I had always been told that education was the key to success and I had believed it blindly.

I had worked hard and graduated from a local university with a degree in accounting. I was excited and sure that with this degree I would be able to get a job that would pay me handsomely and make me successful.

Friend doing sales earns more than him

However, life had other plans for me. After months of searching and applying for jobs, I managed to get a job paying me about $4,500. It was a good figure for a fresh grad and was satisfied.

However, my unhappiness was compounded when I learnt that my friend, who had not gone to Uni, was earning more than me, easily $6,000 and above every month.

He had found a job in sales and was doing very well. He had managed to get a good salary and was succeeding in his career.

I felt envious and unhappy. I had worked so hard for my degree and yet I was still not able to make as much money as him. I felt like a complete failure. I had invested all my time and energy into getting an education and yet, here I was, with nothing to show for it.

I was so frustrated that I started to resent my friend even more. How could he be so successful when he wasn’t even educated? It felt unfair. I felt like I had been cheated out of a good career and a good salary.

Started to feel that having a degree is useless

I started to feel like I had wasted my time and energy on getting a degree. I had put in so much effort and yet here I was, with nothing to show for it. I was unhappy and bitter.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I had made a mistake by going to Uni. I felt like I would have been better off without a degree.

I was so unhappy that I eventually tried to avoid my friend as I no longer felt like I could be around him, as it only made me feel worse and more bitter.

I had been feeling the tension around the house for weeks. My mum had been uncharacteristically quiet and withdrawn; she used to chat away with me, my two sisters and brother, but now she was spending most of her time in her room. I was certain something was wrong.

Today, we had all been summoned to the dining room. We took our seats, my brother and I on one side of the table, my two sisters on the other. Mum had made us some snacks and tea, which we ate silently, all of us aware that something was coming.

Told us about her will

Mum took a deep breath and spoke.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” she said. “I’ve been trying to decide what to do with all my possessions. I want to make sure they go to the people I love most, and that means my children.”

My heart sank as she said this. I knew what she was going to say.

“So,” she continued, “I’ve decided to leave all my possessions to my son, your brother. I know he will take care of them and make sure they are looked after.”

My sisters and I exchanged glances. We hadn’t expected this. We had all assumed that we would all get a share of our mum’s possessions. But it seemed that wasn’t to be.

My mum continued. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but it’s what I think is best. I know your brother will make sure everything is taken care of. I’m sorry if this isn’t what you expected.”

We all sat in silence. My sisters and I were in shock. We had expected to get something, but now it seemed that wouldn’t be the case. We all knew our brother would take good care of everything, but it felt like a slap in the face to us.

My mum looked around the table, her eyes sad. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. But it’s what I feel is best.”

We all said nothing. There was nothing to say.

My mum stood up and looked around the table. “I love you all,” she said. “And I know you’ll understand why I had to do this.”

With that, she left the room.

Typical ‘zhong nan qing nu’ mindset

My sisters and I sat in stunned silence. We had expected to get something of our mum’s, but now it seemed that wouldn’t be the case.

We thought that in this time and age, there would not be anymore traditional thinking of ‘zhong nan qing nu’ anymore.

For non mandarin readers sake, zhong nan qing nu means favouring boys over girls and it is a very typical mindset and culture of the more traditional Chinese households.

Boyfriend won’t get over the fact that I queefed

I (20f) queefed for the first time in doggy with my boyfriend (19m) days ago

It was a mortifying sound, and I’ve been very embarrassed ever since especially because I’m quite a reserved and serious person

In the moment we managed to shake it off and the next day I apologised again and told him I’m sorry

But now he’s been continually on edge and sometimes burst out laughing without telling me what he’s laughing about. It’s pretty evident what. And I’m sure he means no harm but it’s really tearing down my self esteem and whether he still finds me attractive

Kinda unsure how to approach this it’s making me feel so insecure. I was feeling OK until he indirectly brought it up again

We’re on the same course at uni and I’m scared he’ll tell anyone. It makes me want to cry. He knows he has something on me now and he’s lowkey exploiting it

I didn’t even want to do the doggy position but he kept asking and I was so drunk. So it’s quite unfair especially after I didn’t even want to

