Hi Steve,

Great that you are nurturing your right brain with paining.  I am focusing  on photography.  I post a lot on Instagram and Facebook with my photos and some other photo specific websites.

I don’t think I can really retire because of my financial circumstances.  I am so blessed to find an amazing romantic partner recently.  This is after 6 years of being in a 4.5 yr relationship and after a 19 yr marriage 11 years ago.  I did not think I would have been able to find such an ideal partner.  Before that I had been working on myself with self love and creating a circle of close, authentic and loving friends.  It takes a lot of work and time.  It’s a continuous process.

Meetup is just another avenue to meet people.  There is no magic formula or bullet.

I have focused on what I enjoy and look to meet people from that.  I just look to try different things and experiences to stretch myself and to get out there.  I work on not having expectations or attached to making things/relationships happen.  I was open to women or male friendships but I must admit that it is harder for me to trust men.  Ironic since I came from a family of two brothers whom I love but not close to.

The literature is not promising in making good/close friends at our age.

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/real-trouble-making-friends-middle-age/325837/

http://www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/now/question/216897-why-is-it-so-hard-to-make-new-friends-when-youre-older

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/fashion/the-challenge-of-making-friends-as-an-adult.html

Let us know how things go.

Mark