All Members Please Read

[whotoldya]

As of today Sunday March 11th our group is less than 1 week old.

We already have 40 members. :^O

If you feel comfortable please write a few things under this topic. If you are shy about saying something that's ok too.    

Thank you for those who are greeting newcomers to our group?

whotoldya

-- Edited by whotoldya at 03/13/2012 3:35 PM PDT

[agnessrainn]

Hi, My name is Kate, aka agnessrain ... I found this group by watching the new group line up and felt that being on disability I might have found a good group to join.  And so far it has been.

I live in the Pacific Northwest ... in WA.  I am 62, married and grandmother to two adorable grandsons.

I sell on ebay to supplement my ssd income. 

I hope others will leave a little info about themselves ... let's get to know one another.

Welcome to the group all who have entered these hallowed halls ... you have found a peaceful and safe place ...

Kate

[lehman-parker]

Hi, everyone. 🙂

My name is Pat and I live in Massachusetts with my husband, in the distant suburbs of Boston.

I'm retired from a tech writing career in the software industry. I sell on eBay, a bit on Etsy, and am getting close to opening my own website.

I found out about this group on the Powersellers board, thanks to a post by whotoldya, our fearless and gracious leader. It's feeling like a good place to be, and I'm glad I joined.

I'm looking forward to getting to know other group members, and hope, if you're comfortable, you all will say a few words about yourself.

[whotoldya]

Thank you Kate happy you entered the meeting room..... :^O

I have learned a lot just reading what members are saying so far. 

Take care,

whotoldya

[whotoldya]

Welcome to the meeting room Pat. :^O

Making this old fella real happy to read you also are happy to be in this group.

Wow they sure went wild on the Power Seller group for our group being mentioned

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how we can welcome all the newcomers. ?:|

whotoldya

[agnessrainn]

It's hard to say whotoldya ... until people start speaking up ... then we can welcome them and encourage them to chat in the different threads.

I know there was Janet who joined and spoke a little but we haven't heard anymore from her or have we? 

We need to bring people out of their shells and get them talking. 

So, speak up members, let us know who you are!!

Kate

[auntynuts]

Hi, I am Barbara aka Auntynuts. I am a retired antiques dealer and long-time collector. I have a rather severe hearing impairment due to Menieres Disease that I suffered 30 years ago. I am not totally deaf but only have partial hearing in one ear. I also have arthritis that prevents me from getting out very much. I am a 73 year old widow and do need to scale way back.

[lehman-parker]

Welcome to the meeting room Pat. :^O

Making this old fella real happy to read you also are happy to be in this group.

Wow they sure went wild on the Power Seller group for our group being mentioned

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how we can welcome all the newcomers. ?:|

whotoldya

Thanks for starting the group, whotoldya! Or should we dub you WTY? 🙂

Yeah, the Powersellers board is an interesting place. I think I'll leave it at that!

In my experience, groups usually have lots more members than participants. I know sometimes I've joined an online group, and then never really took part myself.

Sometimes groups go private and only allow people who participate actively to stay members. It can help members feel more comfortable opening up, but makes it harder to get new members.

I'm okay if someone's too shy or too busy to participate, but for anyone who wants to but is a little hesitant, please just jump in!

[buckeyestatebargains]

Hi all,

I live in the suburbs of a tiny town just north of Dayton, Ohio. I worked in health care until October 2011, when I got sick. My illness came out of the blue, no warning. I'd been perfectly healthy until then. 

I'm having trouble adjusting to my new life. I even had to get SSD - that rankles me, even though I've been paying SS taxes since I was 16. I'm  56 now. 

I got bit by the ebay bug about two years ago. I went overboad and bought a whole bunch of stuff to sell. Then I didn't have time to sell, because my part time job often turned full time. I didn't realize how much time ebay took! 

Well, now I have time to sell all that stuff. I find doing ebay very relaxing - sooooo much less stressful than my Real Job! Now if I can only figure out how to make it pay more. 😉

[alabasterboxattire]

Hi!  I'm Angie (aka theculotteshop), and my hubby and I live in SE KS.  Hubby is a disabled RN (due to on the job injuries that has left him wish significant back injuries, 2 surgeries, walks with a cane, and on nearly 20 RX's mostly for pain and basically unhireable--he's tried), and I stay at home with the kids (all 3 special needs and on the autism spectrum) and keep the house and help hubby.  We make do with his SSD income and my bio son's SSI (he has had life long disabilities from birth but I do see a day when he'll be independent!)  I sell here (just started back) and on Etsy and Ecrater to try to bring in extra income, as well as locally at a farmer's market selling breads and other baked goods.  I sew and sell a lot of handmade items too.

Nice to "meet" you all!  I've found in other areas, there's a stigma of being on disability...but as far as I'm concerned the Lord providees us a basic income and it's up to us to use it to the best of our ability.  I'm not considered disabled by the government, tho I have flunked physicals for work after my own injuries working in nursing (CNA), as late as last August.  We are fairly young (30's and 40's) and at times seem to be looked down on because we're not working full time and breaking the bank with tons of income.  Upside, our children have us home, and it seems they need us constantly, with the schools calling us regularly about one or another of them.  I do what I can to stretch the budget, from cooking from scratch, making my own soaps, learning to can, growing a garden, when $ is tight I've taken to a washboard to handle laundry expenses, sew most of our clothing when possible.  Sure, we don't have all th e luxuries in life, the kids don't play video games and have cell phones (we dont either), cable/sat isn't an option, etc, but we have what we need, and what I earn selling on the E's helps us with extra groceries, medicine costs, a tank of gas, etc. 

I've found it's all in perspective, how you look at things...  🙂

[Anonymous]

Just realized I never posted here. I'm solinar and used to be soloriderhd. Long ugly story that's close to being over. Anyway, I'm not really sure how long I've been sick but I've been diagnosed since 2004 and on SSD since 2006.

Unfortunately our country is undergoing a change and it's not a very nice one. It used to be we took care of and had compassion for disabled people. The culture of greed has changed that and it's very sad. I won't get all political but I will say that most everyone I know on SSD is barely getting by. Especially if they live alone or are in a situation where spouses and kids are involved.

When I saw this group I knew I wanted to join. And I'm glad I did. I had no idea there were so many others in similar situations to mine.

[whotoldya]

There are 67 members as of today Saturday March 17th.  Thank you all for becoming members of our group. :^O

[alabasterboxattire]

Solinar, you are right...our country is undergoing a change, and it's not pretty. 

History is repeating itself.  Our country is becoming like the countries in Europe during the Nazi reign, killing the mentally disabled, the physically disabled, and eventually those who do not look or believe or speak the same as those in charge.  We are in a country that thinks killing babies is wonderful but gotta save the whales.  If our people would do that to the least of us, should we expect better for ourselves as we have physical problems?