humanity

The real lives of businessmen, professionals, the everyday man, stay at home parent, healthy lifestyle influencers, and general feel good human stories.

The $35 Day
And to think, my last article was about comedy albums... It began as a regular Monday. I woke up, exercised, read over my notes and certain passages from my private summer reading list (will post it after the season is over), and got ready for work. I had to catch a bus at the regular stop at the regular time with the regular crowd of people that shifts only slightly from week to week. The terminus also happens to be my stop and I passed by a dollar store to get a few things to go along with my spare lunch. And then I stepped outside to head over to the office for one of my teaching contracts.
By Kendall Defoe 5 months ago in Journal
Down The Lane
I’m not sure why I applied for this job. Maybe it sounded exhilarating to me. Afterall, how many people can say they manage a venue where people go to have a good time, catch up with friends, get a little exercise, and then kick back in the lounge afterwards. Boy, I had no idea how mistaken I was, but it didn’t take me long to learn the truth.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Journal
Not Going Out
Introduction Yesterday was the first day in a very long time that I didn't leave my house. I always feel I need to get out to clear my head and just have a complete change of screnery, though I often walk through the same places, slightly worried that when I go somewhere new that someone will ask me what I am doing there and treat me like a burglar casing the joint.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 5 months ago in Journal
The Side Hustle I Thought Would Change My Life and Why I Quit
Here We Go Again Several of you seemed to like the first installment talking about this topic, so I figured why not go for part two? Like I said in the first one, the hardest part of writing that one was choosing which instance to write about… yes, there are a whole lot of them.
By Timothy A Rowland5 months ago in Journal
The Footprints We Leave Behind and What We Keep. Top Story - June 2026.
“'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh, baby, I hate to go.” - John Denver As I played Tetris with the luggage, I could feel emotions bubbling to the surface. Fitting my wife's accessibility devices and the luggage for four adults into the back of the rental car became a welcome distraction from the reality that the time to say “Goodbye” was approaching far too quickly. As each piece found its place, that reality closed in.
By Carl J. Petersen5 months ago in Journal
Anne Hathaway Opens Up About Sharing Pregnancy Announcements Online After Paparazzi Photos
Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway has once again captured the hearts of fans around the world, but this time it's not for a blockbuster movie role. The 43-year-old Hollywood star recently shared the touching story behind her decision to announce her pregnancies on social media after being photographed by paparazzi, giving fans a rare glimpse into her personal life and motherhood journey.
By Omasanjuwa Ogharandukun5 months ago in Journal
When Bad Conduct Hides Behind Identity (Part 1). AI-Generated.
(Time-Stamped Video Clip Summary: From 18:34-22:39, the call shifts from a normal pricing question into the real issue. Tomi is asking basic questions about a $40,000 vehicle: the rebate, the in-person discount, the actual out-the-door number, and whether the dealership will confirm the deal over the phone. Instead of simply clarifying the pricing, the manager personalizes the resistance, later calling him “difficult” and “combative” before introducing the “male manager” implication herself. This is the moment the dealership’s pricing game turns into something bigger: a lesson in passive aggression, motive-reading, and using identity as a shield for bad conduct.)
