Open Bar MMXIV^2: Solace of Quantum

[P3nT4gR4m]

Does anyone else have trouble reconciling the idea that everything that makes us happy is pretty superficial and all of the horror is incredibly visceral and fundamental?

Is it just me?

Yeah, I have trouble reconcliling the fact that what makes us happy is superficial.

I would counter that BEING happy isn't superficial in the slightest, so whatever seemingly insignificant thing is causing that happiness is actually quite important.

IAWTC!

[Junkenstein]

So.

Last night one "Jim" nicked a works van. He's been caught by the police and this has somehow become my problem to fix.

The list of problems currently includes:

"Jim" has no drivers license
"Jim" had unknown number of others with him.
Others had a variety of sharp and stabby things.
Others had a consignment of narcotics
"Jim" appears to have "stolen" van from other employee.

And that's just what I've been able to find out. According to the duty officer, it's worse.

Wait whyyyy is this your problem? Shouldn't it be a police problem?

It is a police problem. Very much so.

Unfortunately "Transport Manager" and "Head of HR" appear to have been added to my job description today.

I can't hire or rent anything from anywhere. Which makes that van kind of important. "Jim" is also related to a senior guy. This means the whole thing has to go away as quietly as possible or issues may arise.

I fucking hate this place and I'm writing my resignation tonight. I can't stand it here and I'm really starting to go strange without human contact.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Does anyone else have trouble reconciling the idea that everything that makes us happy is pretty superficial and all of the horror is incredibly visceral and fundamental?

Is it just me?

Yeah, I have trouble reconcliling the fact that what makes us happy is superficial.

I would counter that BEING happy isn't superficial in the slightest, so whatever seemingly insignificant thing is causing that happiness is actually quite important.

We are more or less designed to be happy as a default, sort of like how we are designed to not be in physical pain as a default. Not ECSTATIC FULL OF JOY, which is part of our reward system for doing things that are productive (nature didn't take highly processed or synthetic drugs into account while evolving this system) but baseline, yeah, pretty damn pleased with things happy. The kind of happy you get when you're walking around in the woods or spending relaxed time with people who love you.

Unhappiness, like pain, is supposed to be a warning system that something isn't right or that things that we need to pay close attention to are happening. Like, feeling lonely or disconnected. You're SUPPOSED to not like that feeling, it drives you to connect with other people, so that you're more likely to reproduce and less likely to die, silly human.

I love you guys, each and every one of you.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Aww. I love each and every one of you too nigel. Every last nigel.

[Cain]

You're correct, of course. It's just that there are social complications that go along with me showing up at the 5 Point and I'm not sure I'm in the right head space for that. On the other hand, sometimes the wrong head space IS the right head space for that.

I really just want to go to sleep.

I really just want some decent tea.

I really just want a job where I'm not egregiously underpaid to fix everyone else's mistakes including my bosses'.

I really just want the people I look up to to stop dropping dead on me.

I really just want to sing a duet with the St. Johns bridge.

I really just want to win at something that matters.

I really just want to go out on my porch and put two hot ones in my juggalo neighbor's face the next time he starts screaming at his wife.

I really just want to be more Stringer than Avon, but I never will be because when it comes down to it I'm more McNulty than either of them anyway and it wouldn't matter because the inevitable end is the same either way.

I really just want to divorce myself from the tyranny of the ground beneath my feet.

I really just want to get in my explorer and drive down there at the kind of speed that only ever ends in tragedy and wake you from a dead sleep and tell you I was wrong and can't we just hit rewind and skip back past all the ugly stupid shit we did and said and start again from that day we sang karaoke until our voices gave out and then went back to my place and collapsed in a sweaty heap of gin and smeared mascara?

I really really REALLY just want to get some sleep.

Listen, mister. You're starting to sound awful familiar, and I have a suspicion that when you wax poetic your head is getting really dirty inside, and not in a good way.

As a lifelong insomniac and master of sleep disorders, I have found this shit that is fucking amazing. I've mentioned it before, but I'll mention it again just in case. Two pills; 5-HTP (I take 100 mg, you'll probably need 200 mg because you're a giant) and 400 mg SAM-e. They aren't cheap, you can expect to pay $40/month for them even if you get them cheap online, and twice as much at local stores, but they work. One of each every morning. Unlike benzos (which I was on before, that or drink myself to sleep, or both) it's safe to drink while you're on them and they don't fuck up your dream cycle.

I take them in the morning and during the day I'm less neurotic, and at night I go to sleep and then, MIRACLE OF FUCKING MIRACLES, I usually stay asleep until morning. I've never experienced such a thing in my entire life. This is why you no longer see the 2 and 3 am posts from me anymore.

I can't give any better advice than Nigel, and say I was in your exact position a week ago.

Not to say things are better now, but having enough sleep to cope with it all certainly helps.

[Cain]

Offer now formally accepted.  Well, goodbye £5k, it was nice having you doing nothing in my bank account for the past two years.

You're going back to grad school??

Yeah, thanks.  I know I'm back in now, as they're already nagging me for payments.

Ah, St Andrews financial department.  It's like I was never gone.

[Doktor Howl]

Does anyone else have trouble reconciling the idea that everything that makes us happy is pretty superficial and all of the horror is incredibly visceral and fundamental?

Is it just me?

Yeah, I have trouble reconcliling the fact that what makes us happy is superficial.

I would counter that BEING happy isn't superficial in the slightest, so whatever seemingly insignificant thing is causing that happiness is actually quite important.

DING.

Warren Ellis described "Badworld".  LMNO just described "Goodworld".

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Aww. I love each and every one of you too nigel. Every last nigel.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Offer now formally accepted.  Well, goodbye £5k, it was nice having you doing nothing in my bank account for the past two years.

You're going back to grad school??

Yeah, thanks.  I know I'm back in now, as they're already nagging me for payments.

Ah, St Andrews financial department.  It's like I was never gone.

I love how at my school, I have to have paid for classes two weeks BEFORE the start of term, but they don't make a financial aid disbursement until two weeks AFTER the start of term.

Thanks, guys.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

YOU GUYS, I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL TODAY! 

[Doktor Howl]

YOU GUYS, I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL TODAY! 

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Yay!

[Don Coyote]

well I finally did it.  pooped so big that it would not stay flushed. my wife is horrified.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

It's fucking incredible. Here I am sitting here eating leftover vindaloo and sweating and I don't even have any underwear on.

THIS IS GREAT!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

well I finally did it.  pooped so big that it would not stay flushed. my wife is horrified.