What's yours?

The first one that springs to mind is Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I'll come up with some more when I get back. Dinner party for my best friend's birthday, WooT!!

I knew you'd appreciate it.

http://bit.ly/4ZSHqR

My favorite holiday card ever.

Honey, I think your record is stuck.

I always had a motto. If you didn't call first, you better not be knocking at my door. You had the choice to call first and see if I was ready for company. I have the choice of ignoring you until you leave. See how that works?

Exactly. I need to stay aware that I'm not in danger. I kind of/sort of am, so. But that's not a discussion for here.

"Own" is nice. I have PTSD so all the little 'shocks' of living with other people can add up during the bad times.

If I were 20 years younger and 8" taller, for sure!

What's your favorite meal, soup-through-dessert?

I can re-read everything I've said, but I think I'll just go with no. I don't want a relationship. There's plenty of ground between me landing here and starting anything serious with anybody. I was told that this is a good place to meet and make friends.

P.S.: GOOD LORD!! My profile said I'm looking to date! Okay, fixed that. Thank you, person I quoted.

Off topic: I tried to IM you to say the puppies are adorable and I <3 your profile, but the system refused to connect you, or some such.

I'm working on it. It takes a lot of zen work though. I'll just have to remind myself that somebody's momma did a piss-poor job raising him, and let it go at that.

I love all these answers. Lots of wisdom and humor in here!

The 4.5 months I spent with my sister and her partner was hard on all of us. I was used to my own home, and they were too. I tried to stay out of the way as much as possible, and they were gentle with me for the most part. Hell, my life just 'sploded! But we also gained some memories that we never would have had, if I'd been left dying in my marriage. *yes, that's how it ended. We had 12 great, wonderful years and then one unraveling one*

Anyway, re: the freedom. My sister's partner has been known to fry bacon nude. She missed that activity while I was living there. Orly? See, I don't have the cojones to attempt that kind of activity. I can see shifting and reshaping your activity, but all it takes is one flying drop of sizzling oil on a nipple. That's all I'm sayin.

I've been happier alone most of my life. I joke that I am Hermit, Sign of the Crab, but it really is true for the most part. I only did a couple of relationships between 18 and 22, then I was alone for the vast majority of the part til 29, then I quit dating completely until 36. I did fine as a wife, (I was a mom from the time I was 22), but it took a lot of work to get used to sharing a bed. I never had, Tim thought that was so strange but yeah; never did.

And is it effective in the forums? There's a TRULY disgusting individual in here, and I do not wish to read another word he says.

Your attitude sickens me.

Of course there are those. You labeled them liberals.

It is you that does it.

For a girl, my daughter's name, Tiara Serenity. For a guy, Liam.

At the ripe old age of 52 (THANKS, TIM!) I find myself living with five roommates. I had my own place for 18 months, but the nature of my work precludes me having very high overhead, so here I am.

Considering I spent a decade or two looking at housing developments as "People in a box", and apartments as just COMPLETELY unacceptable, where I am now is just mind-boggling to me. But it's in a good way! I wound up adapting in ways I never thought I could - guess I was not giving myself enough credit.

Anyway, that led me to wonder. Is everybody here in their own place, or living with family, or roommates, or what?

P.S.: I hope to have a dog soon. I miss my girls madly.

Thanks to everybody for all the positivity and support. I'm recommending Mingle2 to everybody I know. There's just something about this community (and as you can see, I've been here all of three days.)

((((U)))) So sorry, kiddo.