The world has a way of teaching us to hide what we feel. Don’t cry. Don’t get angry. Don’t make people uncomfortable. Smile if you can. Keep your voice steady. Be easy to be around. So we learn to tuck our feelings away. We pretend we’re fine when we’re not. We swallow the words that…
Sometimes it feels like the ground, the sky, even your own soul are falling away and you’re left face to face with all the pain you spent years trying not to feel. You tell yourself if you pretend hard enough that it didn’t happen. That you will be fine. Spoiler Alert: You won’t be. So…
I’m bossy because I’ve been told that I am. I’m a narcissist because I’ve been told that I am. I am ugly, unkind, impatient, selfish, weak, overly emotional, irrational, and an ignorant liar. And those people are right. I have worn every one of those hats at some point in my life. I know how…
Where “woke” came from and went to
I didn’t get a chance to ask Greg’s permission to add this to my website but he’s been busy running in The Great World Race. I’ve known him since elementary school just living in the periphery of social media all these years. I read his GoFundMe tonight and well… gosh. I’ll let you read it…
Kerry Kijewski has been a #BeReal guest before a few times. I started this series years ago to highlight real people doing real people things. In a world that shares AI in a way that exaggerates reality everyday it might be more important than ever to keep it real. Kerry just had an article published…
Hello my friends. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted a new #BeReal piece but I met Matthew Mattocks and wanted you to meet him too. I’ve been Facebook friends with Matthew for many years. He was and is a friend to a few of my good friends. I recently joined him with my friends…
A GUEST POEM BY Byron Hamel They force you into theseLittle rowsIndustrial linoleumWorn down to bedrockWhere you waitUntil they are as urgent as you areAbout the death and mayhemPlease wait calmlyWhile the world caves inAnd you stay at the bottomIf you liveThey caught me cryingThis time about Hiroshima and NagasakiI’d been in the middle of…
It’s strange to me Looking back now At the way I was I felt confident Shimmery Or like A disco ball Breathing colors On every surface I felt magical Like a unicorn With pretty clothes And glittery makeup Totally deluded By my own Optical illusions
I’ve had a few hard weeks. Sleep has been hard. My knee is kinda a wreck. I see hurting people everywhere and I hate that. I want the world to be healthier and happier. But sigh… it’s a naive hope. It wasn’t too long ago though that I couldn’t see past my own pains. My…
