Do you ever experience a coincidence that makes you question (not seriously, but, … well, half-seriously, I guess) whether the universe has more direction behind it than you think?
Just the other week, we were talking about keto dieting on here, and then I get a phone call from my mum, telling me about my morbidly obese cousin. Then, the other day, we were talking about mental illness, and today, I have two encounters (well, one and a bit) with obvious head cases. I dunno what the odds are, but suffice to say, I don't plan on talking about people dying on here any time soon.
So, anyway, I was walking past the train station today, when a woman with some sort of mild retardation came racing out and grabbed hold of me
And so, I spent the next twelve minutes standing on a railway platform, listening to this woman ramble incoherently, before waving goodbye to her, and quietly hoping that our paths would never cross again.
I was going to title this post "Is it just me, or does this shit happen to everybody?" but then, about two hours later, I walked past a busker who was being sexually assaulted by another woman with mental issues. She had him hooked with one arm, so that he couldn't move away, and with the other arm she was alternately pulling his head down so that she could kiss him and groping at the front of his pants, all the while telling him how beautiful and talented she thought he was. The young man was calmly but firmly asking her over and over again to please let him go. At that point, he wasn't asking passers-by for help, and none was being offered. I briefly considered stopping to see if he needed a hand, but decided my karma could afford to take a hit, since I'd already done one good deed for the day.
My conscience has been bugging me ever since.
*sigh*
So, how's it going with you lot? Experienced any weird coincidences lately? Had any recent run-ins with anyone who was intellectually impaired? Got anything weighing on your mind that you wished you'd done differently? Feel free to unload.
13 comments :
Interesting busking dilemma. Unless he was actually yelling for help, I'd be inclined to stay out of it. I have no fighting skills anyway if push came to shove
I experience weird very specific coincidences that occur in clusters. Sometimes they freak me out to the point that it feels very glitch in the Matrix-ey
I'm slightly annoyed here because yesterday I had a visit from the dog warden. Someone complained about my dog barking and now I feel like I can't relax because the dog might bark when he goes outside for a pee and I feel paranoid about the identity of the anonymous person who reported it
Apart from my life, I can't really think of something I wish I'd done differently!
Apart from my life, I can't really think of something I wish I'd done differently!
You and me both, sister. Imagine if you could go back and do it all over again, knowing what you know now.
I experience weird very specific coincidences that occur in clusters. Sometimes they freak me out to the point that it feels very glitch in the Matrix-ey
Yes! My dislike of that movie aside, that's precisely what I'm talking about.
Did you know there's a theory—that if you go on probability—it's more than likely that our universe is a simulation being run by some sort of futuristic computer. It's gained a bit of a cult following in the tech sphere, and even one of the Silicon Valley billionaires (I think it's Musk) professes to believe it.
yesterday I had a visit from the dog warden.
Is that what you call the dog-catcher over there, is it? Do you reckon your dog was actually barking, or have you just pissed off one of your neighbours?
I think it's a jogger who my dog chased a while back and barked at. But I'm not completely certain because I have one mean neighbour (could be him) and new neighbours across the road (could be them). So now I just think it's everyone and I feel very angsty about it
Having been on the other side of that one - I had a neighbour who kept a German Shepherd in a courtyard of 16sqm, and he was fucking bored and would bark at EVERYTHING - when I talked to her about it, she got defensive, even though she was well aware of it, and our relationship was really bad after that (and we shared a driveway). The barking was so bad I couldn't open my windows EVER and one of our other neighbours actually needed anti-depressives and valium before the council finally acted and threatened to fine her a LOT for every incident in the bark diary we kept that she moved out. And then - because it was her brother's investment property - her father moved in, and that was a bit awkward as well for the first couple of years, but he was actually a really great neighbour and everyone was super happy with the outcome. And the girl and the dog moved to a semi-rural property where apparently they were a lot happier anyway.
So all that said, I understand why the complainant did not want to approach you directly, in case you were a speed-addled cow who would beat them up (or have them beaten up) in retaliation. And of course, there's the thought that you have to live next to them for who knows how long.
However, I can tell by your comments, that's not at all the case and it absolutely makes sense that you would feel a bit paranoid. A normal, well-trained dog will bark - a bit. You don't complain to the council about that. So I guess the question is: when IS your dog barking? Is he just defending your home and family, or is he suffering separation anxiety and making life hell for your neighbours when you are out? Or one of those dogs that barks at everything at night-time, when people want to sleep? Anyway, I hope you can figure it out, it's clearly very stressful for you.
