Doom and gloom...doom and gloom.

[Buddyblazon]

This is what DU has become. This is also why I hit a thousand posts years and years ago...and have only had a dozen or so posts since.

I just can't have a negative outlook on my life in the future. And quite frankly, I have no idea why so many people just love to be miserable.

"But, Buddy. I don't want to be miserable."

"Then stop being miserable."

Are things fucked to high hell? Sure they are. But I've still got my wife, my friends, my family. There are lots of things to smile about. And if you can't find any reasons to smile...perhaps it's time to ask YOURSELF why you can't find any reasons to be happy.

Now...hit me with your unrec's.

[dennis4868]

1. Nice post....

I get very depressed coming to DU these days....so incredibly negative no matter what the issue is....

[TexasObserver]

2. done

[katnapped]

7. Me too

Can't argue with people who like shit sandwiches....guess they like the taste or something.

[TexasObserver]

12. I meant unrecommended, as requested in the OP.

[katnapped]

60. Yup me too :) n/t

[OregonBlue]

3. Well said.

[PBS Poll-435]

4. I really don't know anymore

But I am not going to abandon this place. Too many folks that I have grown to love.

[MineralMan]

5. DU is nothing more than a gathering place where people

say things in public. It is what it is. Making it all that important in your life is a mistake. It's a great exercise in figuring out what you think, and a place where it's possible to find lots of news stories and editorials on political topics. It is not, and never will be, the real world. It's a place where people who think they are anonymous post whatever comes into their minds.

The way to not let it make you crazy is not to take it all that seriously. Nothing of any great import has ever come out of DU. It's just a place to hash political stuff out. If that screws up your personal life, it can be toxic for you. If you can just read it and post and say what you think, it's great. It's not that important, though.

And I'm saying that with about 25,000 posts since October of 2008. When I walk away from DU, it's gone from my mind.

[JoePhilly]

19. Dead on ...

At one time, I came to DU to find ammo against the crazy far right. Gather facts. Provide my own arguments to help the left fight the right.

DU is no longer that place.

Now, if you are looking for ammo against Obama or the left, this is now THE PLACE to come. DU is now about as "anti-democrat" as you can get.

I still come here ... but I post less. The Obama hate is too great and those threads obscure many threads I might engage.

[JuniperLea]

23. Well said, MineralMan...

I agree with you completely. But you know me and my hot Irish temper... I need to be reminded of these things once in a while.

Perspective is everything, and I like yours.

[Buddyblazon]

25. It doesn't get me worked up...

and hasn't for years.

But all the negativity as of late here is really discouraging.

[Posteritatis]

6. Martyred, outraged despair is annoyingly addictive that way. (nt)

[Bluebear]

8. Yeah, all those martyred homeless, outraged unemployed,,,I hope you are having a good life.

Would that people could be so cool and unaddicted as you!

[Posteritatis]

9. I see basic logic's a strong point among some too. (nt)

[Bluebear]

11. Cutting. You're so cool.

/ignore

[walldude]

10. Another "I got mine fuck you post?"

Yes you have all those things. But gays can't marry. In many states they can't adopt. Some people are homeless, jobless, many kids will go without for the holidays, telling a homeless family to cheer up around the holidays is about the same as laughing at them. But you go ahead and get mad because of all these sour pusses ruining your day :eyes:

[Buddyblazon]

15. "I got mine fuck you".

I don't have mine.


In fact, I've NEVER had mine. lol


Don't "assume"...cause yada yada yada.

[walldude]

16. I'm not assuming anything.

I'm going according to what you posted. If you can be happy when you are unemployed and homeless you are a better person than most.

[Buddyblazon]

18. duplicate post

I

[Buddyblazon]

20. I am not, however, unemployed...or homeless.

I AM severely UNDERemployed.

But my industry has been devastated by this downturn. I am a stage manager. I've got a couple of crew members who were homeless because of the downturn. One I let sleep on my couch for several weeks until we found him an affordable place to live.

