Friday, July 25, 2008

Aftermath

It really amazes me how losing ATBT has rocked my world on its ass.

I didn’t realize how much I’ve come to rely on my imaginary friends for debate and levity and support throughout the day. I feel set adrift without our little “playground” to play in.

They are all abstracts to me, these people: “Terri” and “Angelique” and “Nova” and my dearest, darlingest “Rational” and so many others I can’t name them all.

I don’t really KNOW any of them, but they are my friends nonetheless. We all post nearly every day. We notice when one of us is missing. We notice when one of us is cranky. We notice when one of us is particularly flirty or ornery. So, even though we’ve never met, we seem to KNOW one another.

Other posters occasionally get shirty with us, telling us off for “hijacking” the boards, but what do they expect? When you encounter the same people day after day – even in a virtual environment – the natural result is that you get to know one another. And we never tell others that they CAN’T post. The more the merrier if you ask me.

And the advice columns where we all “met” are especially suited to this sort of interaction. In the course of offering our opinions, we share our own experiences and learn about the experiences of others. We get to know one another and have conversations. We let each other into our LIVES. Isn’t that how all friendships develop?

I’m really not sure why our “playground” was bulldozed without warning (Thank you, Terri for that excellent analogy!) but I’m not going to just take it.

We’ll rebuild. And we’ll keep rebuilding.

In the meantime, I’m going to save any stories I write and post them on the Topix Café blog.

http://topixcafe.blogspot.com/

I’ll be setting up those of you whose email addresses I know as admins on that blog so that we can at least archive our “stories” somewhere they can’t be killed.

So. Enough of the pity party. ATBT is gone and I’m sad but I’m not going to dwell on it any more today!

Happy Friday Everyone!!! See you in the “garden” while it lasts!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How do you find the Topix Cafe blog?
From the heart

Terri said...

I think we have the Topix Cafe Blog somewhere in the Stepmother Amy board, Heart. Is that right, EEE?

I think the Garden is going well, but I have to quit posting as Terri. I keep forgetting. I'm very much a habit person and it's killing me. Rebel is natural to me b/c I have that as a password on a few things (well Rebel plus othner stuff -- I'm not stupid enough to give passwords away). I've been out of sorts, I will admit. But like you, yes, we need to move on.

It's bothering me that we haven't heard from Rational. You and he are my originals. I know you knew others beforehand (which was awesome) but you and Rational are my first imaginery friends and it's just not right that Rational hasn't been around -- although I understand with the new job and everything.

I'm beginning to get as clingy as that bus lady I'm having to deal with and I'm scaring myself!!

Perhaps it's the vodka making me

Anonymous said...

EEE, hey girl, I posted the sequel to the Wizard of Odd on the Topix Cafe and now I can't find it anywhere. What happened?

News flash: Patrick got engaged to the as I call her blonde bimbo Angila. I'm just jealous that she's got a really hot curvaceous body and I'm more "svelte". Ha ha. He flew out to come to Fleur's birthday party and told everyone. Ugh, too many people. Miss Fleur got a new Mercedes for her birthday. One of those huge gas guzzling ones. (more jealousy? hee hee.)

EEE said...

Ooops!

I just updated this entry to include the link to the Cafe!

EEE said...

Terri, I wouldn't worry too much about posting as yourself.

I think we should slowly transition back to our deviant ways but we shouldn't post the link to the garden on Topix anywhere, just in case.

Angel-

You posted the sequel as a comment to the "Day Two" post. If you want it to be a new post of its own, click on "New Post" in the upper right corner of your screen.

From the Heart-

Thanks for all your lovely comments! Good luck with your weight loss. Losing weight is seriously hard!!!! and you've got to play it as a long game. I'd get a 2nd opinion from your doctor, though. And try eating tiny meals every couple hours (protein at ever meal) to boost your metabolism.

Also: if you're already walking for exercize, try adding some strength training: even 2-3lb weights 2x a week can really help

Rational is always great for advice about weight loss!!!

I miss him too. It sounds like he's crazy busy at his new job, though we all expected that. He mentioned having to work this morning - yick.

Take care all of you!

Terri said...

I posted a story on the Blog. Well, I started a story on the Blog. Feel free to continue it too, everyone.