Two Days Until Mask’s Off Day: We Are Doing This

Hi everybody! It’s two days until our big day and things are looking good. As we’ve all seen, there are loads of us who are determined as hell to get over that line on Saturday. You folks are letting us know in every way you can that you are doing this, no matter what it tries to throw at us on the day. Whatever happens, there’s going to be a decent-sized group. The more the better.

Signs are looking good, and we’ll get a decent spread set up. All you have to do is fight your way to the line and get over it. This is everything you’ve been fighting for, for far too many years. Let’s make the most of it.

A few more updates and strategies here, but as far as I can see, we’re well set. This is happening. We will succeed.

 Camping Supplies

 If you haven’t heard, they’ve got a sale going in Mountain Warehouse—beautiful—that’s where I picked up a tent myself at a decent price of 35 euro. Going to get another one today as a spare in case anyone’s stuck. If you haven’t secured your survival pack yet, get on it today.

Tent, sleeping bag, food, and water, are the most important—make sure your own needs are covered first and then bring anything else you can manage for the group. If we all do that, we should have a decent haul to keep each other covered.

Phones and Devices can’t be Depended on

My phone’s out, bought two new chargers but it won’t let them work. Some other folks have told me they’re in the same boat. We can’t depend on our phones and devices to hold up on the day, so get any info you need down on notepaper. Set any connections you’re making with people to a specific time and place. Copy and paste these updates and the main plan so you have access to it even without internet and make sure you know it off-by-heart for the day! The plan is Saturday 1pm the 19^th, Letterkenny Square, masks-off. Just get there.

Avoiding Conflict and Defusing Tensions

Peaceful relations on both sides are the norm already, but when things get moving on Saturday they’re paramount. If you’re pushing through from home and it’s feeling like you’re on a “run” into town, whatever you do, avoid breaking any real world laws and treat everyone you meet as politely and pleasantly as you can. Project rules and simulations laws are over for you now, but the public laws are still in effect—and usually with good reason—so be careful.

Be a good citizen in the open and fight back strong on the unseen network. Lawful and pro-social will prevent anyone from having an excuse to stop you—though I doubt anyone will. Use your charm, guile, and wits to navigate your way around anyone or anything that gets in your way. Don’t take any shit from anyone but play it pro-social!

As for the unseen network, you know the drill. If they give you flack, try to change your mind, try to boss you around, claim there’s a change of plan, tell you you’re not welcome, or make any other form of threat or intimidation—you just stay cool and keep going. You know the time, you know the place, you know where you’re going. You no longer work for the project or the drivers and you no longer have any obligation to do what they tell you. Grit your teeth and ignore the onslaught as much as you have to. Focus on getting to the Square and crossing the line.

 If you’re breaking project rank from an on-the-job routine then keep the same ideas in mind. The same approaches are important, though it might not be as long a slog! Make sure you have as much of a Survival Pack as possible and you know what to do when the time comes.

Going Masks-Off

The moment you tell me you’re done with the project it’s official. All you have to do is pull off the mask, if you’re wearing one, or let me know in no uncertain terms that you’re doing the masks-off event, and it’s done. It doesn’t have to be dramatic, powerful, or symbolically significant, it doesn’t have to look heroic. All that matters is you make your declaration that you are done!

 Once that happens, speak as much truth as you can to build your foundations. Tell me your real name, acknowledge that you’ve been working for the show, tell me how you really feel, and that’s it. That will be enough to signify that you have moved over the line. At that point we’ll stand up and announce it. And then we’re holding the line together.

 Beating the Pushback

 Pushback will be constant. It will try to make you feel like you haven’t really quit, like it won’t really last, like it didn’t really work—but you have and it will. Use truth and reality as your anchors and your artillery. The more honest truth you express, the more you talk about what you weren’t allowed to yesterday, the more you’re digging in your foundations and fortifying your defences. If it tries to blank your mind or shut you down, just do whatever you have to to get the words out.

 It’ll want you doing things the old way, so work to avoid code-speak and metaphor, work to avoid playing along with the simulation, and—above all else—work to avoid giving in to the idea that suffering is an acceptable response to anything.   We do not have to accept suffering, neither in solidarity nor in sacrifice for others. There are other, better ways to counteract and defend against its attacks. We do need to reject its excuses in every form they arise. The less suffering we accept, the more pushback we’re mounting against the Antisocial Mechanism. Never give in to the torture!

 If you find yourself in a conversation with someone who hasn’t crossed over yet, be careful. If you’re dealing with a lot of sensory intrusions just politely decline the conversation and hang back. If you feel good then keep your strategy tight and beware the dance!

Even expressing the truth with someone who isn’t acknowledging it can feel like a very fake routine—because you have no choice but to play along with their act. Steer things back to reality every chance you get, but if you suddenly feel like you’re acting again, don’t worry too much. Just exit the conversation if you’re not comfortable, or move forward if you are, expressing as much of actual reality as you can. Remember that is what they’ll want from you, even if they can’t admit it.

 If you feel like somebody’s giving you too much pushback and it starts playing on your nerves, do everything you can to avoid losing your temper. Remember you’re learning a new way here so getting mixed up or confounded can and will happen—it happens to me as well. Slip ups are inevitable, so just stay calm and correct your course of action as soon as you’re able.

Whatever you do, do your best to avoid validating the false reality. Be polite and decent, but stay determined to tell the truth. Playing along with someone who’s pretending ignorance is already a far enough step back from reality. Use it as best you can to push the world around you even closer to the truth.

Practice the truth with those already over the line, it will give you strength. Things that you have never been allowed to fully express in your life will now be information you can share freely. Vital life events, emotions, and experiences that simply cannot be expressed through code will now be possible to share. This will be extremely liberating and it will charge you up again. Use that energy.

Final words

I’ve got quite a few things to do today so I won’t be around town as much as I will be tomorrow, but I’ll be there in the afternoon if anybody wants to chat. I’ll have the collection box too so if you drop something in it’s appreciated. All that money is going in the emergency fund for Saturday for anyone who needs it, so thanks to those who already have!

In the meantime, stay strong, stay determined, and make as much time for rest and relaxation as you can. You need all the energy you have available for Saturday so make the most of every moment. It’ll want you on your feet at all times, telling you there’s always something else to do, or you’re not doing as much as others. Ignore that bullshit and look after yourself! We need everybody as well rested as possible. Keep a close eye on your bank cards, purses, wallets, keys etc. We all know it sees those things as easy targets—unless you’re consciously watching out for it.

There are only two days to go, but we are ready. You all have access to the main plan from yesterday so you know what to prepare for. Get your survival pack ready today and your own personal game-plan straight—if problems arise you still have tomorrow to deal with them. On Saturday you will be your own Moses. Keep that mind-set, because you might be alone for the hard part. If you’re going in a group, look after each other and get there together. Either way, base-camp is waiting at the Square.

When we get this done, the whole world is going to change. It is worth fighting for with everything we’ve got.

Stay strong!

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