In a post pandemic world do you feel you're "out there" socially as much as you were before? Or are you more distant/mistrusting of others based on it?

More family orientated.

It has less to do with a pandemic, and more to do with having a child.

I've been more social in the past year than I have since my years as a student. That's because I moved alone to a bigger city and wanted to meet people so I started attending events, now I have a couple of friend groups that I meet regularly.

Definitely more social, but not necessarily because I want to. Kids sports means I see the same parents every week and chatting happens and we compare notes and schools and programs.

I'm keeping our friendship group together as without me most of them would just stop seeing people (re bad for mental health).

My wife and I are taking turns going out every Tuesday for trivia with our old team. It's nice because the taproom that it happens at closes at 9.

I'm much less social. Before pandemic I was in the office 5 days a week, now 1 day. I try to do something social with friends at least once a month, but honestly I REALLY enjoy staying home. All my stuff is here.

Plus iron maiden can sit in her sweats and be braless at home. Stupid social conventions doesn't allow me to wear sweat pants to work or out in public if it's not a weekend.

I miss working from home.

@ Foos , Coincidentally, I happen to be wearing sweatpants today. Usually I wear pj pants. Never braless though. I sometimes even wear one to bed. Gravity is a bitch.

I'm in the office tomorrow though so I actually have to wear going out clothes. :thumbsdown:  Thurs/Fri I'm on a Zoom training in which I have to have my camera on so I have to look good from the waist up. Next week I'm in Vegas so I've got one and half weeks of wearing clean/nicer clothing, doing my hair and makeup. I think it's been 6 months since I did that for a week straight. My last vacay.

I'm on a journey of discovery following my ADHD diagnosis and I have learnt that my behaviour of forgetting people exist for months at a time is a thing...

My response time for texts is either 30 seconds or 30 days, nothing in the middle

iron maiden nice! Where are you staying in Vegas? Mrs Foos is going on Wednesday, coming home Saturday night. She needs a break from the kids. She was originally going to go on her own, to have as much peace and quiet that she wanted, but made the mistake of telling some of her friends. So now two of her friends (both childless) are coming. They promised not to want to do too much. Even though we haven't been since January 2020, she had enough MLife pull to get a room comped, and $350 in resort credits for a mostly free stay at the Nomad (top 3 floors of Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo). Good on her. I'm supposed to go a trip, but none of my friends have the money or desire, and my brother just doesn't want to. Mrs Foos also went to Cuba about a year ago with her bestie, so now I have two trips in the bag to take sometime, and do something.

Anyone want to work on their social bonds and do a trip with Foos?

Apr 16, 2024 1:11:02 GMT Foos said:

iron maiden nice! Where are you staying in Vegas? Mrs Foos is going on Wednesday, coming home Saturday night. She needs a break from the kids. She was originally going to go on her own, to have as much peace and quiet that she wanted, but made the mistake of telling some of her friends. So now two of her friends (both childless) are coming. They promised not to want to do too much. Even though we haven't been since January 2020, she had enough MLife pull to get a room comped, and $350 in resort credits for a mostly free stay at the Nomad (top 3 floors of Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo). Good on her. I'm supposed to go a trip, but none of my friends have the money or desire, and my brother just doesn't want to. Mrs Foos also went to Cuba about a year ago with her bestie, so now I have two trips in the bag to take sometime, and do something.

Anyone want to work on their social bonds and do a trip with Foos?

Where do you want to go?

Those are some good comps - does she have status at MGM?

Gyro LC before kids when we were going regularly (3ish times per year), yes, some sort of status. We stayed at the Bellagio primarily, got limos to the hotel, VIP checkin, access to the VIP lounge, comped rooms, like $500 resort credit, $500 free play. Just great benefits. We've heard anecdotally that it hasn't been the same post-pandemic, but can't really comment not being there.

Only thing I'd really want to do is probably go to a city with an NFL team to watch a game that I haven't been to before, drink local beers, eat bbq food most likely. Do whatever touristy random thing is there. Nothing fancy.

It pays to build loyalty with a chain

I'm platinum with Accor and IHG
Normally get a room upgrade, late check out, drinks credit.

I've just replaced school/college friends group with the football group & people I work with who are cool in and outside work group.

The school friends are easy to drop off, when you lose contact and such. College erm....hmm.... they just seemed to have never matured, or you know.....I never really had any of the same interests as them....I guess it was only playing Halo that kept us in contact.



The ads & lasses I meet up with for pints before and after the matches are great, one of the lads was great to talk to during and post-lockdown, helped with my mental health a bit, knowing he has went through his own personal demons and such. Helps he's a sound dude as well....for a Rangers fan. (There's one for you Glasgow Celtic fans out there).

The current group of friends I have from work are cool, ages range from 21 to 42, and it's a weird bunch of friends but absolutely hilarious.

