Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

So, here’s the deal. I graduated last year, got my degree, did all the “right” things, and landed what was supposed to be a great job. You know, the kind of job everyone says you should feel lucky to have. But here I am, only six months in, and all I can think is, I want to quit my job.

Honestly, I feel like such a failure for even thinking about it. Everyone was so proud of me when I got this position—my parents, my friends, even my professors. It felt like this huge milestone, like i’d finally “made it.” But the reality? It’s so different from what I thought it’d be.

First off, the job itself is... boring. Like, mind-numbingly boring. All day, I’m just sitting at a desk, staring at spreadsheets, answering emails, and pretending to care about these endless meetings where nothing ever gets decided. I thoughtt I’d be doing something meaningful, or at least interesting, but instead, it feels like I’m just going through the motions.

And the worst part? The people. Everyone’s so serious all the time. No one jokes around or seems to actually like being there. It’s like they’ve all accepted this weird, soul-sucking reality, and I’m the only one who’s questioning it. I try to bring some energy, maybe lighten the mood, but it’s like I’m speaking a different language.

Then there’s my boss. Don’t even get me started. They’re not a bad person, but they micromanage everything. It’s like they don’t trust me to do anything on my own, which is ironic because I was hired for my “initiative” and “problem-solving skills.” I thought this job would give me the freedom to learn and grow, but instead, it feels like I’m being babysat 24/7.

I keep telling myself, “Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I need to adjust or give it more time.” But how much time am I supposed to give before I realize it’s not going to get better? My friends keep telling me I’m lucky to even have a job, especially in this economy, but does that mean I just have to suck it up and stay miserable?

What really gets me is how much this job is affecting the rest of my life. I’m constantly stressed, even on weekends. I’m too drained to hang out with friends or do the things I used to love. I’ve even started dreading Monday mornings before Sunday is even over. It’s like this job is stealing all my energy, and I don’t have anything left for myself.

I know quitting isn’t an easy decision. I’ve got bills to pay, and let’s be real, I don’t have some amazing Plan B waiting in the wings. But the idea of staying here for years, or even just one more year, makes me feel so trapped. Like, is this really what my life is supposed to look like now? Because if it is, I’m not sure I’m okay with that.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too idealistic. Maybe this is just what “adulting” is—grinding through a job you hate because that’s what responsible people do. But part of me thinks that can’t be true. There has to be more to life than this, right?

If this was a reality show, I wonder what people would say about me. Would they think I’m just some spoiled millennial who doesn’t know how to work hard? Or would they understand where I’m coming from? Because right now, I feel like I’m the only one questioning if this whole system is even worth it.

honestly, i don't even know where to begin with my sister. i'm nineteen and should probably be focusing on college or whatever, but instead, i'm dealing with her constant need to one-up me. it's like a never-ending game of "who's better?" honestly, who has time for that? everything has to be a competition with her. i'm talking grades, the affection from our folks, clothes, friends—literally everything. it's like she's trying to live my life for me. i wish she'd get the memo that i'm not interested in playing along in this rivalry she's invented in her own mind.

growing up, you'd think having a sibling would be this fun and supportive experience, but man, it really hasn't been. when we'd get our report cards, you could feel the tension in the room. i remember once she smugly said, "looks like i beat you again," as if life is some kind of scoreboard. and it doesn't stop there. when it comes to our parents, she acts like we're vying for the last cookie in the jar. it's exhausting and frankly, it's starting to wear me down. who knew feeling like a second fiddle in your own family could be so draining?

and don't even get me started on the dating scene. 🙄 i get it, sisters talk about boyfriends, but when it comes to her, every conversation feels like an interrogation. if i mention a guy, she immediately needs to know every detail: his looks, his grades, his interests—and heaven forbid if he's remotely better than anyone she's dated before. "oh, so he's into sports? my boyfriend can bench twice his weight," she'd say. sometimes, i wonder if she even likes people or just collects them like trophies to parade around. it makes me question her motives and, not gonna lie, it's kinda sad to make everything so transactional.

so yeah, i can't help but sometimes think wouldn't life just be a little bit nicer if we weren't always at war with each other? i'm sure other people deal with sibling rivalry, but this constant competition leaves a bad taste in my mouth. maybe one of these days, i'll tell her how i really feel, but then again, would she even listen? or would she just see it as another chance to win some imaginary race? makes you think if it's really worth the trouble or if this is something i'm just gonna have to learn to live with. is it possible to have peace when every moment around her feels like an uphill battle? guess i'll just have to wait and see.

