Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: Joyce on August 20, 2014, 06:25:24 AM
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Not getting into the politics of all this, but the news today is so sad. All the journalists who get caught up in conflicts. I fear where these troubles will all end up. I know that world has never been totally at peace, but current conflicts are very scary!
I worry for my kids & their kids.
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Worry about what you can change though CG and not what you can't. I agree about the news but it focuses so much on the bad things happening that's it's easy to forget that there are good people in the world too. I have one very close friend who has made the decision not to listen to the international news at all and has stopped buying a paper because it made her feel very depressed.
No matter how much you worry about the way your kids and their kids will be affected it wont change a thing - easy to say I know - I do the same.
Taz x
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The world does seem to be a much scarier place now.
Honeyb
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It is honeybun, they are goading and trying to force the Wests hands and it is frightening and for what that's what I can never understand.
Its poverty and ignorance that's the enemy not us.
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Yes it is scary. And even scarier is that the leaders do not learn from the lessons of the past.
I rarely read the papers, as bad news seems to be 'good' news. How often do we hear about what happens next, how people get on, once new 'top' stories overtake the old ones?
Some sections of the media are truly irresponsible, desperate for a juicy story. I remember my husband's disgust, as a police officer, having to shield devastated relatives going to an inquest, after a fatal accident. They were shouting questions like how do they feel.
Taz is right, though, is concern yourself about what you can change, not what you can't. What are the consequences of the kind, thoughtful loving things that you do today? What affect can you have just by smiling ay a stranger?
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Yes. :'( Know what helps me? The prayer of St. Theresa (if it's OK to say that here.)
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It is ok to say that here - and it is a lovely prayer.
Bramble
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The World has always been a scary place, remember the Crusades? That was us going 'over there'. Many disputes can find England at the basis of it all ……….
It should be like a puddle: drop a little bit of care into friends and family and watch it spread outwards ;)
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The ripple effect. Even a smile to a stranger you pass on the street can make an impact. I know when someone smiles at me it has a positive effect. I pass the smile on. I know how I feel when I am at the receiving end of acts of kindness. You may not be able to change the world in a big way, but you can influence those around you, which will ripple on.
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It does depend on where you live as to how the smile will be received ::) ………
:hug:
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Yes, and that's sad. If you smile at someone in London, they look straight through you. Only exceptions are when it's a really lovely day, or sometimes with an elderly person.
The news is depressing and upsetting, but I'd rather know what is going on than live with my head in the sand. I don't suppose news of any era has been any better really. Can't think of a period when human beings have been nice to each other!
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For friendliness and chatty people you can't beat Scotland. It's the one thing I find strange when I come south of the border. Everyone is very reserved with strangers.
It's almost impossible for people not to talk to you up here. Glasgow is renowned for that. It might drive some people up the wall but it's what I'm used to......in fact I do it myself. ;D
I guess it all depends on where you stay..Cities can be very anonymous places, guess that's why I like fairly rural places.
Honeyb
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Next month we are moving to a town of 2000, with outlying areas totally not more than 12,000. It is such an old fashioned small town feeling, but still has lots,of goods and bads. Lots of folks there come for the friendliness and in many ways, we will be escaping much of the real world as quite remote and 7600 feet elevation in the Colorado Rockies. The 'news' is often from listening to personal radio scanners, especially when it snows in winter. Folks tend to help each other. I would be the 'nurse' someone else the good cook, one of the men would take his ATV with a snow blade and rid our driveways of four feet of snow. So escape is part of the plan.
I feel the modern world has the means for destruction and that we are reaching some sort of tipping point. Interesting that Canada seems to stay out of the international news. I have my passport ready as I was born in Canada and never renounced citizenship, my parents renounced it for their children, so technically I can become a Canadian citizen at will.
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Sounds good Trey - exciting times ahead!!
Old Sheep - I think it must depend on which part of London you're in? I'm not sure that we can generalise really. There are friendly and unfriendly places in all cities and, to be honest, villages are not always the friendliest of places either. In the biggest town to us it is sometimes difficult to strike up a conversation because the other person doesn't speak English and I don't speak whichever language they speak. They still smile though which is great.
