The Mind

Everybody complains today about being stressed out. Too much work, the "rat race" is killing them and society is just going to shit. There is just too much pressure to make a dollar. Everybody is focused on money, etc.

And sometimes my own thoughts reflect this, as I dream about lying on a mexican beach drinking beer served by tanned women in transparent dresses waving in the breeze. Sand between the toes and a sombrero on the head often sounds more appealing than a coffee cup in one hand an a keyboard in the other.

But I'm not about to quit my job and join a nudist hippie commune cause "the man" is holding me back. A lot of people yearn for something easier, as having something to do is just too damned difficult. However stress is relative, which means you're never going to escape it. You could have 1 or 27 million things to do, and still have the same amount of tweak. If you have anything at all on your calendar, no matter how medial, it will be in your mind somewhere. May as well deal with it. Stress is something that will kill you, but only if you let it. Hell, you wouldn't have stress if you didn't have goals.

The main reason "the simple life" doesn't work, or at least won't work for most people, is that you're always going to find something to freak out about. Like planning Paris Hilton's untimely demise (or next video). I dare anyone to quit their jobs and move out to the country, or Mexico or wherever. Build a hut. Find a member of the opposite sex crazy enough to live with you. I bet within 2 weeks you're going to be bored out of your mind, and arguing with your mate about the color of the drapes for something to do.

How the hell do I know this? It's because whenever I have more than 5 days vacation, I start to think about how I'm going to conquer the world. I just get so bored, I let my brain think up problems for me to chew on. After about 10 days of free time, I've usually decided on how I'm going to manipulate the United States. Day 11, I've made up a story to tell the EU so they don't get too worried. After 3 weeks, I have a general idea of who I'm going to play against who. If I ever had a year of free time I'd probably have the entire plan in order with everything from troop placements to where the new Tim Horton's are going to be. Then I better quickly find something better to do, or I might actually be bored enough to put the plan in motion and try to become supreme emperor of earth.

So be glad that you're stressed out, the boss is moving the deadline up around and the repo man is knocking at your door. At least you have something to do today. The rat race is the ultimate in entertainment. Without it, you'd have to entertain yourself, which is difficult.

If you really can't take it anymore and want a way out, join my commune. Free chocolate and lemon gin for the ladies.