From the time I was about 11, I understood that both religious traditions condemned me as evil and broken.
I spent much of yesterday in anguish, and I’d like to tell you why.
https://medium.com/prismnpen/this-depraved-disordered-queer-f-word-shed-tears-of-anguish-yesterday-06fc3c77adb2?sk=89a9fb6b6f7f78e109eb5d0a7404a659
#PersonalStory
📺 The History of Television — And How I Broke Years of Relationship With the Screen
From the VCR era to cable TV, I was glued to the screen for decades — until losing my TV set me free.
🔗 Read here:
#Television #MediaHistory #ScreenAddiction #DigitalDetox #80sNostalgia #MindfulLiving #PersonalStory #WritingCommunity
A Christmas Menagerie
There are times when you do things, in your life, that, often, even mystify yourself.
#HealthJourney #FunctionalMedicine #HealthCollapse #CognitiveDecline #MemoryLoss #ChronicFatigue #FunctionalMedicine #WellnessJourney #HealthTransformation #PersonalStory #HealingJourney #wellnesslifestyle #wellnesswarrior #healthandwellbeing #wellnessgoals #wellnessadvocate #wellnesscoaching #MedicalDiscovery https://mastodon.social/@biohackingpathway/115418088488405429
The Beauty of Simple Things
We often get so caught up in the daily grind that we forget how small actions can have the greatest impact
https://gayinthecle.com/2025/10/21/beauty-of-simple-things/
#mentalwellness #mindfulliving #personalstory #cle #pride #lgbtq
A person uncovers the truth about the ashes they believed were their mother's
This news story reveals a deeply personal and emotional journey of someone who believed they were honoring their late mother by kissing ashes every night, only to later discover that those ashes were not hers. The story explores themes of grief, memory, and the complex emotions tied to loss and mour... [More info]
Một người dùng đã tạo ứng dụng lên kế hoạch tiệc tùng cho mẹ mình. Mẹ anh ấy/cô ấy từng dùng giấy bút để tổ chức tiệc, nhưng không thích các ứng dụng có sẵn. Anh ấy/cô ấy đã dùng công cụ không cần code để tự tạo một ứng dụng riêng, với màu sắc mẹ yêu thích. Thậm chí, người mẹ còn tham gia xây dựng và giờ đây trò chuyện với AI để thêm tính năng. Một dự án cá nhân nhỏ nhưng đầy ý nghĩa!
#AppDevelopment #NoCode #FamilyProject #PartyPlanning #PersonalStory #ỨngDụng #KhôngCầnCode #DựÁnGiaĐình #LênKếH
Harvesting Memories
Each year, Karl and I head out to Geauga County for what has become one of our favorite spots, Ransom Sage Farms
https://gayinthecle.com/2025/10/04/harvesting-memories/
#lgbtq+community #queercleveland #personalstory #cleveland #cle #autumn #halloween #localfavorites
These 4 words can keep a conversation flowing forever no matter how bad you are at small talk
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/4-words-small-talk-ex1
Fae, since you’ve likely never met my fiancée, is a hippie. She smiles all the time. She’s creative, always drawing Hello Kitty pics, including one that’s a mash up with Aliens, with the eponymous Kitty asking her sarg ‘is this going to be another bug hunt?’
https://medium.com/prismnpen/update-transgender-girlfriend-health-405a25dfff73?sk=6e7e5505de4f6b713984d0abd3049c0a
Fun fact: back in 2016 I had an offline crypto wallet with 0.1 BTC. Lost the key/password, and while I still have the phone, I never backed up the recovery codes. Today that’s worth about $11K.
Fun fact: back in 2016 I had an offline crypto wallet with 0.1 BTC. Lost the key/password, and while I still have the phone, I never backed up the recovery codes. Today that’s worth about $11K.
The Myth of Graceful Aging…
Turning 52 taught me the truth about aging
https://gayinthecle.com/2025/08/19/myth-of-graceful-aging/
#lgbtq+community #personalreflections #personalstory #cle #lgbtq+
Sleeping in Franklin Castle
There are haunted places in this world, places where violence, hatred and dark things lie in wait.
https://gayinthecle.com/2025/08/12/sleeping-in-franklin-castle/
#localfavorites #queercleveland #personalstory #cle #lgbtq+ #franklincastle
Learning Not to Care What People Think
You Can’t Change Being an Introvert
Part-5 – https://wp.me/p84YjG-5Hs
One thing I’ve realized is that you can’t truly change being an introvert. What you can do is develop the confidence to act like an extrovert.
