Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

It was last Christmas when I (27f) had the joy of inviting my family and friends to a unique “dinner and a show” experience, not only for the festive spirit but also because I had contributed to designing some of the costumes for the evening’s performance. We were all seated at a significant table close to the stage in a tiered theatre setting, where the seating arrangement included multiple levels of tables each descending closer towards the stage. Positioned at the back of our table, my seating placement put me exactly at head level with the table directly above us.

As we began to enjoy our meal served from a delectable buffet, an alarm suddenly went off right next to my ear. The couple from the table above was away filling their plates, and as the shrill beep continued unabated by my side, it became disruptively loud. After enduring the unpleasant noise for a couple of minutes, I noticed that the source was an iPhone. In an attempt to halt the disturbance, I reached over and lightly tapped the snooze button on the phone. I firmly planned to notify the couple upon their return, presuming the alarm could have been a simple reminder, possibly for medication.

However, my actions didn't sit well with my mom who was seated opposite me. She was visibly shocked and began reprimanding me for handling someone else’s belongings. Although I explained that I merely snoozed the alarm to cease the loud noise, she firmly lectured me on the inappropriateness of my actions, even suggesting the alarm could have been set for something crucial like medication timing. I remember retorting that I had only snoozed it and intended to inform the owners as soon as they came back. Nevertheless, my mom continued her reproach in front of everyone, including my friends and soon-to-be sister-in-law, criticizing my behavior.

Upon the couple's return, I immediately apologized for my action and explained the situation. They were understanding and even apologized for the inconvenience caused by their unattended phone alarm. Surprisingly, they weren’t upset about me touching their phone at all.

Since then, the incident has been a recurring topic. My mom remains unapologetic and firm on her stance, which has been somewhat embarrassing in front of family and friends. While many support my decision, citing the disturbance caused by the noise, some do share my mom's view on privacy and the sanctity of personal belongings.

In another light, imagine if this incident had unfolded on a reality show. How would the audience react to such a scenario? Would they side with me for trying to diminish a continuous annoyance, or would they agree with my mom's perspective on privacy? Reality TV thrives on these kinds of personal dilemmas and audience polls on such matters could lead to heated debates in the comment sections or even affect viewer perceptions of the characters involved.

Am I wrong for snoozing the phone alarm?

I have toxic family environment so I can't study, they disturb my mental state so I am unable to focus on study and I am stressed if I don't study my future will be spoilt

Hi, so I met my group of friends in middle school, and we always got along really well, but since high school, I feel like there's already a favorite and that I'm the one who's being ignored more and more. And when I say something or remove myself from the online group, they don't even bother to add me back. Every day I have hope of seeing them at school, but I'm constantly alone. They ignore me and completely avoid me, and they don't even come to ask how I am. And when I do find them, I either feel hated or completely ignored.

I want my voice to be heard someday

I'm a young adult who want(s/ed) to be an artist, a coder, a helper, and a nice person who wanted to change everyone's lives, but I feel no motivation to continue what I love. I find no passion for anything anymore, and it's all my fault. I'm in a never-ending cycle of hatred towards myself and in a cycle of wanting to see the people who had hurt me get their consequences. My interests are as varied as white bread: corporate, childish, soulless, samey; mixed in with the most obscure stuff people that nobody knows about. When I say I want to get into something that is remotely indie, I turn it into my whole personality, then I feel nothing afterwards. I am not good at human interaction, and I have a lot of problems with talking to people face to face, so it started affecting how I talked to others in school. So, I started to use the internet to talk to others.

It all started on Discord, where I decided to make an account after the pandemic started changing our lives and when I started feeling friendless. For the first two years, I was fine, even if a bit cringe. I was progressing in my art goal, albeit in a very different way, and this was when I finally started leaving a mark on the internet, which is what I always wanted to do, until... I got in trouble with a community, which led to a friend of mine leaving me eventually. I always needed an art tutor, but I never really knew how to go about requesting one. I also did not want to pay because if I paid, my parents would've been against it. This was a horrible mistake, as it made others think I was a beggar, when in reality I needed help. A lot of people claiming to be my friends also left me for the stupidest reasons and even spread rumors about myself. This was when I decided enough was enough. I restarted everything about myself online, and my goal to leaving a mark on the internet had completely reset.

