So 2022 is officially done and over with, and, boy, was it ever one of those cases where people went into it thinking, "well, at least this mess can't get any worse, right?", only for reality to confidently ask us to hold its beer as it goes ahead and casually demonstrates how things could
always be worse. What could be more awful than the trash fire combo of a pandemic and an economic crisis, it heard us naively asking, happy to deliver the answer: the same, but with a whole-ass war, energy insecurity, inflation, and about a dozen environmental catastrophes sprinkled all over it as the accompanying shitnado.
I suppose the obvious lesson here is to never tempt fate by assuming the worst is behind us - especially if we haven't done much (of anything) to reverse the causes of such fate and thus deserve better - but if there's also some small comfort to be found right now, it might as well be that the particular shitshow known as 2022 can no longer hurt us. We get but a moment's peace to make a mental note of that passing of the torch before history's merciless roller-coaster starts picking up downward speed again. Delightful.
Oh, and, of course, there's also the by-product of the concluding year leaving a bunch o' funny pics of animals being little furry weirdos, while humans act even stranger and, predictably, worse around 'em. I mean, that's... better than nothing, right? (Don't deny it. At this point, you knew
exactly what you were walking into when you clicked on this thread!)
So let's review and possibly attempt to stitch together some kinda coherent narrative about the past 12 months from the pictures they left in Peg's junk drawer o' curiosities...
We always set off telling ourselves this time we're gonna seize the day and claim our rightful (value-adjusted) future.
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Marketable skills should provide some decent work opportunities. Word has it techbros' social media companies can be pretty fulfilling workplaces these days.
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Well, still, there's always retail & services openings, where at least you'll be in less stressful worst-case scenarios with managers if you get something wrong.
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(Okay, maybe not Mickey D's specifically, but
in general!)
Even when stuck, employment-wise, there's still something positive & uplifting you can do for yourself, just by going out there, fixing things and making the world a better place.
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(Being a fixer is overrated anyway.)
Prosperity can come from self-care too, they say. Slow down, regain your tempo, listen to what mother nature has to tell you, and you'll discover the truth of life's balance.
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(Mother nature's a troll and I'm blocking her.)
Perhaps lowering expectations to just maintaining yourself is the better way in times like this. You know, as long as you don't automatically become the main attraction whenever you go somewhere due to awkwardness.
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Then again, sometimes it's others that won't stop being weird & overreacting.
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(Jesus Christ and virgin hairy, doc! I told you, it's just gas.)
No use. Sooner or later your desperate acting attempts will fail, and you'll realize your normalcy theater just doesn't cut the mustard.
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Best to just embrace the truth: it's weird being out again. May as well prepare yourself psychologically, and just go out there to be the little weirdo you were always gonna be, sticking to your guns & ready for anything.
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And since lots of other people might be playing that angle too, you'd better have your underdog wits and smart strategies about you.
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Of course, not everyone's cut out for that kinda reopened, hectic world. It can all feel so exhausting, so... thinning.
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Which is why you already knew the foregone conclusion here: best to just stay home, again. Even though it's all starting to feel a bit surreal.
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Home is easy, home is safe. Just order the stuff you need and wait for it to arrive, even if you live far off. All you'll worry about is the catellite service sometimes dropping.
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There's always something comfy to do at home. Games are getting better and more hi-def, too, beckoning you to turn your head their way.
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So once again, why not just stay inside and be your own little weirdo online? After all, the internet is no less weird than you anyway.
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And, yes, this will only make the next year an exhausting rehash of the last one, wondering when it will all end. Well, nobody knows, so join the club.
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If you were hoping for some grand revelation, some profound epiphany at the end of all this, I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you in that regard. If you hadn't noticed, we're not exactly living through humanity's second age of enlightenment these days. Only nugget I can offer is to try and be generous to others with your attempts to understand them, to not dismiss their perspective before first making an honest effort to find any potential sense & meaning in it. Oh, and keep holding on, too; after all, you've made it this far!
Happy New Year, CEONSS

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