Does PS sometimes keep you sane?

[Gypsy]

I know it does for me. I think it was T-gal who said that this is her watercooler, and I have to say it''s mine too. At work right now it is just best to keep your head down, do your work and have no personal interactions at all so I do that, but when I need some interaction, some distraction or a pressure valve this place is just invaluable to me.

I''ve felt it really strongly in the last few weeks. We had another round of lay offs (I am fine, thank fully) there is more re-organization going on internally, everyone here is on edge and either playing The Game of Houses or being an ostrich and well... this is a safe place with people I care about and enjoy the company of... and it keeps me sane.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[jcarlylew]

it definitely is my water cooler as well. I work such crazy hours, and am an introvert, that i have few (but close!) friends! It definitely allows me to branch out to people with similar tastes that i usually don''t find in my circle.

 

[mia1181]

This is soooo my watercooler. My job is very isolating and I don''t have any coworkers to talk to (adults anyway) so this is how I get that social interraction during the work day. Not that I ever have time to post, but I am always reading threads and it gives me some intellectual stimulation throughout the day.

 

[mrssalvo]

yes!! i like taking mental breaks from mommyhood through the day just to think about something different.

 

[decodelighted]

... when its not driving me crazy!

(FWIW I had a head start on the "crazy" part -- just ask my DH!)

 

[jet2ks]

Nothing keeps me sane!

 

[monarch64]

Yes. PS definitely increases my chances of becoming sane.

 

[Linda W]

Not so much as keeping me sane, but always finding someone to chit chat with, no matter what time it is.

 

[bee*]

Date: 5/28/2009 1:22:27 PM
Author: Linda W
Not so much as keeping me sane, but always finding someone to chit chat with, no matter what time it is.

Yeah that''s how I feel too. I love coming on here just to chat.

 

[Bia]

It keeps me sane every single day at work. Especially when I''m sitting at a desk with nothing to do. Which is most days.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I agree. I''ve been through the best times of my life and some of the worst as a PS member. We all need people on our side and I really do think I have "met" some awesome people who really care about me. (Is that naive?) I know I can lean on them, bounce ideas off them, and get honest and true advice. Hopefully they feel the same way about me.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 5/28/2009 1:46:19 PM
Author: Bia
It keeps me sane every single day at work. Especially when I''m sitting at a desk with nothing to do. Which is most days.

Bia
sooo...how long have you been working for the government?

 

[Bia]

Date: 5/28/2009 1:56:18 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 5/28/2009 1:46:19 PM
Author: Bia

It keeps me sane every single day at work. Especially when I'm sitting at a desk with nothing to do. Which is most days.

Bia
sooo...how long have you been working for the government?

How'd you know?!

cover's blown peeps

hehe

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/28/2009 1:50:53 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I agree. I''ve been through the best times of my life and some of the worst as a PS member. We all need people on our side and I really do think I have ''met'' some awesome people who really care about me. (Is that naive?) I know I can lean on them, bounce ideas off them, and get honest and true advice. Hopefully they feel the same way about me.

Perfectly said Tacori. I feel the same way. And I don''t whether I am ''awesome'' (and I''m not fishing) but I do care about you and so many others on here. And hope they feel the same about me.

 

[princesss]

Date: 5/28/2009 2:08:33 PM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 5/28/2009 1:50:53 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I agree. I''ve been through the best times of my life and some of the worst as a PS member. We all need people on our side and I really do think I have ''met'' some awesome people who really care about me. (Is that naive?) I know I can lean on them, bounce ideas off them, and get honest and true advice. Hopefully they feel the same way about me.

Perfectly said Tacori. I feel the same way. And I don''t whether I am ''awesome'' (and I''m not fishing) but I do care about you and so many others on here. And hope they feel the same about me.

Well said.

PS keeps me sane in that it''s a constant. Doesn''t matter what country I''m in, what continent I''m on, or what time zone I''m adjusting to, PS is there. And there are definitely PSers that I really care about (heck, I may have quoted two in this post alone) and problems I''ve seen on here that I think about through the day to try to come up with a helpful/encouraging post.

As for the sanity, though...I will say that when I went crazy, it was PSers that really helped me figure things out, so I guess if I can be called "sane" it''s because of PS.

