title
stringlengths 77
554
| text
stringlengths 595
3k
|
|---|---|
'I went on a trip to NYC with my son. It was an amazing experience for both of us. It was our first trip together one-on-one. He loved all of NYC and I loved spending time with him.'
|
'The type of event is travelling. I went on a trip with my youngest son to NYC. It was our first trip together, just the two of us. It was the first time either of us have ever been to NYC. It was amazing. The sights, the sounds, the energy of the city! We visited the Statue of Liberty, the 911 Memorial, Central Park, and so many more places. We stayed out late and slept in late. My son\'s favorite place was Times Square. He loved the bright lights and the people. I enjoyed seeing all the places. I don\'t think I could pick a favorite. I loved the history behind the Statue of Liberty. The 911 Memorial was sobering and left us quiet and contemplative. Central Park was a fantastic dose of nature in the middle of the large city. China Town and Little Italy were so exciting and different for us. The most memorable thing for me happened on the last day. We were walking towards the subway to head back to the airport. My son turned to me and said "Mom this was an amazing trip. I had so much fun with you. Thanks."'
|
'I graduated from college after coming from a poor county. I was determined to make a difference in the world. My family was there to support me.'
|
"Growing up in a small town is fun but it also has limits. I knew that if I ever wanted to make something of myself I would need to leave home and find my footing. My step father signed me up for college and I didn't have a choice so I went. It was a huge cultural shock but one of the highlights of my life. I literately made it through 5 years of college with only a little change in my pocket. I never knew that I could be proud of myself but when they handed me my diploma and everyone cheered I knew at the moment that I did something worthy. Going through high school was required but completing college was determination. I knew that I had done something to better my family and my future. We ended up eating at a restaurant when the graduation was over and my family gave truly emotional toasts in my honor. Even though their words were kind and inspiring I did not need them this time. I was actually proud of myself and what I had accomplished through hard work. I even interviewed for a teaching job a week later and was employed. We all face hardships but it's about determination and resilience. I knew I wanted to make a bigger impact on the world. I hope that I impact my students lives like my others did for me."
|
'I had surgery and developed complicaions from unknown reasons. The complications led to additional surgery and lingering symptoms.'
|
'The surgery i had on my knee 5 months ago has created a lot more complications on my body since then. I was not moving a lot on the period of my rest which has led to weight gain. Earlier when doctor said the surgery was minor i agreed to do so. But now i have gained weight and my joints are paining on the operated knee. I went to doctor again regarding my pain on the operated knee for which he recommended a surgery again. After the recommendation i consulted a different doctor as i was not comfortable to do another surgery. But both the doctors recommended to have the surgery. It was surprising that both the doctors recommending the surgery without trying a different method. I underwent the second surgery exactly after 2 months of my first knee surgery. Now i have gained more weight. even though i do not have the knee pain right now but i am very sure it has given me some lingering symptoms. restless sleep from gaining weight, and pain all over the body if i workout. I am consulting a psychiatrist regarding the restless sleep. The psychiatrist doctor is recommending sleeping pills but i am not willing take pills as it will be a addiction on later stage of life. Its 5 months now for all these things to me happening,hopefully ill find a solution for all what i am going through one day.'
|
'My family and I went on a trip out West this Summer. We visited many places, but the one that we all enjoyed the most was Bad Lands National Park. We plan to return on our next trip out West.'
|
'This Summer I went on a month long trip out West. We visited many different tourist destinations. Yellowstone National Forest, Mount Rushmore, and a wildlife park to name a few. One of the attractions we visited was Bad Lands National Park. The rock formations were stunning, and We took many photos. This event was particularly special to me, because I have wanted to visit this park since I Was a little girl. A teacher shared pictures of her own vacation with me, and from that moment on, I have wanted to visit. My visit was everything I have always imagined and more! My family and I saw American Bison, prairie dogs, Big Horn Sheep, and so many birds! One of the most exciting moments was when my children were able to get very close to a prairie dog for a picture! The sun was so hot that day, but there was a nice breeze over the prairie. My children and I climbed a couple of large rock formations together, and the view from the top was spectacular! This park was one of the things we did that all ages enjoyed. My parents and children were equally impressed with the land formations and animals. I plan to return on my next visit out West.'
|
'I found Strawberry Shortcake dolls for my collection. It was a once in a lifetime find. I a very happy about it.'
|
"I was very lucky and found dolls for my collection. I collect Strawberry Shortcake dolls. I have a bunch of dolls in my collection. This made my collection more complete. I like to look at it. It is really nice. I will never find dolls like this again. A lot of them are in the box. The minis even have cards with them. I also got some vehicles. I got a mini house in a box. I have the mini house of my own from when I was a kid. I don't have none of my boxes or packaging. So to have so many in the box is cool. They actually still have the scent from the 1980's which is a miracle for how old they are."
|
'I was hospitalized and has surgeries following an infection in my bloodstream. I felt a lot guilt, not being able to do things I normally do.'
|
"I had initially had a heart attack and open heart surgery at the beginning of the year. My incision site did not close properly and my follow up appointment with the surgeon kept being postponed on their end. About 2 months after the heart surgery, I ended up getting an infection of strep in my bloodstream about , which could be deadly and had to have 2 separate procedures to clean out the infected tissue in my chest. It was a very difficult time in my life, considering I have 2 children, both under the age of 10. I had to take leave from my job and my husband did also to take care of me and our daughters. I remember feeling a lot of guilt. Mainly because it happened in the first place and caused such a huge disruption in our lives and secondly because I almost felt as if I was getting a vacation. I was alone in my hospital room in peace and quiet most of the time since there were flu restrictions in place at the hospital. That meant my kid's weren't able to visit and my husband was too busy taking care of them. I recall lying in the hospital bed on the good meds they give you there, watching Netflix and napping most of the time. It was rather pleasant, all things considered. Coming home from the hospital was the hard part. I had a wound vac attached to the center of my chest and a PICC line inserted in my arm, running IV antibiotics 24 hours a day for about 2 months. That part sucked. It was hard to move around with all the stuff I had to carry around with me. It was hard to sleep without worrying I'd pull the tubing out of my arm. I got pretty depressed about all of it. I don't want to sound self centered, but my looks matter to me. Having that done and the equipment attached to my body made me feel very insecure and unattractive. But when it was all over, I realized I am a lot tougher than I think I am. It made me stronger and now I have more confidence than ever before."
|
'This is the story of my family trip to Myrtle Beach. Subsequently by father in law suffered a heart attack while on this vacation.'
|
"This story is about my family's recent vacation to Myrtle Beach, and the subsequent heart attack my wife's father suffered while there. We had planned a week long vacation to the beach, travelling from Ohio in order to spend time with my family, including my parents and brother, and my wife's parents, and our 2 children. After having fun for 4 days, my father in law awoke Thursday morning complaining of some pain in his jaw and heartburn. My father in law and his wife felt that they should conservatively go to the hospital to get checked out. Unfortunately, a blood test returned with slightly elevated enzyme numbers, meaning some minor heart damage may have occurred. No problem we though, just a few more tests and a ruined day of vacation. Well, after heart catheter, the really bad news came in. My father in law would need quadruple bypass surgery immediately. They scheduled him for surgery Monday morning, and he would have to stay in Myrtle Beach for another few weeks after the surgery until he was allowed to fly home. What I will remember the most is visiting my father in law on Friday morning at the hospital and letting him visit with his grandchildren. He was so stone faced and obviously scared and in mental anguish. I gave him a hug goodbye, since I had to drive my kids home on Saturday, and he was in tears. It was very painful to witness that. Fortunately, my wife was going to stay with her mom and dad for a few more days to get through the surgery and help any way she could. In excellent news, my father in law had a perfect surgery and is now recovering getting stronger every day. The whole sequence of events is a good reminder to take life one day at a time, and appreciate all that we are given. Hopefully we have many more years of his presence to make many more memories."
|
'My parents were having a get together in the house last week. After a while she left my room. I then discovered this woman was not part of the party. It turns out that this woman was a random addict that just saw a party going on and had just walked into the house.'
|
"My parents were having a get together in the house last week. This weird lady came and asked if she could see my record collection in my room, I just assumed she was part of the party downstairs and I showed her my records and I let her listen to them. After a while she left my room. I then discovered this woman was not part of the party. It turns out that this woman was a random addict that just saw a party going on and had just walked into the house. I still have no idea how she knew I had a record collection in my room. the whole thing was just messed up and weird. We called the police who stated she was breaking into multiple houses. She actually stabbed one of my neighbors while he was in the shower. Thankfully, my neighbor is recovering. I do not understand how she made it to my house after she attacked so many people before us. Did anyone call? Where were the police? I just do not understand! It was one of the most after-scary things that's ever happened to me."
|
'My Maggie the cat passed away after 18 years of living in our home as part of the family. She lived in our home with our other animals all of her life. She lived a great life.'
|
'On August 26th I came home from work early sick with a sinus infection. I went straight to bed and slept for 2 hours. When I got up, as I walked up the hallway I saw Maggie (cat) with her head half under some furniture in a "pounce" stance. I thought "oh no, shes\' trapped a mouse". Nope, that was not it!! Maggie was 18 years old. We got her when she was a a baby and my youngest daughter was 3 years old. She stayed in the house and never went outside. She still enjoyed being brushed and petted, but she did not like to be "bothered". So, back to that day... When I moved the furniture where I could see Maggie\'s whole body, it became obvious that something was going on. She stayed in that "pounce" stance but had her head buried in the floor. My plan was to take her to the vet in the am. I felt certain she would need to be euthanized. She was in the same position but breathing heavy. Finally the vet opened. I put Maggie in her box. She was still alive, but barely. I heard her stir a little while on the 30 minute drive to the vet. Once at the vet, I opened the box and found she was no longer breathing. I stood looking at her and crying for a few minutes and then finally told the vet staff I felt like she had already passed. The vet staff immediately took me to the back where the Dr. came and confirmed her death. . They gave her back to me (at my request) and I brought her back home. For the next few days, I missed her meowing in the mornings and evenings to be fed. My children, although grown, miss her as well.'
|
'An anniversary trip to the Bahamas with my wife and another couple. The resort and trip were outstanding and the strengthening of our relationship was the best thing to come out of it.'
|
"A few months back we took a trip to the Bahamas. I had won the trip through work. Our anniversary was coming up so I surprised my wife with it. Prior to leaving my wife told her sister. They ended up wanting to come as well, and I didn't have a problem with it, so it was settled. On the flight we got bumped to business class, which was wonderful since it was a pretty long flight. The resort was incredibly classy, and all inclusive. We spent the week basking in the sun and drinking fancy cocktails. I think my favorite part was just how much space we had to ourselves; there were barely any other guests. Every night they had a different show. We agree that our favorite was when there was stand-up comedy. Sadly after the week was up we had to fly home. This time we didn't get bumped to business, but that was alright. This trip definitely made me feel closer to my wife, but also closer to her sister and sister's husband. We had a great time. I would absolutely be up for another group vacation."
|
'Having discovered that my Patreon income was taxable, I went to a tax accountant to file amended returns for four previous years. I was relieved to find that I could pay back-taxes in affordable installments.'
|
"When I began getting my Patreon income, I assumed it was gift income. So I assumed I didn't have to worry about taxes on it. But as time wore on and the amount of the income increased, I began to worry. It was becoming the majority of my income. And eventually I quit my wage job and it became my main source of income. So I continued to worry that it was taxable. As I researched it, in 2018 it seemed more and more likely that it was taxable. I was worried about the amount of past income I might owe back taxes on. So I went to a tax accountant in early 2019. It turned out that I owed about 6k in back taxes for the previous four years. It was fairly easy to make monthly installment arrangements that I could afford. And my monthly income was within the personal exemption amount. This meant I only had to pay 15% self-employment tax. So my worst fears weren't realized. I could survive the payments I had to make."
|
'This is about a fallout with a good friend. Her boys and my son had some issues which lead to her excluding us from an event. That has really put a strain on our relationship.'
|
"About a month ago there was a mini-tournament at the small sided soccer field my son's soccer club owns and manages. A group of kids from his team decided to register a team but they purposefully left my son out. I am good friends with the mother who organized the team. I knew there were issues between our boys lately but still this hurt me very much. After the tournament I have approached her and had a conversation with her about issues between our boys. She said that she felt my son is aggressive towards her twin boys and that she is genuinely worried about their well-being. This has hurt me even more. But I agreed to get the boys together and have them talk things out. After that it seems they managed to resolve their issues mostly and are getting along much better now. However, I cannot get myself to warm up to this mother again. I have though about this for long and prayed for peace but I just can't let it go. I mean she has excluded us purposefully. I am sure she was aware how much it will hurt my son and me. She has been trying to reconnect but I can't get myself to do it. I hope I will be able to move on."
|
"the wedding was a memory event that's unforgettable that is never happen before in my entire city. it shows how priest use to do on the wedding day with their attractive garment, the surplus of food and drink such as wine,beer,soda etc"
|
"We decided to have a very traditional wedding to make my partner's family feel at home. He happens to have an entire cultural background that is just not much practiced by him but his parents do. He's from a pretty religious background but isn't all that religious these days. Regardless, at around 12PM we would have the traditional ceremony, and then again at around 3PM we would have the normal wedding. We live in a small town or smallish city really so this was all rather exciting for my friends and family. He dressed in traditional robes and we had a change of clothes. What was amazing is that everyone observed the singing, the use of sand and glass to make the gestures that were required and just altogether made that ceremony amazing. We had some drinks and lunch at around 2 and at 3PM again we congregated at a church for my traditional ceremony. My partner looked handsome in his suit and everything was perfect. The priest was hilarious and cracked jokes the entire time, making everyone laugh and feel comfortable. At the reception we took photos and performed our unexpected first dance, breaking it down hiphop style to some 2pac. Everyone loved it. We laughed, and ate the delicious food, including some traditional malay type food which my partner hadn't had in forever but everyone really enjoyed. As the evening wore on we drank beers and wine and got a little too silly. We managed to get back to our hotel late, nearly 2 AM and we crashed in a heap on the bed. It was an awesome day and wonderful day I think I'll remember for the rest of my life."
|
'I randomly fall in love with someone I did not know. That love was spilled over to my life and joy with others'
|
"I saw someone sitting at a coffee shop and I just fall in love with her. She was by herself and being quiet and cute. I as alone at a table looking through my work studies. I just happened to look up and there she was. She was just looking like the world's most angelic person. It was like someone made her for the purpose of making others happy. Now when I saw I fall in love with her, its not like we really fall in love. More like she made me smile and happy when I thought I wasn't able to. She allowed me to remember to find the joy in love and to share it. I took that as my pay it forward sign of the day. I knew I had to do my best to also make someone happy. I went outside and met people and smiled at them because of it. I was so happy and effected another person. that person was so happy they told. They said I made them day better and was grateful. I thought to myself, it all started when I fall in love with someone I did know."
