Socializing

[oobiecoo]

Just wondering...

How many really close friends do you have?

Do you have a "group" that you hang out with regularly?

How do you meet new friends?

 

[joflier]

Ya know, I''m just too darn busy to meet new people. DH does a lot of social networking, so I meet alot of his friends. I really only have about 2 or 3 really close friends that I see or communicate with regularly, and a number of good friends, but whom I''m not in regular touch with. When we got out, dh and I usually hang with his brother and SIL.

 

[~*Snow*~]

Oobiecoo:
Great topic, felt like we were kind of highjacking the other thread.

My "group" pretty much consistes of my sister and sisters in laws. Family should always come first, and i love them all and we all get along great, and i know they aren''t going to ditch me. And we are all pretty my the same age. My sister and I are the exact same ages as my two sister in laws ( by mere days!) so we are a really good group.

As to meeting new friends... oh my... i really don''t know... I used to meet people through other people, but they all ended up being not the best kind of people.. Work has helped alittle bit, meet one person who''s roughly my age and we get along great and have hung out outside of work a few times.. but it''s really hard to meet quality people like you said in the other thread.. i''m looking forward to other people''s reply''s!!!

 

[dragonfly411]

I have many friends scattered throughout different groups. I don''t have one group I hang out with regularly, and besides my boyfriend and my mother I don''t have a best friend.

 

[littlelysser]

I've always been really lucky in life when it comes to friends. I really know how to pick them!

We had 55 people at our wedding and I would say that 40 of them were our good friends and their spouses. They came from all over the U.S. Although I don't have a group, I tend to keep friends forever...so my pals all know each other...

So I guess I'd say I have a lot of good friends. People we do stuff with on a regular basis. Folks I keep in regular touch with or have known forever and just love to bits.

I'd say I have a handful super close, "best friends" if that makes sense. People who I speak to often, who mean the world to me and/or are just like family. Folks I'd drop anything for if they needed it and folks who I know would do the same for me. I probably only see my bestie from high school a couple times a year, but when we visit we pick up exactly where we left off - really she's family.

I made most of them while I was in school (high school, college, law school) and a few at various jobs I've had.

In the city where we live now, I have a number of close friends and we often do stuff together...but, save one, my closest friends live out of town.

 

[Tuckins1]

I used to have a lot of casual friends and we hung out in big groups... As I get older I find that my circle of friends is getting smaller, but more intimate. I like it so much better because I can truly trust my friends and love them dearly, like family. I don''t have time to mess around with people that I "kind-of sort-of" like.

 

[deegee]

I have three really close friends. I had a really fun group of people I hung out with until one of them got married and moved far away. Some of the other people in the group had children recently, so our little group doesn''t really go out much anymore. It makes me sad. We are all around the same age, and we were all couples so we did lots of things together. A few of us still try, but it''s not the same.

 

[oobiecoo]

I have to say that most of the responses on here have surprised me. I guess it just seems like everyone around me has their "group" who they go out with every friday night or whatever and I was kind of feeling weird because I don''t have that. I hang out with DH and his huge family alot because most of them are really great. One of his sisters is a really close friend of mine. They are scattered across the state though so I guess we hang out with some of them once a month or so.

 

[tenfour]

Date: 8/29/2008 6:39:48 PM
Author: oobiecoo
I have to say that most of the responses on here have surprised me. I guess it just seems like everyone around me has their ''group'' who they go out with every friday night or whatever and I was kind of feeling weird because I don''t have that. I hang out with DH and his huge family alot because most of them are really great. One of his sisters is a really close friend of mine. They are scattered across the state though so I guess we hang out with some of them once a month or so.

i don''t have a group either. my best friend of 20+ years lives about an hour away and i try to see him a lot. my guy and i usually hang out together every day (pretty easy to do since we live together).

 

[Miranda]

I don''t really have a group of regulars that I (we) hang out with. I have many different hats I wear and have friends within all of those categories. I have a few good friends that I do things with and talk to on a regular basis. I meet new people all the time. Mostly because we moved to a new area and meet parents of my kids'' friends all the time. DH started working for a new company in March and has made a few friends there.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Having a baby is like a first class ticket to new friendships. Seriously. A woman at the airport wanted to exchange numbers for a playdate. We also hang out with some of our neighbors. DH has a fair number of friends that live here from middle school/high school (which is shocking since we live in a different state) so they are also who we socialize with.

 

[Skippy123]

How many really close friends do you have? I have been lucky over the years and just somehow kept some really good friends, some friends move on but others stick around. I had a close friend from college ask me to be her daughters godmother which was so sweet! I try to make time for my friends. I think it takes a little effort for both parties. I feel pretty lucky to be able to call up an old friend if I want to chat or just meet for lunch.

Do you have a 'group' that you hang out with regularly? We use to have a group we would hang out regularly but 2 of the sets of couples got in a silly disagreement so oh well, the parties were fun, but what are you going to do. Also some of them are starting to have kids so it because a little difficult to meet up at restaurants but we do go over to each others house. In fact next weekend I am having 2 couples I adore over and their kiddos! hehe

How do you meet new friends? I guess I am pretty friendly (amiable type personality), I sort of test the waters before I suggest doing things. Also, I am pretty laid back in general so it makes it easy and not too intense to be friends with me, at least I think so. hehe I also have been lucky to make good friends with people at work, college, the gym, sewing class, etc.

eta: Tacori, I have lots of friends who say kids help parents gain friends!!

