General Chat

I have made some lovely friends on this site. I have had many laughs and many tears and have taken a lot of comfort through some bad times, including very recently.

I am not sure what has happened to free speech about issues that affect us all in one way or another.

Here's to all friends and friends I may make in the future on this site which to me for the pittance it costs me a year is worth every single penny <3 <3 <3

Sorry, I couldn't get my emoticoms to work , I just kept banging away without success so I thought. ha,ha,

I agree with every word Uzzi. Suicide and Autism affect many families. These people have every right to mention their sorrow or worries on this site. There are always caring people on here who will try to give some modicum of comfort or advice on coping to them.

Who knows when or if some misfortune will befall their families. If they don't like it they can do the decent thing and move on without making unkind comments.

Lolly x







:-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

The closest other site that I have been on to this was Friends Reunited in the early days (before ITV bought FR and GR). Not surprising I suppose!

I was with a very similar group of people from all over the world, some of whom I later met, with the same caring attitude as people on here.

I have met only one person from GR ........ and that was an accidental meeting with someone on a train who said she was also a member of GR as we talked about our hobbies. We exchanged messages on here for a couple of years.

But I have a super group of "real" internet friends from early days on FR and on here that I "talk" to on- and off-site, as well as those friends who I only meet with on here.

I have to say that I ran a mile from General Chat in my early days on GR and didn't return for at least 2 years .......... I think I first posted in the middle of some major "ding dong", but I certainly didn't like the shots that were fired at me :-S


I joined the most awful site a few months ago ........ I found British Expats when Googling for something else.

Now, I am an expat who has no longing to return to the UK, and misses very few things about the UK ...............

BE is an awful site!!! No-one uses their real name (well, even I don't as I have a nickname that I use on most internet sites :-) ), but that seems to give some of them the freedom to be all but trolls. In addition, most of them can really only find fault with whichever country they are now living in, and seem to find it strange that someone could be really happy.

AndysMum I was brought up ( now that is debatable) with the saying " If you can´t say something nice then keep it shut " Some people wonder why I am quiet around them, others know that´s just the way I am :-D
My subs are up again next month and like last year my OH will pay them because he says me with out GR is a total nightmare. :-D :-D :-D He´s lived through it when I had no net years ago :-S

I know that the friends I have met through here and met in real life are true friends. They might not agree with what I say at times but they have the respect to allow me and others our own opinion.
That is what life is about, the whole ruddy caboodle is a huge big debate. what shall I eat today, should I be nice to so an so, does my bum look big in this :-D Yeah your bum is huge but you like the outfit, you are comfortable in it, so who cares ...because it ain't your bum going out and talking to people, it is you that crazy person inside, that people want to meet :-D :-D :-D

Upps fell off the step :-D :-D :-D

Take care my lovely friends, my soon to be friends, my okay so you don't like me friends and because it is me my okay you dislike me friends. Smile it makes them wonder why
:-D :-D

When I first joined I don't say anything, and not because I'm shy (Which I am) but because I have never been 'around' so many caring people in my life :-0 It scared me and I didn't trust you. :-P

OK there are still some people in here I don't trust but they don't scare me anymore. And yeah I don't post a lot but I feel I can if I need too. <3

well said, Uzzi

I agree with every word, Uzzi. :-) :-)

If it's a subject that doesn't interest me, or I don't like the way the thread is going, I stop reading it! I can't be bothered to make unpleasant comments and I have never RR'd anything. If I can't think of anything constructive to say, I don't say anything!

I enjoy the chat boards on here and long may they continue.

Uzzi and others, I agree with every word. Two very interesting and important subjects which imo should be discussed openly not hidden under the carpet.
The world needs to know much more about the difficulties of life, and how to help other people to cope.

Sue

Dermot I love that saying :-D

Uzzi you will always be our friend
on GR and off


((hug)) <3 <3 :-D :-D

<3 Uzzi.... lovely words of friendship <3 <3 :-D

Well said Uzzi x

agree with you Uzzi xxx

Dermot - just jump in with both feet ;-) :-D

'Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see'.

Why cannot I compose something fresh & exciting as this well-known quote?

Too right - even if we aren't regular posters, we'll know we can let off steam, look for support or share our excitement/happiness when the need arises.

Some responders come up with suggestions to tackle a problem, others do the emotional support bit. The fact that a thread may have more 'views' v posters means that for a fleeting moment, the OPer has been in their thoughts.

Thank you Ann <3

Agree with every word Uzzi, could not have put it better :-)

like any web site most people are actually unknown in real life, Unlike most web sites GR has a very caring community. I personally have got through some lows in my life with the help and care of the members on here. I have shaken my head at some posts and thought how petty, but I have remembered that what may be petty to me isn´t always petty to the poster. I have laughed aloud on threads, and groaned from my stomache on others. I have walked away from GR for the pettiness and crap, but I have always returned to the community that cares. How else would I have got through the moves I have done, the death of a mother that I thought until she died I hated, The very painful loss of my beautiful furbaby. Who else would I share the giggles that I have late at night when all are asleep.
9 years I have been here,, my giddy aunt is it that long, can´t be I am not that old :-D I do not regret either a day I have spent on here nor the paltry ( at the moment) cost.

I have joined other sites ..over 50´s etc which are free, but nothing has kept me coming back like the GR community.
The reason we have general chat is for just that, it´s general it´s every day life, it´s about our laughs, loves, cares and worries.
Nobody should worry that a post is wrong, if people don´t want to know then ignore it ..simple really.. but do remember that other people may be interested.
Two posts, yeah I can hear you all saying ahh now she is getting to the point :-D but 2 posts of uncomfortable subjects.
One about suicide, the other autism. BOTH have a right to be on the boards, BOTH have a right to have answers, if one makes one uncomfortable, then "Rock On Tommy" move along the line.
What makes GR the web site community that it is, is the fact that the community cares, they care about autism, suicide, death, births, weddings (hey that´s the wrong way round). They care about the very genuine people that they "talk" to most days.

We don´t have to meet people to class them " friend" any more, we have internet <3 friends. I would not want to be with out mine, How about you ?