What's upsetting you today?

[Treasenuak]

I am HIGHLY upset. HM's dog Suli decided to run away last night. I know, a lot of dogs do this... but Suli is a twenty pound terrier who thinks she's a hundred pound wolfhound. She has a problem with picking fights with coyotes and other dogs much bigger than her. The last time she disappeared, HM found her lying in a ditch beside the road, torn all to hell from tangling with some form of sharp-clawed wildlife. Also bear in mind that our closest neighbors are over a mile away, so it's not like I can walk around town knocking on doors and asking if anyone's seen her. I'm worried sick about her, the other dogs are moping around the house missing her, and HM's in quite the tizzy with worry himself. Suli DOES have her collar on, fortunately, and her tags with HM's phone number on it... so that's a point in our favor. Lil Trea, Paks (HM's other dog), and Cassia (my dog) are going to be saddling up here in a little bit to go look for her. I just really really REALLY hope and pray she's off chasing rabbits somewhere and hasn't gotten coyoted again.

[Cloud]

This kind of stuff makes me totally crazy:

(CNN) — A 13-year-old girl accused of adultery was stoned to death last month in a soccer stadium in Somalia, witnesses told CNN.

The killing occurred October 27 after the girl, Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow, told officials of al-Shabab, a radical Islamic group that controls the port city of Kismayo 500 km (300 miles) south of Mogadishu, that she had been raped by three men, said Amnesty International, citing sources.

The human rights organization said 50 men participated in stoning the girl, who had been placed in a hole in the ground, as about 1,000 people watched.

“It was absolutely appalling to be there, the girl was screaming and begging for mercy as she was being dragged to her killing hole,” said a Kismayo resident who did not want to be identified out of fear for his safety.

None of the men accused of rape were arrested, Amnesty International said.

[Cicero]

Fuck. You know I'm unstable. Stop that shit.

[DanaC]

*Shakes head* poor kid. She must have been fucking terrified to the end.

There are times, I find myself very angry at the world. Angry at the cold war still being fought across gender lines. Those men are so blinded by their own importance in God's scheme, by their own fear of femininity, by their own personal misogyny. Damn them.

[ZenGum]

That's the most fucked up thing I've come across in quite a long time.

[ZenGum]

Maybe watching this will make you feel a bit better.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=7fNFLxzSWCg

[Shawnee123]

Thanks Zen, that does help.

I love how she pulls him back in to kick his ass some more. Go girlfriend!

[Sundae]

I had my interview for child mentoring today.
I don't think it went all that well. The longest time spent on any particular aspect was on my depression.

I completely understand it, but obviously it's not my best selling point.

Also, I worry that I came across as being too easily upset by other people's emotions. I mean I am, I know it, but I can deal with it. I've stuck out jobs where I thought I was hated by my colleagues. Mostly turned out to be paranoia (there was some mild dislike) but the fact is I toughed it out and it got better. I didn't want to dwell on it because I know they were worried that it might trigger depression in me which of course would mean no-one would benefit.

It was over 2 hours long, and at the end of it I fely really self-centred - talking about me, me, me. Obviously that was the whole point of the interview, but it does add to my perception that I didn't come across well.

Ah well, I must be stoic and accept that if I don't get through then it's for the best. I'll know early next week.

[Juniper]

Sorry, SG. It's painful to think that others may deem us "unfit" or not good enough for something we want to do - especially when it's something done out of kindness.

I bet you'd be awesome at it, too.

If you don't get it, maybe there are alternatives.

[Clodfobble]

Another thing to consider is that often children in need of mentoring will only respond to someone who has "been through it" like they have. Ex-junkies keeping kids off drugs, and all that. It may even turn out that conquering depression is actually a selling point in your favor.

[limey]

I'm with Clod here, just because they were looking at that part of your history doesn't mean to say they're being critical - more like looking at how you cope with it? good luck SG - fingers crossed for you up here!

[Sundae]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but it's honestly the way I think it went. I know I'm being pessimistic, but I am trying to protect myself from hurt to an extent. Even if I get through this, there's another session in my home to assess me, although that's more about matching me with a child.

There's actually a waiting list of kids. I think that's what will sting the most.

What's next? Well, I said I'd volunteer at the local cat home, but I might look for volunteer work with childen after all. I don't have a biological clock, but I have been thinking about kids for a couple of years now - I'd like to do what I can.

[HungLikeJesus]

SG, I think you'd do well in the cat house.

[Pico and ME]

SG...its HARD to talk to others about depression...its seems like such a personal fault. So Im sure what your feeling is being colored by that, but how did you really characterize it? Its sounds like you might have used it as an example of how you have coped with it successfully. This could be a good thing. Just going off of how you are here on the cellar, I'd be willing to bet you gave it a very adult perspective.

Dont write this off just yet.

[Juniper]

I don't see what's so horrible about depression anyway, why there's such a stigma. It's not as though it's contagious. It's not as though you're schizophrenic, hearing voices, bipolar, or otherwise functionally compromised due to a mental illness. I'd venture to say that most people have suffered at least mild depression at some time in their lives, and many just never found the guts to do anything about it for fear of being "labeled." Count me in that list. I'm still a little nervous that I'll someday pay for asking my doctor for some depression meds last year after my mom died, or for the week I spent in the "hospital" when I was 20. Is there a statute of limitations on nervous breakdowns? (sigh)