There was this thing one person said that stuck out to me: How their interests did not match my interests. This still haunts me to this day, because I have not been able to get into a lot of indie stuff a lot of Gen Z users like, or even popular stuck others like. I can't broaden my interests because everything still feels either samey or ruined by terrible communities or friends.

I wanted to draw the same thing my favorite small online artists drew. I wanted to share the huge passion I had for storytelling and character design. Every single one of my favorite artists felt like they all brought their own version of their own world, but in reality, they all felt very similar to each other to a fascinating degree. It was like a small group of small artists that understood each other, even if they had different approaches. I needed to get in, but if I wanted to get in, I needed my slate to be as clean as possible and to practice a lot.

I used my new, yet still lacking set of art skills to build a new name and new stories, and with it, I promised myself to broaden my horizons. I started making a lot of new friends in a new community that took a while to get used to, but when I did, I started warming up and making it my go-to place. They didn't find my interests boring or samey. However, there was this one friend who wanted to assist me in my path. They were very nice, but what I didn't realize at the time is that they were too nice to me. It wasn't until it was too late when I found their true intentions.

At one point, I started feeling too distanced from the real world. I got into fights with my family members more frequently, almost like if I was being controlled by a puppet. Not even online had my behavior differed from the real world, as I started feeling this uneasy feeling that everyone would start hating me again and seeing everyone in my group starting to suffer mentally horribly, it started making me go insane. Months would turn into days, and the date finally came. I found out what they really wanted to do to me, and so did my parents. However, when it happened, the punishment was way, way off.

I had to leave Discord and my newfound name I wanted to leave a mark as. I could feel my life falling endlessly as my goals slowly vanished, all ties to my friends were cut. My electronics were all confiscated, even my Switch. My family members were not afraid to show their anger towards me and even told me that I should BEG God for forgiveness, because he wouldn't forgive me in a lifetime. Everything fell down to the gutter, but I still tried to put a positive spin on all of this. At least it's all better than what that person was going to do to me, right?

I had changed a lot since the initial punishment. I became more socially active with my family members and had tried a little bit harder to change and find my own self, and some things from the initial punishment were lifted too, but there's still something. I found an artist with a great style, one that felt like they belonged into that small group of small artists I wanted to be like. They literally checked all the boxes in just a week, but there was something different. I wanted to continue my goal, but then, creative block struck, and not just any creative block, an entire 1000 lb weigh in my brain was put. I couldn't draw my own custom things anymore, so I had no choice but to use ChatGPT to keep my creative visions alive, even if severely flawed as methods. Then, I found no passion for coding at all, as I had nobody to give suggestions about my code, then I resorted to having to use Copilot to give me blueprints. I started yearning to use Discord again, but my parents still don't trust me, and I doubt they will give me everything back anytime soon.

I have no control of my own life anymore. I can't go on without having friends or motivation. I can't go on without having free unlimited access to creativity. I feel stuck, and I had a realization. I got myself into this. My entire motive to get going with art was to find ONE friend who valued me and my projects the most, one who could contribute to my own creativity, someone I could rely to. I would search all over the communities I was interested in (which weren't a lot) to find someone if one person refused and bullied me for it. I should've stopped trying to force a friendship with someone.

I don't know what to do anymore. I didn't even feel like writing this that much, but it HAD to come out somehow. I had been trying to build my own online brand for 5 years but ended up hurting myself in the long run. I'm still friendless, still limited, and still getting stalked by that person who ruined everything. Every time I go out to the yard, I have this flashback of that fateful day where everything went wrong. I wanted a hobby and a job I enjoyed so much, and I still want to draw and code, and maybe even blueprint a mall one day, but I don't find myself motivated to do any of those things anymore. Am I still doing something wrong?

