#socializing — Public Fediverse posts

me and faith being so #social im so #good we're so #good at #socializing #rn #forrealirl . #wahoo

5 Poems by Carl Bernard Schwartz

I ONLY SPEAK ENGLISH

While I have taken classes
or been otherwise exposed to

English, Latin, Spanish, 
German, Hebrew, Yiddish,
Roman and Arabic numerals, 
Logic – Formal Reasoning,
Civil Procedure Before Trial,
and Adaptive PE

I just don’t seem to have
the brain power to
intelligently
converse in 
anything 
but 		English


And Latin is now all in 
past tense, anyway
isn’t it?

~~

CHOICES, CHOICES

Each holiday season,
my late wife and I would
bring home a spiral-sliced ham

This year, I decided to try
something different, so I
sampled the Birming Ham
and the Got Ham

But again, the spiral-sliced
ham won the day for having 
meat we wanted to eat

~~

I LOOK AWAY WHEN I COMB MY BEARD

Watch a lot of TV,
primarily news
shows that use 
close-ups of 
male and 
female
newscasters 
so one sees a 
nice smile despite 
abundant makeup

then they pan down
and show the 		neck
which makes one
think turtle as 
it betrays 
wrinkles 
that must 
be hundreds 
of years older			
than that smile

~~

SHAPED BY THE PAST

My dearest
parents 
resisted
the keen
pressure
applied by
domineering
relatives
who never
had kids,
to help 
raise the
ones in
our
household,

these kin
would
approach
our doorstep
with the 
vivacity of
door-to-door 
salesmen
so the front 
door was
basically
kept 
bolted shut
to block out 
unwelcome
visitors

thus if it
seems like
my social
skills are
shallow, 
that’s 
because 
the brain
cells that
would hold
such 
experience
were left
dormant
in my
head

I 
could
be the
world’s
greatest 
host, but
I’d rather
		not
deal 
with
that

~~

FOR LOVE OF BOOKS

There was a 
small
library branch
very near 
the elementary
school I 
attended.
I would
pop in there
almost daily
and check
out a book

cumulatively
I read all
their science 
fiction books
and all their
whaling adventure
books, and
elsewhere
bought paperback
editions of 
Tom Swift
Huckleberry Finn,
etc., etc.
then I matriculated
to junior and senior
high school,
which imposed
some very heavy
textbook 
assignments
 on 			different
subjects, all
of which was
required reading,
and this 
extinguished
the flame that
had inspired my
recreational
reading		until
I concluded college,
started earning
money
and finally had
the time and
wherewithal
to resume my
recreational 
reading
I bought a book
by a bestselling
author on preorder
read it cover to cover
in one sitting 
like I had used to
casually read those 
library books,
sitting in a park
while shucking
and nibbling
sunflower seeds;
more recently
I poured over a
couple books
of poetry  
hence my 
personal library
is once again
growing

Copyright © 2026 Carl Bernard Schwartz
All Rights Reserved

Recovering from a too-much-people day yesterday. Swimming with a good friend & her daughter, then off with them and others for a nice picnic in the Heath. Why is it so draining? What’s hard about being in a close group? Mysterious, but it’s overwhelming. #people #socializing #publicself

Today is the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest, this month sponsored by DTEX! I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

“It is fun to have fun”*…

… but it’s getting tougher to manage. As Ben Steverman reports, with fewer places to relax and socialize, and steeper prices for entry, having fun is quantifiably harder than it used to be…

Over the course of the past two decades, the US has lost 2,000 golf courses and 7,000 bars and nightclubs, and Americans now own 1.3 million fewer boats. It’s prohibitively expensive to open a new summer camp and practically impossible to build a beachfront resort or marina. Venue shortages afflict musicians looking for performance spaces, children looking to play in local sports leagues and adults looking to go out dancing. The best time to book a rental for this summer was last summer, and the best time to book for next summer is … well, it may already be too late.