Netizens’ comments

1. Eh. Queefing is a normal and natural part of intimacy, maybe some times more than others. Not something to feel ashamed about. It happens.
2. When that happens the first time with my GF we were both in tears laughing. It was a ginormous fart from her p—y, louder and flappier than I could have ever done it with my butt.
   There is nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, the sound can be super funny if you are in a relaxed mood. But intercourse isn’t the time for being reserved and serious.
   Queefing happens most of the time when we do doggy and we just shrug it off now. Ok, maybe I giggle a bit sometimes.
3. So let’s rewind. He’s shoving something into you repeatedly. Pushing air with it. And the air released due to pressure and he’s upset about it? 
4. Here a different perspective.
   Honestly, you’re the one having the hard time accepting this whole situation, not him. He’s fine with it, he laughs the situation off, he didn’t even say anything bad about it, you’re kinda just making assumptions. You’re embarrassed about something that’s so natural and common.
   You really don’t have to worry about him telling others, this isn’t exactly something you can make fun of a woman for. What’s he gonna say to his friends? My gf queefed? They will just look at him weird and say “well yeah, my gf sometimes does that too” It’s not a thing to be mocked tbh.

My (50M) mother recently passed away and my brother (48M) and I inherited her house worth about 1.5 million.

My brother has asked if I could give up my share of the inheritance so he could own and live in the house.

His reasoning is that I’m already well off and already own and paid off my own house, and this was his only chance to own a home.

I said no, but offered 4 alternative options: we can sell the house, he could buy me out, we could rent out the house and split the profits, or he could live there with his family for free as long as he could pay for the upkeep of the house.

Now he’s upset with me because he says I’m already set in life, while he’s still struggling to make ends meet and doesn’t own a house.

Here’s some additional context: We grew up in a poor, but very loving family. My parents worked really hard to provide for us, and really stressed pursuing a good education to free ourselves from poverty.

I worked hard, took loans, went to uni, got a good paying job, got married, and had kids. My brother graduated but didn’t end up pursuing his field, and job hopped from one low paying job to the next. He’s married now and has a toddler.

I feel bad for his situation, but I feel like I’m being punished for my success. I worked hard to get where I am today.

I love my brother and want what’s best for him and his family. But my share of the inheritance would still be a lot of money. Am I being greedy?

Netizens’ comments

1. He can live there for free and pay for the upkeep and isn’t willing (more likely isn’t able) to? I suspect your brother wants you to sign it over to him so that he can sell it and keep all of the profits. Based on what you’ve said, I don’t think he can afford the house even if you were to hand it over to him.
2. Half the profits from a 1.5 million dollar home is $750,000. If he can’t parlay that into home ownership there’s really no helping him.
3. Your individual financial situations are irrelevant to the situation. It is not for you or your mother to take responsibility for your brothers life choices. Your mother presumably knew the both your and your Bros financial situation and her decision is that the proceeds are split.
   He is effectively asking you to give him $750k and if his only reason is ‘because you have more than me’, tell him to pull his finger out of his arse and work and maybe in 10 years he’ll have more than you.

I had been in Singapore for a week, and I had yet to find her. I had been searching every day and night for the past seven days, but with no luck.

My wife had come to Singapore a few months ago for a job, and for some reason she hadn’t contacted me since then. I was worried and desperate to find her, so I decided to come to Singapore and look for her myself.

Found her working in Geylang

It was my last night in Singapore, and I was running out of time. I had been to all the places she might have gone, but I still hadn’t found her.

I was about to give up when I heard a rumor about a woman who looked like my wife working in one of the houses in Geylang. I had to find out if it was true, so I decided to take a walk down there.

When I arrived, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the district. Everywhere I looked, there were many types of men from young to old looking for a ‘chicken’.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but I had to press on. I walked up and down the streets, searching for my wife, until I finally spotted her in one of the houses

She was wearing a revealing dress and sitting on the sofa behind a glass panel, smiling to men who walked in. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. All this time, she had been working as a ‘chicken’. I couldn’t believe it.

I left the place with an heavy heart and after a while, I received a call from my wife.

Raked up gambling debts at home

She told me that she had been desperate for money because of some debts she incurred from gambling back in our country and had no other choice.

One of her friends had told her that coming to Singapore to work would make her money not only enough to pay back her debts but also make her rich when she comes back home and because of these reasons, she decided to go ahead with working as a ‘chicken’.

