mtn
MegaDork
9/22/23 1:25 p.m.
z31maniac said:
bmw88rider said:
I would totally love something like this.
Now that I'm home on a regular basis and not traveling all of the time for work, I've been looking for ways to enrich myself and learn new things while being social.
Same here. WFH permanently for the last 3.5 years has definitely had a negative effect on my mental health.
We don't really know many people here, so it's tough to develop those relationships.
I recommend joining a sports league. Softball, hockey, basketball, golf... Built in socialization.
Pre-covid we used to associate with a pretty large group, and in between events and gatherings there would be meet and greets at bars or restaurants that had separate rooms or halls. It was always a worthwhile venture. And you always went prepared
We are getting into the greater discussion of 'community' for adults. Where do others find it? (other than religion)
Roleplaying games. I get together with 4 other people every other Sunday morning and make up crazy stories together about explosions.
ProDarwin said:
We are getting into the greater discussion of 'community' for adults. Where do others find it? (other than religion)
Autocross–between runs we can like chat and stuff–plus other car stuff, BMX, photography, making zines, music.
About the scouting thing - I recently picked up some of Baden-Powell's "Scouting for boys" books from the 40s along with a scout leader's handbook from the same era. Scouts Canada was downsizing their museum. Anyhow, it's really interesting reading and still a pretty solid concept of building problem-solving and self-reliance. Some of the language is dated (we don't seem to see the term "cripple" too much anymore) but the sentiments and attitudes are not. I need to sit down and read them cover to cover and see what I can apply to my nephews, who have basically no father figure in their life. The Scout troops around here are, unfortunately, crap.
I was a Canadian Beaver, Cub and Scout, an Australian Scout and a Canadian Cub leader. I learned a lot of good skills.
I did Scouting with my dad and learned a valuable lesson: Be Prepared.
Oh yeah, plus once we got to go “camping” on a battleship.
ProDarwin said:
We are getting into the greater discussion of 'community' for adults. Where do others find it? (other than religion)
I think that's ok, I think it's tangentially related? Maybe that's just me and my particular situation.
I think mtn has a good point for people like me, maybe it's not scouts, but other things to get out of the house and be around others.
With the Australian troop, we used to go camping with axes, ropes and canvas. You had to build your own tent by cutting trees and lashing them together. We also went on a hike and came across an "airplane crash" scenario, which gave us some great first aid experience without advance warning. That was a good troop.
When I went through basic training, I was way far ahead of even the instructor when it came to compass work and map reading. I can't point to much else specific that I picked up from Scouting, but I have a lot of memories from it so it obviously had an effect. It's a very hands on, practical view of the world which I also got from my family.
Great idea. I've been doing this, here's some of my merit badges.
I was briefly a member of a "men's group". I really enjoyed the charitable things that we did, like construction projects for non-profits, but there was also the woo-woo contingent that literally did dumb sh-t like dance naked by the campfire and roll in the dirt to affirm their manhood. That ain't me.
That said, as I grow older, I have to actively resist the pull of the couch, and anything that gets guys together socially, and even better, to make stuff, is great by me.
