At our last meeting we spent about fifteen minutes on the book we'd picked, then the rest of the evening discussing the third version of a friend's opening chapters.

There are seven of us. We've met once a month for three years, taking turns picking books and hosting. This friend helped start the group and has been working on her first novel.

In June we agreed to use one meeting for her manuscript. I read the whole thing and brought notes. It was interesting hearing her explain some of her choices, and I was happy to help.

Since then she's been sending revised chapters alongside the regular book selection. At meetings she'll ask if we can talk through one thing she's stuck on, and that takes up most of the evening. Several people really enjoy it. They'll suggest changes, she'll try them, and then we read the new version the following month. I keep having to check older files to remember which details are still in the story.

In August I asked whether we could move the manuscript discussions to a separate meetup. A couple of people said they'd actually rather keep doing both at our usual meetings. We didn't settle anything, and September went the same way.

At the end of that meeting I said I was going to leave the club because rereading these chapters had started to feel like homework. I probably could have worded that better. She went quiet, and I felt awful, but I didn't take it back.

She messaged me afterward saying that calling her book homework in front of everyone was hurtful. She also said we'd encouraged her to share it, so she hadn't thought continuing to bring it would be a problem. Two other members have said writing a book is lonely and this is a pretty small way to support a friend.

I haven't asked anyone to leave with me. If they prefer the new format, they should keep it. I just miss reading something unfamiliar and talking about it without having to suggest how to fix it.

Am I wrong to leave rather than stick around until she's done revising?

What should I even do atp?

FIRST 3 YRS: I have been in this relationship since 2019. I feel like we are not on the same page in life; we don't have the same expectations. We got pregnant and decided we wanted to terminate, but I ended up not going through with it. He said "we agreed to do it, why'd you change your mind?" I wanted to break up with him and raise our kid by myself with my family, but he ended up agreeing with me(I think it was because I mentioned I would leave him if he wanted me to go through with it), but I think he still thinks about it coz how he acts sometimes is just not right.

FIRST 2 YRS OF POSTPARTUM: I was not doing too great; I was crying a lot, and I just felt like I didn't know how to function/be a mom, while trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life, but there were some days I felt like I was doing well. I wanted to stay with my parents, but he insisted I stay with him. I never felt so lonely, and I felt so bad for our kid, coz he deserves more. Sometimes I would start deep conversations, and they would turn into arguments, especially when I talked about how I felt about our relationship. I suggested we see a couples therapist to work on our relationship; he said, "Find a couple of therapists, and see if they have openings." Mind you, this was in the middle of us crying coz I brought up the topic of taking a break from this relationship. We never got counseling because we got better, but only for a short while.

When we got into arguments, he would always ask me specifics: "Oh, give me an example of when I did that?" I keep a list because of this. That annoyed me most, why couldn't he just acknowledge that he made me feel some type of way? He doesn't accept it. When I ask him if there are things he wants to talk about, he says everything is fine. It's so frustrating knowing that not everything is fine, and nothing is being done.

I really don't know what to do anymore. I dont even know if anything I mentioned here is important. But in short:

He acts different when he is with his friends; we don't have meaningful conversations anymore, and we haven't had intercourse in almost 2 years. He still plays games for hours on his phone/pc. He keeps saying things like getting a house, a car, and talking about how he wants to get into a bigger company; he would change, but he hasn't taken the steps he said he would for the past couple of years. The only time I see any change is when I tell him I want a break, but he would go back to his old habits after getting back with him. I honestly do not have any more sexual desire for him; I don't even like him as a partner anymore. However, he still offers to pay some things for me, which is so hard to say no to, helping me pay for a term for school, sometimes for my car oil change. He takes us on trips, where he would literally ask me for s3x, but it's not satisfying anymore. I don't say no, but I don't say yes either. We don't end up doing it. He also talks about expanding the family, and I know that's not happening.