Living in a building is a problem: everyone can hear what you're saying in your home. From what you say or express, people can take something and use it to question you. You feel like your privacy is being invaded.

In fact, you can't carry out activities without fearing people's scrutiny. Everyone is listening to what you're saying thanks to the silence, which is invaded by the physical traces our activities leave behind. The neighbors, above all, listen to you.

In an apartment, I never know when a neighbor is listening or not, or even plotting. In an apartment, like in a house, people live with an unknown way of thinking, usually, in my opinion, without a thorough review of the structure of ideas, ensuring that such elements are descriptive, quantitative, and then qualitative. In short, you don't know how your neighbors might act based on their knowledge of your lifestyle.

Indeed, living in a building is something that produces fear. I feel like everyone knows about your life in some way. Sometimes I freeze up when people ask me questions because I don't wait for someone to be paying attention to what I'm doing, mainly because my mind is on my own. But this very lack of interest in many people—to do something with their ideas, their impulses, to produce knowledge, art, or some other aspect—is what makes them seek relief in observing others. This doesn't mean they don't stop watching the news or anything else, but the truth is, it's related to events outside their lives. Of course, this in turn leads them to tune into ways of finding control over their environment, of course, since it involves these people.

I wish I didn't live in a building, but in a house, of course, where there's distance from other houses and where nothing inside would leak out. I wish absolutely no one knew a single detail about my life, because I don't know how I would deal with it. Thanks to this, to this day, I feel limited in my activities, at least after my neighbor asked if I used something certain in the house or not, which made me feel like she was trying to scrutinize the house without my permission. In other words, I feel like she overruled me and my father's as well.

I feel like I'm writing all this because my father and I weren't given permission to conduct such an investigation. It's like feeling like my neighbor doesn't take us into consideration and has no qualms about entering the land, asking questions, or giving directions. Some might say my way of feeling is exacerbated, but I feel like this is a consequence of having delved into a space where the outside world doesn't intervene to carry out actions. It's a feeling that the ground inside my house has been shaken. I think it's because the impact is so profound that it's hard for many people to visualize the impact.

I have to say, taking advantage of this space, that since I've been in this realm of introspection, I feel things to a greater extent than others, mainly because I'm constantly allowing my emotions to flow. This makes me realize that an aunt who told me she didn't know how to express my emotions is a person who simply speaks without reason; every day that woman gets into a worse position for me. In short, this spirit has made me capable of discerning things like the ones I'm raising here. I feel that deep down we should all do this exercise, so that what we express doesn't turn us into attractive material for suggestion.

I'm being serious. Indeed, I know that things like this should be considered more or less character-based, like many others, but that is denying that everything that happens to us creates a 90/10 effect, where 90% are ideas touched upon and unrelated to the case and 10% are ideas specific to the case. I feel like this is what I'm expanding on. No one should be able to take a subject in a pleasant way from the start. That, in principle, is impossible thanks to this effect, which is also intrinsic to human beings. I feel that I have sometimes been humiliated simply for showing something that many don't like to elaborate on; they seek to expose themselves to their own cognitive functioning.

Indeed, and I must admit, I feel I exaggerated by elaborating on this regarding my neighbor's actions, as it all stems from that. However, I call myself exaggerated because, in principle, acts of reflection, expression of words, as well as the character's grieving process, are not things that are usually done; rather, it is simply a matter of simply letting it go. Even so, I say that there is an exacerbation solely because of statistics and that it does not imply that I am taking a course of action. By doing so, I demonstrate that such reactions are normal, as it allows me to align with my feelings.

