More stories · Page 197
“My boyfriend has a lot of potential but has no job, no license and lives on a couch”
I’m a 28-year-old woman in Toronto, dating a 37-year-old man who’s kind, smart, and full of potential. But here’s the reality: he lives on his parents’ basement couch, doesn’t work, lost his license, sleeps all day, and stays up all night.
He’s been clean from substance use for years, but still occasionally uses “snowflake.” I’ve got my life together—educated, employed, building something for myself. I love him and truly believe in his potential, and part of me thinks I can help him turn things around, but I’m scared I’m holding myself back.
Do I stick around or move on? I need brutal honesty.
“My 18-Year-Old Daughter is Dating a 51-Year-Old Man”
My 18-year-old daughter has been dating a 51-year-old man for two months. My husband and I strongly disapprove of the relationship—not just because of the age gap, but because he’s older than either of us and we fear she’s being manipulated.When we confronted her, things escalated. She moved out and is now living with him. We tried involving local authorities, but were told there’s nothing they can do since she’s legally an adult.
Now we’re empty nesters, blindsided, heartbroken, and deeply concerned. I feel depressed and helpless. How do I cope with this situation?
You Can Do Everything Right and Still Be Alone—Here’s Why
There’s a phrase I hear all the time when someone’s describing a friend who’s still single: “She deserves love.” It’s always well-intentioned. A way of affirming that person’s kindness, loyalty, generosity, strength. But embedded inside that phrase is an idea we rarely question: that love is something deserved.
5 Ways Meditation Makes You Less of an A-Hole
I’ll admit it: I used to think meditation was for people with too much free time or not enough real problems. A soft habit for soft people. But then I noticed something odd: the people in my life who meditated regularly weren’t just calmer. They were—how do I put this?—less of an a**hole. Less reactive. Less petty. Less likely to escalate a dumb argument or turn a bad day into everyone’s problem.
It wasn’t that meditation made them perfect saints. It’s that it made them better at being human. And if you, like me, have ever looked back at a moment and cringed at how you acted, then meditation might be the tool you didn’t know you needed.
Linkage
15 People Having A Worse Day Than You – Ned Hardy
This is a great kitchen gadget. It can be used on any pot and is good for draining just about everything – Amazon
‘James’ wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction – NPR
How Woodworking Is Helping People Carve Out Inner Peace – The Guardian
Waymo says it will add 2,000 more robotaxis into 2026 – The Verge
The Advice Therapists Give Couples Who Are Constantly Fighting – Fatherly
12 Remarkable Survival Stories, and What We Should Learn From Them – Outdoor Life
To have better disagreements, change your words – here are 4 ways to make your counterpart feel heard and keep the conversation going – The Conversation
Fascinating Photos Collected From World War 1 – Ned Hardy
Nifty little card-sized multitool that you can stuff in your wallet and have a few tools at your disposal, should you need it – Amazon
The Best Running Tips of All Time – Outside
How to Instantly Recognize a Stroke – The Art of Manliness
15 Gentle & Nostalgic TV Shows to Put on When You Just Want to Chill Out – Romper
How Running a Little Bit Every Day for Two Months Changed My Life – GQ
10 Bizarre Facts You Didn’t Know About the Soviet Union – Linkiest
The Dumping Grounds
“My partner has an IQ of 72”
My partner is in a college/work training program and has been struggling a lot. Recently, he was referred to student support to assess for possible learning or mental disabilities. As part of that process, he took an IQ test and scored 72.
I wasn’t completely surprised. He often struggles with basic tasks and lacks common sense. Still, he’s a kind person, and I’ve tried to see him through a compassionate lens—like maybe he just needed more time to learn. But now, knowing this number, it feels different. This isn’t just about immaturity anymore. I’m starting to realize I may always have to carry most of the mental and emotional load in our relationship.
I think I caught the ick from my husband of 10 years. Can this be fixed?
My husband (37M) and I (36F) have been together for ten years, and lately, I’m scared I’ve caught “the ick.” We’ve been through a lot of change recently, and I feel like something inside me broke.
Last year, we moved across the country to support his creative career. We planned to keep our remote jobs while he tried to break into a new industry. But the day before we left, he was laid off.
Don’t Chase Passion—Build Discipline and It’ll Meet You There
There’s a certain kind of panic that grips us in our twenties—or maybe it’s in our thirties, or even our forties. It comes in waves, usually during long commutes, after breakups, or while scrolling through the curated ambitions of others. The panic says: You haven’t found your passion. You’re wasting your life. Time is running out.