Mother and father in law had to say goodbye to their dog today - poor thing was diagnosed with leukemia.

Any musical talent I may ever have had is declining by the day, I'm already managing to let people down and I'm leading a very sheltered life where everything leads back to organ music / church and I feel very stale...

I very much doubt that mwl1...

My music pile is on its way to you, and you won't be letting me down, whatever happens

Right, you. Wheesht.

Remember when we were sitting at the organ at the church beginning with S, for the very first time? Your playing made me cry. Before that I'd only heard a rusty old organ being played by a rusty old man, but you made it sound like music.

And do you remember the first time we sang together? And all the times since? I'm sure we're not the only ones who remember our duet at the Leeds concert in June...

Remember the morning we spent playing violin duets - and they sounded fabby? Or when we more or less spent a whole day rehearsing all our various instruments for the concert. How many did we mount up between us?

Ok, so maybe you only really have 2 interests... at least they make you interesting. You could be interested in ... I dunno... weeding.

You're not declining, you just need to keep practicing. You can't be amazing without working for it. An old lady told me that at work today...

Also, you do have other interests - how about our city-hopping exploits, and our amazing collection of photographs? The fact that train stations aren't just about getting from A to B? And then there's this Scottish girl you're always talking about...

Chin up lovely xxx

And that told him.

Honestly Matthew its taken 4 years of neglect for my flute playing to actually deteriorate to a level where I'm now rather in despair over ever being competant again. I doubt you've even left is 1/100th of that long!

Cheer up, and remember to value yourself.

I know... it's just that so often, I know I'd feel better if someone gave me a good shake, so I wondered if the same approach would work with him.

Go girl!

But what's wrong with weeding, I'd like to know

I'm so lucky to have her...

*feels right told*

I really really am blessed. I don't know what to say...

I wish I wasn't so bloomin' shy

Why not? I suppose on the plus side, me being very shy when I was in my teens stopped me from making too much of an idiot of myself

These days I prove I'm an idiot by opening my mouth instead of keeping it shut where people would give me the benefit of the doubt

ah, you are funny. You're not an idiot.

It's just cos I've got a drama rehearsal in a couple of days, and am learning my lines, so it reminded me of it. I've been going for nearly two years, but hardly talk to anyone, it's ridiculous. They're mostly 2 or 3 years older than me, there are a couple my age, but not in this play. Plus they all go "awwww" at me.

Ah, I remember you mentioning that before. How annoyingly patronising Good luck, however!

I'm off to bed now

Oops, sorry, I repeat myself a LOT

I honestly think its a darn sight better to be quiet-shy than to do what I sometimes catch myself doing when nervous which is to be really confrontational and awkward.

Shyness passes with time, though you could perhaps try to talk to the others a bit more. And glare at anyone who aww's you...

(Or maybe that's going too far the other way? )

I'm also quite shy, even pushing 60. I don't think it really goes away, you just get better at handling it (really!!).

As for group activities, it's not "ridiculous" not to talk to people after two years. Sometimes you just don't have that much in common with the others outside of a shared interest in the activity. In which case I have always found it better to treat the thing "professionally", i.e. do what needs to be done (e.g. learn your lines); don't turn up too early (avoiding difficulties of trying to get into conversation, etc.); do what you have to do (and enjoy it for its own sake); then leave. If you're shy, you're probably spending more time thinking about the reactions of the rest of the group than about the pleasure of the activity itself, which is a shame. Refocusing on why just why you're there in the first place can help to calm those butterflies and often, incidentally, makes engaging in conversation etc. a whole lot easier as well....

Best of luck...

I've always been fairly shy - I used to be far more so than I am now and would blush at the drop of a hat and palpitate when having to speak in front of a group of people. With hindsight, I'm sure that not all the things I perceived my peers to be thinking about me were true - I actually made myself look scared, which ironically was probably what spurred them on. There are still things I wish I'd been able to do, such as drama, that my shyness prohibited, so I really do admire you for doing it, Bobziekins.

