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Most recently published stories on Vocal.
I Stopped Chasing Fashion Trends — and That’s When I Truly Started Noticing Them. AI-Generated.
For a long time, fashion trends felt exhausting to me. Every season seemed louder than the last. New colors, new silhouettes, new rules about what was “in” and what was suddenly outdated. I followed them at first—mostly out of curiosity—but eventually I stopped trying to keep up.
By MOHAMMED19 days ago in Confessions
Book Review: "City of Girls" by Elizabeth Gilbert
I've read Eat, Pray, Love but I have to admit that was a while ago now. Actually it was probably less than five years after the book was released, so there. City of Girls was one I had never heard of for some reason. Currently, I am nursing a cut on my finger because a book betrayed me. I'm also running on about five cups of coffee, no food and about two hours of sleep. I exist in the twilight zone but I can appreciate a good book when I read it. City of Girls was a wonderful book. Let's take a look at what it was about...
By Annie Kapur19 days ago in Geeks
The Ink-Stained Ledger
The diner air hung thick, a greasy shroud of burnt coffee and yesterday’s bacon. Leo traced a finger through the dust on the counter, the fluorescent lights humming a low, miserable tune above him. Another Friday night, another handful of regulars, another stack of bills that felt heavier than the griddle itself. Mama’s Diner. Her legacy. His burden. He wiped his hands on his apron, the cloth already stiff with grime. He was tired, bone-deep tired, the kind of tired that seeped into your marrow and made every breath feel like a chore.
By HAADI19 days ago in Motivation
What Defines American Travel Focused Lifestyle Today Living
Travel is no longer a thing that the Americans can incorporate into their life when there is a time to do so. It has become one of the characteristic features of the way many individuals prefer to live. Travel-centered lifestyle is not necessarily one that travels everywhere all the time and runs away, but one that makes the normal life centered on freedom and experience and conscious decision. Americans are finding it more worthwhile to travel as means of knowing who they are, creating significant routines, and maintaining contact with a broader world.
By Tiana Alexandra19 days ago in Humans
Where American Travelers Find Purpose Through Lifestyle Exploration
Today, purpose is no longer something that is inherited or given to an American traveler by location, job position, or tradition. It is an experience that is learnt through movement, exposure and experience. Traveling is now a valuable tool in exploring lifestyle that helps one to realize what is really important and to leave the solid framework of knowing and going beyond the well-known ideas of success, happiness and identity.
By Tiana Alexandra19 days ago in Humans
9 European Exhibitions Worth Traveling For in 2026. AI-Generated.
Europe is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and artistic heritage, making it a haven for art lovers, history buffs, and culture enthusiasts. The year 2026 promises to be an exciting one for exhibitions, with several high-profile showcases and cultural experiences set to take place across the continent. Whether you're an art aficionado, a fan of history, or simply looking to immerse yourself in European culture, here are nine exhibitions you won’t want to miss in 2026.
By Fiaz Ahmed Brohi19 days ago in The Swamp
Make Sure
Make sure you get a job, but that doesn’t pay too much so you can get food stamps and state sponsored health insurance. Otherwise you need $200 per month at least to pay for health insurance so you’re not paying $10,000 when you need an ambulance ride. With insurance, it’ll only be $2000. Isn’t it great? Also, remember when your SSI goes up with the cost-of-living, that your food stamps will decrease because you’re making more income, even though the price of food goes up too, and even staying on the same amount of EBT buys less already. And remember, if you have a disability, you can’t have more than $2000 across your checking and savings account. You can still work though, just don’t make too much or you’ll lose your benefits. It’s expensive to be poor; make sure to save every penny you find on the ground. It’s not taxable, and you’ll need it at the grocery store. And remember that the cheap insurance is barely covering anything, so make sure to not need too many appointments or medications, and to keep your sicknesses down. If you have an issue with your food stamps or Section 8, make sure to take off a day from work (Yes, the day you accounted for to be able to pay rent, that one) so you can go to the housing office and/or social services to wait in line to be scanned for weapons (including crochet hooks, you could dully stab a bitch) to be frustrated at a system to staff that are not paid enough to make excuses for the department they work for. Don’t forget to pay your rent that’s more than half of your income. Don’t forget to report to your pointless job for less than a living wage. If you had a living wage, then you wouldn’t be here at a social services office, now would you? Don’t forget to buy healthy food, even though it is more expensive, and not as fast as fast food, in your already limited free time outside of work, which must also be used for sleep, unless you work two or three jobs, and in that case: best of luck, you fuck! Lastly, life is short, so don’t forget to have fun!
By Ariana GonBon19 days ago in Poets
