So as readers may know, I moved away from home about four months ago to a New City - a great, dynamic and diverse City that so far has been lovely to live in. For the most part, the move has been pretty smooth. I really like my new job and really enjoy my new colleagues. I don't get to spend as much time as I'd like in the City, but I do my best to make the most of weekends and am trying to get better at leaving work at a reasonable hour so I can enjoy weeknight evenings too. Having moved here at the point in my life when I did, I feel/felt so much more prepared to handle the ups and downs that come with a major move like this. For example, I know that there is a huge learning curve in any new job and that has helped a lot. I also know that when I left my Home City I was leaving my family and collection of wonderful friends that I had built over a number of years living there. Knowing that helps. I know that things take time. But it is still hard from time to time. I put myself out there, but finding the people that will become your good friends takes time. I don't have a group here that I can fall into - I suppose I didn't really have a cohesive group in Home City, so perhaps it's not my style, but I did have enough close friends that I could do social things in a group or grab coffee for a quick chat. I think when moving, the quickest way to get settled is to fall into a group. There is something really nice and simple at the idea of falling into a group. The regularity and reliability is grounding. At any rate, I have met some wonderful people and I am getting to know them better. But I think I need to refocus some efforts - away from dating :| and on building a regular friend network here. So starting tonight, I'm taking a dating break - deleting all (five) of the dating apps on my phone. And I'm going to make it a point to set up a regular brunch event with some of the meet-up groups here in the city. Baby steps, but something is better than nothing, right?
Wish me luck!