Here is an excellent article from Warren Bone - it is VERY long and detailed....I've just copied the psych stuff from the end of it here along with the URL so you can go there and read it if you like! The beginning and middle are all about a lot of the things we all are concerned about - time frame of problems, non-reporting etc. Good read....

Warren Bone article

<16 page snip>

The Major Life Event CycleWhere are you right now?

* Prepared for a War That Got Called Off * Shock and Denial * Anger and Resistance * Questioning, Exploration, Bargaining * Depression * Acceptance, Commitment

I saved this for last since it provides a framework for understanding the thoughts, feelings and emotions some of us have had since the Big Non-Event: mid-night rollover into 2000.

Its like the whole world was indeed prepared for going to war. We had spent years anticipating the very worst; preparing ourselves to contend with the worst. Getting ready for this first terrible battle of a war that would possibly last for years, and would claim many casualties. Our years of preparation and training for this were about to pay off!

Heavily armed and totally prepared for battle, the troops were in the trenches and foxholes, and manning their duty stations. On the highest alert, worldwide. Ready for the destruction to begin precisely at midnight.

There were literally millions of brave soldiers in a thousand armies, at the stroke of midnight, holding their breath for the first report of that first devastating blow signaling the beginning of the endall preparations and training completed, there was nothing more to do now but wait.

We waited for that first big reportand we continued to waityet nothing was happening to signal that the war had begun. Nothing. We continued to wait anxiously through an entire 24-hour period for some sign of what we expected.

Then it happened.

A communiqui was issued advising that the war had been called off!

After all the work we had done to get ready for this, they now tell us its all overwe could go home now. Theres not going to be a war today!

Everyone was celebrating. Except the troops who were prepared to fight the war. They were emotionally drained, and not yet ready to celebrate. Why?

You see, as odd as it might seem, when troops individuallyas people, not as an armyhave mentally prepared for the battle, even to the point that they each have submitted to the fact that they might even die in this battle, at the moment they learn that its all over, the wars been called off, a great disappointment takes over immediately. A letdown. Yet some relief. But certainly it takes time to replace those strange emotions with happiness, and celebration.

Funny how our minds work, isnt it.

A Major Life Event is anything that significantly (greatly) impacts us emotionally. The death of a loved one is the prime example. Somehow we learn to deal with it.

Other examples include divorce, losing a job, serious illness, to name but a few. Anytime our emotions are heavily jolted because of some type Major Life Event, we experience several different emotions in dealing with it.

We are now dealing with another type of Major Life Event. To many of us the Year 2000 War has been called off, and we even wonder if it has just been postponed.

Not to imply that this event in our lives compares in severity to the loss of a loved one, but the feelings and emotions will be the same, only to a much lesser degree.

The cycle outlined at the beginning of this discussion explains the various emotions we go through when we have experienced one of these devastating blows. People going through this experience do not necessarily start at the beginning of the cycle and progress through each phase sequentially until finally arriving at the end of the cycle. Rather, we can move from one phase into any other at any time, jumping between various feelings and then coming back to where we started. One can even be in more than one phase at the same time. Some people skip over some emotions altogether, and may even jump from one all the way to the end, and stay there.

Most times, however, most of us will progress generally through the cycle, spending some time in each phase, perhaps momentarily visiting another, but eventually completing the cycle.

It is helpful to know where you are, since others are in this cycle with you. Knowing where you are right now with your emotions helps you to understand where you are headed. A road map, if you will.

First thing that usually happens is that we are Shocked that it even happened at all! This is immediately accompanied by Denial. Im shocked! Stunned! I cant believe this has happened! This is just not happening to me!)

Then you will find yourself moving to Anger and Resistance. Ok, I know it happened, but Im mad as hell about it! (But I still cant believe this really did happen.) But it did and Im mad about it.)

Next you will question things. Questioning, Exploring the facts, Bargaining with yourself. Ok, now Im no longer mad, and I know it did happen, but how in the world did it happen? I wonder? What if? Ok, I can deal with this a little bit now. Ill just try to figure it out.

Depression is also likely at about this point since youve accepted the facts that it did happen, and youve gotten over your anger enough to begin thinking rationally about it. Im really sad now, because of what happened. What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve this? Ive lost so much. Im really depressed.

Finally we are able to move into Acceptance and Commitment. Im feeling better now, no longer depressed. All this did happen and now I accept that as a fact, and Im going on with my lifeIm getting on board that train! I do feel positive about things again! Im ok.

Dont feel bad if you reach that final phase and later revisit some previous territory. Just make sure you find your way back to the end again!

Im providing this information because I realize how important this event is to a lot of us. And a lot of us do feel like we have prepared for the big battle only to be left in confusion. (Believe me, it is not just some of us citizens who are questioning these unexpected circumstancesgo back and look at how seriously the world took this, at how much money was spent getting ready for it, and at the high levels of readiness our governments were innow thats PREPARATION with a capital P!)

For any of you reading this that do not understand what its all about I will say again:

If I have to explain, you wouldnt understand.

In closing, I answer the questions posed at the beginning:

Are we there yet? And if so, why are we still talking about this?

Answer to the first question: NO.

Answer to the second question: See first question.

) 2000, Warren Bone. (Under Fair Use Laws you may copy and distribute this at will.)

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 01, 2000

Answers

"Shock and Denial * Anger and Resistance * Questioning, Exploration, Bargaining * Depression * Acceptance, Commitment"

That's it? Try "relieved". Try "grateful". Try "happy as a pig in.."

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), February 01, 2000.

URL please ?

-- biker (y2kbiker@hotmail.com), February 01, 2000.

<< The Major Life Event Cycle -- Where are you right now?

Prepared for a War That Got Called Off
Shock and Denial
Anger and Resistance
Questioning, Exploration, Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance, Commitment >>

We went thru these stages BEFORE the Rollover.
We were thrilled, stunned, ecstatic, dazed, walking on air, dream-happy when the Rollover marched along with
All Systems Up! :-)

Our salient emotional response was pure thankfulness and humble wonder. It took 3 weeks for us to relax and not feel quite so compellingly urgent about finishing our preps. We're 99% done! Still very motivated to tie up the little loose ends. Think *that* may be an ongoing list.

Still deliriously happy and thankful, really enjoying our life, savoring every nuance, celebrating every normal and, actually, extraordinary convenience, basking in the abundant plentitude these days, getting back to work with gusto, and very fulfilled and satisfied that we've got our earthquake/disruption preps done. It took a lot of thought, researching, shopping, creative making of items, and tremendous mental re-organization.

Nothing but very positive aftereffects, and bowing to the Loving, Merciful Lord, so tender and compassionate.

Prayed fervently all along that it would be "less than a BITR," so are giddily joyous that our & other lives have been spared any difficulties.

Happy happy happy Doomers here! ;^)

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@}->-- 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 3~0 @}->-- 3~0 3~0 3~0

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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), February 01, 2000.

URL that disappeared

I know a lot of people going thru these stages now too along with the relief and elation. The other article I posted from Gee showed the dual thinking that we all have been dealing with.

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 01, 2000.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Warren Bone's conclusion that former doomers must be going through the well known stages of grief over the death of their pet fantasy assumes that the threat has entirely passed. I don't believe that most of us think that is true, and it's not because we're "in denial" about it. It's the mainstream media and the administration who pushed the idea that the rollover would be the litmus test and that there would no worries if we came through that moment without too much trouble. If you look at the discussions on this board during the past year, you can confirm for yourselves that most of were not convinced that the worst would necessarily be over by this time. Here's a little something to jog your memory about that.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), February 01, 2000.