tick tick goes the brain

I never really thought of myself as a skittish person, but apparently....yes. Just ask roommatechelle: she startles me at least once a week simply by walking into the room. Or, for another example, there's the other day when we were on a walk, and I jumped/exclaimed because I thought a cat was coming at me...but it was my shadow. my shadow...i'd say that's the epitome of skittishness. I'm a walking cliché. Literally.

I don't really know why I felt like sharing that, except that I hope you laughed. I'm pretty sure, that's one of the main reasons for my being here on earth. (Melinda lives her normal life = people laugh...at least that's what seems to happens most days...)

Unrelatedly;

I've been thinking about self-destructive behavior lately. There are so many forms of it--You're on a quest for physical perfection. You drink too much. You dwell on [whatever] far more than is necessary. You don't take your medication. You seclude yourself. You're financially reckless. You refuse to ask for help...and on and on.

Funny thing, though, about "self-destructive" behavior: its negative effects may not be, probably are not, limited to yourself.

I think life is very much based on choices. Yes, we get dealt awkward, inconvenient, poor hands, but I think the vast majority of the time, we have choices to make within those situations, decisions that can be made toward the better, or toward or the worse. Maybe we can't fix everything...but surely we can at least minimize the pain/trouble we cause ourselves and others?

It's common sense. Or is it? So many of our actions would seem to indicate otherwise (mine included; this is far from a lecture).

Just a [possibly random/abstruse] thought.