Someone asked last night how we all cope. It’s worth considering that. Even Erick Son Of Erick tweeted that he doesn’t see how the country survives 3.5 more years of this. It’s hard on us individually, too. We need to think and act deliberately to maintain and protect our mental health. It’s different for everyone. Ric (at top) loves my orange and black caftan. Zooey likes at least partial enclosure.
As I walked out of the house to go shopping this morning, I had to stop and look at the sky and mountains and take a deep breath. I’m lucky to have great views, but there is usually something beautiful – the pattern of raindrops on asphalt or a flower peeking through cracks in concrete. I also listen to and play music – the Enigma Variations, which I posted a while back, are still in my car’s cd player, so I listened to them on the way to the store.
People are important too. I’m having lunch with a friend today, and I’ve got a bunch of connections going in different ways. The internet has been a boon to my interactions. The community here is comforting.
How do you cope?
A Ghost To Most
Lately, I have been coping by going after trolls on WaPo. Childish perhaps, but it keeps the crazy down, and I want those people to know we aren’t afraid of them, and will keep on keeping on.
Also, making preparations for if/when the shit gets real. That helps a lot.
SatanicPanic
In the immediate aftermath of the election one of my friends had the idea to get everyone together and talk about it. We were meeting regularly for a few months, that really helped. I’m going to restart that, because it’s apparent the horror isn’t going to go away.
Marmot
It helps me to get out and do something political. Go to a protest, register voters. Gotta feel useful
Arclite
It’s funny, I made an effort at the beginning of the year to focus on my fitness. So I run. When I’m stressed out, I run. Then I feel better. I’ve had lots of reasons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lost 20 pounds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my personal life has been great, while the political life has been the worst shitshow in history, excepting perhaps the Andrew Jackson administration.
Major Major Major Major
I’ve been spending more time on art projects, which is great for the art projects. It can be mildly isolating, but if I’m going to spend that time alone, better to spend it on something constructive instead of arguing about politics over the internet, or grinding on WoW, or what-have-you.
My tolerance for discussing politics in person is very low these days, so a lot of social situations end up wearing me out pretty early anyway.
I also haven’t checked to see whether I am in fact actually spending any more time alone. I suspect I am not.
Iowa Old Lady
@Major Major Major Major: It helps me to keep writing regularly. It’s like therapy.
schrodingers_cat
@Marmot: By bringing in new voters. I became a citizen, convinced my husband to do the same and yesterday I convinced a friend to get cracking on her citizenship application.
Betty Cracker
Nature and activism keep me going. I’ll be registering voters on Saturday and collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to automatically restore felons’ voting rights once they’ve served their full sentence. On Sunday, I’ll probably sneak up on some coastal birds and photograph them.
Arclite
It’s funny, I made an effort at the beginning of the year to focus on my fitness. So I run. When I’m stressed out, I run. Then I feel better. I’ve had lots of reasons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lost 20 pounds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my personal life has been great, while the political life has been the worst shitshow in history, excepting perhaps the Andrew Jackson administration.
schrodingers_cat
I also started blogging and making lols again. Working out, going for long walks, getting back in touch with friends. And so on.
I am thinking of a project of collecting contemporary immigrant stories, their path to citizenship. While many Americans glorify their own distant immigrant ancestors, they are ignorant of today’s immigrants their stories and struggles. Even the ones who are not actively hostile to them, like the current occupant of the WH and his close associates.
Arclite
It’s funny, I made an effort at the beginning of the year to focus on my fitness. So I run. When I’m stressed out, I run. Then I feel better. I’ve had lots of reasons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lost 20 pounds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my personal life has been great, while the political life has been the worst shitshow in history, excepting perhaps the Andrew Jackson administration.
Arclite
Hmm, my post isn’t taking.
I’m being told it’s marked as spam. But there’s no [email protected] or [email protected]@ in it.
Arclite
It’s funny, I made an effort at the beginning of the year to focus on my fitness. So I run. When I’m stressed out, I run. Then I feel better. I’ve had lots of reasons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lost 20 pounds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my personal life has been great, while the political life has been the worst shitshow in history, excepting perhaps the Andrew Jackson administration.
Arclite
Test.
It’s funny, I made an effort at the beginning of the year to focus on my fitness. So I run. When I’m stressed out, I run. Then I feel better. I’ve had lots of reasons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lost 20 pounds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my personal life has been great, while the political life has been the worst shitshow in history, excepting perhaps the Andrew Jackson administration.
Arclite
Not sure why but this is being marked as spam. I spaced out the major words to get it through the filter, but very frustrating.
It’s funny, I made an ef fort at the begin ning of the year to fo cus on my fit ness. So I run. When I’m stres sed out, I run. Then I feel bet ter. I’ve had lots of rea sons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lo st 20 pou nds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my per sonal life has been great, while the poli tical life has been the worst shit show in history, except ing perhaps the Andrew Jackson admin istration.
mouse tolliver
@A Ghost To Most: Considering Vlad uses social media to manipulate public opinion, challenging alternative facts is really not a bad idea.
With that in mind, this clip seems to be going viral. This Trump Troll didn’t realize he was talking to two people who know the numbers. Velshi & Ruhle knocked down each of his bullshit talking points. By the end he was left shiny and red-faced. He knew he was lying!
cain
I’ve been continuing job search, but daily crap has been very distracting.. otherwise I go out meet iwth people, and so forth.
Arclite
Not sure why but this is being marked as sp am. I spac ed out the maj or words to get it through the fil ter, but very frust rating.
It’s funny, I made an ef fort at the begin ning of the year to fo cus on my fit ness. So I run. When I’m stres sed out, I run. Then I feel bet ter. I’ve had lots of rea sons to run since DJT took over, so I’ve run a lot. I’ve lo st 20 pou nds. Did a nine-miler last week at a 9:40 pace, so feeling pretty good.
It’s funny, my per sonal life has been great, while the poli tical life has been the worst shit show in history, except ing perhaps the Andrew Jackson admin istration.
