Tag Archives: real stories

June 10, 2025 · 6:36 am

How Dirty, Filthy, Sickeningly Disgusting Public Restrooms Can Change The Course Of Your Life

It’s an inescapable fact of life. At some point, your bladder and bowels will turn against you in the worst possible way at the worst possible time. You could be in the middle of an important meeting. You could be sitting side-by-side with the love of your life, the President of the United States, or the most famous celebrity in the world.

Then, it hits you.

Suddenly, you have to go the bathroom. Either your bladder is about to burst or you’re about to damage your underwear and pants beyond repair. It doesn’t matter how rich, well-connected, or powerful you are. Sometimes, your body will find a way to turn any one moment into something mortifying and/or stressful.

Without getting too graphic, I’ll spare everyone reading this the ugly details of what these situations entail. Since this happens to everyone at some point, I don’t think I have to. But I’m bringing it up because I recently found myself cleaning my bathroom. In doing so, I recalled an incident from many years ago that has impacted me in subtle, yet profound ways. And it has to do with the single most disgusting, dirty, and foul-smelling public restroom I ever had to use.

I understand the bar for awful public restrooms is very high. Depending on where you live in the world, a dirty public restroom might depend heavily on how much or how little actual fecal matter is smeared on the walls. In others, it might just depend on how backed up the toilet is.

I don’t doubt for a second that someone reading this can recall a public restroom experience that was many times worse than anything I ever experienced. But I still wish to share this story, if only to offer a hard lesson in what having to use disgusting public restrooms can to do your psyche.

Like many other formative experiences in my life, this one occurred while I was in college. Specifically, it occurred during my freshman year. That’s relevant because at the university I went to, there were numerous dorm facilities that were in various state of repair/disrepair. And, unfortunately for me, I ended up spending my first full year of college in an all-male dorm.

That fact alone should offer clues as to how dirty it was bound to be. Just picture, for a moment, the scenario beyond the context of college. Take a couple hundred teenage boys around the ages of 18 and 19. Put every one of them in a large, seven-story building. Have them be miles away from parents, relatives, and authority figures for the first time in their lives. Some of these young men have never even done their own laundry.

Things are going to get rowdy, dirty, smelly, and stupid.

There are any number of incidents I can recount from my experience living in that dorm. Looking back on it, I still can’t believe I managed to live there for nearly an entire year while maintaining a relative measure of sanity. But the worst part, by far, of living in that dorm had to do with the shared bathrooms.

Seriously, I cannot put into words how awful the shared bathrooms in an all-male college dorm were.

Yes, the dorm had a cleaning staff. But unless the people working on that staff had superpowers, I don’t see how they could’ve kept those bathrooms clean. And since that staff didn’t work on the weekends, things got really bad on Sundays.

It wasn’t unusual to walk into those bathrooms on a Sunday morning and see every stall clogged, overflowing, or in some state of general shittiness. It also wasn’t unusual to see traces of vomit, food, and other bodily fluids in the shower stalls, which I had to regularly use. I want to say you get used to it. But there are just some things the human brain is not equipped to process.

But on one particular Sunday morning during my freshman year, the true breadth of shittiness in public restrooms was taken to a whole new level. And to this day, my body and my gag reflex has never been so thoroughly strained.

This incident happened during the late spring. By then, I’d seen my share of disgusting crap in the men’s bathrooms. I had also gotten pretty good at managing myself so that, if I ever needed to take a shit, I would be somewhere else on campus where the bathrooms were considerably better. I learned early on that, so long as I limited how often I had to use the bathrooms in a male dorm, I could cope.

But on this morning, my stomach decided test my resolve. For reasons I still don’t understand, I woke up that morning feeling like bodybuilders were tapdancing on my lower intestines while wearing lead bricks as shoes. It hit me in a way where my roommate commented he could hear my stomach from across the room.

That’s when I knew I was in trouble.

Initially, I wondered if it was possible to get to another building with a decent bathroom. But my stomach quickly informed me that time was not on my side. I had to get to a toilet and I had to get to one immediately.

So, I entered the nearest bathroom in my dorm. It was right across the hall. It also happened to be empty, given the early morning hour. However, as soon as I stepped in, I was hit with a sight and a smell that is forever seared into my brain.

Someone, or more likely a group of fellow male students in a less-than-sober mindset, had found a way to utterly desecrate every single toilet in some way, shape, or form. One had a literal mountain of wet, piss-colored toilet paper spilling out of the toilet, onto the floor, and into the neighboring stall. Another had a massive puddle of liquid shit at the rim of the bowl, eager to flow over at the slightest provocation. And the third had what I can only describe as the coiled anaconda of all shits.

It was so awful I nearly threw up on the spot. Had my stomach not been a firestorm of fermenting sewage, I would’ve run to another bathroom. But I had to go. So, I picked a stall, wading through puddles of piss in the process, and did what I had to do.

