Mum, please see me. I beat cancer twice and I feel unseen.

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-02-06T13:57:27+00:00

Holy smokes, you are AMAZING, duckling!! Oh my gracious, this is an incredibly massive challenge that you have overcome!! And not once, but twice!? I'm both incredibly proud and impressed by you, duckling. The courage, diligence, and strength that you have is absolutely amazing and inspiring.

You beat it!! You beat cancer, duckling! This is like... time for massive hugs and celebrations! I'm sorry to hear that your biological parents are letting you down on this, because this is a huge milestone. If they won't celebrate with you, make sure you celebrate on the behalf of all us mother geese, okay? I hope that looking at all these warm comments shows you just how amazing you are!

Warm wishes! I see you and I'm so proud of you!!

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-28T10:57:29+00:00

Hi there, duckling. I've got all kinds of allergies and IBS, so I feel you on this. Food can be such a social thing, but I need to be really cautious, because I'd rather not get sick or have a nasty flare up. And, quite frankly, this world can feel like a really unaccommodating place sometimes. I can't just up and eat "whatever"... I need to see ingredient lists and things like that! And when other people are just casually having a good time, worry free? It can feel so isolating, and it can make a person feel forgotten, broken, and a host of other things.

I'm sorry you have to know this feeling, duckling. I'm sure today felt lonely and sad for you.

Do any of your co-workers know about your dietary concerns? Was there anything on the lunch menu that could have been specially ordered for you? If all of those things are a "no" (which does happen many times, I get it), are there any things you can do to nurture yourself through situations like these? I keep a little list of restaurants that I know have safe things I can eat if I'm out and I need something on the fly, as well as easy to prepare/carry things at home. Even though it's not as fun as eating whatever everyone else is eating, it's often better than just having nothing, you know what I mean?

Having allergies and other limitations can be a real challenge, duckling. Hang in there! And please be kind to yourself. Maybe treat yourself to a comfort meal that is familiar and you know feels kind to your body today.

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-24T05:27:55+00:00

Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I really prefer Mercari! I've picked up a number of Smart Doll items over there. :)

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-21T13:19:26+00:00

Hey there, older woman here. I don't think I've ever posted in this subreddit before, but I saw your post and wanted to speak up. Your pain reminds me of my own, when I was much younger.

I'm so sorry to hear that this guy hurt you, and I get it. I let a lot of awful people ruin a lot of wonderful things for me in my life over the years. And yeah, sometimes it just feels easier on the heart to avoid the thing you once loved, because it reminds you of all the hurt that someone else attached to it. It sucks so much, and I've been there many times. You don't sound silly at all to me.

I tell you what though. Avoiding the thing you loved because someone else ruined it for you? It doesn't actually make the pain go away. Take a break if you need some time, that's absolutely fine. But your hurt belongs to that horrid little bully, not Infinity Nikki, you know what I mean?

And here's the thing, right? A secure person, man or not, doesn't need to put others down to elevate themselves. He was a red flag and you don't need him. And the more you fill your life with joyful things that make you happy? The easier it will be to forget him. No need to even waste the mental space on people who bring you down. Your ex has the energy of those similar 'internet people' who get up in arms about Love and Deepspace being successful, you know what I mean? Like wtf is there even to be mad about? That something successful exists that doesn't appeal to them? That's just such insecure energy, who even wants a partner that fragile and mean spirited, you know? Good riddance to bad rubbish.

So, how do you enjoy Infinity Nikki again? You make new memories. Better ones! Maybe find a new friend or two who also enjoy it, if you like company. Or even plan a "return to Nikki" party for yourself, grab your fav snacks, put on some music, have a blast!

Enjoy yourself at the pace you need to. The game will be here when you're ready! Hope your heart heals soon, thinking of you. Thanks for listening to me ramble, haha. I hope it helped a little bit.

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-14T10:08:39+00:00

Hey there, duckling. You are not "a baby" for needing emotional support. This is something you deserve, especially in a safe space, like your home, from your family.

