I'm a bit taken aback that I didn't think to publish here before starting on the most recent leg of my journey. This of course being the trek outlined at jbhfile.com and then replicated here at this blog and on a somewhat ongoing basis over time and weekly, daily or monthly ... whichever the case may be.
Suffice it to say, everything I've discussed here over the past decade or more (def more) is still alive and well, and considering the fact that I've recently started a new "job," it's become at least passingly/briefly necessary to make note of these developments here for posterity, personal protection or otherwise.
The Day Job
I've been working for the past few months for arguably the largest online provider of goods on the planet. Think two-day shipping and a relatively decent set of perks which include not only member/shipping discounts but also some fairly decent free movies.
My role is that of a warehouse worker. I'm surrounded by upwards of 100 to 200 other similarly tasked individuals every 10-hour shift and these folk, demographically speaking, cover the entire range of possibilities when one simply considers a simple metric of "that are of working age."
So, therefore, the opportunities for the so-called "investigators" discussed here and at jbhfile.com over the past few decades to play out (literal) daily theatrics and "skits" are many. And these happen, have happened, and will likely continue to happen daily and moving forward.
Sad Times (ie: "Publics not safe")
It's an unfortunate fact that these days and especially in regard to anything involving personal space, sexuality, and social demographics, that one must actually be constantly vigilant of one's own movements in very specific ways and constantly.
As I wrote many years ago in another blog post here titled "Blood in the Water," ... when dealing with a large group of other humans who have all been conditioned along what might be called a forced, group-mind sort of trajectory and specifically in regards to false narratives associated with some other, single person's behaviors or even potential behaviors, ... it doesn't take much, if anything really, to stir that proverbial group-mind-pot.
I won't reiterate too much here but as mentioned in the blog post referenced above:
"What might these very regular and normal social interactions mutate into in the minds of those who might have been made to believe any given number of horrible things about an individual as they observe these otherwise normal interactions? How might the general public (if under the spell of the rumor campaign) react to such an individual/target when he simply attempts to go about his normal social existence like any other citizen?
Well in short, it's fairly frightening, take it from me (but as mentioned above, it's gotten easier over the years); because, once the proverbial blood is in the water, once the seed has been planted in that "social mind," then even the most benign of public interactions, all of them in fact, can grow into literal and imaginary monsters in the minds of the observing public: mere glances become the apparent evidence of inappropriate attraction; simply pulling behind the wrong car when leaving from a restaurant might be interpreted as possible signs of stalking or predation; and, casual banter with certain individuals? A sure sign of possible sexual predatory behavior."
..
So in the interest of keeping things short and since I'm about to get ready to go to work.
I wanted to add this placeholder here because as alluded to above, it's truly sad but a fact that all it takes is one or two persons at the most to simply collaborate on a simple and agreed upon lie to immediately cast some other person in a questionable light. In my case, these metaphorical lights are resplendently bright and fueled by a seemingly endless supply of power.
So in public and in life in general, first I simply keep to myself. At 55 years of age and with at least 10 personal projects I'm always wanting to advance, this is the desired (and appropriate) trajectory for me moving forward in life this time around.
Secondly, I've very much with Keanu Reeves in regard to his own interactions with the general public. Just google the photos taken of him with his fans when so often he seems to be embracing one or two or even many individuals for fan photos and the like. The careful observer will note that in every single instance of such, Keanu is pointedly (and skillfully at that!) always sure to show his hands, intentionally but deftly extended into some other area of the photograph, clearly visible and clearly demonstrating that he is not touching anyone.
Keanu is smart, at least in this regard. I take his lead and then add to it.
And since my new work is indeed a very social one and I am indeed surrounded by all sorts of (one would hope) reasonably good people, I am at the same time being absolutely subjected to constant instances of "street theatre" and/or psychosocial theatrics which all revolve around the same weary topics discussed ad infinitum here and at jbhfile.com and which have been occurring for nearly 25 years now in my daily social life.
And as Keanu clearly understands, all it takes is one lie. One witness account of some contrived behavior on the part of some other person is all it takes to nudge that hideous ball/machine into rolling. And so I mind my spaces. And I do everything I can to not look at another person unless my job or the natural nuances of conversation and interaction call for it. I am not unskilled in these things and in fact, enjoy conversation and socializing but the particular environment I work in does not allow for much, if any of such, and in a way this is good.
This conscious effort to quite literally avoid any needless or unproductive personal attention (eye contact, non-productive and/or gratuitous social banter, etc.) with others around oneself in a regular social circumstance began long ago when taking on a strength training regimen at a local gym. And it's been supremely interesting to practice and get better at.
I'm still amazed at how deliciously difficult of a thing it is to actually do! I would def recommend it as a personal, developmental challenge to anybody really. I've gotten many times better at it over the years but it remains a fun process and one I'm far from perfecting. Factor in pointed and daily theatrics, quite literally and actively scripted to supposedly illicit certain internal or otherwise nervous responses in a targeted individual and it becomes exponentially more challenging to succeed.
But circle back now to the one lie. It's always a possibility and so therefore this brief bit of writing is a public acknowledgment of such and on the chance that such might occur.
It's really not that big of a deal but here is a very recent example of the types of "theatrics" or "scripting" I see played out every and with myself as the subject. Just the other day while working, a certain individual, oddly a gay, younger man casually passed me from behind and quite deliberately ran his hand up the inner areas of my rib cage and nearly from torso to armpit. It was deliberate and clearly intentional. I also know it was clearly theatre and not some naturally aberrant quirk of this young man's behavior.
I'd have preferred it to be somebody else, though. I don't know, maybe Kate Blanchett or Ann Magnuson lol. Maybe then it might have elicited the expected (or even possible lol) response that the organizers of such ruses might like to see but if there is one thing I've found is that said organizers will never attain that point of satisfaction. These persons are obviously compelled by something having its origins from within their own personal experience or psyche and not at all within the realm of possibilities regarding my own inner state or potentialities and after nearly three decades of such, it's fairly clear they will never be satisfied.
So circle back again to the one lie.
I would concoct a loose syllogism if I had more time and in fact, have to suppress the desire to do so lol.
Anyway. More later. I'm actually quite pleased I recently remembered this blog/public account and that it was still available to quickly note thoughts like this. But I had (perhaps dumbly) forgotten the necessity of such...
~J