 

[TravelingGal]

It doesn''t necessarily keep me sane, but it does keep me entertained and fills the role of my "office coworkers."

I do like the mom''s thread because it gives me an outlet to talk about that stuff when I don''t in real life. I don''t think I''ve ever started a thread about my own personal issues on PS - for that stuff, I rely on my real life friends.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I don''t think PS keeps me sane. Nothing could do that! But, it gives me a chance to "converse" during the day while my kids are in school. If I didn''t have PS, my cats and I would be spending hours chatting about the neighbors and how the kids are being raised. Right now, them and I mostly discuss cat food, cat liter and catnip. Meow!

 

[jewelerman]

Its cool to know that there are others who are as obsessive and passionate about jewelry and the jewelry trade as myself....and that there are others that share my opinions as well as give me something to think about outside of my own views on a subject or two!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/28/2009 4:11:24 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
Yep.. I agree with you Gypsy.. and sometimes there''s just as much drama here as in my regular daily life. lol

DEFINITELY. Great thing is... if you can''t take it on any given day, you can turn of the computer. I love that.

 

[Kaleigh]

Define sane, LOL!! I love PS, it''s my only online forum. I have made some great friends here and have learned a great deal.

 

[April20]

PS is my water cooler as well. I work from home when I''m not traveling and really miss the human interaction. I was nervous about exclusively home officing when I joined a new company and took a completely new position. The job can be really stressful and with no outlet to difuse the tension, I tend to pop over here to scan the threads when things get to be too much. It definitely provides me with a measure of sanity during crazy days.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 5/28/2009 5:32:11 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Define sane, LOL!! I love PS, it''s my only online forum. I have made some great friends here and have learned a great deal.

Ditto for me too (as far as the sanity part goes

). I do belong to one other forum, but this one has more ''acquaintances'' I love to ''chat'' with.

During the reno from h*ll for which a cease and desist order has been issued for the past five months

, PS was nothing short of paradise.

 

[iheartscience]

I would say sometimes...especially now that ATW is a kinder, gentler place.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

It is a hobby for me with the bonus of having online friends! I was going to say it is inexpensive entertainment, but I decided that isn''t quite true since it has contributed to me spending quite a bit of money!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/28/2009 1:50:53 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I agree. I''ve been through the best times of my life and some of the worst as a PS member. We all need people on our side and I really do think I have ''met'' some awesome people who really care about me. (Is that naive?) I know I can lean on them, bounce ideas off them, and get honest and true advice. Hopefully they feel the same way about me.

We do. And besides, you have the cutest avs of anybody.

I guess I could say it''s kept me sane at times, as others have said in the sense that it can be a distraction/something else to concentrate on when my life is in even more upheaval that it normally is.

 

[MissGotRocks]

It has definitely been a great distraction for me when life has weighed heavy. . . somehow when I''m looking and reading here it seems to chase all other thoughts from my head. . . and everyone needs a place to escape to now and then!

 

[tigian]

I don''t have any co-workers to chat with during the day, so I use PS as my outlet. It also prevents me from shopping online for clothes when I am bored. I find PS to be highly amusing and often time insightful. I''m not sure about keeping me sane though because it gives me way too many ideas for jewelry.

 

[2Artists]

I second that MissGotRocks it is nice to escape for a tiny bit. It is fun to look at the pretty stuff for a little break.

Mrs.2Artists

 

[allycat0303]

I don''t know where I would be without PS. Seriously. The people in the forum have been there for me when I was ready to jump off a cliff. The fun banter, jewelery obsession, support, and the knowledge that someone out there is going through a rough time too. And to be able to say things that I can''t say to ANYONE in my life. That''s huge. And almost everyone on this forum is so NICE. I don''t even know how that happens. There are other forums online, but I can''t say that all of the members are that caring and supportive.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I would say a big yes to that.

I have had a tough time with my job for over a year now (things are finally starting to get better). That is about the time I started posting on PS. I have found it a great way to get away from work. Learning about diamonds and colored gems is fun for me as it is something that has a scientific base that results in a beautiful object. The drama can be a bit much, but at least it is not work drama and I many times I just don''t read those threads.