Things at work are getting down and dirty. My boss and his secretary have become monsters, constantly attacking the company's top authority. It's happened once already, and it will happen again. They have no regard for others; they're only there for their own selfish interests, preying on everyone in the company. My boss's job involves organizing things, but he's taken advantage of it to go too far with me, completely violating my privacy, something I've had to protect myself from.

It's regrettable, but I used to consider that man my friend. However, for him, being a friend meant being there for me through thick and thin, even though we should be equals in the thick of things. Such behavior, total control. I feel completely at ease attending events with them soon. I would prefer a different situation, not out of fear, but because I don't feel they are worthy as people. In principle, there is no value placed on the homeland, only simple and blatant destruction, all at the expense of appearances and not evidence. This leads to the abuse of the limits of shame, and we know that these limits are often insufficient to establish the facts with certainty. Even when they are established, the limit is what prevails, for no other reason than to prevent future problems.

I believe it is necessary to tell these stories again and again, with no other aim than to encourage reflection on the limits within which we are embedded, the culture itself, and which define our mobility within our environment. Many people don't understand these limits and simply adopt passivity as a pause, when calmness regarding something is a state that is constructed and stems precisely from the distance from it. And all distance from something is constructed; when it comes to experience, it is not given. This isn't about geometric distance, which I think we confuse with other concepts, just as we do with many things related to emotions, where we confuse clusters with binary functions of the biological system that allows us to exist in the universe.

I'd like to be able to discuss these things with someone, but even I have to admit that they have limits to what they can tolerate. In principle, my approach is based on engaging with what I gain from experience, and of course, the way I access it is particular, according to the experience that connects me to that achievement, which is the reflection within it—those lines that allow me to see other perspectives starting from principles through which I viewed another. It's also necessary, I believe, to define these notions, which I think I'm achieving. It's essential, by any means necessary, to begin being critical of everything we use, precisely to use it judiciously and, moreover, to establish additions. It's about establishing more actions for life.

I've undoubtedly strayed from the topic I started with, but indeed, I'm discovering a way to access these achievements, these reflections. I feel proud, but what saddens me is not having anyone to share this journey with. Through these networks, I manage to share certain situations, but I don't start from a pre-existing premise, but rather from how I react to what I'm about to write. All my writing stems from this; it's about reacting to the ease of publishing online, in terms of the future it guarantees me, which is its publication. I would like, I must say, for the young woman with whom I've now found peace, thanks to this experience, to be here by my side so I could talk to her about these things, but it would be an inconvenience because she doesn't do these things. It would be bringing her into a conversation where she'd be completely out of touch.

It pains me to say it, but we're better off this way, through these chance encounters and the few words we can exchange. Although we share principles, she's more limited in the more developed aspects of mine, and more developed in the less developed ones. There's little we can do, and doing more would only hinder the relationship. And let's face it, the stage we're at right now is quite limited, precisely because of this lack of response. It's better to focus on what we can do effectively.

It's worth mentioning that, indeed, we have unique moments, just like in other relationships where I have the same limited scope. These moments are truly extraordinary. Of course, what we have in common is our shared principles, which allows for conversations and other activities that stimulate our growth. I feel the need to understand how we function, because indeed these relationships are not usual, but indeed, the issue still works and to say that they are not relationships, that they are nothing, is nothing more than failing to give a vision to that which moves my life, because indeed I take conditions into account.

I feel comfortable after all. After my boss's downfall, I feel I'm doing well, which also involved his secretary. I'm not comfortable with having to see their faces, because I believe that people like that, with that kind of attitude, will end up wreaking havoc on the company, not through me, but through others. For management, this duo represents a factor of instability, and even more so now, because they've been like this for a long time.

It's a shame that digital platforms for venting are so closed these days, to the point of not even being clear about their rules. Just yesterday, I finished venting and the platform limited me to writing until after a certain time. As I understand it, I wrote too much, of course, perhaps because I sent many messages in a short period of time and it ended up being marked as spam by the system. I didn't understand it until now.