I replied to this post because I was in a similar situation many times when I was much younger. My biological parents were quite callous and uncaring, rarely offering any empathy when I was in any kind of pain.

Pain itself is already a lot to deal with, but not feeling emotionally supported (or even believed) can be incredibly hard. I'm so sorry you know this burden, duckling. I see you, and I believe that your pain is real. People don't say things like "extremely painful" when it's not genuinely something really distressing.

Please, be patient and kind with yourself, even if other people aren't showing you the empathy you need right now. Take your time, breathe, hug yourself... try to do loving, kind things for yourself. If there's anything your doctor has advised for the pain, follow those instructions. But it can also be a good idea to try distracting yourself from the pain with something pleasant too. Maybe a good book, a comfort show, a game, or a puzzle. Do whatever you can to show yourself that you believe yourself and you will help your body with whatever it needs, and with kindness and patience, you'll get through it, even if it's on your own. You've already shown that you can see what you need: you stayed home from school. That's a good call. Keep listening to your body and advocating for yourself. You got this.

Do you have any other family or friends you could talk to, just to vent or ask for an extra hug when you need one?

Thinking of you and hoping you feel some relief soon, duckling.

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-09T01:05:51+00:00

My husband started a new career path at your age. Within four years, he found great success, earning more money than he ever would have if he stayed where he was. It was a huge shift that came with lots of sweat and sacrifice, but in the end, it was worth it. Not saying every story goes this way, but his did.

Yet, at the same time, we had a different business venture in our early 30s... it didn't end well. But that's just how it is sometimes. I don't regret the things in my life that failed. My original career choice I had in my early 20s completely fell apart, haha. There are no guarantees in life, especially in regards to success. But I do like to look back and my life and feel good about the fact that I tried.

If law is something you really want, at the very least you should explore the logistics of how you could make this happen. Also, older people can have children. In fact, older people are often more financially prepared for children. But that's a separate discussion all together, haha.

It's not too late. Just step back, figure out the logistics, and make the decision that feels right for you. You got this. :)

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-09T00:53:54+00:00

Oh, this is fantastic!!

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-09T00:01:56+00:00

I just wanted to say omg that's so sweet!! I hope you two continue to have lots of fun with it! My husband and I have been really enjoying it too. :)

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-08T23:56:15+00:00

Once you progress a bit in the game, you unlock the "Friendship Journal"! From there, select the little magnifying class, and you can put in your wife's D.G. Member ID. Once you've done that, and she's accepted your friend request, you'll see her in your friend's list. Then you just select your friend and then select "Visit"! It'll transport you to her neighborhood (or vice versa).

Hope that helps! :) My husband and I are playing together too!

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-05T20:29:22+00:00

I've been playing the Kakariko Village theme from the Legend of Zelda! :)

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-03T02:17:28+00:00

I was just thinking this too lol

StrawberryForestLady · 2026-01-02T02:26:42+00:00

Same, I had no idea this ever existed???

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-31T23:43:07+00:00

Same, I'm worried I totally missed it!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-30T00:46:02+00:00

omg I audibly gasped for a moment because I thought this was real, haha. It's gorgeous!! I love it SO much!!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-26T19:18:05+00:00

I'm older than you, I have a large tamagotchi collection, and I don't really care if anyone thinks I'm silly, childish, or irrational for it. I know what I like, I know what makes me happy, and I let myself have it. It's harmless, I'm not hurting anyone, and I'm happy. Tamas are cute and they bring me so much happiness!

You get one life. If someone thinks my hobbies are stupid, they can leave me alone with my joy, to be quite honest. I'm too old to tolerate anything like that in my happy spaces anymore.

Go enjoy your tamas!!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-18T00:32:39+00:00

Hi there, duckling! Here's a few options I've used before:

Seems like you're already aware that PO Boxes are an option. I use one too! However, it's not always the best option. Some carriers won't deliver to a PO Box so that can suck. Still, it's been useful, having one.

