When we all get together

Is food at the center of most of your social activities?

Tell us a story: superhero caregiver

What is something out of the ordinary that you had to do to take care of a family member, friend, pet, or some other being that needed help?

Your deepest secrets (5)

Are you the person that everyone tells their secrets to, or are you always the last to find out?

Your favorite things (3)

What is your favorite fun thing to do when going out by yourself?  And what's your favorite way to have fun with a group of friends? 

Memories and associations (5)

In your memories, what song is inextricably tied to a particular group of people or an activity that you participated in years ago? 

Allies (4)

In a pinch, who's got your back?

Allies (2)

How important is it to you that a friend remains loyal? Do you easily forgive friends for sometimes being on the wrong side of a conflict, or do you tend to get rid of friends who don't stick with you? 

Out of the comfort zone (4)

Of all the people in your life, who most often gets you to try challenging new things? 

Old friends (5)

When you think of old friends you haven't seen for a long time, who comes to mind first?

Old friends (4)

Which old friend opened your eyes to new experiences and different ways of thinking?

Old friends (3)

Which of your friends wins the prize for introducing you to the largest number of your other friends?

Old friends (2)

Who was the first friend you ever had, from early childhood? What are your earliest memories of your friend?

Old friends (1)

What is one recurring social event that you've done basically the same way for years with the same friend or the same group of friends? 

Your belongings (1)

What's something you use that was made for you by someone you know?

Success (4)

Do you feel pressure to live up to a specific idea of success defined by your family, friends, or peer group? Does your idea of success line up with theirs, or do you have your own personal definition of what counts as successful?

Another reason it's good to have friends

Sometime it takes a friend to bring out aspects of yourself that would otherwise remain forgotten.  Who are the people who have a knack for awakening the better and more interesting side of your personality?  Who is someone no longer in your life, someone you're sorry is gone because you miss who you were with that person around?

This week's theme is your forgotten side.

Dream allies

Who shows up in your dreams as your ally, friend, supporter, or rescuer?  Do your dayworld friends show up in your dreams, or do you have dream allies who don't play any role in your waking life? 

What's an example of a recent dream in which you relied on someone else's help or guidance?  

This week's theme is dreams.

Call for backup

Who is your best person overall to turn to for help when you have something difficult to handle?

This week's theme is hidden strengths.

Good luck

We say "good luck" to friends to offer our support. It means, "I know there are factors outside your control, but I hope you succeed." But, in everyday conversation, the words "good luck" are often said sarcastically, with a not-so-supportive meaning: "You're wasting your effort. I already know you're going to fail."

When was the last time you said "good luck" to someone? On that occasion, which meaning of the phrase did you intend?

This week's theme is good luck.

Connections

Everything is connected to everything else, even if the ties are invisible or indirect. And you are connected to every other person on earth by no more than six degrees of separation. Today, let's look at your first-degree connections, your family members, roommates, friends, acquaintances, all the people you know by name in your neighborhood or at work, and all the people who are listed as your friends on online networks. Don't forget people from years past whom you would count as friends if you happened to end up at the same party or on the same bus. Approximately how many people can you count as first-degree connections?

This week's theme is connections.