If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)
September 10
“Here’s a lesson to test your mind’s mettle: take part of a week in which you have only the most meager and cheap food, dress scantly in shabby clothes, and ask yourself if this is really the worst that you feared. It is when times are good that you should gird yourself for tougher times ahead, for when Fortune is kind the soul can build defenses against her ravages. So it is that soldiers practice maneuvers in peacetime, erecting bunkers with no enemies in sight and exhausting themselves under no attack so that when it comes they won’t grow tired.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 18.5–6
I got to practice being hungry and a little stressed out last Sunday. Had a few issues with my Saab and we wound up going to our favorite local place for breakfast at 10:30am. It was packed(we usually avoid it on Sundays). I was starving and we waited 45 minutes for our table and then another 45 minutes for food. My wife kept trying to get me to leave because she knows this will make me HANGRY. I managed to stay cheerful and we had a good time there. A year ago, I would have thought this was impossible, because I get cranky when I’m hungry and always thought there was nothing I could do about it.
September 11
“Let us get used to dining out without the crowds, to being a slave to fewer slaves, to getting clothes only for their real purpose, and to living in more modest quarters.”
—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 9.3b
I mostly live a simple life. I am not one to go to fancy places, nor do I follow fashion(unless work boots, t-shirts, and jeans with long hair is fashionable). I do have a pretty truck that I enjoy, but my daily driver is a 2005 Saab. My house is larger than I need, and that is not going to change. I think it’s important that I live here because I like it, not because I am trying to impress anyone.
September 12
“Zeno always said that nothing was more unbecoming than putting on airs, especially with the young.”
—DIOGENES LAERTIUS, LIVES OF THE EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS, 7.1.22
I don’t act haughty and I will not tolerate people that do. I used to get picked on because I never had name brand clothes or shoes. To this day, my wife thinks that is why Louis Vuitton, Gucci or similar things make me roll my eyes. Now as a grownup, I still see the same attitude with some of my co-workers clothes and purses. I don’t get it and I hope I never do.
September 13
“No, it is events that give rise to fear—when another has power over them or can prevent them, that person becomes able to inspire fear. How is the fortress destroyed? Not by iron or fire, but by judgments . . . here is where we must begin, and it is from this front that we must seize the fortress and throw out the tyrants.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.1.85–86; 87a
My mind is my defense against the external forces trying to get me stressed out or angry. As long as I an able to correctly ascertain what I control and what is totally outside of my control, my fortress is strong. When I allow hunger or tiredness to cause me to snap at my wife, it crumbles from the inside. How strong the fortress remains is up to me.
September 14
“Try praying differently, and see what happens: Instead of asking for ‘a way to sleep with her,’ try asking for ‘a way to stop desiring to sleep with her.’ Instead of ‘a way to get rid of him,’ try asking for ‘a way to not crave his demise.’ Instead of ‘a way to not lose my child,’ try asking for ‘a way to lose my fear of it.’”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 9.40.(6)
I have been a believer in this type of prayer for a while. When I used to go to church with my wife and I tried to see if I could find faith, I never saw the sense in praying for God to do something for me. All the evidence I saw showed me God does not care what happens to us physically. Instead of praying for help I would pray for the resolve needed for what we were struggling with at the time. I still do it, but not so much as a prayer, more as an internal pep talk.
September 15
“First practice not letting people know who you are—keep your philosophy to yourself for a bit. In just the manner that fruit is produced—the seed buried for a season, hidden, growing gradually so it may come to full maturity. But if the grain sprouts before the stalk is fully developed, it will never ripen. . . . That is
the kind of plant you are, displaying fruit too soon, and the winter will kill you.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.8.35b–37
Maybe back then, being a Stoic was something people aspired to, so new students would brag about being Stoics. Now it is easy to not tell people the philosophy I follow. Most people I know think I am odd, this would help validate that to them. I have received comments in the past from people noticing that I was not easy to stress out. They had no idea what it was, but they noticed I handled things differently than most.
September 16
“Success comes to the lowly and to the poorly talented, but the special characteristic of a great person is to triumph over the disasters and panics of human life.”
—SENECA, ON PROVIDENCE, 4.1
We all know people that are successful in spite of themselves. I was passed over for promotion and saw other people that were slicker, but not as competent, get promoted. I also knew some really great Marines that blew out knees or had other issues that caused them to get medically discharged. Life is not fair and whining or getting angry about it does nothing to improve my situation.
