Not a Social Butterfly: I have privacy needs

I usually manage to have a few good friends wherever I move to, and I'm very grateful for them. However, nobody has ever accused me of being a social butterfly, and that's probably because I'm not one. I'm the kind of person who is quiet when you first meet me, usually. I'm reticent, and hesitant. I'm happy to observe until I find out where I fit into a social situation or relationship.

In a vandwelling forum I've found others like me! Quite a revelation! People who live in their vans are often those who are happy to isolate themselves from the social situations most people flock to. No wonder I'm attracted to vandwelling. I just want to be left alone much of the time, and it isn't because I don't want to be with you, it is just that I value my alone-time.

I do make efforts to go out. I went to church this morning, for example, and I'll go to the worship evening. But I'm not going there to see anyone in particular, except Jesus Christ. So, that's not especially a social event yet of course it involves contact with others in my church, which I find enjoyable. They are all such sweet people. Who could not love that? Seriously!

What do I need my alone-time for? Well, it is my opportunity for creativity such as blog writing and art. It is also a great time to read a book, and since I'm the Book Lady on YouTube I do have to read books. I love to read books! Book reading takes gobs of alone-time. That's why I say I have privacy needs. Silence, quiet, solitude, peacefulness, serenity - these are all words that describe my preferred lifestyle.

I wonder what it will be like to live in a van (which I'm determined I'll soon do) and not know anyone around me in a town, and not have any social pressures to do anything unless I want to. I can wake up in the morning, get ready for whatever I want to do that day, and relax inside my van or drive and sight-see. If I need a shower I can go work out at the gym and then take my shower. If it is Sunday I'll want to find a church to worship at. If I want to make a bookish video I can hunt for a bookstore or visit a library. I can anticipate all kinds of great use for my alone time while living in a van, though I won't always be alone. The chance of making deep, lasting friendships that place social pressures on me are unlikely.

I'll still be around people when I want to be - at tourist areas, at laundromats, at gyms, in stores, at the library, and at churches on Sunday . . . I'll not be totally isolated. I'll be just fine.

I had an acquaintance who tried to make me think there was something wrong with wanting to be alone. I think there's something wrong with trying to make people feel guilty for wanting to be alone much of the time. I make time for my friends, but I'm not on call whenever/wherever . . . of course, if my friend needs me for something important, I'll switch everything around and try to make time to help, if at all possible, God willing. I hope I would never desert a friend in need.

Gratitudes:

1. I'm grateful for the church I go to - not only because Jesus is there, but because it is full of people who love Him.

2. I'm grateful that I'm reading a novel I consider great literature right now. I read it right before I go to sleep at night.

3. I'm grateful that my son phones to talk to me frequently.

Plan for the day:

1. Go to church. - done

2. Well, it is Sunday - so I'm relaxing and taking it easy.

3. Worship evening at the church.

Currently reading:

1. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson - I don't remember buying this last time I subbed to Audible.com - but there it is in my library, so I'm listening to it while riding my exercise bike (30 minutes at a time). So far, holds my interest.

2. Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking, by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport - can't remember why I was inspired to buy the Kindle version of this book, but that's probably why I need it. I started reading it last night.

Bible Study Day

Wednesday is the day for my Bible study groups to meet. There are two of them . . . I am blessed that they both take place here in my home.

Lord, Is It Warfare? Teach Me to Stand:
A Devotional Study on Spiritual Victory
by Kay Arthur
Buy at Amazon

The women's Bible study is at 4pm and the other Bible study is at 6:30pm.

The women are studying Kay Arthur's book, Lord, Is It Warfare? Teach Me to Stand: A Devotional Study on Spiritual Victory. It seems like we've been using this book well over a year now. We took a break of several months between chapters three and four.

We're currently on chapter nine so it won't be too much longer until we finish. It takes about a month to get through one chapter, the way we're doing it. We read it at home, then read it together as a group, then do our study questions at home, then review them with the group - so I go over the information in the chapter 4 times before we're done. Hopefully some of it stays with me.

The second Bible study includes two men - and we study books by Paul Little.

Know What You Believe by Paul Little Buy at Amazon

Know Why You Believe by Paul Little Buy at Amazon

We've skipped around a bit between the two books. Currently we're reading a chapter about Jesus that makes me love Him more than ever before. It is about how he is half human and half God . . . part of each. He came here to suffer and die on the cross, willingly, to help us and redeem us. That's true love.

My friends talk a lot

Maybe the reason I think my friends talk a lot is because I talk a lot with them. However - they're so talkative they took it far beyond that by getting into a talk radio program deal called IF Radio - and of course we want to know - why "IF"? As it turns out they've got a reason for that - the "IF" is short for Intradimensional Facets. You can see why they settled on "IF Radio"!!!

Perhaps the show is about "what if" scenarios because they do choose extreme type issues to feature, in the genre of the paranormal, mostly. The guys, who I'll call Dennis and Bob, though they have nicknames for the show (JavaBob and Professor Pious), are long-time neighbors and friends in our small town, and I've considered them friends for many years. We meet regularly at our local writer's club.

Though I love talking to them at our weekly meetings, I'll confess I have yet to call into the talk radio show - which airs on Thursdays at 6:30 on BlogTalkRadio. My main reason for not doing so is that I forget that the show is scheduled. I have no way to remind myself and they don't phone me before the shows, so I'm usually one who listens to the shows after the fact. Fortunately there's a good archiving feature for BlogTalkRadio.

What Aaron Likes To Talk About

Long day - and I'm still not done. Aaron wants to talk. Mostly its about going over jumps on his bike. He never seems to tire of talking about that. Or anything, for that matter. He's a very verbal person. Age 13. He goes out to visit friends almost daily. They just love the way he knows how to fix their bikes and he appreciates being with others who want to talk about bikes all day long.

Willie Dream

Strange, I was dreaming about an old friend, Willie, this morning. I dreamed he'd won a dream house. It was awesome. Then my daughter told me we got a call from the city he lives in - the number is on her Call Wave today - but there's no Caller ID name, just the name of the city. I'm not calling back. I figure if someone wants to talk to me bad enough they can leave a message on the Call Wave to let me know who it is. And if they don't want to do that, maybe there's a reason.

SNOW: We had the first snowfall of the year on November 25 this year. It was just a light dusting - less than an inch - but nice to see. It melted away too quickly - when the snow turned to drizzle.