Taz x
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I find it can be like that in the same street. We have lovely neighbours and those living a few doors away will always chat without imposing but the guy opposite hasn't spoken to us for over 5 years simply because we did not do something that he wanted us to do. And I used to go in and have coffee with his wife before that day he took a huff with us!
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I think I have been lucky as have never encountered unfriendliness though our next door neighbour is a builder , the new man in the life of the lady who lives there, there seems to be many more vans now in the close which is far too small for what is a very sedate Close and we are getting hemmed in, trouble is he is a pleasant chap and no one one seems to want to complain.
Trey I can understand the appeal of your new home, by coincidence OH and I were talking about where would be the safest place to live as the world has seem to become a more frightening place we did think of Canada. They do tend to keep out of the world stage.
Are there "Preppers" where you are going to live? Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures.
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SL, pray tell what is a 'prepper'. Is it preparing for the worst. That would be a no if so.
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We find that once above the Watford Gap people are more friendly the higher up we go ;) ……. how will I recognise you in Glasgow then …………. :whist:
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I've no idea what a prepper is either!
Taz - yes, although I find that when I join a class, people smile and talk. But to strangers, no. Plus I've known one really nice woman from my class for 2 years now and I'm still a bit nervous to ask her for a coffee.
I'm from South Africa where everyone is instantly friendly (or hostile: depends!). I think it's the sheer no of people here; people guard their own space.
It was one of the hardest things for me, coming here. First time I walked on the narrow paths in the local park, everyone avoided eye contact which was absurd and a bit depressing. Even in France, you'd say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' even if it's not that friendly.
And don't try to talk to anyone on public transport! I spent 2 years outside of London, in the south east, and didn't find it much easier to be honest. Mind you, I was in a town that has a reputation for being a bit closed up (Lewes), very pretty though.
Glasgow sounds really friendly! Pity about the weather :D
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Lewes has improved, we've never had problems, people are open and friendly. I think that holiday destinations that rely on tourists for such a short while have to be friendly ;)
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People who prepare for the breakdown of society and make themselves self sufficient by storing food, making there own electricity. Protect themselves and store medical supplies. Water and so on. There are many in America doing this and it is catching on in UK. There have been some programs on TV about it.
If you Google there is lots about it.
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After 9/11 I started storing stuff but the anxiety relating to the state of the World wore off. We can't generate our electricity, water is via the local provider ………...
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SL, the Mormons always have a stash on hand per the values of their church beliefs. We lived in Utah and the Costco there carried emergency buckets with a year's supply of dehydrated meals. My neighbor, non Mormon, showed us his 'stash' an entire cupboard of Tangeray 10 gin.
Where we are going, folks are generally very independent and quite friendly. We have a higher than usual, I think, retired military, police, intelligence, presence. So it is considered safer than big cities for sure.
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Trey these guys do it in a big way ( doing it for years)they have hideaways and bunkers http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/ they do come in for a lot of criticism and ridicule but considering the way things seem to be going at the moment it suddenly does not seem such a bad idea.
I think where you are going sounds just right and I can picture it must admit I do have a picture of "The Waltons" in my mind, send some pics when you are settled.
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What happened to the meals if they weren't eaten :-\
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We kept our bucket for two years and then tossed it. I guess you could say we kicked the bucket.
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What a waste: half the World starves, the rest of us throw food away …… perhaps they should have been eaten or given to the dogs ……..
I've switched off our local news this evening, watching le Veulta instead :-*
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It was passed the expiration date. I waste very little.
But I agree, the world is out of balance is so many ways.
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Dog food perhaps :-\ ;)
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Seems someone organised wants to make London friendlier too. Just read about this http://talktomeday.org/
Great idea but a bit sad. If you don't want anyone to talk to you, take off the badge.
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More likely to get a fist in the gob :-\ ………. I think it needs to start closer by, i.e. with neighbours or people one regularly meets whilst travelling ……… I also suspect it depends on the age group ;)