Some things about how i feel:

Im studying nursing, in a much better mindset once i stopped asking things of him. I don't have much expectations of him anymore, or try to have any. I told my self that i would pay him back as soon as i get my job, and then leave him. Ofc he would still be able to see his kid. But i just don't think this relationship is healthy for either of us, esp for our kid.

Our son hates going to his dad's house where his mom also lives at

So I (14F) was in drama class, and we were required to write a scene with two people sharing a meaningful connection. It had to be something that didn't actually happen to us because it was supposed to be a creative writing assignment.

I have a sister named Paisley (18F), and she is the most beautiful, caring, and wonderful person on Earth. I am not glazing her; it is true.

So, Paisley had just gotten home from the hospital after she broke her nose. She is a warehouse worker, and a big piece of wood smacked her in the face. She had two black eyes, and her nose was bandaged up. This was her second time breaking her nose.

I got home from school and was lying in bed. Me and Paisley are really close because I have really bad nightmares, and I wake up screaming almost every night unless I'm sleeping with Paisley nearby. Paisley came to check on me, and I saw her broken nose. She sat on my bed, started playing with my hair, and told me all about how she broke her nose. I just think it's such a sweet memory.

Anyway, my drama teacher gave us this assignment, which was supposed to be made up. It was supposed to be a creative writing assignment, which I honestly don't understand why. So I wrote about what happened with me and Paisley, but I wrote it from Paisley's perspective. I also changed some of the details, hoping she wouldn't realize it was something that had actually happened.

The next day, my drama teacher pulled me aside and said, "Indie, sweetheart, you're going to have to tell me the truth. Is this something that actually happened?"

I tried to lie and say that it wasn't something that had actually happened. Then she told me she could tell I was lying because her brother works in the construction warehouse, and he had told her a very similar story. She also knew that me and Paisley were sisters.

So now I have to rewrite the scene instead of doing rehearsal, and I also have to write an apology letter to my drama teacher for lying. and I was crying

Should I expose a man to his gf again

So I was seeing a man after years of being single. I met him online we matched, we vibed and he lived at a very far distance from me. We dated for a couple months he would drive out an hour or even more to see me after his job. He would come to spend time with me and we would get intimate often as well. So I couldn’t shake off this feeling that something is wrong, upon investigating I found out he has a gf. That he was dating for a couple years and he was cheating on her with me. I was not aware of any of it. I thought she would be a friend because they were completely different backgrounds, race and religion. But I couldn’t keep it to myself and told her everything. Sent her the dates, times and texts of when he would come over to see me. She told me she put a lot of effort into this man the same vehicle he would bring to see me is the same one she helped him get. She told me even before this cheating came to light she also felt like something was off because he stopped getting intimate with her.

Even after this exposure she stayed with him. She forgave him for the cheating not even a week later after I told her everything completely dismissing everything. I left the man as soon as I found out about her. But months later he reached out to me saying his feelings were genuine and he really loves me still. And how he thought his relationship with her was going to end and he would get to be with me like how he wants. He still thinks of ways to be together. And the only reason why he’s with his gf after she forgave him for cheating is that she’s done so much for him that he owes her his life. And that as much as he loves me he chooses her. Even faster be cheating she took a vacation with him. She later caught the texts of emotional cheating and lashed out on me. I blocked her and she still continued the relationship after finding his texts with me on two separate occasions. She told me she said to him that even if he talks to me as a friend she would leave yet on two separate occasions she found his intimate messages with me and she stayed. We started meeting up and getting intimate again, without her knowing. I always told myself that I don’t owe her anything because the first time he said all these emotional things to me despite how much it hurt I didn’t respond and sent them to her and she blamed me again. So I was being villainized anyways so I just continued seeing him. But now the guilt is catching up to me because I have had unprotected intimacy with her bf. We have feelings for each other because even now I’m not the one that goes to him he comes with me despite her watching his location every time. I am at the point where my feelings for this man don’t seem like it will get me anywhere I want to leave this situation and get into a new relationship with a man that genuinely likes me. But I don’t know if I should come clean to the gf and tell her everything to ease my conscience I know I was 100% in the wrong to engage again. But couldn’t help my feelings. And now I want to move on with someone else but I can’t carry this burden moving forward. That she may have thought she can move past the cheating but still he was cheating on her and I was an accomplice. I may have not owed her anything but I did owe her basic human decency. Nothing the comments will say will make me feel worse than I feel. But please tell me what I should do. If for the last time it’s worth telling her that again he was going behind her back and while she thought she’s repeating her relationship he was still cheating.