Formerly disgruntled in Oregon
Over the year, I’ve spent a lot of time studying and meditating on the teachings of the Tao Te Ching. I find comfort and guidance in these ideas, written down over 2000 years ago, during a period of chaotic violence when stability and sanity must have seemed like a long lost dream. I have found most English translations of the text to be somewhat inscrutable, so I’m working on my own wording to help communicate these ideas in a way that is a little more clear to today’s modern English speaker. But that’s mostly for my own benefit, and provides an activity to engage more deeply with the teachings. I find this timeless wisdom to be comforting in these times of chaos and rapid change.
Ladyraxterinok
Sort of ccping/escaping. Just got back from a 60th HS reunion meeting. No politics. Just amazement that so many of us are still here. Found former HS friends: 2 women I hadn’t seen in 20 years, both of whom grew up in my neighborhood. And one I hadn’t seen since graduation in 57. Was stunned by how many remembered me — and things I had done that I had forgotten.
Arclite
Grr. I give up. Even spacing my words out doesn’t get it through the filter. Is there a list of banned words somewhere? I’m so frustrated.
cleek
poorly
efgoldman
I’ve been kind of busy the last month or so not dying of of kidney failure, then getting squared away with home dialysis.
Now that’s becoming routine, I’ve gone back to my binky: band music. This is the slow season, but concerts start again in early October and I hope I’ll be healthy enough to attend in person. I should be.
I “talk” to my daughter, and keep up with my granddaughter, every day and we do a video call every Sunday. 21st century tech is a wonderful thing.
I became a political junkie during Watergate, and I still am. I just let my nasty cynical freak flag fly.
Southend
Whiskey. Next question.
randy khan
@A Ghost To Most:
Going after trolls can be remarkably therapeutic. I’ve kind of enjoyed my two pet trolls on Facebook.
trollhattan
Would sure be nice if Erik son of Erik would consider how much of his time and energy helped lead us into the current not-so-slow motion trainwreck that is the 45 administration.
I have a kid and a puppy. Those help.
Arclite
Car plows into people in Charlottesville, DJT: “Both sides do it.”
Car plows into people in Barcelona, Spain, DJT: “Terrorism.”
Murmeltier
If it’s not raining, I make myself busy w/ gardening. If it’s raining or too hot & humid to be outside, I clean & organize, fix something, do a craft/sewing project, read, write.
If I read too much about what’s going on, I can easily get in a huge funk, & sometimes become anxious. Anything that distracts me is good.
Arclite
Car plows into people in Charlottesville, DJT: “Both sides do it.”
Car plows into people in Barcelona, Spain, DJT: “Terrorism.”
scav
I’m with @cleek, that is to say, poorly. Garden has benefitted and probably helps (although not to the point of making me crave the company of people).
Yoda Dog
I work out and run all the time.
That and my two tiny kids. They are 24/7 joy and stress to keep my mind occupied.
I stick with them and my workout schedule and I do ok with this daily ongoing catastrophe.
Gelfling 545
Gardening, classical music, Flora the Pug and Mewtant the Cat. And in times of great stress, Doctor Who on Amazon.
geg6
Not well. I snuggle with my puppehs and my John. John and I yell at the tv a lot. I try to watch something on tv that has nothing to do with current events. I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on reading. It would probably be easier if I could stand to read light, fluffy romances or something, but I’m the sort who only buys books if they are 500 pages or more and, mostly, non-fiction such as history and biography. So that makes it hard to read if you can’t concentrate.
I hang with my girlfriends and we rail at the Dumpster, swim in my sister’s pool and drink wine.
I’ve gained about 10 pounds since November. That tells me I’m depressed because the only time I’ve ever gained weight in my life was during depressive episodes.
I’m not going to make it through another 3.5 years.
Arclite
Car plows into people in Charlottesville, D J T: “Both sides do it.”
Car plows into people in Barcelona, Spain, D J T: “Terrorism.”
chris
I don’t have time to worry, it takes all day and half the night to keep up with Balloon Juice. ;-)
Yoda Dog
@Formerly disgruntled in Oregon: Definitely. For at least a month after the election that’s all I read..
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
Keep doing what you’re doing, efg, and then do whatever comes next. I’m far from the only
personjackal here who wants you to stick around, healthy, for a long time.Brachiator
I’ve been reading history, listening to History podcasts. More and more, this feels like the fall of democracy, undone by the people themselves, who cling to an unhinged fool who, in turn, is backed up by a craven, venal GOP majority in Congress. But, health permitting, I will work my butt of to support good candidates for 2018.
Arclite
Okay, I’ve figure it out. If you make the letters “D J T” into a single word, it gets caught by the spam filter. That’s pretty strange. I mean, I know we all hate Mr. Trump intensely, but to go so far as to ban his initials? =P
Westyny
Not sure that I am coping. I’m losing sleep. I keep scrolling sites like this for sane discussion and humor. That helps.
James Powell
@efgoldman:
Me too. The hearings started around my high school graduation. I was already politically alert, but I think most of us were. We came of age during the Vietnam War, the draft, the marches, the riots, and assassinations. I was a third shift grill cook so I was able to watch most of the hearings. I think it was CBS that carried them live. No CSPAN back then, young ‘uns!
Then I coped by becoming absorbed but now I deal with it by largely withdrawing. The only places I engage in any political discussion is this blog and sometimes LG&M and sometimes twitter. For some that’s a lot, but for me that’s like a 90% reduction. I don’t watch the news, I don’t read any papers, I don’t search out anything. I’m just still numbed by the whole cornucopia of disasters.
SiubhanDuinne
@Arclite:
I keep wondering whether Alain or somebody couldn’t compile such a list and put it up in the FAQs.
I hope you get out of moderation soon.
schrodingers_cat
@geg6: Seriously T’s election was affecting my health in a negative way. I have totally turned off the TV news, no Snooze Hour even. I try to not hear the man speak as much as I can avoid it. I also try to focus on what I can do and tune out the nay sayers and doom and gloom squad here and elsewhere.
