I’m not gonna ramble about the concert this time (I already wrote a whole thing about that show back in Washington, D.C. a few years ago); I actually have a question instead...
The lady and I would love to chip in for half the gas and maybe a little extra on top if anyone wants to pick us up—just some friends or whatever—for a ride out to San Francisco and back after the show (so, just a day trip).
Gotta be eco-friendly, right? One less car on the road... plus, we all save a bit of cash...
We're in our early thirties, so we're easygoing enough to hang out with the younger crowd or the older folks too, no real limits there. We both work in education. If there's a chance to make this happen, we can chat sooner or meet up beforehand, just to make sure everything goes smoothly and avoid any awkwardness...
So if anyone's interested, hit me up here or just shoot me a private message, please.
Man, I'm still totally buzzing from that Crazy Horse show in Rome... definitely gotta start mentally prepping for that other Canadian guy...
Yeah, The Biches was my first real brush with Claude Chabrol too... happened maybe three or four years back when there was this huge retrospective of his stuff running over in Beverly Hills.
I managed to catch Zvijer mora umrijeti, Mesar, Nevjeran zen, and Košuta—if I remember right, I think I only missed one from that whole run.
Man, what can I even say? It's the absolute peak of European cinema. These movies are just incredibly "smart," you know? They’ve got this perfectly balanced, sharp sense of humor... and more importantly, it's actually intelligent humor.
The films definitely demand a bit of patience, I won't lie... but they pay off big time for anyone willing to put in the work.
Americans really ought to take a closer look at this stuff.
So, just the other day—was it a Friday? Or maybe Saturday, I lose track... anyway—I ended up watching two Mario Bava flicks. One was this 60s anthology thing, and the other was a 70s exorcism flick. Honestly, that exorcism one felt a lot like The Exorcist.
I watched a bit of it, but it’s got those dual titles, you know? I can't recall them exactly, but if I remember right, there's one title for the US market and another one for Europe.
Anyway, I haven't actually sat down to watch anything by Argent yet. Definitely need to fix that soon... part of the bucket list, I guess.
And does Deodato fall into that same category with them? I mean, Cannibal Holocaust isn't even really horror... it could be anything, really, but I wouldn't call it pure horror. At least, not to me.
Still, man, what a movie. It's one of those rare ones that actually hits you where it hurts and leaves you shocked. That scene with the turtle... god, that was brutal. I mean, it's nature, right? Animals die, animals get eaten, that's life. But watching that scene was just... heavy. Especially seeing the actors seem to actually enjoy hacking away at it, smashing the shell... it was too much. And that was just one part! There are plenty of others. Even the massacre at the end felt almost easy to watch compared to the rest of the film.
And the music! Man, the music is stunning. That was my first big surprise. The movie kicks off with those gorgeous aerial shots and that score just starts playing... incredible.
Though, honestly? I'm kind of terrified to watch it again. I want to, I really do, but then I remember how I spent the next three days feeling totally unsettled and just... off...
Maybe try some sleeping pills... start with 5 mg, or maybe bump it up to 10 mg if 5 doesn't cut it. You'll need a prescription, but you can just grab one from your primary care doctor.
And seriously, move out in February... you’ll hear the cats fighting through the walls too.
That’s basically my plan soon. The workers in the unit above me... neighbors who are constantly banging, ringing bells, begging for money for all sorts of nonsense... they just won't stop bothering me with the noise, always with some "valid" excuse.
Peace and quiet? You can't put a price on that. I wouldn't even live in those conditions for free. Honestly, just stay away from apartments with crappy soundproofing—there are tons of them in cities like Chicago, and I honestly don't get how anyone can stand living like that.
Just pack up and go, and let us know how it turns out once you find a spot. Wishing you the best of luck!
(I actually vented about my own miserable situation over on the Housing forum, under that 'Workers...' thread)
Man, I know you wouldn't dig it. But honestly, if you're just looking for catchy pop tunes, you won't find much here... You gotta really listen to the lyrics, or even just sit down and read them, they're actually worth the effort.
Man, Leonard Cohen is just incredible. I think I own pretty much every album he’s ever dropped—maybe I'm missing one or two, but I definitely have all the studio stuff. I mostly find myself spinning those first four albums over and over, though I've dipped into The Futurists from '92 a bit... and maybe a little bit of Ten New Songs too.
That early era is hands down my favorite. That's the real Cohen for me... just him, his guitar, maybe some bass here and there, or some strings. And god, the songwriting... those melodies are so captivating, even if they do loop sometimes. You know, tracks like >, >, or >... honestly, most of them don't even bother with a chorus.
There's just so much to dive into when it comes to Cohen. I was checking out that new biography, >, and wow... looks like it's actually doing pretty well on the charts.
