Hello Everyone

I'm with sunrise, I've been here just over a couple of years and I'm only now really using the emoticons. To me big grin up there is my best friend and he graces my posts often. He is cheeky, fun, or Awww C'mon have a laugh.

But PAYNE1 I just want to let you know that some of us are who we are, and don't expect to have to alter or change our personalities. Not being rude or anything it is just very difficult when we have known people for so long to try to be formal with them because someone new is around.

We accept everyone here as instant friends, we don't try to hold people out or have a "closed club scene". We aren't like that. Often we will put an emoticon in the post title to let people know what theme it follows; like the trigger icon, or the help icon.

As often as possible if there's a new member who posts we try to draw them into the conversation as much as possible so that they feel part of our family. But with all families there is a little dysfunction here and there that we have to put up with; after all we all do have mental illness, and that is a major dysfunction where moods and thoughts change in a heartbeat.

One of my favourite posters is NF and I know her so I know that when I see that she has posted somewhere I will go to read that post because no matter how bad I feel I know that she cares enough about people to post humerously when ever she can. I love that about her. I would be devastated if she changed. And yes we know that she has the best sense of humour. And if you read say 20 of her posts you will know that from every one her sense of humour is the foremost aspect of her personality. But she has her serious moments, and she tries to handle them with the same sense of humour. And that encourages others to try to do the same.

I hope NF doesn't mind me writing about her. There are so many like her here and I am so grateful for them. Please understand that no one is trying to upset you or anyone else, we are just who we are.

And you are one of us,

Take good care new friend,

Rhiannon