Best of the Best: 1995

So over on Retro Revelations, early last year, I decided to undertake a ginormous project entitled "Best of the Best: 20 Years in Life and Entertainment". It was my attempt to outdo the simple "Best of the Year" type stuff that many people do, and in typical Me fashion, go overboard, by doing 1995-2015. I think, overall, it worked out pretty well. However, it was done in four articles, MEGA-articles, each covering roughly five years of stuff, and not only did they take a LOT to research and write out, but I'm sure they were daunting pieces to sit and read for many people as well.

If I had thought it out better back then, I likely would have done a bunch of small articles (uncharacteristic for me, and for Retro Revelations), doing one year at a time. That way, it's easier to write, and far easier for the average reader to consume. And quite frankly, I think those articles, and sharing my thoughts, feelings, and memories on those years and the happier (and not so happy) things they brought, is too good to NOT share with more people.

SO, with that in mind, for the month of March, I'm going to endeavor to break those MEGA-articles up into just that: 20 separate years chronicled, each year going over my picks for favorite movie, video game, music album, and song.

Without further adieu, here is the first year: 1995

"It Has Begun....."

Year: 1995
Movie: Mortal Kombat
Game: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Album: Burnt Offerings by Iced Earth*
Song: When I Come Around by Green Day

As stated, in the fall of 1995, we moved from the town I had spent many years of my childhood in, to my current town which was about a half an hour away. It was a major turning point in my life. We moved because my grandmother was basically dying of lung cancer, because she had spent most of her life smoking like an oil refinery. She passed away shortly after we moved, in September. So the Fall of 1995, in a very real way to me at the time, could rightly be called my "First Fall of Freedom"...because I was more or less free, after a life of absolute control, to for the first time essentially do whatever the hell I wanted.

But before that, in the late summer of '95, while I had previously gotten to see Power Rangers: The Movie and Batman Forever, the first movies in theater I had been able to see since I was probably about 4 years old, I got to see the first film in theater that would actually "impact" me, on a personal level. And that movie, was Mortal Kombat. As explained in this article, I had in the early 90s loved (to the point of obsession) Street Fighter II, and when the original Mortal Kombat arcade game first debuted, I kind of acted like I hated it, because all the kids flocked to it, and said it was "better" than SFII, because it had "real" graphics, and blood, and silly fatalities, etc. I didn't REALLY hate the game, but I sure as shit loved me some SFII, and would defend it vigorously as being superior. But when MKII came out, that game, with it's mystical "Outworld" setting, started to win me over more. And by the time the movie came out in '95, MKIII was already out, and I got swept up in MK fever. Not that I loved Street Fighter any less.....just that I finally relented and thought MK was also cool.

And when it came to the movie, while I saw many other cool movies in late 95, such as my first ever Jackie Chan film Rumble in the Bronx, as well as the awesome Robin Williams film Jumanji, nothing really "touched" my 13 year old mind, more than MK. It wasn't just that I had come to like the games. It wasn't just that it was a VERY well done and exciting martial arts/action flick (though it was). It was a lot of fun, it felt like an event, and beyond that, it really brought to the fore more than ever, the mythology and backstory of the game. The actors were great in their roles and really brought the characters to life in an organic way. And the themes of honor and fighting to defend life, are what original eastern martial arts are all about. The movie just kind of had everything, and while it certainly affected teenage me far more than it does jaded, grumpy adult me now, I DO still think it's an awesome film (which is amazing because I kind of hate the director).

It's the Ultimate Showdown, of Ultimate Destiny.

As for my favorite game of 1995, well, it wasn't as if I was obsessed with the MK franchise THAT much...but I certainly got swept up in the fever, as I said, and while I thought the original version of MKIII was neat when it came out early that year, it was lacking, especially missing the popular ninja characters. So in the fall, when they released a better "Ultimate" version that returned the ninjas and added cooler backgrounds, I just loved it. Especially because the night it was first put into the mall arcade I would frequent for many years, my friends and I got there right as some guy was playing it, playing one of the "new" characters (the female ninja Jade), and he was somehow awesome at it. A huge crowd gathered around as he beat it on the hardest tier, and proceeded to pick the "Supreme Demonstration" as his reward, which of course shows ALL the finishing moves in the game, for every character. The crowd, my friends and I included, ate it up, and it was just a really fun time, and a good memory.

