RDT Right Now #1989

[rdtrn@torithoughts.org]

     Do not hit reply to unsubscribe.  To unsub, send a message to:
                    <rdtrn-request@torithoughts.org>
              with "unsubscribe" in the subject and body.

 o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Really Deep Thoughts Right Now			Volume 06 : Issue #1989

              .
                    o - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - o
         .       o                                     o     .
               o                                         o
              O         "Thoughts right now...            O
              o        What will become of me,            o
              o       Become of her, become of we?"       o
          .    o                                         o     .
                 O                                     O
                    O - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - O
                             o                           .
                               o
                                  o
                                      o
                                         Tori Amos, "Thoughts"
In this issue:
o-o-o-o-o-o-o

  Happy New Year                        [ "Beth Coulter" <betheqt@voicenet.co ]
  Never went to Za'hadum, I was here t  [ Simon Booth <phoenyxx98@yahoo.com> ]



     Missed a digest? Pick up a copy at the RDTRN archives:
     http://www.torithoughts.org/rdtrn/archives


-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

[top]

Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 23:13:26 -0500
From: "Beth Coulter" <betheqt@voicenet.com>
To: "RDT Right Now" <rdtrn@torithoughts.org>
Subject: Happy New Year

Hey All!

Remember me?  Yes, I faded into lurkdom again.  I promise I will send a full
update very soon, but until then, my website has been updated.  Check it
out.

Happy New Year!

Fairy Blessings,
Bethey
I'm OK when Everything's not OK
cause it's the Fairies Revenge they say
And I have always been a Fairy.

www.bethcoulter.com

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

[top]

Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2005 08:53:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Simon Booth <phoenyxx98@yahoo.com>
To: rdtrn@torithoughts.org
Subject: Never went to Za'hadum, I was here the whole time, just so busy!

Back after a very long absence!  and overall it's been
a pretty good year (had to say that ;) )

I never intended to stay away for so long.  I've just
been so busy over the past year that it seems like so
many things I enjoy just got pushed aside.

Don't get me wrong, a lot has been going great- still
on track with the graphics degree, despite a
particular drawing instructor this past semester
redefining the term "asshole" and my iMac being out of
action throughout much of October.   The drawing class
was an elective so I wasn't worried about the grade,
but I did come close to giving up the whole thing as a
sign of respect to the "real artists" because I got so
disgusted with this instructor's non-stop bitching
about how basically the fine art world has to co-exist
with more modern things like computer graphics and
graphic design, along with his contrived air of deadly
seriousness about everything.

Myself and most of the students I've met since I went
back to school in '03 for the most part have respect
for everyone's respective areas of interest and
expertise- I mean my thing is graphic arts, but I can
still honestly look at someone's kick-ass painting and
appreciate that person's passion for their work.   The
drawing instructor manages to turn the process of
critique into strongarming students to basically
ruthlessly attack each other's work based totally on
technical bullshit and excluding issues like asthetics
and genuine commitment on the part of the artist.
Sometimes we'd be hanging out before or after class
bascially apologizing to each other for being so harsh
in our in-class discussions of each other's work-
basically the idea being that even if one's work does
suck, you should be allowed to be frank, call it crap
if indeed it truly is crap, but not make it personal,
and not looking at great work but pretending to find
something that sucks just to sound like a "real
critic".

Funny thing is that I had the same instructor a year
ago, but the difference was that even with him trying
to take being a total dick to new levels, he wasn't
seeing everyone's work as some affront to all things
decent.

The graphic class I had make me even more committed to
what I want to pursue and the irony is that with the
more technical nature of things because of the
emphasis on technology and real-world business (ie,
creating ads) I felt like I had more room to really
push myself and be creative, and overall enjoy the
work even with the problems that came up.

I passed that class but I'm planning on retaking it
this coming semester because I know I can do much
better and this time I know what problems might arise
and how to deal with them without it ruining my work
in the class.

The situation with my family seems to be ok now
although it's still awkward because I can never tell
when they might stage a repeat of what they did last
year.  There's always been a tendency for my parents
to decide to get into really serious and/or negative
discussions at the most inappropriate times, which is
in turn made worse by my evasiveness or outright
refusal to answer stupid and sometimes personal
questions, along with generally just being caught by
suprise at the shitty timing of the whole thing.