I don't feel capable of going any further with these friendships; the way we are, the way we guide each other in safeguarding our interactions within a culture that prioritizes egalitarianism as the basis for social relations, is more than enough. I fear that these people don't enjoy the same lifestyle as me, where they spend their time writing and, consequently, developing a wide range of responses. Their responses are based essentially on gestures, on essences where there is no dialogue, in effect, a product of the lack of a constant exercise in constructing language. They are situated in a specific environment, and I can't expect to make drastic changes. In principle, there would be resistance, given that it would confront what their absence from that environment would imply. It is an exercise in empathy, undoubtedly, defined as the contemplation of the conditions in which the other is in relation to a certain situation and which makes their modus operandi decisive: Hence we say that this exercise results in an act of caution, why not say it, by inertia.

I feel like I use to be such a creative writer my imagination was on 100 then adult life happened and just like they say math if I don’t keep up with it you will end up loosing your mojo I feel like lost my imagination groove If that makes sense. I was more into fantasy fiction. Now I’m like stuck like unable to get a short story out I’m a teacher schools out I was figuring getting a part time giving myself some short story pts to r get back into writing everyday but now that I’m sitting in front of the computer drawing blanks . And if something does come out it sounds like every other Netflix movie I do occasionally write thrillers but it’s just not working. Not having any fresh ideas how do I break this cycle maybe some exercises. Anyone else dealt with writers block

A few months ago, I faced something I never thought I’d have to deal with—trying to comfort my best friend after she lost her mom. It was sudden, a heart attack, and it left everyone in her family completely shattered. I remember getting the phone call and just sitting there in shock. What do you even say when something like that happens?

When I went to see her the next day, I froze at the door. I had all these things running through my head, but none of them seemed right. “I’m sorry for your loss” felt too generic. “She’s in a better place” sounded hollow. And “let me know if you need anything” felt like something people just say, but never follow through on. I stood there for a good five minutes, rehearsing words in my head, and none of them felt like enough.

Finally, I rang the bell. When she opened the door, I could see how much pain she was in. Her eyes were red, her shoulders slumped, and she looked like she hadn’t slept at all. I panicked and blurted out, “I’m so sorry.” She nodded and let me in without saying much. The whole visit, I kept second-guessing myself. Should I talk about her mom? Should I stay quiet? Was I making her feel worse?

At one point, she started crying, and all I could think to do was sit beside her and let her cry. I didn’t say anything. I just put my arm around her. And you know what? She told me later that was exactly what she needed—someone to just be there without trying to fix it or say the "right" thing.

That experience taught me a lot about what to say to someone who lost a loved one—or rather, what not to say. I realized that people don’t need clichés or advice in those moments. They don’t want to hear “time heals all wounds” or “everything happens for a reason.” Those words might come from a good place, but they don’t really help when someone is drowning in grief. What they need is for you to acknowledge their pain and let them feel it without judgment.

Over the weeks that followed, I tried to be there for her in small ways. I checked in with her often, even if it was just a text saying, “Thinking of you today.” I didn’t expect her to reply, but I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone. I also made sure to listen when she wanted to talk, even if she repeated the same stories about her mom over and over again. I learned that grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and people need to process it at their own pace.

One thing that really stood out to me was how much she appreciated when people shared memories of her mom. At the funeral, a mutual friend told a funny story about how her mom used to sneak extra candy into her kids’ stockings at Christmas, even though she’d pretend to be strict about sugar. My friend smiled—really smiled—for the first time that day. It was a reminder that her mom wasn’t just gone; she was still a part of all of us through those memories.

Now, when someone asks me what to say to someone who lost a loved one, I always tell them the same thing: don’t overthink it. It’s not about finding the perfect words; it’s about showing up and letting them know you care. Sometimes, saying “I’m here for you” and actually being there is more powerful than any other words.

