First off, apologies for not getting this up last week to anyone who was looking for it. Life, as they say, got in the way.

Many of us are still reeling from the massive school shooting in Florida that claimed 17 lives, with some of us crossing our fingers for change even though the NRA is apparently doing everything within their power to make sure it doesn’t happen. Combine that with everything else that’s been going on in the world, and it can be pretty exhausting to read the news to say the least.

I personally hate the feeling of not being able to do anything. I get sick when I experience that sense of helplessness, which can occasionally cave into feeling hopeless about things, and that’s no way to go about life. So I try (at least in theory) to be better as a person. I can’t write some letter to a politician that is going to move him so much that he’s going to turn around his stance on gun control, but I can at least try to gently talk with my friends about it. But more important, perhaps, is my pursuit of trying to reach out to the other side, which is something I’m not always very good at and is much easier said than done. But you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, and maybe that can prove to be more effective than pointing fingers–at least towards our friends who we disagree with on current events issues–in the long run.

Anyway, enough of me being on my soap box for now. If you’ve never been here until, this is a place for “serious” discussions. We have a Mental Health thread already, but this goes a little broader than that in terms of the subjects which can be talked about. And they don’t have to be “sad” things either. Sexuality, masturbation, concern of relatives and friends, other issues–all are fair game here.

So, without further ado, here are the guidelines:

1. Be respectful. That goes without saying.

2. Keep discussions “serious.” We have plenty of other places to joke around around here, but sometimes people are in a place when they’re in a need for a hug instead of a yuk.

3. Try your best not to make anyone feel worse. In other words, if someone says “I’m worried Trump is going to start a war overseas,” don’t respond by saying, “Yeah, he’s definitely going to.”

4. If politics and/or religion are brought up, do not try to turn the conversation into a debate. We have other threads for that. This is a safe space and should please be treated as such.

5. I’m not a leader bean, so tend to the mods if there are any issues, but I’m pretty confident that everyone will be nice here.

Well, that’s it. Have a beautiful afternoon, everyone!

Choose kind.