|
"It was my wife's birthday at an all inclusive resort. We had a blast there. We danced alot, we ate alot, and we drank alot. We also did alot of activities."
|
"Two months ago, my wife and I celebrated her 37th birthday at an all inclusive resort. This resort was located on the beach and had full service amenities. On the day of her birthday we decided to take it easy and swim by the pool. We ordered breakfast and mimosa's and the staff brought it to us. The meal consisted of poached eggs, hashbrowns, biscuits, and gravy. They even brought us a fresh bowl of fruit. We decided to take a walk after we ate and picked up shells on the beach. Just seeing her smile made me happy. That afternoon we decided to have a short nap before the real fun began. She made sure to fix her hair and make-up for our big night out. Her dress was, as blue as, the ocean and made her eye's shine. I decided on a nice blue polo shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. Around 5 we departed our room for dinner at the resort's restaurant. The atmosphere was serene and romantic. I handed my wife her gift and when she opened up the box tears fell from her eyes. It was a special bracelet with our children's birthstones. She has been such a great wife and mother that the gift seem a little cheap. We ordered our food which consisted of crab legs, salad, and clam chowder. We wanted it to be a light meal since we were heading the beach club for a night of drinking and dancing. The servers surprised her at the end of dinner with a big slice of chocolate cake and sang happy birthday. Her face seemed to turn red as they danced around the table. After paying the bill we jumped in a taxi and went out to dance. Carlos was a small dance club on the south side of the resort. We were able to get our own VIP table and they brought us a bucket of champagne. I popped the cork with great pleasure and made a toast to my wife in her honor."
|
'I planned a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law. I planned the party to be at a restaurant that she frequents often. I invited her sister and nieces who live out of town to be there when you walked in the room to be surprised by their presence.'
|
"I planned this party a month ago. I want to surprise my Mother-in law. So I decided to invited her sisters and her niece on that party. I arranged a party in an restaurant. She is frequently goes to that restaurant so she didn't realize the party. She had no idea about the party. We all maintain the secret about the party. On her birthday we all celebrate the secret party on that hotel. She is really surprised about the party. Suddenly her eyes tears when she saw her sisters and niece. We all are happy for them and feel very proud that moment. We've enjoyed a lot on this day. We all are had a dinner after a long days ago on that restaurant. My mother-in-law birthday is fulfilled with me. She is very happy for me and this is the most unforgotable birthday ever for her."
|
'The oldest living Ricardo family member was was 98 years old. The Reunion consisted of over 150 people.'
|
"It all started this summer for my family reunion. The Ricardo Family Reunion was to be held as a 2 day event, staring on Saturday, June 20th and Sunday, June 21st. It was a lovely day. On Saturday we held a family picnic at the Pavilion. My family came from everywhere Franklin Louisiana, New Orleans Louisiana, Houston Texas, Phoenix Arizona, and Los Angeles California. We played baseball, basketball, volleyball and the kids had a water slide. We had a large selection of food. We traced our family generation back as far as 9 generation. We learned so much about where we came from and how strong of a family line we have. The children enjoyed them self, playing with cousin they and Aunts and Uncles that just met or haven't seen in a long time. My great-great-great grandfather was an Indian Chief. We learn that we belong to the Cherokee Indians. My family is mixed with Spanish, and French. We listen to stories told my the elders about events that had happen in their days. We were told stories about how the family stayed and worked together. We talked about the many fishing boats that the family had on Grand Isles. We also visited Madewood plantation where my Grandfather, Mr. Ricardo, had done a lot of work in restoring the plantation. We even went to New Orleans and toured the city. We visited where my grandfather, Mr. Ricardo, had did some work in the French Quarter. The next day we all celebrated by going to Mass together. Being with family is a blessing and sometime we let the world and material things get in our way and make us forget about what is important. The best time is spending it with family, united in love and doing the simple things in life."
|
'This story is about facing the reality that my spouse has been unfaithful and taking advantage of my kindness. Also, an impending divorce, the loss of a best friend, our son losing his father, and the negative emotional and financial impacts this has had on our family.'
|
'About a month ago, my husband, who was deported to Eastern Europe, accidentally sent me a video through messenger of himself out on a date with a woman who is not me. When confronted about the video, he promptly removed it and tried to tell me that I was exaggerating the contents. Unfortunately, it was very clear that the two were intimate with each other. I found this to be heartbreaking because I have spent tens of thousands of dollars and flown back and forth from the States to Europe on multiple occasions to bring myself and our son to him over the last year. During a phase in our marriage where I thought that there was no obstacle we could not overcome, I was absolutely blindsided by this happening. Moreover, to deal with ICE, immigration court, physical deportation, flying across the world with a toddler in tow, the expense of maintaining two households, only to have my marriage end over something so much ridiculous, is highly frustrating on many different levels. The aftermath of this situation has been constant bickering, anxiety, and loss of sleep. Furthermore, I have come to realize that this man is not the man I thought he was. The financial cost has been an approximate loss of $3500 since I had already secured our return tickets. Psychologically, I am frustrated because I have had to deal with immigration laws while securing permanent residency overseas, which will obviously no longer be happening. I feel sad for our son more than anything else. Because our son is so young, it will be many years before he sees his father again, as I will not feel comfortable flying him alone for such a long flight. This has never happened to me before, I would never have expected this from my husband and it is devastating to know I have wasted so much time on a relationship that could end so abruptly. I actually found this to be more distressing than him being deported in the first place. I have contemplated working through the infidelity, but came to the conclusion that it is not the financially intelligent move to make when I have a young child to raise. This is definitely the most striking and emotionally upsetting thing that has happened to me in quite some time.'
|
'It was a nice day of surfing at the beach with my family. We all had a great time enjoying the sun and surf as a family. We also enjoyed the company of ocean mammals while we were surfing.'
|
"Wow what a fantastic day! This morning we woke up to such a gorgeous sunny day. The family decided to take a day to go and enjoy the beach together. I was really excited as it was to just go swimming and enjoy the sun and sand but the coolest thing happened when we got there. We saw a stand advertising discounted surfboard rentals and everyone decided to give surfing a go. At first no one could figure it out so we were mostly just laughing and falling all over the place. Eventually though some of us figured it out and we enjoyed playing and riding around on the waves. I even managed to catch one really good wave and stay up riding through the whole thing! I was pretty proud and excited about that. Still the coolest part of the day hadn't even happened yet. At one point near dinnertime, as we were talking about heading in for the day, my brother noticed something shiny in the water. We all turned to look just in time to see a dolphin pop out of the water! It was unbelievably cool to see up close. A couple other dolphins joined him, there was even a baby! We kept our distance and just enjoyed the sight until they swam off leaving us mesmerized. I honestly couldn't have imagined such a perfect beach day."
|
"It rained on my brother's wedding day. It was a great day, but we had to deal with bad weather. It was also my girlfriend's first time in Missouri."
|
"I went home to Missouri, where I grew up, with my girlfriend of 2 years. She's California born and raised and is very much a valley girl. I was curious and, to be honest, a little amused at the thought of her adjusting to small town Missouri life. Especially because we are a lesbian couple and she's used to living in cosmopolitan Los Angeles where absolutely no one cares or notices a lesbian couple! I did tell her it's fine if we just pretend to be friends, but she was like no way, I love you and we're doing this. So we go home and of course my family doesn't care but we do get some stares. We stop and get gas in the middle of Nowheresville, Missouri and she asks me if I want something from inside the store and I'm like no, that's okay, but she's like are you sure baby? And squeezes my hand. That definitely brought some stares from the two other people at the gas station. When we're finally home, the house I grew up in, which is where my brother is having his wedding, her reaction to the food at dinner is hilarious. It's all fried and certainly not gluten free! But she is a trooper and so gracious so of course she ate it all and loved it because who DOESN'T like fried food. So then the day of the wedding dawns and the skies are so gray and I know it's going to rain, I just know it. I can FEEL the thunderstorm coming on. It's humid and the air is thick and my brother's now-wife had insisted on an outdoors wedding. Luckily we did have a lot of tents, so the rain did not get on us, but the wind did give us a light misting all over our nice clothes. I made a joke that we're all going to catch cold so this is the sickness & health part kicking in. But overall it was a wonderful wedding. My girlfriend and I danced to almost every song and it made me happy to see how far we've come as a society that no one judged us. Some people did make jokes about who wore the pants, etc, but I knew they were all in good fun. I also caught the flowers when my sister-in-law threw them at the bridesmaids! So...you know what that means!"
|
"One's cannot be satisfied is proven on that day. I was completely overwhelmed and satisfied with the things that are going in my life. I am so grateful to everyone."
|
'Recently I was visited my parents last month during the summers. My boss had given us 7 days off due to low level of work load to everyone. I decided that I would travel by road and spend sometime with my family. I had been visiting them after an year almost after I had moved out to a different city. When I entered my home, I could not describe the feeling it gave me. The smell of my home is truly unique. I found my mother working in the kitchen, cooking the lunch and expecting me. I hugged her, and went to my room to unload. This time I had money in my pocket and as I laid down on my bed, I realized that how lucky I am. I have a good job, and loving parents. I realized that not many people in this world are truly blessed like that. We could always complain about the luxuries we do not have in life, but at the end of the day, you do not need them anyway because they give just temporary pleasures. I called up my friends in the town to meet-up. We all sat down on the weekend and caught by the latest events happening with everyone of us. There is a lot of joy in little things, and sometimes we should take some time out to appreciate those little things.'
|
'You cannot depend on others to survive. People are too selfish to care for others. My brother cared for only himself.'
|
"About 3 years ago, as I lives on my own, I get a call from my brother stating that he was in a homeless shelter. He then asked if I could come and pick him up and asked if he could stay with me. I agreed mainly because this is my brother. Upon transpoting my brother to my home and allowing him to get settled. we eventually conversated about upgrading to a two bedroom apartment. We discussed who would pay for what bills and how much we'd split rent . We moved into our first apartment and everything seemed all well. But then my brother started falling short on his rent payments. Which ultimately lead to our 1st eviction. So now were both homeless. But that doesnt stop me from gathering funds up to get another place for us. Which i did within one week. We moved into our second place with the same attitude. Who's paying for what bills. My brother promised tgat he would hold up his end. He didnt. This continued for two more apartments which led to us both returning home with our mom."
|
"I retired five months ago and am as happy as I've ever been. Not only can i do what i want to do, but i spend four days a week with my two year old granddaughter. Things are so good for me now; it's a feeling i have never had before."
|
'Five months ago, at the age of 63, i retired. This was an extremely important event; something i had looked forward to for quite a long time. After working in social service fields for approximately thirty years i was definitely "burned out." I had been a caseworker at the local Department of Social Services for a little over fourteen years. Then i spent approximately the same amount of time as a counselor working at a non profit agency. There are some who believe that this field of employment; working with all types of people who need a variety of services, is the number one field for burnout. whether or not this is true, i can honestly say that when i had the chance to retire, i knew it was the right time. The fact is that i had planned on working until i was 65 but i really needed to "get out." I had lost a lot of my patience; little things were beginning to annoy me, and worst of all i didn\'t feel as if i was giving the clients my best efforts. I can truly say that i am now the happiest I have ever been. Not only am i retired, but i spend four days a week with my wonderful two year old granddaughter. My wife runs a small day care center here in our house, so Kinsley comes over here four days a week and there is no way i can describe how much I adore her. She is our first grandchild; i had no idea how much i was going to enjoy my time with her. She seems to learn something new almost every day. The fact that i am retired means that i am on my own schedule and can spend as much time with Kinsley as i want. Things are so good with my life right now that it\'s almost too good to be true. What made my retirement so emotional was that i knew it was something I really needed emotionally. I knew it was the right time to stop working. Spending so much time now with my granddaughter makes it all even better.'
|
'I left my job and spent two months looking for a new job. I learned something about myself and what I am looking for in a job.'
|
"I left my job at the end of March of this year. My direct supervisor was abusive toward me and other employees. I was not the first employee to leave due to her behavior. I had previously spoken with management regarding her behavior and was promised things would improve, but things gradually got worse and worse until I could no longer stand the abuse. I left without giving notice and had no other job lined up. In retrospect, I should not have left in the way that I did. I wish I had spoken to management again to try to resolve the issue. I had good benefits with that position and my benefits are comparable, but not as good at my new job. I also had seniority within my department that I lost and I had to start over in my new position. I reached out to my department manager (my supervisor's boss) after I left, and never heard anything back from her. That was the most surprising thing in this experience. I worked with her for nearly four years and we had a good relationship. I expected her to at least call and check in to see what happened, but did not hear anything at all. I was extremely disappointed in her for this. I felt like she really didn't care about me at all and that I was a tool for her to use in her department to make money. I was unemployed for two months, and my family had to dip into our savings a little bit in order to squeeze by. My wife was initally supportive, but grew resentful when I went weeks with no job offers. We faced significant issues in our relationship during this period that we are still getting over. There were several jobs that I saw during the two months I was unemployed that I was enthusiastic about. I felt that I was well-qualified and they were positions that I though I would do well in. I had several interviews over the phone and a handful of in-person interviews. I did not get the job that I wanted most. I did find a job that pays similarly to what I was making at my previous job. It is a good job with potential for growth. I have steadily settled into the new position and it is going well."
|
'This constant fragmentation of our time and concentration has become the new normal, to which we have adapted with ease, but there is a downside'
|
"With our heavy use of digital media, it could be said that we have taken multitasking to new heights, but we're not actually multitasking; rather, we are switching rapidly between different activities. Adrenaline and cortisol are designed to support us through bursts of intense activity, but in the long term cortisol can knock out the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which help us feel calm and happy, affecting our sleep and heart rate and making us feel jittery. It would seem then that this physiological adaptation, fostered by our behavior, is a predominant reason for the poor concentration so many people report. The fact that we are the cause of this is, paradoxically, good news since it hands back to us the potential to change our behavior and reclaim the brain function and cognitive health that's been disrupted by our digitally enhanced lives. And this may even be more important than just improving our levels of concentration. Constant, high levels of circulating stress hormones have an inflammatory and detrimental affect on brain cells, suggests the psychiatrist Edward Bull more, who has written about the link between inflammation and depression in his latest book, The Inflamed Mind. Depression, along with anxiety, is a known factor in knocking out concentration. Put simply, better concentration makes life easier and less stressful and we will be more productive. To make this change means reflecting on what we are doing to sabotage personal concentration, and then implementing steps towards behavioural change that will improve our chances of concentrating better. This means deliberately reducing distractions and being more self-disciplined about our use of social media, which are increasingly urgent for the sake of our cognitive and mental health. It takes about three weeks for a repeating behavior to form a habit, says Jeremy Dean, a psychologist and the author of Making Habits, Breaking Habits. Getting into a new habit will not happen overnight and adaptation can be incremental. Start by switching off smartphone alerts, or taking social media apps off your phone, then switching off the device for increasingly long periods. Practise concentration by finding things to do that specifically engage you for a period of time to the exclusion of everything else. What is noticeable is that you cannot just go from a state of distraction to one of concentration, in the same way that most of us cannot fall asleep the minute our head hits the pillow. It takes a bit of time and, with practice, becomes easier to accomplish."