When it comes to the album, you'll notice there's an asterisk next to it. That's because I actually wasn't yet into "album music" in 1995. I had a few tapes, yes, but for the majority of my childhood any new music I knew was from the radio, or something like MTV or VH1. So I decided to pick that album retroactively, because after looking at albums that came out in 1995, I like that one best, as it really is one of Iced Earth's best. A classic piece of heavy metal. Plus, I mean, it ends with the 16+ minute epic based on Dante's Inferno. And as for the song, well it wasn't a NEW song that year, but "When I Come Around" by Green Day was absolutely my JAM of 1995. I loved that song, it really spoke to me for some reason. Still does.

The Face of Hypocrisy

It is high irony, that so many third wave feminists defend Islamic culture SO vehemently, when Islamic culture is literally THE single most anti-feminist, and MOST oppressive to women, on the entire planet. That isn't even just opinion. That is fact. That does not mean ALL Muslims act that way or feel that way, surely. But it is the ONLY culture/religion on Earth (these days, Christianity and Judaism used to be about as bad), that often demands women cover entire bodies, and either their hair, or their entire FACE, because, you know, seeing pretty women is just too distracting and tempting to good Muslim men, right?

The "Western World" obviously has a lot of it's own problems, and one of them is how females ARE often still treated/mistreated. I don't think anyone with true intelligence and compassion would really bother trying to argue that fact. BUT, when these feminists put SO much effort into demonizing Straight White Men (the devil who causes ALL evil on the planet, obviously), but in the same breath defends Muslim culture from any and all even CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms, because "how dare we attack those poor people", it's laughable.

I've known Muslims who are good people, and even some who do NOT subscribe to the often very Misogynistic ways of the Quran. But I'm sure that THOSE people would likely be inclined to agree, that the way many Islamic countries treat women is abhorrent. For third wave feminists to outright IGNORE that, while constantly railing against their OWN western culture that, with a handful of admittedly SHITTY exceptions, in point of fact in MOST ways that matter, treat them like 100% equals to men, is not only absurd, it comes off as incredibly disingenuous to their own alleged cause.

You don't see them over in Middle Eastern and African Islamic countries, protesting for women's human rights that are ACTUALLY being abused and oppressed, on a daily basis. No, instead you see "Free the Nipple" rallies, and "Gender Pay Gap" protests, and online boycotts or petitions based around the silliest, most shallow shit, like female video game characters, or casting in Hollywood films.

I am not going to sit here and argue or denigrate those issues. But I AM going to call blatant bullshit and hypocrisy, on how many of them constantly attack Straight White Western Men, as in ANY of them, no matter whether they EVER personally "oppress" women or not, no matter whether they are genuinely good people or not (which by the way is sexist bigotry in and of itself), yet they rarely if ever call bullshit on Islamic issues that genuinely harm and mistreat women, worldwide.

Let's just propose, for the sake of argument, that a new Right Wing movement rose up in the US, where white Christian women started completely covering their bodies, head to toe, and wore the equivalent or Hijabs or even Burkas, because in THEIR view, it is indecent and sinful for women to expose anything more than their faces, or even just their eyes. Guess what? Western third wave feminists would have a field day with that. They would attack it, immediately, calling those women "traitors" to feminism and womankind, and attacking the white Christian men who OBVIOUSLY are forcing these poor, oppressed female victims, to cover their natural beauty.

I could almost guarantee that would be the basic reaction to such a phenomenon. And yet, that is exactly how women in many Islamic countries are treat, and worse, on a day to day basis. On the one hand, yes, I can understand the point of defending a woman's right to CHOOSE to dress how she wants, including wearing a headscarf, or even mask/veil. But on the OTHER hand, as a egalitarian and humanist myself, I will not just sit by and pretend that the religious/cultural reasons BEHIND the use of those things on women, is innocent or something worth protecting.