 

[shimmer]

I don''t have any friends, just family and FI. In fact, I haven''t gone out w/ friends since high school (26 now)! Geez, I sound like a freak.

My sisters and I are really close though, we hang out about once a week. I had really messed up friendships growing up, so I just decided they were not worth it...better to have other interests. Also, I live in a (small) town with either college kids, seniors, or uber religious. Not many with the same goals and interests I have in life.

I remember reading in a book that you should socialize/associate yourself with people who are more successful than you. Here those are the 50+ yr olds (also all of my coworkers are 50+) and there just aren''t a whole lot of them lining up to be friends with someone my age

. Oh well.

 

[iheartscience]

1. How many really close friends do you have?

One! I have a best friend who I can talk to about seriously everything and I met her at my current job when I started 4 years ago. (I''m also very close to my twin sister, but I don''t count her since she''s family!) I''ve never had a lot of close friends, actually. Even in middle school and high school I only ever had one or two really good friends. My twin sister has always had more good friends than me! I don''t really connect with a lot of people for some reason.

2. Do you have a "group" that you hang out with regularly?

I do, actually. I have several groups of people who I am not close with but I do hang out with them from time to time. They''re fun but I just don''t have that connection with them that I do with my best friend.

3. How do you meet new friends?

The only way I''ve made new friends is through work and through soccer. (I play on several teams and it''s a great way to meet lots of new people.)

 

[SarahLovesJS]

How many really close friends do you have?: Not many..mostly my family and FI. That''s it. I have people I talk to and sometimes hang out with, but I don''t know if I would consider them close.


Do you have a ''group'' that you hang out with regularly?: Kind of..but not regularly. More like occasionally. I am pretty busy and lazy.

I''d like to hang out with people more..there'' just only so much time in the day and I like being at home.


How do you meet new friends?: Mostly in classes, but sometimes I meet people randomly. FI has a really hard time meeting people since he goes from work to home and that''s pretty much it.

He says he doesn''t get lonely since he has a few friends to talk to and he has me, but I worry about it sometimes.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Funny you ask this; Paul and I were just talking about it the other day.

It seems like all of my "closest" friends who I have to call when something happens in my life, or who I just "have to talk to" for no reason at all, remain my college friends. We are scattered all over the place now, but I thank God for cell phones!

Since we married, a lot of Paul''s friends have become mine, but I don''t consider them my "close" friends, if that makes sense.

I have one close friend at work. It was a true blessing when she came into that environment; I was almost nuts working with people with whom I just had no connection, really.

The other place where "close" friends come from for me has been church. I think when you share a common bond in any area, it makes for a good friend being a possibility.

The thing is, it seems like the older you get, the harder it is to make new friends. Kind of like we get set in our ways, don''t really "mix it up" much anymore, and we''re always around the same people.

We were hoping to make close friends with our neighbors when we moved; that hasn''t happened yet. They''re friendly, but we don''t go hang out or anything like that. Which leads back to college--- your neighbors were automatically friends back then.

Aww... for the "good ol'' days."

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Date: 8/29/2008 9:27:36 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Having a baby is like a first class ticket to new friendships. Seriously. A woman at the airport wanted to exchange numbers for a playdate. We also hang out with some of our neighbors. DH has a fair number of friends that live here from middle school/high school (which is shocking since we live in a different state) so they are also who we socialize with.

I have noticed this, too. It''s like when a family has a baby or child and they come to our church, they know everyone instantly, where as when we came, we slowly met people.

It''s also possibly because of our age range (late 20s, early 30s) where so many couples have kids by this time, it''s like an instant connection that we just don''t have yet with others. Common experiences create friendships. I mean, I''ll listen and sympathize with the stories about spit up and midnight feedings, but I don''t really know because I''ve not done it yet.

 

[HollyS]

I''m of the ''slightly older'' crowd here on PS, and I think it''s a little different having a circle of friends at this age. When I was younger, I had a group I hung out with, mostly work related. We planned and did things together; and had impromptu parties, etc. I think that changes as you age because we get busier. Between more demanding jobs, sometimes children, sometimes civic or church activities and responsibilities, free time is less plentiful. And, maybe I speak just for me here, but I want to spend my free time with the hubby.

A number of the people I was friends with in my twenties, I''m still friends with now. We just don''t see each other, socially, on a really regular basis. We are all very busy. But, we have a great time when we do get together.

 

[ladypirate]

How many really close friends do you have?

I have a couple of really good friends from high school and a group of really close friends from college. I've made a couple of close friends since then, as well. So I guess...around 12? 4 of them live in Portland (or within an hour) and another one lives in Seattle. The rest are scattered around the world. I have a much larger circle of people who are friends but not necessarily "really close", more just people who I talk to on a regular basis and enjoy spending time with.