Maybe i'm not kind. Or Loving. or sweet. Or even good. But you're not safe. You're violent and aggressive and always look to hurt people when you don't like them. And no i can't think about you and accomodate you because all i'm thinking about around you Is that i'm unsafe and i have to escape.

As the title stated. I'm 27, male, living with my narcissist mother. I'm severely mentally ill. I also may have a disability but I can't afford assessment. I can't leave because I have no money. Been consistently applying for jobs. No one wants to hire me. I'm tired, angry, frustrated, and hopeless. I can't commit suicide, because I have a cat.

My cat is the reason I'm even here this long. I love her to death. Her name is Melissa.

My mom is trying to kill her. I see her using toxic sprays that can harm her. She over feeds her. I educate her on why. She pretends to understand but will do it behind my back. When I confront her, she acts stupid like she doesn't know what I'm talking about. Consistently lies to my face.

This been 7 years... And it's getting changing me for the worse. I want to hit her but I can't do that to my mother.

I want to runaway, but I can't leave my cat alone with her.

My cat is my savior. All I ever want is just to have some form of financial freedom so I can leave my mom, block her out of my life, and have my kitty be in a safe space with me.

But I guess that's too much to ask for.

I'm scared to rehome her. I also don't want to rehome her....my cat is VERY aggressive around strangers. The thought od betraying her and rehoming her will make her not trust anyone. She's very defensive and territorial (she's spayed).

I don't know what to do.

I fear if I leave her to shelters, they will just euthanize her... And my god, the thought if that will kill me.

I have had an idea...but even in this ve t space, I'm not comfortable opening up. But if I turn 30 and I don't see any improvements. I have an idea to bring me and my cat peace that we deserve at last.

I feel deeply hurt because my boss has interfered with one of my friends, and that's something I can't allow. It's incredibly difficult for me to have friendships, and to just abandon them like that, especially after manipulation and by dictating the terms of my interactions with them, is disrespectful. It's an imposition on the very nature of my life that I cannot tolerate under any circumstances, and I feel compelled to stand up for myself immediately by any means necessary. For him to ask me if I'm doing this because I like this person, want a relationship, or something like that, is disrespectful. It's an accusation that I'm trying to turn a human being into a profile, and that goes completely against my principles.

This individual has interfered in my life beyond all bounds, and now I feel compelled to remove him by any means necessary and to report his actions. I see that he's completely out of control, and something must be done about it. The days are over when I supported his dominance, when he used me and our relationship as a means to achieve stability, which is to do so at my expense. I can't allow that. I'm there to work for the company, not for him, and it's clear that I'm definitely not with him to carve out my own territory. He doesn't control me, even if it means facing every hell imaginable. Personally, I'll fight for my life, of course. I need to be with my friend. I can't let circumstances push me aside. She and I are fed up with this. What we have is very special. We had difficulties at the beginning, but that's natural. I'm tired of this guy always interfering, making us blame each other, just like that, and hiding behind the machinery of his own narrative. This is serious.

Given the recent events in my country, I didn't hesitate and took advantage of the crisis to expose this scoundrel, to reveal his true nature, desperately seeking understanding. This is a mechanism to gain favor, even at the cost of bureaucratic abuse, constantly admitting and admitting, which serves as a smokescreen, masking what one doesn't see. He is a great individual without feelings, living off others to expand his power, but his days are over, as the authorities themselves, on all sides, have betrayed him, exposing him completely. He cares about no one but himself, and he has tried to make me sympathize with him through feelings, through empathy, but personally, I have no interest whatsoever in this miserable, heartless politician who has found ways to flaunt his machismo by exploiting a woman's vulnerability, just as he did with my friend.

