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This winter wonderland sucks.  

SilyconBond 55M
193 posts
2/15/2021 10:12 am

Last Read:
2/16/2021 8:31 am

This winter wonderland sucks.


I have not seen it so bad in Austin, Texas, since I've lived here. My front lawn trees are broken, ice and snow everywhere. Rolling blackouts, meal planning on hold, the gym is closed. The worse part, I'm now stuck at home with a moody college . I should have never answered the phone on Saturday when he called.
I had a great time on Saturday, but coming home Saturday night was the wrong decision. My job won't even let me work at home because the office network is down. I've run out of household items to clean, organize, and I don't want to work in the garage it's so cold.

I got some interesting messages. All telling me I am stuck on myself. They don't offer any advice on how to get unstuck. I guess confidence is intimidating to those that don't have it. That guy that commented on my status, thanks Dude, I didn't know I could do that. If you are trying to make a friend, maybe start off with something less... Never mind, I can't change anyone. Add a few more comments, like I'm a terrible blogger and other stuff. Be creative.

The weather is preventing me from walking my friend's weird . She has her own ice/snow/rain boots. The puts them on herself at seven if the weather is terrible. She will bring you the leash right afterward and her coat. She will not pee or poop in any other yard except her own. Now, she stays with the woman who came to my office on Friday night because the power is out in the neighborhood. Unfortunately for her, the won't poop or pee in ANY yard except her own. She will whine till she gets there. She walks the to her own house a couple blocks away four times a day. That woman complains every time via text that it's all my fault. She volunteered, Jeeze.
Odd how that worked against her. She did something really nice for me, and now she is taking care of someone else's . I guess I could make the twenty-mile<b> hike </font></b>in the ice/snow to her house since my car is blocked in. A stroll in the cold that far doesn't appeal to me. Her electricity is sketchy in that area. I'm warm and toasty.

My gym is closed. Unlike the rest of the world of men, it bothers me the most. I've had this habit of going almost everyday for over a year now. It's less frequent when my job tries to get in the way, but I enjoy the clarity of thought I have after exercise.
Years ago, I tried going to this meditation retreat for a week. It was hot, mosquitoes, and the food just sucked ass. It was really hard, and I thought I was the only one there who couldn't get it. So, at night I would sneak around the outside perimeter of the camp, go swimming in a pond, and exhaust myself that I would sleep most of the day. On the third night, I met a Vietnamese woman at the pond I was swimming in. Yes, we had sex…and the next night, the following night. I was physically exhausted during the day, really active at night on the bank of that pond. She never gave me her name. When I got onto the bus the last day, I found out she was married to another guy on the bus. He was so happy about the meditation experience. I felt numb from it. The reason I went there was to do that, but I didn't really do it.

Fast forward to my Taiwan visit. I was in the gym after work, and a Buddha monk came in to exercise. I hit it off really well with him, and we talked about why I had so much trouble meditating. He laughed and said he had been doing it for years, and it still sucked. It was uncomfortable for him, his thoughts would wander, and his body ached with pain to be in the same posture with his brothers. His enlightened state came when he had endured the pain so long, his body would ignore it. Then he gave me some advice, and I don't think it conformed to his doctrine. "Lifting weights gives you pain, but you do it. Why not just lift so you can feel the pain more. Life is pain. The more you can endure, the happier you might be." I don't know if he was a good monk or not. He did me.
So, I lift instead of meditating. Being static is not a life for me. I'm never happy sitting still.
I hung around him and my friend in Taiwan for the months I was there. I didn't know enlightened monks could be so sour. I was entertained his company because he was so miserable most of the time. Our mutual friend kept me updated on him after I left. Told me about his pilgrimage to China. It felt good to hear news about him. It's horrific what the Chinese government did to him. What they do every day to people like him. That monk, it pains me, is dead.
I know it's weird, but I'm happier now remembering him. He showed me this finger trick that I used successfully at a local bar to make some girls giggle. He laughed when I told him about it. He lived his life through other people, not his own discomfort.