America appears to be suffering from a fun shortage. For the industries supplying recreational amenities, this deficit is a business opportunity. But for everyone not positioned to profit from the trend, it’s a source of stress and frustration that’s been building for a while. It also has broad ramifications for the future of the economy, society and politics. On… the country’s 250th birthday, it’s worth pondering whether the pursuit of happiness has become more difficult.

First, a quick definition: Experts on these matters generally agree that the kinds of fun we should be striving for are enjoyable experiences with others. A live show with friends, a vacation with family or even small talk with a stranger can all make us feel more connected and content.

By those measures, it’s clear that Americans are having less fun than they used to. Since its 2003 inception, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey shows double-digit percentage drops in the hours spent each year on arts and entertainment activities, attending sports or recreational events, and attending or hosting social events. In a 2024 US Census Bureau survey, almost 80% of respondents said they saw friends or relatives fewer than three times a week.

The US, along with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, seems to have grown uniquely unhappy over the past 15 years, according to the annual World Happiness Report, which combines data on more than 140 countries. For good reason, we often blame smartphones and social media for making us feel worse. But most of the world uses these digital tools at least as much as Americans do, and the US still came in 23rd on the global happiness ranking in 2026, down from 13th a decade prior. America’s happiness decline must have another major cause, says report co-editor and University of British Columbia professor emeritus of economics John Helliwell. He points to the “often forgotten” factor of fun. “It’s not just connections” with other people, he says. “It’s how much you’re enjoying the connections.”…

… It keeps getting harder — and more expensive — to have fun. A combination of factors is delivering a summer of higher prices, fewer options, limited vacancies and longer lines.

No matter how enthusiastic Americans are for offline experiences, there’s a limit to how much they can afford, with prices rising at the fastest pace in three years. As the cost of commutes, housing, utilities and other necessities climbs more quickly than wages, people have little choice but to skimp on fun. Meanwhile, the prices of some key categories of fun have been rising even faster than inflation. The price of a ticket to one of the top 100 concert tours in North America averaged $134 last year, trade publication Pollstar estimates, a 42% increase from 2019. Vacation rentals in coastal destinations jumped 38% over the same period, to $413 per night, according to data analyst AirDNA LLC.

Fun isn’t just harder to afford. It’s harder to access. The US has lost a fifth of its movie theaters and almost a third of its bowling alleys since 2001, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show. Camp spots for children fill up quickly, with more than 80% of organizations reporting steady or increasing enrollment last summer, according to the American Camp Association. At US country clubs, the median initiation fee has doubled since 2019, to $51,500, at the same time that waiting lists have also doubled in length, according to data firm Club Benchmarking…

… Parks departments have added thousands of pickleball courts to meet demand, but the new facilities often come at the expense of basketball and tennis, which have also been getting more popular, while the rest of the park gets busier as well. Park space per person declined in 65 of the 100 largest cities from 2016 to 2023, according to the Trust for Public Land. Record crowds are also inundating the National Park Service’s most scenic spots and descending on America’s most popular beach towns. With tours, hotels and beach houses booking up early, planning a vacation has turned into a thankless task of gaming out the distant future. “Availability is becoming a bigger issue than price,” says Laura Mattia, a financial adviser at the firm Wealth Enhancement in Sarasota, Florida. “I see clients booking rentals six to nine months ahead, committing before they have fully thought through the trip, or saying yes to expensive options simply because they are available.”

Rising inequality is making the problem worse, as the superwealthy bid up the costs of fun, whether luxury hotels or the best seats at sporting events. A 2011 study showed lower levels of happiness in areas of Switzerland with more Ferraris and Porsches. “Inequality matters objectively to people, but when it’s thrown in their faces, they like it even less,” Helliwell says…

…

… This fun shortage may be shifting American politics in significant ways. Studies in the UK and continental Europe show voters are more likely to vote for right-wing candidates in the years after local social spaces such as pubs shut down. “When the last gathering place in a town goes, people experience it as a sign of being left behind, of a place emptying out,” says Subtil, the author of a new paper showing France’s far-right National Rally party has benefited from the closure of thousands of bars-tabacs, shops where customers can make a bet, get a coffee or pick up a newspaper.

