My husband and I (M), in our mid 40s, feel the same. We used to have tons of friends in our 20s and 30s but they’ve all gone everywhichway and we can’t seem to make any new friendships stick. They all die on the vine at good acquaintance. It’s not for lack of trying. And WE live in a city! Anyway, all this to say: it’s not just you. I think society has changed its social bonding. I suspect we have shifted dramatically during the pandemic and outer relationships aren’t an interest to general society anymore. We put in our effort and have good social interactions with others but we seem to be the only ones trying. I don’t know how this will help, except: you’re not alone? 💜

I just flew today. They asked for both scan of my ID and pic

My husband and I were having lunch in a diner last weekend and by the bar they had a display cooler selling Smart Water. I over heard the lady next table over tell her friend: “oh I need to get some of that before we go. ITS GOT ELECTROLYTES!” she said, unironically. I nearly choked on my lunch. Lol

I started a charitable school club. Back in the day it was the hot thing to sell candy bars in school for fundraising, and there is a company that existed specifically for school organizations to join a program and do so. No staff wanted to be the faculty sponsor of my club, so we didn’t have any space to call ours… Well some fat asshat (hindsight is …) who was the head of community education office where I helped out on lunch (a whole different story) said “hey! You can store your chocolate stock in our closet.” Well, eventually, about $100 or more of chocolate bars went missing. He actually told me they “went bad” and threw them away. (He ate them.) When someone realized there was a problem with the books, they called my parents in, it was implied I either ate the candy or stole the money. I tried explaining what I thought happened, but nobody listened and my Dad didn’t do much. My club was dissolved, and I was blocked from any extra curricular activities from then on, including trying to get into an advanced class that would have changed my life. Word spread amongst the faculty ( I’m pretty sure there was a meeting) and my favorite teachers forgot I existed.

And then… And I’m only just now realizing this fucked up detail… One of those favorite teachers who turned her back on me, was my theater teacher… because it was an actual class I was able to continue theater class but I was cast as Agustas Gloop in theater class play of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…

Ages 2-25

Part 2: Learn to Hide It Ages 25-present.