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast5 months ago in Journal
The Myth of the Strong Person
"I’ve never met a strong person with an easy past." - Unknown. In fact, I have never met a strong person who chose to be strong willingly. Deep down, who doesn’t want to be just as soft and trusting as a newborn baby being held for the very first time? Who doesn’t want to believe their best friend didn't help start those vicious rumors? Who doesn’t sit by the phone, expecting a call that never comes? No one goes into parenthood thinking that raising children is a one-person job, and nobody includes an escape route in their wedding vows. Yet, the friend turned out to be shady. The date never happened. In fact, someone else got the call. The unplanned child became a stark reality, and the marriage bed grew as cold and silent as the two people lying in it. Who doesn't want the option to collapse and let someone else make the hard choices for a change? The Unexpected Hit Shit happens. No matter how prepared you are, or how many holes you managed to sidestep, there will always be that one unseen trap. It slams into your chest like a fly ball at full velocity while you are right in the middle of the game. Sometimes, it hits you even when you are just sitting on the sidelines, minding your own business. If you are lucky, it only happens once. But most of us have learned to keep our heavy vests on because those hits come like rapid fire, one right after the next. When that happens, your choices are simple: crumble, or find a way to stand. You push through. You walk around. You climb over, or you stay put until the storm passes. Just don't pat yourself on the back or think you deserve some sort of medal. The world is not handing out recognition for survival. You are simply one of many. You have to become the tough person you never imagined being during your childhood. You have to fight every single day just to get up and get going. Crying out “Why me?” will not hold the door open for you, and nobody is going to hold your hand to get the job done. The Lessons in the Wreckage We have to learn from the wreckage left behind: * The friend who betrayed you: Learn the warning signs so it never happens again. * The person who played you: Accept that some people only enter your life to teach you what you will no longer tolerate. * The single parent bearing it alone: Look into your child's face. Know that their love is one of the purest bonds you may ever experience. Hold tightly to that love when the bills keep coming. * The bonds that end: Learn why they broke, and use that knowledge to figure out what your true needs look like. All of these trials build the exact road you must travel to succeed. No Room for Sob Stories Success comes in various ways, and it should never have just one standard. We are not all the same. However, the only thing I am absolutely sure of is this: if you don't find a way to stand up, you will fail. Life does not pause because we are hurting. We can grieve, rage, and mourn what was lost, but eventually, we must decide what happens next. Pain deserves acknowledgment, but it cannot become our permanent address. The need to become resilient is not optional. You become strong simply because you have to. The Cost of the Guard The myth is not simply that strong people choose strength. Perhaps the real myth is this: strong people don't need rest. To be strong comes with a cost. It hardens certain parts of you that shouldn't be hardened. Most people don't understand this when they use "strong" as a compliment. When you are forced to be resilient, two things happen: you have to condition yourself that the world will not break you, and you learn never to stop. But humans are meant to engage, build, learn, create, nurture, solve, and contribute. We are not meant to just endure. The world praises strong people without understanding what it took to build them. Strength often comes from repeatedly discovering that nobody is coming to save you—until you stop waiting altogether. When you have been standing guard for so long, you forget how to rest. Sometimes, what you really want is just permission to put the armor down for a while. ✍️ Author's Note: This piece was born from an intense feeling while watching a clip about resilience. It is a confession from anyone who is tired of being the strong one. I wanted to write the truth: strength isn't a badge of honor we choose; it’s the heavy armor life forces us to wear.
By Ms Jade 5 months ago in Journal
A Love Letter to My Vocal Friends. Content Warning.
*️⃣ I have added a warning label because parts of this letter become slightly graphic in describing one of mine and my mom's recent illness. *️⃣
By Rick Henry Christopher 5 months ago in Journal
Pakistan's Diplomatic Breakthrough: The Peace Effort That Helped Defuse the Iran–U.S.–Israel Crisis
The world has spent months watching one of the most dangerous conflicts of recent years unfold across the Middle East. Tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel raised fears of a wider regional war that could have destabilized global markets, disrupted energy supplies, and threatened millions of lives.
By @HiddenHistory5 months ago in Journal
Gilgo Beach Killer Sentenced: Who Were Rex Heuermann's 8 Victims?. AI-Generated.
After years of investigations, unanswered questions, and unimaginable grief for families, Rex Heuermann has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders connected to the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killings. The sentence marks the final chapter in a case that haunted Long Island, New York, for more than a decade and captured national attention. Heuermann pleaded guilty to seven murders and admitted responsibility for an eighth victim, bringing long-awaited justice to families who spent years searching for answers.
By Hardik Barot5 months ago in Journal
The Mercy I Keep
I have carried the weight of a thousand silent storms... I've held the ashes of what you took from me in the hollow of my hands.
By Amber5 months ago in Journal