Replenishing America’s inventory of fun won’t be easy at a time when digital tools are absorbing ever more attention and economic resources. It will take creativity and capital to generate real excitement in real spaces where real people interact. Encouragingly, there are signs of a shift: After New York City repealed century-old rules against dancing in bars in recent years, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a similar statewide policy in May. Massachusetts, meanwhile, has loosened rules that capped the number of liquor licenses, which Boston Mayor Michelle Wu argued were starving neighborhoods of local gathering places. The city may add 225 liquor licenses, the vast majority designated for areas far from the tourist sites downtown.

Local governments “really need to think about fun, leisure and entertainment for everyone,” including children and seniors, says Jess Reia, a professor of public policy and data science at the University of Virginia.

In the meantime, Americans are finding cheaper ways to fill their free time. Participation in outdoor activities and team sports has soared in the past five years, reaching record levels, according to a long-running survey by the Physical Activity Council, which estimates the number of “inactive” Americans has dropped by 13.6 million, or 18%, since 2020. Plus there are signs that young people are taking up old-school hobbies, such as crafts and birding, Reia says. “People are trying to find the fun where they can.”

“The Fun Shortage Is Real, and It’s Making America Miserable,” gift article from @bloomberg.com.

See also: “Do you believe that everybody should have fun or that only a few people should have fun?” from @garrettbucks.bsky.social.

* Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat

###

As we recreate revelry, we might note that today is National Swimming Pool Day. While public baths and dedicated coastal swimming areas have a very long history, the first recorded swimming pool in the U.S. was a public pool built in 1887 in Brookline, Massachusetts, a place to socialize and beat the summer heat before the invention of air conditioning. One of the first residential pools was built on the Vanderbilt estate in Asheville, North Carolina in 1895.

As of 2024, there were 10.7 million pools in the U.S., of which 10.4 million are residential (about 8% of homes). While public pools took an early lead in the build-out, these days only 309,000 are public or commercial pools.

One week from today will be the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest, this month sponsored by DTEX! I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

Social interaction 🩵

https://cynnisblog.wordpress.com/2026/06/22/social-interaction-%f0%9f%a9%b5/

"People who regularly read #books may live longer than those who don’t" - time to get your #reading on!

Can Reading Really Help You Live Longer? Here's What Experts Say
https://www.verywellmind.com/can-reading-help-you-live-longer-11975116

#mentalhealth #stressreduction #cognitivereserve #escapism #libraries #socializing

A quotation from Santayana

Society is like the air, necessary to breathe but insufficient to live on.

George Santayana (1863-1952) Spanish-American poet and philosopher [Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruíz de Santayana y Borrás]
The Life of Reason, Vol. 2: Reason in Society, ch. 8 “Ideal Society” (1905)

More about this quote: wist.info/santayana-george/474…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #santayana #georgesantayana #company #group #human nature #individual #others #socializing #society

A quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson

But solitude for its own sake should surely never be preferred. We are bound by the strongest obligations to busy ourselves amid the world of men, if it be only to crack jokes.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1880-01/02?), “Reflections and Remarks on Human Life,” § 4.3 “Solitude and Society”

More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-robert-lou…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #robertlouisstevenson #beingalone #engagement #humannature #humor #jokes #merriment #mirth #socialties #socializing #society #solitude

Played the game by @thentrythis just now, it's very nice and yeah I am generally less social than others 🤣

#gaming #socializing

It's that time again, the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest. I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville, this month sponsored by Push and Orca Security!

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

Got your "pregame" plans for Memorial Day Weekend yet? @BurbSecWest is the Thursday before Memorial Day, and this month is sponsored by Orca and Push Security. I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

#PSA: #Flirting is like playing #Jenga, and a lot of people don't know how to play Jenga either.

