[ot] Do you find yourself wanting to become a Sheeple again?

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Question for the day is...

Do you find yourself wanting to become a Sheeple again?

Maybe it is just me, suffering from situation overload. But at times, like today, I am finding myself wanting to become a Sheeple again. No, not the Baaaaaaa that you may remember me as, but a head stuck in the sand type. How can that be? The world is becoming much more dangerous, and much more dangerous than at any time in my adult life. Still, there are moments that I want to stick my head back in and say it isn't happening. Could it be that I just need a break for a while? I'm a closet news junkie, and breaking that habit would kill me. I wouldn't last a day without checking on my favorite news sites.

Is is that things are changing in my personal life that make me not care about the world situation? How do you feel? Am I alone?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002

Answers

Happens now and then. Depends on hormones, mostly, I think, lol! Yeah, sure, you go through a particularly good period with your kid and husband and you don't want to think about the monsters in the closet. (Especially with daffodils busting out and the trees in bud.) With Y2K, e.g., there was a finite date to prepare for; with this current threat, there is only infinity. Bush may want to take care of terrorism in our lifetime but it ain't gonna happen; we'll always have to be on guard.

But look at it this way: those of us who pop into this forum now and then are better prepared to handle whatever might come up than-- what? Ninety-five percent of the civilian population? Even if we retreat into sheepleland occasionally, it's only for a "vacation." Look on it as a refresher. Even if you wallow in sheepleness for a bit, if something happens you're still as prepared as you ever were and will respond very quickly.

Keeping a stash is second nature now, although I'm sure we've all let a few things lapse. I'm down to one case of toilet paper, for example. I've still got ten-year buckets of stuff, lol! We won't starve. Could use a bit more cat food and litter, though, as always. Even so, whatever we have stashed is considerably more than the average, n'est ce pas? (That's French for "DiGiorno," lol!)

Don't worry about it. Go frolic in sheepledom for a bit. Good for ya!

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


apoc, maybe it's just the season for it?? Situational overload?? I don't know, but I am finding myself pulling away from the news and spending more time in the woods. My preparedness is about as good as I can afford, and I am just sick of thinking about all the what ifs that I can do nothing about anyway. If you can pull back and enjoy it, I sure would go for it!!!

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002

Maybe it is because it is about to be spring!

I spent the weekend outdoors working on the property. We had built up a rather large burn pile of rotten limbs that had fallen and about a gazillion sticker vines that I had pulled down. Hubby started to burn Friday afternoon, and we continued until about 9pm. I was outside and working both days at 7:15. It was good to be outside working. We still have a ton to do simply clearing the dead wood. Hubby did manage to get 9 trees cut down, and the wood is stacked.

Hubby said something about teaching son to build a shelter after he discovered his 'club house' that he had built next to some evergreen trees. I told him that son would love the idea, and hubby said it would be good for him to know such things. Made me wonder in the back of my mind if he knew/thought something might happen in the near future. He said he wanted me to do a "large veggie garden" this year. That is strange, cause he doesn't normally show any interest in my gardening, but I had informed him this was my year for flowers. I guess he set straight my priorities. ;) I heard five attack jets scramble mid morning Sunday. First time I had really heard them so low and so fast that far out. My first thoughts were "Oh Sh*T, what's happened now?"

Maybe I just need to frolic in the sheepledom as OG suggested. I have a ton of things to do, if only the weather would cooperate. When is it going to start getting warmer at nights? Very strange weather. I'll lift my head and sniff from time to time, I'm sure. Oh I did manage to organize my pantry Saturday night after coming in. All my canned veggies are together, as well as soups, gravies, and the like. I can look in and instantly see what is 'getting low', if it could ever get low. I joked about going to stock up again.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


i have to agree with OG..and I am also feeling the need to just go moment by moment lately.....and I almost don't want to listen to the news. I have early flowers in bloom, and I will enjoy each day we have as a bonus...it may only last till tomorrow, or for the next 100 yrs...but for right now, I just am definately on OVERLOAD.

I go to a surgeon on Tues and pray this can be taking care on with the new "key hole" surgury. I am not one that likes to be "down" or not able to DO for myself.

And the discomfort is almost to the point of stopping me from all normal activity.

So, yes, I'd also like to find a hole in the sand to accomadate my head for awhile!

BTW on Sunday..5 helicopters went over..in a single file..today, at 8:30, 9:20 an now at 2:40 4 more copters in a line have passed over..NOT in the regulare flight patterns for Hopkins, OR LCRA.

Makes us go...Hmmmmmm

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


SAR,

Best of luck to you for a fix and a speedy recovery!

apoc

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002



Yes, best of luck to you, SAR!

Apoc, gotta go with the other posters here: nothing wrong with "unplugging" for awhile. It is both possible and beneficial to go on a partial to full news fast for a bit. You have no impact on the outcome, so go rechange. The latest crisis du jour will be waiting upon your return.

And with that, I have a ton of files to edit. . . .

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


Apoc,

First off, once a person "awakens" to what is going on around them they can never simply doze off again. It's just not possible to return to Sheeplehood. Having said that, there also comes a time for all of us to just take a break, a vacation, a holiday. Working outside on physical things is great therapy for both the body and mind. Have at it.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


We've had two months of hotel living. Once we get back into the house IF!! we want to concentrate on the yard. We haven't been able to anything since the fire in October, really.

I'll probably be around less as I spend more time outside. Oh man are we tired of this!

