There is overlap across these groups:

Some of us live near each other.

A few went to school together.

Some I met in co-ops, home birthing groups, home schooling (we met when both these latter two were still illegal in our state). There was everything from super hippy types to super conservative catholics in these groups.

Some I met through volunteer organizations I was deeply involved in.

A couple of good friends I met online.

Some through living overseas.

Some through my husband's work.

Some through starting and running schools.

Some in politics. Some in music.

Some I created myself with my own little womb (and my husband, of course)

I'm almost 70, SCA, so it's kind of broad. In all these groups above, I still have a small group of close friends. But it's a pretty small monkey sphere if you split out my family from it.

I don't go to church but a lot of the people I am close to do. The schools we started had a very large cross section of people from different backgrounds: from janitors and store clerks to doctors and lawyers; from mormons to atheists to catholics; and the whole political spectrum.

I wouldn't say we sort ourselves, but we were sorted by the adversities of life. Mostly we don't really socialize, but we work together on important projects and occasionally we help one another out in times of need or attend weddings and funerals.

I don't know if I adequately answered your question. There has been a lot of ebb and flow over the years but one of the things that makes a friendship last for me is someone who asks questions and who tries to answer them.

In other words, people like you.

I'm not sure what you mean by preferences. One thing I can say is that most of the women I have worked with have a pretty rational, almost male sort of mindset about work. They don't play girl games. They don't get their feelings hurt easily. We work well with men because we focus on the job and we pull our weight. So - I guess I would say that I prefer not to socialize with women, generally, and never with the kind of women who make trouble or work for others. Don't care what their race, religion, creed, politics, or ideology are. If you are a pain in the butt and get your feelings hurt easily, I'm out.