So, I get the feeling you think seeing a shrink is some kind of horror movie scenario. It’s really not. Honestly, I actually managed to throw my therapist totally off her game during our very first session.
Sometimes I start feeling super on edge if I go three or four days without taking my Xanax, so I’m still relying on that. As for sleep... well, sometimes it's Xanax, sometimes it's Ambien. It just depends on what I have left in the cabinet (and man, I have soooo much Xanax... 😁 😁 ).
That symmetry stuff you mentioned? Zoloft would probably work wonders for that—it's a really solid med. There are just two catches: you have to take it consistently for a long time before it even kicks in (like, at least three months), and it might be overkill for whatever you're dealing with... since your issues don't seem *that* heavy, especially if you aren't struggling with depression.
But hey, apparently it's one of the best things out there for OCD. Personally, though? I don't take it.
I was in a really dark place, super depressed, toward the end of last year... honestly, I was pretty close to ending it all a few times. I'm in a much better spot now, but, I gotta be real, I'm the one who pulled myself out of it.
Mark Perez2 said:Doesn't it ever just hit you during the day that your glasses are lopsided on your head? Doesn't that drive you crazy? 😁 Honestly, I'm the exact same way. I try my best to push the thought aside and convince myself there's nothing I can do about it. But every once in a while, it hits me—that sudden realization of, "How can I be wearing something so asymmetrical?" It's annoying. But I try to just accept it, since the whole world is pretty asymmetrical anyway.🙂 By the way, you didn't mention how your therapy is going or how those meds you're taking are treating you. Just curious...
Man, I’m hyper-aware of it constantly... honestly, I’m always fidgeting with them. But my little trick is that I really only pull them out when I'm watching TV or at the movie theater, or maybe when I'm driving. So there are plenty of days where they don't even touch my nose. And when they *are* on, I'm always adjusting them because I can feel exactly how wonky they are... just constantly pushing them around trying to make them look somewhat symmetrical... 😁
I've been taking Melatonin for about six months now, though not every single day—maybe every other day or every third day. I mostly use it to help me drift off. In the beginning, it actually helped a lot, really relaxed me, but after a while, it felt like it almost stopped working. It still helps me get sleepy, though. But yeah, I also have those sleep aids (like Ambien) on hand too.
I didn't end up going to psychotherapy at Mayo Clinic... my first encounter with them was such an awful experience that I decided it just wasn't worth wasting my time there.
Anyway, I'm feeling way better than I was at the end of last year, and this whole thing with symmetry, washing hands, and stuff like that... I feel like it's just a reflection of someone's character... 🙂
What about you, though? Is asymmetry the only thing that gets under your skin?
You gave some solid advice to people, and trust me, I've been lurking on this forum (specifically this section) for a long time and it didn't make things any better for me... ☕
Mark Perez2 said:Look, I’m not saying I scrub my hands with a toothbrush. I just wash up after I eat. I don't go around tossing my cash into the washing machine like Adrian Monk. 🙂 And I wouldn't call myself obsessively tidy, either. I'm just... within the realm of normal. But the lack of symmetry? That absolutely kills me. I find myself hunting for imbalances in everything. The thing is, the world isn't perfect and it never will be. Like that guy above said, you can find asymmetry in anything if you look at it from the right angle. Ziggy, tell me, when that urge for symmetry hits you, how do you calm down enough to stop? Or does the medication you're on prevent that feeling from taking hold in the first place? And for you two, James Allen6 and northernmarlin79—does this stuff actually interfere with your day-to-day life? Like, you aren't seeing a psychiatrist or anything? You mentioned before that you actually kind of enjoy it. Even if scrubbing your hands with a brush isn't exactly "normal." Then again, who am I to define what normal is? 😁
It’s not even like I’m actively hunting for symmetry... it’s more like once I spot it, I just *have* to fix it if I can, you know? Like, if a picture on the wall is crooked, I gotta straighten it. Or my laptop... the edge of the computer has to be perfectly parallel to the edge of my desk, otherwise it's just... ugh.
On the flip side, I just don't have the mental energy for my glasses. I can't do anything about them—well, I could, but honestly, it takes way too much effort and time, and I'm just not feeling it. So I just ignore them. I'll just shove them on my face, and the second they come off, they go straight back in the case. I know they're lopsided, but I just choose to ignore it... totally ignore it.
