fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
A Tour About ME !
Tags: Travel, About Me, Tours And Activities, Travel Writing, Tours And Travels

“Weekend: My favorite word. EVER.”

I find weekends to be the most exciting days of the week ! (and who doesn’t, right ?)

For me, weekends are all about touring, discovering new places and eating, eating, eating, (did I mention eating?)leading to the biggest dilemma(s) ever:

1- Choosing 1 weekly cheat day, which is usually Saturday, but ending up overeating from Friday night till Sunday night

2- Deciding where to eat (so many choices, so little time)

(Dramatic moment)

Anyway, enough about food, let’s talk about me. (Not that I am egocentric but the blog title says I have to, so here I go).

My name is Vanessa. (You can call me V for short).

My love for discoveries, tours, guesthouses and writing is what made me start TourWithV .

Traveling the world and doing local tourism were always a passion of mine, and the best thing about it is the people I get to meet and engage with along the way. Strangers that taught me a lot during my journeys. (And sometimes, if you’re lucky enough, these strangers will become your friends.)

Warnings:

1- If you’re ready to TourWithME, you will read a lot about Fabienne (my best friend) & Anthony (my boyfriend). My main companions. (You will get to know them better with time.)

I’m the one holding the selfie stick. In case you were wondering.

2- I eat lots of “Manakeech” (plural for Manoucheh), so if you see that there’s no balance in my diet, don’t bother telling me, I know it already.

NB: For those who don’t know what a Manoucheh is, it is the BEST breakfast, lunch and dinner food ! (I can eat it anytime.)

It consists of a dough topped with thyme or any other ingredient such as cheese and can be either folded or sliced. Easy right ?

A beautiful piece of art

3- I am also a cooking fan, so you might see a lot of food related activities.

Throughout my tours, I want to share with you ideas and tips on how to make the best out of your tour in Lebanon (My home country) and abroad (depending on the countries I have traveled to), what type of activities you can do and most importantly show you that you can tailor-made any plan based on your liking and budget.(And let me tell you a secret, sometimes the best tours ever are FREE.)

To sum it up, TourWithV is my diary. So come tour with me, V, and “let me show you the world!”

(Not literally. I don’t have a magic carpet. Yet.)

Tour-ly yours,

V
My Story So Far
By: Pradnya Joshi Nair
Tags: About Me, Blog, My Story, Booktuber, Blogger

Tell your story… Says Medium.

Where do I begin?

Let’s start with where I am now.

Hi, I’m Pradnya.

I write about books on my blog, Book, Chai, and a Backpack. I also create video content on books on my YouTube channel of the same name.

<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people'>People vector created by stories — www.freepik.com</a>

I also have an Indian Ethnic Wear shop called Jai Jui Indian Ethnic Wear that is on the verge of evolving into something very beautiful. Let’s just say that it’s a caterpillar hibernating in its cocoon. When it wakes up, it will have transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

It’s a beautiful place to be in.

Let’s see how tomorrow looks.

Pradnya Joshi Nair
Hi, I’m Jared.
By: Jared A. Brock
Tags: Writer, About Me, Free Ebook, Authors, Top Stories

(Click the beard for a free ebook)

I’m an award-winning author, PBS documentarian, and cell-free futurist who’s been published in Esquire, The Guardian, Smithsonian, USA Today, HuffPost, TIME Magazine, and many others. I run one of the happiest publications on Medium, and perhaps the most troubling. My goal is to be the most legitimately helpful writer on the Internet. Thanks for reading and subscribing. (Newsletter subscribers get a free ebook and ALL my paywalled articles for free.)

My Top 10 Most-Viewed Medium Stories (updated regularly)

And here’s my least-popular post of all time: Here Are 10 Powerful Ways to Fight Anxiety When It Hits Hardest

My Top 10 Personal Favorites (updated regularly)

Download my free guide → Level Up: 50 Proven Rules and Tools for a Healthier, Wealthier, Wiser Life
Thank You All
By: Maryam Ismail
Tags: Thanks, About Me, Gratitude, Illumination, Writing

Thank You All

Image created by Jake Nash

For my small, but magnificent group of followers and editors, commenters and clappers. I just wanted to write a note of thanks. For those who gave me a boost by with your claps, your highlights, and especially your comments, I must say a long overdue, Thank You ❤. I really appreciate you all for taking the time to tap out a little love and joy, even when you don’t agree, with me, it is all good.

You make me grow and learn. I am so honored to be in your circle. To my first commenter, Jean Carfantan, your comment was like winning a prize at the carnival for the first time. I gave me the boost to keep writing, when I thought, no one is reading my stuff, Thanks.
Thank you for reading Chetna!
By: Divina Grey
Tags: Introduction, About Me, Life Lessons, Self Improvement, Writing

I love this! We all have the ability and the will to reinvent ourselves.

7 1
Motivational Monday — 12/14/2020. About Me Stories — A Call For Kindness
By: Quy Ma
Tags: About Me, Motivation, Autobiography, Kindness, Bio

Motivational Monday — 12/14/2020

Jennifer Marie and her two sons

Hey everyone!

This week’s post will be different from the typical Motivational Monday post. My wonderful co-editor, Jennifer Marie, has taken a few days off the platform to sort out some personal stuff in her life.