I understand why this is happening with his secretary, who hasn't made any effort to leave in any way. Instead, she's normalized the situation and, when push comes to shove and he's in trouble, she's looking for ways to confront him about it, revealing that she lives only for running away, without any real grounding. They aren't good people in any sense; they thrive on manipulation, on the extreme control of subjectivity, on making the world turn out the way they want, without any mercy, relying on these group games that distract him. In fact, they even find it amusing to pry into one's private life, desperately trying to steal anything that might enhance their image within the company. However, those days of support are over too, because everyone in the company openly and clearly supports my relationship with my friend, who I believe is defending us. One always sees it through the doormen or those who are always present and observing, precisely because their profession is to make receptiveness to professions possible.

I am definitely announcing with this, and proudly so, that a bad man has fallen and that he dragged his secretary down with him, because his hypocrisy is no longer believed in any way. His good intentions, support, and so on, only make us understand that what matters to them is manipulation at all costs. In fact, it was because of them that people distanced themselves from me, and I didn't realize it, but they all saw that there was indeed something about me that was out of place, and that it wasn't right to be a lover of emotions just to get something from others, but rather to become transparent, to integrate myself. I didn't want an isolated life as they intended, to the point that they tried to control my relationships with others. I really had to figure it out; it was almost spontaneous, I must say, because although it was ingenious, everything turned out to be easy for me.

It all stemmed from a routine that was itself based on another routine, one that took into account that something out of the ordinary was happening, something my boss and his secretary failed to consider. They tried to use their own tools, their own routine, to deal with me, even though I was clearly an outsider to their routine. Therefore, they refused to acknowledge they were in trouble and acted defensively. This is the problem, for them, of living in groups where normality is the imperative, not the practice. It's something many people don't see, and I think it needs to be discussed.

I don't feel comfortable around these people. Everyone rebels against them, and they don't consider any context. They live in perpetual victimhood, always aiming to perpetuate the dictatorship they created. Everything always gets out of hand, something always happens, and they live at the mercy of the fact that if it's not one specific person, then the issue is simply a matter of hiding. They live solely off their image, which is the only thing that protects them, and they attack anyone who isn't part of their circle by any means necessary, through gossip, through that string of things that justify any accident not as an accident but as intentional, precisely in their eagerness to accuse it of being entirely deliberate. They are monsters, and I can't believe I had to work with them, but well, it's out of my hands, and I am infinitely grateful for my perseverance, because, even though I didn't say it, I felt completely capable of handling them. They saw my complete trust as excessive, and it was precisely that illusion that led to their downfall. It is astonishing, without a doubt, to observe how these people smiled at their own misfortune, at their own ruin.

My friend was aiming for the same thing, from every point of view, but it all came down to setting limits, acknowledging risks, the possibility of loss, because not everything is permanent, not everything will always be there, no matter what, not everything is unconditional—well, nothing in life is unconditional, not at all. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, thanks to this spirit she manages to integrate herself even more into the community, somehow making use of our practices, based on an integration with the other, a fair establishment consisting of confronting the other, under the freedom to defend oneself. However, with others, this doesn't prove significant; instead, they become submissive out of fear of conflict, and in itself, this is leading her to become dominant in the office, of course, except with me, since she knows I can see her attempts at confrontation. Of course, it all started with me confronting her, opening myself up to appearances and falling into that consistency resulting from not accepting the denial of those appearances. She operates with others, starting from the denial of herself, as a gesture that, otherwise, if they step outside of her comfort zone, they will find themselves facing a warrior prepared to face rejection; her denial consists of the fact that such rejection does not exist, in principle, because others act in accordance with her, when it does exist, and precisely because she denies that depth that I faced.

