Living Alone

[Forest Cat]

If my phone is out of reach, Rue is trained to get it for me.

I wonder if I can train the cats to get my phone.. They will probably just use it as leverage, I have to give them food before they give me the phone. Cats are tricky.

 

[Darkkin]

I wonder if I can train the cats to get my phone.. They will probably just use it as leverage, I have to give them food before they give me the phone. Cats are tricky.

Reverse psychology. The one thing you don't want them to poke at, they poke at...It is the same way cats target people who don't like cats or are allergic to them, while breaking cat lovers' hearts.

 

[Tom]

... If my phone is out of reach, Rue is trained to get it for me.

That is awesome. Mine would probably just bark at me and maybe lick my face.

I have an issue with phones too. I never had either a cell or smart phone till now because I am not normally chatty and especially don't like being interrupted. Even if I am doing nothing.

Up to now I figured I could probably survive a mishap till my wife gets back. But she and my daughter (my other main support person) went together on vacation to Switzerland, so she thought I needed to have one to reach friends in an emergency, etc. The good part is I can take pics again.

 

[Tom]

I wonder if I can train the cats to get my phone.. They will probably just use it as leverage, I have to give them food before they give me the phone. Cats are tricky.

They are, they are indeed. Maybe you could make a little thing they wear on their neck, like a Saint Bernard and their little barrel.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I think this highlights the difference between independence and true aloneness.

While I might be home alone, I have Rue with me. I also have access to my phone and tablet and active cardiac monitoring. If my phone is out of reach, Rue is trained to get it for me.

Between work, my social networks, and family, someone checks in daily. I have social media for peace of mind for my family because they know I hate talking on the phone.

I like having time to myself, but I will be the first to admit I am never truly alone.

You are certainly putting in the effort to be as independent as possible. Good work.

 

[Luca]

Kodi is trained to go get my phone too. She always brings it to me when it’s ringing if it’s out of reach, regardless of whether I need assistance or not. It’s a good service dog skill.
Another useful thing I taught her is “go get help.”

 

[Forest Cat]

Kodi is trained to go get my phone too. She always brings it to me when it’s ringing if it’s out of reach, regardless of whether I need assistance or not. It’s a good service dog skill.
Another useful thing I taught her is “go get help.”

That's so impressive. And convenient. My cats would never do that. I don't think they would do that even if we spoke the same language and they understood everything I said.

 

[Luca]

That's so impressive. And convenient. My cats would never do that.

Enzo wouldn’t either. He thinks he can answer the phone by jumping up and down on it lol

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Kodi is trained to go get my phone too. She always brings it to me when it’s ringing if it’s out of reach, regardless of whether I need assistance or not. It’s a good service dog skill.
Another useful thing I taught her is “go get help.”

I was once exposed to working service dogs when I was leading a blind skier on a 10 Km cross country ski race. During dinner and afterwards one never may have noticed that there were dogs in the room. The dogs were amazing! I can't help but think that our dogs and us evolved for a long time together

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

That's so impressive. And convenient. My cats would never do that. I don't think they would do that even if we spoke the same language and they understood everything I said.

Do you have a Norwegian Forest cat? I once thought of a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest, but the upkeep would be a lot. The sisters we got from the shelter are nice.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Reverse psychology. The one thing you don't want them to poke at, they poke at...It is the same way cats target people who don't like cats or are allergic to them, while breaking cat lovers' hearts.

OMG! Dogs are the wierdest. We had a standard poodle and once unbeknown to us he was hiding under the bed while we were making love. Then we hear our underbed dog moan in time to those of my spouse. We dissolved into laughter and couldn't continue. Still puts a smile on my face thinking about it.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

The funniest home alone issue happened to a friend, also a diver. He ordered a 7 mm neoprene wet suit for cold water and decided to try it on. It was tight. Those of you familiar with the garment know the problem of doffing it, and by now he was getting sweaty and he was sorta like glued in. He did not feel like running to a neighbor for help. Wriggling with all his might like some latter day caterpillar, he managed getting it off in an hour. Diving buddies are valuable topside, also.

 

[SusanLR]

@Soleil I am 65 and never lived alone.
I didn't like the feel of alone even at home when I had to be.
I also didn't like living with anyone else that I wasn't used to and the only ones I was used to
were my parents.

In 2013 when Mom died, I knew I would not want to live alone.
I had physical health problems and not enough SSD to even pay rent.
So, I sold the place I had been living with my Mom for enough to pay off the medical
expenses that had piled up from first Dad's health, then Mom's, leaving nothing for me.

An elderly man I knew from a tennis club wanted someone to be with due to failing health
and I moved in with him. Rented part of his large house for an amount I could afford.
I was a wreck living with someone besides my parents.
I had to mask and hide when I felt like a panic attack. Try to keep him from knowing.
He would never understand.
He is mean tempered and that made it all the worse. Threatened to kick me out a number of times.

Not happy with life with him, but, he is 80 with heart and diabetes problems and thinking of what
I will feel like without him, alone again, it will be back to learning to live alone.
Don't know what to tell you to help feeling that way when alone.
I don't know what to do myself.

 

[Forest Cat]

Do you have a Norwegian Forest cat? I once thought of a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest, but the upkeep would be a lot. The sisters we got from the shelter are nice.

No not now, but I have had forest cats before. They are popular here. They are great, very special cats. I have read that Maine Coon cats might descend from the Norwegian Forest cat, brought over to the US by the vikings.

 

[Soleil]

Do you have a Norwegian Forest cat? I once thought of a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest, but the upkeep would be a lot. The sisters we got from the shelter are nice.

What do you mean by "upkeep"? I have a cat who's either a Maine Coon or a Norwegian Forest Cat (I don't know the difference, but his mom was a Tortie so he's a mixed breed anyway). Aside from having to brush him to keep his fur from matting, I don't consider him high-maintenance.
I don't know if this is typical of the breed, or just his personality, but he's very patient with me when I need a hug (cat-hugging is a good way to ease anxiety, too).

 

[Aspychata]

I feel mixed about this. I have lived alone until l was married. When divorced, I broke my ankle and did everything with crutches. But now l am slightly nervous to live alone because older woman are harassed in certain states. I stop working because l just can't stand the amount of men energy that seems lost and clueless here. I enjoy the people l know and have no desire to complicate my life any further. So l am trying to live with someone next year so l can go most places with a "guy* and others will figure it out. I also will need to take care of them if anything happens and l told them that's fine too.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

cat-hugging is a good way to ease anxiety, too)

Laid up on Monday before things got bad, the friendliest of the sisters would snuggle next to me all day unti. I needed to go to the hospital

 

[Zhantera]

I lived alone for quite a few years. I was relatively successful at it, I guess, for someone with socialphobia lol. I don't use phones or answer doors, but i did grocery shop in the middle of the night, had a full time job where I worked alone, I paid bills and kept my house clean. Now I am married. But in both situations, there was always an underlying feeling of "alone." I don't go out during the week, so I spend the vast majority of my day alone, even now. I get super anxious if I'm not busy, on a schedule, with something to do. I'm super uncomfortable with just sitting by myself. If I have something to do, I'm fine. But the minute I run out of things to do, I get super anxious. I do have two service dogs that help (wow do they keep me busy) but still...yeah. It's weird, like I do enjoy being alone...but then again, it also makes me anxious to be alone.