Hoth
1
I usually blog on SAS, but since they've obliterated their blogs I think I'll try here.
I guess if this is supposed to be my personal story, I should start from the beginning. That'd be sometime in late 1979 when I was a zygote and blissfully unaware of socializing. In the middle of the next year I emerged into the world, immediately felt overwhelmed and thought it best to keep things simple by not communicating any more than necessary. That strategy persisted for the following 25 years. Then 14 years of trying to learn how to socialize, with mixed results. A year off for COVID. And that brings you up to date.
So, last weekend was my first real social test in ages. Saturday I visited my parents indoors for the first time since 2019, and saw my sister and her husband for the first time since 2019. I was nervous on the way there, but it went well and I came away with a new houseplant. Sunday was my first meetup since last March and first softball game and first visit to the city since 2019. I didn't really initiate conversations, but that's okay, all went well. And on Monday there was the social challenge of talking to CVS people to get my vaccination shot, which also went well.
From here, my conundrum is whether/when to restart the two meetup groups I used to run: a social anxiety group, and a hiking group for which I was only able to host one meetup before the pandemic. The social anxiety group makes me less anxious to ponder (ironically?), but the hiking group would require a lot less driving and time commitment and is a more natural fit for doing everything outdoors and distanced. I think I'll give it a few weeks before I make any decisions. At any rate, it's good to have opportunities again. Maybe this is the year I make a legit local friend, or at least add some fulfilling interactions and fun diversions to my life.
I guess if this is supposed to be my personal story, I should start from the beginning. That'd be sometime in late 1979 when I was a zygote and blissfully unaware of socializing. In the middle of the next year I emerged into the world, immediately felt overwhelmed and thought it best to keep things simple by not communicating any more than necessary. That strategy persisted for the following 25 years. Then 14 years of trying to learn how to socialize, with mixed results. A year off for COVID. And that brings you up to date.
So, last weekend was my first real social test in ages. Saturday I visited my parents indoors for the first time since 2019, and saw my sister and her husband for the first time since 2019. I was nervous on the way there, but it went well and I came away with a new houseplant. Sunday was my first meetup since last March and first softball game and first visit to the city since 2019. I didn't really initiate conversations, but that's okay, all went well. And on Monday there was the social challenge of talking to CVS people to get my vaccination shot, which also went well.
From here, my conundrum is whether/when to restart the two meetup groups I used to run: a social anxiety group, and a hiking group for which I was only able to host one meetup before the pandemic. The social anxiety group makes me less anxious to ponder (ironically?), but the hiking group would require a lot less driving and time commitment and is a more natural fit for doing everything outdoors and distanced. I think I'll give it a few weeks before I make any decisions. At any rate, it's good to have opportunities again. Maybe this is the year I make a legit local friend, or at least add some fulfilling interactions and fun diversions to my life.