Thinking about the future

I have one more major trip before I come off the road for the summer.  There will be some smaller sporadic trips but at least the heavy grind will be over for a while.  I leave on Sunday for New York and Spain. 

I realized the other day how tired I am!  Even when I am home, I have the children, work and not a moment to myself.  The other night I had clients from France in, and they brought their family including their 3 year old niece.  I had the kids, so I brought them to dinner with us.  Olivia and Lelou were so funny.  It was so instinctual in the way they interacted.  One spoke French; one English.  The first moment they saw each other, they sized each other up and checked out each other's outfit (Women can be that way...).  Then they held hands and started to dance.  They ended up entertaining the entire North End all night.  At one point, I asked Olivia what she thought of Lelou.   She told me that they were best friends and were going to have play dates and sleep overs.  "But", I said, "Lelou doesn't speak English...you can't understand her."  "I understand very good" was the response.  And she was right.  They did understand each other and language had nothing to do with it.  If only adults didn't lose that ability...

Yesterday was actually my first day off in more than eight weeks.  I didn't know what to do with myself.  I got up, cleaned my house (a desperate act to be sure) and went to buy a belt.  But then I was stuck as to what to do next.  I realized that alot of my social network has fallen by the wayside.  I felt like my local connections have dried up.  I had a day/evening that I could do anything I wanted -- put myself into a situation that might promote opportunities for the future -- and I had nothing.  I realized that I need to figure out how to create opportunity.  I went to have dinner with the girls and they recommended that I put an ad in the local gay paper that I want to start a book group, a movie group, a board game group or the like for single men between 35 and 55.  Hmmmm....

OK blog readers...what do you think...Where do I go to create opportunity to meet people?  I have been so out of the loop as far as dating and socializing go that I am not sure how to get back into the loop...Post a suggestion!