The totally off-topic thread

[blackcat20]

I went over to Docklands Sunday - nothing there at all of note - staff said the Mumm gift packs won't be back in til XMAS.

They had heaps at Ringwood a few weeks back. Probably making a visit Thursday for work shopping if youd like me to let you know.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yes pls do

 

[RAM]

Maybe the ones closest to him will be able to understand his actions.

It is the people outside that worry me the most. Totally ignorant and only ever think of themselves.

I have lost track of the number of times I have heard "Smile" from people in office walking past. Why? To make you happy? They are so absorbed in their own useless existence they don't care about anyone else. Not one has bothered to find out why there is no smile.

Another beauty the other day. I got up from my desk to go to lunch room for a stretch. Huge grimace as I am walking. Young lass walking past makes a snide remark "Why the grimace?. I responded with "Because I am in extreme pain!". She just kept walking.

People can be so cruel. The less I have to deal with them the better off I am.

Unfortunate but increasingly true.

Then I think of an article I read pre-internet.

It was written as an open letter in some US newspaper and reprinted in the Saturday SMH (I think it was).

It was written by a guy who had been spoken to by the paper but his identity withheld.

It started out something like this;

"To the pretty young lady who was walking over the (can't remember name) bridge around 9.15pm on July 18 (he then mentioned more identifying info - direction she was walking etc).

You may never know how much your smile meant to me as you glanced at me as you walked towards me. But I hope this letter may find you because what you did was more important for me than anything else at that moment.

For you see, I'd decided to jump off the bridge and was walking towards the spot I'd picked. Things had been piling up on top of me for a while and the final straw was when my (can't remember whether friend, partner, child) was hit and killed while walking on a pedestrian crossing two days before. Nothing seemed to matter anymore, no-one understood how bad I felt and I couldn't tell anyone. There was no way out.

So there I was walking to the spot I'd decided on and you came hustling across the bridge towards me and when your eyes met mine you smiled. I'll probably never know why you smiled at me but you saved my life. I couldn't help it I smiled back, it just happened. It was then I realised that if a perfect stranger could make me smile like that then perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps life could go on.

That's why I've written this letter to the paper - I hope you do get to know what a wonderful gift your smile was. It was a lifesaver."

Makes you think doesn't it?

 

[medhead]

Maybe the ones closest to him will be able to understand his actions.

It is the people outside that worry me the most. Totally ignorant and only ever think of themselves.

I have lost track of the number of times I have heard "Smile" from people in office walking past. Why? To make you happy? They are so absorbed in their own useless existence they don't care about anyone else. Not one has bothered to find out why there is no smile.

Another beauty the other day. I got up from my desk to go to lunch room for a stretch. Huge grimace as I am walking. Young lass walking past makes a snide remark "Why the grimace?. I responded with "Because I am in extreme pain!". She just kept walking.

People can be so cruel. The less I have to deal with them the better off I am.

I find people take an interest if someone is more welcoming and open. I seriously don't know how to respond to "I'm in extreme agony" without sounding patronising. I'm not surprised he kept walking and that might be related to her not knowing what to say rather than being selfish. However, it is always worth remembering that people are primarily concerned about themselves. A reason is needed to make them change. Especially when they probably have just as many problems as you in their life.

That's if you even care what they think. If you don't care, why even mention it.

 

[JohnK]

I find people take an interest if someone is more welcoming and open. I seriously don't know how to respond to "I'm in extreme agony" without sounding patronising. I'm not surprised he kept walking and that might be related to her not knowing what to say rather than being selfish. However, it is always worth remembering that people are primarily concerned about themselves. A reason is needed to make them change. Especially when they probably have just as many problems as you in their life.

That's if you even care what they think. If you don't care, why even mention it.

I don't think I ever said other people don't have any problems in their lives. I do care but I can't help them. I am barely managing to help myself.

