Couch 236: NY PS Langston Hughes

Ugh, that is a lot, Artley! Sorry you're dealing with all that. I'm glad they caught the gas line issue.

Maybe it's something about houses that age (I think ours is 44 years old?), as in the past 5 years, we've had to replace the hot water heater, central air conditioning unit, and the oil tank (we have oil heat). Also, the washer/dryer and dishwasher.

Oh my goodness Artley! I'm sorry you're dealing with all of that at once.

Finding inspiration for today's poem here: Simon & Garfunkel's

As una would say, holy carp!

So I just finished listening to the first of the 4-part course by James Hollis about Shadow Work. I took lots of notes and had one big realization already - what was likely one of the driving forces behind my leave-taking from L - he was talking about projections and how the reality of the other person sooner or later wears through the projections and we begin to see them as they are. So I paused the recording and was thinking about that. Maybe that's what L was actually referring to when she was talking about me pulling back my projections. Maybe, when that happened, I didn't want to (couldn't?) accept the reality of her, as opposed to my fantasy version of her. This makes sense to me especially because he also said that there's always a motive for avoiding shadow work - because avoiding it preserves the security of the ego; shadow work knocks apart our sense of self. And seeing the reality of her was too close to seeing the reality of me. Or something. This is so very fascinating but I think I better let all of this percolate for awhile before I attempt to listen to part 2.

I know its Spring over in the other hemisphere.

My mother’s been released. With a diagnosis: multiple myeloma.

Plenty of follow-up stuff next week, then my sister spells me for a few weeks while I finish the semester, then I’m back for the summer, while we try to move her near my sister (=selling the house, sigh).

Sorry about your mom's diagnosis.

I'm sorry to hear that. Hugs if wanted.

It is musical night on tmc - I am watching American in Paris. I love the music and the dancing but Gene Kelly's character is such a whiny jerk

well my a/c and the exhaust fan in my bathroom both decided to quit working at the same time. We still have til the end of the month on the home warranty we got when we bought this house, so we have a guy coming today to look at the a/c and hopefully soon, for the exhaust fan.

My T saw me tense up my foot today when she said something I didn't particularly like. She pointed out my reaction/foot and said people are least conscious of what their feet are doing so it's a good place to look for body language. I jokingly told her she is now banished to telehealth where she can't see my "tells."

I also learned a couple of weeks ago that she has clinical experience with furry sexuality. It's been a fun month in therapy.

Interesting about the feet being the area we're least conscious of! Maybe put a blanket over your lap and feet in person?

That's funny about the furry thing! At one point, I nearly referenced furries to my T, but then I had this fear I'd have to explain to him what they were, so I didn't.

Furries?


on second thought, maybe i don't want to know...

From what I understand, it's a pretty harmless subculture.

No. You don't.

You cannot take us girls out of the Midwest!

Or whatever!

I just received a most lovely surprise. You know how I cancelled my subscription box last month? Well I got one in the mail today that I was not expecting! It must take them one cycle to process cancellations or something. That's fine with me, I love this selection as much as the others. It includes a citrine crystal, a tree of life necklace, gold peel-off face mask, snowflake obsidian turtle, red aragonite crystal, and a citrine bracelet. I teared up a little when I saw the turtle - backstory there - I used to have a little obsidian turtle that looked similar to this one but a lighter color - that my grandma had bought me on a vacation one year when I was a kid. I still had it, even though it was missing an eye.... and at one point a couple years ago I guess it was now, I gave it to L; for some reason little Artie felt really strongly about wanting her to have it and it felt right giving it to her when I did. So anyway now it's like I have my turtle back and it's kinda a connection to L in a way too.

I was visiting downtown Baltimore once at the same time as a major brony convention.

It was a very eye-opening scene.

Aw, that's really sweet, Artie! I'm glad you got another turtle.

Thanks, LT. Today's poem was about receiving said turtle. Of course.

They had a few segments on the animal/person people on the hbo program Real Sex. It was interesting - the whole show was interesting

I think I heard there is a big group in Michigan.
They are not hurting anyone (or at least no hurting anyone in ways other than the way they want to be hurt).
They are just playing around with their fantasies.

I see that Arizona has a group.

As my mother would say, "They dont have work to do?!"

wow-lots of things going on. Hugs if needed.

i have had a really hard day. cried in front of my boss-twice. my whole classroom schedule is being re-done bc of me. i didn’t mean to call any hoopla.

i just am missing jack so much.

Hugs if wanted, Velcro. I'm sorry you're struggling.