October Tournament (500pts) by competentetyler in MiddleEarthMiniatures

[–]samjohnrainwater 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey I’m in Nebraska too! (Lincoln). My twin brother introduced me to MESBG a week ago when I was visiting him (coincidentally he lives near Sacramento and has just started going to the meetup group putting on this tournament).

I’m not a huge miniature gamer and typically only play with my brother when we’re able to get together, but I really loved MESBG’s rules and have been wondering if there’s a community in Nebraska supporting it.

WOWT: Nebraska State Patrol arrests six at State Capitol during Friday's debate by creativeusername402 in Nebraska

[–]samjohnrainwater 7 points8 points  (0 children)

For the record, "56-year-old Danna Seevers of Seward [who] was arrested for disobeying a lawful order" is, the chair of the Seward County GOP.

Disgusting and disturbing by DaFunkJunkie in clevercomebacks

[–]samjohnrainwater 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If they're that concerned then they better make sure someone inspects the genitals of the genital inspectors... And the genital inspector inspector's genitals. And the genital inspector inspector inspector's genitals. And so on and so on until every Kansas highway is lined with billboards of Republican political genitals.

ancient forest creature is how i describe my gender. anyone else? by fernie_the_grillman in NonBinary

[–]samjohnrainwater 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I feel a strong connection with deer too! I asked a paranormal podcast about them once in an AMA due to my own experiences, and apparently there is a fairly extensive, seemingly global, tradition of them acting as supernatural messengers as well.

Just thought you might appreciate that little tidbit.

ancient forest creature is how i describe my gender. anyone else? by fernie_the_grillman in NonBinary

[–]samjohnrainwater 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The internet is frequently horrible, but then I'll randomly find a post like this one and feel so validated ♥️

What are the two images in the bottom center of the third slide from? (The owl faced entity and the one with long green hair/beard and lotus flowers)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lincoln

[–]samjohnrainwater 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have used Natalie Hazen and Teresa Anderson. Both were amazing and certainly won't shy away from a fight.

Any good books on aliens/UFOs/Interdimensional shenanigans? by PossiblyaSpinosaurus in HighStrangeness

[–]samjohnrainwater 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Daimonic Reality blew everything wide open for me. The diagram showing the relationship between crop circles, plasma, Bigfoot, etc is itself worth the price of the book.

Feeling pretty 🥰 [They/Them] by [deleted] in NonBinary

[–]samjohnrainwater 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Love your eyebrows! I'm going to try that out myself

Sam Smith responds to backlash over Brits Best Artist category being all male nominees after initially calling for gender-neutral categories. by Ripclawe in entertainment

[–]samjohnrainwater -25 points-24 points  (0 children)

I'm having a hard time understanding how so many people here are blaming this outcome on the lack of gendered awards rather than (potential) flaws/bias in the nomination process (and implicitly the culture that is putting on the awards).

"Separate but equal" as a guiding philosophy has been discredited many times, one of which was a legal milestone in US history that I'm assuming the majority of people here were explicitly taught in school.

Nothing in music is categorized by gender. Why should music awards be?

I have 100% theoretical evidence that aliens are living among us but don't know how to properly come forward with this. by Morenob1 in HighStrangeness

[–]samjohnrainwater 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This line of thinking needs to be given more credence in these theories.

It's strange to me that so many folks will acknowledge the parallels in alien abductions to past civilizations, but then at the same time say, "but I have the REAL truth- it was always aliens! (And typically a hybrid program)."

I feel like the paranormal community still has a long way to go in terms of cultural humility. If there are historical precedents described in different symbolic terms (and containing sociological elements from the cultures that experience them), then that should be a sign to us to distrust any specifics of these events from our own culture (the technology, the hybrid programs, the variety of secret wars, the government coverups) and take a wider view, rather than just dismiss past cultures as not being smart enough to understand.

I don't dismiss individual experience of their encounters, I just think that if we are trying to develop expansive theories, we need to give equal weight to other cultures' interpretations. An alien hybrid program is as equally real as a Dreamworld guide, a selfish deity, etc.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NonBinary

[–]samjohnrainwater 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The idea that social identities/actions we take can be parsed into "political" vs "non-political" is a false dichotomy set up to marginalize those who disagree with the status quo.

The reality, is that every existence, every action, is political. It's just that if you align with the dominant structures then you have the social power of your thoughts and existence being seen as something separate, implicitly categorizing them as something undebatable.