I am not unaffected. I just refuse to be sad about all of this. So instead, I get up, I go to work (when we actually have shows anymore) or work on my house (anything free...that can be fixed with elbow grease).

I also think being a positive person has made my relationship with my partner better. This deluge hasn't wrecked our relationship, now we feel like we can survive almost anything as long as we have each other.

Go ahead, be negative. Enjoy the misery that comes when you put out negative Karma. That's your prerogative.


Everybody knows we're in deep shit. Constantly reminding people and acting as if you're about to give up doesn't help the situation at all.

[JoePhilly]

22. Apparently, you better not enjoy ANYTHING ...

Unless we have 100% employment.

As a progressive optimist, I am always looking forward. And trying to find a better and better future.

But for some on the left, until we get "there" ... well ... "here" is an evil place.

And honestly for some on the left, they have a point. DADT, DOMA, Unemployment ... they have immediate issues and they have every right to be PISSED.

But as you indicate, one can marinate in their misery, or push forward. It is actually possible to be critical and stay positive about what the future could be. And I don't mean that in a "delude yourself sense" ... but what should drive you forward is a sense of the positive, rather than be held back by the recent negative events.

[Buddyblazon]

24. This too shall pass.

This too shall pass.

:)

[walldude]

27. Well sorry but your OP demanding that people

put on a happy face is crap. Yeah I try to remain positive, but I certainly don't expect others to. And yes some people are positive and some are negative but to berate people because their position is not as good as yours is IMHO wrong.

I notice you were a little less emphatic in this post, if you had made this the OP I wouldn't have said anything, but in your OP you were not as forthcoming.

[Buddyblazon]

45. Let's discuss how angry you are...

lol

[Buddyblazon]

46. Oh...and where, oh wall dude,

did I demand everybody put on a happy face?

Just because I can say I have a happy life (that's all on me as life is what you make of it) doesn't mean I'll sit still and be berated by you with your lies.

[Greyhound]

47. Yes. Another.

And oh how they whine when their indifference comes back and bites them in the ass.

[Buddyblazon]

48. Who said I'm indifferent?

Oh yeah...you.

Happy...indifferent. Two entirely different emotions. I'm not sure if you were aware of this. But you are now.

You're welcome.

[Greyhound]

50. You did. In your OP.

And if only they would pull themselves up by their bootstraps...

It's not nearly as bad as they say...

Yargle, bargle, blargh...

[Buddyblazon]

51. I never said anywhere in that post that I'm indifferent...

you are just assuming I'm indifferent.

[Greyhound]

77. Maybe you didn't intend to, but that is what your OP says.

"I have no idea why so many people just love to be miserable"

"Then stop being miserable."

"And if you can't find any reasons to smile...perhaps it's time to ask YOURSELF why you can't find any reasons to be happy."

Taken as a whole, it says "I'm fine and if you're not it's your fault and you just don't appreciate/understand how wonderful it all is."

And the Big Finish, "Now...hit me with your unrec's." caps it all off, I don't care about how or why you can't just see it. That is indifferent.

[SoCalDem]

13. We can be comfortable with the micro, and still believe in macro

An 8 oz glass with 4 oz of liquid is both half-full and half-empty. Arguing which is "correct", does not increase the amount of liquid, but if filling the glass is the goal, perhaps some investigation/conversation is necessary to achieve that goal.

No one is suggesting that we "be miserable" all the time, but turning one's back on society because our own little corner of the universe is hunky-dorry, only ensures that someday it may NOT be that way.

[JuniperLea]

28. My little corner is far less than hunky dorry... far... way far...

I have a son out of work, a daughter underemployed, two sisters that have lost their homes to foreclosure, my home is underwater by 50%, I didn't get a raise for the past two years but everything I buy is far more expensive than it was, my car is 8 years old and I commute 42.2 miles round-trip every day and it's sounding mighty taxed running along on those may-pop tires, gas is $3.35 a gallon in my neck of the woods, I work in a professional office and my suits are tattered, but who can afford new? Shoes? Pft... I just had three pair fixed so I can get more miles out of them. I have two floors in my house that are in dire need of repair, and let's not even speak of plumbing. Oh, and my health insurance just TRIPLED! For the first time in 40 years I have to check my checking account and the calendar before I go to the grocery store, and most of my holiday gifts will be hand made because I'm trying to help my family through hard times and I cannot afford much more than that.

