Random Thoughts 16: “Somebody had to do it” edition
- Thread starter Ms3r4ISU
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Think I will give it up next year. Nobody has friended me on Facebook anyhow.
LittleWx and a friend were convinced they heard something scratching while in our basement. We played along and told them we have a tiger named Marco hidden away and only take him out at dark.
Sat out on the patio and watched the lightening in NE Iowa, also saw my first lightening bugs of the summer.
Sat out on the patio and watched the lightening in NE Iowa, also saw my first lightening bugs of the summer.
Very nicely stated, especially for the time of day.After being inspired by the musings of a fellow RTT-er I decided (against my better judgement) to wander into the cave to see how the discussion on today's political topics of the day are unfolding. All I can say is LOL, and not in the "haha that's funny kind of laugh"; oh no, this is the "I have to laugh so I don't cry kind of laugh".
I find it truly amazing (and heartbreaking) how folks who claim a moral and empathetic superiority will talk to their fellow human when it's through the confines of a computer screen - even leaping to damning conclusions about a person's personal beliefs, without so much as sharing eye contact (let alone an actual discussion or experience) with their fellow human. It's almost as if the person on the other side of the screen isn't battling the same struggles of a "daily grind", which they themselves might be facing.
I typically don't wade into political discourse, especially on the internet, because I don't think anyone has ever read a message board (or shared a conversation) and become inspired to have their political views changed. Rather personal experience seems to be what changes one's mind on such topics, and personal experience is a collection of hundreds (if not thousands or millions) of life events which you and you alone know/understand. I don't intend to start today, here or now. But as I lie awake restless, thinking about my venture "into the darkness" earlier today - I'm also thinking about my evening where I started a new part time job in retail; being the "face" of a brand to our customers. How I was standing at the cashier's stand interacting with them and asking how their day went - how I wasn't looking at them based on their political views, or their religious identity, how I didn't care the color of their skin or their socio-economic background - I simply saw them as people. People, who like me, who were probably battling the challenges of today one at a time, but who were blessed to be "pushing the dirt down instead of up".
i think so often in today's world we are consumed by what's happening in politics (or the news), we "miss the forest through the trees" - we get so wrapped up in red v. blue, republican v. democrat, Trump v. Biden, R v. W, etc.; we fail to see our fellow humans as just that - human.
Life comes at you fast - I was reminded of this fact over the weekend, when I found out my parent's 90-ish year old neighbor, a real "salt of the earth" kind of guy, a retired farmer who lives on a nice 20-acre property, and until this past week, mowed the lawn, ran a chainsaw, and would move snow with his loader tractor for my parents who are 20+ years his junior. I learned this neighbor had an accidental fall while eating lunch in town and injured himself to the point where (last I'd heard) he had no feeling below where he'd injured his neck. He was, in an instant, quadriplegic - he will never return to his home, his acreage which he cared so deeply for - life as he knew it was gone in an instant. My Dad put it best when he said "they don't make neighbors like (insert neighbors name) anymore." As if this tragedy wasn't enough, I also learned upon return to work from the weekend away, of a co-worker who suddenly lost his young daughter and another who learned his brother was diagnosed with terminal heart cancer and will soon be exiting our world. You see EVERYONE faces these types of tragedies (and even greater ones) EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It's part of "the human experience" we suffer and in some sense we're blessed to suffer. It doesn't matter what these folk's political ideologies are, which "side of the fence" they sit on, in regards to a particular issue or candidate, their tragedies are no greater, nor no less tragic based on their political views.
i guess my long-winded, sleep deprived rant is really about this - I was raised that you should never go to bed angry, or without telling those who you mean it to "I love you", because you never know when your time on this earth might come to an end. I pray (in my sleep deprived lunacy) that maybe, just maybe, some of you who make it to the end of my post might decide to share in an extra smile with someone you wouldn't normally smile at tomorrow, or ask (and listen) about how another's day is going, or even just see the co-worker (or family member, or maybe even simply screen name) you don't always see eye-to-eye with on political issues on, not as "the other" but as a human battling through "the human experience" just as you are right now. I challenge you to make sure you don't end your discourse in anger and malcontent, trying to "get in the last word", even if that means holding back on firing off the comment or Twitter post you had lined up, because you never really know, you never truly understand the challenges in another's life (the human on the other side of the screen) until you recognize them for exactly what they are, your fellow human - with their own flaws, failures, hopes, dreams, family, friends, beliefs, experiences, challenges, and accomplishments.
I already said I don't wade into politics, because I don't think you can change someone's mind on those types of issues so easily; but I truly believe, if we ALL practice just a little more empathy for our fellow humans, our world will become a better place - regardless of our political leaders actions (or inactions). I'll jump off my soapbox now, thanks for stopping by
P.S. I'd just like to add the disclaimer -- I'm an openly admitted moron, who learns best by making mistakes; who in my 30 year's on this earth recognizes I've learned less than many other's have forgotten and I'm trying, one day at a time - to be just a little better than I was the day before, knowing full-well, I am FAR from a "finished product". Good night y'all.
From personal experience, anonymity causes some people to feel free to be rude and disrespectful. In the ancient pre - social media days, had an emotionally charged employment project that brought droves of people to send in rude mail, going to silly extremes to hide their identity. In a well educated, upper middle income, otherwise polite, conservative community, was very surprising. Also had a repeat caller who was very rude to saff: from comments related to me, I was able to identify who he was, told them to transfer him to me next time. After he made some nasty comments, I asked him by name why he felt that way and thought it OK to say such things. He apologized, and never called again. When I bumped into him at a local restaurant later, he was very polite: but ate quickly and left.
Because they're idiots that think bison are like a cow. I don't think they any sort of clue of how big they actually are.
I should add there are some Facebook groups about the invasion if the idiots at the National Parks
Cause stupid?
If stupid people didn't do or say stupid stuff how would we know they are stupid? I like that they out themselves but do wish there were fewer dumb bunnies.
Just want to point out that a cow can do considerable damage to a human if you do something she doesn't like, and are within her reach...
Quite frankly, I've been nervous driving a mid-sized SUV near them.
Some brand new poster started two threads within about a minute of each other with curious titles. One of them was No Means No... or something like that.
I don't remember what the other one was.
@JM4CY's description "weird-ass threads" was very appropriate. They suddenly appeared and there was little explanation or even detail. I'm guessing it was somebody's attempt at some kind of social experiment. Or it was somebody trying to be edgy. Or maybe it was somebody that was high. Maybe all three. Probably somebody with more than one username.
Also, I apologize for all of the non-sentences. Actually, I more so apologize to @Ms3r4ISU but you sometimes care too.
I friended you on Facebook. Wait... maybe you aren't India Summer.
No need to apologize. I wasn’t online much today and actually added a response to one. Wasn’t in on mod discussion or action either. See, I can do this, too.
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