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7 votes
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When a stranger decides to destroy your life
28 votes -
The fishermen and the sea
5 votes -
Motherhood in the age of fear
11 votes -
Man of letters: What I learned about America, and myself, working as a mail carrier
11 votes -
Dying alone in Japan: The industry devoted to what's left behind
6 votes -
Are there situations where donating items in a box can be as helpful as cash?
When it comes to disaster relief, I often hear the refrain that it is best to donate cash, and donating boxes of things often hurts more than it helps. Is this universally true, or are there...
When it comes to disaster relief, I often hear the refrain that it is best to donate cash, and donating boxes of things often hurts more than it helps. Is this universally true, or are there situations where donation boxes are actually helpful?
Search results on the subject ("disaster relief donation box vs cash"), all saying that boxes of stuff hurt more than help, due to the logistical costs of shipping, sorting, and storage:
4 votes -
Americans who expatriated from the US to Canada--or Canadians who know them--how are you/they faring?
I'm interested in all responses, but if the answer is "well" or better and the following are factors that contributed to that sense of well-being, could you divulge your job industry, if...
I'm interested in all responses, but if the answer is "well" or better and the following are factors that contributed to that sense of well-being, could you divulge your job industry, if applicable, and/or the Canadian city where you currently reside? (If privacy-minded or jealously guarding a secret utopia, province would suffice. Thank you.)
About me: besides the current political and lazy-to-anti-intellectual climate of the US, I'm pressingly concerned about global warming; after a dozen years of living in and around refreshing Seattle (compared to southern California), I had to give in and buy an air conditioner this summer. Anecdotally, it seems to be a trend.
11 votes -
Refinery29, Kylie Jenner, and the denial underlying millennial financial resentment
7 votes -
Choosing to not have children
I hesitate to even use the term "childfree" for this post, as the reputation the community has gathered on reddit isn't the greatest. For good reason tbh - there's a reason I don't post on that...
I hesitate to even use the term "childfree" for this post, as the reputation the community has gathered on reddit isn't the greatest. For good reason tbh - there's a reason I don't post on that sub.
I knew from a very young age that I wasn't cut out for kids. I didn't want to play "house", hated baby dolls (especially the gross ones that "peed" so you could change the diaper), babysitting was done only under duress, and the noise that came from being around a crowd of kids made me crazy. I grew up with dozens of cousins, of which I was one of the oldest girls, so "taking care of the young ones" was kind of an expectation. But while the other cousins in my age range were happy to do so, I was off in a corner with a book, avoiding the entire thing.
As I got older and started dating, the conversations about weddings and having kids were the last thing on my mind. I went off to university, got a job, moved out on my own, and just didn't really think twice about it to be honest. I guess I always assumed it'd happen one day, and the urge to settle down would kick in, but it never did.
Now as I'm past the ever so major gate of 30 (that crucial age where everyone says you'll change your mind), nothing's changed. I have a large circle of friends who feel the same way (none of us have or want children) and we're enjoying our lives in a way I didn't think was possible. We enjoy our dinners with each other, traveling on weekends to spontaneous destinations, last minute concerts, festivals, and many other events that keep us busy and engaged. The thought of giving it up and settling down just doesn't hold any appeal.
The accusations of selfishness, shallowness, leading an unfulfilled life are all just water off a duck's back. If I'm selfish, it hurts no one but myself. If I'm shallow, well, I'm not shallow so that's not an issue. My life is my own, and it's exactly how I want it - full of friends, spontaneity, and peace and quiet when I want it.
41 votes -
Overtourism: A growing global problem
21 votes -
Motherhood brings the most dramatic brain changes of a woman's life. So why does prenatal care ignore the topic altogether?
17 votes -
The spy who drove me
7 votes -
Generation Z: ‘We have more to do than drink and take drugs’
6 votes -
What milestone did your children hit that you weren't ready for?
I'm a father of two girls, ages are 6 and 4. Miss 6 has had a wobbly tooth for a few weeks now (the way she has harped on it felt like years) now last week it came out. Being that it was loose for...
I'm a father of two girls, ages are 6 and 4. Miss 6 has had a wobbly tooth for a few weeks now (the way she has harped on it felt like years) now last week it came out. Being that it was loose for so long I thought I had come to terms with that, I hadn't. It's odd but it shook me harder than I would have expected.
What milestone has your little one hit that you weren't ready for? prepare this foolish dad for more things to come!
15 votes -
Has anyone done an on the job/industry PhD?
Tildes, I'd like some opinions please! I work in a genetics lab as a research assistant and I've got the opportunity to pursue a PhD under the supervision of the lab director whilst maintaining my...
Tildes, I'd like some opinions please! I work in a genetics lab as a research assistant and I've got the opportunity to pursue a PhD under the supervision of the lab director whilst maintaining my current position and salary, with work I'd probably be doing anyway contributing to my thesis.
I feel like this is a pretty good opportunity: I'm not getting any younger and I have a young family, so going back to school to do this on a studentship is not an option, and my employer is willing to fund half the tuition fees and cover materials/ reagents etc. Word in the media is that there is a glut of PhDs at the moment, but I don't have my heart set on an academic career, so I won't be crushed if I end up in industry. I'm based in Europe, so would be looking at taking 3 years for the whole degree, which is coincidentally when my current contract is up.
Has anyone pursued a PhD under similar conditions? What was your experience like? Was getting your PhD worth it (especially in the life sciences/biotech)?
Thanks!
7 votes -
The 'great divide' in women's friendships
8 votes -
A pickpocket's tale
4 votes -
Should we treat crime as something to be cured rather than punished? Scotland’s police force has adopted a public health model to tackle violence. Should the rest of the world follow suit?