By the way I don't expect help from anyone. The snide remarks are not necessary. If I see someone is sad it doesn't ruin my day. I have to get through my day and not worry what others think.

And yes I do know it is all relative. It is a catch-22 situation.

 

[medhead]

I don't think I ever said other people don't have any problems in their lives. I do care but I can't help them. I am barely managing to help myself.

By the way I don't expect help from anyone. The snide remarks are not necessary. If I see someone is sad it doesn't ruin my day. I have to get through my day and not worry what others think.

And yes I do know it is all relative. It is a catch-22 situation.

You seem to have completely mis understood my point. I'm certainly not thinking any of the things you've written here.

And that is all. You're right they're all rude and horrible.

 

[JessicaTam]

My favourite: Robin Williams interview with Jana Wendt

 

[whatmeworry]

A great podcast with Marc Maron interviewing Robin Williams.
WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Remembering Robin Williams

 

[JohnK]

Makes you think doesn't it?

Nice story.

I wonder if the guy would still be alive if she had made a snide remark instead of smiling!

Shut up John you are upsetting medhead!

 

[RAM]

Nice story.

I wonder if the guy would still be alive if she had made a snide remark instead of smiling!

Shut up John you are upsetting medhead!

Keep taking the meds John...

 

[JohnK]

Keep taking the meds John...

Say no to drugs....

 

[medhead]

Nice story.

I wonder if the guy would still be alive if she had made a snide remark instead of smiling!

OR if he be alive if she grimaced and said she was in extreme agony?

Oh that's right it's everyone else that's wrong.

 

[JessicaTam]

I am going to bang your heads together, you two!

 

[anat0l]

I am going to bang your heads together, you two!

Agreed; I can't believe I'm saying this, but both of you are embarrassing and immature. Sick. :evil:

 

[JohnK]

I am going to bang your heads together, you two!

Not too hard though as it might hurt!

 

[Flashback]

I have never understood depression. Sometimes I look at people I know who are suffering with depression and I can understand why, at other times I think what have you got to be depressed by? They have a good job, a great income, nice home and family etc Come and spend a week with me and I'll give you something to be depressed by.

A terrible disease without a cure.

Ummm, not sure I agree with that. YMMV...

 

[Mal]

Guys are constantly the victims when it comes to child payments, yes there are scummy drop kick deadbeat dads but these are usually equalled by the number of scummy drop kick deadbeat mothers out there too.
Child support in Australia needs to be reviewed and revised urgently.

 

[Pushka]

There's a lot of confusion between true depression and just simply grumpy days, unhappiness with "your lot" and even reactive depression from which you are more likely to emerge from with time.

 

[jukebox333]

Guys are constantly the victims when it comes to child payments, yes there are scummy drop kick deadbeat dads but these are usually equalled by the number of scummy drop kick deadbeat mothers out there too.
Child support in Australia needs to be reviewed and revised urgently.

So very true.

Having seen so many stories of Fathers taking their own lives - and sometimes their childrens - I used to shake my head and wonder why. Now that I am smack bang in the midst of my own divorce settlement, and the mother of my children seems like a total stranger to me, I honestly can understand the immense pressure some men are put under.

There are such fundamental flaws in how child support, and asset division are calculated, and also in the total lack of any control over how CS payments are spent, it is a disgrace.

 

[markis10]

Guys are constantly the victims when it comes to child payments, yes there are scummy drop kick deadbeat dads but these are usually equalled by the number of scummy drop kick deadbeat mothers out there too.
Child support in Australia needs to be reviewed and revised urgently.

I dont think it needs to be reviewed at all given that was done not so long ago. The current system is a lot better than the one that existed in 2006 from a Dads perspective who pays for two children. The only aspect I have issues with is the allowance made for when it comes to care, it was designed to help dads financially when they want to spend more time with their kids but can also be used against the dad by making him pay more when he cannot see the kids, it makes care a bargaining point often between warring parties.