Catch-All Thread

Hi. I just wanted to drop in for a minute to touch base. I don't think I'm ready to come back with any regularity but we'll see.

I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, actually. I've tried nosing around a few times but it never felt right to say anything. Now that we're into a new year, I think I want to try.

First, I want to clarify what I said last year about health scares. That probably wasn't the best way to describe what happened. While I do have some issues I'm monitoring, which is only natural for my age, it would be more accurate to say some things happened that reminded me how quickly fortunes can turn.

That said, I'm OK physically. I've had a lot going on mentally as well but I'm not even sure how to begin to go into that. I guess the main point is that I have something of an anxiety disorder. I don't know if that was ever obvious or if I've mentioned it but I've had it probably at least as long as I've been around, if not longer. In some ways it's gotten worse with age but I'm still essentially functional with it.

It's also been a stressful few years and I think more things had built up than I realized. I had a lot of mental fatigue and that was probably why I was beginning to feel tired all the time, even setting aside how draining night shift can be in the first place.

I had been feeling like I needed to make some changes in my life and everything that happened last March felt like a sign that something was agreeing with me. I don't know why I thought dropping one site from my routine would lead to all these other larger changes, though, especially since I just replaced it with Twitter.

Still, I had my reasons for needing to leave. I was also working through some things. Trying to do that alone was probably foolish but I didn't feel like I could come back yet. I can be stubborn sometimes.

But, things are slowly changing. Say what you will about this decade but personally I've had some kind of big overdue change happen each year so far, even if they did come after periods of great stress. 2020 saw me find new living arrangements and 2021 saw me change jobs. My hand may have been forced both times but they needed to happen.

Suffice to say, I'm both curious and hesitant to see what the rest of this year will bring.

So, yeah. Hi.

I am REALLY glad to see you back here 😄

And I am also relieved that the health scares are under control. You described them really well actually. I totally get that "fortunes can turn" after just a few things happen, especially as we get older. One thing happens and you start to slide and then you wonder how much that slide will continue until things get better. But it sounds like you are hanging in there. And it also sounds like you are pretty optimistic about things which means you are in a decent place now. I'm glad to hear that and to see all that you had to say.


I also completely agree with everything that Marsh said. That was all incredibly wise 💡  Happy New Years! 🎆




Yeah, everyone has to go at their own pace when facing challenges. I wish more people realized that. Much like the concept of "self-esteem," true recovery has to come from within. It can't be a "one size fits all" solution imposed from outside that is just expected to seep in.  It has to be built and maintained internally.

And sometimes even recreational communities or hobbies can feel like tasks that drain energy rather than resources that provide it if we're going through other stuff. I totally get that. This place can be really helpful in allowing us to vent or taking our minds off things or letting us be at our creative best. But sometimes the energy to participate isn't there - it's one reason I've posted less over the past year. There are days when my mind has something to say but my energy is just CRITICALED!

Like many of us who have been in the community for a long time, I've practically grown up here but I've also had to learn to balance and re-balance the time and energy I spend. That isn't always easy. I think this place and community over the years is really cool for realizing that though. The "RL First" mantra has always been strong and people don't pressure each other to be here but are always very welcoming and happy to see each other when we're all around. And over the past two years especially, I think we all know that we and the world are going through some "cats and dogs living together" stuff and have shown some extra support.


WxB (and everyone) - you have friends here and we want your time here to be fun and relaxing. Please come around at a comfortable pace and take part in conversations that energize you and make you happy 😀


In short: fun = fun 😄

Happy Lunar New Year! I hope the year of the Tiger is good to all of you!

Well, today is the day. Our government here in Sweden has seen fit to remove the Covid-19 restrictions. Denmark, Norway and Finland are also in the process of removing restrictions, so we'll see how things go in a few weeks. I'm relieved and thankful but also somewhat concerned going forward. Hopefully everything will turn out ok, but we'll see how things go.

Nice to see I'm not the only one to associate "Geese" with "chaos" 😄

*Waits patiently for "Geese/Propaganda" meme*