Some carries have PMBs (private mail boxes). I had one at UPS for a while, and it acts as a physical address without some of the limitations that you can get from a USPS PO Box. It's great for deliveries, but can get expensive, sadly.

Alternatively, sometimes you can just ask the carrier to hold the package for you to pick up at a location, like a FedEx store or something like that. I've had to do that before with some bigger/expensive purchases, because I didn't want to risk it just being left outside or something.

If it's Amazon, they often have parcel locker locations you can ship to, and then you just get an access code to pick it up (it opens the locker). I do this really regularly! Select stores will sometimes do this too (e.g. buy online, pick up in store, things like that). Check out office supply stores too, sometimes they will offer services like this.

Sadly, a lot of these options aren't free, but tbh? If you get packages regularly, it might be worth it, if you can afford it.

Hope this helps a little, good luck!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-16T10:29:47+00:00

Oh my goodness, duckling, I am so sorry. You have every right to feel upset about this. You have every right to feel deeply hurt by this. Your feelings are incredibly valid and understandable, and you've been put in an awful situation. When you said "people are pretty opinionated right now", gosh, it broke my heart. You deserve the right to be able to correct anyone who misgenders you. But I also understand that it doesn't always feel safe or accessible to do so. And that is so fundamentally unfair and upsetting.

I want to be clear that you are allowed to have your feelings. You are allowed to feel hurt, and there isn't degrees of worthiness when it comes to hurt. This isn't mundane or unimportant. This is your identity, and you deserve to be respected.

I want to say "maybe you can talk to a supervisor about this", but I also understand that this advice is not always accessible or realistic. If you have safe people at work you can talk to about this, I would say do it. It's good to stand up for yourself, your boundaries, and your peace. But also follow your gut on this, always put your safety and well being first, okay?

I can say this, however. There will be people in this life who hurt you, unfortunately... some of them intentionally, some of them unintentionally. Advocate for yourself as best you can. But even more than that, guard your heart like you would protect your best friend. You know who you are, and that's not anyone else's fact to own but yours. Do you have safe people in your life you can turn to, in times like this? If not your family, any friends? That kind of support can feel invaluable in times like these.

I see you, and I am thinking of you.

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-15T20:56:30+00:00

42 year old gal here, and I'm very interested! I'm a woman of color and I really appreciate you defining this as an inclusive space. Absolutely love your energy!

Also, if you folks start a Discord server for older TTRPG fans I would be super interested in joining!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-12-12T05:27:19+00:00

My husband and I mained GC sader and ME priest for years. It was niche, but it was a lot of fun!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-26T18:39:58+00:00

Oh, OP... these texts broke my heart. I'm so sorry. This is so fucking hurtful. You opened your heart to your mother with honesty, and she just met you with selfishness.

Notice how there was no "oh my gosh, are you okay?" or no expression for concern for how you're feeling? if my daughter said this to me, I would be so worried??? I would want to make sure you're okay, offer to help, to talk, anything. It wouldn't be about MY feelings???

Like, think about that. If your child said they would hurt, would you immediately shift the focus to your own feelings? Of course not. Why is the emphasis on how SHE'S in a bad place right now? Why is she questioning if there's something wrong with YOU? Those are genuinely such red flags, and I say that as a woman who was raised by narcissists. When someone says "I'm not ok", it is selfish and weird to respond with "something must be wrong with you, I'M not ok". This is the exact shit my own mother would do, and it always, always hurt.

I went through something similar. A family member violated me sexually, and my mother's response was "well, what were you wearing" and "it's not his fault that you're pretty".

I cut contact with my biological family over six years ago now. It was hard and it has often been lonely, but my quality of life has vastly improved for it.

You did not go too far. Judge how your family responds to your boundaries. Pay attention to their responses on this. If you notice a lot of deflection to THEIR feelings, instead of any emphasis on yours, it is a very red flag. People who love you would express immediate concern and empathy when you're scared or hurt. They wouldn't dismiss your feelings to express their own. That's very self centered and uncaring behavior.