20 votes -
I need help with execution and impulse control
The short version is throughout my life I've seemed to be unable to execute sustained action towards any kind of meaningful forward momentum. I know very well all the things I need to be doing,...
The short version is throughout my life I've seemed to be unable to execute sustained action towards any kind of meaningful forward momentum. I know very well all the things I need to be doing, but in that precious moment called the present things always seem to slip. I can't gain traction. All reagent and no catalyst.
It goes without saying that the irony isn't lost on me of asking for advice, more information, more data, when what's really needed is action, but I simply don't know what else to do.
The details;
I think by far my biggest character flaw so to speak is a lack of an ability to execute under normal circumstances. Obviously procrastination and other related behaviours plague most people to one degree or another but I think in my case it's at a point where it presents an arguably existential risk to any kind of real future.
I'm in my late twenties working a relatively low paying job with moderate technical skill. Like many other children in the 1990s I was diagnosed with ADHD and medicated, though with little to no success. I stopped in my late teens but have recently begun to experiment anew consulting with my family doctor. I've since failed to renew my latest prescription but I think there's some small potential there. That said I think the buik of the change will still have to come from within.
I'm reticent to frame my experience within the pathology of a medical condition and would prefer to describe my experience without the artifacts and assumptions I feel would otherwise flatten the anecdotes. For years now I've been meaning to study when I get home from work, go to the gym (hell, just get a subscription), eat healthier, etc. There's a burnt out light in my kitchen I've been wanting to change for the past 3 weeks and haven't gotten around to. Everything slips. If I remember I need to do something I'm walking to the grocery store, or on the bus to work, or at a friend's house. I've been meaning to return a friend's call for over a month. Again, everything slips.
I feel like I'm at a point where I really need discipline and this scares me. I dropped out of college 10 years ago, live alone and work full time. I have no academic backing to speak of and feel this severely limits my future prospects as far as both lucrative, enjoyable and fruitful future employment goes. They say that when trying to plot future human behaviour the best predictor by far is past behaviour; so I'm at a point where personal success is probably unlikely, so I'd also be content being in a position where I can positively impact the lives of others. I feel all else aside this should even be a priority; I need not necessarily find success or happiness if I can be some part of the catalyst for a multitude of people to find it. Net positive for the cosmos and all that.
I've got a relatively strong foundation of knowledge for doing IT work, having administered a handful of Linux desktops and servers for personal use for the past 5 years (with previous albeit inconsistent dabbling prior to that). I generally believe in open source software and try to use it wherever I can. Unless something Very Bad happens computers are going to be a huge part of the human experience moving forward and if we are to truly prosper for the coming millennia it's probably best if this part of humanity wasn't closed off in boxes held by duopolies with the power to rival governments.
In regard to IT work I also want to stress that I'm not kidding myself either, there would still be a lot of work to do in terms of certifications, an exponential increase in experience, etc. Dunning–Kruger looms its head here I think. Also, though it's probably my best asset to convert into a career I'm not sure I like the culture that surrounds IT at least as far as I imagine it, and I don't have a particular fascination with things like networking or server administration which has me a bit worried. For what it's worth I'd say my true passion lies in the Sciences, namely Astronomy. Fusion seems to be the main attraction in the Universe so I like to pay attention. Words fail me a bit here but suffice to say the latter is the only subject which I feel truly fascinates me.
The world isn't lack for the musings and moans of uncomfortable souls, and this turned out much more long-winded than I intended it to. I can't imagine anyone reading this to derive much value here so I'll cut it short.
If you've made it this far and have any kind of feedback I'd appreciate hearing it.
Cheers,
17 votes -
The untold story of Otto Warmbier, American hostage
3 votes -
Let’s all stop shaming moms for showing emotion
5 votes -
From professor-in-waiting to florist: Why some PhDs are quitting academia for unconventional jobs
4 votes -
Getting a tattoo of your favourite art?
3 votes -
Suspicious minds - Mingling with wariness and wonder at a conference devoted to "Ancient Aliens"
5 votes -
Trained to shoot: The Utah teachers taking up guns in their classrooms
9 votes -
Work less, get more: New Zealand firm's four-day week an 'unmitigated success'
15 votes -
When a DNA test shatters your identity
6 votes -
The town at the heart of Nicaragua’s opposition movement
2 votes -
Reality check: Does name-blind hiring help improve diversity?
14 votes -
Abandoned by coal; swallowed by drugs
6 votes -
Talkback caller's heartfelt poem about violence against women resonates with listeners
2 votes -
"Still can't believe it worked": The story of the Thailand cave rescue
12 votes -
Civility is on the decline and we all bear responsibility
20 votes -
Eurydice Dixon murder: Not all men are violent, but all men can prevent violence
2 votes -
In about twenty years, half the population will live in eight US states
14 votes -
Grain-free dog food causing heart problems with certain dog breeds
5 votes -
Survival of the richest - The wealthy are plotting to leave us behind
28 votes -
The everyday sexism I face as a stay-at-home dad
26 votes -
Inside the minds of Elon Musk's fans
12 votes -
A disastrous time for abuse of women in this country
23 votes -
Japan’s vegetable-eating men - A nation of suit-wearing salarymen educates its first generation of stay-at-home dads
7 votes -
'To call myself Canadian would speak to the success of residential schools'
3 votes -
The murders we don't hear about — and why
6 votes -
The future of policing is here
20 votes -
Two weeks after “ending” US family separation, parents still can’t contact their children
7 votes -
Not your asian sidekick (online dating, emasculation and more)
10 votes -
What it's like to be trapped in a cave
8 votes -
Science Moms: Full film
7 votes -
To offset the serious meta posts lately, here's some fluffy kittens
16 votes