Top Stories
New stories you’ll love, handpicked for you by our team and updated daily.
Bloom
Putting pressure on the petals, sensing a familiar finesse, under the languid & listless rolling rains, tiny rivulets annex with their sisters,
Jon BaylissPublished 2 years ago in PoetsWith Love, There's Always a Place to Land
It all started with an email from my cousin Suzie’s daughter Raven. On a Sunday evening, I read: “My father (Dave) is very ill, and I am hoping if I get his old license plates to you with some small watch faces you could make two small birdhouses. I want them to look like my parents’ house, with the same bright green door. I know you’re busy. As long as one gets done for my parents, mine can wait. I’m hoping if it gets done my dad will come back as a type of bird to visit them.”
Catherine KenwellPublished 2 years ago in FamiliesWatermelon Dessert Pizzas
When people hear the word "pizza," it is natural for them to think of the round dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients, such as pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, olives, vegetables, and other toppings. Here is another type of pizza that is sure to please.
Margaret MinnicksPublished 2 years ago in FeastThe Original Gentleman Jack
The series “Gentleman Jack” is actually based on a true story. The drama is based in 1832 in West Yorkshire, England, (the cradle of the evolving Industrial Revolution). It is here that landowner Anne Lister is determined to save her ancestral home, Shibden Hall. Bucking against society’s expectations, “Gentleman Jack” refused to marry, dressed in black from head to toe and ‘charmed’ polite society. She was called “Gentleman” because she wore a top hat (as well as being in business), and”Jack” because — it was the Victorian nickname for lesbian.
Ruth Elizabeth StiffPublished 2 years ago in FYIHuman connection is more authentic when sober
Mocktails will save your life. As a casual wine drinker (it's 5 o'clock somewhere), I had to immediately find a substitute beverage for my evenings and social events. Sparkling water became my go-to, either alone or with juices and fresh or frozen fruit (still served in a wine glass for old times' sake). La Croix and cranberry-apple is my staple, but don't forget about smoothies and any (virgin) summer cocktail. When out at the bars, soda water and a lime will keep anyone from asking you where your drink is.
Gina StefanPublished 2 years ago in Confessions6 Mental Health Workplace Myths
When it comes to having a mental illness and having a job, there are, understandably, a lot of fears. There are also many different myths that we begin to believe as truths because, when you have a mental illness, the negative thoughts feel like the truth to us.
Richard BaileyPublished 2 years ago in PsycheDocumentary Review: 'Accepted' is a Must See Documentary
Accepted is a harrowing story, one that begins triumphantly and slowly devolves into an ambiguous sort of tragedy. Director Dan Chen endeavored to explore the incredible success that was T.M Landry College Prep in Louisiana. This factory school that sent low income kids to Ivy League schools was a viral sensation in 2017. That year, the school uploaded a series of videos showing their students reacting to getting into the college of their choice.
Sean PatrickPublished 2 years ago in EducationA Humorous Tale of Going Buh-Bye With My Daddy
I’m SO excited! It’s one of those rare days I get to take my Hoo-man out for the day. I love this big ol’ mook. He’s an awesome Paw-paw, that’s for damn sure. He’s always giving me treats, letting me lay against his leg when he’s busy writing, and generally leaving me the hell alone. Which is more than I can say for everyone else in this house.
Jason ProvencioPublished 2 years ago in PetlifeGrief and 'Big Hero 6,' Baymax Debuts on Disney Plus
On June 29th, Disney is bringing back Baymax! The hero of the 2014 animated movie, Big Hero 6, is getting his own 6 episode series and fans are excited to have Baymax back. The voice of Baymax, Scott Adsit is returning as is Ryan Potter as the voice of Baymax's best friend, Hiro. And, Maya Rudolph is reprising her role as Hiro's aunt. There is no indication that the Big Hero 6 mech team will be back, they had their own series which just ended its run last year. With Big Hero 6 returning as a series, I decided to reflect on the 2014 movie which was a surprisingly thoughtful and dramatic kids adventure with some big themes regarding death and grief.
Sean PatrickPublished 2 years ago in GeeksAre You Relying On Friends To Help Your Passion?
I know I am. It’s almost impossible not to when you’re first starting an endeavor. I’m not sure how reliable my friends are when it comes to my art, though. I don’t want to sound like I’m ungrateful or that they don’t support me, because I feel the love, but I know that they don’t always have time. I don’t always have the money to support my friends that are trying to get a business started.