She said that she was sorry and that she wanted to come home with me.

But it was too late. I couldn’t forgive her for what she had done.

This experience has left me broken. I never thought I would find out that my wife had been working as a ‘chicken’ in Singapore.

I love my wife but I can’t stand my kids

My wife and I were married for seven years before we started having kids. We knew that we had different opinions about kids from before we got engaged.

She wanted a big family, at least three kids. I wasn’t all that into kids in general, and thought three would be a lot, but I also figured that fatherhood is a pretty normal part of adulthood and that I didn’t feel strongly enough to deny her the kids she wanted so much.

Big mistake.

Our kids just enrage me from morning to night. They are so loud, they don’t listen to anything I say, they shout over me and one another, they hit, they break shit all the time, and they just suck the joy out of my waking hours.

Before we had kids, we travelled a lot, went out and enjoyed each other’s company.

Now, we argue over parenting, money, and who is more exhausted and overstretched. I am thoroughly unhappy and can hardly muster the energy to get out of bed in the morning to face these days.

I still love my wife and relish when we can have some quiet time to ourselves and recharge (thank god for grandparents).

But every day there comes a point where I wonder if everyone wouldn’t be better off if we split. I’m not making my kids’ lives better by being here, and my mental health is wrecked.

Guys, don’t think that you can just adapt to parenthood if kids aren’t something you really want.

You need that drive to make it through, and it’s not just going to magically appear. It’s hard to uncouple from someone you love over this, but better to do so before you’re in the thick of it.

Netizens’ comments

Dude you need to have an honest conversation with your wife. Tell her you are unhappy to the point of wanting to bail. Explain to her why.

It sounds to me like they don’t have enough structure within your home. Do they get disciplined? Are there actionable consequences when they misbehave? Is there any kind of structure at all from your wife or you?

These are all things that can be changed and worked on. It sounds to me like you don’t have a bond with your children. Do you want to?

I’d suggest getting one on one time with each of your kids. Go do something fun with each of them that you’d both enjoy. Learn who they are as people. You’re their Dad and will be for the rest of your life. Sure, they’re annoying… most kids around 10 to 14 are.

You can either continue on this road until you inevitably leave your marriage or you can try changing your own behaviors, stepping outside the box you’ve put yourself in, and act like a parent.

Kids are loud and messy. That’s part of the deal. But there are things you can do to improve your home life. Family counseling might help, but so would individual counseling for you. I’d also recommend parenting classes for both you and your wife.

Don’t give up. Work on fixing it.

Growing up, my parents had always been very supportive of my ambitions and encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

When I told them I wanted to study abroad in Australia, they were more than happy to help me. They had saved enough money for me to be able to study in Australia for four years.

Drank and partied everyday instead of studying

At first, I was really excited about the prospect of studying in Australia and the fact that my parents were so supportive made it even better. But, as it turned out, I was in for a rude awakening.

From the moment I arrived in Australia, I was exposed to a completely different lifestyle. I quickly became caught up in the party scene and started drinking heavily.

Instead of focusing on my studies, I found myself partying and drinking every night. I even began skipping classes and started to fall behind in my studies.

I kept this lifestyle up for nearly a year, telling myself that I could always catch up later. However, before I knew it, I had fallen so far behind that I was in danger of failing all my courses.

I had completely wasted the money my parents had given me and I was ashamed.

Returned back to Singapore with nothing

Desperate to make up for my mistakes, I decided to drop out of school and see if I could find a job in Australia. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any work and I had to leave Australia.

I had to return home to my parents, who were obviously disappointed in me.

I had let my parents down and I had wasted the money they had given me. To make matters worse, I was now unemployed with no education and no prospects for the future.

I had taken a risk that had failed and now I had to face the consequences.

Despite all my mistakes, my parents still accepted me back into the family. I was grateful for their understanding and I promised myself that I would never make the same mistake again.

I am now working hard to make up for the mistakes I have made and to build a better future for myself.

It was a typical workday, and I was in my office, expecting the usual hustle and bustle of the workday. However, I was in for a surprise when I arrived.

My employees had all left their desks, and were standing in the middle of the office, looking angry and frustrated. I was confused at first, but then I remembered that I had recently fired their manager.

Decided to let manager go to ‘cut costs’

The manager had been with the company for several years, and the employees had grown to trust him as a mentor and leader.

