Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Oh, I can give you a reason. The reason is that any thread by a member of the in-crowd, a member of the ruling clique, or even by someone who is approved by the ruling clique, just belongs here. There doesn't have to be any rationality or objectivity behind it.
I am relatively new here and certainly do not belong to any in-crowd or ruling clique. I also do not know and do not care whether I am 'approved' or 'disapproved' by whoever represents the ruling clique.
Why I agree that some of the topics here should have been confined to the chat area or should have posted in other forums, unless it was obviously out-of-place (like the recent post about Egyptians being mixed race?), I just don't understand the logic or emotion behind the ever-vigilant thread-topic policing.
Regarding this particular thread, I had given my reasons for why I was OK with the OP's choice of starting this thread in the retirement forum. I'd like to understand the reasons why others think that it is inappropriate.
I also would like to hear from the thread-topic police what would be the acceptable topics in this forum? Social security planning only? Relocation choice only? Activities done by retirees only? Happy retirement stories only?
IMO, the issues which the OP is facing are very seniors/retirees relevant: fixed and limited income, loneliness, lack of a support network, mobility, health issues etc. I recalled there was one long thread where many people objected to the term 'Golden Years'. This thread is a stark and painful example of a 'not-so-golden' retirement life.
P.S.
I am saddened by the fact that this 'cri de cœur' was not received well here. It appeared to me that this 'virtual' senior village was the only possible support network the OP had besides a single friend who lived far away. I was quite concerned of the underlying 'S.O.S' message. I was glad that some folks wiser than me were able to offer some suggestions which appeared to be of help for the OP. I don't believe that posters who posted indifferent or critical replies meant to be hurtful. IMO, the frequent advice that 'If you can't anything nice, don't say anything at all' applies to certain sensitive situations such as this one.
OP I know you have serious health issues but there is some volunteering that you might be able to do from your home. You could answer emails, return calls, call to obtain donations, coordinate appointments, write thank you notes to donors etc. on behalf of the organization. You might reach out to an organization you feel connected with and see if they could use your help in those areas. I think I remember reading you had a dog. An animal rescue organization could probably use help with all those things. I know I also receive phone calls from other charities like the kidney foundation asking if I have anything to donate since they're going to have a pick up in my area.
Those are just some examples there may be other things out there that you can do sitting down from your home.
I also would like to hear from the thread-topic police what would be the acceptable topics in this forum? Social security planning only? Relocation choice only? Activities done by retirees only? Happy retirement stories only? ............................
Well, since I am not the "thread-topic police" I guess I am not qualified to answer your question, but I hope you will not mind if I go ahead and give my opinion anyway. My opinion is all of the above but not necessarily limited to the above.
I think part of the confusion is that I was speaking in general terms in my post which you quoted in order to write your post (of which I quoted a part above). I was not weighing in specifically on whether this particular thread would be best here or elsewhere and I failed to make that clear. So that imprecision is my fault.
Personally, I think a case can be made for having this in Retirement, although I think it would fit better in Mental Health or even just Health, as it's not a retirement specific issue. (Anyone could be mostly house-bound, depressed, etc. regardless of age).
Back to the question of what belongs in this Retirement Forum: Over the years the forum has served not just as a "retirement" forum in a narrow sense, but also as an "all things senior" forum. Younger people are welcome as they think ahead to retirement or ask questions or provide stories about their parents or grandparents. Older people are welcome even if not yet retired. To your list I would add mistakes made in retirement, whether mistakes in choice of location, mistakes in financial planning, mistakes in lifestyle choices, or other.
As to whether this "cri de coeur" was well received or not, part of the atmosphere (but certainly not all of it) is created by the OP herself; lashing out rudely and insultingly at responses which may disagree does not help. Even if those lashings out are subsequently deleted by moderators, a certain number of posters have already read them, and they leave a bad taste in the mouth.
Oh, I like that thought of a thread..."How I screwed myself out of a comfortable retirement"!! C'est moi.
That's funny and serious at the same time. (Couldn't rep you again this soon). Seriously, I think that would be an excellent topic for a thread. We've heard the stories about those who have a lot - sometimes they sound like thinly disguised bragging. And we've heard the stories of people who are near destitute through "no fault of their own", some of whom I believe and some of whom I don't.
It would be a refreshing breath of fresh, honest air, to hear your story, and that of others who are willing to admit to what you just admitted to. Those stories would serve as excellent cautionary tales for others. I am totally serious: why don't you start that thread?
I am a little concerned that heartfocus hasn't been on in a couple of days.
Yes, that is why I started thinking of being duped. I hope everything is okay.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
C'est moi. 