Talking of living in the matrix, why is it my dream life is so rich? I feel like that might be the place where I'm seeing the real world (although lately it's been fucking weird - I feel like it's the antidepressants, but can't know for sure, I have had similar craziness when I take melatonin).
And if I could have a life do-over, there is SO MUCH I would have done differently, particularly after I reached my 30s. But it doesn't do to dwell on such things for long, or I become morose and bitter.
I sometimes wonder how things would have turned out if I'd pursued an actual profession, rather than just stumbling from one thing to the next. I had good enough grades that I probably could've done whatever I wanted at uni; but the city was a long, long way away, and I was making good money selling moonshine made from my very own handcrafted still.
Seemed like an easy choice at the time.
why is it my dream life is so rich?
Yeah, you're going to have to explain to me exactly what that means. I don't dream like normal people. I'm not even in my dreams. They're all like little movies, featuring people and places I've never seen before.
Oh, and Squib, if your dog is barking, and you can't get him to stop, you can always hit him with a rolled up newspaper. I know people freak out about this stuff nowadays, but have you ever seen how dogs act when they're in a pack? They fuckin' brutalise each other. It's how they learn to behave. I swear, some of these PETA people must absolutely hate the stuff that goes on in nature.
That reminds me, a while ago, I was talking to someone I know who own pigs, and she was telling me that they allowed a women from some animal rights group onto their place for an inspection; y'know, just to prove that their animals were well cared for.
So anyway, while this woman was walking around the paddock, some pigs came running up to her, squealing excitedly. Now, most people I know would assume that the pigs were excited because they thought they might be about to get a feed, but this woman concluded that the poor porkers were actually so distressed that they were begging her to help them.
Is it just me, or does that seem insane to anyone?
I've also lived across the road from a nuisance barker (and next door to someone who played Celine Dion full bore) so I know what that's like. I wouldn't be able to get any writing done if my dog was barking. He only barks if he's outside having a pee and someone walks along the fence. He's supposed to have some sort of 'presence' - he's meant to be a watchdog. I know he doesn't bark if I leave him alone (which is hardly ever) because when I come back, I have to walk down our street and I'd hear him. He also doesn't bark at all once he's tucked up in bed so all in all I'd say he's pretty reasonable. We're in a detached house too with no neighbours on one side (the mean guy lives on the other but a fair way away)
I sometimes wonder how things would have turned out if I'd pursued an actual profession, rather than just stumbling from one thing to the next. I had good enough grades that I probably could've done whatever I wanted at uni; but the city was a long, long way away, and I was making good money selling moonshine made from my very own handcrafted still.
What the? That sound like the start of a really cool novel
have you ever seen how dogs act when they're in a pack? Yeah, but this isn't a pack. Domestic dogs came from something much smaller than a wolf and they have evolved to be very sensitive in order to cash in on human food scraps so if I went about hitting him with a newspaper, he'd be a cowering mess
RE: the pigs. I've read that pigs are v.smart and that they know when they're going to be slaughtered so it doesn't sound 100% crazy to me
Pigs are very clever animals. For instance, if they see other pigs get slaughtered, they can figure out that certain routines and certain objects (butcher's knives, etc) mean danger. I don't think there's many though that lay around the paddock, ruminating on their fate, and then have the presence of mind to try and ask a stranger for help. I could be wrong though.
What the? That sound like the start of a really cool novel
It gets pretty bogged down in the middle, and I still don't know how it ends.
Pigs are just as intelligent as dogs... ie, mostly, as clever as a 3yo child. And (unfortunately) very tasty. So yeah, those pigs were just excited to meet a new person. Which says a lot about they way they've been raised, IMO.
Speaking of life paths, I have (finally got) a job interview on Tuesday. Cross all your fingers and toes for me, it's just the kind of change I want to make in my life.
Good luck!
Yes, good luck. And don't forget to tell us how it went.
I thought the interview went okay - turns out I can't stop talking about myself. But I haven't heard anything and if I was shortlisted I really should have by now. :( :( :( :(
Horribly disappointed. I did like the look of the campus and it's a bit hard to know for sure, but I am convinced it would be an easier commute/parking situation than what I'm dealing with at the moment.
Though on the upside, if I change jobs I will lose all my long service leave and sick leave that I have saved up over the last ten years or so. And I'm almost convinced I need knee surgery now so I might need ALL of that sick leave while I recover from that. Perhaps this isn't my year for a big life change.
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