Archive

Author: Theodore Lee

Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity,  you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.
Advice Column

“Is it normal that my boyfriend constantly threatens to break up”

I (F25) have been with my boyfriend (M29) for over two years. We love each other, and until recently, our relationship felt amazing—like we never left the honeymoon phase. But the past few months have been different. We’ve been fighting nonstop, and almost every argument ends up being about what I’m doing wrong. It always escalates to him saying we need to reevaluate our relationship or that he’s not sure he wants this anymore.

Read the rest: “Is it normal that my boyfriend constantly threatens to break up”
main

Her Husband Worked Two Jobs While She Hid a $47,000 ‘Escape Fund’

I (34F) have recently ran into a situation with my husband (37M) and am curious about if I am the AH here or not. So me and my husband have been tother for 8 years, married for 7. When I got married my mother came to me privately and talked about setting aside money as a rainy day/ escape fund if worst came to worst. My husband has never showed any signs of being dangerous and rarely even gets upset, but the way my mother talked about it, it seemed like a no brainer to have.

Read the rest: Her Husband Worked Two Jobs While She Hid a $47,000 ‘Escape Fund’
Links

Linkage

This Year’s Biggest News Stories, From the White House to the L.A. Fires to the Middle East – Archive.ph

25 Vintage Photos That Capture Christmas Through the Years – Ned Hardy

This book is for all the parents who want to break unhealthy cycles and raise their children with more awareness, care, and intention than they themselves were given. – Amazon

Chris Evans Returns for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as Captain America With a Child, Teaser Confirms – Variety

The 8 worst technology flops of 2025 – MIT Technology Review

The Woman in the Coldplay Concert Kiss Cam Video Is Ready to Talk – Archive.ph

26 Nostalgic Photos That Will Unlock a Core Memory – Ned Hardy

Really high quality tool set that would be a great gift for anyone handy person out there – Amazon

How the Phone Ban Saved High School: Since the bell-to-bell device lockup, teens have rediscovered the simple pleasures of conversation and poker – Archive.is

OpenAI Is Going Into the New Year With Some Real Loser Energy – Gizmodo

The Earliest Known Customer Complaint Was Made 3,800 Years Ago: Read the Rant on an Ancient Babylonian Tablet – Open Culture

How to Read One Book Per Week (Even if You Read Slowly) – Scott H. Young

50 Wholesome Christmas Pictures That Capture The Spirit Of The Season – Linkiest

The Safety Squat Bar: The Middle-Aged Man’s Secret Weapon for Leg Strength – Art of Manliness

NASCAR driver Greg Biffle killed in plane crash at Statesville airport in North Carolina – Yahoo News

Life Experiences

What It’s Like to Be Raised in a Family of 22 Siblings

I’m the fourteenth of twenty-two children. All biological. Fourteen boys, eight girls. When I say that out loud, I can feel people doing the math in their heads—trying to picture it, trying to understand how something like that even functions. Most people don’t grow up in a family; they grow up in a household. I grew up in something closer to a small, loud, moving ecosystem.

Read the rest: What It’s Like to Be Raised in a Family of 22 Siblings
Advice Column

“How bad off am I for retirement?”

I am 45 and have been bad with money and saving/investing but trying to right the ship. However I know I’m pretty screwed.

Here are my stats-

Income- $95k IRA- $14K; maxed out for 2024 401k- $42k; will be about $8-10k short of max for 2024 Savings- $60k in hysa

I rent paying $1500, no other debts. Would like to get a house, but don’t see it happening.

I am trying to learn more about saving and investing. Trying to put a plan together but overwhelmed and think I won’t make it.

Read the rest: “How bad off am I for retirement?”
Life Advice

Is Divorce Better for Kids Than a Toxic Marriage?

Parents arguing while children listen from another room

Hi there. I’m so glad you’re here.

If you’re reading this, I want to start by acknowledging how much you love your kids. I know that the reason you’re staying—the reason you’re even asking this question—is because you want to protect them. You want to give them stability. You want to be a “good parent.”

But we need to have a really honest, sturdy conversation about what “stability” actually feels like for a child. Often, we think we are protecting our kids by keeping the family under one roof, when in reality, we might be asking them to live in a climate that is fundamentally dysregulating.

Here is why staying in a toxic environment might be doing the opposite of what you intended.

Read the rest: Is Divorce Better for Kids Than a Toxic Marriage?
Life Advice

The Dangers of Only Making Minimum Payments on Credit Cards

It is one of the most seductive features of modern banking: the “Minimum Payment Due.” Neatly tucked at the bottom of your monthly credit card statement, that small, manageable number feels like a lifeline when your budget is tight.

However, from a wealth-building perspective, the minimum payment isn’t a lifeline—it’s an anchor. While it keeps your account in “good standing” and protects your credit score from late fees, it is strategically designed to keep you in debt for as long as mathematically possible.

Read the rest: The Dangers of Only Making Minimum Payments on Credit Cards
Links

Linkage

The 10 best movie villains of 2025 – Far Out Magazine

Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers – Archive.ph

This is an excellent gift for a tech-savvy friend who likes to tinker. It’s an accessible gateway into hands-on electronics like lights, sensors, simple robots, and home experiments, with enough depth to keep them building long after the first project clicks. – Amazon

A Damn Fine Collection of Fascinating Photos – Ned Hardy

The Eyes Wide Shut Conspiracy – Did Stanley Kubrick warn us about Jeffrey Epstein? – Vulture

Here’s the Album Cover Tim Burton Made for A$AP Rocky – Pitchfork

25 Historical Memes for People Who Paid Attention in History Class – Ned Hardy

This is a fantastic gift for someone curious about making music without committing to a giant keyboard or new desk—it’s compact, powerful, and perfect for recording, chopping, and turning everyday sounds into something fun and unexpected. – Amazon

Trump orders blockade of ‘sanctioned oil tankers’ into Venezuela – NPR

Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world – The Guardian

7 Times People Predicted the World Would End on a Specific Day and Were Wrong – Linkiest

James Cameron Is Ready to Move Beyond ‘Avatar’: “I’ve Got Other Stories to Tell” – Hollywood Reporter

Hacking group says it’s extorting Pornhub after stealing users’ viewing data – TechCrunch

Is the viral cheese pull saving chain restaurants? – NPR