Ever just wanna Scream?

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Begin vent:

Some days I just wanna scream. Like today. I am surrounded by Forget its. I am trying like crazy to get my community and church to prepare. No luck with my Church or the kids school. I have met three times with them, with other Get its at my side, and they still listen politely and just forget it, until the next time one of us brings it up. And then, they listen once more, or read what we give them, and just forget it. Again. Still. How many days do we have left? 350 or so? This has been going on since late Spring. So much time has already been lost since ringing the alarm bell. It drives me nuts. I am supposed to have another try tomorrow, but was just informed that a senior member of the group is not going to come. This meeting has been postponed for almost two months already so that we could have that person there. And now they are not coming. It is so frustrating banging your head against the same wall. Curse all of these pollyanna reports in the media with their half-truths and lies by omission. Curse Readers Digest. Curse the "media reporting" of how Social Security is AOK, and by extension, everything else is well in hand. Curse the people who should be leading but are not. We are the leaders, like it or not. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

Deep breath. Another............ Another....... Sorry gang, but I just had to vent some. I am not giving up. I gave a talk for the community and even though the mayor was a no-show, there was a lot of interest and some follow up. I am batting 1 for 3 which is better than zero. I'll go to the meeting tomorrow and try a fourth time.

End vent:

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), January 18, 1999

Answers

YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!
SSSCCCCCRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMIIIINNNNNGGGGG feels good.
The only thing that feels good now.
SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!



-- Blowing Up (goingtoscream@long.time), January 18, 1999.

Hi Rob,

yeah, I know, our parish is the same way...DWGIs in high places, and so forth...I went through the screaming stage, went through the 'wanna pound my head against this wall phase', and then I got back to Ezekiel 33: 3-6.

..at some point, as hard as it is, we've gotta say "look I sounded the warning clearly and repeatedly - if they're DWGI, then it's on *their* heads and not mine". Now I'm not saying give up, and I'm not saying don't care - but what I *am* saying that when we've done the best we can, we need to make certain that we're concentrating our efforts in those areas where *we* are directly responsible...and not trying to shoulder the responsibility for areas that aren't ours. In other words, keep trying to tell them when you can, but remember where your priorities lie.

make sense? Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 18, 1999.


Hey, Rob, it'll get better. Yesterday we (some other nuts besides me) did our first town meeting on Y2K, and the City Manager (who agreed to come) was a no-show - although we did have to compete with beautiful weather and football - but we did get all kinds of Emergency & Community Services people who are deeply concerned.

Make sure you include the 911 people. They love a challenge.

Hang in there. It won't be long.......

-- lisa (lisab@shallc.com), January 18, 1999.


Rob,

Let it out. Do it several times. It doesn't change anything. But it *sure* is theraputic.

FWIW, I ran a add in our local newspaper for 35 days last Nov and posted flyers at several places around town.

Total response - 2 calls

One was already a GI. The other never called back.

I live in a smallish county 30k ish within 100mi of a major Metroplex. I truly believe I have tried. As of now I will do nothing more for the community until *all* of my preps are done down to the last grain.

Not bitter about this, just practical.

Greybear

- Got It?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), January 18, 1999.


Calmer now... I lost it for awhile after getting the phone call about not showing up tomorrow.

Arlin: There never has been any doubt regarding priorities, so yes, it makes sense. I didn't chose SonofDust without thought, and am glad I did, despite the failures. Also, they are not DWGIs, they are Forget Its. They are still open to considering things but will probably need some kind of trigger event to make them prepare. At that point they will either become Get its or DWGIs. Currently they are so busy with the stuff of life that they have just forgotten about Y2K.

Lisa: Sounds like your experience yesterday was similar to mine. Still feels good to think about it. They actually invited me back for more "punishment". I don't know about the "it won't be long" part though. It sometimes seems to me like all this is happening in slow motion, yet the weeks and months are flying by. Its weird.

Greybear: All any of us can do is try, and try again, but I can understand how you feel about having a need to complete your own stuff, especially since what you say falls on deaf ears. One thing though. Be careful of the word "all". I have come to the conclusion that preparation never ends. You will reach a point at which you may think that you have the bases covered, but there will always be more, at least that has been my experience. The question really becomes how much is enough. There is no answer.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), January 18, 1999.



YES!!!

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), January 18, 1999.

If a Y2K programmer screams in the woods and nobody hears the sound, does that mean the system is compliant?

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), January 18, 1999.

I've been in the "want to scream" phase for quite some time now. I just can't believe that people can read any of the current information and not be concerned. How can anyone willingly ignore something that will potentially kill them very soon? What's going on here?!

