Not everyone has the privilege of being able to work for free.

I don't think it's right for non-profits to keep unpaid "interns", either. I'm with Dodai - call them volunteers if you like, but not paying someone for a job is a dick move whether you're a non-profit or not. The people who run non-profits tend to get a significant chunk of change, and it feels like modern-day…

I lucked into it when I was 18 and had just gotten my GED. A friend needed help with an ISP he owned, and I needed a job. I've worked my way up from there. I'm also allergic to huge amounts of debt after watching my mother accrue $125,000 in student loan debt before she passed away.

Right? Unless the company the interns are working for are distributing their product for free, there's no reason to value your time and energy at zero.

I won't lie, the money I make in tech is why I never ended up being a music major in college. (Music was my first love, but again, doesn't pay the rent.)

What's wrong with paying an intern? They're still working for you, and you can't pay your rent with experience. Tech companies at least tend to pay their interns, and pay them well. When I worked at SGI back in 1998 (I'm an old) interns were paid $20/hr. At my current company they're paid, and the company pays for…

It was just about the only thing that kept me going when I was at my darkest. I'm sorry if that's not the case for you.

But of course she couldn't be graceful and make the story about, say, her good taste that he's trying to emulate, oh no, he wants to stalk her. Girl needs therapy.

I've written and erased this like seven times now, it all comes out so awkward. I've been in the deep dark pit of despair of feeling like your entire world is shit and that everything would be better if you didn't exist. But it's a lie. Depression lies to you. They're sweet, easy lies. But it kills.

Right? It's a strange day when I find myself sympathizing with Perez Hilton.

I wouldn't say people would recognize Jenna Jameson's "face", though.

I hate myself for following these BIs sometimes, but that was my guess as well.

This is why I haven't tried to publish my own story. I wrote it up on my Kinja blog months ago, and despite my being willing to swear an oath that it's true, I only felt comfortable once I changed my abuser's name. I suspect he'd react similarly to this abuser, and he's litigation-happy.

Thank you for picking up the torch. I just didn't have it in me.

Are you me? Because you sound like you're me.

"young out-of-work urban men"

My nails are stupid strong, and the feeling like chewing on them was causing my teeth to move in addition to the forces exerted by the braces was too creepy to bear.

After finding love where and when I least expect it, I'm just leery of making assumptions about what is attractive to whom. There's a lid for all pots, Amy Poehler says, and I'd rather have someone who thinks I'm just right the way I am than spend a lot of time angsting about changing into something I can never be.

Apropos of nothing, but getting braces as an adult sure cured my nail-biting habit.

Most shallow people, for example, wouldn't date and marry an amputee in a wheelchair (unfortunately).