Question Of The Month

A Life Examined: Question of the Month

The world of blogs is a great adventure and best of all, I can venture into the realms in my pajamas! I've made some great discoveries of late. One of them is A Life Examined, and you all know my love for introspection and self-examination. Really, other than a good book, Gin and Tonics, and large bodies of water, is there anything better? Okay, Survivor is close!

Michael, at A Life Examined, has a Question of the Month. Good questions that take some digging. His question for November is "Are you an introvert or an extrovert?"

Earlier this year I wrote about the wonderful little tome, QUIET, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. (just checked and found that it was probably last year -damn time flies!).

The book really hit home as does Michael's question. I don't really believe in opposites but feel that everything is more or less a spectrum, much like one end of the spectrum would be extreme introversion and the other end, extreme extroversion. I lean heavily on the introvert side of the middle, way away from middle.

I love solitude. I love walks alone, sitting by the lake or river alone. Most of my activities are solo, like typing these words on this keyboard; another of those favorite pastimes.

I am not fond of random large groups of people though I have no problem making a presentation to groups of 4 to 200+, which I did often as a public relations director in large medical corporations, as a president of a non-profit agency or teaching classes at the Institute for Intuitive Living, the Celestine Center of Healing Arts or at church. I can go to the symphony, getting lost in the music but wandering through the crowd is what gets my heart thumping. Can you spell c-l-a-u-s-t-r-o-p-h-o-b-i-c?

I love football games and sit down in front on the 50 yard line bleachers, front-and-center, and can scream and yell, I can jump up and down and wave my arms all about. I couldn't care less who 'might see me'! I'm there for a reason but don't invite me to a huge party and leave me alone with a bunch of strangers! I'll find a nice corner to sit in and freely visit with anyone who wanders by, but I am not a mingler! Though, when I see someone who appears more unsettled than I am, I will usually wander over, introduce myself and ask if they want to join me in my corner. I have made more really good friends that way. We quietly sit and really talk and hopefully someone nice refreshes our drinks for us now and then.

I am happy with a couple of close friends that I can sip wine with and discuss meaningful subjects. My friends don't mind digging deep but I have to admit, I do my best ruminating while alone. Happily, even in a large group of noisy, chatty people, I can find myself a space to be alone.

So, Michael, I am 90% introvert and 10% extrovert (but that 10% can be a little crazy at times!).