career
The housewife stereotype has long since shattered - it's all about leaning in, breaking the glass ceiling, closing the wage gap and more.
Grumpy Old Lady Angry at the Economy
I'm frustrated as hell today. Grumpy and snarky. I didn't have to fight the cat to get to the coffee machine, but I couldn't find a pair of pants quick enough, and when I organized the coffee station yesterday I forgot where the filters were. By the time I sat down with my coffee I was already grumpy. The other day my ex-husband/current roommate stood at the coffee station (that cost $400 and I'm making monthly payments on) as if he owned it (because he's a bully who is three times bigger than me and he knows niether of us want to go to jail) and forced me to ask him if I could get myself a cup of coffee (because he was in my f'n way) so I did while I shot him daggers from my eyes and poured the hot coffee into my cup when I really wanted to smash the glass pot against his skull. Whoever said I'm not a good actress, lied. He gets his jollies off by demeaning me with that passive-aggressive behavior. Does it in regards to the toilet also which is why I sometimes have to leak or poo in my own personal bucket toilet.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Viva
Roc Nation School Students Learn The Art of PR From The Now PR Founder Roseay
Roseay Brings Real Insight to Students at Roc Nation School A candid conversation with Roseay and Professor Clayton Durant on building The Now PR, navigating artists’ challenges, and creating opportunities in the music industry. Photo by Amor Visage Productions
By NWO SPARROWabout a year ago in Viva
Old lady grumbling about work
Happy October! May the leaves change colors in glorious autumn fashion and may you enjoy a tasty pumpkin spiced latte or donut this morning. I am here at my desk with a Maxwell House coffee brewed out of the cheapest coffee maker on the Walmart shelf. I like it. One button and will brew the cheapest coffee on the shelf. Good. I'm broke and I'm cheap just like my coffee maker.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Viva
Eldery people visit profound places
I found this meme today scrolling on Facebook. It was the most profound one I read and decided to write a poem and an article featuring this. Where do you think the elderly or the poor hang out? Some roach infested ghetto apartment or a sparkling clean dazzling condo overlooking the ocean? Both? Some elite gated nursing home featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous or some decaying old building with overworked and underpaid nurses calling it an Assisted Living Facility? A tent in the backyard where Granny fights the dog or the cat to call it "her" tent? A car that's over 20 years old and needs a new transmission and has no air conditioning or heater, but still lets Grandpa take a nap in the Walmart parking lot? Some old dusty hall where they gave the old homeless bum a free pack so he could play Bingo and try his luck? Yeah, I'm sure you can find the elderly at all of the above, but I think the meme is directly referring to places where the elderly have been much more than those younger folks. Typically, young people (child age to say around 30 somethings) are not typically hanging out at the hospital, the prison, or the cemetary unless they are employed there.
By Shanon Angermeyer Normanabout a year ago in Viva
Discipline, Vision, Community: TT Torrez Returns to MCNY to Unlock the Leaders of Tomorrow with #GoGetHer Summit
Full Circle - TT Torrez Returns to MCNY to Unlock Leaders of Tomorrow When Vision Meets Access: The Official Line Up - How TT Torrez Is Redefining Leadership for Young Women of Color
By NWO SPARROWabout a year ago in Viva
The Unseen Viva
M Mehran Sana had always been the kind of student who hid at the back of the classroom, scribbling notes furiously, afraid to raise her hand. She excelled in written exams but dreaded speaking. Words, when written, obeyed her. Words, when spoken, betrayed her. So when the announcement came that her degree would end with a viva voce, she felt her stomach drop. An oral examination—standing alone before a panel, answering questions in real time—was her greatest nightmare. --- The Night Before The night before her viva, Sana barely slept. She stared at her thesis spread across the desk, highlighted and dog-eared. She whispered definitions under her breath, rehearsed explanations in the mirror, but every time she imagined facing the professors, her voice cracked. At 3 a.m., she closed her notes and whispered, “If I fail, at least I’ll know I tried.” But deep down, she wondered if trying would ever be enough. --- Walking In The next morning, the corridor outside the examination room buzzed with nervous energy. Her classmates paced, flipping through last-minute notes. Sana sat silently, her palms damp, her heart hammering. When her name was called, she felt the world tilt. She stood, legs trembling, and walked into the room. Three professors sat behind a long table, her thesis placed in the center like evidence in a trial. “Good morning, Miss Sana,” one said, adjusting his glasses. “Shall we begin?” --- The First Question The first