I agree with elephant re being "professional" about things. I feel like an outcast in one of my college classes in particular, and have nothing in common with any of the people present in it. I therefore just end up turning up to complete my business, without really talking unless necessary. I think this often happens. So often we think we've got to be talking all the time. And often, people are more shy than you might think - after all, so often I end up sitting with someone in silence and beating myself up for being such a chore and lacking in things to say. It then occurs to me that they've clearly nowt to say either!! Who can say? - maybe others are having the same thoughts. With this college class, I feel very nervous when having to speak in front of the people because it feels like they're a big happy family and I'm not a part of it, but I think it's easy to over-analyse when you lack confidence, as I do.

I really do sympathise with you, Bobzy - it's something that's been a part of my life for a good while now. I really hope you can conquer it to the extent of it not affecting your drama. The "aww" is very tedious - I've had it too, and it makes you feel like you're losing the battle.

Is it possible to talk to any of these people online, through Facebook etc? This can be a big boost if, like me, you find it hard to get to know people in person. When you've established some common ground and broken the ice in an online conversation, you will often feel much more confident when you next see the person face-to-face. This is my main way of getting to know people these days.

Good luck!

It's probably a bit of a cliché but really, most people feel a bit shy I think. People are more similar than we realise - we just all have different ways of dealing with the same insecurities. Shy is ok anyway - loud over-confidence can be really tiring and irritating for others - perhaps quiet, interesting and thoughtful might be a more acceptable way to see yourself?
N

Quite so, and often shy people can be worth pursuing as they can make very good friends. Superficiality's absence makes for a more wholesome individual.

Overconfidence is much worse. One of my sister's friends is like that and it really grates on me. Every time the aforementioned friend opens her mouth it makes me want to defenestrate her.

The price of a train ticket to Bath has doubled in 3 days Why oh why didn't I book it then?

One of the output channels on my mixer console has blown

What's that in english?

The output from the mixer that I had going into my hi-fi is broken so I only have the left channel. I've had to bodge things... the output from my roland now goes into my Clavinova, and then the audio out from that goes in to the PC, which then goes to the Hi-Fi...

Sounds complicated.

Not that bad, if a bit spaghetti junction under the desk

Thanks for all the responses about being shy.

I s'pose it's not too bad being shy, only that I'm "usually" (most of the time, except for in music lessons at school, orchestra, french lessons and drama club) pretty confident, loud, chatty, up for anything, joking around being happy, will jabber away to anything that moves practically. But then in the places I've specified, I go silent, terrified, and look around myself nervously, and I don't know why Then I wonder which is the "real" me. Like is the terrified me just an act so that I don't annoy people by being my "usual" self, or is my loud self just an act to cover up being very quiet and shy underneath? Ohh it's so confusing


Anyway, I really just popped into the scream thread because the kittens are all being neutered today, and I'm worried/feel bad

<<Anyway, I really just popped into the scream thread because the kittens are all being neutered today, and I'm worried/feel bad
<<

(Just in case it's the first time you've had to do have this done)... Don't worry, it's a very much smaller operation than it used to be (for males and females). You'll be surprised how quickly they get over it...

As to the shyness. Well, I suppose both of the people you describe are you. As I said yesterday, you can't get on with everyone. Have fun with those you love.... and be polite to the others....

Grade 7 sightreading. Absolutely no wish to ever see the book again. If ever I feel a bit over confident, this will get me back to normal.
N

I suppose you're right.

Arghhh, only an hour left to go before we hear from the vets!!! Poor kitties...
We've had rabbits done before. And my parents have had their/our cats done before (one little kitty pulled all of her stitches out at 4am, apparently there was blood everywhere )

ouch. don't they cover the stitches up so they can't get at it?

Either PayPal or my bank seems to have removed £12.50 from my account without my authorisation. Not amused.

Gah, that's nothing. I'm trying to get Halifax to find £2000 that they've managed to 'loose'...


More argh though...

I finally went over the Bristol today to pick up the keys to the house we'd managed to find. I then went all over it to check everything that there wasn't really time for when we viewed the place....

What a shock. Absolutely every cupboard has stuff in it from the previous tennants that hasn't been cleared out. In the kitchen, the wardrobes, the shed. The broken furniture also hasn't been removed, and the downstairs toilet doesn't flush. I also checked out all the matresses on the beds, which are pretty icky and stained.

