Official Articulated Thoughts Good News Thread

Kitties in general are the best. I'm biased because I've only ever had cats, but I really do think they get a bad rap. Most of the people I know that don't like cats are either a little standoffish, or afraid of them in some way, which cats really do pick up on. I actually kinda like the fact that with some cats, you have to win their love. It makes it feel all the more special when you do finally connect. But they're perfect for introverts like me, and almost everyone I've known who didn't like cats prior, I've introduced them to my kitty, and they've fallen in love with cats. Happened with my boyfriend- he hated cats- was a total dog person through and through- but he met my cats and it's completely changed him- he'll send me cat videos or memes, he's bought toys and treats for them, and he's actively encouraging me to get another.

It's not recent good news, but in the spirit of sharing about kitties, I'm still just so amazed at how much my cat has grown over the last couple years. His name is Garrus, and when I got him, I had another kitty, Liara, who was the alpha, and Garrus very much respected that- they got along great, but he was so incredibly shy; he never let me pet him or pick him up (due in part, as well, to an abusive kittenhood). Unfortunately, I had to give Liara up a couple years back because of some health issues, and within a few days, Garrus completely changed. He was friendlier, let me pet him, he played with me, etc. Still can't pick him up, and he'd still give Scooby Doo a run for his money in the (literal) scaredy-cat department, but he's so sweet (Garrus is the reason my boyfriend came around on cats). He's really the sweetest cat you're ever likely to meet (I'm biased, though), and sometimes I think back to when he was just a scared little kitten, and it amazes me to see how much he's grown in the last couple years. Like his namesake, he's my best bud and wingman!
 
Finally back from an unexpected work road trip and I found a lot of good figures while I was out in NC. I almost got sent to New Jersey from there but they had mercy on me and sent someone else so I got to come home yesterday and now I get to spend Saturday afternoon opening new figures and cash a fat mileage check from the 9 hour drive (which let's be real here, will probably barely pay for everything I bought plastic-wise on the trip).

This forum has been busy and it's great to see! I think I'm finally caught up with all the posts I missed reading while I was away.
 
Just in time for Mother's Day, a bit of good-ish news about my mom- she's been going through some major health stuff for the better part of a decade now- arthritis, spinal stenosis, deteriorating muscle, you name it, really. Even getting her to go to the doctor is like pulling teeth- she never feels listened to or believed with a lot of the specialists she's had to see. Long story short, she started having some severe pain in her abdomen, which, since she's a lifelong smoker, her PCP was beyond convinced was the start of lung cancer or COPD, since she was showing other signs as well, and it runs in the family. Ran a bunch of tests, and happy to say it's neither! We were quite worried that that's what it would end up being, and knowing her, she wouldn't pursue any sort of treatment. It turned out to be a double whammy of a pulled muscle and a compressed disc on her spine, which is already rubbing against itself in many places, so not the best news, but hey, I'm just so relieved it's not what he thought it was. I'm at the stage where it's really sinking in how temporary everything is, especially time with loved ones, and seeing her struggle has been hard, so I'll take any victory- big or small- I can get!
 
Posted over in the pet thread as well, but figured I'd post here too, since it made me so happy.

I've had my little rascal Garrus for 8.5 years, and he just last night sat in my lap for the first time! He's a literal scaredy-cat, afraid of every little noise and movement (he had a rough kittenhood on the streets of Manhattan, and the shelter thinks he was kicked around a lot, poor thing). That said, he's truly the sweetest little thing you'll ever meet- not a mean hair on his body. I got him back when I had another kitty, Liara, who was very much the Alpha, and while I had her, he wouldn't even let me touch him; he was very sweet and they got along great, but he knew she was the Alpha, and his skittish-ness led him to keep his distance. I had to rehome her a few years back due to some health issues, and since then, he's been slowly coming out of his shell. He's let me pet him (and boy, does he make up for lost time!), he's been slowly more vocal and playful, and he would always sit next to or near me on the couch, but would never sit on my lap, no matter what I did. Well, I got a new couch the other day, and since then, he's been more frisky and rambunctious, and last night while I was sitting, he came right over and just sat in my lap unprompted! Made me so happy, I could cry. Did it 2 more times before the night was over. Still doesn't let me pick him up, but that's okay- one thing at a time, and even if he never does, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters! Took some photos of the momentous occasion, as well as some adorable sleeping photos right after.

