witch's woods vs. romeo & juliet

I’m recovering from a visit last night to Witch’s Woods, a Halloween amusement park with haunted houses, a haunted hay ride, haunted pumpkin patch, etc.  How was it?  It was all right.  A few laughs, a few screams.  But a whole lot of work.

See what I really want to do is go to a production of “Romeo & Juliet”.  Because I’m a nerd.  Which is the self-deprecating way of saying I’m smart and I prefer learning to fun.  Which is a harsh way of saying I’m more comfortable in an intellectual setting, a museum, a play, an opera, watching a documentary, than doing the fun things that my friends want to do, like going to Witch’s Woods.  Which is another way of saying either a) I’ve out-grown them or b) I’ve forgotten how to have fun.

I think there’s truth in both statements.  That’s what I’m trying to navigate these days.

I love my friends.  Three I’ve know since first grade, one since college.  Two are willing to do stuff with me.  One went to an opera a few years ago.  The other went to a museum.  The other two prefer Witch’s Woods.  And they had a blast last night.  I mean they seriously had the time of their lives.  I might have too.  Long ago.  After having some drinks or something.  But I hardly drink now and haven’t smoked pot in years.  So it’s harder to relax and be open to stuff like Witch’s Woods.

But I did manage to have some fun.  I made a concerted effort not to be a bummer and tried to keep that bored/annoyed/this-is-so-stupid look off my face.  And let me tell you, it was exhausting.  Even in a light drizzle, we had to wait in line for 20-25 minutes for each attraction.  The ghouls and zombies who jumped out at us in the haunted houses were pretty good but I could see them coming and then see them sitting back down waiting for the next group.  I just couldn’t get into it.  But I put up a good front, if only so that my friends wouldn’t think I was a complete jerk and not want to hang out with me anymore.  I have a small enough circle as it is.

It’s hard to make new friends as an adult.  Especially when you don’t have kids.  I make work friends but we don’t do anything outside the office.  I’ve met people at the dog park but I know more about their dogs than them.  I occasionally meet a friend of a friend who seems cool but there are protocols about going over the friend’s head to hang out with their friend.

I think of my sisters and friends with kids who have instant hang partners when they want to do something.  Want to go shopping?  My sister goes with her twenty-something daughters.  Want to put up the Christmas tree?  My other sister gets her thirty-something son to help her.  Want to get an ice cream?  My friend takes her 8 year old twins. 

When I want to do something, I have to send out a mass email to everyone I know and hope that someone replies.  And also hope that it’s one of the someones that I really want to reply.  Oh I have my significant other, but he’s no fun either.

I just sent out an email about Romeo & Juliet.  I even offered to pay.  Yes, I’m willing to pay people to hang out with me.  I’m hoping that one of my sisters or a particular friend of the family will want to go.  Otherwise, I either go by myself or try Meet-ups, an online non-romantic activity website where you meet up with like-minded folks and do something together.  Am I reduced to soliciting friendship online?  Yes, I believe I am.