|
"I had a big argument with my best friend. We haven't spoken since the argument. My feelings are really hurt because she doesn't seem to care."
|
"The most memorable thing to happen to me over the past few months was a huge argument with my best friend. We were supposed to go out and do something and instead she ended up calling, for the third time, to cancel. I just unloaded on her, told her that I am tired of being the only active participant in this friendship. She gave me a sob story about how she's just been too busy to spend time with me. I don't know if that's true, but I don't care. She kept coming up with excuses and never even bothered to call me and ask how I was doing. So we had a huge argument and we have been angry at one another ever since. I haven't really spoken to her, other than just to say hi in passing, for over a month. She doesn't even seem to care, which hurts even more. I regret that we had such a horrible fight, but I don't think it was my fault. I think that she could have easily spent some time at least writing me. She didn't even bother to do that, she just ignored me. I don't know if we will ever be good friends again. The fight was bad, but the time since has been even worse. She hasn't even bothered to try to clear the air or talk to me. I did try to talk to her a couple of times but she never responded. My feelings are really hurt."
|
'My husband received money. We decided to go on an unexpected vacation. We won several dollars. We stayed an extra day.'
|
'Me and my husband woke up one day to an email on his phone that had said "You have been working hard this past week, I will give you a slight raise on your paycheck." It was his boss. When we looked at how much money we had, we had a lot of extra money. We both thought that this was intentional so we decided that the next day we will plan a surprise trip to Las Vegas. We were only going to spend two days there, though I wished it could have been longer. The next day we got there and we checked in to our room at a really nice hotel. We placed our bags down and went off to the strip to go explore. We went into a lot of hotels and gambled for hours. Later that night we tried to gamble more but I could not find any of our money. We had spent it all on gambling all day. We just went back to the room and decided to go to sleep. When we woke up I had remembered I left some extra money in the bags. It was only twenty dollars but it was enough for some good breakfast. After breakfast we had five dollars to spare so we decided to just put it in a slot machine. We thought all hope was gone when we put that money in that we were expecting to lose. But just then we saw all the pictures lining up and we won over a thousand dollars. We were very exited and went to cash it in. We stayed an extra night and got some gourmet food for breakfast lunch and dinner!'
|
'1)its an beautiful memory on my mind.2)its make an beautiful smile on my face.really miss that date'
|
"Let i can say about my friend marriage function. Last few months before we are going to the function. That time all friends are fun with together. And ones upon a time lot of enjoyments. And lot of fighting and lot of dancing funny moments are happen. That time one guy doing one dance with their loved one. That are really awesome dance. I can not believe that moment the guy was really doing awesome performance. All peoples are really giving the standing applause and stunning performance by the boy. I like more and more him good things. That time happen in the function and good friends and that kind of love is really awesome. I can't believe lot love and affectation. I can't forget that kind of moments. I really missed that moment whenever and whatever situations comes goes never ever affect our love. I want the moment again."
|
"I am introducing my daughter to Kindergarten. The start of the next stage in my child's life is also marked by my own growth as a parent."
|
"In mid August, my daughter started kindergarten. This was a big event for our household, as our child has always been in my care exclusively. It felt painful to send her away for a 6 hour school day. I wondered if she was happy, listened to, understood, if she was hungry for a snack that she was accustomed to having, if she made friends, who she played with at recess, etc. I kept busy at home with my younger daughter, but our routine was fractured. My daughter was missing her big sister, and I was missing my big girl who helped me with her little sister. During the first week of school, I reminded myself that this was my big girl's new chapter in life, her journey to growing into a big kid. This right of passage was to be expected, and that we all have survived without our parents watchful eyes. I found it interesting that we spend so much of our child's early years carefully watching over them, only to have to release that nurturing grip to a stranger. As funny as it sounds, I had think back to my years in elementary school. I considered what my parents had to do, releasing my care to strangers, and it helped me bridge this new chapter that I was on the other end with my child. I was able to better prepare my child and myself for this new schedule. The daily pep talks calmed my inner mama bear. I no longer fought with anticipation to camp out at her school, just a good joke to remind myself that she was fine and I would be as well. Now that she is 3 months into this new routine, we are satisfied, she is in love with her school, and I feel like the competent mama bear that I knew I would be."
|
'I moved out of my families home and got a new apartment and went shopping and did laundry all for the first time on my own.'
|
"Dear diary, sorry I haven't written a few weeks. I'm so excited to announce that I HAVE MOVED out of my FAMILY'S house and INTO MY OWN APARTMENT! I can't believe it finally happened! It's the cutest little one bedroom flat, overlooking downtown too! It has this perfect little breakfast nook tucked behind the kitchen that's perfect for reading, or now writing in this. I think it'll be the perfect little spot to do homework in the evenings. I've been doing some shopping for decorations and things, and I think I'm leaning mostly towards teal and pink, maybe some gold. A girl has to have some glitter in her life. I have the best balcony, so I'm waiting for dad to build me a flower box to put out there. I bought some begonias, so for now they're just soaking up the sunshine out there. I found some cute canvases, so maybe I'll try my hand at some oil painting and spruce it up some more. The grocery store is just right around the corner, but carrying all the groceries up eight flights of stairs is starting to annoy me. Maybe I should buy less at a time. The one thing I miss about being at home, is mom doing my laundry for me. I never realized how much I despise doing my own laundry. I can't do much at a time either because carrying them up and down the stairs is a pain. Maybe I should find a laundry service near me. Work is also one block away and that helps considering my commute was over twenty minutes before. I'm enjoying this newfound freedom so much! I guess I should get back to hanging up some pictures and frames, maybe some cooking. I'll write again soon :)"
|
'There was a feral or stray cat that came to my house. I fed the cat and patiently spent time with it until the cat stayed with me until I made it my pet cat.'
|
'It was one incredibly stormy night, rare in the desert of Nevada where I live, all day it was overcast, it rained and it had also been extremely windy. I noted several times throughout the day how windy it was, how uncomfortable it was to be outside. I complained every time I went outside to have a cigarette how the weather was so nasty. I went out to have another cigarette and I saw the silhouette of a creature walking by. Seeing it excited me, as I recognized it was a cat. Naturally as an animal lover I crouched down and made click-y sounds as I asked the cat to come to me. "You\'re okay, come here!" I persisted this way for awhile. The cat, surprisingly, came over to me right away without getting too close. My partner then found canned chicken breast meat for me which I took back outside and put on a plate. I backed away and let the cat approach the food. It recognized it as food instantly and came forward. I eagerly approached the cat while it was eating and caused it to bolt. I was disappointed, having scared away the cat while it was eating. I decided to go back inside hoping the cat would return. Peaking through the blinds I saw a shadowy figure next to the plate of food. The cat had returned to eat. I refilled the food and went back inside, where I watched through the blinds. Every time I opened to door to check the cat would run and hide under the car in the driveway, but it was clearly starved so I began to slowly move the plate closer to the front door, eventually moving it just inside the house and leaving the front door opened. I sat there waiting and the cat came to the door. It was such a small and skinny kitten. I convinced the cat to come in. A sound from inside the house that scared the cat away again. I repeated this process for several hours. My partner thought I had lost my mind and was imagining a cat being there with me until she saw it herself but finally the cat was in the house again, going for yet another plate of food. I closed the door and decided that we now have a cat.'
|
'This story conveys the last conversation that I had with my grandmother prior to her passing. It describes how in the moment what my grandmother needed to convey to me was so important to her that she was able to relay her message despite having a severe speech impediment.'
|
'I clearly remember that day having gone to the hospice facility where my grandma was approaching the end of her life. It was a mad scramble with the family and I knew more than anybody that you was ready for her last days. We assembled as a team and took shifts to be with her. She was there probably about 14 days in a row by now. The nurses that were coming in and out of the room had this look on their face like they knew what was about to happen. The background was very serene and quiet and there was momentos of the family all over the place - family pictures, fresh flowers, trinkets. My grandmother was laying there quietly. She was laying on her side and had her eyes closed but she was still breathing. The blankets were laying on top of her. Her hands were cold and turning dark. The last few times I tried to talk to her, she could barely open her eyes but I knew she was there. She had spoken of you times and I was always sitting by her side just waiting for her to say something to me. She was extremely drugged and incoherent and barely able to speak. I leaned over to brush her hair aside, and I whispered in her ear "Grandma, I\'m here. We\'re not going to leave you" I touched her hand and she closed her fingers around mine. She opened her eyes barely and said these words to me "Don\'t worry I\'ll see you again" As I began to cry, she took a last gasp and passed away. I whispered to her "Yes, I will see you again" and I hugged her tightly.'
|
'My husband surprised me with an early birthday present. The surprise was a custom Harley Davidson that I had designed, and he spent 2 years building for me. I had no idea it would be ready, I was expecting it to take another year or so.'
|
"Today was a very exciting and wonderful day! Although my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, I really hadn't put much thought into it at all. I know Billy won't be here, and to be honest at my age birthdays don't really mean much anyway. So, here's what happened. We were all sitting down eating supper and Billy called. He talked to Veronica, who hung up the phone and told me something was going on and we were to meet him in the driveway. I put on my shoes, and followed her out to wait for him to arrive. After about 20 minutes, I heard what I thought was his motorcycle coming up the driveway. Sure enough, it was him. I was so concerned about what was going on I didn't even see what was happening right in front of my eyes. There he was, sitting on the bike right in front of me, grinning from ear to ear; It was MY bike!!! The one I had designed and was in the works for over 2 years!! I had no idea he had even been working on it and here it was, finished and in all its glory! It was gorgeous. Painting in black and my favorite shade of blue, lowered almost all the way to the ground, and sounding like a beast! Harley Davidson custom at it's finest! I was absolutely elated. Billy sat there with a shit-eating grin from one ear to the other, knowing he was a champion. He told me Happy Birthday, and that he loved me very much. He wanted me to have a very special birthday present this year because he wasn't going to be able to be here for my birthday, and felt terrible about it. I love this man! He is such a fantastic, loving, and supportive husband. To think he went out of his way to work so hard for weeks to get this project finished just to make me happy and see me smile. I am still very sad that he won't be here for my special day, but I have to admit he cushioned the blow a great deal with this fabulous surprise. I knew years ago he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and I was right. He is my heart and my soul, and I can't imagine life without him. Happy birthday to me!"
|
"After Retirement . I was offered a very good position where I formerly worked, and had recently retired. I was flattered by the offer, but I decided to stay retired. the chief reason was the fact that I am really enjoying being retired , I really do not want to be anyone's boss"
|
"Two months ago I was surprised to receive an offer of employment from my former organization. It was unexpected but I thought this reflected well on my past performance as an employee. It appears that the organization is going through a restructure and my former employer thought my input and guidance would be useful during this challenging period. My former manager, who asked me to return as manager of a newly forming team, said he believed I would be a great asset in bringing old and new employees together to help drive the organization forward. He also said my old team had been affected by my retirement and their productivity was not quite as good as it had been under my leadership. Admittedly, I do miss my former colleagues and team but I do not miss the pressure of my former position and having new and harder targets to achieve on a regular basis - not only was it hard for me but even harder leading others to achieve. My former industry is becoming more and more competitive as new technologies are released and more talented people are attracted into the area. My former manager also offered me a significant pay rise and good bonus potential. I was very tempted by this offer especially as my 401k and social security could use the boost! That said there are many aspects of the job I don't want to repeat even with the temptation of potentially new ways of doing things. I was happy to retire as I was getting very tired and stressed by the demands of the organization and industry. I do not think I have the energy and ambition to tackle the more unpleasant aspects of the job. Still, the offer had me torn and I asked for a week to think things over. My former manager said that would be fine and he hoped I would return. During that week I called some former colleagues to find out what had been going on within the organization since I had retired. They all agreed, separately, that the industry has indeed become much more competitive and the organization was struggling to keep up, hence the restructure. Most commented that it had been and still was a difficult and stressful time. Some said they envied my retirement and wished they could do the same! The things my colleagues said helped me make up my mind to turn down the offer. I enjoy being retired too much to return to a highly stressful job. I love being able to spend much more time with my grandchildren and money isn't too tight. I don't have expensive tastes any way. I also enjoy spending time on my hobbies and not having to get up every morning at the same time."
|
'I received my Masters degree after putting it off for 25 years. My Daughter received her Masters as well on the same day. I kept a promise that I made to my Parents before they passed away.'
|
"As a child, my parents always pushed me to be my best. They made sure I got good grades in school and always kept tabs on my progress. After High School, I went on to get my Bachelor's degree in engineering. During my senior year and just before entering the Master's program, my girlfriend was pregnant. I was happy because I was going to be a father but upset because I would not be able to get my Master's degree. My parents were devastated and i'm sure that they were hurt. My girlfriend and I decided to marry and raise our child before returning to school. My parents hounded me for over 20 years to finish my education. I continually put it off until one day that I promised my parents that I would go back to school. The day came when my daughter received her Bachelor's degree in Biology and we made a pact to get our Master's degree together and that we were going to do it for her Grandpa and Grandma. I told my daughter that I promised them that I would get my Masters and now that they were gone, I was even more determined to keep that promise. On the day of graduation, before the commencement, I sat in the car with my Wife and silently cried. I knew that my parents would be so proud of me. I felt good though because I knew that my daughter was going to be right by my side. We walked up on the stage together and we walked off of the stage together. I had never felt so at peace with myself. I was so proud of my daughter and I knew that 2 other people were looking down on me with the same pride. This was a day that I will never forget."
|
"I ran into someone that I used to know at a Target while celebrating my birthday earlier this year. We hugged, talked, and eventually came to the decision that we would talk to each other again. I was convinced that it was a bad idea but it's turned out to be quite alright."
|
'Two and a half months ago, it was my birthday. I was celebrating in different ways with family and friends for the most of the day but the last place I expected to be by the end of the night was a Target. There\'s this girl I\'ve known for about 13 years now. During those 13 years we would date, break up, date, break up. Eventually, the last time it happened, we stopped talking for the longest time period and to me it was like we both finally got the point that it wouldn\'t work out. This night, someone wanted to stop really quickly at Target because they needed something to drink and another person wanted to grab something for their phone. I break off alone and walk through the store to find something in particular and this familiar voice calls my name. I\'m terrified and happy at the same time when I hear it because I know it\'s her. I think of all of the pain and heartbreak associated with her and how much I despised her after we stopped talking three years before. Yet, there she was, saying my name in the gentle yet comforting way she always did and smiling at me like I was something to be proud of. We walked towards each other, stunned, and embraced one another. For what seemed like ages, we just held each other and didn\'t say anything. Finally, after two minutes or so she whispered in my ear, "I miss you". I walked around with her that night and we talked for a while and caught up. She told me how awful her life had been going and expressed how she wanted to end it all. By the end of it all, I unblocked her from my phone and saw older texts flood in. I ended up calling her again. It would probably turn out to be a mistake but realistically, even through all of the rough patches, she was the only one that really made sense to me.'
