I find that whenever Half Price Books has a book sale the weirdos flock the place.

Flea markets--always someone who's going to be weird at one of those things, trust me.

a lord of the rings convention or d & d gathering.

Just get on a bus and sit down; they'll find you...

Why? AnswerBag NOT good enough for you? HUH? WELL? HUH? Answer me THAT why don't ya?! Okay RFlagg, you really want to find some interesting people? Ive got a secret for you. They are everywhere, and usually in plain sight. You just need to get out there, anywhere. Start by looking for anyone who will make eye contact. Stand tall and look confident (even if you aren't). Smile at everyone, nod, say hello to everyone who looks at you. It's amazing to me to stand at the check-outs at Walmart, or any store, and just try to make eye contact with people. When I do this, most people try to avoid looking at me. It's like I'm going to invade their privacy or something. There are those, however, that are doing the same thing I am doing; looking for a connection with someone, anyone. When you do catch an eye, smile, nod, say hello, and ask how they are. Look for something about them to ask about. Has he got a book in his hand? Ask him what it is. "Where'd you get that Jacket?", or "Are those baseball gloves for your son?". It's a start. Of course, you aren't going to fall into an in depth conversation with everyone you do this with, especially at Walmart. You don't want to go following people out of the store trying to pursue a conversation either, but if a conversation ensues, and he says, "Well, Ive got to go." then, maybe follow along and ask for contact information. A number, email, or whatever. The important thing is not whether you have anything in common, it's whether you show interest in them. If you walk around all day staring at your shoes, no one speaks to you, because they are afraid of bothering you. But if you keep your head up, and look directly at people, and ask questions, it's icredible how many people out there WANT to talk to you and get to know you. I used to be a very withdrawn person. When I learned these along with many other things, a whole new world opened up for me. I've done everything from eating with the homeless and having them sleep in my home, to spending and hour with a millionaire Real Estate investor, just because I had the gall to call him on the phone and ask if I could. It was scary as hell at first, but I found out it's not the people who are willing to talk to you that are the one's you need to worry about. Sure there are some scammers, and some with ulterior motives, and you may get bitten once in a while, but the wealth of positive human contact that you gain is well worth the risk. So the answer to your question is, "Everywhere, if you are only willing to venture out with open eyes, and an open mind." P.S. I'm not assuming you are a shut-in or anything, but whenever anyone asks me for advice on meeting people, I can only think of what I've learned, which is that where you are has less to do with it than how you are. If you are a "shut-in" and don't get out much, one of my answers to this may interest you (look for "Go Outside and Drive"): http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/83627 Peace! Re: getting laughed at: Remember, the point behind doing this is not to stare people down waiting for a response. The idea is to look for those who are trying to make eye contact themselves. Just because people do connect, doesn't mean they are open to more than that. There are those who are looking for contact but don't know what to do with it when it happens. They may be new at it themselves. Sometimes you will make a visual connection, and the other person will speak first. These connections are, of course easier, since the person you connected to has experience and a comfort level that allows them to make "first contact". After you've met enough "first contact" people, you will find yourself making first contact with individuals who aren't practiced at it. After making eye contact, you will find yourself being the first to speak. You don't have to be articulate every time you greet someone. Don't push outside your comfort zone every single time, but make it a point to do just that at least once or twice each time you go out. Over time, your comfort zone will get larger, and include more personality types. There is still one personality type I have trouble with, and I may never overcome it. I have a hard time dealing with extremely negative people. My conversations with them are short-lived, because I was very negative until about six years ago. Negativity rubs off very easily if you are prone to it yourself. In order so prevent negative attitudes from rubbing off on me, I find a reason to move on, and seek out more positive attitudes. Positivity rubs off as well, but only if the recipient is a willing one. I find quite often that extremely negative people don't like my positive attitude and tend to shut me out, our ridicule me. If your having trouble developing and maintaining positive relationships, being shut out and ridiculed is counter productive. The best thing to do with these people is move on and seek out the positive immediately, because you need as much as you can get to develop the "stuff" to be able to guard yourself from the negative energy these people transmit. Don't let it get you down! Instead of telling yourself, "Man, those people think I'm a dork!", tell yourself, "Hmm, they're telling me they don't have what I'm looking for and that I should move on and keep looking for someone who does!". How you speak to yourself while you are doing this, is more important than what you think the other person is thinking. Seek out positive people, get to know them (eventualy), find out what they feed their minds, (what do they read, watch, listen to, and spend their time doing), and try some of it yourself. Latch onto what works for you. Read what they read, watch what they watch, and do what they do. If this is a transitional process for you, it will not happen overnight. It may take months, or even years. The younger you are, the faster it will happen. When you want to do well in a class, you don't hang with the trouble makers in the back, you hang right up front with those at the head of the class. Right? This may mean you will have to tune out the ridicule and negative crap, and counter it with your own positive talk. The only person's opinion that really matters is your own, and your own opinion is the only one you have the direct power to change. You can change it by the way you speak to yourself. Finally, don't ever, ever give up on yourself. People who are true successes never really lose, because they learn from their mistakes and move on. If you quit, you lose. If you learn, you win... eventually.

I sat in the middle of the city centre with a big sign saying 'hello!' No one came over. SO I went and bought a really big hat and sat down again before I knew it I had 7 Belgium tourists all around me. It was great! So I recommend a sign saying hello and a big hat.

The graveyard at midnight on Friday the 13th might be a good place.

Pretty much anywhere. Just look, and you'll find em'.