Places to Chat
-pt. 1: introduction
Chatterbox: Down to Earth
-pt. 1: introduction
-pt. 1: introduction and explanation-
Hey friends! Leafy here. Gosh, I haven't been around in a while have I? I've been fairly inactive this whole spring and summer and then I have actually been on an intentional, albeit unannounced hiatus for a couple months. But I figured it's time I came back!
I haven't been around much for several reasons--I feel like I don't belong here as much anymore, not like I did when I was 10-13ish. There are several reasons why; most of my old friends are long gone (*cries*); I think I've grown out of the subject matter that is allowed on the CB a bit; I've found other things to take up my time, and more real life friends; and I honestly feel like the CB isn't very creative now and hasn't been for a long time.
Now of course I've stopped engaging with the community so much, so I'm not catching any creativity that goes around, but there's not really much to engage with. Most of what goes on here now, I feel like, is random chatting, and of course there's nothing wrong with that but the basis of this site is for readers of Cricket mag--writers, readers, imagination honestly and when I was younger I found this place to be such a nurturing hub of creativity + inspiration and I just don't get those vibes from here anymore.
Which isn't exactly fair of me because during when there was a lot of creativity around I didn't participate much, just rode along in the wake of amazing people like Abigail, Bluebird, September, Micearenice, Booksy Owly, and more and hoped that someday I could be as good at what I did--art, storywriting, poetry--as they were. But eventually I realized I needed to take a break from the CB and figure out and grow my own skills and creativity, so that's kind of what I was doing this spring and summer. But with that said, I'm back! I want to try to bring some creative spirit back here, just by personally being more active and trying to participate in this community more. Because I love this place, and it's been a saving grace for me over the years. And I want to help make sure that the same creative, welcoming atmosphere that this forum has can be available for other kids too, before I poof out of here entirely at some point.
~~~
-pt. 2: things I did while inactive/gone, in no particular order-
-Spent a lot of time on the NaNoWriMo forums, which made me appreciate how slow + safe the CB is, but it also made me appreciate Nano's huge community and support network and instant chat thing. (I also picked up some chat speak slang so be warned I may throw in an uwu or bro or bc/nvm/idk from time to time)
-FaceTimed Leeli
-Started 10th grade at a new school (it's all online currently, which stinks, but overall it's going okay)
-Realized that my hair is naturally curly/wavy and does ringlets when I leave it alone
-Became pretty good friends with + got a crush on a guy I know, and just a couple days ago we were trying to make plans to hang out and play video games but then some stuff happened and I found out he has a girlfriend that I didn't know about and that he didn't have a couple months ago and said girlfriend doesn't want us to hang out, so um, he kind of ditched me? It's really a pretty stupid situation and I'm kind of hurt but we're sort of working through it I guess
-Decided I 100% support Pride simply because I believe everyone deserves to live in a world where they can feel safe + respected + loved no matter what my own personal standpoint may be, if I even have one at all, and I'm really sorry that I used to act so nasty about this subject
-Improved my art some; my skills are still nowhere near I'd like them to be but I've definitely made some progress!
-Read a lot of books, if anyone wants recommendations let me know!
-Went out of my comfort zone a lot of times
-Learned guitar, somewhat
-Became more confident in myself and my appearance--I have bad days, like everyone, but overall a generally more positive outlook than I used to
-Expanded my music taste a LOT
-Snapped in Covid times and bleached a lot of my hair and dyed it bright green
~~~
-pt. 3: how are you guys?-
What's new with everyone? What have you all been up to, anything you've done recently that you're proud of? How have you been dealing with Coronavirus and all? If you don't know me, introduce yourself, I'd love to try to get to know you. And if you don't know me, I'm Leafy, I've been a CBer for almost 5 years now, and um...yeah that's about it haha.
I think this basically sums up my post so yeah, helloooo I'm back! Love y'all <333
submitted by Leafy, age No, not a cat
(October 12, 2020 - 11:37 am)
(October 12, 2020 - 11:37 am)
Ohmygosh hi!!!!! (You know I'm serious when I use five exclamation points.) It's so nice to see (read?) you again - it's Ronan, by the way, just under a different name. It makes me really happy and nostalgic when people from my "generation" show up again. (I agree that the CB has waned a bit - just this summer another giant RP, similar but legally distinct from Kyngdom, was suggested and I... freaked out. Like with so much of my time here, I look back on that post I made and go, "Oh Claaws, why?")
It's been a long time since my eleven-year-old self checked out Kyngdom to see what exactly that letter in the magazine was supposed to mean. I came out to my family a year ago this month (!) and I'll be sixteen point five years old next month (!!) I'm way too scared of driving to get my license, and my mother's really pushing me to go for it, even though she got hers when was twenty, so...
Also is it just me or are you guys becoming good friends with people without knowing what the bottom of their face looks like?
Anyhoo, hello again Leafy! I hope you are victorious in your quest to bring back the princesses Phyme and Reason- I mean make the CB a more creative place.
As the kids say, read you around!
(October 12, 2020 - 3:19 pm)
(October 12, 2020 - 3:36 pm)
(October 12, 2020 - 3:37 pm)
Eyyy Ronan! Good to see you again! *tackle hugs* Oof, I hope the whole license thing works out in whichever way ends up being best for you. Anyway, yeah I'll see you around! <33
(October 13, 2020 - 9:42 am)
OHMYGOODNESSLEAFY *hugs* I've missed you and Leeli so much. *cries*
I've been feeling the same way lately, like the CB has switched tracks and left me walking down the old one alone. I still love this place, but it's definitely evolved. I'm not as attached as I used to be (mostly because life) and I wonder if this is how those CBers of old felt when they left? Looking back at all the amazing threads we had then... hm. Nostalgia is a common ailment among CBers, I suppose.