Another thing I learned is that support doesn’t stop after the first few weeks. In the beginning, everyone rushes to offer condolences and bring meals, but as time goes on, people get busy with their own lives. That’s when the person grieving needs support the most. I made a point to invite my friend out for coffee or walks months after her mom’s passing, and she told me those little gestures made all the difference.

Looking back, I realize how much I’ve grown through this experience. I used to feel helpless and awkward around grief, but now I know it’s okay not to have all the answers. Sometimes, just saying “I don’t know what to say, but I’m here for you” is enough. It’s not about solving their pain—it’s about being a steady presence while they navigate through it.

If you’re reading this because you’re struggling with what to say to someone who lost a loved one, I hope this helps. Just remember, you don’t have to fix anything or make it better. Let them cry, let them talk, or just sit in silence with them if that’s what they need. Your presence alone speaks louder than any words ever could.

I hate myself. I always manage to self-sabotage whenever something good is finally happening to me. Now I have someone to actually care for but it’s April fools today and I felt like pranking him so me and my friend made up a story of how another guy is asking me to be duos on a game. I’m actually so scared and worried. I feel like we’re going to fall out. I don’t know how to approach him about it either because it was mentioned in a group chat and I’m not even sure if he’s mad or jealous about it. I’m worried he’ll think I actually play guys. An ex friend of mine made up a rumor about me that I was talking to him while liking two other guys. Completely false, by the way.

Customers nowadays really do complain about the stupidest things.

Now, im a mcdonalds employee, for some reason we really attract all the brain dead people. Ive just had a Customer complain about me specifically because he couldn't "see his number on the screen" (the one screen that shows order numbers).

Yeah thats it. Thats the complain.

Even though he got his order in less than 5 minutes, all fresh, nothing missing, its not good enough i guess cause his number was not on the screen 🤷

now i have to face my manager tomorrow to talk about it because i was mentioned in the negative review 🤦 obviously im not gonna get fired from this, but im anxious and stressed as hell now because of this. What the fuck am i supposed to say? I didnt think the screen was that big of a deal. God, stupid people will complain about ANYTHING.

That customer probably just went on a power trip, cause who the hell complains about that?! Its such a nothing burger.

It doesn't help that management takes negative reviews so seriously 🙄 theyre definitely gonna have a talk with me about this and— uggghhh, thanks a lot random adult ass man you made my anxiety go up i cant even sleep right now and im on the verge of tears.

i woke up one day last month and something just clicked, not like a loud bang but more like the slow unlocking of a door i didn’t know existed; the kind that creaks when it opens and makes you feel something’s been waiting behind it for years. i was sitting at the kitchen table, eating cereal that went soggy way too fast and listening to her talk about some neighborhood meeting or whatever, and it hit me—i don’t love her. i respect her, i think she’s a good person, she’s loyal, she’s patient, she’s stable. but love? no. i don’t feel it. i don’t feel that fire anymore. haven’t in years. i think i kept going cause it felt easier to stay than to reset. like when your software keeps crashing but you don’t reinstall it because you’re afraid you’ll lose your files. that’s me. stuck on version 1.0 when i should’ve been on something newer, something that fits the current hardware of who i am. and i tried, i really did. i read books like "the five love languages" and watched those couples’ therapy podcasts and tried mimicking what they do. but nothing stuck. everything was like applying duct tape to a cracked foundation. no offense to her, really, i mean it. but how can you fake what doesn’t exist anymore? how long are you supposed to pretend that the system is fine when the core is corrupted?

maybe you’ll say i’m selfish or broken or that i should’ve figured this out earlier, maybe even before the wedding or at least before we decided to adopt a dog together. and you’re probably right. but this realization didn’t come from some dramatic event or external stimulus, it came quietly, like a notification you ignore too many times until it fills the whole screen. so i’ve started planning. not cheating, not ghosting her, just slowly building a framework for my reset. i’ve updated my resume, reached out to a few friends in other cities, thought about what it’d mean to just… start over. tabula rasa, as they say. no hard feelings, just honest reevaluation. i feel like life should be lived with intention, and if we’re just running on routines and habits, aren’t we just slowly dying instead of living? i want to live. i want to wake up one day and feel like my choices match my heart, not my obligations. is that wrong? maybe you’ve felt it too, that split between duty and desire, where one pulls you deeper into routine and the other tugs at something raw and real. i’m not blaming her, she deserves real love, not a placeholder husband going through motions. and i? i deserve to stop gaslighting myself into thinking numbness is normal. if you’ve ever felt that, like you’re a spectator in your own life, tell me, what did you do? how did you find the courage to hit reset without detonating everything around you?

