offshoot of 2am friends, is it harder..

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by cotten

I see friends as a series of concentric circles. I have lots of friends in the outer circles, and they are real friends. They are just not in the inner circles. In that innermost circle, there is only my wife, son and daughter-in-law, and our two granddaughters. I don't think this is strange. On the contrary, I am blessed!

cotten

That’s an interesting way of looking at it, John. Same applies to me.

[marty bradbury]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Deal. Trade for young hotshot guitar players too dumb to know they're giving a lesson while we "jam." Know any?

Lol, I'll look around

[marty bradbury]

Originally Posted by cotten

I see friends as a series of concentric circles. I have lots of friends in the outer circles, and they are real friends. They are just not in the inner circles. In that innermost circle, there is only my wife, son and daughter-in-law, and our two granddaughters. I don't think this is strange. On the contrary, I am blessed!

cotten

Yes you are

[Bob Womack]

Like cotten, I've got my wfe, my grown kids and their wives, two dogs, and a bunch of casual friends at work. Every once in a while I wish I had someone to go to classic rock concerts with, but really, I'm good.

Bob

[Neil K Walk]

If anything, with social media and smart phones it's easier to connect with old friends and form significant relationships with others - even if they fall more in the vein of "pen pals" from Days of Old.

From what I can see through social media such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, etc. feelings of "connection" abound - though IMO a little Baby Boomer/Gen X cynicism are necessary to temper a love fest that is permeated with perverts and pedophiles.

It's a different world, but it isn't quite going to Hell in a handbasket - even if I feel there is a DIRE need to address inadequacies in mental health circles. Motivational speakers seem to be the modern day equivalent/anagram of Jimmy Swaggart. I sense that another bubble is awaiting to pop.

[PorkPieGuy]

I have my family, church friends, and band mates.

I have all the friends I can handle at the moment, and I don't see any of the people above nearly enough.

[Swamp Yankee]

I never been all that gregarious - certainly I did more socializing when I was younger, but even then I sought out a lot of alone time. Whether I was heading off to go fishing or hunting, I was always getting away from other people whenever I got a chance.

Luckily, my wife is much the same. We get along fine - both being introverts - and we spend most of our time together, both of us working together out of our home to run the small business we own.

We do get some in socializing in a wider circle during the camping season. We own a 39' RV which is set up on a permanent site in a campground on a major river which is about a 40 minute drive from our home. Weekends there are party central - if we care to join in. But there are a core group of friends I have there that are "seasonals" like my wife and I, and over the years we've developed relationships that are strong enough that we keep in touch somewhat throughout the year.

But even there at the campground, I can only socialize so long before I want to be on my own again. So I'll head off onto the water in one of my canoes, or kayaks, or rowing skiffs, or my sailboat. The camper also serves well as a place for me to get away from my wife ... seriously, this is important for me no matter how strong our relationship is.

I have noticed that it's not harder for me to make friends at my age (60) but certainly I don't feel the same desire to do so as I did when I was 25.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

Do you find it harder to make friends? I'm 61 and will say for me it is harder to make friends now than it was when I was younger. I have no age discrepancy when it comes to friends. I have friends in early 20's and up, but still find it harder now. You?

I'm nearly 64. I find harder to make the effort to make new friends. When we were young we just hung out ... day and night ... rehearsals, gigs, chasin' skirts, whatever. We had ready made circles ... school, work, bands, etc.

Not so much anymore, although I'm still actively gigging. I suppose, too, that my definition of "friend" is quite a bit more well defined these days.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

Do you find it harder to make friends? I'm 61 and will say for me it is harder to make friends now than it was when I was younger. I have no age discrepancy when it comes to friends. I have friends in early 20's and up, but still find it harder now. You?

I haven't tried. Being a loner who enjoys doing things that do not involve other people makes it difficult for me to say that friends are actually wanted. I play guitar, oil paint, kayak, build R/C airplanes, and otherwise stay quite involved with household maintenance chores. This weekend I'll be changing the torsion springs on my garage door and then put a finish coat of stucco on an exterior wall in prep for painting in the warmer days ahead. Then there's the raking of the mess a Live Oak tree doesn't mind depositing daily. I'm 62. The only time I remember being engaged socially was during a stint in the military but that was more esprit de corps driven than any other motivating factor. I would not have invited any of those nutsy fagans to my house for dinner, but now that I think of it the feeling was probably mutual. I never did make much of a fuss over making friends, though.

[ThermiteTermite]

Not harder for me, I just feel less inclined to do so.

[SpiderTrap]

Friends or Aquaintances, not the same thing . I have 3 close friends who live in other FL Cities. Ret at 50 and moved to nice quiet neighborhood in Clermont off the beaten path . I've seen people come and go , Some move in and within a week there are dozens of cars at their house, cars and people coming and going , NO WAY I could take that . These Are Aquaintances as I DOUBT Someone from Missouri could be here 3 weeks and have hundreds of " Friends " . A few Neighbors are friendly but that's about it . Need to find someone to porch jam with once a week or so , but never know, may get a LATCH ON Crazy and I dont need THAT . Others lock their doors and hide , guess they're on Facebook or something ..Telling people every second where they are which I do not understand IM Not on Facebook , This is the only forum I Attend .Always been a loner . and was referred to in a bar once by a Brit chick , as " Quite the oddball " Maybe true ... No Bros / no sist . As some I know have had BAD BLOOD with Relatives, I certainly am thankful I missed that ?!