For me the dilemma has always been wanting to be
honest with myself about my family but not being able
to actually think "dysfunctional" because it just
seems too easy and too cliche to go there.   It's
confusing because there's always been a weird, almost
"schizophrenic" attitude about everything- being very
supportive *and* at the same time very hostile and
pissed off all time about the same things, or being
really cool about the important things in my life but
simultaneously being really hateful and condescending
about the small things, if that make sense.  Like
overall being accepting of my disability but at the
same time making some very strange comments- reminding
me that I'm not "really handicapped" (so just what's
the wheelchair for then?) or like they did a long time
ago,  when I was trying to get a better wheelchair
(first chair was a piece of shit, and I was trying to
get what became the second chair in '94)  their
attitude towards the whole thing was more akin to
parents reacting to a spoiled teenager trying to hit
them up for money for an expensive car- and reminding
me that a chair like the was for people who are
"actually disabled".

And while I'll admit to being melodramatic about
things at times, I've never gone around acting
outraged or betrayed over other people's mistakes that
don't affect me.

Sorry about that.  I'm just really worried about how
things are going to be long-term.   Knowing from past
experience about how they deal with things I'm never
sure when the next huge fight will occur, or just
*what* bogus outrage will be bandied about.  Too many
times the "outrage" and hostility a) has gone on for a
long time, and b) always seemed to be totally
unrelated to the situation at hand, or else was a real
but minor problem blown way out of proportion.

What has me really worried is the real possibility
that a lot of what's been happening over the past
several years or so, and even more so recently, isn't
really about past or present assumptions about how
stupid or irresponsible I've been, but that it's
really them reacting in a bizarre way to what they
learned about be back in late '98.  When it all first
happened, I was assured they weren't angry or going to
hate me, but over time, so many conflicts have come up
that have nothing really to do with something actually
happening at the time- like back in April, when for
that whole month they flat-out swore to have nothing
to do with me, supposedly because I refused them
access to my financial records.  No way you hate
someone over that, so I can't help but think that
indeed, it's really about much bigger things that they
can't do anything about because a promise was made
back in '98 that they weren't going to say anything
after that, after they insisted that things between us
were always going to be ok.

anyway-

Am I the only one for whom the holidays get more
anti-climatic each year?   The enjoyment is still
there, but there's just not the build-up like there
used to be.   I hope it's only because I've had so
much more going on the past few years and that that
"fun" will be back in it when things are a little more
settled (doing real graphics work vs. all the stress
of classes running right up to the first week of
december).

last weekend (Christmas weekend) I saw the 1972 film
"Silent Running" and it gave me an idea: a sci fi
story about a fleet of ships transporting the last of
Morrisette's crap CD's through space, with the lone
Canadian astronaut on one of the ships always going on
about how any day now they'd get the order to go back
to Earth to reintroduce Morriesette's music to the
population.   One day though they do get an order: to
jettison and nuke the cargo pods carrying the CDs.
Of course the Toriphile astronauts will carry this out
with the devotion and dedication one would expect from
Toriphiles.  Their sacred mission is complicated by
the lone Morrisette-listening astronaut trying to
stage a mutiny and abort the mission, but of course in
the end, he gets spaced along with the crap CDs.


Speaking of space: one of my gifts this christmas was
a small portable hard drive that connects to the
computer via USB.   What's that got to do with space?
Because the *space* on it is 40 GB!   Very cool!

replies:

Megan wrote:

"So!  I got a new job as an office assistant that pays
crap, "

ever seen the movie "office space"?  ;)

bethany (not the girl in the late 90s best buy
commercials) wrote:

"so i just read that Coldplay's single "Speed of
Sound" was hugely
inspired by Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill".
dammit. i thought
i was imagining it!"

what I'm waiting for is for Kate Bush to finally admit
the real story behind her music and the ultimate
comparisons to Tori:
the early 80s meeting with the time traveler from the
future who gave her all of Tori's CDs, past, present,
and future, and *that* why some people see
similarities between her and Tori: influenced by
tori's music after all.


jake wrote:

"I think Beth made some good points about how we use
drugs in this
country... but I have to say that Cruise is way off
the deep end.
Implying that putting any drug in your body is a bad
thing. "

There seems to be two very polarized extremes about
drugs and mental health: the absolute "drugs when hell
freezes over" mentality, and at the other extreme, the
absolute blind allegiance to *anything* that's a quick
fix or the proverbial magic bullet.  That aspect of
it, IMHO has played a large part in the trivializing
of otherwise legitimate and very serious conditions.
I myself have benefitted from meds for depression,
mild bipolar disorder, and ADHD, but the meds have
always been a part of larger solutions to those
problem.  The conditions don't magically go away, but
the meds play an important role in helping to gain
enough control over the situation to take other steps
towards getting treated and getting past the problems,
or at the very least, being able to adapt despite the
problem.