it seems that every time I search for help with my marriage, I’m bombarded with ads from love coaches promising to save my relationship for a mere small fortune, and honestly, it’s starting to drive me crazy. I mean, why does every piece of advice about marriage and relationships have to come with a price tag? I’m a 41-year-old guy who’s been married for over fifteen years, and things have not been easy lately. I thought turning to the internet would give me some insights from people who have been there, done that, you know? But every click leads me down a rabbit hole of expensive eBooks, online courses, and consultations that seem more about lining someone's pockets than actually providing real help. Is it just me, or do other people feel that the romantic advice industry is a total scam? I started searching for free resources—blogs, forums, whatever I could find—hoping to stumble across someone who genuinely wants to share their experiences instead of trying to market something. Now, don’t get me wrong, I get that everyone has to make a living, but sometimes it feels like the pursuit of love has turned into a business opportunity for a lot of folks out there. Honestly, I find it disheartening and slightly disingenuous. A lot of the free advice I managed to find was stuff like: "just communicate better" or "try to understand your partner's love language." Really? That’s it? It's like tossing around generic platitudes without any real substance behind them. Don't we deserve more than that when we're trying to navigate the complex waters of a long-term relationship? One of the biggest issues in my marriage right now is that my wife feels neglected, and I completely understand why, but expressing that to her is so much harder than it seems. It feels like there’s this invisible distance growing, and no matter how many times I read “quality time is key,” it doesn’t change the fact that there are genuine hurdles in connecting with her amid life’s overwhelming chaos. Do any of you know what it’s like to feel like you're tiptoeing on eggshells in your own home, afraid that saying the wrong thing could cause another argument? It’s exhausting. So, I started thinking, wouldn’t it be helpful if people shared real stories of overcoming relational pitfalls instead of charging for ‘insider secrets’? I mean, we all deal with different struggles—financial stress, work-life balance, parenting pressures—but where’s the collection of lived experiences that could actually provide comfort or insight? (Also, I wonder about the role of vulnerability in these discussions.) Maybe I’m idealistic, but genuine human connection shouldn’t have a price tag, right? And isn’t it odd how some people claim they can fix your relationship without even knowing you or your partner? What gives them that right? Aren’t relationships as unique as the people in them? While I was trying to find answers, I began jotting down my thoughts and the problems I face, and I can’t help but wonder if there’s value in that for others too. Is there something cathartic in sharing our struggles, in being real about our shortcomings without a sales pitch? I think there is. So, dear reader, have you ever found yourself in a similar spot? Perhaps you’ve tried seeking advice only to find it buried under a mountain of advertisements? In a way, I’m feelin’ like my own therapist here, as I write this down. The other day, I stumbled upon a forum where people shared their relationship stories for free, and it felt so refreshing. Some were heartbreaking, some were filled with laughter, and some provided actionable steps that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. It was like a breath of fresh air, and I left feeling encouraged rather than frustrated. Yet, it's a shame that these platforms are not mainstream. Why is it so hard to find genuine support without a catch? Is it possible that people are really more concerned about money than about truly helping others? Maybe I should just put my experiences out there and see if they resonate with anyone, no strings attached. If anyone feels like sharing their experiences, it could be therapeutic, right? Aren’t we all looking for that sense of community and support during our tough times? Just asking these questions makes me believe that we can find common ground in our struggles, whether it’s overcoming miscommunication or learning how to prioritize each other amid the stressors of daily life. So, what do you think? Can we create a space where we uplift each other without diving into that money pit of love coaching?

Have you ever felt like your mother is the source of your problems? Yeah? Me too. Like she is the fuel in the fire that I am drowning in. She is providing me all this warm and then burning me, leaving scars on the skin. My mother talks about toxicity, bad friends, bad life choices. She tells me how *I* feel. She doesn't know me, does she? No. She thinks she does, the cause of all my problems. The hopelessness, the pain, the anger that follows it all. I hate it.

I hate my mother.

Greetings everyone,

All my life, at 30 years of age, the thought of driving filled me with intense anxiety. Conveniently, living in an urban center meant I could generally walk to my destinations, so I managed to avoid addressing my fear. However, my husband, Stan, aged 32, and I have been together for six years, married for three. During our time together, Stan attempted to play the role of my driving instructor. Unfortunately, his teaching methods were lacking, characterized by impatience and frequent outbursts which only exacerbated my fears. We used an old warehouse parking lot for practice sessions, where any minor mistake I made - such as not checking my mirrors long enough - would trigger a storm of yelling from Stan.

