h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1059922,00.html

Tell me about it.

Currently working out ways of dealing with badly stubbed toe, so far failing miserably.

How goes it Krispy?

Terri

Hey T

Much the same, but I'm feeling pretty strong through it all.

I forgot to update the 'false witness' convo, but here's what happened next

In the end, and in the interests of not inflaming relations with my neighbours I not only witnessed their marriage but acted as best man. I figured they'd do it anyway, so I'd best keep on the right side of them, and showed up at the registry office; he was pissed out of his mind, she just wanted it done. They came down the aisle to the gutwrenchingly resonant 'Surrender My Soul' by some boy band, and it was over in 20 minutes.

Since then they have been rowing frequently and for hours on end. The noise which is unbearable and has got numerous neighbours coming to complain with equal ferocity hasn't ceased, and shows no sign of doing so, though it seems they're taking it elsewhere for the weekends at least.

I am satisfied now that no *physical* violence is going on, but whatever else is wrong with their relationship (which they intend to continue on a boat, for God's sake) most, if not all of the banging and screaming, is coming from her.

A few nights back I decided I'd had enough and went to the police to bring the situation to their attention - they of course said it was an environmental health matter, but apparently she called the police herself (?) later and someone arrived to calm them down. I knocked on the door when I got back, and got a chance to drop a few seeds of thought about the consequences of history on their feelings for each other and their relationship, which may have helped; she confirmed her own family history has caused her so many of her problems. She has done her best to convince me though that he's not being violent to her, and they are (at times, at least) happy really.

All right for them, but needless to say the rows, especially late at night, are triggering me f*cking batsh*t and I'm doing my best to refrain from escalating the situation with my own feelings about it which are coming close to being as exaggerated as hers.

Apart from that I'm doing okay, broke and still looking for work but coping better than I could have anticipated in the meantime, and you know whose fault that is.

Massive topic drift, sorry

Take care all,

Chris

More to the point, what's happening with you?

What of this stubbed toe?

Wow, Krispy, that is a great article, about the physical reactions to emotional pain. I'm not at all surprised that being snubbed activated the pain centers of the brain. I still remember the misery I felt in grade school, being picked last for PE. They didn't mention trauma specifically in this article, but I've read elsewhere that it damages the hippocampus part of the brain.

JEllen

I like that word "hippocampus". I have visions of the University of Hippos. I shall ask spim if he can incorporate it into a cartoon somehow.

zdt

Thanks for posting this up.

Yes, thanks indeed for the link. Verry interesting ... *sigh* ... most of my pain is of course of the 'not real' kind ... so anyways the problem is still, what to do about it.