Systemic - affecting the body as a whole

I just saw a video titled
"YOU ARE NOT DEPRESSED, STOP IT"
I fell prey to the obvious, click-bait title and pressed play with some mild hope that the video might hold something more promising than the title.

With in the first few seconds he says this:
"Hold on, hold on, don't be so quick to protect that which causes you suffering".

In the context of depression, anxiety or any other mental disorder most people would say this is a resounding and inspiring comment! But allow me one question, Would you say this same thing to some one who has diabetes, a broken limb, or asthma?
The answer is no, you wouldn't. You would not so quickly make any comment to invalidate the suffering of someone who suffers from any disease....other than those of the mental variety?

The main point of his video is a metaphor in which the depressed person is the sky, and depression is a cloud floating by. my response is this:
"Depression is not merely a cloud passing by,

depression is your entire sky,
and drifting through this sky, intermittently passing you by,
are clouds of light that leave you floating high!

Equally like all clouds, they will not and can not stay
and so they continue quickly on their merry way;
blowing and drifting like boats in the tide,
they leave you alone, in this overcast sky
of depression, in which you so firmly reside."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Let me make my point clear: Do not lightly invalidate or attack the suffering of someone else.
In this video he tried to make a good and valid point, that you can overcome your depression, and you are not (wholly) defined by your depression. His down fall is that he failed to recognize that there is a large difference in 'feeling depressed' and actually 'BEING depressed'.
Depression is not just 'feeling sad, or down', depression is a very real and very serious systemic disease.
Make sure you fully understand something before you make a move to invalidate it.

I attached the video below, watch it if you'd like and form your own opinion about it; don't just base your opinion off of mine.

Dreamy Story Ideas

Most of my coolest story ideas have been from cool dreams I've had. I had a dream last night that I wrote out part of as an idea for a short story maybe.

(Fair warning. word for word written by a just-woken-up-, still-half-asleep me.)
Souls are now being used as fuel. souls "break apart" often, leaving pieces just floating around. Whenever someone "bares their soul" soul pieces escape. Places like hospitals, theatres, churches, adoption agencies, courtrooms, and other such places are used as harvest points.

Soul power was discovered in the middle of the 21st century as scientists were attempting to develop new, more powerful solar panels. While doing tests, they discovered what they later determined to be soul pieces.

As people started harvesting souls they discovered that there are hundreds of different types of souls.
~Healing souls - willing to fight to the end for what they believe
~Creator souls - belong to artist, musicians, architects, inventors, and the like. sees beauty all around them
~The rarest kind of soul is only found in about 2-3% of the population: Kindred Souls.
Most people's souls are made up of between 2-10 types. Kindred souls can contain on average 20-50 types, and in extremely rare cases may contain even more! This makes them very empathetic and understanding (even towards those with whom they don't share soul types). Although, some kindred souls have used this power of understanding with malic to manipulated and undermine others.

At soul harvesting points, the ambient soul particles are gathered and contained in specialized transport units that get sent to 'soul-ar power' plants to be converted to usable power. The most interesting thing about kindred souls is that, when they come into physical contact the transport units, the souls inside begin to emit light. It's even said by some that in very rare, extreme cases the souls will even begin to sing.

a whisper of writing

I don't often write, but I've been trying to write more.
As was I looking through old writings I found this and thought I'd share. Have this little tidbit I wrote from a prompt I saw on tumblr. Enjoy, and tell me what you think of it.


