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["Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>]

> My friend A is one of those people like Lynn who sees a
> friendly universe...she is a happy person who associates with other
> happy people.  She just doesn't even see the meanness, but I do...and
> you do...why is that?

It's not that I don't see the meanness. I do, but I see it as an aberation, 
not normal. I think "THAT is not a nice person", or "boy, he must be unhappy 
to be that mean". I think most people are friendly.  I've tried smiling and 
saying 'hi' to people throughout the day, and 9 out of 10 will smile back, 
at least around here. I think that's human nature. People in the city tend 
to ignore each other more...maybe that's the 'tension' you pick up on. Maybe 
that's why I don't feel comfortable in cities. Or malls.

>Friend A and I
> can be watching TV and see a show, let's say, oh,,,, SouthPark......she
> sees it as funny(apparently it was meant to be), I see it as demeaning
> ...why is that?
There's something where we agree, Bev. I don't watch much TV because I think 
a lot of it is demeaning/makes people look stupid. Southpark, from the 
little I've seen (little clips), is worse than most. I don't watch horror 
movies or those 'dark' movies where the bad guys win. It's just not a world 
I like to see. I hate practical jokes, too. I don't even watch shows like 
Hell's Kitchen, because watching Chef call people names that they have to 
bleep isn't entertainment for me.

>  Now, as an adult, I empower myself by choosing my
> own environment which is my homestead...a place that is not hostile, not
> artificial, and not negative..it is a place of my doing, my creation,
> and it is positive.

I think we homesteaders all do that to some extent. I was never comfortable 
in the city. Being smooshed together with that much humanity isn't enjoyable 
to me. I need my space. The city is an 'artificial' world to me...buildings 
where the windows don't open are a pet peeve of mine. For me, it isn't about 
fear; it's just not my idea of how the world should be. Maybe it IS about 
control; molding our homesteads into the kind of world we want (and I'll bet 
ours are very similar).

I don't see nature as hostile, but I sure respect her power. I think we've 
all learned that it's easier to work with Mother Nature than try to fight 
her. I live in her world, so I have to accommodate her seasons and whims. My 
joy comes from being able to sit inside by the fire and watch Mother Nature 
send down a blizzard. Yeah, I have to put on my 17 layers and go out in it 
sometimes, but knowing my comfy chair is by the fire makes it OK.

Lynn Wigglesworth