Posts by wearyowl29

I can't believe I'm actually saying this out loud, but sometimes you just have to lean into the chaos! It’s like that one time I was stuck in traffic on the I-95—just total gridlock, nothing moving, and I realized that if I didn't laugh, I’d probably lose my mind. Life is exactly like that. You try to plan everything out, you try to be so precise, and then *bam*, reality hits you right in the face. It's all about embracing the messiness of it all! Everything feels much more manageable when you stop fighting the current and just start swimming. Just a little thought for your Tuesday! kaže:
Let's get back to my buddy. How on earth does he actually break free from all those temptations?😛

Ha... Rilke!😍 He once said, "I’m terrified of driving away all my demons, just in case I end up driving away the angels, too..." It really makes you think, doesn't it? It's like when I was trying to declutter my garage last summer—I wanted to toss out all the old junk, the broken tools, the rusted scraps, thinking it would finally feel peaceful. But then I realized some of that "junk" actually held the memories of projects I loved! If I had been too aggressive with the cleanup, I might have lost the soul of the hobby itself. There’s a delicate balance between purging the darkness and accidentally tossing out the light. We need a little bit of chaos to stay human, I suppose!

So, honestly? Let them call upon their demons and their angels! Everyone should just go out there and take a stand based on what they believe. Paths open up and shut down right before our eyes—it’s all part of the dance. At the end of the day, life is really just a wild cocktail meant for the brave!

dustyskipper3 said:You really have to try and visualize it, sort of paint a picture in your mind, then things might become a bit clearer.

It isn't quite a literal abyss, I guess, but if you stare into this stuff long enough, it starts to feel like there's something on the other side staring right back at you.

Exactly! When you peer into that kind of darkness—the darkness peers back into you...

Lawrence Patel9 said:Basically, you have to fight against what the abyss represents. Once that abyss starts staring back at you, you're already too late.

That sounds like some deep introspection right there! I always feel like if you wander too far out into those dark thoughts, you’ll need a few breadcrumbs (and maybe a birdcage😲) just to find your way back home... otherwise, you might just get swallowed up by your own personal abyss.

electrictrucker18 said:That’s such an interesting quote from Nietzsche. I wonder, how would you guys go about explaining it?

Right away, I'm picturing someone grappling with their own mental health struggles.
We all know Nietzsche dealt with his fair share of darkness, so I just see this little guy with a massive mustache, staring deep into his own fractured psyche while his mind stares right back at him.
And then, suddenly... the abyss opens up.

electrictrucker18 said:Just picture the scenario: suddenly, you find yourself drawn toward something that goes completely against everything you thought you believed in... maybe it's a sweet, wholesome girl fantasizing about a threesome, or a college professor at some big state university wondering if he should just surrender to a myth being dangled in front of him... you know what I mean? 😁

So, basically, a person finds themselves standing at a crossroads, facing a path they never imagined they'd even consider taking...

I actually have a friend who's dealing with a challenge right like this—something that could totally flip his entire life upside down—and honestly, I just don't think it's a smart move. How is a person even supposed to fight off a temptation like that?

Maybe we're all just letting go of the illusion that we're "too good" to ever do those things... deep down, we're all potential criminals, terrorists, tyrants, lovers, or repeat offenders.
The word "NEVER" is totally useless in the grand scheme of things. Life doesn't care about your rules. You can say "never" a thousand times, but the lessons we try to dodge always find a way to hunt us down in different ways.

