Remember how many people made fun of those bumper stickers that said “when the last tree has been felled” and stuff like that? Yeah seems like they were right. It “may” represent a turning point, after a hurricane…

Thank you. Those are some actionable tips for me.

This really stuck in my head today and I’m still processing your message. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it, it means a lot.

Hey that means a lot. Oceans and landmasses are in the way, but I appreciate you.

Thanks for the insights. I don’t think I can say I had fun or similar, when I didn’t. I had anxiety the whole night and felt incredibly awkward and ashamed.

Yeah thanks for the advice and the wishes. I think you’re exactly right about how those conversations could turn out. So I guess something uncommitting like you suggested is a good start …

I like the idea with the smaller dinners. Sadly, people don’t come around my place. It’s a bit out of the way. And I thought the “bigger” plans are exactly good for the kind of conversations where you aren’t too close with the people and you can get closer with them. In a café/restaurant/bar/living room setting, you have to do small talk…

Thank you. That means a lot and I hope your situation improves, too.

I wrote it in another comment: I can see how it’s partly not about me. Everyone had a specific and relatable and legit reason not to come. Just in the collection it also is indicative of my standing. So apparently I don’t have 50 friends, I don’t appeal to people in general and I don’t pull people who have ever the slightest reason not to go.

Thanks. That’s a real answer to my question. I’m just so tired of trying…

I think they don’t know how important it was for me. And I don’t think that I can tell them.

Thanks for the perspective. I don’t know what to learn from it. Reading the comments here makes me think that many of us learn the same dark lessons: don’t socialise, stay alone.

But again: how do I respond to “how was the partyyyy?!”(Big smiles)

Thanks.

It’s a bit disheartening that so many people relate but nobody can really help me with my question as to what to do now…

Thank you. I’ll save your comment to read it again :)

Thanks for that anecdote. I think I get it. I get a lot of the reasons not to come. Now I’m more open with my neurodivergence, I am more surrounded by people who deal with similar stuff. But that also means that they don’t come. I had two or three people cancel yesterday saying they don’t have energy to be amongst many people. This felt so awkward, seeing as there weren’t any…

I think I can see how it’s “not personal” on one hand, but still I can see that I’m not a priority for anyone

Thanks for the insights. But that’s done. I think I did my invitations okay. Even if I didn’t that’s a different question. I just don’t know how to interact with the people now

If you would, could you tell how you initiated that talk? I just turned 40 and I need to have the same talk…

but also we can’t welcome everyone too because the system couldn’t handle it

That’s the far-right talking point strawman. Somehow “the system” can handle billionaires not paying taxes, it can handle big corporations getting bailouts, it can handle giving billions to war efforts. But it can’t “handle” people moving? Like they have always done? And maybe we don’t need a system that “can’t handle” that. I can’t handle this system.

you either willfully or unknowingly spout far-right conspiracy theory between the lines.

migration is not only normal, but essential to the survival of the planet and each country/region. it’s a net positive. we’ve gone so far out of our way to make it a “we” vs “them”, when there’s no “we” at all. there’s just rich people protecting their interests, trying (and suceeding) to divide the masses

oh welcome culture? you mean the one where we ostracize and other families that don’t look white european enough? where we put them in camps at the border, where we let them drown in the mediterranean, where we rig the system so hard against anyone lower class so that they will never rise to anything and their kids won’t as well? where we criminalize them and then just send them to some war region somewhere? yeah…must have been the “new” far right that has soured this great welcome culture. STFU

The secret to living to 110 was, don’t register your death.

yeah lol

short version: almost all “very old humans” are just dead and never register their deaths

I am overjoyed!!! As I watched the Olympics I thought that all the equestrian sports needs to be replaced with hobby horsing. Let the poor horses be… The jockeys need more guts and do it all on a hobby horse

Hey that’s cool. I get my music from “all songs considered” (new music Friday), the NPR podcast.

Last thing I enjoyed was the new album “embers” by God is an astronaut.

i have problems explaining my job to myself. As I sit on the floor, painting a wall or scrubbing the floor or as I’m trying to repair a door… yeah that’s not my job description