Expanding my circle of friends

[coolbreeze1]

It has been soooo long since I've posted anything over here. I'm still around! Maybe not quite as frequently as I used to be but I still at least try to read what other people have been doing and saying every couple of weeks or so. First things first, hello

Comments

[dernhelm62]

Great to here from you again! I miss your writing. As for meetups, I've been involved with one for many years and we have had people come and go but a core group of us keep it going. I'd like to think that we have been welcoming and open minded to newcomers. I kind of think of it as a mini con once a month to keep me going until we go to a con. It's great to meet and eat and drink with like minded people that also usually get the inside jokes too. I've also met friends that are going on 15 years now. I also think of it as an oasis from the mundane world until the next con. That has been my experience, I hope it helps. :)

[coolbreeze1]

I've made such good friends over here on LJ, I can't help but think I'd have a similar experience with a meetup group of some kind. I just need to work up the courage to make that first step. :) The scifi/fantasy crowd tends to be more than welcoming, though, in my experience. Sounds like your experience has been great!

[black_raven135]

[coolbreeze1]

Thanks!! *waves

[winter_elf]

moving is scary. I'm like you - shy and hard to go up to people or join groups. All my current friends I've known a long time - and some since college..... Luckily, we haven't moved away from each other, instead we slowly moved into the same area and basically stayed close. Though one group was talking about moving away to a cheaper city and it was giving me panic attacks at the thought of not seeing them.

That said - I do have one person on my FL who's Baltimore area - and another a friend of a friend who I know. Both, however, are slash fans..... the FL friend has gone onto Avengers and I'm not sure what the other has moved onto.

I don't know, maybe they'd have suggestions or know of others in the area? It's wolfshark and gblvr (too lazy to do code - wolfshark is on my fl profile)

[coolbreeze1]

I tend to move around a lot, making the actual moving process not too intimidating. But I think the one thing that's kind of backfired on me is that because I do move every few years, if new friends don't stumble into me, I know I'll probably move again soon anyway and subsequently I don't try very hard to find friends. I plan on sticking around in this area for a while though (that nomadic tendency is finally settling down!!) so now I've got to stop being lazy and waiting for people to come to me. I'll make a lot more friends faster if I get out there and make the effort!

I will hunt around for opportunities... Thanks for relaying the names of your friends in the area!

[x_erikah_x]

I have joined a whovian group that has picnic meetups evry once in a while and it was real fun. I didn't know anyone there and I'm also shy but I soon got approached by people and we ended up spending the afternoon chatting about lots of things. Since the people.that go on these meetups have so many things in common, it's not hard to make lots of friends.

[coolbreeze1]

That sounds like fun! The thing I like about these groups is you do have a built-in conversation topic already. I can totally see it being very easy to make a lot of friends this way.

[titan5]

I was just thinking about you and wondering if you were still in the DC area and how things were going.

I can't offer advice because I'm a lot on the shy side and would probably never work up the nerve to go join the group, but I do wish you good luck. You have a very friendly, easy-going personality and I feel certain you'll make some friends there.

How did you find out about science fiction groups in your area (in case I decide to get brave)?

[coolbreeze1]

I'm still in the area and plan on being here for a while. Things are going well! I just need to make more time for writing - I've totally fallen out of the habit. I probably can't write for hours on end every day like I used to, but I can at least do a little bit every day. That will add up fast! I've still got ideas rattling around in my head

[titan5]

I know what you mean about time for writing. I've gone from writing several stories a year and working on my original fic to one or maybe two a year. Part is holding down two jobs but part of it is getting older. I can't sit up til 2am writing any more - I can't stay awake

[coolbreeze1]

I started (briefly - maybe for one week) writing for about a half hour a day. It wasn't much, but it wasn't an overwhelming amount of time and it added up. I needed to embrace this idea a little more!! It's a totally different style than I'm used to, but I know it works, and it may be the best approach for me these days.

You must be relieved you're not moving! It's so much work and takes so long both to prepare for, do, and then settle in again. Congrats to your daughter!!! That's a great accomplishment. I'm all jealous at the idea of rural living. I'd love to have a bunch of land and raise animals (although I'd have no clue what I was doing.) I've lived in cities for a number of years now, and realize I really really like small towns (and less crowds and traffic!) the most.

Do look into the group thing! At least to scope out what's in your area. We need to go to a con again so we can talk SGA for hours and hours... :)