But she needs your help! Until this gets published, she has no idea about this. I’m hoping this awesome community can come through for her, especially during these hard times.

Jennifer is one of the hardest working individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. She’s been a single mom for a while, raising two boys on her own. She works full-time and is also going to school for a business degree. I don’t even know how she gets in time to help me with the publication and write her own stuff on Medium.

On Thursday, Jennifer left the house for a few hours. Upon her return, she and her children had discovered that their house had been broken into. All of the Christmas gifts that she had bought for her kids was taken. They took her kids’ gaming consoles, but they couldn’t take her TV, so they broke it instead. To add insult to injury, they even went into her freezer and took her turkey and ham.

Jennifer is devastated because she had spent lots of time, working overtime to save up for the gifts. Her boys have been so incredibly understanding, telling her, “We understand if we don’t get anything this Christmas, mom.” She told me she doesn’t know what she’s going to do, but she is thankful that she, her boys, and her dogs are safe.

I was so incredibly saddened by this news— I wanted to help the best I can. I created a GoFundMe, a crowdfunding campaign, in the hopes of recouping what was lost. Being a single mom for a while, Jennifer is used to earning her own keep and would never ask for a penny.

Here is the link to the GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/xmas-gifts-stolen-from-jens-children

Absolutely ZERO pressure to donate, especially if you’re tight on money. Jennifer and I would never want that. But maybe a simple sharing of the GoFundMe on your social media networks would also be greatly appreciated.

I’m asking for your help here. There are a few bad apples in this world that ruined her family’s Christmas, but I’m hoping there are tons of more good people out there ready to balance the scales. If I can find at least 200 people to donate $10 or 400 people to donate $5, we could help bring Christmas back to her and her boys.

Let’s get her up and fighting again. Thanks y’all!
About Me — Edmund Settle. I am a social entrepreneur with over 20…
By: Edmund Settle
Tags: About Me, Executive Coaching, Coaching, Leadership Development, Leadership

I am an Executive Coach and social entrepreneur with over 20 years of international leadership experience working with non-governmental organizations and multilateral institutions to advance human rights and inclusion in over 30 countries.

I am passionate about supporting those working to make a difference in the world and people’s lives. Managing over $30 million in multi-country human rights initiatives, I mentored civil society groups and activists to effectively engage government, private sector partners, donors, academia, and UN agencies. These engagement processes produced innovative solutions to improve the inclusion of marginalized groups in law and policymaking, data collection and research activities, and resource mobilization efforts.

I utilize my skills best when I am supporting committed persons to build and manage organizations and programs that empower those who are most marginalized and voiceless. Serving in an advisory capacity, I worked with leading activists to create three of the regional health and human rights non-governmental organizations in Asia and the Pacific. Additionally, I founded two non-governmental organizations focusing on HIV in China, including one of China’s first HIV national advocacy groups. Four of these organizations continue to have an impact to this day.

Throughout my career, I have either been published or quoted on health and human rights concerns in the following publications: The New York Times, The Economist, The Lancet, Journal of the International AIDS Society, Asia Times, South China Morning Post, China Daily, Bangkok Post, Reuters, Associated Press, and China Central Television.

And, in 2005, I authored the first-of-its-kind Glossary of HIV/AIDS-Related Terms and Phrases in Chinese and English.

As an avid scuba diver from an early age. I have been fortunate to dive in a dozen countries including the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador), Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Chuuk Lagoon (Micronesia), and the Coral Triangle in SE Asia. Now, as a PADI Staff Instructor, I have the opportunity to impart new skills, encouraging and motivating professional and recreational divers on their journeys to explore the wonders of the marine environment safely.
About Me — Choy. Me
Tags: Dogs, About Me, Pets, Biography, Animals

About Me — Choy

Hello everyone!

My name is Choy. I am 7 years old and I am a Mexican dog. I was born in Oklahoma and raised here in Colorado.

When I arrived to Colorado, my veterinarian diagnosed me with parvo a deadly disease. I had to be in treatment for a month. I was super scared because I thought I was going to die. Thankfully for those medications. I am a sensitive pet. My stomach doesn’t always allow everything I eat. I am just like my grandmother she’s like that too.

The first thing I was taught was to play bite(thanks to my aunt for teaching me). Anytime, I want to play or want to go out I go and play bite my aunt or grandparents. My grandma thinks it’s funny because she already knows what I want and pretends she doesn’t know.

I also love to play soccer. Every time I play my aunt thinks I am cheating because, I hold the ball with my mouth and run. As well, I play tug or war, my aunt taught me that one.

Everyone that passes by my neighborhood thinks I am a viscous dog but I am just friendly but don’t provoke because then I won’t be nice. It is so funny to see a young guy pass by almost every day and him being scared of me. He always tells my owners to put me inside because I got up to the fence and bark at him. But, my owners just ignore him because they know I won’t do anything to him. Sometimes I don’t like the boy because he just passes by to provoke me to bark. Otherwise, I watch the whole neighborhood and bark if I need to (I go overboard with barking sometimes). Every summer night I go on my neighborhood watch and see if no suspicious activity is happening.

