Wednesday, February 12, 2014

More things that piss me off

Off I am into more winter. No doubt I will be feeling like this at this time next week (or tomorrow):

Thank you, Lynn, for sending that!

I hate winter. I hate flying. And now there are both! Yay, me.

Which brings me to another point of rant. Why is it that some people in A) tiny piece of shit cars and B) huge four-wheel drive vehicles both assume they're invincible in snow and ice conditions? Over the past few days we've seen tailgating, passing at unsafe speeds, and other examples of general jackassery that would be annoying on a normal weather day, but can become lethal in weather like what we just had. (Oh by the way, it's 50 now.)

What else is pissing me off? The fact that it would cost more to change my ticket than buy a new one and visit at a more reasonable time - say, Easter. I'll admit, when I booked this trip, I thought, Yay, some snow! (I can hear you snickering.)

However, I need some time away from this fuckery, even if there's fuckery in the Midwest. That, at least, will be different fuckery.

Speaking of which, this reminds me of another thing that pissed me off. Some asshat blogger went off  on a tangent because of a comment I had posted on A Beer For The Shower's blog (btw, shameless plus, they just wrote another book!) I quoted a lyric from an Amy Winehouse song, in which she had asked, "What kind of fuckery is this?" Apparently quoting the clever lyric of someone who struggled with addiction isn't allowed, but ridiculing them for their addiction-related death is. (That is what Mr. Asshat did.)

You know what else pisses me off? Stigma. The kiddo ended up in the hospital after severe depression, as some of you know. He tried to call me before he hurt himself and the home he was living in (which thankfully, he doesn't have to return to) wouldn't let him talk unsupervised. Then he ended up in the hospital.

He told me that he had confided in his (now ex) girlfriend that he had been feeling very low, and she told him to buck up and snap out of it. He thought some how he should have been able to do that. He was embarrassed, he said, that he was feeling suicidal.

Um. What the fuck! This is why I work in mental health advocacy. It's why I've asked some of you to make a charitable donation if you have a dollar to spare. 

I told him, "Would you be embarrassed if you had cancer? Would you feel like you should be able to fix things on your own if you broke your leg?"

And the answer, of course: no fucking way.

Discrimination in all forms pisses me off. I will keep tackling it and trying to make change until I croak. I hope you all will as well.

23 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I am with you a thousand per cent here. And if only I had a dollar for everyone I have talked to who has been embarrassed and/or humiliated about their depression mental health services would get a sizeable donation.
I am thrilled to hear that he doesn't have to go back to that home - and the ex girlfriend sounds like an oxygen thief too.

G. B. Miller said...

Interesting that they wouldn't let him talk unsupervised. Kind of destroys the patient/counselor privilege, don't it? If he was attempting to do the right thing and he was prevented from doing so, I think that speaks volumes about the group home he was living in.

Lynn said...

That's so terrible that he couldn't call you and that so much could have been prevented. His girlfriend is not very mature, is she?

And I really hate it when blog commenters knock another comment - that's just plain rude.

I'm sending my sister the lol cat - she always calls people who misbehave in traffic "jerko!" :)

DIE WINTER..DIE!! :)

Granny Annie said...

Girlfriends have superpowers. They have the power of good or the power of evil and most do not even know that they have these super powers.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

First of all, thank goodness you're in the kiddo's life. He can only benefit from your steady guidance. Glad he's okay.

Secondly, WTF, asshat blogger? I went back to ABftS and checked out the comment -- incomprehensible claptrap! And according to his blogger profile, he's a lawyer, LOL! If that's not fuckery, I don't know what is.

Cperz said...

I agree with Debra, the kid is lucky to have you around to give him different and healthier perspectives. I hope he is doing better now.

As far drivers that don't understand the concept of driver according to road conditions...Idiots We see that a lot here in Kansas City and people here should know how to drive on snowy roads.

I, too get really pissy with rude blog commentors. First of all, your quote was perfect for ABFTS ...I think Bryan and Brandon would find humor in "What kind of fuckery is this?"

Frankly, I didn't understand his comment. What the what? Perhaps he knows where is liver is because his is in trouble.

Charles Gramlich said...

