Mark Wesley Pritchard
Bio
You can call me Wesley. Former cosplayer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?
Threads: @misterwesleysworld
Instagram: @misterwesleysworld
Stories (394)
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My Huge Dislike of Euphemisms . Content Warning.
Everyone's favorite, or rather, hated social media platform YouTube turned 20 this year. My 17-year-old self thought it was the best thing that was ever invented. Fast forward to 2025, I've come to the conclusion that it has gotten worse over time. Why? It's because these YouTubers are interested in coddling their audiences rather than providing us with honest, factual information. One thing that I dislike about YouTubers is them using euphemisms of words that are harmless for the most part. The late, great George Carlin discussed this on his 1990 comedy album, Parental Advisory. He explained that euphemisms hid the truth, which he had a huge dislike of. There are some terms that were highly offensive and the language needed to change, such as terms that describe people with disabilities. I can accept some language that is here to stay. In my opinion, YouTubers and regular people using euphemisms makes me want to throw up. We're literally babying a generation in order for them to get more views and subscribers/followers. Where feelings are more important than keeping it real to everyone. They're afraid if they used direct language in their videos, their videos would be demonetized, which I've always found both laughable and ridiculous. I've heard that lame excuse countless times. Basically, they have to walk on eggshells, so they don't "trigger" their audiences. I'll share a few examples of terms that many people have been using online that makes me cringe.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Humor
Destination: World Series
The 2025 ALCS matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays was full of hitting power. Plus, it was eventful and something worth watching. A few years from now, we might see this in a video compilation as among the best Postseason moments of all time.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
Looks Like Team Spirit
Today, October 20, is National Day of Writing, which encourages everyone to express themselves through sharing their thoughts to others. Since becoming a creator on Vocal back in 2018, I've written a plethora of stories that might be relatable to others, such as baseball, video games, and tidbits regarding my personal life. In the last several years, book bans have been one of the main talking points, mostly from conservative politicians and the most well-known writers have accused them of censorship. If there were books that discussed gender identity or race, chances are that you won't see them in public schools or at your local library. You can't shield children from everything, because they deserve to know about topics that they're curious of. Books about race, gender identity, and other progressive issues are needed, because it might be relatable to many people. Conservatives always claimed that these book bans are about "protecting children", but I've never bought that excuse. Protect them from whom or what exactly? Also, their other claim is to stop the indoctrination of children. Indoctrination has been a huge buzz word amongst conservative politicians. It's just a low-key term for brainwashing. Teaching children how to treat others with respect is not indoctrination. It's called being a decent human being. If only they put so much energy into passing common sense gun control laws instead of policing libraries and schools on which books children can and can't read. My point is that having an imagination is not a crime and as John F. Kennedy once said, "Libraries should be open to all---except the censor."
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Writers
Unapologetically Being My True, Authentic Self
What's in a name, you ask? Your name might have a personal or cultural meaning that's near and dear to you. On the other hand, you dislike your name and want to change it or to be called by a different name. For me, I chose the latter. In a recent article from the Social Security Administration's (SSA) website, they displayed a table of the top 100 names given to males and females between the years 1925 to 2024. In case you're curious, the most popular name for males is James, while Mary is the top given name for females in the past 100 years. My name, Mark, is ranked 15th on the list among given male names. Near the end of 2022, I made a bold decision to do something for myself. In December of that year, I decided that I wanted to go by my middle name, which is Wesley and wanted to be addressed by that name. I'll share the why in a bit. It's not a popular name and according to MyNameStats.com, it's ranked 488th. I'm almost 40 and I have the right to be called by a different name. It was a grown-up decision that I don't regret at all.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Humans
A Huge, Devastating Blow to Special Education
I struggled to write this story, because this topic in particular hits very close to me. In my previous story about special education, I shared my personal story of how the program changed my life and my concerns surrounding it. I'm emotional talking about it, because I was that kid. The kid on the autism spectrum who relied on the services that accommodated my personal needs. I had an IEP to assist me with whatever I needed. Over three decades later, I'm forever grateful for the teachers and other staff who took time out of their day to help me become the person I am today. They wanted me to become successful and live a productive life. Without it, I wouldn't be as successful as I am today. If you would like to read my previous story, you can click the link down below. It's worth the read and please share it with others to spread the word.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in The Swamp