|
'I became sick, and had to go to the ER on Easter Sunday. My roommate drove me there and back, and was a source of strength and compassion.'
|
"My roommate doesn't give the credit they deserves They really helped me out over Easter Sunday. I started to feel weary a little bit before that, but it got really bad on that day. I needed to be driven to the ER. I hated that I chose that day to get sick, but there's never going to be a good day to get sick, I suppose. My roommate was there from the time I was admitted to the time I got out of there. It was incredible. They showed incredible resolve and love for me. It was from an area of caring. There was no ulterior motive. If there was, wow did they hide it well. Imagine if this selflessness was commonplace in the world. This should happen more often. We should look out for our own more often. It doesn't happen enough. I plan on showing the same level of care if God forbid something happens to them."
|
'We moved and got a new dog. the new dog brought a lot of joy to our life. he still has to learn a lot of things.'
|
"We got a new dogWe recently moved and were never able to have another dog. Now we could finally make this dream become reality and went to the shelter to found an adorable dog. It is so great to have him at home now. especially because he is a type of extra protection for the house. He already scared off someone just standing at our backyard wall weird. He is so loving and you can tell he is very thankful to be adopted from the shelter where he was as a stray. This event definitely changed our life for the better. i really wouldn't want to miss him in our life now. One thing he still has to learn is not to chew up his toys completely. but i am sure he will get there and become a even better pet for us. Our other dogs are still not really sure what to do with their new friend since he is a lot bigger. They don't play with him but it will be alright. Also he jumped the wall once. i had to call a friend to help me get him back from the field behind the house. luckily we could get him very fast."
|
'I met my future wife at a horror trivia game. We all had fun that evening. We enjoyed each others company and we all had fun at the game that evening.'
|
"Five months ago at a trivia game on horror at a pub near my house, I had fun drinking with friends and answering random questions. I met someone in my group that I'll go onto marry. We both were horror fans, so we got a lot of answers right -- but most importantly, we met each other. The group we were with was very funny. One of the other groups didn't know anything about horror films or books, but they kept inventing answers anyway, which was hilarious. They were very inventive. We were there for a few hours, but the night went so quickly. We were sad when it ended. So much so that we hung around together just to talk and have a few more drinks. It was a great way to meet new people and blow off steam. We ended up making it a regular habit, and over time grew very close. The drinks were cheap during the game -- happy hour prices. Therefore, we didn't have to worry about the cost! Anyway, spending money on a good time once a week is worth it, especially since it ended up in an engagement. Now we still do it -- I'm looking forward to taking part in a war trivia game next week. Together, we should be able to win again. Oh -- did I mention? We won that night!"
|
'I pass the CPA exams. I apply for license. I got the exams in 2019 a few months ago. I was happy that I got my license.'
|
'My journey to get my cpa license is quite a bit different than many other active license cpa. After I got my degree in accounting which is my second university degree as I also have a economic degree before that. I decide it was time to get a full time job, which I did. I got the first job I apply for at the university where I got my college education. However, during this time, I find out more what a cpa license is and decide to study for it to get the gold standard and most sought after license for the profession. I pass 3 out of four exams during my work there. At this point I found out there is no super visor or anyone above me at that job in that department that has a CPA license that can sign off on my experience verification which is required in the state of Hawaii to obtain the license, which is why most people looking to get this license usually go to accounting firm, especially audit, work their way up for a few years. Once they get such license, they usually would get promoted and eventually on the fast track to make director and partner after putting in the times of a decade or two. In my case, I did not get this experience verification. I passed all four cpa exams in 2012, which are considered one of the hardest professional exams. Some said it is much harder than the bar exam but who knows, I do know it was pretty hard even for someone who barely had to do any studies in my college year to get good grades on exams. There is a lot to cover and the exam difficulty is hard as it require almost complete mastery of the material with good understanding to do well. Luckily for me, a few years after I found out there is an experience verification service by nasba for those who did accounting works but did not have a license cpa above them to sign off on their experiences verification process. During this time, I went over sea for two years as well so the process take a long time, finally when I returned in 2019. I was able to finish the process and obtain my license.'
|
'On the eve of my nieces high school graduation a large thunderstorm rolled through the city, ruining restaurant plans for the whole family that had come from all over the country for the event. This caused us to re-coordinate the evening while much the city was still without power and flooded.'
|
"Imagine high school graduation going off without a hitch. That's a wild concept. My niece's high school graduation was coming up and on the eve of it, a large thunderstorm ravaged the city. I didn't think much of it, until it started to take out power lines and left the city without most of its power and seemingly underwater. It's an event that I certainly can't forget. This thunderstorm shackled a lot of our plans. In a way, however, it made it more memorable. A lot of graduation ceremonies are standard fare, with not a lot of variety between them. This, however, was special. It took creativity. It took some outside the box thinking. And we were all on board as far as I can recall. We had to make due with what was around us that night. I think that made the night more special. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but that was close."
|
'My neighbor took advantage of her employment position to bend the rules to her favor. She showed no sympathy for her children and no remorse for violating the peace of others. Eventually, the police had to stop her but she only lied to their face during the response.'
|
"Starting October, the temperature finally dipped below 100. Taking advantage of less heat, my unruly neighbor decided to take up her woodworking activity on her apartment balcony again. Her balcony is situated next to my room desk and across from my front door where I work on my laptop. She moved in next door while still employed by the property. She began causing a ruckus by cursing, at her incredibly hyperactive child as well as her older stepchildren, as she banged, hammered, etc for months on end. It was taken in stride under the impression that she was working on remodeling the apartment in lieu of the usual maintenance crew. She eventually stopped when the summer heat became unbearable but still let her child screech, scream and climb all over the place while she looked at her phone in the evenings. She'd yell at him every 20 seconds or so instead of paying attention to him or taking him to the park across the street. When walking past her, she would ignore anyone coming across her. The noise was intolerable as she started up again. This time, she used heavy machinery from early morning into the evening. Her kid would just screech at the top of his lungs next to her. I started recording her extraordinary noise in audio files and video . I also began taking images of her woodpile, hidden from public view, but clearly visible from my front door. I messaged the property manager about her proximity and balcony violations but got no response. I called the front desk and they said the manager wasn't in. They said they couldn't do anything because they didn't have authority. Following day, same attempts and replies but nothing... third day, trying to get management to stop her, nothing. Eventually while she worked all day again, some other neighbor confronted her and she stopped... until he left, then started again. I called the corporate office overseeing more than just this complex. No answer. Saturday rolled around, nothing, she was still at it ALL day. After some initial prejudice and trying to back me off, I quoted city ordinance statutes to the police and they came by to stop her. She lied and said she was unaware the noise was bothersome."
|
"My best friend's son had a terrible accident. He was in a coman for nearly a year. He passed away and we buried him 2 weeks ago."
|
"This such a hard thing to write about. About a year ago, my best friend's son, named James, was hit by a car. He landed on his head and unfortunately, went into a coma. The most horrific thing about this whole event was seeing James in the hospital bed, bruised and swollen. I could barely recognize him. We were told that, in a best case scenario, he would be a quadriplegic with brain damage. We held out hope that he would come out of the coma, but he never did. I felt horrible about the whole situation as this wasn't just my best friend's son, it was also my godson. I was there when he was born and I watched him grow up. James passed away two weeks ago after being in a coma for about a year. Surprisingly, everyone in the family felt at peace. We believed that James was now more alive than he had ever been over this past year. Shockingly, the funeral was an inspiring event where we celebrated James' life. Although he was taken too soon from us, James still lived a full life that everyone will remember. The funeral conveyed this fact and it ended up being a robust celebration of the life of James."
|
"A very relaxing afternoon motorcycle ride turns into a very scary experience. If I hadn't reacted so quickly, we could have been seriously injured."
|
"Today was just a normal day that I had to myself. Since I enjoy riding my motorcycle in these off days, I figured today would be a great day. I woke up early so I could get whatever I needed to finished at home. After I was finished I checked the weather and once I say it would be good, got ready to go on my motorcycle ride. My plans were to spend about an hour or two on the normal route I go, but that changed later on. The first half of my trip went as normal. I took in the views and spent most of the time relaxing. I was listening to music during the ride too. The weather was nice and there weren't too many cars on the road. I was starting to think it was time to head back. I figured I would take one last road before heading home. The road was one that I hadn't road on in an of my trips, so I thought it would be nice to check it out. Instead, things went much differently. There was a car coming from the other side of the road, and just as we were both getting close to each other a deer jumped out at us from the woods. I had to quickly steer myself off the road, as to not hit either the door or the other car. I ended up crashing into a tree and the other car made it by fine and the deer jumped away unharmed. The other car stopped and waiting around with me for the police to arrive, and I made it out with only minor injuries."
|
'My boyfriend and I traveled to the Florida keys and went snorkeling. We saw various aquatic life and got sun burns in the process.'
|
'Ah, the Florida Keys, home of the burnt sun and shoulders! Can\'t believe I haven\'t written on this yet, but let me say, what an adventure that was. We went down to the Keys to celebrate a long year of hard work and take some time off together and finally get some quality time. We went down under the water the first day, after a few alcoholic beverages (of course). The fish were awesome, the life was so colorful, but no color more intense than the sunburn I had when we finished up! Oh boy, did I make a mistake forgetting to put on sunscreen that day. I came out like an infrared camera on a hot cherry cobbler -- I am talking molten red. I remember saying, "well, I\'m gonna pay for this hard later on tonight!" By the night time, I decided that if I drank more iced beverages it might keep my mind off of the sunburn, and, surprisingly, that worked well for a while. Sleeping was hell on Earth, though, as I had to lay on ice packs borrowed from the resort desk to even close my eyes. Luckily, the burns subsided rather quickly, and simply glowed an awful red for a few days before turning into a nice tan. Thankfully for me, I\'ve always had a good ability to recover quickly from sunburns. Perhaps that\'s why I always forget about sunscreen? Hmm, I don\'t know, but it wasn\'t fun. After that fiasco, we got to do much more of what we had planned, enjoying snorkeling and swimming and honestly just a lot of relaxing. It was really great even if I did get destroyed by the Sun.'
|
'I held a joint birthday party for my children and I this year and my in-laws could not be bothered to attend.'
|
"Last month, I invited my in-laws to join my children and I for a joint birthday. I gave them plenty of advanced noticed, but they kept coming up with excuses as to why they couldn't attend. I felt like they didn't want to be part of our family. It all started when I mentioned to my in-laws that I wanted to celebrate my 40th birthday with my kids. The three of us share the same birthday month and because it was a milestone birthday for me, I thought I could make it a memorable one by making it a big bash for the three of us. I didn't realize that this decision would cause discomfort to my in-laws. I just knew that I was going to make it a special day and I wasn't go to let their sour mood stop me. I proceeded to plan our joint birthday party despite their lack of support. I order catered food and my kid's friends helped decorate our house for the party. A friend of my also helped with setting up music and entertainment for our guests. Everything for our special day fell in to place. The big day finally arrived and our party went off without a hitch. We celebrated, sang, and ate like celebrities. My parents even flew from Australia to join us. It would have been a perfect day, but one half of our family was missing. I was shocked that my in-laws would be so petty about our joint party. I was also sad for my kids because I know they would have liked them to join us. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed in my in-laws for not making any effort to attend our special day."
|
'I met my parents a long while. They gifted me a diamond necklace. That was my birthday event. And my spouse gifted me a new car. I met my close friend which I loss her a 3 years ago.'
|
'I am very glad to share you something which is unforgettable. It was an amazing event yeah that was my birthday. The birthday is common to all but for me it was a special day. Because I was met my parents after a long while. Actually I got love marriage. So my parents had not accepted me. But on my birthday they came to my birthday party and gave a big surprise that they bought me a diamond necklace and surprised me. I got speechless. Meanwhile I met my close friend which last before 3 years. And my spouse gifted me a new car. And got a more and more surprises. That was an awesome day. Overall I felt that I was a only person in this world who was most happiest person. My spouse met my parents secretly to convince them without my knowledge. He done a big thing for me. Never ever back that day again. Thanks to give me such an opportunity to share the wonderful thing. Thanks a lot.'
|
'I assisted and witnessed the delivery of a child in the hospital. This happened during the labor and delivery clinical rotation a few months ago. It was so memorable.'
|
"There is one event that I will never forget for the rest of my life that happened recently. I was working in the labor & delivery floor of Kaiser San Francisco for my nursing rotation. I remember being quite anxious because I was a male, and I assumed that it would be hard to gain experience since women may not like having a male in their delivery rooms. However, it was the opposite of what I expected. I have always wondered what it would be like to watch the birth of a baby. All I hear are stories from my mom about the stress of it because she had four of us. It all started during my second week on the floor. I met a patient who was due to have her baby on the same day. She was with her husband. I don't remember their names, but I do remember their faces and the entire experience. The nurse I was working with advocated for me to be in the room to assist with the birthing process. I remember how long it took and how tiring it was for the patient to push for over two hours in order for the baby to come out. It was all so beautiful. I was able to help hold one of her legs up while the other nurse held the other leg. When the doctor delivered the baby, I almost cried. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Can you imagine being the first person that a baby sees in this world? It was such a joyous experience. I hope one day that I will get to do it again with my own children."
|
"Within the past six months I moved out of my parent's house and starting living on my own. The decision to move out was a very emotionally difficult decision to do but was necessary since it made me much happier."
|
"The last six months were full of significant events that was both emotionally positive or negative. I remember these six months well, because there were a lot of life changes that I had to make and throughout the months I learned more and more about myself than I did last year. Within the last six months, I moved out of my parents' house for the first time; I had a lot of anxiety moving out (especially since I have an anxiety disorder, among other mental illnesses) and the fact that I had to do it suddenly made the anxiety worse. My boyfriend's roommates decided out of the blue that they were going to move out and there was a risk that him and another friend of our would be homeless. Now, at that point in my life I had a part-time job that paid well enough that I could move in and pay rent -- I had expected to movie in with my boyfriend by May when their lease was up but the past roommates decided to move out in February. Thus, I was not as mentally prepared and had a lot of trouble coming to terms with the fact that I needed to move out of my parents house eventually. I am 24 years old and struggled with severe depression for a large portion of my life. Some times I feel that I am still struggling but since I had moved that struggle became less and less severe. I have gotten to the point where I have a good handle of my anxiety and depression and try to push past them. This came with the move, as my previous home environment was very hostile: my parents fought and argued all the time. Thinking about it, they have always been fighting since I had remember, and moving out was a right step in the direction to get out of that toxicity. I still struggle with my mental illnesses but they became less and less significant and more manageable than I ever felt before. I knew getting out of a toxic environment was a path to better mental health but I didn't realize how beneficial it was until got out of it. Within the past six months I have lost weight, nearly 10lbs, and have a much more positive head space. Because of this, I was able to eat healthier, stop stress eating, start exercising, being more social, etc. A lot of positive things happened that still affect me significantly to this day. As for my parents... well, I love them very much and it was heartbreaking to see my mother cry when I started packing up and moving out. My mom loved me dearly and she would do anything for me and my brother; however, I needed to leave the nest. I do visit often, I try to keep in touch at least once or twice a week. Unfortunately I've been doing this less often lately because every time I go there the fighting and arguing continues. I addressed this problem before but my parents didn't quite understand why I was so upset by this. It also didn't help that there was a language barrier and they were born in another country. Since there was no way for me to stop the arguing I had to be the one to leave. It was a hard decision but I'm much happier for it."