There are twice as many homeless in the park when I walk the dogs... the line at the food bank goes all the way around the block. There are twice as many homeless on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles, and the crowds at the various rescue missions are huge.

Fancy that... all that adversity and I still see full well the battle we've been waging, the battle the President has been waging, and the obstructionism that I have never seen with any other President in all of my life.

I have nothing. Not a goddamn fucking thing. My retirement account is gone, my savings are gone, my IRA, my 401k... all fucking gone to help feed and clothe family. And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Hunky dorry? Not a chance.

All of that and I still see that joining in with the Republicans on this mass flogging only helps the Republicans. Oh, I have plenty of rage. But it's not blind.

[Buddyblazon]

29. Good post

Did I mention the tile in the only bathroom in our house came tumbling down in the shower a couple of weeks ago?

We are now showering with a big black plastic sheet taped up over the stall walls. The wife LOVES that one.

We are like most right now. "Where do we start?". We are just covering our bills.

Maybe I'm just an idiotic optimist. I do get worked up when I see the next capitulation. But I really try not to let it spiral in my brain and I refuse to "give in".

When I turn off politics now, I don't think about politics.

[JuniperLea]

35. I have a library card and a stack of good books...

And a massive music collection... please, Cosmos, let the CD player live!

And two sweet little dogs. When I get too wound up, the dogs jump me and make me laugh. They know that stress is a killer too. What they probably don't know is what a gift they are.

I think rage turns to blind rage here, and the whole picture is obscured by hot red flashing lights or something. Once the mind gets in that mode, even a well placed puppy belly or puppy kisses won't bring you back. Reason flies out the door and maturity out the window.

Molly (the little one) is a bit of a tart... she shows her belly to everyone.

Even in the most rigorous, wild, and upsetting puppy day, there might be a sunspot on the kitchen floor! Bliss!



And these brilliant beings don't give an airborne rodent's derriere who is President, or that there IS a President! Are you a Dem or a Pubbie? Who cares when you're a terrier?!?

I don't even watch the news when I get home. It might be falling apart, it might be worth half my mortgage principle, but it is a sanctuary.

Then there's the beach... parking is cheap!



And I can still dream of the day when I can afford to go to June Lake again...



If you don't keep the balance, you really are doomed. Happy is in the head. Hell, I've known billionaires who aren't as happy as I am! I'm not kidding!

[Buddyblazon]

14. It's amusing that everyone assumes that...

my life is, as one poster put it, is "hunky dory".

I haven't cleared 20k in wages in a year in over three years. The last two I haven't cleared 15k. My wifes job clears about 32k. We own a small 1916 house that I've put my blood, sweat and tears into for the last 5 1/2 years. We've lived paycheck to paycheck for three years now. My vehicle should've had tires 2 years ago. The engine is making an awful noise. I think perhaps it's on it's last leg, but without extra money to get it repaired, it would be stupid to think otherwise.

Would you all like me to go on?

See, I understand things are fucked. I am frustrated about two wars, the inequalities for the GLBT community, "compromise".


The difference between me and several others posting in this thread? I refuse not to be a happy person.

That doesn't mean content. Don't confuse happy with content.


What's even more amusing? That people get mad when you point out their desire to miserable. "I WANT TO BE MISERABLE!!!".

Then go be miserable. Good luck with that.




You know...I'd like to point out one wonderful poster in this forum that everybody knows. She is conscious and active and frustrated and motivated. But she's always happy:


California Peggy.

[SidDithers]

17. FWIW, I agree with you...

and the bullshit that "you shouldn't be happy because not everyone is happy" is, well, bullshit.

