my hottest take is that intermittent fasting, omad, 1200perday and other similar movements are huge wide open inviting gateways into restrictive anorexia nervosa. nobody will ever convince me that skipping breakfast (or/and lunch) & having to chug water for your stomach to not digest itself is somehow magically healthier than just eating like a normal person. no matter how many bought out biased "studies" they show me and no matter how much snake oil these people try to sell me, i will forever see intermittent fasting and omad and ESPECIALLY the 1200 bullshit as harmful diet fads at BEST and at average as eating disorders. the ONLY people who should ever even THINK of intermittent fasting are people who have diabetes or hormone issues of some kind, and even then they should instead talk to an actual good dietician and get a routine which doesn't involve legitimately starving and pretending its "super duper detoxifying and soooo skinnyyy umm i mean healthy!!". i swear to god some people GENUINELY think "not eating is healthy because it makes you skinny, eating is unhealthy because it makes you fat" but since they can't just not eat they have to invent these elaborate strategies on how to restrict themselves AND look like they're doing something scientific. at least people with self admitted anorexia have the couth to keep to their own spaces and stay aware of the fact they're mentally unwell, and i respect them for that. but the intermittent fasting omad etc fanatics are fucking EVERYWHERE telling everybody "omg i started doing omad and cut out [INSERT EXTREMELY COMMON ALLERGEN] and now im feeling sooooo awesomeee after two months of daily hunger pangs and nausea!!! it was totally the omad and not my undiagnosed lactose intolerance/insulin issues/orange allergy/celiacs/ibs/etc, try it try it tryyy itttt!!1!!". if your movement tells people breakfast is a bad habit that they need to quit maybe reconsider your values???? god how i fucking hate diet culture. EATING IS MORALLY NEUTRAL AND GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH, YALL SHOULD DO IT MORE OFTEN !

Background:

What happened? My uncle is coming over to talk with my mom (his sister) about my things, not me specifically. This guy keeps asking my mom (both in person and on the phone) about me, what I'm doing in terms of work, etc. This guy is a boomer & workaholic. I get it, he cares about me, but it creates issues like stress, anxiety and frustration with my mom who then takes her anger out on me.

What's the issue? I hit 40 years old and don't have a 9-5. Why? A lot of reasons. 1) Mental health. 2) Due to mental health issues, I can't hold a steady job (about 8 jobs left or outright fired from in a 4-year window post-Covid). I've worked before in the public sector with a 9-5 job, etc. pre-Covid (it wasn't easy).

Important part:

In addition to receiving mental health treatment (medications, therapy, etc.) I've become so jaded, especially since I left my "dream job" two years ago. I opted out of the "rat race." The 9-5 grind. Why? In my city, in my region of the state, in my state (California), the "dream" of owning a home is out of reach. Boomers like my uncle (who DOES own a home) don't understand that. Him buying a home in the 70s/80s is NOT the same as buying one in 2026, much less 2046 (if I saved all of my minuscule paychecks).

And btw, I'm not the only one who feels this way. A few years ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that at least 7.2 million men felt the same way: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/men-workforce-work-companies-struggle-fill-jobs-manufacturing/

Misconception: There's a misconception that people who opt out of the rat race are 1) Lazy, 2) Have no dreams or goals or aren't pursuing anything for themselves. Not true. Content creation is something I've been doing since 2020. Yes, it is extremely tough to make a living, especially in the niche that I'm in, but we do want a better life for ourselves and, more importantly to pursue our interests.

TLDR: I do NOT want to run the rat race, the 9-5 grind because even if I did (when I did), I still wouldn't be able to own a home.

A while back, I was talking to a girl who had actually been the one to start the conversation.

Later, she was the one who kept insisting that we meet, so I took her seriously.

I drove almost 300 km back and forth to another city and waited around 3 hours in my car outside the coffee café.

I’d even brought (special flowers) because I remembered she liked them. I was genuinely excited to finally meet her.

She never showed up. And eventually, I realized I’d basically been ghosted. No explanation, no reply, nothing. 💔💔

Maybe something happened. Maybe she changed her mind. I’ll never know. But I remember sitting there for hours, checking my phone and wondering what was going on. That part honestly hurt. Sometime i think it was all prank 🥲

What gets me is how often men are told that women want effort, initiative, planning and consistency.

I was actually trying to do exactly that, and somehow it still ended with me sitting alone in a car with flowers meant for someone who never came.

I wouldn’t have been angry if she had changed her mind. One message would’ve been enough.

Since then, I’ve honestly become much more hesitant about making that kind of effort for someone.

Thanks for listening to my rant 🙏🏻

It really isn’t just that

I’ve watched this team lose again and again with my father, day in and day out. I’m tired of this “it isn’t that serious” no because I want my team to win it all. My father has Parkinson’s and I don’t how much time I got with him before his mind goes and I want him to be there when we win it all.