K488
Music. Writing it, playing it, listening to it. I love your choice of the Elgar Enigma Variations; let me also put in a plug for his two (completed) symphonies. Strangely, esp. in light of all of the Nazi stuff, I’ve been immersed in Wagner. He was a terrible man, but his ability to handle large spans of time, especially in Götterdämmerung and Parsifal, is breathtaking. Speaking of large spans of musical time, I’ve also been listening to a lot of Kaikhosru Sorabji. It calms me down.
SiubhanDuinne
@Arclite:
DJT
schrodingers_cat
@Brachiator: I have seen worse. The way the citizenry has rallied against T and his minions is heartening, that’s not to say that the Rs and T are not a threat, they are but we don’t give up and let them win by default.
rk
I just carry on as usual. luckily I’m going back to school after 30 years so that will keep me very busy. Otherwise I feel I’m walking around with a cloud over my head. Trump and his illiterates have destroyed everything good in this country and it makes me sad. I think the shock is so much more because we went from intellect, poise, decency, grace and goodness to corrupt evil trash.
SiubhanDuinne
@Arclite:
Heh. Like touching the park bench with the big WET PAINT sign on it, I of course had to try — and poof! Into the spamosphere!
Steeplejack (phone)
@Arclite:
If it’s a bad word you go into moderation. If it was marked as spam it’s something else. Alain or Adam has reported that legit comments occasionally have been going into the spam trap lately.
Shorter: If it was marked as spam, don’t waste your time trying to fix it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Steeplejack (phone):
Do comments that go into the spam filter even get marked as spam? In my experience, they just up and disappear.
James Powell
@Brachiator:
I feel the same. Back in the 70s, the great majority of white Americans decided that if they had to share the huge benefits of the New Deal & Great Society programs with black people, they’d rather not have them at all. And I think we are seeing something similar now. The great majority of white Americans are deciding that if they have to allow blacks, Latinos, LGBT, Muslims, South Asians, and others not like them to be full & equal citizens in “their” democracy, then they’d rather just shit-can the democracy and support a strong man who is like them in every way, especially their bigotry.
karensky
I march in Philly, I hang out with family and friends
Volunteer at a Free Library branch, use social media selectively, read a lot of crime novels, cook and stay in touch with folks via texts, emails and on the phone. And sometimes I just lose it.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
I momentarily confused Enigma Variations and Goldberg… the Goldberg material always eventually make me a little stabby. Brings out the inner Lecter, I suppose.
I walk, swim, hang out at a favorite coffee house.
Miss Bianca
How do we cope…
I was feeling so leaden with despair on Saturday. Didn’t raise for me until the next day, when with the help of my little buddy Kodi, an Arabian gelding as plucky as they come, and a couple other nutty women on horseback, we had a lick-for-leather gallop over an alpine meadow studded with Indian paintbrush, golden rod, and lupines, under a blazing blue sky with the Collegiate Peaks – and a pack of foxhounds – at our backs.
There was a time when the voices in my head would have been chattering, chattering away with fears of stepping in a gopher hole, of falling, and thus allowing my fears to ruin the whole, glorious experience of running a risk in order to feel as gloriously alive as it’s possible to feel. But that day, a giant, internal, “Fuck it” stilled those voices. Instead, I had to concentrate on not war whooping and scaring the horses, and let me tell you…*that* was hard.
Sword Sisters of Rohan, today we RIDE!! > : >
ruckus
@schrodingers_cat:
I sent in my passport for renewal. Paid for the 6-8 week wait. Took 11 days. Have no plans to use it, but you never know.
I like your action plan better.
Laura
I’m trying to help my very ill father -CLL (waving at stringonastick!), malignant melanoma, COPD in his daily living and trying to wrap up my mother’s estate and get the court to release me from conservatorship.
I’m trying to spend as much time in going about the day to tasks of work and home life, listening to a lot of music -mostly old stuff, making art and smoking a goodly share of marijuana indica strain.
And there’s Chet. Chet the exuberant slightly used weinie dog. He insists its always NOW, and it’s always time to be together.
But my soul is deeply troubled. Deeply aching.
Bostondreams
and now His Orange Putridness calls for war crimes, based on a myth about Pershing. Ugh.
feebog
Golf, at least once, often twice a week. That and my practice keep me busy. Plus, following this blog can be a career in itself some days.
TenguPhule
Checking off things I always wanted to do.
And spite. Lots and lots of spite.
eclare
@rk: Agree completely, how we went from Obama to this vile piece of shit….For me, watching how the late night comedians (Colbert, Meyer, Oliver) have taken him on helps, realizing that the audience agrees, and I’m not alone.
narya
Severely limit my reading online (here; Pierce; SOME FYNYT; some food blogs that have nothing to do with politics; maybe TPM once a day).
Started running in March for the first time ever (turned 59 in July, so coming to it rather late), and am doing a series of 5k runs that get me a beer at the end of each (and a growler if I do all seven of them, which I plan to do)
Limiting my political conversations–luckily my family are all on the same side as me, but my friend’s family not so much–but also being willing to call bullshit
Watching Colbert and Sam Bee regularly–Colbert is a voice of sanity, and it helps me to hear someone both mock that asshole AND speak clearly the moral outrage we’re feeling
Trying to be kind to friends and family and coworkers (I work at an LGBTQ health center, so lots of trauma around me)
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@Steeplejack (phone):
Is there a list of the seven words you can’t say on BJ? We fling F-bombs around like Rip Taylor threw glitter.
Mustang Bobby
I’m not giving up 25 years of sobriety for Cheeto McShitgibbon. I stopped listening to Morning Edition and All Things Considered during my commute, switching to the local public radio jazz station. I catch up on re-runs of Law & Order and Star Trek of various iterations and signed up for Netflix last December for The Crown and Grace and Frankie. I write plays and novels, and I do my best to make the most of it on my blog by remembering what Lord Byron said: “And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ’tis that I may not weep.”
VeniceRiley
Spreading the ID of Nazi asshats to the accounts that have the readership to matter has been a recent boon to my mood. I’ve been down some rabbit holes on Twitter to glean for the nuggets.
Also … I do love a post-work cocktail or three.
I try not to think about my Trump voting 95 year old mother, whom I lost to the Fox news/Rush propaganda hole decades ago. May they burn in the firey pits of Mordor.
