really don't know anything and I just keep getting distracted. I'm stressing and hyperventilating but I still can't study and foolishly wasting my time in phone. It feels like the world is gonna end for me. I really wanna give. I don't wanna do this anymore. I'm scared about my parents. I'm so scared that I'd rather give up than face them. I hate it, I hate it so much. I'm so dumb, stupid and idiot.

a dude cold opened me a few days ago and asked me out i panicked and gave him my info/said yes (i know! not good for either of us!) and yesterday we went on a date. he was perfectly nice and im sure it "went well," but i truly wasn't feeling it at all. i don't know him, i found out he was 28 (im 19, we're both college students and he saw me on campus so it's not like a creeper thing), im just not that interested in dating... i turned down a second date last night over text and i have yet to look at his texts back. i dont feel bad about turning him down, but i just feel really embarrassed and guilty about the whole situation. it sucks!!!!!

Yo everyone, so I’m 21, and I’ve been with my girlfriend, Sarah, for like a year now. She’s awesome—funny, cute, and we vibe so well. But there’s this thing that’s been bugging me, and I feel kinda weird even typing it out. Sometimes, when we’re, y’know, getting intimate, she feels… loose? Like, not all the time, but enough that I’ve noticed. I ain’t trying to be a jerk or anything, I love her to death, but it’s got me wondering what’s up. Is it me? Her? Something else? I’ve been too embarassed to bring it up with her, so I figured I’d write it out here to make sense of it. Maybe someone’s got answers.

First off, I did some research—yeah, I Googled it, don’t judge. Turns out, there’s a ton of reasons this could happen. Like, women’s bodies are mad complex, and stuff like arousal, hormones, or even just where she’s at in her cycle can change how things feel down there. I read that when a girl’s super turned on, her muscles relax more, which can make things feel less tight. Sarah and I have a great time together, and she seems into it, so maybe that’s it? But then I also saw some stuff about pelvic floor muscles. Like, if they’re weak or something, it can affect tightness. I don’t know if that’s her deal, but she’s pretty active—yoga, running, all that—so I’m kinda skeptical. Still, it’s got me thinking maybe it’s just natural variation or whatever.

Then there’s the awkward part where I gotta look at myself. I ain’t no expert in the bedroom, but I’m not clueless either. Still, I wonder if I’m doing something wrong. Like, maybe I’m not getting her as excited as I think? Or maybe it’s my size or technique or whatever. I hate even thinking that, ‘cause it makes me feel like I’m not enough. Sarah’s never complained, and she seems happy, but my brain’s over here spiraling. I saw some posts online from other dudes saying they noticed the same thing, and a lot of ‘em said it’s normal, just depends on the day or the mood. But then you got those sketchy forums where guys start blaming their girls, and I’m like, nah, that ain’t it. Sarah’s amazing, and I’m not about to make this her fault.

Another thing I stumbled on was how stress or health stuff can play a role. Sarah’s in college, same as me, and she’s always juggling classes, her part-time job, and family drama. Sometimes she’s so stressed she barely sleeps. I read that stress can mess with your body in all kinda ways, including how your muscles work. Plus, she’s on birth control, and I saw that can affect lubrication or even muscle tone for some girls. I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s got me wondering if it’s not about “loose” but just her body reacting to life. I feel bad even stressing about this, ‘cause she’s got so much on her plate, and here I am overthinking something that might not even be a big deal. Maybe I just need to chill and focus on making sure she’s feeling good, y’know?

At the end of the day, I love Sarah, and this ain’t gonna change that. I’m probably making it a bigger deal than it is. I mean, every time’s not gonna feel the same, right? Bodies are weird, and I’m learning that’s just how it goes. I’m thinking about talking to her about it—not like accusing her or anything, but just being real, like, “Hey, I noticed this, you ever feel different too?” I don’t wanna make her self-conscious, so I gotta figure out how to say it right. For now, I’m gonna keep being supportive and stop tripping over stuff I can’t control. If anyone’s got advice on how to bring this up without being a total idiot, I’m all ears. Love’s worth figuring this out for.

My sister has been going through a rough time. Her ex did nonconsensual things to her and hit her. He is a big member in the club we are both in. I have been having a tough time with feeling angry. I have been mad multiple times over this, but my sister has been quick to swipe away what happened, and they have been amicable so far. I think that what he did was horrible and wrong and I wish it didn't happen to her. My view of him shifts a lot and I was trying to show him love at first because my sister was trying to move past it. However she has been switching on if she likes him or hates him, or whatever. And I have to listen to all this and try my best to give good advice however she shuts down on me a lot. She has recently been telling a lot of his friends about what happened. But, I think the thing that makes this so hard is that she used to hurt me. When we were younger she used to hit me for being out of line and she would do non-consensual things to me too. I never fully healed from all of this, and it makes it difficult to navigate this situation. I love her ofc, but only until recently have I stopped being on edge around her. It's always in the back of my mind and I hate that it is, because she isn't like that anymore. She was hurting and took it out on me. We've talked about it before and she agreed we both did wrong.. but I never knew about sexual things until she forced it on me. I'm struggling to be there for her when she is switching her mind every second. I'm also afraid she will hurt me.. she hasn't in a decade but it's still a fear, even if irrational. Everyone's telling me "What your sister is going through must be so hard on you." I'm struggling to feel empathy for her, probably because I just swept everything under the rug. I know she shouldn't but I'm struggling to understand why she can't. Today a guy told the ex to back off and not to contact her.. but she has been contacting him. "It must be so hard on you." It is, but for different reasons and no one can ever know about those reasons. I have 3 cans of alc with me and I'm thinking of drinking them. My dad was a drinker so maybe I've got the gene. I tried to tell some friends without being clear but they didn't pick up that today was a rough time for me. SO I just feel so lost and disgusting. I don't want to hear about what she has been through anymore and I want to block it all out. But I'm just having a hard time, because that's wrong, I should be there for her. Then again this isn't about me and I should probably just suck it up. I could barley get through her retelling it to someone else. I had this feeling of almost possessiveness.. she pours all her grief on me and she can just tell other people like it's nothing? Idk why that makes me feel so angry. I'm not sure what to do. If you have any advice I can give her that would help.

Of course, becoming a teen theirs responsibility. And always feeling the pressure to get a job from your parents. Anyways, im 15 and what are some jobs where I don’t have to work in a musty fast food place and being a cashier. (Counting money sucks😞) And im also introverted, but that won’t stop me from getting a job.