Taking care of us
Fear. Fury. Abandonment. Grief. Depression. Confusion and disorientation. Isolation. Substance abuse. Depersonalization and objectification. Fight or flight agitation. Hopelessness. Suicidal ideation. Irrational thinking. Mood swings. Inconsolability. Escapism.
All of these are possible painful, sometimes deadly, reactions to trauma. For many of us, the last four years has been classically, continuously traumatic, culminating in major loss on Tuesday. Looks like it's gonna continue. In order to be effective, we need to be healthy and strong.
In a former career, I was fortunate to work as a clinical social worker, program developer, and manager of mental health programs. At other times in my life, I've been on the other side of the desk or in secure hospital units, unable to cope with the ubiquitous cognitive dissonance that is at the nucleus of existence in the United States of America. I am intimately familiar with all of the phenomena listed above.
I am doing remarkably well these past few days, mostly because absolutely nothing The Doubleduh-Cheney Gang does either surprises or shocks me and I accepted that John-John would probably not prevail, and if they did little if anything would change. I accepted on 9/12 that The Gang would exploit 9/11 for all it was worth and more. I prepared immediately to protect myself from not only the surrealist, chaotic tactics of the Wrong and The People of the Lie, but also from the insidious optimism, duplicity, and shape-shifting of liberalism and neoliberalism. I've been around for awhile. I've worked hard for my wisdom. I was fortunate enough to have a great father who taught me the truth. I expected disappointment. I'm dealing with it. I can see what is ahead. It's going to be worse than you think. I know the fun has just begun. We need to take care of each other.
So how 'bout you, brother, sister? How 'bout yer lover? How 'bout yer family? How 'bout yer comrades? The more you actively, intelligently support them, and the more you let them into the center of yourself, the more capable we will all be of weathering this challenge.
Neoconservatism and neoliberalism make me sick. They grow strong on yang. Yang is not "bad" . . . evil exists. It fills us with doubt and confusion.
Here is my humble counsel: live simply and methodically; check yourself and your comrades often for the symptoms listed above; demand (yes, demand) that your comrades lovingly confront you if your health is deteriorating. Recognize ontological bullshit for what it is and protect yourself and your comrades from it.
There will be casualties among us, but they can be minimized.
Grow up. Get real. Sit up straight. Make true love. Make responsible decisions. Expect the worst. Take your meds. Don't let friends drive drunk. Bail 'em out once and only once if they do and get caught. Shut your TV off and listen to lots of jazz and blues and hard-core hip-hop. Work. Flirt. Sleep. Love. Eat. Walk. Don't fuck around. Don't use yer goddam cell phone while driving and/or within 100 feet of another human being. Mind yer manners, asshole. Walk the talk. Study integrity. Pack out what you pack in. Keep yer voice down. Learn two other languages . . . at least enough to ask directions and avoid arrest. Live by the Sermon on the Mount, the Five Pillars, the Golden Rule, the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, the Desiderata, or the Prayer of St Francis. Walk softly, talk softly, consider an effective stick. Be circumspect. Love everyone, trust no one. Talk to other species of animals and listen to what they have to say. Don't use common sense, be it. Above all, be humble . . . we may be full of shit. Painful as it may be, those dumbasses may be right, and at any rate they got all the heavy ordnance and they are winning at the moment. Accept that we might be crushed. Today may be the last day of the rest of your life.
Davis Grubb, in Ancient Lights, describes flying as "avoiding hitting the ground." The now off-the-air blogger The Mad Prophet said, "Fuck you if you think you're better than anybody else." Amen. And . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
Be at peace
All of these are possible painful, sometimes deadly, reactions to trauma. For many of us, the last four years has been classically, continuously traumatic, culminating in major loss on Tuesday. Looks like it's gonna continue. In order to be effective, we need to be healthy and strong.
In a former career, I was fortunate to work as a clinical social worker, program developer, and manager of mental health programs. At other times in my life, I've been on the other side of the desk or in secure hospital units, unable to cope with the ubiquitous cognitive dissonance that is at the nucleus of existence in the United States of America. I am intimately familiar with all of the phenomena listed above.
I am doing remarkably well these past few days, mostly because absolutely nothing The Doubleduh-Cheney Gang does either surprises or shocks me and I accepted that John-John would probably not prevail, and if they did little if anything would change. I accepted on 9/12 that The Gang would exploit 9/11 for all it was worth and more. I prepared immediately to protect myself from not only the surrealist, chaotic tactics of the Wrong and The People of the Lie, but also from the insidious optimism, duplicity, and shape-shifting of liberalism and neoliberalism. I've been around for awhile. I've worked hard for my wisdom. I was fortunate enough to have a great father who taught me the truth. I expected disappointment. I'm dealing with it. I can see what is ahead. It's going to be worse than you think. I know the fun has just begun. We need to take care of each other.
So how 'bout you, brother, sister? How 'bout yer lover? How 'bout yer family? How 'bout yer comrades? The more you actively, intelligently support them, and the more you let them into the center of yourself, the more capable we will all be of weathering this challenge.
Neoconservatism and neoliberalism make me sick. They grow strong on yang. Yang is not "bad" . . . evil exists. It fills us with doubt and confusion.
Here is my humble counsel: live simply and methodically; check yourself and your comrades often for the symptoms listed above; demand (yes, demand) that your comrades lovingly confront you if your health is deteriorating. Recognize ontological bullshit for what it is and protect yourself and your comrades from it.
There will be casualties among us, but they can be minimized.
Grow up. Get real. Sit up straight. Make true love. Make responsible decisions. Expect the worst. Take your meds. Don't let friends drive drunk. Bail 'em out once and only once if they do and get caught. Shut your TV off and listen to lots of jazz and blues and hard-core hip-hop. Work. Flirt. Sleep. Love. Eat. Walk. Don't fuck around. Don't use yer goddam cell phone while driving and/or within 100 feet of another human being. Mind yer manners, asshole. Walk the talk. Study integrity. Pack out what you pack in. Keep yer voice down. Learn two other languages . . . at least enough to ask directions and avoid arrest. Live by the Sermon on the Mount, the Five Pillars, the Golden Rule, the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, the Desiderata, or the Prayer of St Francis. Walk softly, talk softly, consider an effective stick. Be circumspect. Love everyone, trust no one. Talk to other species of animals and listen to what they have to say. Don't use common sense, be it. Above all, be humble . . . we may be full of shit. Painful as it may be, those dumbasses may be right, and at any rate they got all the heavy ordnance and they are winning at the moment. Accept that we might be crushed. Today may be the last day of the rest of your life.
Davis Grubb, in Ancient Lights, describes flying as "avoiding hitting the ground." The now off-the-air blogger The Mad Prophet said, "Fuck you if you think you're better than anybody else." Amen. And . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
Be at peace
