“I met my girlfriend at Brute Force Games in North Park”

I have a lot of single friends. Most are past the clubbing phase of life. Some are divorced; some were never seriously attached. Most are still interested in companionship, but few want to try dating services. They’re old school that way, and prefer the notion of chance meetings over common interests. As Valentine’s Day loomed, we got together to brainstorm.

Ally likes being active but is not the gym-going type. “I found an adult kickball league in San Diego,” she said. “It’s becoming part of Club Waka, which is a nationwide fun adult sports league.” Club Waka emphasizes team sports and social interaction, so that you get to mingle with new and hopefully interesting people. “Their four core values are live fun, do the right thing, family first, and strength and community. They offer sports like kickball, dodgeball, bowling, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, soccer, and bar games.” (The bar games include things like darts, Jenga, skeeball, foosball, and corn hole. And of course, there’s booze handy.) The fall dodgeball season is almost over, but you can go to the website to look for the upcoming spring seasons. There’s leagues all over: Carlsbad, Kearny Mesa, Pacific Beach, and Ocean Beach.” Registration starts at about $70 and goes up to around $100, depending on league and location. Games are played in the evening, usually after work time. “It’s a great way to have fun and meet new people,” attested Ally. “There are numerous Club Waka weddings each year to prove it.”

My friend Frita is into swing dance. “I became part of Firehouse Swing Dance with the 90-day challenge. It provides 12 weeks of beginner classes at a major discount, offered every Wednesday at 6:30 and 7:30 pm. You learn how to do steps like the six count swing, the eight count Lindy, and the Charleston in single time.”

The beginners-only 90-day challenge is $99 for one class a week, or $129 for two classes a week. After that you can buy a four-class punch card for $50 to take more classes, or you can buy single classes at $15 each. Their dance place is in Banker’s Hill. Cost to come and dance with no instructions is $9. The social dancing time usually runs from 8:45 to 11:30 pm.

“My cat and dog are an important part of my life.” said Greg. “I used Pet Lovers on Meetup.com in San Diego to connect with other people. They have events like meditation for animal lovers, a cat lovers gathering, and a pet parent meetup. The next one I plan to go to is the Balboa Park Urban Pack Walk. And it’s not just for furry friends; there are reptile and amphibian lover groups, as well as bird lover groups.”

“My favorite pastime is eating and drinking,” said Jordan. “I use Let’s Go Vino for food and wine tours. San Diego county is home to over 100 local wineries. The day trips consist of six to eight people, and include things like wine tastings, wine and food pairings, vineyard and winery tours, lunches, farm tours, and farm-to-table dinners. Plus, someone else drives the group. Prices depend on the number of guests, but usually start around $199. Time frame for trips is like 11 am to 4 pm.”

“I have been a part of the Mission Hills Garden Club for a couple of years now,” said Michael. “They have monthly meetings, with speakers in the evening, and the group members share their knowledge and interests. They also have member events throughout the year, like Coffee in the Garden and Wine in the Garden, as well as field trips and workshops. The upcoming meeting on the 28th is called Bonsai Designs. Abe Far of the San Diego Bonsai Club will share his expertise on how to plant and care for bonsai.” Annual Membership is $35 for an individual; the guest fee is $5.

“I met my girlfriend at Brute Force Games in North Park,” said Hunter. “We are both huge Magic the Gathering card game fans. Brute Force has lots of card tournament events, and the cost is usually low: entry fees range from $5-$13, and there are lots of sessions of free pickup games and casual Dungeons & Dragons games.”