Some Amusing Happenings

Well, I’m back from the first of two trips and my obsession over travelling music hasn’t changed, not that I expected it to. If anything, it worked out for me as the amount of music I took with me was spot on for the entire journey. The last song from the last CD finished just as I was driving through my town heading home. One unexpected contributor to this was the fact that because of the lousy weather, my son and grandsons couldn’t come to me, so I made a special trip to see them. Of course, I had to listen to CDs on the short journey, so in the end, everything worked out fine in that regards.

My three days away brought up another amusing issue. The let’s call him “The Forge of Empires bully” is back attacking my city in the game. Knowing this, before I went away, I disconnected the roads in my city so after he attacked, there was nothing for him to plunder. That’ll teach him! Anyway, when I got back and went into the game, I discovered a message from him. It said for me to re-connect my roads so he could plunder me and he called me a ‘coward’ for my action. I responded that I had gone away and it was senseless for me to leave my city ripe for plundering and ended by pointing out that I didn’t really need to justify my actions to him.

My conclusion is that this guy is a bigger short name for Richard which is also used to refer to the male reproductive organ than what I originally thought. However, his actions are in accordance with many bullies. Whenever a victim is able to find someway to halt the bullying, the bully will immediately cry “foul” and change tack by crying victim because their victim as made it more difficult to bully. One tactic is to actually make the victim out to be a coward. Of course the bully friends will join in and this results in a different type of bullying. However, the victim should not be shamed into doing anything which stops or even lessens the bullying. All the bully is doing is whining because (s)he can’t bully their victim so easily. The victim should always stand their ground in this situation.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1598289155&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Music Obsession

WASP

Ever since I got my first car with a tape deck inside, (I listen to CDs now,) I have obsessed over the music which would make my travel feel lighter. For me, driving down the highway with my music at a reasonable volume, depending on the situation, (it always goes up considerably when travelling to concerts), makes the journey more enjoyable. However, the trick for me is to take the right amount of music to cover the length of the journey. That is the challenge!

This is what I obsess over. When planning the music for my journey, I consider things like where I’m driving, how long the journey will take and how many CDs I should bring. When I am driving in a city, close to a unfamiliar destination, the music goes off for fear of it causing a distraction. Another important consideration is how many CDs with regard to the number of songs on an album and their length. Very rarely do I get it spot on so I tend to over compensate, logic being that an unlistened to CD will get its listen on my next journey, whether that be to work or to the shops or hopefully in September, supply teaching assignments.

With the lockdown restrictions relaxed, I will be taking a couple of family trips over the next two weeks. Already, I’m beginning to obsess over how many CDs I should take. Which ones aren’t so important because I have another obsession where my music gets listened to in the order they are on the shelves, although certain events may cause me to listen to some CDs slightly out of order. Example: when I go to a festival, I will take a couple of CDs I know my stepson likes, so he’s happy. Anyway, back to the original thought, I am wondering if this musical obsession is becoming too much and that I should lighten up a bit. I think the current Covid crisis has triggered this because I am not listening to my music at the normal rate. Usually, each CD gets listened to every five to six months but because I am not travelling so much, it has stretched to eight months. Really, I shouldn’t worry about it, I know this, but it doesn’t stop me from doing so.

Like so many people with Asperger’s Syndrome and combining it with my past, I worry that my obsession with music is out of the realms of what is called ‘normal.’ I also worry that it might be unhealthy. Then again, some of the service users I work with have far more obsession which some will call ‘not normal.’ So maybe I am worrying over nothing. Hopefully, writing about it has now eased my worries over it.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1597695563&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

 

Song Lyrics Quote: Henry Gross- Shannon

Shannon has gone I heard she’s drifting out to sea

She always loved to swim away.

Maybe she’ll find an island with a shaded tree

Just like the one in our backyard.

Back in the summer of 1976,  I worked at a summer camp which the one in “He Was Weird” is based on. Every Tuesday, the camp went roller skating and this song always got played at the last ‘couples skate.’ It’s amazing how it came back to me after more than forty years.

 

Song Lyrics Quote: Kansas- Dust in the Wind

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea.

All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see.

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.