|
'My son moved into his first apartment. I helped him to pack his belongings which made me quite sad. Even so, I was excited for him to start a new adventure in his life.'
|
"A few months ago I helped my son move into his first apartment. It was time for him to go to college and it was too far away for him to commute from home. While I am very proud of him being accepted to such a prestigious institution, I am sad to see him go. He has asked me to help him pack some of his belongings which really made it hit home that he was really leaving. He decided he did not want to keep many of his posessions. His dog will be staying with us since his apartment does not allow pets. He is getting rid of many of his older toys, books, and some momentos from his years from high school. I can only hope that he will not party too much. He needs to focus on his school work. Who knows, maybe he will find his soul mate while he is there as well! So far I haven't heard from him yet. I do not want to call him to rain on his parade, but I cannot help but worry. Soon he will be visiting while he is on spring break. I intend to find out as much as I can about how things are going for him while he is here! If he doesn't answer maybe I can ask some of his friends."
|
'This story recounts a funeral service for an elderly relative. It made the author introspective about his origins and the life he now has.'
|
"This story involves the funeral of an elderly relative who lived in the town where I grew up. These days, I live elsewhere in the country, and I had not been back to my hometown for many years. I flew in the day before the service and rented a car to drive the rest of the way to that small town. When I arrived, I was struck by how little the town and its topography had changed: there was a new Walmart, a few new businesses, but for the most part, things had remained similar to the way they'd always been. I attended the service for my relative, who was a naval veteran in the Second World War, and the ceremony was attended by a number of men from his American Legion Post. We also saw a number of people who were not familar to us. When we asked after them, they claimed to have a distant cousin or other relative who had the same surname as my relative. When they saw the obituary in the paper, they thought they should come and pay their respects. Only in a place like that would strangers come to a service to pay their respects. In the city where I now live, I can't imagine such a thing happening. After the service, I drove back to my hotel and spent the night. I left for the airport the next morning and returned home. However, I was struck by the unusual, museum-like quality of that town, and while it has its charms, it made me grateful for the life I have now. I think that many of the things I've been able to do in my life would not have been possible had I not left there. However, I still remember the stable, rocklike nature of that place, and the genteel kindsness shown to my family while I was there."
|
'My mom\'s biopsy came back positive. My mom had her first PET earlier in the day, Or the day before. I thought I knew what that line meant, until I saw the same thing in my mom\'s images. When the doctor started taking questions, someone asked what stage she was. "Stage IV because it had spread."'
|
"it has been a horrible past week. my mom s still very sick. she had her positron emission tomography scan to look for the disease. i thought i knew everything and it was all going to be ok, when it all hit me it was intense. the doctor came in and i could tell something was off. i felt like the room at the doctors office got a little darker when he walked in. he came in and said that all the test results were in. the doctor then said if anyone wanted to ask any question he'd be happy to answer them. everyone was reluctant to ask a question. i heard my uncle finally speak up. he asked what stage my mother was in. i could see the doctor look down to avoid eye contact. the doctors face got flushed as he stammered for a second. he told us that my mother was sage 4 and then went on to explain that it has spread. the room went silent for a few seconds. i wanted to cry and run out of there. i hope i can remain strong for my family and most of all my mother."
|
'I recently achieved a goal of relearning to walk with a walker after being confined to a wheelchair for many years.'
|
'I am disabled. Currently, I have been confined to a wheelchair for seven years. However, recently I have been practicing intensely on learning to walk again. Currently, I use a wheelchair for mobility purposes. After three weeks of intensive physical therapy, I was able to walk 50ft with a walker. This event was monumental to me. I also found the experience very rewarding. I only hope in the future that I continue to make improvements. I will continue going to physical therapy three times a week. This will guarantee that my strength will increase and as a result walking with the walker will become easier. Ultimately, it is my goal to advance to walking with forearm crutches. Having the ability to walk would make it possible for me to be so much more independent. Independence is a vital necessity for a good life to me. I will work as hard as possible to achieve this goal. I am more than determined.'
|
"We visited a facility.We visited a child in the facility.The facility doesn't seem to meet the needs of an Autistic child."
|
'We recently visited a child that we are considering adopting. He is in the foster car system and we are hoping that when he gets out of the treatment center he will have learned new behaviours that will make it easier for him to have a successful adoption experience in our home. The trip to the facility was distant. It was busy with traffic and it seemed like rather a scary undertaking. We had to rent a car and drive in a strange area to us. We arrived at the destination. We then went into the building and it seemed more like a prison than a place a child would be living. They immediately had to take any cell phones. They then proceeded to check us for weapons. Then they would unlock each door we entered. It was definitely a maximum security type of place. It seemed unusual to us that a child under 13 would need to be in a maximum security type environment for simply having Autism. The facility we visited has kids of all kinds separated into units, some are court ordered, some are private pay and some are insurance paid. I think most parents would be alarmed if their autistic child was put in a place like that. It had no with real atmosphere of a real home. I would rate it as terrible.'
|
"My dog has gotten older and age is taking its toll. He's having seizures and one day I won't have him any more."
|
"My dog has gotten to be an old man. I've had him since he was a puppy. He was a little scrawny thing {and so was I), no more than six pounds when we first laid eyes on each other. I picked him out to play with him and told him I'd be back that weekend to get him when I got paid. He looked hurt that I was leaving, but I assured him I'd be back. Fast forward 13 years and he's been my constant companion. He's almost a person the way he behaves. When he started having seizures at the end of the summer, it made me realize that he's not going to be with me forever. I mean, I knew this day would come; your pet going on is always in the back of your mind, but it always seems far away. Then far away gets real close. He likely has a tumor and he's on medication, which seems to be keeping the seizures at bay. I know one day the medications won't matter and we'll part ways. For now, I'm going to take every day with him as a gift, as cliche as that sounds. I will do my best to usher him into the next life and I hope we'll see each other again. I take comfort, as small as it is, in that when he does pass, my grandma and my other dog will be there to take care of him."
|
'An amazing friend of mine recently passed away. She dedicated her life to helping children in our community. She loved and gave to all children like they were her own.'
|
'About two months ago someone very important to me passed away from cancer. Her name was Lori and she was very dear to my heart. She was the kindest, most giving person I have ever met. She gave to her community, especially children. She created a non-profit to help children in need. This organization is called Empower Youth and helps so many. She dedicated her whole life to the kids in our community. She would feed, clothe, encourage, and make it possible for every child to go to church camp. She was a good christian who helped my own daughter on her spiritual journey. When she passed away it affected everyone in the community. We all loved her so much. Even after death she continued to give. She organized her own memorial carnival which was completely free. It fed everyone and provided carnival games to all attendees. She wanted to celebrate life rather than mourn. My life will never be the same without her.'
|
'My mom was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia. She has moved in with me, lost her ability to speak well, and I am caring for her.'
|
"After my mom was diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia she moved in with me. She needed extra care that she couldn't provide for herself. Her hematologist-oncologist ordered her to have an MRI of the brain after we noticed speech abnormalities. The MRI came back with no evidence of stroke, cancer or any other thing other than a mild sinus infection and some slight thickening in the brain lining. We continued to be very discouraged as she lost more and more of her ability to speak. She also became more confused and needed help dressing. It was up to me to help her with all of these simple things that she used to be able to do for herself. We had some difficult days. Soon, my sister and I took her in for a lumbar puncture to see if any evidence of her leukemia would show up in her central nervous system (CNS) fluids. It did not, but then they weren't able to get a full sample and said the test results were negative but also somewhat inconclusive. We were frustrated and baffled. The local neurologists were all booked up and weren't able to see her immediately. Finally, after trying to contact more doctors we took her back in to the ER, one month after her initial brain MRI. This new MRI showed that she did indeed have a diffuse cancer in her brain, and moreso on the left side, though it was evident on both the left and right. It had grown very fast. CLL rarely spreads to the brain, but my Mom was an exception. Now we had an answer but what to do next? As the doctors laid out what sort of treatments, all chemo, could be provided and the possible side effects, and contrasted that against the fact that no treatment would cure her and only possibly extend her life by a few weeks, if that, we decided against any further treatment. We brought my mom back to my home at the end of July, straight from the hospital and hospice met us at the house to sign her up for home treatment. The treatment basically to consist of palliative care until she dies of natural causes. I am under a great deal of stress but am holding up well. My sister, brother and father are all as supportive as they can be and visit quite often. It is tough for my 80 year old father to see his 74 year old wife decline in this manner. At the same time we are sharing many past memories, laughter and tears. I am thankful I've had this chance to care for my Mom at the end of her life and won't forget it."
|
'Me and my husband went on a vacation to my favorite place in the world, Florida. We spent the whole week on the sandy beach relaxing. This was an amazing time for us both.'
|
'About 7months ago my husband told me he had a suprise. So i came home that day to a box! A box i know...random!!! As i open the box i sew shells glued all over it. As i start to get excited i see two tickets! Plane tickets to Florida, my favorite place in the world. He had put the plane tickets in the box. Ive never flown so that made me nervous but non the less happy. So the time comes and we are all packed and ready. Ive never been away from our children for a full week so and a little sad but still excited. We planned to face time everyday. Once we made it to Florida i was happy again. The plane ride went amazing and we were finally there, on the sunny beach. We did not do a lot of extra activities we spend most of our time laying on the beach and swimming. I have to say it was one of the happiest weeks of my life. It was nothing short of amazing!'
|
'Yes, it is so AWESOME to see where your ancestors came from. I got to see Ireland and New York City. My great grandparents came from Ireland via New York City.'
|
'I went on vacation to Ireland this summer. I live in Ohio and flew to Ireland via New York City. Around the turn of the century my great grand parents came to America from Ireland. They both came through Ellis Island in New York City. At first they lived in Buffalo, New York. Around 1910 they ended up in Cleveland, Ohio. After my plane landed in New York City from Ireland I decided to take the subway train into New York City. I walked around New York City. I ate some food at Wendys. By Wall Street I got on the Stanton Island Ferry. The Stanton Island ferry goes past Ellis Island where my great grandparents entered America over a century ago! After seeing New York City I had to drive seven hours back to Ohio. It is a seven hour drive. The New York turnpike runs south of Buffalo, New York. I was going to try to find the hotel in Buffalo that my great grandparents meet at. I was not able to do this on this trip because I had to get home. However, the Layette Hotel in Buffalo is still there.'
|
"I attended my grandmother's funeral because she had passed away. Friends and family all reminisced about the good old days and the wonderful memories we had with my grandmother. We all were sad and said our goodbyes as she was lowered down to the grave."
|
"I had to go to a grandmothers funeral. She had passed recently. All her close friends and family were going. We ended up talking about the good times. The many days we had wonderful memories of her. There were lots of stories that went around. All good and happy stories people like to retell. It did bring about some sadness on the whole thing. We knew she wouldn't be with us anymore and it was hard to take. I wondered why things had to be like this. But everyone thought about the happy times. We helped each other through it. As she was lowered we all said our goodbyes. Everyone had tears in their eyes. But our family helped each other."
|
'A good friend of mine and I became romantically involved. It was sort of taboo, but we did it anyway.'
|
'I am a recovering alcoholic and she is a recovering codependent. People of the same gender aren\'t supposed to sponsor one another in 12-Step programs. But I ended up sponsoring her. I helped her work the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous; she worked the Steps on her codependency. We kept things "professional" and friendly for a few months. But being that close to someone and watching her grow and learn to be happy and care for herself made me sort of fall in love with her. I told her about my feelings and we started dating. The relationship was taboo in that it\'s very frowned upon to date a sponsee. It is also frowned upon to sponsor someone in a different 12-Step program. But we became romantically involved anyway. It was very difficult to talk about this with anyone because we got very little support, as would be expected. But things are going well with us. We have more or less proved everyone wrong. We are very happy, and, to be honest, we are one of the healthiest couples I know. I have high hopes for us, and she does, too.'
|
'Basically I was waiting to get a phone call from a very important person. I finally got the call and now we are scheduled to go on a date.'
|
'Dear diary,I have finally got a call from that girl that I am trying to date and now she is ready. I am very read to wine and dine her and to show her that I can be what she wants me to be. i understand this principle. To whom much is given much is required. I will be there for her to make sure she does not stay complacent. Iwill fight tooth and nail to protect her. I have to make sure my head is in the game and that ii dont mess this up to be honest with you. i have been waiting a long time. A very long time. Now is the time were I should work harder than ever. I have to stay humble now who I am with. Make sure I grounded. I cannot allow things to stop this relationship. I will not stop. i will not give up.'
|
'This story recounts a funeral service for an elderly relative. It made the author introspective about his origins and the life he now has.'
|
"Three months ago, I went to a funeral. It was for my Grandpa. I remembered the good times I had with my Grandpa. I remember him taking me hunting one day. I got to kill a deer. He made the deer dinner that night. It wasn't bad to eat. I remember playing catch with him. He still had an arm on him. It was very fun playing catch. I also remember going to a restaurant one night. He had a big steak. I had a big lamb. They were both delicious. I also had beer that night. I hope he is in heaven right now. He will be remembered by many people. He will be loved by many people. He left a legacy on this world."
|
'A church group hosts a Fourth of July picnic. The picnic is interrupted by a visit from a black bear.'
|
'On the Fourth of July, our church hosted a picnic at a new property that we purchased. It was the first church function that we hosted at the property. That day was particularly hot. It was the hottest day of the year. The children played games and had water balloon fights. Adults rested and fellowshipped in the shade. We had a picnic lunch of BBQ chicken, potato salad, baked beans and watermelon. Everyone had a wonderful time. Near the conclusion of the evening, the children were playing kickball in the field and the adults were discussing where to go to watch fireworks. Suddenly, one mother began to scream, "Look! A bear!" When I finally realized what she was yelling about, I looked to see a black bear come our from the tree line in the corner of the field where the children were playing. The bear stopped and looked at the children. Adults began to run toward the children to move them from the field. After about 3 minutes, the bear turned, crossed the corner of the field, and disappeared into the trees on the other side of the property. Everyone was startled by seeing the bear, but it was an exciting experience. One girl was thoughtful enough to pull out her phone and video the event. It definitely made for a memorable end to a great Fourth of July.'
|
"My long backed dog was suddenly paralyzed one morning. My horrible vet said to just kill him. But, he's almost completely fine now."
