Beyond PTSD Introductions - Who Are You?

[Darkness Shines]

Things people might not know about me . . .

1. I was born in the American deep south, but you would never know it speaking to me now, because I eliminated the accent entirely. Now I speak a mixture of British English and proper American, because I split my time between Maryland and London.

2. I'm almost entirely self-educated, so often surprise people by knowing obscure complicated stuff, but not knowing basic things that are taught in school. For example, explaining the contradictory thematic use of comedy and tragedy in Romeo and Juliet, but not knowing who the first president of the United States was (after that I bought a few books on American history, lol).

3. Unlike most people here, it seems, I much prefer the city over the country. I would die of boredom in short order if I couldn't live near a major city. Plus small towns are really creepy, because everyone stares at me!

4. I've visited 19 countries and 5 continents. I intend to visit a whole lot more too! New Zealand, Greece, Norway, Iceland, and Russia are currently topping my list of places to go next.

 

[Grace11]

Oh, wow. I love reading these. I wish I could be open about my situations, but I can't yet for legal reasons.

A few basics:

Military brat, born in the midwest and moved frequently while growing up.

Graduated law school and practiced for a while until my world turned upside down over the last year and half or so.

Emotionally abused by my ex. He is a medical professional. Struggled and still do with financial problems that I won't go into, but I have nothing to my name at this point after 10 years of working 14 hour days.

No children. 2 ex step kids. I don't think kids are in my future at this point and I'm accepting this.

I live in the Southeast but am preparing to move back to the Southwest to be near family for many reasons.

I am very intelligent but very stubborn and set in my ways at times. I have learned life's lessons the hard way. Very hard way...and I have stopped being judgmental because no one knows what anyone else is dealing with unless they walk in their shoes. Sarcastic and usually one to joke, but pretty sensitive now. It's a constant struggle to try to remain positive. But I will keep trying every day. Extremely bitter about things that happened in my life and what seemed to set off a chain reaction of horrible in my life recently. I have always grown from challenging times, but I've become rather jaded and cynical. I feel like life is so much more confusing now than it ever was before, and never thought I'd say that in my mid-thirties. I no longer believe that you will be rewarded for being a "good" person and hard worker and I'm tired of working my life away and trying to prove myself. I just want to be happy.

 

[Iron_Angel]

Wow, do I ever resonate with Grace11's last paragraph! I'm always the one to try to put a positive spin on things, see the silver lining and all that crap. Sometimes, I just get tired of doing that. If that little black cloud over my head didn't follow me around every day, I'd start to feel lonely, lol.

I have more freckles than anyone has a right to possess.

I'm a country bumpkin at heart, even though I live in a big city.

I used to play the glockenspiel in a marching band.

Link Removed

 

[Iron_Angel]

Sorry if it's gauche to make two posts in a row, but I just read through the entire thread to catch up on what I'd missed the first time.

Know what I saw? I saw a collection of the most interesting, creative, courageous, smart, talented, impressive, utterly fascinating people on the planet!

 

[Nighteyes]

Hello all,
My First Name is Megs. I'm from Ontario, Canada. I have sadly lived here my whole life. I have moved around the province lots, but ended up back in the city I was born in...way to close the the village, Aka Hell, that I was raised in.
I am a very boring individual and dont sociallize well. I am what people call socable inadequate. I drown myself in learning and being "to intellagent" for my own good (in the words of my therapist). I to have an opinion on everything, however I dont voice it very often.
I am a mother to a 1 year old(so odd to even write that), and step mother to a 7 year old. unmarried but engaged (and hopefully to never change that aspect).
as it stands I have everything in life..I NEVER wanted.

I'm a College Graduate.
I Havent started my career thanks to the untimely pregnancy of my child and the extreme triggers that came along with it. and now the bad reputation I have for attendance..rg again thanks to PTSD...
I grew up in a large family and was finally relenquished of them when I moved 5 hrs away to attend college. I do not to this day have contact with them...and am better cause of it.
I was diagnosed with CPTSD in 2004 ish...and just recently sought actual help for it..and find the help to be of very little use...
I love hiking, rollerblading, hockey, lacrosse, Dogs and other things...
I desperatly want to be a person I can stand, but have no idea how to achive that.

