The $%*! frustration thread

[Bard_of_Time]

Wolfgang didn't make it through the night.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Alas, so it goes.

Someone's been visiting the Slaughterhouse.

[Licawolf]

I'm sorry to hear about your cat, Bard_of_Time. Even if you didn't get along with the cat, it's always sad having to part with a pet. At least, you were able to make his last hours more comfortable.

[Bard_of_Time]

Yeah... even though he and I weren't always on the best of terms, it's still sad. I'm gonna miss the way he would clambor up onto me while I was playing a game or something and settling himself awkwardly in my lap, usually putting his paws in the most uncomfortable of places. And nudging my hands while I did something technical, and licking me. And begging for food. And drinking out of the toilet.

... I think he was actually a dog in disguise, or thought he was one.

The important thing, though, is to think positive. He's not in pain anymore. He was comfortable. We gave him a good home and good food and good water and good poopbox. And tonight is going to be fun. Not 'fun' in the sarcastic way, but for serious fun. Tonight's the promenade, and my date and I are going to have fun, whether she wants to or not!

[Shee]

Alas, so it goes.

Someone's been visiting the Slaughterhouse.

FINALLY!

Granted, been a while since I've read it but the phrase alwaaaays stuck.

[rushingwind]

Thanks to a fun pharmacy mishap (long story full of some personal details, and there's a long writeup on my personal LJ), I've ended up going off of two medications cold turkey that you should absolutely not go off of cold turkey. Both medications least seizures as possible side effects of simply quitting without tapering off, and I had to dump both at once. Fun times. On the bright side, I think I got through the roughest part of it yesterday (though I really don't want to tempt fate by being so sure of that). And no seizures. That's the best part. If I'm lucky, I may be able to get some more of the medicine tomorrow. Thanks pharmacy for making my weekend not fun, and for having bizarre filling practices.

[FaustWolf]

Ugh, I just can't believe the essentialist, social-Darwinist mantras floating around in economics-related Internet commentary. "If they generate value, they'll get hired! If they generate value, they'll be paid! If that straight-A Biochem major son of yours didn't get employed, that means he wouldn't have generated any value!" I've read this stuff over and over again, for real. Like, this is the way people are actually thinking. My, how easy it is to wash one's hands of the plight of the poor and unemployed in Western society these days!

I say, the deepest root cause of the recession is a lack of vision and leadership. People defaulting on their homes en masse is merely a symptom of that root cause. Our system has gotten so good at weeding talent out for any niche occupation (and what occupations aren't niche any more, among those that pay well?), we've forgotten how to put talent to good use, and how to transform existing talent to more effective use.

Some stand back and say, "Ah, there's just too many people, and not enough of them have the right talent; the system can't possibly provide them all jobs." If that is truly the case, then the field of economics has utterly, utterly failed us as a society. At what point does the "Hey guys! Let's put everything to use!" enthusiasm of Econ 101 turn into this morass?

[ZeaLitY]

Yeah, as if money is the end-all, be-all measure of value.

It feels like the entire economic and financial system is going to need revision after the truth that growth cannot be perpetual sinks in. The world's resources are finite. And human population is mushrooming. These two trains of doom are speeding towards one another, and will be the greatest challenge humanity has ever known.

[Sajainta]

Bard_of_Time--I'm really sorry about your cat.  Losing a pet is always difficult.  I am, however, glad that you're staying positive and I hope you and your date had a fantastic time at prom!

rushingwind--I could probably write an entire book about how goddamn frustrating pharmacies can be.  ><  Not getting the right medication, not having it in stock at all, forgetting to contact your doctor so that you can't get your meds on time.  UGH.  I hope you were able to get your meds eventually, and that the side effects weren't too terrible.  :/  I missed one of my pills because of a pharmacy screw-up, and I had body spasms the entire day.  It felt like my brain was having small little seizures and it was absolutely terrifying.  And that was only ONE day after missing ONE pill.  Fucking pharmacies...

[Sajainta]

I miss having a best friend (other than D).  I miss having intimate friendships so much.

[Shee]

It's our last hour together...

[Syna]

Some stand back and say, "Ah, there's just too many people, and not enough of them have the right talent; the system can't possibly provide them all jobs." If that is truly the case, then the field of economics has utterly, utterly failed us as a society. At what point does the "Hey guys! Let's put everything to use!" enthusiasm of Econ 101 turn into this morass?

As if we didn't create this system with our own hands. It's not as if we understand and control it all, necessarily, but we certainly own it. The people who refuse to acknowledge our part in how things are often have a stake in the status quo remaining what it is.

[tushantin]

@Faustwolf, ZeaLitY and Syna: What people need is dreams. True, quite a lot of them have it, but not all of them follow it through till the end. Worst case scenario, they're rushing on through debris of a broken system, in turn falling into the depths of no return. At least America find and nurture talent, if not being able to find good use of it. In India, especially, it's harder to do the same, and people rely on social skills, politics, bribery and Godfathers to find the position they need, which in turn makes the best talented folks out there tossed through the edge and falling in poverty and helplessness. Then I decided to build my own bridge to walk past the debris without being an asshole, and helped folks without expecting anything in return. Somehow that paid off, and surprisingly I made friends with a man who's eager to help me back; I asked for college admission, and got it. Heh, looks like I'm lucky.

@Shee and Bard_of_Time: If it's any consolation, I too felt the same way. The other day I logged onto Windows Live Messenger on Windows 7, and saw the status message I haven't changed for almost a year: "RIP Chu - 5th August, 20010". Every time I see that message images of little Chu flood my mind, sleeping serenely on a ledge, or following me and my bro, meowing and scratching our pants. I feel guilty of my helplessness and stupid decision, as I could have prevented her fate and let her enjoy her new life. Sure, cats are selfish, and the kitten simply tried to own me every time she got, but she was still innocent. Still a child. This is the unmanliest thing I've ever done: I weep typing about a kitten. Can't believe it's been almost a year.

P.S.: @Shee: Lookin adorable, there! 

Today's frustration: ..............FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU....dge...

They rescheduled my exams again. And two more projects to go after that. And they're asking me to pay 500 rupees more.

*bangs head*

[ZeaLitY]

Dreams will be useless if everyone keeps believing in the illusion of perpetual growth. The idea of going to a university, getting a fantastic career, owning a home, etc. is all predicated on the current pace of economic expansion. Things will be radically different once the gravy train runs out.

Fuck this: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,763294,00.html

Merkel tells Greece to raise the retirement age and cut vacation time.

How dare you enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle! You must work, Greeks! You must slave the rest of your lives for your financial overlords so the rest of Europe can enjoy a stable currency! Damn your lifestyle; join the capitalist rat-race and piss away your life funneling your labor and wealth to the plutocracy! Human fulfillment WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!

Always loved that picture.

[tushantin]

Dreams will be useless if everyone keeps believing in the illusion of perpetual growth. The idea of going to a university, getting a fantastic career, owning a home, etc. is all predicated on the current pace of economic expansion. Things will be radically different once the gravy train runs out.

There's a rule I always go by: what you acquire are only tools, means to an end. Primary needs are food and shelter, and money is a necessity, not luxury to me.  I follow the path of dreams, and those dreams are my soul. I shall help bring the change.