|
'About a month ago, my dog suffered paralysis. We took him to the vet, but the vet wanted to put him down. it turned out he was not a good vet. We took the long back dog back home and cared for him. We visited a few other vets. They gave us better advice. We did therapy sessions with the dog. Eventually he started to show recovery signs. We are happy that he is recovering. He gets stronger every day. We are showing support in all ways. We help the dog physically. And also emotionally, by showing love. It goes a long way. He is happy and getting better. We are also very happy to see this happening.'
|
"I was trying to have breakfast in restaurant, and some rando kept trying to talk to me while I was working on my phone. I made it clear I wasn't interested and he had a meltdown that ended in a racist rant that ruined my day."
|
"So about two weeks ago, after a long week of work, I decided that I wanted to treat myself with some much needed pampering, relaxation and maybe a bite to eat at my favorite restaurant before I get started on weekend errands. To start with my relaxing morning I drew a bath with a bath bomb I'd been saving for such an occasion. The water was nice, warm and smelled delightful. I soaked for about 30 minutes. After my bath I looked around the house and realized it was a mess. To put my mind at ease I start tiding up and deep clean a good portion of my apartment. Now that my home looked as good as I felt, I began to get dressed to go to eat. I had given Mel a call to meet me there and she agreed. Feeling good and looked even better I grabbed my keys and went off. I finally get to the restaurant and I sit there wait for Mel to arrive. She texted me and said that she was gonna be a little late due to an accident on the freeway. I go ahead and order some coffee and a pastry while I wait. To get myself ahead in work for the following week, I respond and plan with client's requests and answer any questions they might have. As I'm sitting there typing, I notice a man checking me out from a couple tables in front of me. I looked over and it was clear to me that he wasn't my type. As I looked we had a split second of eye contact. He smiles and approaches me at the table. As he's walking up to the table, I desperately grab my phone and continue replying to clients. He looks at me and asks if I wanted to go out sometime. I tell him no. He makes another attempt and again I reject him. He gets frustrated and completely goes off. He goes on and calls me a bitch making a scene in the whole restaurant. He starts using racial slurs and tells me that I'm not pretty enough for him because of it. Embarrassed and harassed, I try to go on about my day but couldn't stop thinking about the incident."
|
'This summer, our friends from Ireland came to visit. It had been ten years since their last visit, and we spent two amazing weeks reunited.'
|
"In July, my childhood friend from Ireland came to visit us here in the US. She also brought her husband, who has visited several times, and her two kids who I had yet to meet. She also met my two sons for the first time. She stayed at my brother's house, but we all spent a lot of time together. We went to a baseball game, had a welcome party, went to a water park, and just had fun re-connecting again. In total, they stayed for two weeks and I took off work. I really wanted to spend quality time since I hadn't seen her in ten years. When I first saw her in my brother's yard, I broke into a huge grin. I gave her a huge hug and felt like we were kids again. It brought me back in time to our childhood summers together. We were carefree and stress free. We lived for her summer visits and did so many fun things. After we got older, we had jobs, kids, and responsibilities. Life has become harder but I felt like I was transported back in time when I saw her again. We laughed together like always. I hated to see her leave again."
|
"I bought a new car that I really couldn't afford, and my wife was supposed to help me cut costs and earn some money to pay it off. So far I'm the only one doing anything."
|
"About a month ago, I finally purchased a new car. It was about time, but it wasn't anything I had planned for. I have been driving a 2012 hyundai elantra for about 5 years now and have amassed about 200,000 miles on it. The starter was beginning to act funny, and I knew I would need to do something soon, but I really wasn't prepared for this. It was my wife's idea. She's always the one that wants to spend the money in our house. The last one to work for it (she hasn't held a job in the nearly 5 years we've been married) and the first one to want to spend. What's ironic is that the day before, we had gotten into a humongous argument over, what else? Money. It's always the issue around here. But with that being said, it was a horrible idea to go looking at cars that day. We had made up from our argument, and of course I wanted to avoid upsetting her again. We ended up walking out of there with a 2018 hyundai sonata. Now it's a beautiful car by anyone's standards, the problem is it's about 200 dollars more than what we were paying off on our old car, and I still have about $8k left before I even pay that off. We had decided we would let that car get repo'd and just enjoy our new car. We'd make some simple lifestyle changes to cover the difference. We'd start eating food at home more, and my wife would stop drinking. One of those things happened. Want to guess what it is? I don't know if I can keep going on like this. She still refuses to get a job to help cover the costs. I just want her to do something. For all I care she can work part time on amazon like I do after coming home from my FULL TIME JOB! But alas, anything is too much effort for her, and here I sit and type, because the $3.52 is going to changing the oil in this new car that I can hardly afford."
|
"I'd found out that I was pregnant.But they told me I wasn't able 13 years ago. My mom was gone due to a late stage 4 diagnosis just 6months prior to this news. I was absolutely stunned."
|
'Absolutely not. I feel that the most appropriate thing for you to do would be to call the bride and explain your situation, and offer to have them over or take them out when your situation improves. As far as pressure from your parents, unless they are providing you with the money to attend and the money to give the couple, they should let it rest. I would consider sending a card wishing them well. it was an nice experience i had ever. i wish them live long and happy. they both are made for each other. i had a great time in my lifetime. she is my bestie. we had lot of memories. we are childhood friends. she was very special to me. we are family friends. we always going outing together. we had good and bad memories. i am very happy. and proud to have a friend like this. it was very pleasure to share this. still we are very close to each other.'
|
'I had a medical emergency, I had emergency surgery to save my life. Gallbladder did extensive damage with the gall stones.'
|
'I cant believe I am still recovering from my surgery. It has been 3 months since I had gall stones wreaking havoc on my insides. I woke up with just an overall pain and couldnt figure out what it was. I took some antacid and a tylenol and went about the day. After I woke up feeling the same way the next day I went into the doctors office. Next was a blur as it all happened so fast. I was told I would need to be sedated for and emergency surgery. I was shocked, worried, and confused, but agreed and then i was out like a light. When I came to i was greeted by my family and my neighbors who were all very concerned. I had considered not even going to the doctor that day and Had i not they said it is likely I would have been dead. I am so thankful for the staff at Mercy hospital for taking care of me and doing what needed to get done. I have a new lease on life now as I know any day could be the last one. And I have been urging my friends and family to go get checked out if they are not feeling great. I may be over doing it on the warnings but I think it is important. And as an added bonus, now I know where a gallbladder is and what it does!'
|
"The story of my friend and her quick passing from cancer. How quickly it affects someone's life directly and indirectly with knowing and not knowing how grave a situation might be, could be and is."
|
"My friend from college was a great person. She was one of the best teammates I ever had. She gave great advice and had the ability to get everyone involved without restricting anyone. A few months ago, she was diagnosed with cancer. Two weeks later, she passed away. I was in shock, as were many others. We thought she would have had an opportunity to fight the cancer, but two weeks is nowhere near enough. We held a memorial service for her. People who knew her shared about how bubbly she was. I shared how great of a teammate she was. We were all in shock, but we celebrated who she was. She made an impact toward her family, friends, and the world. It's amazing how quickly cancer affects someone's life, directly and indirectly. Moreover, most of us didn't know how grave this situation could be and was. I doubt she knew how grave her situation was. I'll dearly miss her."
|
'I went camping with the largest group I ever have last weekend. I went kayaking and paddle boarding for the first time, and it was a lot of fun. It helped assure me of the growth me and my friends have made in the last couple years.'
|
"Last weekend, I went on a camping trip with twelve friends and family members. It was the largest group I've ever gone camping with, and I was nervous about how it would go. Lucky for me, the two women who planned the trip were very thorough and considerate. The food was plentiful and delicious. There were more than enough tents to house everyone. The kayaks and paddle boards we rented were firmly secured and easily made the trip into the mountains. The two trucks we took also managed to cart us and our equipment without complaining. They're both old, so I had been worried about that. I grew up in a pretty inactive family. We went camping a lot when I was little, but didn't actually do outdoor activities. Then my dad's back started to bother him, and we stopped camping. Last year I went camping again for the first time in over a decade and slept terribly. Thankfully, my body got over that during a week-long river rafting trip in April. It helps that I now have the right equipment and mindset to successfully sleep while camping. This was my first time on both a kayak and a paddle board. I enjoyed both, but I loved the single-seat kayak. I want to buy one now. I live near a lake, but I don't have a reliable way to transport a kayak, so it'll have to wait for a bit. The reason I chose to journal about this trip was that it's a testament to the growth that I and my friends have made in the last couple of years. I used to be terrified of trying anything new, especially anything physical. I'm not afraid to test the limits of my body anymore. I know I can handle a lot more than I used to think I could, and I know that it's okay to not be great at something the first time you try it. And my friends and siblings have flourished into full-fledged adults. It was an enjoyable, fortifying experience. I hope we do it again soon."
|
'My 15 year old dog Tucker passed away about two months ago from kidney failure. Tucker had a good, long life. Me, my two daughters and their significant others were with him. I held him as he peacefully passed away. I cried.'
|
"About two months ago, my 15 year old dog Tucker passed away in my arms. He was such a sweet boy, and lived a good, long life. Tucker was like my son; he made me laugh and made me happy. I got Tucker from a shelter when he was only 5 months old. At that time, he was a bit of a street urchin. He was always into mischief, and occasionally required time outs in my bedroom. That was part of his charm. I always dreaded Tucker's growing old and I prayed he would just go in his sleep some day. That was not to be. He became ill, and it turned out he had kidney failure. Once I knew that, the decision was easy. I never wanted Tucker to suffer. The decision was easy, but the act was not. I held him while the vet did her thing, and he quietly passed in my arms. One of the saddest things to do. I cried, my two daughters and their significant others all cried. Tucker was so loved. I was glad that he was no longer suffering, but I missed him so much. Still do. I still cry when I think of him. But I wouldn't do anything differently."
|
"I took my dad to his doctor appointment then took him out to lunch at one of his favorite places we hadn't been to in years. It was an unexpected, and surprise early birthday gift that I took the opportunity to pay for. Turned out to be a really great day."
|
"It was just supposed to start out as a typical day. I had to drive my dad down the hill for his doctor appointment. We do that about five times a year. My little brother came along for the trip now that he's graduated school. We three typically do all of our trips and/or errands together. It was good doctor's visit, nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing distressing. This took place in May right after mother's day. My mother and I have never been close, I've always favored my dad. His 59th birthday was the following week after this doctor's appointment. Rather than taking the freeway home like we normally do, I decided to surprise him with taking a side trip out to his favorite restaurant which we hadn't been to in over 10 years because it's so far away. It was a great surprise, he was so happy. The place smelled as good as we remembered and there was no wait. Since it had been so long my brother actually liked the food there, and it was fun seeing the fourth generation of our family finally join in on the restaurant tradition. Then when the bill came I took it and paid for it with money from my new (and first) job. It was just a really good feeling seeing my dad's face when he knew I was taking care of him the way I was. Like everything was going to be ok now. He still talks about that day even months later. I just love knowing that I was the reason he keeps having that smile on his face. It was a really good day."
|
"Lost my brother's ashes though happenstance and after 5 years of family turmoil I finally got them back."
|
"I remember waking up the next day thinking it was just a dream, I went to check the living room to see that it wasn't a dream. I was thinking I could make everyone happy by doing what I thought my brother would want me to do with his ashes, but my brother's ashes were stolen from my car. My family and I was dealing with a lot of sadness from the unexpected passing of my brother, I turned to alcohol. I had been drinking the day I decided to release my brother's ashes in the river, and my car was broken into. My family was very upset with me and didn't want me around, things got better but were never the same because of my actions. I recently found my brother ashes were taken by a kid in the neighborhood who thought it was something valuable in the box I placed it in. The kid is a teenager now and thought about what he did as a child after. The young man buried it in his backyard after realizing what it was, and the trouble he would be in. He bought it to me yesterday and explained, I can't believe it's been 5 years because I think about it everyday. I was excited to let my family know I found my brother's ashes, we all celebrated and decided we would do better with forgiving each other. Me and my family will be going on a vacation together next summer, they decided it would be a good idea to release my brother's ashes were we use to fish at in the summer. I'm surprised but it makes sense to everyone, I'm looking forward to the family vacation. I've been able to forgive myself after knowing everyone forgave me. I really learned a lot about myself and my family through the rough times. I have my drinking problem under control and everyone seems happy for me."
|
'A trip to attend a birthday party turned frightening for my family and I. A tornado touched down near our location. After the danger passed, we had an enjoyable time at the birthday party.'
|
"We were heading to a birthday party. The trip was supposed to take 2 hours, but ended up taking 3 hours because of the weather. We thought the bad weather would avoid us and stay to west of our location. Instead, the storm intensified and overtook us on the road. My husband was driving while I was paying attention to the weather app on my phone. Our three teenage sons were in the back seat. The oldest was particularly upset every time he saw lightning. It was slow driving at times because the rain became so heavy that it was difficult to see the road plus the other cars kept slowing down. Once we arrived in the other city, we started to head to our destination, but took the wrong exit because we couldn't see the road signs. Our phones started beeping with an emergency alert. A tornado warning had been issued for the area we were in. My oldest son began to really panic. We pulled into a convenience store to determine if the tornado had touched down and where. We also wanted to see how close we were to the party location. We stayed there for a bit until the radar on the weather app showed that the main part of the storm was well past us. My son had calmed down by this point. We got back on the highway and took the correct exit (which was the one right after the one we mistakenly took). Within minutes we were at the party place. We meet up with the rest of the group and watched one of the televisions in the place. The news coverage showed there had been a funnel cloud that touched down near where we were at. Every one was relieved to be safe inside. Once the sun came out and the storm warnings were canceled, my boys and the other teens played laser tag and raced go-carts. We were able to enjoy ourselves despite the stress and fear of the trip up there. The way home was much easier since there were clear blue skies and everyone was full of pizza and birthday cake."
|
'Baseball team wins 4th league championship in 10 years, this was a battle from behind and an epic finish. Through the years this has been an almost impossible task. Typical come from behind fashion, the first game was lost and the team had to win out to take the championship.'
|
"I am the coach of a youth level baseball team. This year marked my 10th year as a head coach. I was a major part in starting this program back in the summer of 2009. Since the beginning our our program we have fielded about 65 teams. 3 of them have won our league championship. This summer I took a team that had a losing record and tried to become the 4th team in our history to complete a championship run. The season started off well and the boys responded well to all the training and upgraded competition. We found ourselves as the number 2 seed in our division and the number 6 seed overall out of 45 teams. Things turned for the worst when we lost to a team we had beat 4 times earlier. We needed to win the next 2 games and keep our runs against down just to advance into the playoffs as a wildcard team. Somehow we found a way and won 2 very close games. The next morning we played in the quarterfinal against the team we lost to prior. Let's just say the boys came to play. It was our biggest margin of victory the entire season. Our semifinal game was a nail bitter. This ended up as a 1 run game that we won in the last inning of play. On to the Championship the boys were on cloud nine! It was amazing watching them play with confidence and finally realizing they were the best team on the field. We took an early lead and never looked back. Finishing off the season with a 8-5 win and a record of 42-8. What an amazing season, one that I will never forget!"
