Solitude ...

Yeah, despite being fairly happily married for the last 30+ years, with two great kids, and a fairly normal-sized circle of friends, I consider myself a loner and am quite comfortable as such.
I've found solitude on solo woodland hikes, the streets of New York, and my own back yard.
It's a state of mind for me.

 

My favourite kind of solitude is found in the mountains.

 

I voted for "contemplating your life in your back yard", seems like a good thing to do just to see where you're at and how you got there...

 

Yes absolutely...

 

I'm an introvert. I've always craved solitude.

I love being alone in my car. It doesn't have to be a long, scenic drive. Just going to the hardware store works for me. Preferably during windows-down weather, but windows-up is good, too, because I love to sing while driving.

 

I think an extrovert is someone who can make himself at home with real friends or a room full of strangers.

Personally, I'm very good at holding my own in a conversion with a stranger, but put me in a setting full of people I don't know and I'm not comfortable.

Even with close family and friends, I get a certain amount of socialization and I'm good for a while.

 

introversion is my default. (and yes, some folks are ambiverts; they are rare but extant.) the difference lies whereby one exchanges 'energy' in interacting with others--extroverts are energized; introverts are exhausted. the method of interaction can play a role. and of course, no one is a complete introvert or extrovert (unless they are utterly dysfunctional)--it is a spectrum, and folks slide along it. we all need a bit of quiet time now and zen

check out susan cain's 'quiet' for a great introduction to introversion.

 

Myself also, but windows up.

I may look like a crazy singing but they can not hear me sounding that way.

 

classic extroversion trait.

 

classic introversion trait.

 

Yes.


Now go away.

 

It’s a decent ski area but Alta is more my style.

 

My favorite has always been walking in shaded trails and listening to music.

 

For about 20 years I made a solo pilgrimage to a lakefront cabin in central Oregon (part of Oregon State Parks). It had to always be the same cabin and in mid to late September, after Labor Day. I reserved it nine months in advance, the max at the time. Usually perfect weather, other cabins often vacant. I enjoyed nothing more than being there in solitude and reviewing in my head where I was in life and where I wanted to go (at the time). I loved being off the grid and disconnected from work.

Ok, full disclosure, it was a “deluxe cabin” with utilities and even air conditioning (I steadfastly refused to use a/c but it was available).

Then one year the marina operator installed WiFi for the cabins. The next year there was 3G cell coverage. Then LTE. I couldn’t resist using these abominations and it kind of ruined the experience for me. I stopped going because I was weak.

Also, smoke from wildfires became the norm, pretty much ruining the point of the thing for me.

Anyway yes I greatly appreciate some solitude now and again.

 

This is funny to me because there was an episode of Andy Griffith last night where he and Barney were both invited to an exclusive men's club. I was actually thinking, that must be an extroverted thing.