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ebonlockYou know I'd mentioned to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cyranocyrano lately that I felt that these days were some of the grimmest I've ever lived through. I stand by that statement, even remembering how dark life got in the late 70's and then in the mid 80's. Financially I'm doing well at the moment, I have a job, I can cover my bills and still afford to buy nice things for myself. I have friends I enjoy spending time with, a nice house, a wonderful cat, a loving family...and yet all of this is tinged by this underlying sense of dread.
Partially it's the economy, no question, more jobs are disappearing every day. People are packing up and moving away just to try to find work and an area they can afford to live in. Partially it's the specter of war hanging over our heads, a war the majority of Americans neither want nor really understand. Then there's the loss of innocence that was September 11, it's a part of us all now whether we like it or not. We're not invulnerable, we're not "safe" and any asshole with a sniper rifle and a Tarot deck can shoot us in the head while we mow the lawn.
And then, for me at least, there's the loneliness. It's hard to be single these days, wretchedly hard. Love is one of the most effective and positive ways to deal with all of the issues plaguing us just now. If you have it, and know you have it, I commend you. I'm also hideously jealous of you, but I'll attempt to be a good sport about it.
So what do we do when life becomes dark and grim? What do we do when the Fates yank the carpet out from under us, and all the promise that our futures once held is gone? Do we curl up under the blankets and decide we'll come out again when the world is more to our liking?
Well sure, that's one option, but not a very good one really.
I say we reach out to one another now more than ever. We form support systems and we *use* them. Perhaps we offer a bit more of our time and energy to one another, and making sure that each and every person we care about is doing all right.
Other than that, it's a great time for a little introspection. Figure out what's important in life and what really isn't. Look at your desires and decide which ones are worth keeping and which aren't. And it's an excellent time to do a little growing up.
You see it's all about perspective, and the darkest days can lead to the most profound insights and personal growth.
Well enough yammering about philosophical stuff today, how about a little humor?
( Signs Your Starfleet Captain Might Be Gay )
Every weekend Astrometrics is converted into a nightclub.
Replicators dispense flavoured condoms with all alcoholic everages.
Klingon Opera always brings a tear to his eyes.
The Holo Doctor is replaced with a much younger version who works
out a lot and is eventually relocated to the Captains quarters to
monitor his recurring prostate infection.
Before away missions, all phasers are mandatorily set to
slap-on-the-wrist.
Mess hall has adjoining sauna facilities and video editing room.
New recruits are actively encouraged to use the velcro trampoline
located in the Captain's quarters.
In his back pockect the Captain always carries a slim volume of
Vulcan poetry.
Captain personally overseas all new recruits' physical examinations, "cough please"
First Contact occurs mostly through Gaire.com personals.
All executive officers are encouraged to wear fluffy kitten
slippers.
Communal showers on every deck.
Captain's ready room moved to back of ship in accordance with Feng
Shui.
Friday is denim shorts day.
(Signs Your Starfleet Captain Might Be A Lesbian)
She always sends men on Away Missions.
She parks her Mac truck in the Cargo Bay.
At all times she carries holopictures of her many, many cats.
The male Holo Doctor is forced to undergo a sex change procedure.
Offering asylum to visiting alien females is Standard Procedure.
She wears a checked shirt in her quarters.
Her Ready-Room is populated with numerous scented candles of various shapes and sizes.
She only visits the ship's beautician for her weekly nail-trimming.
Every Wednesdays she hosts a women-only poetry reading in the
mess-hall.
She is Guest Lecturer at the Saffic Academy on Lexbia-Prime.
Her favourite holo-programs are the pool at "Sandrine's" (modified), the ""Nunnery Retreat Programme" and the "Xena: Warrior-Princess Programme".
She orders the addition of a comprehensible list of herbal teas to
the replicator database.
She names two newly discovered proto-stars the "Ladies of
Llangollen".
First Contact occurs mostly through Gaire.com personals.
She names new shuttle-crafts the "Artemis", the "Vita
Sackville-West" and the "K.D. Lang".
Before away missions, all phasers are mandatorily set to ignore
women and kill all men.
cyranocyrano lately that I felt that these days were some of the grimmest I've ever lived through. I stand by that statement, even remembering how dark life got in the late 70's and then in the mid 80's. Financially I'm doing well at the moment, I have a job, I can cover my bills and still afford to buy nice things for myself. I have friends I enjoy spending time with, a nice house, a wonderful cat, a loving family...and yet all of this is tinged by this underlying sense of dread.Partially it's the economy, no question, more jobs are disappearing every day. People are packing up and moving away just to try to find work and an area they can afford to live in. Partially it's the specter of war hanging over our heads, a war the majority of Americans neither want nor really understand. Then there's the loss of innocence that was September 11, it's a part of us all now whether we like it or not. We're not invulnerable, we're not "safe" and any asshole with a sniper rifle and a Tarot deck can shoot us in the head while we mow the lawn.