|
'Fulfilling a pledge made after we graduated college, 5 friends and I took a cruise 10 years after we took our first one. For many of us, it was the first time we had seen one another in years, while we traveled in the Caribbean. The trip served as a way to reconnect and keep our friendship strong.'
|
"About four months ago, I went on a cruise with a group of my friends that I went to college with. The trip consisted of five friends and myself. Most of us live in Florida, so we departed from Miami and had stops in Key West, Mexico and Belize before returning home. The reason we decided to do the trip was it had been 10 years since we graduated from college and went on a graduation cruise together. While taking that first trip, we made a pact to take a cruise every decade to reconnect and have fun together. Our work and personal lives have made it hard to see one another that often, but we managed to coordinate our schedules to take this trip. I roomed with one friend on the ship, while the other four had a larger cabin that they all shared with one another. Each day, we had a different activity to do. On our two days at sea, we went to the pool and the casino during the day, while enjoying some adult beverages. While we were in Key West, we walked around the town and visited local restaurants and bars. In Mexico, we were only there for a few hours due to inclement weather, but managed to do some duty-free shopping. And while we were in Belize, we got a taxi and went to a local beach and tavern to enjoy the natural beauty of that country. During the evening, we had our own table in the ship's dining room and then would go to one of the shows that the ship had and then to a bar or club onboard. There was plenty of time for all of us to reconnect with one another, reminisce about when we were younger, and have fun. On our last night, it was hard to believe how fast the trip went and how many of us won't get to see one another for a long period of time. There were a few misty eyes, but we pledged to do this trip again in 10 years and to keep better in touch with one another in the interim. Since then, we regularly text one another and share social media posts. I have been able to grab a bite to eat with two of them recently, while they were in town for the day. This trip reminds me how fast time can fly and how important it is to maintain friendships over the years. It can be hard to make the time, but it is well worth it."
|
"This story highlights my personal journey in discovery of the body''s innate detoxification processes, and how to overcome blocks to detoxification."
|
"Recently, I began taking a dietary supplement known as alpha lipoic acid. I started taking i because I learned that this naturally occuring compound is purported to be a highly beneficial compound with trong anti-oxidant and detoxification-supporting properties. The supplement is also used to support liver function and help alleviate neuropathy. Upon taking recommended a dosage, I developed back pain. As a scientist, I began scouring medical literature as well as watching biomedical presentations. I began a intellectual journey in learning about the body's mechanisms for detoxification. One of the most important scientists to help educate me in this area was Dr. Christopher Shade, CEO of Quicksilver Scientific (a company that specializes in biological testing of toxins and supply of carefully formulated nutriceuticals designed to help promote detoxification. Through Dr. Shade, I bean to understand the body;s complex and intricately choreographed mechanisms for identifying, tagging, mobilizing, and eliminating toxins from the body. In addition, I learned about environmental factors that could lead to a block in detoxification. In my case, my medical history and symptomology supported a block in detoxification created by a significant exposure to toxic mold. As it turns out, mold biotoxins can block the body's ability to clear a number of toxins, including heavy metals, and that without removal of this block, use of other methods that stimulate portions of the detox process (such as alpha lipoic acid), may be hindered. This can put undue stress on the liver and kidneys. Fortunately, Dr. Shade also was instrumental in recommending a simple dietary remedy to this mold toxin-induced block to detoxification. After a very short amount of time, my troubles were greatly diminished. I am grateful to Dr. Shade for his knowledge and insight, which has enabled me to proceed in a lifestyle of detoxification as well as identify mold biotoxin as a source of many of my chronic health issues."
|
'Birthday party was a great surprise. There was a guest I did not expect. It was such a surprise to see them at the party.'
|
'I was having a birthday part for myself and I invited a lot of friends over. It was a lot of fun. The most memorable event was when my brother came over. I was not expecting him. He lives in a different state and does not have a lot of money. It was a complete surprise. I was very glad to see him. We all played board games and shared stories. It was a very fun night. I got to be with people that mattered to me. Work, or distraction did not get in the way. It was a night I will always remember. There was my best friend there, my wife, my brother and two other close friends. It was an awesome time. I will cherish it always.'
|
'My mom and I got lost in the city of Brisbane Australia. Hilarity and anxiety ensues when my mom figures out a way for us to get un-lost.'
|
"I remember it so well. It was a strangely cool evening for Aussie weather. Or so we're told, we'd only been their during our American summer but it was cool and we had jackets on. We had left our hotel to go get dinner in the evening and wanted to see if we could find a place doing Aussie BBQ. Shrimp on the barbie and all of that! We found a really nice restaurant in the center of the city. We ordered some drinks and then got a few plates of steaks and some lamb. The meat was really good. After we finished up we paid the bill and headed out to find our hotel. It was dark and everything looked completely different. We needed WiFi to contact anyone because we didn't have service for our mobile plan here in Australia. So I followed my mom and after maybe an hour we realized we were lost. Mom decided it would be a great idea to backtrack from the restaurant but we couldn't find it. Eventually we got back to the restaurant, it was around 11PM and they were closed. So she tried to remember all the specific little things we had seen on the way when a stranger came over who seemed to recognize her. He knew my mom's name, Sue, and so we thought it must be someone we knew. So we followed him and even though we were clueless about where we were we eventually thought we were on track. Strange as it may sound we really did think we were going the right way. Suddenly, we arrive at some kind of party, it's 12:30 and this guy introduces us to his friends who he expects we know, but we don't and they don't know us. Suddenly we realize we've followed some stranger who we don't know at all who thinks he knows us! It was hilarious. We laughed for about 10 minutes because we explained we were staying in a nearby hotel. One of the friends offered us a ride back and we took the offer and eventually made it to our hotel, tired as can be at about 1AM but thankful for the funny story to tell!"
|
'About a month ago, I tested for my Red Belt in Tae Kwon Do. To achieve this rank, I had to demonstrate every kick, block, and punch that I have been taught, and demonstrate every form that I have learned. All of this required a vast amount of physical demand, which took a toll on my body.'
|
"Tae Kwon Do has been a passion of mine since I was a small kid. I grew up in a household remind mom and dad were both really into fitness. My mom had recommended to me Tae Kwon Do so that's what I did. I fell in love with it right away and moved up the ranks. While other kids were at school practicing football and baseball I would be at the Dojo learning all I could. Fast forward about a month ago it was finally time for me to go for my red belt. Practice had become my life because achieving this belt meant everything to me. I went through my entire repertoire while filming myself. I wanted to see where I could improve. I took not and practiced what I needed. At that point I felt that I had the discipline and skill necessary to achieve the rank. In the weeks leading up to this I continued to practice night and day. I felt muscles in my body that I didn't even know existed, but it all paid off in the end. When I receive my red belt it felt like a crowning achievement. To this day I'm still really proud of this and I plan on getting better and better in this amazing sport."
|
"I received a call to pick up my daughter from a police station. She had been locked out of her house and ran away because of it. She's living with me now and doing well."
|
"Not long ago I was in a situation involving my daughter. She was living in another city with her mother at the time. Late one night I got a call from the Police Department in the city my daughter lived saying they had my daughter at the station. First I panicked thinking she had maybe been hurt or possibly broken the law and gotten herself in to trouble. Those worries were soon put to rest but a new one quickly took their place. I was told I needed to pick her up because she had ran away from home. So of course I was on my way to get her soon after. While I was on the way to her I was able to get in touch with her mother. She told me that she had locked her out of the house because she had a friend over after school that she was not supposed to be associating with. I was told that the friend was a drug user and so when they were found together her mother decided to make them leave. This seemed like a rash decision to me considering the first thing my daughter did was go to her friends house. When it was discovered where she had went my daughter's mother called the local police and reported her a runaway. Knowing where she was the police went to the house and picked her up. They took her to the police station where she refused to go back with her mother because she felt unsafe there at that point. Once I arrived I was able to sort things out with child protective services and take her home with me. Since then she has lived with me in my care and in a new city. She has taken the move really well and is getting along much better now."
|
'I took a train from Chicago to Denver because I wanted to try cannabis for the first time. I shopped in a dispensary and bought edibles. Then I ate an edible and slept like a baby.'
|
"Last year I took a train from Chicago to Denver by myself. I took the train because I'm not a big fan of flying anymore. And I figured it would give me a chance to see some beautiful landscape on the way. The train ride itself was pretty comfortable. I was lucky not to have to sit next to anyone, so that helped. But I was definitely happy to get off the train in Denver. The whole ride took about a full day. When I got to Denver, I had to kill a little time before I could check into my hotel, so I decided to walk from the train station. There was a bike/walking path going most of the way there. So it was a nice walk. The only downside was that it was a very hot day. So when I got to the hotel I was pretty sweaty. Once I settled into my hotel room and had a nice shower, I found a dispensary nearby that looked good and bought some edibles. It was my first experience with cannabis, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The edible was probably too strong for me, and I felt like there was a big heavy blanket around my head. I remember trying to watch the news on TV and not being able to follow what they were talking about. Then I slept like a baby. The rest of the trip was full of typical tourist stuff. Then I took the train back, which was about 5 hours late getting into Chicago (that part sucked.)"
|
'My son overcame a hard year in which he was labeled as difficult. He was recognized for his hard effort with an award.'
|
'when you do the work to overcome your difficult experiences, you can heal. "And, when we choose to do it together, our families really can become even better in the end," said Hibbert, also author of the forthcoming memoryMaybe you\'re going through a similar experience or are grieving another kind of loss: a romantic relationship, a friendship, a job, a house. Or maybe there\'s a completely different kind of stressor in your lifeStill, you might worry that your emotions will be too overwhelming. While this can happen, people tend to get stuck because they\'re actually not feeling their emotions, Hibbert said. "Instead, they think about, wallow in, and replay events. But they are not letting themselves really feel the pain, loss, sadness, anger, that is lurking withinWhen people bottle up challenging situations, the problems grow and mutate into horrible worries and anxieties," said Ryan Howes, Ph. D, a clinical psychologist and author of the blog "In Therapy." Talking about your troubles, however, helps you better understand your own fears and get valuable feedback from others, "who have probably experienced similar levels of distress and can give you the perspective you need. While you might not have time for your usual healthy habits, you can still take good care of yourself. For instance, if you can\'t prepare a nutritious meal, keep protein bars in your bag, she said. If you can\'t go to the gym for an hour, take a 10- to 15-minute walk around the block to "relieve physical tension and clear the cobwebs in your mind."Ten minutes of meditating or a 20-minute power nap also helps, she said. Remember that a stressful situation isn\'t a sprint; sometimes "it may be more of a marathon. [You] need to pace [yourself] and take the necessary time to rest to reboot your mind and body.""During a moment of meditation or prayer, visualize handing those items over to your higher power and letting them go. Then focus on what you can control, like your self-care, your words, your actions and your decisionsYou might assume that you can and should handle this difficult time on your own. Many people do. But, interestingly, when Duffy talks to his clients, most say they\'d never expect others to manage similar situations alone. "We need to relinquish control, ask for help, and receive it with grace."When asking for help, you may need to be direct. Let others know what you need, such as "support and compassion," and what you don\'t need, such as "[not] criticiz[ing] my slowness to heal,"'
|
'I moved my mother to an assisted living residence. She and I are both sad at the need for this procedure. Our lives have changed as a result.'
|
'My mother have a heart disease, so I planned to move her to an assisted living residence.There is limitations for Assisted living is not a nursing home with nicer furniture. Nursing care is not offered, nor does this kind of facility have legal authority to give skilled nursing care. If a nurse is on staff, the nurse\'s role is limited to assessment and directing the resident assistants. Some assisted living facilities also have a separate nursing home wing or section, and that requires a different license to be a skilled nursing facility. If there is an emergency, no one will not offer emergency care. It is difficult to care for, or needs frequent treatment for chronic conditions, the assisted living facility may not accept them. A doctor has to verify that they are suitable by signing a form. On top of that, the facility does its own assessment to see if the prospective resident is a fit for their community. No one is watching over your loved one 24/7. Help is available, but your aging parent will not have a personal attendant noting their every move. Someone will check on them daily and if they don\'t show up for meals, someone will notice. If medications are being given out by the attendant ("med tech") every day or more than once a day, that person will notice if something is wrong. They help with basics but should not be expected to diagnose, or offer anything other than exactly the medications on the resident\'s list. They may ask the nurse to check on a resident. These homes offer an enriched social environment. There are meals in common and a chance to socialize, activities offered, and entertainment of various kinds. Some communities offer classes. Residents have a way to call someone if there is a problem. If they\'re not feeling well, an assistant can be summoned by either pulling a cord, a call bell, or pressing a button. The proximity of attention to an aging parent\'s needs is one of the best ways to assuage the worries of adult children. The actual cost of assisted living may not be fully understood when you size up a place under consideration. You may be quoted the price for the rent of the apartment. The cost is usually more than the rent, as your loved one must also pay many other charges. If help is needed with bathing, for example, there is an additional cost for that.Mom can\'t remember to take her pills? "Medication management" can be a huge cost on top of the basic rent.'
|
'We recently had our first baby boy . Our daughter is going to school for the first time. It has been a emotional time for us . Everything just seemed to happen all at once.'
|
"Life has been so hectic lately! About four weeks ago our son was born! It has been a whirlwind welcoming him into our home! We had prepared for nine months and now here he is! It has been quite an adjustment for everyone. If that wasn't enough, our five year old daughter starts school. Dealing with her anxiety has been rough. She has had some pretty big changes come her way. Welcoming a new little brother and not being at home, but rather in school. Honestly, I am still trying to find a routine. I know the sooner I find my balance and have a solid routine in place, the easier it will be for her. She craves the security of everything being normal, even if it is a new normal for all of us. When things change, even good things, there is a period of real adjustment that needs to take place. once we get that together I anticipate things will be much more comfortable for everyone. She will calm down and the baby, will hopefully start sleeping through the night. The grown ups? We would just like to have a cup of coffee and a shower in a reasonable time frame."
|
'I was served with a lawsuit by my ex. She wants custody of the kids. My stock positions are down and I have no money to pay for a lawyer. I started looking for another job.'
