Working Loneliness to Death

When EEFFH broke up with me ("I want to be alone" and then got married ten weeks later—if you don't know the whole story) and I bought the house in Continental Ranch just a mile away from Ty and Jaci, I loved the house and felt peaceful there.

What I didn't like was that it was so far away from my friends in Tucson. (Continental Ranch is on the far northwest side of Tucson—on the other side of the tracks (and the freeway)—if you will.) My closest friend lived half an hour away in Pima Canyon; our other good friend lived 45 minutes away at River and Sabino Canyon. I lived in that house from September of 2004 through June of 2006 and I believe I had friends over twice, maybe three times during that entire time. In contrast, when I bought the house on Chula Vista, mid-town, I entertained frequently. I loved the space, loved having the pool. I referred to it as a mid-town charmer. When someone invited me over, it was easy to return the hospitality.

This is one of the challenges with which I'm grappling as I try to figure out how to meet single adults here in Youngstown.

In our weekly Friday-afternoon-drive talk, I was telling JW how lonely I'm feeling and how I'm at a loss over how to fix the problem. He mentioned the people I met at the pool party two weeks ago. I told him they were all couples. And even if someone were to invite me over to dinner, how can I return the hospitality? I don't have a home, a dining room. (And let's face it. I'm a lousy frigging cook!) I'm trying to put every penny to paying down debt. If a couple invites me to their home for dinner, do I delay the debt reduction for a month and take them to a restaurant? Of course, I'm putting the cart before the horse. This all presumes meeting people.

I think I'll approach this in my typical geek fashion. I think I'll pull up the GIS map; look at the land records for 5th, Selma, Coronado, Goleta and Bradley; create a spreadsheet of all the landowners; figure out who really resides there (rather than rents out); figure out who's single; and invite them out for coffee. (Or I could just ask Susie B, who seems to know everything and everybody.)

I did meet two single women who live next door to each other on Bradley at a yard sale three weeks ago. I may hate yard sales, but I'm probably going to have to start hitting all the yard sales in the 'hood if I'm to meet people and get rid of this loneliness.

Something's gotta give!