This is ambling, gonna squeeze some thoughts into as little bandwidth as I can.

For years now I have not been pleased with what I see around me in the world. On darkest days the way I have found to stay functioning is to continue to push myself to "create" what I call "pockets of "unf**kedness" (sanity) around me. Family, friends, work that means something, time to be (cliche intended)"far from the madding crowd".

What I see this morning is that none of this has changed. With a number of preparations for failures in critical services and supplies...this plan is still what is needful. It is as I see it how we all survive day-to-day now.

Any thoughts from others on Pockets of Sanity or "unf**kedness" as a large component of post-Y2K living?

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), December 05, 1998

hope this helps, Donna.

Wow, talk about a bummer, I haven't had a day that bad since......ummm.....yesterday? rocky

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), December 05, 1998.

I dearly dearly love it, rocky! Thank you!

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), December 05, 1998.

The really SCAREY part....lurking here is how I do attempt to keep my sanity.....Escape from reality to here????? Maybe I do need some psychological counseling after all!!:)

-- More Dinty Moore (Not @this time.com), December 05, 1998.

You might find a counselor...but I would suggest to you that merely understanding that all this is to come to pass does not make you insane...what it makes me is anxious, even when I am preparing. Y2K and aftermath is not something we have ever faced before...I dream it,..think it,...lament it...all that means is that I am human with normal and healthy responses to stress. By all means seek others out to talk to...do not assume this means you have a pathological condition.

Hang in there. As my baby sister says: Grab a helmet, honey, and strap in.

If on the other hand you are "not functioning"...are not sleeping at all..you might want to consult with someone if it goes on more than a month.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), December 05, 1998.

Take frequent "time outs" to walk in a park, walk in a forest, or just walk outside. Actively look at everything around and identify everything you are grateful for. A butterfly flitting, the way a tree limb drapes, children laughing and playing, a cloud in the sky, how the ground feels solid under your feet, how big the sky is, how bright the sun is, how lightly birds fly...

Pretty soon you'll be centered again and can take it one day at a time, with gratitude. (No other way to take it).

Another technique, is each morning or evening, in a journal, write down all the things you were/are grateful for that day.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 05, 1998.

Just go play bingo...great for stress.

-- Alive in 2001 (Out there@somewhere.com), December 05, 1998.

I found this quote helpful:

"There is one fact that will bring notable relief to many survivors: the grim problems facing them will at least be completely different from those that have been tormenting them in the past years".

Roberto Vacca, The Coming Dark Age, 1973

Welcome back, Donna -- missed you.

-- Dave (dwood@southwind.net), December 06, 1998.

If you're going insane in the real world, trying asking Craig (or one of the other esteemed Canadianian guests) about something relevent: like how many stealth geese does it take to carry a loaded whiskey-soaked fruitcake from Saskatecanwhateveryoucallit to FL? Would the geese actually get to FL? If they didn't, would they know it? If they didn't, would they notice?

You get some weird and irrelevent answer about red and white socks, and soon ypu'll be looking the sky ducking fruitcakes, wondering why you were ever really concerned about the real world in the first place.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 08, 1998.

Robert! I resemble those remarks.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), December 08, 1998.

Don't you think the geese would, umn, well - feel great after carrying a whiskey soaked fruitcase to sssswhatchcallit, FL? I would have to believe they would never make it. What about the saying "Don't Drink and Fly"?

I hear there is an organization within the bird-world called FFAFD - Feathered Friends Against Flying Drunk.

-- Christine A. Newbie (vaganti01@aol.com), December 09, 1998.

ROFLTIC ('til I cry), Robert! Besides, I guess you're safe for now. Those #@*&^$@ birds decided quite drunkenly that to eat the fruitcake was easier than to carry it. On with Plan #3.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 09, 1998.