Hey me.

I see you sitting there, blasting Glass Half Empty on loop through your earbuds in the middle of class. I'm doing the same thing, too. Those lyrics are so relatable, aren't they? Anyway. I know Bowie, Trinity, and Harvie are still ignoring you. I know that Johne and Amelia still forget you're there sometimes. I know that Angel is your only friend left that sees and hears you. But hey, things'll get better. I think. You know, let's just reflect on the past four years before we get to high school. How's that sound? and when we're seniors, we'll reflect on our high school years too. Here we go:

Remember 5th grade? when you and Trinity first met? When you dated Livvie? Remember her? I forgot what school she goes to now... Oh well. But remember recess, playing with all of Trinity's little plastic animals? Remember there Kermits? You never did really become part of that... But that's besides the point. 5th grade was fun! I miss it. I bet you do too.

6th grade was when you met Amelia, Harvie, and Maddie. I still remember the exact places we sat at lunch. The third round table, and you always say next to Amelia. And you would give her your cheeseburger (which you got everyday) even though she had a lunchbox. Those were the good days... Ah well. They're gone now. But those days were easy, you never had to worry about whether or not your existence would be remembered the next day. EVeryone was interested in the same things, and we were all one friendgroup, and there was no stress about who liked who. That is, until you started liking Amelia. But you never asked her out, did you? I don't blame you. Stuff like that is really stressful.

And 7th grade! That was when you met Bowie, Angel, and Johne. Remember how you and Bowie started out? kinda awkward, I remember. Emma had been saying for a while that you and Bowie would be best friends. And you became best friends, didn't you! You two had such fun together. Then Trinity and Amelia started dating. Then you and Maddie started dating. Then you broke up with Maddie. And then you and Bowie started dating. 7th grade was ok.

But 8th grade... That's when everything fell apart. You broke up with Bowie, yet you two still stayed best friends. Nothing changed between you two, except maybe that you'd make jokes about when you two dated, things like, "why did I ever date you" whenever one of you did something dumb. But then... people started drifting. The friendgroup split in half. One half even moved tables at lunch. That was your half. And the other half stopped speaking to you and you only. Even Bowie, who was on that half. And then you started turning invisible with your own half. Even on your birthday. At least you still had Angel. But some days, you were invisible to even her. Depression got the best of you, didn't it? It still has me in its holds.

But listen to me now: you can't let yourself disappear. Get new friends. Ones who see you and hear you. Don't let the old ones turn you invisible. They don't define you. Even if things seem hopeless now, you'll get through this. You have to. And if you don't, then at least you tried, right? so try. Don't let go just yet. Don't give up until you can't go any further. It may seem like you can't now, but you can. Trust me. The apathy and depression may be bad, but you'll survive it all. Maybe. Possibly. You've almost made it to high school. Just keep pushing, and you'll get there. I get it, you want to just fizzle out, to just give up. But you can't. Keep going. Do it for Angel. For Sam, too, even though you can't talk to him anymore. But he'd want you to keep going. So keep going.

See you soon,

You.

I feel like a girl tried to trick me. She was a girl in great need of affection and love who wisely approached me at a time when the sequence was crucial in my life, recently, with an issue that was suspected to be a tooth problem. The girl hugged me, kissed my cheek, caressed me, made sure I didn't leave. In short, she welcomed me maternally at a time when I needed it most. Besides, I was with my mother and father, and they definitely didn't do that. She went so far as to listen to me, understand me, and actually value my music, something my parents simply rejected.