-- d (d@dgi.com), January 18, 1999.

d@dgi: They ignore it because to deal with it is the more difficult choice. Preparation requires thinking, and not just any thinking, we are talking out-of-the-box stuff. It also requires time and money, as well as strength to see it through when most everyone else thinks your elevator doesn't go all the way to the top. They want proof in order to even seriously consider a life-altering event, that is if they are even capable of thinking past a sound bite. There are other reasons, but these will give you some idea as to why most folks are not taking it as a matter of life and death. To them, it isn't... yet... and to so radically alter their comfortable thoughts would be done only on a dragging and kicking and screaming basis.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), January 18, 1999.

WHEW!! I fell better already after just ready your post! Thanks for venting!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), January 18, 1999.


that is...after reading your post!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), January 18, 1999.

I did "the screaming place" for about 8 months, ever since having the hard reality of a sometime thought sink in. Now, I talk about it if it comes up in conversation...I've given up notions of rousing the city council...I talk calmly in quiet tones...I tell them "THIS is what I am doing...THIS is what I know." When they put up objections I smile politely. This Y2K prep thing is a process...you are in one place...your family and acquaintances are in another...you cannot get them where you are...you can give information only. Knowing that takes the pressure off of you, and you can stop screaming when you are ready....it's up to you.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), January 18, 1999.

Donna: Thanks for your answer. I do much more head-shaking than screaming, and do not vent very often - something has to really set me off. I have to admire you though, because I still have not reached the point of thinking that the pressure is off me once I give them the information, at least not with the kids school and the Church. I can do this with individuals a lot easier. Perhaps I can lighten up about it though, since you are right in that there is only so much a person can do, and having done that, repeatedly, if they still don't get it, then it is time to "wipe the dust from your feet" and move on. I'm just not there yet. Don't know if I ever will be.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), January 18, 1999.

Rob,..I'm not out of the "I'm responsible place" totally...I still worry...I still think my community would be better off if they would "just listen to me". Then I think better and realize I've got some ego involved. I don't have the rosetta stone...I think I can help my family survive,..but I don't have a crystal ball. So I fume silently a lot...like you...shake my head...but mostly I keep silent these days...remembering the old saying about how one should NEVER try to teach pigs to sing...wastes your time and annoys pigs. Hang in there, Rob...this is a process...the ride we are on...keep doing what you are doing and remember you are one person...and perhaps there are many "one persons" about...Pockets of sanity and survival is what we are about...in my never humble opinion.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), January 18, 1999.

Boy do I ever understand the need to scream. As someone who is afraid Y2K will be a 7 or higher, it breaks my heart to see my family members totally ignore this. I think God HIMSELF could come down and tell my family, "Guess what, folks, she's right" and they wouldn't believe it. I feel so sad thinking that they might die---I know that is morbid, but hey a 7 or higher IS morbidity. <> With my friends I have decided whether they think we are kooks are not is moot at this point. I just tell them. At least I know if it does happen I didn't sit there not saying anything...

I am thinking about getting bumper stickers printed up that say

"Are you preparing?"

The GI's will understand it immediately.

Or:

"Honk if you are preparing"

What does everyone think?

Although I really won't do this, because we need the $$ for more food, supplies, etc.

Have already decided screw the medical bills...am funneling all I can toward our efforts. Kellie

-- Kellie (bill_n_kellie91@hotmail.com), January 19, 1999.



Kellie: "Breaks my heart" is right, especially when we are talking about loved ones like family. Some of us who go through this sometimes feel so alone, but as evidenced by this thread, and others, we are not alone, which is a comfort to some degree. BTW, the meeting that we were supposed to have today was postponed again. Sigh.

Rob, who is "hanging in there."

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), January 19, 1999.


It is nice to hear that I am not alone. Being a "get it" is very very hard at times. Many people seem to think I need medication or other treatment. However, I can report some progress. Three of my closest friends are preparing to one extent or another.. My church is going to discuss it this Sunday and hand out materials. Some people in our church (a very mainstream one) are preparing. Is that great or what? We have to love those small victories. My grandparents are starting to prepare. My parents & sister's family are preparing. We are preparing. AND-- the President mentioned Y2K in a serious manner at the State of the Union Address. Good golly, miss Molly, do ya think maybe he "gets it?" Dont give up.

-- Sue (conibear@gateway.net), January 20, 1999.

Welllll, other than my only child and his wife not wanting to have anything to do with my husband and me since we disagreed over Y2K, and other than my best friend not calling or returning my phone calls anyhmore, and another friend telling me that it wouldn't be a problem if I'd let the Lord into my life (I'm not a Christian) and other than trying to find a good dogfood recipe to store, I'm doing fine.

Actually, about the only thing that bothers me is that I sometimes feel overwhelmed with so much to do; gardening, food storage, the pets, no close family, too old for enough energy etc., But everyone reacts different to change, and so just take it easy, do a little each day, and don't fight your feelings.

There's a little booklet called Chronic Emotional Fatique by Billie J. Sahley, that might be good for you to read. I found it in a health food store, and it has some good advice.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), February 26, 1999.


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