We are all just walking each other home

Hey @AlwaysMyself @i8myego @Flutterbug9 @Appleblossom @MatchaToad ,

I think I've found the art to being okay with being alone and not feeling lonely.

I really enjoy my own space. I know it's not for everyone, but I just seem to thrive on it.

Everyone is different.

That said, I do enjoy hanging out on the forums.

We're in this together!

I’m heading out for few hrs, one of my limited times of mixing with society. I definitely much prefer time on my own @tyme

Thanks for the tag @AlwaysMyself - I wonder what is happening neurochemically to mean there's also been that increase in tangential thinking... like there's more connections/associations happening, or maybe it's faster/more thoughts meaning it's easier to reach those humorous wit tangents? 🤔

Totally @Flutterbug9 . When I'm out, I need hours or days to recuperate!

@tyme During one of the first couple of appointments with my new psychologist the words “do you think you would like to plus be able to find other activities to do” were said to me.

I felt empowered and in charge of making the decisions (total opposite to psych I was seeing last couple years who used to tell me I needed to get involved in things).

About 5 of us play Mexican Trains domino game for couple hours each Tuesday afternoon. I play croquet each Wednesday morning. Each Thursday evening, on average, 25 of us play Mexican Trains dominoes for a few hours. I now loop earbuds and, similar to tonight, I come home on a dopamine high. Without the earbuds I doubt I’d still be here. I spend maximum 2hrs most days getting chores done, some days nothing gets done as need down time

I am so glad to hear/read the loop earbuds are helping at Mexican Trains @Flutterbug9 😍.

I also want to say "well done" for your approach to cleaning - i think it is very wise and healthy 😊. Knowing your capacity/ability fluctuates, and respecting that, and doing "what you can when you can" to then allow yourself to not do when you can't 😊. Such good healthy wisdom i think.

(I'm slowly going through email tags when i have some free time, but i'm doing the opposite to my usual! Instead of starting with the oldest ones, yesterday/this morning i'm reading the newest. I have over 100 unread email tags again lol. All good, just letting you/others know why my pattern of posting is a bit adhoc and not deliberately ignoring anything 😊.)

@tyme I didn’t get home last night until lot later than usual, I’m thinking this might have been why I missed catching up and chatting with you.

last night I was in ‘right place, right time’ and spent some time talking with a person who is dealing with 90% similarities with some areas of my chronic pain. Can’t put into words how it felt to talk with someone who personally knows and lives with these same physical health aspects.

one possible glimmer of hope for one specific area, involves requesting referral to, for me, another new allied health professional. Person I was talking with mentioned they self administer on a regular basis a specific type of pain relief which assists with the severe neck pain and constant headaches related to disc degeneration in neck area/small number of discs at top of spine

As was mentioned last night be a few people, it’s about living ones life to suit oneself. Working out what works for oneself and doing so @AlwaysMyself

eg you are only person who can know which way suits you regarding going through your emails, responding to notifications etc. same as when and for how long you are logged onto the forums.

You do not need to provide any type of explanation to me regarding replying or not replying to posts. As mentioned with Community Guidelines about pressuring people, I do not expect you to, not do I put any pressure on you to, respond to any thing I post. Making comments about no response or reply to post goes against the guidelines.

I am glad you understand @AlwaysMyself

A long time ago, I wrote a thesis, and one day I may sign up to write another. I am curious and keep extending my understanding of humans, so try different approaches in communication. I can slip between sciencey talk, mannered, and very casual colloquial styles. I try to mirror and adapt, but also am finding a more assertive and social persona, sprinkled with bits unique to my personal life.

I had a great lunch today with intelligent conversations. I was hungrier for the good conversation than the free food. It was an annual event to thank us for leadership roles.

@Flutterbug9 I have had issues with cervical discs since the mid 1980s. Its difficult.

@tymeHey bella

@Jynx Yes I envision vague ideas of neuroscience and emotional and cognitive life. In my last year at high school a teacher gave me a big picture of a neuron - synapse - neuron. That was 1976. I think she was trying to be science based in a religious school, which I appreciated, cos she knew I dd physics etc. Also as piano teacher, there was talk of "wiring the brain" and left & right sides of the brain, and crossing over when also putting left and right hands together. Its interesting, but mostly its still a bit complicated so I doubt being overly mechanistic about it is appropriate. Yay for plasticity. I keep a vague eye open.

@i8myego Hey, how are you going?

@Appleblossom I’m thinking of discussing things with my pain management Dr first, find out if new scans are needed etc. damage to 2 specific discs happened in mid 70’s. Getting older sucks at times