"Here you go." I repeated for the hundredth time today as I hand a woman her coffee. Her hand touched mine for a brief moment as the coffee exchanged hands. Her skin was smooth and warm. "Thanks." She said already on to the next part of her day. I sigh as I look down and notice her change, still sitting on the counter. "Hey, Lara, be right back. Some lady forgot her change." I grabbed her change and rushed out the door. Thankfully she hadn't walked very far. "Mam. Hey, lady." I yell, she turns "You forgot your change." I say handing her a couple of bills and a few coins. "Oh my gosh! Thank you. I can't believe I walked off without it. I feel like an idiot" "Don't feel bad, it happens to the best of us." I say. The silence linger in the air just long enough to be awkward.
"Anyways, um..have a good day, and enjoy your coffee." "Thanks again." She says with a smile.  I walk back towards the dinner but turn as I hear a large bang behind me, and then it feels like a bus hits me in the chest. I fall to the ground.....I can't breath.
The fact that people are screaming and dashing in all directions vaguely registers. I still don't know what that noise was...or what hit me....and I can't breath right. Why can't I breathe right? Then it feels like a wall of noise, pain and confusion rushes over me and I connect the large noise with what hit me. I got shot...which is terrible and all, but I'm more annoyed by the fact that I can't seem to focus... Black dots swim around my vision getting larger, and larger until, I all I can see is blackness...it doesn't hurt anymore....
                                               ~~~~~~~~~
I stand staring down at a six foot deep hole in the earth that can in no way match the hole in my life that my best friend used to fill. "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope..." What does he know, he doesn't ev-.... didn't even know Conner. It seems like forever till the old man stops talking, and then one by one people solemnly leave until it's just me standing over a pile of fresh dirt. "In movie when someone dies their family are supposed to be standing here." I say out loud, talking to myself, or maybe Connor, or maybe to no one. Although my voice is so choked up I doubt anyone would be able understand me. "How this happen?" I sink to my knees, and then slowly sit, now talking to Conner. Not that he will ever answer me again. "How could you leave me? What happened to all of our plans for the future?" I start sobbing "You always said that you've known me forever and always would." Memories of us playing as children come, unbidden, to mind. I push them away, I can't bear to relive them, not right now. "I just.. I just want.. I want you to not be dead... To walk out from behind that tree and hug me, punch my arm and tell me to stop being such a baby" I glance at the tree, half expecting him to be standing there with that ridiculous
grin, and laugh at some joke he thought of that he'll tell me in a moment. "But you're never going to do that. You're gone... And I'm still here." My crying, which had slowed, begins anew. "I am left standing here. Over your GRAVE." I punch the grass, voice cracking as I say, "And I didn't even get to say goodbye." I stand up slowly. "So this is me...Standing by your side, just like always. Saying.." My voice barely above a whisper "saying goodbye, to my best friend in the world....."
                                                                                    -"goodbye"
                                                 

4-H Forestry - Regional at best

For the past several months I have attended at least one forestry meeting a week, sometimes more.

I've spent hours poring over pictures, sample and loads of different books, learning how to ID 52 different tree species by their leaves, bark and fruit, and how to ID the  insects and diseases that affect those trees.

It all paid off on Wednesday when the two other members of my forestry team and I went to our regions Regional Forestry Judging Team competition.

We aced it!

All three of us placed in the top 5. I personally placed 2nd. The two guys placed 4th and 5th. 

There was only a 1 point difference between 2nd and 4th place! 3rd place was the .5 point between us!

As a team we came in 1st and will be going to the state competition!!

If we place first there we will go on to Nationals.

I honestly think we have a pretty good chance if we keep up all the hard work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We owe it all to our amazing coach and committed parents.

Thanks for all you do, we couldn't do it with out you.

Until I see you again,     

Jane Doe

just checking in

¡Hola amigos míos!

It's almost 12:30 in the morning and I'm awake, so I decided to write a little and give y'all an update about my life.

First things first: I  finally got my drivers permit a few weeks ago!

It's been over a year since I reached the minimum age requirement, but I only just got around to going and taking the test. I only missed 3 questions, 1 of which was because the DMV's mouse was glitch-y and moved as I clicked the answer..weird, right?

What's weirder is the fact that I got my Level 1 Archery Instructor's license before I got my driver's permit.

That's right! I do archery. I started a couple years ago when my dad found an old bows of his from when he was a kid and wondered if I could pull it back. Needless to say, I could, and I quite enjoyed it.

Something I'm really looking forward to this week is working at a big fair in my area. I'm in 4-H and we have a vendor stand selling sweet tea and boiled corn. It might not sound like much but it's a ton of fun.

On one of the days I work I'm going to get to work with this guy who I really like, and who likes me.

We actually went on a date Saturday! We went to the fair together and just hung out and rode rides, until I threw up that is. :/

That's right. I threw up on a date. 

Great flirting skills, I know.

The thing was that I hadn't eaten a whole lot, and it was really hot and humid. That plus all the rides got to me and I threw up. we then had to sit around for like an hour before I finally felt well enough to walk around again.

