For the past seven days, I have gone through TWO stretches of 3 days without water. The water just came back on and all I wanna do is take a shower but the water pressure is so bad that I can’t take one. I have been using what the astronauts use in space to keep clean. It works but I wouldn’t go somewhere where people are highly critical (like work) while using it.

I think the no water thing is related to the weather. It doesn’t have to be freezing for my water to go off. I don’t understand it. I currently get water from a well (but will eventually get it from the city) and I have only lived in this house for about seven months. So I have no idea what normal is.

My mother grew up without water so she’s like “whatever”. 😉 The first time the water went off, I was freaked out. I thought the pipes had frozen! Then a miracle happened. The water came back on and I was the happiest girl in the world.

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What I really came here to share is this awesome piece on social anxiety/misanthropy. FIRST: I would like to say that most people with social anxiety want to be comfortable around people (judging by my reading). However, I’m over it. I’ve been over people for over 10 years. Think about it – if something made you so scared or really uncomfortable, wouldn’t you want to stay away from it too? People who are afraid of dogs are allowed to just stay away from them. How I wish…

Here is the article: I married a misanthrope

Over time I’ve learned that “I don’t like people” is Pete’s code phrase for his social phobia*, the stress he experiences when he has to deal with new people or unfamiliar situations. When I ask him to explain it to me, the picture becomes clearer: “It’s just different for me than for other people. I have to consciously think about things that come naturally to you — making eye contact, when it’s appropriate to make a joke or not, how to read someone’s body language. [In certain situations] I really don’t like people because they do things that I don’t know how to respond to. They’re unpredictable and irritating.”

and

But another friend saw our situation differently. She tried to appear sympathetic when I told her about Pete’s misanthropy, but then started laughing. I asked her what was funny and she said, “The whole thing. Because of course, you don’t like people much, either. It’s one of the reasons we’re such good friends. You’re judgmental, and I mean that in the best possible way. We’re told it’s good to make judgments about everything else: music, food, politics, clothing. Well, why the hell not judge people? People can be irrational and ignorant and irritating. You don’t really like people — most people — any more than Pete does. You’re just better at playing the game.”

When I first saw the word misanthrope and social anxiety, I thought this was going to be a piece about a woman complaining about her husband or how horrible people with social anxiety are (We really don’t need to hear that. Thankyouverymuch). But it is a different kind of article. Worth reading.

*It is not clear that Pete has social anxiety from the article. It is also not clear he is a misanthrope. He could be just sick of trying to ‘get’ social situations.

Back to school work…and maybe I could get a shower in? Or should I just watch Hardball? This Chris Christie stuff is fascinating.