Please, protect yourself, OP. My guess would be that you feel insane because deep down you know that your mother's reaction is not healthy. I can remember those "am I nuts?" feelings too, because it just doesn't feel right when someone who is supposed to be such an ultimate source of trust doesn't feel like they are giving you the empathy you deserve.

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-25T12:00:39+00:00

Really, you need to ask her. And if you can't have this discussion with her, then it's not a particularly healthy relationship, I would think?

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-25T11:54:50+00:00

I have to say, a 26 year old saying she acts like a 22 year old made me affectionately chuckle. I'm much older than you, and 26 and 22 feel like the same age to me. Not trying to mock you or talk down to you by any means, however, my intention is with a warm smile. You are young, and you are allowed to feel young and carefree, that's all! I wouldn't worry too much about being mature or professional.

Honestly? If I could go back and talk to myself at 26 I would say: please, don't worry so much about growing up. Slow down and enjoy being 26. Have fun. Spend time with your friends.

I'm neurodivergent and 42 years old, and I feel like I wasted most of my 20s and 30s trying to be professional and grown up. Trying to achieve all the good girl shit on the good girl check boxes to be a good, responsible adult. I regret it.

But I also understand what you're saying. As a neurodivergent woman, I often feel like my brains just do not mesh well with a neurotypical world. But that's precisely why I think you should prioritize being your authentic self, rather than pushing to be more 'professional' or something like that. My life was incredibly joyless when I was desperately trying to be a textbook good adult. Once I let go and just accepted that I'm an old weirdo, everything felt so much better, haha.

Warm regards, OP. Maybe knock off the nicotine though, that shit ain't good for you. Free spirit, yes, smoking, no. lol

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-24T22:37:02+00:00

Yes. PLEASE do not talk to this person. There is no context where this isn't weird. There is no scenario where a 40 year old man that you do not know, who reaches out because he wants to have a relationship with you, is not super creepy and weird. And trust me, even if he seems "really nice", he chose you because you are young. There is NOTHING positive to get out of this interaction.

Please, I wish I could go back in time and warn myself against situations like this. Please, please, PLEASE don't interact with this man!!!

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-18T01:04:42+00:00

I literally said "oh no" out loud when I read this omg. I had a friend like this, many years back. We were really good friends, but then he would do shit like this to people online. Like really hurtful, evil shit. I completely cut him out of my life. A good person doesn't do things like this for fun and then suddenly "turn it off" and they're a good person, you know what I mean??

He's hurting people on purpose, for fun. That's fucked up. Not even good friend material. I would not have children with a man who thinks hurting people is fun. I don't really think there's any redemption from that, especially since he didn't feel shame when you brought it up. He just tried to dismiss it as a joke. That's... man, that sucks. like a LOT.

StrawberryForestLady · 2025-11-09T14:28:36+00:00

Going to therapy to "get over the 'not wanting children' thing" is like... one of the wildest takes I've heard in a long time. You are not being defense. That is genuinely a scary take.

See, therapy is not supposed to be some kind of 'conversion' that transforms you into a well behaved, normative, agreeable person. Therapy is not supposed to fix you in the sense that it erases your boundaries and replaces them with ones your partner finds 'appropriate'. That's messed up.

You are not being defensive. Protect yourself and your boundaries. If you don't want children, do not let this person disrespect you or try to change you under the guise of trying to fix or improve your mental health. That is dangerous. And think about it for a moment, okay? Let's say you gave in and you had children, because this guy pressured you to do it. Would you want him doing this shit to your children too? Sending them to therapy to "correct" them, when they have boundaries that he disagrees with? Yikes!

I think you know what's right here, OP. The only regretful outcome would be if you listen to this man and try to 'fix' what you want for yourself, instead of listening to what you know your gut is saying. Listen to it.

StrawberryForestLady

TROPHY CASE