DEAR HARRIETTE: I used to hang out with a group of women from my neighborhood, and we formed a real bond over the years. My husband and I downsized last year to a smaller home in my home state. While I think we made the right decision financially, I am so lonely. I miss my friends and our genuine camaraderie. I want to get us together and had the thought of inviting them to a Zoom cocktail party with me. They could be at their individual homes or all together, like we used to do, with me on camera. Do you think that would be too much of an imposition? That’s one thing I liked during the pandemic — we figured out how to be together from a distance. I don’t want to be too pushy, though. — Need To Connect DEAR NEED TO CONNECT: I bet your friends miss you as much as you miss them. By all means, suggest that you create a virtual cocktail party with them. Ideally, everyone would be in their own homes. That way, everybody gets a chance to talk, and they are all focused on the screen. Sometimes when one person is virtual and the rest are not, the in-person party can be distracting and draw people away from the person who isn’t in the room. If it turns out to be a big gathering with you added in, suggest that the first hour be focused on all of you talking to one another. Then you can sign off and they can continue.
