Ahoyhoy™,
Roysplainin’ returns with a crossover with my newest series.
The Indelible Sulk (part somewhere-in-between-part-1-and-part-2-but-definitely-neither-part 1.1-nor part 1.5)
People respond well to my explanations of my actions, words, and thoughts. Respond well doesn’t necessarily mean like. Perhaps they like it, or perhaps they fixate on it the way someone fixates on a traffic accident… I just know that people (appear to) care about them, so… here’s another Roysplainin’ post:
NOTE: If you missed the inaugural Roysplainin' post, don't worry about it. My life has changed drastically since then—so I've adapted my plans and changed my approach (to my writing, and to my life overall). Enough has changed that I want to rewrite that post entirely. Moving on...
I introduced The Indelible Sulk last post. Here’s what I was thinking:
- If something’s indelible, it means it can’t be erased; indelible means unerasable.
- Sulk—used as a noun—refers to a state of being moodily silent.
- The Incredible Hulk—my favourite superhero (though I don’t really care about superheroes)—exploits his anger to transform. More importantly, somewhere in some Avengers film I learned that he’s perpetually angry. It’s the consistency that matters here.
NOTE: I don't remember which film, and I don't enjoy them enough to look further into it. Does this make me a fake superhero fan? No. I'm not even a fan. Watching those films was "socialization" homework... I.e. When people care a lot about something, I study what they're talking about and why it interests them: it's important for me since I rely on humour. Using humour—in general, not just as a coping mechanism—requires knowing your audience and knowing enough about the relevant topic. It doesn't matter how much I like (either); the aim is to learn enough to engage and create... This is also why I binge-watched Game of Thrones: I regret my decision...
- I’ve dealt with MDD, OCD, and PTSD throughout my life. I’m still dealing with the three, and will be dealing with them until my expiry date (not to be confused with my best before date). They lurk somewhere in my mind until they decide to ruin my mood. Worse still, they never pay rent, always leave the seat up, and leave me to clean up their mess. They disproportionately affect my life, but to others they’re some exotic union that intrigues them. Therapy showed me that it’s best to acknowledge them, admit and accept that they’re a lifelong disability, focus on regulating it, mitigate damage, attenuate drawbacks, and warp my entire life around them—all with the aim of creating a life worth living…
NOTE: I just see them as... The B-vengers...
- I use humour (including—but not limited to—jokes, "jokes," attempts at jokes, attempts at "jokes," graceful exit strategies from social situations, puns, and more!) to cope with everything (or pretty darn near it). Since the series is about what I learned in therapy, my title pokes fun at problems therapy tackles. Since they’re unerasable, and they create a sulk—hence the three-word joke.
NOTE: If a neurotic copes using humour and nobody laughs, did they truly cope?
- As I mentioned in that post, the series summarizes what I’ve learned in therapy, addresses why therapy was (and still is) necessary/life-saving, and attempts to display my appreciation for my doctor’s efforts—sort of a like a thank you and get well soon note.
NOTE: "note"...
- The numbering on this list exists solely for reference purposes and does not reflect importance. Heck, this point has little relevance to the main topic of this post…
Synthesizing that led me to title it The Indelible Sulk…
NOTE: Though the official point behind Roysplainin' articles is to explain my thought processes lightheartedly, that's not what I ultimately aim for. I want to lay out my thoughts, engage with others, and combat misconceptions about me (but it should apply to people in general). Before I expand on that, I'm awaiting further feedback about this topic.
P.S. 96: I’ve updated my Contact Me page explaining how you can help me if you choose to. This includes a messaging form, my gmail address, my Twitter account, and a donation button to my Ko-Fi page. I’ll update specifics gradually. If there’s one thing I could ask for above all else, I’d ask for two—then I’d use one of those two to say that the best way to help is to share my work with someone.
On a serious note, thank you so much for reading—it truly means the world to me!
justcallmeroybert 