a rant by P4-810 on star wars day and mental health
i used to like star wars day, when it was just a thing that fans wished each other, and a nice play on words. now that it is an excuse for star wars merchandisers to get us to look at the overpriced tat they want to continue to rip us off for, i am slightly less enamoured with it. so, in the old-skool-pablo-rodriguez-the-geek style, Happy Star Wars day. in the new and improved Peefour-Eightwunoh-let's-make-things-better style:
RIP Adam Yauch. I was never evangelical about the Beasties, though I do like a lot of their work. Adam Yauch though, was an unsung hero of freedom, having kickstarted the Tibetan Freedom Concerts ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Freedom_Concert ). While I despise pricks like Bono, who abuse their celebrity in the name of righteousness, I have a deep respect for a practising Buddhist and vegan, who uses their contacts and influence to genuinely raise awareness of actual issues. In the end, as with so many of us, it was cancer that got him. I'm not really one for mourning famous people I don't actually personally know, but I am all for highlighting the good work and legacy of an actual Good Person. If you feel grieved by the loss, remember that you can continue his work.
Happy Weekend. Being unemployed as the result of years of ill-treatment by an employer who has no concept of best practice, or fair treatment of staff, or even obeying the law in respect to the same, weekends currently have little meaning for me, but i remember their importance to those who work a standard week, and would urge you to use them for relaxation, and remember that you already work X number of hours in a week, the weekend is when you should recoup and regroup, ready for the next working week. Don't feel bad if you don't feel to have achieved much at the end of it - enjoy the fact that you have given your brain and body the respite they need to function properly. Which leads me on to the final point:
Remember (or if you didn't know, be aware) that it is Mental Health awareness week: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/mhaw/
irrespective of who you are, and where you live, someone you love has been affected by mental health issues. Because of the stigma around mental health, it is something which is often hidden away, for fear of what people might think. Often mental health issues are not even identified as such, and sufferers are left to suffer alone. If you are one of these people, know that you don't have to talk to someone you know personally - frequently it's enough just to talk about what is making you struggle, and to know that you're not alone in feeling the things you feel. you can talk to the samaritans free of charge, even from mobiles, so don't try and carry the burden alone (details here: http://waveringoptimist.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/uk-and-eire-calls-to-samaritans-now.html).
I have long had issues with mental health, and am quite open about it, in the hope that it might quell some of the stigma around it. If you are comfortable with it, I can recommend doing the same - you'll be surprised by the number of people who admit that they have similar issues. Mental Health Awareness Week is about just that - Awareness. If it means anything to you at all, try and be aware of your own mental health -and that of others.
