OCTD

By Walt Williams

 

Every week when I post these blogs on Facebook, I write a pithy little comment to my 26 FB friends hoping to entice them to read past the giant mug shot that appears for reasons I cannot explain or change. Last week, I posted that I am suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Trump Disorder (OCTD) as each day I try to ignore the Flaming Shit Bag burning bright on the doorstep of America but I can’t. http://valleytalking.blogs.sonomanews.com/2016/12/02/flaming-sht-bags/

 

Obama has it right. We should all be kite surfing on Richard Branson’s island. Yes- care. Yes- be outraged. Yes- protest however you feel fit. Yes- be shocked and awed at the daily train wreck that is the Trump administration. But keep some perspective people; this is not the end of the world (at lease it shouldn’t be). Our elected official is a misogynistic, narcissistic bully but he is our elected official. And just like bullies in school, his popularity will fade, he will implode, and the school will return to civility.

 

Here’s a link to the best article I’ve read about how to channel your rage against the machine: http://blog.sfgate.com/morford/2017/01/27/this-way-to-the-resistance/ Mark Morford is a genius, follow him, he will not disappoint. But remember that doom kills and hate breeds hate and obsessing over the train wreck (OCTD) will only lead to insular depression and substance abuse. We have to get out and live, communicate and take chances, learn to kite board.

 

I spent last weekend skiing with 5 friends. No wives, cabin in Tahoe, epic snow at Squaw Valley, awesome fun and not a single comment about grabbing women by any of their parts. The one thing that bothered me was the OCTD. The guys were on their phones all the time checking CNN, Facebook, Fox News-trolling the train wreck. It was a proud moment when one got an interesting bite (my favorite of the weekend was Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/why-melissa-mccarthy-made-a-great-sean-spicer)

 

Facebook is a lie. Did you not get the memo? It’s a collection of the shiny, happy best of people. No one posts pictures of their new planters wart or their fight with their teenage daughter or their crashed car. But this is the new normal, this is the way we see each other, this is our bubble, it is how we communicate and why we think everyone else is doing better, living better and looking better than we are. BDT (Before Donald Trump) I would post rarely on Facebook and check in only when someone sent a direct message. ADT I am checking at least twice daily and sometimes more. Why? OCTD.

 

Betsy Devos is to education exactly as Scott Pruitt is to the environment and Donald Trump is to the presidency. Not smart, not aware, put in place due to sketchy decisions and circumstances, and just not the best person for the job. But can we change it? No- letters, protests, frustration, all moot. This is also the new normal, the dumb are in charge and they will insulate themselves with layers of more dumb. All we can do is change the things we can and forget the rest (My version of the Serenity Prayer).

OCD is traditionally treated with counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy, OCTD should be treated the same. Talk with people who are also sufferers then fill your life with other stuff. Non-screen kinda stuff, get out in the world kinda stuff, call that old friend you haven’t talked to in years and go out for a pizza kinda stuff.

 

Like kids? Connect with SVTS or the Mentor Center or SAY or the Boys and Girls Club or the school district. Like animals? Pets Lifeline. Like art? Artescape or the Arts Guild. Sports? Plenty of teams to volunteer your time with. Writing? Local papers, blogs, I’ve even heard they are still printing those book things. The point is, you are alive and you are great and you have interests.

 

Log off, tune out and turn on. Life is too short for OCTD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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