literature

Best corporate culture and workplace literature to better your workplace experience. Journal's favorite stories.

The Aspiring Author
My name is Jon, I live in New York, and I hate my job. Maybe hate is a strong word, but I'm not happy or fulfilled with my life. Writing short stories, life experiences, research articles, and whatever else I create, those things make me feel accomplished and fulfilled. I haven't published anything yet; I will when the time is right. Waking up every day following the same monotonous routine of making myself look "presentable" for the corporate world then hailing a cab that brings me down the same roads with the scenery only changing with the seasons. I sit at my dull cubicle, listen to my boss tell me what I need to improve on, and hear my other coworkers talk about their "picture perfect" family life makes me want to jump off the building. I don't fit in here. I can't relate to these people.
By Saydi Katherine5 years ago in Journal
Shortcut Through the Flowers
They say every person has a story. A story each person gets to write as they make their way through life. And each one of those stories is but a page in one book that links all of us together.
By Emma Wolf5 years ago in Journal
Under Water
The glow of the already too-warm screen bathed me in the light of the numbers that danced across it. Glued to my seat, a bead of sweat made its way from high on my back, rolling downwards, soaking into the thin fabric of my stained underwear. My hands trembled as I refreshed the screen in yet another flurry, the cacophony of flashing numerals filling my ears.
By J co5 years ago in Journal
Cafe to Coffer
JJ almost crashed into the glass door as he ran into the store. This was his 3rd day at the café and he was late again – 8:07AM. There was so much rush in the train (where did all the people come from!) that they didn’t let him in, with his bike. He had to wait and let go of three trains, before getting in. And that too, with some curse words from fellow passengers, peeled skin, just above his socks and a scratch on his cheek, where the handlebar nicked him. He hated this daily pain, but he couldn’t afford to move closer to downtown.
By Banu Raman5 years ago in Journal
Curiosity
The day greeted Patricia with plump droplets of rain spewing from the sky. She was concerned her car would not withstand the weather, and that the rain would melt off the Duct tape holding her bonnet in place, she didn’t have time for any car emergencies, today was training for her promotion working for ProAir private flights. So she swallowed her reluctance and decided to pay for the $64 Uber to the airport. She was early upon arrival to the meeting, so early in fact she was the first one there, not even the speaker had arrived yet. Patricia chose to sit as close to the front of the room as she could. She looked around the room. Behind the presentation screen on the wall was a large blue and red ProAir logo looking down upon her and the rest of the room almost biblically, as a matter of fact everything in that room that could be branded with ProAir iconography was, even the carpet had their logo patterned all over it.
By D.5 years ago in Journal
A Good Day
We run a small vintage store in a delightful market town on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment. The Bohemian capital of the Cotswolds apparently! And we’re as much to blame for that as anyone else in town.
By David Philip Ireland5 years ago in Journal
Pictures at an Exhibition
Michael has always lived on the outskirts; in the suburbs, nickel and dime jobs, but mostly in his mind. By dreaming big he's escaped the poverty of his surroundings. What's saved his life is selective memory. He can recall next to nothing about his first decade on the planet and chooses to forget most of the second. Solitude has been his saviour, spending long, luxurious afternoons in the dream spa. What is he dreaming about? Images.
By Robert Howard5 years ago in Journal
Worthy of His Hire
Mr. Hargreaves nodded thoughtfully and gazed at the ground. He was deep in conversation with Elwood, of Elwood and Sons, LLC, the contractor in charge of a new job. Anyone observing Hargreaves would think he was listening carefully to instructions, but wasn’t sure whether he liked them or not.
By Gigi J Wolf5 years ago in Journal
"YET TO BE WRITTEN"
“YET TO BE WRITTEN” by
By Joe Palumbo5 years ago in Journal
Next
What do you do next? The words replayed in my head after each tool was packed into my bag. I ensure my black notebook with everyone’s tickets is in the side pouch. Who cares what’s next? I have to do this now. Upon placing the final chisel into the bag I noticed the time on my watch. I was late for the expedition. Now, this wasn’t unusual, I was never one for being prompt or sticking to a strict schedule. Yet, this discovery may be worth the extra effort. What do I do next? I grab my things and get to my car. Speeding through traffic I don’t notice anyone else on the roads. I was late, but the world was asleep at this moment. Not for long, I thought, these roads will be backed up on my way home. Maybe, I’ll never go back. What would you do next? Arriving at the airport, I notice the rest of my team unloading their vehicles and they appear to be ready for the ensuing 16 hour flight and the rest they still haven’t received. Some business types pass us by on their way in. We catch up with each other quickly and begin to wheel our bags inside. I pull out the little black notebook with all my notes from previous trips and take out everyone’s tickets. We hustle to our gates to make it in time. Luckily, we arrive at the gates as they are doing a final boarding call. What’s next?
By Thin Diesel5 years ago in Journal
The Secrets of the Black Book
“Hey welcome! I’m glad you could make it! Come in, come in, have a seat! Whew, it’s freezing out there! I can’t believe how much snow has fallen, since we last spoke an hour ago, but I’m glad you made it through this snowstorm, safe and sound. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll take your coat, grab the black book out of the study, and then we can get started. You may have a seat by the fireplace, if you’d like, to warm yourself up! I just put some fresh logs on the fire, so that should last us a few hours. Alright, let me go hang up your coat, grab the book, and I’ll be right back.”
By A World of Expressions5 years ago in Journal
A Rich Man's Confession
Dear Random Person I Shall Most Likely Never Meet but Nonetheless Have Eternally Affected, You're probably wondering what the hell this little black journal is all about, and, more importantly, where the hell this $20,000 came from, and, more mysteriously, how you, of all people, came across it. And those are questions I shall answer in due time, but I want to ask you to consider something before you read on further:
By Ben Howard5 years ago in Journal