Smile Through The Pain, Jim

[Doktor Howl]

There's very little to be said in favor of daily hour-long treadmill fests.  They're boring, they hurt (if you're doing them right), and 15 minutes into it, you're too miserable to properly enjoy the hottie on the machine ahead of you.  They DO, however, carve fat off like a motherfucker, and do nice things for your heart.

So you do it.  You smile through the pain, and keep moving, and eventually the hour is over.

I have to say that this applies to a lot of things.  Whether it's getting out of a bad relationship, walking away from a job you hate, or just another Friday night at the Meatrack, the pain will eventually end, and you'll be better off for the experience.

Curly and Payne, God rest their souls, understood this.  You never saw either one of them moping...They always had a bright, cheerful smile, even if it didn't always reach their eyes.  They're both dead now, of course, and the manner of their passing was gruesome, but while they were here, they got it.  Life may be painful at times, but - if you're doing it right - the good times outweigh the bad...If you can remember to enjoy them when they arrive.

Captain Ahab, on the contrary...Well, he went through the pain and scowled.  He kept on scowling, consumed by revenge (for the loss of a leg to a creature he was trying to kill at the time, ironically enough), and he wound up getting himself and everyone who followed him killed.  Not that anyone in Providence missed him, of course...He was a belligerent drunk with the bad habit of shitting in the church poor box when the mood took him, and everyone hated him so much they got Herman Melville to immortalize him in bad prose.

So where's the relevance?  Easy.  Judging from the "who's online" function, half the board just sits and scowls at their computer, coming here largely out of habit alone, I assume.  Things have gotten too bitter, some say, and the steady loss of posters is the result of the hate and the anger and the drama.

Well, whose fault is that?  This board is what we make it.  All of us, even - especially - the self-righteous folks who are too busy saying "OH THE DRAMA" to have time to say something constructive.

Are you a Captain Ahab, clinging to your hate and anger, unable or unwilling to post something worth reading because you can't stop scowling long enough?  Or will you be Curly or Payne, and show up with a smile and something to say?

The world is full of Ahabs.  If that's what you want, go drive in rush hour traffic, or hang out with teabaggers.  I much prefer the company of Curly and Payne.

Okay for now,
Dok

[LMNO]

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

Oh hell yeah! 

I have to say, while I may not smile, I hide it well.    I agree, you have to take those sometimes few and far between moments and enjoy the hell out of them because in this madness of life we have you never know when that moment is your last.

It goes back to my thoughts that there are some people who could be multi-millionaires with tons of friends and everything material they could ever want, but not a damn thing makes them happy.  Some people just won't let themselves be happy.  I used to think it was out of fear of being hurt on their part, but I've come to the conclusion that there is something in them that is just broken.  And there are some people who are broken beyond any hope of repair!

Take me, I'm broke in so many ways. BUT I'M ALIVE!!!  I'm walking upright.  I can still laugh and find the funny in even the most depressing of things.  Love me or hate me, just remember get close enough and I can beat you with my cane!!  And laugh my ass off while I do so..... 

Ok that wasn't nice, but this isn't about being nice is it?  It's about dealing with the shit, learning from it and moving on?  Right? 

[Dimocritus]

I kinda needed this. It's been sort of an Ahab day for me today and my scowling muscles are getting a bit sore. But, it's a beutiful day and there's plenty of time to turn it all curly. What to do, though. That is the question...

[Salty]

Like you said, Dok, being happy is not the same as contentment. 

In contentment, you scowl your way through to the end, clutching to some vague hope that as long as you make it the whole leg of your journey the pain will eventually have been worth it, and letting the misery eat up the parts of you you assume you won't need later.  

But that's not good enough. Merely committing to seeing something through without HAVING A GOOD TIME is just as bad as giving up. You may as well since the FUN PART will have been wasted with pathetic whimpering and useless worry. 

Because getting there alone isn't good enough. You have to arrive as something worth welcoming. You have to have some kind of story to tell at the very least, as opposed to stumbling up to your destination looking haggard and worn and only a shadow of what began the journey with little more to say than "Well, it was a shit ride. But hey, I'm here."

I made that mistake already. I don't intend on repeating it. 

[Doktor Howl]

Oh hell yeah! 

I have to say, while I may not smile, I hide it well.    I agree, you have to take those sometimes few and far between moments and enjoy the hell out of them because in this madness of life we have you never know when that moment is your last.

It goes back to my thoughts that there are some people who could be multi-millionaires with tons of friends and everything material they could ever want, but not a damn thing makes them happy.  Some people just won't let themselves be happy.  I used to think it was out of fear of being hurt on their part, but I've come to the conclusion that there is something in them that is just broken.  And there are some people who are broken beyond any hope of repair!

