Elemental apophenia

[la_belle_laide]

My family on my Mom's side, at least a handful of us, are all pretty close, socially as well as geographically. And as some of you know, a lot of negative stuff has been going on throughout the entire family. But here's one weird thing I can't help but comment on.

A few weeks ago, my uncle's car randomly burst into flames. This was followed by even more, worse situations. Shortly after that, while Jo-chan (my aunt and uncle's daughter,) was visiting, the pool collapsed and flooded the christ out of everything in sight, leaving thousands of dollars of damage.

After that disaster--the entire family having had a catastrophic year with no end in sight--Jo-chan and I dejectedly went for pizza and tried to make light of it: the elements were converging to attack us. Next, we joked, it would be air, and then earth. Haha.

Then last night, the wind took down a tree from their neighbor's property. An entire tree, which landed on their outdoor grill, dog run, and chicken coop, wrecking everything.

I'm not some sort of froofy mystic, but I also don't want to be obtuse.



Earthquake, landslide, sinkhole? Or some pestilence that's going to destroy my gardens and groves? Both of my dogs like to eat dirt, as much as I try to stop them; now I'm so paranoid I'm freaking out every time they lower their stupid heads to the ground.

And all of these major disasters have been accompanied by similar, yet smaller ones. My water filter leaks unfixably; my Mom's dishwasher backed up and flooded; a leaking air mattress; mysterious burns on another cousin's hand.

Apophenia is the name of the mental disorder wherein people assign meaning to random occurrences. And I've always been fairly good at following the dots—novelist and all—but this is still pretty weird, right?

Comments

[tongari.livejournal.com]

I'm so, so sorry to hear about that. The tree falling happens, I guess, but the pool collapsing (what) and car catching fire is just crazy. I really hope no one was hurt in any of these incidents. And element-related or not these things had better stop right now!

I haven't checked my email yet, but I hope you got what I sent you and it will cheer you up even in the slightest. And the rest of your weekend and year BEHAVES ITSELF like it should

[la-belle-laide.livejournal.com]

Yes, enough of the madness! :D

OMG Hwei, do check your email. You made my entire SUMMER and also, I sent you something. :D

[skitty-kitty.livejournal.com]

Sending anti-elemental juju your way. Yeesh. I hope like hell your luck swings to the other side asap!

[la-belle-laide.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I hope earth will be kind. And then at the end my family will have, like, mad elemental powers or something.

[skitty-kitty.livejournal.com]

well now, that could make it worthwhile. ;D like captain planet, only without the spandex.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

Hopefully there's a mirror sequence of good things related to the elements that comes next. We can hope at least.

painter 11

[(Anonymous)]

It was really inspiring I loved it, thanks a ton to bring me back and more closer to my real self and my family.