Welcome to Over50sForum! The site for people over 50 to chat, make friends, discuss, share, and generally be part of something that's fun and friendly :)
They come in all shapes and sizes....some very intelligent, some not so smart. Some are health nuts, some pig out on everything in sight. Some like to go to the theatre, some like to sit home and watch movies....
I have a lot of friends in real life. Some I don't see very often, but they are there and we try to get together sooner or later. Some I see very regularly, like every week...
I like my alone time also, and friends are not allowed to invade my space when I need alone time....
Some I really like a lot and there are a few that really get on my nerves as they talk too much......or they want to be on the phone all the time, and I am not a phone person. I make all my plans and dates via email...
Some always want me to do things for them, like their taxes, etc. Or do some sewing...whatever!
And I can hardly get my own stuff done, as I am slowing down in my old age.
Some of my friends are very quiet and like to do things one on one; whereas, I am a social butterfly and like to be around a nice crowd of people. I enjoy most outings....
But, the thing is, we can't all be alike....we have to have a nice variety of friends....they can't all be the same, nor can they all have the same professional jobs, but they are great people and I can fit in fine with all of them....I like a good variety of friends.
Do you have lots of friends that you can go out with?
Do you have friends that are cliquey?
If your friend gets in a scrap with someone, do you stop talking to that someone?
Are you the jealous type? Do you get jealous if your friend spends too much time with another friend? Does it hurt your feelings?
I used to be extremely jealous, and I would stick mostly with one friend, I didn't mix well.....but things changed about 20 years ago, and I don't know what happened or how it happened, but my whole personality seemed to change. I became very sociable and liked to mix with a lot of people...
What's it like for you? How many friends do you have in real life.....or do you just stick with family?
I have a lot of people I know but I don't think of them as friends. My life time friends are down in Perth and I see them a few times a year whenever I go back. I have some pals up north I meet for coffee or lunch but I watch what I tell them, it takes me a long time to fully trust and call someone friend. I have always liked my own company from childhood, I don't need people around me.
When I was younger I had a lot of friends; both male & female.
We went out dancing, camping, skiing, boating, dining, bowling, motorcycling etc., We did so much stuff together and it was always fun.
Now that I’m older, married and more settled down, having a group of friends isn’t the same. Now I’ve got fewer friends
but they are better friends so for me it’s not quantity but quality that makes the difference.
Answers to your questions
1/.Do you have a lot of friends you can go out with?
No. I only have a handful of friends that I trust enough to go out with
2/. Do I have friends that are cliquey?
No! I don’t have any friends that are cliquey and never have. I can’t stand that.
3/. If your friend gets into a scrap with someone, do you stop talking to that someone?
Of course not. What a friend does and how they handle their personal affairs is none of my business. If they choose to make it my business, I will listen but taking action is considered taking sides, which isn’t fair to either friends or myself. No disrespect but it seems juvenile and I wouldn’t want a friend who expected that.
My friends don’t know each other or their personal affairs and I like to keep it that way purposefully. For myself , it’s far easier keeping friends separate.
4/. Are you the jealous type? Do you get jealous if one friend spends more time with another friend? Does it hurt your feelings?
Of course not? Since my friends don’t know each other this type of thing never happens and hasn’t happened since grade school.
5/. How many friends do you have?
I have one really good friend - my husband of almost 30 years
I have a close girlfriend who lives less than a mile down the road that I adore. We do stuff together as girlfriends and go out on couple dates with the husbands.
Two weeks ago we went sailing and in the winter we go outdoor skating & hiking. We’ve been painting and been to museums. Sometimes we eat at each other’s house and sometimes we go out to eat but either way it’s a lot of fun.
We don’t bring problems into the relationship. Occasionally we might touch lightly on a complaint about a friend or family member but it very subtle and discreet and I appreciate and respect that.
I’ve got a few friends in the city that I see once in a while but we email each other. Sometimes we talk on the phone.
That’s it. My friends mean a lot to me. I cherish and nurture these friendships for they are the spice in my life .
I have a circle of friends, mostly couples who my wife and I see quite often when we meet up to see a band or go out for someone's birthday in our group. Some of the blokes in that "gang" I see almost every Saturday when we go out for a few drinks. I have known every one of these (currently) 10 friends for at least thrirty years and we are the best of mates.
We've had our ups and downs; we have always got along although some of our conversations have been rather heated at times wherby a couple of my mates are, shall we say, pretty opinionated and that annoys me. I try to keep an open mind. Some have had serious illnesses and we have been there for them, a couple of passed on and others are in poor health, but we still all keep in touch.
As far as 'jealousy' goes, we are not the sort to be envious of each other. We are all down to earth, working class who reside in modest homes. Some of the gang are retired but we have all worked for a living and hard at that, so there is no 'keeping up with the Joneses' about any of us. The only time we get envious is if there is some kind of quizzing or competitive side to things and then we can have a good old barney at one another.
Work colleagues are just that though. The only time I socialise with them is a drink at Christmas. There is always something about work mates that you just cannot trust them 100 per cent. I get on fine with most of the people I work with but when it's time to leave work, that where we part company.
I mentioned also about old friends and school friends too that I hope to see again in the near future and that will be something I'm looking forward to.
I have a few close friends unfortunately most of them live overseas so we are not that close physically anymore .
We don't know many couples for the same reason .
Since we returned to the Uk our social life has been very limited .
We don't seem to need it we are ok with each other ,.
I have one best friend whom I have known since my school days. I phone her every few weeks, I am unlikely to see her again. We have some friendly acquaintances, but our family is what matters to us most of all.
I have a small close knit circle of friends we go out often and visit each other's houses...they know my family I know theirs. I know I could count on them if I had a problem and they could count on me.
I also have what I would call casual friends people who come and go in your life not as close but pals
We have a good social life with what I call acquaintances where we go out for meals etc. Then we have three sets of couples who our best friends whom we go away on holiday with and who visit us in Spain. Also have good relationships with lots of family members.