Being a babysitter full-time is a full-time job like any other, and it should be paid accordingly. Childcare is already hard enough and dismissed enough. We don't need more people diminishing the amount of work it takes to be in charge of small children. 

Two friends got into an awkward situation about this. One of them offered to take care of her friend's 2 children, similar in age to her own kids, all under 5 years old, while their mother worked. She got paid $100 per day, being the part-time job that it was. The friend switched jobs and needed her to take care of her children full-time, but instead of maintaining that rate, she wanted to cut it in half because she couldn't afford it. Double the work for half the salary. Under any other circumstances, that would be one heck of a lawsuit and something HR can't allow. But since this wasn't in a corporate environment, there's not much that could be done. The friend insisted that she couldn't pay her the usual rate, that she was getting back on her feet, and that she had bills to pay. Newsflash, your friend, who willingly babysits your two toddlers, also has two children of her own and bills to pay. The friend was trying to get her to accept less than minimum wage for a full-time job that is also extremely demanding. 

The thing here is, anyone can get through a rough patch and needs help to get back on their feet. But there's a difference between needing help and taking advantage of your friends' time and resources. Just because her friend doesn't have an office job doesn't mean that she doesn't work. Childcare and motherhood are full-time occupations, and society looks down upon them as they are. She's basically telling her friend that her time and work are less valuable than hers, that her work is not worth being paid, and the worst part is that they're both mothers. Society will never change if the work of mothers keeps being diminished. She may have financial issues as we all do, but if she can't afford to pay her friend a respectable salary, she should consider other options. 

If they wanted actors, then they should hire actors or pay for the acting lessons!

I've seen variations of this play out time and time again. Whether it's upper management asking their employees to track how many hours their work actually takes, with the secret intention of making them prove they don't need to be paid as much because their work takes way fewer hours than the original contract said; or bosses favouring employees who look overworked over those who actually perform well.

If I had to pick my battles, I would definitely pick this one, but I would approach it not with feelings or emotions, but with receipts. Maybe this employee could send a report of his team's productivity with a message explaining that they perform that well because they approach their work by trying to reduce stress. Stress is minimized by focusing on tasks instead of schedules and rewarding results, not performative panic. As I'm writing this, I realize it might be a lost cause, but we're all free to choose the hill we stop our journey on.

If they don't understand it this way, they might have to learn it the hard way and lose their most objectively valuable workers to keep the ones who only look valuable, but that's honestly a loss for everyone involved.

I honestly think there is a way to approach this issue so the executives understand what's happening, but it would definitely take excellent communication skills and dedication.

They are the only ones who know if they're that interested in the company to invest all that energy into it.

They have another option: to act as if they were incredibly stressed while doing the same thing they were doing before. Maybe that's the way management wants them to go.

Some cats have absolutely no interest in drinking water from a bowl when there's a perfectly good faucet nearby.

Turn on the sink and suddenly your cat is right there, ready for a drink. They'll hop onto the counter, stick their head over the sink, and start lapping at the stream like this is obviously how water is supposed to be served. The full bowl sitting a few feet away? Apparently that's not the same.

Every cat seems to have their own faucet technique too. Some drink neatly from the stream without getting a drop on themselves. Others shove their entire face into the water and come away with a soaking wet head. We're not sure how much water actually makes it into their mouth, but they seem happy with the arrangement.

Then there are the cats who learn that the hooman controls the faucet. Once they figure that out, you're in trouble. They'll sit in the sink and wait for you, meow until you get the hint, or stare directly at the tap like they're trying to turn it on with their mind. Sorry, hooman, your services are required.

We can't really blame them for preferring the fresh stuff. Running water is fun to watch, fun to smack with a paw, and apparently pretty fun to drink too. Some kitties will even stop for a few playful swats before remembering they came over for a drink.

Of course, giving them faucet water once can quickly become a regular thing. Soon you're turning on the sink several times a day because your cat has decided this is simply how things work now.

At least they're staying hydpurrated.

Just don't expect that water bowl to impress them anymore.

Most dares were never meant to be followed through

I guess that's what you get when you dare someone to do something serious, secretly expecting that they won't. Sometimes, I think, these people are so entitled they forget to question their actions, and they seriously think they've got nothing to hide or be ashamed of.

That's where the police come in to provide a little of an 'outside perspective,' to say the least. But a tenant has to do what it has to do.

There are only a few things more pleasurable than doing what's right, knowing you'll come out victorious. These are the advantages of knowing your rights. You can actually go to authorities, and they'll have your back.

