Did you ever wish that .....

“you could leave the world of people behind and just go off and live by yourself in peace?”

“I think we need a new thread category called "Whining". Somehow "Chatter" or "General" just didn't fit my mood for this thread.”

“Just the BS, Lyndy. I really do love the company of others. Don't think I would want to be totally isolated all the time.”

“I couldn't either, but sometimes I get so tired of all the BS, competition, gossip and whining that comes with civilization.”

“Absolutely> That's the whole thing. Unfortunately, the unrealistic part is being able to have one without the other.
It's a crazy frickin' world out there and sometimes we crumble under the pressure...”

“A big huge AMEN LyndyS.”

“I think I'd get bored pretty quickly - I do find the pace of life here a little crazy - though I lived in Cornwall in trhe west of England for a year and the slow pace of life there really frustrated me”

“Same with me when I lived in the South, Ynami. I am used to NYC, I guess. Pretty fast paced here. Lot of stress sometimes too.

Lyndy, Rod Serling produced a few Twilight Zones back in the 60's that depicted that concept. In particular, the first one ever aired was called 'Where Is Everybody." It was about a man who found himself in a town where there were no people, but the place seemed to be functioning otherwise. He eventually gets driven to the brink of hysteria as he awakens inside a test capsule for the space program. It brought out the possible repercussions of isolationism and was very interesting.
(Use Rod Serling voice here)

Just food for your thoughts today...

...in the Twilight Zone”

“I personally always enjoyed the one with Burgess Meredith where he's the guy who can't get any time to himself to read. One day at work, he's sitting in the underground vault (he works at a bank), reading the day's paper about an upcoming nuclear test, and how some scientists think it could destroy the world. As he's chuckling to himself over this, there's a huge expolosion, rocking the vault and him. He leaves the vault to find that the world has indeed been destroyed. He's overjoyed to find he's the last person on Earth, and he'll have all the time he wants to read, undisturbed. Then....well, you'll have to watch it to see the ending...”

“You have to read "My Side of the Mountain". My daughter was reading it for school (her teacher is a backpacker but I am afraid to tell him about this site). I was wondering how a young boy could stand to be alone like that. A lot of adults could do it though, as long as they could still buy some groceries and borrow some books from the library.”

“Violin, is that your dog? And your shower cap? Nice bathroom!”

“That was one of the other ones I was thinking of, Bit. The ending is really ironic, isn't it?”

“I understand LyndyS, I'd love to take a vacation of total isolation. I could pee by myself.”

“I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't want to sit in a vault to read alone, even if it meant that I avoided a nucular blast. Trees, rocks and blue sky would be much more preferable as reading companions.”

“I think I could handle a vacation on my own for some time, leaving me with my own thoughts indefinately would certainly end in tears ;o)”

“LOL newgirl, yes that is one of the joys of motherhood! Even today, my kids think that it is rude to disturb other people but Mommy is free game. But I love being with my kids. It is the OTHER pesky interfering critical snotty people that I want to leave behind (no I am not referring to my husband, remember he is the silent type).”

“LyndyS, I read "My Side Of The Mt." when I was a kid too. It was such a cool book.”

“My side of the Mtn was my favorite book for a long time when I was a kid. Back when I wanted to run away from home...”

“Yes treebeard, very ironic! Juicily so...

I read My Side of the Mountain too. I'm thinking of getting it to read to my kids, as soon as my wife finished the current Harry Potter book. They're on Goblet of Fire right now. I swear, we could either issue body armor to cops, of the hardback copy of this book. Either one would likely stop a bullet. And the next one is nearly twice as long! What is she writing about, every one of Harry's trips to the bathroom?”

“Exactly Rosey. And I actually lived out in the boonies, so after I read the book I was sure that it was completely reasonable!”

“Hmmmm...

Not the kids...
Not the husband...

Mother-in-law troubles got you down?”

“I know exactly what you mean Lyndy..I dont do well in large crowds..I feel more comfortable by myself or in a small group..sounds odd huh? Im always afraid I will say or do something stupid and the whole lot would laugh at me...And believe me people can be so cruel sometimes..intentionally..I just cant understand why they would..