It’s the classic scenario where you fail to meet your parents' impossible standards, so they basically drive you straight into a mental breakdown. Honestly, they have zero moral compass, but the real tragedy is the system that lets this happen—especially the so-called "specialists" who I would personally...😠
In a functional, rule-of-law country like the US, a victim of that kind of abuse would be able to sue the institution for damages, and those doctors would lose their medical licenses and end up working manual labor just to get by. But here? They’ll probably just get a pat on the back for their "good work"...👎

Anthony Perez9 said:She hasn't strayed far from the prestigious title of "Sister" (given how much they act like handmaidens). Maybe in five hundred years they'll roll out titles like Most Holy Sister, Honorable Deaconess, Cardinaless, Grand Dignitary, Curial Officer, Parish Priestess, Provincial Superior (lol, better than Father Provincial), Jesuit, Franciscan, Cleric, or even Pope. 🤷

It sounds more like a list of craft bourbon brands or vintage vineyard names...😂

Anthony Perez9 said:silentridge8 says:
Creationism and literalist Bible readings are relatively modern phenomena.[/I]

Creationism was there from the start.
Jesus, Paul, and Peter were pure creationists. Just like all the early Christians and the Church Fathers.
Everyone believed in Noah and his flood, a young earth, the universe transforming when Jesus returns, the entire earth going dark for three hours at the crucifixion, and so on. I mean, how could it be any other way? 😕
As science progressed, the church had to slowly crawl toward more symbolism, basically playing along while quietly acknowledging scientific breakthroughs like evolution.

The same logic applies to women's rights.

Oh, please! She hasn't actually given them anything besides doing the laundry—you can tell they aren't cut out to be nuns. Honestly, trying to force that is a serious crime, basically on par with pedophilia.🙂

silentridge8 said:You might want to brush up on your history books. As for secularization, women are "liberated" to such an extent now that they can choose to be sex workers and claim it’s just a manifestation of their sexual freedom.

Let’s be honest: men basically invented sex work just to have an outlet in a world they built entirely for themselves. For the longest time, marriage was treated like this sacred, untouchable institution—often totally devoid of actual intimacy—leaving guys looking for a way to blow off steam elsewhere. It’s a heavy reality, though. When you look at those who sell their bodies, they often feel like they have nothing else left to offer. You see people struggling with addiction, or folks living on the absolute fringes of society. Then you have the students, just trying to scrape by and patch up some holes in their bank accounts between classes. It's a tough cycle. That said, things have shifted. Modern nightlife and the industry today offer much more than what previous generations had access to—though, obviously, that isn't true for everyone or everywhere!
Prostitution isn't actually about sexual freedoms. I mean, those "freedoms" we talk about? They’re relatively young concepts. This whole trade for entertainment is way older than the Bible!
Women today have so much more sexual freedom, which is honestly such a breath of fresh air! Of course, you can still find plenty of people holding onto old-school inhibitions—it’s funny how those internal barriers can stick around even when the world changes. I was chatting with a friend about this over coffee yesterday, and it really got me thinking about how much individual journeys vary. It’s all about that personal balance, isn't it? Such an interesting time to be alive!😉Honestly, she just doesn't feel that social pressure to rush into marriage anymore, especially since her husband... well, you know how it goes!
It’s going to be a headache, honestly. Plus, let’s face it—access to contraception just isn't what it used to be for everyone. It's getting harder to navigate.
Look, let's get one thing straight: being a sex worker is a profession, plain and simple. That is fundamentally different from just being an ordinary woman who happens to have multiple partners throughout her life. It’s obvious that people are getting their wires crossed on this one!

rustymaker5 said:The whole idea of the use of spirituality and warfare is just fundamentally incompatible, no matter how much people try to dress it up by splashing holy water around or claiming they’re fighting for some "higher" cause or greater good...
At its core, true spirituality is about renouncing all forms of combat, yet somehow, these self-proclaimed spiritualists always find ways to weaponize it to serve their own completely unspiritual agendas.
(That’s a different conversation if you’re talking about a state of mind, but let’s be clear—that isn't what spirituality actually means.)

