A thread for those who don’t have friends in real life.

[Showmethefood]

Hi everyone,

I don’t know how to start this thread, so we’ll just go with being plain honest! I’m in my 30s and I don’t have any friends in real life! Of course I have acquaintances/people I can chat to if at certain events - but no real life friends 🙈

It’s really hard to feel accepted for who you are sometimes, and so many of us have to alter our personalities to try and fit into the work environment (or even to fit in with our families). So, I wanted to start a thread for all those who don’t have friends in real life. A place where people can come and leave updates on how their day has gone, how they are feeling, what their interests and hobbies are, and just have a good chat!

So, a little about me:
Im married and have a teenager.
I have a gorgeous cocker spaniel.
Ive almost (one year left) completed my degree in psychology and counselling.
I have just written my first children’s book and am currently in the process of self publishing it.
Im starting a new job in a school this Friday.

Please feel free to join and let’s keep this thread a safe place where we can (hopefully) begin to make some friends and not feel so alone. ❤️

I am in the same situation @deepermining

Sorry to hear that - it sucks!

@Showmethefood thank you for your thread, you are very supportive in your messages and I hope your studies and job are going well. It is one of life's mysteries why some of us find it hard to find friends, despite our best efforts! I'm in my 50's and have a few friends but no one I feel close to who I class as a real friend, apart from DH, who I am grateful for but I would like at least one female close friend or even just someone to enjoy hobbies with.
I joined an evening class last year but it was the usual case of people saying, 'hi let's meet up for coffee' but then constantly ghost if I made any solid attempt to arrange.
On the positive side I at least do enjoy my own company and have lots of hobbies and interest reading,crafting,learning a language (slowly!). I hope others find this thread as helpful as I do to know they are not alone.

I've decided I need to move more so started couch to 5k. I used to run but not for a long time so will probably progress it more quickly than the app suggests. The discipline of being out for the half hour will help though.

How are you feeling today, @BillieNoM888 ? I hope that you've had a better week than expected! Sometimes I lurk on here, too, in the hope of cheering up or calming down. I have the Sunday Evening Blues, courtesy of the dread of having to deal with my awful manager who hates women and thinks that he is God next week on my own.

How is the book coming along, @deepermining ? I’m currently reading The Way of the Hermit and the lifestyle sounds tempting, apart from in bad weather! Also, good luck with the running! You are one brave lady to take that up!

I hope that you’re feeling better, @Sayithowiseeit , and welcome to @BunnyEaster !

Ooh, @shadypines , which language are you learning, and would you care to share your crafting exploits? I branched out to a patchwork class this weekend (i.e. I pretend to work people that I am being sociable at the weekend, when I'm actually too busy to chat!). Initially, I thought that I might have to donate the result to a family member's ungrateful cat, but it turned out to look better than expected, for a first attempt 😂

@TheeNotoriousPIG , thanks for asking. Feel really stressed, but OK otherwise. Went to the shops today but came home after the 2nd shop.
Got a work email on Saturday which I saw today - I'll deal with it tomorrow.

Hope all on here are OK.

Well done for making it out to the shops in the first place, and there is no shame in leaving early if it's all Too Much, @BillieNoM888 (very appropriate name for this thread, by the way!). I regularly have to push myself to go out, and overcome the Internal Voice of Doom that likes to discourage me from leaving the house for all reasons other than work.

Evening and weekend work emails and messages need to be banned. Nobody needs to think about work when they are off.

I hope that your stress levels can be upgraded to 'OK' soon!

I regularly have to push myself to go out, and overcome the Internal Voice of Doom that likes to discourage me from leaving the house for all reasons other than work.
Same here.

It wasn't 'too much', I just wasn't enjoying it. I forgot to get what I'd gone out to buy.

@TheeNotoriousPIG I'm really enjoying the book - used to read a lot so its really good to get back to it. Progressing slowly, but its really interesting, and I am finding parallels with experiences in my own life, as well as getting insights into different experiences. I really love these first person narratives into other people's lives (non-fiction).

I'm really enjoying the couch to 5k. Its the NHS app I am using and there is a really cheery, encouraging bloke chatting me through the run. It so nice to have someone 'on your side' like that IYSWIM. I find self-motivation hard for exercise, so something like that really helps. I'm hoping it will get me into a regular running routine, even once it is finished.

Your manager sucks. Hope you can zone him out as much as possible this week.

Either way, shopping is a tedious business... as is forgetting things!

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your book and the running, @deepermining ! Do you prefer running on your own (with the NHS man cheering you on), or with someone else or a dog? (I know of a few people that preferred taking their dogs over their family and friends!)

So do I, but I'm dreading having to face him 😩

@TheeNotoriousPIG

I like running in a group - there was a nice one near me previously but its stopped now due to family commitments of the organisers. I'd like to find another one but (a) I'm just not fit enough for the other groups I have found just yet and (b) finding a suitable time ( I have youngish kids). Maybe when I get fit enough I can look again. Not with a dog! 😀

How is it going with your arsey boss?