Again, I’ll spare everyone the details. But trust me, these are NOT details you want to know. All I’ll say is that, when I was done, I had to take a very long shower in another bathroom. I also washed my hands at least 10 times over the course of that day. The memory of what I had experienced in that bathroom was just too raw.

That memory even lingered after I finished my freshman year and got to live in better dorms later on. In that same time, I didn’t just learn to appreciate the simple comfort of a non-filthy bathroom. I actually went out of my way to clean up after myself and even clean around certain areas if I could. It wasn’t much, but it was better than another shitty ordeal, literally and figuratively.

Even after I finished college and moved out of my parents’ house, I made a big deal about keeping the bathrooms clean. And rest assure, if any toilet ever showed signs of backing up or not working properly, I immediately looked into it. The more proactive you can be with a toilet, the better. You don’t have to be a plumber to know how to keep it working.

Now, I live alone in a place that I own. That means I am fully responsible for how clean and functional my bathroom is. I won’t say it’s always spotless. And I won’t say it’s the cleanest bathroom you’ll ever see. I can only be certain that it will always be pleasant to use and you can be confident that the toilet will work, as needed.

I honestly don’t know how long I’ll live in this crazy world. But I am certain that at some point, I’ll find myself in another situation where I’ll have to badly use a bathroom and I’ll have to go into a public bathroom. I just hope that, whenever or wherever it happens, I never have to use a bathroom like the one I used during my freshman year of college.

Leave a comment

Filed under comedy, Jack Fisher's Insights, rants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 28, 2024 · 5:45 am

Commemorating A Heroic Pizza Delivery Guy Who Worked During A Hurricane

As a lifelong fan of superhero comics and superhero media, in general, I like to think I appreciate heroes more than most. I understand what makes the characters I read about in comics heroes. I also understand what makes people in the real world heroes.

There are the doctors who work during crises and pandemics.

There are the firefighters, soldiers, police officers, and EMT’s who work during disasters.

There are the scientists and researchers working on treatments to deadly diseases.

Those people are all real-world heroes who we should celebrate every chance we get. Our society would not be where it is right now without them.

But sometimes, you don’t have to have the skills, qualifications, and degrees to be a hero on that level. It is still possible to be a hero on a smaller, more local level. To prove that point, I’d like to highlight an example of a hero who did something small for me and my family during a difficult time. But this seemingly minor act left a big impression.

Like most heroic acts, this occurred during a crisis. A historic hurricane was bearing down on my hometown. It wasn’t going to hit us directly, but it promised to be a once-in-a-century storm the likes of which my area had not experienced in a long time. This is an area where you can count all the hurricanes that hit us on one hand. This just happened to be a perfect storm of conditions that put us in its path.

Since some members of my family have experience dealing with hurricanes, we prepared as best we could. However, when the storm came, it not surprisingly knocked out power out for an extended period. That was a problem on many levels. But what compounded that problem is the food we’d originally prepared was not usable for reasons I don’t care to divulge.

So, that left us in a difficult position. We needed some food. But not a lot of restaurants were open. However, we did manage to call this one pizza place that somehow remained open. And much to our delight, they were willing to deliver two large pizza to us in this storm.

So, we placed our order. And the task of driving through this historic storm to deliver our food fell upon this college-aged guy who probably would’ve preferred to stay home that day. But, like all heroes, he stepped up when the time came. He did not hesitate in the face of such an arduous challenge. He drove his undersized Buick through high winds, heavy downpours, and booming thunder to make that delivery.

My family and I were even wondering if he would make it. If he didn’t, then I don’t think anyone of us would’ve blamed him.

But he showed up to make that delivery. He even showed up on time and under 30 minutes. This brave young man delivered two large pizzas to our house while we were without power, air conditioning, or entertainment of any kind. Needless to say, we thanked him profusely and tipped him generously. I still don’t doubt he would’ve preferred to not be working that day. But I’m glad he did.

Delivering pizzas may not seem inherently heroic. It’s a thankless job that most of us don’t think twice about anymore. But when someone steps up to deliver our food during a historic storm when so many others wouldn’t, that’s not just dedication to a job. That’s heroic, plain and simple.

So, to that brave pizza delivery guy who navigated a historic storm that day, on behalf of my family and all those who love pizza and hate hurricanes, I sincerely thank you. You are a true hero in my eyes.

Leave a comment

Filed under real stories

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 23, 2023 · 5:44 am

Why I Love Being An Uncle

Not to long ago, I honestly wondered if me and my siblings would ever get around to having kids. Even after we all moved out of our parents’ house and built our own lives, I wasn’t sure if that was ever a consideration.

For me, personally, I was way behind the curve. Every one of my siblings is objectively better than me when it comes to social skills. They’ve always had an easier time making friends and finding romantic partners. I’m pretty sure if you asked them, my parents, or my friends, they would agree that I would probably be the last one to have kids.

