Riding a wave

Morning @Phoenix_Rising. I hope today is kind to you. I thought I’d drop off this paper mache sea turtle I whipped up.

(Okay so maybe Google whipped it up, but it’s the thought that counts, right?) 😊

Also, because I am sloooow off the mark, I just realised that the turtle emoji (is that what those little pictures are called? I am so technologically challenged) isn’t a sea turtle at all—it has legs, not flippers! 🐢 So it seems like a bit of a … lie? … to use it. Maybe there is another emoji for sea turtle … a bit like the emoji for action bear is 🐐. Anyway, now that I know the truth about the turtle, I do wonder if you cringe every time you see it? Argh, my brain overthinks that strangest things. 🙃

Okay, taking my wonky brain elsewhere now. Wishing you an unwonky, calm-seas sort of day, @Phoenix_Rising. You're super awesome. Don't forget that. 😊🌷

Good afternoon on the ocean,

@Catcakes I'm sorry you are feeling like people are talking in riddles. I can definitely see why you would be feeling that way. I think as @CheerBear said, over time a shared language develops between people based on shared history and experiences. I think this is inevitable, but I can totally see how difficult it may be to walk into. I think this is more prevalent on some threads than others, and I can see that out here on the ocean is one of the spaces where it is very prevalent. I'm super glad that @CheerBear and @Faith-and-Hope were able to explain some of the riddles for you. Please keep asking if you feel lost.

I am an extremely visual person and one of the main ways I cope with my own muddles is through a lot of imagery. Our brains are actually very bad at telling the difference between reality and imagery and we can often change our emotions using imagery. So, for example, I was feeling really yuck at Friday Feast on Friday. However, based on the conversation, I got an image in my brain of CheerBear (who is a carebear) turning up to the water puppet show wearing a snorkel and flippers because she thought it was an underwater show. This made me laugh a lot, which lifted my mood for a little while. You see? So yes, I use a LOT of imagery to help me cope with my own particular muddles and struggles.

As @Faith-and-Hope explained, I am currently struggling to wait for NikNik (the commander in chief of Forum Land) to return from leave. There is a muddle that needs to be worked through and this can't happen until NikNik gets home. Thus I am sitting on a pause button until she gets home.

I hope this helps to make things a little clearer @Catcakes.

@CheerBear We appear to have cross-posted. That is super cool that one of the LF thinks my blanket looks like a turtle shell.

Staying on the pause button is SO HARD. You know how there was a correction to a response you got during the week @CheerBear? Well I am 100% certain that a similar correction needs to be made to a response given to @Faith-and-Hope a few hours ago. I have a feeling that it won't happen until tomorrow and it is making it harder to stay on the pause button. This is so so so SO hard. I just want NikNik to come home.

@Former-Member I super liked the story of big bear and little bear. I also super like the turtle that you google made for me.

@Phoenix_Rising, when your post came through on the email it said: 'I also super like the turtle that you google made for me' (with no strikethrough).

I am totally adopting 'google-made' as a new verb. (There are heaps of things I'll be able to google-make.) Thank you for making me smile. 🙂 I'm glad you liked the story and the turtle.

I'm sorry things are so very hard right now. 🙁

@Phoenix_Rising @CheerBear I am here but not really here - but wanted to add (before I am not really here again) that there are also alot of things I would like to say, but can't, and some of those I am sure that if we could all say then some of this muddle would be a lot clearer - it is super hard.

@Phoenix_Rising I am still struggling with our intial muddle and some of what has gone on since has just increased that muddle - it seems like one 'rule' for some and another for others - and that has also exponentially increased your muddle. You are doing such a fantastic job of sitting on the pause button when the muddle is soooooo muddled little turtle

@Catcakes If you are feeling fragile, then you are definitely at the right party - there are a LOT of fragile people here in Forum Land.

By the way, I saw the thread where you were wondering if you had been mocked. For what it is worth (which may be nothing), I truly don't think you were being mocked in any way. It can be tricky with written text at times - that's why I tend to use a lot of emojis. Even then, the tone of things can be misheard.

I seem to have quite a talent for causing offence. However, happily for me, @Zoe7 made me a warning label.

@Former-Member I meant to say, I am ok with the turtle emoji having legs rather than flippers. Although I am really a sea turtle, I post LOTS of pictures of me as other types of turtles.