Hello Mark and thank you for taking the time to write, I appreciate that. I work full time and mostly from home in a small marketing company. I notice in your picture you like to bike..well I do enjoy walking as thankfully, my wife does also. I have recently gotten into painting, being inspired by Stuart Davis and Picasso (this is what I’d like to do full time, but maybe it’ll have to wait a few years until I am retired!) Also enjoy strumming guitar and singing, but have gotten a little rusty! Recently placed an ad on Kijiji seeking a mature acoustic campfire jam buddy. I tried this once before but had only one reply…but we’ll see what happens. I still have over four years to work and presumably, to live in our adopted community, so I must continue trying to connect with people and hopefully find a friend that shares some interests with me…a couple our age would be even better! Have not tried Meetup yet Mark…do you recommend it? Again, I thank you for your follow up Mark, and have a great evening…

Steve

Congrats on finding a compatible romantic partner Mark..obviously your positive attitude and not giving up had a lot to do with that! I will check out meetup, and continue trying to build my own circle of friends, no matter how remote the reality of it seems right now. There is no alternative, and I don’t want to become a bitter negative parody of myself. We do have neighbours that we talk to, but one in particular, is more a stressor than friend, with constant snappy one liners – usually mild insults masked with humour, which I could do without. Oh, I’ve also started reading the Sedona Method which emphasizes releasing of stressful emotions and feelings soon after they occur..too early to tell if it will be of help but interesting reading..have a good week ahead ..Steve

Thanks Anita..I agree, my neighbour is going to get a taste of his medicine next time he zings me (I’ve been rehearsing) and I’m sure he will be surprised! I’ve been too concerned with trying to be ‘a good neighbour’ and fit in that I’ve allowed this idiot a free pass..no more! I’ll let you know how it goes, and thanks again Anita and for some good feedback/help you provided me earlier in the year..Steve

Hello Anita..just a quick update..I did confront my neighbor when at a neighborhood gathering last weekend,

when towards the end of the evening he blurted out ‘that story sucks’ I calmly informed him that he was involved in this story also, and to think about that for a moment (it was just a recollection of pulling into the driveway first day I moved in) …everyone laughed nervously, and after another short pause I added you know_, you should come with a warning label, at which point everyone laughed again and shut him up for the rest of the evening..pretty mild I know, but don’t want to get nasty (which I’m prepared for if necessary) and wait and see how things go..still, it felt good!