THE RANT THREAD!

[B. de Corbin]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I hate when someone confuses my anxiety for cowardice and my absent mindedness for stupidity. There's a big difference.
As a matter of fact, it's taken a lot of courage for me to get through my day to day life because I have anxiety. There was a period of a year or so where I couldn't even go to a movie with friends without feeling like I was going to stop breathing and die almost the whole time. But you know what? I kept on going out and facing it again and again and again. I didn't have to. I could have dropped out of high school and hidden away in my house all day, but I had enough courage to face my fears every single day.
But, you know what? Just because some people don't recognize that doesn't mean that it isn't a valid part of me. Nobody understands you as well as you do.

You're not alone. I understand.

[thalassa]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

At least not any that claim deism, though I think that perhaps a number of pantheists and panentheists might have been led to such paths via the concept of deism (I'm not as familiar with the definition of this one but I believe it involves that "looking at the natural world is enough to prove the existence of a higher power?")

I think of it as "god came, god created, god went fishing". The idea is that reason and observation of the natural world makes it obvious that the world must have been created by *something* but that the whole miracles, revelations, etc seem like superstition and that god does not take a daily interest in the workings of earth. I portray a deist and a fan of William Paley, with a *just arrived from England* copy of Origin of Species in hand when I reenact.

[TheTeddy]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I hate when someone confuses my anxiety for cowardice and my absent mindedness for stupidity. There's a big difference.
As a matter of fact, it's taken a lot of courage for me to get through my day to day life because I have anxiety. There was a period of a year or so where I couldn't even go to a movie with friends without feeling like I was going to stop breathing and die almost the whole time. But you know what? I kept on going out and facing it again and again and again. I didn't have to. I could have dropped out of high school and hidden away in my house all day, but I had enough courage to face my fears every single day.
But, you know what? Just because some people don't recognize that doesn't mean that it isn't a valid part of me. Nobody understands you as well as you do.

I really like what you said here. I suffer from severe anxiety as well, enough that it effects my chances of getting a job. I spent a year confined to my home because the thought of going out nearly put me in tears. This year though I've been improving and am hoping to be well enough to start school again.

I unfortunately did drop out of highschool, it was just to much for me. Now I'm looked at as someone who is below most peoples intelligence level because I received my GED.(I don't understand that stereotype.) But I try not to let that deter me from doing what I want.

So I think you have magnificent courage.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

... I portray a deist and a fan of William Paley, with a *just arrived from England* copy of Origin of Species in hand when I reenact.

I've actually read Paley - Natural Theology. My sister-in-law sent it to me when she learned I was Pagan. In her mind, "pagan" means "atheist." In my case, it was close to correct...

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I really like what you said here. I suffer from severe anxiety as well, enough that it effects my chances of getting a job. I spent a year confined to my home because the thought of going out nearly put me in tears. This year though I've been improving and am hoping to be well enough to start school again.

I unfortunately did drop out of highschool, it was just to much for me. Now I'm looked at as someone who is below most peoples intelligence level because I received my GED.(I don't understand that stereotype.) But I try not to let that deter me from doing what I want.

So I think you have magnificent courage.

Thank you. I really feel for you, having suffered in a similar way, and I entirely understand how you could have been driven to drop out and hide away. I really do wish you the best, and I find it admirable that you are pushing through it to better yourself and your quality of life.
May you find healing from this misunderstood disorder.

[ThorsSon]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Now I'm looked at as someone who is below most peoples intelligence level because I received my GED.(I don't understand that stereotype.) But I try not to let that deter me from doing what I want.

I don't either.

A high school diploma shows that you made it through the established system, in the expected way, with a set path and timetable.
A GED shows me that you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and made a decision to take matters into your own hands and do something for yourself.

Personally, in a way, I think a GED tells a lot more about the dedication and work-ethic of a person than a diploma does.

[Bjorn]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

I don't either.

A high school diploma shows that you made it through the established system, in the expected way, with a set path and timetable.
A GED shows me that you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and made a decision to take matters into your own hands and do something for yourself.

Personally, in a way, I think a GED tells a lot more about the dedication and work-ethic of a person than a diploma does.

As someone with a high school diploma, I can attest to the truth of this. My high school was a joke, they hardly taught me anything. The only languages that they offered were French and Spanish, and they were not taught well. Math was a joke and I only had one worthy math teacher in my entire time there, ONE. The best thing I could say is that the band teacher was phenomenal and helped me to achieve my high school dreams, but that was HIM. Not my high school. My diploma doesn't mean a goddamn thing.