I used to hate going anywhere with my Dad as a kid, as whe he ran errands we'd run into 5 different people he knew and they'd all end up having a 20 minute conversation. And what should have been a 1 hour aide quest, just became 3.

I find myself in that dame dynamic. Everyday I run into people and have those same same conversations.

Is that how things work as an adult, having a network of acquaintances and old friends that randomly pop up?

Apr 17, 2024 1:16:21 GMT NATH45 said:

I find myself in that dame dynamic. Everyday I run into people and have those same same conversations.

Oh believe me, we know.

I'm probably out there more. I used to be a trail running guy. Out in the woods, alone. Now I'm a pickleball guy. Socially chasing a whiffle ball with others

Apr 17, 2024 11:46:16 GMT theend said:

I'm probably out there more. I used to be a trail running guy. Out in the woods, alone. Now I'm a pickleball guy. Socially chasing a whiffle ball with others

When it first got popular I was a pickleball sceptic, but they built some courts next to our office and since playing it I am totally converted. It's the perfect mix of being a little bit athletic but also ripe for sledging each other.

I think I need to learn about pickleball, sounds interesting and I think I am white and nerdy enough.

Apr 16, 2024 1:11:02 GMT Foos said:

iron maiden nice! Where are you staying in Vegas? Mrs Foos is going on Wednesday, coming home Saturday night. She needs a break from the kids. She was originally going to go on her own, to have as much peace and quiet that she wanted, but made the mistake of telling some of her friends. So now two of her friends (both childless) are coming. They promised not to want to do too much. Even though we haven't been since January 2020, she had enough MLife pull to get a room comped, and $350 in resort credits for a mostly free stay at the Nomad (top 3 floors of Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo). Good on her. I'm supposed to go a trip, but none of my friends have the money or desire, and my brother just doesn't want to. Mrs Foos also went to Cuba about a year ago with her bestie, so now I have two trips in the bag to take sometime, and do something.

Anyone want to work on their social bonds and do a trip with Foos ?

The wedding guests/party is split between Luxor and Excalibur (for the most part) and I've already stayed at Luxor, so Excalibur it is. I know it's cheap, but I care not. There's a bed, shower and I don't plan to spend a lot of time in my room. 

I fly in Sunday evening. Monday evening we have the Buck/Doe party from 6pm-1am. We're going to The Nerd bar. I'll fit right in. I'm sure all the girlies will be dressed up in their finest and I'll be wearing my Star Wars shirt. :lol: Tuesday I'm off to the Grand Canyon and Weds is the wedding. Home Thursday. 

I'd gladly do a trip with you Foos but Vegas is my last trip until Oct 2026 due to school.

Apr 18, 2024 4:04:29 GMT iron maiden said:

Apr 16, 2024 1:11:02 GMT Foos said:

iron maiden nice! Where are you staying in Vegas? Mrs Foos is going on Wednesday, coming home Saturday night. She needs a break from the kids. She was originally going to go on her own, to have as much peace and quiet that she wanted, but made the mistake of telling some of her friends. So now two of her friends (both childless) are coming. They promised not to want to do too much. Even though we haven't been since January 2020, she had enough MLife pull to get a room comped, and $350 in resort credits for a mostly free stay at the Nomad (top 3 floors of Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo). Good on her. I'm supposed to go a trip, but none of my friends have the money or desire, and my brother just doesn't want to. Mrs Foos also went to Cuba about a year ago with her bestie, so now I have two trips in the bag to take sometime, and do something.

Anyone want to work on their social bonds and do a trip with Foos ?

The wedding guests/party is split between Luxor and Excalibur (for the most part) and I've already stayed at Luxor, so Excalibur it is. I know it's cheap, but I care not. There's a bed, shower and I don't plan to spend a lot of time in my room. 

I fly in Sunday evening. Monday evening we have the Buck/Doe party from 6pm-1am. We're going to The Nerd bar. I'll fit right in. I'm sure all the girlies will be dressed up in their finest and I'll be wearing my Star Wars shirt. :lol: Tuesday I'm off to the Grand Canyon and Weds is the wedding. Home Thursday. 

I'd gladly do a trip with you Foos but Vegas is my last trip until Oct 2026 due to school.

Check out Secret Pizza at the Cosmo, if you can find it.

If I have time I sure will. There's 50 people going and I know a good bunch of them, so I might be a casualty to herd mentality and gin.

During and soon after the pandemic, many of my friends got married and/or had kids and/or moved away, so a bunch left and most of the ones who stayed became homebodies. We all say "we should hang out more! Let's plan to plan something" and well y'know

So probably less social than before, and for some reason I haven't felt super motivated to change this. Meeting people at the gym, but keeping those mostly gym buddies and I've never been the type to go to places and strike up conversations with strangers.