I'm sorry to see you're still having a rough go of it, Jeanette_Isabelle. I hope you manage to find stuff you like to do. I'll probably be moving from my town of 150,000 to a small town of 5,000 soon (for work). Probably it won't be so bad for me since this town is only 30 miles from my current home and I bought a new car a few months ago. It's a pretty smooth easy drive, all interstate.

Today is the first day of a short-term volunteer job and I only knew of this through the church. This is the only opportunity I found since I've been here and I've looked.

There is an organization that places senior citizens with volunteer opportunities. I asked them if they could help me find a volunteer opportunity anyhow but won't because I'm not a senior citizen.

Earlier I found a food pantry. I thought this great. I worked six years in a food distribution center so one would think I'm highly qualified, right? They didn't need any more volunteers.

Some things, like CERT, I'm unable to get involved with because of my mental health.

Jeanette Isabelle

Hang in there, Jeanette_Isabelle! Keep trying, you're bound to find something that clicks with you.

It's unfortunate that your mental health is a roadblock. I'm sure you'll find something that meshes!

My thoughts are with you, JI. I have a few ideas; please forgive me if none of them are original or possible in your situation. .RPG gaming group. Amateur radio club. Religious organization, if you're so inclined. Book club. Gardening club.

Thank you for your suggestions. I am involved in an online RPG. We are allowed up to two player characters. One of them, Jeanette, is an EMT-B transported to an apocalyptic future with nothing more than what she had on her person.

It was my hope it would be an educational game; so far I've learned more from preparing for it than I have playing it. The one thing I've learned from playing is this: There are times in which all of the equipment in the world can't help you. In those times we are left with nothing but our most important tool . . . our brain.

Jeanette Isabelle

This volunteer opportunity is turning into a bust. I did fix a vacuum cleaner today. The filter of the bagless unit was clogged.

Jeanette Isabelle

After more than a year it dawned on me to look for answers in other places. I Googled "How to survive small town life." Many big city dwellers now living in small towns express how I feel, they are slowly dying. The only advice given is to get out. It will never improve.

Ironically the place I feel the most comfortable is here, a forum where members enjoy activities away from the big city and discuss them. If I want to be more involved in the discussions, I need to more knowledgeable on what my fellow members are discussing.

Jeanette Isabelle

Hmmm...I don't know that it "will never improve." Humans are quite adaptable. Unless one is really inflexible one should be able to get used to a different type of location. I'm not saying a big city person will learn to love a small town or that a country person will learn to prefer a big city. But hopefully you can find some things that you like to do there.

I read one former city dweller after another saying the same thing, including those who have lived in a small town for more than twenty years. It's like dying a slow death.

It feels like I lost my motivation except for when I come here to this forum. I also have my doll collection. I wish I could paint a better picture.

Edit: I also have synagogue; Mishkan does not have the same energy as Bat Zion, the synagogue I attended when I lived in Texas.

Jeanette Isabelle