As part of my “be more social in 2012” plan, I spent some time with friends this past weekend.
I don’t want people thinking I’m a complete recluse, but it’s often easier for me to be introverted than to deal with even the trace amounts of social anxiety I get. It’s also harder for me to be social when I’m not feeling well, and in hindsight, 2011 was not a feel good year for me, even when I started trying to get healthier.
The beginning of this year sees me feeling much better in general, physically, emotionally, and mentally…all factors that play into me being a more social person.
This past weekend brought Drunken DnD, where my fellow gamer friends and I got together for some gaming (incidentally, not DnD) and some drinks. My heavy party days are behind me, but I had enough to relax and have fun without doing anything embarrassing or having to take up couch space. Unfortunately, I tend to relax a little too much…I get sleepy and zone out really easily. However, I have some hilarious friends, so there was no way I was going to fall asleep.
There was a little bit of “fun” business on Sunday when I went to a local gaming convention meeting. I helped with the con a few years ago, then took a break for various reasons. I decided this year to get back into it and help out, and the first meeting was good. I’m still not sure what the dates are going to be, but we have some good ideas and I get to plan some discussion panels and seminars. Plus, I’ll probably get to run a game at the con itself, which will help me stretch my DM fingers again.
After watching several episode of “The IT Crowd” with a friend that afternoon, I attended the local SnB Knitting Group for the first time since it started. Like any new situation, it was slightly awkward, but the people were nice and I made some good progress on the blanket that I’m determined to have done by the end of February. I wasn’t overly thrilled with the local donut shop it was held at, but I’m not really a fan of donuts (I had one because I was hungry, but they’re never my first choice of snack). Or small chairs that are not made for a larger rear end, such as my own. Still, I’m probably going to go again, maybe even next Sunday after we get home from Wichita.
As with the other areas of my life I’m trying to balance, I want to find a good medium between friend time and alone time. I feel like I’ve been a little extreme on either end in the past, but like anything else, it doesn’t necessarily have to be an all or nothing issue.
Even in terms of balance, this past weekend was good.
The Romance Factor 