Ambage: noun - an archaic term for intentional ambiguity or indirect ways or proceedings (usually presented as the plural "ambages"; Middle English via French and Latin) Intentional ambiguity is not a literary device that most writers would seek to employ, but if we're going to talk about the secondary definition regarding "indirect ways" then it… Continue reading The Ambages – How a Fictional Family Became the Cornerstone of My Mind
Category: Anxiety
Economic Anxiety
This begins as the tale of three colleagues - a devout Republican, the guy who became president of the Young Democrats for the county, and me. All three of us were friendly and on good terms, but I naturally had a better political bond with the Young Democrat. It began one day when we were… Continue reading Economic Anxiety
An Existential Crisis – Part II: Religion
I struggle with matters of faith. Faith, by its definition, requires a component beyond verification and my mind simply does not work that way. One of my biggest questions with respect to religious faith has always been the gateway - how does one become religious? The question is quasi-facetious and rhetorical. The answer often is… Continue reading An Existential Crisis – Part II: Religion
An Existential Crisis – Part I: Economics
For better or worse, I am going to start off with capitalism. I don't know that it's correct to argue that capitalism is the culprit for all of the ills this piece plans to discuss, but it certainly isn't helping any of them and I think we all need to start off on the same… Continue reading An Existential Crisis – Part I: Economics
Make It Make Sense
Trigger warning: everything Born in the 1980s and mostly a child of the 1990s, I remember a distinct vibe echoed in a line from Steve Carell's character Michael Scott: "The US is number one. England is number two. China should be, like, eight." While never something explicit that I encountered, American exceptionalism was everywhere in… Continue reading Make It Make Sense
Sure, Sex Is Great (Unless You Have Social Anxiety and a Touch Aversion)
Yesterday was a "sexy" day. It came up as a topic of conversation among friends, and then I continued reading "The Shadow of the Wind" and its charming sex scenes. I have a strange relationship with sex. The topic does not bother me because I think it's perfectly natural and healthy. If anything, society does… Continue reading Sure, Sex Is Great (Unless You Have Social Anxiety and a Touch Aversion)
Medical Anxiety, Social Anxiety, and OCPD – Going to a Doctor When You Hate Medical Offices
TW: Brief discussion of a graphic injury Every time I sit down with a new medical professional, they will invariably ask how things are with me and I will struggle with a concise answer. Physically I am a picture of health. They take their vitals, and everything will look perfect. Mental health is another story… Continue reading Medical Anxiety, Social Anxiety, and OCPD – Going to a Doctor When You Hate Medical Offices
Climate Anxiety
It's something I don't think anyone has ever seen in their lifetime. You've seen stories like it before. A headline will scream that "an asteroid the size of North Dakota will pass remarkably close to Earth" and everyone runs to see how likely we are to experience an Armageddon or Deep Impact scenario. "The asteroid… Continue reading Climate Anxiety
One Death: How One Event Shaped My Anxiety and OCPD
TW: death I feel like I learned the truth about death far too late in life, a combination of natural insulation from the subject and a consequence of my social anxiety. I cannot remember the exact age, maybe eight, but I was watching television in my living room while my mother ironed clothes. A life… Continue reading One Death: How One Event Shaped My Anxiety and OCPD
Social Anxiety and Animals (Especially Those We Call Humans)
I cannot stress this enough, not only on my behalf but also in the interest of all who share these descriptions. Those with social anxiety are anxious in social situations. Introverts lose energy in social situations. Neither of those things is misanthropy. It's quite possible to love people and see good in them while having… Continue reading Social Anxiety and Animals (Especially Those We Call Humans)
Celtic Riverside 