And then, for me at least, there's the loneliness. It's hard to be single these days, wretchedly hard. Love is one of the most effective and positive ways to deal with all of the issues plaguing us just now. If you have it, and know you have it, I commend you. I'm also hideously jealous of you, but I'll attempt to be a good sport about it.
So what do we do when life becomes dark and grim? What do we do when the Fates yank the carpet out from under us, and all the promise that our futures once held is gone? Do we curl up under the blankets and decide we'll come out again when the world is more to our liking?
Well sure, that's one option, but not a very good one really.
I say we reach out to one another now more than ever. We form support systems and we *use* them. Perhaps we offer a bit more of our time and energy to one another, and making sure that each and every person we care about is doing all right.
Other than that, it's a great time for a little introspection. Figure out what's important in life and what really isn't. Look at your desires and decide which ones are worth keeping and which aren't. And it's an excellent time to do a little growing up.
You see it's all about perspective, and the darkest days can lead to the most profound insights and personal growth.
Well enough yammering about philosophical stuff today, how about a little humor?
( Signs Your Starfleet Captain Might Be Gay )
Every weekend Astrometrics is converted into a nightclub.
Replicators dispense flavoured condoms with all alcoholic everages.
Klingon Opera always brings a tear to his eyes.
The Holo Doctor is replaced with a much younger version who works
out a lot and is eventually relocated to the Captains quarters to
monitor his recurring prostate infection.
Before away missions, all phasers are mandatorily set to
slap-on-the-wrist.
Mess hall has adjoining sauna facilities and video editing room.
New recruits are actively encouraged to use the velcro trampoline
located in the Captain's quarters.
In his back pockect the Captain always carries a slim volume of
Vulcan poetry.
Captain personally overseas all new recruits' physical examinations, "cough please"
First Contact occurs mostly through Gaire.com personals.
All executive officers are encouraged to wear fluffy kitten
slippers.
Communal showers on every deck.
Captain's ready room moved to back of ship in accordance with Feng
Shui.
Friday is denim shorts day.
(Signs Your Starfleet Captain Might Be A Lesbian)
She always sends men on Away Missions.
She parks her Mac truck in the Cargo Bay.
At all times she carries holopictures of her many, many cats.
The male Holo Doctor is forced to undergo a sex change procedure.
Offering asylum to visiting alien females is Standard Procedure.
She wears a checked shirt in her quarters.
Her Ready-Room is populated with numerous scented candles of various shapes and sizes.
She only visits the ship's beautician for her weekly nail-trimming.
Every Wednesdays she hosts a women-only poetry reading in the
mess-hall.
She is Guest Lecturer at the Saffic Academy on Lexbia-Prime.
Her favourite holo-programs are the pool at "Sandrine's" (modified), the ""Nunnery Retreat Programme" and the "Xena: Warrior-Princess Programme".
She orders the addition of a comprehensible list of herbal teas to
the replicator database.
She names two newly discovered proto-stars the "Ladies of
Llangollen".
First Contact occurs mostly through Gaire.com personals.
She names new shuttle-crafts the "Artemis", the "Vita
Sackville-West" and the "K.D. Lang".
Before away missions, all phasers are mandatorily set to ignore
women and kill all men.
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Dark Times
Date: 2002-10-15 09:25 pm (UTC)Ashcroft is trying to take away money from AIDS-educations NPOs, 12 public health clinics in LA are closing from lack of funds. People are being put on waiting lists to get antiviral medications. Our country needs strong and logical leadership in these dark times and we have a bunch of assholes on both sides of the aisle.
Our friends and neighbors are indeed moving away, and it’s a sad thing. Almost all my friends and classmates from childhood have moved away. My home town (Palo Alto) has been turned into a yuppie haven that is leaching the soul of the city away, maybe permanently.
But I believe that for all the evil in the world, there is equal good to be found. We might just have to look very hard to find it. The Eastern spiritual philosophy states that there is balance in the universe. 2000 years of spiritual thought can be a powerful force, maybe the force that holds that delicate balance.
You are right in that we need to reach out to each other more. It’s important that we tell each other how much we love them, that we actually work to spend more time with them (Impossible!). But even in our busy lives we can find contentment that, if the shit really hits the fan, our friends and love ones will be there for us.
I just try to make the most of every day. And now that I have to work out five times a week, I find that exercise releases a lot of tension and stress. I also listen to music VERY LOUD at times, or gently stroke the cats until they’re purring so loud you just can’t stop until you get some RSI pain.