The two things though that make me cringe are: those
who really do need and would benefite from treatment
but think they're privy to something the rest of us
aren't by *knowing* they need help but claiming some
"moral superiority" by not getting treated and making
the problems some bizarre badge of honor, and those
who go to the other extreme by going into treatment
with total blind fanaticism and unquestioning
allegiance to their doctors and whatever meds or other
treatment comes along.
Mabye it's just me, but I've never understood people
who make their health problem into a full-time
"career" or some bizarre claim to bragging rights.


john b wrote:

"Have I mentioned the movie "The Aristocrats" yet?  It
is very very
funny.
As Penn Jillette says, though, don't go see it if
you've ever been
offended by any word ever ever."

worse than "American Pie"?  After that, I a) refused a
certain dessert for a long time and b) couldn't watch
"Buffy" reruns the same way I used to.

happy birthday melvin!  3 more years and you're
running from the Sandmen!


bethey- always thought-provoking comments about Iraq.
 It's always going to be complicated: Hussein was
evil, no way around it, and *something* had to be
done, but I've always thought that it would have been
more poetic justice if somehow he had had his own
people turn on him, without the US invading.  Think
Romania in December 1989.



re: Micheal Shiavo:  I heard he's forming a
pro-euthanasia group, and he will call
"Einstatzgruppen T-4".  That's to comply with truth in
advertising laws.

violet- cool new look for the site!


happy birthday Mary!


re: new orleans:  am I the only one who thinks the
press coverage took irresponsible to a new level?

happy birthday  Tait aAmy (watch for the sandmen!)
Megan, Jeffrey, Cyndi, Rebecca, gelsey, Nicole (the
sandmen are going to be busy!),  Eric

jack wrote:

"Maybe everybody is out getting ready to start Bush on
his way to the unemployment line."

do the right-wingers realize that all their laws will
come back to bite them in their collective asses when
more progressive people come into power?  Patriot Act
can be used to sanction actions against conservatives,
as well as a great way for the winning progressives to
exact retribution against the those who voted against
them.

Funny as hell, the idea of Republicans being put on
watch and no-fly lists!



re: John b and mri: I had an MRI back in December of
'93 and it was similar to what you described: I'm not
claustrophobic but what sucked was that the things I
would normally do to relax weren't allowed- no metal
or electronics near the machine, so my walkman was
left in a room down the hall, and I couldn't have my
watch so I had no idea about how much time was going
by.  Holding still meant I couldn't have a book with
me, and it was really unnerving to not be able to
wheel myself into the room (wheelchair might very well
have been accelerated to a dangerous speed by the
magnetic field.   Couldn't even have my glasses on
(metal frames)

And then the procedure itself was like lying in a
metal trash can with someone bashing it from the
outside with a baseball bat.

wish they had open sided MRI back then!

happy birthday John!

Brian (who didn't make that infamous flight in 1971
before heading to Sydney) wrote:


"It's whack when I have
to
wear sunscreen in the office and it's not even summer
yet. I did raise
it
with management and they are getting the windows
tinted, but not soon
enough in my book."

Is that from normal sun exposure through the windows
or is the ozone layer *that* thin over Australia?
Not making jokes by any means, but I've always
wondered how if the worst of the world's pollution
comes from the Northern Hemisphere, the ozone layer is
thinning the most over the southern hemisphere?  Or
are the UV levels over North America, Europe, and Asia
really bad but we're not being told?

re: scented toilet paper: I was wondering the same
thing:  One of the many "who the hell came up with
*that*?" things we come across these days.

Besides the bizzare concept of making the bathroom
smell *that* good, what about when one needs to TP
someone's house (do people do that in Australia?) and
the TPers run the risk of incriminating themselves by
reeking of rose scent from handling the scented paper
while wrapping the trees and shrubbery.