Hello everyone, I hope you are all having a decent day. Sorry to hear about your horrible boss @TheeNotoriousPIG and I hope the patchwork can take you mind off him! It sounds like a lovely hobby, what are you making? I dabble in knitting and cross stitch mainly and like to make my own cards. I just need more discipline but I don't have my own craft room and it can be a faff getting everything out and putting it away! I'm learning Italian and really enjoying it, I now realise how many English words are connected to Italian/Latin...quite a lot.
I have great admiration for the runners on here deepermining, I cannot imagine being able to have that motivation, it takes me all my time to force myself out for a walk some days. @BillieNoM888 sorry to hear you are feeling a low, it's not easy to find like minded people at times but hopefully this thread is helping.

The manager was pretending to be nice today. Either he's found out that I spoke to his manager, or overheard the, "What the f* does he want now?" comment as he was on his way over. I was obviously pretending to ignore him, because I have better things to do...

Yes, running with a dog can backfire. Someone I knew did it to tire their hyper dog out. Unfortunately, the dog just got fitter and fitter, and never did calm down! Good luck with finding new running buddies, @deepermining ! I still think that you are very brave to do running in public! I am too shy to do anything in public, even if it's something I'm usually good at!

@shadypines Latin pops up everywhere! I'm attempting Welsh, where Latin words appear to be the same, just in more of a lovely Welsh accent! What's your favourite Italian word/phrase so far? I seem to remember that English is made up of a lot of 'borrowed' words from other countries (thanks, A-Level English!). Patchwork was a small quilt that I didn't quite finish at the weekend, so it has joined the 'to do' list. Knitting is a good way to pass time when watching films and things! Are you a jumper specialist, or more into scarves and things? A craft room would be wonderful!

I love a nice Welsh accent @TheeNotoriousPIG it's one one of my favorites, ooh it looks a tough language to learn though, hats off to you. Ooh I have too many Italian phrases to choose from, on a practical level if I can order a cuppa, a gelato and wine then I'm a happy little shadypines and verb tenses can beggar off! (though I do try to learn them). Knitting wise I can just about manage scarves, hats, baby booties,and recently managed a lacy shawl/wrap 'thing'. I think patchwork can look so pretty and effective, is it for yourself?

@deepermining I do hope you manage to find another group or is there any chance starting up with any of your previous group?

@TheeNotoriousPIG Yes, I know runners who run with their dog and they say it led to a very fit dog that ended up needing at least at 10k run for each 'walk' to be enough for them

And I am impressed with you being crafty - and with @shadypines and all other crafty posters. I have no skills here at all.

That's really interesting that you know Latin and Welsh and can see the links! Are you in Wales then? That is where I am.

Hope your boss has been suitably shamed into behaving like a normal human being, and is continuing starting to do today.

@shadypines there is no group near me I am currently fit enough for! The one I used to go to was a bit more gentle paced. I did try another one a while back but it set off at a really fast pace and had no tail runner. That was at winter in the evening and I dropped out, which was just as well as I think I would have got left behind and got lost as it was a run in an area I was not familiar with!
Very impressive that you can speak another language too - I am a solid mono-linguist - can only really speak English.

I'm attempting Welsh, where Latin words appear to be the same, just in more of a lovely Welsh accent!

Other than pont and fenestra/ffenestr, what are they?

Lots of words have Latin roots, and you see them in words in languages like French and Spanish, and in English.

I must admit I am amazed there are links between Latin and Welsh but then I guess I am only familiar with Welsh place names and the odd road sign rather than the main language.

I'm guessing from words like pont having the same meaning in French and Welsh.
Category:Welsh terms derived from Latin - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Did another C25k run today. Feeling good about it.

How is everyone today?

Well done @deepermining . I feel lazy now

@TheeNotoriousPIG , I item I forgot to buy on Sunday was a replacement for one I already had but couldn't find. Guess what, I found it yesterday.

@shadypines The patchwork is a bit small, even for someone of my small size! It would probably be better suited to a cat or a small to medium-sized dog at present, unless I kept extending it! It's on the backburner to do when I have time off work, as is the intarsia in a knitted jumper that I'm doing.

Welsh is a bit of a nightmare to learn (I was- jokingly- told that the Welsh probably have so many ways of saying 'yes' and 'no' that it was to stop the English invaders from understanding them, and the grammar and mutations are a bit tricky sometimes). People who learn it as children are very lucky! @deepermining Yes, I am lucky enough to live in Wales. @BillieNoM888 It's a bit grim, but 'postmortem' was one that I asked about the other day (it was relevant, I promise!). Apparently, a lot of Latin 'post-' words are the same, but I don't tend to come across them so often! I'm glad that you found your missing item, though!

Ooh, well done on the running, @deepermining ! I hope that you have a lovely soak to relax your muscles.

I was pleased not to embarrass myself while dealing with a delivery which required a JCB this morning, but can't wait for the next few days to be over. I have to put up with my woman-hater of a manager by myself 😫

I item I forgot to buy on Sunday was a replacement for one I already had but couldn't find. Guess what, I found it yesterday @BillieNoM888 Fate was on your side Sunday and today! 😀

@TheeNotoriousPIG Well done on the JCB delivery and hope you survive your manager the next few days!

Apparently, a lot of Latin 'post-' words are the same, but I don't tend to come across them so often!
Post mortem is latin and it's borrowed by other languages.
What other Welsh words start with post? I could only find post, poster, postio, postman and postyn.