I don't know what's come over me the last few years. I used to love to go out and socialize with other women and their kids, or go to dinner parties with my hubby, and THROW dinner parties and organize get-togethers and barbecues, you name it.
NOW, I don't seem to want to do any of that. I could chalk it up to a few things: A) it's an affected Writer Thing, or B) It's just Wisconsin and it's too damn cold to leave the house, or C) I am finally turning into my father. (a good man, but tends to be reclusive)
Lately, I've been thinking the Winter Blahs have a lot to do with it, but I've been having the "Winter Blahs" ever since we left Texas. So that has to be it.
I loved living in Texas. We lived in Houston for four years while Hubby went to Law School, and then lived for two years in Dallas, and I had so many friends with common interests and my kids had lots of friends and we were always warm, darn it all. I really catch myself missing it sometimes. So what it was searingly hot. So what if we could only play outside for ten minutes at a time during the months of June through September to avoid heat stroke and so what if my kids melted to the slide on the playground and needed rescuing.
Another minus: I have found that the people of Wisconsin are definitely not as friendly as in the South. And I find myself preferring to stay indoors and keep to myself a lot more. I am not sure exactly why this is. No one seems to have common interests with me anymore, (I guess what was common in Texas isn't so common here) and I have been feeling slightly lonely and isolated here. My agent wants me to get out more and join more writing groups for support, because as far as he's concerned I'm living in Midieval Siberia.
Perhaps I am. I need to "get out" more, but how?
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2 comments:
Lara, I like to refer to summers here in Texas as the pit of Hades. Yeah, it's dammed hot, but I couldn't live anywhere else. There's just something about being able to fry an egg on the sidewalk in July... I think I would lose my sanity if I lived in Wisconsin. LOL
I'm not a big Houston fan and I'm very turned off with Dallas (specifcally North Dallas) but I dearly and truly love Fort Worth.
Have you checked into local writer's groups? Maybe your local bookstore or library has something that would suit your needs. What about http://www.naww.org (National Assocation of Women Writers)? There's also IWWG (International Women's Writing Guild). I know you don't really write romance, or I'd suggest the RWA. I enjoy being a member and am lucky enough to have a wonderful local chapter to go to meetings every month.
I know what you mean, though. I don't really like meeting new people or getting involved with things. I'm actually shy and quiet (hard to believe, I know) and I'd rather stay home than leave the house.
If you ever come back to Texas, I hope you'll choose a city close to me. I would love to socialize with you and your family. :)
Lara,
Interesting. I went to a camp once in Wisconsin as a kid for four weeks, and it was absolutely gorgeous up there, with the large pines - but it felt like it never warmed up! Even in July, I'd find myself wearing a coat in the evenings. I can't even imagine winter there - especially from a Houston transplant!
Ann
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