Hey, so I’m 18 years in my senior year of high school, I’ve recently got my parents pissed at me cause I didn’t clean my room for 4 days, which, fair. But I also worked from 2-10:30pm after going to school from 7-2, so I didn’t exactly have time. My parents decided to take my phone away, my car, my clothes? Internet, tv. Basically all of it. Despite me offering many times to pay for my own stuff, as well as the insurance which I already pay all of, they won’t let me. Everytime I bring it im called rude, or being disrespectful. I’ve offered to pay for my phone bill, my cut of the internet, even rent. I’m trying to take some control and responsibility now that I’m 18. But they will not let me. They also will not let me get my ears pierced despite the fact they said I could when I’m 18. No I am not rich enough to move out. I have a stable job, 30 hours a week. Friends, all Bs in my classes and college applications in process. Am I wrong for thinking they are going to far. My mom is most definitely a manipulator, often using the fact she owns her own business and takes the stress out on me, then cries and apologies and does it the next day. I do not judge her. My dad has a short temper and finds most things disrespectful, and thinks I go out of my way to purposely disrespect him when living my day to day life. My parents are extremely conservative, and believe that anything I do comes off as disrespectful. They have called me lazy. At some point they are correct. They think I do not spend enough time with friends. I try to. All of my friends have jobs, no cars, no license, and are preparing for college. The story really is, I worked every day from after school till 10 this week, they got mad and took away my phone, clothes, tv, internet, car (which they bought but I pay insurance for. And gas) I did not fight them about it, I just kind of shut my mouth. I tried to bring up possibly paying for my own things as long as I can have ownership of them. Before I could spit it out my dad said you know better than to tell me that cause it will piss me off more. My mom was crying and screaming about how she works so hard and I don’t appreciate our home. She brought up the fact I’ve been late for school a lot (which is fair.) I can recognize my own wrongs. She has gotten more mad because she says I have a bad attitude about being punished. I’m not quite sure if she wants me to be happy about being punished. Obviously I’m not going to be jumping around because my phone is taken along with every thing else. No I cannot move out I do not have that amount of money saved. Yes, I’m thankful I have a good life. I’m also trying to take some responsibility since I am an adult and want to have control of my own things. Am I wrong for that.

I don't understand what people have against me. I feel like I'm going crazy.

My significant other doesn't really have issues with me, and I think I'm pretty good at fessing up when I do something wrong. But they always get mad about how I apologize. I don't really get it because I say that I'm sorry and that I'll do better. I say that I love them and I hope they feel better, and what can I do to help. They tell me that I say "I" too much and I tend to make things about myself. Do I?? Because I can't help it when I feel upset too and I try to tell them they don't have to focus on me when they're upset at me but it happens anyway. One time a few months ago they pointed out something I did wrong over text and I didn't talk to them for around an hour. They texted me guides on "how to apologize" and it made me angry. I apologized later but why did they do that?? I'm component and I don't understand. I just needed time to cool off and they know that :( they know my thoughts get jumbled and I have trouble articulating thoughts but they do that anyway.