Sid

[Buddyblazon]

21. You da man, Sid!

Half my family is Catholic. The other half is Jewish. I was raised in an ocean of guilt. After all those years, I am now immune to people trying to make you feel bad about not feeling bad.

If you want to feel "bad" and think "bad" thoughts and remind everyone how "bad" everything is....don't be surprised when your life turns out "bad".

Does that mean that people deserve to lose their jobs and go homeless? Absolutely not. Bad things happen to good people outside their control.

But if you insist on laying down and giving up because things went to shit....well that's life.



When I was 17...I once said to my VERY liberal Mother, "If I could just get over this hurdle, I could get on with life.".

My Mother responded with, "That IS life. When you get over this hurdle, there's going to be another one right after the one you just cleared. That's just life son. Get used to it or you're going to have a miserable life.".

So I did.

[JuniperLea]

26. I'm reminded of the Monk, the Tigers, and the Strawberries...

I'm sure you've heard the tale.

I'm outraged a lot of the time, but I've found it's all about the balance. I really hate that the wealthiest 2% are getting a tax break based on the lie that it will stimulate the economy when we all learned in sixth grade or so that demand for goods and services is what stimulates the economy. No business person in their right mind would hire someone just because they have the money to do so. The smart business person doesn't increase staff until demand for goods or services increases. The whole thing is ridiculous, and I absolutely hate it.

That said, if Obama were to begin running roughshod over Congress like his predecessor, I'd be pissed as hell. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

We are seriously screwed, and it took a hell of a long time to get us to that level of screwed. I'm not expecting magic, and I don't want band-aids.

It was necessary to get the unemployment benefits of so many people extended. THAT was mandatory. It happened, and I'm grateful. I don't like the sausage it came with, not one little bit. But I understand doing the right thing.

Karma is a fucking bitch... be careful what you wish for.

[tekisui]

30. You fail to realize that what is said on DU isn't the totality of what one is

feeling or experiencing. This is a place to discuss politics. And, political, we are in a world of hurt.

But, it is no indication whatsoever on someones personal life.

[tpsbmam]

49. +1. And it's a good place to vent knowing that you're among people who

may (or may not) agree with you. I need to vent these days! Doesn't mean I can't be positive & proactive during most of my life. It does mean I need to get the :grr: out sometimes!

[Subdivisions]

31. deleted.

[krabigirl]

32. I'm not gloomy. I am full of hope, but things definitely NEED to change.

[Buddyblazon]

33. With this,

I will agree.

[downeyr]

34. This type of "buck up buckers" shit

rarely works. Number one, it's patronizing. Number two, many people find themselves so worked up over the state of the world that they can't just relax and "be happy" because they feel something beyond just anxiety for the future. They feel a burning need to see things get better. Plus, who the hell has such emotions that can be simply changed with no provocation? That's just nonsense. So perhaps it's time to ask YOURSELF why you can so easily change your emotions. Also, there are people who have legitimate clinical depression on these boards who can't simply "stop being miserable" as you put it. Finally, I would say that being unhappy puts people in a greater mood to change things than being in a good mood does.

"Anybody can be happy. What's the purpose of that?"
-Bob Dylan

[JuniperLea]

36. Wow...

You should try meditation.

And I would suggest that anyone with clinical depression stay far, far away from message boards. They are unhealthy for the most well a lot of the time.

[JoePhilly]

89. Your point on depression was my very first thought reading the prior post.

DU is not a place for a depressed person. Especially in recent times where open hostility and various forms of helplessness are displayed in large amounts.

[Buddyblazon]

39. Ask myself?

Well...I suffered from depression for years. From my early teen years...until my early thirties.

I just got sick of being sad. I woke up one day exhausted from being sad. So I started noting what made me sad. And what thought patterns were making me so depressed. I noticed if something happened that upset me, I would dwell on it. From there, my brain would spiral. Eventually I would be so upset that all I could do was lie in bed for days on end.