It still hasn’t happened for me. Maybe that’ll change in the future. But for my siblings, the change came sooner rather than later. In the mid-2010s, one of my sisters was the first announce that she was pregnant. It was a hell of a moment. I’m pretty sure that, of everyone present when she made that announcement, I made the goofiest face.

I don’t know if my sister or her husband reads my website, but I suspect she would agree. I may never look that goofy again.

And when that fateful day came and her first child was born, it was an incredibly joyous moment for the whole family. It also made it official. I was an uncle now! And I quickly came to embrace that role.

I knew the day when I first held my sister’s baby boy that I would strive to be the best uncle I could be. I wouldn’t just be the cool uncle or the fun uncle. I would be the kind of uncle that they would be excited to see at every visit. That’s what I started working towards that fateful day.

It’s been challenging.

It’s been a never-ending process, at times.

But I can say without reservation that it’s totally worth it.

Since then, my sister has had another child. My younger brother and his wife also welcomed a couple kids of their own. They’re all still very young, rowdy, and energetic. But they’re old enough to recognize when Uncle Jack comes to visit. They know me by name. They know me by my voice, my facial hair, and the various shirts I wear depicting comic book characters and sports teams. And I never hesitate to give them a big hug.

I also don’t hesitate to spoil them. That’s something my siblings knew I was going to do. They would’ve been shocked if I hadn’t.

I do it every Christmas. I will usually be the one who gets my nieces and nephews the most elaborate gifts. One year, I got my nephew a miniature ball pit. I cannot overstate how much value that gift has had over the years. Another, I got him and my niece a miniature trampoline. Given how energetic they are, I don’t doubt that has gotten quite a bit of use.

There are times when it’s painfully clear I don’t know much about parenting. Like I said, I’m behind the curve in that regard. And I don’t know if or when I’ll catch up. But I like to think I’ve learned how to be an awesome uncle in my own right.

If there was one moment, in particular, that solidified my love of being an uncle, it happened during this warm summer day in my parents’ backyard. We were having a family get-together, which happens often with a family like mine. We don’t need much incentive to get together and have fun. My nephew was around two at the time. He was walking and running around, albeit with the coordination you would expect of a two-year-old. But that didn’t stop us from having fun.

So, while his parents were getting some food, I took this soccer ball they’d brought and started bouncing it off my head. I don’t know what prompted me to do that. I just know that when my nephew saw it, he thought it was the greatest thing. He laughed and smiled while running around to get the ball. And I kept trying to bounce it off my head towards him. He tried to catch it, but had limited success. That didn’t matter though. We had fun and I like to think I made a good impression that day.

Since then, I’ve built on that impression. I love reading comics to my niece and nephew. I love watching sports with them, teaching them how to cheer for our favorite team. I love chasing them around, pretending I’m a T-Rex. And I love hearing them laugh every step of the way.

I know being an uncle has its limits. I honestly don’t know if I could match the energy my siblings have to keep up with their kids, especially at their current age. But that just makes me respect and love them even more. It also motivates me to be the best uncle I can be for them.

When those kids get older, they’re going to grow into a strange, uncertain world that’s constantly changing. But one thing that won’t change is the fact that they have an awesome uncle.

2 Comments

Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 22, 2022 · 5:23 am

A Note To Men: Overpriced Aftershave ISN’T Worth It

The 17 Most Expensive Colognes In The World | Ventured

Being a man comes with its share of issues, some of which have become more political than others. While I generally try to avoid discussing those issues, for the most part, there are times when I feel the impact of those issues personally. Most of it is minor. Little of it is political. By and large, most of the issues that come with being a man comes down to basic logistics and how we deal with it.

This brings me to the world of aftershave, something I suspect many men have experience with. Not every man uses it, but enough do to make it a billion-dollar industry. While it’s easy to bemoan how it’s no different than any segment of the beauty market that caters to peoples’ insecurities, I think this is one instance where the logistics complement the business.

That’s because, like it or not, men sweat a lot more than women. There’s nothing political about that. It’s just a biological fact. I feel it more than most. I work out almost every day. Depending on the time of year, I sweat a lot. With that sweat comes odor and not all that odor is pleasant. While I’ve always used deodorant, even before I started working out, I didn’t start using aftershave until recently.

Some of that was due to supplementing basic skin care. As I’ve noted before, I had a terrible acne problem when I was a teenager. In treating it, I’ve learned how to better care for my skin. Aftershave is part of that.

For a time, I avoided using it, mostly because it burned like hell after I shaved my face. However, I started using it more regularly after noticing that deodorant wasn’t enough to keep all those sweaty man smells from seeping through.

How did I realize this? That’s a bit of a long story. All you need to know is that I fell asleep on my bed for a while after I hadn’t showered for a while. When I woke up, the smells on my bedsheets were a bit too noticeable. I’ll leave it at that.