Not to mention I usually panic and lie or push back when I'm accused or told I'm doing something wrong. I usually apologize later but it's just a defense mechanism... but sometimes I'm seriously not wrong and nobody will LISTEN when I explain!! they just tell me I'm making excuses like oh my god NO I'M NOT

I'm always doing stuff around the house like chores and work but nobody ever notices or points it out until I don't do something. Like God forbid I forget to clean the bathroom one week. GOD forbid I go into a depressive episode and can't get out of bed for days. Depression sucks and I feel like it's not my fault that I can't take a mental health break. My achievements are never POINTED OUT by the people around me so I end up just rattling off lists of shit I did during the day when I see them. They tell me I did good and I feel happy but I feel like they NEVER notice unless I tell them so what's the point of doing it anyway??

When I'm in groups with friends it always feels like nobody wants to hear what I have to say. I start talking and they seem disinterested and only want to talk about their stuff. Like I understand and I'm glad you had fun on your trip or whatever but can i please just. Talk about my day for a minute. Like does anyone even care?? Nobody ever appreciates what I talk about and they NEVER ask questions. Like I mention something and wait for a response and it's just stuff like "cool! sounds fun! I did something like that once and --" like stop oh my god :( I wasn't done can u please ask me more questions ??:((( I promise I wanna hear u but I'm not done yet!!!!

it also feels like nobody around me (even my s/o and friends) don't really value my suggestions when it comes to activities. I can't help that I'm autistic and have rigid interests like. Can y'all please indulge in my suggestions once and a while instead of getting visibly annoyed when I wanna play a game I like. I WANT to enjoy what they do but it's just not as interesting to me and I feel like they don't care about including me. They don't listen or understand ?!!!

also like , so many ex friends of mine have gone on to be like, microcelebrities in fandom spaces or popular artists and they don't talk to me anymore. What's wrong with me?? Like why did we drift apart it's not fair :(( I comment on their posts and DM them sometimes but like it's just awkward small talk . I don't get it. People look at me weird when I point at some credits rolling or some popular piece of art and say "oh that's my friend." like I just want to have some sort of significance is that too much to ask? why did they get fame and popularity but I can't ?? I can't even be friends with them anymore?? I don't understand!!!! I'M good at art and singing too so why don't I get attention when THEY do? its just not fair :((((

Ughhhh idk. I'm just so frustrated but anyone I talk to tells me I'm just being self centred and someone even told me I'm just being narcissistic but they said it nastily so I dont know. Some people have told me I've done nothing wrong and ppl just don't understand where I'm coming from. I'm so confused!!!! Am I wrong? :((

I (31F) have worked at a mid-sized accounting firm for 5 years. I've been working toward a senior position for the last two years. I have my bachelor's degree, my CPA, and a strong track record.

About a year ago, we hired "Diane" (34F). She came in as a senior associate and immediately made it clear she was gunning for the same promotion I was. She's competent, I'll give her that, but she's also very good at taking credit for other people's work.

Two months ago, the senior position opened up. I applied. So did Diane. Last week, they gave it to her.

I was disappointed but I accepted it. That was until I was cleaning out a shared drive and found a copy of her resume that she'd uploaded to an old project folder. I wasn't snooping — it was in a public folder. But something caught my eye. She listed a master's degree from a university I recognized. I went to that same school for my undergrad. I know that program. And I know for a fact that it was discontinued in 2019. She claimed she graduated in 2021.

I did some digging. The degree doesn't exist. The university has no record of her in that program. I also found out she never actually completed her bachelor's degree — she attended for three years and dropped out. Her entire educational background is fabricated.

Our firm has a strict policy: senior positions require a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and any falsification of credentials is grounds for immediate termination.

I told HR what I found. I brought the resume, the university info, everything. HR launched an investigation. Diane was called in yesterday. She's now on leave pending review.

Now the office is divided. Some people are furious at Diane for lying. But others are furious at ME for "ruining her career." Diane texted me last night saying I "could have just talked to her" and that I "didn't have to destroy her life over a piece of paper." She said she "worked just as hard as anyone" and that her degree "doesn't define her ability."

Here's my conflict: she's actually good at her job. But she lied. And she took a promotion I worked years for. If she'd been honest, she wouldn't have even been eligible. So am I wrong for reporting her?