 

[After Sunset]

Wow, do I ever resonate with Grace11's last paragraph! I'm always the one to try to put a positive spin on things, see the silver lining and all that crap. Sometimes, I just get tired of doing that. If that little black cloud over my head didn't follow me around every day, I'd start to feel lonely, lol.

I saw a collection of the most interesting, creative, courageous, smart, talented, impressive, utterly fascinating people on the planet!

I couldn't agree with these two statements more, Iron_Angel. Positivity can be positively exhausting some days, and I am awed by so many of the wonderful people here.

I am a citizen of the United Kingdom, but have spent much of the past 8 years in America. Which doesn't mean I've grown tired of teasing native-born Yanks about their culture. It's even better if they know enough about England to tease me back.

I've travelled so extensively for business than I don't know if I can even remember all the countries I've been to. Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, and Brazil are all lovely places to visit. I lived in Amsterdam for a while and still speak some Dutch—for all the practical use it is to me now.

I was a professional actor in small productions for several years when I was young. It was a wonderful experience and I'm also not sorry that I eventually quit to pursue another career.

I have absolutely loved reading since I was very young and now do creative writing as a hobby, though it has not yet been determined whether I'm any good at it.

Also, I am married to "Darkness Shines", who posted a little ways above.

This really is a wonderful thread. It's great to see how much there is to all of us beyond our PTSD.

 

[heavenofcalyx]

I'm 32, hail from Boston, and work as a software engineer. I'm also a writer, a vegan, and a fitness/exercise nut.

I have two adorable kitties who act as very cuddly, purring mood lifters. I just watched a bunch of movies with them while they alternated between sleeping on me and rubbing my head with their heads. Movies included Death to Smoochy, The Bourne Identity, and some episodes of the anime Fruits Basket.

 

[anthony]

I do love the Bourne series myself....

 

[AmyO]

I am Amy. I am a single mom of three wonderful boys and a SAHM. I survived 9 years of beatings, cervical and uterine cancer and am currently kicking the crud out of ovarian cancer. I am about to celebrate the anniversary of my divorce (YEAH!!!) and I am about to start school for med transcription so I can work at home and still be there for my kids 24-7.

I love writing, playing wii (Rampage is a great stress reliever...you actually destroy the city!!!), and cooking.

I am purebred Southern belle. I also love dancing around the house with my kids to the classic rock station. I used to like having a lot of friends over but since everything slacked off a bit with that but still have some real good new friends that help out greatly. I am in Wisconsin so we get to play in LOTS of snow and am starting to experience the fine art of tractor pulls and mud bog races.

Have to thank my family though for some of my other idiosincrisies. Taught how to act like Scarlett O'hara, drink out my Uncles still, and have the family outings that consist of a BBQ pit and a pig. Aaah, good times.

 

[heavenofcalyx]

I've gotten back into WoW myself. :)

 

[Innordinate]

My name is Mark.
Im 24
Been married since I was 18. We have 3 kids - Oldest will be 8 in a couple months, middle will be 2 in a couple weeks, youngest was born Feb. 18th this year. Haven't met her yet but I've seen her picture. Beautiful like her mother.
Born in NJ, but lived most of my life here in western Canada.
Graduated highschool when I was 15, did about a year of university and gave up on it.
I have a half-brother, and 3 half-sisters. They range from 13 to , wow I think 6 now. Crazy.
I have a wicked nasty sarcastic sense of humor on good days, sometimes on bad days it's more sarcasm than humor.
I read pretty much anything that's published (except horror and true crime) and play chess - pretty much a nerd there.
I'm easily addicted to, uh... pretty much everything, including people.

 

[jasmin]

I'm Korrin
I'm 24
Raised in Western Australia
Kvlt punx 4 lyf Ha!
Love music
Love to dance and sing around like a maniac when I am alone
Quit High school at 16 studied art for 4 years.
Have been moving around share houses since I was 18.. been with my current housemates for 3 years now.
I think I have a pretty good sense of humour and I communicate with many-a sound effects.
I am a morning person
Draw a lot of oral and genital potent illustrations
There is no dog that I do not like
My room is usually messy.