What a World Series Title Would Mean for the Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have surprised everyone by becoming one of the best teams in the league. Currently, they're playing against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS as they aim to win their first pennant in franchise history and make their first ever World Series appearance. Their late season surge and outlasting their division rivals, the Houston Astros, for the American League West crown, shows that they're dangerous and not here to play around. In case you've been living under a rock, the Mariners won the AL West title for the first time since 2001. They have greatly turned things around under manager Dan Wilson. Since the firing of Scott Servais, Wilson, who was a Mariners catcher and was part of the 2001 team that clinched the AL West title, deserves all the credit for getting this team to where they are today. Now, the Mariners have a chance to win the AL Pennant and make their first World Series appearance. Their last playoff appearance was back in the 2022 ALDS, where they were swept. I love a good underdog story, and the Mariners are an example of that.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
Favorite MLB Players of the Last 25 Years
There's a saying that time flies when you're having fun. The same can be said when it comes to the 2025 MLB season. There have been outstanding moments, and we're eager to find out wait on who will become World Series Champions. A few months ago, I wrote and published about my favorite World Series games of the last 25 years. If you would like to read that entire story, you can click the link down below and share your favorites.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
The Blue Jays Understood the Assignment
Well, well, well. The New York Yankees fall short yet again. They perform great during the regular season, but fall apart in the Postseason. This has been their MO for who knows how long. This was the same team who was in the World Series a year ago. Aaron Judge and the Yankees made multiple errors during Game 5, where they had a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning. All of a sudden, it went straight to hell from there. Before this season began, I predicted that the Yankees would miss the playoffs. Now, after they were eliminated by the Blue Jays in the ALDS, whom I'll discuss in a bit, the Yankees front office has a lot of decisions to make. Will Aaron Boone return as manager? Does the starting rotation need to undergo some changes? If this team doesn't make any changes, they'll never return to becoming the dominant team they once were over 20 years ago. Aaron Judge is the Dan Marino of Major League Baseball. A great player, but he fades in the playoffs. No World Series titles...yet, but it's unacceptable for a player to have lackluster on-field performances. I no longer have any confidence in the Yankees, because they look so lost every year. They got outperformed by the Blue Jays and it revealed their weaknesses and were exposed. If the goal of the Yankees is to win World Series titles, like I said, changes need to be made and fast. Otherwise, they'll endure more years of disappointing seasons and playoff exits.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
Wesley's 2026 Wild Card Predictions
Greetings, baseball nerds! In my last story, I shared my predictions on who would win each division in 2026. Just in case you missed it, I'll have a link to it down below for your convenience. In this story, I'll share which teams who might have a chance of seeing October next year. Before the 2026 MLB season begins, I'll be writing and publishing another story comparing both my division and Wild Card picks to what FanGraphics has chosen. That will take place sometime before the regular season begins, so be on the lookout for that. Now, on to my Wild Card picks!
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
Wesley's 2026 Division Winner Predictions
The MLB Postseason is still going on, but it doesn't mean that it's too early to focus on the 2026 MLB season. I'll only be focusing on my picks to win each division next season, then I'll make my Wild Card predictions in the next story. Be sure to like this story when you get finished reading it, follow me on my socials, subscribe to my page on here, and if you really love my work, please reward me with a one-off tip at the end of this story. That way, I'll continue to write and publish new stories. Plus, you'll be supporting creators like me.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
My Experiences Doing Cosplay Photoshoots
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. As someone who has attended many conventions as a former cosplayer, one of my favorite things to take part of were cosplay photoshoots. They're a great way to be yourself and let your personality loose. I've participated in a few of these and stick around, because I'll hare with you one cosplay photoshoot that was the most enjoyable and memorable. If you're new to Vocal or aren't familiar with my stories, I was a cosplayer for 10 years before retiring last October. Cosplay photoshoots take place either outside of venues where conventions take place or any spot of your choice. While most photoshoots are free, others require a charge in order for the photographer to take amazing shots of you. My very first cosplay photoshoot took place back in 2016 while attending an anime convention, where I went as a genderbent Harley Quinn. I made a mallet to go with my cosplay. Was it the best I've ever made? Probably not, but I had a good time that weekend. I'll share a story about a photoshoot that took place at a local park.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Geeks
There's a New 'Skip'-per in Town
The title of this story was no pun intended, but very creative at the same time. Anyway, the Texas Rangers not being in the playoffs isn't anything new to the team or fans. All we can look forward to is Spring Training in February and the 2026 MLB regular season. With the Postseason currently in progress, the Rangers will come back even stronger in the new year. Hopefully, 2026 will see them back in the playoffs and possibly, an AL West title, something they haven't won since 2016.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 3 months ago in Unbalanced