question was simple enough: “What motivated you to pursue this research?” Sana’s lips trembled as she spoke. “I wanted to understand how small changes in community education programs could… could transform literacy rates.” Her voice wavered, but the words came. The professors nodded. Encouraged, she exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of the chair. Then came the harder ones. --- Cracks in the Armor “Can you explain why you chose this methodology?” She stumbled, trying to recall her notes. Her throat tightened. The silence in the room grew heavier. Another professor leaned forward. “What limitations do you see in your findings?” Her mind went blank. For a horrifying moment, she thought she might faint. She wanted to disappear into the floor, to run from the room and never return. But then, she remembered something her grandmother used to tell her: “When you can’t find courage, borrow your honesty.” So she took a breath and said, “The biggest limitation was me. I was nervous about whether my methods were strong enough. But I learned from those mistakes and corrected them as I went.” The panel didn’t frown. In fact, one professor smiled. --- The Turning Point As the questions continued, something shifted. The more Sana spoke honestly, the steadier her voice became. She stopped trying to be perfect and started explaining like she would to a friend. When they asked about the future scope of her work, she lit up. She spoke passionately about how her findings could help design better literacy programs for rural schools. She forgot her fear. She forgot herself. She spoke only about the work she loved. By the end, her voice was no longer trembling—it was alive. --- The Verdict “Thank you, Miss Sana,” the chair said at last. “Please wait outside while we discuss.” The corridor was suffocating. Every second stretched like an hour. She clasped her hands tightly, whispering prayers. Finally, the door opened. One professor stepped out, smiling warmly. “Congratulations. You’ve passed.” Sana blinked, stunned. Her chest filled with a rush of relief so powerful that tears sprang to her eyes. For the first time, she realized she hadn’t just passed an exam—she had passed a barrier inside herself. --- Beyond the Viva That day, Sana learned the viva was not simply a test of knowledge. It was a test of presence, of courage, of owning your voice even when it shakes. And she realized something else, too: life itself is full of vivas. Job interviews. First dates. Difficult conversations. Every moment we’re called to speak our truth is its own oral examination. The questions may change, but the challenge is the same—to stand tall, to be honest, and to let our voice carry who we really are. --- Final Thought The viva is more than an academic ritual. It is a rite of passage that strips away rehearsed answers and demands authenticity. Sana walked in terrified, but she walked out transformed—not because she knew everything, but because she finally believed in herself. And maybe that’s the real lesson of every viva: the answers matter, but the voice matters more.
By Muhammad Mehranabout a year ago in Viva
5 Things You Should Know About Dating a Sex Worker
Dating is complicated enough as it is. Add sex work into the mix, and it comes with an extra set of challenges, assumptions, and misunderstandings. While people are becoming more open-minded about sex work, there’s still a lot of stigma—and dating a sex worker isn’t for everyone.
By No One’s Daughterabout a year ago in Viva
The Day I Switched Off My Phone and Lived
The Day I Switched Off My Phone and Lived By: Abdullah I didn’t mean to do it. It started as a dare a self-imposed challenge inspired by one of those articles that claimed “Unplugging for 24 hours will change your life.” Normally, I scroll right past that kind of thing while double-tapping memes and checking who viewed my story. But that morning, as I sat in bed, neck aching from bending over my phone for an hour before even brushing my teeth, the thought hit me: When was the last time I did nothing… without a screen in my hand? So, at exactly 9:04 a.m., I switched my phone off. Not silent mode. Not airplane mode. Off. The silence was instant and unnerving. My brain twitched, expecting a vibration that never came. I put the phone in a drawer, like a prisoner being locked away. Hour 1: The Withdrawal At first, I wandered aimlessly around the apartment like someone who’d lost their glasses. My hands felt empty, like they didn’t know what to do without a rectangle to cradle. I poured coffee, stared out the window, and tried to “just be.” That lasted five minutes before my brain started inventing reasons to turn the phone back on: What if my boss emailed me? What if there’s an emergency? What if… the world ended and I missed it? Spoiler: the world didn’t end.
By Abdullah Khan about a year ago in Viva
My Body, My Journey
My Body, My Journey By: [Abdullah] If you had asked me ten years ago how I felt about my body, I would have answered with a shrug — or worse, a list of everything I wished I could change. I treated my body like a never-ending project, one that was always behind schedule and never quite “good enough.”