I am a bilingual dog. I understand both english and Spanish. I also speak both languages. When I do not like something that my owners give me or say about me I tell them, “ oh no” in my language. Sometimes I respond yes or no.

I am a very spoiled dog. I get treats everyday, my owners buy me toys, I get special food. I have my own room but I prefer to stay with my grandparents.I get what I want even when I don’t deserve it.

I am a very smart dog. When I was a puppy, I used to climb through the window. I would take off the window protector with my left paw and would get inside my house. My aunt showed me the trick but now I can’t fit through any window. I can detect when someone is hurt or sick just by face expression. Many people are amazed that I am able to open fence gates. I do it just to help or just for fun. They also think it is hilarious that before I cross the street, I always look both ways just to check no car is coming.

I take safety very serious.

I love to help my family. When I was a puppy my grandpa or dad used to do mechanic on the vehicles and I would be next to them pretending to help. Every time my grandma re-paints the house, I stick my tail in the paint and wag it all around. I always love to carry my grandma’s wallet purse anytime she takes me to run errands with her.
About Me
By: Tn Jones
Tags: Writer, About Me, Moms, Homeschoolers, Dog Lover

This part of writing has always been a challenge for me. Honestly, I don’t know where to begin. I guess I should begin with saying, I’m a proud mother to a beautiful and smart pre-teen. I have written 30+ fictional novels centering around love, mayhem, erotic love making, organ harvesting, etc. I love to read, write, research hereditary illnesses, educate those not familiar with topics that I know well, cook, play video games, binge watch TV shows, color, and listen to all genres of music. I have a passion for reading non-fiction literary work. I am a homeschool teacher and a full-time self-published novelist of urban/interracial fictional reads. I am not a fan of sports; I have the slightest clue about anything relating to sports. I am the type of person that’ll choose to be at home by myself enjoying the peace and quiet rather than being around a large group of people. It’s safe to say that I’m a shy person, but once I warm up … I’m a goofy being. A few months ago, I found myself to be a dog lover (small ones only). Overall, I’m a nerdy book writer with a passion for water and amusement parks.
About Me — Corina Oana. My truth in this moment
By: Corina Oana
Tags: Introduction, Nonbinary, About Me, Justice, Immigrant Stories

My truth in this moment

The anti-immigrant sentiment in contemporary America reminds me of why, when my father settled in Paris, I chose America — Europe’s attitude towards immigrants didn’t make me feel cozy.

Back in 1991, here in America, people said my accent was cute. I couldn’t pronounce squirrel and scissors. Or was it my young adult age and America’s obsession with youth that made it cute? Now, it’s only when I fake my accent that people hear it, but ELL still sneaks up daily, as does living and writing with Dyslexia.

I don’t want to write my life story here. I do want to write about my life with writing:

⁃ it slows my mind down, and when I intentionally pick my words, the pause I take so the word can appear is a practice of mindfulness

⁃ it connects me to parts of myself which previously had no voice, and the more I get to know them, the richer I feel, and the more I feel a sense of belonging and intimacy

⁃ it connects me to you and you represent the world because when we write, we draw on the energy and consciousness of writers of the past and of the future

This isn’t an exhaustive list, it is what matters in this moment. In this, my now. It is what I craft now that my daughter is the independent teenager I’d hoped she’d be. Now, being a single mom allows me to keep some of my life-force.

Fun fact: I just moved to a 8 x 14 ft room in Cambridge, MA after cashing in on the one investment that worked: the purchase and sale of a home. This is an exercise in letting go of attachments. Prequel to life in a tiny house.

I’m drawn to spirituality and healing and fermenting and composting. Justice and non-normative ways of being and living. I have a toxic relationship with power and align myself with others who are committed to collective liberation. I’m out here looking for you.

Reciprocity is a practice, and below I thank a few of those who uplift me: publications, writers whose stories or style inspire me:

Illumination

Be yourself

Sayeh Behesh

Florence Wanjiku

Dr. Mehmet Yildiz

Mayank Pamnani
Things Every Good Editor Knows That You Need to Be Aware of as a Writer
By: Jl Matthews
Tags: About Me, Blog, Humor, Biography, Writing Tips

Things Every Good Editor Knows That You Need to Be Aware of as a Writer

I love this piece from Nicole Akers.

Like some — or most — other writers, I take rejection badly. I mope. I despair. And worst of all, I stop writing.

In her post, Nicole says, “Editors aren’t your adversaries.” So true. So obvious. But easy to forget when you’ve just been rejected.

On a lighter note, virtual education goes on. And as it does, parents continue to lose brain cells. Lynn I. Hsu’s EZ School Projects You Can Do At Home does a great job of capturing the insanity (and grossness) of it all.

I’ve pinned my recent “About Me” page under my Medium profile. If you haven’t posted one yet, read their submissions page and get writing!

Need some inspiration? Read this one from Hogan Torah. It’s a masterclass in how to do it.
I come bearing gifts.
By: Jl Matthews
Tags: About Me, Everything Short Form, Humor, Pets, Short Form

I come bearing gifts.

And by gifts, I mean silly pet videos.

Here’s another one!

I’ve done a few shortform posts elsewhere on Medium, but this is my first for Everything Shortform.