This week’s music is from Fight, Rob Halford’s band after he left Judas Priest. I was never a big Priest fan, but Halford can definitely sing.
Halford though with a stripped down thrash band kicked some serious ass.
War of Words is an excellent album with four amazing songs and the rest are very good.
I thought that the fortune from my cookie last week would be appropriate :
“No man is a failure who is enjoying life.”
I got a fortune cookie with my meal from Panda Express.
It was the equivalent of “Drink More Ovaltine”.
Also, my new favorite word is Ataraxis. If I ever got a boat, that’s what I would name it.
Make sure it is a big enough boat.
So Jaws is now showing at the local theater. I think I must go.
I like it.
This is the way I was taught to pray from an early age, although I will admit to succumbing to the “Please don’t let me fail this test” prayer a few times in college.
My pre-test prayer was always “please let me be at my best.”
I think everyone is guilty of that at some point.
My continued stoicism is required this week. I think my hair is turning gray as I type this.
The truly shiny care not.
Well if my hair falls out, I will be very shiny.
ENB needs a healthy dose of stoicism to take the place of the stick up her arse.
I wouldn’t ask the latter group to shut up right now for that reason, I just want them to STFU forever.
ReaCNN’s equivocation schtick is so god- awfully tiresome.
“This group may be bad but the other guys totes do it toooo!!!11!!
Who at this point nods along and says “wow, what a fresh take!”?
SMDH
Let’s see, a symbol of more or less current British values is exactly the same as a symbol of historic British wrongs. This is just that wretched 1619 Project wrapped in a Union Jack. There is no forgiveness, no progress that doesn’t come from Marxists, no redemption. Let’s just skip over, after all, Britains naval war against the slave trade and its peaceful, for the most part from its end at least, devolution of its colonies.
That’s what I can’t understand about the whining… She’s completely decolonized brush holdings? Still not enough? Of course.
#metoo
While it’s true that the Brits conquered much of the world and were less than peaceful in doing so, they were only doing what every other civilization has done throughout the course of history, whether it’s the Romans, the Franks, the Bantu, the Inca, the Aztec, etc. Their real sin was being so good at it.
Safe to say we wouldn’t be living in the luxury we do were it not for colonialism. Sorry, doomsters.
Turks and Caicos got smacked by a hurricane a few years ago. Within hours, the RAF was choppering in supplies and everything was up and running by the time we got there less than 6 months later. Kinda nice to have that empire on your side at times, huh?
As someone who doesn’t like monarchy… This is still stupid.
It’s ENB.
There is nothing of value in the past. Everything must be measured against a future ideal that will never exist.
To be fair, it has been reported that HRM once said “make me a sandwich.”
Explains why she’s side so often with commies.
It can get dumber… from local news:
Queen Elizabeth II was the modern face of colonization. Her death is undeserving of worldwide mourning: Nancy Kelsey
At least it’s labeled opinion.
Here’s a list of new British colonies established after her reign:
At least QE2 didn’t eat the colonized.
https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2022/08/how-a-reader-helped-deepen-my-reflections-on-the-history-of-oppression-for-americas-black-and-indigenous-people-nancy-kelsey.html
Oof, dieting is colonization I suppose too
I’m no fan either – but the British Navy did more to stop the slave trade than the rest of the world combined.
And when it was time to give up the Empire, they did it peacefully. Better than can be said for most – including us.
I look forward to her reaction to the people who say they’re thrilled Hillary is burning in hell when Hillary finally kicks it.
That’s just proof of continuing misogyny.
Yeah, the hypocrisy over how the left treated Margaret Thatcher was informative.
Someone on the last thread asked about next potential Queen Regnant. That would be Princess Charlotte. She is 3rd in line of succession now, ahead of her brother Louis, because they were born after the change in the law.
As a side note, at #10 is Sienna Mapelli Mozzi (born last year), which has to be the least English name high up in the list.
“Here’s a lesson to test your mind’s mettle: take part of a week in which you have only the most meager and cheap food, dress scantly in shabby clothes
That’s me every week.
Yeah, did that for about 25 years.
“Zeno always said that nothing was more unbecoming than putting on airs, especially with the young.”
Humility is a tough one, but such a valuable trait. I try to explain to my kids that it doesn’t mean meek. Some of the most successful and talented people I know are the most humble.
When you are really good, people see it.
Thanks, Ron!
You’re welcome.
This is correct.
Q, the early years.
