What are some ways to meet people?

[teenster3]

I swear I have no life!
All I do is work, come home & play with the dogs a bit, talk to hubby a little while, watch tv, eat, get on the computer & go to bed.
That's all I seem to be doing with my time night after night.
I'm so pathetic, I'm 29 with no children. You'd think I'd have all the time in the world to do stuff, but the problem is I don't know too many people. I have very few close friends but even then, I haven't been spending a lot of time with them either because they DO HAVE KIDS & it's hard for them to find sitters.
I feel really lonely at times & just wish I knew people so I could get out more. My hubby has no interest besides coming home & playing his bass guitar.
So, where do you meet nice, interesting people?
We even had to cancel our Halloween party this Sat. because the people we do know & invited all have plans or can't make it for whatever reason!
I sure hope things start to look up soon!
Tina

[slleipnir]

Honestly, a bar. lol. You don't have to drink, but you meet a lot of people...I work at one and I've met a lot of ppl (I don't drink) a lot of people go for trivia and don't drink either

[binka_nugget]

I've met a couple interesting people at dog parks. Become a regular, and I'm sure you'd make new friends in no time.

[Logan]

Tina, some of my best friends in Greenville, I met through my daughter's buddies. Of course, that doesn't help you since you don't have children, but for me, when I moved up here with Helen (she was 5) and we were quite alone, knowing no one except my boss, it helped so much to get to know the parents of some of the children in her kindergarten class. They are good friends to this day and she is now 13!

I'll tell you the other place that has meant the world to me from a friendship standpoint, and that is my church. I don't know your religious views and I don't need to. There are many different settings in which to worship and enjoy fellowship. It was the source of much peace for me in the years that I was single and didn't know anyone. I have made many good friends and formed wonderful lifetime relationships, not only when I was single, but even now that I am married. In fact, I met my husband at church, in Sunday School!

If you have any hobbies, see if you can find groups in your area that have similar interests. Get involved in rescue if there are any local rescue groups (cat, birds, dogs, whatever). I have also found many friends through my rescue work. I don't socialize with many of them outside of Golden Retriever activities, but I would if given the opportunity!

I hope you'll get lots of good ideas and branch out a bit. You are so kind and sweet, and I know you would be a good friend to have.

Logan

[catnapper]

All the people I've been meeting and becoming friends with are through the cat rescue I've been fostering for. Its ideal for me because its something I love and meet like-minded people.

So that said, figure out what you like to do, or what is important to you. Do you like to sew? Then join a quilting bee (yes they still exist!) Do you like to run? A lot of local sports shops have organized weekly runs for the regualr shoppers. think about something that really interests you and plan a way to meet other like-minded folk. You could volunteer or join a club, etc.

[Katiesmom]

wow This is a good post for me! Tina, I am in the same position but instead I have a son and none of my friends have kids except one and she works all the time and I don't work just go to school so all I do is sit here go to school, play with my son, talk to hubby and get on the computer. I can't really join anything because all my money is going into the house that we are building and I don't have a dog yet so I don't go to dog parks and don't go to clubs because I will not go alone. So I feel lonely alot, I mean I know I have my son but sometimes I need adult conversations I mean its getting to where I don't even know how to talk to adults like an adult because I'm always having kid conversations...lol does that even make any sense

[teenster3]

Katiesmom....
YES......it makes perfect sense!
Geez, I wish we lived closer together!!!
I am married too but he usually does his own thing.
I do have 2 dogs but DON"T take them to the park in fear they might bite someone or another animal.
I don't care about going to the bars. I'm like you I WILL NOT go to movies, clubs, shopping, etc. alone. Once in awhile I'll be fine shopping but not for long periods of time.
And ya know.....you need "girl" time. It's really difficult if you don't have a lot of girl friends though!

[Katiesmom]

Tina I couldn't agree with you more!
My husband works all the time so he usually doesn't get home to til late. If I go shopping alone I'm like you its not for long. Its a shame that we have to live so far apart Sounds like we could really get along...I mean I always have a babysitter he constantly stays at his grandmas house...I think I'm his second home

[slleipnir]

Sorry my suggestion was stupid. I really don't have friends so I'm a bad one to talk. My mom always talks about bars been great places to meet people though but anyway..just a though. sorry.

[Katiesmom]

Oh no audrey that is a great place I met plenty of people there when I didn't have kids. Thats not a stupid suggestion at all.

[Miranda_Rae]

Lol....I am in the same boat as you. I don't have a lot of social situations...in a way I tend to avoid them because I don't like myself so therefore I dont feel comfortable in them.

Anyho, here are some suggestions:

Doggy Obedience Class
Doggy Agility Class
A certian kind of group- such as a mosaic group, a sewing group, a photography group etc. and they could be classes too!
Church-I don't know if you are religious or anything, but that is also a good way to mee people
I don't know if you are shy or not, but if you live in town you could walk around, and i know this is going to sound really lame but you could start a conversation with people you meet like comment on how beautiful their flowers are, etc. I dunno, probably a dumb idea.

Anyho, I hope those help, but if they don't, well Sorry! I hope you get to meet some more people. And maybe you and your husband could have some people over for dinner or something? Just like another couple from his work or your work. Just a thought.

[Tonya]

I met my husband and a few of my closest friends on the internet. I only have a few friends left from highschool. I think my closest friends that I talk to often came from my son's kindergarten class. I invited his whole class to our Halloween party last year and became friends with some of the moms through that. It was really good for me because I didn't have any friends with kids. Now it is nice to be able to hang out with someone while our kids play instead of having to get a babysitter everytime my friends and I want to do something.

[Tonya]

Originally posted by slleipnir
Sorry my suggestion was stupid. I really don't have friends so I'm a bad one to talk. My mom always talks about bars been great places to meet people though but anyway..just a though. sorry.

I didn't think it was a bad suggestion at all. Mike and I have a few friends that we've met in the bars. We don't really hang out with them outside of the bar, but we'll hang out with them when we run into them.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Tina, I totally know how you feel. I am 22 and married with no kids. My two closest friends are much older than I am, one is 60 and the other is 41. I love them dearly but sometimes it's hard because of the age issue. I don't like being away from my furbabies too much, but I want to get out sometimes. Justin (my husband) has a few close friends that he goes out with a couple times a month, but it's a boys night out. Two of his friends aren't married and neither even have a girlfriend. The other two are married but live a couple hours away and I've never met their wives, in fact I've only met them once.
I also suffer from social anxiety. I have a very hard time talking to new people. I can't go out to eat with new people. I'm also a little over weight and very self conscience about it.

[cloverfdx]

A dog Obedience class may be a great idea, especially if you are having doggy problems. Alot of my friends i have met either at the park (Fellow dog walkers) and at our dog club. Is there someone from school you have not talked to in a while, maybe look them up and give them a call.

Hmmm i will get back to you on this one.