Any seniors looking for association?

by cultBgone 148 Replies latest social relationships

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  talesin

  cultBgone ... I've been thinking about your OP for a while ... there are no meetups here, even though it's the largest city ion the East Coast of Canada ...

  After my divorce at 29 (from my 'worldly' husband), I was so lonely and had no friends (being a born-in and also severely abused child/teen). and absolutely zero social skills. Books were my only friends. Total Social Reject would have described me to a "T". Make friends? How? Really, I had not a clue! So my doctor made a few suggestions, as my depression and loneliness was really getting to a crisis point.

  I made some great friends when I volunteered with Earth Festival. That was only about 6 weeks of the occasional meeting, and then the weekend Festival. What a great time, and as we all had a shared passion, much bonding took place. Hahaha, they used to call me 'The AntiChrist', once they knew my JW background, and my atheist anarchist philosophies.

  If you love music, there may be a local jazz , blues or other kind of festival in your area. That is a short-time commitment ... at the Atlantic Jazz Festival, you can volunteer to work as little as one shift ... and you get to meet lots of folk. As a volunteer and not an organizer, ANY time you give is appreciated, whether it be for security, information desk, you get the drift.

  Volunteering to assist people (hospital, nursing home, youth-at-risk shelter) was more of a commitment, at another time of my life. But you know what I mean, as you have volunteer experience already. The festival volunteering is much more carefree, and doesn't require as much commitment, as your life is so busy right now.

  Another way to meet new people, is through common interests or clubs. I''ve wanted to learn to play bridge for years, as the poster Midwich Cuckoo could tell you (yes, I'm STILL procrastinating on that!), so will be looking for a bridge club next winter. Also, if you like darts or pool, bowling? There is most likely a 'for-fun' league that you could join ,,, one night a week, during the fall/sinter months into early spring tournaments. That can be a great way to meet new folks.

  Also, and don't laugh! I have never done this, but I know a few people (of both genders) who are in their early seniorhood (late 50s. 60s) who LOVE to play BINGO, and have a great social evening there. I don't gamble at all, which is why I've never done it, but sounds like a LOT of fun.
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  Jeannette

  Talesin-----sounds like you are well-balanced. Take the plunge and get involved unless you don't feel comfortable when you go. I'm doing a little in activist work,-trying to undo what I did as a Witness.
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  LisaRose

  You might want to check out Nextdoor, it's social networking for neighborhoods. Once you sign up, you will get emails when your neighbors see suspicious activity, have things to sell, or want to arrange meet ups. Moms can use it to find other moms. You neighbors do not see your email or address. They are forming a walking group in my neighborhood, I am thinking of joining.

  https://nextdoor.com/
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  Phaedra

  :::wanders in:::

  (Look, I know I don't meet certain requirements to join Gracie's Gang, but I have to tell you how it warms my heart to see all of this wise women energy and bonding going on in here!)

  LisaRose, I'm interested in your diet changes.... I've been working on staying away from wheat and sugar, and when I am successful* I feel so good and healthy and sleep so deeply! I have a very physical job now, but didn't used to, so I'm trying to gauge my carb needs and find a happy medium to continue shedding unneeded weight. I don't know much about Paleo (I did read Wheatbelly) and it sounds like they're similar.

  As I get older I can feel how much of a difference my diet makes to my energy levels and well being. A sure sigh-n of aging... so maybe I qualify for this group afterall!

  Phae

  *currently going through an unsuccessful phase.
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  Band on the Run

  When I was younger, I simply could not comprehend being my present age. The older rock stars make me feel young. I am planning to give tours of the Cathedral in New York. Lots of tour groups enter the place but people have to pay for a commercial guide who clearly does not know much about the Cathedral or New York. I would do the official, free Cathedral tour. You are allowed to make up your own tour. Only 4-5 people typically go on these tours. It is down the street from where I went to college.

