Doing Things Alone

[Erin]

Another only child here, and I also go out alone. Some things are better than others. I generally go to the movies with other people. I like having someone to discuss it with after. I'll eat lunch by myself, but I wouldn't feel comfortable in a regular restaurant. I went on my first solo vacation this year, although I guess I sort of cheated since I did see my cousin, but I spent most of the time doing things on my own. It was nice, seeing what I wanted to see for as long or short of a time as I wanted. I detest shopping, so all of my friends know I'm not up for a trip to the mall!

I go to all Fleetwood Mac related events on my own. I used to have a couple of friends who would go, but neither of them were big fans and the ticket prices just got to be too high for them. I completely understand that. It's always interesting meeting random fans at the various shows. Most of them have never heard of the Ledge!

[jaycee]

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

As long as you're safe with it, I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I like interacting with Strangers. I once performed a purely indulgent social experiment where I went around asking random strangers for a hug and their autographs. It was worth it just to see the smiles on the faces of people who had otherwise been skulking their way through their day. Just a small and friendly reminder that people do care, no matter how distanced they appear to you.

That's brilliant! I wonder if that would work in Australia though... only one way to find out, I guess!

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

For the record, I wouldn't hurt a fly.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by vivfox

That hurts my everything....especially my dented teat!

[LukeA]

All the time! Most of the time, I actually end up preferring it, save for the closest of my inner circle.

I'll also add that few things can be more liberating and memorable than traveling to and exploring an unfamiliar city while alone. Sure, shared memories/experiences can be preferable, but you really find what you're truly made of when you put yourself in these kinds of positions. Helps you grow as a person, no matter how old or how mature you think you are.

[bucklind17]

Originally Posted by LukeA

I'll also add that few things can be more liberating and memorable than traveling to and exploring an unfamiliar city while alone. Sure, shared memories/experiences can be preferable, but you really find what you're truly made of when you put yourself in these kinds of positions. Helps you grow as a person, no matter how old or how mature you think you are.

I spent most of my time in London alone, since the friend I was staying with was still in school at the time and had class/homework while I was visiting. I liked being able to make my own schedule and stay as long as I wanted at various things instead of stretching things out because they were "planned" to be done at a specific time.

My next goal is to take a road trip by myself and journal the ENTIRE experience, from the sites I see to the things going through my mind doing it by myself. I find that for awhile traveling alone is fun (I LOVE doing the actual airport business by myself) but after awhile, you want to share things with people and I think I would start feeling lonely, but it really depends.

[estranged4life]

but not by choice...Obviously

Still not used to being by myself, but I get by. What I miss, besides obviously Debbie, is having someone else decide what to purchase grocery wise. I hate shopping!

It still feels weird to do anything and not have her along for the ride (I don't stop in a restaurant to eat because I feel out of place without having her present).

The only thing I think I have no issue with being alone is either going to a music store or a concert, which I always did alone (The concert part) - but everything else just feels odd to me.

[louielouie2000]

The social part of my brain seems to only have on and off buttons. Most of the time I truly do enjoy doing most things alone. It's been that way since I was a toddler. I always wanted to play with my hot wheels and such alone because I knew exactly how I wanted to play, and other kids just screwed things up!

As an adult, I'm much the same in many ways. I just LOVE taking long drives by myself. I like being able to blast my music, which most people don't like, and even to be able to sing along to it. Private time (and lots of it!) is just cleansing to me. I love to go into our guest room and watch movies and listen to music or read alone. Most every concert I've gone to in the past decade has been a solo outing. Especially going to see the Mac/Stevie is kinda a private thing for me... *I* can say they look old, sound bad, etc... but if anybody else said those things, it'd crush me!

Most of the time when I go out to restaurants and bars, I like for it to be a group thing. But I've found when my other half is away on travel, I go to my neighborhood bar alone and enjoy just people watching by myself. It's a totally different experience. I can't say I enjoy eating out alone, unless it's in a fast food/cafeteria type setting where I can be truly anonymous. I still feel weird about going to a sit down restaurant alone. Though I do enjoy cooking and eating at home alone tremendously. My other half has radically different food preferences than I do, and we have a tiny kitchen which we always trip over each other in... so cooking and dining alone at home is a real treat for me. I can blast MY music, cook MY fav dishes, and drink MY fav type of wine!

