Wht do you have?

[skeptic]

I answered the question asked, if you have somethign else you want to ask about, ask it outright.

Oh ok.
Why didn't the girl's mother leave, too?
I've yet to see where that's actually been explained.

[KonThaak]

Skeptic: It was explained in the thread where we helped Hannah escape, her mother chose not to escape at the same time because she hoped to make a difference in more peoples' lives than her own. She stayed behind to open peoples' eyes to the fact that they were living with a dangerous cult. She stayed behind to bring light to the cult leader's falseness.

We--or at least, I--don't know how successful she was...but I do know I've prayed for her at least several times.

[KonThaak]

In the spirit of this thread...

I have a loving wife, a son, and another child of my own flesh and blood on the way... I have a cat and a dog, and a mortgage on my very own townhouse. I have 26 years under my belt--27 in less than a month. I have a car--and so does my wife. Within a week, I'll have a new computer. I have a Wii and a PS2. I have a refrigerator, a deep freeze, and a pantry stocked with food. I have my love, my faith, all the creature comforts a guy could ask for, a secure job, and my friends. I've lost one kind of magic, and now I have a different one. I have the guns that Bert and Ron gave me, and I hope I never need to use any of them ever again...but if I ever do, I have the knowledge to do so safely.

I can't live as Master Long and Li-sensei do, with nothing...but I'm doing the best I can with what I've got.

[Ron Caliburn]

Oh ok.
Why didn't the girl's mother leave, too?
I've yet to see where that's actually been explained.

The first time, she couldn't make the rendezvous in time and I had to leave alone.

The second time, she felt the need to stay back and try to do what good she could within the place.

The folks I have who observe haven't heard anything about how successful or not she's been.

[skeptic]

What's going to happen if she's successful and comes home?
A Clockwork Orange sort of deal?

[Ron Caliburn]

I've made a life without her, she gave me no choice.

I'll welcome her here if she wants to be here, but I think she'll have to find her own way in the ouside world.

And for the record, the compound is where she, Hannah and I grow up, so she wouldn't be coming home, she'd be leaving it.

[skeptic]

And the child?
She's made the same choice as you?
Does she understand what she's done?

[Hannah]

Hello Skeptic,

I didn't understand it totally before . . . but they couldn't really tell me what was going on, otherwise I might have let it slip because I was only 14 when this happened.

It's been more than a year since I left and it feels like it was the right choice.

I miss my mom and my cousins and my friends and playing in the fields and the forest from time to time.

But now I have my dad and Wie and all my other friends. I get to go to school and learn instead of just doing chores and waiting to get married.

I'd have decided to come if I had the chance to again. Thougjh if I had the chance to do it over again, I would have tried much harder to get Mom to come with us.

Hannah

PS: My name is Hannah. I'd like it if you used it instead of calling me the child.

[skeptic]

You ever thought about what would you say if your mother
showed up at your house with good news she escaped the
cult with other family members and longtime playmates?

[Hannah]

Hello Skeptic

I'd probably hug her and cry a lot.

Hannah

PS: Why are you asking this stuff, don't you have a mother you love?

[skeptic]

I am asking because you need to think about it.
More than that, actually, but even I don't care for sticking my proboscis too far into other people's business.
And, no, I don't have a mother I love.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, Skeptic. She has thought a lot about it. We talk to each other a lot. But she says there are some things we don’t need to post for the world to see.

[Ron Caliburn]

even I don't care for sticking my proboscis too far into other people's business.

Then I suggest you stop at this point, before you say anything that further upsets my daughter or her very protective father.

[skeptic]

So long as she's actually thinking realistically about it.
That's all that interests me.
I've seen it too many times the other way round.
And it never works out well for anybody involved.
Let's keep the chest thumping to a minimum, too, please. I'm not a monster.

[Michael T]

To get this thread back on track and to clairify my earlier post. I have a lifetime of studing the arcane and supernatural, paranormal and some diminsional traveling. I have knowledge and a battery of spells and items, a very large library of lore and knowledge on various cults and tales of the unknown. But most of all I have the friends I have made here, I am begining to understand some of the cryptic sayings my mentor used to throw at me when I asked foolish questions.

Michael T.

[Ron Caliburn]

You ask deep personal questions of me and my daughter. Questions that upset her, and I tell you to stop and I'm chest thumping?

if you poke a bear's cub you're lucky if all you get is chest thumping.

[skeptic]

Well this isn't the place for a child, as I've asserted before and elsewhere.
But since they're here, I may as well do what I can.
Questions that are upsetting are generally the ones needing the most urgent answer.
Are you a bear or a rational adult human being?