I am not religious, but I say these things being part Middle Eastern myself. And I'm sorry, but forcing women to cover their natural beauty, their skin, their hair, even their FACES, is ridiculous and and ignorant as it gets. Even full-body nakedness, even covering up so-called "indecent", "sinful" private parts. The fear and demonization of the human body, especially the female body, has NEVER had anything to do with God or spirituality, at all. It was wrong when Christians and Jews treated women and the human body that way, and it's STILL wrong that Muslims treat women and the human body that way. And the TRUE irony, is that many of these same feminists will be the FIRST in line to agree and attack western white Christians for that kind of treatment towards nudity and women in general. But again, usually not a peep when it comes to other cultures "we have no business talking about".

Except that humanitarian causes and human rights issues, ARE everyone's business. And practices that harm or actively oppress people (as in ACTUALLY oppress), SHOULD be railed against, and stopped. If women want to wear Hijabs and Burkas...whatever. But to me, it is a "SIN" to COVER human beauty. There is no "Virtue" in making women hide themselves, so as not to "tempt" men, or "distract" them with their natural femininity. As a "straight" male myself, I can in fact attest to beautiful females catching my attention and "distracting" me. It happens. That's Nature. But why should we avoid it, or condemn or oppress it?

Regardless, the Hijab and Burka are only symptoms of the larger issue, on a cultural level that many Islamic countries treat their women as lesser humans, who in some cases aren't allowed to vote, or drive, or own their own property, etc. They are "owned" by the men in their lives, basically, just as it was in Medieval Christian Europe. As an aside, the vast majority of PRE-Christian European cultures did not treat women that way. For that matter, many PRE-Muslim Middle Eastern cultures didn't treat women that way either. If you actually do the research, beyond religious/historical cover-ups and demonizations, MOST "Pagan" cultures were MUCH more egalitarian, in fact. But that's a story for another day.

I don't deny that there are most certainly ways in which women in the West, even in America, are NOT always treated as Full Equals to men. There ARE still sadly some ways in which women are treated "lesser" or "different", and that sucks, and needs to change. There ARE feminist causes worth fighting for in the West. But so much of what third wave feminism parades around these days, stinks of manufactured outrage, IE FINDING things to be mad and indignant about, and a LOT of it also stinks of (to coin their own terms) "White Female Privilege". Yes, that does exist. In fact, straight up "Female Privilege" exists.

There are MANY circumstances under which women in the West have stark ADVANTAGES over men as well, such as when it comes to how harshly the law treats them for the same crimes as men. Or how social programs often treat women versus men. Or how workplaces often make allowances for pregnant/parent women, but not men. Or domestic violence (or violence in general) towards men not being taken anywhere near as seriously as against women.Or how men are required by law to pay child support and sometimes even alimony but women are not. Or how the vast majority of child custody cases go in favor of women over men, even if the men are the more capable parent. These things are not some silly, whiny "Men's Rights Activist" talking points, to be justifiably dismissed and scorned, as they so often are. No, these are REAL issues and disparities that exist, for women OVER men, in American society alone, and they are just some examples. There are in fact MANY ways in which women have distinct and even stark advantages over men, in Western/American society, that often get ignored or pushed aside, as if they don't exist or don't matter.

But the POINT in all of this is, Hypocrisy. Something I have always loathed and railed against. I hate hypocrites the same as I hate liars, because to me, BOTH are one and the same, BOTH are forms of Dishonesty, which stinks of Dishonor and Cowardice. And I hate Hypocrites and Liars, regardless of gender, creed, ethnicity, economic status, or anything else. A Liar is a Liar, and a Hypocrite is a Hypocrite, no matter what. And I see extreme hypocrisy in the way many Western/American third wave feminists act TOWARDS the West/America, versus how they often act (or rather, don't act) towards OTHER parts of the world that ACTUALLY treat women badly, without exception, on a daily basis. There is something extremely disingenuous, and spoiled, and even sickening, about hearing Western women talk about stupid shit like "Mansplaining" and "Manspreading", as if these are end of the world issues, while not paying even token lip-service to women who are ACTUALLY oppressed, beaten, and otherwise mistreated every day of their lives in other countries.