By Abdullah Khan about a year ago in Viva
How I Learned to Love My Reflection
How I Learned to Love My Reflection By: [Abdullah] For most of my life, mirrors were my enemies. Not because I was vain, but because I couldn’t stand what I saw. I’d glance at my reflection and immediately zero in on flaws: the uneven skin tone, the curve of my nose, the way my stomach never looked as flat as I wanted. My inner voice was crueler than any playground bully, and it spoke up every time I caught sight of myself. If you’ve ever avoided your reflection in a shop window or dreaded photos because you’re afraid of what you’ll see, you know the feeling. It’s exhausting — like carrying around a critic who never takes a day off. But a few years ago, something shifted. Today, I can look in the mirror without flinching. In fact, sometimes I even smile at what I see. This is the story of how I got there — and how you can too. --- Step 1: Realizing the Real Enemy Wasn’t the Mirror It hit me one morning as I was brushing my teeth, glaring at myself in the bathroom mirror. The mirror hadn’t done anything to me. It was just reflecting what was already there. The problem wasn’t my reflection — it was the story I told myself about it. I started asking: Would I say these things to a friend? Of course not. If my best friend stood next to me, I’d point out how her eyes sparkled or how her hair caught the light. I wouldn’t say, “Ugh, look at those wrinkles.” So why was I doing it to myself? That question became the first crack in the wall I’d built between myself and my reflection. --- Step 2: The 30-Second Compliment Rule A therapist once told me: “If you can’t find anything good to say about yourself, start small. Even one thing is enough.” I took it literally. Every morning, I’d spend 30 seconds looking in the mirror and saying something kind. Sometimes it was, “I like my eyes today.” Other days it was just, “I’m glad you showed up.” At first, it felt awkward — like I was pretending. But over time, my brain started to believe me. The more I practiced, the more natural it became. Compliments stopped feeling like lies and started feeling like truths. --- Step 3: Seeing Myself in Motion We’re used to seeing still images of ourselves — selfies, portraits, that one unflattering photo someone tags on social media. But a still photo captures only a split second. It doesn’t show your warmth, your laugh, or the way your face lights up when you talk about something you love. So I started making short videos — not for posting, just for me. I recorded myself telling a funny story, cooking a meal, or talking to my cat. Watching those clips was like meeting a different version of me. Suddenly, I wasn’t just a list of features to be judged. I was a whole person with expressions, gestures, and energy that no still image could capture. --- Step 4: Curating My Mirror Moments I used to only notice my reflection in harsh lighting — dressing room mirrors, bad bathroom bulbs, security cameras that make you look like you’ve aged ten years. No wonder I hated what I saw. Now, I make my mirror moments intentional. I stand in good natural light. I play my favorite song. Sometimes I’ll even wear something I love just to boost my mood. It’s not about vanity — it’s about creating an environment where I’m more likely to see myself kindly. --- Step 5: Shifting the Conversation When I was younger, compliments about my appearance were the only ones that felt valuable. But now I try to compliment myself — and others — on things unrelated to looks. I tell myself: “You’re resilient.” “You’re patient.” “You’re creative.” Over time, my reflection stopped being just about how I looked and started being about who I was. That shift was powerful. --- Step 6: Unfollowing the Comparison Trap Nothing damages self-image faster than comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel. I started unfollowing social media accounts that made me feel inadequate and replaced them with ones that celebrated body diversity, natural beauty, and authenticity. The more I saw different body types, skin tones, and features celebrated, the more I realized: there is no one “right” way to look. My reflection didn’t have to fit someone else’s standard to be worthy of love. --- What I See Now I still have days where I notice things I don’t love. I think we all do. But those days no longer spiral into self-hate. When I look in the mirror now, I see someone who survived hard days, someone who keeps showing up, someone who laughs loudly and loves deeply. I see the girl who thought she’d never make peace with her reflection — and the woman who proved her wrong. --- Practical Tips for Loving Your Reflection If you’re on your own self-acceptance journey, here are a few things that helped me: 1. Speak kindly — Even if it feels fake at first, say one nice thing to yourself each day. 2. See yourself in motion — Videos show your warmth and personality in a way still photos can’t. 3. Create positive mirror moments — Good lighting, music, and clothes you love can shift your mindset. 4. Focus beyond appearance — Compliment yourself on character, skills, and resilience. 5. Change your media diet — Follow creators and accounts that celebrate diversity and authenticity. --- I used to think self-love meant waking up one day and magically adoring everything about my appearance. Now I know it’s not magic — it’s a daily choice. And sometimes, when I pass a mirror, I catch myself smiling. Not because I think I look perfect, but because I see someone worth smiling at.
By Abdullah Khan about a year ago in Viva
National Wellness Month Spotlight: How FDNY's Rapping Firefighter Processes Trauma Through Bars by NWO Sparrow
DOUBLE DUTY: HOW LEAH RAY BALANCES THE FDNY & HIP-HOP WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT BROOKLYN, NY—The weight of a 50-pound hose still lingers on Leah Ray’s shoulders as she steps into the dim glow of the recording booth. For this FDNY firefighter, music isn’t just a passion, it’s therapy. “Some days, the sirens don’t stop ringing in your head,” she confesses, adjusting her headphones. “But when the beat drops? That’s when I finally exhale.”
By NWO SPARROWabout a year ago in Viva
Bitmarkets Review 2025: BTMT Trading Insights in Lithuania
In the competitive landscape of online trading, a few platforms manage to stand out and build trust across borders. One such platform rapidly gaining attention in 2025 is bitmarkets. Known for its multi-asset offerings and user-focused features, bitmarkets is operated under the umbrella of btmt, a name that is becoming increasingly familiar among traders across Europe. As digital investing becomes more mainstream, Lithuanian users are turning to bitmarkets com for secure, efficient, and transparent trading solutions. This detailed bitmarkets review examines why the platform is making waves in Lithuania, what makes it different from other platforms, and what real users are saying through bitmarkets recenze.
By Bitmarketsabout a year ago in Viva