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002


This is drifting (so?) but reading Barefoot's post and thinking about all that time without a home reminded me that Sweetie had a phone interview with a Colorado Springs firm yesterday. His boss recommended him to the people and they called him. Seems they use the kind of software made by the first company that laid him off. This CO firm had no idea that that old firm had closed its R&D department and there are no longer any intelligent support personnel or updates available. Hmm. Do we really want to move ourselves and eight cats (and all that stash food, lol) to a bona fide nuke target??? I suppose, if this goes any further and there's no guarantee it will, it depends on the salary and if the firm pays generous relocation costs. It will mean a long period of separation again while things get sorted out. Aaaaaargh! Y'all cross your fingers for a local opening to materialize.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2002

On the other hand, OG, if you do have to move, Colorado Springs is a good community. It made my short list when I was deciding where I wanted to live in the US. Yes, it's a nuke target, and, yes, it is an area that is/will be involved with "water wars," but aside from that, it is a solid community with good people! I think you would fit in well.

I hope that you don't have to relocate, though. Methinks anything Sweetie picks up right now will be an 18 month or less project. There just don't seem to be the "career" positions available right now.

Good luck!

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002



Apoc,

I find myself wanting to be able to go forward with my life and not worry so much about the world and what might happen. Like OG says, prepping is a way of life and has been for quite some time and probably always will be. Because of Y2k, we are better prepped than ever and I like that. I guess I want to be able to enjoy life and not look at everything through doomer glasses - maybe even put on the rose-colored glasses for a change :)

Oh I I know what you mean about the news - when DH took me to Mpls for 5 days, it was a struggle to not have the news - not even TV - he wouldn't let me.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002


Checked out real estate prices last night. I don't think we want to move there. What we have here would cost about 50 percent more, by the looks of it. Sweeite could always go live there, come home eveyr few months, until he finds something locally. Kinda like the Navy.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002

Gordon,

I know that I cannot pull the wool over my eyes again. I think it was somehow just wishful thinking. There are times that I hate jumping when I hear the fighter jets tear out. Since I moved out into the country, I don't hear them normally like I used to when I was on the flight path. I'm actually glad to be a doomer in a way. It makes the everyday little stuff seem ... well little.

I have just found out that my mother is about to die. They don't really know how long she has, but my thoughts are that it will not be very long. There isn't a damn thing that they can do, cause if they operate she'll die. If they don't, she'll die. Oh well, the circle of life goes on. She had a good life even though she didn't mind what her doctors told her. Sorry... just had to bitch a bit.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002


Oh dear! (((((((Apoc))))))) Don't really know what to say, other than very sorry to hear your news.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002

{{{Apoc}}} Sorry to hear about your mother. You know that we will listen any time.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002


(((apoc)))) you vent or bitch all you need.

OG..Dan just got a call, there is a place in Altlanta needs 62 As400 people there monday..they wanted him....he won't go there until we see about which surgury I have to have.

the "dance" continues.....

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002


Sorry to hear the news about your mother, Apoc. I hope all your preparations can give you time to be with her, and time for your own thoughts, prayers, and feelings. Gardening is a great souce of solace to me at such times. Take a break from the bad news in the big world; it'll still be there when you are ready to come back to it!

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002

Oh my, apoc! Very sorry to hear this news. As was said, rant and bitch or whatever!

I agree about the gardening. Very relaxing during times like this.

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2002


This is why we need to keep this forum on a low simmer at least. Where else can you go and tear at your hair? Apoc's been one of us for--what? Four years? Same as David, bless his heart. He's been one of us for just as long. All of us--a community held together just because we feel like it. No dues, no uniform, no bullshit. Well, maybe some bullshit.

I was working with Kim again yesterday, helping her clear the house of a recently-deceased 92-year old, widow of a former Duke Pres. The house is huge, makes the word "mansion" seem meager, three stories and a basement. I came across a 50th anniversary album of the couple. Took it to Kim who said, "Yeah, I know, the family doesn't want it. They just want the money."

Yes, the money that put at least one great-grandson through med school and provided him with free accommodation in a lovely guest house on the grounds. I know, because his lab coats and various med student junk were all still there, even clothes, futon, sofa, dishes, pots, TV, etc. Must be nice to just move out, leave all that crap in a mess, and not miss it. So I guess none of the ingrates wanted their great-grandparents' photo album. Assholes. (Didn't want their liquor, either. I got that. Teehee. They got the good wine, though.)

Kim has to hurry because the tightwads are eager to cut off the utilities and insurance--not that it would make much of a dent in that huge estate, but there you are.

So I hope y'all feel damn superior to these insensitive assholes.

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2002


I came across a 50th anniversary album of the couple. Took it to Kim who said, "Yeah, I know, the family doesn't want it. They just want the money."

That reminds me of a box FULL of my grandmother's old diaries...she kept one for years and years, chronicles of her life/thoughts/dreams from long before I was born... No one wanted those except me after she died. What a treasure they are, along with the pictures. To this day, I can 'see' her very vividly in my mind's eye, sitting down to write that day's entry.

Everyone else wanted "first dibs" on the few pieces of furniture, the jewelry, etc. Her diaries are some of my most cherished possessions. Like the pictures, they are irreplaceable.

:::Sigh:::

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002


Oh well, guess it shows that some of us have decent priorities, Brooke.

And some of us have liquor. LOL

I have some news, and I am going to start a new thread!

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002


"Is is that things are changing in my personal life that make me not care about the world situation?" Yup, slowing saying goodbye to Dad. There is comfort in knowing I'm relatively well prepped, and I'm still keeping an eye on what is going on, but it doesn't have an emotional tug on me at the moment.

I'll probably leave them alone until after Dad passes, but Mother saved all the letters he sent her from 3 1/2 years in Europe during WWII. I'm thinking it could make an interesting transcript.

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002


Brooks, the state of NC has a WWII archive/museum/whatever and asked for all NC-related correspondence, especially personal stuff. Maybe your state has the same? Nice to know that the correspondence would be preserved even longer.

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002

Brooks, I'm sorry.

-- Anonymous, March 22, 2002

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