LOL!
🙂
LOL!!
Instead of asking for ‘a way to sleep with her,’ try asking for ‘a way to stop desiring to sleep with her.’
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
+1 Mystery Method
I think I do a decent job of this long term; where I need improvement is in the short term. I am prone to stressing myself out right away when I hit a snag. I almost always work my way out of it, but I often waste time and energy worrying about it instead of quickly accepting it and figuring out how to adjust.
It’s too easy to stress myself out.
Long term thinking helps
My house is larger than I need, and that is not going to change. I think it’s important that I live here because I like it, not because I am trying to impress anyone.
#metoo
I also figured it would be easy to sell as a family would look at the house and say, “Just perfect for us.”
Hell, we very rarely have people over to our house, so we’re not trying to impress anyone. So, yeah, its “too big”, but we like it. We may downsize, but that will be because we want to (expense, upkeep, etc.).
We downsized pretty significantly and I love it. Now, looking at houses as big as my old one gives me the heebies.
I just finished my appointment at the VA.
The front desk lady asked if I needed a mask and just said “ok” when I told her I wouldn’t wear one.
Then in the waiting room the old man across from me gave me a look and then took his off.
Neither the nurse nor the Dr. said anything about it.
I needed blood drawn, but the lady there said I couldn’t go back without a mask, I explained I get headaches so bad I can’t sleep if I wear one (true story) she gave me my favorite answer “That’s our policy”, so I left.
Avoiding blood draws is always good policy.
How about drawing with blood?
Redrum. Or red room, take your pick.
This is a cunning stunt, or something like that.
I meant stunning.
I need a dose of stoicism right now. I caught hand, foot, and mouth disease from the kid and I’m pretty sure my skin is going to fall off.
That’s why you shouldn’t let goats live in your house.
Bovidaeism!!11
At least you didn’t catch monkeypox from the kid.
I had a coworker catch that and COVID. Said it was worse than the COVID.
Whoopsie!
State parks being “sensitive areas” of course means they’re free of icky gunz.
Revolutionary war reenactors will however be permitted to point tree branches and yell “bang!”
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/battle-of-plattsburgh-faces-last-minute-challenges/41124933
The founders couldn’t imagine the weapons the reenactors could have.
Ok that was funny.
Seconded.
Bravo, Doc!
Thank you.
Is Plattsburgh a revolutionary war or 1812?
No idea. It’s by the QC border, so it might even be French & Indian.
My concealed carry instructor described getting pulled over on a highway that went through a state park and the cop freaked out about him carrying. The instructor had no idea he couldn’t even be armed just driving through on the highway. That was 15ish years ago though so maybe different now.
In New York, it’s liable to be far worse.
12 Brilliant Ways Republicans Are Planning To Screw Up The Midterms
ALOL
The Bee just keeps getting better. Right after Biden’s Reichstag speech they did a whole series of articles with the same photo. Here’s a taste: https://babylonbee.com/news/biden-condemns-fascism-in-speech-while-also-debuting-attractive-new-mustache
They are amazing.
CDC Warns Of New ‘Stealth’ COVID Variant Where You Test Negative And Get No Symptoms
I get their email and I was LOL’ing while scrolling down the email of 10+ “Biden is Hitler” headlines in a row. Good stuff.
Those gathered cheered with thunderous applause.
Zing!
I’ve noticed a lot of satirical news article writers have trouble ending the article, but that’s never a problem for the Bee.
Fail to post one of those family pictures where every child is armed to the teeth: Thomas Massie is safe.
When everything is an emergency. Mask up people!
New York governor declares disaster emergency after polio found in wastewater
Moar emergency powers for her, hurrah!
OFFS
They can’t stop. They’ll be forever reminiscing about reaching their authoritarian peak in 2020 when they lived their best sociopath’s life, like that high school football star who’s only bar story is that championship winning play from back in the day.
They peaked, and now they’re bitter.
You’re optimistic…
🙄
Couldn’t just issue a warning not to drink wastewater?
Midday musical interlude.
Enjoy. My neighbors are!
That was actually a good song.
😉
My 93 year old mom is back in the hospital. She had gallstones out and somehow caught pneumonia while in the hospital. She is breathing on oxygen right now and comfortable at least. But I am trying to remain Stoic about that. She is my only surviving parent and it will feel different when she passes.
Sorry to hear that, AJ. I hope she gets to come home soon.
Sorry.
Praying for you and her RJ.