torn asunder

Has it really been since 2014 when the Smalls DGN reunions took place? Wow.
 
Once upon a time mods used to do things and title them as an official event, because we were running the event. I did about a half dozen of them back in the day myself.
 
The original intent of the Emissary was to be different from mod. Mod did events and moderated the board, emissaries were official promoters. I know because when the original conversation came up (I think I started the official conversation in staff chat, but may be mistaken) I sat with Troy at City and talked about it, as did my wife (-Siren-). It's how she ended up one. The other Emissary will never end up back here but she's another Canadian and close friend to Siren and I (she was even part of our wedding).

i associate bren with 'weird shit'... 🙃

hey megan, great to see you've signed up here! i enjoyed talking with you at the pop-up - hope you find some interesting topics to join in on the board, and also some events to go to!

this really was never true, you're just required to be respectful when arguing with someone. common courtesy, really. the problem most people had was that they got angry/disrespectful/insulting when arguing, and that does go against the rules. i've never understood why it was so difficult to grasp this concept?
 
(sorry, not harping on you specifically SG, just venting a frustration!)

hey meg, welcome back!

hey bean!...
 
i mean, not_bean!

just heard myself - so sad. does anyone have any details? i don't want to pry, but i hadn't heard anything about him or his health in ages.
 
he will be missed.

hey bean!...
 
i mean, not_bean!

unless there are two of them, papa pete's is in kalamazoo... (nvmd, i see the title has been changed.)

~~~~~
As our family grew up with livestock in the South, up North, we are still on "Farm Time"...so it's from Sun up until Sun down for us.
😆

best wishes & healing energy being sent...

and let's hope it's a good one... 🙂

I find it sad that when I speak to a certain caliber of individuals, I am practically told to dumb it down a bit because "In 2021, nobody says...anymore".
 
So what's going to happen in 2022?  We will all communicate with grunts because hand gestures will be too much work...?
😏

~~~~~
That's why I exist outside of it.  All I ever hear is "Nobody does ______" and all I can think is, "But I do that".  So apparently I'm Nobody and thereby do not exist in this reality.  Therefore, I create my own...and live by it.

~~~~~
Dude, I panicked!!! 
 
Initially this was going to be a Thanksgiving post, but every time I do that, the OP is followed by remarks of killing turkeys...either on the board or face to face.  So I tried to improvise.
 
~A couple of years ago, you couldn't say "Happy Holidays".
~When I first started posting on DGN, I accidently posted "Merry Christmas"...I am sorry, but I still do not completely understand certain regional "humor" and the responses to that thread shook me a bit.
~A few years back, I said "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays" to a female White receptionist at an appointment.  She looked at Trene and I with a shocked expression on her face and said, "Don't you do that Kwanza?"  (I have no idea what Kwanzaa is supposed to celebrate, but apparently, it's for Black people?)
~I was out shopping at the mall on December 2nd this year and said "Happy Holidays" to the cashier as I was leaving DICK's.  She looked like she could chew nails then said "You too".
 
Needless to say, after my entire life, I am now cautious of acknowledging any holiday that comes after Halloween because you can do and say just about anything you want and dress anyway you like during October and people just laugh at how shocked and caught off guard they were.  People expect to be scared or to see something "interesting" whether they celebrate Halloween or not.
 
 
Given that my family was separated by states, countries and continents, because literally one half of it is Military, any holiday celebration and birthday, when we could come together, was special.  And it was generally like that for the community where we grew up and the schools we attended in our area.
 
Needless to say, I had a very rude awakening when I started University life in my mid-twenties.  It's like everyone was entitled to their own opinion as long as you accepted, and did not contradict, the opinion of the loudest person who was cursing any and everything that had to do with holidays, social gatherings and religion.  I learned to shut the "F" up as I had been told.
 
Decades later, DGN is the first place I actually posted anything regarding holidays, but here, I've learned to brace for it.
😏

Note:  Contrary to what may be believed, I created "Board Domination Week" a few weeks after joining DGN, July of 2012, as my own personal way of interacting with the forum and members.  This was not created to make anyone feel inferior or to cause upset.  I am just a forum hog who truly appreciates posting on DGN.  My apologies to anyone whose feelings may have been hurt do to any misunderstandings.
 
...and no, I did not create DGN.
 
DGN Founder Troy Spiral

I miss "home," and all of my friends, who are there. 

Ya know, in hindsight, at least one marriage spawned from this thread.

So, now I've hit rank of Enthusiast

...a.k.a I post a lot about stuff and things...

The xeophobia is extra strong in the Christian community.  Not that we all don't have some small measure of it.  

I do know LOTS of Christians that are very helpful and generous.  

It is shocking how many  "good Christians" are so lacking in empathy or even just basic critical thinking skills.  They are STILL supporting  en mass for the most immoral ex president in history?  /case closed.   Its what happens when "faith" is replaced with "thinking."

Now does that meant that ALL Christians are bigoted , closed minded clueless morons?  No it doesn't.  There are plenty that are thoughtful, kind and helpful.  

But, it should be obvious to any clear-eyed viewer that Christianity as a whole has been a net loss for humanity. 

~~~~~
I am glad you are sharing.
 
Believe it or not, I was the exact image of what you wrote.  The only difference is I didn't have any way to see a doctor for meds due to no medical coverage at that time and if I had quit my job, my mother would have kicked my a** all the way back to the office building.  I suffered for years in my head over every little thing as if people around me could hear my thoughts, yet I was constantly told how good of a worker I was.  And when I was "let go" by my supervisor by what she called "Voluntary Termination" meaning I could return to the workplace in the future, I was scared nearly to death because I had never been without a job or studying some form or education since I was 11 years old.  However, I still had responsibilities because the courts had designated me as assistant to my mother as she was made to adopt her grandchildren a few months later. 
 
Unfortunately, I beat myself up nearly everyday due to what had happened.  Then I was given the position of legal guardian and DHS Chore Worker for Trene and that helped get me out of my head somewhat.  But it wasn't until I started posting on DGN that I started spilling my guts about my life's story and realized that there were people who had never met me, but actually cared about what I had to say.  Some were in the same boat, others were the voice of reason.  It made me feel like I finally found a place where I belonged.  No one judged me for having a thought that I decided to express.
 
It is liberating for me being on this forum.  That's why I tell you to post without fear of ridicule.  You have the right to be heard.  If someone doesn't like that, they have the right to not read what you wrote...simple as that.
 
...and don't delete your stuff...
 

I made my first wire tree.  I think I did pretty well making this Cherry Blossom Bonsai.  Next I need to mount it on a rock or crystal. 
I learned a lot from working on it so I think I improve on my design and make ever better trees.  I am now starting on a thicker Juniper Bonsai style that I will be mounting on an antique typewriter to make a cool steampunk piece.