And I definitely don't look in the mirror when I've got them on... 😬 😁
Mark Perez2 said:Man, there are days when this constant need for symmetry just absolutely drains me. It’s not like I’m obsessively scrubbing the house or feeling the urge to repeat certain actions a specific number of times, and I don't go dodging floor patterns like Mr. Monk does. But everything in my life just feels wrong if it isn't perfectly symmetrical. I can't wrap my head around the idea that perfection doesn't exist—I'm just like that guy mentioned in an old thread who bought a pair of glasses only to realize they weren't symmetrical. I know it’s not "normal," and I know most people don't pull out a ruler before buying something, but honestly, I can't help myself.
Hehe, you caught me... 😍
See, the thing is, asymmetrical glasses on an asymmetrical face? Of course it feels weird. But honestly, since I've been obsessing over my hair with this hairspray lately, I don't even care about the glasses anymore. They're always smudged, I barely ever wipe them down...
It's true though, every face is asymmetrical. And I bet it's the same with glasses too. You can find asymmetry in anything if you just catch it from the right angle...
Actually, my LA Psychiatrist was trying to convince me the other day that I should probably start taking, uh, a well-known antidepressant... can't recall the exact name... anyway, I read online that it works wonders for dealing with OCD. Zoloft, yeah. But nah, I passed. If nothing else, my hands are always super clean. And my thoughts. Mostly... 😈 😁
Ugh, you guys just want everything to be easy and filled with love. Go ahead, enjoy being alone then... if that's what you want. Love takes patience, and honestly? That means dealing with some real pain too.
And seriously, why have you all been riding this author for years? She can love however she wants at her age. It doesn't have to look like some fifty-year-old's version of romance where they're just happy to have a warm meal and clean laundry...
If she's twenty, she should love like a twenty-year-old—all passion, zero overthinking. Just living in the moment.
Hey, Patrick Sullivan3, mind sharing how old you actually are? Just so we know how much to aim our useless advice... 😉
Douglas Brown4 said:That state can be described in just one word: immaturity. It doesn't matter. Time will heal this. You will mature and learn how to truly love.
Come on, man, don't be like that... she can be totally mature for being twenty, you know? She doesn't have to act like someone ten years older than her. If she's acting her age and doing her thing, we should still respect her when we talk to her... seriously.
And honestly? We're probably never gonna be mature enough or wise enough to handle this kind of stuff anyway... 🙂
That’s some deep stuff to chew on. Just wanted to jump in so I don't leave you hanging... here's my take.
I'm pretty much in the same boat, honestly. I get all tense and caught up in this constant loop of anxiety and "what ifs" whenever I'm around this one person. It’s weird... when we haven't seen each other in a while, I actually feel this wave of relief, like I can finally breathe again. But then, immediately after, I just crave being near them. And once we're finally together? That's when it hits me—like, wow, I really missed this. We aren't in some traditional relationship, and honestly, we probably won't be for a long time... maybe even never.
The only thing I've figured out is that I need to soak up every single second I get with her, because you never know if the next time you meet will be the last. You just gotta have patience... I mean, there was this whole seven-month stretch where we barely spoke, let alone saw each other.
If you ask me, it's worth the headache if it's for someone you love. Sure, it might be easier to just stay home and keep things peaceful, but man, that gets boring fast. There's nothing better than giving your heart to someone, so seriously... just reach out. 😉
Just checking in, still hanging out here in the group... 😁
I mean, I’m not even officially in treatment or anything. I’ve been taking Lexapro, but honestly? I don't think it does a damn thing for my OCD (and that's not even why I'm on it).
There are way more of us out there than people realize. And man, once you count everyone venting on other forums, plus the massive crowd of people who just suffer in silence without ever posting online...
Seriously, though. In just the last hour, I've already washed my hands about ten times. And the day has barely even started... ☕
Larry Martin11 said:...this is a bit off-topic, I know—but is anyone by any chance recording this? It feels like I’ve been staring at a blank screen all night and haven't caught a single thing...😢
Hey Larry Martin11, my buddy Di filmed the first two, but mine is just sitting around on VHS... if you're actually interested, hit me up. My films are hitting theaters in New York middle of next week.
analogharbor442 said:Of course they aren't... have you even heard of MIDI or the concept of actual played instruments?
Aaaa, okay, so we're talking MIDI, then. My bad. I've never even been within ten feet of a setup like that, so honestly... I'm just shooting in the dark here.
But look, let's talk about songs with actual performances. Case in point: I just picked up that legendary '69 Stones live album everyone raves about. I'm listening to, say, unknown right now. The solos work fine, sure, but those verses? Without lyrics, they'd feel totally hollow. Yeah, yeah, the vocals carry the melody, but man, what they're actually saying matters to me. I need the songwriting to be at least decent, you know? Just can't stand empty filler.
Bottom line is, lyrics are huge for me. I'm a big Bob Dylan fan... I mean, what would masters of War even be without those words? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.