Honestly though, it really was awesome and I had a ton of fun. He's an amazing guy with an amazing laugh, and he makes me want to smile and laugh all the time.

Well, before I get any more cheesy, I'm going to finish my milk and go to bed.

Buenas noches,    

Jane Doe

sorry it's been so long!

As I sit here drinking coffee and staring at the screen, I realize just how long it's been since I last posted. Wow. I had meant to post fairly regularly and update y'all about my life,

but then that life got in the way and I got really busy.

This post is only going to be about one of the many things that happened while I was 'away'.

~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~○~

My sister got married!!!

 

It was beautiful, She was beautiful. They're in love.

It's absolutely sickeningly adorable.

p.s. none of the wedding pictures are mine.
they were all taken by his sister.

  She made her own wedding dress, and it was amazing!

Family photo with newest member

I was maid of honor, our little sister was a bride's maid.

The ceremony was awesome, 

they wrote their own vows and people cried.

 The reception was like a big family reunion...only with two families!

There was lots of dancing, eating, smiling, hugging. 

All around it was a good day.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

That's all for this post. I will post more this week, I promise. 

I took lots of pictures at the wedding, but I can't post any yet 

because I took them on my film camera and I haven't gotten the film developed yet. I'm going to that this week though.

Hasta la vista,            

Jane Doe

Why I was late for Forestry - or - How I caught a pet chicken

It's true! After years, and years, of asking, I finally have a chicken!!

Meet Chelsey the Chicken

The coolest thing about getting her is actually HOW we got her.

My mom and I were on our way to a 4-H forestry meeting, and we were driving down a very busy road when suddenly I saw a blob of black feathers in the median. As we passed said blob I realized that it is in fact a lone chicken, braving the wild world and whizzing cars in search of adventure. 

Okay, so maybe she wasn't in searching for adventure, but she was in danger of being hit by a car if she decided to venture off the median. My mother, after she translated the frantic sounds that cam out of my mouth into English, executed a probably illegal u-turn and pulled the van to a stop on one side of the median.

I feared the the chicken would become afraid of us and run into the the oncoming traffic, so I jumped out of the van and positioned myself  on her other side, pinning her between the van and myself.

While I did that, my mother opened the doors on that side of the van in search of a t-shirt or something to help catch this intrepid chicken. while she searched, I began herding the chicken towards the van. 

Right about then some lady pulled up behind us, also interested in the adventures of  this wayfaring chicken, "Watch his' spurs!" she warned, apparently our chicken was a rooster.

As she and my mother stood on the sidelines and watched, I herded the rooster closer to the van, thinking that I could pin him in and grab him. 

Lo and behold, the chicken strutted up to the van and hopped right in, claiming the middle seat as his throne from which he would rule over his domain.

Already late for forestry, we jumped in the car and continued on our way with much laughter and giggling as we fully realized how odd the situation was. I decided his name was Ferdinand.

After forestry, we called my little sister (who had stayed at home and missed all the excitement), and had her ready a dog cage in which to put the chicken.

We drove by the house and put the Ferdinand in the cage, then the cage in the car and drove with him, to archery practice.

A while later, I had just strung and drawn an arrow when I heard an odd *plop* sound from the direction of the Ferdinand's cage. I loosed the arrow and then went in search of the source of the noise.

I found it. In the cage was a small, light tan egg!

 I guess I need a different name! 

Of course, I still needed dad's permission, and I still need a coop, and food, and such, but she's staying. 

And thus, Chelsey the Chicken became a member of our household.

At the moment she is staying in the dog cage at night, and free ranging (under supervision) during the day.

Chelsey in the dog cage. 1st day we had her.

She also, so far, gets along well enough our dog, Sadie, that I am comfortable with them being around each other. The cat however thinks Chelsey is a very large mouse, and would try to eat her if given the chance.

Sadie and Chelsey,
chillin' out

I also purchased a small dog harness and am able to put the harness on her and take her on walks.

Everybody should take selfies with a chicken

I have been very pleased with how sweet she is She will let you pick her up, pet her, move her cage around. She'll even sit on your shoulder!

This has been 'Adventures of the Chicken Whisperer'

Hope to see you next time!

Jane Doe