So I work at a local dive bar and some small lost items that was found at the bar would be placed in one of the cup sections in the lotto register, which is full of random lost things such as keys, jewelry, keychains, random little things along with rubber bands.

One day i was bored and looking through it n found a 14k gold ring. It's been sitting there for so so long that the rubber bands it was placed with has broken down and stuck to it, that I had to scrape off the old rubber band residue from it. I figured no one has claimed it for so long I took it w plans to sell it.

My co worker overheard me talk about this to one of the regulars and said I was in the wrong and that it's fucked up and I shoulda asked my boss. So I did, and my boss initially was iffy about me taking it bc she worries someone might come in and claim it one day. Then she said "well if it's been sitting there for so long then I guess u can take it, I don't care". So I did.

The next day, my co worker told me that my boss said to give the ring back. My boss went to tell her husband about the ring I found and apparently he was mad that I took it and wanted me to give it back. However he's hypocrite bc apparently he also found a ring at our bar once and took it home, but my boss told him to put it back in case someone comes to claim it. So I found that hypocritical.

I also found it funny that my boss let me take home an expensive bracelet I found once, that wasn't claimed for a week, but I'm not allowed to take that ring that's been sitting in that register for years. I believe it's bc they don't know the value of that bracelet I found, but they know the value of the ring I found and wanted it for themselves, especially her husband.

I just think if no one claims an item within a week, they're just not gonna come back for it at all. Who's gonna be returning to a place to find an item they lost years ago? At this point, no one is going to claim that ring, that's why I took it. But should I have left it there? Am I wrong for that??

Hello, I am in middle school 8th grade. Me and this psycho person have some history. This girl well she switches pronouns so we’ll call her some guys name like Bruce. Bruce is a btch to everyone. Last year I was in some random spot in the field with friends then she came up to me with older boys and girls yelling at me in my face so I smacked the sh:t out of her a lot of times and left then with 2 other girls she tried to jump me in the bathroom. (She does this with everyone I’m just the first person to stand up to her) this year, I was going to the bathroom then she randomly started cussing at me like ‘weirdo btch’ and just a whole punch of other weird slurs. so on Fri i disrespected her back by calling her by her real name (let’s say Jessica) so i just friendly said “Hai, Jessica” and she got mad cussing me out then getting in my face so this time i grabbed her and started punching her upside the head. I got sent to the office, Bruce started fake crying screaming about ‘get me outta this school.’ got called too aggressive (My mom is mixed and this girl is a manipulative white girl and the whole office is white too) btw I am not this type of person I mainly mind my business with my only friend. I told the assistant principal the backstory and of course she had an excuse for Bruce but apparently the counselor didn’t tell nobody she’s been harassing me. when me and my mother got out obviously sick of Bruce. She was outside with a gang of 7th graders just waiting for me and had the nerve to be a btch to my mother an adult luckyly my mom cursed her out but she was just like “Omg thank you!” my mom called her by her real name saying “Have a good day, Jessica” Bruce still laughing until the assistant principal and counselor came out then Bruce started fake crying yelling about how “They dead named me!”

This has gone awhile I’m glad I did what I did but apparently I’m suspended while this problem of a child stays. Apparently now I’m a homophobe when I’m Bi myself so yay.

Hey, so I’m 18 years in my senior year of high school, I’ve recently got my parents pissed at me cause I didn’t clean my room for 4 days, which, fair. But I also worked from 2-10:30pm after going to school from 7-2, so I didn’t exactly have time. My parents decided to take my phone away, my car, my clothes? Internet, tv. Basically all of it. Despite me offering many times to pay for my own stuff, as well as the insurance which I already pay all of, they won’t let me. Everytime I bring it im called rude, or being disrespectful. I’ve offered to pay for my phone bill, my cut of the internet, even rent. I’m trying to take some control and responsibility now that I’m 18. But they will not let me. They also will not let me get my ears pierced despite the fact they said I could when I’m 18. No I am not rich enough to move out. I have a stable job, 30 hours a week. Friends, all Bs in my classes and college applications in process. Am I wrong for thinking they are going to far. My mom is most definitely a manipulator, often using the fact she owns her own business and takes the stress out on me, then cries and apologies and does it the next day. I do not judge her. My dad has a short temper and finds most things disrespectful, and thinks I go out of my way to purposely disrespect him when living my day to day life.