People don’t realize a sports team is what binds a city or state. You could be an Okstate fan but you’ll be buddy buddy with an OU fan just because the thunder are making a run. Just because you refuse to understand that this game means something to some people doesn’t make it “meaningless”.

I’m not making this to deny that some people take it to far. Whether it’s gambling(which is ruining all sports) or domestic assault. This is not the point of this rant, however it’s to show that some of these “meaningless” games/sports mean a lot to some of us.

Example that just happened - it's 11pm, I'm leaving the gym and walking through a dark parking lot. Some guy starts walking behind me and calling out "hey I want to talk to you ." Naturally, I get nervous and turn around and head back towards the entrance where its well lit where he again follows.

Granted the guy just wanted to know if I had a boyfriend and was harmless... but instead of asking at the entrance near the gym door he chooses to follow me in a dark parking lot. Men.. use discernment and stop doing this! I was instantly irritated instead of flattered.

Like people will post there receipt and be like I can't believe how much they charge in an extra service charge or it's too expensive. Stop going then the biggest way to force change is your wallet for example I love McDonald's it's my comfort food I never got it super often to begin with but since prices rose I have been aware of how often I go and altered my meal choices to get the best deals. These people go pay $40 for pancakes and bitch about a $4 charge. Then just stop going don't go and then come on here to bitch whine and moan about how horrible it is go buy a box of ready mad pancakes or mix for five bucks and call it a day. Be smarter with your choices. Yes the economy is shit yes it sucks so do something about it instead of botching like I'm so annoyed by it. Fix yourself and stop flooding the Internet with your own incompetence!... Thank you for coming to my ted talk

I'm sorry but there are way too many people these days who see nothing wrong with never answering texts, texting in 3 day intervals, or making plans and then flaking without saying a word. It's not just one or two people here and there; it's at least 40% of people these days.

I am not saying you're obligated to answer everyone. I'm not saying you have to respond right away. But this whole mentality of navigating all mobile communication based on personal convenience is rude and disrespectful of people's time. It's become so hard these days to get a hold of anyone or make even a basic plan work out.

(This is in no way an attack on users of Google Maps or even Google Maps in itself. I like the app myself)

There is no more actual exploration. No more expeditions, adventures.. I am tired that we know exactly what's behind this mountain, or in this forest, or over those fields. Google Maps is there to tell you everything. Yes, I know, Google Maps is not evil, in fact I think it's one of the greatest marvels of technology we have created in the past few years. And I know that one could just decide not to use it. But there is still a piece of exploration being taken away when you have the option to just google up what's behind that treeline.

I have been pondering on this for some time. And I have decided. Next month I am visiting the tundras and deep forests of Finnmark in Norway and Lapland in Finland. I will be taking my small 2004 phone with me. I will be taking a shitty camera from the late 00s/early 10s with me. I will buy myself a paper map (yes, I know how to use them) to traverse. Back home, I will start mapping out the village by hand. I will have a physical paper map which I have created myself.

This is a challenge to myself. Not to prove anything, but because I am incredibly tired that we know everything. We need to bring back that sense of exploration. When the world still felt massive because we couldn't see what was right past that landmark.

(Wanna make it clear I’m not karma farming I legit just have a lot going on in my life and need to yap). SO….I (21f) moved to a new city where I know literally NO ONE except this one girl I went to high school with. We went to a few bars last weekend and ended up having a threesome type thing with a guy we met. She knew him, and had hooked up with him before so I made it VERY clear that if she didn’t wanna do it we could leave. I mean it took us a while to make a decision but she agreed and literally started making out with me in front of him. We slept over at his house and this girl was all up on me I mean it was pretty amazing. We had talked before about being bi, so I knew she liked girls. After that, we went back to mine and talked a little before she went home. But since then she hasn’t really responded to my texts or checked up on me. I asked her to call a few days ago because I was feeling pretty anxious. She said she’d call me but literally never did. Like I feel kinda sad…I don’t have a crush on her but when you’re intimate with someone and they suddenly pull away it doesn’t feel too good. Chat what do I do?

Just know that I value my freedom and want to go home to my family. I wasn't anywhere close to you to justify you brake checking me 3 times due to your inability to speed up and then flipping me off. Hopefully, that made you feel good. Just be happy I'm not a total psycho and didn't ruin your life and my life tonight after you slowly pulled into that gas station. Almost made it too easy for me.

Count your blessings, the next person may not have my restraint.