So I appreciate it. I've been there. It's an awful place to be.

What I noticed is that when an "igniting" (something that would start the spiraling thought process) thought would enter my brain, I started interrupting the spiral. How? By focusing on something else for a bit. At first it meant that I had to do something audibly to overwhelm my thoughts. For instance, I would just pick a silly song and start singing out loud....wherever I may have been.

My family thought I was going crazy. But eventually, with tons of practice, I was able to override the "igniting" thoughts. And today it's easy for me. Tried several medication when I was young. But in the end it was brain training that worked for me.

No this won't work for most people. I understand that.

But basically, what I'm telling you is that I understand peoples depression. I lived it for decades. I'm sorry that many have to deal with depression.

"Anybody can be happy"?

Unfortunately, a rare few are. But the above anecdote probably also is the reason I find joy in joyful things, instead of letting them pass me by without acknowledgment and focusing on negative things around me.

[Buddyblazon]

42. And ask yourself this question:

Do I WANT to be happy?

I know it sounds silly. But it's like alcoholism. If you don't WANT to be a happy person, you won't be.

For some it will be much harder than for others. I do not relish those in society that suffer from severe depression.

But it will be impossible for anyone who doesn't WANT to be a happy person.

[w8liftinglady]

37. DU has been my sanity-and I haven't always been positive.

things are what they are.
this is the closest thing to normal that exists where I live.
I guess that makes me a negative person.

[DCBob]

38. I quit posting a few months ago and only come here every few days to see if anything has changed...

Apparently not.

[AndrewP]

40. I'm kind of in the middle. I understand the rage and negativity, but...

I've always been one of those that just keeps moving forward with as good of an outlook as I can regardless of how shitty things may actually be.

BUt it's so damn hard these days. So much unemployement, wars, right wing bastards trying to cut off social safety nets. I certainly can understand the gloom and doom. So I wouldn't lecture anyone on why they shouldn't feel that way.

[Stinky The Clown]

41. Uh. Okay

[Buddyblazon]

43. You make strong,

valid points. The clarity of your argument is concise.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. I Don't Mind The Negativity Because There's A Lot To Be Negative About

What I decry is the lack of respect some of us have for one another here.

[ipaint]

52. I'm not a bright sider.

Being "happy" is not of paramount importance to me especially when it advances the widespread conservative meme of pull yourself up by your bootstraps or the liberal version of that same meme called negative karma.

Given the state of the country and the planet it certainly doesn't make me "happy" to advance the cause servility and compliance.

Great book on the toxicity of the idea that we must all be happy and always looking for that bright side-

Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America

"If you want to have a compliant populace, what could be better than to say that everyone has to think positively and accept that anything that goes wrong in their lives is their own fault because they haven’t had a positive enough attitude?"

Barbara Ehrenreich


Or as an example, you put it-

"Go ahead, be negative. Enjoy the misery that comes when you put out negative Karma. That's your prerogative."


Frankly I think the insistence by some people that one must be happy, which is always accompanied by a declaration of how enormously advanced and accomplished those same people are at being happy, to be childish and self indulgent. For me morality, sadness, determination, righteous anger, empathy, humility etc, are much more important to reaching both personal and community goals than the stupor inducing quest to be personally happy and then declaring everyone else must be or they are just not right.

Personal happiness is way over rated and the relentless pursuit of it first and foremost got us here.

[Buddyblazon]

53. Okay...

got it.

Happiness=bad

Misery=good

Thanks for your input.

[ipaint]

54. No unfortunately you don't "got it"

and your welcome.

[Buddyblazon]

55. Yeah...actually I do.

You ARE happy.

You're just happy....being miserable.

To each their own.

[ipaint]

59. You have a rather twisted definition of miserable since

in your world it seems to be the only option if one does not indulge and proclaim their personal happiness on a regular basis.

As I said advancing conservative "blame the downtrodden" ideology or neo-liberal bad karma baloney doesn't make me happy or more moral and certainly not more compassionate.


