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Unmitigated Rage.
16 years ago
I am giving fair warning, and am apologizing ahead of time.
For the next week[s], I am not going to be a happy person. Less so, as I'm sure most of you just thought 'But you aren't ever a happy person, anyway...'. I will most likely be cold, dark-minded, hateful, and just unpleasant. Affections will probably be avoided as.. politely as possible, and friendly interaction will be slow, at best.
Why, do you ask? 'Oh what the hell could it possibly be this time? What's up your ass now?'
I was robbed. The home I stay at, and rent a room from, was broken into. Not only were items of my land lord stolen, including his new big screen, but my tv was stolen as well. A $900 dollar 40" Flat panel LCD high-def tv, that was effectively my computer monitor, was snatched by .. whoever. Given where I live, I am boiling with racial, stereotypical epithets that would scare people. My computer was left, only because the thing is one of those heavy-duty Antec server cases that would break your foot if dropped on. I had my 360 with me, as I almost always do over the weekend. I thought they had stolen the monitor I'm using now.. but this thing is tiny.
That television was mine. I financed the damn thing. It made me happy. Materialistic, yes, but I don't care.
I cannot list the things I would do, if these bastards were found. They broke into one of the few places I find a quiet solace, where I don't have to deal with the world. It is a feeling only one who has had it happen to them, would understand. Something more than an object, taken. A burning, viscous desire for revenge, rendered impotent and stagnant by anonymity. I find myself more cool and detached than usual, and it is mildly frightening.
I don't know how to deal with these emotions. My landlord is a bit more cool-headed about it, saying things could have been worse. While that is true, it is no comfort.
Apart from now having to deal with the annoying insurance for the TV itself [which will no doubt worsen my mood, as I MIGHT only get something 'pro-rated'], I have to look into getting renters insurance, finding a way to secure the door to a much greater degree. I would also like to get a small surveillance kit.. Some small computer, with motion-activated cameras, that I could hide in my room. And, for the first time.. I'm contemplating getting a hand-gun and a permit to carry it. It is a loathsome thing for me, as I am not much a fan of guns, truth be told. They're loud, dangerous, and require little to no skill to use, versus damage output.
All in all.. this makes having to finish dealing with this vundo virus seem preferable.
For the next week[s], I am not going to be a happy person. Less so, as I'm sure most of you just thought 'But you aren't ever a happy person, anyway...'. I will most likely be cold, dark-minded, hateful, and just unpleasant. Affections will probably be avoided as.. politely as possible, and friendly interaction will be slow, at best.
Why, do you ask? 'Oh what the hell could it possibly be this time? What's up your ass now?'
I was robbed. The home I stay at, and rent a room from, was broken into. Not only were items of my land lord stolen, including his new big screen, but my tv was stolen as well. A $900 dollar 40" Flat panel LCD high-def tv, that was effectively my computer monitor, was snatched by .. whoever. Given where I live, I am boiling with racial, stereotypical epithets that would scare people. My computer was left, only because the thing is one of those heavy-duty Antec server cases that would break your foot if dropped on. I had my 360 with me, as I almost always do over the weekend. I thought they had stolen the monitor I'm using now.. but this thing is tiny.
That television was mine. I financed the damn thing. It made me happy. Materialistic, yes, but I don't care.
I cannot list the things I would do, if these bastards were found. They broke into one of the few places I find a quiet solace, where I don't have to deal with the world. It is a feeling only one who has had it happen to them, would understand. Something more than an object, taken. A burning, viscous desire for revenge, rendered impotent and stagnant by anonymity. I find myself more cool and detached than usual, and it is mildly frightening.
I don't know how to deal with these emotions. My landlord is a bit more cool-headed about it, saying things could have been worse. While that is true, it is no comfort.
Apart from now having to deal with the annoying insurance for the TV itself [which will no doubt worsen my mood, as I MIGHT only get something 'pro-rated'], I have to look into getting renters insurance, finding a way to secure the door to a much greater degree. I would also like to get a small surveillance kit.. Some small computer, with motion-activated cameras, that I could hide in my room. And, for the first time.. I'm contemplating getting a hand-gun and a permit to carry it. It is a loathsome thing for me, as I am not much a fan of guns, truth be told. They're loud, dangerous, and require little to no skill to use, versus damage output.
All in all.. this makes having to finish dealing with this vundo virus seem preferable.
-Depending on your state, even shooting someone on your property is not legal unless it is in defense of life, not belongings. This means if the perp returns and you catch him leaving with something of yours, you can be prosecuted for firing upon him.
-A handgun is not a very good deterrant, in fact you'd get MORE bang(ha) for your buck just getting a sign saying "Apartment-owner has a gun", "Gaurd Dog on Property", or something similar.
and
-If you MUST have a gun, get a shotgun. I know in my state lower-powered shotgun permits are much easier to obtain than a full handgun permit.. In fact sometimes if the police chief decides you don't need a handgun he'll give you a lesser permit(which allows shotgun purchases instead. Shotguns are better for home defense. They are large and intimidating, the sound of them firing in a confined area is much more concussive and likely to send the intruder running than a pistol shot. A shotgun is safer than a pistol, as the rounds of a shotgun are less likely to penetrate walls. There have been cases where a pistol round fired in one home on a street ended up traveling through several walls and injuring someone in an adjacent home.
It's also a bit harder to shoot yourself with a shotgun in the heat of the moment, the bang end is further from the trigger end.
I wish you only the best, and even though what happened is horrible, I am glad you are safe and unhurt.
Placing false cameras is easily visible but hard to access spots will discourage theft as well as real cameras, and they also work as decoys. If a perp enters your property and destroys the dummies, they will assume they are unwatched and will take less effort to hide their actions after that point.
However, as a person who grew up in Illinois (where having a slightly pointy stick is illegal), then it is better for a shotgun, or even some high-velocity weapon (potato gun, bean-bag gun, etc)
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