There are feminist issues here in the West that are worth discussing and fighting for. But those issues are not unique to the West, and you can't just care about Human Rights issues here at home, but NOT care about them elsewhere. You don't get to be a Fair Weather Humanitarian. You either are, or you aren't. You either care, or you don't. And NOT caring, about the outright oppression women in many Islamic cultures go through, and defending them against attacks or criticism from "Evil White Men" in the West, because somehow we're "oppressing" the oppressors by pointing out bullshit, is just that: Bullshit.

Quite frankly, in my opinion, while it is also a topic for another day, ALL of the Monotheistic, "One God, One Truth" religions of the world, who profess to be "God's Only Chosen", and claim that THEY know the only "Real Truth", and that everyone ELSE who believes differently is an evil Heathen condemned to Eternal Damnation, have done profoundly more harm than good. That isn't even up for debate, that isn't a subjective opinion, it's objective fact. All you have to do is pick up a history book, or turn on the news, to see the Truth of that. And that is not an attack on religious people, it is simply the sad, terrifying truth of the existence of such religions in the human world. There has not been a greater cause of massive destruction, suffering, and death in this world, in the entirety of human history, than these monotheistic religions. Don't get me wrong, there WAS war and strife and atrocity before they existed. But those things have escalated by an incredible degree SINCE they took a foothold in the world over the last 2000+ years. There are many GOOD people of ANY of those such religions, many who do NOT agree with many of the messages, attitudes or interpretations, that have LEAD to such horror and atrocity. But I think history and the current state of the world, attest more than any one person or group ever could, to the fact that the genuinely GOOD and PEACEFUL super-religious of the world, have NOT been the voices most heard, have NOT had the most influence over world events. And that is sad, because if Islam truly WERE, universally, a "Religion of Peace" as it is often claimed to be, or if ALL Christians, universally, actually acted "Christ-Like", the world would be a MUCH better, cleaner, friendlier and less terrifying place right now.

The Face of Hypocrisy, is that you don't get to choose to attack ONE group for a dangerous and destructive view or behavior, but NOT others who share similar views and behaviors. Many third wave feminists DO attack Christianity about these kinds of things. A LOT in fact. But, many of those same people, as stated, sometimes outright REFUSE to attack Islam over the EXACT same things. Because that's "Not White Culture", so we don't have a "right" to comment on it or interfere in it. Even though Christianity literally exists in almost every nation on Earth, in some regions outright dominating populations of entirely non-white humans. Even though in many cases, the way Islam abuses human rights or spreads hateful outlooks, is even WORSE than what modern Christianity does. It is every BIT as bad as Medieval Christianity was. The key difference being, that modern "radical" Muslims, have weapons and technologies and means to do greater harm on a greater scale. That isn't to say that Christianity isn't ALSO still doing harm, for indeed, it still holds firm influence over many political and military agendas in many Western countries, not the least of which being the United States. In fact there are people in power in American government as I type this, who would love nothing more than to provoke what they, just like the "Radical Islamists", feel would be a "Holy War", worldwide, between Christian and Muslim nations, with all of the rest of us, and all life on Earth, caught in the crossfire. That isn't hyperbole, that is a nightmare reality that I have READ many claim to be "waiting for" or even WISHING for.

