Every opinion I have is my own. Every opinion I have is subject to change without notice. If you think my opinion is incorrect, change it with facts (citations needed). Be kind. Be cool. Be yourself.
I had been awake for 36 hours and my mother insisted that I keep her company on a 5 hour drive to pick up her boyfriend. When she called I told her that I was going to bed. She turned up at mine to pick me up, anyway, and forced me into the car: I was too tired to resist. I slept all the way there and all the way back.
I did my CPR and First aid earlier this year (3rd time) in Australia and mouth-to-mouth wasn’t taught as part of CPR this time.
Not a traumatic brain injury…
It’s a change in perspective. It’s hard to explain without referencing the experience itself.
It’s like spending your whole life at the bottom of a valley. You have everything you need. Your life is whole. And then someone takes you to the top of a mountain and you can see a million valleys and a million mountains and an endless sky. Your valley is the same, it hasn’t changed, but suddenly everything is different. Your life is still whole, but that means something else, now.
That doesn’t do it justice, but hopefully you get the picture…
“Born with…?” We are born with nothing but potential. We are a product of our environment, right up until we realise that we are a product of our environment. Then we have a choice; continue as we are, or choose to be something different. It doesn’t matter which we choose, though… We can no longer blame our parents, our society, our environment, for who we are.
That is a strange question, though. If I was born with empathy and a drive to be a kind, gentle, teaching human then I think babies would be high on the list of people I would want to spend time with. Kindness begets kindness and we know the world could use more kindness!
When I was young I was a bit of an arse. Raised by narcissists, I definitely had narcissistic tendencies. It was all I knew. When my first son was born it was a profound moment. I saw the potential in that tiny, helpless baby and his possible futures… Based on what I was and what I had to teach, I realised that those futures weren’t great. So I changed. I have tried every day since to be the parent that I wish I had. I have embraced empathy and kindness. I have shed the anger and vanity… And I have forgiven myself for not doing it sooner. I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. When I see a baby I see the potential. It reminds me of how much I’ve changed, how proud of my kids I am, how much I love my family, how much joy I have in my life.
More or less…
I like all babies. I do prefer my own, and I only moon over babies if I know the parents and have approval…
A baby. As soon as my son was born I knew we’d have another. And we did. Then I had a vasectomy because I knew we’d never stop. Babies are cool.
The question was about movies.
If you watch Star Wars, then watch in this order:
Episode 4 A New Hope
Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back
Episode 2 Attack of the Clones
Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith
Episode 6 Return of the Jedi
You could try “I’m going to do this thing on this day. If you would like to join me, I’ll be there at this time. Let me know if you’re coming by (RSVP date) so that I can book you a spot/plate/room: it will be $this much.” And then make your plans and do them anyway.
This way it’s clear that you are doing the thing. If people say “can we do this or this instead?” you reply with “Hey, great idea! Maybe next time. I’ve already planned the other thing for this time.”
Sometimes it will be on your own. Sometimes others will want to join you. Sometimes you can join others on their quests, too, but remember to not try and change their plans to suit yourself.
Platypuses don’t eat fish. They eat worms and yabbies and insect larvae. I don’t know why the fish stay away from them, but they do… Maybe the platypuses are territorial as they’re competing for the same food? 🤷
Kangaroos, wombats and platypuses.
Kangaroos and wombats are dangerous when you’re driving at night.
To be fair, I’m probably unique in my apathy toward, borderline dislike of, platypuses. When I’m out fishing and I see a platypus I pack up and go somewhere else because I know I won’t be catching any fish.
Part of the problem with dementia is that short term memory loss and aphasia are two of the most common early symptoms. It’s not because it’s a difficult word, it is because their brain no longer has the capacity to function that way. It wouldn’t matter what you called it, they still may not be able to learn it or remember it: the part of the brain that used to do that for them may no longer be accessible.
Most people don’t realise that dementia is terminal. It is a gradual cognitive and physical decline that results in death.
The Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at University of Tasmania has an open course on Understanding Dementia that is really good, and free, if anyone is interested in learning more.
Surviving my children.
The CD-rom for Mechwarrior 2 could play in a standard CD player. Track one was the data for the game, but the remaining 22-odd tracks were the in-game music. We used to listen to the Mechwarrior 2 soundtrack while playing everything else. I still love that music.
I worked with a guy that proudly proclaimed that he voted for the right because they looked after the rich.
He was not rich, but he purchased lottery tickets weekly and stated he’d rather get screwed while poor than pay more tax if he, some day, became rich.
And that was the day I realised that we’re fucked.
I learned to write a couple of different styles/fonts for a job I had a few years ago.
It’s doable, but it takes patience and time, like any skill. Good luck.
Hungry Jacks Bacon Deluxe
And keep eye contact. Preferably without blinking.
Specifically 10mm sockets.