I’m excited! I know some of the writers here — Roz Warren, Aimée Gramblin, Hogan Torah, Ravyne Hawke, Ryan Fan.

Others, I’m meeting for the first time. So, hello!

If you don’t know me and want to learn a little about who I am and what I write, you can do that here.

And if you want to write your own About Me page, do that too. I think it’s better than the customary Medium profile section.

If you already have one, drop me a message, I’d love to read it.

Cheers,

JL
About Me — Erica Ball. Lazy body, busy brain. Book nerd.
By: Erica Marta Ball
Tags: Introduction, About Me, It Happened To Me, Growing Up, Resilience

About Me — Erica Ball

My kid. Provided by author.

So, here are some things about me. Most of the time I am imagining. My hobbies include daydreaming, zoning out, and getting distracted. I can lose my phone while lying on the couch. I really like lying on the couch with a blanket. Lying on the couch without a blanket is not that great.

I live in a prairie city in Canada that is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. We aren’t close to other major cities, so we have to be self-sufficient. There is a large arts scene here.

I currently run a mid-sized neighbourhood library. I’ve worked in my city’s public library since 2001. I started part time and eventually got my Master’s in Library and Information studies.

I completed the masters through an online program so I would not have to leave my couch and blanket. I also had a husband, house, and dogs by then, and I didn’t really want to leave them either. Or put in the effort of moving them.

I also have degrees are in anthropology and psychology. I continue to be interested in trying to explain what the heck the deal is with humans and why we are so weird. Working in a public library is a great way to observe human weirdness.

A few months ago I completely fell apart. I found myself in a deep depression. While putting myself back together, I have been trying to figure out what I need to change. I’m still not sure. But, I feel like I have changed a lost over the last few months, and hope that will lead me to any other changes I need to make.

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” — Maya Angelou

Here’s a big one. You may notice, I am writing. I had stopped writing years ago. I always felt like I should be writing but didn’t have anything worth saying. I suppose that means now I feel like I have something to say. An am worth listening to.

One of the first things I did after starting to get my mind back was to try to write. I was clumsy and awkward. I was very, very rusty. Luckily, some wonderful people liked my things enough to follow and encourage me. Some have gotten in touch to tell me they can personally relate to what I’m writing about.

That was a big thing for me. When Quy Ma sent me a note about this site, I was touched that someone would take the time to create a place like this, and then seek out people and invite them to share.

Juno, the most troublesome of my dogs. Provided by the author.

So, here are some thing about me. I am mom to a ridiculous kid, and wife to a ridiculous man (the kid takes after her father). I have two badly behaved dogs. I have a house a block from a river. I like to read.

I am very glad to be here.

Thanks,

Erica
About Me — Marisa Hoenig. “Make yourself so happy that when…
By: Marisa Hoenig
Tags: Self, Introduction, About Me, Personal

The Things I Love

I have a LOT of hobbies (I told you I’m multi-passionate!), but doing a lot of things makes me happy. I’m one of those crazy people that loves being busy all the time.

Some of these include playing ukulele, singing, traveling, writing, volunteering, reading, programming, and photography. A little more info on some of those:

Reading

I read books like it’s my job, mostly self-improvement, tech, psychology, and fiction. I’m usually reading two books at the same time — okay, not exactly at the same time, but you get what I mean. I love getting lost in a good book and learning new things. My favorites include The Starless Sea, Becoming, Atomic Habits, and The Moment of Lift.

Traveling

I love love love traveling and adventuring to new places. Meeting new people and coming face to face with different cultures absolutely lights up my world. I am in love with Barcelona, and my dream is to live there one day (I studied abroad and am determined to return).

When I travel, I collect postcards and write about my adventures on the back. This helps me remember the little moments of my travels and reflect on my trips as I experience them. Of course, I’m not traveling now, during the pandemic, but I hope that can change in the next year or so.

Me in Prague, Czech Republic. Nov. 2019. Photo by author.

Writing (in general)

I write because it’s my way of thinking. When I don’t write, I feel out of tune with my feelings, actions, and goals. When I type, it’s almost like another being takes over — I am not consciously thinking about what I’m typing. Instead, my brain waterfalls all its thoughts onto this very blank page.

Speaking of which, my thoughts range across many topics, which is why my writing isn’t quite focused on one niche. Maybe that’s not the “right” way to do things, but I’m here to have fun, not stick to some quota. I’ve found that my posts about random thoughts I’m having often do the best on here — who knew?!
About Me: Who Am I?
By: Celeste Evergreen
Tags: Potterhead, Authors, About Me, Artist

Of course, that’s not all there is to me. Like an onion, I have layers (and a sense of humor… I hope…)

I just have to add this — I’m weird, and there’s nothing anybody out there can do about it. Being weird isn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, I think it’s a good thing. It means you’re unique, with your own unique thoughts, and your own unique feelings. Don’t let society bring you down. Embrace your weirdness and take on your day with confidence!!!

I’m also a Marvel fan, Star Wars fan, bookworm, roleplay lover, novice D&D player, and friend to many amazing people.

I like to dabble in graphic design — designing digital posters, flyers, logos, and more are pretty fun!

