Friendship

Isn't making friends weird?  Especially as an adult?  Not talking about facebook friends, but friends who actually mutually want to associate with each other outside of the place they met?

So finding people to talk to at work who don't hate you is easy.

In order to classify as a friendship, let's suppose the following conditions must exist:
1) You actually get along.
2) Person 1 invites Person 2 to do something.
3) Person 2 invites Person 1 to do something.
4) You talk about more than the venue where you met (i.e., work/school/church).
5) Repeat

However, let's suppose the following rule is true:
You don't have to be friends with somebody you don't want to be friends with (an old friend told me this a few years ago).  So how do you know that both sides actually want to be friends, and one isn't just going along with it to be nice?

On the flip side, you typically have to be a friend to make friends, or rather, you have to go out of your way to make the first step.

On the other hand, suppose somebody makes the first step toward friendship with you, but you don't want to?  Aaaawkward.

On the other other hand, everybody needs a friend.  So are you going to turn your back on them?   Duhn-duhn-duhn.  (Yes, I know nobody's said that since 2007.)  Unless they're a complete jerk.........

Let's also suppose the following is true, which isn't necessarily true being a married adult with children:
You have time for friends.  They have time for you.  So just because you don't have time for each other does that mean you wouldn't have otherwise been good friends?

So put all of these things together, and it's no surprise that since school, you haven't made more than a handful of new friends.

Of course, if you don't waste your time writing dumb blogs, you might have time after all.

scarves

I just started wearing scarves in public.  How the devil are you supposed to wear it and still look fashionable for a guy?

Mind you, the one I'm wearing is probably a girly scarf anyway.

But I settled on the "Slip knot" approach for now.  Who cares, anyway, so long as it keeps you warm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X14XKtZzfw

Band Concerts

Went to a Middle School band concert tonight - 4 of my 6 boy scouts (4/5 if you don't count the one who doesn't live in the boundaries anymore) are in the band.  It was pretty good.

I went to my wife's band concert last week (she teaches elementary school band).  They do good for what they have - a total of 20 kids in each band, compared to the MS's ~100.

I also had the kids at the concert last week, but I didn't have to shush them as much as normal, but still biting nails every time they moved.  Therefore the following isn't quite as true as it used to be:

Taking kids to 5 Guys is to taking kids to band concerts as going to 5 Guys alone is to going to band concerts alone.  The first time we went to 5 Guys was "how fast can we get out of here" vs. "wow, this is actually an enjoyable experience".

Gathering

Aaaacccccccckkk!  I have a social gathering every day this week.  Once in a while, it's good, but I may get overwhelmed by the end of the week.

Last night we had a neighborhood gathering for Christmas.  I don't do so well in large settings, because I never really get a chance to participate, being a somewhat quieter person.

Tonight, we had two couples from our neighborhood over for dinner with the kids, and we just sat and talked while the kids watched a movie or played Mario Kart.  That was a bit of fun, but there's more to go.....