Couch 237: Social Rules

But, I was able to get Helen on June 12th last year. She came home on the 14th.

And here is my Amelia...

I don't know why my pictures are always sideways.

HUGS LT. I hope H does well and that the recovery time will be short.

Thanks Kit! And it was nice seeing pics of your cats (past and present).

How are you doing?

Speaking of pets, my guinea pigs are having a little squabble right now, squeaking back and forth to each other. Well, the one (also Amelia!) is making more of a honking sound (like a goose) in protest. Wish I knew what they were "saying" to each other.

Awe, thanks.

I'm doing a lot better. Of course, the day that is my appointment with my therapist I am better! Just my luck. I'm just bored at work. Not doing much.

Glad to hear you're doing better! Hopefully your therapy session can still be helpful.

"Let's get it onnn..."

Sorry! Motown girl here!

Well, they do try to mount each other at times...think it's a dominance thing though.

Thank you all for the hugs! It really means a lot to me!

Things are going better. I had telehealth with L yesterday. We talked about me starting smoking again, setting up my "therapy" corner, and making sure to take Ibuprofen and my anxiety meds. I have another session with her tomorrow and then on Friday.

My sister...she really came though for me this time. She spent all of yesterday unpacking and organizing my place. It's like 75% done! I can barely unpack one box and need to take a break due to anxiety and pain. We still have a lot to do, but it's already starting to feel like home. H was really really nice to my sister and paid her the cash we were going to give the movers.

My anxiety has seriously been reduced. I'm feeling much better.

Hugs, Scarlet. I'm glad you're doing better and that L and your sister have come through for you!

Mini couch poll - do you think you have a sense of awe?

When watching the eclipse a few years ago, I did. Now I feel very jaded.

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In the presence of the right things. Like the sight of some works of art, or the sound of a particularly beautiful piece of music. But these are few and far between, as befits awe.

I don’t have a sense of awe, alas, in the smell of an ex-hankster fart.

Yes but I think if it's activated, like, 15 times a year then it isn't awe. Not unless you work in museums or Sotheby's or traveling the world or something? A National Geographic photographer? Maybe medical research or midwifery?


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If I crop them kind of square-ish, they tend not to go sideways. (Maybe I should try that with a few other things in my life...)

Yes. Absolutely.

Ugh, Dr. T texted a bit ago and said he needs to switch to Zoom for our session in an hour. I'm worried it's Covid-related, that either he tested positive or was exposed (like his wife, son, or client did). And if he was exposed by a client, even if he doesn't get it, I imagine he'll shut down in person because he and/or his wife will be spooked.

I know it could be a lot of different things, but seems like weird timing, plus still able to meet via Zoom (as in, I doubt he has food poisoning, or he'd have just canceled). I'm just thankful this didn't happen on Monday, when we had the whole conflict/rupture repair thing from the texting. As that was something that I felt I needed in person for. Though hopefully he didn't give me Covid!

Perhaps somewhat ironically, I actually tested myself a bit ago (before his text) because I had a very vivid dream that I'd tested positive and was wondering if it was body trying to tell me something. So I didn't want to risk taking it into his office. Suppose I could have saved a test... (it was negative, obviously, or I wouldn't have considered going in).

This has been your look into LT's catastrophizing brain.

For those who say you have a sense of awe - does it make you feel one with the universe or expansive or anything like that?
I am trying to figure out if I have ever had it.

Yes.


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I'm not entirely sure whether I have a sense of awe. Maybe when I was younger I did? I can feel really connected to a song or think "Wow, that's beautiful" looking at a sunset, but I'm not sure I felt "awe" per se.

This makes me think of when my T asked me sometime in the past year about a feeling of joy, and I really was struggling to think of when, if ever, I had actually felt what I think is defined as "joy." Which really made me think.

SD - Yes, I have a sense of awe. Usually inspired by being in nature, or a beautiful piece of music.

It gives me a sense of peace when I am able to connect with it.

LT - that sucks. I am really sorry you're going through it. Crossing my fingers for you that it is just a blip and not 'permanent'.

God almighty, no. If anything it makes me feel small and insignificant.

Are you in therapy again?

It does different things to me. Like when I visited St Peter's Basilica years ago, I was overcome with emotion at the size and beauty of it. It was almost too much for my sensitive soul to take in.

Sitting out in the desert one night with my drumming friends, all of us looking up at the stars in wonder, the awe I felt that particular night was filled with a sense of connected-ness, we-are-one-ness, with everything - my friends, the creatures out among the cacti singing their night-songs, the stars, the moon... looking at the stars in particular also makes me feel just how small I am in comparison to all of the universe, and by extension, how small what I perceive as my problems are, which gives me perspective.

Last month when I was spending a lot of time reading poetry, there was here and there a feeling of awe at the way someone so perfectly described my own feelings about some thing or other - that connected-ness thing again.

Every now and then the magnificent colors in a southern arizona sunset will fill me with that sense of wonder and beauty that to me is awe.