  One problem I have with volunteering is that I am mostly peripheral. My presence only makes a tad of difference. It is n ot the same as when you are paid. I am grateful I am near major cities now.

  With Meetups in the NY area, I found that I was drawn to walking tours. My ankle was fractured so I may not be able to keep up with a group. This winter was so cold that they are only starting now. I've been looking for a friendly bridge group for decades. When I was in the Witnesses, card playing was not allowed. I have to think what type of card it is. Doing things forbidden as a Witness always appeals to me. I just looked at this post. Giving church tours would not be acceptable for a Witness.

  I wish we could meet in person over coffee and munchies.
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  Jeannette

  Lisa--I joined the site. Now I need to know how to start a thread on this forum....
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  Jeannette

  Phae------there is no age limit. We are just playing and bonding too. I'm the first convert and I say you can join!
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  LisaRose

  If you want to start a thread. Click on Home (upper left corner) then find the category, then click on the sub category. This thread is Social, dating and relationships. If you dont know the category, go to the Home Screen, Under Jehovah's Witnesses select Friends, it's sort of a general category. Then click New Topic at the top of the screen.

  For the paleo diet, I got a book at Costco, called Practical Paleo. It's really great, has a lot of recipes. Great illustrations. They have different variations of the diet depending on your health issues, if any. I gave up wheat a year ago, my bowels just were not working before (hope this is not TMI, but we are on the old lady thread, right?). The doctors said it was my medication, and gave me Miralax, but they were still very sluggish, really they just plain didn't work, it was nothing for days, then ten times a day. I saw a big improvement by giving up wheat. So I got this book, and thought I would try giving up all grains. It did help, as long as I don't cheat I don't even need the Miralax anymore. I thought it would be hard giving up grains, but it really wasn't that bad. You can have starchy vegetables, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, but no beans or legumes.

  They really emphasize eating whole foods, nothing processed, vegetables, meat, coconut oil, olive oil, butter. Nothing from a factory. Milk is allowed if raw unpasteurized milk from grass Fed cows. That doesn't work for me as the stores near me don't carry that, so I just use organic. I am not even eating strictly Paleo, but I feel better and my pants are looser, so I am happy. I don't feel the blood sugar highs and lows that I had before. The book gives a very good description of what happens when you start out with oatmeal for breakfast, all those carbs just set you up on a blood sugar roller coaster, by 10:00 you are hungry and grabbing the easiest thing, which is more carbs. It doesn't have to be that way, have some eggs and meat and you are good until lunch. You don't need to eat five times a day if you are eating right. I thought that was just the way I was, but it was what I was eating. I just thought I had no will power, but if I eat right I have control, even if I get hungry.

  For breakfast this morning I made egg nests. I butter a muffin tin, then put prosciutto inside (ham would work too), sort of criss cross, forming a nest. Then I beat eggs with a little milk and pour into the nest. Add tomatoes if you like. Some seasoning and a sprinkle of herbs and parmesan cheese (not strictly paleo, so sue me). I bake in my toaster over at 350 for about 20 minutes. My husband loves this and it doesnt take five minutes to do.
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  LogCon

  LisaRose said '...I remember when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.'

  My younger brother and me were elbowing each other the whole performance saying, '...looking at that, those women are screaming."

  Now I look at the videos and realize they were just punk teen age girls.

  My wife snuck in to the Vancouver performance, I think in 1964, stood at the front row, screaming her lungs out the whole time, She was 12.
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  Band on the Run

  I was in fifth grade. Those girls in the audience seemed so mature and sophisticated. Now I see the specials such as the recent Grammy one with Paul and Ringo. Oh, now I see why they wrote home about how they could not meet any women. George really wailed back home. They all wrote home. I would think by the Ed Sullivan show they could have afforded a phone call to Liverpool. All the girls would write fan letters during class. We went to see A Hard Day's Note en masse. No one could hear the film b/c of our shreeks.