|
'When I first met my ex, I was smitten by her. I thought she was the one when I first laid my eyes on her. After being in a relationship for years, I decided to propose and make her my wife. I thought it was going to be a happily ever after story; married young, have wonderful kids, house with a picket fence, be together until we\'re old as dirt. Everything was going right in my life. I felt like I was on top of the world. However, as time started to past, we started drifting apart and we started to truly dislike each other. Couldn\'t believe it, but we were no longer in love with each other. She claimed I wasn\'t home enough for her and the kids, I wasn\'t making enough money, and my "sex game" was poor. On top of that, I found flirty text messages of her communicating with some guy I never met. We ended up getting a divorce, but the divorce ended up being the worst thing I ever went through. Since I filed for the divorce, she made sure to make my world a living hell. I was at work, struggling to pay attention due to my stock positions being incredibly down in a long time, and this guy comes to my desk with a smile on his face. He served me papers, from my ex, that stated that she wanted full custody of the kids. I couldn\'t believe this woman. Since then, I started to fall into a depression. I haven\'t seen my kids in days, my job\'s numbers are poor, I needed a lawyer for the lawsuit, but I couldn\'t afford one at the time. My job just wasn\'t cutting it, due to the extraordinary bills I had. I needed to find another job as soon as possible, but time wasn\'t trying to be on my side. Nobody was giving me a chance, I was too overqualified. Suddenly, I was given an opportunity that came out of nowhere; one of my bosses quit. I was next in line for that position, which means instant promotion, instant bonus and instant opportunities. I was finally able to deal with this lawsuit. In the end, I won the lawsuit; we share custody, and she pays for my lawyer fees as well as hers. I never wanted it to be this way, but this lawsuit showed me that life is real and anything can knock you off your tracks easily.'
|
'My window ac units were leaking water as they ran in the house. I decided to clean the units myself.'
|
'Last week there was a big storm front rolling through the area. I was out of town at the time of the first storm but came back to wet carpets and a damp smell. I couldnt figure out where the leak was coming from right away, but as the next storm came I started to hear dripping. I trace the dripping to the window where my AC unit plugged in. Sure enough the seal on the window was not very tight and the groove filled with water. This combined with the slightly downward angle of the unit caused a leak to happen. I took the unit out of the window and shut the window for the duration of the storm. Once the window unit was out I noticed that it was pretty dirty and had a bit of debris on the bottom helping the water to pool underneath. I removed the debris and wiped off the unit with a towel. I also placed a shim in place to get the angle more closer to 0 degrees to prevent leaking. I went upstairs to check the other units and they seemed fine. However once I turned on the upstairs one it started sputtering a bit of water. I took this one out of the window as well and turned it upside down onto a towel. There was a bit of loose droplets in there but i got most of them. As a precaution i placed a towel over it when i turned it back on to flick the remaining water into. After this event I will be sure to check the units every year.'
|
'I had a bad job. the workers tried to get me fired. It did not work. I had to quit and now I am unemployed and having a hard time finding more work'
|
"I recently had a really bad job. it was for flying j. It was like working for a zoo with angry and slow animals. Or better description is a reality show with catty people. If they did not like some one they tried to get you fired . They did this with me on more than one occasion. Thank god they are not the brightest banana's in the bunch. I was able to catch them and call them out. The manager were also all rude among other things. They would talk down to the guests and make them feel unwelcome. I was getting really tired of that situation. I had to get out before i got into trouble or worse. So I believe I did the right thing and quit. I am having a really hard time finding another job. I know though that with time I will find a good one I can enjoy. Hopefully one with benefits."
|
'this is about the fathers story.what my dad achieved for work, only that it included tall structures and was through'
|
'I was seven, in first grade, preparing to go to class, and my mother wasn\'t home. She\'d expected to go some spot early, appropriately my father, who was consistently quit fooling around when my kinfolk and I got up, was in the kitchen fixing our snacks for the afternoon. "What do you need in it?" He was in a flood, ought to have been beating unendingly to complete several things before the telephone began ringing, yet there was nothing he could do; he expected to remain until we left. He was gotten. "Nothing. Not carrots, in any case. A sandwich. Nutty spread." He had the TV on, the Today appear, in outstandingly separating. I audit the chimpanzee, and I recollect a shot watching out the window of the studio onto the road in Manhattan, the window bound by timekeepers set to various time zones far and wide. "I\'ve been there. I strolled clearly by where those individuals are," my father communicated, demonstrating the individuals in the city recalling a the camera and waving hello. "What\'s happening with you?" "Working. I was there for work." I had alongside no clue about what my father accomplished for work, just that it included tall structures and was through and through essential. He had a coordinator case, a top; he cleaned his shoes. Not jam, not nectar, basically nutty spread and margarine smooshed together, running out the sides of the white-bread outside layer. I took a tidbit and felt it slide around in my mouth and let it out in a tangle around my work an area. Who was this man who lived with us, said he was our father, at any rate didn\'t have even a thought how to make a nutty spread sandwich? Moreover, where was my mom?'
|
'I took my dad to his yearly Veterans check-up and the doctors detected and I was surprised when they detected a problem with his blood pressure. The doctors swiftly treated my dad and his pressure went down before we left the facility.'
|
'Took dad to the VA clinic again today. It takes forever to get into this place. When you finally get a appointment you realize that everybody has the same appointment time as you so its a waiting game. Dad is cranky as usual he hate this place but its the only place he can go that treats him for almost free. Even though his appointed was for 10am we didnt hear the lady call his name untill 11:30. At this point both of us are pissed off i hold mine in Dad lets his show. I guess he has earned that right. The doctor goes through the normal questions as i start to drift off thinking about all the other things that i have to do today. Hearing the doctor say how high my dads blood pressure is today snapped me back to reality. I was almost confused dad eats like he is still in the army no junk food doesnt drink he is actually pretty good about taking care of himself. The doctor gave him some meds to bring it down and a follow up appointment to check on it in a week. Great now we have to come back. The medicine worked even before we left the clinic so that was a relief. Of course dad wanted to stop at the barber to get a haircut I try not to roll my eyes. He barely has any hair left I know this is a social call for him and his buddies. But I guess I dont mind he has earned it.'
|
'I found out I am going to be a father. My wife and I found out it is going to be a GIRL! We are beyond excited to have this baby coming into our lives.'
|
"Dear Diary,Six months ago, my wife and I found out she was pregnant with twins! Two baby girls! After a few worrisome doctor visits, we found out one baby was absorbed by the other. While we were very saddened by the loss of one baby, we were ecstatic about the healthy baby girl my wife was carrying. While my wife was nesting in preparation for parenthood, I was reading every baby book I could find! By the time the baby, Ella, was born, we felt we were prepared but we couldn't have been more wrong. No amount of reading can prepare you for the immediate and immense love you feel when you first hold your child. I knew from the moment I looked at those warm brown eyes that I would lay down my life for this child. There is no greater joy than seeing something so perfect and knowing that you are the reason it exists. The first month was the hardest. Adjusting to a new baby in the house, and her sleep/wake schedule while maintaining our own routines was very taxing on our relationship. I'll admit, I could have tried harder. Unfortunately, that's the thing about hindsight, only it is 20/20. While we both love our child very much, and I will always cherish the good times, and bad throughout my wife's pregnancy; we couldn't make our marriage work. We have been separated for three weeks now. I want my family back, but I fear that ship has sank."
|
'I lost my fiance to suicide, and I had to deal with the aftermath. This is a journal about how it felt to be left in the wake of tragedy, with his family and our friends.'
|
"I was inconsolable. My fiance was gone. It honestly didn't feel real. Waking up in the mornings hasn't gotten hard. In fact I think its the hardest part. As I wake up you think your dream mind tends to feel like they are still there. The same old routine. But then you lean over and they aren't there anymore. And all these pains keep flooding back to me. It's easier to deal with at work, but when home alone again it is just way too difficult. I need people around me or I just sink into my own thoughts. My family and friends keep trying to reach out and comfort me, but I just tell them I'm doing okay and I think they buy the lie. Too be honest I'm broken and have no outlook for my future since this wasn't what it was supposed to be. What do I do with my life. I don't even know."
|
"I realized i feelings for by best friend. I told him and he felt the same. We're dating now and very happy."
|
"My current boyfriend and I met at a freshman orientation camp before starting college. I was in a relationship at that point and could tell he had a bit of a crush on me so I ignored him. He asked me to hang out multiple times that year, and I never did. My boyfriend and I ended up breaking up and I turned to my current boyfriend. We started hanging out and became best friends. He came to visit me over winter break my sophomore year. We ended up having a great time and i felt confused. I was scared I would ruin our friendship. Our relationship became more flirtatious and I knew I had to make a move. One day I randomly kissed him. Shortly after we went on our first date and have been together almost 2 years now. We're seniors in college and plan to move in together after graduation. We are still best friends, but so much more. As scary as it was, I made the right decision. I'm so much happier for it."
|
"Everyone in the family disliked my sister's and her boyfriend's new baby name choice. I felt uncomfortable about the snickering behind her back and I decided to ask my sister about it. I gently inquired as to why they changed it and my sister found my inquiry rude, I apologized."
|
'I will meet this situation on last year in my life is very tragedy or uncomfortable feeling on will create automatically. I have one and only sister and the sister have a new born baby have very look color and attractive child with on me. I will play and their enjoy with the sister\'s baby. After one day the new baby name choice is very difficult problem to see and run on my house. My sister\'s and her boyfriend\'s her revealed was the new baby name choice of my decision will negligible. I was really surprised for that incident can be my self was choose a new and good name for new baby but they reject my name is so difficult in life. Also i felt very uncomfortable feeling about the snickering behind her hack and what\'s the reason i will not realize this situation and will feel for this happen in my decision. I will ask later for my sister about this incident with lot of sad. A close friend and sister of ours was listing off names for her daughter that she had had a year and a half ago. Then she said book and I looked at online, and he looked at me, and I was like, It\'s just the perfect name was given and choose by me. From that day, we knew it was going to be Atlas," she added, referring to her daughter\'s name that doubles as a collection of maps. I was described the name affair she has with her little one, writing on this incident and also say this event in my category. I will be very much sad and can be asking for this incident. Then later my sister will takes on this decision and i gently inquired as to why they this type of behavior on my decision with shouted. I was also upset and changer it and inquired my sister found my inquiry rude for have and also i apologized. Can be very much for selecting names on that day will be change on many incident with happy but this will mainly incident and memorable one in my life.'
|
'I gave birth to our youngest daughter on June 6th, 2019. Labor was quick, but my epidural wore off and it was painful. My husband and I were thrilled to have such a beautiful baby.'
|
'Myself and my husband met about 5 years ago. We met at a small party. We recently got married. Not long after, I became pregnant. About three months ago we had our daughter. The labor portion was quick but the epidural wore off halfway through the birth. This was very painful for me. I muttled through it. I vowed like every other woman, "I will never get pregnant again". Overall we were thrilled to have a beautiful baby daughter. I do think I\'ll get pregnant again since three months have past. I will remember the pain. I remember to not get an epidural. I would want to have a boy the next time I have children. Overall myself and my little family will live happily ever after.'
|
'I finally learned how to speak spanish and the app duo lingo is to thank for that because of this app I can now speak spanish.'
|
"Wow! I can't believe it! I CAN SPEAK SPANISH! After the encounter I had a few months ago with that family in the car wreck, I am so glad that that language barrier is gone. I really felt so hopeless when I was trying to talk with that Spanish speaking family to ensure everyone was ok and reassure them that help was on the way. Of course I would be the first person on the scene and probably the one person in the area that did not know any Spanish! I was relieved that the police and fire department showed up so quick. I was so desperate for help and unable to effectively communicate with the family inside the car still that I literally felt sick. I am so glad my friend told me about the duo lingo app shortly after the incident. I downloaded the app almost immediately and was very surprised at how easy it was to start learning another language. It did not take long before I had a basic understanding of the language. Shortly after that I could follow along in a conversation and eventually I felt comfortable enough to start answering back in Spanish. Although I hope to never find myself in that same situation again, at least I'll be prepared to help if it were to happen again. I've enjoyed learning Spanish so much that I am considering working on a third language. After all, I have always heard that the more languages you know, the easier it is to learn others!"
|
'My roomates have gotten me kicked out of my apartment. I have now had to move all of my stuff in one day to a new apartment. It was taxing and very emotionally and physically draining.'
|
'So Sally and Tasha kind of forgot to tell me that they didn\'t renew their lease for next semester. I was kind of surprised when I came back to the apartment after spending the weekend with my folks to see that they had moved all their stuff out. I mean Sally was actually there cleaning up the bathroom. She looked at me really flustered and angry. I asked her "whats up", she huffs on how I\'m such a procrastinator and she\'s doing all the cleaning because Tasha is ghosting her. I asked Sally, what are you talking about? Did we get robbed? Where\'s all your stuff? and then "Oh, didn\'t Tasha tell you, that we have to be out of the apartment by Tuesday?" Honestly, my jaw dropped. I don\'t know why it did, its not like Tasha was the best roommate, her communication sucked. So here it is Sunday night and I\'m panicked. I clearly did not plan on moving and now I have a 24 hour window to find something! So I went down to the mail room and found some empty boxes, I should at least box my things up, while I send out text messages to see whose got a room available or knows of anything I can rent for the next semester. I texted my parents to, my dad said it was a blessing in disguise. Sally did all the cleaning and Tasha was already gone, so I just had a small section to pack up. My dad is always very calm and reassuring, it helped. I don\'t know why I hadn\'t panicked yet, I mean there was a rumored housing shortage both on and off campus. Yet, I knew a lot of kids were graduating this year and hopefully someone hadn\'t given up their space.Phil had graduated last year and was working for a small boutique law firm in outside the city, he rented this super cute artist studio in a idyllic neighborhood. Well it turns out Phil, had actually spent the summer applying to law firms back on the east coast and this morning he signed a contract with a new firm and started the following week. Phil was offering me, his studio, his landlord agreed to a small rent increase, but it was a still a screaming deal and I was ecstatic. I spent the whole day, filling up my small car with boxes, to and from storage. I only packed what I, myself could carry. My arms and shoulders hurt, my legs hurt from all the up and down motion. I was emotionally drained, because i think the adrenaline, finally crashed.'
|
'I graduated with my PhD. I faced many struggles that made me upset. However, my friends and family supported me all the way.'
|
"Six months ago, I graduated with my PhD. It took a lot of work and effort but I made it. Several times, along the way, I felt like quitting. Looking back, I wonder how I could have made it. One time I finished a 60 page report that was due the next day. After taking a break before I was to proofread it, I went to my computer only to find my report gone! I was frantically trying to find it over and over. I called my parents to tell them what happened. They tried to console me. I felt better after the phone call and, after about an hour of feeling sorry for myself, I decided I better get to work rewriting the whole paper. I was up all night rewriting it, but I did it. I think the second time around was much better and I ended up getting an A. That was only one of many times when I felt like I couldn't take any more. Another time I was doing a lab report. I had been working the whole semester on a lab project. Every day I collected data for the report. Near the end of the semester I went to the lab to work on my project and wrap it up. When I got there, somebody had broken in to the lab and completely ruined my project along with several other people's. Half the class was distraught over that incident and complained to each other. Fortunately our professor was kind enough to accept our unfinished data and notes. We all received an A for our projects. These are just two of the many obstacles I had to overcome. When I look back, I'm amazed I stuck with it. Now that it's over I am very proud of my accomplishments."
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.