This is pretty much how I have been feeling lately. When this popped up on my social media I realised that many others feel the same, it wasn’t my mindset, I was not alone.
There is something about safety in numbers!
I thought my feeling was partly due to my age, it made me wonder if as you get older your bullshit cup just gets full and you become intolerant of it. But perhaps not, perhaps it is a shift in energy generally on the planet.
I don’t need to highlight all the shit going on in the world. It’s already there, in your face. To mitigate some of it I have decided that I am going to mute the TV whenever he with the ginger guinea pig for hair starts talking bullshit in the doorway of a plane. (Apologies to all guinea pigs.) Small things. But when I see that arsehole’s mouth moving, but no sound can be heard, there is something about that image that makes me smile.
One of the other things I am trying do is mitigate a negative with a positive: The snow and ice make getting around difficult, but look at how beautiful it looks.
Or I have no work but it means I get to spend time with the girlies, and RD and we have more time at weekends to just chill, because I am getting all the chores done.
Even being as ill as I was, has a positive: I have lost quite a bit of weight, and our lifestyle has changed for the better. It gave us the shake up we needed.
Then the past week I thought that finally some media was starting to understand just how pissed off people are; and, even more importantly, had decided to try and mitigate it.
Recently the BBC breakfast show has been showing a ‘Good News’ story at about 6.30am every day. Originally it was generated as part if the festivities: happy stories. But so many people contacted them to say how it was helping them face the day, uplifting them, they carried them into the new year.
The story could be about volunteering groups, and how they have offered each other comfort and solace in difficult times. Or the elderly gentleman who made wooden toys for children who otherwise would not have received Christmas gifts. Particularly poignant because his wife had died in the last year, and they used to do it together. Most would have given up, but he carried on, for her memory, and because it gave him solace. Then there was the school that played dance music every morning and encouraged the pupils, and their parents, to dance into the day. So many parents said how it had uplifted them.
The stories were about everyday people, just giving each other a lifebelt in this difficult world.
Now given that I am now prone to general misanthropy (I don’t hate, that’s too strong a word, perhaps despair is a better word to describe my misanthropic state of mind.) I found these stories uplifting. They gave me hope.
So today I turned on the TV and waited for my burst of feel-good. But 6.30am came and went and there was no good news story. They had run out of good news stories! I then remembered they had asked for more stories after yesterday’s story, but I had not realised it was because they had literally run out! Does that say something of today’s world?
So instead of feeling up-lifted, today I was feeling despondent.
But….as I write this the positive is….at least the BBC has recognised the general malaise, and is trying to uplift people.
It inspired me to join a volunteering group!
Moisy
Rosie’sFrenchAdventuresandIrish Shenanigans.com 
What group did you join Moisy? Or is it a plan to do so?
I’m totally with you on the energy in the air – or is it the whispers of the underlying spirit world?
It is a huge effort to put two words together for anyone but my wife. I’m short of inspiration, energy and even my normal ability to sit quietly and listen to others. I could put it down to the time of year but feel strongly that it’s more than that. It’s almost like I’m being tested to see if I can bear being in my body.
No answers here as to how it can be avoided or escaped. And no idea what it means that our three cats are all reluctant to let me out of their sight. The Beeb (in my humble opinion) never spends very long in making people feel good. It’s there to subconsciously nag, worry and upset you, in more ways than I could ever begin to list. Governments are no different, whether Trump, Starmer or any other clown is supposedly in charge.
Keep on keeping on, find your creature comforts and get a good night’s sleep – that’s all that feels possible at the moment. And remember that the days are getting lighter x
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I joined a volunteering agency, sort of. I have to tell them what interests me. Now here is the crux, like you I too am sick of people generally, but if I choose one it would be to visit people on their own to chat. Perhaps that is because when you get chatting in those situations you find people feel the same as you.
I was surprised the BBC was doing it, but I think they were more surprised by the response they got. Interesting.
So I too think it is something in the air, and I am trying to give the humans a chance.
I focus very much on nature now Kev. We both believe we are part of a collective, and nature shows me the beautiful world, which is worth sticking around for.
I am on a lot of witches and Celtic groups on FB. Despite the perceived main religion here in Ireland, I don’t think that is the case, and the pagan ways are over here strongly. You can feel that in the air keenly if you are open to it.
Animals know Kev, that’s why your cats are behaving the way they are. Look at their love, this life is not all about humans.
Keep writing.
Moisy
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Now that’s interesting. We are moving to Clacton in a few months, and I’ve thought about volunteering to talk to people, one on one, in care homes. That’s always the best way if you’re a keen listener!
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Yeah, I do really think that would be rewarding. I love Clacton.
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Yes, here’s to quieter times. We can only read or see so much of the “news” without feeling massively depressed and nerves jangled. We have to keep informed, but I am limiting myself to one hour each day. That’s it. We must remember that there are many good things happening simultaneously in the world, but it is the deaths, the tragedies, the crimes and the war-mongering that grabs the clicks, and therefore the headlines. Is the Repair Shop still on British tv? I used to love to watch that during the pandemic. So soothing to see artisans caring for items from the past and hearing the stories. You may also be interested in Fix The News | Angus Hervey | Substack. It’s written by a couple in New Zealand who try to counter all the bad news by featuring stories of human progress and climate progress. They write about progress in education, health, and human rights, putting things in perspective. They also send money to support initiatives they find worthwhile. You can sign up for their free newsletter, and just glean what interests you from it. Meanwhile, positive thinking goes local – good on you for thinking of volunteering. I hope you can find a group that you can joyfully support.
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| | | | Fix The News | Angus Hervey | Substack
Angus Hervey
Fix The News is the world’s leading solutions journalism newsletter. We share hidden stories of progress with re… |
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Yes the repairs shop is still on TV, and yes still still as feel-good as ever. I will check out fix the news, we try to watch Channel 4 news when we can, it seems to be more honest.
It is the small things, that perhaps we can all do. Just before Christmas a lady in Lidl only had a few items and went to use the self checkout, but realised she had no idea how to use it. I offered to help, and put her shopping through for her. We often let people go in front of us in the queue when they only have a few items.
Of the articles shown on the BBC, the story of the volunteering group touched me, with their individual stories, and the elderly gentleman who made the toys. It just gives you hope. We should never lose hope.
M
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