Couch 237: Social Rules

And how are you doing, QM?

I'd be really annoyed. In my previous full-time job, some meeting rooms had coffee dispensers with paper cups and littl stirrers, but once, a male colleague said I was expected to SERVE coffee. I snapped at him, saying people can serve themselves.

Then when I moved to another department, where there was a more even ratio of gender and corporate hierarchy, everyone did their bit.

I really didn't like one particular boss I had because he'd ignore every suggestion I made, but immediately praised my male colleague when he said the same thing (dude didn't credit me either).

Boss gave me a poor performance grade because I was "too quiet" in meetings. He also felt me being the only admin staff for 15-ish people was "too low level work" (Actually that was my job, and I didnt go to college) PLUS my own projects (above my pay grade) wasn't good enough.

I hate admin work now, and struggled with doing it (since my brain is fried and I've extensive memory problems) during an occupational therapy assessment.

I've blocked it out as well. I didn't bring it up in my session today either. I was feeling kind of unempathetic because after the initial horror I felt reading the headlines, I kind of decided I couldn't deal with anymore bad stuff right now. There's only so much outrage I can handle. I feel pretty powerless to actually change anything, so avoidance it is.

Probably Farty.

I dont like boy farts or even girl farts. I only like my own. And as mrs slocum would say in Are You Being Served, i am unanimous in that!

Im waiting for someone in the media to point out that the cops were able to recognize that the shooter was brown, so he daid now. As were most of the victims.

I was so proud of Beto at the press conference today. The TX lt. governor swearing was a disgrace.

Thanks for asking, LT.

I think I'm really cranky.

Chicken prices are soaring due to a major issue with the supply chain, and an elected official said something incredibly insensitive. Along the lines of "No bread? Eat cake!" Not the first elected official to show how incredibly ignorant they are of how us plebians live. He said something really dismissive so I said good night and hung up on him. I'll apologise to him (for the abrupt hang up) when he's awake and repair.

Adding to that is how while I'm VERY grateful to be in the food aid distribution list, I do not like having to carry a huge bag with the logo of the charity organisation on crowded public transport. It's extremely obvious that I'm receiving food aid (and I'm drowning in shame due to stigma alone) due to words on the bag too. I get stares, and my social anxiety is getting really bad.

T has been helpful, we've been trying to work through my fears about going to the government assistance office in my residential district/zone. My homework was to call them to ask what programs they have, that triggers a lot of anxiety in me.

I'm a classic example of someone falling through the gaps in the social safety nets due to really out-dated criteria (I read it's similar in the USA and many other countries too), so I am very reluctant to go when I think I'll almost certainly be rejected.

She's on a much deserved break next week, she gave me a pretty tasty croissant to eat – as I've been complaining about near zero countertop space to prep food and cook – since a particular bakery was giving some away for free.

If I'm notified that there's food distribution this week, I'm basically going to pack the food I can't finish in time, and take a bus to a particular community fridge which isn't regularly stocked, and deposit food.

Do any of you have tips on what I can do when I've at most, half a refrigerator shelf for my food, and near zero freezer space?

I do have a mini-fridge in my room but that's full with my breakfast stuff and drinks. I've canned food too.

Also, I blocked out that major news thing you folks are referencing. I don't know how to help, my heart goes out to all of you.

Eta: Just remembered/ realised:

It upset me because just a short tine ago, we were watching anime, in an arc about a character who stole food to feed his kids, and I made a remark about another character (a queen) being rightfully called out by her citizen as out of touch. She's not a bad queen, it's a complex storyline.

Fiance asked me rhetorically what would happen if folks stole food to feed their kids in my nation... and I said I've read actual cases of what happens and I'm literally in a mutual aid group where mothers beg for diapers and milk despite being on financial assistance as that's not enough help.

I contribute to that group. Not monetarily but I do work behind the scenes as part of the admin team, I'm updating a list of community resources, where a lot of the information is from what I know, I link stuff to people asking for aid. Other people in the group (all volunteers) have other roles.

Then I check the news and realised the chicken supply chain issue...

I could have handled my anger better, so I'll work on repairing, of course.

I'm an Independent but I thought that was pretty interesting.

wow Are You Being Served! I havent thought about that show for decades. I used to have Jon Inmans autograph my aunt got it when he was at the real life Australian chain department store called Grace Bros. The dept store preceded the series.

Maybe? I tend to experience it in moments in nature when I become aware of how connected we are to the workings of the universe. I don't feel expansive so much as very centered in the moment, focused on something marvelous in front of me.

I know what you mean, I used to watch it on PBS long ago.

I believe blocking out major events that one cannot personally do anything about as a coping mechanism is not a moral failing.

However, one must vote for the people who COULD do something about the problem in every election possible. One must vote against those who refuse to do anything. One must vote against those who continue to insist loudly that there is no problem. One must vote against those who say the problem is really mental health but simultaneously make cuts to mental health funding year after year. One must vote against those who insist that the problem is that people don't have enough religion in their lives. Sorry, that people don't have enough of a specific brand of Christianity in their lives.

If I were a T and had respond with "unconditional positive regard" to clients expressing those sorts of beliefs about the event, I imagine I'd want to move to Zoom as well. I could hide my hands clenched in fists of rage while my face remained calm.

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Thanks, MP.
Agreed on this.
Hm, this is an interesting point that I hadn't considered. I know my T sees a couple clients who would likely fit this category, from things he's said (he and I share similar beliefs). And that was challenging to him at times during the last election, plus during the pandemic. So I could see that being a potential issue if he was scheduled to meet with one of them yesterday. Or, on the other hand, if he was seeing clients who would likely be very emotional about it (he probably thought I would be!) and didn't want to be too emotional in front of them.

You've just invented a new toy, the Chatty Farty doll. Spot to come on the Home Shopping channel?

Special price for climate change deniers. Otherwise i dont think a doll that spouts hot foul air from either end is gonna be that popular? Huh - just like its namesake!

Yeah i was like, who is this boy interrupting?! He has a babyface even from the back of his head!

If you would just stop eating cabbage, we'd be halfway to solving climate change.

Haha...there's the laugh I needed today.

Well THATS never gonna happen!

Just watched the final episode of This is Us.

Beautiful finale.