Happiness, for some it is akin to religion. Either you are saved like me or you are not and doomed. Either your happy according to my definition or you are miserable and doomed.

Looks like the bright siders may have some latent doom and gloom issues of their own.

[Buddyblazon]

65. and....

you must have a rather twisted view of happiness since in your world it seems to be the only option if one does not indulge and proclaim their personal misery on a regular basis.

[ipaint]

75. I didn't start an thread bragging on how personally miserable I am and why can't everyone be

miserable like me. You on the other hand seem to think your superior "personal happiness" way of dealing with poverty and suffering is required of all people or they must suffer from the boomerang negative effects of their "bad karma".

Silly conservative bullshit.

[Buddyblazon]

84. Man...

you just made me realize how stuck up I am with my..."happiness". I'm a "Happiness Elitist". A "Happy Sippin', Happy Faced, Happiness Elitist.".

Well I apologize and I promise I'll try not to look down on the pessimists anymore. Work for you?

[Silent3]

58. No, more like...

Self-delusion = bad for working to make things better
Appropriate emotional reactions to bad situations = better for motivating needed changes

First of all, you make the mistake of equating the negative attitudes many express here as being indicative of how they feel all the time about everything -- that's not necessarily so. Perhaps many of the people posting sad or angry posts on DU smile a lot about other things when they aren't posting here. Maybe they just don't feel as motivated to share every puppy dogs and rainbows moment they personally experience in light of political happenings that are truly worrisome, and bigger than their own individual lives.

The second mistake is acting as if feelings are an act of will, as opposed to a response to external conditions. There is a component of will to how one feels, but it's not the all deciding factor. If happiness were all about simply deciding how one is going to feel, why even care about politics at all? We could just let go of worrying about anything in the public sphere and leave everyone to will themselves into happiness with whatever happens next.

[Buddyblazon]

63. I'll end it here for you...

"First of all, you make the mistake of equating the negative attitudes many express here as being indicative of how they feel all the time about everything -- that's not necessarily so."

Actually...I don't. It may have came across that way in my OP. But I understand the difference.

However...I was attacked over what I said with the stance that the POSITIVE attitudes I express are indicative of how I feel all the time about everything.

And guess what. Yep. That's right. You already said it. "That's not necessarily so". People are acting as if when I said I'm a happy person, that it must mean I walk around with a pharmaceutically enhanced smile 24/7. That I just smile and I'm happy all the time. No. When I say I'm a happy person, I say that in an overall description of how I feel about my life. There are other emotions there. Frustration, impatience, anger. Believe it or not (though I know many don't want to believe it in this thread) I ACTUALLY experience a full spectrum of emotions...many times on a daily basis (*hand over mouth "GASP!!").

This goes both ways, friend. I don't assume that these people always walk around upset.

I understand that people are upset. However, after, what, 6-8 years here I've noticed some patterns developing here at DU. Really in the past 4 years. There are some posters on here that I've NEVER read anything positive from them. There are many that are new (and some old posters as well) that are just here for the doom and gloom. And that sucks.

I'm sorry you haven't noticed it either.

[cherokeeprogressive]

56. Don't worry... Be Happy...

Tell me how happy you are 18 months from now.

[NeoConsSuck]

57. Another veiled attempt

at criticizing those who are discussing the long term damage Obama did yesterday. How transparent.

[Skip Intro]

62. Joke?

[sendero]

61. There is a distinct purpose..

... to my many and repeated ranting about the shape of the economy and it's prospects. It is not to spread gloom it is to, for those smart enough to look around and see for themselves, a call to prepare.

Whether you do well or poorly in the next few years depends a lot on your actions. If you think we're going to have 2005 again any time soon you are headed for trouble.

Do spend money you don't have to. If you have a job, try to keep it. Don't expect things to get better any time soon because they are not.

[Buddyblazon]

66. And I guess I'm an asshole

for being optimistic.

Perhaps I should curl up into a ball and give up.

Thanks for the advice.

[sendero]

88. Not so much..

..... an asshole, as an idiot.

