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I did get the dishes washed a second time, then rinsed them, dried them, and put them up. Meat should be thawed for a late meal tonight, I best put that in the refrigerator though. Not much else happening. Other than that, keeping the girls fed, in fresh water, and cat litter sorted is about it. I would like to do more there just isn't, right now, much more to give.
I did meet a relative of a friend last night. He has some common interests, and is headed into areas I am already in. He may be stopping by some time soon to check out some things. The nice thing about having various hobbies and past learning, is that sometimes you can help a newcomer just get a reasonable handle on things. Sometimes I jumped in with both feet and then some, only to find it probably wasn't necessary. Other times I have gotten some good information, some of which is ageless, timeless. And I have the time and interest, with the correct candidates. Oh, it's fine to have more than you really need, or would use. But for most, especially those on a budget, it is good to hear some clear, reasoned, experienced thoughts on where and how to begin.
I set him up with a notion or two, on a subject or two. Directions in one case, a couple of specific options in another. I may end up helping him help himself on a few other topics. Beside being a pleasure, understand that if you help your neighbor get a handle on some issues, that comes back to build your community. I just hope he finds the time. Oh, and he's a gamer too. Better? Good fellow, family man and all as well. He's young enough, that if he digs in, as well as he can, as he really has, he... can get places in the areas he is discovering. If I can help him save a nickel in the right places, and guide him to good ideas that streamline things, he might get just a bit farther a bit quicker. Everyone will sell you anything, and everything, if you need it or not. It's nice to have someone around who isn't in it for sales, but for your interests.
Nearly the end of the month, eh? Well, I best get to a few things. Where did the month(s) go? Later, maybe good "night".
"I set him up with a notion or two, on a subject or two. Directions in one case, a couple of specific options in another. I may end up helping him help himself on a few other topics. Beside being a pleasure, understand that if you help your neighbor get a handle on some issues, that comes back to build your community."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I'm the only person within hearing who's been involved in APAs? For those who're scratching their heads, APAs (Amateur Press Alliances) were what a lot of people had before the Internet and blogsites came along. These would be groups of around twenty-five or so people (on the average) bound together by a particular interest. We'd write little publications and distribute them amongst the membership in the form of "mailings" that would go out every other month. This way we'd keep up with developments in our particular interest, as well as share personal information.
The Internet, of course, put paid to most of the practice. But the advantage of APAs (one of them anyway) was that you only dealt with people who had a genuine interest in the subject at hand. There was no opportunity for trolls or advertisers or any other of the electronic weevils which blight the online sphere. Plus, if you got into a good APA, you weren't just joining a group of similar interests, you were being adopted by a genuine community. Many of the people I APA-hacked with over thirty years ago are still close.
That is new to me. Then again, for a good nearly 30 years of my life I have, mostly, been mislabeled and left out, and kept myself out of, any right social circles. A misdiagnosis is more than just not getting the right treatment, in some cases. And there are things worse than being ill.
ReplyDeleteNow that their psyops operation against me has been squashed, I don't have to deal with false stigma either. And yet, I still have to deal with the complications of being mostly dead, so... associations have to almost land on my doorstep or I can't really get to them. Blogging, for the most part, is it. And it is a dying art.
I really like the notion though. Beyond getting realized 'dope' from interested participants, my guess is, for more technical steps, there is a chance at getting some help from a mentor or two. Whether it is writing, and you want to cover some styles or techniques, or long range shooting, or whatnot. And the communal bar would only go up, through testing of notions and shared successes and failures. I truly love the idea. But it is new, and news, to me.
Oh I'm the furthest thing from a social butterfly myself. I still don't know the people living next door to me (and am really in no mood to change the situation). I've been living in the Charleston area for about fifteen years now, and I have yet to form any sort of local relationships. To quote Dorothy Parker: "I'm too fucking busy, and vice versa".
ReplyDeleteWith APAs, and with outlets such as this, I can pick and choose who I associate with. In all likelihood I will never physically meet any of the people I contact in this matter, but I don't lose sleep over it. I understand how I'm something of an acquired taste, and appreciated best from a distance.
I think the Cacophony Society thrived for years on just such an APA arrangement.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteI may look into that, then. The thing is to narrow my fields of interest? Math, physics on a smaller scale, electronics, writing to include poetry, shooting and reloading... Even cooking, computer use possibly getting into open architecture. Bleh... Well, and what is available.
Desert Cat,
Hmm, now... that I have done. Back when I attended what are now known as vampire clubs. It isn't the same, invitation only back then, and through odd contacts, in odd places... burned out factories, shut down factories, mansions where I'm not sure... permission was actually obtained or the owners even aware. More like a rave swarm, only... the term rave has gone south. It was interesting. Met all sorts, but preferred by people you preferred, somehow, mostly.
Desert Cat,
ReplyDeleteI actually think I have met, if not introduced, to some of the dread ilk. I saw some people, at one point, a couple... there was something about them. I can't tell... what the reaction was, though it seemed positive. There is a time or two, else, where I suspect I was reviewed by the ilk.
What you suggest is probably already more prevalent than most think. Remember, I'm not a normal. I smell... things... people... ideas. Or I'm crazy. Take your pick.