Catherine, and Other Drugs

Getting high is inappropriate (said Nancy Reagan - "just say no" and so forth), so of course I don't endorse ingesting drugs :)

Anyway, Catherine makes me look at the world differently.  She is nervous and happy and absent-minded.  Sounds about like me.  I, however, do not leave my keys, my wallet, my car, or my clothes in a second location.  (Anymore.). Her flightiness is lovely, in the sense that I don't have to directly deal with the ramifications of collecting all the lost goods the next day.  Her problems are not mine.  Her presence, though, is often a bonus.  She's a keeper, for sure.

She is not "mine" in any way - she is simply in the karass.  Kurt Vonnegut would agree and approve.  We choose the people in our lives, whether we know it or not.  We might meet them in a bar, or we meet them via someone else, but those who belong, stay.  Those who don't belong (you know, they make us uncomfortable or awkward) often stick around in our space, but they are definitely not part of our larger/abstract meanings of life.

(By the way, life arguably has no meaning, except to be happy in any given moment, and to potentially improve that which surrounds us.)

* Here are some games to navigate other people (to see if they are your type of person):

Darts:  a good way to know people.  Playing darts is a valid way to interact with other people's personalities.  Do they shoot quickly?  Slowly?  Accurately?  Are they confused about the rules?  Do they have a touch of the ADD?  Do they belittle themselves when they miss?  Do they rub it in their opponent's face when they hit a number they need?  Do they want to bet money on a result?

Dice:  solely a game of circumstance . You roll; you record the sum of those rolls.  You win or lose on (literally) the roll of the dice.  Random numbers in a sequence.  But the REACTION of someone after they roll the dice tells the story of their attitude.  Anger?  Surprise?  Excitement?  Competitive, reactionary swearing?  Do they throw the dice, drop them on the table, or bend their head down in defeat?

Pool:  (my favorite):  this one takes a bit of skill.  Hitting one ball into another ball sounds deceptively easily.  It's not.  People play pool with different attitudes, which speaks to their personalities.  Are they really drunk?  Have they been "talked into" playing by someone else?  Are they looking at the ball when they shoot, or are they saying many unnecessary words?  Are they angry when the ball doesn't fall?  Or are they even paying attention to who's winning and/or losing?  Can they drain the eight ball when it's sitting in the middle of the rail and slide it along the side rail, gently, until it falls into the corner pocket, winning the game?  If they win, do they put the stick down on the table, or talk loudly about how good they are?

Music:  this is a no-brainer.  If someone turns on music for the benefit of others - not just inside their own heads via headphones - what does the vibe sound like?  Are they enjoying it?  Are they emoting?  Are they telling everyone to "be quiet and listen to the words"?  Are they dancing?  Do they close their eyes?  Do they feel it, or just listen to it?

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I told Catherine earlier that I was writing about her (which turned out to be marginally untrue), her only response was, "really?  cool."

That's the best answer I can give for anything, really.

"Really?  Cool."

In the karass.