Type what you're thinking about right now (11)

[Dougella]

^^ I think that she probably does but just doesn't know how to show it.

[Avalon]

^ I try to tell myself that and I'm sure you are right Dougella. I guess we all have different ways of showing love.

^^ Thanks AL x
I hope you manage to fix your headphones but if not don't feel bad about treating yourself to a new pair. After-all, it is almost Christmas


Please don't quote

[Jen.]

^ That's exactly why I would never own a dog. I don't dislike dogs at all and I love playing with other people's, but owning one just seems like having a permanent toddler.

[Professor Willow]

That no amount of antidepressants or therapy can make me happy while I continue to stay in a situation which is directly contributing to my depression.

[Schmosby]

buywholefoodsonline have stopped doing the muesli I like, but I want it.

[Toxic]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

I am thinking; why am I so defeated by trying to look after a puppy? She's really small, why have I lost control over my days and my environment? I feel like I am living in a giant dog kennel, full of randomly distributed shoes and bits of chewed stuff every where, and I can't even get upstairs without her crying. It's like having a baby.

Our dog is 2.5 now

He was a handful when he was a puppy, I mean really a handful..a lot worse than the last 2 dogs I grew up with. Kinda thought he would calm down..hes just as bad only 30kg now

It gets a little annoying at times, hes quite the character and I do like spending time with him but hes so bloody needy! He only really has 2 modes - frantic/picking up anything & everything.....or asleep. Unfortunately he doesn't seem to be keen on sleep mode

[Toxic]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

That is not very reassuring 🙄

I am hoping she's going to be golden by about 6 months. She's stopped eating her own poop, so we're winning already

Well he never did that..

It's probably the type of dog, hes a golden retriever, theres a few round our street with them who says theirs really didn't calm down till 3-4

Theres one whos 13/14 now, now hes on his arthritis pills he still seems to be up for it

[Avalon]

@ Nanuq Thank you very much for your recent feedback x
I know that you can understand and empathise with me on such a matter because of your own childhood experiences.

Although I love my mum dearly (because she's my mum) we are such different personalities that she has always struggled to understand or empathise with me. She used to often say that I wasn't like other people, whatever that meant. Negativity, criticism and disapproval came much more easily than compliments or affection. She can be emotionally cold and unaffectionate towards me (although I know she cares in her own way) and I do know that I've been an enormous disappointment to her in one way or another over the years. I was always being compared with her friends daughter who was prettier, cleverer, friendlier, harder working and didn't have SA!

I'm very different with my own son and have always been affectionate with him (although now 17, he puts up with all of that under sufferance) and I also tell him every day that I love him. Although in many respects I feel that I've been a rubbish mother, I do hope that my son will at least always be in no doubt that, no matter what, I will always love him and be immensely proud of him.

Please don't quote as I may later wish to delete!

[Professor Willow]

Why am I the only person in this house who will clean the ****ing toilet?!
Every bastard uses it but no one will clean the bloody thing!

[Dougella]

The guy living upstairs is playing Lizzo at a very loud volume, maybe he needs a confidence boost

[Jen.]

Wishing he'd do that to me on Thursday night.

[Mountainstream]

I need to protect my energy. I'm done supporting people who don't care at all.

[Sisyphus]

I have a green day-glo parrot trashing my bird feeder.

I am wondering what jungle it came from. (Probably London.)

[Indigo_]

^ London is full of parakeets.

[Sisyphus]

^ Also politicians. And they are both screeching very loudly.

I'm in the Midlands so they are drifting north with global warming I guess.

It won't be long before they get to you too so best buy some ear plugs before the rush.

[Professor Willow]

Last week my counsellor gave me an article about the relationship between empaths and narcissists, my bf definitely fits the description of a narcissist but I don't think I fit the criteria for an empath very well.
It has however given me a much better understanding of the toxic dynamics of our relationship.

[Toxic]

God I went through my old visitor messages, I was actually quite sociable for me.