Goodness, I sound so old! My 3rd CBversary was a week ago, and it still doesn't compute. I guess I never thought I'd make this far.
I started public school for the first time this year (fully online, obviously), and that's interesting. That's so cool that you got to FaceTime Leeli! Could you maybe say hi for me? :)
Anyways, I hope you don't mind me ranting about myself. Just good to see an old friend. I guess the main reason I loved the CB so much was that I didn't feel so alone. Now all the people I looked up to have faded away. I love the new, enthusiastic CBers of course, but old friends are rare gems. <3
I hope you are doing well during these growing-up years!
- Jwyn <3
(October 12, 2020 - 5:22 pm)
*tackle hugs* JWYNNNNN FRIENDY HI
Oh you described that switching tracks feeling perfectly agh and yeah, there's a lot of nostalgia around the CB all the timeeee aaaah
Oooh happy (slightly late) CBversary! And how's public school going for you? And I texted Leeli and she says hi and she misses you <33
Well hopefully you'll feel a tiny bit less alone now I guess haha. I'm really so happy to see you again AAAAAH I missed you <33333
(October 13, 2020 - 9:46 am)
School's been good, I'm just a big procrastinator so I sometimes finish stuff at like, midnight. I finished something at like 1:30am today, so I'm sleep-deprived. It's a fun time. :P
Eeep yay! Thank youu! <3 I miss her so much.
A tiny bit. :) I missed you too! <333
(October 13, 2020 - 2:28 pm)
Okay well. Thought you should maybe know.
I might be leaving. Yes, only about 3 weeks and I'm already considering leaving.
(October 12, 2020 - 5:22 pm)
Nnno! Noo... don't leave... I haven't even gotten to finish your picturing yet... *cries*
(October 12, 2020 - 10:34 pm)
Oh! And I recently started a bullet journal and am loving it! Super random, but I remembered Bluebird's thread from around when I joined the CB, and how Leeli was really into it. Anyway *clears throat* I'll stop now.
(October 12, 2020 - 5:49 pm)
Oh yeah I remember that thread too, I didn't participate though because I had no heckin idea what bullet journals were XD the one I'm doing is more like just a DIY planner and then I have a seperate journal for everything else, I kinda like to have my bullet journal just be minimalist with weekly calendars and some habit trackers and stuff and then nothing else
(October 13, 2020 - 9:48 am)
Haha same! Literally the first comment on the thread is me asking what on earth one was. xD
Yeah, I've mostly just been using it as a calendar, but I'll probably throw in some lists and journal entries when I feel like it. I tried making a night sky theme for October (so original, I know) and I think it turned out pretty nice. I like the artsy/customizable aspect of it because it makes me want to use it.
(October 14, 2020 - 8:09 am)
LEAFY HI!! *tackle hugs* It's DoodleGirl, I dunno if you consider me a friend but I hope we can be!
I'm so glad to see you again, and all the stuff you've done sounds wonderful (except for the crush thing of course- sorry about that)! I've also been on the YWP forums some, it was sorta weird to see you occasionally there. Also, you said you have book recs, what are they?
As for me, not much other than half-enjoying-half-hating quarintine, joining NaNo, trying to write stuff, procrastinating online school, and also learning guitar!
So about the creativity thing, I haven't noticed that... I practically did nothing in my first year on the CB, so I don't remember much from before last January, other than vague memories of people I didn't know and things I didn't partcipate in :(. I do think the CB has a different feel now, but I can't quite pinpoint it- you're probably right about the creativity thing! We can do something about that, in fact we already have a #ReviveBaB movement which I've done a bad job in participating in, oops.
Anyway, read you around, I suppose!
Gosh why did I antagonize so much over this post?? XD
(October 12, 2020 - 5:59 pm)
Hey there!! *tackle hugs* We're definitely friends, it's good to see you around here!
Hmmm well for book recommendations, I don't really know what you like but I'm very much into fantasy and the Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson are extremely well written and just an amazing story. I also really like the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, and the Renegades trilogy by her as well. The Fixer series by Jennifer Barnes is a pretty cool fiction/action story and the Wells & Wong books by Robin Stevens are murder mystery books that I just A D O R E
Oh cool, a guitar friend! And I'll have to check out what you're doing with reviving BaB, that's always been a part of the CB that people don't use much. Anyway yeah I'll see you around!
(October 13, 2020 - 9:54 am)
LEAFY!!! <3 <3 *Tackle hugs* I missed you so much. I'm so glad that you're back! I definitely agree that the CB could use more creative energy. I miss the times when RPs were really active. Even I've lost some of that energy.
You got to FaceTime Leeli?! Say hi to her for all of us! It's pretty cool that you've been able to contact another CBer (sort of) face to face.
I'm in 10th grade too! I always though you were older than me, but I guess we're the same age which is awesome. Online school is kind of sucky, :(
I just want to say how happy I am that you support pride and the LGBT community! I know you might have different opinions on the topic but your support means a lot. I'm glad the CB has gotten so much more welcoming towards the LGBT community.
The nostalgia is starting to hit me too. I'm realizing how many of the old CBers have left, and that's pretty sad. I was so used to being new, and all of a sudden I'm kind of one of the older CBers?? It's sort of wild. I had an unplanned hiatus earlier this year too. I'm also going to stay for as long as I can. We have to pass the CB off safely, right?
<3 Fidelity
(October 12, 2020 - 8:13 pm)