I’ve talked two people out of killing themselves.
Whoa, good job. You seem like a great person for even taking that risk!
What kind of situations led them to that place and what do you think the solutions were respectively?
In both cases the conversations took place via texts and calls. First occasion was a friend who was being harassed and had a bunch of other not-so-great things happening in their life and they turned to me, telling me that they had the means of killing themselves right next to them. They were being harassed over an aspect of their physical appearance. I told them not to do it, because with every interaction I had with them, they were always so nice, which left an impression on me, and the opinions of anyone so vile as to harass someone for their appearance is not worth even considering. I said more than that, the conversation went on for quite a long time and then it gradually turned into more casual talk and then “see you tomorrow” at school.
Second occasion was a friend who was going through problems with a relationship. I often ask my friends how they’re doing as kind of a habit, so this time they said they weren’t doing well, and told me about how they felt. They didn’t have a family who would listen so I was just there for them, listened to them and offered my input telling them things would get better, giving them some advice on what I’d say or do in that situation, and if they ever needed someone to talk or game with I’d always be there for them. They’re doing well now!
What’s your KDA?
I self published two books and am almost ready to do a third. No interest in being a famous author or making millions, just glad to get them out of my head and to know they are just what I intended them to be.
There’s a smaller publishing company for small time authors in Florida (if the company is still around) Called witching hour publishing. Their whole schtick is to make publishing cheaper and easier for small time writers. Check it out, might be worth it if you are gonna be prolific.
Thanks. I’ve got two young kids and a busy job so not as prolific as I’d like. Maybe a book every 3-4 years, longer if it’s a grand fantasy. My first one was a quarter of a million words in a world I created from scratch, so that took maybe 6 years.
You are an inspiration. :)
Speaking as someone who rarely ever writes because life keeps getting in the way but still hopes to be published someday. Every day it seems that dream gets further and further away… :(
All you need to do is start and do what you can when you can. Spare minutes here and there all add up. Don’t get bogged down in minutiae. You’ll get there no matter how long it takes.
THANK you for the advice. I will keep that in mind. I might start writing today while I’m at work. :)
I saw a comment recently online regarding publishing an indie video game that “nobody played” where people noted you set out to do your goal that very few people ever complete. You published. You’re a winner. You accomplished your feat.
I had similar stuff with music once in my life. It never went where I or others might have hoped. But we recorded and made albums. We played tons of shows. We had a few fans. We opened for big names we loved. I feel like a winner too.
I’m not really saying this to reply to you. I’m not even sure you need to hear it. But someone out there does. Don’t let others define what success or winning is. By setting out to accomplish something, and doing it, that’s a winner already.
Title of the book? I am looking for some fantasy or sci fi to read.
Or I guess that might be doxxing yourself…
No worries about doxxing as I write under a pseudonym. Let Thy Wisdom Fear: The Gathering by D.T. Wilkinson. It’s on Amazon. There’s also my book of horror shorts called Tales Uncanny, which I just last week noticed a spelling error on the back cover courtesy of my darling wife and I haven’t fixed it yet.
All these people posting inspirational stories and here I am with my first thought being “Finally saw the northern lights”. Got some decent pictures too.
That is on ny bucket list! They look surreal and I would love to experience seeig them.
That is a great achievement, and a good looking one as well! One i haven’t yet reached!
Talked a friend out of suicide when COVID first hit and a bunch of people lost their jobs and homes. Now he’s got a pretty sweet work from home job with full benefits and his own place again. Am very happy for him.
A friend of mine once said he’d join the army only because he didn’t have anything to live for, but I ended up helping him get a job on the railway and now he’s a train driver, and a good one at that.
Honestly, just where I’m at in life. I’ve been pulling myself up by my bootstraps for all my life.
Grew up in bumfuck poorsville with abusive parents, joined the military, did some cool stuff, left and went to college, bought a house, graduated, sold the house, moved across country, got a job with my degree, and found a solid friendship group who encourage and care for me and vice versa.
This is all while suffering from an unseen disease that I was finally diagnosed with while in college and have been fighting against ever since.
I am proud of my achievements and I can really say to myself that I made it, despite everything, I made it.
Good on you! That’s a HUGE accomplishment!!!
In the past 365 days I have gained almost half a million views and more than 4000 new subscribers on youtube :)
That’s cool. What the channel about?
Video games, specifically team fortress 2.
Can you link your channel?
Bachelor’s Degree. Not happy with the debt that came with it, and the lack of employment in the field since Covid and AI
Welcome to the truth about university. It gives you more debt than you can handle, and a job that doesn’t pay enough.
On the contrary, the pay would be more than enough for me (single and alone) but actually getting the job is the hard part.
I feel that.
Spent 5 years in college, had to drop out because I ran out of money, now I work a dead-end job in retail for shit pay and like 70k in debt.
Don’t do college kids. It ain’t worth it. Or, rather, do college but do community (or a trade school).
Honestly, I’m struggling right now. Spent my 20’s waiting for something to happen that never did. Decided to change my life in my 30’s, and while I am a lot happier and more honest with myself in a lot of ways, I have also alienated people who were close to me by adopting new interests that they don’t share.
I try to meet new people, but it’s hard. The ones out socializing tend to be much younger or older than me, and the ones my age are having kids and stuff.
It has been really hard to find a balance between building the life I want to live, and not having changes isolate me to the point of loneliness.
If my wife goes, I may just have to cut everyone off and start fresh, but that terrifies me.
So, with all that, I guess I’m proud that I’m still trying and haven’t just given up completely and moved back in with mom like some of my contemporaries have.
Homeless at 18. First apartment at 20. Put myself through college going part time while working 2 jobs, 21-25. Bought my first home at 29. Hit 6 figures at 33. Now in the top 10% of earners in my city.
I had no one, no support network. Just me and a goal and strategic hard work every single day.
The tough part is I’m now in my mid 30s and have had very little life experience because all I’ve been doing is working. Never been on an airplane or have been on a vacation. No passport or friends or social life outside of 2 internet friends. It’s been tough to sit down and figure out what will actually make me happy now that I’ve achieved my life goals.
I am down for more internet friends.
Loving myself.
Putting up with people and not murdering them.
I’ve bought a house, got married, published two books, do stand-up and host a small game show, survived two strokes, transitioned, and have a lot of friends who think I’m tolerable.
I’m really proud of my job as a manager. Dropped out of uni because I only learned what seemed interesting to me (mostly tech stuff from CS) and now I’m leading a team of devs. Cherry on top is that they like me, too. OTOH I’m proud of my wife and children and lots of other things, like having mastered 2 foreign languages, playing piano, recorder and guitar.
Most proud that we bought a house though.
Lemmy will hate you
Graduating from college, and with a 4.0. I fucking HATE school, and i put that shit off until my 30s. None of it was easy and I studied my ass off to get that 4.0. I truly never thought I would ever graduate, I started and stopped so many times.
What did 4.0 mean? Is it 4 out of 5?
4.0 is the top grade. That usually comes with highest honors. It means you always got an A in every single course.
Being the first female on my mom’s side to get a phd; being the first female to not be a teenage mother out of all my female relatives on my mom’s side; being the first to practice non violent upbringing in both our families (me and my SO).
Getting a full ride scholarship for all of my academic life: Bachelor’s, Master’s and PHD.
Getting a green thumb after thirty and having my flowers, shrubs, ferns, fruit trees and succulents thrive.
Getting on a horse after 30+ years of not doing it after a mare threw me off.
Quitting smoking cold turkey.
Working on my self trough therapeutic work to be my most authentic self.
Exercising regularly for some years now when I came from a family that did not emphasize the importance of body movement.