I have seen even sick people with clearly identifiable physical ailments get embarrassed about their sickness. But it is worse when the affliction is depression or another type of psychological condition.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

This was so important for me to read today. Someone left a comment on my post about Philip Seymour Hoffman that was SOOOOO without feeling or understanding. It felt like someone slapped him in the face..."He got what he deserved"---NO UNDERSTANDING that this is a disease.
I know I must answer her. And I thought about comparing it to Cancer.....(Maybe THAT she will understand....Maybe NOT!)
But you are so right. We must fight this kind of ignorance and lack of compassion---(I Don't get it!!! How could someone NOT get that these things are like Cancer!!! OY)
Anyway....thank you, my dear, for helping to crystalize what I must do.
SAFE TRIP!!!!!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

And THANK GOD the Kiddo has you, my dear....Thank God.

Riot Kitty said...

EC: I love the expression "oxygen thief"!
GB: It makes me so angry. I called them out to DHS, who they have a contract with.
Lynn: Happy she is now an ex!
GA: Cheers!
Debra: Thank you. And wtf is right! A lawyer, eh? Makes sense.
Cheryl: Maybe he had been drinking when he wrote it!
Charles: I agree.
Naomi: I would delete that comment. Nuke it to the moon!

CraveCute said...

Hope you are enjoying MN. It is actually not so bad now!! Wonderful post as usual! Safe travels RK!

Lee said...

What pisses me off is there seems to be more and more things each and every day that piss me off!

I'm always pissed off, but I also feel a little comfort in knowing I'm not alone in my being pissed off!

Now, I'll piss off and make myself a cup of coffee.

If he has you in his corner, The Kid will be okay. :)

Riot Kitty said...

CC: I am all bundled!
Lee: LOL! Thank you, I needed that.

LL Cool Joe said...

Kiddo is lucky to have you, and I totally agree about the stigma that surrounds mental health issues.

Have a safe trip!!

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry the kiddo is going through this. I am no expert on the matter of course. However, I did go through depression myself and remember that some well meaning people were no help at all because they either trivialised the problem or they made me feel that I was inadequate. I already felt inadequate so that merely confirmed my worse fears. Years later, I was able to really help someone going through the same thing just by letting him know that while depression is neither a good or welcome thing but that it was also not uncommon and that it could happen to anyone under the wrong circumstances.....that he was not a failure for developing depression. That somehow gave him the confidence to start making the right decisions to pull himself out of it. Before that he just felt like a failure and without hope.

Memphis said...

I feel cheated. The entire Confederacy is digging out from a snowstorm. Except the state of Tennessee. We have no snow. None. I mean, it fell, but it hit the ground and just DISAPEARED. All my damn Facebook friends have been tormenting me with photos and videos of themselves sledding and building snowmen and having snowball fights. And here I sit with sunshine and 50 degrees and no power outages and I have no snow with which to play. This sucks.

Dexter Klemperer said...

I supposed I should feel guilty when I laugh at giant SUVs rolled over on the side of the highway during a snowstorm because I know they were probably driving like a maniac just prior. I'm a part of the problem.
Too many people make righteous snap judgments when they don't even understand the issue/problem.

Vanessa Morgan said...

I'm sure the cats are responsable for that poor snowman.

Riot Kitty said...

Joey: Thank you! I just went for a walk in 8 degree (with windchill) weather. I have fun stomping around in the snow.
LG: Thank you so much for sharing that! And how wonderful that you could help someone else. I had the same experience during my big depressions - sorry you had to go through that.
Steve: Come visit Minnesota. You'll be cheated no more.
Dexter: I wouldn't feel guilty. :)
Vanessa: :)

Birdie said...

Every once in a while I feel like I might be doing something right as a parent and after reading that the kiddo was not allowed to talk unsupervised on the phone is one of those times. I have given both my kids the number to the crisis line that is available 24 hours a day, the number to talk to a counselor (through my work's Employee Assistance Program) and a link for a site online called Crisis Chat. Because sometimes you just don't want to talk to your mother. As you know I suffer from depression and I am doing everything I can to remove the stigma. I don't know if what I am doing is right but it can't hurt.

Memphis said...

I used to do these 'things that piss me off' posts all the time. And then it just became my standard blog post. Hmm, I think I need to revive it. You have inspired me!

But I'm still not moving to Minnesota. I'll just wait for March 1st. We're guaranteed snow on that day. It always happens.

Riot Kitty said...

B: That is awesome. Kudos to you.
Steve: You do! Revive!!

Memphis said...

OK, did and done!