You have to care about ALL atrocity, ALL abuse, not just some of it. So, to self-proclaimed "Social Justice Warriors", if you truly want to BE Warriors, then carry yourselves with semblance of Honor, and don't just pick and choose which issues, real or manufactured, that you wish to protest in the comfort of your own country. Go out there and fight the good fight for people who ACTUALLY need your help, and ACTUALLY need saving. Ultimately, an issue such as the way Islamic countries and culture treat women, or even the issue of radical terrorism, it really isn't possible to be changed by outsiders. It can ONLY be changed by the people THEMSELVES, condemning and ultimately fighting to CHANGE those things. The West cannot beat Islamic terrorism, certainly not with weapons and wars. The only way that is ever going to stop, is if MUSLIMS as a whole, take a VERY public stand against it themselves, and make it clear that killing in the name of their culture and religion, is NOT acceptable. Because, as many SJW's and third wave feminists like to point out, "Silence Is Often Approval", inaction is often the same as condoning atrocity. But while Western feminists perhaps CAN'T directly go into these countries and cultures and MAKE change themselves, as outsiders, they CAN direct their energies towards changing attitudes and viewpoints, and inspiring THOSE people to take up the cause and make the change THEMSELVES. 

Cultural Appropriation

Racism exists (in people of ALL skin colors). But "Cultural Appropriation"? Ok, let's play that game for a minute. And we'll use Black/African Americans as an example, because the BLM Activist movement is a primary source of these "Cultural Appropriation" claims. Regardless of the history behind it, the fact is, modern Black Americans alone (ignoring every other racial minority, because everyone always seems to), "Culturally Appropriate" just as much as any other human being in the history of humanity has.

Do you like the radio? Television? Phones? Modern computers? Film/Video? Youtube? Cars? Airplanes? Recorded music? Modern Electrical Use/Technology? Facebook? Instagram? Video Games? Pizza? Sandwiches? Cheeseburgers? French Fries? Fried Chicken and other modern fried foods? X-rays and a lot of other modern medical breakthroughs, etc.? A lot of modern clothing fashions? European folks invented ALL of those things and more. So if you enjoy using those things, or taking part in those things, then you're "culturally appropriating".

Do you like the heroes and villains of Marvel and DC comics? Most of those were created by white people. Do you like Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings, or Dungeons and Dragons? Them and many other major modern fantasy fiction works, as well as major science fiction works, were made by white people. Do you like modern pro wrestling? It was started by European folks, white people. Do you like sports like Baseball, Rugby, Hockey, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, etc? Almost all invented by white people. If you enjoy and take part in those things, then you're Culturally Appropriating.

Most Black Americans to this day still bear European last names. Regardless of the history behind it, it's still technically Cultural Appropriation. Those are European names, thus you are appropriating European Culture. A LOT of Black Americans are religious, mainly some strain of Christian. While Christianity was allegedly spawned in the Middle East, if claims on the life and existence of Jesus are to be believed, the religion and various incarnations of Christianity, were spread and developed throughout Europe, by Europeans. So it is, mostly, a European or "Western" religion, for better or worse. So in a very real sense, if you're Christian, you are Culturally Appropriating a European religion. Every single Black American speaks American English as their primary language. They are, technically, Culturally Appropriating European language every single day, when they read, write, or speak the English language.

All of that and MORE can be said of Black Americans, let alone ANY other kind of American, about Cultural Appropriation. Do you enjoy Chinese, or Mexican, or Italian, or Turkish, or Japanese, or Greek, or Thai cuisine? That's also Cultural Appropriation. Literally everyone in America, and honestly, almost every single human being on the planet, takes part in "Cultural Appropriation", every single day. Should people who are NOT Japanese, stop enjoying Japanese food, because they are not Japanese? Because it's "Culturally Insensitive" to partake in Japanese Culture when you're "not part of it"? Or perhaps somehow, eating Japanese food, and using chopsticks, soy sauce, etc., is "mocking" Japanese or Asian culture in general? Or maybe it's just enjoying good food?

The fact is, "Cultural Appropriation" has been a thing ever since HUMAN BEINGS have been a thing. Human beings see or experience things from OTHER human beings that they like, and they decide to do or use it too, aka "Appropriation". Every single American, REGARDLESS of ethnic background, even modern NATIVE Americans, "Culturally Appropriate" every single day of their lives. Is it "racist" to dress up like a Mexican stereotype on Cinco de Mayo? Arguably. But then so is dressing up in green and Irish stereotypes on St. Patrick's Day, if you're not actually Irish (meaning ANYONE, who are not some part Irish).

