I have several powerful "resentments" stuck in me since 2016. Four years of holding off on any climate action. Four years of losing international respect. And the last three plus years of the "haunting" of Trumpism. What an incredible waste of human consciousness.
I guess I have some form of PTSD - it is certainly rage. And it is totally ridiculous that a national leader could get so much support for planetary destruction, intolerance and the dismantling of our democracy. If the Founders were to show up now, their solution would be simple and quick. Trump/Vance are exactly what they were rebelling against. It is astounding.
That being said, Pen, my grip on sanity and an effort at a happy life tries to compartmentalize this debacle. After doing what I can, I try to dwell on important aspects of life. Growing and cooking food. Coddling our dog. Having mind blowing (good) chats with grandchildren, volunteering in the neighborhood.
And then after a good sleep, I wake up to read more horrors and the cycle of life continues. Rage...then encouragement...more rage...some hope...and on and on.
Hope is all I have had to keep me going. That, and knowing so many others feel similar - they want better lives for everyone. The complete opposite of what Trump/Vance are peddling.
Such a concise family memoir. Such a precise diagnosis of your ailment. Thank you for taking the time to focus it in such a way as to help those of us that had and continue to have within our paths our own exchanges with variants of normal human people and whatever else abides. Apologies and kudos to The Big Lebowski.
May we be spared pathologies and all manner of oppressors. Sartre's Existentialist formulation jibes with one of my internal slo-mo realizations in process and full of unexpected dimensions. This student or faculty member at WSU has it about the way it unfolds and unfurls within my better functioning mind on warmer and more welcoming days after a few sips and deep breaths of earthy fresh coffee:
Namely, those with PTSD in their sense-datum and cellular memories of coming into being in a world that does not include an Operator's Manuel or much by way of loving and concerned explanation and sharing of involuntary laughter in whatever kinds of climate and are not blessed with the flip side of playwright Sartre's existentialist stage template dba "No Exit," with character Garcin's "Hell is other people" ringing in our ears but absent from our experiences of a life of engagement, at least intermittent engagement....between bouts or spells of darkness and comforting contact.
Keep on doing!
Keep on evolving, dear neighborly NW'earner Penfist....
Keep on earning those illusory plaudits and absurdist epaulets.
We be in this thing together, muck & mire, blessed and damned
I have several powerful "resentments" stuck in me since 2016. Four years of holding off on any climate action. Four years of losing international respect. And the last three plus years of the "haunting" of Trumpism. What an incredible waste of human consciousness.
I guess I have some form of PTSD - it is certainly rage. And it is totally ridiculous that a national leader could get so much support for planetary destruction, intolerance and the dismantling of our democracy. If the Founders were to show up now, their solution would be simple and quick. Trump/Vance are exactly what they were rebelling against. It is astounding.
That being said, Pen, my grip on sanity and an effort at a happy life tries to compartmentalize this debacle. After doing what I can, I try to dwell on important aspects of life. Growing and cooking food. Coddling our dog. Having mind blowing (good) chats with grandchildren, volunteering in the neighborhood.
And then after a good sleep, I wake up to read more horrors and the cycle of life continues. Rage...then encouragement...more rage...some hope...and on and on.
Hang tough, partner. I see hope on the horizon.
Hope is all I have had to keep me going. That, and knowing so many others feel similar - they want better lives for everyone. The complete opposite of what Trump/Vance are peddling.
Hope and dogs will get through this.
Sending a hug, Pen. Thank you.
Hugs matter! Thank you.
Such a concise family memoir. Such a precise diagnosis of your ailment. Thank you for taking the time to focus it in such a way as to help those of us that had and continue to have within our paths our own exchanges with variants of normal human people and whatever else abides. Apologies and kudos to The Big Lebowski.
May we be spared pathologies and all manner of oppressors. Sartre's Existentialist formulation jibes with one of my internal slo-mo realizations in process and full of unexpected dimensions. This student or faculty member at WSU has it about the way it unfolds and unfurls within my better functioning mind on warmer and more welcoming days after a few sips and deep breaths of earthy fresh coffee:
https://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/20th/sartre.noexit.html
Namely, those with PTSD in their sense-datum and cellular memories of coming into being in a world that does not include an Operator's Manuel or much by way of loving and concerned explanation and sharing of involuntary laughter in whatever kinds of climate and are not blessed with the flip side of playwright Sartre's existentialist stage template dba "No Exit," with character Garcin's "Hell is other people" ringing in our ears but absent from our experiences of a life of engagement, at least intermittent engagement....between bouts or spells of darkness and comforting contact.
Keep on doing!
Keep on evolving, dear neighborly NW'earner Penfist....
Keep on earning those illusory plaudits and absurdist epaulets.
We be in this thing together, muck & mire, blessed and damned
between inhalation and exhalation.
Keep on writing and otherwise expressing!
Keep a Healing Faith.
Keep in touch.
Health and balance,
Tio Mitchito
aka Mitch Ritter\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers
Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of Atonement Seekers)
Media Discussion List\Looksee