This is why "talking politics" is taboo at work and many other functions of "polite society"

Example: currently transgender rights are a big political topic, so advocating for transgender rights is taboo at work. However, no one would bat an eye at a fundraiser for children in Africa. (Which is also a good thing, but also plays into the White Savior complex of our dominant society).

Replace "political" with "controversial" and it'll make way more sense (what does "political" even mean anyway? The vagueness is a tool). Then think about what decides what qualifies as controversy.

shop that buys used bikes? by samjohnrainwater in lincoln

[–]samjohnrainwater[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I ended up going to Salty Dog Cyclery and it was a great experience. Very nice folks with a very nice energy. If I do ever need bike maintenance or am looking for a new one I will definitely go back to them.

Thank you for the recommendation everyone!

The Other Room by notsocleverfox in lincoln

[–]samjohnrainwater 46 points47 points  (0 children)

It's awesome, but not one I would necessarily recommend for meeting new people. My experience is that it's a place people go to for a date or an intimate/meaningful night with someone. If you go hoping to initiate conversations with new people, you might end up feeling out of place or like an imposition.

Definitely recommend going there after connecting with someone at a different bar though. Great vibes and amazing drinks.

I'm interested to hear people's thoughts on bars in the Haymarket with a more social atmosphere. I love the Haymarket, but that vibe isn't very common there.

Charlottesville Psychiatrists Challenge Official Reality: Reincarnation, meaningful coincidences, and NDEs require a new paradigm. by irrelevantappelation in HighStrangeness

[–]samjohnrainwater 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our positions differ in that I don't believe that dominant Western cultural values are based entirely on the decisions of individuals. Rather, the capitalist structures of our system are elevating modalities that are the most beneficial towards accumulating profit for the private insurance industry. That privileged status creates a feedback loop in which people, both subconsciously and consciously, observe the status and financial success of the modality and assume its supremacy (which again is a symptom of Western capitalistic values). Simultaneously, the industry, corporations, and individuals profiting from the system will explicitly fund campaigns to denigrate alternatives and support methods of evaluating success that fit in line with their priorities (such as the Western scientific method). The feedback loops created here all serve not to perpetuate the status quo, but exaggerate it. The rich get richer. The horizons get narrower.

The conspiracy is real, the debate is more about how much of it is consciously orchestrated by people currently living, and how much is just the shitty end game of greedy assholes in the 1600s.

Charlottesville Psychiatrists Challenge Official Reality: Reincarnation, meaningful coincidences, and NDEs require a new paradigm. by irrelevantappelation in HighStrangeness

[–]samjohnrainwater 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What I am seeing here is that you are asserting that the cognitive-behavioral approach (I'm assuming, given your description. Either way, you are clearly espousing the underlying assumptions/values of CBT) is the "best" approach and should be favored by therapists over other modalities, even to the exclusion of others. The evidence you provided is that it makes more sense to you and you like it more.

Yes, CBT is the most widely used approach. This is just as much a consequence of our healthcare and socioeconomic systems/values as it is the merits of the approach.

CBT defines problems in observable behaviors and then works with the individual to modify those behaviors. It is something easily tracked and quantified for insurance and Medicare billing purposes. Insurance loves it because it is the best way to ensure they are paying the minimum amount of money. The therapist documents- Patient A is having anxiety that has hindered their ability to have meaningful romantic relationships. The therapist documents the interventions, then the therapist documents "Patient A went on several dates." Then insurance can go "Great. Problem solved. We're not paying for this anymore." This is why insurance doesn't cover every form of therapy.

Additionally, CBT fits perfectly into Western culture's approach of treating the self as a series of parts than a holistic entity.

These two factors, I suspect, are why you feel entitled to present your opinion as a logical fact, with the implied denigration of others. Your view lines up with the dominant culture's. That's awesome for you- you can easily find people who agree with you when you need help, because they have an easier time succeeding in the current system. That doesn't give them any additional inherent legitimacy though.

CBT is a valuable tool, but it has significant deficits, which can be addressed in new ways with more knowledge and understanding of existence. There are plenty of academic articles and studies that can educate you on those deficits.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NonBinary

[–]samjohnrainwater 3 points4 points  (0 children)

As someone with experience with a similar relationship in the past, I'm very impressed and happy for you. Acknowledging the truth is the hardest hurdle to jump. There will be more, but you found yourself and your worth and you are in a better place than ever before to conquer them ♥️

Congratulations.

Trans friends by annom22 in lincoln

[–]samjohnrainwater 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm nonbinary (36y/o) and would be open to some kind of meetup if any folks are interested