I aspirationally shop for my next car, which is realistically a year or two away.
TenguPhule
@Brachiator:
To be fair, none of us were expecting him to back actual Nazis. We all figured he’d try to ape them, not carbon copy them.
danielx
Music, scotch, driving while listening to music (sans scotch), and when feeling particularly stressed, spending lap time with Boris, who starts purring the instant he feels a touch. Impossible to stay stressed/pissed with a purring kitten on your lap/shoulder/chest.
The Moar You Know
I HAVE A DOG. Specifically, a beautiful Golden Retriever, just coming out of the last of his puppy stage (18 months).
He’s a bit of a mess. Some digestive issues, nothing that’s not controllable. And he’s anxious/phobic.
He absolutely worships me. Can’t let him down, y’know? I’m all he has. So I have to cope, can’t get too upset or scared because he already is. Gotta leave work at work. I actually don’t internet from home anymore. He doesn’t need me all riled up. We walk, and hang out in the park, and sometimes have deep sighing contests. He maintains, he persists. I can do no less.
He keeps me going, I keep him and my wife going. We cope.
I also pop the safe once a month and clean the contents thereof and make sure the ammo’s in good shape. That helps too. Teaching my wife how to shoot, that helps her feel a bit better about this horrible time.
TenguPhule
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
Stuff to do with gambling and name brand drugs are obvious.
Major Major Major Major
@Iowa Old Lady: I’m sure being successful at it has something to do with that :)
TenguPhule
@Southend:
How do you take it?
ruckus
@geg6:
Found out last Friday that I’ve gained 6. And we are working more hours at work so that makes working out a bit less pleasant. But to second your point, depression is no friend to weight control. Good luck to you for both.
Lapassionara
@A Ghost To Most: I would be interested in how you are preparing for if/when shit gets real.
Mnemosyne
I now have an alarm on my phone that goes off at 8 pm and says “Stop Reading About Politics.” I need to change it to an actual calendar appointment because I don’t always have my phone nearby.
If you see me hanging around here after 11 pm ET/8 pm PT and there isn’t breaking news, tell me to turn off the iPad and do something else.
schrodingers_cat
@ruckus: Went in for a followup appt to the doctor’s this morning, my BP was through the roof and I was severely anemic in April. Latest results show, Iron levels back to normal and BP close to normal, much lower than my annual visit. Also have lost weight!
Mnemosyne
Also, too, people who are unable to sleep, overusing mood-altering substances, experiencing explosive anger, or showing other signs of depression, PLEASE get yourself to a therapist or doctor. Depression is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that you DO NOT have to suffer with alone.
Major Major Major Major
@Mnemosyne:
*sets calendar alert for every single day at 10pm to tell Mnem to leave the overnight thread*
efgoldman
@TenguPhule:
Usually by mouth
Yutsano
Lately I’ve been too busy with life to worry too much about coping. Not to shoehorn on Efg’s medical stuff but I’ve been dealing with some of my own lately. I was just in Seattle (going back soon and will definitely do better on meet-up planning) and got to spend time and meals with a couple of good friends. I’ve also been interacting with friends on Twitter all over including some of my god foreign buds who have done a great job in staying somewhat apolitical. Plus I’m apartment hunting so I only worry about my boss every now and again.
And still no Dolt45 or Dense pictures up in my federal building.
@ruckus:
Mine was three weeks tops with no rush on it. They are cranking them out fast.
SFBayAreaGal
@Miss Bianca: Love my Rohan riders
SatanicPanic
@cleek: IKR. I’ve been up and down and generally not normal. Some things help, but I don’t think I’ll be good until we get past this. So maybe never.
bystander
The period since Trump was elected has been horrible on a personal level. My best friend of nearly 50 years succumbed to lung cancer. Our adored and adorable 11-year old Frenchie, Buster, passed away 3 weeks later. Awful and painful under any circumstances, but with the debacle of Trump playing in the background…well, it explains the 10 pound weight gain and the lengthened cocktail hours that have dissolved in many hot tears this summer. (Plus, the weather this summer has been miserably wet and gray. Trivial by comparison, but it hasn’t helped.)
So I come here for sanity but I go to FB to assault trumpletons verbally.
Cheryl Rofer
Liberated a bunch of comments from the trash.
zhena gogolia
@cleek:
haha, that’s me
Miss Bianca
@danielx: grey tabbies rule. : )
ETA: I’m also partial to whiskey and music. Which I get a chance to indulge in tonight.
schrodingers_cat
@Mnemosyne: When do you want to see Rang De Basanti?
zhena gogolia
@Westyny:
I have an ironclad rule not to let myself think about POTUS once I’m in my bedroom. It helps.
Mnemosyne
@Major Major Major Major:
Anyone can remind me it’s past my cut-off except the trolls. ? G will bless all of you, because now I’m going to bed in a much better mood.
Mnemosyne
@schrodingers_cat:
Yes! Give me a day to look at my schedule and I’ll email you tomorrow.
ruckus
@James Powell:
There are a lot of us white folk who do think that everyone should benefit from those programs that provide bootstraps that help when you need it. Don’t give up, convince at least one of the non believers that your way is right. I’m working on my guy at work. It’s a slow process but if even half of us convinced even one……
zhena gogolia
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
Great simile!
NotMax
Have long had proficiency with successfully mentally compartmentalizing. Granted, one particular compartment has required extensive renovation – enlargement, reinforcement, installation of bigger, stronger door.
schrodingers_cat
@ruckus: I got mine in 10 days.
TenguPhule
@efgoldman:
Usually?
Percysowner
I snuggle my dogs and my cats. I also listen to TV review podcasts. Two podcasters are doing episode by episode reviews of Babylon 5, one of my favorites shows ever. It’s scarily prescient. Another reviewer has just started doing Person of Interest episode by episode. That show is also scarily prescient. It’s kind of relaxing to see people fighting the types of evil we have today and actually, you know, come out on top.
Ella in New Mexico
Grad school.
And the fact that we’re finally watching the Wheels of Justice and the Laws of Karma coming together in all their resplendent glory is truly inspiring hope right now.
