Though I love my family, my wife and kids (and dogs), I feel lonely in this world. Friendless. Not one person called me over the summer. Well, one old friend finally did, but only after I prodded him to (and then still have not had an actual conversation).

I don’t stink and I’m not unlikable, but I’m far away from my original home, and I suffer from some degree of social ineptness, I think. I just don’t know how you make friends when you’re a grown-up and married. Sure, I can talk to people online– though I don’t even do that half as well as I used to– but 90% of the social interactions on the Web are related to seeking members of the opposite sex (or whichever you prefer)– where do you go to truly find “just friends”? Moreover, what I’m really hurting for is male friends. Buddies, ya know. I pretty much have none. The guys I could hang out with in that sense all live back in Georgia.

I don’t know what to do, but it’s depressing me.

Add to that the stress of teaching… Year 2 has begun. So far, so… well, I’m OK. Already falling behind, and I really have no excuses. My life proceeds as a middle school social studies teacher… so not what I saw myself as two years ago. (Think English. Think high school. But life is strange).

So, whoever may stumble upon this, a comment would be nice… the merest acknowledgement of my presence is meaningful these days. Hell, I don’t even show up on the first page of results when I Google my name anymore– and I used to fill up that page! Don’t worry, I’m not about to off myself or any such thing. Just… need some more human connection. That’s all.