It's getting better, Melody .

I've whittled the "wanna see you" docs list down to the "gotta see" list . I forgot to mention my weekly one, though: she's my chronic pain management counseling doc, and she's cool.

I did find that extreme weather (farther south in California) helped immensely when I spent a week there this summer.

Too, I read what you did, Melody - and that was super nice of you . It reminds me of my neighbors. No matter how many times it's done, it always feels so special when one brings over something home-made. (I get some great food; on one side, the neighbor is from Pakistan, and her father used to own a bakery in San Francisco; on the other side, the family is from India and, wow, can they also cook!)

It's nice having neighbors - such as yourself. Kindness goes a long way .

You guessed it, SL.

I spoke tonight with my good friend whose wife spends many hours a day on SL. He gave me another take on the thing.

First, he said, it's a place where people are encouraged to be in role, whatever role they want, and however they want. He described it as a real place to play, the kind of play we did as children, but have been blocked out of as we have grown up. The kind of play even children don't do as much of anymore, as their play is more scripted by activities, TV shows, and fixed games.

So, he said, his wife loves to go on and play in role, and people enjoy interacting with her, in role, a lot. But at the same time that they are doing this, playing, they are getting to know each other---through play, much as we did as children. When people find they play well together, they want to add other ways of communicating. SL has several different communications systems which work in parallel with the avatar play. You can im, use voice, and other things he didn't fully describe. So, once you're playing well, you'll generally find you want to get to know the people you are playing with.

You email them, im then, and move more and more personally, if things go well. So she now has phone calls daily from friends she made on SL. (She's from Canada, and just moved to the US two years ago when they married, and is short on local friends). Some people have lived close by, but some are from all over the world, yet they feel they are becoming friends. They talk with each other and play with each other on several levels at once, in character or role, when they feel like it, or as they are in RL, as they feel like it.

It sounded not so much different from what happens here. We meet online in a persona of illness, defined narrowly by how we relate through illness. Some of us begin to pm each other, when things seem salient and appealing. Some we may develop email or phone relationships with, and some, we might even meet.

From Braintalk, I've met a core group of people who I feel clearly are friends. No, not like friends I've had since elementary school, but still, real friends. And that's how my friend feels about her Second Life friends--they've become quite real to her, in her life.

And, not to be undervalued: While Second Life is not a game, it IS play. And we sure do need more of that, just pure imaginative play. So, I've learned a new way to think about it.

Melody---Play to your heart's content; let it be an antidote to all the pain you have in your day. Just as your meatloaf is an antidote to all the pain of your neighbors. Though, truth be told, I'm for dovebars.

I have looked at SL, and to be honest, it is not nearly addictive as World Of Warcraft. Now that is a game that will suck in anyone.

Your children are beautiful.

I got a kick out of your son's expression. He looks like he's thinking "go ahead, make my day"
lol

melody

Has Alan seen the neurosurgeon yet? I've been anxious to see what he said. Thinking about you both...
Billye

Believe me, as soon as know something, I'll update here.

Be well,
Melody

I don't think I wanna go there, I've enough problems here, not creating other ones.............but if I did go there........I'd wanna be a Pirate, a Privateer sailing the high seas and capturing booty all through the Carib.- and swashbuckling, and wenching, and drinking, and doing all the physical things I'd never really gotten to do when I was younger - & do the things I'd planned to do when I retired - that I'll never get to do now, because PN won't even let me take the dog for a walk without paying for it for the rest of the day.
And I'm a piker compared to others here, because I can still walk and at least try to live a normal life, addicted-no dependant on drugs for the rest of my life.
But living that kind of vicarious comic book character on-line wouldn't be healthy for me, because I'm not Autistic or have Aspergers.
Its nice that JL concocted a place where he could make money off of ("make a living"??) from those sufferers. But he's not gonna make it offa me. I'll go to OBT as a lurker, & maybe participate, but it will be for the people who were kind enough to help me when I needed it so much, and maybe to put in my 2 cents worth to newbies that find it today.
But I now feel more comfortable here.
I hope the Doc John lets this site stay for a long time to come. But we were bitten (some thought, very badly) and might not be as totally ignorant and trusting in our ability to have a 'home'.
Mankind's inherent ability to play the games behind the scenes for personal profit and gain - many times finds the way to rear its ugly head.
I'm surprised that there is even the word 'altruism' in the languages of the world. I'm sure that the concept doesn't even exist in soome cultures, as well as the concept of dishonesty doesn't in others (albeit remote and aboriginal - difficult to find).
Until then, I'll just close the closet door and take my 'blankie & my Binkie' and try to remember that in my private world - ethics, honesty, & reverence are much more prefered. I guess that's not real, either- but its one that I can be comfortable daydreaming in.

Well,i went and checked it out too!!!
My comp is apparently outdated..LOL
I could'nt view anything..Oh well,i guess i got enough mental illusions from melody anyway..heehee
I have been reading this thread for a while,yet i never posted!
I am a fellow pn'er as well.I have it in my neck/shoulders/feet
I have my info on my siggy because i know people forget also.
I am one of those that forget..LOL
I was VERY happy to see this did'nt turn into an argument and everyone was able to resolve their differences and get along!
Very refreshing

upon learning...well, as vivid an imagination as I have it grabbed me about as much as gambling....IF you don't get any gratification or substance rite away...it seems I guess boring - the way I find gambling to be Simple stuff is too boring, other stuff too much to learn how to 'play'. I've done lots of other real complex stuff in my life but, this simply doesn't grab me.

Kell, Bob - why do we need artificial tools to get to where our own minds can simply take us? I for one, far prefer the view in my 'MIND'S EYE'! It's a whole lot easier too, no buttons to push!


Pain free moments everyone! - j

to this forum. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about it. I just wanted to say hi, and report that my PN has been virtually gone for over a year and half. Large doses of methylcobalamin (5 mg AM, 5 mg PM) for 3½ months seems to have done the trick (thanks to rose). I still have a little bit of a "fuzzy" souvenir at times around the toes, but no pain. Nerves seem to have been mostly repaired. All other concomitant issues, including anxiety and depression have long disappeared. While diagnosed as idiopathic PN in February 2005, I am fairly certain that mine was caused by a largely vegan diet, and long periods of no B12 supplementation.

BTW, I have reduced the dose of methylcobalamin, but I'm still taking a total of at least 2 mg daily. I plan to continue taking it regularly from now on.

Best wishes for continuing improvement to all.

George