What communities have you known or been part of that have been uncommonly welcoming? [more inside]
posted by danceswithlight on Aug 3, 2011 - 38 answers

Looking for family friendly neighborhoods in Austin. My wife and two small kids will be relocating to Austin. Our current neighborhood is filled with kids playing in the street and neighbors interacting with each other. We know and hang-out with a lot of our neighbors. We want a neighborhood / community like that in Austin. I know a lot of master planned communities bill themselves as family friendly but a lot of them always seem like ghost towns. Where are the true active / friendly communities in Austin?
posted by jasondigitized on Jun 10, 2011 - 19 answers

I'm leaving college, and I want to know where I can find a sense of community in the 'real world.' [more inside]
posted by showbiz_liz on Oct 20, 2010 - 28 answers

Lately, the concept of "friends" seems to have become incredibly diluted by the casual use of the term by Facebook, MySpace et al. But in "the real world" what do you consider to be important when you are making and becoming friends? Is it how long you've known someone? How frequently you meet up? What you have in common? Something more intangible? Also, I'd love recommendations of any books looking at the psychology of how people become friends.
posted by pipstar on May 14, 2008 - 21 answers