I don’t have much of a social life either… except for my boss, her husband, and my cat, I don’t have anyone in a two hundred mile radius that I even know or would come close to considering a friend but I do get out and do things occasionally, including going to Dopefests.
I don’t know if there are any that happen in the Louisiana region on any sort of schedule but you should keep an eye out for them. The SDMB is a great way to network and my current job is proof of that as my aforementioned boss is a Doper and the first time I met her was when I walked into her home my first day in Oregon.
It’s something to keep in mind.
Definitely. I generally have an easier time communicating with people on the net anyway. I’ve met some really good friends that way and been able to help others, as well as getting their help. (although I have been the recipient of some really random, weird instant messages as well from people I didn’t recognize, because I didn’t know them by that name!) I’ll keep an eye out for Louisiana Dopefests.
Just wanted to post that I have made myself an appointment at the counseling center, and am carefully scrutinizing my finances for places to cut back. I am even fairly sure that I am going to lay how I feel out for my parents, in roughly the terms of my OP. I feel rather better now. Thanks for hearing me out.