Top Stories
New stories you'll love, handpicked for you by our team and updated daily.
Mind Maps. Top Story - June 2024.
Lying on Momma's sofa, memories walk in, lead me astray, away from my safety net. Momma walks by, " You alright?"; " Mm", I say. I stare at my phone, she sits near with a crossword having no idea where my mind is at, or does she? I feel loathed, ugly, sad, broken. I don't want to go down the road to why my father left me; the road comes to me. I try to bypass this gnawing pathway, to avoid yield signs, run stop lights, push through the traffic in my brain; no can do. He's right in my face, saying, "Love you, be good, do your homework, okay?" then boarding his flight. I am sure he will be back as he always has been. He called every Sunday at eight p.m. sharp; the man was a machine. He used to read poetry to me over the phone when I was missing him, stuff he'd translated from some French dude, Rilke was it? I loved my father's eyes, all sad like a puppy; his generosity and good manners when we were out and about together had me looking up to him. Then I came out, questioning my gender identity. First to Momma cause, she's just easy with me, always. I plopped down at the foot of her bed and told her, " I feel like a girl inside." She said, " I understand." That was it. I was like, shit, this will be a breeze with Pops, too. He's like a puppy-dawg, a marshmallow cupcake who reads poetry. I wrote him an email; he wrote back, " I have to let it sink in awhile." Then for awhile there were guilt deposits from him into my bank account; five hundred dollars on my birthday, no contact, more money come Christmas, no contact. No answered emails. No returned phone calls. Momma got real mad, like frothing at the mouth rabid about it all. She tried to reach him, wrote him and said he was a cruel-assed bastard. She really wrote that. I look up, my eyes glide carefully from my phone screen to Momma mumbling to herself about 26 down on her crossword; she asks me if I know the answer, God knows I don't. I have no answers to anything. I shift a bit on the sofa and watch her. I know she is all I got. My inner road map is taking me home, right to her heart where I know I still belong.
By ROCK aka Andrea Polla (Simmons)2 years ago in Fiction
The Imposter. Top Story - June 2024. Content Warning.
May 21, 2024 - from my notes app I noticed something as I read the comments on my most recent Top Story. It is easier to type a "thank you" in response to all the wonderful comments, especially when you want to say "you don't believe it." A can of worms those words are, one most people would be more interested in burying deep into the ground. The thing about that is the worms can always make their way to the surface. So here it is.
By Alexandria Stanwyck2 years ago in Psyche
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Top Story - June 2024.
I've audited a night course in Horror and Scifi Film from a colleague who is a great expert in both genres and who selected interesting movies for the class to watch, representative of a particular sub-genre or cultural trend of the time. I enjoyed the course tremendously, watched the films I never saw before and had a chance to participate in insightful discussions with eager and engaged students.
By Lana V Lynx2 years ago in Geeks
Human Evolution and Climate Change. Top Story - June 2024.
The Question An oft asked question relates to how humans and every other species on the planet will or will not adapt to the new environmental conditions that climate change will quite probably (and arguably already has) impose across much of the globe. For other species the answer is fairly obvious, they will either adapt or they will perish. As has been the case throughout all of earth’s history, evolution through natural selection requires that those with the traits that are best adapted to reproduce will do so and so pass them on, especially when pressed by changes in the environment. Many argue that the changes we are seeing or will soon see as a result of climate change are occurring too rapidly for many species to adapt. In essence that evolution cannot keep up with the pace of change. Mutations simply cannot occur frequently enough to supply a wide enough variety of phenotypes of different varieties to allow for at least one that can survive the new conditions any given species may find itself in. Rapid changes are the hardest for the longest lived (excluding microorganisms), and slowest reproducing creatures to deal with, and they face the greatest threat of massive population decrease or even extinction. I happen to think that adaptation can happen much faster than is typically believed, but am not naïve enough to think that even a greatly accelerated adaptation or mutation process will be enough to save all or even most animal species from the threat of habitat loss or change brought about by global warming.
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Futurism
Ōugān. Top Story - June 2024.
It’s not like I can avoid them. They taunt me from the front of my local fruit and veg grocer, their dimpled waxy peel catching the light as if to say nice to see you again, Sunny like some off-colour joke. A bunch of bananas poke holes in the biodegradable bag while I sweep the back shelves for this week’s food. I notice the oranges from the corner of my eye and feel my stomach turn. Looks like oranges aren’t on the menu anymore, either.
By Eloise Robertson 2 years ago in Fiction
Such a Deal. Top Story - June 2024.
— Penny Wise — I happened to pass by the 'Salvation Army' Thrift store and even very fancy cars were lined up around the block just to 'Bin' shop; along with huge truck trailer loads toting in varied merchandise. This gorgeous store offers everything from baskets of eye glasses to lovely furniture all cleaned and sanitized; a $500 recliner is tagged for $50 Bucks.
By Jay Kantorabout a year ago in Humor
Scared of Surgery Anesthesia? You Can Cure Yourself of that Awful Fear. Top Story - June 2024.
A friend recently published a story about their fear of anesthesia and surgical procedures. They said they felt like a coward. I am here to say they are not cowardly—they are human and normal. We are all anxious and intimidated when we face serious medical issues.
By Maryan Pelland2 years ago in Longevity
A Grubby Little Pastime. Top Story - June 2024.
When the then chancellor Gordon Brown raised the price of ten cigarettes to £1.30 in his 1998 budget statement, young Joseph drew a line in the sand and said no more. Being an old hand at quitting, I expected this latest attempt to fail like all the others, as cravings would pick at my resolve like vultures pick at carrion until I caved in and grabbed the Zippo.
By Joe Young2 years ago in Confessions
The Crumbling Walls. Top Story - June 2024. Content Warning.
*Contains Spice She knew kissing him was wrong. Every stolen moment chipped against the wall of alliances that Mother created to protect their land. The parentage of their daughter was more than enough to destroy the wall completely and unleash the full might of the Uhitaji clan. But as he pressed her against a small corner wall on the battlements, none of that mattered. His hand slid down her wide hip as their lips danced in unity. She wrapped her leg around his waist pulling him even closer. Their shared heat burned the world around them to nothing. There was nothing else, nothing left but them.
By Omari Richards2 years ago in Fiction