Give me a few wonderful people..those like Jerbear, OM, Sass and Birch..Id be in great company.. =)”

“I agree 100%! It is much better to be with a few quality people then a whole crowd of judgemental strangers :)”

“Or a small crowd of huge idiots. We have small group discussion in my Sociology class. A small group of dumb-bells is what it is. Sociology . . . we could have so much interesting conversation. Instead we talk about the guy that one of the girls is "with" right now.”

“Thanks for that brief opportunity to vent. LOL!”

“Exactly Evergreen. And no Violin, currently it is not my inlaws, although relatives in general can be stressful. It is my older daughter's girlscout leader who hates to camp and hike. Her younger daughter was in my Brownie troop and she didn't feel that I was doing things "right". I decided that I was tired of all the BS and quit as leader. Let someone else deal with all the 'whining but unhelpful can't be bothered to respond' parents. The kids I will miss, but girl scouting in my area at least, is not at all what I was expecting. You know, there is too many dangerous things out in the woods, like dirt, the kids are much better off doing crafts instead. Barf.”

“Lyndy your troop isnt the only one like that! :S when I was a kid I QUIT girlscouts becuase the things I wanted to do like camp, climb, learn the outdoor things wern't considered girly. I quit after the guest speeker who came to teach us how to wear make-up. I was told the purpose for girl scouts by my leader was to teach us girls to be "proper". Dumb, huh?”

“Newgirl- just tell your class that they'd be perfect for a "Reality Show" on FOX.”

“They so would, Aero, they so would. She actually told us about how this guy was so great that after she got drunk and vomited he helped her brush her teeth. I was so humiliated (sp?) for her.”

“lol newgirl - it must be love then”

“"I could pee by myself" Oh what bliss that would be! lol.

Geez Evergreen, thank you. It's pretty flattering to be lumped together with Jer and Om. =)

I think the reason most of us backpack is to get away from the craziness of life. Unfortunately sometimes it follows us. When it doesn't life is surely grand!

Does anyone else have a mental picture of the perfect backpacking camp, dappled with sunlight and bugfree, that you go to when things get hairy? Mine is surrounded by tall pines and the breeze blows soft. Water laps at a lake shore a glance away.”

“With a soft pine needle ground!- no rocks to poke into yer back :)”

“Sass, yes, trees and a gurgling creek.”

“Yes indeed and the only moisture coming from above is the tears the pines weep, no rain. =)”

“Sass, mine is one I was at in ID. It was surrounded by aspens and the grass was so green and lush. There were flowers and just down the hill was this dark little hollow w/ a creek. Lovely.”

“Of course there are always a few people you wish would slide under a bus, but those are usually few and far between, THANK GOD.”

“bitpusher, that was a Twilight Zone episode from about 40 years ago.
Meredith's character was "Henry Bemish" or some kinda square name like that.
He was a bookworm.

Lyndy-
Dirt IS dangerous!
Isn't all of Jersey paved anyway?
My monthly trips are better than Scouting.
The kids(mine and their friends) and I can do any kinda hare-brainded escapades we want and not worry about silly regulations.
So far I've brought them home safely........so far!”

“Really Tilt? I certainly don't wish death on people but a few voodoo dolls with pins would be great amusement right about now!”

“newgirl, don't be sayin' stuff like, "I could pee myself", some of the old horndogs here might get carried away!”

“Moss covered rocks by a stream..the only sound around is your own heartbeat and the birds chirping..”

“Tom T., I have a 2 yr. old. I'm being very literal. I have not gone to the bathroom by myself in quite some time. Other mom's know what I'm saying. (And further more, anyone who gets off over urinating is very disturbed.)”

“lonely beach, sandunes, warm sand- brilliant sunset and the sound of waves rolling in followed by a star-filled sky”

“Im going to print this out for you Newgirl and save for you and in 15 when you say, " I miss the days when I coulndt pee by myself"..Ill bring this up..lol..”

“How does that song go....

Dear Officer McKloskey,
I am very very disturbed ...

