flow chart

PANIC!! …Nah.

/ Diane Henders / 19 Comments

It’s funny how the bloggers I follow seem to read each other’s minds.  This past week, there have been all kinds of posts about stress, panic, and overwhelm.  So what the hell, I’ll get in on it, too.

Panic is an interesting critter.  It starts out as, “Oh, crap, I forgot the candles for hubby’s birthday cake”, and instantly morphs into, “Oh-my-God-I’m-such-a-loser-my-husband-will-divorce-me-my-friends-will-hate-me-I’ll-end-up-dying-broken-and-alone-in-a-rat-infested-cardboard-box-under-a-bridge”.

Whoa, say what?  That’s good stuff.  If I could pour that into an engine, I could blow the doors off some top-fuel dragsters.  Zero to insanity in under a second.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not joking about real panic attacks*.  But our everyday “panic situations”?  Yeah, I’m joking about them.  They’re an overrated pastime.

This was inspired by the “Everybody PANIC!” post over at Visiting Reality. Thanks, Linda!

And since Charles Gulotta over at Mostly Bright Ideas reminded me he wants another flow chart (and he just did a stressed-out post, too)… voilà:  here’s another scary glimpse into the inner workings of my brain.

Charles, this one’s for you.

Is It Time To Panic Yet?

Panic Flow Chart

*If you’ve ever had a real panic attack, you know that on a 0 – 10 Funny Scale, panic attacks are about a -50.  A word of advice from someone who’s been there:  If you have panic attacks, find yourself a medical professional who specializes in cognitive therapy.  You’re not crazy, you’re not a coward, and you’re not weak.  Your brain just took a wrong turn down the logic-path and ended up in the “Oh-shit-I’m-about-to-be-eaten-by-something-big-with-sharp-teeth” parking lot.  Trouble is, it gets in the habit of taking that shortcut, and the longer you let it do that, the longer it takes to break the habit.  And yes, it is possible to stop having panic attacks, it just takes a while.  Go take care of it.  Soonest.  Not kidding.  Okay, I’m getting off my soapbox now.

Better Left Unanalyzed

/ Diane Henders / 20 Comments

I’ve just been reading a fascinating dialogue between Charles Gulotta at Mostly Bright Ideas (Better Left Unsaid, Part 1), and Priya at Partial View (Better Left Unsaid, Part 2).  Go and read both posts, along with all the comments.  It’s well worth it.  I’ll wait.

Now that you’re back, here’s my two cents worth. 

I was intrigued by the fact that both Priya and Charles seem to use the words “attraction” and “appreciation” interchangeably.  I think there’s a fundamental difference between the two.  Appreciation is window-shopping.  It’s harmless, enjoyable, and free.  Attraction is walking into the store to buy.  Attraction can cost you big. 

It doesn’t bother me a bit if my husband appreciates, or is attracted to, another woman, celebrity or otherwise.  My husband and I are both geeks, so our minds work a little differently than the rest of the world. 

Geeks believe that all issues can be resolved using a flowchart.  Look below for my take on the whole “Better Left Unsaid” discussion, if you dare.

WARNING:  Viewer discretion is advised.  This flowchart reveals the horrifying inner workings of the geek mind.  May cause warping, distension, or catastrophic failure of normal brains. 

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.