Also, after having gotten on a plane for the first time since the pandemic, I realized that it really does to make sure you smell nice to those around you. When you don’t, then you’re just another asshole making an overbooked flight more miserable than it needs to be.

After realizing this, I went through a bit of a phase where I was testing out all sorts of aftershave products. It was nothing too fancy. I didn’t splurge on the kind of aftershave that rich people or celebrities use. I just tried out whatever I could, using everything from the best brands I could find at a department store to the cheap stuff I found at Walmart.

Over the past several years, I’ve tried plenty of fragrances and brands. I’ve put them to the test, which includes post-workout routines, parties, dates, family gatherings, and traveling. I’m no scientist or product expert, nor do I claim to be a baseline comparison for most men. However, after all this testing and rigor, I’ve come to a clear conclusion that I’d like to share with my fellow men.

Expensive aftershave isn’t worth it.

Again, that’s just my opinion, informed by my own experience. Other men may feel differently, but through my own personal experience, the same story has played out time and again.

One day, I’ll use the expensive stuff. I’ll even use extra, knowing what it costs. I like how it smells, but few really compliment me for it.

The next day, I’ll use the less expensive stuff I bought at Walmart. I’ll use just as much. It smells plenty nice. Just as many people will compliment me for it, if any.

Both seem to hold up equally well after my workouts. Both serve my needs with respect to skin care. The expensive stuff burns just as much as the cheap stuff. It’s at a point where I honestly can’t tell the difference between the two.

Having come to that conclusion, I haven’t bought expensive aftershave in quite some time. Most of what I get comes from a grocery store or Walmart. I rarely spend more than $25 on it and it suits my needs just fine.

It helps me smell better. It makes me more pleasant to be around. It doesn’t claim to use quack science to attract women. Those are all scams, by the way. It just makes me smell better in public and supplements my manly musk. That doesn’t need to cost much. It just needs to get the job done.

So, to my fellow men, do yourself a favor. Don’t waste money one expensive aftershave. You can make yourself smell great for a reasonable price. Spend your money elsewhere and you’ll be a better many because of it.

Leave a comment

Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, men's issues, rants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 24, 2021 · 8:31 am

A Quick Personal Story About Driving Through Snow (And Energy Drinks)

How to Drive in the Snow: All the Equipment and Tips You Need | WIRED

We all have certain stories from our lives that stand out for no particular reason. They aren’t life defining moments like graduating school, falling in love, or eating your first Krispy Kreme donut. For reasons that are just completely unknowable, you remember them so vividly.

I’ve shared a few personal stories in the past. Some are more dramatic than others. Some were just funny and worth sharing. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how to classify the one I’m about to share. I just think it’s worth sharing because it’s just one of those stories that really sticks out. Hopefully, you’ll see why when I tell it.

Like all my personal stories, I need to establish a little context. This story takes place just a few years after I got out of college. I’m at an interesting point of transition in my adult life. I’m still living at home, but I have a stable, well-paying job that has allowed me to amass some regular income.

I also have my first car, which is a big deal for anyone in their mid-20s. I’m still getting used to the idea of being able to just go out on my own at any time I want. Before then, I was at the mercy of bus schedules and whether my parents would let me borrow one of their cars.

Then, one day, I met up with one of my cousins. She and her boyfriend at the time were living about an hour-and-a-half away from where I was at the time. This is someone who has known me my entire life. She also knew how socially awkward I was and how hard I was struggling to come out of my shell.

Being the wonderful cousin she was, she invited me to hang out with her and her husband one night. Unlike other meetings, I wouldn’t be with other friends or relatives. It was just us, sharing a night on the town, enjoying ourselves on our own terms. It was a bit daunting at first, but she convinced me to try it.

Now, what we did on that outing is another story altogether. The most I’ll say is that we had a great time. She took me to this cool restaurant where we met up with her friends. She then took me to this nightclub where we just danced and hung out. In terms of a night out, it was probably the most fun I’d had since I graduated college.

The real story begins when it gets really late and I’m wondering whether I should drive home. As it just so happened, this was early March and it was still fairly cold out. On top of that, there was some snow in the forecast. It even started snowing lightly while we were on our way back to my cousin’s apartment.

At one point, I’m debating if I should stay the night. They had offered me a chance to stay on the couch and that had been my original plan. However, the forecast kept getting worse as the night went on. I was concerned I might be snowed in and their apartment wasn’t exactly built for guests.

After some back-and-forth, I decide to try and drive home before the storm rolls in. Keep in mind, this is about 2:30 in the morning. It’s the latest I’ve ever driven anywhere, let alone an hour-and-a-half away from home.

Again, it was pretty daunting. Then again, driving on a snowy road in the morning is just as daunting.

Since it’s so late, I’m concerned about staying alert and so is my cousin. That’s when she offers me a couple of Monster Energy Drinks. I’m not talking about the small, discount size, either. These are full-sized cans. Typically, you only need to drink one. Me being so concerned, I decided to have two.

