My coworkers took me out to lunch today and it was nice to deal with them in a more social environment. The line between social time and work time is a bit more rigid at my new firm so I get less information at work about the wife and kids as it were. Everyone chatted about what was going on in their lives and I was invited to play racquetball with some of them near work. I’d never tried it, but it sounded like a fun addition to the list of things I can now probably do without killing myself.

After work, I took the subway to a friend’s apartment and she and I reminisced and had some artisanal cheeses. Later, I planned an overnighter at a friend’s house where I’d take the train to a station near their house, stay over with them, and be dropped off at the train station the next morning.

In a single week, the nature of my interactions with friends had changed from “who’s within a 30 minute drive on a weekday” to “who has a guest bedroom near a mass transit line”. I understand this fact but a part of me is uncomfortable with the degree to which social relationships emerge from convenience. Social engagement being a byproduct of my schedule makes me uncomfortable but I suppose that’s why I have parties.