Do you have a 'group' that you hang out with regularly?

I have a couple--we do weekly meetups with one group on Tuesdays and another group on Thursdays and then we usually see people on the weekends as well.

How do you meet new friends?

I meet people through activities, usually. I just signed up for a Scrabble meetup group, so I'm pretty excited about that. I also swing dance, so I'm starting to meet people who are in that scene here in Portland.
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[canuk-gal]

HI:

As a person and as part of a couple, we have always enjoyed the company of but a few close friends. Have tons of acquaintences tho......and we do socialize together, but not with the same frequency as with our close group.

My husband has numerous "sports" friends, whom he golfs/plays hockey with, but these people are not part of our social circle. Same goes for me.

Our close circle of friends have arisn from people met through work or volunteering--and have blossomed from there.

I value the time spent alone with my girlfriends--this is a very important part of my life.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Pandora II]

I have one ''best friend'' - my husband - and we nearly always do things together. The only ''boys nights out'' in our circle are stag nights, so normally we go to things together. He''s gone off to play poker tonight - but wanted me to go too, since I took rather a lot of $$ of everyone last week I thought I''d give it a miss this time

.

I have a very large circle of acquantainces and about 6 close friends.

I''m not very good at having friends (I have too many hobbies and I''m selfish with my time), so I have friends who don''t need much upkeep.

I mostly meet people through politics.

 

[Haven]

How many really close friends do you have?
I have four really close friends--my hubby, my sister A, and my two best girlfriends. One has been my BF for 22 years, the other for about 5 years.

Do you have a "group" that you hang out with regularly?
Well, hubby has a "group" of friends that we hang out with regularly, and one of my best girlfriends hangs out with her hubby''s "group" regularly (and we''re often a part of that group) but I don''t have a group of friends myself. My close girlfriends aren''t all friends with each other, I''ve picked them up over the years. (I''d say beyond my two really close friends, I have about five other good friends I talk to and get together with regularly.) I wonder if it''s a gender thing, many of my girlfriends'' husbands or boyfriends have groups of old friends, but I don''t see that as much with women.

How do you meet new friends?
I''ve met most of my adult friends through work or grad school. One is the mother of one of my former students, we met when I scheduled a conference to talk about her son! I''ve also met new friends through other friends, too. Oh, and having a dog is great, we meet the coolest people in pet stores and at the doggy beach.

I''ve found that as I get older my circle of close friends gets smaller and much closer. My two best girlfriends mean the world to me, we tell each other nearly everything, and I feel as if they are a part of my family. I''ve been friends with one of them for 22 years, and while I''ve always called her my "best friend" our friendship has gotten much deeper since we''ve graduated from college.

 

[diamondfan]

I have three really close friends. We socialize in groups and separately. Sometimes I hang with some of their friends and they with my friends, the ones that do not overlap with this group.

I meet people through various means, and I can sort of tell right away if we will likely hit it off. I am open to meeting people where ever and when ever so it makes it nice.

I know tons of people socially and have many acquaintances whom I am happy to see and spend time with at events, but I would not likely call them to hang out or have lunch.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

At 54, I have gone through periods of my life where I have had large amounts of friends, to periods where I don't have any, because they cause so much trouble.

The periods where you don't have any is more much peaceful, but also much more boring.

Somewhere in there must be a happy compromise...

 

[Harriet]

I prefer having a few close friends, rather than groups of acquaintances. I''m rather quiet by nature, although I can simulate being social pretty well.

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 8/29/2008 1:23:55 PM
Author:oobiecoo
Just wondering...

How many really close friends do you have?

Do you have a ''group'' that you hang out with regularly?

How do you meet new friends?

I have one really close "friend" that I normally talk to about things. She''s a bit selfish but she comes through when I really, really need her.

When we want couple time, we hang out with my FI''s best friend and his gf. Other than that we hang out with his cousins.

School was the best way for me to meet friends. I also hang out a lot with my coworkers. When I was younger: clubs.

 

[Linda W]

DH and I know a lot of people, but have a small circle of close, tight friends.

My high school group, we have a blast. DH hit it off with them when we married. We have grown up together, from being young to all of us now turning 59. We love ribbing each other how much we have changed. From the guys being young and handsome, to now being baldish and having beer bellies. From the women being young, to now having crows feet, a few wrinkles and droopy boobs, ha ha ha. We would not trade this group of friends for anything.

I also have a couple of girlfriends that I cherish, that I met when I was 27 and divorced. They lived in the same apartment building as myself. I have remained close friends with them. We get together often.,


Linda

 

[Kaleigh]

DH and I have lots of friends but hang with a close circle. Most of them we met through our kids. Many since Kindergarten, so have been friends for many years, kids are in college for the most part. We have fun dinner parties, dinners out, and always celebrate birthdays. It's a fun group, we love that the guys can play golf, and we do our own fun things. My friends from High school are very much a part of my life too. I adore them!!

We have a another set of friends up in Nantucket, which has been a blast. While we don't see each other most of ther year, once we are there, it doesn't matter. It's like you're here, now come for dinner. I love that!!!