Different

I feel lame. I feel lame for saying I have been feeling lonely when I haven't been making many efforts to address it. I know me and I know that I have to be able to get over myself, calm down, loosen up a bit and go out there. All my close friends are out of state and unless God is going to command them to move to GA, I need to break out a little bit or a lot and get myself out there and meet new people, do new things. Thank you all for sending your support and hugs and love, I really appreciate it, you just don't know!

2008 will be different. I couldn't even sleep last night because I have been thinking a lot about what I can do, even a couple of baby steps and I think I've picked the first three. First thing I am going to do is join the local photography club. They meet twice a month. They go on field trips, have monthly competitions, go to seminars, etc. This will be a lot of fun I hope. The second is to go to church. I was raised in church and I know there are a lot of social things going on with some really good progressive (or so I've heard) churches in the area. I'm not a fire-and-brimstone kind of girl, more of a God-is-love person and I think if I can find a church I like that I can go to and participate, I think that will be beneficial for me on a few fronts. On an entirely selfish note, one thing I have really missed the past few years is singing in a good gospel choir. I'd go just for that!

The last thing is a little trickier. I have volunteered in the past for Barack Obama's campaign, specifically for a rally here in Atlanta and have been keeping a somewhat distant eye on the happenings here lately. Recently they've opened an Atlanta office and I am seriously thinking about devoting a day a week and working at their local office. I'm not a real big political hound, but I really like Obama and I think it would be cool to be involved in the political process myself. In reality when will I ever have a chance like this? Needless to say, there are tons of opportunities to meet and network with a lot of people, plus I think it would give me that intellectual stimulation that I yearn for. Ideally, I'd like to volunteer a day during the week, but because of work, I may have to do it on the weekend. I don't know, we'll see.

So that's what I am thinking. Granted not the most exciting social calendar in the world, but it's a start. I will allow myself those moments of feeling like an outsider, but I don't want to keep manifesting that in my life because there is still one thing that I haven't done yet that is at the top of my list of things to do post-WLS and that is date, something I am definitely looking forward to. With a little work, I think it can happen in 2008.