TenguPhule
@Arclite:
You are Conner McCloud and I claim my five pounds.
zhena gogolia
@bystander:
:(
Quinerly
@Bostondreams:
Just saw that. Boy, that General Kelly is just amazing in how he got Trump to be so presidential.
TenguPhule
@Bostondreams:
What now?
SatanicPanic
@TenguPhule: Who here hasn’t butt-chugged some bourbon?
the Conster, la Citoyenne
@James Powell:
I’ve learned this too – in fact, committing treason with Russia was preferable to sharing the country with women/POC. I haven’t read Jane Mayer’s book yet Dark Money, but my friend has and apparently it starts with Obama’s election and how it freaked out the Mercers, Kochs, etc. Mercer funds Bannon, Stone, Manafort, Cambridge Analytica and partnered with Russian hackers to make sure that women and minorities will never ever sideline rich white men again. If it weren’t for my impending grandson’s birth in December, I’d probably feel a lot more despair but I don’t really have that luxury now. I’m angry. Fuck all those walking shitstains hard.
smintheus
Has anybody posted this devastating set of interviews with minorities living in the Trump hellscape of the South? “We Just Feel Like We Don’t Belong Here Anymore”
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
I’m so fucked. I should have gotten eclipse glasses weeks ago, instead of waiting until today.
“Make a pinhole projector”
That’s shitty and lame and not the same. Fuck me.
Mnemosyne
@NotMax:
“Book of Mormon” has a song just for you. ??
Quinerly
@TenguPhule:
He’s tweeting the lie he told on the campaign trail. Essentially Pershing ended all problems with Muslims by dipping bullets in pig’s blood.
Here’s a link: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/president-trump-condemns-barcelona-attack-quick-response-article-1.3420388
NotMax
@Percysowner
Still get the occasional unusual look whenever I wear the purple “Zocalo – Your last best hope for a good stiff drink” T-shirt from when B5 first aired.
the Conster, la Citoyenne
@smintheus:
Economic anxiety!
schrodingers_cat
@Quinerly: What is the story, sounds like bullshit. T believes every right wing chain mail he reads.
ruckus
@schrodingers_cat:
I see lots docs on a regular basis so I usually don’t drift to far out of line. But I found out nothing about my predelictliction to stroke after 4 months of tests and Monday I’m supposed to hear about my cancer. Depression is not that hard to find.
efgoldman
@Quinerly:
He’s roughly my age, and he’s got less restraint and self-awareness than my four year old granddaughter. Old, sad man needs to be removed from society and locked up. Might never happen, but it should.
schrodingers_cat
@Quinerly: Do we really know that Kelly is not on board with this turn into open bigotry.
TenguPhule
@SatanicPanic:
I thought it had to do with IVs directly into veins.
Thank you for destroying my faith in humanity even further.
TenguPhule
@smintheus:
That isn’t a friend, that’s a Donner Party waiting to happen.
SatanicPanic
@TenguPhule: I’m sure we’ve only just scratched the surface of creative ways people put alcohol in their bodies
TenguPhule
@Quinerly:
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Betty Cracker
@bystander: OMG, that’s a lot to bear all at once. I’m sorry. :(
ruckus
@schrodingers_cat:
I don’t trust anyone who works for the shitstain. Not as far as I can throw all of them at once.
Quinerly
@schrodingers_cat:
Those photos of Kelly from Tues seem to say he is very uncomfortable with the situation. This Pershing tweet is so very disturbing. Getting very little press so far.
TenguPhule
@schrodingers_cat:
Unless Kelly is a fucking moron who wants to see further bloodshed (which I am not ruling out at this point).
NotMax
@TenguPhule
Any port in a storm.
;)
Mnemosyne
@ruckus:
Hopefully you’ll get good (or at least neutral) news on Monday so you can enjoy our day trip to do this. ?
Quinerly
@TenguPhule: If Kelly, McMaster, and Mattis were honorable that Pershing tweet would be the last straw and they would resign.
Calouste
@schrodingers_cat: Both Kelly and the shitgibbon are still in a job, so the simplest explanation is that Kelly is indeed on board with the bigotry.
TenguPhule
@NotMax: Speaking of Whiskey
Any non-depressing story I can take, I will.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
Getting together with like-minded friends. Learning some new sewing skills for the SCA. Joined a choir and am finding my voice (literally). Contributing to groups that do good work as I can. Watching Sherlock and MST3K on Netlfix. Watching Colbert. Hanging out here. Petting the kittehs and being with mr. h. But still feeling so weighted down and heavy. I know I need to find a professional to talk to but I am afraid to look; what if they end up being a Trumper? I don’t think I’m eating or drinking more, but my energy levels have gone way down.
Note to Miss Bianca: the SCA will be in Buena Vista the week before Labor Day. If you want come and hang with us.
schrodingers_cat
@Quinerly: @TenguPhule: His tenure at DHS does not inspire any confidence.
ThresherK
My lorazepram, which I didn’t have for 15 days, is now back in my system because of our newly-enrolled ACA plan.
Thanks, Obama.
Frank Wilhoit
Whether or not I cope, I dare hope that my music can help others cope as well: Broadheath Music. If you like Elgar, you should find something you like.
schrodingers_cat
@Calouste: Thanks,that’s my read too. His DHS tenure has gone into a memory hole for many.
MomSense
I’ve been really busy with family, the pup, my garden, and a new neighborhood garden. A few of us started a neighborhood composting program, built raised beds, and filled them with good soil. We are all growing vegetables and helping each other keep things watered and weeded. One of the families just welcomed a new baby into their family so they haven’t had as much time for their garden. Another of the garden neighbors is a beekeeper. My youngest is helping him with his hives in exchange for the tastiest honey ever. You can taste the blueberry in the honey!
I recognized that I was depressed back in December or so and started medication and talk therapy. That has been so helpful. I try to do something almost every day like make a call/ or fax a Rep or Senator. I started writing fiction and am finding that very positive. Thank goodness for the snarky people here. So good to know we are not alone.
My sanctuary is hiking the many wooded and ocean trails in the area. I feel like I can really breathe once I get into the woods.
