h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

But a few unpleasant incidents recently have made me realise I really need a life - I spend far too much time on my own and it's not doing various things (my weight, mental health, confidence to name but a few) any good. How do I go about doing this?

I'm giving serious thought to picking up a language, either a nice, relatively easy Romance language, or something trickier but more useful like Urdu or Punjabi. Got as far as looking at costs, which are very reasonable, getting an application form and looking at how I'd get there.

Also considering joining the Ramblers Association as I enjoy walking, it'll help with my fitness, get to meet new people and I do live in prime walking territory.

I find it quite difficult to meet new people as I'm surprisingly shy and lacking in confidence in RL and this can come off as brusqueness and/or arrogance. That's something I need to work on. I've also made the decision to stop drinking as I'm becoming a real wofftopic when drunk which means I drive the friends I do have away (as in the aforementioned unpleasant incidents). I don't have a problem with going the pub and just drinking pop so it wouldn't affect my current social life that much.

So friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ideas: how do I get a life?

Both the language and the Ramblers sound like very good ideas

Mmm, I agree, it's a good mix of brain and physical.

I like climbing, and I really enjoyed bridge when I was a uni (but finding bridge clubs where I don't drop the average age down by 20 years is difficult).

Are you musical? I get a lot of enjoyment when creating music with others. There might be local community choirs if you've not sung a lot and they will *always* welcome more men.

I find it odd, since you manage so ablely here, that RL should present such challenges, HI.

Isn't odd how our online persona is almost a schizophrenic version of our true (RL) one

Volunteering for a wildlife trust or nature organisation in your area, with a 'as and when' commitment depending on enthusiasm and time commitments, hedge planting, beach cleaning, stone wall building, that type of thing or something more project based if you can fit it in

Peanut

Walking sounds great - I miss doing that.
Learning a language - always a good idea in my book

Just got the brochure for the language courses and I'll definitely be doing one of them, not sure which one still (though I'm leaning heavily towards Urdu - be funny to respond to the kids when they don't think I can understand them) but I'll be doing one.

The deciding factor was that I'll be able to get a student card and student discounts which will likely save me more money than the course costs plus I'll be able to use university facilities and it's quite close to me.

Sent off the application form to the Ramblers Association as well. I can see that taking up an evening and a day a week meaning I'll be out the house most nights. Course won't start until October but I could be doing the rambling within 3 weeks.

You have some lovely areas to walk and expore where you live HI. Salt Mills ? You don't necessarily have to join a club, just go out and explore, I find that great spiritual recreation personally. It's amazing the people you meet, lot's of nice ladies for me, but I'm sure your gaydar is fully functional and none-the-less you simply meet people to informally pass the day with, just chatting trivia etc.. Rather like being on Hootoo without the keyboard and questions

I do go walking alone quite regularly (since school broke up for the hols I've been trying to do 4/5 miles every day) but it doesn't solve one of my main problems which is I spend far too time alone.

Plus I find you get a lot of strange looks if you're a single bloke just sitting and people watching (which I quite enjoy) particularly if you take a lot of photos (which I also enjoy). A dog can help with this but I can't always steal my mates dog.

I do a lot of walking around Salts Mill/Robert's Park/Shipley Glen because I have friends who live right by it and I love the scenery - lost count of the number of times I've walked from Saltaire across Ilkley Moor via Dick Hudsons.

The ramblers then sounds like a good blend of the exercise and social. My ACE Unconformity was well into that during her university years and met some of the most interesting people

My pack for the Ramblers came through today, so that's something. The local group just needs to contact me and I can get out walking with new people. Should be fun.

Wye Valley 50 next April, should qualify you for the Cornwall and Devon 100, 2013. You're welcome to stay at my gaff HI, as long as we don't talk politics

Coo, there's rambling, then there's what you do, norti. Crazy chicken, you.

Ultra distance endurance, man versus body HI will love it, character building I am genuine about staying at my gaff HI

I am familiar with Norti's long-distance trekking, it is indeed a brutal body and soul beater. But if a man or woman has the stamina, the after-glow has got to be something one could otherwise only dream of

(Too lazy to try such a thing, meself )

Longest walk I've ever done is Penzance to Lands End (A24427992) and I had to be rolled off the sea wall in Penzance once our bus home to Penryn arrived. I think that's probably about my limit.

In other days, I may have taken on such things, but now? A 20 or 30 mile walk-a-thon to round up coin for a charity is about as far as I go at a toss

Cultural differences Nick, your last word means something completely different in colloquial England

I joined Toastmasters, which worked for me, and got involved in a local community festival (which was cancelled over insurance disputes, but may be back next year). At Sligo LGBT Pride last weekend, I met some Scottish guys who told me there's a very active gay walking club in Dublin, which I'm thinking of joining.

TRiG.

By 'gay', you do of course mean a jolly and festive bunch of lads, right?