Don't get me wrong, there are certain activities to me which are best with company. I don't like riding my Vespa alone... I prefer my other half to ride his with me. My parents have a lake house in the middle of nowhere which has a pool and a boat, and I always love having my family there and also bringing along all my best buddies. Though one of my absolute fav things to do alone is take the boat out at night alone, shut it off in the middle of the lake, and just lay back and look at the stars.

Doing stuff alone definitely doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you at all. Humans are social creatures as a whole, but it's safe to say each and every one of us needs our private time in order to remain balanced and grounded.

[LittleCharmer]

This is a great thread. Things like this don't get discussed often enough!

I used to be that annoying person that couldn't go to the bathroom alone, and got her friends to order her food for her but I've found that as I've grown up (obviously), I've had to get to grips with being independent and doing things for myself. Now I just don't care anymore.

I still get self-conscious sometimes when I'm doing things alone, just because it can feel odd wandering around by yourself when everyone else seems to be in a couple or a group, but I find it hard to enjoy shopping (for clothes, etc) with other people, and I love taking my time to browse. I spent 25 minutes in one aisle the other day choosing new stationery! That's something you can only justify doing on your own

When it comes to music I do everything alone - listening, dancing, buying - aside from a couple of like-minded Depeche Mode buddies, I don't know many people into the same music as me. So generally I find myself going to concerts alone, which I don't mind at all 'cause no one will judge my crazy dancing and singing along Travelling there doesn't bother me at all, I often travel from where I live to Manchester by train for gigs, which takes about an hour and a half, and I adore long train journeys on my own - I've only traveled long distance with somebody else once, and I HATED it. I much prefer to sit and think, or listen to music/read whilst travelling. It's probably my favourite pastime. I also really enjoy sitting in Starbucks reading with my iPod in - I always sit in the same place, which looks out of big glass doors onto a side-street, so I can people-watch with my caramel macchiato..

Now that all my friends have split off to different universities it's given me heaps more time by myself.. this was fine at first but I'm getting quite bored of it now.
Hey ho, just more train journeys for me to go and visit them all

[APerfectLie]

Eh, I'm mixed on this subject. I live alone and love being alone so I really don't have a problem going places alone and doing things by myself. However, I always find it weird to go to a concert or go eat by myself. I will do pretty much anything else by myself, but not those two things! Idk why tho. But when I see someone eating alone, I always feel the urge to invite them to my table, but I never do.

[TerraRhiannon]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Especially going to see the Mac/Stevie is kinda a private thing for me... *I* can say they look old, sound bad, etc... but if anybody else said those things, it'd crush me!

This reminds me of when people say mean things to/about my little brother. I tell them to stop, because only I may do/say those things.

[MacShadowsBall]

While you might feel self-conscious eating out alone, most everybody else in the restaurant is too busy "doing there thing" - they ain't paying no attention to anybody but themselves. And if they look at you odd, just do this...!

[Aussie W/Heart]

When i was much younger i would go everywhere with my friends, movies, party's, concerts, the beach & even the dentist together just to get out of school.. Now in my 40's i love being on my own, during the day i have our house to myself & im never bored I have my music to listen to all day, shopping i always go by myself, as i hate waiting around for people to decide what to buy. I had the best night of my life when i went to the Unleashed concert by myself. But the thing i enjoy the most is driving for long hours on my own , always singing along to Stevie's music, she keeps me company & i have so much fun..

[MissLadyLoki]

I'm an only child, so I am used to spending a lot of time home alone (not counting my birds). I have gone shopping alone, but many other things, i just can't do alone. I feel strange going on a vacation or eating at a restaurant or going to the movies alone and with that, I always need some sort of companion, even if it means making friends with a stranger (I've done that many times at school and in fact, that's how I met my male friend Sam and my former female friend Sam)

[MacShadowsBall]

Looks like there are quite a few only childs here on the Ledge! A few years ago, somebody I went to college with asked my why I'm an only child! I barely new this person...what a question to ask somebody.