Socialising for Beginners

Hey @tonys @Shaz51 @Historylover @Kyle1

How are you weathering the public holidays?

Hi @Appleblossom

I'm not doing too great this weekend.

I've had some uplifting occasions and have been REALLY trying to cling to those, but basically I'm in a funk, no matter what. And the weather hasn't helped at all: cold and wet...

The Forums have been a refuge.

How have you been, though?

Hey apple @Appleblossom Thanks for asking, . . . and I'm pretty much north of good.

How have you been keeping mate. Hugging patches of warm sun and wide berthing shadows

I guess. Even cool all the way up here. We had a low of 7 lasts night. Cold. . . ! Book keeper is starting to look like a hot water bottle on legs. Better get that idea right out of my head. . . !

Apple blossom. sorry I tagged you. Was hopping you or someone could talk Motion

into doing a U turn, and not leaving. As I'm typing I already know its not your job.

Just didn't want sit on my hands and do nothing. Unlike me, this guy is is actually a serious thinker, and a clever positive contributor and a big loss If he leaves. Why you. well your the first person I hastle when I think

someones is struggling. and of coarse Thyme, . . Not sure why, but take it as a compliment.

So, Hope you can do something, and totally understand if you can't.

Well, If your anything like me , cold weather will have you ravenous, so I'll turn you loose.

If you bring down a slow antelope, I'm here with my bowl and fork

Take care mate.

tonys M b 1

Hope its O K I share this post with @Thyme

@Kyle1

Yeah the cold gets into bones.

Hope you bottom out and come up from your feeling of funk.

I am not too bad ...

Son and I just ate yummy dinner.

Feeling a bit stuck and did not kick any goals today apart from dindin.

I did not even do my stretches. too much on computer. Better tmrw ... mebe

@tonys Its fine to tag me and include tyme.

Your posts really do cheer me up.

Glad you are north of good. lol

Maybe motion will return later ... sometimes people do even if under new names ... sometimes they let us know the old profile sometimes not ... I guess I have ridden a few waves here on the forum. I still care for all involved when it happens but dont have a magic wand. It was an example of how often a clash is not just between 2 people but others are impacted.

Thanks @Appleblossom . So . . you can have life after death on Sane.

Mate . I learn something new everyday. I always wanted to come back as a bistro lady.

Sorry luv . . . Fats off. . . just what ya see luv. . . . Yep I reckon I could just pull it off too.

I shall leave you in peace.. tonys moonbase 1

How am I weathering the holidays, @Appleblossom? Well, for me, they proceed similarly to any other days, sadly.

I've been trying to get my latest assignments well underway, too much so, it seems. My head has gone into very serious overload. I have had to take time off and just hope I can get back into it soon. It has happened before, perhaps once each subject. There's a heavier load this semester, and it's a bit scary. I can usually recover and happily immerse myself again, but if I can't, I can always withdraw. I'm pondering super-massive black holes at the same time, and my poor brain is telling me to not even move my eyes! I'm trying not to think at all, so writing this is difficult.

I hope you had a pleasant weekend. Another week is underway and we all must make the most of it. We've certainly had a taste of the colder weather these past few days. I bought a new jacket and it is so lovely and warm. I'm ready for anything. New socks and a new jacket. What more could I ask?

My giant pink, disbud chrysanthemum that I bought myself last May is well budded. I bought it as a single giant bloom on a 15 cm. stem. This year it's covered in buds so I don't expect it to produce giants. Pompom sized will suffice. It's looking good. The buds are just beginning to open and will probably be putting on a good show by Mother's Day. The several spring onions that I grew from previous spring onion roots weren't successful. Didn't really mature, did yours?

@Historylover

Glad you are hanging in there and doing your thing. I can relate to all those feelings around mental work and study. Oooh our poor brains ... yep manage it to suit you. Tertiary study has become big business too. The amount of idiotic emails I have gotten in last 9 months that I tried to withdraw from that course. Woohoo I could win or be in a lottery if I re-enrolled! What a joke they are making it. Sorry. I do value thoughtfulness and diligence, and am glad I underwent solid training as a young person. Still it provides structure and access. Do what you have to do.

I wondered as traditional feast days can be tough. I keep it low key, but increase the cost and effort I put into food prep. We had scotch fillet with Dianne sauce and mushies and fresh beans plus homemade cheesecake and lindt balls. My son can tell the difference and that is enough.

I received a comment from a facebook friend in a poor country. Saying something about us having a splendid Easter. I said thats a bit overstated, think their imagination runs away with them a bit about how we might actually live. I have probably bought scotch fillet only a few times in m y life. Yes I am grateful, but it is also about being able to provide to my son. Feed the man meat and all that. If my daughter was at home I would be preparing something else in line with her taste buds. Sadly, no word or change on that front.

I am really glad your chrysanthemum is blooming. A little colour can lift our hearts as we come and go... Glad you invested in it and your warm stuff. Still a puffer jacket virgin here ... lol ... I have enuff warm stuff and I like it so do not feel the need to buy. Having fun playing mix and match with all the bits I have collected over the years. My big investment atm is in plumbing.... Still waiting....I hope tmrw it will be done and then I face the bill, but I have put away enuff I think .... eeeee ... I hope.

Well, my mental blockage has cleared and I am again progressing with my assignment. When my brain seizes, it doesn't seem that it will ever recover but, to date, it always has. I am absolutely amazed at the time (weeks) it takes me to go from first draft to finished work. I'm sure others aren't so pedantic but without an opportunity to compare, I'm not dropping my game. Besides, where's the satisfaction in that? My perfectionism is painful at times, but that's my personality and I'm happy with it.

Your Easter meal sounds delicious. I haven't eaten like that since my family was a unit. I think I've only had scotch fillet once or twice, too. Done in a similar recipe from a Women's Weekly dinner party cookbook.

My jacket isn't a puffer, it's fleecy lined and a treat. My frugality prevents using heating more than in desperation when it can't be avoided. I'm so frugal, I look at my wardrobe and sometimes wish that I didn't look after my clothes so well, or make them last a long time, because I would love to see more colour in it to lift my spirits.

I can't wait for the chrysanthemum to bloom. It's an irregular shape but will be most welcome colour in my life.

Are you getting your handbasin out of your bathtub?

I understand what you mean @Appleblossom around using body language as a way of speaking up. I think it works well if the other person is good at reading body language but I get the impression that some people miss a lot of visual clues.

I agree that being truly assertive and speaking up can be really uncomfortable and hard to do, particularly if it goes against your natural instincts, how you were raised, etc. I think it's a case of baby steps and `dipping your toe in' when and if you feel comfortable. It has taken me many years to feel brave enough to speak up and I don't do it often (it still feels quite foreign to me) but on the odd occasion I have done it I have felt better for the experience.