Are there ways that it IS dumb and insensitive to "Culturally Appropriate". Sure, just as with anything, you can take things too far, or be a jerk about things. The bit at the beginning was not to point out how "great white people are". European folks and folks of European decent have made or done a lot of BAD things too. But so have almost every other kind of person in the history of humanity. And while a lot of NON-European humans have invented and created awesome things too, the fact was, an awful LOT of awful/useful/convenient modern amenities and forms of entertainment MOST of us enjoy, regardless of skin color or background, happen to have been invented by some sort of "white" person. And if you REALLY want to take shit to extremes, enjoying or taking part or making use of those things, could be considered "Cultural Appropriation" just as much as anything else.

Humans have been "Appropriating" since before there was recorded history. Hell, even in close social circles, like friends or family members, people "Appropriate" philosophies, attitudes, sayings, mannerisms, traditions, etc., from each other ALL the time. I know I have. And literally every other human being that has ever lived, or ever WILL live, has or will as well. There are a LOT of very real racial/ethnic social issues in this world that still to this day need to be addressed. And we ALL need to tackle them together. I'm just here to tell you, that "Cultural Appropriation"? It's NOT one of them. If you find yourself getting upset over "Cultural Appropriation"...you both have far too much privileged in your life to being worrying about something so trivial, and you also need to look hard into a mirror, because YOU, just like every other human being, do it too. On a daily basis, every single day of your life.

So move along, and put your energies towards issues that ACTUALLY are a problem, and ACTUALLY matter to everyone's future.

Freedom of Speech

If you value Free Speech, then value it for bigots as well as yourself. That's how Freedom works. You cannot want free expression for yourself, but silence for them. Let them bury themselves with their own words.That does not imply that if people go TOO far, and are actively hurting others, or purposefully trying to cause harm with their words, that there shouldn't be consequences, even punishment.

But to try and silence racists and bigots, or anyone you disagree with for that matter, goes against the idea of Freedom. Freedom of Speech means Freedom for Everybody. The true price of Freedom, after all, is not war. It is having to put up with everyone else being Free too.

Make the Earth Great Again

Not a popular statement, but people need to let go of this notion that America was or is "great". It's just a country.


Humanity, at times, CAN be great. Individuals can be great. Countries and governments, are not.
My slogan would be: "Make the Earth Great Again".

Because our planet WAS one great, beautiful, majestic. And we've done everything in our human power to tarnish, pervert, and destroy it for the last several hundred+ years.


You want a mantra to actually unite humanity? Forget social groups. Forget nations. Have humanity rally around saving the world we live on, and restoring the beauty, and health, of Nature. In doing that, we also save ourselves.

Mental Health

I feel like far too many people these days, are either being diagnosed, or worse, SELF-diagnosing "mental health issues" and disorders. Don't get me wrong. There are real mh issues, and some people do legit suffer from them and need various manners of help.

BUT, I also think it's very dangerous, this growing mindset that every single kind of behavior needs to be labeled, and often diagnosed as a "problem", that they often "need a pill" for. People self-diagnose as having this that or the other issues or disorder, when a lot of times, they actually don't.

To hear some people talk, you'd think that MOST people have some sort of disorder, and I find that very hard to believe. I am sure that I, myself, would be diagnosed by some as having some labels or other. The real problem here is, I think it's becoming too convenient, and also quite frankly dangerous, that SO many people are either GETTING diagnosed with issues, or deciding, after researching on Google for an hour, that they "have ____". This need to label and compartmentalize everything, and point everything out as a "disorder" or "functional disability", is rather absurd, and kind of scary.

Again, SOME people legit have mental health issues, very real ones, that they struggle with and need help with. But I find it very hard to believe that EVERYONE who has been diagnosed by a psychiatrist, or who have individually decided they must fall under ____ disorder, actually have them. "Mental Health" itself is a very vague, fluid term that can cover a LOT of territory, and yet at the same time meaning nothing specific.

