Oddly, it's easier for me to approach and speak with men in my new group of neighbors. I don't bubble over about my grandkids... or feel that my self-worth is edged up by how I've decorated my house, or my secret casserole dish or who does my hair or how I choose to work out... these kinds of women are like on another planet from me. A secret society that I've not been initiated into... and I'm not exactly breaking down the doors to be allowed in, either!! 
But maybe that's just my predjudice and bias. Maybe they do think about politics, economics, engineering, design, spirituality, and philosophy and maybe it matters just as much to them. Maybe I'm not giving them a chance...
I met a great friend on the internet through playing words games. She loves decorating her house for the seasons and secret casserole dishes and she's into fashion. I am not into the decorating but it's a yes to the secret casserole dishes. And fashion, forgetaboutit. We share our recipes. We've met in person this last summer. We're both introverts who love to discuss spirituality, philosophy, politics, economics, design, etc. Although our focus is for the most part spirituality and personal growth, we do talk about some very odd stuff most people would never talk about. That's just us.
I've shared my most horrific memories with her. She's the first and only person I've shared some of these memories with. Even my therapist hasn't heard these memories. She's the person my therapist said would come along in my life and I'd be able to be 100% real with her.
We share over 20 similarities (found so far) including marrying a man from Italian heritage, being the same age, getting married the same year and same time of year, bought our first house at same age, going through our first major stressor at the same age, both love word games, both love cats, and even like the same snack foods. It's simply amazing. We've talked on the phone to each other at least once a week since we first met online in 2006. Our conversations usually last 3 to 5 hours.
Faux pas is our greatest disappointment. We just don't interact with people well. Each other? No problem because we're both introverts.
Who does my hair? Me.
I'll never forget going to the dog park one day after I had cut my hair. One lady there said, 'Your hair looks great. You got it cut.' When I said I did it myself her jaw dropped. She was amazed at how professional it looked.
I remember several women in the nursing school I attended thinking I was stuck up and snobby because my hair looked as if I had it professionally set each week. They were shocked to find I spent less than thirty minutes on my hair each morning before rounds. I've never been into spending a great deal of time dressing up and putting on makeup and getting my hair done.