I feel like she abused her profession to do this. What would she have been capable of with that girl? All of this left lasting scars on me later. Why did she have to approach me like that? I feel like she hurt me so much. She was on the verge of jeopardizing my job, my life, everything. Why did it have to be like that? Also, having told her I was suffering from a psychological disorder. Damn, really, that girl was the one who hurt me the most. Why did she act so recklessly like that? Any inappropriate treatment becomes dangerous for me, whether it's on my part toward others or from others toward me, given the lack of control it caused me. I feel like her attitude wasn't right.

I feel overwhelmed, overworked after that experience. Who was that girl? Why did she treat me like that? Until recently, she practically had me at her feet. I feel like this wasn't right. I even thought I was in love, for God's sake! How could that be possible? I feel cheated, and I don't doubt that she knows about these kinds of methods. Besides, she was the kind of girl who makes special moments.

For God's sake, how far was this going to go? Now I feel like I just want her to go away. I was about to throw myself into a fierce void, into hell. I didn't know where I was going, I had no idea of ​​the consequences. I was willing to go without any consequences! I never want to see that girl again in my life! The girl had me captivated. For God's sake! For God's sake, why wouldn't she answer or bother checking my WhatsApp? Besides, after acting so maternal and close, she suddenly abandoned me and made me look bad. Holy Mother of God! Where was this girl going to take me? And at a time when I was feeling bad! This is the worst thing that could have happened to me!

Dearest friends, why the hell did this have to happen to me? I felt like I was on the way to ruining my life, my sacred life. Don't people get tired of trying to ruin my life? For God's sake. She had already tried to ruin it recently. My calm, my most sacred calm, was about to be ruined, destroyed, shattered again. Where would I get trapped? In what, for God's sake? What could I possibly do under these circumstances? I already felt this girl was a danger from the start. And the worst part is that everyone there adores her. Why did someone like that have to touch me? Why? What did I do? I wanted peace of mind. There's no justification for this behavior. I've never done anything like this, have I? Could I have been a narcissist too?

I could already see that girl betraying my trust, making my life hell. I already felt cornered by her! I already felt she was shattering my expectations to the hilt! I felt she played with my feelings! That girl did this recklessly, even before surgery! She was also extremely silent and acting as if nothing had happened. What the hell would I run into if I saw her again? I already felt I had to escape from something. Why did I have to fall into this hell? This was the worst. That was the worst thing those doctors could have done to me, the worst, for God's sake. They gave me a monster present! And the worst part is that I was standing right in front of my mom, and my mom hadn't done anything.

The worst part is that it was at a time when I was completely out of my depth, for God's sake! I thought I was good, different, a bitter illusion. I was already surprised that I was the most popular! Of course! Everyone is safe from her! I already felt like I was losing control because of her. And I was already thinking about going all the way to where she worked! It makes me faint. This can't happen to me. What the hell is she still doing now, for God's sake? Plus, she's sucking up to my parents! She's acting the good guy! The woman was swarming me, for God's sake. What trap could I have fallen into? I was walking right into a trap. This can't happen to me. It can't be. This isn't fair. Why do so many people want to destroy my life? I'm tired of escaping. And in a medical service? For God's sake, I never want to enter that girl's life. I feel like I could die from this. Why did this happen to me? Attacks from all sides, for God's sake. On top of that, playing with my mental health, being deteriorated, begging for help, this is the worst thing the system could have done to me. I never thought that at my job I would be they're going to send me to a place like that, with that quality. I feel like I'm going to die of rage, of sadness. I mean, even in that service, they abused me. This can't be what happened to me. Everyone took advantage of it to tear my life apart.

