The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[Omenainen]

The only people I've personally in person known who could describe their life like that were clinically depressed. They weren't able to see the joy in life again until they got on the right medication.

If this is not true of you, then I hope that you can get away from the abusive influences in your life and make a life for yourself that'll leave you content.

Second this. It’s weird how when you’re depressed, your whole life has always been shit, and when you’re falling in love, the whole world is full of flowers and rainbows. Our memories are nowhere near objective records of reality.

So, you might want to look into that, @Five_Inch_Heels . Once, a doctor had me take an anxiety test, and I was like oh, okay, I’ll do that to humor you, but I don’t think I’m anxious. I scored almost full points. I was perplexed, I honestly didn’t think I was particularly anxious, but it turns out I was so anxious I had generalized anxiety disorder… and the next thing to blow me away was the idea that it’s not that life just is like this, it’s not like this for everyone, and actually it doesn’t have to be like this for me either. Wild stuff.

 

[MrPixel]

I turned 36 years old today

Good for you, and we're glad you have a positive outlook, all considered. Now gird yourself for 36+ more.

 

[Duleigh]

I turned 36 years old today

Hmmm. When I turned 36 I was stationed in an isolated remote assignment to Korea. My family was back home in North Dakota. Still, it was a wild assignment - last home of the Real Air Force! 3 more years until retirement then I would go on to a "Stellar" second career.

 

[iwatchus]

Once, a doctor had me take an anxiety test, and I was like oh, okay, I’ll do that to humor you, but I don’t think I’m anxious. I scored almost full points. I was perplexed, I honestly didn’t think I was particularly anxious, but it turns out I was so anxious I had generalized anxiety disorder… and the next thing to blow me away was the idea that it’s not that life just is like this, it’s not like this for everyone, and actually it doesn’t have to be like this for me either. Wild stuff.

I had no idea how much anxiety I was battling until I had my first colonoscopy. They gave me something to keep me calm during it (don't remember what it's called) , but coming out of the procedure, I had the first three hours without anxiety in my memory. It was wonderful. That was the first time either my SO or I understood how anxious I am 24-7.

 

[Omenainen]

I had no idea how much anxiety I was battling until I had my first colonoscopy. They gave me something to keep me calm during it (don't remember what it's called) , but coming out of the procedure, I had the first three hours without anxiety in my memory. It was wonderful. That was the first time either my SO or I understood how anxious I am 24-7.

Hmm, maybe I should treat myself to colonoscopy

 

[MillieDynamite]

My first career was as a PI. I don't actually have a second career, I'm a fucking writer. Among other things, I write about fucking, fucking this and fucking that, and fucking her, her fucking him, everyone fucking all day long. Those who can fuck, those who can't, write about it.

Hmmm. When I turned 36 I was stationed in an isolated remote assignment to Korea. My family was back home in North Dakota. Still, it was a wild assignment - last home of the Real Air Force! 3 more years until retirement then I would go on to a "Stellar" second career.

 

[TheRedLantern]

Hmm, maybe I should treat myself to colonoscopy

Now we know what to get you when it's your birthday

 

[TheRedLantern]

When I turned 36 I was stationed in an isolated remote assignment to Korea

I'd love to hear what kind of assignment and what you thought of Korea. I've only gotten there a few times and didn't get anywhere isolated or remote, so I like hearing people's perspectives on the place.

 

[Omenainen]

Now we know what to get you when it's your birthday

We did once have a discussion with my old friends whether we should have a dare that everyone get a colonoscopy before we meet the next time. We are getting to that age cohort. We used to have much more interesting dares back in the day.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Crap, I don't even remember 36.

I only know it was a long ass shitload of time ago.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

We did once have a discussion with my old friends whether we should have a dare that everyone get a colonoscopy before we meet the next time. We are getting to that age cohort. We used to have much more interesting dares back in the day.

My friends and I are at the stage of being invited for our first mammograms, in between bitching about menopause. Mine's in a few weeks. Opinion is divided as to whether having squishy breasts helps at all. Got the first bowel screen already, which luckily came back as no further investigation needed. I have two friends now who have survived bowel cancer - gruelling treatment including temporary stomas - but touch wood, cancer free 3 and 10 years on.

Cancer treatment is improving incredibly fast - not only do I have five friends who have survived breast cancer, but at least three wouldn't have if they'd had it a decade earlier. Even my girlfriend is now having to deal with the benefits agency: yes, she did claim under the 'expected to live less than 6 months' rules, yes, it is now 18 months later. 'Well, it would make the doctors sad if I didn't try their new treatment, so I'm sorry for not dying on schedule.'