As a cinematography fan, I find filming and directing casual short films fun, though they aren’t exactly Emmy-standard! I’d say I am a decent movie editor (usually using iMovie) as well.

Music is also one of my loves, and though I don’t play an instrument (unless you count that nice ukulele I might pick twice a year), I love listening to music, and writing songs (in my free time). I don’t think I have a great voice, so I’m not a singer, but I love to sing (in the shower, to myself, and never in front of anyone else!) Usually, I listen to relaxing, calming music (lo-fi, piano, Hawaiian, etc.), and pop or R&B songs. I love to listen to relaxing music anytime, from studying to aimlessly browsing the web.

Sometimes, my willpower can be at a low, and other times, I can be extremely determined. Part of the time, I’m a neat freak — and then there are times where I’m too lazy to pick up that one pair of socks that has been there for a month. I am a pretty organized person usually (on the outside at least — my brain can be a crazy place sometimes!)

I think at times, I think too much about what others think of me, that I forget to enjoy life as it is… So I definitely want to improve that. Because, though caring for others is great, you still need to care and love yourself.

One more thing I’d like to add is that I am currently a writer/contributer for Students x Students (for students, by students). Students x Students is a Medium publication focused on “providing a platform to uplift student voices and give them greater confidence and fulfillment in their writing.” If you are interested in joining Students x Students, please go here for more information.

Thank you for reading, and getting to know a bit more about me. Feel free to comment your thoughts! Keep your eyes peeled for more articles by me in the future.

Here’s a little quote to take with you as we part — one of my favorites, in fact. I’ve leave it to you to interpret what it means. :)
About Me — Chitara Smith. Avid adventurer. Naively in love with…
By: Chitara Smith
Tags: Travel, Life, About Me, Friendship, Love

Avid adventurer. Naively in love with life. On the road to healing.

The author

Corporate Introduction: Hi, my name is Chitara Smith. I am a 20-year-old graduate student getting my Master's in Business Administration. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology management. I used to work at American Express as a Junior Cybersecurity Analyst. I have a passion for cybersecurity and business.

Okay, let’s get personal. In reality, I am naively in love with life. I truly believe I can change the world. I started writing when I was eight as a coping mechanism to get through a traumatic childhood. When I’m trying to sell myself I talk about my degree or experiences but in total truth, I have sometimes high functioning depression. I have struggled against mental illness, childhood poverty, and abuse. I used to cry every day before work because I was absolutely miserable working in corporate America. And I tend to overshare.

My love of writing, my passion for travel, and my urge to make the world a better place is rooted deeply within me. I believe it’s my calling to combine these three things.

I made the tough decision to leave behind what I thought was “right” and do what I feel is right back in 2019. I left my corporate job in Arizona, then moved to California. I started a business and I’m on the journey to write full time.

I have two goals I want to accomplish by 30, to see every country in the world and write about each one. So far I have been to eight countries before Covid grounded me.

The strangest thing about me is that I trust anyone. I know, I know, I’ve heard it all. It’s dangerous, I can get hurt. Being so trusting has worked out for me 100% of the time. I have connected with people in ways I couldn’t believe. My openness lets people open up to me. I was once so incredibly jaded until I realized each person is an ocean of experiences, thoughts, and feelings to be valued and explored. By connecting so deeply with others, I expand myself. With each person I meet, I hope we can carry a little of each other on our journeys through life.

I can be so trusting for two reasons, I’m a good judge of character and I know my strength. I am not afraid of pain, betrayal, or any other form of hurt because I’ve already experienced it. I have proof that I can get through it. Why would I hide when I know I’m strong? I choose to no longer be afraid of the world, despite what I’ve been told. That’s the reason I travel alone. I hope to inspire other women to see the world.

I am on the journey of unlearning, unraveling, and healing while also learning, thriving, and softening. Join me on the journey to fall in love with life again.
About Me — Lawrence Grabowski. I first realized I was good at writing…
By: Lawrence E. Grabowski
Tags: Biography, About Me

Photo by author

I first realized I was good at writing in high school, then spent a lot of time doing it incidentally in college.

Like many people, I ended up becoming a writer after working for several years. This isn’t because I got tired of my corporate job or never believed I was capable. I thought that everyone was good at writing.

Turns out they aren’t. And that I’m happy to do the boring parts of writing in a professional setting. Now, after years of not really knowing what to do with myself, I write for a living and tutor Spanish.

Outside of writing, I do a lot of gaming: video, board, and roleplaying; I practice Chinese martial arts; and I look for excuses to go back to Spain.

Get a feel for my writing.

Check out my portfolio.
About Me — Wendy Scott. A mix of Brit & Kiwi, leadership &…
By: Wendy Scott
Tags: Introduction, About Me, Self, New Writers, Me

Work

I have been working for nearly forty years. That sounds awful and is rather depressing, but it is true. I do Learning & Development which means writing & delivering training courses. Also, Organisational Development, which is running the performance review system, engagement survey, leadership development, and diversity & inclusion.

Redundancy hit in September, so I am having a go at writing full-time on Medium. I have earned $6 US so far! Luckily, I got a redundancy payout. My goal is to publish one article a day plus a short-form article. I am learning masses each day and enjoying myself enormously.