I'm going to go do laundry now, half a load, but it's something.

SilyconBond 55M
148 posts
2/15/2021 10:12 am

I have not seen it so bad in Austin, Texas, since I've lived here. My front lawn trees are broken, ice and snow everywhere. Rolling blackouts, meal planning on hold, the gym is closed. The worse part, I'm now stuck at home with a moody college kid. I should have never answered the phone on Saturday when he called.
I had a great time on Saturday, but coming home Saturday night was the wrong decision. My job won't even let me work at home because the office network is down. I've run out of household items to clean, organize, and I don't want to work in the garage it's so cold.

I got some interesting messages. All telling me I am stuck on myself. They don't offer any advice on how to get unstuck. I guess confidence is intimidating to those that don't have it. That guy that commented on my status, thanks Dude, I didn't know I could do that. If you are trying to make a friend, maybe start off with something less... Never mind, I can't change anyone. Add a few more comments, like I'm a terrible blogger and other stuff. Be creative.

The weather is preventing me from walking my friend's weird dog. She has her own ice/snow/rain boots. The dog puts them on herself at seven if the weather is terrible. She will bring you the leash right afterward and her coat. She will not pee or poop in any other yard except her own. Now, she stays with the woman who came to my office on Friday night because the power is out in the neighborhood. Unfortunately for her, the dog won't poop or pee in ANY yard except her own. She will whine till she gets there. She walks the dog to her own house a couple blocks away four times a day. That woman complains every time via text that it's all my fault. She volunteered, Jeeze.
Odd how that worked against her. She did something really nice for me, and now she is taking care of someone else's dog. I guess I could make the twenty-mile hike in the ice/snow to her house since my car is blocked in. A stroll in the cold that far doesn't appeal to me. Her electricity is sketchy in that area. I'm warm and toasty.

My gym is closed. Unlike the rest of the world of men, it bothers me the most. I've had this habit of going almost everyday for over a year now. It's less frequent when my job tries to get in the way, but I enjoy the clarity of thought I have after exercise.
Years ago, I tried going to this meditation retreat for a week. It was hot, mosquitoes, and the food just sucked ass. It was really hard, and I thought I was the only one there who couldn't get it. So, at night I would sneak around the outside perimeter of the camp, go swimming in a pond, and exhaust myself that I would sleep most of the day. On the third night, I met a Vietnamese woman at the pond I was swimming in. Yes, we had sex…and the next night, the following night. I was physically exhausted during the day, really active at night on the bank of that pond. She never gave me her name. When I got onto the bus the last day, I found out she was married to another guy on the bus. He was so happy about the meditation experience. I felt numb from it. The reason I went there was to do that, but I didn't really do it.

Fast forward to my Taiwan visit. I was in the gym after work, and a Buddha monk came in to exercise. I hit it off really well with him, and we talked about why I had so much trouble meditating. He laughed and said he had been doing it for years, and it still sucked. It was uncomfortable for him, his thoughts would wander, and his body ached with pain to be in the same posture with his brothers. His enlightened state came when he had endured the pain so long, his body would ignore it. Then he gave me some advice, and I don't think it conformed to his doctrine. "Lifting weights gives you pain, but you do it. Why not just lift so you can feel the pain more. Life is pain. The more you can endure, the happier you might be." I don't know if he was a good monk or not. He did help me.
So, I lift instead of meditating. Being static is not a life for me. I'm never happy sitting still.
I hung around him and my friend in Taiwan for the months I was there. I didn't know enlightened monks could be so sour. I was entertained by his company because he was so miserable most of the time. Our mutual friend kept me updated on him after I left. Told me about his pilgrimage to China. It felt good to hear news about him. It's horrific what the Chinese government did to him. What they do every day to people like him. That monk, it pains me, is dead.
I know it's weird, but I'm happier now remembering him. He showed me this finger trick that I used successfully at a local bar to make some girls giggle. He laughed when I told him about it. He lived his life through other people, not his own discomfort.