I have to look up this on Google, from the musical street gang movie .... with Natalie Wood?”

“HAHAahaha!!!

Let me live 'neath your spell
You do that voodoo that you do so well
For you do something to me
That nobody else could do.....

Heeeeere ya go (check those Voodoo Gift Baskets! LOL).”

“I know, I know Evergreen. Someday I'm going to miss those little feet pattering behind me into the bathroom. LOL! I'll wish I had a little shadow to follow me around and think it's totally cool to hang w/ me.”

“Dear Officer Krupke from West Side Story”

“Then you can do what I did..get a cute little puppy..I didnt realize how similar puppies and toddlers were alike..”

“Gee, Officer Krupke"

TIGER, IMITATING KRUPKE
Hey you!

RIFF
Who me, Officer Krupke?

TIGER, IMITATING KRUPKE
Yeah you, gimme one good reason for not draggin' ya down the station house, ya punk!

RIFF
Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke
You gotta understand
It's just our bringin' upke
That gets us out of hand
Our mothers all are junkies
Our fathers all are drunks
Golly Moses, naturally we're punks

JETS
Gee, Officer Krupke
We're very upset
We never had the love
That every child oughta get
We ain't no delinquents
We're misunderstood
Deep down inside us there is good

RIFF
There is good!

JETS
There is good, there is good
There is untapped good
Like inside, the worst of us is good

TIGER, IMITATING KRUPKE
That's a touching good story

RIFF
Lemme tell it to the world!

TIGER, IMITATING KRUPKE
Just tell it to the judge

RIFF
Dear kindly Judge, your Honor
My parents treat me rough
With all their marijuana
They won't give me a puff
They didn't wanna have me
But somehow I was had
Leapin' lizards, that's why I'm so bad

SNOWBOY IMITATING JUDGE
Right! Officer Krupke
You're really a square
This boy don't need a judge
He needs an analyst's care
It's just his neurosis
That oughta be curbed
He's psychologically disturbed

RIFF
I'm disturbed

JETS
We're disturbed, we're disturbed
We're the most disturbed
Like we're psychologically disturbed

SNOWBOY IMITATING JUDGE
Hear ye, hear ye. In the opinion of this court, this child is depraved on account he ain't had a normal home.

RIFF
Hey, I'm depraved on account I'm deprived!

SNOWBOY IMITATING JUDGE
So take him to a headshrinker. You!

ACTION
Who me?

RIFF
My daddy beats my mommy
My mommy clobbers me
My grandpa is a commie
My grandma pushes tea
My sisters wears a moustache
My brother wears a dress
Goodness gracious, that's why I'm a mess

ACTION IMITATING HEADSHRINKER
Yes, Officer Krupke
He shouldn't be here
This boy don't need a couch
He needs a usefully career
Society's played him a terrible trick
And sociologically he's sick

RIFF
I am sick!

JETS
We are sick, we are sick
We are sick sick sick
Like we're sociologically sick

ACTION IMITATING HEADSHRINKER
In my opinion, this child does not need to have his head shrunk at all. Juvenile delinquency is purely a social disease.

RIFF
Hey, I got a social disease!

ACTION IMITATING HEADSHRINKER
So take him to a social worker

RIFF
Dear kindly social worker
They tell me get a job
Like be a soda jerker
Which means I'd be a slob
It's not I'm antisocial
I'm only anti-work
Glory Osky, that's why I'm a jerk

A-RAB
Eek, Officer Krupke
You've done it again
This boy don't need a job
He needs a year in the pen
It ain't just a question of misunderstood
Deep down inside he's no good

RIFF
I'm no good

JETS
We're no good, we're no good
We're no earthly good
Like the best of us is no damn good

The trouble is he's lazy
The trouble is he drinks
The trouble is he's crazy
The trouble is he stinks
The trouble is he's growing
The trouble is he's grown
Krupke, we've got troubles of our own

Officer Krupke
We're down on our knees

RIFF
'Cause no one wants a fella
With a social disease

JETS
Dear Officer Krupke
What are we to do?
Gee, Officer Krupke
Krup you!”