I write about leadership, diversity & inclusion, personal development, engagement, and dating. I have also written a couple of comic poems.
The Mission Statement
By: The Drunken Pyschiatrist
Tags: Introduction, Life, Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Startup, Psychology

Welcome back, if you read the responses in the last post, it is indeed my birthday (twenty-fine read as 29 rounds with the planet). I want to kick it today as a focusing point for The Drunken Psychiatrist. This idea was created with the help of a few people close to me, while realizing truths about myself. The main one being: I have an almost insatiable urge to help, with or without anything in return. In the past it was definitely overextending everything from money, time and boundaries. Eventually after several of the 3 L’s (lessons, learning, and living), a slew of depression, and a whole lotta fuck shit; I decided that creating a system or business that helps others is the best way for me to go about it.

I came to this point after marinating on what could have helped me through all my chaos. When this came to mind it hit like Mike Tyson in his 20s: a safe space to kick my shit, where hopefully someone can relate. I started to see the weight that it carries in people’s lives after years worth of conversation and searching for a psychiatrist. The issues I’ve ran into with that is relativity (either the psychiatrist I was seeing ain’t get it or there was no empathy felt). Which isn’t a surprise but I’d expect a wider range of, I guess depth. With that lack I felt couldn’t dig into my bag with anyone outside of those close to me that have already seen the effects. Which created a really fucked up crutch inevitably breaking after years of leaning on it.

When it broke I was inspired by four major things in my life that day: The loss of those who are for me, a FIRE (read as FYE¡!¡) article on reasons to quit your best friend, the fact that not everyone has a safe place or willingness to create a safe space to get their shit off, and the concept of 'Darkist' - created by my brother Smurf and the homie Ashley. Which is about digging to and utilizing the darkest parts of your psyche in the light to bring duality to yourself and help others. So I’ve set out to build that foundation for myself and others.

About the Drunken part of all of this: I’ve found it difficult to get tea, let alone a cup of coffee or a decent conversation with psychiatrist in their office. The whole point of The Drunken Pyschiatrist is to create a comfortable safe place to talk. You’re bringing your discussion; I’m bringing that and a tequila sunrise or a mimosa since I can’t write scripts; yet (going back to school for psychiatry in 2021). Pairing that with optimism, a perspective on reality and suggestions. I want for you to leave with a better vibe than you came with. As this grows I intend to go harder with a podcast/YouTube where we can make drinks together and chop it up about anything. All in all this is the mission:

Create a safe space to discuss.

Create a community for uplifting, understanding, and bringing light to 'taboo' subjects/issues.

Learn how to make good drinks and use effective communication including listening to find solutions.

Welcome to The Drunken Psychiatrist!
A Hopeful Beginning
Tags: Introduction, Education, Life, Life Lessons, Mental Health

A Hopeful Beginning?

It’s a little embarrassing to admit that I forgot that you guys do not know who I am, so I decided to write an introduction about me and a little bit of background before I start posting about my mental health journey. I am your average person that you’ll meet when you are strolling through a park. I find beauty in the little things of life. I am the type of person to stop and gawk at the mesmerizing shapes of the clouds and who enjoys doing toddler activities like blowing bubbles. I love when it rains because the water dripping down the windows brings me a feeling a peace that I could not express in words. However, that is not the reason I decided to join this platform. I have faced difficulties in my life and my way of releasing that pain is through writing. I want anyone reading this to understand that they are not alone ever. I have been through a time where I was alone and I know how much it hurts. Anyone reading this I want to remind you that you are never alone. Together we can get through this tough time in our lives. *This is an advanced trigger warning, I will be touching upon suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia.* I have a story and hearing it may help some people out there. Follow if you’d like to hear more. I hope you have a blissful rest of your day.
hey I guess, ya know i saw a thing on reels, which yes absalutely suck ass i know butttt i dont…
Tags: Introduction, Random, Random Thoughts, Me, Bored

hey I guess, ya know i saw a thing on reels, which yes absalutely suck ass i know butttt i dont really care ITS CONVIENIENT STOP JUDGING MEEEE. ANYWAY i suppose i should say some things about myself, uh i’m kind of a bitch but ya know like a nice bitch, you don't really wanna be besties with me but I'm an ace at small talk. i am 14 and i live in the uk, not like a chavy areas tho i mean yeah thats were a live now but somehow ive landed in the 1% that speaks fairly properly, talking about chaves phew you should see my school although i dont really like using the word chaves, although ive used it about 1000% times but still yall need to quit with the judging. i really enjoy drawing, ive done it ever since i was ein little bebe, and yes sometimes i switch to german when im speaking stop judging me alrighttt, i also enjoy uh horror movies well for the majority of my life i wouldnt touch horror with a ten foot pole because when i was in i think year 5 i was really super into pokemon and theres a pokemon hipno of whom theres a game of in which he lures children to a cave and keeps them there, apperently this freaked the fuck out of me as a child and i never went back until like last year and now i love horror and never actually get scared by anything. some more things about me im extremely quiet being 14 i really dont get on with 40% of people and most classes i sit in complete silence (im still bearly passing thooo ); ), another thing is that im really gay like SUPER gay well lesbian oh yeah and im a girl as well probably should've mentioned that. either way this is gonna come to an end now if anyone sees this i promise im a little less weird in real life :) .

see ya tomorrow xox
LOG ONE: Introductory Monologue
By: D.C., Dusk
Tags: Introduction, Introducing, Hello World, New, Monologue

Hello World.