EVERYONE has "mental health" to maintain, it is your cognitive and emotional functionality, how you handle and process thoughts and feelings. But just because you're sad, doesn't mean you suffer from "Clinical" or chronic depression. Just because you often feel anxious or uptight or scared, doesn't mean you absolutely have anxiety disorder. Just because you often have trouble focusing or paying attention, doesn't mean you have ADD, anymore than being super focused or detail oriented makes you OCD.

I think in many cases, there are people who actively WANT to believe they have some kind of disorder, to believe that there is something "Wrong" with them, or rather because they think if they are diagnosed as such, it makes them part of some larger group, it makes them "belong" in a very weird way. And, just maybe, there are folks who WANT to fit into one of these labels, because they think that will somehow make them special, because they claim to have "special needs" and thus expect people to treat them unlike everyone else.

And to me, that is a massive disservice to those who actually HAVE serious mental health issues. I myself have struggled and dealt with depression for most of my life. I do not need someone to tell me that it's because I have a chemical imbalance in my brain, nor do I need to be labeled with some official "disorder". The fact of the matter is, I've had hard life, and in general, life can just really suck at times, frustrations and sadness and loneliness and other negative feelings build, and it makes you unhappy, or even miserable. That doesn't automatically mean you have a "disorder", nor does it mean you need to get on some sort of meds, or pay some stranger to give you therapy.

Maybe some folks actually, legitimately DO need that kind of help. But me? I've made it literally decades, on my own, and I've suffered, and struggled, and survived, on my own. No pills, no shrinks, and no diagnoses. I do, in point of fact, have a very big Mental Health issue. It's called "Life". And it can really bring me down, or piss me off, or make me sad, or even sometimes make me not want to still be here. But I deal, I survive, and hope that as I continue struggling, one day I will ultimately triumph, and the many things that make me angry, or frustrated, or sad, or lonely, or afraid, or anxious, etc., will lessen, and I will as a result feel mentally and emotionally better. And if my life suddenly becomes great, and I have everything I've ever wanted, and I STILL am unhappy or miserable? Well then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Nothing I've said is meant to make light of people with mental health issues or disorders. I've dealt with depression that is, at times, utterly crippling, in my life. And that's just one thing. So I know that, to borrow a stupid meme, "the struggle can be real". I get it. But I am also just getting increasingly sick and tired of people talking about "mental health" as if it's the newest trend, when it isn't, and shouldn't be treated that way. There are an awful lot of things we can do in this life, to cultivate and maintain positive Mental Health, emotional equilibrium, etc. Most of them have to do with simply learning how to deal with other human beings, and more importantly, learning WHICH human beings to bother dealing with or not. No one ever said it was easy. But it also does noone any good, if everyone just wants to wear diagnoses signs around their necks, and not actually actively deal with their problems, or with life.

Food for thought. 

Windmill of Your Mind

Like a circle in a spiral,
Like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever-spinning reel.
Like a snowball down a mountain,
Or a carnival balloon.
Like a carousel that's turning,
Running rings around the moon.
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping,
Past the minutes of its face.
And the world is like an apple,
Rolling silently in space.
Like the circles that you find,
In the windmills of your mind.

Like a tunnel that you follow,
To a tunnel of its own.
Down a hollow to a cavern,
Where the sun has never shone.
Like a door that keeps revolving,
In a half-forgotten dream.
All the ripples from a pebble,
Someone tosses in a stream.
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping,
Past the minutes of its face.
And the world is like an apple,
Rolling silently in space.
Like the circles that you find,
In the windmills of your mind.

Keys that jingle in your pocket,
Words that jangle in your head.
Why did summer go so quickly?
Was it something that you said?
Lovers walk along the shore,
Leave their footprints in the sand.
Is the sound of distant drumming,
Just the fingers of your hand?
Pictures hanging in a hallway,
Or the fragment of this song.
Half-remembered names and faces,
But to whom do they belong?
When you knew that it was over,
You Were suddenly aware.
That the autumn leaves were turning,
To the colour of her hair?

Like a circle in a spiral,
Like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever-spinning reel.
As the images unwind,
Like the circles that you find,
In the windmills of your mind.