NotMax
@TenguPhule
Where do I sign up as a test subject?
Quinerly
@schrodingers_cat:
I thought I linked to it. Google Trump Pershing Muslims Pig’s Blood.
Southend
@TenguPhule: little soda, lotsa whiskey
TenguPhule
@schrodingers_cat:
Yes, but this shit endangers his own fucking corp (no offense meant). If he’s willing to be a party to that, then he truly has not a shred of integrity in him. Its the difference between lawful evil and genocidal abomination.
Mnemosyne
@hedgehog the occasional commenter:
Here’s the thing with therapists: you need to have at least one face-to-face meeting with them before you start therapy to make sure they’re someone you want to work with. IMO as a patient, it’s totally valid to ask up front who they voted for because you need to be comfortable with them and trust them. I would not trust a therapist who voted for Trump.
TenguPhule
@NotMax: Study already completed, but I have to give them points for wittiness.
And of course the money quote.
Calouste
And in completely unsurprising news, the suspect in the Barcelona attack spent time in prison and was arrested on allegations of domestic abuse.
hedgehog the occasional commenter
@Mnemosyne: Thanks, Mnem.
stinger
@schrodingers_cat: Thank you!
sm*t cl*de
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Kids today. Are there no 5.25 floppies? — they were the perfect level of opacity.
TenguPhule
We will not have peace until the last Republican is strangled with the last Evangelical preacher’s intestines.
This country is not big enough for us and them. I vote we get rid of them.
Bill
I ride my bike.
A lot.
bystander
@<a href="#[email protected]ThresherK: Boy, howdy, on the lorazepam. Waking up at 3am is the worst. My brain immediately clicks on the little dog missing from the middle of the bed, and I might as well pick up the box of tissues and go to another room. With lorazepam, I sleep for at least 6 hours, and no hangover.
ThresherK
@TenguPhule: Another great moment in white imperialist history I didn’t know of. I guess the Rebellion of 1857 wasn’t carried out by Ameircans, so it doesn’t matter in Trump’s eyes.
bystander
@TenguPhule:
Agreed. The only question is how.
(And if that doesn’t get TenguPhule’s mind racing, I don’t know what will.)
Matt McIrvin
@Quinerly: Disgusting. You know, aside from being both a lie and a bigoted anti-Muslim thing, it occurs to me that there’s another group that has issues with pork products.
A Ghost To Most
@James Powell: Understand that. I work in an office full of Trumpists, and I have withdrawn to work-related conversations only. Every day seems worse.
I have found that a drive on a very narrow dirt ledge road, with a lethal drop on one side, will clear ALL the bullshit out of my mind, and very much focus me in the moment. If I see mtn goats or moose or bighorn sheep at the end of that drive, the calm can last a few days. YMMV.
Annie
Petting cats is always soothing to me.
I’ve had to insist to myself that I don’t listen to or read any political news after 6 p.m. If I do, I get so upset I can’t eat or sleep. I keep up with the news during the day, but not at night any more.
There’s a great Beatles song that starts, “Relax turn off your mind and float downstream.” I sing that line to myself sometimes.
I’ve got a white-noise app on my phone. Before I go to sleep every night I set it to play “ocean waves” or “summer rain” for an hour. It helps. And sitting in the hot tub at the gym after a work-out helps too.
cintibud
Go kayaking on a whitewater river. My mind is focused, the challenge pure, ruled by the laws of nature and physics, not the laws of humans
ETA – or petting my cats!
Mnemosyne
@bystander:
I hope your doctor also mentioned the possibility that you might be clinically depressed? Early morning awakening and being unable to fall asleep again is one of the hallmarks. Ask me how I know. ?
Quinerly
I’ll leave this here. Not crazy about the source but the memeorandum site has it up. Bannon’s house of porn and drugs…and meth cooking wife:http://shareblue.com/steve-bannons-porn-and-meth-house-you-have-no-idea-what-kind-of-evil-stuff-went-on/
Mike in NC
Hoping for a juicy Friday afternoon news dump tomorrow. Maybe Bannon finally tossed under the bus or Kelly walking out the door forever in disgust.
Mike in NC
@Quinerly: Photo of the damaged bathtub could be attributed to Bannon using it frequently, but that just doesn’t make sense when you look at him.
Gravenstone
I would like think I’m coping adequately. But if I’m honest with myself, I’m heading for an explosion. I can go from zero to rage in under three words in most news or comments. I find I’m getting accustomed to the simmering under current of anger that pervades my life – which can’t be good for me. So I’m trying to at least get my health under control. Also making efforts to clean up around the hovel. Will be seeing my surviving family for the first time in a few years soon (up in Kay’s neck of the woods). But yeah, it’s getting tougher not to indulge my darker aspects.
Matt McIrvin
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Honestly, unless you’re at totality, you can’t see that much through those eclipse glasses that you couldn’t see with a pinhole projector. It’s a circle and it gets a bite out of it.
Quinerly
@Mike in NC:
I like the way you think…we could cue up some Little Feat, though….there’s a fat man in the bathtub…..??
Quinerly
@Mike in NC:
I got a feeling Kelly will leave very shortly. I’m in countdown mode for Trump’s tweets attacking Corker. Shit is going to hit the fan.
lol chikinburd
Generic SSRI, Stardew Valley, and spite.
eta: And morbid curiosity for how the world will end.
eclare
@Quinerly: Calling my senator to give him my support on this.
Mike in NC
@Quinerly: Per the 5:00 newscast, even Newt Gingrich is feeling a bit of buyer’s remorse.
Chitown Kev
I do a little writing for a major blog…want to write longer and better researched pieces…I started therapy again right after the election and I go to a local Quaker service every once in awhile…need to make that a weekly thing. I need to stay out of comment sections at the place that I write, though, for my own peace of mind…love the vibe here at BJ
zhena gogolia
@Chitown Kev:
For me church (UCC) is a big stress reliever. We’ve been having some fire-and-brimstone sermons!
schrodingers_cat
@ThresherK: Its not a fucking rebellion if you are fighting for your country’s independence.
Quinerly
@Mike in NC:
Third wife is out?? Does she have cancer?