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Winning over a skittish cat is such a good feeling! My sister's cat had a similar background. She was rescued from a dumpster and has always been very shy. I don't see her very often so haven't even had too much time to get to know her but for a couple of years she will run and hide when she sees me but then she gradually stopped doing that. A few months ago she started letting me scratch her under the chin and then last week we were sitting out on the patio and she came outside (she usually won't even do that). I wasn't paying attention and suddenly something was in my lap and it was her. Everyone was shocked because she doesn't sit in anyone's lap, not even my sister's. Needless to say I had to rub it in just a bit with my sister.
 
Oh yeah, winning over a shy cat is a win of all wins. I'm trying to get our female cat to warm up to either one of us right now. Our boy cat is so affectionate he'd crawl inside our bodies if it were physically possible, but the girl is like: "I like you, you're fine, but from a foot away please."
 
Just realized I have not been spending as much time on my author accounts on various social media the past few weeks, which isn't good for marketing but is VERY VERY VERY GOOD for my stress level, and it coincides with this site becoming my go-to place to check in on when I have a moment to step away from work, and just wanted to put that into the good news thread - Articulated Thoughts is actually getting me the hell off Threads for work and that has been a drastic quality of life improvement.
 
So back in January I started having some concerning neurological symptoms. Bad muscle cramps, pulsations, general feeling of weakness. Keep in mind I have previously been diagnosed with a condition where my body is permanently stuck in fight or flight mode and I'm on two different types of medications to alleviate the physical and mental symptoms of that so it DOES do some weird things to my body that I can't explain, even with the meds. I went to my doctor and he did some precursory tests and couldn't find anything in my blood work, but he referred me for an MRI. MRI showed nothing but was not enough to rule out the more concerning neurodegenerative diseases, but it did rule out tumors or severe MS or anything like that.

He then referred me to a neurologist who ordered a couple of tests (nerve conduction test where they shock you and make your muscles twitch. I felt like Frankenstein on the bed under a white sheet with electrodes hooked up and my muscles moving on their own and then one where he sticks needles in my muscles and I have to flex and you can totally feel the needle in there when you do). I had to go a month between my 1st neurologist mentioning that ALS was a possibility and finally getting to have the test. During that month I had accepted my impending death, completely planned how I was going to end my own suffering while I could still lift my arms to do so, and had started documenting my collection to make it easier for someone to sell. I just wasn't going to become incapacitated and someone else's problem.

After the test the senior neurologist told me the condition was completely benign and we may never know exactly what it is, but it isn't neurodegenerative. He was looking SO concerned during the whole thing that I was convinced it was going to be bad. When he told me I held it together until I got back to the car and then I broke down in tears. Like the whole past 6 months of having that hanging over my head even to the point of accepting my fate and figuring out how to deal with ending my life on my own terms just caught up to me and I wept like a baby.

Just needed to get all that off my chest. I haven't told anyone in my life about any of this until now.
 
Finally ignored my mom's advice and hung out with some strange men I met on the internet.

@docsilence, @JakeEkiss, @altcunningham, @Damien, and I met up for our inaugural D&D session today. It was only on Zoom (no IRL meetups yet, mom, I swear), but it was great putting faces to names.

I'm a naturally awkward person, but there was none of that today. SDComics mentioned immediately gelling with PantherCult and Beamish at SDCC. Yeah, right, I thought. Well, he was right. I felt like I was chatting with old friends. I guess we are, in a way.

It was my first time meeting anyone from an online community or even putting my face out there. No one was weird (in a bad way, at least) or tried to kill me (yet, at least).

I can't wait to do it again in two weeks.
 
I take extreme umbrage at the suggestion that I was neither weird nor potentially life-threatening.

Definitely agree with the sentiment. Felt more like hanging out with old buddies than 'meeting' people. Very much looking forward to doing it again.
 
That's awesome.

Meeting people from on-line communities can honestly be hit or miss. I met some people from an X-Men usenet group once upon a time and it was awkward and uncomfortable... but I've met up with people from a few different toy groups over the years and that has always gone really well. Met Eric Myers and ToyOtter back in the Raving Toy Maniac days and those guys were great.

I am 100% certain that I would have a great time hanging out IRL with you, KnightDamien, DocSilence and the rest. In part because we spend a lot of time talking here about real world stuff so we have a pretty good idea who a lot of these people are.

I would love to meet alot of the folks from here face to face.
 
@PantherCult I'm sure we could always make room in the D&D group if you were ever feelin' like you want to hang out with us in the virtual space but like.... less virtual than this? You know what I mean.
 
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