i definitely understand how hard being touch starved can be. i wish you nothing but the best and a (hopefully near) future full of hugs and cuddles. for now… loooooong hug

i think i would be too anxious about messing up to participate. i have all sorts of internalized bad stuff that i’m working to overcome, but it sounds like a nice place. maybe i’ll have my shit together enough some day to join.

this week was okay. i turned in a physical resumé to a potential employer in person. even though it’s for an on-call job and not a ton of hours, still fingers crossed. i also submitted and had approved a proposal to present a talk on birding at my library. it’s something i’ve been hemming and hawing on for months. i talked to my wife about the mental health concerns i have about myself so there’s a bit more understanding between us now. i know the world is continuing to go to shit, but i’m hopeful that things may start to improve somewhat.

i wish you the best going back to work. i can certainty understand your feeling anxious. i hope you and your gf are able to work together and support each other. thanks for the hug!

i feel this so much. i am at a point where there’s not much i can do toward transitioning without a job. problem is, after months upon months of unemployment i’m struggling to apply for work. i don’t know if it’s executive dysfunction or depression or something else, but i feel absolutely stuck and it’s so frustrating because i want to do the things. i want my life to move forward. i don’t even do the things i enjoy doing anymore.

sorry to make this about me, i just want you to know that you’re not alone. i absolutely empathize. so if it’s okay, please have a hug from me.

i’ll keep that in mind. thanks for the info!

thanks so much for the kind words!

so glad to hear this! i don’t think you even need to apologize. we’re all human. i’m so glad you’re sticking around. i’ve been thinking about you all day. just be yourself and do your best and if you need support let us know! we love you, queen!

that sounds really rough to grow up with and live with for so long. i think I have some sort of mental processing issues. my partner will try to explain something she wants help with and will often have to draw me a picture or take me to the space she’s talking about so i can understand what she’s talking about.

this might be the way to go for now until things get more stable. i didn’t know that was an option, but i’m gonna look into it!

honestly, i suspect add, but who knows? i sorta suspect my mental health issues are legion so anything is possible. glad they could help you out either way!

thank you for the info and the link! i’ll look it over and talk with my partner about it.

thank you for the words of caution. that gives me a good idea of what to aim for.

i’m just sitting here experiencing secondhand anxiety when the loud footy fans get on the train.

that sounds like a rough day. i wish i had any advice beyond what was already given. best i can do is supportive head pats (if that’s welcome).

i’m not sure how social you are, but if you’re willing, why not throw yourself a party? i mean, if there’s a platform for teleconferencing you trust enough to use you could maybe have a virtual get-together. make it as long or as short as is comfortable and if you suddenly feel drained you can excuse yourself.

i think you should reconsider leaving.

1. you say you experience negative self-talk, internalized mysogyny, and transphobia. i am dealing with the same issues. it can be so hard i don’t even know what i’m doing sometimes. i suffer so much from ‘i could never be a real woman’, ‘I have to lose weight so I can look like an “ideal” woman’, etc. we are so similar in this regard. i also know i don’t feel that way toward others and it’s just a bunch of horrible self-talk i need to figure out how to deal with for myself.

2. yesterday i made a comment i immediately regretted. i commented on a woman’s looks which is a thing i know better than to do. i felt awful about it. it doesn’t matter that that person wants to kill us, i did something I considered to be patriarchal which is very out of character for me. i thought about running away and deleting my account. i decided not to because i think i am better than that one comment and because I was able to learn to do better because of it and because this community is all i have (and i hope/believe they will give me the grace to fuck up and grow.

so what i’m saying is i’m probably worse than you, but if you leave i guess that means I should too. i hope you decide to stay. i’ve enjoyed meeting you and getting to see all your new outfits.

i failed to consider snail h.r. policy

what good friends! the ant for considering the snail’s mobility restrictions, the snail for devoting two months of its life to get there.

the fact that so many indigenous people view themselves as being in relation with other humans and the world around them is something everyone could learn from. acknowledging the sacred in the land, the water, the animals, and other people and protecting it is what makes a warrior.

i may be new to this circle, but it didn’t take long to see how important you are to everyone here. i’m glad you’ve been so strong and also wish you didn’t have to be.