Hey

[Ghost Kat]

I used to lurk and occasionally comment on Roll to Disbelieve Patheos blog. Have been reading on OnlySky. Glad I found this blog/community again. I am still unpicking years of basically cult-like church stuff. In between the panic attacks, it's quite freeing tbh - only it's a bit lonely because at my age it's hard to find friends outside of church. Anyway, hi

 

[Jasen777]

Hi! The blog here seems to be picking up a little, but there's more action on the discord: https://discord.gg/EhwYPSx5

 

[JPKeenan007]

I used to lurk and occasionally comment on Roll to Disbelieve Patheos blog. Have been reading on OnlySky. Glad I found this blog/community again. I am still unpicking years of basically cult-like church stuff. In between the panic attacks, it's quite freeing tbh - only it's a bit lonely because at my age it's hard to find friends outside of church. Anyway, hi

Hehe, another member of the Grumpy Old Farts Club too?

Used to have social panic attacks, not religiously inspired but yeah those are... yeah bites.

Sounds cheesy and cliche it could help to write it down. Doesn't have to be a a journal, a paragraph or two of metaphor or a poem. Letting the words out, seeing them, saying them, thinking them can let you work through some issues, but at the same time if you're not really ready it's way way better to see a shrink for some real medical advise. It's not the 1970s and the pills for depression and anxiety don;t zombie people out any more and there's nothing wrong with needing a bit of help.

 

[LeekSoup]

Hello @Ghost Kat and @JPKeenan007 - welcome to the forum. It's a bit quiet here but people do occasionally drop by

 

[JPKeenan007]

Just my speed, I remember the dial up days and BBSes... reaching for my geritol and orthopedic shoes and socks. Obviously joking around but like my grandfather used to say getting old sucks but it sure beats the alternative.

 

[Ghost Kat]

Hehe, another member of the Grumpy Old Farts Club too?

Used to have social panic attacks, not religiously inspired but yeah those are... yeah bites.

Sounds cheesy and cliche it could help to write it down. Doesn't have to be a a journal, a paragraph or two of metaphor or a poem. Letting the words out, seeing them, saying them, thinking them can let you work through some issues, but at the same time if you're not really ready it's way way better to see a shrink for some real medical advise. It's not the 1970s and the pills for depression and anxiety don;t zombie people out any more and there's nothing wrong with needing a bit of help.

Thanks JPKeenan. Definitely a grumpy old fart hahaha. I used to write a journal on my faith and thoughts about the bible and whatnot, so I really struggle to write at all now. I guess it's all part of the trauma, but I do occasionally write a gratitude diary type thing which I was skeptical about when my therapist suggested it but it actually helps. .. much more than 'counting my blessings'

 

[Ghost Kat]

Just my speed, I remember the dial up days and BBSes... reaching for my geritol and orthopedic shoes and socks. Obviously joking around but like my grandfather used to say getting old sucks but it sure beats the alternative.

oh my goodness dial up and the despair when your mum would pick up the phone and break the connection

 

[JPKeenan007]

Thanks JPKeenan. Definitely a grumpy old fart hahaha. I used to write a journal on my faith and thoughts about the bible and whatnot, so I really struggle to write at all now. I guess it's all part of the trauma, but I do occasionally write a gratitude diary type thing which I was skeptical about when my therapist suggested it but it actually helps. .. much more than 'counting my blessings'

Even going to a Five Below or other place to get a mount for the cell phone and blabbing into that as a video lets you say what you've been thinking.

I'm on a writing kick again, needing to get back on the schedule of writing, again it's a work for me and not a one size fits all. It may sound a bit corny but externalizing the conversation in a bit of short fiction can help too. No one needs to see it so you don't need to care about any of the writing rules. You can have some interesting conversations sitting down two characters who represent your younger self and how you see yourself in a few years and having them have a conversation. I do something similar with some fictional characters when I'm trying to outline or come up with more details on a character or story.

Counting your blessings LOL. Will be the end of the work week and someone will mention it almost being over, I'll just look up and say "in 11 years". "Blessings" tend to be different when you start looking at life in the long term. Life is really a balance of things that suck and things that make life worth living.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for April 6th, I'm in the total eclipse zone and am hoping for clear skies. NE Ohio sucks donkey balls for cloudy skies and stuff like that. Old farts like us got to see the double tail of Comet Hale-Bopp. Relationships with certain people in my family (good), people in my family (bad). Turning into my grandfather (he was cool but as he got older he just had the death of 1000 cuts till he was in his mid 80s) his body just slowly wore out on him.