I really don't quite know how to handle the agency. Do I go in all guns blazing telling them to get it sorted? I don't want to annoy them too much already, but none of this stuff is really acceptable...

I really didn't want to let from an agency because of this kinda hassle, but we had to in the end to find a place at all...

I'm not really that bothered about how much it is, just more irritated about where the decision came from to transfer the money... Argh

Oh dear! Sounds a bit of a nightmare then. Always worth seeing whether anything left is of use before you get it thrown out - you never know, there might be some good stuff.

At least you have a house, even if it's one with a few problems. I should definitely complain about the broken furniture and the malfunctioning loo though.

You definitely need to contact the agency, but I wouldn't go all guns blazing. Calm and businesslike is far more effective. This is unacceptable and you want it fixed. And you will only start the lease when the place is fit to live in.

I am never drinking cider ever again.... I had a horrible headache last night and then got stitched up with an emergency shift swap to earlies this morning.

My neighbour's burglar alarm keeps going off at ~3am as well so I got an awful night's sleep.

I'm going to be about as much use as a chocolate fireguard at my piano lesson tonight....

Promises, promises!

I just missed the bottom step going downstairs and my toes now really hurt

Poor Sarah! It always surprises me what a shock to the system it is to miss a step, even if you don't hurt your foot. Hope you feel better soon.

thank you!

It is isn't it? That horrible sensation of "ohheckwheredidthestepgo??!"

I'm grateful really - last time this happened I very badly sprained my ankle and it took months to regain strength and flexibility and to walk without pain. Relatively speaking, I have got off lightly this time! I'll keep telling myself that when my toes start going interesting shades of "bruise"...

All of our kittens are ill

They were all neutered on Wednesday, and were fine afterwards. They ate special post op. food for two days after to avoid vomiting.

Then we eased them back onto their normal food, and things have gone downhill. Benny and Millie started vomiting whatever they ate, including water. Benny seemed better and able to hold food down later, so we just took Millie to the vets the next day. Luckily she wasn't dehydrated, and they think it's just a stomach bug. We got her some paste, to help her keep it down. Then Benny started being sick again. They've both got terrible, terrible diarrhea. So today we took them both back to the vets. They haven't eaten properly and been able to hold it down for 4 days now, so the vet gave us antibiotics and paste for Benny.

Got home from vets, my sister picked up our other kitten who is fine, Schrodie, for a cuddle only for him to also have diarrhea, on the brand new sofa we got on Tuesday. So now he isn't fine and we haven't got any antibiotics or paste for him either.

Why do they have to get ill?! It's so horrible for them, poor little things.

And now we have to shove syringes down their throats 5 times a day for the paste and antibiotics. They're going to hate us. I hope they get better

I hope they all recover swiftly, B

So do I . Ditto to your toes

Thank you!

Poor little mites... and it's not like you can explain to them you're doing all you can

Hum I seem to have lost the brain cells that knew how to play the Grade 3 minor scales...

Yup . Poor Millie has to wear a Buster collar too, to stop her pulling her stitches out. She sulks constantly when she has it on. We've taken it off since they've been ill though, because all she does is lie there so she probs won't do anything...

Father-in-law has arrived for a visit and has decreed that the garden needs sorting out - now out there decimating my plants and creating havoc. Next move will be to take over the kitchen for a grease-fest. Aaaaaaaaaaargh! Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam.

Oh dear, that really doesn't sound good. Hang on in there!

Returned to work after week off with flu - discovered that as well as the >5 days urgent work that I didn't do last week, the 5 days work that I thought I was doing this week I have a customer coming in at 9am for several days worth of measurements/consultancy. Why did no-one think to either phone or e-mail me to warn me.

I then came on here to unwind to read that someone has upset Bag.

I might just go to bed.

My family are determined for me to mess up my life. They just told me as much.

I'm tired of them preaching at me, and I'm tired of them not being able to accept it when I make my own decisions which happen to be against what they're saying. I'm not ignoring them, I just don't agree with them!!

Meh. I know it's trivial but I'm so wound up now. A handful of them are coming to my confirmation on Sunday and I'd just rather they didn't bother, because they so obviously couldn't give a hoot. I may as well live alone in a cave somewhere.