Welcome to Gaia! ::

First off I want to say, this guild is awesome- already over 800 posts! biggrin
Thanks to the awesomeness of Elving we have come from being a couple of people who just thought random gifting was fun, to becoming a community dedicated to games, events, and generosity all around! Which is why I think to be a proper community (and understand each other a little better) we could post some of our stories here- about ourselves, and why we like gifting. biggrin I also enjoy reading about other people, it helps me gain some insight when I talk to them. I will start with some of my own story, (you don't have to read it if you don't want) xd

I am 16 years old (17 this year!), and have lived in the beautiful Ozarks of the midwest my whole life. As some of you know, coolretrogal is my mum smile and I am her oldest daughter. I invited her to gaia after I discovered it several months ago and got addicted to fell in love with it. My motivation for gift-giving is simple- I love to see people's reactions! mrgreen It's so much fun to find out that someone genuinely enjoyed something I sent them, and I love the idea of making a difference in other's lives. I hope I have managed in some small way, to do so here. biggrin Our story, and the reason for our positivity, as told by coolretrogal (sorry for the longness!):

Alrighty then....I don't normally tell random people about myself, cuz I am basically kinda shy and don't want to bore folks. Sometimes, though, it seems like as one grows closer to their peers (as in this group), it merits a bit of background. I know I have been guilty at times of thinking the "oh, it's easy for you to say" thing, when I'm feeling sorry for myself or feeling down. Then I will read about someone that has endured alot, and perservered through it--a true role model!!
And so it begins....
I was a poor girl from the sticks...awww, just kidding, it sound sooo novelish though!
Seriously, I will JUST share a bit about my past two, for all of your sake! About the August before this, my husband suffered a heat stroke and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. He was "okay", but when we got back, we found out we had been robbed. (We live in the middle of the boonies...sheesh!) That was for starters--we were artists, not long on money,(lol, sterotype! ) and my husband was schizo-depressive (all his life). This did not help him any. All of our coats were stolen, computer, etc. (and some of my daughters shirts--the thief must have been her size, lol!). Anyhoo, life went on for awhile, semi-normal. My husband started an anti-depressant (he'd done several before), but it affected him badly. Very badly. It, in essence, MADE him feel suicidal, paranoid, tired, on and on. The side effects were overwhelming--for awhile, and we had to supervise him continually. Finally, relief was in sight and he started doing better. Then, while out mowing, he suffered heat exhaustion again. Another ambulance trip, recovery, etc. He was never the same mentally. 24/7 supervision was required (me and my 3 girls), and we were exhausted. He started drinking to make the mental pain go away,it was so intense. But...after awhile gain, it started improving, but....something wasn't right...we couldn't quite figure out what it was. Once again the side effects came crashing back, and he was suicidally making threats and we watched him slowly and painfully go mad.
One night just over a year ago, he ran out onto our porch with a gun, with us running after him, telling him to not do it, he fired a warning shot, telling us to get back, and shot me , schrapnel hit both legs and feet. He looked horrified, and you could tell by the look on his face that he could not deal with having hurt me. He put the gun to his head, and took his own life...in front of my oldest daughter and myself. My daughter was so intensely in shock she stabbed herself, in an effort to cope with the devastating situation. I tried to call 911, but our phone had been cut off (due to nonpayment). I had to drive up the road, leaving my two youngest at the house, hoping they would not not see what was on the porch. (I couldn't bring them, as the only way out of the house was through the porch, and I had to act quickly, as my daughter and I were bleeding profusely). Finally, an ambulance came, and my son came to pick up his sisters. A wonderful man stayed with them until he came. There is more, but....it's yet another novel (who knows, maybe someday?)
Now....the epilogue.....and the next half of my story. We had been married 23 years, and he was my best friend ever. But I was given another set of circumstances to deal with, and had no choice but to do so. I called upon my faith, laughter, family and most importantly, hope. I am a firm believer that a bad attitude, criticism, unkindness and moping serve no purpose in my life. Literally. I KNOW all things work together, and they have, in more ways than I can go into. The amazing works that have taken place are nothing short of miraculous---not in my life, but in others that were affected by what happened. We have moved on, and are doing fine, and meet each days challenge with hope.


This was my mum's telling, and through some mental quirk I am slower to realize things than she is. lol But at some point after all this, I also realized that moping has never done me, nor anyone else, much good- and then I figured out (duh!) that the more focused I was in helping others, the better it made my outlook on life- this has prevented a lot of totally unnecessary bitterness. 3nodding You never know how strong you are until you are tested- and this has helped me realize that I not only have to strength to live this life to the fullest, but to help others do the same.
whee

*hugs vera and retrogal*

To be able to go through so much and still be able to smile takes alot of courage. You both have my deepest respect.

hmmm

I'm not really all that interesting to know about.

But if ya'll still wanna know...meh.

I'm 21, and I was born and raised (and still live) in rural southern Georgia. I have one older sister who's married and has a baby...and the closest thing I have to a child is my two indoor dogs( a mini Pomeranian named Abigale and a Carin terrier names Sebashtion). My parents are still around (ahaha I live with them), and I have a loving boyfriend who sadly is on the other side of the country trying to finish up college (less than two years left! Woohoo!)

