I live in an area which is kind of a hybrid of suburbia and the country. Most of the people in this neighborhood are older than me, married, and with fairly young kids. Cliques here appear to have been formed many years ago. When I came rolling into town about 5 years ago, while the people here seemed nice for the most part, I definitely felt like an outcast.
What I'm probably most known for in this neighborhood is walking my Siberian husky multiple times every day. It's during these times when I'm at a loss of when to truly interact with some people. If someone is jogging or walking and wave, I know that, like me, he/she is probably in an exercise-type zone and a hello is just a hello. However, there have been other times when someone has waved during my walk and actually wanted to chat for a couple minutes. Then there have been a number of times when a person waves, asks, "How's it going?," without really meaning that. So, how is a person - especially a newbie (outcast) in a neighborhood - supposed to interpret these mixed signals of social interaction? Then, when interactions do occur, when do or should they end? Usually my dog tells me when she wants to continue on the sniffing and leg-lifting journey (yes, she's a female, but lifts her leg when peeing on fire hydrants and the like - she learned this by watching my first dog go about his business and she's never stopped), but still, it's kind of an odd situation for me at times.
It's like moving to a new state and walking into a neighborhood-type bar. There's a lot going on around you, lots of new people, perhaps a hesitancy on who to interact with, how much to talk versus listen (or how much to drink), what topics appear to be off limits, etc. I think it's slightly more overwhelming in a new neighborhood, however, because at least at a new bar, most people are there to get away from the real world for a few hours, joke around, and relax. It's often a time to get away from work, perhaps spouses (and kids), and ease some tension. When out and about in the neighborhood, there's a larger dosage of reality present, especially when kids are present, and it can be more difficult in finding the proper balance to a conversation, the right amount of censorship to include in your words, and when the right times are to actually try and engage in a conversation.
Well, on that note, it's a beautiful day today and the time has come for me to yet again take my 12-year old dog on a sniffing and dog-lifting journey while I over-analyze interactions with neighbors I pass by while doing so.
What I'm probably most known for in this neighborhood is walking my Siberian husky multiple times every day. It's during these times when I'm at a loss of when to truly interact with some people. If someone is jogging or walking and wave, I know that, like me, he/she is probably in an exercise-type zone and a hello is just a hello. However, there have been other times when someone has waved during my walk and actually wanted to chat for a couple minutes. Then there have been a number of times when a person waves, asks, "How's it going?," without really meaning that. So, how is a person - especially a newbie (outcast) in a neighborhood - supposed to interpret these mixed signals of social interaction? Then, when interactions do occur, when do or should they end? Usually my dog tells me when she wants to continue on the sniffing and leg-lifting journey (yes, she's a female, but lifts her leg when peeing on fire hydrants and the like - she learned this by watching my first dog go about his business and she's never stopped), but still, it's kind of an odd situation for me at times.
It's like moving to a new state and walking into a neighborhood-type bar. There's a lot going on around you, lots of new people, perhaps a hesitancy on who to interact with, how much to talk versus listen (or how much to drink), what topics appear to be off limits, etc. I think it's slightly more overwhelming in a new neighborhood, however, because at least at a new bar, most people are there to get away from the real world for a few hours, joke around, and relax. It's often a time to get away from work, perhaps spouses (and kids), and ease some tension. When out and about in the neighborhood, there's a larger dosage of reality present, especially when kids are present, and it can be more difficult in finding the proper balance to a conversation, the right amount of censorship to include in your words, and when the right times are to actually try and engage in a conversation.
Well, on that note, it's a beautiful day today and the time has come for me to yet again take my 12-year old dog on a sniffing and dog-lifting journey while I over-analyze interactions with neighbors I pass by while doing so.
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