Frame of Reference
There are no rules to this little game. Answer what you want, if you want, post it on your own journal if you like.
As a simple thought provoking exercise. What is your frame of reference?
Q - Hard Times:
Health-Wise : Is it a hard time health wise when you are stuck in bed for a day or two, when you end up having to go to the doctor. when you have to go to the ER, or when you are actually admitted? Furthermore, do you consider yourself "having it bad" when you find out you have a medicine that you have to take for days, weeks, months, or the rest of your life?
A - I hate not being able to do for myself typically. Despite this, being home sick or even going to the doctor is not nearly as bad as the hospital. I hate hospitals. I also find it more and more the case that they are an institution designed to give you an overpriced cure for the symptoms until you can see "real doctors" who will actually look at what is wrong with you (of course my general view of the medical profession over the past few years hasn't exactly been one of trust). I've had to be in the ER a few times in my adult life, I have thankfully not been admitted, ever. I've had friends and family who have been and I am extremely sorry to see it happen.
Anything that makes me see the doctor or the hospital I treat as a wake-up call and I try to do the right thing from there on out. I also have that unfortunate stubborness about going to see anyone of a medical profession unless I basically can't stand up. Its a bad habit I am trying to rectify.
Financially : Is it a hard time financially when you can't buy such and such this week because that money needs to go towards something of necessity, you are lucky to go on one vacationa year because other things simply have to come first, you haven't bought something unecessary in about six months, you are in debt and its all "survival" debt, or you hope that you still have "such and such utility" until next payday?
A - Can I skip this one? I don't like to bellyache and it seems financially I've done more than my share lately. And to be honest I fluctuate this scale more chaotically than I feel a responsible individual would. I grew up middle classed which basically meant there were things I wished for but I never really had it tough. Food on the table and the television were always guarenteed (though whether or not there were cable channels on the tv fluctuated). I've had it tough but not the toughest. And just as with the health issues, I empathize when I encounter those who have it worse. All the more painfully because I am rarely in a position to do anything about it.
Emotionally : Is it a hard time emotionally when you have a day that doesn't go perfectly (something is out of place), when you have had a bad week or month where bad things don't seem to stop happening but some good thigns are still there, when you find it hard to connect with anyone around you and don't care for yourself all that much, or when you are utterly alone and only have yourself and your four walls to put your troubles to?
A - This one's the most of a pain for me. I don't do emotional as a general rule. Unfortunately, I can say I've been on the utterly alone side more than a few times, even self exiling myself on occasion. So much so that I had actually grown comfortable with being with just me and my thoughts. I think I've become more "needy" for lack of a better word as I've grown older. I don't necessarily need that confirmation that someone gives a shit but I enjoy it a lot more than in the past. I guess I've grown to realize that all the various mind numbing entertainments we put our efforts into can't really compare to a room, you, and your friends, family, loved ones.
Q - Good Times:
Health Wise - Are you doing good with your health when you are above ground one more day, are able to enjoy a moderate amount of physical enjoyments even through dietary suffering, or can basically do and eat what you want?
A - Lately, I've felt happy to be able to wake up without searing pain in my head. But I really do have an enjoyment for being able to do things I want to do. I am starting to realize this means changing a few eating habits dramatically but so be it. I am with my brother on this one. Diabetese doesn't scare me because you can die from it. Diabetese scares me because you can lose a foot, an eye, even your mind along the way. I like my parts enough to want them to remain attached. Sometimes I wish I had his discipline, though, or maybe just his palette.
Financially - Are you doing good when you reach that point where you basically never want for anything, when you rarely have to tell yourself or others no to a purchase, when you have a few enjoyments that money can buy, or are you happy to be surviving?
