Starting a new life, new job, a new everything and need advice about how....

sorry for the tough luck there. It'll be hard to find something that can replace running. Would your injury allow you to learn boxing? Where I live, it's too hot to run in the summer. I've found boxing to be both an incredible workout and so much fun. It's awesome competition like running, except you get to feel like a "tough guy" when you win. (on the flip side, it's very humbling to lose). My only other advice would be to move near a large city so you can meet people and find work.

Take up swimming! It's a GREAT cardio workout, with no impact on your joints, and you'll get CUT!

Move, open a running store and get a dog.

I'm sorry that your life probably seems like it's falling apart. I did a complete relocation a few years ago where I had to find a new job and make new friends. It wasn't easy, but it became a lot easier when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and made deliberate choices about my activities.

Make a goal to send out a certain number of job applications every day. It's going to take up most of your free time for a while, but you'll regret it if you put it off. Research cities you think you'd like to live and apply for jobs there. Talk to the temp office in your town about picking up some extra work if you have some time between jobs. Since you have no ties to where you are, you're free to go anywhere. Don't get overwhelmed by fear of making a wrong decision.

After you move, even if you're introverted, get out and do things. If you find it awkward to meet new people, don't focus on having to talk to anyone, just show up, do your own thing and observe. Don't wait for the exact right opportunity to do something you absolutely love- try everything. Go to the gym and lift. Go to the bookstore and read. Volunteer. I don't know what things you like to do, so I couldn't possible tell you what could replace running in your life. But the only way you'll find something is by doing a lot of things, not trying immediately to fit something you're not familiar with into the space that running left.

who are you?

The good thing is that you can do sales anywhere if you get the right gig. I would just start networking in cities you've always wanted to live and see what opens up.

im guessing that you're a mortgage guy? Props to me if I'm right...I sold that rock for awhile and then the industry went poo poo.

I do sales recruitment now...and while the money isn't that great, its the easiest thing in the world. I DO sortof miss the "high" of the close though...

Good luck bro!

I am in somewhat of a similar place, in that I am starting over at 38. The holidays suck this year. I never thought I would be alone at my age. I have a modest paying job that I love and three kids, so i won't be leaving the area (I am open to switching jobs for more money, though)

Try to look at it in the positive. You have a whole life ahead of you. Your future is open, you can move anywhere. It is very difficult in the middle of such a crap-storm to think positively and I am not able to manage it much of the time. Good friends to talk to have been a life saver for me, they are there even when my family is not.

On your practical questions of course nobody can answer those for you. If I could move anywhere I would move to Albuquerque or somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. I love that part of the country. I second the suggestion about taking up swimming. A great sport. Also look into some other activities that might also involve socialization--I am thinking that when things settle down I might look into a cooking class or a yoga group.

Lastly, you can seek professional help of many different varieties. Your college or a professional association may offer some career counseling. If you are depressed (and it sounds like you might be) a therapist can be great to bounce things off of. Maybe you aren't even clinically depressed, but you say you are having a hard time making decisions and taking positive steps forward which is a key that counseling or a support group might work for you.

Good luck, hopefully we will both emerge from these transitions as stronger, happier people.

Buy a gun.

If you want a change, move to Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. A change of scenery will do you good.

Canada sucks. Too cold. You'll kill yourself from depression. Canadians eventually all leave their shit nation and come to the states. It'd be better to just put all the Canadians in concentration camps and use them for soldiers and slave labor.

You won't regret it.

You'll regret Canada, Chicago, New York, the three main sewage dumps of North America.

You could be living in a van down by the river...

You recognize that things could and should be better and you have the financial wherewithal to move on.

You are luckier than most.

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

-Mohandas Gandhi

You are only a loser if you lose and you like it.

You learn from those past experiences and move on and grow.

First, relax. You won't solve all these things at once. But if you can relax and work on them slowly, deliberately, and skillfully (a great New Age word, that), you'll get where you're hoping to go.

Here's what I'd do: I'd somehow save enough money to attend the following intensive workshop/conference. I'd make sure that I brought along a digital voice recorder, to take notes, and some business cards--personal ID cards in business-card form, with my name, email address, maybe just that much. That's what I'd do.

BTW: I have no stake in this conference, but I've been two three or four workshops at Omega and they have certainly help change me from a loser of sorts into a guy with a beautiful, warm, loving wife; a wonderful young son; a great job; a part-time business, and a much better attitude. I kid you not:

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Change is scary but it also promotes growth.

Drop your handle. Even in jest referring to yourself as a loser doesn't help.

Drop any thoughts of your ex girlfriend. That's history.

This is opportunity that you need. You are forced into change but we both know you needed change.

Get off your butt and call people, even if you don't know them well, and find out where there are jobs you'll be interested. Run searches.

And start biking.

...what Ortho said. Oh, and play some lottery numbers, sounds like your luck has pretty much bottomed out.

Get the surgery. Move to Eugene and learn to love running again. Make it your primary things in your life.

I agree with part of what Tex said: get a dog. Dogs will give you unconditional love...as long as they get fed.