abraxasnet | @everyone

Aurelius once wrote, "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."

My fundamental concern about this wisdom is that it fails to spot the physical root of trauma. People who cannot snap out of their distress also deserve compassion and treatment.

My apologies for the intrusion. Locals informed me about the recent chaos and I found myself concerned and a little hesitant about reaching out. Back home I treat those who approach me for support with their mental health. I had excellent resources there but here I can offer nothing but a listening ear.

I understand some of you might be feeling exposed, stressed and intimidated. To you I offer my own wisdom. If you worry about what lies ahead, you will be the only one who suffers in the end.

To all else, kind regards for listening.

Oh. Reading, isn’t it? This system is entirely new to me. What a brave new world this place is.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's quite the job. How'd you end up interested in that field?

I was curious about how the mind could exert itself over the body. When I began studying, I found myself squeezing every last drop of acumen. Things grew from there until I began longing to engage with a wide variety of people.

It's a different challenge, really.

Makes sense. There's so many hows and whys to get into that I can see how it might be hard to stop.

What can I say? Curiosity is an instinctive and valuable trait. Even men like us succumb to it eventually.

Important to both our careers too. At least if you want to enjoy what you're doing.

Well, most wish to enjoy what they do. I cannot understand how we would be any different.

Yeah, of course, though we're also pretty fortunate that way. A lot of people get stuck doing something they don't like.

Indeed. Like housework.

[A small joke but, well, there's some harsh truths of experience in there.]

Or paperwork.

[Also joking, but also totally serious. Would he rather sweep or fill out reports? He thinks he might actually choose the former.]

Can't say I understand that one. Paperwork makes my world work.

Edited 2023-04-13 00:45 (UTC)

I have a coworker like that. I don't get it at all, but he loves filling out reports; I think it's his favorite part of a case.

It enables one to see the fruits of their labour. Progress is a strong factor in motivation, after all.

I guess. Doesn't feel progress to me, but I can see how it might to some.

Visual input and stimulation. I wonder whether the fascination with both is the same with you. Are your motivations completely different? People need some kind of positive reinforcement. What drove you into your line of work, I wonder?

Most of the paperwork I have to do is just summarizing the important part of my job after I've already done it. Doesn't hold as much appeal as actually working on the case itself.

Mental stimulation, then? The knowledge of befriending people personally and professionally. Not to mention offering comfort to the families of your subject's victims. Once they are apprehended, of course.

[There is no good way to say that he absolutely does not do those things, because saying 'I don't have friends' and 'I prefer not to talk to victims or their families' are both absolutely terrible statements he's not about to admit to. But he thinks he might know what had given Crane that impression.]

Profiling's only part of what I do in a case. I'm in the field a lot, usually for crime scene investigations and tracking down suspects, that sort of thing.

You enjoy work that gets you out from behind the desk? Understandable, given a moment ago you confessed to a lack of love for paperwork.

[The kind of work that takes him away from others, keeps him busy, keeps him sane? He can see it.]

Something like that. I know you said you like paperwork yourself, but is it more interesting than the main part of your job?

Hard to say. Paperwork in my career is part of my general body of work. That is not to say I cannot understand what you mean. The mind offers a challenge; one missing in paper alone. What I mean to say is, it's not more interesting, just different.

I guess I can understand that. Could also be that the sort of paperwork you're doing is more interesting than mine.

[It's half a joke, but also who knows, he's not a psychiatrist or in charge of a hospital. For all he knows Crane could have much more interesting writings to do be doing; Jayden doesn't mind writing up his profiles, after all, just things like filling out reports.]

Could be. I can only hope the main part of your job is more interesting.

[He doesn't emphasise but he does understand finding boredom in specific things.]

It definitely is. Makes up for the less interesting parts.

Indeed. There is a fascinating case back home of a citizen who enforces the law without legal authority. I would be curious as to hearing your opinion, sometime.

Like a vigilante type? I'd definitely be interested in hearing the details on that at some point.

(no subject)

restingstitchface - 2023-04-19 21:39 (UTC) - Expand