Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Journal.
A Story of Being Young and Dumb
How It All Began I grew up in a very loving and supportive home. My parents would always find activities for me in order to keep me busy. As a young kid I had a lot of energy. During most summers I would take swimming lessons. Every May, I would collaborate with my friends to make sure we all got into the same lesson times. Some of my greatest memories from growing up involved going to the pool with friends. As I grew up, I eventually needed a job. Because getting a job at 16 years old is not an easy task, I decided to become a swimming instructor for the woman I received lessons from. It was perfect! I was getting paid to be in a pool all day. As time went on all of my friends became instructors as well. Working with my friends through my teenage years and early twenties I have gathered a lot of wonderful, crazy, and downright stupid experiences that I will never forget for the rest of my life.
By James Kelly7 years ago in Journal
Communication
How often do we think about how well our communication skills are? Our communications skills are not always something we think about daily. We may think about them when we have a public speech to give, have an argument with someone and think how things could have been said different, or even when we are talking to our boss and they take what we say differently than how we meant it to be. These are times I know that I think about my communication skills.
By Kaylee Lundgren7 years ago in Journal
A Toys "R" Us Revival?
This past June, when the last Toys "R" Us stores closed, retail analysts—along with many, many "regular" people across the country—lamented what was the end of an era. There was a general consensus that this was not just another corporate bankruptcy. It was the death of American retail icon, one that had changed the toy industry and had been the "go-to" place for toys (until it wasn't)—more than any other major retail chain that had closed in recent years.
By David Wyld7 years ago in Journal
How Not to Leave Your Job
We may all sometimes have a fantasy—a dream—about how we will one day leave our jobs. Some picture having a big, catered party with their coworkers, ending in a crescendo of toasts/speeches that go on way too long and hopefully, a lovely parting gift from the company. Others, well, they hope to simply walk out into the night, hoping for no cake, no balloons, no fanfare. These dreams of leaving voluntarily—whether a few months from now, in a year or two, or in a few decades, ending in retirement and a gold watch (well, maybe a fake gold, good knock-off watch from TJ Maxx these days)—are generally of the pleasant variety.
By David Wyld7 years ago in Journal
Rebellious Thoughts of a Recent Grad
I grew up with ideals of success repetitively instilled in me harder than a jackhammer on a construction site. My dad always said education is the key to success, which to this day I still don’t doubt. I was fortunate enough to receive an education from the top public university in the world, so by the social norm and, of course, the public’s interpretation, that should mean I attain the golden ticket to a life of immense triumph and corporate hierarchy.
By Sparks of Spontaneity7 years ago in Journal
How to Handle Working with Your Ex
Most people have never been in a position where they've had to work with someone they've dated. Unfortunately for my friend, she found out that the venue that she was just hired to work for is the same place where the boyfriend she ghosted worked for the past two years.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart7 years ago in Journal
How to Plan Influence
Being an influential individual or an influencer is becoming an ever increasing necessity for nearly every walk of life. Whether it be Market influencers that lead fashionable trends or personal influence to have an impact at work, there is a growing need to genuinely understand the perspectives and situation of those we interact with. In this post i'm going to walk through my tried, tested and successful method for actively managing those that matter most to me.
By Peter O’Hanlon7 years ago in Journal
Inside the Mind of a Writer
As of now, I'm a 29-year-old writer. What do I write? How do I get there? Well, that's a good question. Sometimes, I don't know either. The only thing I do know is that I have spent years writing, either online, or on MS Word. If you do write, I'm sure there are mediums that you use. I use the medium Wattpad. Bottom line is: I enjoy it. I find that I can empty my mind the more I pour into a page. However, my mind continuously fills up, which is why, no matter what stage of a novel my previous work is at, I always start a new one. That may sound inefficient, but I at least like to have a direction, then forget what I wanted to write completely.
By Alicia Sleyster Schmidt7 years ago in Journal
The Looming Death of Sears
Sears is now a penny stock! Just let that sink in for a minute (and really, really sorry if you are unlucky enough to actually be a Sears stockholder!). This not only means that the companies stock has fallen to an all-time low, but that it could soon be delisted from the NASDAQ—making it harder to trade Sears Holdings stock for those who may actually want—or are brave enough—to do so!
By David Wyld7 years ago in Journal