Take me, I'm broke in so many ways. BUT I'M ALIVE!!!  I'm walking upright.  I can still laugh and find the funny in even the most depressing of things.  Love me or hate me, just remember get close enough and I can beat you with my cane!!  And laugh my ass off while I do so..... 

Ok that wasn't nice, but this isn't about being nice is it?  It's about dealing with the shit, learning from it and moving on?  Right? 

It's about enjoying yourself.  If that includes beating the mortal shit out of the locals with your cane, then have at it.  Lay about with that walking stick like you're trashing zombies.  Because you probably are.

The basic message is, wrapping yourself tightly in hate until you can't think is really no different than wrapping yourself in religion, etc.  It's just another Black Iron Prison Fortress for you to be miserable in, consoling yourself with what bastards everyone else is.

It borders on emo, really.

[Doktor Howl]

I kinda needed this. It's been sort of an Ahab day for me today and my scowling muscles are getting a bit sore. But, it's a beutiful day and there's plenty of time to turn it all curly. What to do, though. That is the question...

Gonna take a leaf from Nigel, here:  GO OUTSIDE.  Take a camera with you, and walk around looking for cool shit.

[Doktor Howl]

In contentment, you scowl your way through to the end, clutching to some vague hope that as long as you make it the whole leg of your journey the pain will eventually have been worth it, and letting the misery eat up the parts of you you assume you won't need later.  

Exactly.  Precisely.

It ain't easy, having a good time.  But it's still possible.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

Oh hell yeah! 

I have to say, while I may not smile, I hide it well.    I agree, you have to take those sometimes few and far between moments and enjoy the hell out of them because in this madness of life we have you never know when that moment is your last.

It goes back to my thoughts that there are some people who could be multi-millionaires with tons of friends and everything material they could ever want, but not a damn thing makes them happy.  Some people just won't let themselves be happy.  I used to think it was out of fear of being hurt on their part, but I've come to the conclusion that there is something in them that is just broken.  And there are some people who are broken beyond any hope of repair!

Take me, I'm broke in so many ways. BUT I'M ALIVE!!!  I'm walking upright.  I can still laugh and find the funny in even the most depressing of things.  Love me or hate me, just remember get close enough and I can beat you with my cane!!  And laugh my ass off while I do so..... 

Ok that wasn't nice, but this isn't about being nice is it?  It's about dealing with the shit, learning from it and moving on?  Right? 

It's about enjoying yourself.  If that includes beating the mortal shit out of the locals with your cane, then have at it.  Lay about with that walking stick like you're trashing zombies.  Because you probably are.

The basic message is, wrapping yourself tightly in hate until you can't think is really no different than wrapping yourself in religion, etc.  It's just another Black Iron Prison Fortress for you to be miserable in, consoling yourself with what bastards everyone else is.

It borders on emo, really.

emo eh, if so it's the only emo thing I've ever agreed with!

This was an excellent jump start for me!!!

Thank you!

[Doktor Howl]

Oh hell yeah! 

I have to say, while I may not smile, I hide it well.    I agree, you have to take those sometimes few and far between moments and enjoy the hell out of them because in this madness of life we have you never know when that moment is your last.

It goes back to my thoughts that there are some people who could be multi-millionaires with tons of friends and everything material they could ever want, but not a damn thing makes them happy.  Some people just won't let themselves be happy.  I used to think it was out of fear of being hurt on their part, but I've come to the conclusion that there is something in them that is just broken.  And there are some people who are broken beyond any hope of repair!

Take me, I'm broke in so many ways. BUT I'M ALIVE!!!  I'm walking upright.  I can still laugh and find the funny in even the most depressing of things.  Love me or hate me, just remember get close enough and I can beat you with my cane!!  And laugh my ass off while I do so..... 

Ok that wasn't nice, but this isn't about being nice is it?  It's about dealing with the shit, learning from it and moving on?  Right? 

It's about enjoying yourself.  If that includes beating the mortal shit out of the locals with your cane, then have at it.  Lay about with that walking stick like you're trashing zombies.  Because you probably are.

The basic message is, wrapping yourself tightly in hate until you can't think is really no different than wrapping yourself in religion, etc.  It's just another Black Iron Prison Fortress for you to be miserable in, consoling yourself with what bastards everyone else is.

It borders on emo, really.

emo eh, if so it's the only emo thing I've ever agreed with!

This was an excellent jump start for me!!!

Thank you!

Well, I mean the undesirable behavior (Ahab) borders on emo.  But I'm glad this made your day a little easier.

[Shibboleet The Annihilator]

Not bad Dok.

...and now for the obligatory picture:

[Doktor Howl]

 

That was kind of amazing.

[Salty]

HOly shit! Mastodon is kickass.

[Shibboleet The Annihilator]

That was kind of amazing.

LegoRobotComics: Some of the are kind of amazing.

[The Wizard]

That made me choke.  

You just made my day, Vlad.