This anecdote does more than prove the tenant was right all along; it also uncovers a lot of other things this landlord wasn't doing well or being fair about. And justice did its thing.

Divine justice like this doesn't happen every time, but when it does, we must enjoy every second it lasts.  The only downside is that things can get more tense with the landlord from now on, but if everyone is mature enough, it will just be a subyacent feeling and not an outward fight or even discussion.

Do you think this landlord knew what she was doing and was hiding it? Or was she handling things poorly, and stuff like that flew under the radar?

One thing I'm sure about is that she never thought she would be reported to the city, but well, it doesn't happen until it happens, and surely not for a good reason.

Landlords are well known for stunts like this, but I had never heard a story where justice had come to the rescue. Give it up for the tenant and the city!

Cats and cardboard boxes are a combination we will never get tired of.

It really doesn't matter what kind of box you bring into the house. Leave it on the floor for a few minutes and there's a good chance your cat will find it. They'll climb in, turn around a few times, and settle down like you put it there specifically for them.

The size of the box doesn't seem to matter much either. A nice roomy box is great, but apparently so is one that barely fits a single paw. Cats will somehow squeeze themselves into the tiniest spaces and look perfectly happy about it. You can see half the cat spilling over the sides, but they're staying put.

A good box can stick around for a while too. You tell yourself you'll throw it out after your cat gets bored of it, and then three weeks later it's still sitting in the middle of your living room. By then, they've slept in it enough times that getting rid of it feels a little mean.

Boxes are good for more than naps, though. Cats can hide in them, jump out at each other, chew on the edges, and poke their little heads through any holes they manage to find. Give them some packing paper inside and you've basically handed them an entire afternoon of entertainment.

Meanwhile, the actual thing that came in the box may have cost you plenty. Maybe it was even something for the cat. They don't care. The cardboard is right there, and they've already made their choice.

Cat pawrents know better than to immediately break down a good box at this point. You have to leave it out for inspection first and see whether your kitty approves.

If they climb inside, congratulations. That box belongs to them now.

Sometimes we shouldn't even wonder if we're being mean; just move on with our lives

Some people will take advantage of what we give to them. To accept a gift once is one thing, but to continue using and abusing the same thing over and over without ever asking again is a whole other story.

There is no way to justify it; it's obvious that this friend didn't mention his rooftop use openly because he knew it was wrong. This attitude only worked against him because if he had asked again, his friend would've probably said yes.

This is simply a disgusting attitude, and my advice is to never act this way, because if you already have a generous friend, it makes no sense to take advantage of him by secretly using his stuff. I suppose this was motivated by shame, because he likely was pretending to have a lifestyle he didn't have, but what a waste of time.

He was also warned before being revoked accordingly, so his reaction doesn't make sense either. What irritated me most as a reader is that when things went down, he reacted angrily instead of being apologetic. That shows you a lot about someone's character and how entitled they think they are to someone else's property. It's insane if you think about it, but there are many people like this walking amongst us.

Either way, as I always say, the information OP gathered thanks to this incident is incredibly valuable to adjust the access some people have not only to his rooftop, but to his life, in my opinion, but you'll be the judge of that.

Do you think it would've been better if he talked to his friend more deeply before revoking access? Or did his attitude express everything he needed to know?

Being a renter can sometimes be horrible, but once in a while some good things happen. 

Being a landlord or being a renter can both be horrible or great. It really depends on the land, the house or apartment that's being rented, and who the renter is if you are the landlord, or who the landlord is if you are the renter. So basically, it has to do with the person that you have the agreement with, as with almost everything in life. Life is really for the ones with great social abilities, or at least the ones that advocate for themselves when it's needed. Being able to express your mind can save you from a lot of trouble. It doesn't matter what the situation is or what it involves. If you are able to speak for yourself and defend what you think is true and fair, life will be smoother for you.

In the story below, we find a renter who was living in horrible conditions due to the landlord's lack of help. This person was really trying to get the landlord to fix everything for herself. She gave her 3 months to fix the roof, you read me right, 3 MONTHS! And what did the landlord do? Absolutely nothing –oh, sorry, she did one thing: blame the renter for not being able to schedule, when the renter explained a million times that they weren't receiving an answer from the contractors she had hired. I do not know what this person expected this renter to do. Just live in awful conditions because it was cheaper for her than having to fix it? That is not how being a landlord works. There are laws, and you have to respect them. Not providing fixes for an apartment that is not in the correct condition is against the law.

Luckily enough, this story had a pretty happy ending. This renter was smart enough to advocate for themself. They got the city involved, and an inspector came to the apartment to check it out. They discovered a lot more things that were wrong with the apartment, so now this person will get to live in a place that is 100% up to code, all while getting it fixed by the annoying landlord. She should have just fixed the roof. It would have cost a lot less money. 

