Luna Bliss

I hope so, Silent, I really do. This is a very strange dynamic, one I've only seen on forums really, but no doubt it exists in 1st life too.

Hindenburg disaster/train wrecks vs disturbed people behaving in dysfunctional ways ====== apples to oranges, not a good comparison.

Some people like to watch others with problems so as to have enemies, as if their very life and identity depended on having something to hate. Not saying anybody here is doing that...just giving other reasons why some like to pay close attention to those they basically dislike.

Those whose boundaries are different than yours are not going to change much, if at all. It's very much like making a friend in 1st or 2nd life...there comes a time when we expect a greater degree of authenticity from a person, and this varies from person to person, and so there are no clear lines. I agree there should be no rules about it, and of course there is not on the forum, but you attempting to convince others to have your boundaries will bear no fruit. Maybe you should just drop it?

Yes, I like your line "anyone who's owned a dog or cat knows they feel emotions". That's what it takes...paying attention to them...tuning in to them closely, and it becomes very obvious. My mother was totally shocked that their dog, Pepper, a 'macho' terrier who was hyper and not the most affectionate dog, came and cuddled against me when I visited. I think he was responding to how open I was to him and so he felt connected. Once when I visited a woman for the first time all three of her cats came out and started rubbing against me and she was shocked, saying they never come out to greet strangers. I think they likely knew I loved animals and was no threat.

Hmmm, at the risk of "thinking" and going to that horrible deeper place, let's discuss this more. From seeing what you laugh at and the jokes you make, I know what you find funny. I've seen you be caring when someone was down or being picked on. I've seen you agree or disagree with all sorts of commentary. I've seen you express some pain (around your landlady, some time ago, and revealing some of your weaknesses in the process). And much much more that doesn't come to mind -- so much of our impressions about another remain on a subconscious level. Maybe I know you better than if you were suddenly sitting in my room across from me. Ok, I have to be silly now.

You seem pretty strange so you'll fit right in....handing you a chip ;0

Even though you have in the past. It's not disturbing to me. It's, for the most part, amusing to me when people think they're fooling people when they aren't. A Roll My Eyes moment. Here we go again, kind of thing. yeah but Rowan, you don't know the whole backstory of why I took an alt to defend myself against this malicious woman. She'd been after me a long while. And I was so silly I think it freaked her out and she left...lol. Finally, victory! Fortunately, attacks like that aren't allowed anymore with the new moderation. I'm very happy with that.

I agree! It did provide some interesting discussion tho!

you should never be deep, or think much on this forum, so I've heard ;0

By knowing "who" they really are I'm meaning we have to know which avatar they are. I do agree in having some consistency for those who need that. For example, I would never try and engage Rowan with another avatar as I know that's so disturbing for her. The relationship aspect is more important to me than putting my views out with my chosen avatar.

I think a forum, such as this one, and with the core people who post here, is as much about relationships as it is about "views". How can you relate to someone if you don't really know who they are?

Oh nice! I remember the great lakes fondly...lived for a year in that area. I have driven Route 66 many times, and my dad had many stories of his adventures along that path. He loved the western states and the southwest. Whenever I go on a trip I seem to always navigate to that area. Really, Zion National Park is one of the prettiest places in the world to me.

Yes, and what about the forum pic of @Katherine Heartsong! Just look at it. And she says she's a man! /silliness

@Rowan Amore Rowan, you will never have to worry about me changing. I will always remain the same person that you know and love

says it's unavailable what's the name and I"ll search it out on YouTube...

I remember you discussing this way back when, probably because something similar happened to me. You seemed at the time somewhat bewildered or confused about it. I wanted to message and comfort you some, and compare similar experiences, but at that time I didn't know you well enough to do so.

Maybe you're not aware of all the interactions between people, past and present. A lot of info passes through any discussion, and even traces back to interactions weeks or even years ago, and no way can we keep track of it all. If I see someone offended I assume I might have missed out on some context that leads them to express what they are, or, that it has shifted more into theory ...into "what is right or wrong about this or that", more generally. So not always anything to do with a personal "guilt-driven" reaction.

The above was a tongue-in-cheek post, but seriously, the place is borked. I keep getting offline messages from past conversations and it's causing mass confusion. Sometimes they don't arrive at all , and I only discover those cases when the missing message becomes known through someone asking if I got such-and-such a message, a bit peeved at receiving no response.

It's bad, it's really bad. If I meet someone who says they're a lesbian I assume there's a 75% chance they're a man.

Oh man, I've seen some crazy sh!t in my time, but this.. Strangely, I experienced this before, and it made me wonder how common it is. Years ago I had a friend that I thought was woman (later discovering they were a man, outed to me by a 1st life professor colleague), and this "woman" was looking for a Mistress. So, I asked around, and this one Mistress appeared to have a good reputation, and so I referred my "woman" friend to her. Turns out this Mistress was also a man in 1st life. LOL

This wonder, that we are even here. I think if we felt this deep in our bones all the time we'd do nothing but cry and bow.

"Some people imagine malice when there is none" ~ Confuciosanabukanasta