Joshua ReedPublished 2 years ago in HumansShe Knew Who I Was
Derrick was a loner. Lived the typical life. Yet, his sleepless nights led him to the local diner for his usual meal. Suddenly, an unusual woman would change his entire perception of the world.
Eric C. JacksonPublished 2 years ago in Fiction- Runner-Up in After the Parade Challenge
It Starts With A Rainbow
It starts... It starts with a rainbow. With colors dripping down my face in a rain of pride and acceptance. It starts with a community.
The Vocal Community Reacts to Roe's Reversal
The constitutional right to an abortion—granted to all U.S. citizens in 1973 in the case of Roe v. Wade—was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday, drastically altering the future of health care and bodily autonomy in the United States. The Vocal Team recognizes and acknowledges that this is a deeply complex ongoing conversation, and many groups are divided over this issue. While some are celebrating, others are grappling with feelings of hopelessness, confusion, and grief due to the Court's decision. To aid our community, we have created a list of links and resources to inform and facilitate ongoing discussions around the subject of abortion rights in the U.S.
Vocal TeamPublished 2 years ago in Resources7 Life Lessons Learned From My Father’s Cat
Her concentration is unbreakable as she crouches close to the ground. Every muscle stays perfectly still except for the tip of her tail, which wags ever so slightly as the only warning to her intended victim. With eyes fixed on one spot on the ground, she’s a statue waiting for her prey to make a terminal mistake.
Scott NinnemanPublished 2 years ago in PetlifeThis AI Tool Generates Mind Blowing Paintings In Under 2 Minutes — Here Are My Results
What if I tell you there is an AI art visualization tool that can generate an image similar to the picture above in less than two minutes with a simple text prompt? Yes there is and it’s fucking mind blowing.
Summer Begins with Strawberries
Our summer food season revolves around the desire to fill our shelves with fresh summer produce to use in the dreary days of winter. It might also be pride and ego that makes us think that we can preserve summer better than any factory. We don’t have to count the bugs in our foods since we wash more than 3 times when prepping food (unless beets - then maybe 5 times). There is also the gratification of knowing that we have taken food at its best and put it up to enjoy later. We love having the jars lined up on the shelves at the end of September. We are surrounded by farms here in Central PA and some are minimal or no spray - and organic. Some aren't. We buy from both, but still the produce is at the height of its perfection. We love it.
Kathryn WickerPublished 2 years ago in FeastSomewhere Between Reality and Death
The world seemed to shake around me as I crawled my way through the mud and filth of the trench. Each inch a stark reminder would ring throughout the walls of my head: Don’t stand up, don’t stand up, don’t stand up. The dirt walls that surrounded me were my prison and my salvation. It was if my drill sergeant had seared the words into the side of my brain. The words that would come to define my existence seemed so simple, yet so complex. With each inch I crawled the pain would sear in my knees and elbows. Days of rubbing my body against the dirt had resulted in my skin being rubbed raw over and over. It didn’t matter. I had to reach my post.
A.M CooperPublished 2 years ago in HorrorThe African Gray's Ghost
The African Gray’s Ghost BY LJ SHEA The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.
Lauren JanePublished 2 years ago in FictionThe Window Over the Desert
We woke up at a decent hour and made breakfast, packed up camp and got ready to head to the basin. We wanted to do the Window Trail, a roughly 6-mile round trip from the parking lot by the lodge. Depending on how my hip would feel after that, we had our eyes on either the Lost Mine Trail or the Boot Canyon Trail after lunch. But first and foremost we wanted to err on the side of caution and relaxation. It was our last easy day before we began the Chisos Mountain Loop (a combination of several trail segments for a total length of almost 17 miles).
Adam LupianiPublished 2 years ago in WanderNow That It’s Almost Over
I have begun spotting. And what could spotting be at my age except a harbinger of perimenopause which is a harbinger of menopause? Last night I asked Google, What causes spotting? Why am I spotting? How long does spotting last? Then I asked Google to go deeper: Show me images of spotting. Show me images of extreme spotting. Show me images of spotting gone horribly wrong. Google was only too happy to oblige.
Daphne FayePublished 2 years ago in Confessions