So, it occurred to me that the character of Dukat in the Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine, could have changed the whole course of his life if he'd just had a friend that loved him unconditionally.......now, just hear me out.
If you watch the whole series, there are several times during the course of the series that Dukat displays kind, generous characteristics: for example in episode #77 "Indiscretion" we learn that Dukat had a B'joran lover during the occupation and that he fathered a child - a daughter. In the beginning of the episode when he thinks that she has died along with her mother, he weeps and we feel compassion for him. Then later, when Kiera is able to talk him out of killing the same daughter to save his reputation and he decides to take her home with him to Cardassia despite any consequences to his reputation, we again feel real compassion for him.
There are several episodes in which we see him reconsider an initial choice or rash decision, we see him attempt to mend old relationships and, in fact, make new ones, we see him display compassion.......and I think it begs discussion to point out that, like many people who are given a second chance, all Dukat needed was someone who was willing to look beyond his faults and love him no matter what. A friend willing to give him a safe place in which to fail and still have love.....
And we see later in the series that, possibly because he didn't have that very thing, he actually becomes so much worse than he might have been.
Screeeeeeeech -- and total shifting of thought:
After driving to New Jersey last Friday and experiencing a couple miles of construction traffic, I have had an epiphany: the DOT's of America exist to piss off the PEOPLE of America!!! Why do they have to start narrowing the lanes of traffic a mile or two before the construction? If the drivers are doing the narrowing correctly, they won't get over until the lane they're in actually ends - which is the way it should be!! That way the traffic keeps moving until the last possible minute. So, why can't they just wait to shift everyone until they're only a couple hundred yards from the construction?? It's not like it's going to slow the traffic down any worse - and it might, in fact, take less time to get through the narrowing.........sooooo, since the DOT's can't come to this very logical conclusion, I have had to surmise that they do occasionally get some construction done - but for the most part exist to piss people off!!!
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Everybody Must Have Googled It!
I finally found a psychiatrist/counselor up here - but I had to go to New Jersey to find her. It's a beautiful drive to Chester, New Jersey. And I was looking forward to my second trip there not only for the scenery but for the chance to listen to an hour and a half of the 155 songs that I've downloaded on my iphone! (I actually didn't realize I had that much music until my Minnesota trip in July. After 5 hours of driving and still listening to music on my phone, I looked at how many I had......115 at that time. Wow! If every song was only 3 minutes long - and most were longer - that would be 345 minutes of music or 5.75 hours!! And I've added to my collection since.)
Anyway, I was happily singing along and doing a bit of mild car dancing when I saw traffic on the other side of the road and thought to myself, "Wow, I'm glad I'm not on THAT side of the freeway." I spoke WAY too soon. All of a sudden, I noticed that there were a lot more cars on my side, and we were all slowing down. Damn! Whatever had happened was probably on my side too!
At first, I just thought it was slow due to some kind of construction. I mean, there's always construction somewhere on some road all across the US at any point in time. But then I realized that not only were I and the other drivers slowing down, we were, in fact, completely stopped! (I was in the left lane of the two lane highway.) I sat for a few minutes and realized that this was a serious traffic jam and that I probably wouldn't be getting to my appointment on time - if at all! I called the doctor (actually she's a nurse practitioner psychiatrist - with a great website and even better 'bedside manner'!) to tell her that I wouldn't be making it and how did she handle canceled appointments. Still sitting completely stopped, I decided to put my car in neutral and open the windows. There was a beautiful breeze that I hadn't been able to appreciate at highway speed because I didn't want to create drag with the windows down that would cut fuel efficiency! :*) (Thanks, Peter!!)
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/driving-with-windows-down1.htm
In between hearing back from her, I called John to see if he could investigate what was going on.....he did and it was not good. A multiple car accident with, at that point, at least an hour delay. Wow! What kind of mess and how many people were hurt?? The 'doctor' (I'm going to call her that because it's shorter to type 'doctor' than 'nurse practitioner psychiatrist' every time!!) - called me back to tell me not to worry. She gives all of her patients one 'free pass' - one canceled appointment with no monetary setback. Sweet!! She also encouraged me to relax, be thankful that I wasn't involved in the accident, put on some great music (already there!) and to sing outloud with the music!! Permission to be 'one of those people' singing outloud in their car even when passing others from a medical professional!!