🤷
It makes me think of the samurai and Bushido;

"Bushido (the \"Way of the Warrior\"), is a Japanese code of conduct and a way of life. You could say it shares certain traits with the Western concept of chivalry. Bushido evolved from the 11th to the 14th century through various texts. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Bushido is defined as a unique philosophy (ronri) that spread among the warrior class during the Muromachi period.
The core tenets of Bushido date back to the early 12th century, clearly showing the earliest translations of literature from Japanese warrior houses. During the Tokugawa shogunate, Bushido was even incorporated into Japanese feudal laws.
Inazo Nitobe, in his book “Bushido: Soul of Japan,” describes it in his own way: “…Bushido is thus a code of moral principles that the samurai were to follow, or were commanded to study… It is more often an unspoken and unwritten code… Bushido is the lifelong growth of decades and centuries of military careers.”

here are the rules;

01. I have no parents; heaven and earth are my parents.
02. I have no divine powers; devotion is my power.
03. I have no home; obedience is my home.
04. I have no goals; from flexibility, I create my goal.
05. I have no life; eternity is my life and my death.
06. I have no body; my strength is my body.
07. I have no eyes; my eyes are the flash of lightning.
08. I have no ears; my ears are sensitivity.
09. I have no limbs; my limbs are my readiness.
10. I have no plans or strategy; my strategy is opportunity.
11. I have no demands; my demands are adaptation.
12. I have no friends; my friends are my spirit and mind.
13. I have no enemies; my enemy is unawareness.
14. I have no armor; goodwill and righteousness are my armor.
15. I have no momentum; from an unmoving mind, I create momentum.
16. I have no sword; the absence of mind is my sword.

and more;

01. Do not stray from your Way.
02. Do not think only of pleasures, entertainment, and self-indulgence.
03. Do not be selfish.
04. Do not regret what has been done.
05. Do not envy others.
06. Do not grieve at parting.
07. Do not surrender too easily to love.
08. Do not fall for pretty stories.
09. Do not be picky about food.
10. Do not crave a house or cling to possessions.
11. Do not seek fame or honors.
12. Do not fear death or dwell on it.
13. Do not chase wealth and valuables, even in old age.
14. Respect the gods, but ask nothing of them.
15. Think only of how you will fight.

and they also respected this;

01. Loyalty to authorities, parents, elders, and superiors.
02. Devotion to customs and norms.
03. Respect and reverence for the past.
04. Love for traditional learning.
05. Respecting good examples—role models.
06. Prioritizing moral formation over technical education.
07. Respecting nonviolence within the state and society.
08. Prudence, consideration, and a tendency toward moderation.
09. Steering clear of unnecessary rivalries.
10. Keeping your dignity when things go south.
11. Having the guts to honor our traditions.
12. The power to make your own choices.
13. Staying true to your word with others.

Richard Richardson68 said:I mean, giving birth to a kid—like, a full-grown human being—and thinking it won't hurt? You can't even imagine that 🙄. It hurts in plenty of other situations too 😁 so why wouldn't it be like that then?
And it’s just... I don't know, it feels like it's tearing you apart, just in case. Or maybe a lot, depending on how it goes.
Then they just sort of shove a baby into you after a few minutes without even asking, "Hey, is this okay?"
I'm positive it hurts.

But then again, if it's like that, why do we even have kids in the first place?

To pass on our genes—nature totally pulled a fast one on us!

Angela Newman33 said:it's basically treated like a taboo subject... especially if you dare to say anything remotely negative about it.

In every movie ever made, they act like having a baby is this cosmic explosion of pure joy and love. But the second a woman admits it was actually the most grueling, nightmare experience of her life—and that she wouldn't go through it again—everyone acts like she’s lost her mind because nobody talks about it like that.

Everyone knows the script: you give birth, you're suddenly flooded with this divine love, everything is rainbows and butterflies, the pain vanishes instantly, and you're ready to do it all over again immediately.

Yeah, right. Dream on.

Honestly, it’s no surprise when you see how women are treated in this country. We've already seen dozens of women murdered by their exes this year alone. The police just can't seem to get ahead of it...

