A poor economy and a rich internet have sealed the deal on the cocooning trend that started a few decades ago.  More and more, those of us who are lucky enough to still have homes spend a lot of time in them.  We don’t know our neighbors, and we connect with friends and family on Facebook more than in real life.

We like it that way.  We can control how much interaction we have with others, and can interact with them when it is most convenient for us.

At the same time, the biggest complaint you’ll hear from people, after the economy, of course, is that they are lonely.  Singles can’t meet anyone to hang out, let alone date.  Marrieds can’t find other couples to chill.

Meanwhile, folks with hobbies and interests that really are better when shared are desperate to find likeminded people.

Enter Meetup.com, a free website dedicated to getting you away from your computer.

Meetup.com is a very special social networking site.  Simply sign up for free, and enter your interests, your zip code, and how far you are willing to drive to attend a meetup. 

Meetups are events that you can attend, often free or low cost, to meet likeminded people and enjoy fun activities.

What comes back may amaze you.  For instance, if you entered “hiking” in Des Moines, Iowa, you could sign up to join a nature club for lunch and a birding expedition.  If you entered “knitting” in Hampton, Virginia, you could choose between five different fiber arts clubs.

Meetups can be classes, camping trips, happy hours, movies or dining experiences.  They can involve athletics, family activities, singles events or religious gatherings.  You might find a sewing circle, a book club, a coven of witches or a flash mob.

If you didn’t find what you were looking for, you could express interest to be notified when a new meetup group starts.

Of course, the more populated an area is, the more meetups there are.

It’s not perfect.  Some meetups aren’t well organized.  Sometimes it’s hard to find the meeting location.  Perhaps you might not enjoy the people you meet.

On the other hand, you might meet your next BFF, or even your next BF.  You might learn a new skill, see a movie premiere, or enjoy a dinner with friends. 

Meetup integrates with Facebook and Twitter, and is easy to use.  Even the technologically disinclined are able to use it.

Meetup is international.  Meetups happen all over the world.

You can start a meetup group yourself.  That part isn’t free.  To be a meetup organizer you pay a few dollars a month, and can organize as many as three different groups.

At the time of this writing, a check of Meetup.com revealed that forty-four Meetups were happening just now, worldwide.  They include electronic dance music in Toronto, Yoga in Huntsville, Alabama, and mountain biking in North Carolina.  Before the night ends, another fourteen hundred meetups will happen across the globe.  It’s Monday night.

Meetup.com’s current slogan is “Do Something, Learn Something, Share Something, Change Something.”

Definitely.