Recluses Anonymous

There are many reasons why my inbox isn't full of people claiming 'I want an adventure!' Too many reasons to list. But I refuse to believe that it's because people don't actually want adventure. That would be too sad. I'm not ready to believe that quite yet, so I'm going to keep the faith and keep stickering on the Northern Line.

I am prepared to believe that it's 'personal', that people don't want to email me about their adventuring needs, that is quite understandable. I don't know how I'd respond to a badly printed yellow sticker, and a website created by someone who clearly doesn't have much of a clue what she's doing. But my personal favourite theory for the lack of adventuring interest, is that it's all down to the colour of this page. I believe that when I pick the perfect adventuring colour for the web site design, choose a colour that just shouts out 'I want an adventure!' then the emails will start flooding in. I know that this greyish green is a long, long way from a perfect 'adventuring' colour. But I've fiddled around for an hour at Colormatch.dk/ and also tried to master the mysteries of template style sheets, then I realised 'this is my day off, this isn't any fun.' Plus I have a Tax Credits form to fill in, and need to get to the dry cleaners... See what an inspirational life I lead as a would-be-adventurers group leader?

Maybe I should change the title from 'I want an adventure!' to 'I need an adventure!' I do, I really do.

There must be other people out there who are in a rut, or have no time for doing something out of the ordinary? I admit I started this website because I was sad and lonely and lacking something in my life. I admit it would probably be easier just to take Jesus into my heart. I was quite tempted when that crazy guy at Oxford Circus started shouting 'Are you a sinner or are you a winner!' so enthusiastically. But then I just started to wonder would it qualify as an 'adventure' if I ever dared to shout at strangers in the street?

Perhaps it's put people off that I'm so open about my failings and my far from perfect life? If I were to shout in the street I wonder what I'd say? 'I have a sad and empty life and think doing something ridiculous might make me feel alive!' Maybe. I still can't help feeling that could be a worthwhile thing to shout. Is the message of that bible-basher at Oxford Circus so much more logical?

My life might not be so great right now, and I admit I'm not 'the type' to organise anything like this. And if IWAA fails this won't make things any easier.

I did once before try to set up a similar self help group. I wanted to help people like me who were shy, had no friends, and stayed home far too much. So I set up 'Recluses Anonymous.'

No one even came the first meeting. I got cold feet and didn't turn up either. 'If you didn't turn up yourself, how do you know no if anyone was there?' you're probably thinking. Let me explain. I was organising the group so had to attend to put out a plate of biscuits. I arrived to do this on the second week and found the first week's biscuits still there, untouched and slightly stale, the neatly stacked teacups untouched. I replaced the biscuits and left. I was obviously too upset to stay and join my fellow recluses for a group hug. By the third week, with the Rich Teas yet again uneaten, I decided enough was enough, I ate the replacement pack of biscuits all by myself (I didn't eat the stale ones) and decided I was wasting my time trying to help these shy no-hopers who were too ungrateful to even appreciate my nice biscuits, or the Rich Tea ones either. If any one turned up on week four they'd just have to buy their own biscuits.

I only hope IWAA doesn't end the same way.

Do you like biscuits?