Lifestyle Seminar, here today.

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

Professor Slartibartfast isn't happy.

Lifestyle seminar starting now.

I want to know why only one of you produced an essay for this week. Make it good. I haven't handed out any detentions yet, but there is yet time.

And then tell me about illness, frailty and disability ... and the difference they make to lifestyle.

OOC -- Mun off to bed. Carry on, I'll pick up threads in the morning.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

Lily looks flustered - she can't believe she forgot to do the assignment. "I'm sorry professor! I had several heavy shifts at the clinic this weekend, so while I was dealing with illness first hand, I neglected to turn in my essay."

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

So what did you learn about our topic, then? I hope you have some valuable insights for the group.

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

"I hope so, too, sir. Illness and disability can have a profound effect, not only on the lifestyle of the afflicted, but also on the lifestyle of that person's family and friends. Extreme or prolonged illnesses can put people out of work, inhibit their ability to get around, put a strain on relationships, and generally cause problems all around. Family and friends often take on extra responsibility in order to keep things running smoothly, which adds stress, not to mention the possibility or resentment and hurt feelings."

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

So do you think that the strain and stress makes more difference than the disability itself? And do you think that the impact on family and friends is greater than that on the ... umm ... "afflicted"?

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

"Yes, in many cases I do think the strain and stress are harder to deal with than the disability itself. Especially for illnesses that come with no warning, it is always difficult to deal with major life changes. For long-term problems, "helping out" can often become a feeling of "obligation" which can break the best of relationships. Guilt can also create problems - family and friends who want to take some time off from "helping" can feel guilty because they are not the ones afflicted and they should want to help those less fortunate. I'm not sure it's a greater impact on either party - they seem fairly equal, though very different."

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

It's interesting comparing your talk of obligation and Miss Matthews' talk of being used ... Week eight is going to be fascinating. Do you not think there can be great rewards in being a carer?

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

"Oh there absolutely can be great rewards in being a carer! In fact, it's a career option I've considered more than once, but there's a major difference between those who choose to take that path and those who are forced to shoulder the burden unexpectedly and without the option of turning it away."

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

And yet this "obligation" that you're "forced to shoulder" is surely still a matter of choice... I'm sorry, I'm straying into week 8 territory again. Caring as a career is quite different, I'm sure.

OOC -- Mun off to bed soon.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Evil!Paige strutts in, Paige had done the homework, but Evil!Paige destroyed it

She knows a lot about fraility though, Paige taught her all about that!

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

Ah, Miss Matthews, you've decided that you are going to take this course? I was hoping for an essay ... you don't quite look yourself today. Something wrong?

OOC -- it's a pity we can't pick up a whole thread and drop it into place ...

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

An evil smile creeps across her face, "I'm the best I've been in a long time thank you sir. I have something in mind to talk about, I'm sorry about the essay." but I had to teach her who's boss

((copied my replies!))

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

Good. Excellent. Glad things are going well. So you have something to share? Speak on. Let's hope it provokes some discussion.

OOC -- Me too!

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

It seems I've had some experience of fraility lately, I think I'm over that little hurdle now though. I've found that being in love makes you frail, men will try to make you keep house and make you think you're special and you'll be stupid enough to believe it. You'll believe it so much you'll spend 2 weeks moping about, putting your life on hold for a man, crying over him reading poetry. Love makes a person frail and it won't be happening again

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

So being in love makes you frail? how does that compare with ... well, strictly speaking love is the topic for week eight, and this is only week six.

So how do you address this particular frailty, then? And what happens the next time someone makes you feel special? You're going to just turn those feelings off?

Ah, I knew someone ... quite recently. A bowler, you know. Got a job making sandwiches now, I think.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Evil!Paige's eyes narrow slightly, "No one will make me feel special again, because men lie, only the frail believe there lies, I don't have those feelings so I don't need to turn them off"
Paige worries about Lily hearing this

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. Yes. Of course. You don't have those feelings.

The professor nods sagely.

Men lie? Not all men, surely.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

All the men I've met have lied, yes

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

The professor looks down at himself. He pulls aside one lapel of his robe and glances inside as if checking something, and then looks up once more.

I'm sure you're more familiar with men than I am.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Evil!Paige smiles wickedly, "quite possibly."

[isnotimportant.livejournal.com]

See, I'm really quite inexperienced in this whole field.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

She smiles again, "I'd say it's generally better to keep things that way, depending on what you want experience of."

[http://users.livejournal.com/___lily_evans_/]

Lily does hear, and wonders what happened between Paige and Geoff to make Paige feel so bitter and hardened.

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

*Hamlet enters and takes a seat. He's in a mood most foul today.*

Life is pain. That's all there is to it. You can try your best to stay strong and keep above the crowds, but everyone has moments of weakness. Illness, frailty, disability; they are all just ways of breaking through your front and finding a way to strike you down. If you allow illness and disease to weaken you, someone will be there with a dagger in hand to steal all you have. If you put any value on that which you posses, you would be best to guard yourself well should you become frail.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Evil!Paige see Hamlet and smiles lowering her voice she says, "I'm sorry about calling you a freak, the flowers you sent were very nice"

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

*thinks about just how many Kroner he spent on 14 bunches of flowers and hopes that they were really nice*

Thank you. I'm glad that they were appreciated.


[OOC: Your name was included in the order form with all the others BTW, but Jack's Roses seems to have missed it on the FH Dorm post.]

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

((Paige was living in town with evil heartbreaking Chaucer, she got them though))

She leans in a little, "I've not told Marty what happened, I figure it was just a laugh right?"

[neptune-wallace.livejournal.com]

Illness and disability and frailty can affect lifestyle in a lot of ways. First, they change it. And if it's a long illness or disability, your lifestyle is changed for a long time. Unless you've always been ill or disabled, because then that is your normal lifestyle and there's no change at all. But that's not a very cool lifestyle to have, so I wouldn't recommend it. Unless that's your thing. But it's not my thing.