[Treasur]

Well, Nas....and how nice to 'see' you  ....I'm not sure you or anyone else here from the US needs to feel mortified. Unless you have a secret side job as Mr Trump's speechwriter lol.

It's not good though is it? I am truly sorry that, on top of all the other challenges of a pandemic, the US president has the character that he has and behaves as he does.

I met a man today, a stranger, who shared this quote with me from Albert Camus
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

[Thunder]

I hope it's at the polls!

[Mitzpah]

Ha ha...I took a walk and decided that a) some of these things are real and weird AND b) some of my response was probably a bit of PTSD residue lol.

So in a more constructive spirit....this https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/blog/how-we-can-nurture-our-mental-health-during-the-covid-19-pandemic?passkey=fcGhjzqjXfyr and this https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/health/resilience-relationships-trauma.html 

I loved Bessel van der Kolk - excellent!!!

I couldn't click on the other because I have used up my nytimes free articles already this month

I am sure it is good, though!

[Treasur]

The video is better, xyz 
Such a terrifically practical take on ways that everyone might look after their needs in uncertain or traumatic times imho.

[xyzcf]

Thunder:

what on earth is the Senate and Congress doing to protect the normal constitutional constraints on power?

I became a US citizen in 2016. Having paid taxes for 10 years as a green card holder (permanent resident), I wanted to be able to vote. I was scared when the results came in and he "stole" the election but many American friends reassured me ...they said that there were so many checks and balances that he would not be able to really cause any damage.

I am totally sick about what I am seeing here and the leader's inability to show any decency for anything really..the list is so long and I am not seeing any checks and balances to stop this insanity.

Maybe I am being paranoid, but the borders are "closed" between the US and Canada..I would need to go into quarantine for 14 days if I wanted to see my family...and I totally agree with Canada's protocols. I know that Canada will not be in any hurry to open the borders, especially since the number of cases in the US keep climbing and I am really worried about what we are going to see in the next 2-3 weeks...

Any civilized country that uses tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors so that someone can have a photo opt...and that the police followed that order to shoot rubber bullets into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators, a right that is guaranteed in the Constitution..what would America be saying about another country that would do such a thing?

The whole thing on so many levels is so so WRONG.

I am deeply upset by it all..and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight..it just gets more and more bizarre.

[Treasur]

The video is better, xyz 
Such a terrifically practical take on ways that everyone might look after their needs in uncertain or traumatic times imho.

Sorry - my xyz should have been Mitz...fat fingers moment 

And the 'real' xyz....yup, I suspect we LBS grow pretty tired of bizarre, don't we? But I know from mynown experience that the US is as full of fine folks of good heart as anywhere else....so I will keep hoping that the real silent majority will prevail in time. Bc the disordered draw the eye but I honestly believe there are more of us in the world.

[terra]

xyzcf, in my county we are still sheltering in place much of the time, and our state requires face masks in any indoor public establishment. People here in our neighborhood break that rule, but only maybe 1 out of every 20. And when you see that 1, it’s jarring. You have to wonder what they are even thinking.

It’s mostly white Americans of a certain age group, here, breaking that rule so casually. And normally I’m a person who calls people out, but, now doesn’t feel like a great time to be doing so.

D and I live in a part of the country that is really a bubble, I think. We didn’t vote for this despot, and it’s been alarming that he even campaigned in 2016. I said it to the kids that year, because they were angry and afraid — he won’t win; he can’t; if he does, we will stop at nothing to reverse it and him.

And that’s how I found out how little power we have even as native-born citizens here. I still am in regular contact with local and state representatives, although since about April this year, I’ve lost heart.

That Tulsa rally was a farce, and I’m glad the k-pop and TikTok communities did their thing to make it so. I’ve said for years that if the power of k-pop stans could be harnessed politically, we’d see fast and sweeping positive change. They aren’t all kids or teens, but those who are, have heart for justice and equality, and peace. When they reach voting age, this country will get a lot different and better.

I received a photo from h the other day, a group of people I’ve never seen before, diverse and apparently happy, all bare-faced at a table inside a busy restaurant full of other bare-faced people. None socially distant. They were out drinking at 6pm on a weeknight.

They work for the medical field, educators. I’ve been horrified all weekend, because wow: not even they look to be taking this seriously. H, either, but, he wouldn’t anyway.

I’m sad that you are separated by the borders and by quarantine restrictions; I have that too, with my family, and am just lucky that my child is still of at-home age.

But I have never been so lonely in all my life. This evening I wondered when there will ever be another hand to hold mine, again.

I don’t know. In the meantime, no long-distance travel, and we remain sheltering in place, and when we’re out of the house, even just walking the neighborhood, we time that for very early or very late. And even when we know no one else is out, we wear the face masks.

It’s hard to imagine seeing friends or family again, if they didn’t do the same. This has split the collective in such an unexpected way, and I just want to assure you, some parts of the country understand how wrong and sad it all is.

I’ve been here all my life, and this has been the worst America. I know our reputation as a people here has been just demolished, across the world. I miss the international community, and the grace or dignity of the past. But, let’s just keep knowing our best ideals at home and in our interactions.

This has to get better.

[xyzcf]

Thanks Treasur and Terra.

Yesterday was a disaster! Saturday started out with witnessing my neighbor's cat get taken by 2 coyotes. The cat didn't make it. I had intense emotional feelings about Father's Day and have some house issues culminating in the afternoon with a toilet that leaked in the guest bathroom soaking the carpet, underpad, the floor. I don't cope, I just don't when I am overwhelmed and with everything else I was a wreck.

 

I’ve said for years that if the power of k-pop stans could be harnessed politically, we’d see fast and sweeping positive change. They aren’t all kids or teens, but those who are, have heart for justice and equality, and peace. When they reach voting age, this country will get a lot different and better.

Just think Greta Thunberg as a positive example of how powerful these kids can be!

6200 people at the rally.....we shall see what that really means. Looking at the participants, trying not to be judgmental but they almost all seemed to be cut from the same cookie cutter.

Most of my friends also seem to think the "danger" is over...even the handyman who thankfully came to fix the leak, I didn't have a mask on and neither did he and I kept trying to stay as far away as possible, he insited that COVID was not more dangerous than the flu.

Terra, this:

But I have never been so lonely in all my life. This evening I wondered when there will ever be another hand to hold mine, again.

It "helps" me to hear another person express so well the thoughts that I have.

I am not "well" right now and all the things I put into place before COVID are not available to me .........and yet I know how privileged I am and how "spoiled" I am to be worried about a flooded bathroom but the fear and emptiness and sadness and chaos swirling inside of me is very "real"....

My therapist will have her work cut out for her this week!

Terra, your post helps....to know that others feel this, that I am not "unusual" in experiencing such a great disturbance in my body...it just helps you know to be able to talk about this.

This makes me absolutely cry..who are these people??
Noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall after NASCAR bans Confederate flag

[Treasur]

Xyz, for those of us who have experienced PTSD, we get that sometimes one's 'too much' can be lower. Residue.  I'm sorry that you had a 'moment' and glad that your IC is such a great source of support.

And gosh, doesn't it make a difference when you reach a point where at least you can understand those physical reactions.....?  I get it, as you know.

Imho, in these times, I am entirely confident that we are far from the only folks working through this stuff. And yes, I too have moments when doing it solo is not easy at all.

[terra]

A little levity: I just saw the article about “Where Will We Pee When We’re Out in Our Half-Reopened States?”

I won’t link it here; I only read the headline and that was good enough for me.

It’s not a problem for me, so far. My big answer to it just now is,

“You should have gone before we left the house.”