I was discussing this with a guy who was seated next to me at a wedding yesterday. He was scared shitless of flying again. I mean, he was visibly shaking at the thought of having to fly to Florida next week.
Later I found out that he’s an oncologist. How ironic is that?
So, jarjar you’re not alone. I think your fears are understandable given the events of the last week. However, I will also put in another vote for you to avoid the ubiquitous media coverage of the disaster. It isn’t helping you recover.
America is our home. Our home was brutally attacked. Now we’re cleaning up.
Taking care of your own space is kind of like that, I think. Of course, I’m not a doctor/psychologist/person with any real clue, but I know this–I’ve been doing a lot more picking up around my own house, too.
I’m depressed. Much more than normal. I don’t spend a lot of time being depressed but I think it’s going to be a while before I’m over this one.
I’m not scared at all. I can’t worry about that over which I have no control. I will not alter my life. I will still fly to Chicago in 10 days and a week later I will fly back. Other than getting to the airport a little early I won’t change a thing.
Hang in there, we’ll all get over this. It’ll just take a little time.
I had a big post all planned for you jarbaby, but then I saw that I was AGAIN a day late and a dollar short. Ummph - Anyhow, I am glad to see that you are doing better. Keep moving ahead and stay away from the TV for a few days.
I was sitting at the park watching my son’s soccer game when a plane flew overhead. It was the first time I had seen a plane other than the F-16s from the Air Force base up road that have been flying formations all week. It was then I noticed that all parents were also looking up to the sky in total silence. I started crying in relief because it was a sign that life does go on and we will prevail. However, a few of those tears were shed for the realization that life is so different than it was a week ago when I sat in that very same spot.
I second that. I’ve been praying and keeping good thoughts for you, now I’ll add Mr. Jar to the list. Hang onto that man (both figuratively and literally) – he sounds like a keeper!
As for me, I don’t think I could have gotten through this without Spouse. He’s been an absolute brick. And he says the same of me.
Meanwhile, Jarbaby, do hang in there, do go out and have some FUN! In the long run, all we can do is our best. And I know you’ll do fine.
Some of the people are very scared and some of this fear is crippling America’s economy. More layoffs are coming and people are going to be more afraid, angry, hungry and all that other really scared stuff. I am not taking anything lightly, but at the same time I am doing a good job of remaining calm.
jarbabyj I don’t know what this mess is going to lead the world, but we can all hope a pray that it all gets better before anything else really destructive happens.
Yes, I haven’t seen jarbabyj post in here in a while, but her picks are up-to-date in the Fantasy league and she did say something about taking a week off from work, so she is likely just laying low, which she needs right now.
Hopefully she is seeing in here how much people support her and she has equally wonderful friends and loved ones IRL. Hope you Chi-Dopers are keeping an eye out for her.
One point she made which I wish to refute was about ‘just watching on TV, it didn’t happen to me’. Yes, it happened to all of us. Being anxious and scared is a normal reaction in this case. But it takes all of us to get back to normal; some people are going to cope more easily than others.
Jarbaby when you get back around here after kicking Spiritus’ butt in football this weekend, I hope to hear some real smack talk comin’ from you. Maybe your Bears will even take out the Vikes, or the Cubs will make the playoffs. Sometimes it’s the little things that help.
I have also been affected by the news addiction. As has my wife and our home is suffering from neglect. Luckily we have retained enough of our senses to keep working(even though I don’t feel up to starting any big new projects right now) and keep the children reasonably well cared for. I’m not sure what we’ll do in the long run, but I do have a story to share.
The company sends several of us each year to a user conference/training seminar for a software product we use. This conference is next month, exactly a month from now actually. We’ve had our attendance confirmed and hotel/airline/rental cars booked for about a month now. After the 11th it looked like all corporate travel would be suspended indefinitely for people like me and my co-workers. Only people who absolutely had to go somewhere, would fly places. One of the three of us is Arabic, and a Muslim(Pakistani actually). He canceled his reservations and withdrew his registration for the conference. His parents and his wife, and he himself for that matter, are all concerned about possible backlash from the angry American public if he tries to board a plane any time soon. I have heard, third hand from a co-worker, of flights where passengers refused to board if Arabs were going to be on board and the Arabic passengers were turned away in deference to the wishes of the majority.(if anyone can find a cite I’d love to see it, I just heard reports of this happening) I told him I was going to be on the same flights and would/could vouch for him if any questions arose and that we could arrange for more friends to meet us at the airport upon arrival on both legs of the trip. He believes it is not wise to travel at the moment. Even though the trip is a month away, he still feels it is better to cancel the trip(which we all look forward to each year) and get the company’s money back before the deadline, end of the day today actually, when we wouldn’t get any back.
I’m not sure I blame him. I have had nightmare visions of what I would do and feel if the plane is hijacked(or someone attempts to hijack it). Even if the passengers attacked and subdued the hijackers it would be a life-changing experience. Why take that risk? I could back down and save the company money, and avoid the fear/risk both! Surely the possibility of leaving my children fatherless and losing my life is worth missing a conference, even if it is held in nice resorts in Disney World, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
I have made my decision. I am going. I will not change my life due to these atrocities except when I have the ability to prevent future events. I will check my luggage(previously I did not do this whenever possible) and will be tolerant of increased security restrictions. But I will continue to live my life, if not without fear, then without giving in to fear. My only consolation is that the vast majority of time there is no difference between courage and plain bull-headedness.
Jarbaby, I think trauma counseling would help us all at this point. I live in a large city and see buildings comprable to the WTC(well, reasonably comprable) and have imagined seeing them in smoking ruin and the devestation. It is a traumatic image and I can only shake my head to clear it and go on. Down that path lies madness.
THERE’S some shit for yas !!!