I tend to hermit.
I have limits on how much social interaction that I can usually handle. Pre-kids, I’d just make sure that I drove myself to whatever was going on, so that I’d always have the ability to leave if I needed to. After kids, most of my social interaction buffer was eaten up by trying to keep up with the constant barrage of interaction that kids require. The idea that I needed to go out and spend time with more people, instead of going out as a way to get a break from all of the people in the house… inconceivable!
I’ve made some attempts to combat the hermit urge over the last few years, but I haven’t been consistently successful. There was the get together at my house, then there was the Round Table at the bar… Single events that didn’t form a pattern. I lapsed back into hermit mode.
Then came my trip to Cleveland. I’d actually been feeling the need to go down there and visit, instead of having to force myself. I wanted to catch up and visit and get input and feel that being creative could be an actual career, and all the things that are great about visiting with Gil.
When I was invited to my friend Mike‘s birthday party in Frankenmuth, I felt the same way. This was something that was outside of our normal operating budget, and so I used a babysitting gift certificate that I’d gotten for Christmas, sold a nearly-working netbook that was collecting dust, and we were on our way! It was amazing to see Mike, Erica, Mike R. and his wife and daughter, Sara, and to meet Erica’s friend from OMG way back. My only regret is that we had a sitter stopwatch, so we had to leave right after the meal. It would have been nice to visit my brother and my grandmother, who both live very near there, but I will take what I can get.
I’m hoping that this desire to reconnect continues, but I’m terrified of jinxing it.
Let’s recap!
Though we’re all past our LARPing days, we still can’t resist talking about our characters.
I did not eat six hundred chickens, no matter what they’re saying on Facebook.
OMG I drive a family car!
Does anyone want that last piece of chicken before we ask for more? Yeah, Mike does.
Serious girl is serious.
Mike really did eat six hundred chickens.
My wife and I tend to hermit as well.
Maybe we should meet someplace for D&D sometime. We’re in Novi, but are familiar with Lansing (both MSU grads)
Rob (Trebor1415 from LJ and I also “know” you from Penguicon)
I hear you, I have become such a home body and I used to thrive on social interaction. I get together with some of my non working female friends once a week but that’s about it. I want to get out and make new friends and have other social outlets, but it doesn’t seem to be happening. Maybe its something that happens to all of us as we get older?
I also have a tendency to ‘hermit’ and have found that in the digital age, one of the best things I can say to myself is ‘put down the mouse and get out of the house!’ Corny, I realize, but just getting out and going to watch people at the park/grocery store/whatever is a helpful thing for me.
Excited to read about your enjoyment of sunlight :)