A Ghost to Not
@the Conster, la Citoyenne: Entitled White Snowflake Syndrome.
Quinerly
Love this headline: http://ijr.com/2017/08/948986-hill-republicans-want-trump-stay-tax-reform-push-charlottesville/
chris
Schadenfreude!
Read CC’s timeline and watch Rebel Media–Canada’s wannabe Breitbart and former employer of Jack Posobiec and Laura Loomer–explode in real time. Their coverage of Charlottesville was a bridge too far for pretty much everybody.
Even their annual RWNJ cruise has been cancelled. By the cruise company! Hahaha!
sukabi
@Arclite: by my count you must have lost close to 100 lbs by now, and 45 miles @ 9:40 each today…you must be exhausted!
bystander
@Mnemosyne: I think you’re right. I’ve always been an early riser, but 4am is ridiculous.
hitchhiker
In May spousal unit and I started a new aa meeting that’s openly agnostic/atheist … that’s turned out to be a huge source of grounding & sanity. Actual humans trying to work out being in the world in a way that feels honest and worth the effort, right in front of me every week.
Also I decided to see what a marijuana anon group might feel like. The answer turned out to be, home. Where I should have been all along.
I also get out with the world’s most engaging, beautiful, calm dog every day & that means people of every sort approach me and want to be allowed to touch him & talk about him. So that’s pretty great.
Plus writing, tho’ too much of the time I’m reflexively looking at twitter to see what fresh hell has happened now. I’m sad, I’m furious, I’m frustrated w/the whole mess, which oh-so-almost-didn’t-happen. So close. We were so damn close to dodging this bullet.
J R in WV
@Arclite:
No offense, but seeing your post all 12 times was pretty funny. Especially when you ty ped al l th e wor ds fun ny!
Yes, yes, I know, it wasn’t that many, I’m joking, that’s now I cope.
bystander
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: If you’re in the Poconos, we’ve got an extra pair. Got the kids’ glasses for our neighbors’ kids, and a 5 pack of the adult size for us.
Miss Bianca
@Quinerly: Ooh, la la! Particularly loved this part:
Maybe *this* is where your favorite frenemy Corner Stone has resurfaced!
narya
@bystander: wish i were going to make it to the IndyCar race there Sunday! But I’m in the midwest and we’re heading south for the eclipse. (we went to Pocono last year and before that; my family lives 30 minutes away.)
Quinerly
@Miss Bianca:
?
sm*t cl*de
@Mike in NC:
Acid-damaged bathtub? Imma guessing “disposal of bodies”.
MomSense
@bystander:
For me it was 3 am and then I couldn’t get back to sleep. Every now and then I do wake up but it’s not nearly as tough as it was before.
MomSense
@Frank Wilhoit:
Thank you! I’ll have a listen now.
Quinerly
@sm*t cl*de:
You watched that same old episode of Criminal Minds that I watched the other night. My favorite part of the piece was Bannon offering up a woman for sex as payment to the pest control guy.?
japa21
I cope by seeing what the media is doing to Trump, like these magazine covers.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/striking-economist-time-covers-criticize-trumps-charlottesville-response-130315344.html
NoraLenderbee
@Quinerly: One one hand, it’s funny. On the other hand–those fucking fucks got exactly what they wanted. If they don’t like it now, too fucking bad. We could have had a Real Grownup in the White House, but they fucking ruined it for everyone.
My coping mechanism is the word “fuck,” obviously. I have also used the word “c^nt” (in my mind) more times than I ever have in my life.
Sab
@sm*t cl*de: Is this True? I am so old that I have some lying around in the basement.
Patricia Kayden
@geg6:
That’s what I mostly do. Watch as many comedies as possible. Watch romantic movies, cooking shows, Judges Judy and Mathis. Tune into gossip shows like Wendy Williams. Trump is raising my blood pressure so getting away from him each day is a must.
Quinerly
@NoraLenderbee:
Actually, Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein ruined it for everyone. Fuck them.
sm*t cl*de
@Quinerly:
I reads Olde-Time UK Crime Fiction.
japa21
@NoraLenderbee: My sweet, mild mannered wife is also heard uttering the f word more than she ever used to, normally when she sees a video of him saying something and usually preceded by what the.
Quinerly
@sm*t cl*de:
Oh, my!
Brachiator
@schrodingers_cat:
I have not seen worse in the US, and this change has been over trivia, and good (but not great) economic and social times.
They are two thirds of the government, and they are wrecking the country. The worst Republicans pretend that Trump is not a problem. The worst Democrats spend more time fighting each other than trying to find a way to defeat the GOP. The only good thing is that the Republicans have been disorganized and inept. But their intent is malignant. And the worst, most pathetic citizens want more Trump. I heard one die hard supporter express hope that Trump would launch a preemptive nuclear strike against North Korea.
And so far, whenever I think that Trump could not be more vile or ridiculous, he continues to outdo himself.
People are finally taking a second look at Trump, but they just want a better, smoother Trump.
NoraLenderbee
@Quinerly: Them too. My f-net is wide and capacious.
Quinerly
@NoraLenderbee:
?
schrodingers_cat
@Brachiator: I disagree with your negative assessment. His base is not the entire country. Trump base==all citizenry. He is not beloved outside his base. Let’s not forget that President Obama won twice.
Ohio Mom
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Where are you looking for your eclipse glasses? Try calling the local science museum, maybe they have a lead.
In Cincinnati, I think there are some library branches and other organizations having eclipse parties, there may be something similar in your beck of the woods where glasses will be distributed.
If you are feeling spendy, welding glass or helmet.
Arclite
@sukabi:
LOL! =D
Arclite
@J R in WV: No worries at all! I’ve bumbled into the spam filter before, so I knew what words to look out for, but couldn’t figure out what was triggering it. Finally, I did: D J T as one word. Even in the BJ comment section, Trump strikes terror into the ranks.
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
Been there done that on much faster, louder, and far more deadly ships than those. Also seen what the current day version of the ship I was on for 2 yrs is like. Better, but still the navy.
Still, be fun to find out how my predecessors did it.