In the meantime, several people had gotten out of their cars to try and look ahead to see what was going on. Some had even started walking down the shoulder. Several cars also pulled out on the right shoulder to take the exit going in the opposite direction of the jam. I contemplated this for several minutes and then called my handy-dandy live 'road atlas' (John - who is always calm, connected to the google maps of wherever I'm going and helpful when I get into a traffic mess that Soki cannot help me out of!!) to see if I could take this exit as an alternative way to get back home. And, yes indeed, I could!
I carefully made my way across the right lane and onto the exit ramp.....AND HERE'S THE POINT OF THIS WHOLE STORY........(What? You say? All this other information has just been buildup?? YEP! :*P) As I exited the freeway, I saw more people who had gotten out of their cars - and then the most incredible thing of all -- not only had a couple gotten out of their car with their baby - but they had gotten out the stroller, set it up, put the baby in it and were headed down the right shoulder to join the crowds!! It was like everyone had parked their cars for an event!
Apparently, EVERYONE had Google searched and knew that the traffic would be stopped for a while! I mean, why else would they all be getting out of their cars - and I mean there were LOTS of people out of their cars - if they didn't know that they would be there for a while?? Seriously, a stroller!!
I was almost jealous that I had decided to defect and take the 'easy' way out............
Anyway, I was happily singing along and doing a bit of mild car dancing when I saw traffic on the other side of the road and thought to myself, "Wow, I'm glad I'm not on THAT side of the freeway." I spoke WAY too soon. All of a sudden, I noticed that there were a lot more cars on my side, and we were all slowing down. Damn! Whatever had happened was probably on my side too!
At first, I just thought it was slow due to some kind of construction. I mean, there's always construction somewhere on some road all across the US at any point in time. But then I realized that not only were I and the other drivers slowing down, we were, in fact, completely stopped! (I was in the left lane of the two lane highway.) I sat for a few minutes and realized that this was a serious traffic jam and that I probably wouldn't be getting to my appointment on time - if at all! I called the doctor (actually she's a nurse practitioner psychiatrist - with a great website and even better 'bedside manner'!) to tell her that I wouldn't be making it and how did she handle canceled appointments. Still sitting completely stopped, I decided to put my car in neutral and open the windows. There was a beautiful breeze that I hadn't been able to appreciate at highway speed because I didn't want to create drag with the windows down that would cut fuel efficiency! :*) (Thanks, Peter!!)
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/driving-with-windows-down1.htm
In between hearing back from her, I called John to see if he could investigate what was going on.....he did and it was not good. A multiple car accident with, at that point, at least an hour delay. Wow! What kind of mess and how many people were hurt?? The 'doctor' (I'm going to call her that because it's shorter to type 'doctor' than 'nurse practitioner psychiatrist' every time!!) - called me back to tell me not to worry. She gives all of her patients one 'free pass' - one canceled appointment with no monetary setback. Sweet!! She also encouraged me to relax, be thankful that I wasn't involved in the accident, put on some great music (already there!) and to sing outloud with the music!! Permission to be 'one of those people' singing outloud in their car even when passing others from a medical professional!!
In the meantime, several people had gotten out of their cars to try and look ahead to see what was going on. Some had even started walking down the shoulder. Several cars also pulled out on the right shoulder to take the exit going in the opposite direction of the jam. I contemplated this for several minutes and then called my handy-dandy live 'road atlas' (John - who is always calm, connected to the google maps of wherever I'm going and helpful when I get into a traffic mess that Soki cannot help me out of!!) to see if I could take this exit as an alternative way to get back home. And, yes indeed, I could!
I carefully made my way across the right lane and onto the exit ramp.....AND HERE'S THE POINT OF THIS WHOLE STORY........(What? You say? All this other information has just been buildup?? YEP! :*P) As I exited the freeway, I saw more people who had gotten out of their cars - and then the most incredible thing of all -- not only had a couple gotten out of their car with their baby - but they had gotten out the stroller, set it up, put the baby in it and were headed down the right shoulder to join the crowds!! It was like everyone had parked their cars for an event!
Apparently, EVERYONE had Google searched and knew that the traffic would be stopped for a while! I mean, why else would they all be getting out of their cars - and I mean there were LOTS of people out of their cars - if they didn't know that they would be there for a while?? Seriously, a stroller!!
I was almost jealous that I had decided to defect and take the 'easy' way out............
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