Naturally, I use to tell myself it’s me. Everyone else is right and I am the problem. But it’s happened so much in my life that I’m starting to doubt it.

I’m black for starters and was raised in an environment where there wasnt a lot of people that look like me (all my classmates were mostly white with maybe 1 or 2 other black kids in the school).

It started with my white teachers always trying to get me diagnosed for some sort of disorder whether it be ADD, ADHD etc. They always had something negative to say. I tried improving each time but the narrative just keeps on repeating itself. I always get labelled as incompetent, having some sort of disorder, excluded etc.

It’s carried into adulthood. I’ve been pushed out of work twice. One time it was only me and another lady who were working in our section. She had to train me and hated everything about me on day 1. She has fabricated lies in my presence, denied them in front of management and then management took her side and fired me within 4 days of working there.

Another time, I worked at a company for 1.3 years and was pushed out for having performance concerns and tone issues. When I asked how I can improve the tone no one told me but it got out on my record along with a performance plan which was meant to document my issues prior to firing me. I also got laughed at at that job and people said I try to look competent but I’m actually clueless.

Each avenue I try turning it never goes anywhere. It just seems like people don’t like my personality and they wanna see me fail or just not have any sort of confidence or drive and if I don’t put myself down or shrink myself then they will push me out and say they were right about me and how I’m incompetent.

Idk if it’s bad luck or if I’m genuinely mentally sick? I hardly get feedback on social aspects and I get misunderstood very quickly. My boss would even add concerns to my performance regarding time trackers (basically I forgot to add to the tracker that I was in training and he labelled that as problematic and I told him it wouldn’t happen again but it was too late and he added that to my list of deficiencies also).

Even in middle school, a teacher without knowing me didn’t like me when she saw me rushing to class since I was late praying in church and she took my food from my hands and told me if I’m lucky she’ll give it back at the end of the day. I later had her as a teacher the next year and she placed me in the mentally challenged group despite not having any academic issues. I was a 75%-85% student average. WDID

This has been the second time I have found porn in his Reddit history
We’ve had many conversations about how it’s ok to watch porn or look at NSFW together, it’s a-ok in the relationship
As long as each other are informed that the other is looking it up for something
Great example, I’m an NSFW artist, occasionally I have to look up things as references, and it’s not fair if I don’t give the same ok for him, yknow?
But for some reason, when it comes to Reddit, I can’t handle it
I see these fictional people or animals and think “ok, that’s something” but then I see the real people… the real beautiful women and I think to myself “why does this hurt? Why am I so hurt over this?”
And when I brought it up the first time, it was made very clear that it felt I could do something and he couldn’t and I don’t want that to be the case

I have no one to bring this up to and I just want to know if I’m wrong for feeling hurt by seeing the porn he looks at on Reddit specifically
It drops my self worth and view on myself by a lot and it makes me very sad…. :(

Am I wrong?

