Humanity
Behold the Nerd
Let us suppose that identity is a matter of self-sameness, i.e., being who you appear to be. Given this definition, there are a few reasons why I resent the radical instability of my identity. Firstly, the fact that I am suffering from the effects of Multiple Sclerosis, which was diagnosed fifteen months ago, has changed how other humans comport themselves with respect—or the lack thereof—to me. This is especially obvious with regard to my employer, my boss (the two are distinct in the academic realm, which has interesting implications), my colleagues and my students. My handwriting has never been especially beautiful, but now it is often entirely unintelligible. My gait is odd. Perpetual tinnitus, a consequence of my first “flare,” makes me seem irritable and distracted. It will only get worse from here. I feel as though my internal reality is largely unchanged, but my external reality has been sliding toward insufferable. That, I resent.
By D. J. Reddall3 years ago in Confessions
I draw a line
I am someone who stands outside the “normal”. I wake up at 5 (or earlier) a.m., I walk first thing first, then train at the gym, then go back home and start working. After work to unwind I don’t watch TV, I don’t scroll the social media, I don’t go out and drink: I read, I write, I listen to audio books or podcasts. I don’t go to the cinema to watch movies, I don’t like to eat out, and I don’t like to travel that much. I don’t feel the need to go on holiday, to stop my routine and do something else, to stop working and relax for weeks every year. I enjoy my days, from Monday to Sunday, I do what I like the most and so I’m content and at peace. I don’t need anything else. I don’t have many friends, I’m not too social, I struggle to make new connection. I’m basically a weirdo.
By Luca Nicoletti3 years ago in Confessions
Pondering Aging as I Sit in A Colombian Coffee Shop
As I sat down, a few looks from the locals drifted my way. This is not uncommon, as I am an outsider. When you stray off the usual route that most tourists take, you will stick out like a sore thumb, no matter how hard you try to blend it.
By sara burdick3 years ago in Confessions
The judgements, the anger, the impatience, and the fire.
I am starting to feel it more and more, this uneasiness of my life. It is like I am waiting for the biggest shift of my life. It has started and I can feel it spiraling, catching me through its tides I hope I don’t swallow it and die. But that is the catch, I will always spiral, I’ll see myself die repeatedly, but it doesn’t have to stay this way. To be up this late with the thoughts of you, knowing very well that I am just another body to you. I stay up this late at night feeling the feeling I avoid all day, as I feel, I think why I allowed myself to be so naïve and desperate to be another number in that list. Love was the game, but ego came and stayed. How do I let go of this thought of being played?? The correct question is, how do I jump off and fly to the next level of my phase? I know that my loneliness pushes me to want to speak, so what happens when I speak that I am no longer lonely, would I speak, or would I act as if I am your one and only? That is what life is about, choices on how you want to experience the world we live in, even if it means you must leave them. Yes, the disaster will always be there, the stressors will always be there, but you have only one life, why not make the most of it with or without them in your life? All these questions still lead me to you, and I see myself just stubbornly tightening, not wanting to let go. Why do I hold on to so tight heart when my mind says let go?
By Katherine Orellana3 years ago in Confessions
To Gigi
I have several other items in my head right now that need attention: bills; exams to give, create and mark; trips home to plan (tickets are an easy click away); family dramas (better for another piece); other concerns… I wish I could focus on something else right now. I wish that life made some sort of sense so that this would not hurt the way it does. But that is the problem with hope and that eternal spring… Life often provides you with nothing but cold reality in the form of news that takes the wind out of your sails and crushes your heart.
By Kendall Defoe 3 years ago in Confessions
The Enigma of Ashwin Manor. Content Warning.
The ancient manor of Ashwin stood silhouetted against the twilight sky, its imposing façade shrouded in an aura of mystery and intrigue. Rumors swirled around the manor, tales of a tragic past, of hidden treasures, and of a malevolent spirit that haunted its halls. Yet, for young Emily Sinclair, the allure of the manor was irresistible. She had always been fascinated by the stories of Ashwin, and when she inherited the estate from a distant relative, she felt an inexplicable pull towards it.
By Ivan Islam3 years ago in Confessions
Answering The Call
This challenge... Identity. It has such an open prompt to write and man, that can be dangerous for some of us. Diving into the thought process of who we are can be complicated. Because really... what is your identity? Is it your name? Is it your beliefs and core lifestyle? Is it who you fight to be? We look at other human beings every day, and we introduce ourselves to each other simply by our name. And that name is who we now associate with other human beings out there.
By Hope Martin3 years ago in Confessions
Spotify Wrapped
I've felt like my musical tastes have been very boring and predictable this year. I've sort of gravitated towards 90's Adult Contemporary this year, because it connects me with the past in a way that I needed. Reminds me of sitting around listening to music with my mom and Josh. Learning new artists, playing the radio game, and generally just sort of hanging out.
By Aaron Richmond3 years ago in Confessions