If you're not familiar with Jenga, here's my description: Jenga is a *cooperative*, turn-based game, in which you and one or more willing partners attempt to build anticipation until someone gets too flustered and spills the pieces.

The win condition is:"How long can we maintain that state *just* before the tower falls—when everyone is on the edge of their seats, leaning in, wide-eyed and holding their breath?"

The game is played by taking turns poking around for a good piece and then making a move. Each move raises the stakes *just a little bit*. As tension builds, everyone gets more involved in the game, and when the tower finally topples—regardless of who knocked it over—it should be exciting, fun for everyone, and involve positive aftercare; that's what makes people happy they played with you (and want to play another round).

Some mistakes I see people making when they play:

- forcing the game; not everyone wants to play with you—respect that.

- making "big dick" moves to speed the game up; sure, you *can* make an early goblin move that'll destabilize the tower in the hopes of a quick topple, but if your only goal is to spill blocks, it's better if you just play with yourself at home.

- trying to get the other person to lose; there are plenty of sneaky ways to make the other person more likely to knock the tower over—don't use them—folx won't want to play with you.

- dragging out your turn because you're too afraid to "lose"; it's not as bad as you fear, and if you knock the tower down, as long as y'all're having fun playing, there's nothing stopping you from picking right back up and starting another round.

---

Some mistakes I see people making when they flirt (or engage in any social interaction):

- forcing the interaction; not everyone is open to that kind of attention—respect that.

- making "big dick" moves to speed the game up; sure, you can open with a dick pic or a wolf-whistle, but if your goal is to flirt *at* someone, it's better if you just play with yourself at home.

- trying to get the other person to lose; there are plenty of sneaky ways to make the other person more likely to sleep with you—don't use them—that's coercion at best, and quite possibly sexual assault.

- dragging out your turn because you're too afraid to "lose"; it's not as bad as you fear. If you're genuine, and playing because you want the *other* person to have fun, then most folx will be flattered you made that effort, even if they're not interested in playing a full round.

---

"How do I let someone know I want to play with them?"

> Try complimenting them on something they *put effort into*—"Those are amazing earrings!"

"How do I do that without feeling creepy?"

> Smile, say it, and disengage. If they're receptive, they'll engage you.

"How do I know what to say?"

> Most people are pretty interesting, and most people who want to be interacted with will put out bids for interaction, so look for cues. Are they wearing a cool t-shirt? Is their hair dyed? Have they smiled at you more than once (and you're not a customer)?

"Yeah, but really, how do I know what to say?"

> The game is played by taking turns poking around for a good piece and then making a move. Each move raises the stakes *just a little bit*. When they take a turn, they'll often leave an opening just for you. If they don't, they might also be bad a Jenga, or they're not really into playing with you right now.

"Can you give me examples?"

> Sure.

You're in line at a grocery store, and there's a cute person in line next to you, so you wait until *one* of you is leaving the line. "Your hair is amazing; I love that color blue 😊", then you go back to what you were doing. If they want to play, they'll say something like "thanks, I just dyed it! 🩵" and then wait for you to take your turn again; if they don't want to play, they might just say "thanks" and disengage. If it's your turn again, you might respond "did you have it professionally done? I've been meaning to redye mine 😅" Now it's their turn to respond.

Of course your turns will look different, but each one should take a cue from your partner, and also volunteer a possible move for them to make on their turn.

"My games keep fizzling out, how do I keep them lively?"

> Look for their cues, and leave your own cues for them. Co-op games are about helping your teammates so you can all have the most fun, and *anyone* feels awkward when they don't know what they should do on their turn, so don't leave them hanging.

"How do I let someone know I'd like to play again sometime?"

> Tell them. "I really enjoyed talking to you 😊 and I'd like to do it again if you're interested. Can I give you my Mastodon handle?". If they look confused, just say you're a friend of @alice; that'll probably work.