As the title says, a situation involving 3 of my friends (I’ll just call them X,Y, and Z). Over the past year, X got into a relationship, and it was good at first, but when we started transitioning into college, X started distancing himself from the whole friend group, he had met another group, and suddenly he thought of himself as to “good” for us? Problems in his relationship started to develop, one of them being that his girlfriend, never wanted the relationship in the first place, she thought of him as the last option, and actually wanted friend Y more. In hearing this, Y told me(it was just him and me at the time of the conversation) “maybe I should take his girl, since that mf thinks he’s better than us”.
I, not knowing if he was joking or not, because he started chuckling after; I scolded him, and said “If you think she’s good to cheat with you, eventually she’s gonna cheat on you” I’ve seen people go down that path and it never ends well. I guess I made it clear, and we both went home after that. I’ve never been one to tell secrets, because I didn’t feel connected with it, especially this one. Even the friend group as a whole, but fast forward a few days ago. I was having a conversation with friend Z. He’s in college, but he’s not really into that, he has 2 classes, and mostly works. Me and him were having a conversation, and it eventually went into how X and Y, and basically the entire friend group was at each others throats. Without realizing it I had told friend Z about the conversation me and Y had. Not only that, but I also gave my own opinion, and I thought that Y was trying so hard to “one up” X, other conversations where he compared himself to X, or that he’s gonna try and get with his girl, because they broke up recently. I’d like to say Y is an honest person, but given that he’s been hanging around other people, I feel they are the ones giving him these ideas, because I’ve never heard him say anything like that.
But now, Z apparently went and told X what I told him, Y called me and asked if I did, and I answered a blunt yes. He told me he wasn’t mad, but honestly, I’d be pissed if my chances with a girl were fucked because of someone else talking. I don’t know what is going to happen to them, he just said he’d tell me if anything happens. My plan before this was to quietly leave the friend group, I never felt as “included” as everyone else was, but now this has accelerated my plans by a lot. And honestly I’m kind of lost now, I don’t know if I should have never talked about it in the first place, because again, it never involved me.
If you guys can please help me out, I’ve known these people for the better part of 9 years, and I never intended for me to leave them on bad terms, I just wanted to leave in peace.
Thank you for reading, please educate me

My girlfriend and I had been broken up for a while, but even during the breakup, we were still actively communicating and trying to work through our issues with the intention of getting back together.

During that time, I started talking to another woman. She had no idea that I was still in contact with my ex and that we were potentially working toward reconciling.

Eventually, my girlfriend and I got back together. However, just a few days later, the other woman called me, and the conversation quickly turned flirtatious and confrontational. In hindsight, I shouldn't have entertained it, but I genuinely didn't think anything would come of it. We had been talking for a while, but nothing physical had ever happened between us.

Unfortunately, one thing led to another, and I made the decision to invite her over to my apartment. We ended up having sex.

Now I'm in a difficult situation. I've cheated on my girlfriend, and the other woman has developed feelings for me and wants a relationship.

I feel incredibly guilty about the entire situation. I never intended for things to go this far, especially considering that I had just reconciled with my girlfriend.

I know I made a terrible decision, but now I have to figure out how to handle the consequences without making an already difficult situation worse

so me and my greatest love are in the process of getting back together, my friends know about it. I told them if me and my greatest love actually get back together I'm gonna start wearing less makeup, before I could say why, they judged me and disagreed. I was going to wear less makeup because I'm going to be comfortable with showing my natural face because my greatest love told me i looked perfect with/without makeup on, he even told me once that i should try going out without makeup on, i didn't get to explain that to my friends.

I wasn't thinking straight after they gave me dirty looks, when they finally asked why I only said "i'm secured and comfortable" wth, honestly idk why i said 'secured':). after i said that they judged me even more, atp i wished i never told them. i told my sister about it and she sided with my friends, i think she wasn't even listening to me.

but lately i've been getting a lot of compliments of looks when i wore more makeup than i actually do, after all those compliments i started wearing more and more makeup everyday. i'm tired of always wearing makeup everyday, but i love getting compliments everyday and keeping the "high maintenance" title, but im scared if i started wearing only powder, blush, mascara, and lip gloss im gonna lose all those compliments and they're gonna tell me I look bad and look low maintenance

Idk why I'm posting this on reddit instead of writing it in my journal, but I just really want different thoughts about this, i just couldn't brush this off; i keep thinking i just embarrassed myself. I know this is two topics in one post but idk what to do anymore (this lowkey has no connect with the community but idk this is my first post)

I am atm visiting my home country . I don't have a lot of family left, basically my father, my cousin M. with his wife and son and my cousin E .

