I'm in the same situation.

I was with the same girlfriend for 4 years and she became my best friend. When we broke up, I had lost contact with all my highschool friends. The fact that we all went to different colleges didn't help either.

Now I've become a loner, but not by choice. Let's face it though, making new friends when you are not going to school anymore is no easy task. The second best option is the work place and I know for sure that none of the guys I work with could ever be my friend. They are way too different.

What am I supposed to do now? Hang out in places I enjoy like a bookstore and walk up to people and ask if they want to be my friend?

It is an obstacle when you want to meet girls because it sounds creepy when someone says "I have no friends". I'm sure my personality is strong enough to overcome the initial bad impression of not having friends, but it's still another handicap on my long list.