Tried to talk to the pigs again with minimal results and called Polly Klaas foundation. Talked to IRC/Matrix friend on private IM who didn't know what's been going on. At least they're still my friend. I think.
I was very much anti-gaming when I was raising my millenials. Since then, I have become interested in the free software movement and free culture in general and the internet has also become, in my not so humble opinion, a far more toxic and less pleasant place than it was in 2002 on Windows 98 with a dial-up connection and a 1 GB hard drive on a Pentium II with only 32MB of memory.
When my "digital native" came along in 2008, I had quite a different attitude towards gaming, especially after having received so much "tech support", respectful answers to my questions about how computers and the internet work, and exciting education and new projects to pursue from an online friend in Brazil who had learned English soley through playing video games.
I'm still not much of a gamer, but I do see value in gaming and do not think it would be healthy for a parent to prohibit an adolescent from all gaming. When i was growing up and also when I was raising my millenials, kids could always "go out to play" with the neighbourhood kids, either in the street, each other's yards, or at a public park.
Now there aren't any other kids to go out and play with and any parent who sent their kids to "go out and play" unsupervised would be lockied up for child abuse/neglect within 24 hours. The kids are all in their living rooms playing video games.
Maybe I was wrong, right, too idealistic, or not idealistic enough to let my kid play Minetest instead of Minecraft and not to be overly worried about the fact that he was the youngest person on his gaming IRC channel.
But that's my take on it, anyway, and I kind of want to play some of his favourite games even though I totally suck, but that's another story for another post--maybe one about putting a quarter in the first Pong machine within driving distance of my sickeningly stepfordesque suburb in the 1970s if I wind up living long enough for that to be cool.
I am so sorry that you are going through this. Since you are a long way away from him, I'd just focus on long distance phone calls at this point.
Assuming that he's about my age (late 50s) that's probably what's most comfortable for him if he's having rapid-onset cognitive issues. Trauma can affect a person's short-term memory and ability to process info too, regardless of their age, so don't be too quick to assume Alzheimer's.
What you do is love him and remind him who he is. Anybody can scrub toilets, microwave TV dinners, and administer meds but you are the only person who can be his son/daughter.
And you are.
And your stress post inspires me because it reminds me that no matter how fucked up the world is, there are still good people like you in it.
I greatly dislike iPhones and had to throw mine away, but I do understand how loyal iFolks can be. I won't push my own opinions about software on to you now that I know. You can always ask if you're curious and I am always receptive to new information.
Me either and it has to do with childhood trauma/abuse.
I don't go around kicking puppies or anything and I like the CONCEPT of dogs, I just don't ever want to be responsible for one or in a situation where I can't just leave and avoid them.
Dump run and pawn stores this week, also lots of reading about physical effects of trauma and grief. Recognized that I need to stay the fuck off the news and did so reasonably well.
Thank you, everybody who works their butts off to give us this refuge. Sometimes I just want to shut off the internet and take all my gear to ewaste until I remember that I'd lose this place if I did and I don't want to do that.
I like all of you.
You are all interesting, even the people I don't interact with very much.
habits for families that no longer exist
[Modern/Futuristic Folk] Phil Ochs' "Love Me I'm A Liberal" updated for Trumpworld
[Folk]Phil Ochs--I Ain't Marching Any More
noordinaryspider wrote
Reply to look at my dog by alenky
What a sweetie! Thank you. :)