CarolinaKat
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jul 31, 2014 8:43:30 GMT -5
Did you have an imaginary friend? What about your siblings or kids or family or friends? I never had one myself, but I'd like to hear stories of people who did. I tended to play with the pets instead of imagining playmates.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 31, 2014 8:44:56 GMT -5
Isn't everyone here my imaginary friend?
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 31, 2014 8:46:24 GMT -5
I did. I was a very lonely only.
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CarolinaKat
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jul 31, 2014 8:48:10 GMT -5
Isn't everyone here my imaginary friend? *sigh* I call y'all my 'internet friends.' Strangely everyone in my life is accepting of this.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 31, 2014 8:49:17 GMT -5
Gwen had one for awhile. It was a tiny pocket sized bear named. ..Bear (kids are so original).
I have no idea where he came from, just one day she announced she was pushing him on the swing. He stuck around for a few weeks and then disappeared as mysteriously as he arrived. She hasn't mentioned him in a long time.
The worst drama was when DH sat in the recliner and apparently Bear was in it. Suddenly Gwen starts screaming that daddy killed Bear. DH is standing there totally oblivious while I pretend to do CPR and save Bear.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 31, 2014 8:51:49 GMT -5
I didn't make up an entire person - but I did have imaginary relationships with people whom I knew. I think I still do that. I imagine what types of things we would do together and what kind of conversations we would have. And that the other person would always think I was right, and would agree with me and would never get mad at me for being a bitch. And then, I would hang out with the real person and I was never as cool as I was when that relationship was imaginary.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Jul 31, 2014 8:54:30 GMT -5
I had quite a few of them as a little one and kept them for quite awhile. I don't remember them personally, but I've been told about them. There was Buggy, and Hopey, and Schroeder, and Noggie. Those are the names I recall. My children didn't have any. I actually felt deprived of the experience from a mother's point of view.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jul 31, 2014 9:21:46 GMT -5
We never actively had an imaginary friend as kids (that I recall anyway) but my dad used to make up these grand stories about an imaginary dog that he claimed lived in our house. His name was Rex and he would in our bedrooms and guard us from the monsters under the bed. I think my dad did it so we'd stop getting up in the middle of the night claiming to be scared. I don't remember a lot about my childhood (nothing traumatic just don't have a lot of memories) but I remember that. My sister and I talk about it from time to time.
DS never had any imaginary friends but he did treat "Spot" his stuffed animal (Dalmatian) as an active member of the family. Some days Spot got his own booster seat at a restaurant. Some days DS would ask for a second plate so he could share his meal with Spot. Spot was given to him by his nanny when he was 10 months old and now at age 16 he still has Spot. He doesn't actively sleep with him anymore but he does reside in DS' bedroom.
Spot was like a major part of the Boy's childhood. Spot went to the babysitters/daycare with him every single day. We'd pack a small backpack up with "the Guys" it would be Spot and Bob (another stuffed animal) and his special blanket. Spot went on vacations with us, car rides, to dinner, the movies, etc. Spot is also a world traveler. We have pictures of DS running through the gardens of one of the German Castles with Spot clutched in his hands.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jul 31, 2014 9:38:57 GMT -5
I know I did not and I don't believe any of my three siblings had one. We were all born between 1949 and 1954, so at a young age where someone might have an imaginary playmate/friend, we had each other. Plus there were a number of kids our own age to play with in the neighborhood.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 31, 2014 9:40:57 GMT -5
I think when you have siblings and friends, you don't feel the need for an imaginary friend.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 31, 2014 10:31:35 GMT -5
I had lots of imaginary friends that eventually evolved into "stories" I'd tell myself. I created all sorts of imaginary places/worlds as well. Kind of the perfect "daydream place" to go that morphed and changed as I got older and read books or saw something interesting in real life or on TV. Strangely the characters in books/TV/Movies didn't play starring roles mostly cameo walk ons. It was more of a "what would it be like if I lived in that world/universe? What would/who would I be and what would I be doing?". I never talked about my daydreams. I also spent alot of time doing things that were conducieve to daydreaming - alot of 'going to Church' or sitting quietly waiting for whatever, or the 25 minute walk to and from school, or just walking and day dreaming... I was a somewhat lonely kid with no siblings near my age and no friends.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2014 10:52:34 GMT -5
For those that had imaginary friends, I'm always curious, do/did you believe there was someone there? Did you see them? Were they invisible but real? Or were you well aware they were imaginary?