At this point, I’d like to offer a bit of advice to everyone. Do not drink two oversized energy drinks. Just don’t. They’re not good for you.

This is something I had to learn for myself. With flurries still coming down and the roads getting worse, I say goodbye to my cousin. I then get in my car, which is still very new to me, and start making the trip back home at nearly 3:00 in the morning.

Of all the experiences I had that night, this might have been the most jarring. It was genuinely strange, being on the road so late. I wasn’t used to seeing so few cars. There were times when I would drive down large stretches of highway and only see a couple cars pass by. Some of that might have been because of the weather, but it was still a strange feeling.

I grew up outside of major metropolitan areas. I’m used to traffic and traffic jams at all hours. I had never been out at a time when there was so little traffic. It was kind of nice on some levels, but given the late hour and the weather, it was also kind of spooky.

Then, the energy drinks kicked in. Remember, I had two of them, so the effects were definitely noticeable.

On some levels, they did exactly what I wanted. They kept me alert. The problem is, they kept me really alert. I was so alert during that drive that I felt like I was performing brain surgery on the President. I didn’t relax, even during long stretches on the highway. I physically couldn’t. That’s how wired I was.

The weather didn’t get much better, either. The closer I got to home, the worse the storm got. By the time I was on familiar streets, the roads were pretty slick. I drove slower than usual, despite being so alert. I was almost paranoid to go too fast.

Eventually, I do make it home. By then, it’s about 4:30 in the morning. The snow is still coming down and the streets are covered in ice. It’s quite a sight, but what I remember most is just parking my car and feeling like I finished a harrowing adventure. I was both relieved and elated, although some of that might have been because of the energy drinks.

I’m still a bit too wired to sleep at this point, but I ultimately crash after just a half-hour. However, this is no ordinary crash. Coming down from two Monster Energy Drinks is not like coming down from a few two many sugar cookies. I crashed hard.

I remember getting really dazed and drowsy. Then, my ears start burning and my face gets flushed. I then collapse on my bed and go to sleep. When I wake up a few hours later, I have a pounding headache, which I basically spend the rest of the day sleeping off. My whole internal clock gets messed up, as a result. I need the rest of the weekend, just to re-balance myself.

As stressful and harrowing as that night was, I’m still glad I did it. I’m grateful that my cousin went out of her way for me like that. Now, in hindsight, I would not have chugged two full energy drinks. That would’ve spared me the pounding headache later.

Even so, the experience was worth the discomfort. I still don’t entirely know why this story stands out as much as it does for me. I just thought it was worth sharing. If nothing else, I hope it dissuades anyone from chugging too many energy drinks at 2:30 in the morning.

Leave a comment

Filed under health, Jack Fisher's Insights, real stories

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 16, 2021 · 5:45 am

How I Choose To Unplug (And Why I Recommend It For Others)

Workout of the Week: Cross-Training Trail Run | Be Well Philly

I love technology.

I love my smartphone.

I love this age of gadgets, gizmos, and gimmicks that we live in right now.

I don’t care that it’s a byproduct of a quasi-capitalist system that isn’t perfect or that it can come off as shallow at times. It’s still fun and it makes our lives easier, richer, and more convenient. For that, I am grateful. The tech industry is still full of assholes, but the products do a lot of good.

I know there are people who claim the world was better off before the age of the internet, social media, and TV. I don’t believe them for a second. I’m willing to bet that if those same people had to suddenly live without all the modern conveniences we have, they’d go crazy with boredom and drudgery.

All that being said, there are times when it helps to just completely unplug for a while. By that, I don’t just mean turning off your smartphone and lying on the couch. That’s not really unplugging. You’re still within easy reach of it all and can reconnect on a whim.

By unplugging, I mean actually going outside without your phone, your watch, or any gadgets of any kind. It’s just you, the outdoors, and nothing else. To some, I’m sure that sounds scary. Some people are a lot more attached to their gadgets than others. For most, though, I think there’s a genuine benefit to just stepping away from the gadgets and being alone with your thoughts for a while.

I learned that years ago when I was in college. I didn’t have a smartphone back then, but I was almost always connected to something, whether it was my computer, my TV, or my iPod. Some of that was out of necessity. I couldn’t really do much work without any of those tools. However, by my sophomore year, I quickly learned that being connected all the time can really compound everyday stresses.

I found ways to deal with it. Most of them didn’t work that well, but they did get me through some tough times. It wasn’t until I started working out that I realized the true benefits of unplugging for brief periods. This is also where I really came to appreciate being alone with my thoughts for a while.

When I first started working out, I would go to a gym. That was fine in the beginning. I just brought my iPod and later my iPhone, loaded with music, and let that play during my workout. Then, I quickly realized that running on a treadmill was kind of boring and not very good for my joints. That’s when I started running around some local trails.

