Having people over

I just had a handful of people over to play games and I'm half-drunk and feeling pretty good about it. Sure, I'm the only one around to clean up and do the dishes and all that, but it was a good time.

Living alone for me means that I'm not the tidiest. I put things where they're easiest for me and not always tucked away neatly into closets and drawers. I clutter up my counter space and set things on top of the piano or somewhere with the intention of putting them away later, and it leads to a very disorganized-looking living space that I imagine might put people off. But my friends don't really care. They know me well enough and they have lives of their own. They're just here to hang out for a while and it doesn't bother them.

I didn't have people over for a long time because I was concerned about having a messy place. And with depression and all, it was too stressful to think about hosting people. I barely wanted to socialize at all, let alone having to host. But I've been doing a little better recently and I committed to baking and making drinks for people, and once everyone's here we had a great time hanging out and playing games. I've tidied up some but not all, but the clutter wasn't really the reason I never invited people over. I think it was more of an excuse so I wouldn't have to do anything at all.

I've visited other people enough and took advantage of their hospitality, it felt good to be able to offer some of the same in return for the first time in a long time. And people liked my ham tarts, that was good. And my egg nog. And I brutalized everyone at Balderdash.

I don't know, I mostly just wanted to post that I had a fun evening. But I guess I also wonder, how much do you all share your space? Do you have people over once in a while? Never? When and why do you invite people, and how do you feel about it? I never feel like my space is being invaded, when it's people I know. They feel like they belong here. But I'm often reluctant to have people over because it entails more work and social energy than I'm willing to expend. I think. Yet today it has been delightful.