Here's a topic I can contribute on. I don't have any proper friends in the city where I live, none.
One or two people who I'd call acquaintances but I wouldn't sit down with them and tell them
anything about my insecurities or problems so I'm pretty much alone in the world. My job means
I can't have a dog which I'd absolutely love to have as I find time with dogs the most relaxing and
rewarding time I spend doing anything. They love unconditionally and know the true meaning of
loyalty. Most days I call or facetime my mother who lives 150 miles from me, she and I just chat about
the weather and what my sister is doing and other run of the mill family stuff, otherwise I'd not really
talk to anyone. My ex wife to be lives about 10 minutes from me, I still have business to attend to
with her so I go over there about once a month, but mainly to visit the dog we had who she kept.
At work I chat politely with a few colleagues when the circumstances dictate but have no relationship
there that is of any significance outside of work. I visit my pals bar every so often where I stand alone
in the corner for a few hours watching the world go by and that's it, my whole social circle.
In my home town I had a small group of mates but as life has a habit of doing, they have all spread out to
different parts of the country and being honest I don't speak to quite a few of them anymore as I found
them to be far from supportive when I was going through the first throes of my breakup with my wife.
These were people some of whom I've known for over 30 years and now they are blocked on my phone,
three of them I was best man for and one was my best man, to give you some idea of how close we were.
The remainder of them are too far away for me to see them more than about once a year but we do speak
regularly whilst playing Grand Theft Auto. It's a funny game and we often end up laughing our arses off
at the fails and oddities that often occur while we are playing. The others all have girlfriends or are in LTRs.
I'm the only single one in the group. For me playing video games is more of a social thing than a solitary
one and I don't really play unless I know one of my mates is online, the PS app tells me when they switch on
that so that's helpful. Sometimes we voice chat while we are individually playing different games. But the most
fun is when we are doing something cooperative on GTA, like a heist or a shootout. I love having a playstation,
I have one of each generation but have gotten the most enjoyment out of the ps4 and 5 mainly due to playing
with friends where distance is an issue. If that makes me a saddo, then so be it. I've just spent a small fortune on a
movie replica Joker costume from "The Dark Knight" for Halloween and I'm seriously considering going to a
Comicon in Wales in November wearing it. I don't care if anyone thinks that makes me a nerd, I've always
wondered what one of those events is like and now I'm free and single with plenty of disposable income,
I'm going to give it a try. It's no wonder people are into gaming and sci-fi. The real world sucks quite a bit.