A - I think we all have "that dream". The one where we basically have our mansion filled with those grand toys that the human race has put together for us. I don't dream it very often because that's not exactly healthy. Money is a strange creature. I've met very few people in my life who actually say "I'm pretty happy with the money I have". There is one and after a long period of not seeing him much at all, I ran into him twice this week. My height of financial happiness and stability has been moments when the bills are paid. I sometimes think right now that I would be happy to be at that point again. However, I also know me. I suffer the same averice as anyone else and when and if I reach that point again it will be "I certainly am happy that I dn't have to worry about the bills, now if only I could do this..."
And so on.
Emotionally - Are you happy if you have a family to devote your love to and friends a plenty, are you happy to have a few choice friends and the one(s) you love, are you happy with a handful of friends or the person you love, or are you happy enough to occasionally cross paths with another human being or don't feel you need others to be emotionally wealthy at all?
A - I can be a bit independant at times. I was an only child for the most part (I didn't meet my brother until I was 11 or so) and I've never really been the "popular kid". Sometimes I was sad about this, still am sometimes, and sometimes its just fine that way. My history with love is hardly an untarnished one though I am confident that I've finally found the love of my life. I find this one of the more miraculous cases of luck than anything I actually deserve. My confidence in what I deserve is a bit less when it comes to friends. Those who have known me for any length of time know I've had a troubled past (at best). I think I've done "OK" at overcoming it and growing into an adult. I'm not sure what this actually has to do with emotion (this is why I don't do emotional stuff) save that I sometimes wait for the other shoe to drop despite being years away from the worse stuff in my life. This is a tendancy for my family, its what we do. I guess its this way with friendships and any other relationships we enter. Emotionally? I guess I'm happy to know that I'm valued. Again, not a necessity so much as something to let me know I haven't screwed it up completely this time. Yet.
Q - How many "eras" have you seen and what are the pros and cons of those eras?
A - I was born in the 70s. The first time I felt old was when a friend's little sister asked us "What's Star Wars?"
I remember thinking that the Commodore 64 was the "end all" of computers. Now the same computer and all of its software can sit on a portion of a DVD.
When I was a child we could play in the front yard without worry of anyone kidnapping us.
We had war, war is something that comes to every generation. The "Cold War" wasn't quite the impacting one as WWI or WWII (and I don't think most of us really know what a true war that takes up every resource of your country is like not witnessing these wars) and Desert Storm was hardly a war so much as "shooting practice" according to a friend of mine who was there. Now we have the newest "war" which no one really knows what to call it.
I've seen us go from eight tracks to mp3s which can be carried about in so many different ways (including on our phones).
I've seen the end of many writers that I enjoyed as a child and young man and more than a few icons.
I've had the privledge of what I like to call an "in-between" era where I enjoyed classic movies and TV shows such as (just to name two) the Day the Earth Stood Still and Mission Impossible. But I've also seen some of the blockbuster breakthroughs like Star Wars, the Lethal Weapon movies, and Lord of the Rings.
I saw the birth of Dungeons and Dragons and though not completely thrilled with its progression I've seen how far the game has come.
I've seen the change in people, as well. From an almost humble and modest society to a nearly anything goes society. This has been both a good and bad thing, a double edged sword if you will.
Q - What are some thoughts on...
Normality - What do you consider normal and do you value that grounded, normality?
A - Not surprisingly to most, I am sure, the mundane is mostly lost on me. I'm well beyond making any apologies for this, its just how I am. When I speak of the normal and mundane, I basically mean the activities or events that 60% or more of the population enjoys and craves. Politics, reality TV, the lives of celebrities, football or baseball, etc, etc add nauseum. This isn't to say that there's anything wrong with these things or that I'm any better of a person for not having many mundane things I enjoy (if anything I'm probably truly flawed for this) just that most such things are lost on me.
When I do find the mundane, I end up becomming so obsessed over it that its probably less than healthy. Politics is a good example of this. I am still trying to find the best way to drive home my "Abolish Political Parties" campaign...
Humanity - What is your thoughts on the human race in general?
A - I find more compassion, care, and general consideration in my pet cat than in most people I pass on the streets. Despite this. They are my species and, in general, I try not to help in their undoing. I have respect for people until (and sometimes even when) they show that this respect will never be returned and they can care less about me giving it to them.