Who doesn't want a rotting, half-carved, terrifying-looking pumpkin in their backyard this fall? (With glasses and cinnamon flavor).

If you're passionate about handmade projects and get inspired each season to try the most impossible crafts the internet can possibly offer you. If you also think that you can nail them no problem, even when you have never touched a pair of scissors in your life, this message is for you: please, watch the complete tutorial before letting your wild creativity kick in. We love your out-of-the-box ideas, but we also love to sleep soundly at night without getting hunted by unexpectedly terrifying creatures. We really just want to walk by your garden without ending up with residual nightmare fuel.  

We know your intention wasn't to create a horrifying creature, perfect for Halloween night. We know that, deep down, you just wanted to be like that one influencer that pops up on your feed every single day, who can make wonderful and functional color lights out of some used paper, foil and hot glue. One day, perhaps, but for now, please stick to Spirit. Unless you're actually a DIY pro, in which case we deeply apologize for the disturbing images you're about to see. 

Fall is almost here, and failing at overly-creative decorative projects will be the number one activity very soon. To get your ideas going, we are hoping that we can inspire you to create the next new pumpkin monster horror protagonist of the season. So, we have dived into a collection of peculiar-looking fall pumpkins that might not be the most masterful, but are certainly the ones that have earned a little (not so crafty) place in our hearts. At the end of the day, the best Halloween ambience often comes from the most unexpected trendy DIY fall decoration videos out there. 

When your boss asks you to do something unpleasant, the least they can do is write it themselves. 

The world is full of cop-outs these days. The widespread use of AI means that if you don't want to try so hard, you don't have to. This can mean that we're treating things with less respect than they might deserve. Especially in professional interactions. It makes sense that you'd want to save time, but business is really all about relationships. If you're not treating that relationship with respect, then you're not going to go far. This includes using AI to communicate with your employees for you. It's hard to feel like anyone cares about you when they're using a robot to talk to you. That's what was happening in this story, though. 

Timeliness is important. Every job has different expectations about timing, and every job requires a different level of attentiveness in terms of timeline. Some jobs are fine with you strolling in past your start time and leisurely starting your day. Other jobs will ding you for every minute that you waste. It's your job to respond to the needs of your workplace and figure out your rhythm within it. The employee in this story was getting conflicting information from their employers regarding their start time. This is a pressing issue because lateness can have grave consequences in the workplace. 

There is no denying that the reality of this world is not one that is all too attractive to live in. warming seas, cooling international relations and the ever increasing pressure to perform is no fun for anyone. So we invite you to step away from that reality for a few sweet moments to live in the wacky world of felines. A world where none of those problems exist, and where cats are the head honchos. 

We, much like you are simply hooman (or maybe a hooman cat hybrid at this point). We feel the weight of this world and how worrying it can be. But when we feel like we cannot take anymore we turn our attention to the wacky world of felines. A place where none of our people problems exist and the biggest outrage of the day is that second breakfast is not yet a legal requirement. A place where cats complain solely about the little things that their pawrents pester them with. Things like going to the toilet in the litter box, lying on their face while they sleep and occasionally slapping a family member.

It is a fine place to lay your problems at the door and remind yourself that the world can be much better than it seems. You just need the right amount of feline goodness in your life. Of course too much and you will quickly find yourself surrounded by several felines, each one waiting for the day you croak and they can inherit your wealth. 
 

What do hiring managers even want from job applicants anymore?

A lot of advice about looking for a job comes down to knowing how to play the game. An applicant learns how to tweak their resume to every job description, making it engaging enough for a person but also simple enough to be processed by AI; they coach themselves on common interview questions and do their research into the company so they can make some engaging questions of their own. They sink hours of their time into applying and networking and trying to land a new role, but often, they find no luck. It's rough out there.

It is not uncommon for somebody seeking work to feel like they are doing everything right, but not seeing any results for it. There always seems to be a better applicant, a company changes its mind, or maybe the job they were hoping to get didn't even exist in the first place. It is almost inevitable that they start to wonder if they have a problem.

While it is true that everyone has their flaws and they can prevent them from being hired, it is fair to say that some employers have standards that are ridiculous. They seem to chase an ideal candidate who doesn't really exist, and leave behind those who may not conform 100% to their strict criteria, but who would be a worthwhile employee. When they get so many applications, though, they don't want to broaden those horizons. It is just too much work.