Intrusive Thoughts Won’t Go Away

Intrusive thoughts have been a thorn in my eye throughout most of my life. Most of them are based on events from my past life and I find myself playing an alternative outcome, in my head, to the way they actually worked out. I know, I can’t change the past but that doesn’t keep the thoughts from coming back. Usually, I am able to say, “Intrusive thoughts, go away” and they do for a while. However, they always come back.

So, what I am going to do now is to list some of the main intrusive thoughts I have and write a rebuttal. Maybe using this logic, they will not be so bothersome in the future.

First and foremost, everyone who has bullied me in the past is in the past. The chances of seeing any of these people again is extremely remote. Thinking about it only gets me angry inside and with my DAMP, and the tendency to act out what I’m thinking, makes this a problem. Solution: I’ll never see these people again, so they and my thoughts can go away!

My mother has been gone for two and a half years. I miss her every day but I don’t miss her nagging. Trust me, my sister gave her the nickname of ‘Nag Queen.’ Solution: remember all the good times with my mother and remember that she’s not around to nag me anymore.

Back when I worked in a factory over thirty years ago, I could have gone to the union after the company knocked me back for promotion and hired outsiders. I believe the shop steward would have gotten me that promotion. However, I did get it three months later. More importantly, I left that company 28 years ago and have since qualified as a teacher and have a great job working with adults with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Since most of  my intrusive thoughts are centred around being bullied, most of them fall into the first point. Hopefully, writing this will give me the power to deal with the intrusive thoughts, but I am always open to advice from others.

I didn’t use intrusive thoughts in “He Was Weird,” but I know that Mark would have had them later in his life, if he was still alive. To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1597095371&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song Lyrics Quote: Savatage

Madness reigns in the hall of the mountain king.

Everyone Loves a Fighter

Sugar Ray Leonard v Roberto Duran

One point in “He Was Weird” which some readers found intriguing and was actually true in my experiences which inspired me to write the book was that at my elementary (primary) school, there was on average, a fight every week. Some weeks there might not have been any but I remember one week, there were four fights. So, it balances out. These fights always drew a big crowd of children to watch and cheer. Winners would be congratulated and losers would be jeered.

The ‘kids fight’ mentality was the accepted norm when I was growing up. Boys were expected to be able to use their fists and any boy who didn’t was branded weak, a pussy or other such labels. Some even argued that it toughened boys up. That was perfectly fine if a boy was good with his fists, but boys like me who weren’t, it became a nightmare. The problem with that kind of thinking is that it inevitably leads to bullying. The boys who are good fighters can intimidate and bully the weaker ones by threatening to or actually causing bodily harm to them.

Unfortunately, this strong rule the weak and you should learn to fist fight mentality has been the norm for generations and is ingrained in many societies. Because the strong boy can fight, his bullying is praised because he is seen as tough while their oppressed are seen as weak and they deserve what happens to them on account of it. It is even used to get the victims to accept the status quo. I remember one person being told, “You’ll never kick anyone’s ass so you should accept it.” Even when a weaker person does try to stand up for himself, the bully sees this as a challenge and naturally responds with violence. Because everyone is in awe of the bully, the victim is made to be at fault. It’s his fault because of the fact he’s not good with his fists, therefore he shouldn’t stand up for himself. No wonder why some victims snap and shoot up their school.

Exploring this issue might have answered one issue which has been dogging my mind since my military days some forty years ago. Back then, my black comrades in arms seem to target me and ignored the redneck hillbilly who was in the Klu Klux Klan. That redneck hillbilly was handy with his fists and thought he could get his way by kicking or threatening to kick people’s asses. Because he was a ‘strong white boy’ I think the blacks respected him for that, despite his appalling prejudices.

As long as there is a ‘might makes right’ mentality and we continue to praise bullies who happen to be good with their fists, bullying will continue and victims lives will be made miserable. There is no justification for this type of behaviour and it needs to be stopped, the sooner we do, the better it will be for everyone.

To buy He Was Weird, go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Was-Weird-Publisher-Generation-Publishing/dp/B00SLVHRFG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36I8I1G32U0R4&dchild=1&keywords=he+was+weird&qid=1596529536&s=books&sprefix=he+was+%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song Lyrics Quote: Cheap Trick- Dream Police

They’re looking for me, they’re waiting for me

Every single night!

They’re driving me insane, those men inside my brain.