Loners
Related: About this forumIntrovert refuges
This list is from the Yahoo group Introvert Retreat. Someone started a list for people to post where they go to escape, it appears to be ongoing, but this is what they have so far:
Introvert Refuges:
25 (or more) good introvert refuges, urban and rural
1- Bathrooms
2- Corner seats or tables where one's back is to a wall
3- Libraries-esp. academic ones during summer vacation or non-exam weeks
4- Public Libraries or bookstores, esp. on off hours (not after school)
5- Large earphones that make it obvious you're not mentally present
6- Country roads (when it's not ATV or snowmobiling season)
7- Alcoves, crannies, booths in quiet restaurants or coffee shops
8- Out of the way break-rooms
9- Very top of a long flight of stairs in office bldg.
10- "Outside for a breath of fresh air/smoke" especially at crowded indoor parties
11. Quiet neighborhood parks.
12. Cemeteries. Great places to walk, unless there's a funeral goin on.
13. Most roads between 1am and 4am.
14. Sidewalks between 9pm and 6am.
15. Supermarkets between 10pm and 8am.
16. Malls between 8am and when the stores open at 10am, great for
walking, although there will be other mall walkers. But in PA nobody
tries to be your new best friend.
17. Small town airport, watching the occasional take-off and landing and reading a book.
18. Parking lot of a local Post Office all day Sunday.
19. Improve the conversation; enlarge on tangents that interest you.
20. My vegetable garden. Here in Texas, in the middle of summer.
21. I go into work at least an hour, sometimes two before I officially have to
be in the building. It is amazing how quiet it is that time of the morning and
I get so much work done without people interrupting me.
22. Or stay late at work, or on the weekends, when nobody's there.
23. I retreat to my truck in the parking garage during lunch and listen to NPR.
24. A basement car park at work and I like to take my book and sit in my car at lunch time.
There is no mobile phone reception down there either
24. lunch, all by myself, in my car, go through a drive-thru fast food place, eat in
the parking lot of the fast food place
25: Childhood retreats: very tops of tall junglejims/climbing playsets (see bullies coming)
-the far end of the playground, -empty classrooms during lunch in high school
-into my head by reading a good book
26. Childhood retreat: On my back in the grass in my back yard, with my dog,
looking up at the clouds.
27. Childhood retreat: Up a tree, the bare ground in a cluster of bushes, the attic at my house
28. My house.
AndyTiedye
(23,533 posts)"What did you say?"
Loud music tends to keep conversations short.
You want me to be "outgoing"? Give me a little room to dance and I'll give you "outgoing".
Trunk Monkey
(950 posts)46 acres, 8 foot fence topped with barbed wire and no one here but me
LWolf
(46,179 posts)when no one else is around.
MadrasT
(7,237 posts)I take advantage of most of those at one time or another. Except #21. But that's because I do #22 instead. (Not a morning person.)
Alduin
(501 posts)catchnrelease
(2,014 posts)Corners are good! Last year I went with my husband to a class reunion that was held at a sport bar/pizza place near us. While he was off visiting with his classmates, I found a seat at a little table that was actually in the middle of the room, but had a good view of the big screen. (So I could appear to be engrossed in watching whatever it was) After a little while he walked by my table looking around the room, so I poked him and said 'hey'. He said "Oh there you are, I was looking for you, you're usually in a corner". We both got a laugh out of that as it's totally true.
Alduin
(501 posts)I like to see what's going on all around me and not have people sneak up on me.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,011 posts)and shopping in very off hours was a treat.
When I had to live in the city, I used to wear earplugs. Could not handle the noise at all.
Now...living in a marvelous quiet brick house in a teeny teeny town.
Bliss.
Trunk Monkey
(950 posts)One of my favorite aspects of the job was eating my lunch in the 8th floor break room of an empty city building that had a great view of the city at 3 A.M.
The only light in the room came from the vending machines and since I was scheduled for an hour at that building I had time for a nice relaxed lunch.
Sounds kinda weird but I used to love to look out that window while listening to Songbird by Kenny G it just seemed to fit the moment.
I also liked checking the roof of the City Admin Building in the middle of the night.
I especially liked doing that gig on Christmas Eve when there was literally no one but me on the streets.
jp11
(2,104 posts)during the fall I'd go up there and eat/listen to music and/or just think.
Anyplace that was out of the way like a bench where few would ever sit if even walk by/through.
During winter I'd sit by the heating vents at the front of buildings where few would join me.
I was always a big fan of my car for break/lunch/waiting as well.
deJong
(7 posts)earplugs with eyes closed!
Iggo
(48,270 posts)(Actually I'm doing number two, if you catch my drift)
Iggo
(48,270 posts)Add dark sunglasses.
And it helps if you look like you might be on parole or something...heh.
Jamastiene
(38,197 posts)It is fairly near where I live and does not take a lot of gas to get there and back. The drive is nice too, because I go "the back way" and see the beautiful landscape of the backwoods. The scenery of the undeveloped parts of this county and the county next to us almost make you think of the mountains.
During weekdays, it is all but deserted except for the people who work there. They stay in the gift shop area unless they are caring for the grounds. It is very peaceful and serene being there. I love that place. I can find solitude there and I can literally feel the stress of day to day living lifting from me. It is very peaceful. I love it!
Admission is free but they do accept donations. So, it is inexpensive too.
DavidG_WI
(245 posts)That I know I'm the only person for at least a mile that likes it, b it black metal, classic rock, or something more esoteric I've always got some kind of audible repellent on hand to keep people away.
My dream item right now is a directional speaker so I can blast the really annoying neighbour kid that thinks he's a gangster rapper that like to spout his drivel in the alley by my apartment every day with 120db of the Barney song whenever he starts up.
Quayblue
(1,045 posts)1. Especially in motherhood. lol
10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, 26, 27, and 28 are all me.
For 21, I am trying to find a full time telecommute job.
This is a cool list.
antiquie
(4,299 posts)I just stole this from In_The_Wind:
catchnrelease
(2,014 posts)Can definitely relate.
DavidG_WI
(245 posts)Go away unless you are offering sex or are the delivery guy.