I'm not a fan of my birthday - it's just when seasonal depression really kicks in, and I used to share a birthday with my favourite relative, until he decided to end it nearly a decade ago. I try not to let myself dampen other people's.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Why the crap do people 'Follow' me? I have no idea where I'm going.

 

[iwatchus]

Why the crap do people 'Follow' me? I have no idea where I'm going.

Because they want to see where you end up.

 

[Duleigh]

I'd love to hear what kind of assignment and what you thought of Korea. I've only gotten there a few times and didn't get anywhere isolated or remote, so I like hearing people's perspectives on the place.

So many funny and wild things happened to me that I had to write it down before I forgot it so I did.

https://www.literotica.com/s/friend-zoned-1

I added a sexy romance and a bit of sex but the goofy shit that went on (like the "Verizon Job" and Nuking South Korea) actually happened

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Because they want to see where you end up.

It's going to be very, very, VERY warm.

 

[iwatchus]

It's going to be very, very, VERY warm.

They want a ride in your hand basket?

 

[_Lynn_]

I had no idea how much anxiety I was battling until I had my first colonoscopy. They gave me something to keep me calm during it (don't remember what it's called) , but coming out of the procedure, I had the first three hours without anxiety in my memory. It was wonderful. That was the first time either my SO or I understood how anxious I am 24-7.

My first colonoscopy was thirty-eight years ago because my mother had colon cancer. Damn I'm old.

 

[NotWise]

I canned six pints of pickles from the first of the fermenting jars. They were crisp and spicy before canning. They're sitting on the counter to cool completely before I put them away. I'll probably do the second fermenting jar tomorrow then turn my attention to jalapenos.

The idea of finishing my next story for the Holidays contest helped focus a lot of fragmented ideas and images, but it didn't make a story, so I did some deliberate planning. I picked a "Man in a hole" emotional profile and a "Barrier to Love" plot, and I'm fleshing out a synopsis.

I've never done it quite like that before. I'm also going to write two of the four sex scenes first, which is something else I've never done before. I'm usually wrapped up in the story or the characters, and the sex scenes lose some heat because I want to get on with the rest of the story. I hope to avoid that. On the other hand, it could result in sex scenes that get thrown away when I write the rest of the story.

I'm hammering things out in the synopsis. I know the tool I'm using to close the story. I have an idea for a cold open. Then there's all the organic stuff like dialog and characterization.

 

[NotWise]

My first colonoscopy was thirty-eight years ago because my mother had colon cancer. Damn I'm old.

Haven't had my first yet. I'm past due. I have had a prostate biopsy. Y'all without a prostate don't need the details.

 

[dmallord]

Hopeyou are all well.

 

[NuclearFairy]

Hopeyou are all well.

I'm not bad.

Hope you're doing well as well.

 

[MrPixel]

Hopeyou are all well.

Hey! Great to hear from you, DM. Good to know you're still on the proper side of the turf.

 

[Duleigh]

Hopeyou are all well.

Define "Well" - I'm tired of killing people in Stormwatch. I hope these characters learn to get along together.

 

[lc69hunter]

Can you tell us more about what you feel you can't do?

Do you mean you struggle to come up with the basics of characters (ie, "this is Bob. Bob is six feet tall and overuses the word 'nevertheless'. Since this is Lit, Bob has some complicated feelings about his stepmom."

Or do you mean you don't feel like your characters are compelling/fleshed out/three dimensional/differentiable?

There is a reason that most of my posted stories here are in Essays. To make a successful story even here, as well as in novels and movies, you need to create a character who the reader either hates, loves or sympathizes with. I have used myself, as an easy target.

I am currently writing a novel about 100 years in to our first settlement on Mars, and the desire to be able to declare independence from earth. We have been visited, as the first civilized planet from outside our solar system, by two alien civilizations, one humanoid (think parallel evolution), and one not. Both have given us technology, but have warned us that if humans tried to join the galactic federation and were not united, we would be destroyed as a threat to the peace and balance of power within the federation. We are technologically probably 200 years ahead of earth, so we have kept earth countries limited to low earth orbit, while at the same time, working behind the scenes to try and foster a united earth. I am having trouble fleshing out the main characters for the most part, how they came to be in that situation, except for one.

 

[Duleigh]

I am currently writing a novel about 100 years in to our first settlement on Mars,

A fellow Sci-Fi writer! I like to write in the style of 1950s classics. I have a series about Mars colonies after the Big One (the great war of 2100) and the creation of the Martian Space Force.