[readmoreoften]

64. What the hell are you babbling about?

[Buddyblazon]

67. You should...

read more often.

[AsahinaKimi]

68. Doom!!

[Buddyblazon]

HELLS YA....

DAWG!!!!

lol

[Buddyblazon]

70. duplicate post

.

[BoneDaddy]

69. ACtually you are correct

you find people with PhD's in self pity, learned helplessness and MFA's in Drama. This is the same crap different day.

[Buddyblazon]

71. This is where I'm at...

BoneDaddy.

I like how people are trying to compare this to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" in order to insult me.

"GOD DAMNIT...WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU TO BE HAPPY!?!?! YOU, SIR, ARE A REPUBLICAN SPY."

[BoneDaddy]

78. Brother

I have been here for four years and I have come to the conclusion that liberals shy away from personal accountability and often seek to place their unhappiness or lack of success on someone else's doorstep. I likewise think that republicans see only personal accountability and ignore circumstances, environment and the like.

I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle with a combination of both but like you said if you try and put some of the onus back on the individual you are branded a right winger. It is sad.

I have been working in the counseling field for close to 20 years and regardless of circumstances any success had to be initiated primarily by the individual. That is the reality.

[Bluerthanblue]

72. misery loves company- me, I've loved DU

over the years.

This is one of the ugly stages that seem to come and go on here imo. Only this one's been going on for a little too long.

I canceled out one of the unrec's.

:hi:

[Buddyblazon]

73. Thank you...

I don't know why people assume that being a happy person means I don't care about the things that are going on in this country.

I don't understand how these posters are equating these two things and that one must equal the other. But they are. What are ya gonna do?

[BreweryYardRat]

74. Thank you, voice of reason.

Logged in for the first time in weeks just to respond to this.

People, negativity will eat your soul if you let it. I know it's not easy to let go of -- hell, I'm still negative more often than not -- but you've got to try.

And there's a quote that I'd like to share: "Sometimes you laugh because screaming is the only other choice." -- Harry Turtledove

[HuckleB]

76. K & R.

[Jamastiene]

79. So you post a negative post to complain about the negativity.

Awww, turn that frown upside down. Think positive. You can do it.

[treestar]

80. DU has always been drama-prone

We're Screwed! The Collapse is Coming! The USA is dead! That kind of thing.

[Buddyblazon]

85. For DU...

the world has been ending since the first day I came here years ago.

However, it's in the last few years that the endless pessimism has really taken hold. At least from my perspective. I could be wrong. But I just see a lot of clinching of fists and gnashing of teeth that has welled up.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

81. here's a K&R but it won't last long

[Liberal_in_LA]

82. tell me about it.

[bomberman]

83. Thank you for this uplifting thread!

We're all so glad that you have your wife and friends and family. Maybe we ought to all start threads about how great things are for you and it'll make the rest of us with no wife or friends or families feel better.

[Buddyblazon]

86. You didn't read all the other crap...

about us living paycheck to paycheck for the past three years? Or how my vehicle is on it's last leg because we haven't been able to afford maintenance the last few years? Or how our shower wall is crumbling down and we have put up sheet plastic to keep the wall from completely caving in?

No...you heard I had a wife, friends, and family.

If you don't have a partner to share your life with...I feel bad for you. I your family is all gone...I have sympathy for your plight.

But if you don't have any friends? You don't have one single friend? Well...I just feel great pity for you.

Get up and join a singles group or a group with similar interests to your own. Start trying to meet people. At some point, you're going to become friends with someone you meet out there. But if you're not trying to meet people, you may not meet anybody. Though even that seems hard.

Are you home ridden? Anxiety issues? I can only imagine your situation if you have no friends. As I said, I feel great pity for you.

[KillCapitalism]

87. Some of us can't help it.

I've been severely clinically depressed now for years, and it all just sucks. I've tried 8 different meds & nothing has helped. Come up with an effective pill for me and I might post some warm & fuzzy stuff.