There are so many awful ways in which hoomans abandon and dump their pets. But the story we have today is quite the outlier in that unlike most dumplings, it took place in full view of the public in broad daylight. The gall of this hooman is simply untenable, but the fact that someone was nearby to witness the whole thing ended up being the very thing that saved this cat's soul.

Now, you might think we are exaggerating with the whole cat's soul thing. But this is a very real thing. Cats who are dumped and left to fend for themselves often end up developing a hard shell of emotional protection. Having been burned so badly by hoomans, they are very unwilling to trust and even when they do enter loving homes. It can take years for them to fully relax and let themselves be loved by others. And that is why it is so special that this cat did not have to spend more than a few moments wondering how in the heck it was going to survive alone. It was taken straight into the care of someone who wanted to do the best they could for it.

And that hooman most certainly lived up to their promise and found the feline a loving home to live out the rest of its days without the fear of being flung out of their home. It is terribly painful that we cannot stop cats from being dumped, but it is equally heartwarming to know that caring hoomans exist out there to right the wrongs they see.
 

This tenant, eager to follow up on their security deposit with a property manager who had ghosted them, logged into the online property management portal and discovered $6,000 in "charges" they had never been notified about. 

When they finally got a hold of the landlord and property manager, it was explained to them that these charges were in addition to the loss of their entire $3,200 security deposit. 

The reason given? A grass had given up and turned totally brow. The landlord argued the tenant was responsible even though the lawn wasn't in good shape when they moved in 5 years ago. And the heat of summer and lack of maintenance were more responsible for the state of the lawn than anything the tenant felt they had done.

First time homeowners and dog people? What an awakening. 

You don't always expect your first home purchase to come with three cats, but in the story below, that's exactly what happens. This woman is buying her first home from her neighbor, an elderly woman who she was always friendly with since the elderly woman would give their dogs treats on their walk. It's always nice to do a home deal without realtors, but there's one condition that the elderly woman wants, and that's that they continue to feed the stray cats she had been taking care of. This new homeowner has had dogs her whole life, and never had cats since her sister was allergic, but decided it was a good deal and to follow the request. They actually formed a bond so strong with the cats that went beyond feeding them with water and food. They actually took in three of the cats from the outside and it ended up being the best decision of their life! 

The three they took in were Mama, who's a tortie with classic tortitude. She loves belly rubs and is a confident mama. Then there's Kit, at first she wouldn't let them approach her but then she became very attached to them. They brought her inside and she immediately acted like she already lived there and snuggled up to them. Then there's Blue, he is adored and is less independent than the other two, but hey, all families need a baby! This is such a wholesome story, and sometimes it just takes a simple request and to say yes to have your life change for the better.

Incoming – cold weather and cat memes. 

A warm hug is crucial for our souls. The comfort it brings, the happiness, the sense of stability and love, it all matters more than we realize in the moment. Cats can feel like a warm hug sometimes. Their fluffy fur, their little bellies and cat bodies that just exude comfort and cuteness. They snuggle up to you and help keep thing calm and collected during winter rain, sleet, and snow. The cold weather is coming, even though it's only halfway through September we can all feel the vibe change. There's a shift from summer beach bikinis to the black coats and orange leaves blowing in the wind. There's a breeze that develops, the sun starts to go down earlier and earlier. You need to start packing a jacket with you wherever you go. And that all combines to form a cozy atmosphere that we can all understand as the purrfect antidote to the cold, and cats fit right in. They've essentially made warmth and coziness their personality and life's mission (that and zoomies). They love to loaf right on top of a warm batch of fresh laundry, and we can learn a lot from that. 

We all understand that a benefit can be a little exaggerated in a job offer, but a straight-up lie is a little bit more complicated

I guess this bold statement the company made could be legally investigated, but this employee would have to invest quite a lot of energy for the investigation to go anywhere. It depends on whether he thinks he could benefit from it (if you know what I mean), and I believe he can.

Few things are worse than a passive-aggressive work environment. In this type of story, whether it's posted on Reddit, X, or even TikTok, people seem to react by commenting something along the lines of: 'Find another job' or 'Just quit; they don't deserve you', as if it were that simple.

Jobs are not easy to find in this economy. Imagine simply leaving your job and applying for new ones while rent is due and you're living off a credit card. Life is definitely not that simple. You have to evaluate a lot of variables when you try to get a new job: whether it pays enough, whether it's remote or not, whether it's freelance, whether it has other benefits; and, on top of all that, we'd have to be contacted at least for an interview. Sometimes it's easier to keep our job and try to make the best of it, even if it's not perfect.