This is where I found the best place to unplug while also getting a better workout. At first, I tried to bring my phone with me so I could listen to music. That was nice and all, but I found it had an odd effect. By listening to music, I became a bit too concerned about how long I was running. Even if I didn’t check the time, my brain could figure it out by just how long each song was.

I just couldn’t stop myself from overthinking. That’s a problem I’ve had for much of my life. In order to get around that, I actually had to leave my phone, my watch, and all my gadgets behind. So, for my next run, the only things I brought with me were my wallet and keys.

Almost immediately, I felt a difference and it was a positive difference.

Running along these local trails, with no music and no watch or smartphone to check, became incredibly therapeutic. Nobody could call me to interrupt. Nothing could prompt me to just stop, take out my phone, and check something. It was just me, nature, and my thoughts as I ran about these local trails. I also found that the more I did it, the more I got out of it.

By disconnecting, I could just let my thoughts catch up with everything I had been dealing with. I could step back, give myself a chance to process everything, and get myself in a better place.

On top of that, this also gave me a chance to entertain new ideas for sexy short stories, sexy novels, and YouTube videos. I think it’s fair to say that I wouldn’t have produced nearly as much content, including the sexy kind, if I didn’t take this time to disconnect and be alone with my thoughts.

It’s now a big part of my routine. I go running almost every day and I make it a point to use that opportunity to disconnect. It’s a time and experience that I’ve come to value a great deal. It keeps me focused, centered, and inspired to keep being more awesome.

Now, I won’t claim that what works for me will work for everyone. Every person is wired different. Some need to disconnect more than others. Some don’t really need to disconnect much at all. However, I highly recommend everyone trying it at some point.

It doesn’t matter what form it takes.

You can go for a walk, sit on our back porch, or just turn off all the lights in your bedroom.

Go some place where you can disconnect from tech, gadgets, and distractions of all kinds. Be alone with your thoughts for a while. Let them catch up with everything you happen to be dealing with, whatever it might be. I believe that’ll be good for you and your mental state.

Again, I love technology and gadgets as much as the next guy. However, getting away from it every once in a while can have many benefits. You won’t know just how far those benefits go until you try.

If you have a different way of going about it, please share it in the comments. I’d love to hear the input of others on this.

Leave a comment

Filed under human nature, Jack Fisher's Insights, technology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 13, 2021 · 5:16 am

Recounting The First Time I Felt Attracted To A Girl

7 Most Important Social Skills for Kids

We all have certain moments in our lives that really stick out. As adults, we tend to remember these moments vividly. Sometimes, we even know when a particular moment is going to stick with us for years to come. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, getting your dream job, or meeting that special someone, we can remember every little detail and understand why it matters.

When we’re kids, it’s just not the same. Those moments don’t impact us in quite the same way. It’s just a byproduct of being a kid. You’re young and inexperienced. You have no idea how one particular moment will affect you for years to come.

However, there’s often one particular moment in every kid’s life that heavily informs how their adult life plays out. It has to do with that special part of growing up where you start feeling real attraction to someone else. It doesn’t manifest the same way with every kid, but whether they’re straight, gay, bisexual, or something else entirely, it still happens and it can be overwhelming.

Some people can pin down the exact moment when they started feeling attracted to someone. For others, it’s a messier process. Suddenly, you start looking at others in a very different way. You know what love is. You feel it from your family. However, this is something very different.

One moment, you think members of the opposite sex are icky and gross.

The next, you find yourself drawn to them in a profound way.

I don’t care how well-adjusted you are as a kid. That’s going to be confusing, overwhelming, and even a little scary. It’s often one of the first real signs that we’re growing up. We’re starting to become adults.

In that spirit, I’d like to share another personal story about the moment I first felt attracted to a girl. I promise it’s not too crazy or extreme in any way. It’s just one of those parts of my life that I didn’t realize was such a big deal until many years later. I suspect others might have had a similar experience. Theirs might even be more eventful than mine. Whatever their story, I hope this one helps others appreciate those experiences.

To set the stage, this moment took place when I was in the fourth grade. I remember it more vividly than most my elementary school experience. Part of that was because I had this really charismatic teacher. He was such a fun guy and he definitely made school less mundane. He also was big on letting everyone socialize. He was less inclined to lecture us and more inclined to give us activities that we could do in groups.

I certainly didn’t mind that. It beat reading textbooks. However, this also coincided with a time in my life when my social awkwardness really took hold. As I’ve noted before, my social skills have always been sub-par. Even as a kid, I really struggled to make friends, connect with people, and develop lasting connections.

On top of all that, I was somewhat obnoxious at that age. My parents and siblings can attest to this. When I was in the fourth grade, I wasn’t always drawing inside the lines, so to speak. I had a tendency to overreact to things and I didn’t always think before I spoke. While that never got me into serious trouble, it did further compound my social awkwardness.

