What helps you get through this thing we call life?

My friends and family (most of all my husband). My kitties. Music (especially live music). Theater (both as a spectator and a participant). Yummy food. My bed with cozy blankets and pillows. Solitude. The internet. Headphones. The freedoms having a working car affords you. Prescription meds. My Psychiatrist. Having all my basic needs met.

Fluther.

The love and support of my wife and kids of course. But I still need my music (guitar/piano playing) being outdoors to recharge my batteries, exercise and art, cooking and gardening to express my inner creativity.

Mrs Squeeky first and foremost, after that VODKA.

<<—::ahem::

100 proof whiskey. And lying to myself that things will get better.

You don’t know the power of the Dark Side.

Burnout is nearly universal amongst organizers, usually within three to four years, and that’s because they’re driven by things like love, loyalty, friendship, kindness, and outrage at injustice. These things are strong, but they don’t last. They get ground down by the constant need to feed positive energy to others while swallowing all of the despair, anxiety, and sadness which comes from having to be brutally aware of what’s really going on. What I teach organizers is that rage and hatred will burn on and on and on, long into the dark, cold, lonely night when hope and love are long since ashes.

What gets me through life and has kept me fighting for decades is the strength of the cool, reptilian-brain emotions. They’re more pure, more relentless than the more evolved and sensitive primate emotions. Those who want to fight with monsters must become something of a monster themselves. The challenge is in finding ways to keep yourself from being completely devoured by the darkness and becoming the very thing you’ve spent your entire life fighting.

My sister was supposed to come down here on Saturday so we could do a birthday dinner for me like we always do.

That was put on hold since a good friend of hers decided to take her own life.

I get this and understand it.

I think I have been through so much shit I can never have a worse day.

Fire up the BBQ and make some cheeseburgers with a few beers and I am set. But I have intentionally set out to have things easy. No relationship, no car, I rent, no debt. I understand that doesn’t work for most people.

Wads of cash, lots of humping & an enduring sense of entitlement.

My BBE and the few besties I have spread around the world and my goofy, smart, wonderful son. My science group friends are awesome and I love my Fridays and Sunday programm with them. Also, I go in for some serious escapism in the form of role playing my favourite movie universe in a virtual reality online program with people all over the world. My crazy ass sense of humour helps, too. And writing. Writing helps.

@cazzie what is a BBE?

It’s a guy in a straight woman’s life that is sort of a boyfriend, but both are much to old to say ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’ with a straight face. But they know the other is the best thing to have happenedd to each of them. I am his ‘BGE’ if that helps crack the code for you.

Boxes of pills and kind words uttered by loved ones.