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michelyn8
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Post by michelyn8 on Jul 31, 2014 11:38:21 GMT -5
Gwen had one for awhile. It was a tiny pocket sized bear named. ..Bear (kids are so original). I have no idea where he came from, just one day she announced she was pushing him on the swing. He stuck around for a few weeks and then disappeared as mysteriously as he arrived. She hasn't mentioned him in a long time. The worst drama was when DH sat in the recliner and apparently Bear was in it. Suddenly Gwen starts screaming that daddy killed Bear. DH is standing there totally oblivious while I pretend to do CPR and save Bear. I had two around age 4 named boyfriend and girlfriend (I was original with my names too ). I don't remember when they went away or how long I had them but I can remember playing with them in the side yard. DD2 had one named Robin around the same age. I don't remember how long he was around but sadly he died when my mother ran over him with her car. DD2 took it rather well though. I don't remember my other two having one - either they never felt the need to create one or DD2 shared hers.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Jul 31, 2014 11:43:22 GMT -5
Heck you were all imaginary until I started meeting a few of you. My DH still refers to folks on the board that way, even after a meet-up. He figures we meet up, eat and you go back into my imaginary Internet board. I'm the only one who is for real.
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CarolinaKat
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jul 31, 2014 11:43:27 GMT -5
I had lots of imaginary friends that eventually evolved into "stories" I'd tell myself. I created all sorts of imaginary places/worlds as well. Kind of the perfect "daydream place" to go that morphed and changed as I got older and read books or saw something interesting in real life or on TV. Strangely the characters in books/TV/Movies didn't play starring roles mostly cameo walk ons. It was more of a "what would it be like if I lived in that world/universe? What would/who would I be and what would I be doing?". I never talked about my daydreams. I also spent alot of time doing things that were conducieve to daydreaming - alot of 'going to Church' or sitting quietly waiting for whatever, or the 25 minute walk to and from school, or just walking and day dreaming... I was a somewhat lonely kid with no siblings near my age and no friends. So you were writing fanfiction in your head
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Nazgul Girl
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Post by Nazgul Girl on Jul 31, 2014 11:51:41 GMT -5
I had an actual plush bunny named " Bunny " ( quite a leap there ) from when I was about 3 or 4, and a large, golden horse whom nobody else could see, named " Zee-a-dah." It used to be waiting for me when I got off the school bus, at the end of the driveway, and I would "ride" him down to the house. I outgrew my faithful steed after awhile .
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Nazgul Girl
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Post by Nazgul Girl on Jul 31, 2014 11:54:06 GMT -5
I still daydream about my imaginary characters, but they're not "friends," just stories. When fall comes, I intend to start writing down some of my long-term "stories" ( novel-length, really ), and see how it goes.
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Jul 31, 2014 12:30:43 GMT -5
Never an imaginary friend, but I had many imaginary foes - people who would die by my lightsaber or other weapons of choice There was never much discussion with them besides maybe some comic-book-type hero/villain banter. Me: You suck, Vader! I'll foil any scheme you put together, so just accept your failures now! Vader: I find your lack of faith disturbing... Me: Oh, so are you gonna choke my ass now? (I would then break his force chokehold and the battle would commence.) Just pretty standard kid fare
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 31, 2014 13:36:32 GMT -5
I had lots of imaginary friends that eventually evolved into "stories" I'd tell myself. I created all sorts of imaginary places/worlds as well. Kind of the perfect "daydream place" to go that morphed and changed as I got older and read books or saw something interesting in real life or on TV. Strangely the characters in books/TV/Movies didn't play starring roles mostly cameo walk ons. It was more of a "what would it be like if I lived in that world/universe? What would/who would I be and what would I be doing?". I never talked about my daydreams. I also spent alot of time doing things that were conducieve to daydreaming - alot of 'going to Church' or sitting quietly waiting for whatever, or the 25 minute walk to and from school, or just walking and day dreaming... I was a somewhat lonely kid with no siblings near my age and no friends. So you were writing fanfiction in your head Yep, more than 40 years ago... before it was fanfic. I often wonder how many other people do/did this kind of thing daydreaming thing (without writing it all down) especially before the Internet (where you don't really need to be alone in your head - cause there's endless distractions).
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 31, 2014 13:44:05 GMT -5
I still daydream about my imaginary characters, but they're not "friends," just stories. When fall comes, I intend to start writing down some of my long-term "stories" ( novel-length, really ), and see how it goes. Yeah that... the 'stories' and characters (of my own invention usually not based on/parodies of actual other authors characters) in my head have always been 'make believe'. I revisit the 'imaginary places/people/things' - there's a kind of 'comforting familiar' in it. I've never thought any of it was real. I've never minded having a bit of time to myself - cause I'd mentally wander off to someplace more interesting/fun - inside my head.
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on Jul 31, 2014 13:44:47 GMT -5
I had a brother less than 3 years older than me. I lived in a neighborhood filled with kids my age and my best friend lived right next store. I also had an imaginary friend. Her name was Ashley (and no, it wasn't creative, it was the name of my only cousin. But the imaginary friend was NOT my cousin)
I don't actually remember doing anything with the imaginary Ashley. She was just there sometimes, at home when no one else was around, but sometimes at school, during class, she would sit next to me.
