Happy to be a Solo :-)

[Rob S.]

It's all to the good...<br><br>the only thing i might add would be to listen to one's problems. we can grow more from the problems than when we win the lottery. Having said that I&nbsp;immediately realize how FOS I am because of course winning the power ball is the true road to happiness&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp;

 

[vantexan]

I don't mind being around people but am content with being alone, even in a crowd. I go to the movies alone, which is easy, eat at restaurants alone, great as long as I have something to read, live alone, no problem as long as I have my dogs. Totally different from when I was in my 20's with two roommates, a fiancée, a big church singles group. I get a vibe from coworkers and family but I just smile and say I'm fine. I drive all day as a courier which probably made it easier to transition into living by myself as my roommates married and my fiancée and I parted ways. Don't know if I'll be alone forever, but as I don't envision a normal suburbs lifestyle I kind of doubt I'll change. I've read too much about other places and want to see them.

 

[treesonggal]

I have been lonely in a crowd or with one person. I've also been most content when alone - whether for a few hours or weeks. For me it's more a state of mind because as long as I live I'll have some form of human contact.<br><br>The older I get, the more my inner life speaks to me and I follow it's direction.<br><br>

 

[Staying Put]

As a schizoid, being alone, solo, is at the heart of my nature.&nbsp; It is my preferred state of being.&nbsp; I am alone, but do not feel lonely.&nbsp; I am completely content with my own company.&nbsp; I am introverted, but not shy.&nbsp; To those I meet I am friendly and engaging, but I am not a people person and I do quite nicely without them.&nbsp; I can do well with people as a sprint, spending short bits of time with them, but not as a marathon where I would have to spends hours with someone.<br><br>I am not anti-social, but I am non-social.&nbsp; I am now 60 years of age and I am completely comfortable with who I am and understand myself better now than at almost any time of my life.&nbsp; I enjoy being able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, without consulting anyone else or needing anyone else to go along with me.&nbsp; The older I get, the more set in my ways I have become and I would not want to impose myself on anyone because I wouldn't want that done to me.<br><br>Perhaps some here have read the "Vanabode" book or are familiar with its author and how his idea of stealth parking is so you can do all sorts of fun things like going to museums, parks, Vegas.&nbsp; Personally I would rather have a long scope colonoscopy without anesthesia than being in Vegas around lots of people.&nbsp; Nothing appeals to me more than the thought of vandwelling out in the boonies on some BLM land by myself, solo.

 

[mockturtle]

<span id="post_message_1277839263">Personally I would rather have a long scope colonoscopy without anesthesia than being in Vegas around lots of people. </span>

&nbsp; X2!!

 

[Staying Put]

Regarding the long scope colonoscopy, the irony is that I will be having one in June but WITH anesthesia.&nbsp; This will be my second one since my first at age 50.&nbsp; My dr. recommended the long scope since I would be put under and I would only have to do it every 10 years.&nbsp; With my first colonoscopy I remember being wheeled into the room, and then the next thing I was waking up in recovery, thinking it was funny to hear all of the other people farting until I realized I was doing it too.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/redface.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br><br>I still would rather have to drink that gallon of the horrid Go Lightly that you are required to put away the night before a colonoscopy than to have to be around all of the kinds of people I would have to endure in Vegas.&nbsp; Yuck to that.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/nono.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[owl]

&nbsp;&nbsp; They do colonpeeks on stage in Vegas !

 

[investigator77]

<p>I sometimes complain to my friends that it's a drag living on my own.&nbsp; I get tired of having to do everything by myself, like running errands, planning for retirement, grocery shopping, taking the car in for service, and home maintenance.&nbsp; When I was married, we could at least share these tasks, by either dividing them up, or going together. He was also an excellent bug killer! We got the same amount of work done, in half the time. Now, everything is a chore that I must do myself.</p><p>It also annoys me to no end that I have to pay a 'couple' rate when I go on vacation, because everything is always 'based on double occupancy'.&nbsp; I also find it irritating that in my condo maintenance fees, I pay the same amount for 1 person in a 2 bedroom unit, as people that have 2 adults and 2 kids living in the same size apartment.</p><p>One day I was at the doctor's office, and I made a comment about being single and how difficult it was doing things on my own all the time.&nbsp; The secretary said to me "You should be happy! Do you know how many people have everyone tugging at them, wanting things from them? You only have to look after yourself. I think that would be heaven!"&nbsp; That one comment changed my way of thinking dramatically.&nbsp; Although it still bugs me that I have to pay double for vacations, and supplement the condo's in my building by paying the same amount of maintenance as a family, I've learned to look at things in a more positive light.</p><p>* I may grocery shop alone but I buy what I love, and it's always in the fridge or cupboard right where I left it!</p><p>* I may pay more condo fees than families for the same size unit, but I feel blessed that I can afford to live on my own and afford those maintenance fees.</p><p>* I may have to pay the 'double rate' when I vacation, but I've already traveled extensively in my lifetime and for that I am grateful.</p><p>* I may have to hire people to do heavy work around my place, but at least I can afford to do so. Many people on a fixed income have no choice but to do without any help at all, and consequently things start to deteriate around their homes.</p><p>* I eat what I want, when I want.</p><p>* I always get to watch what I want on TV</p><p>* I can decorate my home in my own style, without having to consider anyone else's color or design choices</p><p>* I'm free to pick up and go whenever the mood hits me, for as long as I want.</p><p>These are just a few of the things that make it enjoyable to be single over 50.&nbsp; It's not always a barrel of laughs, but I try to focus on the positive things.&nbsp; It makes life so much more enjoyable! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"></p>

 

[Terry]

I'm still married to the same girl I married the first and only time back in 75. i've had that freedom all the time. I just had to restrain myself to be fair to my family. I don't think I could be happy with anyone that tried to "lock me away" as in not being able to do as I please as long as i didn't do anything to hurt them. But, I don't relish the idea of being alone after Cathy passes. Kinda like being between a rock and a hard place.