I got picked on alot growing up cause of my weight (everything from name calling, to gum in the hair, to people telling me they wanted to kill me) so I have self esteem issues, and I don't trust people easily. So if I seem awkward around people...yeah you know why now. I don't mean any offense by it.

My motivation for gift giving...is simply because I enjoy helping people. If the presents I give out put a smile on someone's face, it totally makes my day ^w^.

Oh dang, this thread isn't good for me - I see it coming already <_<

Well, to get famous:

Hi I'm Metal and I'm 22 years old mrgreen
I am from Germany, Augsburg. I think, I'm the only normal person in my family ^^;
My mom (a state-accredited educator)and my dad (master degree in computer science) are both workaholics - when they come home around 6:00pm, they go on using their laptops and stuff to go on working. <_<

I have two sisters, both are younger than I am. My 18 years old sister got addicted to drugs quite early, with 17. She even managed to finished her Abitur (which somewhat like the college in the USA - you need 13 years of school for this exams), but afterwards she didn't go to university and instead stayed at her boyfriend's and is taking drugs with him - at least, I think that's what they're doing the whole day. She's addicted to heroine and right makes our life a living hell, while robbing us or visiting courtyards.
On the other hand there's my 16 years old sister. She has a boyfriend named Murat, who got her pregnant now. She recently decided to keep the baby and proudly thinks, she's going to marry her darling. That he is only 16 as well, has no money and that both are still in school doesn't seem to bother her.

I for myself am quite boring compared to that. I first went to grammar school. Sadly but truly, I couldn't get myself to understand maths, physics and cemistry - But my grades in languages like french, german and english were awesome. But with to grades being a 5 each (like an E) in Germany you need to do the class again. So I did twice the 8th year and then went to junior high. Here I managed to get my exams and got a apprenticeship as a foreign language correspondence clerk. That's all about me xd

And about gifting: I don't know. I think it's simply to provoke people ^^; I love the surprise, the happiness and the thank you's heart

Hey, thanks Metal, for tellin us about yerself! I feel like the more you know about someone, the more you understand what motivates them. We all are generous givers--as we showed in the elving thread, and everyone has a story--some good, some not so good--but they all are what unifies us as a group! Hmmm...."normal" is something I have found to be entirely negotiable, lol!! MY normal, is probably someone elses weird. Ok...I LIKE weird!!!! xd

YES--everyone is famous now...mwahahahahaha!!!!

Oh, and Razzy, what got you into gifting/elving?

Vera & Retro... thats some amazing and horrible story. I'm so glad you two have each other and seem to be pulling through it!

I'm beginning to feel we have a lot of very strong survivor types in here. ::hugs around::

Retro. Vera...WOW i am amazed you went through that so recently and are such up beat people you are quite astonishing

ok i also have my life story in my journal LOL its long and booring

I am the youngest of 4 my closets sibling is 8 years older than me and my sister is 10 years older than me and my best friend in the world

I am 39, not married and no children much to my sadness.
I currently live with my sister and her family so I can take care of our mother so she continues to live smile we have kept her alive for 5 years doing this 3 times we were told she was going to die but every time we have brought her home right after the diagnosis. she is currently stable which is GREAT!.

I take care of my mother 24/7 except when my sister decides she needs to help out (ohhh that sounded bitter) i spend most of my time either on here, in my room watching tv and doing crafts mostly counted cross stitch or reading.

I have a Black Lab dog who is 8 years old and my baby ...his name is BOO lol (named after the character in Monsters Inc) and a cat named Pookie hes mostly black LOL his real whole name is Spookey LOL soooo i have spookey and boo wink both black and both gotten around halloween LOL

I have no life and as long as i have my mother im ok with that smile but i would LOVE to find something legitimate to do at home on the computer to make more money LOL gota feed my addictions smile

my favorite flower is not a rose

Oh, no, that's the last thing I wanted to happen! Please don't feel that way, everyone is given in their lifetime what they need the most, it's just very drastic for some of us. By no means would I ever want things like that to happen to anyone else, although unfortunately they do, as many here have shown... sad
Hugs all around! I hope my arms are long enough...
*hugs Lavian, Metal, Razzy, retro, Misty, sweet_lady, Lacot, and Snorpy*
*pantpant*

OK, I'm done now. mrgreen

Me on a daily basis (a seriously condensed list)

I dislike peanuts and nearly all peanut-flavored things... with a passion!
I talk funny, kind of robotic.
I am really double-jointed, to the point of chronic pain.
I could probably improve that, but I'm too lazy.
I can't jump rope. lol
I could learn how, but I'm too lazy.
I love all forms of quirky music!
I like to watch the wash cycle. Seriously, it's mesmerizing eek
I have about 20 hobbies, none of which I practice for more than a few months at a time. lol
I heart my wacom tablet!
I absolutely hate crying.
I heart my two ferrets, Ralphie and Wendy, my snake, Gerta, my firebellied toad/frog lol , Reggie, and my bunny, Pamela!
I love anything supernatural themed - vampires, werewolves, ghosts, you name it!
I can be really sarcastic... watch out. twisted
I would love to have my own creative business!
If you really want to go to the effort, read the chinese zodiac description under "sheep", it describes me with amazing accuracy. mrgreen
*looks at post* I use a lot of emoticons eek