#Dating #Socializing #Anxiety

Tag der offenen Werkstatt 2026 im FreiWerk

FreiWerk Paderborn, Samstag, 30. Mai um 13:00 MESZ

Herzliche Einladung zum Tag der offenen Werkstatt 2026 im FreiWerk

Am Samstag, dem 30.05.2026, laden wir herzlich in unsere offene Werkstatt ein. Von 13 bis 18 Uhr stellen wir in gemütlicher Atmosphäre unsere Räumlichkeiten und unseren Verein vor. Im Laufe des Tages gibt es Werkstattführungen und Workshopangebote zum spontanen Mitmachen.

Kaltgetränke und ein Buffet sorgen für das leibliche Wohl.

Egal ob du nur gucken und quatschen willst oder aktiv mitmachen, ob du regelmäßig hier bist oder zum ersten Mal von uns hörst – du bist herzlich willkommen!

https://calndr.de/event/tag-der-offenen-werkstatt-2026-im-freiwerk

Interior of a Roman villa during a dinner party (Peter Dunn)

https://piefed.social/c/historyart/p/2043987/interior-of-a-roman-villa-during-a-dinner-party-peter-dunn

I feel a dislike for most of the general behaviour of people tbh

For example I'll be at the office at work and one of the managers will come upstairs and whisper to another while we are all in the room. I can hear "psst psst software psst psst" so I know they are talking about me or something related to my work. So why be so weird about it?

I also hate having to guess whether someone is annoyed at me 🤣 like just say what you think and feel

#people #socializing #Work

It's that time again, the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest. I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

When your #bookclub needs a refresh -

#ShortStories to Read on the Fly With Your Book Club https://bookriot.com/short-stories-to-read-on-the-fly-with-your-book-club/

#reading #amreading #sharing #socializing #storytelling #performanceart

This anecdote is for anyone who believes I have some sort of social superpower or that I'm good at catching social cues.

At a recent kink event, someone was trying to remember my name after recognizing me at a different event. They then mentioned an art museum, and narrated the path from the entrance to a specific mural with "the most beautiful woman I've ever seen" and said I reminded them of that mural.

I only just realized that it was a really smooth compliment and not about getting me interested in an art museum (I love art museums already). :neofox_blush_hide:

#TalesOfAKat #Socializing #Neurospicy

Drop by your friends regularly...

#CyberSix #Anime #Cartoon #Comic #Animation #Friendship #Socializing

A quotation from Mark Twain

A banquet is probably the most fatiguing thing in the world except ditch-digging.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Dictation (1907-07-30)

More about this quote: wist.info/twain-mark/69430/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #twain #marktwain #banquet #fatigue #misery #party #socializing #introvert #gettired

It's that time again, the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest. I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

Worried you’re boring? 5 conversation tricks that can make you more fun to talk to.

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/worried-youre-boring-5-conversation-tricks-that-can-make-you-more-fun-to-talk-to/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=worried-youre-boring-5-conversation-tricks-that-can-make-you-more-fun-to-talk-to

I definitely only expect to get along with a limited number of people since that's just the nature of people, that we don't all get along with each other, and also I am not optimized for getting along with others anyway. 

Still, I think I'm rather friendly considering I could get most if not all my socialization needs met as a forest hermit. I don't need to socialize  for the most part, and I find it rather difficult, but I nevertheless still enjoy talking to people and find it very worthwhile.

It's that time again, the 3rd Thursday of the month, and that means time to meet up for @BurbSecWest. I look forward to seeing everyone out there. Details for where and when are available here: https://burbsec.com/west/, but the TLDR version is 6:00pm at Granite City, Naperville.

I look forward to seeing you there.

#BurbSecWest
#Naperville
#Cybersecurity
#Socializing

Why chasing 1,000 rejections might be the key to your biggest dreams

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/why-chasing-1000-rejections-might-be-the-key-to-your-biggest-dreams

A quotation from Samuel Johnson

It is commonly observed, that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Essay (1758-06-24), The Idler, No. 11

More about this quote: wist.info/johnson-samuel/20468…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #samueljohnson #chitchat #conversation #discussion #English #meeting #socializing #topic #weather