I WILL say though that I think a person can learn an awful lot from the social hierarchy in high school and learn how to stand up for themselves, how to be made fun of, the fact that people are assholes and you may as well get over it, and how to persevere -- but that is only if you're strong of spirit. I saw a lot of people break and hide in high school instead of invite rebuff.

[ChainLightning]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

The everlasting myth regarding "our" education system.

Learning is the goal. Not memorizing some [irrelevant] material. People/kids should not be judged, in the school systems, by what they've memorized but, rather, their ability to learn. To understand. To function in an ever-changing world.

Yeah, I have a diploma. It's as meaningless as the PhD that hangs on my wall, seriously. It's like, "Oh, goodie! Chain can be a drone/sheep, too!"



Damn stigmas!

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

As someone with a high school diploma, I can attest to the truth of this. My high school was a joke, they hardly taught me anything. The only languages that they offered were French and Spanish, and they were not taught well. Math was a joke and I only had one worthy math teacher in my entire time there, ONE. The best thing I could say is that the band teacher was phenomenal and helped me to achieve my high school dreams, but that was HIM. Not my high school. My diploma doesn't mean a goddamn thing.

I WILL say though that I think a person can learn an awful lot from the social hierarchy in high school and learn how to stand up for themselves, how to be made fun of, the fact that people are assholes and you may as well get over it, and how to persevere -- but that is only if you're strong of spirit. I saw a lot of people break and hide in high school instead of invite rebuff.

I agree. I learned more from my first semester of college than I ever learned in H.S. Hell, I learned more from reading a single Carl Sagan book than I did in all four years of High School. All that High School does is teach you to memorize and regurgitate a bunch of material that you will forget by your first semester of college.

[anunitu]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

What one needs to learn in HS as well as higher eduction is to be able to extrapolate from your basic principles so that you by experimenting gain your own learning experience. Then if you understand this,you are "Learning" all of your life.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch...

(repeat as necessary)

[Raphaeline]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Having children is destroying my teeth. No matter how hard I fight to take care of them and make sure to take my vitamins and pay attention to nutrition, pregnancy just sucks the strength right out of them. The tooth that had to have a root canal when I was pregnant with my second child has broken TWICE this pregnancy. I really, really don't want to lose a canine! I hope I can afford to get it crowned or capped or something because this SUCKS.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

^^ I am childfree by choice and don't quite get this. But it's your freedom of choice to have this happen, so I hope you are happy with all of the results of your decisions. I read something recently that said root canals trap bacteria in the body and aren't good things. Never had one - don't really know. I have some gum problems but no cavities at age 56 1/2.

[DanieMarie]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Having Wisdomteeth growing in seriously sucks!!! I'm about ready to get out one of my Son's old baby teething rings and a bottle of ibuprofen >_>

I used to chew a lot of gum..I swear it helped!

- - - Updated - - -

The everlasting myth regarding "our" education system.

Learning is the goal. Not memorizing some [irrelevant] material. People/kids should not be judged, in the school systems, by what they've memorized but, rather, their ability to learn. To understand. To function in an ever-changing world.

Yeah, I have a diploma. It's as meaningless as the PhD that hangs on my wall, seriously. It's like, "Oh, goodie! Chain can be a drone/sheep, too!"



Damn stigmas!

Totally. I always stress how wonderful my school was (at least when I went there....I'm not sure whether or not it has changed in the last 12 years), even though it had average standardized test scores. We had great teachers who taught us to -learn-. Many of them taught the value of critical thinking and how to question and argue things. I'm sure a lot of that was lost on a lot of students, but it served me very well. A lot of other graduates who went on to university didn't feel the same shock that some first year university students felt, because they actually knew how to think critically, make arguments, and present ideas.

[Medusa]

Re: THE RANT THREAD!

Having children is destroying my teeth. No matter how hard I fight to take care of them and make sure to take my vitamins and pay attention to nutrition, pregnancy just sucks the strength right out of them. The tooth that had to have a root canal when I was pregnant with my second child has broken TWICE this pregnancy. I really, really don't want to lose a canine! I hope I can afford to get it crowned or capped or something because this SUCKS.

My mother used to say you lost a tooth for each child you had. Because. Let's face it. They are little face huggers in disguise. Sucking up all your strength till they burst from your....eh...well my mother used to say you lost a tooth for each child you had.