He was well-liked and respected, so when I had to let him go due to budget cuts, the employees were understandably upset.

I tried to explain to them that it was a business decision, and that the company simply couldn’t afford to keep him on.

I also tried to assure them that I was still committed to the same goals and that I had their best interests in mind. But they didn’t seem to care.

Maybe I was wrong, because I did not care about their wellbeing all the time

I heard from one of the few employees who stayed the reason why most of the employees left.

She told me that it was because the employees felt like I did not care about their wellbeing when I made certain decisions and often than rather, it was the manager who mediated between the employees and myself and made them continue to stay in the job.

However, knowing it was too late.

One by one, my employees began to quit. They said that they couldn’t work for someone who was so unreasonable and didn’t understand the importance of loyalty.

Some even said that I was a bad leader and that they couldn’t be part of a company that was led by someone like me.

I tried to talk them out of it, but it was too late. They had already made up their minds and were determined to leave. I felt helpless and guilty, but there was nothing I could do.

The next few weeks were a blur. I was left with a skeleton staff, and I had to work twice as hard to get everything done.

I realized that I had made a mistake in letting the manager go, but it was too late to fix it.

Managed to hire some new staff, but it was not the same anymore

I eventually managed to hire some new employees to replace those who left, but it was never the same. The atmosphere in the office was different and the employees were always on edge.

They were wary of me and I could feel their mistrust and disdain.

I tried my best to be understanding and supportive, but it was clear that my employees would never accept me as their leader.

No matter how hard I tried, I could never regain their trust.

In the end, I was forced to admit defeat. I had lost the trust and respect of my employees, and there was nothing I could do to win it back.

I never expected my chest to be the size they are now. When I first became pregnant, I was so excited to see the changes my body was going through.

I was happy to have a growing belly, softer skin, and bigger chest. I was a little scared about the idea of my chest getting bigger, but I couldn’t deny that I was also excited to see the results.

Grew two cup sizes

When I was pregnant, my chest grew from a B cup to a full D cup. I was amazed at how quickly and dramatically my chest had changed.

I enjoyed the extra attention I received from my husband, who clearly found my new curves attractive. I never felt more beautiful than I did during my pregnancy.

Luckily the sizes didn’t go down after I gave birth

After I gave birth to my daughter, I was worried that my chest would go back to their pre-pregnancy size. But, much to my delight, they didn’t.

In fact, they stayed the same size they were while I was pregnant. I was so happy that I had managed to keep my new curves.

My chest look great in all of my clothes. I love how they fill out my blouses and dresses, and I feel so much more confident when I look in the mirror.

Though I do get stares when I walk on the streets by random people who can’t help but stare at the size of my chest, I must admit that the feeling of getting the attention on my chest which I never got before was quite great.

I’m so glad that my chest stayed the size they are now after I had my daughter. Having bigger chest has made me feel more comfortable and confident in my body.

I know that my chest will change as I get older, but I’m happy that I got to enjoy the size they are now for at least a little while.

I came to Singapore when I was young, and eventually became a resident here.

One can find many good things in the country, a wealth of job opportunities, an excellent public transportation system, a world-class education system, and a multicultural society.

High cost of living

On the other hand, the cost of living in Singapore is one of the highest in the world, making it difficult for many to make ends meet.

I am one of those people who find it hard to make ends meet in Singapore. I have been living in Singapore for the past five years and I have yet to make enough money to save for the future.

I am not alone in this predicament; many of my friends are also struggling to make ends meet in Singapore.

The average salary in Singapore is around S$3,500, which is not enough to cover living expenses, let alone save for the future.

Even if I were to take on a second job, it would not make much difference since the wages are not much higher than the first job.

Many live paycheck to paycheck

The result of this is that many Singaporeans are living from paycheck to paycheck and are unable to save for the future.

This is especially true for those who have families to support. Even if one is able to save a little, it is not enough to ensure a comfortable retirement or provide for one’s children’s education.

It is not just the cost of living that is preventing Singaporeans from saving for the future; it is also the culture of spending.

Singaporeans are expected to keep up with their peers in terms of lifestyle and material possessions. This has led to a situation where people are spending more than they can afford and are unable to save for the future.

This is why I believe that Singaporeans earn how much also not enough because anyhow spend.