As a simple thought provoking exercise. What is your frame of reference?
Q - Hard Times:
Health-Wise : Is it a hard time health wise when you are stuck in bed for a day or two, when you end up having to go to the doctor. when you have to go to the ER, or when you are actually admitted? Furthermore, do you consider yourself "having it bad" when you find out you have a medicine that you have to take for days, weeks, months, or the rest of your life?
A - I hate not being able to do for myself typically. Despite this, being home sick or even going to the doctor is not nearly as bad as the hospital. I hate hospitals. I also find it more and more the case that they are an institution designed to give you an overpriced cure for the symptoms until you can see "real doctors" who will actually look at what is wrong with you (of course my general view of the medical profession over the past few years hasn't exactly been one of trust). I've had to be in the ER a few times in my adult life, I have thankfully not been admitted, ever. I've had friends and family who have been and I am extremely sorry to see it happen.
Anything that makes me see the doctor or the hospital I treat as a wake-up call and I try to do the right thing from there on out. I also have that unfortunate stubborness about going to see anyone of a medical profession unless I basically can't stand up. Its a bad habit I am trying to rectify.
Financially : Is it a hard time financially when you can't buy such and such this week because that money needs to go towards something of necessity, you are lucky to go on one vacationa year because other things simply have to come first, you haven't bought something unecessary in about six months, you are in debt and its all "survival" debt, or you hope that you still have "such and such utility" until next payday?
A - Can I skip this one? I don't like to bellyache and it seems financially I've done more than my share lately. And to be honest I fluctuate this scale more chaotically than I feel a responsible individual would. I grew up middle classed which basically meant there were things I wished for but I never really had it tough. Food on the table and the television were always guarenteed (though whether or not there were cable channels on the tv fluctuated). I've had it tough but not the toughest. And just as with the health issues, I empathize when I encounter those who have it worse. All the more painfully because I am rarely in a position to do anything about it.
Emotionally : Is it a hard time emotionally when you have a day that doesn't go perfectly (something is out of place), when you have had a bad week or month where bad things don't seem to stop happening but some good thigns are still there, when you find it hard to connect with anyone around you and don't care for yourself all that much, or when you are utterly alone and only have yourself and your four walls to put your troubles to?
A - This one's the most of a pain for me. I don't do emotional as a general rule. Unfortunately, I can say I've been on the utterly alone side more than a few times, even self exiling myself on occasion. So much so that I had actually grown comfortable with being with just me and my thoughts. I think I've become more "needy" for lack of a better word as I've grown older. I don't necessarily need that confirmation that someone gives a shit but I enjoy it a lot more than in the past. I guess I've grown to realize that all the various mind numbing entertainments we put our efforts into can't really compare to a room, you, and your friends, family, loved ones.
Q - Good Times:
Health Wise - Are you doing good with your health when you are above ground one more day, are able to enjoy a moderate amount of physical enjoyments even through dietary suffering, or can basically do and eat what you want?
A - Lately, I've felt happy to be able to wake up without searing pain in my head. But I really do have an enjoyment for being able to do things I want to do. I am starting to realize this means changing a few eating habits dramatically but so be it. I am with my brother on this one. Diabetese doesn't scare me because you can die from it. Diabetese scares me because you can lose a foot, an eye, even your mind along the way. I like my parts enough to want them to remain attached. Sometimes I wish I had his discipline, though, or maybe just his palette.
Financially - Are you doing good when you reach that point where you basically never want for anything, when you rarely have to tell yourself or others no to a purchase, when you have a few enjoyments that money can buy, or are you happy to be surviving?
A - I think we all have "that dream". The one where we basically have our mansion filled with those grand toys that the human race has put together for us. I don't dream it very often because that's not exactly healthy. Money is a strange creature. I've met very few people in my life who actually say "I'm pretty happy with the money I have". There is one and after a long period of not seeing him much at all, I ran into him twice this week. My height of financial happiness and stability has been moments when the bills are paid. I sometimes think right now that I would be happy to be at that point again. However, I also know me. I suffer the same averice as anyone else and when and if I reach that point again it will be "I certainly am happy that I dn't have to worry about the bills, now if only I could do this..."
