When I was almost twenty one years old, my parents sat me down and told me something I never expected to hear.
They told me I was born with Down syndrome.
I just looked at them.
I didn’t know what to say.
I thought maybe they were joking at first.
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.
“What does a healthy marriage feel like?”
I’m not in a healthy relationship with my husband. I’m not sure we’ve ever had one, even while dating before we got married. There is a lot of harbored resentment, emotional neglect, and weak connection. I’m not sure the last time I felt truly connected with him.
How does it feel being with a safe, loving partner?
How to Stop Apologizing for Taking Up Space
Let me start with this: you are not a burden. You are not “too much.” And you don’t need to apologize for simply existing or for taking up space in this world. Yet, if you’re like so many of us, you’ve probably caught yourself apologizing for things that don’t even require an apology.
Linkage
20 Fascinating Photos Collected From History – Ned Hardy
These pliers are one of those tools that instantly make every other pair of pliers feel outdated, with a self-locking grip, incredibly smooth adjustment, and rock-solid German craftsmanship that makes any job easier. – Amazon
He Earns $33 an Hour as a Costco Cashier. Now He’s a Millionaire. – WSJ
35 Simple Survival Tips That Could Make All the Difference – Ned Hardy
Data Center Emits Constant Screeching Noise Directly Into Man’s House – Yahoo
South Korea to spend $1T on more memory chip production and humanoid robots – Ars Technica
John Deere owners will get the right to repair their own equipment under a new FTC settlement – AP News
We Are Living in a ‘ChatGPT Flyer Pandemic’ – 404 Media
28 Throwback Photos That’ll Make You Say, “Wow, I Remember That!” – Ned Hardy
Best Ice Cream Scoop Ever! It glides through even hard-frozen ice cream with almost no effort, makes perfectly round scoops every time, and just feels incredibly well-made. – Amazon
11 Rounds of IVF, $250,000, and No Baby – Archive.ph
Why Every Remaining Team Will—and Won’t—Win the World Cup – The Ringer
New sodium metal battery design charges in just 4 minutes and retains its capacity for years – Live Science
Meta’s Social Media Empire Is Under Siege. Its Plan for the Future Is to Watch You Even More Closely – Gizmodo
I believe there have only been five truly ethical NBA champions in the last 25 years: teams that don’t need an asterisk by their title. – The Pudding
Canadian boy, 11, died from rabies after waking up with bat on his mouth – CNN
The Dumping Grounds
What It’s Like to Go Through Conversion Therapy
When I was eleven years old, I told my mom I was gay. I didn’t really understand the weight of what I was saying, I just knew that I had feelings for boys and thought I should be honest about it. I expected questions. Maybe even some awkward silence. What I got was a phone call—to our church.
“My oldest childhood friend and I lie to our spouses and travel sometimes”
I’m a 33 year old man with a friend from childhood. Let’s call her Rose. We met when we were around 13 and have stayed in each other’s lives, even if only from a distance. When we were about 15 or 16, we probably would have dated if the timing had worked out differently. There was always something between us.
Instead, our relationship settled into a friendship. At one point I set her up with one of my closest friends, and they dated briefly. Later, she set me up with her cousin, and we went on a few dates, but nothing came of it.
What a Good Novel Can Teach You That a Self-Help Book Never Will
A lot of people treat reading like grocery shopping. They walk into a bookstore looking for a solution. Better habits. More confidence. Greater discipline. Better relationships. They do not want a story. They want instructions.
So they head to the self help section.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that. A good self help book can give you useful frameworks, challenge bad assumptions, and motivate you to make changes. At their best, they are practical manuals for navigating specific problems.
The Dumping Grounds
I Went to the Most Expensive School in the World
Whenever people find out I attended Institut Le Rosey, the conversation almost always begins the same way. They want to know about the billionaires, the royalty, the celebrities, and the eye-watering tuition.
They ask whether private jets really landed nearby, whether everyone wore designer clothes, whether the stories they’ve heard online are actually true.
The answer to most of those questions is yes.