Bibimbap 비빔밥

Over-responding? Nah... *tries to hide*

So, here's the deal. I have a goal of reading and commenting on three blogs every day (leaving a 'like' doesn't count). It takes up a lot of time because I try to give it some thought. Mind, you, when I'm triggered, that leaky dam bursts and heaven-help anyone downstream. I'm highly opinionated, not always 'right', but have a wide array of experiences. Today I'm being triggered by many things. Voices? No, the flashbacks. I've felt threatened and treated poorly at times and today I can't mask it. Sorry.

I shared a room growing up, usually shared a room in university, and scrambled for a spot on the floor in a homeless shelter for two years. So, yeah, I get the importance of privacy and having some control over where I sleep. I also know all about clutter. I'm very prolific and have written most every day for over 20 years. Editing is another issue; but, I looked at something I wrote in 2009 today and gave it its own item! "Obituary for a bad boy"  Soon I'll be traveling for maybe 10 days and that rearranges my priorities and energy-level.

To Blessed Christmouse (Mouse) re "Invalid Entry" : "A Room of Your Own. Yes, you are right to be
grateful as you know the alternatives. I was thrilled when my disability went through and I could rent a place with a roommate, and then when I moved into my own place. Now I share... but that is my choice.

So much is about options. The rest? Details. But I don't find the mundane blah-blah-blah boring.

Writing? Yeah, scratch those notes down. Make a pile of them separate from the other piles (trust me on this)."

Re "Invalid Entry"  Not all "laziness" is just being lazy. I'm low energy. I get easily over-whelmed. Other people's expectations seldom make me do anything. If I'm not motivated it's hard.

I have made writing goals and objectives before; but at the moment, I'm focused on Thai language and culture and "working out". And next week I travel. Yes, I scratch down notes. Yes, I write. But the "big" items will have to wait.

I've lived in group settings. Even loving families can be challenging. But we are communal not solitary animals.

I find the self-determination movements limiting. One can learn from them and I don't want to force people to live in rigid religious communities or chaos like many homeless people are. I also don't believe in segregation, criminalization, incarceration, involuntary conversion or ghettos. So, I think there's much to learn from alternative lifestyles.

Live off the grid? There's much to be said for proper architecture and engineering. The Ancients knew this. Adobe, caves, igloos... they knew about wind, sun and water. They built civilizations.

And hermits are fine, but they cannot survive without community.

There are more homeless people in Missoula than there are living in this 'forward thinking' group in New Mexico. And they too know all about the harassment that non-conformers face.

To 🎄pwheeler joy to the world (Phyllis) re "Earthships - America's Off-Grid Desert Community" : "I don't believe in separate self-sufficient units. Yes, I think it's a good idea but off-the-grid [individual units are] a waste of resources imho... as are HOAs, gated communities, same-age, same sexuality, no-children, same religion, same ethnicity...

The idea of recycling is great. But... there are plenty of homes in Michigan, Indiana and elsewhere that could be recycled and already have the infra-structure like roads and utilities. If these units [in NM] were connected, grouped, close to markets, etc. I'd be more inclined to support them.

They will remain the play-things of the wealthy, the paranoid (afraid of people), xenophobes, or the lovers-of-tech geeks. As a unit they may be sustainable and the experiment is laudable; but, it's not an open inclusive community."

Urban-planning is one of my major gripes. I would gladly live in Torino, Italy or Goteborg, Sweden. Both are very liveable, beautiful!, walkable and connected with the outside world. Very few places in the USA offer anything close to the experience they provide. So... why don't we hear about them? 1. Hubris and ignorance: Americans think they are better than others so they don't look around. 2. Priorities: bling-bling and money matters more than getting along. 3. Tourists don't live in a place. They 'party'. It's why Orlando and Vegas are destinations but not Pittsburgh or Omaha.

Without the perspective and experience of a city that works, most folks rely upon hearsay or ignorance, unaware that their city could be improved upon, not just for them, but for everyone.

I wrote a blog entry in response to Stik's post and will need to edit what I deposited on her doorstep and post it elsewhere.

To Elisa: Snowman Stik (Stik) re "Autist Behind the Wheel" : Many transit issues are cultural. In this condo people use the elevator and not the stairs. Sometimes they choose to wait for the next trip. Oft times they turn their back, and rarely exchange a word. In Japan people walk crowded streets and ride crowded trains, never intentionally touching. Privacy is coped with in different ways. Over-stimulation? It's a societal norm to not make noise on public transport. Americans tend to be more gregarious and self-centered.

Americans have this image of dirty dangerous subway systems perpetuated by the media and sensational stories they consume. Sorry, Americans... Taipei and Bangkok have reliable, quick, and clean MRTs. Mexico City subways may not be new or clean but they go most everywhere. None of these systems are expensive either. The poor can and do use them; but then, poverty isn't considered a disease everywhere in the world. The Asians I've met (in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, with a sprinkling of visitors from elsewhere) may want money, may want to be rich, (may even look down on the poor), but they don't treat the poor as poorly as Americans do. Their cities are livable and transportation is available. Is this 100% true? Of course not! I don't live in the Land of Absolutes.

... cont'd... The rest of my rant is in my general blog "Week 15 of the year 180" .

For

FORUM

The Bard's Hall Contest  (13+) DECEMBER is HOLIDAY RUSH: Shape Poetry Prompt! #981150 by SantaBee

Attention Ẃeβ࿚ẂỉԎḈĥmas and SantaBee.

~ 1000 words

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