My results shouldn’t change anything but it’s cancer, you just never fucking know.
ETA You know, if you aren’t lobbing projectiles, it just isn’t that real.
Currants
LOVE.THIS.THREAD.
Thanks to all of you.
Brachiator
@schrodingers_cat:
Trump doesn’t care about his base. He used them to get what he wanted. But he has this strange talent of appealing to people’s worst instincts and pushing on to new outrages.
That the country had twice elected Obama makes this turn to vileness all the more puzzling. But I see people more openly expressing hatred toward Obama, and excusing Trump’s insults and childishness.
But you are right that some people are rejecting him. And it is making him angry. A clash is coming. It will be interesting to see what happens.
geg6
@cintibud:
Oooo, I don’t kayak but I love white water rafting. Done a lot of it here on the east coast. Really want to do some in the wilder waters of the west. Did the Olympic run from the ’96 Olympics, which was actually in Chattanooga, not Atlanta. Unique run.
rikyrah
@Arclite:
Awesome about the 20 lbs, and the fitness ?
rikyrah
@Brachiator:
I think that the sides are hardening. That’s ok with me. When I say that I doubt that I will respect, let alone forgive Dolt45 voters, I mean it. I have never been this angry in my entire life.
rikyrah
@schrodingers_cat:
Bravo ?
Brachiator
@rikyrah:
Yep.
TenguPhule
@schrodingers_cat:
The British weren’t the majority when ruling over India either. They still managed to make quite a mess of it.
Humdog
@Gravenstone: Hey, seems the thread missed your post. I feel you. This seems harder than it should be to cope with all this shit and keep hold of yourself. Talking it out with someone can help more than you think. Reach out while you can still see a point in trying. Please.
mai naem mobile
I’ve been listening to more music than I normally do. Also watching more empry calorie teevee like Nekkid and Afraid, TLC stuff and Nature/Animal docs. I have not descended into watching Lifetime movies and Real Housewives so it’s not that ad yet.
Mnemosyne
@Ruckus:
I’m sure that if they could get the Coast Guard to let them use actual projectiles, they would. ?
Quaker in a Basement
Rye whiskey. Plenty.
schrodingers_cat
@rikyrah: Thanks!
J R in WV
@TenguPhule:
I take my brown liquor with a tiny splash of (branch) water.
No One You Know
@ruckus: O/T, probably….I used to think that a white minority would benefit from affirmative action, so what’s with the “genocide” nonsense. Nobody’s systemically killing them. Then I realized that:
A. It’s not about logic
B. It’s not about accuracy
C. It’s all about being so obviously superior that affirmative action is for other people, people who don’t meet standards but get things anyway. If they benefited from affirmative action as a minority…they wouldn’t be superior. They’d be the people who don’t meet standards.
Since then, I feel almost hypnotized by the steady awfulness of each day. It’s been very hard focusing on job interviews. Feels like there’s no respite; this is just a heavy time. On a good day, I draw in charcoal. On a bad one. I can’t even form the thought to draw.
BruceFromOhio
Watching sunsets. Biking. Listening to crickets and children playing on beautiful summer evenings. Pushing people to get together and put down their fucking phones long enough to hold an actual conversation. Making sure the little details get maintained and addressed while the stupid ratfuck criminals run the country into the ground. Lots of marijuana and alcohol helps, too. And sleep. Gaia save me, getting enough sleep makes all the difference.
“Make ten men feel like a hundred.”
BruceFromOhio
@No One You Know:
Do three things:
– Interact with people every day, even if its just going for coffee or saying hello to a neighbor; unless you live in Montana or on the moon, this is a simple effort;
– Walk for 30 minutes; 15 minutes in any direction from your door, then 15 minutes back
– Try a different medium; if charcoal is your favorite, try ink. Or acrylic. Or Sharpie. Yes, it feels weird or wrong or stupid, but try it anyway. Then you can a) know you tried it, and b) if you need something that requires that style, you know what it feels like. And then try something else.
Ruckus
@No One You Know:
I was in college, pre-med when the big push was on for affirmative action at med schools. Not once did it occur to me that affirmative action was bad, even though it might have kept me out of med school. (Life did that. Family life did that.) That there has been systematic racism in this country that had gone on for generations is not in question. That it in some ways is still going on is not in question. Would 40 acres and a mule make up for that? No. Equality is the only answer and to get over that 300 or more years of systematic racism different steps had to be taken. And the idea that someone was inferior was bullshit. Once they were given the chance they still had to succeed at the education. And I seem to recall that the graduation rate was better. Give people who have been held back that kind of shit, not because they were not capable but because they were darker than my pale ass is and was asinine. The world had to change. It has to an extent but it needs to change far more. Will there ever be a time that we have actual full equality? No, because some of us are asshole humans, raised by other asshole humans. Can we be better? Not only can but have to be.
This grasp of the desperate for hopefully their last chance at a purely racist society needs to fail and fail badly enough that it finally changes our history for the better.
No, there is no logic. No there is no accuracy. Yes it is about thinking they are superior, while doing so is exactly the proof that they are fucking not.
J R in WV
According to the nurses at the family doc, I lost 15 pounds in 4 months. Nothing special, just rage at the machine, to borrow a famous line…
I don’t really believe the nurses, I think it’s more like 6 pounds and they wrote something down wrong. Still good!
Ruckus
@No One You Know:
I’d like there to be an answer to the despair that we all seem to be feeling. It is step 4 in the stages of grieving. Depression. That’s what we are doing. Grieving for the loss of any sense of normalcy, of any sense of a reasonable government, in a somewhat unreasonable world. Especially since the last administration was pretty damn close to as good as it gets. We went from great to fucking horrible in one day. That’s a loss in anybodies book. That we found out that nearly the same number of us thought that was a good idea that knew it wasn’t didn’t help any. And many of us have had a number of personal losses, as we always do, at the same time. It’s like a major natural disaster struck and there is no one left to help recover. We had a major earthquake, a major hurricane and a volcanic eruption all at the same time. And some are celebrating. We can’t give them that.
Ruckus
@J R in WV:
Don’t worry, I found the weight you lost.
Want it back? Please!