@nonightowl Thank you. The username comes from the video game The Legend of Zelda. The fairy fountain theme music is one of my favorites.

You're right about the forced positivity that gets thrown around everywhere. I think this is one of the reasons why I've become more anxious to be around other people. It's almost as if everyone wants you to play a happy character. I agree that basic kindness and respect should be valued, and I try not to be disrespectful to other people. But it never made sense to me that certain emotions (anger, sadness etc.) are seen as so terrible that it should be suppressed. It all just leads to more unhappiness. If it's mixed with isolation, people will begin to feel hopeless and bitter.

Sorry about that man cutting you off and your troubles with fitting in at the senior center. There have been times when I was told that I was being too negative, or where people have cut me out of their lives. Sometimes it helps to talk about the negative things in life instead of pretending they don't exist.

Life has definitely changed after covid. I remember watching music videos from the early 2000s or even movies from that time. Even the 90s and 80s. I know people say to not romanticize the past, and I understand that at times. But it's hard not to. There was something to look forward to back then. Now everything feels deserted. People have become more rude, too.