> getting into a group of "normal" friends, of both genders, to hang out and laugh with, seems like an impossible goal.
This has no basis in reality, it's a distortion. You can make friends. Do what people do when they settle in a new city: meetup groups, pick up sports, book clubs etc. Covid is a current impediment, but it won't be later.
This sounds like loneliness. Having a partner helps.
> On the other hand, I feel that finding a non-coding job would be ultimately the best way to find new social groups, and get out of the apathy
Having had corporate & government gigs in offices, and working remote, I would re-think that assumption. What the office environment grants at the very least is water-cooler talk, which provides at least some level of socializing. Not necessarily more than that. A good social group need not depend on workmates. At any rate, you can meet new people outside of work, and offices never made me feel any less lonely in and of themselves in my worst years.
This has no basis in reality, it's a distortion. You can make friends. Do what people do when they settle in a new city: meetup groups, pick up sports, book clubs etc. Covid is a current impediment, but it won't be later.
This sounds like loneliness. Having a partner helps.
> On the other hand, I feel that finding a non-coding job would be ultimately the best way to find new social groups, and get out of the apathy
Having had corporate & government gigs in offices, and working remote, I would re-think that assumption. What the office environment grants at the very least is water-cooler talk, which provides at least some level of socializing. Not necessarily more than that. A good social group need not depend on workmates. At any rate, you can meet new people outside of work, and offices never made me feel any less lonely in and of themselves in my worst years.