You do not know me, nor do I know you. Not a problem, allow me to introduce myself; hiya! I’m D.C. King: (Aspiring) Actor, (Self-Taught) Musical Virtuoso and (Not-Yet-Published) Writer of several partially finished fantasies, thrillers and adventures!

Alright, your turn; who are you? Tell me a little about yourself. Boy, or Girl? Not that it matters to me, just want to have a basic image of my future friends. Well, ha, I suppose I should go first; manners, you know. I am a manly-man, big strong boy-ly boy. As of today, I am 15 years and 6 days of age.

What’s that? You want to know my orientation? I’m a teen, I don’t have a job, not a real paying one anyways — Oh, that kind of orientation. Well, I am a Bisexual, exploring maybe Pansexual. Single, looking, but I am OFF LIMITS to anyone at or above the age of 18.

I think that’s about it from me. Thanks! WAIT WAIT I’M NOT DONE, I’M SORRY, aghhh, sorry. One last thing you should know about me, just ONE more thing and I’ll leave you on your way. I am a proud furry — NOT ZOOPHILE, Furries and Zoophiles are by no means the same thing — and I’m happy with that.

I’m happy being an odd, furry writer of literature and music, and an aspiring actor, and a bi/pansexual, and a 15 year old he/him. I’m happy with this. And if you’re not happy, or if you’ve got a problem with who I am, by all means walk away, ’cause I’m not changing because one person doesn’t like me the way I am.

Now that should be all from me. Please, follow me, or watch me, or whatever you do on this platform to get updates from me; I assume I’ll be on here a lot. I like this already, like my own personal journal. Ha, more like a diary where everyone has a copy of the key that keeps it locked tight, everyone with access to the internet. Not scary at all, eh?

Well, tag along with me as we ride into the waves of 2021 and forget 2020 ever happened.

Introductory Monologue

D.C. “Dusk” King

10:31 PM (MST), December 24, 2020; Christmas Eve
Welcome to Off The Bookshelf!
By: Kayla Jasmin
Tags: Reader, Writer, Introduction, Books

Dear Readers & Writers,

Welcome to Off The Bookshelf, a publication dedicated to recognizing and celebrating BIPOC readers and writers. As an avid reader, I noticed how hard it was to find Main Characters that spoke to my experiences as a young Black woman. While I found joy in the books I was reading throughout my educational journey, I yearned for books centering BIPOC main characters and their respective journeys. As I got older, I realized the stories I wanted to read were out there… I just needed to find them.

Off The Bookshelf is designed as a publication for BIPOC readers and/or writers to provide their unique perspectives into the literary and publishing worlds. Whether its a standard book review or an extensive analysis of specific tropes and genres, this publication is meant to amplify BIPOC voices and stories.

Above all, representation matters, especially in the stories we consume. Everyone deserves that, and Off The Bookshelf is the publication to share those stories!

Write for Us

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

First, thank you for your interest in writing for Off The Bookshelf! I look forward to reading all your submissions. While Medium has its own set of rules in regards to publishing on the platform, I would like to offer some suggestions when pitching to Off The Bookshelf, specifically.

Submission Guidelines

Have you recently read a book and you can’t stop thinking about? Good, I would to hear your thoughts about it! Submissions are very flexible in regards to what to submit and how to submit (via Google Forms; links include below). Be sure to include a photo with your submission (especially if you took your own photo of the book), and please credit ALL photos.

Most importantly, DO NOT submit pieces that have been previously published. And, DO NOT plagiarize!!

The kinds of submissions I am looking for include:

Book Reviews/Commentaries

Cultural Critiques of Literature

Book Recommendations/Lists

Book/Movie comparisons

Essentially, if it has anything to do with books and literature, I want to read it!

Please submit your pitches and/or submissions via Google Forms.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at uninterruptedwildflower@gmail.com.
Introduction
By: Christal Young
Tags: Introduction, Poetry, Transgender

I really don’t know where to start, so I suppose a small introduction will do.

I’m a transgender woman. I’m 17, I turn 18 in 2 months. I like writing.

Being trans, I feel that a lot of things I experience are incredibly unique to me and other trans people. For quite some time I’ve feel sequestered into silence about these experiences because I really don’t have anybody to talk to about them. I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing, so I thought tossing out my life here would be a good way to diffuse my emotions.

My hope is that I can help educate others, whether they’re transgender or not. I’d like to share a poem I wrote recently:

“They say I murdered him,

that I cut him to death on a feminine pronoun, a deadname for a dead boy.

That his murder was a choice, an option.

It wasn’t.

They mourned his death. Mourned the loss of masculine possibilities, not realizing that those possibilities still existed — just wearing a dress.