Amid all this stress, I confided in my brother, Paul, who is 33, about my desire to overcome my driving phobia. Paul and his husband, Chris, generously offered to help. Their encouragement and patience were a stark contrast to Stan's harsh approach. Surprisingly, I discovered that I wasn't a bad driver; I was just severely anxious.

The urgency to learn to drive was further fueled by Stan's condition that he would not consider starting a family with me until I had acquired my driver’s license. Driven by this motivation, Paul and Chris accompanied me to the DMV two weeks ago, where I passed my test and subsequently obtained my license. I even purchased a car recently with savings I had set aside for years, feeling a surge of independence with the encouragement from Paul and Chris.

Expecting Stan to be upset about my secretive approach, I was prepared for conflict. Although he expressed disappointment that I did not seek his help, the truth was his involvement only worsened my anxiety. Despite our differences, our love remained strong, and I hoped to move past this.

This Sunday, Stan planned a surprise at his parents' home—an intimate celebration in honor of my new driving skills. During the event, my mother-in-law praised Stan for his supposed dedication and support through my learning process. The misinformation overwhelmed me, and in the heat of the moment, I clarified that the true heroes behind my success were Paul and Chris, not Stan. This disclosure led to a rift; Stan has since been distant, and while some family members understand my position, others align with Stan, creating tension.

Had this scenario unfolded on a reality show, one might wonder how different the reactions could have been. Would the audience perceive my outburst as justified or see it as an overreaction? Perhaps the dramatic settings of a reality show would amplify the tension and lead to more extreme reactions from both Stan and the audience, turning our personal struggle into a spectacle for entertainment.

Amid this family drama, I find myself questioning, was I too harsh, or was I simply standing up for the truth?

I'd appreciate some thoughts on this: do you think I was too harsh at the party???

Okay, so my life is literally a mess

I’ve got three different guys giving me mixed signals, and I genuinely don’t know what to do with myself. Volley, my boy best friend, used to sit ridiculously close to me when he was dating my friend—like, shoulder-to-shoulder, legs touching, even though there was plenty of space. But now that they broke up, we don’t talk, we just stare at each other, and when I react with a “what?” (while looking disgusted), he smirks and chuckles EVERY SINGLE TIME. LIKE WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! 😩 And to make things more confusing, Headphones and Volley had a moment where Headphones called me “Volley's girlfriend,” and Volley just stared at him and said nothing. NOTHING. Then, when I confronted him about it later, he suddenly acted like it was annoying and brushed it off like it was nothing. I CAN’T TELL WHAT HE’S THINKING AT ALL. And to make things worse, we literally can’t talk because his friends know about our situation, and I can’t find an excuse to interact with him. So now we just make eye contact and suffer.

Then there’s Headphones. Ohhh, Headphones. He literally jaywalked to walk with me to a boba place, we share food, and we talk during 2nd and 3rd period. BUT HE ONLY EVER RANTS ABOUT CHLOE. And I know Chloe doesn’t like him because she likes someone else, but he’s still hopelessly attached to her. And to make it even more painful, Chloe told him to confess to her on April 1st, which could either be the worst prank in history or just a terrible coincidence. And the whole time, I’m just sitting here liking him while listening to him talk about another girl. Yay, fun! 🙃 Oh, and he also sits in front of me in Science and constantly looks back at me, but when we lock eyes, he panics and looks forward immediately. And if that wasn’t enough, he sits with me at my lab table with my friends right next to Manager, so now both of them are always around me at the same time.