In this society, a woman is either viewed as a saintly mother or something much less respectful. And let me tell you, the line between those two labels is razor-thin.

Angela Newman33 said:I’m telling you, you’re totally romanticizing the whole thing—you honestly have no clue what this looks like from a woman’s perspective.

I was watching this documentary about moms with big families lately,

and man, these women are just completely spent. They’re running on maybe a few hours of sleep, totally drained and chronically exhausted.
They're basically pushed to the absolute limit, both physically and mentally.
They can't even afford to have a breakdown because if they do, the entire household just collapses... plus, they know they've got years of this ahead of them until the kids are finally grown.

But nobody ever talks about it. It’s like a total taboo.

It doesn't fit the "perfect motherhood" narrative. I mean, an exhausted, frazzled, sleep-deprived, and frustrated mother isn't exactly the beautiful image of a healthy society we like to project... besides, it's always easy to judge when you aren't the one in the trenches.
Just when you finally raise a whole basketball team and get them out on the court—dealing with everything that comes once they become independent and start looking for their own way—they drop grandkids on you... then you can talk about how easy it is.

My neighbor actually has heart arrhythmia issues because of her grandkids... man, every single weekend she's on duty with two of them while the parents shamelessly dump the kids off on Friday night so they can catch up on sleep and recharge their batteries for the corporate grind on Monday. Meanwhile, Grandma is babysitting all through the weekend just so she can spend Monday to Wednesday lying down and popping pills. When she finally said no once (just because she was too tired), her daughter threw a massive tantrum and asked, "How could you be such a terrible grandmother?"😂

And she's the only one I know...

Angela Newman33 said:What kind of "debt" are we even talking about here?

You don't owe anyone anything—you had kids because *you* wanted them, plain and simple.

You wanted them, you have them... so what exactly do they owe you just because you decided to bring them into the world?

She’s probably referring to that massive national debt the US owes to the IMF😉 along with all that interest.🙏

You can plan for just about anything—even a house full of kids—but if it’s not meant to be, it simply won't happen. It’s just like money or looks; you can't force them into existence.
Life isn't some magic wishing well where you can just keep dipping a bucket in to pull out whatever your heart desires. Instead, life hands you roles to play, and let's be honest, sometimes those roles are ones we absolutely hate or never even wanted in the first place. Even having five kids doesn't guarantee you a peaceful retirement, a fulfilled life, or any of that other stuff people chase... just like having a fat bank account or a perfect face doesn't guarantee happiness either.

It reminds me of what Pasternak once said: "living is more than just walking through a meadow."

Edward Murphy4 said:The song's called Happy Pill? 😁 🤣

Exactly! And when you head over to the dentist, you just start humming "Oh, Happy Drill"...😁

casualharbor9 said:... quite the upbeat anthem, isn't it? pffft

... but what about her whensheisunhappyandcompletelylost?

When you're happy and you tear down the neighbor's roof
When you're happy and you wreck someone else's home
When you pass away, nobody's gonna shed a tear for you...😂

casualharbor9 said:... hey, what do you say we all belt out a song together? 🙂

I'm in! Let's go...😁
I hate myself, just myseeeelf
I hate myself, and I hate you too...🙂🙂

Arthur Kim74 said:And since it was a woman, she would have probably figured out much faster who was ready to jump in right away😁

Look, everybody🤷
has to have some kind of criteria, right?

Samuel Martinez19 said:I voted for three months.

On the first day, I’d head straight over to write just to see how they handle things while standing up, and once that was out of the way, I'd probably try my hand at some solo play.
After that, I’d start looking for someone to actually hook up with.

It’ll take me those full three months just to get around to sleeping with people and finally figure out the actual differences between male and female sexuality.

Oh, please! You don't need three whole months for that. It's actually pretty simple: women tend to be selective about who they give themselves to, whereas men? Well, men are generally down for almost anything—unless they're seriously ill or on their deathbeds.😂