TrackinDaKraken

I think that dress is doing (almost) exactly what it’s intended to do. Usually, they’re armless, though, and this is why, methinks.

Is that really his brain and not-spinal cord?

I care about a few things. My (adult) son comes first to mind.

I care generally about people and animals who are hurt and wronged. But, apparently, I don’t care enough to do more than express empathy, because that’s all I do. Not that I’ve ever put myself in a situation that would require me to do much more. I don’t know people personally who have been hurt or wronged, so there’s not much more that I can do. In fact, lately, I’ve been avoiding contact with people as much as possible, apart from my son. I could seek out situations where I might be able to help, but, I don’t.

So, I care in a general way, but not enough to inconvenience myself. That’s about as honest as I can be.

Due to an inheritance of barely-enough money, I got to retire at age 55. I might need to go back to work in a few years, I don’t know yet. But, I’ve very much enjoyed doing practically nothing even though I’d like to have enough to travel, etc. which I don’t. I do miss the collaboration on solving problems, but I don’t miss the raft of other bullshit “office politics” that goes along with that. The one does not make up for the other, not even close. Neither do I miss putting aside my occasional moral misgivings about a project in exchange for money. Nor do I miss watching the boss/owner make obviously stupid decisions and then watching the fallout, after not listening to me or anyone else.

Finding a perfect job is not going to happen for the vast majority of us. We make do with what we can get, and often that causes long-term stress that is unhealthy.

What desire I have to “be useful” or “contribute” and the pleasure I sometimes got from a job well done pales in comparison to the daily stress of working. Even low-level long-term stress takes a big toll over time. And, none of us are compensated nearly enough in money or time off to mitigate that.

People want to work, and want to contribute and collaborate, and feel useful. But, the work society we’ve allowed to be set up for us is not for that. It’s for wringing every last second of useful to-the-rich effort out of us, while compensating us at the minimum level we’ll accept without chopping their heads off, with the rest going to them. Generation after generation for the past 80 years, they’ve been compensating us less and demanding more. Now we’re close to being virtually enslaved, owning nothing and working to barely survive, assuming we’re healthy enough to do so, otherwise being discarded.

How long have you worked there?

How long have they been in business?

Is the business stable and well-ran? Do you even know?

Okay, you do you.

They really need to ban phones for students in grade school.

“But, they need them for safety!”

How the hell did we ever get along without every kid having an internet connected computer in their pocket since forever before they were invented? No, they don’t need them for “safety”.

The Red Pistachio mold plague spread with surprising speed. Horticulturalists were caught flatfooted, but pulled a rabbit out of their hat with the current strain of green pistachios, saving the sector. It was quite a wild ride.

I guess you had to be there.

So, it’s getting worse. There were videos last summer of how empty the Las Vegas Strip was.

I barely know what to do with my second monitor. It spends 90% of its time displaying a background picture and some desklets. I really only use it when I’m writing to have a browser and notes open for reference.