Speaking of Manager, THIS BOY IS THE MOST PLAYFUL, FLIRTATIOUS, AND CONFUSING THING EVER. Out of all my friends, he ONLY tells me pick-up lines and pokes my stomach, and it’s always some corny, flirty nonsense. AND HE SAT ON MY LAP IN THE LIBRARY??? After making my friend sit on the floor?? Meanwhile, Volley was just sitting behind us at a table staring and looking mad and jealous like he was about to throw hands. Like sir, please explain why you’re upset when we don’t even talk. 😭

But Manager is also friends with a girl I have beef with, AND Bella L (one of the most popular girls in school) still likes him, even though he doesn’t like her back. So that’s another layer of mess I have to deal with. And despite all this, I want to get closer to him because he’s fun, but I also want to get closer to Headphones because our connection is deeper, BUT ALSO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH VOLLEY. Why is my life a love triangle—but with four people?! 😭

And the worst part? I can’t even choose between Manager and Headphones because they both have things I want in a guy, just split into two different people.Manager has the touchy, playful, flirty energy I love, but Headphones has the deeper, emotional connection that I also love. WHY CAN’T THEY JUST MERGE INTO ONE PERSON??

So now I’m just sitting here, confused, overthinking every eye contact moment, and waiting for the April 1st disaster to happen. 🎭✨

LIFE. IS. TOO. MUCH.😭😭😭

This might sound a bit silly but really, I kinda need help combating with these weird thoughts

I’ve vented here before, and I really appreciated the support and perspectives others shared. But there’s something I brushed off before, as that was not the central topic of the previous vent and it wasn’t a big enough problem, until it started eating me today, and it’s become hard to ignore

I want to draw more than anything in the whole world. I’ve been drawing for 8 years, starting from the simple concept of a cube to a whole world of anthro animals/inanimates, silly creatures, all fantasy related, even evolving my old characters. From wolf-folk to living game controllers, it’s like a modern fantasy world, just like drawing was to me! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find myself drawing after having a lot of hardships, but after all the support I received recently, and even regaining access to Discord, I might give it a shot again, hell I would LOVE to try it again, but there’s something deeper blocking me: my envy…

Ever since 2020, I’ve started looking up to niche artists online—ones who draw stylized, humanoid non-human characters (anthros and such) with this barely-explainable aesthetic (Five-fingers, making it premium. They’re like exactly human characters but with the most notable parts of the item/animal, but there’s no valid name for it I could find, and it’s not furry and I ain’t one.) By the start of 2023, however, I noticed something weird about each new artist I became obsessed with, almost like a pattern but on different communities and social medias, and it’s not exactly what I asked each artist I admired to have and stuff that almost seemed to either taunt me or I just don’t know that it is an aesthetic that exists. Poetic blood in art, cigar(ettes), dangling shoes, the same obsessions in the same indie games, same online communities, same aesthetic. They even behaved in two ways: Overly cutesy and giddy, or kinda assholish and deadpan. The latest artist I started admiring checked all the boxes in a week, then today they revealed that not only are they obsessed with the same game, but also with the character that one of my favorite “niche” online artists designed. It almost feels like it’s not a coincidence coincidence and not inspiration or a neat fact. It suffocates me.

I tried emulating these kinds of artists for a long time, still having a subpar art style that tries to emulate the magic of those artists, but it always fails in several aspects, including the pose I want to strike. I am not motivated to draw, despite how much my heart tells me to. I’ve tried filling every similarity box while also bringing slight nerdism on technology and being nice to others. Why am I not having a proper consistent niche then? I’ve been forced to restart TWICE, not getting any better and always ending in failure. I want to be friends with those artists too, but I can’t get into their indie interests, let alone even talk to them normally just to be friends. I have met a few, and the closest to a friend would be one artist I commissioned twice. They offered me a Toyhouse code, but I just don’t know how to go about being publicly online. What if I screw up as bad as previously? It makes me so anxious. I want to have my own niche fandom, and I want to be nice to others, but others treat me like shit and attempt to drive me off the internet by spreading rumors about me and even grooming me.

Now, I have questions for you guys.