And I'm justifying to this girl that I was different! She had me in a frenzy! How far was this going to go? I never want to remember this girl again. Never, ever. And pretending to be good, in love, saintly, different, that she doesn't judge. Am I really that annoying? It happened to me at my previous job, also with some girls. How far is this going to go? How far is this going to go? It can't be. It can't be that they won't leave me alone. I refuse to believe it. I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack because of this. And the worst part is that when I was in that service, no one protected me. To the point of succumbing to a hell from which no one was going to get me out because of the prejudices against me, which they truly are. I just tried to present true facts in a way that people couldn't refute without proof at hand, as it should have been, and also transparent to others. For God's sake, I was almost falling.

On the verge of losing almost everything. It can't be that this happened to me during my treatment. Even during my treatment, right when I should have been calmer. Now it was with this girl, who do I reveal this to? And then with someone else? I felt like an unprotected child again, at the mercy of madness, without parents even though they were there. I mean, it can't be that I was truly alone in those circumstances. I really don't understand. No one was protecting me from going to hell, no one, even though I needed to, even though I wasn't fit to handle myself.

And my psychiatrist yesterday told me to drop this treatment thing! Is everyone trying to make me fall? Everyone? This can't be happening to me. Seriously, this can't be happening to me.

What's a great present for a friend who became a mother recently, I wanna buy something for the baby but I also wanna give something beautiful and not too common for her. I'm really good at giving presents but I wanna hear some ideas.

Thanks

My girlfriend Ellie recently celebrated her birthday. We kept the celebration low-key with a little gathering at our place since she really dislikes opening presents in front of others, something all our friends are well aware of. Hence, she decided to open her gifts later that same night after everyone had left.

A couple of days after her birthday, she received a package from my parents. They tend to go big with gifts as they're quite well-off and had picked out a high-end designer purse Ellie had shown interest in during our last visit. My parents had snapped it up that same weekend to save for her special day. Ellie had already texted them a thank-you in advance, mentioning she'd update them once she’d opened it. Nevertheless, the gift remained unopened on our dresser for days, making my parents anxious enough to send a message inquiring if she'd looked at it yet. I prompted Ellie about when she might unwrap the gift, to which she simply answered, “soon.” I have to admit, I was eager too, knowing how much she wanted that bag.

As more days passed without the gift being opened, my parents followed up again. Feeling pressured, Ellie asked me if I could request them to back off. She explained that the pressure was taking the joy out of it for her, making her reluctant to open the gift at all. To me, this was baffling. There was no audience, just a simple unwrap and a follow-up thank-you would suffice—much like how it was with the earlier gifts from our friends. Frustration set in on both sides when I voiced this, and she retorted, “you just don't get how uncomfortable it makes me.”

Nearly a week after the gift arrived, my parents contacted me privately to enquire if Ellie liked the purse. Upon learning it was still unopened, they wondered if they had somehow crossed a line. Their past gifts hadn’t stirred such a reaction, and truthfully, I found it somewhat discourteous of Ellie not to at least acknowledge it by now.

Last night, while Ellie was out with friends, I decided to take matters into my own hands; I opened the gift myself and placed the bag prominently on the dresser, hoping to alleviate the pressure off her so we could all move past this awkwardness. I thought I was doing her a favor. However, she didn’t see it that way when she returned home. She was upset, revealing she had suspected the bag’s identity and felt uncomfortable about its lavishness, admitting it wasn’t the right time for her to open such an expensive gift. I argued that it was somewhat impolite to delay further, but she countered that it was more inappropriate for me to open it for her. The evening ended tersely, and this morning was no better, the purse still untouched on the dresser where I left it.

Imagine if this had unfolded on a reality show — the cameras zooming in on the unopened designer gift, the audience perhaps sympathizing with Ellie's discomfort or criticizing my impatience and breach of her privacy. The scene would certainly stir up strong opinions among viewers, polarizing comment sections and probably spawning a fervent discussion about boundaries and empathy in relationships.

I hate that I feel always so left out by my friends. Sometimes we get along and it’s fun but i feel like no one invites me anywhere and I try so so hard to include other people when they look excluded but no one ever does the same for me. I feel like I’m so boring that no one cares about me at all outside of school. I hate being the second choice and I hate myself.