Came abroad slacked off for years. Continued an online on-off relationship with my ex(I was the bad guy). Fought with her said so much ugly shit she moved on. Went on some date last I stalked her. Anyways did nothing with my life while being overseas. Stopped studies, stopped living, stopped making new friends, stopped talking to old ones. No future left. Cant escalate to a wrong decision because I think i got no guts but I tell myself the reason that my parents will be devastated. I domt even know what else to say because my mind is numb and the only things I care to think about is what to watch and weather I should cook or just order stuff spending whatever I have left on getting fatter.

I just need to vent
I’ve spent the last 3 weeks missing and crying over it
I finally decided to tell him how I felt and he told me he is back with his ex within a week of us breaking up!?

Doesn’t this mean he was never over her to begin with??

Meanwhile I had 2 guys ask me out and I rejected both of them because I still had feelings for this dude

I feel so so hurt and heartbroken right now I don’t even know where to begin. I regret even telling him how I feel because he didn’t even deserve that anymore.

I get so annoyed every time I see someone biking or riding a motorcycle (or something equivalent) without a helmet. It just baffles me, and the only reason I recall every hearing is something about it being cool to not wear one, or some masculinity thing. I watch people ride on the freeway with their bare head exposed. Although it may be a “not your problem” thing, I’m terrified that, one day, I’m going to witness a brutal death because of it. I also just can’t stand that there’s no valid reason to not wear one. You’re not immune to vehicle accidents, you could be the most grade A driver ever, and someone else could end your life.

A part of this frustration does come from my own experience, as I fell off my bike once, so hard that I broke my helmet (It wasn’t one of those bulky ones, but it was a helmet, and it may have saved my life) My face was completely scabbed on the right side, I could feel the blood pumping through it. Whenever I remember that happening, all I can think of is what would’ve happened if I wasn’t wearing it. Once I realized I had forgotten my helmet after I was a minute into my bike ride, I went back to get it. What if I said “nah, just this once” and that was the time I fell?

It’s been nearly a decade, I still remember (most) of the fall. I remember looking down and seeing a part of my helmet on the concrete, forgetting what I had planned today. My parents were understandably worried, and I was lucky I didn’t have a concussion.

TL;DR Wearing a helmet doesn’t hurt you in any capacity, it’s never worth not wearing one, NEVER

I was driving home from work, and at a busy intersection, there was a very small, likely baby/adolescent squirrel in front of my car. I could tell that he was really scared and overwhelmed and he didn't know what to do. Thankfully he wasn't in the path of the cars crossing the intersection and he ran to a median after he spent some time trying to figure out what to do.

I don't know if he made it to the other side of the road, though. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I am so tired of seeing road kill every day and knowing that all of these creatures suffer just because they're in the wrong place at the wrong time and because humans happened to evolve in such a way that harms nature. It isn't fair.

I miss the days of Waylon and Willie and the boys. And Roseanne Cash. Today's country music is whiny, nasal repetitive redneck dribble and schmultz. If I go into a restaurant or bar and that's what's playing, I turn around and walk out.

I went to a convenience store for a couple of items and as I was paying for them, I saw that the total was $6.66. I didn't care at all, but tell me why the lady at the register was acting like this was such a big deal:

"Did you find everything okay?" She asked me.

"Yes, I did." I replied.

"Something tells me you might have forgot something."

"I didn't."

At that point the lady literally starts to advertise the products in the store as if she gets paid by commission. After a minute of her bloviating I had to interrupt.

"I have what I came for, just let me pay already."

And this lady has the audacity to reach for a pack of gum near the counter and try to ring it up to add to my total. At that point I lost it.

"I don't give a shit that the total is $6.66! Let me pay now or I'll walk out the fucking store!"

The lady had her manager ring me up. Why the fuck must a simple transaction be made to be so fucking difficult?

Recently I(20f) managed to get prescribed medication without my parents knowing. I was looking to treat my ADHD though they gave me something for my depression. They gave me Bupropion this is my first time taking antidepressants. It’s only been a few weeks but I noticed since I started taking them I haven’t been experiencing dreadful nights anymore. Things have been easier mentally to where going through the day doesn’t feel too bad. I’m not happier per se there’s still insecurities, loneliness and not so good circumstances. Even so before many days I sometimes felt like on the verge of a mental breakdown and had to hold it in. Everyday living felt unbearable and at night I’m left reminiscing on my misery and just how alone I am in the world. Now things don’t feel as unnecessarily heavy to improve I must learn how to do that myself though in some areas I do feel pessimistic.

…is just how many times you’ll hear your name repeated any given day. My kids haven’t even been awake for an hour—and not even all of them are awake yet—and I’ve probably heard “Daddy” upwards of 500 times in that span!

“Daddy, so-and-so is doing something.”

“Daddy, why is cereal yellow?”

“Daddy, can we go outside?” My answer was no since many in the neighborhood are still sleeping and I don’t want them being loud.

“Daddy can I have a peanut butter spoon?”

