Top Stories
Stories in Humans that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Let's have a conversation
Did you ever have a moment where you are sitting opposite someone and having a conversation and then realised… “what the hell are they talking about?”. I’ve had this happen many times, where it feels like a conversation is continuing simply to continue. There was no purpose for the conversation, it was just a complete waste of time. This is one of the very first things I published here on vocal, and it is a piece simply talking about my frustrations with small talk. I edited and rewritten some parts (because my English wasn't very good at the time… not that it’s much better now) but generally the message is still the same.
Mohammed DarasiPublished about a year ago in HumansRoom for Rent
"Bright, airy loft apartment for rent! Breathtaking views! Open floor plan. Solar heat, skylights, energy saving AC. Real hardwood flooring and cathedral ceiling! Automatic sprinkler system! Perfect for a student, particularly if studying astronomy or meteorology. Pets welcome with wings or parachute."
Dana CrandellPublished about a year ago in HumansI Didn't Actually Know Her
"Hey, did you get the picture I sent?" "Yeah, you look like a pufferfish! I thought you already knew you were allergic to plantains?"
Abby Kay MendoncaPublished about a year ago in HumansThat Day on Texas Creek
The impact of chance is something we often don't immediately realize. At least, that's been my experience over the years. Looking back, I know that the “accidental” crossing of paths in the past has had much to do with the person I am today. This is the story of one unusual chance meeting that changed my entire outlook, although the realization didn't come to me right away.
Dana CrandellPublished about a year ago in HumansCan Seeking Enlightenment Soothe Grief?
I’m officially a cliché. After several months of grieving my father, I have apparently entered the “pray” section of “Eat Pray Love.” (I admit I tried and failed to finish this book last summer! When Elizabeth Gilbert starts writing out the breathing practices of her meditation in extended detail I lost the will to go on!)
Steffany RitchiePublished about a year ago in HumansPotholders For Sale
"General Manager, needed in the showroom," blared over the intercom. Expecting a customer service complaint, I folded the financial spreadsheets to brace myself mentally to be blindsided by a dissatisfied customer or a roving peddler selling their wares. Rare was the occasion in business that brought a positive moment. Such was the life of managing an automotive dealership.
J. S. WadePublished about a year ago in Humans- Runner-Up in Passing Ships Challenge
The Final Final
Teaching is undoubtedly a taxing career. There are days that chip away at my resolve and I start to question everything. It’s the days when I work 16 unpaid hours on the weekend just to keep my head above water. It’s the days when what I think are brilliant lesson plans end up in chaotic confusion or even worse…a sea of blank stares. It's the days when the “friendly” reminder box on our online learning platform cheerfully informs me that I have 312 assignments waiting to be graded. It’s the days when students seem bored or tired and complain about everything—even when I’ve poured my best efforts into making the lessons engaging. It’s the days when the State Board of Education adds yet another requirement, another hoop we have to jump through. These are the days when my youthful optimism, my passion for this amazing profession, starts to fade.
Ahna LewisPublished about a year ago in Humans Woke: What It Truly Means and What It Doesn't Mean
I've been sitting on this for a long time...a long time. It's time we had a talk about this. It's been out there, big time, in the public eye for about three years, but it goes much much farther than that. You know what I'm talking about. The four letter word that is said with passion by some, and disdain from others. Let's talk about that word, shall we? Woke.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished about a year ago in HumansThe Choice
As usual, Bradly led the way while I followed behind with my head hung. My eyes echoed my mood and scraped along the scuffed shop floor. I did not want to be here. This posh clothing store served old ladies, not a fashionable 19-year-old woman. But he’d insisted. He always insisted. Always got his way. After a couple of years in the relationship, I’d learnt the hard way to just give him what he wanted. Safer that way, and a lot less hassle. No point in being the slow horse, who needed to feel the bite of the whip before obeying. No, much wiser to gauge his mood and comply as quickly as possible.
Harmony KentPublished about a year ago in HumansThe Importance of Community
“Lend me your ear” for a moment and let me tell you about the rabbit hole I went down a few days ago. It started with me asking myself why I came back to Vocal, and why I'm still here. (Red flags just went up. Watch for me to be deleted soon.) Seriously, though, Vocal frustrates me at times, in some ways that have nothing to do with the platform itself, and some that do. I'll leave that there, because it's not what this is about.
Dana CrandellPublished about a year ago in HumansThe Gen Z Legacy
If you’ve been on the internet for any length of time, it’s likely you’ve run into content with “Gen Z” plastered across the front. If you’ve dodged all the articles, conversations, and advertisements, gen z stands for generation z otherwise known as “iGen” or Zoomer. Typically born between the mid-1990s and 2010s, these kids are the first generation to grow up with the internet. Because of their unique position, they’re also the most documented generation to date. As anyone with a social media account will attest, there are pros and cons to this type of exposure.
Bethanie SherwoodPublished about a year ago in HumansDistant Thunder // Trembling Future
I’ve never approached another human being with the intent to fall in love. It’s never been part of my plan or approach to personal situations. Falling in love is much like a streak of lightning: an unpredictable flash that demands every sliver of my attention. It overwhelms my eyes and annexes my vision. If I’m close enough, I feel the electricity tracing through my veins, making static in my muscles. I search for the column of light across a swirling black canvas, but the bolt fades to night before I can behold any part of it. After the initial spark, a great ruckus follows, like boulders falling just above my head. Like the thunder and lightning, love steals my breath before I can recognize it.
Zack GrahamPublished about a year ago in Humans