1. What would you do if you were me?

2. Have you guys ever felt the same weird connection between people you admire? If so:

a. Do you think it’s weird?

b. Do you feel more jealousy than admiration?

One afternoon, after a long day at work, I returned home to find a message from my neighbor plastered on my door. It read, "Please refrain from parking on this street this Monday from 10am to 12pm due to a filming activity. The NYPD has been informed and parking restrictions will be enforced." This alert seemed a bit off to me, so I decided to check with the local police station. Upon inquiry, they confirmed that while my neighbor had indeed notified them about the filming, they had not authorized any parking enforcement or restrictions for that day.

The next day, another message from my neighbor appeared, this time amending his previous note: "Hello, it appears there was a misunderstanding regarding NYPD's involvement in the ticketing of cars. Nonetheless, I would really appreciate it if you could avoid parking here during the mentioned hours." His change in tone didn't sit well with me, particularly because of his initial threat of ticketing.

Choosing to stand my ground, I made no plans to move my car that Monday. Our neighborhood is generally calm and provides ample parking, which makes it a favorite for driving schools to conduct their lessons due to its tranquility.

On Monday morning, as I was heading out to catch the subway, I encountered the neighbor setting up his filming equipment. He inquired if I knew whose car was parked on the street and if it could be moved. I admitted mine was among them but declined to move it. He pleaded, saying it would help him greatly. I reminded him of his initially deceptive approach which had soured any willingness on my part to assist him. He persisted, but I refused again, leading him to label me as rude and an inconsiderate neighbor. I brushed off his comments and proceeded to the subway.

Imagining this scenario taking place on a reality show adds an intriguing layer. How would viewers react to such a confrontation broadcasted nationally? Reality show audiences often enjoy drama and conflict, so this situation could likely become a pivotal and much-discussed moment of an episode. Viewers might split into camps, some siding with the filmmaker for trying to pursue his project and others with the car owner standing up against what they perceived as initial bullying. The debates on social media platforms could be intense, examining the ethics of neighborhood cooperation versus personal rights.

So, am I just standing up for my rights or making too big a deal out of something small?

I've been married for 20 years with no children. Due to medical error, my wife was incapacitated, and I became 24/7 home carer for 9 years. In recent years, we've seen significant improvement in mobility and function, but due to brain damage, my wife will never recover her memories or her personality. Our relationship unsurprisingly is now more like close siblings or housemates, not a spouse and lover. From being best friends, we now find ourselves having different views, preferences, and even desires. Because of Christian faith, we won't get divorced, and so my wife suggested I discretely find what is missing elsewhere.

I'm not looking for random one-time hookups or to be a sugar daddy. But I do crave the emotional connection, flirting, and excitement missing from my life. I just don't know how best to find a woman who seeks the same. I'm looking for my new best friend, initially online, until we know each fully. Then if if it's meant to be, naturally in person with a view to being each others FWB?

My sister has been dating this guy named Bryan for pretty much 3 months now, and like— her life is already so tragic in some ways I can’t explain due to being too personal;; Jane was third wheeling for an amount of time and today I saw them on the basketball court— and you know the stuff they did

I’m afraid that if I tell my sister then she might lock herself up in her room for another week… shall I tell her tho? Bryan has been toxic to her the past few days and I think she knows— does she?

ok this might not be the best place for me to ask but Reddit is too scary 🥹 so I’m lwk thinking of making a series (well a fan series DONT MAKE FUN OF ME LET ME ASPIRE) like yk it has episodes a, character arcs. But I want to be good but I barely see advice on writing tv shows just novels and for screenwriting it’s mostly movies and writing a movie is very different from a tv shows. Here are some stuff I’m questioning, what makes an episode good? I heard stuff like good execution can make up for a bad concept. So how do u ‘execute’ something excellently?? And for the characters which ive seem a lot of vids on YouTube for. But does it change in tv??? And for plot and character arcs too. I have some stuff in mind. Sooo any help?? Or someone can post on Reddit for me ✌️