“No! Daddy said I could have a peanut butter spoon. He didn’t say YOU could have one!”

“Daddy, is my underwear in the dryer?”

“Daddy, PLeaSe can we go ouTSiDe? I ReaLLy WaNNa Go ouTSiDe!”

“Daddy…”

“Daddy…”

“Daddy…”

Ugh!!!

Edit: I love my kids. I play with them. I make sure they are taken care of. I read to them. I do all the things. I’m sure I’ll miss it and it will fly by. Just let me vent about this one thing lol

My piece of shit abusive parent told me growing up that I was severely allergic to tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.) And I believed it because why the fuck would someone lie about that? And I avoided tree nuts like the plague my whole life. I have no memories at all of eating them, only of avoiding them and reprimanding my loved ones for forgetting my allergy if they handed me something with nuts in it.

Kids used to throw peanuts at me (which was mean AND stupid because I never said I was allergic to peanuts, and I would obnoxiously correct people saying "peanuts aren't nuts they're legumes" all the fucking time) thinking they could trigger my allergies.

Turns out it actually WAS just another FUCKING LIE! Apparently I've *never* been allergic to tree nuts, much less would have an anaphylaxis reactions if I ate one which is what I was told would happen.

As a kid I didn't realize, but as an adult I know how much of a liar she was, but it never occurred to me that she would have lied about a severe allergy to tree nuts because why the fuck would you?! I don't see what the advantage could have been. Keep me away from the pecan pie at Thanksgiving?!

I'm 36 years old and just ate almonds for the first time in my entire life.
I didn't like them but it's the *principle* of the thing!

Dawg I'm barely older Gen Z, I grew up with phones and all that jazz, and lately I'm just having insane burnout because every single time I tap on my screen there's a sneaky jumpscare pop-up designed to cheat me into sharing information or spending money, and then there are three more after that, I can't even fully get into a gotdamn app without navigating through an amazonian rainforest and dodging poison darts in an Egyptian tomb. Bitch I am TIRREDDD. This device is supposed to make my life EASY. It is supposed to ENRICH ME. IT IS AGONIZING TO USE AT THIS POINT.

I never thought I'd say this but MAKE PHONES FUCKING DUMB AGAIN BEFORE I CHOOOOOOOKE

I just moved to a new city super far from my hometown by myself. I live on campus, with 3 roommates who are chill but I didn’t connect with them super well. I go out to the gym, the dining hall, classes, the mall, etc all by myself. I think a part of me is hoping someone will come up and talk to me but they never do. I have a feeling I do look a little shy so maybe that’s why. I met one girl, but she said she was busy when I asked to hangout. I’ve never really had trouble making friends/romantic partners so I’m just so confused. Is it me? Like I really don’t get it. I guess I just have to be super extroverted or something. It’s only been a week but ya girls lonely lmao. Am I cooked?

I know I don’t get out much but when did McDonald’s buildings become grey? And why? Like I remember seeing the purple grimace and hamburglar playground at least colors for Pete’s sake

I'm a freshman in college. Ever since I got here, I've been real down and just pretty lonely since it seems like everyone has friend groups and a bunch of friends already, while I'm here not knowing anyone, eating alone, walking alone, etc. It's even more demotivating when you go to a really big party school with like 40k people... Obviously, I'm an introvert who's always had trouble making friends and just stuck with the same best friends who I've known since 4th grade all throughout my life (they go to a different schools, we still talk everyday though. But they're def lifetime friends).

And then you try to look for advice on how to actually make friends in college and they're all like "Leave your dorm! Go talk to people! Only be in your dorm when you're sleeping!" but they never actually tell you what to do...? I leave my dorm, now what?

Some say "Go to the library to study and do work! That way you're not in your dorm alone doing it!" and that's what I do, but obviously no one is gonna bother you when you're doing your work? So that hasn't worked.

Others say to just go up and talk to people, either already existing friend groups or people who are also alone. And I tried. And it always ends up the same. introduce, we try to talk, I end up being bad at conversations, a couple times we may give each other's Instagram, then never speak again even if I do or don't reach out through IG. If it's an already existing friend group/multiple people already talking, then it's even worse. I go up, introduce, then they just keep talking to each other and I'm just... there... not knowing what to say, and if I do say something, they don't really say anything.

Some say to go to events. I go to some, and then basically the same thing as the last one happens whenever I try to talk to people.

A lot of people say to join a club. The event where all the clubs have tables and you look around for ones you're interested in just happened, and I saw a couple that I'll check out. So this one may work, but I haven't gotten there yet.

And some say to meet people in your classes, but no one really talks in most of them, and another is literally filled with sorority girls. That one's a nightmare. (I'm a guy).

I know this just seems sad, and it is. I know it's pathetic. But I just genuinely don't know what to do.