Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#221

Post by strikelaserclaw » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:35 PM UTC

nostromo wrote: post #210

silisili wrote: post #88

My neighborhood. When we moved in we sat out front every evening, and made small talk with every single person who walked by. Some were caught off guard, some kinda just waved and moved on, but most stopped to talk. What's interesting is that people who had lived in that neighborhood nearly 20 years together had never talked, and met for the first time as both stopped to chat at nearly the same time. Then we started…

I'm prepared for this to be an unpopular opinion, but I'm glad my neighbors don't do this. I know my neighbors well enough. We check each other's mail when they're away and will help out in other ways. But I have lots of friends to keep up with outside of my neighborhood -- people I have a lot in common with -- my neighbors, not so much. If they wanted to talk with me each time I saw them coming or going, I would lik…

i'm sure you can just say hi and move on.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#222

Post by cecilpl2 » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:38 PM UTC

ellisd wrote: post #19

Raves, particularly ones that are designed to be “transformative” like Lightning in a Bottle in California. Music festivals with camping are magical ways to build community and inspire yourself around other like minded and curious people. I never attended these events until a near death experience prioritized my love of dancing in my early 30. Now nearly 10 years later I'm even more convinced this is the way.

Have you been to Burning Man or various Burner regional events that take place all over the world?

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#223

Post by jraph » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:39 PM UTC

A university choir of around 80-100 members. Joined as a student and stayed. I now have many friends, many of them from the choir or friends of a member.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#224

Post by PenguinCoder » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:39 PM UTC

I've found it in Freemasonry. A sense of purpose and brotherhood, community support, etc. Being a part of the fraternity has introduced me to many other aspects of everything, but especially non-technical people. Knowing and being around men that also strive to be a better person, resonated with me. I don't have enough time to devote to their various projects and meetings, but what I can give, I do; and that is always returned. Friendship, fellowship and like minded goals. Freemasonry is my non tech outside the house outlet. Good experiences.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#225

Post by Fervicus » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:43 PM UTC

silisili wrote: post #172

Fervicus wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am curious. Which country do you live in?

Southwestern USA. Which is kinda funny as my wife hates it and wants to move because gardening here is really hard-to-impossible, but she doesn't want to give up our great neighborhood, so we're at an impasse.

Thanks, I love the idea of living in this kind of a neighborhood. I have been living in an apartment building for close to a decade now and I don't know a single person on my floor or in my building. I don't even know who my neighbor is.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#226

Post by bwb » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:45 PM UTC

Ultimate frisbee:)

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#227

Post by uranium » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:46 PM UTC

I've been a member of a number of juggling clubs over the years. If you're not into juggling, I'm sure there are other kinds of clubs around, but if you're a juggler or juggling-curious, they're great. They tend to be super open to new folks, whether they can juggle or not. Often folks would go out to eat afterward [depending on the time of the club meeting]; at one club they even had a weekly movie outing afterward for a long time.

The larger juggling community is great too--there are little festivals and larger conventions all over the world, with great shows but also great social scenes.

I met my spouse at a university juggling club. Neither of us attended the university, but we were both club members, as were lots of our friends [after a while, anyway].

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#228

Post by _tom_ » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:48 PM UTC

bombcar wrote: post #206

abnercoimbre wrote: post #55

Take matter into your own hands. "Be the change you want to see" basically. For example I organize software meetups at a nice coffeehouse. It started out with like four people a year ago, and now we average ~25-30 each month, and growing. Consistency is key. P.S. If you live in Seattle, and you're a software engineer, shoot me an email: abner at handmadecities dot com

You can do this really simply, if you're willing to eat alone for awhile - just put a notice in appropriate places that you'll be at the restaurant/bar/whatever every Thursday at 7:00 PM for "whatever topic you come up with". It'll eventually grow.

Meetup.com is worth the $100 for this.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#229

Post by swat535 » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:49 PM UTC

andreynering wrote: post #3

The church is like a second family for me. I made so many great friends there! Of course it will not be for everyone, but if you are open to it you can try.

Yes, I'm a practicing Catholic and attend Church often with my fiancee.

Everyone is welcome to even attend Mass (they just don't receive communion) and participate in activities that we organize. We also have many support groups for elderly, grieving families, young adults and so on.

Additionally, if you want to do volunteer work, contact the closest Catholic Church. You can join pretty much all of the events regardless of your background.

We are not some "exclusive" membership, the doors are open.

Re: Ask HN: Where have you found community outside of work?

#230

Post by lannisterstark » Tue, May 30, 2023, 9:50 PM UTC

silisili wrote: post #88

My neighborhood. When we moved in we sat out front every evening, and made small talk with every single person who walked by. Some were caught off guard, some kinda just waved and moved on, but most stopped to talk. What's interesting is that people who had lived in that neighborhood nearly 20 years together had never talked, and met for the first time as both stopped to chat at nearly the same time. Then we started…

>My neighborhood

I have a question. What kind of place do you live in? Is it houses that are apart by some distance -lawns/treelines separating y'all etc-, is it houses that are built next to each other, is it duplexes/townhomes etc?