The Ten Thousand Things

Christmas in the bin? What can be redeemed in it? / Note to self: 'let it stream' / That's Facts - A dark brooding romantic fixer upper 1. Christmas - Quite a few people are not into Christmas at all so here is a A Christmas Survival Guide Why do people hate christmas? Hear from the internet masses here - it's a lot of the same reasons that Joe does. Too much booze, too much pretend, enforced intimacy, stress, loss, sadness and expense. Not having the extended family, and when there was the extended family, it wasn't great. Or do kids who have Christmas, just kind of enjoy it and don't notice or ignore what's going on with the adults? On Christmas Day Joe will be on the road northwards, listening to non-Christmas tunes. It's all about that Boxing Day Test. When that starts - the pressure is off, finally. Picture him driving to the sounds of Neil Young - Unknown Legend 2. Note to Self - Let it Stream Let things be as they are. You can't push away the negative thought. Don't hold onto the positive thought. Don't even try to push away the annoyance at having to just accept the existence of thoughts that you don't like. Change the channel - a cognitive behavioural therapy method for dealing with intrusive thoughts. Is cognitive behavioural therapy NOT the best thing ever? It won't get to the REAL stuff. Well that's what Lacanians and Freudians say. There's lots of other good modes of counselling and psychotherapy.  But change the channel works. Being annoyed or tortured by intrusive thoughts? Change the channel by putting another thought there. Read a sign or a license plate. Disrupt the other thought. Probably more productive than just trying to push it away. That's Facts - A dark brooding romantic fixer upper Does Joe sometimes choose to lead on a date with a troubled self over a fun self? Both selves are real, so which to present? Present nothing, just let things be as they are? Does the fixer upper always fail? Is there anything wrong with two people wanting to entertain the same illusion, that we will always have fun, or that we can save each other? Does anyone really want a fixer upper for a partner? Why? To help entertain their own delusion that they are magical, which is much easier when the other person sees the magic in you, and one way to do that is to invite someone looking for magic solutions in their life. I hope we all get through the holiday period best as we can. Truly, blessings and best wishes to all, and if there is a miracle for you, that's great. It can be a season for endings and undoings and also new beginnings. Maybe you can invent a great new tradition with a collection of dear people, whether they you biological kin or not. Sam: Merry Christmass/Merry 'this time of year' to one and all, may the goddess bless you --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thetenthousandthings/message