There have been a few people who've recently joined this group and have revealed it somewhere in their reply (to whatever topic inspired them) that they were new here. Usually they also note that they're feeling 'horrible' - which as we all know, is to be expected.

In an effort to reach out to them, I try to 'befriend them', as that's what we have to do now to send a message or a hug. I don't want to just welcome them in whatever random post they've replied to - we may never see it again, as nothing seems any longer to be time stamped or sent as a notification to the right party anymore.

But newbies don't always respond to my request to "friend them"!!!

Is it because they don't know me from f---ing Adam?! Is it because they are perhaps not even checking their email, or this site again, because they're too f---ing depressed and considering suicide at the moment? 

Who to f--k knows why? I know the IT department trying to unravel code doesn't know. Nor do they care or be expected to. We're the ones sharing the experience of grief - or trying to.

Maybe these new people reaching out are just shy, as I too am shy (vulgar, yet shy) and just want to get to know someone before they call them friend (okay, seeing all these "f--k" allusions they certainly won't want to befriend me now - plus i'm sounding like eighty8 and there can only be one eight8. Love you eighty8 - he IS my friend, by the way!)

I know, I know; we're supposed to be a social media site now, like fb, and like each other first, but ya know, depression and sorrow and it's associated gifts of mind do not necessarily correspond to the general lightness of being that a standard social media site invites. Please retain a little decorum in this communication protocol amongst the dead and dying, team DS (for f--k's sake ;)!

So, I wanted to post this as a topic on the dailystrenth members blog, which i thought we were all automatically members of (makes sense, right?) It wouldn't let me, lest I "join". Big surprise; just being social, after all. I hesitate to join another support group because i don't want yet another area that can screw up the little content that seems to be hanging together - at least till they figure out what they're doing with what and how it all relates.

If this friending of total strangers bothers anyone else, and you're a member in the dailystrength members support group, will you please post this issue as a concern that may want to be addressed? I have seen that others have shared my opinion about this recently, but i want to keep it in front of them as they currently work on modifications.

Also, PLEASE, NEW JOINEES, we are so glad you found us here, but don't let us lose you in an obscure topic thread. PLEASE, introduce yourselves in a new post of your very own. Please don't be shy, we want & need to meet you and embrace you. we derive strenght from your input too. It's why we're all here.

Nanne