How To Have Lots Of Friends

I decided to compile this page in response to a hubber's request. What qualifies me to write about how to have lots of friends? As a child, you would not have called me a swan. I was the second tallest girl in the class, had allergies, a lisp (You try being one of the kids taken out of phys ed to go to speech in Brooklyn). Yet somehow, I managed to transform myself into a bicycle riding, ballet dancing, play directing, poet on the school newspaper with friends in almost every crowd. At the end of my junior year in high school we were leaving Puerto Rico to move to Mexico. A bittersweet time... My amazing best friend, Lillian Gilliken gave me a surprise going away party which to this day is truly one of the peak moments of my life. So I can say, I have made really wonderful friends.

I'm a lot older now, and maybe my nearest and dearest are fewer. Still I am able to get a party together, for myself and my loved ones, and even pull together highly attended events just by contacting my social network.

The coolest thing, is that I believe all of these people genuinely like me. I'm far from perfect, but lots and lots of people consider me kindhearted, in addition to intelligent, funny and soulful.

So here you are. It was meant to be. Visit often and let me show you a few ways to have the social life you've always wanted.

Being a good person doesn't necessarily mean being nicey nice. It means having principles and acting on them. It means being truthful, not hurtful, loyal, helpful.

Do you look around and see people who are popular, but not really good people? Do you wish you could be like them? That's for someone else to write. This is about having friends. People you can count on and who can count on you. I don't know how old you are. I'm trying to address people of any age. It's a great feeling to have a great group of friends who can count on each other.

If anyone has helped you in any way, reward that kindness with thank you notes, little gifts, reciprocal gestures, snacks, anything that's appropriate.

Giving and receiving are among the great pleasures of life, and the foundation of many good friendships.

I started babysitting at the age of 11, because I liked having more money than my parents could give me. The advantage was that when people asked if they could borrow a dollar, I usually could say yes. Believe me, it added to my prestige.

Babysitting may not be an option in our worrisome times, but if you have any legal means of making money... like working behind a counter, in a store, organizing relatives' basements, you'll develop a self confidence that can catapult you into the major leagues.

If you're over 20, this holds even more truth. You'll definitely have more friends if you're not the one asking.

It seems so obvious. Don't you love it when people remember yours? If you keep a list of people's b-days, and follow up with a simple phone call or an e-card, acquaintances can become friends in less than a year's time! Celebrate!

When I was still single, my Dad kept telling me to go to the Animal Shelter and find man's best friend. I argued that I was a cat person and he argued back that you never see people walking their cats.

People who have dogs are always meeting other people with dogs. It's one of the best ways to hook up with people who are not all about themselves.

It can be as simple as zipping over with some clear soup from your neighborhood Chinese restaurant, or a committment like volunteering at a local hospital. Concern yourself for the well being of others and watch friendships grow.