Anything that's meant to make the air smell better
only ends up making the room reek of that in addition
to whatever smell one is trying to get rid of.  I'm
reminded of a TV commercial several years ago where a
blindfolded woman had a wet dog sitting next to her,
and off camera she's asked what she smells, and she
replies "a wet dog".  Then someone comes by and sprays
air freshener, to which she then says that she smells
"poppouri...and a wet dog".

cyndi wrote:

"        furthermore, when you're suffering from
depression/anxiety
related problems (like I am) and doing nothing but
spending day in and
day out in your room, it's good for you to get out and
do something,
whether it's school, a job, or volunteer work
somewhere.
        thoughts? opinions?"

the whole point of one having their own place is to
stay inside along all the time without people
bothering you ;)

joking- I can't do any one thing for too long because
Juno figures it out and starts jonesing for a walk
whenever I'm too engrossed in something ;)


and I think going back to school is a good thing.  The
local community colleges here have a diverse group of
students, so you can be older and not feel out of
place- I like being able to hang out with people from
a wide range of age groups.

happy birthday paula and jessica!

megan wrote:

"Joined Netflix"

I've been using blockbusteronline.com- also very cool.
 "

One of the things I like
about Tori is that her music is great to drive to
whenever I have a
headache.  "

even better, get a vehicle with external speakers, and
share the music with everyone.  Especially great for
cruising the streets on a certain day in August ;)

cyndi wrote:

      "  and I know a lot of people who are making
posts here on occasion
have been disappointed with her work (whether it was
SW, TBK or both) as
well,"

they are heretics and are thus damned beyond
redemption, going to hell so fast their screams are
doppler shifted.


happy birthday kerri!


welcome back loria!


jody wrote:

"unsubscribe"

no sanctuary!

bethey- "stuffonmycat" is funny!

happy birthday  Greg, Mike, Jes'ca, Kok Chew, Angela!


hoping everyone has a great December 31st and Janaury
1st, and hoping everyone had a great Festivus.

My mom is old fashioned, she insists on putting up a
tree instead of the aluminum pole.  And my father,
despite it being almost 2006, insists on still calling
the tree a "Christmas Tree" rather than a "Holiday
Tree"

Celebrating the 4 month point into AT 42.  New Year's
Day is still 8 months from now.

We live for The One, We die for The One!

Simon




__________________________________
Yahoo! for Good - Make a difference this year.
http://brand.yahoo.com/cybergivingweek2005/




    o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o  o-o-o

                       *** Happy New Year! digest ***

To POST messages to this list:  <rdtrn@torithoughts.org>

Can't figure out how to SUB, UNSUB, or CHANGE ADDRESSES?  Send a message
      to <rdtrn-request@torithoughts.org> with "help" as the subject.

Digest PROBLEMS or QUESTIONS?  Contact:  <admin@torithoughts.org>

Want your BIRTHDAY announced on RDTRN in 2006?  Visit the registration
      form located at http://www.torithoughts.org/RDTRN/birthday.html

RDTRN SITE AND ARCHIVES:
      http://www.torithoughts.org/rdtrn

RDTRN'S SUBLIMINAL THOUGHTS (you can't see this):
      http://www.torithoughts.org/rdtrn/subliminal/

For information on joining the TORITOUR list:  Send a blank message
      to <tour@torithoughts.org> and you'll receive an instruction
      file.

Any self-respecting Toriphile is on The Registry. (That means you!)
      http://thedent.developium.com/
                                                        _ .
  /\  ,                          _  _                 (  _ )_
 {Oo\{o\    .=.                ( `   )_             (_  _(_ ,)
 {o: \:.\  /   \              (    )    `)                      |
{O:'  \:.-'_.-\_)____       (_   (_ .  _) _)                  \ _ /
 {o:.  /`~('-./-----.\                                      -= (_) =-
  }o: // /|         `/\                         (  )          /   \
 {O:'// /-'         /\/\                     ( `  ) . )         |
 }o-/( <___    \'/ /\/\/\                   (_, _(  ,_)_)
/o./  ;--._)====* -\/\/\/
`"`\  \        /.\  `""`
    \  \
     \  \                 wWWWw               wWWWw
     /`\ )          vVVVv (___) wWWWw         (___)  vVVVv
     |/| |    vVVVv (___)  ~O~  (___)  vVVVv   ~H~   (___)  vVVVv
   _//  \|    (___)  ~H~   \|    ~U~   (___)    |/    ~T~   (___)
  | /   ||    \~T~/  \|   \ |/   \| /  \~G~/   \|    \ |/   \~S~/
  |/   / |    \\|// \\|// \\|// \\|/// \\|//  \\|// \\\|/// \\|//
  `    `\|   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
         `             thanks for visiting this pretty garden