Then, add being attracted to girls to the mix. It’s hard to put into words just how much that complicated things.

Now, I want to say I was a bit more prepared than most when it came to girls, albeit not by much. Unlike a lot of other boys my age, I never went through a “girls have cooties” stage. I also never went through a period where I thought girls were gross or anything like that.

It helped that I had friends who were girls. Some of my closest cousins were girls. I never saw them as this strange mystery. They were just other people with different body parts. That was it.

It also helped I got along better with girls than boys at that time. At lunch, I would often sit at a table populated by girls. It wasn’t because I was attracted to them. I just didn’t make a lot of friends with the boys. Plus, a lot of the boys I knew in the 4th grade were annoying.

I was comfortable with this setup for the most part. Then, something strange happened with this girl I had sat near during the latter part of the year. I won’t give her name, out of respect for her privacy. I’ll just call her Sue.

Sue was a nice girl with a bright smile and short brown hair. I distinctly remember her laughing a lot. She had a great sense of humor and she appreciated dirty jokes more than most girls. Naturally, I became friendly with her and she became friendly with me. We weren’t exactly close, but we liked being around each other.

In the beginning, I just saw her the same way I had seen so many other girls. She was a friend and I liked her. That was it.

Towards the end of the school year, though, I started feeling something more. I started looking at her differently. I distinctly remember getting a strange feeling around her that I didn’t get around other girls. At first, I thought I was just being obnoxious again. Eventually, I realized it was something more.

I was actually attracted to this girl.

I was really, sincerely drawn to her in a way that was legitimately romantic.

Granted, there’s only so much romantic sentiment a 4th grader could feel, but I knew it was there. Reading superhero comics with romantic sub-plots helped me recognize the signs. I still wasn’t entirely sure how to deal with it. I didn’t really talk about it at first.

However, I do remember one distinct moment in the late spring where I made this comment out of the blue during a class activity. It had been a joke, albeit a very bad one. I don’t remember all the details. I just remember referencing Beth by name and making it clear that I was attracted to her.

She laughed.

The whole class laughed.

I felt so embarrassed that my face blushed bright red.

At the time, I really felt stupid. Perhaps it was for the best that after that year, I never saw Beth again. I know she still went to the same school, but she ended up in other classes. I honestly don’t know if she remembers me or what I said. However, I doubt I’ll ever forget her.

She was very much a turning point in my young life. She was the first girl I looked at and felt real, tangible attraction. I knew what these feelings were and I knew they were more adult than kid. It was really the first sign that I was starting to transfer from kid to adult. While I still had to endure some horribly awkward teenage years, that moment marked the first step.

For that, I’ll always be grateful to Beth. I don’t know if she understood those feelings or if she ever felt that way about me. As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve come to appreciate that moment and the part she played.

That’s my unique story about the first moment I felt attracted to a girl. I know it’s somewhat tame, but I still felt it was worth sharing. If anyone else has a similar story that they’d like to share, please do so in the comments. These moments are profound points in our lives. They’re worth sharing, but they’re also worth learning from.

Leave a comment

Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, real stories, romance

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

November 13, 2021 · 8:22 am

How I Messed With A Telemarketer (And Why I Don’t Feel Bad About It)

How Telemarketers are Stealing Your Time (and How to Stop Them)

There’s a lot of hate in this world. People hate others in such horrible ways for all the wrong reasons. It’s so damaging, destructive, and dehumanizing on so many levels. Hate is what causes otherwise decent people to commit gross atrocities against others. We should do whatever we can to reduce the amount of hate in this world.

All that being said, I fucking hate telemarketers.

Seriously, fuck every telemarketer on this planet.

There aren’t many targets of hate that are fully deserving of such hatred. Telemarkters are a select few. They’re right up there with spammers, hackers, and whoever keeps making insurance commercials. I still believe we should have compassion for our fellow humans, but if you’re going to hate anyone, hate telemarketers.

I bring this up because I’ve had more than my share of run-ins with them. Lately, there has been quite an uptick in both robocalls and telemarketers. Even though I repeatedly and angrily ask that I be put on the “Do Not Call” list, it doesn’t seem to stop them. They still call me and they find ways to make it seem like the call is coming from a local area.

We may not agree on much, as a society. Can we at least agree that these telemarketers are the fucking worst?

Now, I think I understand why there’s been such an uptick lately. In my area, there has been a noticeable uptick in people wanting to move in. I happen to live in a region where a lot of smaller, non-luxury style condos are going up and they’re located near some large retail centers. Since the pandemic, these types of units have been selling fast because they’re further from the city, they’re cheaper, and we have great internet. I’ve yet to see a unit stay on the market for more than two weeks.

Naturally, I’m getting a lot of calls from telemarketers asking if I’m willing to sell my current home or refinance. Most of them are pretty generic. Some are robocalls and some are just people trying to get my info. I hate every one of them, but at least with telemarketers, you can tell them to fuck off.