And so on.
Emotionally - Are you happy if you have a family to devote your love to and friends a plenty, are you happy to have a few choice friends and the one(s) you love, are you happy with a handful of friends or the person you love, or are you happy enough to occasionally cross paths with another human being or don't feel you need others to be emotionally wealthy at all?
A - I can be a bit independant at times. I was an only child for the most part (I didn't meet my brother until I was 11 or so) and I've never really been the "popular kid". Sometimes I was sad about this, still am sometimes, and sometimes its just fine that way. My history with love is hardly an untarnished one though I am confident that I've finally found the love of my life. I find this one of the more miraculous cases of luck than anything I actually deserve. My confidence in what I deserve is a bit less when it comes to friends. Those who have known me for any length of time know I've had a troubled past (at best). I think I've done "OK" at overcoming it and growing into an adult. I'm not sure what this actually has to do with emotion (this is why I don't do emotional stuff) save that I sometimes wait for the other shoe to drop despite being years away from the worse stuff in my life. This is a tendancy for my family, its what we do. I guess its this way with friendships and any other relationships we enter. Emotionally? I guess I'm happy to know that I'm valued. Again, not a necessity so much as something to let me know I haven't screwed it up completely this time. Yet.
Q - How many "eras" have you seen and what are the pros and cons of those eras?
A - I was born in the 70s. The first time I felt old was when a friend's little sister asked us "What's Star Wars?"
I remember thinking that the Commodore 64 was the "end all" of computers. Now the same computer and all of its software can sit on a portion of a DVD.
When I was a child we could play in the front yard without worry of anyone kidnapping us.
We had war, war is something that comes to every generation. The "Cold War" wasn't quite the impacting one as WWI or WWII (and I don't think most of us really know what a true war that takes up every resource of your country is like not witnessing these wars) and Desert Storm was hardly a war so much as "shooting practice" according to a friend of mine who was there. Now we have the newest "war" which no one really knows what to call it.
I've seen us go from eight tracks to mp3s which can be carried about in so many different ways (including on our phones).
I've seen the end of many writers that I enjoyed as a child and young man and more than a few icons.
I've had the privledge of what I like to call an "in-between" era where I enjoyed classic movies and TV shows such as (just to name two) the Day the Earth Stood Still and Mission Impossible. But I've also seen some of the blockbuster breakthroughs like Star Wars, the Lethal Weapon movies, and Lord of the Rings.
I saw the birth of Dungeons and Dragons and though not completely thrilled with its progression I've seen how far the game has come.
I've seen the change in people, as well. From an almost humble and modest society to a nearly anything goes society. This has been both a good and bad thing, a double edged sword if you will.
Q - What are some thoughts on...
Normality - What do you consider normal and do you value that grounded, normality?
A - Not surprisingly to most, I am sure, the mundane is mostly lost on me. I'm well beyond making any apologies for this, its just how I am. When I speak of the normal and mundane, I basically mean the activities or events that 60% or more of the population enjoys and craves. Politics, reality TV, the lives of celebrities, football or baseball, etc, etc add nauseum. This isn't to say that there's anything wrong with these things or that I'm any better of a person for not having many mundane things I enjoy (if anything I'm probably truly flawed for this) just that most such things are lost on me.
When I do find the mundane, I end up becomming so obsessed over it that its probably less than healthy. Politics is a good example of this. I am still trying to find the best way to drive home my "Abolish Political Parties" campaign...
Humanity - What is your thoughts on the human race in general?
A - I find more compassion, care, and general consideration in my pet cat than in most people I pass on the streets. Despite this. They are my species and, in general, I try not to help in their undoing. I have respect for people until (and sometimes even when) they show that this respect will never be returned and they can care less about me giving it to them.