Tired of no social interaction -- get a job?

[Shawn]

I'm thinking of becoming a waiter at one of my favorite restaurants or something similar. Of course, this isn't an act to earn more money -- but to get social interaction. I'm just tired of being home all day.

My wife is at work all day (teacher), we live an hour away from family, and we just have a dog, no kids. I'm alone from 6 AM until 5 PM, usually seeing nobody unless I go out to lunch, to the apartment office complex, or some other kind of errand.

Short of getting a job, what can I do to feel more "involved?"

[John]

Maybe you should partake in an activity where it would be possible for you to meet new people, go to the gym, play a sport, ect.

[Chris]

I have roughly the same setup as you, less so since I don't live in an apartment building with a bunch of neighbors, but I don't see the need I guess.

[KLB]

Lets see. . . one little voice says church, the other voice says bar.... hmm, when I was visiting Jamaica I learned that there was always a bar within a stones throw of a church so one could spend part of the day feeling the spirit and the other part of the day getting one's fill of spirit.

On a serious note, being a waiter can be very stressful. If you don't care about money maybe you could volunteer a few hours a week with a local organization.

[Shawn]

The gym doesn't help, it's at the apartment. I'm pretty much the only one there. I don't really have the opportunity to play a team sport, not many local gatherings.

It's almost like I want a job now. I want someone to give me an objective. I'd love nothing more than to get hired by Chris or KLB for example (don't know you too much KLB, sorry to call you out) to perform web work, project manage, whatever.

I was just posting about how I outsource most of the work for my own sites now, yet here I am wanting to work for another website publisher or go become a waiter. It makes sense though, right? With that being said, I know that running a business is what I was meant to do. I've always been a leader... I know I'm not tired of running a business, however... I think I'm getting tired of not having enough tasks to complete in a day.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to create more projects. I have new projects urrently underway. I don't need anymore hobbies, I already have one, a great one at that (I collect Gene Wilder/Mel brooks autographs and memorabilia).

Anybody see Forest Gump? I feel like Forest after he comes home back to his old house, after his mother dies and after he becomes a millionaire from Bubba/Gump shrimping and investing with Apple -- he goes back to work cutting the lawn of the local football field because he likes it. Now, I'm not saying I'm that rich by any means, but I'm comfortable where I am and I want to work.

My wife and I were thinking about me selling suits at Men's Warehouse or Belk or Dilliards. Or maybe working for a cell phone company retail shop. I like both of those things.

[Emancipator]

i go to the gym and EVERY day do coffee with my buddy so i get some social interaction.

[Giles]

Why not meet up with one of your website publisher buddies and discuss work?

[Shawn]

I don't know any publishers in the state.

[agua]

I have a couple of friends who work in construction and also on fishing boats - I help them out when I can for the same reasons you mention Shaun - but I would never take a part or full time job - I wouldn't want to be tied down to an hourly routine which I don't control. This way I get the social interaction at least once a week - but can say no if I need to work on my things - and also get a small wage (not my idea - but nice).

I also have joined local sports clubs and started surfing like a teenager again (well in spirit anyway). You always meet lots of people this way and usually there is a great social scene involved.

I try to go out for coffees when I can also - there are 2 cafes near me both about 3km away - I go down on the bike and its amazing how many people I now know in the cafes and along the way

Every little bit helps

[KLB]

I have a group of three buddies that I go bowling with every Monday night. We have been doing this for well over a year and as a result have started to get to know other regulars. In fact there is another group of four that also bowl every night and we now make sure to get lanes next to each other.

[mini]

Hi Shawn,

my bf has similar prob too. Although we live together, I work all day and travel a lot for work therefore sometimes I only see him on weekends. we have a dog too. He joins cricket club, plays indoor and outdoors crickets 3 times a week and go out with his mates on weekend. However he still finds it not enough social interaction and this reduces his productivity.

however, he's getting an office in the city, moving in couple months, he's gonna employ 2 people full time to help him with his work since he's expanding his webpublishing business and also he can meet up with his friends who work in the city for lunch regularly.

[michael_gersitz]

Maybe you should become a "buff" in something. Not sure excaclty what that means, but you can say that your a "buff" in something.

Hi, I am Shawn, I am a Movie Buff.

[Masetek]

Ive done this before, I got a part time job at a local pub just to get out a bit. But I got sick of it pretty quickly. And I was working late, so I was sleeping in and not doing as much work during the day. I go to the gym daily, play squash twice a week, poker on fri nght and try to get out for lunch most days with either my GF or someone I know.

[KLB]

What a pathetic bunch we are. We have "dream" jobs of getting to define our own hours and get to work from home, and take time off when ever we want. This is something our cube farm counterparts dream of and we then look for real jobs so that we can socialize with people.

This is sick people... sick I tell you!

[Chris]

Heh... why not take a class?

You'll get out, meet people, and learn something new.

There are traditional college classes, but many communities run adult education courses on various artsy or practical things (sculpture, small engine repair, etc).