No more sitting home alone!

I am surprised every night that no one comes and knocks on my door and asks if I would like some company! I am surprised that no one I know calls me or texts me and asks me to go out to dinner each night. I am surprised that when I am walking down the street (ok, I never walk down a street) no stranger walks up to me and strikes up a conversation. I'm really in truly not surprised, I'm really surprised that I sit home waiting for those things to happen! When I teach students that are learning English I tell them the most important thing to do is to get out of their house. I tell them no one will come knock on their door asking them if they want to practice English, and if they do then they should SLAM the door shut. I deal with people in schools almost every day and then come home and sit alone watching tv or writing this blog. This year I will change that. I will start using www.meetup.com groups to do what they are designed to do, get people together that wouldn't otherwise meet.

From the first day of this year I have started finding groups that like to do things I want to do. On New Years Eve I went to my first NYE party with a meetup group. In fact, it included 3 or 4 different groups and there were over 100 people. I ran into 3 people I know and met some very pretty women. I didn't get any numbers or dates, but I was just getting my feet wet. I then attended a new group that is into photography and I learned a little more about my camera, no women but it was fun and entertaining. I went with the idea of knowing more so I could take better pictures on the cruise I'm going on and mission accomplished.

I belong to a meetup group for English language learners where I teach a class once a week when I'm not working on weekends. I started arranging activities with that group so we all can do things together. Last week we went ballroom dancing, this week we are going to a great barbecue place, and soon we will go to the movies or go bowling. I have been a member of a board game group for many years and we have a yearly poker game tournament where I have come in third place for the past 3 years. That tournament plays games once a month. I want to join a couple of other groups, maybe a running group, maybe a volunteer group, maybe a toastmaster group and do one or two things a week.

I have started running every day again and will start my 5K races again soon. I will take hold of my life and make it what I want. In the past I took ballroom dancing classes 3 or 4 nights a week and I really enjoyed that. I refuse to sit home alone every night this year. Tomorrow I hit the road again and I might join meetup groups in other cities sometimes. I am excited about this year and what it has to offer.