Thursday, March 16, 2023
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
What Is One of The Necessary Roles Of Journalism? To Promote Decency (Whilst HOPEFULLY Making You Think)
Illinois woman discovers dead husband in closet months after disappearance | Fox News
Hoarding is an extreme form of obsessing over oneself / one's inner thoughts. It's a deep-seated bondage relative to one's psyche that manifests itself via chronic, compulsive consumption (purchase & stockpiling) of goods. Oftentimes, for a hoarder, the cable television channel QVC or the URL, Craigslist / eBay, is on par with Internet porn for a Samson guy.
Hoarding is exploiting one's individual rights (related to consuming) within epidemic proportions. It is being the ultimate PERSONAL advocate to such a degree that no one else's "well-being" is of concern except your own.
Nonetheless...
The greatest gift to the hoarder is the difficulty therein in hiding their problem (especially when the corpse of a loved one is unearthed within the hoarded goods).
-------------------------
Immediately following our wedding, 26-years ago, Angie and I moved into our first home (an upstairs 2-bedroom apartment in Ridgeland). We ended up leasing that flat for four years, and throughout the majority of that time, a hoarder lived beneath us. I know this because of how apparent it was looking from the outside in.
Though I didn't consider myself a snoop, it was easy getting a clear view inside whilst circumnavigating to the back of our building (in order to empty our cat's litterbox). I vividly recall how shocked I was the first time I glanced into her windows, particularly relative to her kitchen. (Keep in mind that her flat's floor plan was identical to our own.)
Our neighbor's hoarding became so problematic that we (upstairs) began experiencing an ant invasion (they found their way into our staples within our small pantry). Soon thereafter, I approached our downstairs neighbor. With her being single (with one elementary age daughter), I didn't care to rat on her to management. As a result (I'm assuming), the ant problem did subside, yet in no way did her overall living conditions improve (based on my continued indiscriminate / concerned observations).
-------------------------
Chronic porn use is exploiting one's individual online rights (related to consuming) within epidemic proportions. It is being the ultimate PERSONAL advocate to such a degree that no one else's "well-being" is of concern except your own.
The greatest curse to the chronic porn user is the definitive vacuum by which they exist within.
-------------------------
My first hope regarding finding support as a same-sex attracted Christian man was via reading online blogs (2007-). These were blogs written by men who looked to be walking the same road I was attempting / had been attempting to navigate. I knew there'd be no formal support available from my church (I'd looked hard) or within the community (here in Mississippi) at large, and that the professional journalism community (religious or secular) certainly wouldn't touch a story like my own with a ten-foot pole.
These blog writings that had been published online were like a breath of fresh air within a vacuum. And many of these men talked too of their struggle with chronic gay porn consumption (which I very much could relate to) now that the Internet was on the scene!
This is why I write here and encourage others to do the same. Consider it an ode to that first gasp of resuscitating oxygen.
My hope is men can find hope before their inward obsessiveness results in the collateral damage that so often is the inevitable. Perhaps this blog (journal) will in some way offer support as those aforementioned ones did for me - all those years ago.
Decency: conformity to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste & modesty, etc.
Friday, March 10, 2023
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Nondescript Samson Guy
The greatest gift I've yet to receive in Samson Society was given to me by Silas (1.0).
Before I make that reveal though, I need to indulge in letting you know that I too had a Silas (0.0). I don't mention him much here, but that friendship was pivotal in me embracing (quickly warming up to) relational accountability (Robspeak) as it's formally made available within Samson Society.
Silas (0.0) is dubbed as such because neither of us were privy to Samson Society during / throughout our close friendship (late '10 - early '12). Yet, we certainly - altruistically - experienced the benefits of a cross-pollination "Silas" relationship in spades. Therein, my brain was "wired for support" from that point forward, queued up beautifully for my eventual plunge into Mr. Nate Larkin's masterwork.
Silas (0.0) and I were very similar blokes relative to our overall outlook / disposition, and I believe this is what quickly solidified our relationship / trust in each other. Too, one of the most curious similarities had to do with what I'll call our masculinity quotients. For neither of us had much at all of that integral manly trait sans each / either of us taking risks (of any shape or form).
But enough about Silas (0.0).
-------------------------
Silas (1.0) was a rockstar. And so was Silas (2.0) and even, at present (3.0).
In comparison to Rob, these men were kind enough to reach downward relationally to befriend me, but it was Silas (1.0) who demonstrated this firstly. Hence, this was such a gift.
I am a nondescript guy. Nondescript means invisible, for the most part. Yet, I'm not treated as such within Samson Society. And this truth has been most apparent relative to my Silases. For they have been and are men whom I look up to / aspire to be like.
Why is that important?
It provides me with the opportunity to see myself through their eyeballs. Even if it's an occasional glimpse when I'm indirectly affirmed or outright complimented.
-------------------------
Earlier this week, I reached out to another Samson rockstar (a friend but not a Silas - to Rob - of any ilk) regarding a newly formed virtual Samson meeting ("Brain Changers") he's facilitating on Sunday afternoons / evenings.
This guy had been kind enough to - again, like his cohorts - reach downward and take the time to relay his story to me (at the tail end of last year).
As I was working out last night, I felt a bit of a spiritual pang regarding moving in the direction of that newly formed meeting. That pang intensified earlier this morning whilst remembering my choosing, years ago, to walk alongside a similar (local) Samson rockstar relative to supporting his newly formed (face-to-face) Samson Society meeting. And what a year of fun that was!
Both of these (face-to-face & newly formed virtual) Samson Society meetings are even on the same night / same time (almost)!
Perhaps through this change / commitment, I'll have the opportunity to see Rob with even more clarity. As such, variety truly is the spice of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)