Apparently my online social life took a huge dump around 2012 (I mean it didn't have far to fall...but)

I wonder what changed

[Bluebear]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

My parents are so negative that they just can't say anything positive at all. It was very damaging when I was growing up and I don't really understand it, even now, but there must be a reason.

It's like she has to be in a constant battle that she's winning, even if the people around her don't want to play.

I don't think it's any reflection on whether she likes them or not. I think with some people having power over others, putting others down, finding fault and criticising them is just a default setting that makes them feel better about themselves.

My parents are so uncomfortable with any signs of affection or kindness..

I could have written this myself.

[anxiouslondoner]

Those GiffGaff ads on buses that say things like:

Ch__se refurbished.

Is it just me who keeps thinking, what's cheese got to do with mobile phones?

[Mountainstream]

Originally Posted by D1662

Last week my counsellor gave me an article about the relationship between empaths and narcissists, my bf definitely fits the description of a narcissist but I don't think I fit the criteria for an empath very well.
It has however given me a much better understanding of the toxic dynamics of our relationship.

This sounds interesting. I think I am an empath.

[Azalea]

Originally Posted by Bluebear

I could have written this myself.

Me too, my mother is definitely the same.
I feel like a different person when she's around, back to being the child who was never good enough and always compared to my cousin.

[ghost.of.an.englishman]

^^ what does their regular clientele like to talk about? buying a new range rover, that sort of thing?

[Mr. Nobody]

^

gosh,. Hawkwind are a total legend, an amazing band, been to see them a few times in concert,

that's quite a story,.. I've probably seen your friend at one of their concerts.

[lone*star]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

It just really struck me how full some people's lives are. Mine has been pretty sparse

The funny thing is, I'd say all the peace, joy and contentment in my life comes from its emptiness.

I couldn't think of anything more stressful, irritating and inconvenient than having a 'full life'. Each to their own I guess.

[Jen.]

Trying to think of where might be nice to go for a long weekend in January. Maybe the Cotswolds or somewhere like that. Anyone got any suggestions? Somewhere quiet with places to go for walks, and preferably in the south.

[lone*star]

^ Well you're probably asking the wrong person tbh, because, without wanting to sound flippant, I very much prefer not to define myself with any such labels.

So regardless of what I might 'have' or 'not have' in someone else's opinion, as far as I'm concerned, I'm just "me", and that's that. (And no, I wouldn't be interested in 'finding out' from a so called 'expert' either!) And so I therefore find myself in perhaps the fortunate position of not having to accept the extra baggage that inevitably goes along with any such labelling also.

So in answer to your question, I don't know what I am or what I 'have' in that sense. Nor do I particularly wish to. I simply take this great mystery we call 'life', as it appears, in each and every moment. No aims, no regrets - just this.

PS. Love your signature quotation btw - made me laugh!

[Mo34]

Just had a counselling session. My counsellor works from home but has a little summer house which she has made her counselling room. So we walked up the garden to it and sat down. A big dark shadowy figure appeared at the door and banged, scaring the life out of us both. A Labour campaigner had obviously spotted us leaving the front door and going up the garden and followed, he then proceeded to try have a chat!
Can't even have a counselling session without the election....

[anewyear]

There's a word that I don't quite know it means but I have this picture in my head about it.
Discombobulating.
I view it as if I'm floating in space, all four limbs and my head painlessly separate from my torso and I slowly spin into an uncoordinated void with a gradual and warm loss of consciousness. I think I understand the word to be slowly sleep walking into oblivion, a view strengthened by the fact I've just seen it used in relation to the election.

Discombobulating.

Does it mean anything like that or not at all? I should really look it up in a dictionary but I don't want to ruin that picture

[anewyear]

Ok, curiosity got the better of me

to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate

Knew I shouldn't have checked

[anewyear]

That whoever wins the election tomorrow will have 3 years of not needing to carry front door keys