I see a lot of opportunities for women to meet one another and do a work-with-your-hands activity with lots of portable gear and supplies that you can just pick up or put down on a whim. I’m talking about knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, etc… I’m honestly kind of jealous about this, so I think I’d ask here if there’s a male-oriented (or non gendered) version? I’d love to meet up with people to work on projects, whether on individual projects or in a group – I can’t think of anything in my cohort of older people tho.
What’s the male counterpart to social crafting?
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How about taking up knitting, quilting and scrapbooking? Those aren’t gendered by default.
I do board games. Not ‘crafty’ but they are strategy based. I do coffee with my friends and have them back over the play video games.
You could do minatures? Wood burning? Lots of stereotypical guy stuff requires tools and work space. So it’s more solitary.
There are cultural centers or volunteer stuff that you can go to. My introverted ass doesn’t do that tho. Lan parties ftw! Additionally, playing dnd also gives a lot of social interaction with people
Gonna largely depend on your hobbies and interests.
Speaking from someone who has/had an interest in cars, most of my buddies I met through car meets, and that usually progressed to us helping each other on cars.
Plenty of opportunities for you to do these exact same activities if you want. Use meetup.
One of the community centers here has a woodworking group that meets every week. All older retired men. They bring their toolboxes and projects, give adivce, shoot the shit. The cutest part is when someone under 50 joins the group. They get so excited to share their craft and knowledge with the next generation.
Video games
Hiking club?
Men Sheds, ham radio, woodworking clubs, blacksmithing classes/group
Why not just try knitting or quilting, it’s fun.
For a long time it was working on a car with your friends, or helping out with DIY projects at each other’s houses. With cars being more complex and reduced home ownership that’s been affected.
Archery club, shooting club, hiking, video games, brewing, smoking (meat or cigars haha), car meets, wood working groups, etc.
Warhammer
Weekly video games with voice chat with the boys.
Working to fix small motor/lawnmower/chainsaw or car/truck work.
BBQ / smoking meats.
Sports both watched and played, or just tossing/kicking a ball around.
Have you considered carrying a ball around with you. Just throwing a ball around can be surprisingly easy and fun thing to do with strangers. Or kicking around a soccer ball.
Fishing poles are small and light. Traditionally, local politics would have filled a similar role.
You can get more intense, too. Plenty of blacksmiths have kits that fit in a 5 gallon bucket (except the forge).
Get a blue collar job, preferably a skilled trade
Uh .. isn’t that just .. work?