I had named stuffed animals. One now belongs to Pop Tart. Another lives in the top of my closet. Some had creative names, some did not. The job of the stuffed animals was to protect me from the goblins under the bed, or the circus people who might try and come steal me.
And I have always, always fallen asleep by telling myself stories. Some were fan fiction, some were just completely made up in my head. Some have made it onto paper, and some have just become a routine that let me take my focus off the real world long enough for my mind to let me fall asleep.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jul 31, 2014 13:48:46 GMT -5
My DD didn't have imaginary friends but every single doll and stuffed animal had a name and personality. The top two favorite dolls were twohalf and matthew. Twohalf was the brother and matthew was a girl. Matthew actually started out named as Chance but when we switched daycare providers Matthew underwent a name change. Those dolls went everywhere with us along with her blanket. She was surprisingly age 2 1/2 when twohalf got his name. You would ask her her name and she would tell your twohalf and then you ask her how old she was and she would tell you her name. Her blanket is named frieny. That is a take off on friend. One day she forgot to take her blanket to daycare and it was a particularly long day and we got home late. She ran and got her blanket and was laying on the kitchen floor with it while I was getting dinner. I looked at her and said "oh you found your friend", from then on the blanket was frieny. Even though DD is married frieny is at her apartment and draped over her desk chair. Twohalf and matthew still have places of honor in her bedroom. ETA: DD still names stuff. The other day she made a reference to Arnold, apparently Arnold is the calculator. I believe the toaster is named Teddy.
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Peace Of Mind
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Jul 31, 2014 13:51:38 GMT -5
And that the other person would always think I was right, and would agree with me and would never get mad at me for being a bitch. I have one of those but my DH is not imaginary! I didn't have an imaginary friend nor did my mom ever tell me any stories of having one as a small child. I had tons of siblings (7 of us - yours, mine and ours) and pets so maybe that is why. I was already maxed out.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jul 31, 2014 13:51:47 GMT -5
I had a leprechaun on my shoulder who told me to burn stuff.
What's "imaginary"?
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ArchietheDragon
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Post by ArchietheDragon on Jul 31, 2014 13:54:24 GMT -5
I had a leprechaun on my shoulder who told me to burn stuff. What's "imaginary"? Your penis.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Jul 31, 2014 13:55:45 GMT -5
I don't recall whether I thought my imaginary friends were real, or not. Buggy was more an alter-ego than an imaginary friend. He was a ladybug. I'd crawl around under tables being "Buggy". Shroeder was a funny guy who made me laugh. Noggie was mischievous and was the cause of whatever trouble I got into. "Noggie did it and Noggie's gone" was often heard when I was in deep doo-doo about something. Hopey was based on Bob Hope, whom I adored. Sockin' McKenna was based on Joe Palooka. He was a prize-fighter who was friendly and fun to be around. Sadly, I remember little of our times together. Mostly, I know what I've been told by my parents and other, older family members.
Ack! I just remembered it wasn't Shroeder. It was Shroeker.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jul 31, 2014 14:00:49 GMT -5
I had a leprechaun on my shoulder who told me to burn stuff. What's "imaginary"? Your penis. You really need to work on your imagining-my-penis problem.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 31, 2014 14:21:37 GMT -5
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CarolinaKat
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jul 31, 2014 14:31:23 GMT -5
My DD didn't have imaginary friends but every single doll and stuffed animal had a name and personality. The top two favorite dolls were twohalf and matthew. Twohalf was the brother and matthew was a girl. Matthew actually started out named as Chance but when we switched daycare providers Matthew underwent a name change. Those dolls went everywhere with us along with her blanket. She was surprisingly age 2 1/2 when twohalf got his name. You would ask her her name and she would tell your twohalf and then you ask her how old she was and she would tell you her name. Her blanket is named frieny. That is a take off on friend. One day she forgot to take her blanket to daycare and it was a particularly long day and we got home late. She ran and got her blanket and was laying on the kitchen floor with it while I was getting dinner. I looked at her and said "oh you found your friend", from then on the blanket was frieny. Even though DD is married frieny is at her apartment and draped over her desk chair. Twohalf and matthew still have places of honor in her bedroom. ETA: DD still names stuff. The other day she made a reference to Arnold, apparently Arnold is the calculator. I believe the toaster is named Teddy. My animals had names and personalities too. Once my Mom and her BFF got me and Mary (BFF's Daughter who's my age) matching bears. Hers was named 'CK Bear' and acted like me and mine was named 'Mary Bear' and acted like her.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2014 19:38:33 GMT -5
A couple imaginary friends but they got boring quick so just decided to start talking to myself. Conversations with oneself when one's father is around is really not the swiftest thing to do. That gets one's ass stuffed into the shrink's office PDQ. Nice lady though. We used to play poker and get pizza next door. I still have conversations with myself though so obviously it didn't help all that much, although now I just say I'm talking to the cat. There are 4 of them. One is bound to be in the area ignoring me.
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