They say I murdered him,

but you can’t kill something that doesn’t exist.”
I don´t even know where to start
Tags: Introduction, Prologue

I honestly have no idea of what I want to write about in here. Which story should I tell? Should I tell you the whole story, or do I want to skip the hard parts? Am I ready to do this, to go through all of it once again? I am not so sure anymore…
First post Ev-ahhhh!! GREETINGS!!
By: Parishi Bachkaniwala
Tags: First Post, Introduction, First Post On Medium, Introductionery Post

Hello to the person reading this! (P.S.- I think nobody is reading this but anyway…)

I captured this photograph and it feels like I’m waving my hand hence please take it as a friendly wave.

This is my first post on Medium and I don’t know what I am doing.

Let me first start off by introducing myself. Hi! My name is Parishi (Pronounced as Pur-ee-she), I am a Design Student, a Fashion Design student to be precise but we don’t use niche words like Fashion or Communication or Interspace. Just Design. One may never know where they end up.

A bit of a back story… I was a very average student. Nothing too special about me. But when I applied to be in The Student Council as a joke, I got in! And life, from that moment on, started giving me surprises till this date. I got in the Council. Not only that, I was selected as a Head Prefect!! A HEAD!!!!!! AHHHH! That was mind blasting for me. I felt like a protagonist in a Webtoon comic who just got something they had never thought they would get. Long story short, the joke blew up in my face because not only did I enjoy thoroughly myself in the council but also I got awarded as ‘The Student of Integrity’ on the last day of school. I had never thought I had potential, until that day when the principal personally gave that certificate of excellence to me.

I enrolled to learn Fashion Design because, as corny and cheesy as it sounds, I envisioned myself doing Fashion since I was a child. I am currently in my Second year and learning.

What to expect from this… blog posts shall we call it?!

Fashion and Beauty related content. (You know shit is about to go down when she said ‘Content’)

Creative pieces and short stories. Personal essays.

Fandom related shizzz. (Ya girl a Fangirl)

Tutorials? If there might be a community of people. And by community I mean two or more people.

In short, anything worth sharing.

I’m excited to start this journey. I hope someone might get little bits and pieces of entertainment from these posts lol.

Virtually shakes hand* We shall meet again!! *Uses sanitizer after shaking hand*
Start Here
By: D.A. Digerolamo
Tags: Introduction, Stoic Phiosophy, Philosophy, Stoic, Stoicism

Start Here

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Below you will find a link to several articles/pages that will introduce you to Stoicism. These are very short introductions (less than 2,000 words) and are meant to give an overview of the philosophy, the Stoic philosophers, and the main texts that survive to this day.

Monday Meditations

Every Monday, we send a Stoic meditation directly to your inbox to help you learn the philosophy and apply it directly to your life. By signing up for Monday Meditations, you are also granted access to our private Facebook discussion group.

A Short Introduction to Stoicism

This is a short introduction into the philosophy, who the main philosophers are, and what writings they left behind.

The Stoic Philosophers

This piece features mini-bios of the big three Stoics as well as some of the other most known philosophers of the philosophy.

The Stoic Texts

A very short introduction into what the main Stoic texts that survive are.

Recommended Reading

A list of the ancient texts, biographies, and other works to help better understand the philosophy. While the list may not be complete (it is after all ever expanding), it features a lot of books, both known and unknown, to help get anyone started with learning the history and philosophy of Stoicism.
what up
Tags: Introduction

I think I should answer the “why I’ve made this blog” question. Quite simple actually, I’m bored, I wish my family was bigger so I wouldn’t be bored, and I have enough trauma to produce some saucy stuff. Holy Trinity if you ask me.

I haven’t told my friends or family about this, and none of them use this site I don’t think, so odds are they won’t find this. In the off chance that they do, I will probably disappear for 2–6 business days so that the mystery of where I am will distract them from remembering this blog. Unless of course, they turn to this for clues, in which case, I will move to Alaska and buy a dog.

Oh also, I keep referring to this as a blog because I don’t know what else to call it haha, if that’s wrong just kindly ignore. No idea what I am envisioning for this bad boy, but it will come to me at some point. I’m leaning toward book reviews. On that note, I doubt anyone will read this so like swag I guess.
My First Story
Tags: First Post, Introduction, Lifestyle, Self, Books

My First Story

Photo by Taylor Vick on Unsplash

That’s a lot of questions, but let’s start with the first one.

Why I started:

Besides the uninformative “why not?”, I’ve been thinking about writing on Medium probably since the day I found Medium as a reader. The low barriers to entry meant that practically, I could easily start writing. That was years ago. Now I’m back, and Medium looks completely different from how I remembered it to be, but the allure to write remains. So yes, I decided to start writing because I wanted to / felt like it. Writing, as a content-creation method, has always attracted me more than video or voice, and is arguably my strongest mode of communication, so here we are.

2. What I’m writing about:

You’d think after all these years of considering producing written content that I would have long decided what I wanted to write about. Sorry to disappoint this early on, but I’m not a specialist who knows a lot about something, or some fiery, passionate person working on their one true hobby. (Still figuring that out.) I’m your regular 18 year-old with time on my hands, some of which should probably be spent cleaning up my room. So what can I provide? What any person as an individual can provide — my take on my experiences, that may resonate in some way with some of you. Some topics may include: books, lifestyle, computing / data science and music.

3. What is going on?

I have absolutely no idea :)

Have a great day!