GGT

[Hazir]

The other day I noticed I haven't seen any posts by GGT recently. Anybody has any idea what's up with that ?

[GGT]

I was taking a break from the forum, the internet, and virtual reality in general. The constant, negative feedback loop of fighting and bickering -- without any resolution -- finally hit the wall. It was affecting my perceptions and perspectives of the world (and my mental health), so I basically cut the cord.

I had planned to re-set the 'screen world' slowly, one bit at a time. *Didn't expect anyone would notice my absence but thanks for asking, Hazir.*

Then I got the email about Tim dying....talk about a re-set!

[wiggin]

I'm happy to hear that you're doing all right, GGT.

[GGT]

Thanks

The paradoxical quandary is Timbuk's sudden death.

I used to think our personas here didn't really have much meaning. It was just more of social media algorithms and anonymous postings, etc. When Oldmunchkin stopped posting, and I found out she'd died....I thought my sadness was because we had a relationship based in real life via on-line interactions.

But learning that Timbuk2 has died turned everything about this forum, and what we/I think of as valuable "real life" interactions via the internet, on its head.

I'm shocked that I'm so shocked and saddened by his sudden death. If ya know what I mean.

[Hazir]

I'm happy to see you are OK.

I can understand why you had/have those feelings and why you'd want to be away for a while. But I have also grown to see this group as a bit of a special place online. I doubt there is any other group of people who I have learned to know as much without ever seeing their faces. It mattered that Oldmunchkin died, Tim's dead really hit hard. And as you see, your absence was noticed.

[GGT]

You are right Hazir, this forum is indeed a very special on-line place. It was hard to admit that I had forged 'friendships' here over the many years, but tried to forget them as I tried to re-set my coping skills by going off-line. It felt like a weakness, or a false sense of connection, and very conflicting.

Tim's sudden death did hit really hard. But I'm glad you understand, and thankful that we can talk about the evolutions of our emotions, and our connections to this form. That hit really hard, too. In the best of ways.

[Dreadnaught]

Taking a break is good. Being here is good too.

We are a dyad of the Internet