Is it just me or have others had the experience of getting friendship requests from people that you can't recall ever having encountered?

Must be you!  :)  I have no friends if you look at my profile page!  Actually I don't see what the point is of listing your 'friends' like that - seems kind of like an ego thing - as "Ask" mentioned too with the 'count'.......I just don't get it.  Can you tell that I've never sent any requests myself - kind of hate to put people on the spot like that!

As for the Journals.........I've been journaling all my life but journals should be private in my mind.  That's where I work everything out and you can't be totally open and soul-baring in public or at least I can't!  I don't even want to read anyone elses.  Seems too much like an invasion of their privacy. 

Hi "Ask"- love your locale by the way!  Glad you decided to jump into the conversation.  It is hard sometimes.  There are some boards that I've been lurking on too and you feel intrusive if you jump in.......especially if people don't "know " you yet.  Some of those religious debate boards are downright intimidating! 

Blessings,
Devona

Dot,
This is quite interesting to think about...ie about the "Croning".

I had a hysterectomy at 29 and was thrown into "Surgical Menopause" at that time. The German Dr. that did the surgery told me at that time that I would go through all the hot flashes and have the symptons for a few years but to be prepared that when I got into my 50's I would go through it again. He was right. I am back in the middle of this again.

I had always assumed that my increased creativity was because of my approaching birthday and didn't even think about it being another stage of my life. I really appreciate these offered alternate suggestions. It makes sense now.

I have not had any insight of a "future" life but this may be something I can look at in future meditations. I also thank you Dot for the book titles. I will go to B&N and see if I can find them. I am on a big reading surge at this time too...sneaking off to read one of the 3 books I have going.

Has anyone heard from Whisperingal or NHT? I have tried to contact Whisperingal through email on here but have gotten no response. NHT.....are you still in PartyMode?? We have two this week, mine and my youngest Grandson.

Thanks for all the input this weekend, it has been great to see everyone again. Lurkers...come foreward!!!!!!

Boh/Sidhe

Ah, so this thread is "reincarnating" into a discussion of croning. I just turned 49, but I think I've been in some phase of perimenopause since I was in my early 30's. One of the most profound comments that I heard recently was from Dr. Christiane Northrup along the lines that, "everything that was an issue for you when you were 12 years old and didn't get resolved will rear itself again and 'demand' resolution when you go through menopause."

Curiously, I never had any driving urges to be a mother, so I didn't have children. I don't know if not "creating" in that biological sense has any impact on my current exploration of "creative" issues. For me, it's more like trying to (1) find any hints of a creative self, and/or (2) recreate my life as, so far, it hasn't been exactly satisfying in many aspects. I've been trying to work through some of it in the "Art, Healing, and Transformation" Discussion Group. I also do some creative exploration/meditation by coloring weekly mandala selections on the "Creative Zone 2" thread in the Depression Support Forum.

Btw, on the Depression Support Forum, NHT has provided links to some interesting sites in her "Menopause and Depression" thread. http://community.beliefnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2318 My favorite of these linked sites, [COLOR=blue]click here, refers to the "midlife metamorphosis" as a "dangerous opportunity". [/COLOR]

As for NHT herself, the last word we got on the DS Forum is that she and her family have been having a rough time with a rather nasty flu. I've recently seen posts by Whisperingal on the "Intuitive Counseling" board.

Cinaplum -
hello - welcome back!!  It's good to hear from you again.
I myself just got back onto the boards after an involuntary hiatus --
=]

NHT, it is WONDERFUL to see you again!! I have been like Dot and her husband, sleeping LONG LONG hours in a day. I have always been a "Morning" person and this is really kicking my butt. I am hoping that this is over finally also.

I hope your family didn't all get this either. When the little ones get it and you have no energy, everyone suffers. That is how it is like here with two grandchildren living with us for the past 7 months.

Boh/Sidhe