YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Oak -

I wish I could be as intune to all the craziness that politics are bringing into our culture this year - but I honestly have not really had much thought of it - my life is a zoo - I really have no time or care for whatever happens - it often feels like it has so little bearing on actual day to day life - the arguing and back and forth and refusal to work together means the only thing that ever passes is random safety laws -

Anyway - That is neither here nor there and I am sure if I lived near a major metropolis instead of the lamest city in Central New York I would also have concern - the thing is that I live in a really apathetic part of the state - they were going to have a black lives matter rally - and they expected thousands of people - only about 200 showed up - so thats the city I live in - its the little city that never will - in fact there was a Father's Day Party with more people in attendance and more issues than this event -

I am really glad that your preparations have you feeling safe - that is good - I would love to feel stock piled and safe - but that takes disposable income - I have no idea what that would look like

Thanks for your post, Imissmysun!

Yes, I understand the lack of disposable income. Many, many times I'd have $20 (or $15 or $10) for food for a week. And I was working 35 hours a week, and doing a good job at it.

As I started to get paid a little more, I'd grab, now and then, some bottled water or Vienna sausages at the dollar store. As long as there is water, and a little food, we can make it through. It need not be anything fancy.

Thoughts on the convention

With the darn thing over, I am relieved nothing bad happened.

I am left wondering: what was the point?

I doubt anyone changed their mind, or grew to love others. What I am getting at: what was the purpose? If it did have a purpose, was it worth the expense?


A brief word on "Prep":

(TW for traumatic disasters, human-made and otherwise. This is your warning.)

On that awful day, that is all the more difficult to discuss or think about as time goes on, September 11: I was asleep, hungover, and unemployed. Unbeknownst to any of us, one of the planes flew overhead.

In 2005 I remember watching the Katrina (also heartbreaking all these years later) coverage I vividly remember vomiting from drinking too much. What was left of Katrina came through, and I was astonished at how much water it was. And I was 1000 miles away. Just so much rain. Of course, I was unemployed.

In 2012 for Sandy I was sober for four years (yay!), but I happened to be fired twice in the previous six months. I'd gotten my first smartphone the week before, and I vividly remember the darn thing's battery dying. Since the power was out, I had no means of communicating or hearing news.

After thus many experiences did I decide to "prep".