James Howell
Bio
Father, activist, man in black... He/Him
Stories (41/0)
Work Related Stress
We all have stress at our jobs. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that my job is more stressful than say a soldier or fireman, but some days, I try to work with everyone around me and be reasonably agreeable, but it seems that I always meet some kind of resistance, no matter how I approach the problem.
By James Howell6 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health and Guns in America
As I write this I am extremely conflicted. I’m conflicted as a human, a parent, and a responsible gun owner. I can’t even begin to imagine what those families in Florida are currently going through and went through today. I have seen news reports, cell phone videos, and watched them with tears in my eyes as a parent. It’s easy to say, “thank god it wasn’t my kid,” but some of these parents don’t have that option. At least 17 dead, and 50+ injured. While information is still coming out, it seems as if the 19-year-old shooter had been expelled for disciplinary reasons, been obsessed with a female classmate, and his social media was described as very disturbing. Some students claimed that his Instagram was very disturbing, as described killing animals for fun. They said if anybody did it, it would be him.
By James Howell6 years ago in The Swamp
- Top Story - February 2018
The Seven Stages of Grief
The Seven Stages of Grief When my father passed away in 2015, it was a rough time in general. He had cancer in his lungs, esophagus and a tumor pressing on his brain, impairing his speech. It was hard because neither my brothers nor I had ever dealt with a death in the immediate family like this before. Thankfully, he already planned everything out ahead of time. I often wonder if I grieved in the appropriate manner. I’m still not sure if I did, or I just did it my own way. I was told by many people that it would eventually hit me, and hit me hard. Maybe it did subconsciously, because I never felt like it did. I decided to look into the seven stages of grief and give my outlook on them from my experiences.
By James Howell6 years ago in Families
Miscarriages and Misconceptions
There has always been a great debate about abortion, long before Roe v Wade. Some people believe that it is immoral and that it is murder. Others believe it is a woman’s choice since it is their body. I am going to go into this from a male perspective and beyond.
By James Howell6 years ago in Families
Breastfeeding in Public
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding women breastfeeding in public. There is always some kind of news story about it on social media. The comments often sicken, disgust, and confuse me. I don’t understand why this has become such a big deal.
By James Howell6 years ago in Families
Bullying
I do believe that bullying should be considered a hate crime. While a ten year old may think it’s all in fun, they may not realize the irreparable damage they are causing. If the behavior is allowed to continue, they may carry it with them up in to adulthood. By bullying I don’t mean simple picking and playing. The world has changed so much since people my age were children.
By James Howell6 years ago in Humans
Death and the Afterlife
What is death? How much of the process do we truly know and comprehend? It’s easy to say that your body expires, organs shut down, and you cease to be. You can read information on the process of dying and how to reassure the person to make their transition to death easier, and what you can expect from the death if you are present when it occurs. I’ve just always felt there was more to it than that.
By James Howell6 years ago in Families
The System Has Failed
Who was I to decide the fate of a man? How can I be judge, jury, and executioner of someone I have never saw before in my life? What qualifies me for this job? I sit and listen to the differing stories from each person on the stand. I sit in a room with 11 other people who want to believe either he’s guilty or he’s innocent. We only know what we’ve been told. One vote the wrong way could send an innocent man to prison, or set a criminal free. How do we choose? Sure there is evidence on both sides, but which is more compelling? What if we are wrong? What if we are right? What if we believe that since no property or person was injured or damaged, no crime has been committed? We are just 12 people trying to decide who is wrong, and who is right.
By James Howell6 years ago in Potent
Homelessness
Imagine yourself having to live on the street, sleeping on cold concrete with nothing for warmth or protection. You wonder where your next meal will come from. You have to constantly watch what little you have in order to make sure no one takes it when you aren’t looking. Think about your town installing barriers and spikes, so that you can’t sleep in your usual spot, or being turned away from a shelter because it’s already full. Meanwhile, we are in our cozy houses, complaining about it not being warm enough. So, we simply go and turn the heat up.
By James Howell6 years ago in The Swamp
- Top Story - February 2018
DepressionTop Story - February 2018
Why do I not want to get up? Why do I feel like a failure? Is this how society sees me, or is this how I see myself? Can I no longer enjoy the things that I used to? There is an epidemic, not just in America, but in the world. Depression affects millions of people. Some people do not even realize they have it, or choose to ignore it. Some of the questions above are symptoms of depression. There is also loneliness, fatigue, loss of appetite, among other symptoms.
By James Howell6 years ago in Psyche
Spectrums, Harassment, Assault, and Sexism
Generally speaking you are born with XX or XY chromosomes. This means biologically and anatomically you are either male or female. However, there is a difference between gender/sex and sexual preferences. As you are developing in the womb, you start out as female. As you develop more you may stay a female, or become a male. The brain develops before the genitals, so it is possible to be born with a male brain but female genitals or vice versa. Hence, the sexual spectrum which we all fall somewhere on to.
By James Howell6 years ago in Viva