I'm such a social idiot, I swear one day I'm just going to pack up and live in the mountains.

Went to the playground again today, the one just outside my house. Since Spring has managed to spread across our yards in generous dollops of green and gold (sun was still strong at 5pm!), children and their significant elders came to slowly rediscover the possibilities of the steel and wooden play structure.

So while Rae gleefully attacked the slides, I sat down for some well-deserved time in the sun while leaving Sky to miraculously tie her own shoelaces. Of course, what I was really doing was eyeing the four mommies seated at the far end of the playground, chatting happily while their kids played together.

I've never been very courageous when it came to walking up to total strangers and turning them into friends. I struggled with it when I started out as a journo, and now it's even worse since I can't use THAT excuse anymore to start a conversation.

I mean, how weird is it, walking up to total strangers at a playground and trying to ease in on the conversation? TOTALLY!

So I ended up just sitting by my lonesome on my little bench with my little girl, pretending I don't care, when all I can think about is, GOD I NEED TO START MAKING SOME FRIENDS SOON OR ELSE CAN DIE!

The other problem also is that we live in a rental home community. In the US, particularly in places like Seattle, companies like ING build lease-only homes so you know your neighbour's likely to move out in like a year, so there's no point really in getting to know them. As such, people here don't really mix around, despite the valiant efforts by the condo management to get some social mixes going.

Oh well. Guess we better find that perfect house quick!