Suggestions?

[Forever_frost]

April 4 is rapidly coming around and I want to try something new and since I'm more the hermit than the party guy I thought I'd look to you bunch for some ideas. A little background: April 4, 2004 is the day I was shot in the head and was dead for a bit. Every April 4 since then I have always hid in my room with the door locked and tried to sleep through it but I want to do something different.

It's been 8 years this year, I've passed the neurologists, my surgeons, my shrinks and the Army's evaluation of how long before either the migraines or the paranoia would either make me shoot myself or be committed. So this is kind of a celebration.

What would you do? I don't do big groups (paranoia) and loud things freak me out but I would like to try something different as kind of a trying to get out of my shell if it makes any sense.

And yes, I'm opening up a little bit to you guys. Late at night and the Ambien is kicking in. Share your ideas.

[YALE]

Kegger at your place? Fish fry? BBQ? All of the above?

[Damnittsteve]

I think u better make up your own mind on this one. This is not the only place I would ask this. If you don't Wanna be alone spend the time with five close friends tops. Just my opinion. If all else fails. Ill have a beer with ya and try to meet u on even ground from a mental perspective

[grove rat]

yea i would keep it to close friends/family only. that way if you start getting uneasy they can be there to help you through it

[ram57ta]

Wow...I don't even know what to say. First...thanks for your service and sacrifice for the cause. Its people like you that make me proud to call myself an American. We may not all be perfect....but I'd rather be American than the other options available. I'd happily buy you a beer if I had a dime to my name. I'm willing to bet that a WHOLE LOT of people on this board would too. Carry on.

[Forever_frost]

Bah, I'm just a grunt that doesn't know the meaning of the word 'duck'. No biggie. I met the Doc on here when I bought his 37mm launcher and another guy who did the rewire on my 66 Mustang. Other than that, I'd love to meet you guys sometime.

I have an invite to a few of my infantry buddies but they tend to thin themselves out every year either by PCS, drugs/alcohol, suicide or doing what I do and cutting off all communication with the world. I think I have 2 that still talk to me and one I haven't talked to in a year or so.

Still, fucked up as it is, I value some of the suggestions I get on here and see quite a few of you as friends. Those that wore the uniform on here? You bitches are family.

[Samhain]

I agree with the BBQ idea with family. That way if you start getting uncomfortable you can retreat to another part of your house to chill until you're ready. Then you could do a cookout once a month or so and slowly add people just to get comfortable around different faces. Hell, I look for any excuse to fire up my smoker!

[majorownage]

I'd have a beer with you.

[ceyko]

I agree with the BBQ idea with family. That way if you start getting uncomfortable you can retreat to another part of your house to chill until you're ready. Then you could do a cookout once a month or so and slowly add people just to get comfortable around different faces. Hell, I look for any excuse to fire up my smoker!

This is without a doubt the best idea. I'm anti-social, or at least I used to be and I'm still not a social as a lot of people.

However, simple cookouts helped me a lot. I started YEARS ago with just the wife and I (to get a routine down), then invited a friend, then invited some friends and then people I did not know too well. Now, sometimes there are 15-20 people that I at least know and sometimes those are the only times I see them. This summer I'm probably going to be having a cookout at the new place, and there will likely be 30+ people between personal and professional life.

It's in your domain which should help, your wife/other family will be there to assist if things get too rough/strange for you and if you keep it small - it should be as calm or as wild as you want it to be for yourself.

[Forever_frost]

Thanks for the ideas guys