Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

We've been living in London for two years now and probably have another two years here before moving back to NYC. When we both lived in Manhattan we would go out to bars and clubs often and had so much fun.

I don't know if it has to do with where we live now, or because we own a home and dont' have as much disposable cash or if we're just getting old - but we don't seem to go out as much anymore. Of course I hope that when we move back to NY it'll be just like old times - but I can't help but feel like it'll never be the same again.

Do you think it's a matter of just outgrowing that kind of life? Or can you go back?

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I think it depends on geography. DH and I used to live in Queens, not far from Manhattan and we went out quite a bit. Now we're further away and there is not much up here.

The only way I see us going back to that kind of activity would be if we somehow were living in an area that had more to offer in terms of entertainment. But I don't miss it too much.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I think you can go back, definitely with a move back to NY!

For me I feel like I've outgrown it. We go out to bars, and they are crowded, and hot, and full of people not old enough to drink...And I think to myself I own a home, why not just invite our friends over to have drinks? So that's really what's changed with us. We used to go out as a place to go to talk to friends, but now that more of us have homes, it's cheaper, easier, and quieter to have dinner and drinks at someone's house.

Plus, friends of ours are now having babies...Going out is that much harder. We can eat and drink together in the house where the baby is, which makes it much easier for them.

Message edited 4/12/2006 12:39:18 PM.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I think part of it is outgrowing it and part of it is your friends move on to other things and priorities. I lived out of state for a long time and was single. Just before moving back here, I still went out with single friends, but more eating out and movies than bar hopping type stuff. When I came back, all of my friends had husbands and most had children and houses, so their social lives were almost non-existent. They had other priorities, (which I completely agreed with) so that left me with fewer opportunities to go out.

Message edited 4/12/2006 12:39:29 PM.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

We do go out less often, but I think that is due to the fact that DH works 5 days a week and goes to school 4 nights a week and Sat. mornings. I also think because I work in a bar I don't want to go to a bar on my nights off. Basically, we are just really boring people!!

ETA: I do think that you can go back. For us, I think that we are happier having gatherings in our home then in bars or clubs.

Message edited 4/12/2006 2:12:19 PM.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I definitely think you can go back to a life like that. Different things serve different purposes at different times in your life. JT and I basically hybernated for three years while we were living in Boston and saving for our wedding, and since we've been married, we've been going out to bars, to dinner, Atlantic City, etc.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

For me its not a matter of could I, its I wouldn't want to.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I think you can go back to that life, but the question will be whether or not you want that life in another two to three years.

Re: Social Life Spinoff...Do you think you can ever go back to it?

I think you can go back to having fun and going out no matter where you are in your life. I think tastes change as you get older. My idea of fun right out of college is no longer fun. I'm no longer interested in going out to bars. While I still have a great time, my fun entails getting together with friends who have kids or taking the kids out to a museum, etc.

So my answer is yes you can go back to having fun (or more fun) but maybe not the same type of fun.