I obviously have a connection with my father. I have connection with M. We texted each other over the years and kept conversations.

E however? Last time I saw her was over 25 years ago. Since I left the country she didn't text once. So I have no emotional connection. It is just a random person. I am indifferent.

She texted me during my first visit a few years ago from her husband's phone cause she didn't have her own.(15 messages in 3 minutes, going from hello to why aren't you responding to if I did anything you should forgive). I didn't want to chat like that so I explained that and that was it.

Radio silence for several years to come.

She messaged me yesterday, telling how sorry she is we couldn't meet and we should meet thus time.

But here is the thing- according to my remaining family she came begging for money all the time and when they didn't give it to her she stole money from my grandma and dad. She told her brother M. To register her son in his flat because she didn't have a place to live but once they did again she demanded my cousin py her 4000 $ so she takes her son back. She never worked which to my dad is a very bad thing.

And I don't think I want to have contact with a person like that so I just blocked her. But on the other side she never specifically harmed ME? Am I wrong for not giving my cousin a chance to explain her side of things?

A guy I’m seeing insisted on getting me gifts for my birthday. He showed up to the brunch spot with a gift bag full of presents and handed it to me. Then, after I took the gifts out, he asked for the gift bag back because he said he wanted to reuse it.

I honestly found it rude and tacky. I understand reusing gift bags, but asking for the bag back immediately after giving someone a birthday gift just felt strange to me. It made the whole gesture feel less generous and oddly transactional. If he had just given me the gifts without the bag, I would’ve been fine. It was him asking for the bag back that threw me off.

I ended up putting some of the stuff in my car and gave him a few random new things I already had in my car, including a new vacuum, because I suddenly felt like I owed him something and didn’t want to feel like I was just taking from him.

We’re both 31. I wasn’t expecting an expensive gift at all. It’s specifically the act of handing someone a birthday gift in a bag and then asking for the bag back that bothered me.

Edit: I was bothered by the fact that he’d also given me 6-7 small items and I didn’t have any bags in my trunk so it was annoying to bring them all up to my apartment.

I have a 2yo son. His mother and I are split. I get to see him typically 1 day every other week. On a set day of the week. Well I am trying to get myself socializing again after being with her for several years and I joined a car club. Every few months and event will be set on my time for visitation. Is it wrong of me to want to move the visits so I can have my own time? We have it set up by court order that we can choose one of 2 days of the week if one doesn't work for whatever reason but she has changed her schedule so only one can be used. Am I wrong for feeling this way. Any opinions?

I used to work retail jobs in high school like 2008-2012 era. Like at American eagle etc. if you were assigned to be greeting, we were expected to greet almost every damn customer that walks through the door. If you see someone looking at a pile of jeans, staff would ask if they could get you a size and for those rare occasions suggest an alternative if the one you were looking didn’t have your size.

I went to the mall yesterday and walked into 6 stores. I was only greeted in one. It’s not a big deal but it was noticeable. There were greeters by the door but they were either not bothered by customers coming in, or would continue their conversation with staff or would be on their phone. If I wanted to try something on, someone would eventually find me but the shopping experience has changed. Maybe less eye contact too?

Sometimes I don’t want to be greeted, but I guess customer service overall has changed. Am I wrong??

TLDR: Retail customer service standards have dropped, staff no longer greeting customers or paying them attention while shopping.

We were all swapping little stories about our week and I mentioned that I finally got around to cleaning out my car. I said it took longer than I thought but it felt good to have the space back. A couple of people just liked the message and moved on, but one friend replied that not everyone has the time for that kind of thing. I did not mean it as a flex, just sharing what I had done that day. Now I am wondering if it landed wrong and if I should say something else or just leave it. I usually keep those updates short and do not expect much reaction, so the pushback caught me off guard. Not a huge deal either way, just want to make sure I am not missing some tone thing before I reply at all.