If he considers the job worth keeping, he could take the petty route and use every paid time off that  doesn't collide with a blackout date, further complicating the relationship with his bosses, or he could start grieving the unlimited PTO he thought he was going to have. Or, well, if he has the resources, the time, and the energy, he could take this to court and make some money off it? I guess.

His car, his gas, his time… although it seems that all of this depends on his friend's decision.

I'm sure this story is going to feel personal for too many people out there who struggle with entitled friends who feel they can do whatever they want with their other's time. Every time the OP and his friends go out at night, he's the one driving everybody home afterward because he prefers it. That's fine: if this is an active decision, then there should be no problem. Well… let me tell you a bit more.

There's one person on this friend group who constantly adds more people to the ride… but not people they know: total strangers they meet during the night. Because he wants to look cool, he offers free rides from his friend. "Don't order an Uber, he's already driving…" kind of thing. One night was okay, since the people were already in the car and refusing felt bad. But the following weekend, when they went out, the issue happened again.

Instead, there were three ladies who were going to call an Uber, but the friend said that the OP was going to take them. And, in that moment, he refused and said that he was going straight home. His friend was playing along and insisted that he could drive… like it was nothing to him! The prior weekend, it took him 40 extra minutes to get home, and let's not even talk about the money and gas.

He stood his ground and luckily got away with the situation. But not with his friend's anger. Apparently, he had promised those girls a ride, and he made him look bad by saying no… But whose problem is that? From the person who owns the car and is the one who actually goes behind the wheel, or from the one who has a big mouth and wants to look cool? Please… let's be respectful of others' time and money. Friendships aren't based on favours, and being kind towards each other is key to having a good relationship. 

Kittens have not been alive long enough to pretend they know what is going on. And that is the exact mood for this Wednesday. 

We've reached the middle of the week, operating with the same confidence as a kitten entering a room without knowing why it went there. Monday had a plan. Tuesday followed it closely enough. Now, Wednesday's plans are a bit blurry. This day catches us staring at the same screen for half an hour, wondering whether we'll make ourselves another coffee or just wait until lunchtime comes. 

Kittens understand that kind of confusion. They can't explain where the week went or how there can still be so much left to do. They will provide company for people who are just as confused as them, though they are considerably softer. If kittens can continue without knowing what is happening, so can we. The only difference is that they make uncertainty look adorable.  

On Wednesdays, we humans lose all sense of time. We check the clock, certain that the afternoon must be nearly over, but then we discover that it's still 10:30 in the morning. Maybe you should really go get another cup of coffee now.

Kittens also have a similar relationship with time. Five minutes after breakfast can feel like a lifetime without food, while an hour spent chasing a bug on the wall can pass unnoticed. That's life. Slow parts take forever and small distractions can consume the whole day. 

The truth is, we only need to choose a direction and move toward it. It doesn't matter if it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. We are all equally unsure of what is happening; we all get easily distracted by everything, but if we're still determined to continue, then that's the goal. Stick to that. If necessary, we can stop for lunch and continue later. And let the cats help too. These kitten memes are here to make the hours move a little faster. Remember Thursday is waiting on the other side, and it feels so much closer to the weekend. 

What better way to start off the MLB season than with a cute rescue kitten that also happens to throw a mean curveball?

I'll be the first one to admit that I know next to nothing about baseball. Like almost every young American boy, I played baseball as a kid, but got bored of it quite quickly. Although I may not be an expurrt in baseball, I am an expurrt in cats. That's where ChipPurr Jones comes in.

In late August of this year, a staff member from the Gwinnett Stripers rescued a smol orange kitten from a traffic accident. The Stripers, which are the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, decided to adopt him. But he didn't just get adopted by a staff member, he got adopted by the whole team!

But that's not all we're here to talk about. ChipPurr has found himself as a star on social media yet again! Yesterday, ChipPurr made his big-league-style debut during the Stipers' pet supply donation night, called "Purr in the Park." Leading him to the pitcher's mount, staff members lured him with treats to deliver an adorable ceremonial furst pitch.

From a dangerous encounter with traffic to a baseball field full of cheering fans, this little rescue kitty has become not only the team's newest furry MVP, but he's also become the MVP of our hearts. And who knows, he might even get us to start being interested in baseball again! 

Companies across different industries and sectors are pushing layoffs. Justifying these job losses under the guise of AI improvements and efficiencies. 

But I keep returning to the same thought: 

I haven't seen AI actually take anyone's job yet. Have you?

Don't get me wrong. Jobs are vacant and disappearing. Everywhere is short-staffed, but I have yet to see evidence that an AI is actually doing that work. It has always just been pushed onto the remaining team members.