I'm going to go do laundry now, half a load, but it's something.


flannel_light 61F
4586 posts
2/15/2021 1:51 pm

We are getting rain here in North Carolina. If the fur baby holds it in ; for that long periods , she will need to see a Vet. Karma comes back around. You can come to NC to help me with getting organized. Enjoy your day

The Light is shinning and she is lonely and waiting in the darkness.


SilyconBond 55M
148 posts
2/15/2021 2:16 pm

    Quoting flannel_light:
    We are getting rain here in North Carolina. If the fur baby holds it in ; for that long periods , she will need to see a Vet. Karma comes back around. You can come to NC to help me with getting organized. Enjoy your day
Thank you for the comment. BTW...I really like your hair color in some of your pictures. If I lived in NC....no probs, anytime after work I could manage for organization. Its one of my best skills. I love the countryside in NC. Not as pretty as Oregon, but close, in the running for my third favorite. The French countryside being my first. Lots of trees, and I like trees.


hippiechick1967 60F  
13154 posts
2/15/2021 5:45 pm

I liked your title- it drew me in off the recent posts page.
My friend was born and raised in Austin and said there's never been anything like it. They've had no electric since yesterday, with estimated restoration being quoted anywhere between Tuesday and Friday. It was 17 degrees when I talked to her this morning. In fact, I'll be in your neck of the woods for a while late next month but I hear tell it'll be 70 degrees plus.

I really really like what your monk friend had to say:
"Lifting weights gives you pain, but you do it. Why not just lift so you can feel the pain more.
Life is pain. The more you can endure, the happier you might be."
That makes sense in a chop wood/carry water sorta way.
In fact, I'm finding it downright profound at the moment. Thanks!

Elevate me...


SilyconBond 55M
148 posts
2/15/2021 6:58 pm

    Quoting hippiechick1967:
    I liked your title- it drew me in off the recent posts page.
    My friend was born and raised in Austin and said there's never been anything like it. They've had no electric since yesterday, with estimated restoration being quoted anywhere between Tuesday and Friday. It was 17 degrees when I talked to her this morning. In fact, I'll be in your neck of the woods for a while late next month but I hear tell it'll be 70 degrees plus.

    I really really like what your monk friend had to say:
    "Lifting weights gives you pain, but you do it. Why not just lift so you can feel the pain more.
    Life is pain. The more you can endure, the happier you might be."
    That makes sense in a chop wood/carry water sorta way.
    In fact, I'm finding it downright profound at the moment. Thanks!
Thank you for your comment. Welcome to Austin, where there is a panhandler on every major intersection and the mayor hates the suburbs. There used to be a lot of live music here before COVID. I have no idea on the mentality of banning plastic bags, then charging four dollars for a reusable shopping bag, that you have to throw in the wash after every use. Do you know how much more energy that wastes? Elon Musk has moved here. We have Samsung, NXP, Cypress for semiconductors. Apple is building a huge plant here. Unfortunately I-35 sucks ass most times of the day.

He was good man. He would appreciate someone recognizing what he said something valuable. Have a great night.


SilyconBond 55M
148 posts
2/16/2021 8:31 am

    Quoting  :

We are...Been here fourteen years, and my customer never shut down to supply electricity to the city grid before. It traps me at home. I'm helping neighbors cut tree limbs that have fallen from the iced over trees. My own driveway is a sheet of ice on top of five inches of snow. Gas stations are closed around me, McDonalds, grocery stores...its crazy. My street is flooded with kids sliding down it on river floaties. ( I gave two away I had in my garage for their cause.) I have a neighbor that owns a towtruck business and he told me that his guys are working sixteen hours a day and still can't keep up. Thank you for the comment Joy.


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