RL things I love

[mietze]

Finally getting a diagnosis and medication that already is helping in a huge way. The last two years have been pretty hellish for me healthwise, with a lot of non-answers from my doctors. I finally went outside of my HMO for a 2nd opinion and full lab work up, got a hypothyroid diagnosis for certain with some pretty strong indicators for Hashimoto's (more tests to see if that's actually the case soon, and at least now /those/ will be covered by insurance and supported by my HMO!) but I got to start treatment for the hypo and for the first time in almost 2 years I feel like I'm getting the old me back. So good when the medical professionals /listen/ and are willing to investigate without putting you into a box. Now I just need to find a doctor that will do that that's also fully covered by my insurance.

[Thenomain]

I was listening to a Top Music of 2015, mostly rock/R&B, and I wasn't immediately disgusted by it. This means that I am still open-minded to music, which means I can be open-minded to new ideas and presentations, which means that I am not old.

Here's to everyone who can manage to be an adult without being old.

[Arkandel]

@Thenomain said:

Here's to everyone who can manage to be an adult without being old.

These forums are all about playing cowboys and indians with other people, which is a decisively non-adult thing.

None of us here is old. No, if we manage to be adults... that's a whole different story.

[Thenomain]

@Arkandel said:

These forums are all about playing cowboys and indians with other people, which is a decisively non-adult thing.

Adults can't play viddya games? What are you, old?

[Arkandel]

@Thenomain said:

@Arkandel said:

These forums are all about playing cowboys and indians with other people, which is a decisively non-adult thing.

Adults can't play viddya games? What are you, old?

Of course not. I am reminded this every time I have any conversation with adults.

Like our sales manager. I was chatting with the whole sales team about favorite books and he explained he's never read Harry Potter. When I asked how come he said that "well, I just think the real world is interesting enough, you know?".

... They all agreed.

[Thenomain]

I'm challenging myself to read more non-fiction.

I am failing, but it's an ongoing experiment.

[Three-Eyed Crow]

Chernow's Hamilton biography, which I picked up because of the musical, is pretty great. If you're into that sort of thing. I also just finished Game Change, two election cycles after it ceased to be relevant, and found it a very fun pop-politics read and possibly more interesting with the benefit of hindsight.

[WTFE]

My son's artistic abilities are improving.

[AmishRakeFight]

(I'm gonna go ahead and admit that it took me a few slow seconds to realize that the symbol above is backwards and religious and not y'know that other symbol. But jesus fuck, I was so confused for a few seconds).

Povitica.

Ilu Povitica.

[WTFE]

The "backwards swastika" thing is a myth.

You can find the swastika facing both ways and flat or diagonal festooning places, religious or otherwise, all around the world.

Here it is facing both ways (flattened) in the same religious icon:

[AmishRakeFight]

The symbols inclusion into a certain horrifying ideology often negates its far more innocent origin.

[lordbelh]

I love pinnekjøtt. I've been dreaming about it for weeks now, looking forward to Christmas day dinner. Pinnekjøtt, akevitt and yule ale, and I'll be filling myself up until I can't move. Mmm. I'm not much of a Christmas guy, but damn, my grandma's pinnekjøtt is to die for.

[WTFE]

@AmishRakeFight said:

The symbols inclusion into a certain horrifying ideology often negates its far more innocent origin.

You understand, don't you, that it is still used in that innocent (indeed meritorious) meaning? That people who view the swastika as a symbol of health, good fortune, moral uprightness, etc. outnumber the people who view it as Nazi by about 3:1?

My son took the rubbing that's at the base of that sketch from a temple's adornments. A temple that may have originated centuries ago, but whose current buildings are younger than I am.

[Coin]

@WTFE said:

@AmishRakeFight said:

The symbols inclusion into a certain horrifying ideology often negates its far more innocent origin.

You understand, don't you, that it is still used in that innocent (indeed meritorious) meaning? That people who view the swastika as a symbol of health, good fortune, moral uprightness, etc. outnumber the people who view it as Nazi by about 3:1?

This is true--in Asia. Unfortunately, Western society can't move beyond recent history, or look past it.

[Three-Eyed Crow]

@Coin said:

This is true--in Asia.

It's true in a lot of Native American tribes in America as well. My first job out of college was in a Res town and, even having lived in the West all my life, I was surprised by how often it popped up in art and older drawings (there was a fairly big 'whirling log' style one on a bridge in town). I got used to it (the context is so very clearly divorced from anything related to Nazism), and I now just find it depressing how thoroughly it was co-opted.

[Coin]

@Three-Eyed-Crow said:

@Coin said:

This is true--in Asia.

It's true in a lot of Native American tribes in America as well. My first job out of college was in a Res town and, even having lived in the West all my life, I was surprised by how often it popped up in art and older drawings (there was a fairly big 'whirling log' style one on a bridge in town). I got used to it (the context is so very clearly divorced from anything related to Nazism), and I now just find it depressing how thoroughly it was co-opted.

Even if it were public knowledge that this particular symbol was part of Native American symbology, it would get buried handily under the more common, archetypical, sanitized shit like feather headdresses and arrows and shit.

[Arkandel]

Happy holidays, nerds!

[Thenomain]

@Coin said:

@Three-Eyed-Crow said:

@Coin said:

This is true--in Asia.

It's true in a lot of Native American tribes in America as well. My first job out of college was in a Res town and, even having lived in the West all my life, I was surprised by how often it popped up in art and older drawings (there was a fairly big 'whirling log' style one on a bridge in town). I got used to it (the context is so very clearly divorced from anything related to Nazism), and I now just find it depressing how thoroughly it was co-opted.

Even if it were public knowledge that this particular symbol was part of Native American symbology, it would get buried handily under the more common, archetypical, sanitized shit like feather headdresses and arrows and shit.

Did you know that "gay" really means happy? Any non-definitive use of it is based on culture and therefore nobody else is allowed to get upset by its use and blah blah blare barf garble blee.

@WTFE knew what would happen when he posted that, and should be snickering instead of being indignant about cultural differences.

His taking things too seriously makes me RL happy. Well, it doesn't but I want to be thread appropriate. I'm kind of snickering at him over it, so that counts?

What does make me happy is that this Christmas season has been very easy-going. No real stress for me, and that is a step up, so it's a happy thing.

[mietze]

It's been many many years since we had a "toddler" Christmas tree (just the top third decorated) but I have to admit I forgot how much fun it is to have a little around during the holidays. And even better, seeing the bigs excited about sharing our traditions from when they were little with him. Not sure the teens would have been that interested in cookie decorating and ornament making and going out to the sights we used to when they were small if it wasn't for him, but I will take it.

[silentsophia]

Payday and a day off, WOO!