[Ron Caliburn]

It's not.

But since they rescued her from the compound, the peopel here ar etheones she knows best. I hope, in time, she will make friends in the normal fashion and she will move on to a much more normal life.

As for being the bear or a rational human being . . . upsetting my daughter is a good way to make me forget which I'm suppsoed to be.

[skeptic]

My intention is not to upset.
It's on occasion the unfortunate byproduct of asking important questions.
Just because a question is difficult, that doesn't allow us to stick our heads in the sand.
You may have noticed that I stopped pressing the moment I detected she was upset.
Always be rational. Always be in control of yourself.
Remember when I told you if you don't want to answer, just say so?
Well I meant it.

[Razor]

For those of you that have had parents to grow up with, or at least were alive when you were young: Be grateful. Some of us never got the chance to even know some of our parents.

I hope that my kids, if I ever have any, will never have to live through some of the hells I have.

[Natasha]

I knew my parents. Wish I hadn't.

[skeptic]

I knew my parents. Wish I hadn't.

Sounds like you've closed that chapter in your life.
If not, as always, my door is open.

[Razor]

Skeptic, is there some reason you're trying to play psychologist/psychotherapist to various board members?

[concrete_Angel]

Sorry, been busy for a while. But I wanted to throw my two cents in while it's there.

What do I have?

hmmm......


I've got rhythm,
I've got music,
I've got my love,
Who could ask for anything more?

[skeptic]

Skeptic, is there some reason you're trying to play psychologist/psychotherapist to various board members?

I'm trying to be helpful. That's what this Society is here for.
People who need help often don't know they need help.
Those that do are sometimes too scared or worried to seek it out.
These are the two most significant barriers in my field.
I'm not pushing anybody to talk and I'm not trying to play anything.

[Razor]

Most of the people here with the Society are often aware when they need help, and furthermore, I have yet to see but maybe one or two people ask for that help.

Also consider, some people may not want help, even if you personally think they need it.

Even with the bickering that goes on, there are many here that are willing to help everybody, and would do so often at the drop of a hat, in just about any endeavor.

[Natasha]

After spending a lot of time with mental health professionals when I escaped my home life and then later in some of my researches, I agree completely with Sebastian. There's a great stigma put on seeking mental health professions out for help that prevent a lot of people that need it from getting it. Sebastian's approach is not a pushy one; it's one which lets people know that it's ok to explore their mental condition and that confidentiality is guaranteed if they do.

Yes, Sebastian, it's closed. But sometimes the door gets kicked open on me. Of course, one with your experience understands all about that.

People in our field are quite susceptible to mental breakdowns. My team gets regular evals as a result. I give Sasha a year more before they make him a pencil pusher.

[Razor]

I dunno. There's something that's sitting right with me less and less. The last thing anyone wants to do is pique my curiosity.

[Cybermancer]

[Robyn]

This thread seems to have started as a listing of weapons used by various board members. Collectively, this group seems an unusually martial lot, although I suppose that is to be expected.

It did not take long for the thread to morph into a general discussion of material resources soon followed by less substantial support.

When it comes to weapons, I have available whatever I could need but only use what I know how to. Not that I've ever personally engaged in genuine combat. It's just that as Cybermancer's assistant, it's understood as a possibility to be prepared for.

Material resources I have available are more than sufficient for my needs. Cybermancer provides everything I require as part of my employment. That has freed my wage to be invested. Should my employment ever cease, I shall be well taken care of.

Other resources, those that are insubstantial such as faith, these are harder for me to itemize. Faith is a difficult concept for me. Something either is, or it is not. Something that may be, is simply a possibility or theory until it is either proven or disproven.

I do not have family as such although I have many assciaotes, colleagues and acquaintances. There are a few that I would also consider friends. Friendship is an immaterial resource that I suppose I have come to understand fairly well.

As for myself, I do not possess any psychic or magical abilities. I do not think that those could ever be possible for me. I do have a keen intellect and a rational mind. I possess learning and understanding. My body operates normally and in every way that my creator intended.

I would postulate that this means that I have enough.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

[Robyn]

This thread seems to have started as a listing of weapons used by various board members. Collectively, this group seems an unusually martial lot, although I suppose that is to be expected.

It did not take long for the thread to morph into a general discussion of material resources soon followed by less substantial support.I would postulate that this means that I have enough.

I agree somewhat Robyn, though I would like to say in my defense, “Some of us don’t have weapons.” And Ron has . . . well, he has what he needs, too.

And that’s good enough for me. Considering some people don’t have even the means to get anything, we are very blessed to be as prepared as we are.