I still believe I’ll always be more introverted than extroverted, but the difference now is that I can flip the switch. I can go from quiet and mundane to engaging in conversation with strangers. Where that once felt overwhelming, now it feels natural.
I can talk to a waiter, a stranger on the street, or someone at a café. Before, that felt impossible. I was too shy, too in my head. Even though I lived what looked like an extroverted lifestyle, the truth was, I was an introvert. But something shifted.
Has My Life Changed?
Aside from the occasional moment of being recognized at the beach, the mall, or in random social settings, my life hasn’t changed much on the outside.
But on the inside, everything is different.
Now, I can take a microphone, walk up to a person, and interview them without turning ten shades of red. I don’t feel embarrassed. I don’t fear making a fool of myself.
Learning Not to Care
The biggest change has been in how I see myself and how little I worry about what others think. Learning not to care what people think might just be the best lesson I’ve learned through this entire process.
An hour after you post that video, do that interview, or embarrass yourself in public, no one cares. A day later, a week later, still no one cares.
Your content might be silly, serious, emotional, or hilarious. But if you’re being yourself, no one can judge you for it. That’s just you. If you present yourself with the right tone and mindset, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Online or Offline, I’m Still Me
Meet me online or in real life, I’m the same person.
I’m not trying to be someone I’m not. I’m not pretending to be cooler, smoother, or smarter than I am. I talk a lot. I use my hands. I’m goofy. That’s me. And once I embraced all of that, being a little more extroverted got much easier.
Can I Teach You to Be an Extrovert?
I don’t know. I can only guide you through what I did. I can show you the path I walked and the mindset shifts I had.
If you join me in a Zoom class, a private English session, or even approach me in person, I’ll be the same person you saw on TikTok or YouTube. Some people do come up to me and say hi, but very few do because they’re shy.
That used to be me, too. I was that person. But not anymore.
The Introvert Still Shows Up Sometimes
I still have moments where I don’t feel like being on. Sometimes, I just don’t want to talk to strangers or approach a group. That’s the introvert part, and it never really goes away.
But now, I know I can choose. I can act like an extrovert when I want to. I have the confidence to do it, and that’s powerful.
Confidence Is a Muscle
Today, I walk into a restaurant and confidently ask for a table. I joke with the waiter or waitress. I speak freely because I know there’s no real fear left. If I mess up, so what?
All of that confidence came from my blog, my Instagram, my TikTok, my Facebook. Funny enough, I still feel more comfortable posting on TikTok than Instagram. I don’t know why, but I do.
This Is My Journey
This has been my journey, taking my life online, getting out of my shell, and building real confidence. Social media was my platform, but the real power came from people. The support I received from followers, viewers, and commenters made the difference.
Regular people who became regular friends helped me through this.
So thank you.
That’s my story, from introvert to semi-extrovert.
#AuthenticityMatters #beingyourself #confidence #extrovert #introvert #onlineidentity #personalstory #selfgrowth #socialmediajourney #tiktokdiary
From Cringing at My Own Voice to Confidence on Camera
https://wp.me/p84YjG-5H7
#introvert #contentcreator #selfgrowth #voiceconfidence #tiktokjourney #speakup #personalstory #cameraanxiety #videoediting #publicspeaking #onlinecreator #zsoltzsemba #socialmedia
Raised Among Saints and Hollow Things
There is no denying that Southern mountain folk are just raised differently
Suha Suleman Lalani, 25, lost her maternal aunt to breast cancer due to cultural fears and late diagnosis.
She realized that if it could happen to her privileged family, countless others were at risk too.
Thus, the idea for PinkDetect was born.
Christmas, Custard, and a Change of Plans
A spontaneous day trip through Northeast Ohio turns into a heartwarming journey
Client Info
Server: https://mastodon.social
Version: 2025.07
Repository: https://github.com/cyevgeniy/lmst