Huh? The hell Victor? 3rd space?
Si, makey no mistake, I ain't stutterin'. Article this morning in the Kansas City Star (heard that song? Kansas City Star, that's what I are? Yodel-deedle ay-hee, you oughta see my car.)... Sorry, that ain't what this about... the song ain't. Article this morning about "Ya seen 200 20-somethings running past you at the Country Club Plaza?"
Article interviews a young dude, 20-something, who'd started a Running Club, simply because he was lonely (Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody for my own, I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody for my own, I am so lonely) VICTOR! Huh? You're testing my patience, is this a blog or a song lyric place? Yes.
He, starter up of running club, found he, and many other Generation Z (that what ya call 'em?) were lonely. How many were lonely Victor? (My turn, are you a blog reader or, are you Ed McMahon?) Please just continue Victor. One in four Gen Z folks are lonely. I trust this figure because surely the Star writer, at $40K a year or so, interviewed every Gen Z person in the land to attain that figure, sumpin like that.
Third Space. That's what they ain't got. They got Work. They got Home. They ain't got a Third Space. Unlike the aging Baby Boomers who STILL frequent Joe's Bar and Grill (DO NOT! DO TOO! DO NOT! DO TOO!) they (Z'ers) tire of, don't want, the bar scene. So, organizer dude awhile back posted on Social Media "Gonna run here, at this time, anyone wanna run with me?" Come they did. Once a week now, 3 miles, differen't routes. Even gotta sponsor, have a raffle, giveaways. One dude won new shoes.
Good. Keep the snotnoses outta Joe's Bar and Grill and their snot offa my, er, I mean their, beer glasses. I jest. A tad.
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Mental illness touches 22.8% of the people across the land. At present, in Missouri, there are 302 people stuck in jail, waiting to be moved to a mental health facility (another "3rd Space") according to the Missouri Department of Mental Health. These individuals were arrested and found not fit for trial. They sit (and sit) in jail awaiting a bed in a facility - but there are no beds available due to shortage, and, lack of staffing.
One such individual, diagnosed with schizophrenia, has been in jail for more than a year and a half, for, stealing a belt at WalMart.
Sorry, kinda, for this 'turn' today. Mental illness is a bastard, and with nearly 23% of the land affected, it's undoubtedly touched many of our families.
Victor? Yes? Normally when someone posts an "Ain't it awful" thing, they SHOULD include suggesting possible ways to assist, alleviate, etc. You ain't.
Right you are. I don't know that I necessarily have answers. Missouri lawmakers did approve $300 million for a mental health facility to be built in KC, but...... it won't be ready until 2028.
When I think of mental health, the needs, the ways to assist, the facilities, prevention of, the legal system, finding/training/financing sufficient mental healthcare staffing, simply (not so simply) getting individuals to want/seek l help - it's like opening the biggest damn number of piece crossword puzzle you ever seen... and it'll takeya forever just to get the straight pieces placed, and in order of a square frame, THEN, ya gotta get to all them other pieces. Daunting.
More money on treatment, prevention. I am lost on how to draw folks into career positions in the field, other than somehow making the pay more rewarding.
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OK. Enough (for now) of that.
Bless THIRD SPACES. What's yours?
Me? I thought you'd never ask. First, the sandbox, followed closely by wiffle ball, girls, chasing girls, baseball, girl chasing, then the 'couldn't hit a curveball thus slowpitch' era. Oh sure, Joe's Bar and Grill somewhere in there, which, of course, naturally progressed to chasing another girl. Along too, with, an occasional volunteer thingy, I'm not a complete dweeb, just mostly. Golf. I suck, don't care. Well, I care, but, ain't getting better, so, don't care. And, running from girls. JK, kinda sorta. And, maybe now and again, s'more Joe's Bar and Grill.
Life.............. every age........ is, can be, challenging. Run Forest, like them whippersnappers. "Go Victor... (like that most recent live in/girlfriend said), find a purpose." (3rd space?)
Finally, I have.
When I grow up, I wanna write. That's what I'll do.
Love, Victurd
PS: I'll never grow up. Or, be good at golf.
PSS: Don't care neither.
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