This leads me to a recent incident that I’d like to share. It involves a telemarketer who called me just after I’d gone to the gym and was still sore. I was not in the mood for their bullshit.

That didn’t stop them from calling.

It never stops them from calling.

However, rather than just hang up or cuss them out, I decided to mess with them this time. As soon as I realized this wasn’t a robocall, I decided that if I’m going to be annoyed by this shit, I might as well have some fun with it. How I went about that might have been in poor taste to some extent, but I don’t feel bad about it.

It went a little something like this:

Telemarketer: Hello! Am I speaking to Jack?

Me: Um…yes? Who is this?

Telemarketer: Hi! My name is [Asshole] and I’m with [Bullshit Company Name]. How are you?

Me: I’m fine. What’s this about?

Telemarketer: Well, we’re calling because we’re interested in helping you sell your house. We have…

Me: Really? WOW! That’s incredible! This is really something else. Please [Asshole], can I speak with your manager?

Telemarketer: Uh…what?

Me: Your manager. I’d love to speak to your manager right now. Because this is just so amazing.

Telemarketer: Why? What for?

Me: Well, I did not ask for this call. I did not consent to this call. And now I want to speak to your manager to tell them what an incredibly amazing asshole fuck you are. Please, transfer me. I’ll wait!

Telemarketer: Um…he’ll call you back.

Was I a little mean? Yes, I probably was.

Was I overly vulgar? Yes, I definitely was.

Do I feel bad about anything I said? No, I do not.

Again, I did not authorize this call. I did not consent to this call. I have repeatedly put my number on the “Do Not Call” list. These assholes still called me and wasted my time with this bullshit. As far as I’m concerned, if they’re not going to do the decent thing and respect my request, then I’m not going to bother being decent with them.

To whoever was on the other end of that call, I don’t apologize. I regret nothing. Fuck you. Get a job that doesn’t require you to harass people.

To anyone else who has ever fucked with a telemarketer, please share your experience and join me in hating these assholes like they deserve.

Leave a comment

Filed under Current Events, rants, real stories, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 16, 2021 · 5:47 am

Dear Robocalls: Either Get Smarter Or Piss Off

FTC launches new initiative to combat robocalls - CNET

I hate robocalls.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t hate them with the passion of an exploding sun.

You could be having a wonderful day with your friends and family, feeling as happy as you’ve ever felt. Then, your phone rings, you check the number, you think it’s someone local, and you answer it, only to find out it’s some bullshit robocall about a warranty to a car that you haven’t owned in 10 years. Naturally, you’re going to be pissed. It won’t ruin your day, but it will kill your good mood.

Fuck robocalls. I don’t care how adverse you are to profanity. You probably agree with that sentiment. Fuck these robocalls and everything about them.

Now, why am I bringing them up? I promise it’s not just to share my abject hatred of these wasteful bits of frustration. I actually bring it up to share a story that I hope conveys just how stupid these calls can be.

It happened very recently while I was visiting my dad. For a bit of context, my dad is awesome. I’ve already made that clear in previous posts. He’s also in his late 60s and has mostly retired from work. He’s still active, but he hasn’t worked a full-time job for years and he’s more than earned that. He worked his ass off for decades and he earned the right to settle into a less stressful lifestyle.

I bring this up because it’s a critical detail for what happened. Shortly before I arrived for my visit, he got a robocall that was almost too dumb to believe. Apparently, this call actually tried to warn my dad that his student loans needed to be refinanced and they were offering some sort of debt restructuring relief.

Again, my dad is semi-retired.

He hasn’t worked a full time job in years.

He hasn’t been to school since the 1970s.

He does not have any student loans, has never needed them, and his work history has never required anything like them.

Somehow, this robocall was too dumb to surmise that. Something tells me didn’t surmise anything. It just picked a random number and it happened to be my dad’s. I get that these robocall scams aren’t that sophisticated, but there’s a big difference between being unsophisticated and being just plain fucking stupid.

My dad and I still laughed about it. The idea that anyone would call him about student loan debts is hilarious in concept. At the same time, it makes me hate these robocall scams even more. If they’re so dumb that they call my dad about student loan debts, then they’re too dumb to exist. They either need to do a bare minimum amount of research or just fuck off entirely.

Personally, I prefer the latter.

Leave a comment

Filed under rants, real stories, technology

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

August 14, 2021 · 8:13 am

High School: My Experience, Perspective, and Advice

The following is a video from my YouTube Channel, Jack’s World. It’s a more personal video in that it contains some real-life experiences that I wanted to share. With schools set to open again very soon, I felt the time was right to reach out to those who are just entering high school. For me, it was a dark and sad period in my life. However, it didn’t have to be. I made it that way. As such, I want to offer some advice to others so that their experiences can be better than mine. Enjoy!

4 Comments

Filed under Jack's World, real stories, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,